fig-75275 Reviews

Stargate: Continuum (2008 Video)

Good

[9/10 · 4 June 2021]

Stargate: Continuum is a fresh new episode to add to the story of SG-1. It has a clever plot and it was good to see Baal return to challenge the Tau'ri once again.

The only part I didn't like was the bit at the Russian base before Teal'c arrives. It felt a bit rushed, and I felt that it could have been better. Perhaps, Marina Sirtis could have returned as Dr. Markov and we could have had some dialog with her. But it was not to be.

Stargate SG-1: Unending (2007) Season 10, Episode 20

Bonkers, but brilliant

[10/10 · 1 June 2021]

The plot of the last episode is a bit mad, but it wraps everything up nicely and leaves you with a good feeling. It is kind of a two-part episode. The first part reminded me of Battlestar Galactica a little bit because of the way that they couldn't get away from the Ori (the Ori were somehow tracking them through hyperspace).

Initially, I only watched the first part because we get to a scene where it is apparent that the will-they-won't-they relationship between Daniel and Vala will be resolved (one way or the other). I stopped watching at that point and decided to watch Atlantis because I hadn't done that at the time.

When I came back to SG-1 (after 5 seasons of Atlantis!), I re-watched the two episodes before Unending to remind myself what on Earth was going on. Needless to say it all came flooding back and I very much enjoyed watching the conclusion of SG-1. The second half of the final episode doesn't disappoint and was well worth the wait.

Stargate: Atlantis: Vegas (2008) Season 5, Episode 19

Weird, but good

[7/10 · 24 May 2021]

I can see why there are mixed reviews for this episode. It's a bit slow and bizarre at the beginning, but the conclusion is worth the wait.

I was pleased to see that Rodney was a better man in this alternate reality. He was still constantly belittling Zelenka, which is getting very very old now, but at least he came across as being more serious and professional. His conversations with Sheppard were a definite highlight of this episode. Todd's cameo was good too.

Stargate: Atlantis: Identity (2008) Season 5, Episode 18

Hard to rate

[7/10 · 23 May 2021]

This episode is ok, it's a 7 or an 8. The best thing is that it is kind of an SG-1 episode, but set in the Atlantis universe. The woman that has taken over Jennifer's body is a little bit like Vala, and it did make me think that Atlantis could do with a Vala like character. There are only two episodes left now though, so that's not going to happen :-(

Stargate: Atlantis: Infection (2008) Season 5, Episode 17

Great episode (for the Todd fans among us!)

[9/10 · 22 May 2021]

I really enjoyed this episode. It goes at a fairly slow pace, but there are a few bits of action to liven things up from time to time.

The team (and several groups of marines) are sent on to a hive ship that has just arrived at Atlantis. It appears to be empty and malfunctioning in strange ways. They have to figure out why it has come to Atlantis, what is going on with the ship, and deal with the developing situation.

The initial decision by Woolsey to send multiple squads of marines onto the ship didn't really make much sense to me, as they didn't have any idea what would be waiting for them. Why risk so many people? Of course, it's for the action part of the story, and at least one of the red shirts gets killed later.

The action is secondary in this episode though. It's more to do with the plot and the developing situation with Todd and the other Wraith. There's a bit about the pyschology of the Wraith in this episode too. If you remember when we met the Wraith for the very first time, we learned that they had "no problem feeding on creatures that don't want to be eaten", or something along those lines. There's a scene like that in this episode, but with Jennifer and Todd instead of Sheppard and the Queen.

The conclusion to the episode wraps everything up nicely, although we still don't know where this season is headed. They are keeping us in suspense for a little bit longer. 9/10.

Stargate: Atlantis: Remnants (2008) Season 5, Episode 15

Strange episode, but...

[9/10 · 19 May 2021]

If you have watched enough of Stargate Atlantis, you will realise something strange is going on from the very first few scenes. There's something not quite right, the main characters are all behaving a little bit strangely.

Remnants is a clever episode. I especially liked the parts with Woolsey, he's now reminding me more and more that he is Stargate's "Emergency command hologram".

