SGA Reunion
Yes, I'm posting my Reunion review very late. I have an exam in less than 4 hours and I'm trying to keep my mind off it (don't ask).
So here it is. Beware: I express what may be some very unpopular opinions in this entry.
Reunion is a Ronon episode. No doubt about that, because the main conflict and most of the emotions in this episode are his. So I would expect to be impressed with Jason Momoa's acting, as I was in that very touching Elizabeth/Ronon scene in Adrift. Not that I was expecting very outwardly emotional reactions, but yes, I did expect to be treated to some subtle acting here. Instead, I was confronted with Ronon's perpetually blank face. Or so it seems. I'm praying that I'll notice something different on rewatching the episode.
Funnily enough, it was Joe Flanigan and Rachel Lutrell who impressed me this time around. Joe had suprisingly few lines, but I found myself feeling sorrier for John than for Ronon because I could TELL what was going on in his head. He wanted so very badly to keep his Ronon, but he was all emotionally constipated and he completely failed to say the right thing when Ronon needed it most. The look he had on his face after he reminded Ronon that the team was his group too is easily one of the best John moments for me so far in this season.
And Rachel handled Teyla's turn as comic relief in the beginning of the episode really well. That look of total unguarded disgust she had when she found out those drunkards were Ronon's friends was priceless.
Okay, so I'll stop harping on about the acting now. (Note that I don't say anything about McKay, because DH is easily the best actor on the show.)
Now for the uniforms. No, I haven't given up on that topic yet. I hate them. I tried to find a nicer way of phrasing this, but that's what it comes down to. I've said it before and I'll say it again, one of the things I like the most about Stargate is its contemporariness and it just lost a lot of that when all the characters started wearing shiny black leather (and snakeskin? Teyla, what the hell?). I don't care how hot they look in it. They just made themselves generic space opera characters instead of people who could actually exist in real life.
Okay. Deep breaths...
What I did like:
* That kickass replicator. The implacable and emotionless way it went about its business just appeals to me somehow. It could also be because of the utter shock of the characters when that thing walked out of its containment field.
* Fake!Friend #1. Damn, that guy can do some serious leg swinging. That's got to be useful when you need to clear the table in a hurry. Also, he was carrying most of the scenes with Ronon in them. *is bitter*
* Mention of wraith worshipers and how they're converted. I'm not entirely satisfied with the story, but at least this element didn't just get left by the wayside after The Hive.
* Rodney's response to Teyla's "Stay strong, Rodney." First of all, it was great voice-acting from DH and second of all, we need more Teyla/Rodney friendship moments. I sometimes think that Rodney is the reason the team is not as unified as SG-1 used to be, because he tends to pay attention to whoever he thinks has an important opinion and ignore everyone else. And a lot of the time that includes the alien half his team.
* That painting. I like what it looks like from far (it probably looks horrific and cliched if it's looked at closely). I also like that it symbolises Ronon's acceptance of Atlantis as his home while not forgetting about his past. I absolutely love that Rodney stole saved it. (I believe it was a twisted but ultimately very touching way of remembering his friend).
* Teal'c. Because I can't think of anyone better suited to be there during those last moments of doubt for Sam. He's given up an entire life before, so he knows what it's like for her. I loved the callback too. Until the point where Sam actually pointed that out. *memory erase*
* The female Fake!Friend of Ronon's. I started off not liking her much because her body language did not appeal to me at all (but at least she had body language). But when she explained how they'd been converted, I found myself feeling a stir of sympathy for her. You could see the frightened and lonely person underneath it all in that moment. I liked the way she was killed too, although I nearly jumped out of my skin when that happened. Also, they took the pains to give her a tattoo similar to Ronon's. How cool is that?
* And what is up with Rodney in this ep? He was picking up on his own faux-pas much faster than usual and the basket of fruits idea is suprising coming from him. I like it. He seems to have grown a lot over the years. Also, he didn't panic when Sheppard got stunned. Yes, he was frightened, but it takes quite some presence of mind to duck into a cocoon in the short time he had. Also, note that he would have made it safely if these darn Satedan's hadn't been effing traitors.
* I like that Sheppard recognises that the position of expedition leader is really not something that he'd like to have. He knew just how much pressure Elizabeth used to be under and he doesn't think he could handle it. That is a good way to praise Elizabeth's strength.
* Oh! There was one moment that made me absolutely love Ronon and the whole concept behind the Atlantis expedition. When the rescue group entered the wraith facility, Ronon kept a hand on Zelenka's shoulder, guiding him and protecting him. That image is everything that I love about Atlantis. It's a bunch of big damn heroes with guns protecting the big damn heroes without guns but with brains, because they know that the scientists are the best resource Atlantis has. I loved it this much *holds arms wide apart* Besides, Zelenka always makes everything better.
* I liked the fight scene with Teyla at the beginning of the ep. Yes, she was ultimately going to lose, but she still kicked ass - and prettily. Now, the other fight scene I have mixed feelings about. Ronon getting slashed across the face with a knife is not something I want to see again. *memory erase #2*
* Ooh, I nearly forgot. At some point there is a shot of Atlantis that just blew me away. It was breathtakingly beautiful. Oh, Atlantis.
It was a good episode, but not one that I'll be rewatching to the same extent as say, Doppelganger.