{"id":5024,"date":"2009-12-09T02:09:04","date_gmt":"2009-12-09T06:09:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.wormholeriders.com\/blog\/?p=5024"},"modified":"2018-01-10T07:18:37","modified_gmt":"2018-01-10T15:18:37","slug":"sgu-a-mid-season-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wormholeriders.net\/stargate\/2009\/12\/09\/sgu-a-mid-season-review\/","title":{"rendered":"Stargate Universe: A Mid-Season Review"},"content":{"rendered":"

Hi Stargate Fans!<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

As the season of Stargate Universe progressed, I, the die hard Stargate SG-1 fan and ini<\/span><\/span>\"LA-Stargate2009-MartinGero-001c\"<\/span><\/span><\/a>tially skeptical \"Stargate-SG1-\"<\/a>viewer of Stargate Universe, began to be able to see the strong roots that Universe has in SG-1 and Atlantis. As WR_S<\/span><\/span>ystems reported from his conversation with Martin Gero, Stargate Universe is indeed a four-part play. The first act established the basic characteristics <\/span><\/span>of the people, and established the situation. Survival became key and therefore it had to be the focus of the early \"syfy-logo11\"<\/a>episodes. Now that they have figured out how they can survive this, the characters can develop to suit their new situation. The writers can now begin to shift their focus from survival to exploration, both of the characters and their new world, and that is exactly what they are doing.<\/span><\/span>\"MGM-Lion-03\"<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/a><\/p>\n

\u2018Time\u2019 was a truly classic story that had all the qualities of our favorite Stargate episodes. It was t<\/span><\/span>\"SGU-Logo-02\"<\/span><\/span><\/a>he first episode to be not entirely driven by the survival needs of the Destiny\u2019s new crew. In \u2018Air\u2019 they became trapped on the Destiny and were forc<\/span><\/span>\"SGU-S1x03-Destiny-02\"<\/a><\/span><\/span>ed to find a way to sur<\/span><\/span><\/a>vive, or else suffocate from the lack of life support on board. In \u2018Darkness\u2019 and \u2018Light\u2019, the Destiny seemed likely to kill them again. In \u2018Water\u2019 th<\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/span>ey are again focusing on their survival needs, which seemed to outweigh the fact that there was an alien life form aboard the Destiny. In \u2018Time\u2019 they are looking for food, but the food problem is long forgotten in the chaos that ensues. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Time travel and it\u2019s implications has been a long running theme in the Stargate series, and the science fiction world at large. To bring such a time-honored (pun intended!) \u00a0tool into the Universe series sends a clear statement to fans: \u201cWe know where our roots are and they aren\u2019t going anywhere.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