I'm giving this episode a 9 out of 10 because it also reminded me of my favourite episode from Star Trek: Enterprise. It's an episode I haven't seen in a long time, so it was a connection that put a big smile on my face. If you don't make the same connection, I still think the episode is worth an 8/10.

Stargate: Atlantis: Inquisition (2008) Season 5, Episode 13

Not bad at all

[7/10 · 16 May 2021]

Judging by the other reviews, this is a terrible episode. I don't agree.

I'm not always averse to flash-back episodes. In the case of Atlantis, there is some justification. Some of the past decisions were highly questionable, and this episode highlights a couple of the really bad ones.

I also felt that it was important to have an episode (or two) to solidify Woolsey's position as leader of Atlantis. His character has a good arc: he started out as "an enemy", one of the political opponents of the Stargate program, and he has had a few good episodes since then. Inquisition is another good one for Woolsey.

Stargate: Atlantis: Outsiders (2008) Season 5, Episode 12

Another good episode

[8/10 · 16 May 2021]

Stargate Atlantis lost a great character when Carson Beckett died. Fortunately, Michael cloned him and we get the benefit. He is suberb in this episode. As a bonus, his partnership with Rodney works very well here. The other main characters take second stage, but they have a solid part to play too.

Stargate: Atlantis: The Lost Tribe (2008) Season 5, Episode 11

Better than the first half

[9/10 · 15 May 2021]

I can't agree with the other reviewers. Yes, some parts of the story are a bit mad, and they don't make a lot of sense if you think about them too much. However, you can can forget all that and just enjoy the show: this is one of the most entertaining episodes in Season 5 for sure.

I do like Todd. It has become apparent that he is a very smart, wise, and cunning Wraith. It still isn't obvious to me whether he is going to become a friend of the human race or become the ultimate villain in the series. I look forward to finding out!

Stargate: Atlantis: First Contact (2008) Season 5, Episode 10

Good, but the aliens were a bit rubbish.

[8/10 · 14 May 2021]

Having Daniel Jackson back, and having him spar with Rodney, is great but I felt disappointed with the bad guys in this episode. They don't introduce themselves and they pick a fight with Atlantis for no obvious reason. Why would they do that? And how come the shield one of the aliens used was just strong enough to deflect most of the bullets, but not all of them!?

First Contact is a two-part episode, so hopefully we'll find out what it is all about in the conclusion!

Stargate: Atlantis: Tracker (2008) Season 5, Episode 9

Solid episode

[8/10 · 13 May 2021]

Tracker is a bit different. You wouldn't think an episode that focuses on Ronan and Rodney would work, but it does. I was half expecting a joke, or two, about the runner's name being Kirk, but the episode is non-stop and entirely focused on the story.

Stargate: Atlantis: Ghost in the Machine (2008) Season 5, Episode 5

Anticlimax

[7/10 · 10 May 2021]

This episode isn't bad, but it just doesn't live up to the promise.

If anything, it made me think about how much Stargate Atlantis misses Torri Higginson. That and I wish they had kept Fran around for a bit longer. I liked Michelle Morgan much better as Fran!

Stargate: Atlantis: Broken Ties (2008) Season 5, Episode 3

Weakest episode so far

[7/10 · 10 May 2021]

Broken ties is a fairly standard episode. There's nothing ground-breaking about it, and it doesn't really advance the story in any way. If you skip this episode, you won't have missed anything.

I especially didn't like the way Woolsey is completely and utterly lame in this episode. The mission is obviously a very bad idea, but Sheppard just tells him they are going anyway. Sheppard then leaves him holding the baby (literally).

Stargate: Atlantis: This Mortal Coil (2007) Season 4, Episode 10

Quite good

[8/10 · 3 May 2021]

This episode is a bit different. We are led to believe that it is business as usual on Atlantis: a small satellite crashes into the city and the stargate is not working for some reason. So, the team have to investigate the origin of the satellite and try to fix the gate.

