To think that we had almost managed to go through the whole series without one of these.
Here is a good old filler episode with barely a pretense of a plot and a ton of archive footage, most of which has already been re-hashed quite a few times in more relevant occasions. The complete uselessness of this trip down memory lane is made all the more painful by the fact that this is one of the very last episodes the series has to offer.
So what about the remaining 15 to 20mns in which new things actually happen? The plot, minimal though it is, makes a very good point: since they arrived in Atlantis, our heroes have arguably caused more chaos than they have solved problems. Of course, their intentions were good, but you know what they say about that. So I find it quite plausible, even interesting that the series should ask whether, ultimately, the Pegasus galaxy would not be better off without Atlantis. However, what really hurts here is that it all comes out of the blue: this is the first time *ever* that we have heard about a coalition of any kind being set up in the galaxy. The first time *ever* that we have heard other planets consistently voice a strong complaint about Atlantis's actions. I might be a bit more lenient to this plot if there had been any kind of build-up to it in previous episodes --or if we ever heard of this coalition again. Nope: it will go back whence it came --nowhere.
As for the resolution, I find it nice that Woolsey should finally get to save the day by doing what he does best. Where Weir might have swayed the jury through the sheer power of her eloquence, Woolsey cleverly deciphers the situation and makes the most of it by literally bribing the most interested juror. That he has to commit Atlantis to a more active role in the future should even make things interesting (at least it might, if there was any follow-up...) On the other hand, this conclusion is as anticlimactic and unheroic as the rest of the episode: Woolseyian in every respect.
Here is a good old filler episode with barely a pretense of a plot and a ton of archive footage, most of which has already been re-hashed quite a few times in more relevant occasions. The complete uselessness of this trip down memory lane is made all the more painful by the fact that this is one of the very last episodes the series has to offer.
So what about the remaining 15 to 20mns in which new things actually happen? The plot, minimal though it is, makes a very good point: since they arrived in Atlantis, our heroes have arguably caused more chaos than they have solved problems. Of course, their intentions were good, but you know what they say about that. So I find it quite plausible, even interesting that the series should ask whether, ultimately, the Pegasus galaxy would not be better off without Atlantis. However, what really hurts here is that it all comes out of the blue: this is the first time *ever* that we have heard about a coalition of any kind being set up in the galaxy. The first time *ever* that we have heard other planets consistently voice a strong complaint about Atlantis's actions. I might be a bit more lenient to this plot if there had been any kind of build-up to it in previous episodes --or if we ever heard of this coalition again. Nope: it will go back whence it came --nowhere.
As for the resolution, I find it nice that Woolsey should finally get to save the day by doing what he does best. Where Weir might have swayed the jury through the sheer power of her eloquence, Woolsey cleverly deciphers the situation and makes the most of it by literally bribing the most interested juror. That he has to commit Atlantis to a more active role in the future should even make things interesting (at least it might, if there was any follow-up...) On the other hand, this conclusion is as anticlimactic and unheroic as the rest of the episode: Woolseyian in every respect.