Stargate: Atlantis--The Shrine
Now this was a beautiful piece of human drama. I should probably watch it a second time before I comment, but I like to put down my gut reactions before I have time to over-analyze.
First of all, I was incredibly pleased at the John/Rodney interaction coursing through this episode. How great was it that Rodney called out for John (in a way reminiscent of Daniel calling out for Jack on SG-1). John was his anchor, his source of strength, and even with his decaying mind, Rodney called out for John. Very nice.
Equally beautiful was their beer-drinking by the peer. During their conversation, I kept flashing back to the one between Rodney and Imaginary!Carson in "Sunday." When the chips are down, Rodney does seem to possess an acute emotional clarity, and his insistence upon saying goodbye to John while he still possessed his lucidity was poignant. And I'm pretty sure this is the first documented case of John and Rodney collapsing into giggles. :)
I was pleased with John during this episode. Finally, we get to see Joe stretch himself and show a little bit of emotion. One of my favorite scenes in that regard was when Rodney burst into John's room, and John comforted him.
Jeannie was wonderful, as usual. When she started crying, I started crying, and I barely stopped the entire episode.
Teyla was her usual strong self, and I was impressed by Woolsey's character moments here. I do see his point about the MALPs, though maybe sending them before every departure is a little extreme. Still, if you're dealing with a lack-of-contact situation, like they were in the case of Nichols and his team, it would seem prudent to send a MALP.
Ronon was rock solid in this episode. I enjoy learning little bits about Ronon's and Teyla's culture--an element I think we see too little of in the series. So learning about Ronon's childhood pilgrimage to the Shrine of Talus was a welcome bit of insight. And him shooting the parasite at Keller's command... Hee!!!
Surprisingly, I've grown to like Keller, and I'm sure that Jewel Staite's chemistry with David Hewlett plays a big factor in that. I really enjoyed their interaction in this episode, and I am loving the idea of their hooking up. I think they balance each other.
One little thing, though. Didn't I see David Nykl's name at the beginning of the episode? Because I don't recall seeing Zelenka. Did I miss him?
Next episode - Carson is back! *cheers*