It seems like it will be a normal episode, perhaps with something bad happening later that will be extra tricky to deal with because the gate is broken. There is more to it however, and neither of these two aspects are actually central to the main storyline.

The only negative I had with this episode is that it introduces several new possibilities but does not actually go anywhere with them, which is a shame.

The ending was good too, and it sets things up nicely for the next few episodes to come.

Stargate: Atlantis: McKay and Mrs. Miller (2006) Season 3, Episode 8

Stargate meets Red Dwarf

[8/10 · 15 April 2021]

McKay and Mrs. Miller is a fun episode. I suspect the idea is to begin Rodney on a journey to becoming a less annoying character. I think that it will probably work. It was also good to see Samatha Carter back in the show as herself (and not just as a figment of Rodney's imagination).

Those of you that are familiar with Red Dwarf will recognise the origins of the story instantly, but that's a plus. Smoke me a kipper!

Stargate: Atlantis: The Real World (2006) Season 3, Episode 6

Second half better than the first

[8/10 · 14 April 2021]

The problem with this episode is that we've seen this story done many times before, both in Stargate and in other science fiction shows. The first half of the episode reinforced that for me. The only highlight was that the two other characters involved are played by actors you might be familiar with. They both did a good job, although Jack could definitely have done with having a few more funny lines.

The second half is better, and it was good to be back in the world of Rodney being an ass, Carson doing the best he can, and John showing us once again why he is the one in charge.

Stargate: Atlantis: Sateda (2006) Season 3, Episode 4

Great episode!

[9/10 · 12 April 2021]

The only thing we really knew about Ronan before this episode was that he had been on the run from the Wraith. Now we know a whole lot more.

The action and story elements were cleverly weaved together, but it was actually the little jokes that were the icing on the cake for me. You can really tell that everything came together perfectly with this episode.

Stargate: Atlantis: Irresistible (2006) Season 3, Episode 3

Mudd's women

[8/10 · 12 April 2021]

In the very first scene on the planet we meet Lucius Lavin and his wives. If you remember the old Star Trek episode with Harcourt Fenton Mudd, you will immediately associate Lucius Lavin with Harry Mudd. It was good casting, they picked an actor with a similar look and screen presence.

As long as you just go along with it, and don't take the episode too seriously, you will enjoy it. Mostly, I found myself wondering why Sheppard didn't do something about the situation sooner, but, apart from that, it came across as a well written and fun episode.

Stargate: Atlantis: Michael (2006) Season 2, Episode 18

Good vs. Evil

[7/10 · 9 April 2021]

I really wanted to give this episode an 8, but I've dropped a star because there are a few moments that feel very contrived. There were definitely a few moments that made me think, "Seriously?", "Really?"

On the plus side, I like the way this episode essentially asks some deeply philosophical questions: what is good and what is evil? What is the difference? Do the ends justify the means? Are we doing the right thing? And so on.

On a lighter note, you will may also find yourself wondering why Trip is suddenly here on Atlantis and not in engineering on the Enterprise!

Stargate: Atlantis: The Long Goodbye (2006) Season 2, Episode 16

Memories of Star Trek (TOS)

[9/10 · 8 April 2021]

This episode felt like it was two old TOS episodes cleverly combined into one. As a big fan of Star Trek, I rate this episode very highly for that reason. I won't spoil it by revealing which two episodes I am thinking of, but if you are familiar with Star Trek: TOS you can easily work it out (Hint: one of the TOS episodes is from season 2, the other from season 3).

However, this Stargate episode stands on its own merits too. For example, it was good to see Colonel Caldwell having a leading command role for the first time. It is action packed and the pace builds nicely to an exciting conclusion.

Stargate: Atlantis: Critical Mass (2005) Season 2, Episode 13

Mixed feelings about this one

[7/10 · 7 April 2021]

Overall this was a good episode, but I felt that it was a bit far fetched for a couple of reasons.

I didn't like the way the Trust operative had successfully sabotaged the Atlantis systems multiple times, seemingly out-smarting Rodney at each and every turn. That was too difficult to believe for me.

