I'm not sure; it might depend on how extreme the exterior temperatures are. If I fill the jar with hot water for 5, empty and dry it, and pack it with hot food, it stays quite warm for a number of hours; if I stick the jar in the freezer for 20 minutes or so and then pack it with cold food, the food stays quite cold. But I've never stored it outside for more than 20-30 minutes or carried it around in temperatures below 40F or above 80F.
I suppose they could have called it a "biological time bomb" or something, which would have sounded a bit more creepy and Cronenbergish, but the dreaded E.T. phrase actually made it all the way through the creative food chain. Ah well.
For all that, I kinda liked this one - I appreciated the look at the characters' relationships and daily lives, and I'm glad they didn't turn the entire episode into a Very Special Exploding Tumor Death Of Carson Beckett Serious Drama Hour. It's also interesting that the peril once again came from some Ancient deathtrap in the city's basement. I imagine the Atlantis staff must have days when they think they'd have been better off staying at home. Weir's love interest seems like a total creep, though.
Meanwhile, I enjoyed traveling back in time to see your thoughts on this week's SG-1. I'm also pleased to note that the mediocrity of General Landry remains untarnished, and in a way it's almost sweet that the writers seem to have decided that neither O'Neill nor Hammond could ever be replaced by perfect
( ... )
I appreciated the look at the characters' relationships and daily lives, and I'm glad they didn't turn the entire episode into a Very Special Exploding Tumor Death Of Carson Beckett Serious Drama Hour.
I alternate between appreciating that they went for a gentle off-day and annoyance that so much of the off-day activity seemed to involve relationship activity as envisioned by 13-year-olds.
It's also interesting that the peril once again came from some Ancient deathtrap in the city's basement. I imagine the Atlantis staff must have days when they think they'd have been better off staying at home.
Hee. They do tend to run across those fairly regularly, don't they?
I'm also pleased to note that the mediocrity of General Landry remains untarnished, and in a way it's almost sweet that the writers seem to have decided that neither O'Neill nor Hammond could ever be replaced by perfect substitutes. Perhaps the same also applies to the impending handoff from the almighty SG-1 to the second-rate screwups over in the Pegasus galaxy.
( ... )
I alternate between appreciating that they went for a gentle off-day and annoyance that so much of the off-day activity seemed to involve relationship activity as envisioned by 13-year-olds.
Ouch, but true. I though the Sheppard and Ronon chat was nice, but the bits where the characters are talking about relationships rather than actually being in them seemed somehow less phony. I mean, it's cute to find out that McKay has had a secret girlfriend all this time, but their actual banter wasn't exactly compelling.
Hee. They do tend to run across those fairly regularly, don't they?
I'm probably overthinking this, but sometimes I think that the general premise of SG-1 - we found a gate to the stars, and Bad Things keep coming out of it, so let's get out there and learn everything we can about this stuff - implies that humanity has to make a choice between blissful ignorance and dangerous wisdom, between sealing the gate or trying to turn it to our net advantage. (Of course, the general public doesn't get a vote here, but that's a
( ... )
The deathtrap city of Atlantis, then, could be another embodiment of this dilemma. Does the wisdom you gain from exploring it outweigh the harm you'll suffer from pushing buttons at random? Even in this episode, the mention of leukemia-curing plants seemed as if were inserted specifically to offset the perils of the Exploding Tumor Installer.
Interesting. I hadn't picked up on that, but I think there's something to it.
But what I meant with the Atlantis analogy was that I started feeling fonder of the show when I decided that the Atlantis crew weren't super-competent studs like the SG-1 cast, but a bunch of also-rans who were muddling along as best they could.I remember that, and I also find the show much more entertaining when I look at it that way. But sometimes the writers break my suspension of suspension of suspension of disbelief by asserting that they're writing Serious Stories About Heroes, and that makes me sad. (Then again, I like Mitchell quite a bit in his own right--I think watching RDA disengage during Seasons 6 and
( ... )
And then--AND THEN--the episode actually contained the line "The man you're working on right now has been infected with an explosive tumor."
To be fair, SG-1 did do that episode with an explosive little girl. But I'll grant you that "explosive tumor" has a ridiculousness quotient that "implanted bomb" just doesn't.
I half expected Rodney to turn around, have an entrance open up before him, and see him step out of a holodeck. It almost make me wonder if the scene was tacked on. Like the writers realized that in the next ep Rodney was fine and so they needed to have him deal with his grief here.
I didn't read your DS thoughts because I'm not to that point yet, but I caught your comments about Dief's diet and I suddenly got your concern. ;)
You keep having these ideas that I'm afraid they'll actually try! (See also: your horrifying speculation on Teyla next season and potential Beckett return.)
Diefenbaker needs to cut down on the potato chips, at least!
Hey, sdwolfpup had the same thoughts! Then Teyla can end up in a coma to allow for maternity leave. ;) Meanwhile, the other female characters will be sitting alone in their offices while the boys go out and save the universe. It will be awesome!
And then--AND THEN--the episode actually contained the line "The man you're working on right now has been infected with an explosive tumor." Where to start?
Whatever shred of respect I had left for the Atlantis writers vanished with that. I do love your rant about it keeping them up at night though. Hee.
