Sci-Fi Showdown GATE-TO-GATE - Week 2 (07.21.06)

Welcome to week 2 of the KHYRON.NET Sci-Fi Showdown, Gate-to-Gate edition.

With their season premiers out of the way, its time for Stargate Sg-1 and Atlantis to get down to business. Both shows started strong, with Atlantis standing out as a clearly improving show. But can they keep the momentum going? Let's find out...

Stargate Sg-1 ("Morpheus")

Following up the explosive start to the legendary 10th season, Sg-1 slowed things down a bit by what seemingly felt like a mid-season filler episode. I'm sure the events will be referenced later on, but it seemed an odd choice for this kind of episode so early in the season.

In episode 10.2, "Morpheus," Daniel Jackson (Michael Shanks) discovers a gate address to a world that he believes may be home to a powerful weapon developed by Merlin to defeat Ascended beings--a weapon that may prove to be the galaxy's last hope against the Ori. Meanwhile, Vala (Claudia Black) must stay behind and endure a series of psychiatric evaluations before being allowed to join the SGC.

The start of "Morpheus" was nothing special for Sg-1. For 10 seasons we've watched this team travel to alien worlds in search of technology. So what was different about this episode's particular planet? Well, besides some Arthurian mythology background, the big twist was that the inhabitants of the usual small town built around the Stargate were found dead in their beds, appearing as they slept to death. Fair enough--a little mystery is just what an episode like this needs to be interesting.

After searching a nearby cave for Merlin's ultimate weapon, Sg-1 and a couple of expendable red-shirts set up camp in the town. After one of them falls asleep and is unable to be awoken, the team realizes that if they dose off, they may never wake up. Sort of like A Nightmare on Elm Street, but without all the nightmares, I reckon.

Over the next 35 minutes or so, we get to watch as Sg-1 pop caffeine pills in an attempt to stay awake. Of course comedy then ensued, including Ben Browder taking a cheap shot at the crapiness of Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo. But Mostly this episode just made me feel tired. It could be that I watched the episode after a long day at work, but I found myself yawning more than Sg-1 was.

Though thankfully the off-world scenes were broken up by Vala's adventures with psychiatry back on Earth. This secondary plot was more or less filler, but it was amusing filler. I still chuckle at the concept of Vala studying in an attempt to cram for a personality test. Her insulting of the psychiatrist during a polygraph test was equally amusing.

The episode came to a close with Mitchell and Teal'c running through a cave in search of lone lizard that was apparently immune to the parasites that they revealed were causing everyone to sleep to death. Thinking they could get some kind of cure from it, Teal'c finally bagged the slippery thing and attempted to return to the gate before collapsing due to exhaustion. There was just something about Teal'c running with a bag with a long lizard's tail sticking out of it that caught my funny bone. The ridiculousness of it was the high point of the episode for me.

All in all, "Morpheus" would have been a solid episode if it wasn't for the last couple minutes. The ending was probably the most useless and abrupt I've ever seen on Sg-1. It was just like, Boom! Everyone wakes up cured because they somehow turned that lizard into a drug. No explanation, no montage, no nothing.

Good episode, but soured by the ending.

Rating: 7/10

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Stargate Atlantis - (Misbegotten)

The season 3 opener to Atlantis was definitely top-notch. With a cast that finally feels comfortable with itself, I think we can expect good things from this show.

In episode 3.2, "Misbegotten," Sheppard (Joe Flanigan) and crew return to Atlantis with the Wraith hiveship captured in the premier. They must now decide the fate of the 200+ humanized Wraith onboard. A decision made all the more difficult after Woolsey of the IOA arrives from Earth to provide oversight on Atlantis.

Unlike Sg-1 changing gears from the premier, "Misbegotten" kept the pace moving along. Much of the episode involved the uneasiness of the Atlantis team in dealing with their Wraith captives. They had enough problems dealing with Michael when they "cured" him, now they must deal with a whole community of former Wraith. If nothing else, the makeup required to make all of those extras look like the ghost twins from The Matrix Reloaded was impressive enough.

To temporarily solve the problem, the Wraith were all shipped off to an isolated world were they could be kept for the time being. In a strange twist, they even reused the retrovirus on Michael and sent him off, as well. Didn't expect they would pull that again. I guess any hopes of Michael perhaps joining the cast as a semi-good companion are pretty much out the window now.

Eventually several of the Wraith (Michael included) begin to detect that something is up. Gathering in the forest at night, they begin to remember what they are and send a kind of psychic message to a nearby hiveship. In a violent uprising, the now rightfully ticked off Wraith killed the human guards and took Dr. Beckett as hostage. In the exciting climax, Sheppard and team must try to rescue Beckett and destroy the revolting Wraith before they can share with the approaching hiveship the location of Earth.

In summary, "Misbegotten" was a decent episode that kept the Atlantis plot moving. The amount of screen-time for Connor Trinneer as Michael was a plus, as the guy makes a good addition to the cast. It was also nice to see Robert Pircardo stepping foot onto Atlantis. The more Sg-1 crossover the better, I say.

Rating: 8/10

Thus concludes Week 2 of the Sci-Fi Showdown Gate-to-Gate review. Check back each Monday for new Showdowns.

~Khyron