"You're a good friend, Arthur."
I know usually I have to make a combined Psych/SGA post, but this week I really really feel that SGA needs its own post. (And, err, I haven't actually watched Psych yet. OOPS. But last night my parents suddenly decided that they had to finally watch There Will Be Blood before seeing this week's "There Might Be Blood"; which, yay, worked for me, except then after running over to the other TV to play back the just-finished-recording SGA -- and then pretty much bawling my face out -- and then watching it over again -- and then spending a few hours online getting fandom warm fuzzies -- yeeeah, I think I'll probably try and finish Psych later today.)
This just had to be the episode airing right after they announced the show's cancellation, didn't it? I already knew it was going to rip my heart out, but... man. That was, like, heartache magnified x1000. And I know this might sound weird, but I almost felt it even more because it seemed like everybody was less in character and more in... them, in this episode? Like, the nice version of McKay is basically just Hewlett playing Hewlett; John and Rodney in civvies is Joe and David in whatever they wore to work (PANDA SHIRT OMG. But, seriously, what military commander owns [and wears] a shirt with a big ol' teddy bear face on it?); I feel like RL has very distinctive "Rachel" and "Teyla" voices -- and when Teyla was coaxing Rodney from the jumper to the Shrine, that was totally Rachel-voice; RONON HUUUUGS because Jason is so squishable; and of course having Kate there always brings the real-life sibling dynamic. Normally I suppose that calling practically everybody somewhat OOC in a single episode would be a criticism, but I don't want to mean it that way. It was more genuine friendshippy, I suppose? And just made me feel, if possible, even worse about the show ending because, yes, characters live on in the infinite timeline of fandom; but actors have separate, independent lives and once they all split up... :(
Despite this being a We ♥ Rodney ep, which I usually get on board with because Rodney/everybody is my OTP and I love when I can celebrate that with canon -- I'm pretty sure I spent the whole episode going Johnnnn. Because... seriously... augh he is too precious. Every time Flanny does that pained scrunchy face, my heart breaks anew. It didn't help that Rodney spent half the episode crying, "JOHN JOHN JOHN WHERE IS JOHN". D: The episode ended on an unexpected note for me, because I thought the beer 'n pier scene was going to be at the end; then when it wasn't, I figured ooh goody, team infirmary!; except that wasn't it, either. Although I generally love the fact that SGA canon is, like, the opposite of shippy; and when I first heard the cancellation news, I realized that, wait, they're totally going to end the series McKeller and I'm not sure how I feel about that :/; but I at least like that they're setting it up earlier? Not, like, "Ooh, Jennifer had a *moment* with Ronon -- and then weeks later, another one with Rodney -- and now a YEAR later OMG LOVE TRIANGLE." Middle-ages male scifi nerds do romcom plot? No thank you. But I think it'll feel a little more natural to have it as a running backstory (like it was with Katie... and, aww, I kind of miss her!) instead of a wtf out-of-nowhere moment (like it seemed in TLM).
So even though the love confession scored the coveted closing emotional punch, I almost prefer having the big John sequence snugged securely in the middle of the episode -- right at the heart of it, where that relationship belongs. AND HELLO BEST FOUR MINUTES OF MY LIFE RIGHT THERE. John getting freaked out by desperate, scared, needy Rodney. The overabundance of grabbiness. The bit where, once again, Flaniface is my undoing: "You're still here." "Right... I am." "And... I'm not going anywhere." <--- OH MY GOD THAT RIGHT THERE. I know this could probably be said of the whole episode, BUT LIFTED STRAIGHT OUT OF FANON. John's face, nervous and a little bit shy because he's basically propositioning Rodney to spend the night, so vulnerable, maybe even more than Rodney, but also warm and reassuring and more than a little bold in his feelings. AND JOHN JOHN JOHN I LOVE YOU ALMOST TOO MUCH. *SQUISHES* And then he gives Rodney his jacket, all high school jock-ish, and of course the pier scene was perfect. Sure, pretty much a rehash of Tao of Rodney (NO YOU CANNOT EVER SAY GOOD-BYE TO ME I REFUUUSE TO LET GO *CLINGS*), but sparkly. *loves Atlantis* With giggles and foot swinging and ohhhh boys.
(Oh, BTW, NEVER UNDERESTIMATE FANDOM because of course this scene is already on YouTube. So even if you don't watch the show, seeeriously go snuggle on it for a while.)
But anyway, yeah... for me, this episode was like, "Ah, see, THAT'S why John gets to be Mr. Fantastic!" Because even though everybody loved Rodney and wanted to do what was best for him, they're all split up in their ideas -- take him to the Shrine and let him die in peace, or keep him in the city and try to save him? Umm... WHY NOT DO BOTH? John was in a surprisingly efficient problem-solving mode, organizing everybody's efforts, managing the risks, reassessing his stance every time new circumstances presented themselves. Of course, it also speaks to why the team still needs each other, because "when we all work together, together it'll all work out." *HUGE GROUP HUGS OF THE GIANT CUDDLY RONON VARIETY* And and oh I know I haven't even mentioned him yet, but Woooolsey you continue to delight me, sir, micromanaging breakfast time. AND I JUST LOVE EVERYBODY, OKAY? OKAY LET'S JUST LEAVE IT AT THAT.