One of the things I like most about "The Mask" is, as you note, how Fraser is in the middle of Chicago and his previous life in Canada. He's on the bed now, when he started out the series sleeping on the floor. He doesn't need to get fresh air like he did before; he's becoming adapted to the city and even thriving in it. He's become a better urban tracker than Eric could be. It's interesting to compare to how he was in the first few episodes of Season 1, and how streetwise he has become compared to then, even while he still retains some of his relentless optimism.
I do love your rant about it keeping them up at night though.
Unfortunately, I suspect they sleep really soundly. Because I don't think you can make an exploding tumor kill off a regular character in all seriouslness if you have a SOUL.
He's on the bed now, when he started out the series sleeping on the floor. He doesn't need to get fresh air like he did before; he's becoming adapted to the city and even thriving in it.
I had noticed that his window was closed, but hadn't picked up on how many other clues the episode had about how much Fraser is located between those two worlds now. Neat!
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For all that, I kinda liked this one - I appreciated the look at the characters' relationships and daily lives, and I'm glad they didn't turn the entire episode into a Very Special Exploding Tumor Death Of Carson Beckett Serious Drama Hour. It's also interesting that the peril once again came from some Ancient deathtrap in the city's basement. I imagine the Atlantis staff must have days when they think they'd have been better off staying at home. Weir's love interest seems like a total creep, though.
Meanwhile, I enjoyed traveling back in time to see your thoughts on this week's SG-1. I'm also pleased to note that the mediocrity of General Landry remains untarnished, and in a way it's almost sweet that the writers seem to have decided that neither O'Neill nor Hammond could ever be replaced by perfect ( ... )
Reply
I alternate between appreciating that they went for a gentle off-day and annoyance that so much of the off-day activity seemed to involve relationship activity as envisioned by 13-year-olds.
It's also interesting that the peril once again came from some Ancient deathtrap in the city's basement. I imagine the Atlantis staff must have days when they think they'd have been better off staying at home.
Hee. They do tend to run across those fairly regularly, don't they?
I'm also pleased to note that the mediocrity of General Landry remains untarnished, and in a way it's almost sweet that the writers seem to have decided that neither O'Neill nor Hammond could ever be replaced by perfect substitutes. Perhaps the same also applies to the impending handoff from the almighty SG-1 to the second-rate screwups over in the Pegasus galaxy. ( ... )
Reply
Ouch, but true. I though the Sheppard and Ronon chat was nice, but the bits where the characters are talking about relationships rather than actually being in them seemed somehow less phony. I mean, it's cute to find out that McKay has had a secret girlfriend all this time, but their actual banter wasn't exactly compelling.
Hee. They do tend to run across those fairly regularly, don't they?
I'm probably overthinking this, but sometimes I think that the general premise of SG-1 - we found a gate to the stars, and Bad Things keep coming out of it, so let's get out there and learn everything we can about this stuff - implies that humanity has to make a choice between blissful ignorance and dangerous wisdom, between sealing the gate or trying to turn it to our net advantage. (Of course, the general public doesn't get a vote here, but that's a ( ... )
Reply
Interesting. I hadn't picked up on that, but I think there's something to it.
But what I meant with the Atlantis analogy was that I started feeling fonder of the show when I decided that the Atlantis crew weren't super-competent studs like the SG-1 cast, but a bunch of also-rans who were muddling along as best they could.I remember that, and I also find the show much more entertaining when I look at it that way. But sometimes the writers break my suspension of suspension of suspension of disbelief by asserting that they're writing Serious Stories About Heroes, and that makes me sad. (Then again, I like Mitchell quite a bit in his own right--I think watching RDA disengage during Seasons 6 and ( ... )
Reply
To be fair, SG-1 did do that episode with an explosive little girl. But I'll grant you that "explosive tumor" has a ridiculousness quotient that "implanted bomb" just doesn't.
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I didn't read your DS thoughts because I'm not to that point yet, but I caught your comments about Dief's diet and I suddenly got your concern. ;)
Reply
You keep having these ideas that I'm afraid they'll actually try! (See also: your horrifying speculation on Teyla next season and potential Beckett return.)
Diefenbaker needs to cut down on the potato chips, at least!
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Whatever shred of respect I had left for the Atlantis writers vanished with that. I do love your rant about it keeping them up at night though. Hee.
One of the things I like most about "The Mask" is, as you note, how Fraser is in the middle of Chicago and his previous life in Canada. He's on the bed now, when he started out the series sleeping on the floor. He doesn't need to get fresh air like he did before; he's becoming adapted to the city and even thriving in it. He's become a better urban tracker than Eric could be. It's interesting to compare to how he was in the first few episodes of Season 1, and how streetwise he has become compared to then, even while he still retains some of his relentless optimism.
Reply
Unfortunately, I suspect they sleep really soundly. Because I don't think you can make an exploding tumor kill off a regular character in all seriouslness if you have a SOUL.
He's on the bed now, when he started out the series sleeping on the floor. He doesn't need to get fresh air like he did before; he's becoming adapted to the city and even thriving in it.
I had noticed that his window was closed, but hadn't picked up on how many other clues the episode had about how much Fraser is located between those two worlds now. Neat!
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