I don't object to the idea of what you call the Enemy Within - sometimes we are our own worst enemies. (Absolute Power, anyone? And Replicarter?) Oh, that's different! Maybe I should use a different name than Enemy Within. Wolf in the Fold, maybe? With Daniel in "Absolute Power," and RepliCarter, we see our characters facing sides of themselves they'd rather not know-but fighting against them.
Like you, I find the idea that everyone is against the SGC, and some powerful people within it and the government are rotten (Samuels, Maybourne, Kinsey, etc.) overdone. The occasional bad apple? Sure. But the SGC should be weeding those out really fast, when one makes it through the initial screening somehow. And Kinsey's just ridiculous.
(A big part of my problem with SGU, and the reason I'm probably going to leave it (again) is that many of the characters there appear to be the incompetents or the rotten apples that we don't even see on the show on SG-1, but pretty much only in fanfic. They're running much of the Destiny. That's a rant for another time and place, if I can even work up the energy to rant about it. Not sure it's worth any more of my time.)
I think I like Woolsey partly just because I like Robert Picardo (loved him on Voyager, uneven as that show was). Partly, I like that as he learns more, he does change. He can recognize mistakes and improve, even if he doesn't always make steady progress.
He can recognize mistakes and improve, even if he doesn't always make steady progress.
...and even if that progress isn't necessarily in the direction we'd want. His bad decisions regarding Khalek informed his decisions regarding the Prior-itized Daniel.
This episode was what made me realize Woolsey wasn't just a "bad guy" and not a "good guy", but maybe just a guy.
::nods:: I like that a lot - he's "just a guy." Not always likable. Not always right. But at least (mostly) trying to do what he thinks is right. He's a much more realistic antagonist than just about everyone else from the NID/Kinsey mess.
...and even if that progress isn't necessarily in the direction we'd want. His bad decisions regarding Khalek informed his decisions regarding the Prior-itized Daniel. Yes! He seemed to have reached the wrong conclusions from what Daniel himself tried to get Woolsey to understand in that earlier encounter.
Fortunately, Daniel is smarter than Woolsey (even as a Prior? especially as a Prior?). ;-)
Yes, THIS: But the SGC should be weeding those out really fast, when one makes it through the initial screening somehow.
One of the things that makes me hit the back button at warp speed is incompetent, unintelligent personnel. The SGC should have the top people. Period. And yes, that includes those who can handle dealing with civilians on a regular basis.
I agree with you that he's given much more growth than the average recurring character. Even more than Paul Davis, come to think of it. :)
(Don't follow SGU, but am fascinated to see such very different opinions of it floating around LJ...)
I have very mixed feelings about SGU. When it's on the mark, it has done a few really good episodes. Mostly, though, it's way, way off. friendshipper described it as badfic. I can't remember if it was she or someone else who imagined it being written by various Stargate characters in their spare time for fun as parodies of the worst attitudes they've seen. Daniel imagines military characters who can't deal with civilians. Jack (and probably John Sheppard) imagines scientists who won't share with the military. Rodney imagines scientists who don't know what they're doing. Woolsey imagines people who won't cooperate with the IOA at all. I've now rammed together and botched several different people's opinions in one short paragraph, I think-and saved you the time and anguish of watching for yourself!
Yes, indeed. I'm thinking, though, of how he started at the SGC as a Pentagon flunky/paper pusher and quickly learned from George Hammond and the SGC (not SG-1 specifically, which I LOVE) about "how we do things around here." I strongly agree that a promotion should have definitely been forthcoming!
...Now, where's the link to that 5 things about the promotions Davis never got?
Oh, that's different! Maybe I should use a different name than Enemy Within. Wolf in the Fold, maybe? With Daniel in "Absolute Power," and RepliCarter, we see our characters facing sides of themselves they'd rather not know-but fighting against them.
Like you, I find the idea that everyone is against the SGC, and some powerful people within it and the government are rotten (Samuels, Maybourne, Kinsey, etc.) overdone. The occasional bad apple? Sure. But the SGC should be weeding those out really fast, when one makes it through the initial screening somehow. And Kinsey's just ridiculous.
(A big part of my problem with SGU, and the reason I'm probably going to leave it (again) is that many of the characters there appear to be the incompetents or the rotten apples that we don't even see on the show on SG-1, but pretty much only in fanfic. They're running much of the Destiny. That's a rant for another time and place, if I can even work up the energy to rant about it. Not sure it's worth any more of my time.)
I think I like Woolsey partly just because I like Robert Picardo (loved him on Voyager, uneven as that show was). Partly, I like that as he learns more, he does change. He can recognize mistakes and improve, even if he doesn't always make steady progress.
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...and even if that progress isn't necessarily in the direction we'd want. His bad decisions regarding Khalek informed his decisions regarding the Prior-itized Daniel.
This episode was what made me realize Woolsey wasn't just a "bad guy" and not a "good guy", but maybe just a guy.
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Yes! He seemed to have reached the wrong conclusions from what Daniel himself tried to get Woolsey to understand in that earlier encounter.
Fortunately, Daniel is smarter than Woolsey (even as a Prior? especially as a Prior?). ;-)
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One of the things that makes me hit the back button at warp speed is incompetent, unintelligent personnel. The SGC should have the top people. Period. And yes, that includes those who can handle dealing with civilians on a regular basis.
I agree with you that he's given much more growth than the average recurring character. Even more than Paul Davis, come to think of it. :)
(Don't follow SGU, but am fascinated to see such very different opinions of it floating around LJ...)
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...Now, where's the link to that 5 things about the promotions Davis never got?
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