This just had to be the episode airing right after they announced the show's cancellation, didn't it? I already knew it was going to rip my heart out, but... man. That was, like, heartache magnified x1000. And I know this might sound weird, but I almost felt it even more because it seemed like everybody was less in character and more in... them, in this episode? Like, the nice version of McKay is basically just Hewlett playing Hewlett; John and Rodney in civvies is Joe and David in whatever they wore to work (PANDA SHIRT OMG. But, seriously, what military commander owns [and wears] a shirt with a big ol' teddy bear face on it?); I feel like RL has very distinctive "Rachel" and "Teyla" voices -- and when Teyla was coaxing Rodney from the jumper to the Shrine, that was totally Rachel-voice; RONON HUUUUGS because Jason is so squishable; and of course having Kate there always brings the real-life sibling dynamic. Normally I suppose that calling practically everybody somewhat OOC in a single episode would be a criticism, but I don't want to mean it that way. It was more genuine friendshippy, I suppose? And just made me feel, if possible, even worse about the show ending because, yes, characters live on in the infinite timeline of fandom; but actors have separate, independent lives and once they all split up... :(
Despite this being a We ♥ Rodney ep, which I usually get on board with because Rodney/everybody is my OTP and I love when I can celebrate that with canon -- I'm pretty sure I spent the whole episode going Johnnnn. Because... seriously... augh he is too precious. Every time Flanny does that pained scrunchy face, my heart breaks anew. It didn't help that Rodney spent half the episode crying, "JOHN JOHN JOHN WHERE IS JOHN". D: The episode ended on an unexpected note for me, because I thought the beer 'n pier scene was going to be at the end; then when it wasn't, I figured ooh goody, team infirmary!; except that wasn't it, either. Although I generally love the fact that SGA canon is, like, the opposite of shippy; and when I first heard the cancellation news, I realized that, wait, they're totally going to end the series McKeller and I'm not sure how I feel about that :/; but I at least like that they're setting it up earlier? Not, like, "Ooh, Jennifer had a *moment* with Ronon -- and then weeks later, another one with Rodney -- and now a YEAR later OMG LOVE TRIANGLE." Middle-ages male scifi nerds do romcom plot? No thank you. But I think it'll feel a little more natural to have it as a running backstory (like it was with Katie... and, aww, I kind of miss her!) instead of a wtf out-of-nowhere moment (like it seemed in TLM).
So even though the love confession scored the coveted closing emotional punch, I almost prefer having the big John sequence snugged securely in the middle of the episode -- right at the heart of it, where that relationship belongs. AND HELLO BEST FOUR MINUTES OF MY LIFE RIGHT THERE. John getting freaked out by desperate, scared, needy Rodney. The overabundance of grabbiness. The bit where, once again, Flaniface is my undoing: "You're still here." "Right... I am." "And... I'm not going anywhere." <--- OH MY GOD THAT RIGHT THERE. I know this could probably be said of the whole episode, BUT LIFTED STRAIGHT OUT OF FANON. John's face, nervous and a little bit shy because he's basically propositioning Rodney to spend the night, so vulnerable, maybe even more than Rodney, but also warm and reassuring and more than a little bold in his feelings. AND JOHN JOHN JOHN I LOVE YOU ALMOST TOO MUCH. *SQUISHES* And then he gives Rodney his jacket, all high school jock-ish, and of course the pier scene was perfect. Sure, pretty much a rehash of Tao of Rodney (NO YOU CANNOT EVER SAY GOOD-BYE TO ME I REFUUUSE TO LET GO *CLINGS*), but sparkly. *loves Atlantis* With giggles and foot swinging and ohhhh boys.
(Oh, BTW, NEVER UNDERESTIMATE FANDOM because of course this scene is already on YouTube. So even if you don't watch the show, seeeriously go snuggle on it for a while.)
But anyway, yeah... for me, this episode was like, "Ah, see, THAT'S why John gets to be Mr. Fantastic!" Because even though everybody loved Rodney and wanted to do what was best for him, they're all split up in their ideas -- take him to the Shrine and let him die in peace, or keep him in the city and try to save him? Umm... WHY NOT DO BOTH? John was in a surprisingly efficient problem-solving mode, organizing everybody's efforts, managing the risks, reassessing his stance every time new circumstances presented themselves. Of course, it also speaks to why the team still needs each other, because "when we all work together, together it'll all work out." *HUGE GROUP HUGS OF THE GIANT CUDDLY RONON VARIETY* And and oh I know I haven't even mentioned him yet, but Woooolsey you continue to delight me, sir, micromanaging breakfast time. AND I JUST LOVE EVERYBODY, OKAY? OKAY LET'S JUST LEAVE IT AT THAT.