Secondly, I didn't really know what to make of Kavanagh's character. In a professional environment, you can't speak to your immediate superior like that, never mind the person in charge of the whole organisation. In this epsiode, he is either guilty of sabotage, or he is guilty of wasting everyone's time by behaving in the way that he does. His behaviour in previous episodes was already enough to have had him thrown off the project, IMO.

The episode had some big pluses though. One aspect that caught my eye was how the men treated Lt. Cadman. She consistently demonstrated that she was doing her job, and doing it well, and yet the men either didn't see that, or they didn't want to acknowlege it. Perhaps it was just Rodney, because he still hadn't got over having her in his head, but it did make me wonder how often women have to face that kind of treatment in real life.

The other really big plus was that the episode successfully kept you guessing about who the "bad guy" was. That aspect worked really well.

Stargate: Atlantis: Epiphany (2005) Season 2, Episode 12

Good filler episode

[9/10 · 6 April 2021]

Not much happens in Epiphany. It is a gentle filler episode, but it is good for a number of reasons:

1. We learn more about the Ancients and their thinking regarding Ascension.

2. It was clever how the Ancients had decided to speed up the process because of the threat from the Wraith. It was all quite convincing.

3. It was a welcome change from the last two episodes, which were all about action (fighting the Wraith).

There was one other aspect of Epiphany that reminded me of Forbidden Planet, a film that I must have first watched 30 or more years ago. I think that may have led me to a minor Epiphany of my own :-)

Stargate: Atlantis: Conversion (2005) Season 2, Episode 8

The Fly meets Alien!

[9/10 · 4 April 2021]

This episode is great because it combines elements of the Fly (remember Jeff Goldblum's character initially getting stronger because of fly DNA) and Alien (facehugger type creatures emerging from eggs).

The make up team did a good job here too. Colonel Sheppard looks great as he goes through his transformation, and I thought Joe Flanigan did a great job portraying how Sheppard's mind and personality was changing too.

Another element I liked is that it's apparent again in this episode that Ronan is the only one with a sensible hi-tech gun. His "blaster" seems to have stun and kill settings that actually work. The other new guns in Atlantis, the Wraith stunner guns, are reminding me more and more of the Goa'uld staff weapons, in that they are mostly rubbish and they wouldn't be anyone's first choice.

Stargate: Atlantis: Instinct (2005) Season 2, Episode 7

Fairly dark episode

[7/10 · 3 April 2021]

There is a scene early on in Instinct where we are shown a dead body. I was initally surprised at how graphic the scene was. With hindsight, I think the director probably wanted to emphasise how horrible it is to be fed on and killed by a Wraith.

I did quite like the story though. As the other reviewer has pointed out, it is Jewel Staite playing the young wraith girl, which is also a plus. However, part of the dialog mid way through the episode made me think of an episode of SG-1. If you make the same connection, you will have a good idea about what is going to happen later.

I find myself liking Rodney less and less. He is mostly just being an ass again in this episode. Carson, by contrast, is quite likeable, and he doesn't think he knows everything (quite the opposite in fact).

Stargate Atlantis isn't perfect and it can sometimes be too similar to SG-1, but I am still very much enjoying it and I will continue watching...

Stargate: Atlantis: Underground (2004) Season 1, Episode 7

Only an OK Episode, but...

[7/10 · 23 March 2021]

This episode was the first one of Stargate Atlantis that made me really think about it as being SG-1 in different clothes. It seemed remakably similar to some of the SG-1 episodes that I remember, so I started thinking about how Teyla is Teal'c, Rodney is Sam, etc, etc. The comparison is both a positive and a negative, but I enjoyed SG-1 very much, so I'm ok with it.

Aside from the comparisons with SG-1, the one major flaw in this episode is that it's hard to believe a society that is just starting work on developing nuclear weapons would be capable of reading a Wraith storage device. It's a big stretch, and it's only really forgivable because this episode sets up the events in the Storm and the Eye, both of which are brilliant!