Stargate: Universe

Kyosho · Post by **Kyosho** » Sun Dec 06, 2009 1:32 am

Uh, wow.

I just finished watching the mid-season finale, "Justice."

Spoiler:

Daehawk · Post by **Daehawk** » Sun Dec 06, 2009 2:02 am

Still only seen the first one....which Ive mostly forgotten. Hope my DVR doesn't lose any of them.

Kyosho · Post by **Kyosho** » Sun Dec 06, 2009 2:37 am

You keep saying that, and yet not watching it. Just watch it already! It's worth watching.

If anyone else hasn't watched it, and you're not doing anything Christmas Day, I hear they're running a marathon of every episode thus far. Can't imagine that's very many - or any- of us, but it's worth mentioning.

Kelric · Post by **Kelric** » Sun Dec 06, 2009 11:27 am

I really enjoyed the season finale as well.

Spoiler:

Kraken · Post by **Kraken** » Sun Dec 06, 2009 10:07 pm

Kelric wrote:I really enjoyed the season finale as well.

Spoiler:
I'm torn as to whether or not that is the last we see of Rush. He does have that alien spaceship to work on after all. Or they can write him off completely until some future third or fourth season where they bring him back for a short episode arc where he winds up hooking up with the creators of the crashed ship and runs back into the SG:U regulars. Who knows.

Young has certainly proven that he has a temper. He's taken down LDP's character and now Rush.

Spoiler:

So when does season 1.5 start?

dbt1949 · Post by **dbt1949** » Sun Dec 06, 2009 10:07 pm

How long until Eli gets in Charge?

Daveman · Post by **Daveman** » Sun Dec 06, 2009 10:22 pm

I enjoyed the last 2 episodes very much, and hope the series comes back soon. As for Dr. Rush, he was arguably my favorite character of the bunch so I sure hope he comes back. I've thought SG:U was eerily similar to SG:Atlantis so I'm hoping they make him like that Atlantis Lt. who was made a partial Wraith and wound up being a rogue enemy. I think Rush at the command or seemingly working for some evil bunch, desperate to get back on Destiny, would be great.

Kelric · Post by **Kelric** » Mon Dec 07, 2009 12:26 am

Daveman wrote: I think Rush at the command or seemingly working for some evil bunch, desperate to get back on Destiny, would be great.

Battlestar: Universe!

Buatha · Post by **Buatha** » Mon Feb 22, 2010 1:57 pm

Okay, I'm way late in viewing the show on my DVR, but it was much better than expected. Other than Time, which sort of left it up to the viewers to resolve at the end, I thought most of the episodes were pretty good. While I understand the Stones are a plot contrivance, it's still hard to suppress my suspension of belief on the distances invovled, power, etc.

The positive side is that it turns everyone's wives/girlfriends into swingers!

I like that the show is pretty much about survival and no marauding aliens (yet?), so I'm okay with the drama. Of course, I didn't watch any of the new BS:G show, so I may be missing the similarity.

Rush appears in some of the episode summaries for the next half of the season, so he'll manage to get back to the ship somehow. I was a bit disappointed in Young for leaving him behind, especially after making it a big deal to be "above board" with the whole murder investigation, but Rush did deserve a punch in the face.

D.A.Lewis · Post by **D.A.Lewis** » Tue Feb 23, 2010 1:37 pm

Buatha wrote:Okay, I'm way late in viewing the show on my DVR, but it was much better than expected. Other than Time, which sort of left it up to the viewers to resolve at the end . . . . . Rush appears in some of the episode summaries for the next half of the season, so he'll manage to get back to the ship somehow. I was a bit disappointed in Young for leaving him behind, especially after making it a big deal to be "above board" with the whole murder investigation, but Rush did deserve a punch in the face.

I'm guessing the Time episode is an emergency plot device in case they get stuck in some kind of story arc loop hole. And if the "Good" Doctor is making appearance(s) next season, well . . .