They say that adversity can br<\/span><\/span>\"SGU-S1x08-Chloe-Dies-01\"<\/a><\/span><\/span>ing out the best in people. Eli\u2019s talk to Chloe as she lay on her deathbed in \u2018Time\u2019 was one of the most difficult scenes I have ever had to watch since Stargate Atlantis\u2019s \u2018Sunday\u2019. <\/span><\/span>\"SGU-S1x08-Chloe-Dies-02\"<\/a><\/span><\/span>Need I say more? These characters are going to be defined by how they come to relate to one another \u2013 who they become close to and who they can\u2019t find common ground with. The more recluse characters are the ones that are <\/span><\/span>the least defined. Their motives and thought processes are still a mystery to us. I think that\u2019s what makes Eli so refreshing and so relatable for many fans. Of the main characters he is the only one who seems to have no hidden secrets. He is the character that is as much \"SGU-S1x08-Eli-01\"<\/a>in the process of learning about the people he is now stuck with as we fans at home are. We know his reactions are realistic and truthful because they mimic our own.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Both \u2018Earth\u2019 and \u2018Life\u2019 reminded me of a well-loved SG-1 episode, \u2018Cold Lazarus\u2019. Like in the first season of SG-1, the characters of Stargate Universe are still being fleshed out. In the episodes, we learn about the family lives of Camille \"SGU-S1x09-Ming-on-Earth-01\"<\/a>Wray, Lt. Scott, and Eli in a similar way that we learned more about Jack O\u2019Neill\u2019s backstory in \u2018Cold Lazarus\u2019. None of them are as they appear to be. The Jack that visited Sara O\u2019Neill was an imposter, an alien. Scott, Camille, and Eli aren\u2019t in their own bodies, and they must feel like aliens in a world that is so far removed from their new reality. Some can never reveal their identity, forced to live a lie as those sworn to keep the \"SGU-S1x09-Body-Switch-01\"<\/a>revelation of the Stargate secret must. Unity Jack can\u2019t tell Sara who he is or why he is there. Scott and Eli hide behind the bodies they have borrowed. Everyone has someone they care about, someone they want to get back to or protect from harm. It has been an underlying motivation for the characters in every Stargate story ever told.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Justice\u2019 was a truly fascinating episode that in some ways can be compared best to Atlantis\u2019s \u2018Suspicion\u2019. Both are set \"SGU-S1x10-Justice-Trail\"<\/a>early in the series before we really know who we can trust. There\u2019s the sense that the accusations are false \u2013 Teyla would have no reason to allow the Wraith to chase her, and Colonel Young had much better options for dealing with Sergeant Spencer than shooting him \u2013 but because your experience with the character has been so brief, there is still a little doubt in your mind.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Justice\u2019 took a new turn from the previous series by setting a new approach to the civilian versus military conflict. On SG-1, civilians were often the scapegoats, causing more trouble than good. In Atlantis, we had a civilian as a<\/span><\/span>\"SGU-S1x10-Chloe-Young-01\"<\/a><\/span><\/span> leader in Dr. Elizabeth Weir, but that did not end the tug of war. In Universe we have civilians and military personnel thrown together. There was a great deal of tension. O\u2019Neill apparently put Dr. Rush in charge, but in the end Colonel Young essentially took command. Then finally, ten episodes in the season, we have someone who sees how to keep things on an even keel between the civilians and the military members. Colonel Young chose Chloe to represent him, not only because she was perhaps the most qualified person on board, but because as he said, \u201cI don’t want it to seem like the military against the civilians.\u201d This earned a great deal of respect from me. Young put the good of the whole crew before his own. He\u2019s not perfect by any means \u2013 none of these characters are \u2013 but I like Colonel Young.<\/span><\/span>\"SGU-S1x10-ChloeArmstrong-01\"<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Speaking of Chloe Armstong, many critics have complained about the lack of strong female characters on Universe. \u00a0It appears to me that Chloe, Camille, and TJ just needed to be given the right opportunity to show their strength. TJ proved to me in \u2018Air Part 3\u2019 when she knocked out Colonel Telford, her superior officer, regardless of the circumstances. Chloe and Camille have a very different skills set, and their skills are not suited to life on an alien spaceship. Give them a familiar setting like a court room, and they hit it out of the park. I loved seeing Chloe stand up to \"SGU-S1x10-Ming-Chloe-Court-01\"<\/a>Camille, who in this episode took on the role of the annoying, power-hungry I.O.A. representative that we have encountered in both SG-1 and Atlantis, once again showing the franchises\u2019 roots. Eventually all three women will grow into their new roles ad members of the Destiny\u2019s crew, but just like with you or I, it won\u2019t happen overnight.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

You know that you have invested some part of yourself in something when you can h<\/span><\/span>\"SGU-S1x10-LouFerriera-02\"<\/a><\/span><\/span>onestly root for a character and fervently wish for the downfall of another. I don\u2019t know about you, but it felt SO satisfying when Sam Carter sm<\/span><\/span>acked the smarmy smile off of Ba\u2019al\u2019s face in SG-1\u2019s \u2018The Quest Part 2\u2019. When Young fi<\/span><\/span>\"SGU-S1x10-RobertCarlyle-Gets-It-01\"<\/a><\/span><\/span>nally let Nicolas Rush have what he deserved, it really was just as satisfying. And come to think of it, it was shot using the exact same angles.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Another Stargate classic element was brought back in \u2018Justice\u2019: the mysterious abandoned spaces<\/span><\/span>\"SGU-S1x10-Alien-Ship\"<\/a><\/span><\/span>hip. It looks a bit familiar, doesn\u2019t it?\u00a0 It also brings up tons of questions that have me counting down the days until Universe returns. Crashed spaceships do not have a good reputation on Stargate. For SG-1, the ship from \u2018Forsaken\u2019 caused the team a whole lot of headaches. Literally. The ship in <\/span><\/span>\u2018Lifeboat\u2019 nearly made Daniel Jackson into a lifeboat for the rest of his life. The only helpful abandoned sh<\/span><\/span>ip was the puddlejumper found in \u2018It\u2019s Good to be King\u2019, but look where that eventually got them. In Atlantis, barring the city itself which did cause many a problem, the first abandoned ship they found housed the sleeping Wraith, it\u2019s all history after that. So knowing this, the writers have incorporated the perfect tool into Universe because not only does the show have \"SGU-S1x10-Alien-Ship-02\"<\/a>limitless possibilities, but so does that crashed ship! Is there anyone inside? Will they be friendly or will they try to kill Rush on sight? Will the technology be something he can figure out how to work, or will he finally be forced to admit he doesn\u2019t know it all? Will we see Rush trying to figure it out right way, or will the focus remain with the rest aboard the Destiny and when Rush shows up again \u2013 and I have no doubt he will \u2013 we will see it in flashbacks? I can\u2019t wait until Spring!<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

