Sci-Fi Showdown - Week 6

Welcome back to Khyron's Sci-Fi Showdown. Battlestar Galactica, getting some serious competition from an improving Sg-1, broke the tie last week and took the lead. But with 4 weeks left in the season, it's still anyone's game.

Will Battlestar start to pull away from the pack? Or will Sg-1 bring the heat and resume the deadlock? And will Atlantis manage to earn at least one point this season? Lets find out.

Stargate Sg-1 - Ep. Off the Grid

When it comes to Stargate Sg-1, if it's directed by Peter DeLuise then odds are it's a good episode. And this time is no different.

In episode 9.16, Off the Grid, Cameron Mitchel (Ben Browder) and team visit an agrarian world, investigating a new corn crop that has been engineered to be highly addictiveive. Posing as a drug dealer, Mitchell attempts to dupe the Lucian Alliance--the suppliers of this new crop--into giving away their secrets. However, when the deal goes bad and Sg-1 needs to escape, they find the Stargate, and many more like it, has disappearedred. Now, using the newly built vessel the Odyssey, Sg-1 must track down the stolen gates. But who's behind the thefts? And what purpose would it serve?

What a fun episode this was. It really had it all: an interesting and developing plot, plenty of comedic moments, some flashy space combat, and more than a fair share of gunplay. All in all, a fine Sg-1 episode.

There's really not much else to say but that this episode just worked. There's a reason Stargate Sg-1 is the longest running American sci-fi show, and the experience offered by Off the Grid explains why. Everyone just seemed to have their game on: Michael Shanks was witty and fast talking, Browder was sly and smirky, Tapping did what Tapping does, and Chris Judge, normally given the heavy weapons on the team, got to show off his skills with dulie submachine guns.

On the supporting side of the cast, it was nice to see Cliff Simon (Ba'al) back. And the interactions between Beau Bridges and the glutton Goa'uld played by Maury Chaykin were amusing to say the least.

I think Ben Browder put it best in the final line of the episode: "Yeah, it was a good day."

Stargate Atlantis - Ep. The Long Goodbye

So is this finally Atlantis' week to shine? Did it throw off the shackles of mediocrity and truly entertain me with 60 minutes of quality entertainment? Close, but no cigar.

In episode 2.16, The Long Goodbye, the Atlantis team finds two escape pods orbiting a planet. After bringing them back to the city, the team discovers 2 humans kept barely alive with a failing life-support system. But after getting too close, Jonh Sheppard (Joe Flanigan) and Dr. Weir (Torri Higginson) have the castaway's consciousnesses temporarily uploaded to them. But the pair, far from the loving couple they played themselves out to be, are in fact bitter enemies of a war long lost. But with the memories of Sheppard and Weir, how far will they go to keach otherther before the consciousnesses are lost forever?

I will give props to the writing team for finally giving us an Atlantis episode that is at least half original. The concept was a good one and the presentation was adequate, but something about the episode just didn't do it for me.

There's nothing majorly wrong with Atlantis, just nothing terribly special. Unlike Sg-1, which had the luxury of a detailed and interesting enemy developed in the original film, the Atlantis Wraith just don't have the same impact as the Goa'uld. So far, I'd say the most interesting enemy are the Genii. Lead by Star Trek's Colm 'Chief O'Brien' Meaney, they are a nation of humans with World War II era technology. The episodes they are featured in have probably been my favorite of the series.

Next week will see the return of the Genii storyline, but for now, Atlantis will have stay off the scoreboard.

Battlestar Galactica - Ep. Sacrifice

Ever sinceResurrectionction ship plotline, we haven't seen much of the Cylons in Battlestar Galactica. The last few episodes have been one-off, stand alone entities focusing primarily on the characterization of the cast's leading actors (primarily Jamie Bamber and Katee Sackhoff). So will we finally get to see the Cylon's response to losing the Resurrection ship? Or what the fleet's terrorists will do with the nuke they've been supplied with? Not quite yet.

In episode 2.16, Sacrifice, a hate-filled group of vengeance-seekers, lead by actress Dana Delany, hold a bar on the luxury ship Cloud 9 hostage. Among the hostages are Apollo (Jamie Bamber), Ellen Tigh (Kate Vernon), and the president's aide, Billy (Paul Cambell) return for their safety, the terrorists want only the Cylon Sharon (Grace Park). Will Admiral Adama give in to their demands? Or is the Cylon military asset more important than his son's life?

Just like the debatably poor execution of the previous episode Black Market, Sacrifice was a good concept that could have been done better. It was a good episode by television standards, but didn't quite live up to Galactica's higher standard.

I think my biggest gripe was with the terrorists motivation. We see some brief glimpses of Delany's husband being sucked out of a hull breach, but is that really enough to sacrifice your life and the safety of the remnants of mankind? I mean, as is pointed out in the episode, everyone there has lost someone to the Cylons, but you don't see anyone else going that nuts. I just don't think the story presented enough details for it to be believable.

Though, as was the case with Black Market, the Galactica cast rises to any occasion. Katee Sackhoff performed well with her guilt after mistakenly shooting Apollo, as did Kandyse McClure (Dualla) as the conflicted Petty Officer. But I think biggest props need to go to Paul Cambell. Despite wanting off of the show (boo!), he played a lovelorn martyr well. I really felt for his loss before he was fatally shot.

We'll miss you, Billy. It's a shame you no longer have a desire to work for the show.

Winner: Stargate Sg-1 (Off the Grid)

Stargate Sg-1 doing what it does best. Sometimes some light-hearted Jaffa shooting is just what the doctor ordered.

Memorable Scene:Having returned home from a rather difficult mission, Daniel and Carter retire for some rest and relaxation while Mitchell (embracing a rather large assault rifle) and Teal'c proclaim they indeed have a great job.

Standings:

Stargate SG-1: 3
Stargate Atlantis: 0
Battlestar Galactica: 3

Stay tuned for next week's Showdown.

~Khyron, 2006