Still, I too like the show, although it has become like Battlestar Galactica in that I can't really watch repeat episodes. Stargate: SG1 on the other hand I can still watch those shows repeatedly even if some of the earlier episodes are quite wince-able.

Odin · Post by **Odin** » Tue Feb 23, 2010 6:35 pm

D.A.Lewis wrote:Stargate: SG1 on the other hand I can still watch those shows repeatedly even if some of the earlier episodes are quite wince-able.

Yeah, there was something about SG:1. I can't define it, but neither of the other series quite had/have it.

Blackhawk · Post by **Blackhawk** » Wed Feb 24, 2010 12:15 am

Sith Lord wrote:
D.A.Lewis wrote:Stargate: SG1 on the other hand I can still watch those shows repeatedly even if some of the earlier episodes are quite wince-able.
Yeah, there was something about SG:1. I can't define it, but neither of the other series quite had/have it.

It had the same magic that made the A-Team work. It was corny and knew it was corny, and didn't take itself too seriously. All the spin offs have tried to add an element of 'deep drama' to what is essentially episodic summer action flicks, and it comes off as a little ridiculous. I mean (for instance), there was a certain sexual tension between Carter and Jack, but they never tried to push the kind of romantic subplots that dragged so badly in Atlantis. Even when they brought Te'alc's family in for an episode, they told a story then booted them right back through the stargate until the next season.

Hell, when it comes right down to it, Stargate just isn't set up right to be a serial. The stories need to be short, fun, and self contained. Now, I'm not saying that Universe can't pull that off, but they are right on the line between serious and corny right now. By season 2 they'll either have the serial style down, or it will feel like Stargate Atlantis 2: Voyager.

Buatha · Post by **Buatha** » Wed Feb 24, 2010 3:15 pm

I hear what you are saying about SG-1, but I can't imagine how you could have Universe not take itself seriously.

I'll agree that I don't think I'd want to re-watch many episodes up until now as they're mainly just intros and getting the "how are they eating/drinking?" stuff out of the way for survival purposes since that is what the show is driving home. SG-1 was very much like "Okay, dial 'er up! Let's see if we can find any cool tech." At the end of the day, it was beer time. I'd hate to see Universe turn into Gilligan's Stargate with guest stars dangling methods to get home every so many episodes.

While it may not be good television, I'd almost like to see a show where you really have no idea if they'll ever get home since we all now expect something that will keep them lost in space on the ship. Eventually, people will say it's boring and the show will be forced to end with some Ancient device that daisy-chains 40 Stargates into one long tunnel home.

I'm not a huge fan of the show, but I like the premise even if I don't always like the implementation.

rshetts2 · Post by **rshetts2** » Thu Feb 25, 2010 4:32 pm

Regarding the episode Time, there was a video online that basically wrapped up the ending for us. There was a link to it around here somewhere and its definitely worth watching

ah here it is.... " target="_blank

Little Raven · Post by **Little Raven** » Thu Feb 25, 2010 6:09 pm

Sith Lord wrote:Yeah, there was something about SG:1. I can't define it, but neither of the other series quite had/have it.

Interesting. Atlantis has actually been my favorite of the shows so far, though that may be because I watched it from the beginning as opposed to SG:1, which I came into half-way through. I like the characters, and it strikes just the right balance between the outright silliness of SG:1 and the heavy-handed drama of Universe.

Or maybe I'm just a sucker for space stations. I always like DS9 the best, too.

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Thu Feb 25, 2010 6:10 pm

Babylon 5 kicked all those space station asses.

Little Raven · Post by **Little Raven** » Thu Feb 25, 2010 6:12 pm

Agreed. B5 was something truly special.

Although I have to say, DS9 has aged somewhat better than B5.

Odin · Post by **Odin** » Thu Feb 25, 2010 10:08 pm

Little Raven wrote:
Sith Lord wrote:Yeah, there was something about SG:1. I can't define it, but neither of the other series quite had/have it.
Interesting. Atlantis has actually been my favorite of the shows so far, though that may be because I watched it from the beginning as opposed to SG:1, which I came into half-way through. I like the characters, and it strikes just the right balance between the outright silliness of SG:1 and the heavy-handed drama of Universe.