If ratings are anything to go by, man<\/span><\/span>\"SGU-S1x10-Brian-Ming-Patrick-01\"<\/a><\/span><\/span>y viewers will also be anxiously awaiting Spring and continuation of the story. In a press release issued by NBC\/SyFy on December 2nd, they announced that Stargate Universe helped to provide the best November results in all 17 years of it\u2019s history in all three age denominations, 18-34, 18-49, and 25-54. This makes SyFy the #4 basic cable entertainment network. Sanctuary is also given credit. Note that these statistics do not yet include<\/em> \u2018Justice\u2019.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

As the first half of the series has progressed, we can see the growth that is taking<\/span><\/span>\"SGU-S1x10-JuliaBenson-02\"<\/a><\/span><\/span> place among the characters. They first had to except their predicament, then learn how<\/span><\/span> to live with it. Now they are very close to reaching the point where their focus will shift to exploration in the hopes of finding the way to go home. That is not to say that there won\u2019t be more character driven stories in the future, but all shows occasionally will have a character driven episode in order to let the characters evolve. \u2018Justice\u2019 has proved that the writers can find the balance between that \u201cclassic Stargate feel\u201d and the truly unique creation that is Stargate Universe.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Play It Grand
\n<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Hi Stargate Fans! As the season of Stargate Universe progressed, I, the die hard Stargate SG-1 fan and initially skeptical viewer of Stargate Universe, began to be able to see the strong roots that Universe has in SG-1 and Atlantis. As WR_Systems reported from his conversation with Martin Gero, Stargate Universe is indeed a four-part…<\/p>\n

Read More “Stargate Universe: A Mid-Season Review”<\/span> »<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[33,37,39,41,42,44,46,49,30,3,29],"tags":[215,35,155,4,53,5,38,112,227,188,162,106,189,103,113,20,21,1841,27,1854,114,8,115,232,9,1849,1861,10,1851,51],"class_list":["post-5024","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-brian-jacob-smith-what-are-they-doing-now","category-david-blue-what-are-they-doing-now","category-elyse-levesque-celebs","category-jamil-walker-smith-celebs","category-jennifer-spence-celebs","category-julia-benson-celebs","category-louis-ferreira-celebs","category-ming-na-wen-celebs","category-robert-carlyle-celebs","category-stargate","category-stargate-universe-network-studio-series","tag-brian-jacob-smith","tag-camile-wray","tag-creation-entertainment","tag-david-blue","tag-destiny","tag-dr-nicolas-rush","tag-elyse-levesque","tag-everett-young","tag-julia-benson","tag-los-angeles-stargate-2009","tag-lou-diamond-phillips","tag-louis-ferriera","tag-martin-gero","tag-math-boy","tag-mathew-scott","tag-mgm","tag-mgm-studios","tag-ming-na-wen","tag-nbc","tag-nbc-universal","tag-patrick-gilmore","tag-robert-carlyle","tag-ronald-greer","tag-sergeant-greer","tag-sgu","tag-stargate","tag-stargate-sg-1","tag-stargate-universe","tag-syfy","tag-tamara-johansen"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wormholeriders.net\/stargate\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5024","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wormholeriders.net\/stargate\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wormholeriders.net\/stargate\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wormholeriders.net\/stargate\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wormholeriders.net\/stargate\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5024"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/wormholeriders.net\/stargate\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5024\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":28532,"href":"https:\/\/wormholeriders.net\/stargate\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5024\/revisions\/28532"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wormholeriders.net\/stargate\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5024"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wormholeriders.net\/stargate\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5024"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wormholeriders.net\/stargate\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5024"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}