Or maybe I'm just a sucker for space stations. I always like DS9 the best, too.

I enjoyed Atlantis a lot when it was first on. I don't think I ever liked it quite as much as SG:1, but it was pretty good. But while I have seen every one of the SG:1 episodes from the first 6-8 seasons many, many times in reruns, I have no real desire to re-watch Atlantis. Granted, I'm sick of SG:1 and don't watch those episodes anymore, either, but at one time I sure did.

And yeah, B5 is in a class all by itself.

Buatha · Post by **Buatha** » Fri Feb 26, 2010 12:46 am

Oh yeah, DS9 ruled. Even today, I just don't understand people who thought Voyager was better.

I liked Atlantis at first, but I didn't really dig the Wraith and McKay sort of annoyed me after a while. After the second season, I stopped watching it altogether, but it was more along the lines that I had other things going on at that time.

B5 lost me in the first season, although I understand it got much better later, especially after they lost Colonel Stiff and got Boxlightner to take over.

Kraken · Post by **Kraken** » Fri Feb 26, 2010 2:52 am

Buatha wrote:Oh yeah, DS9 ruled. Even today, I just don't understand people who thought Voyager was better.

In days of yore, when programming your VCR was the state of the art, serial TV shows had a disadvantage against episodic shows that you could hit or miss. DS9 was hard to follow if you only dipped into it occasionally, whereas Voyager lent itself to casual viewing -- the story arc was so loose that missing a few episodes didn't matter. DS9 took some effort to follow. Plus DS9 had those irritating cheesegrater-nose people.

Now that DVDs exist I'm going to give DS9 another chance someday. Back in the VCR days, it was too much of a commitment.

D.A.Lewis · Post by **D.A.Lewis** » Fri Feb 26, 2010 1:39 pm

Buatha wrote:Oh yeah, DS9 ruled. Even today, I just don't understand people who thought Voyager was better.
I liked Atlantis at first, but I didn't really dig the Wraith and McKay sort of annoyed me after a while. After the second season, I stopped watching it altogether, but it was more along the lines that I had other things going on at that time.
B5 lost me in the first season, although I understand it got much better later, especially after they lost Colonel Stiff and got Boxlightner to take over.

Awww come on, there were a few that thought Voyager was better but they were in the minority. Janeway and Chacotay were pretty much ridiculed throughout the run. And late addition borg 7 of 9 basically (Jeri Ryan) added a needed plot complexity that was totally lacking prior. DS9 pissed me off when they killed off Terry Ferrell due to a contract dispute. It left a bitter taste in my mouth till the end of the series run. OTH, the ending 10 episodes of DS9 were probably the best television ever had to offer. An absolute stunning conclusion.

I watched Atlantis from beginning to end. I liked the the show but it never clicked like SG1. The Wraith weren't really a compelling enemy until the series end. And Mckay annoyed throughout the series run. How the series creators thought they could center a show around him is beyond me. Self righteous, annoying, condescending and not really brave - oh yeah I can get behind that character

B5 came out at a time when there weren't much options so I stuck with it. Excellent show - and well worth it. In a couple years I'm gonna buy the whole DVD set and watch one episode a day while I work out on my elliptical.

Which brings me back to Stargate Universe - I fear that Battlestar Galactica just may me painting to big a stroke on this Star Trek series. When Bab 5 was about to come out, there was talk the Star Trek people quickly developed DS9 so that the Star Trek universe would seem relevant. Still, DS9 still had Star Trek sensibilities and the show worked. StarGate Universe on the other hand while copying BSG does not seem to have any StarGate sensibilities and is going its own way. And right now, I'm not certain if the way that way is the right way.I'll continue to watch SG:U but it is not looking like the winner that SG1 was.

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Fri Feb 26, 2010 1:49 pm

D.A.Lewis wrote:When Bab 5 was about to come out, there was talk the Star Trek people quickly developed DS9 so that the Star Trek universe would seem relevant. Still, DS9 still had Star Trek sensibilities and the show worked.

More like that Paramount had basically ripped off the whole concept:

Wiki wrote:Babylon 5 creator J. Michael Straczynski indicated that Paramount was aware of his concept as early as 1989, when he attempted to sell the show to the studio, and provided them with the series bible, pilot script, artwork, lengthy character background histories, and plot synopses for the first 22 episodes. Paramount passed on Babylon 5, but later announced Deep Space Nine was in development after Warner Bros. announced its plans for Babylon 5. Straczynski has stated on numerous occasions that he thinks Paramount may have used his bible and scripts as the basis for DS9's first season. On the subject of suing Paramount for infringement, Straczynski indicated he had no intentions to do so, and added:

That we have decided - for the best interests of all - to take a mature, 'let's move forward' approach does not mean that I have to pretend nothing happened. [...] It's on the level of 'Okay, YOU (Paramount) know what happened, and I know what happened, but let's try to be grownup about it for now,' though I must say that the shape-changing thing nearly tipped me back over the edge again. ..... The fact that the two shows were so similar at that time, one a nobody show from nowhere, the other bundled with the STAR TREK name, came within an inch of killing Babylon 5. That's one of the main reasons why it took nearly a period of four months [after the first pilot telefilm] before we finally got the go order for year one, after everybody crunched the ratings, and the demos, and decided to take a chance on it. And even THEN we were told, "The syndie market can't sustain two shows like this; you're gonna get creamed."

Daveman · Post by **Daveman** » Fri Apr 02, 2010 12:16 pm

Just a reminder that new episodes of this show start airing tonight on SyFy, and I believe they're doing a "marathon" of the existing episodes today as well. Good time to catch up if you've missed this or maybe just an episode or two along the way.

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Sat Apr 03, 2010 12:35 pm

Wiki wrote: though I must say that the shape-changing thing nearly tipped me back over the edge again. .....

granted, i'm old and forgetful, but was there a shape changer on B5?

anyway, back on topic. i thought the series return last night was quite good. I think i enjoy this far more than any SG show prior to it is because they seem to be taking their cues from shows like BSG and B5. It's more mature and character oriented. I like that they're slowly injecting alien races into the show instead of hitting us with a new enemy each week. gives them more depth when they do appear.

dbt1949 · Post by **dbt1949** » Sat Apr 03, 2010 1:35 pm

That scientist wasn't gone long.

Odin · Post by **Odin** » Sat Apr 03, 2010 5:18 pm

hepcat wrote:
Wiki wrote: though I must say that the shape-changing thing nearly tipped me back over the edge again. .....

granted, i'm old and forgetful, but was there a shape changer on B5?

Two of them, actually. Not sure which one he means. In the pilot episode (The Gathering), it was somebody wearing a "changeling net" who was able to get close enough to Vorlon Ambassador Kosh to poison him, disguised as Commander Sinclair. Then, at the end of Season 1, Ambassador Delenn uses the Triluminary to activate the chrysalis device and, by early in Season 2, become a half-Minbari/half-human hybrid.

anyway, back on topic. i thought the series return last night was quite good. I think i enjoy this far more than any SG show prior to it is because they seem to be taking their cues from shows like BSG and B5. It's more mature and character oriented. I like that they're slowly injecting alien races into the show instead of hitting us with a new enemy each week. gives them more depth when they do appear.

I really ought to love this show, but I'm just meh about it. I expect to continue watching it, but so far it just hasn't really grabbed me. I think part of it is that, unlike either the original series OR Atlantis, there aren't any characters that I really, really like. Atlantis wasn't that terrific a show, but I liked Sheppard and Ronon Dex a lot, Teyla Emmagan and Aidan Ford just a bit less, and I even found after a while that I liked Rodney (believe it or not. I know - it boggles the mind). On SG:U the only character I like is the nerd, and I'd say he ranks somewhere below the Teyla/Ford level for me. That makes it awful hard to get into the show.

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Sat Apr 03, 2010 5:23 pm

I honestly believe that the writers are doing their best to make sure there ARE NO characters that are really likeable. Everyone so far has been given a past or present story that casts them in less than favorable light. Even the heroic captain has shown that he's all too human (and it didn't come across as forced, so kudos to the writers for that).

They're humans caught in an unimaginable situation and the creators of the show are trying for a more pessimistic storyline as opposed to the popular "humans are mostly noble" view that seems to prevail in similar series.

Kelric · Post by **Kelric** » Sat Apr 03, 2010 6:34 pm

I just hope this means they shan't be using the communication stones anymore, or at least for a long time. Those seemed like a crutch to help fill in everybody's stories while the better use was ignored for the most part - bring in more scientists on rotating shifts to get the ship figured out. Now that they are sending people into aliens and we have the basics of most of the major characters, they can be ignored for a while.

Odin · Post by **Odin** » Sat Apr 03, 2010 6:38 pm

hepcat wrote:They're humans caught in an unimaginable situation and the creators of the show are trying for a more pessimistic storyline as opposed to the popular "humans are mostly noble" view that seems to prevail in similar series.

You know, Arthur, Guenevere and Lancelot had some remarkable human faults. But they were still heroic and entertaining characters. I guess I just don't enjoy a show where none of the characters are likeable. I think you're right that that's intentional on the show's part, but I find it a little surprising (baffling, even) that people would find such a show compelling or that the creators thought people would.

Kelric · Post by **Kelric** » Sat Apr 03, 2010 6:49 pm

I find big boobs army girl awfully compelling. She always seems so cold....

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Sat Apr 03, 2010 7:01 pm

Sith Lord wrote:
hepcat wrote:They're humans caught in an unimaginable situation and the creators of the show are trying for a more pessimistic storyline as opposed to the popular "humans are mostly noble" view that seems to prevail in similar series.
You know, Arthur, Guenevere and Lancelot had some remarkable human faults. But they were still heroic and entertaining characters. I guess I just don't enjoy a show where none of the characters are likeable. I think you're right that that's intentional on the show's part, but I find it a little surprising (baffling, even) that people would find such a show compelling or that the creators thought people would.

conversely, i appreciate that they're giving me flawed characters from the outset in the hopes that I'll learn to like them on a deeper level than I would Johnny Strongjaw on another series who comes out of the gate perfect in the face of adversity.

Kelric wrote:I find big boobs army girl awfully compelling. She always seems so cold....

yeah, i think it's pretty obvious what they're going for with that character.

Odin · Post by **Odin** » Sat Apr 03, 2010 8:10 pm

hepcat wrote:conversely, i appreciate that they're giving me flawed characters from the outset in the hopes that I'll learn to like them on a deeper level than I would Johnny Strongjaw on another series who comes out of the gate perfect in the face of adversity.

Different strokes, I suppose. I rarely recall thinking "Yeah, this guy's awesome and he kicks lots of ass. I wonder how that makes him feel."

They've been successful in the past giving us heroic but human characters who were predominantly likable. The reverse (human but not terribly heroic characters who are deeply flawed and not likable) just doesn't entertain me as much. Not that they need to appeal to everybody, or ever could. In this case, they seem to be failing to appeal sufficiently to me to give much of a damn what happens on the show. I'm watching primarily out of inertia at this point.

dbt1949 · Post by **dbt1949** » Sat Apr 03, 2010 8:31 pm

So far the only character I really like is Eli. The rest of the show is just to see the special effects.

qp · Post by qp » Sun Apr 04, 2010 2:30 pm

Wow stuff actually happened for once. There may be hope yet.

Odin · Post by **Odin** » Sun Apr 11, 2010 7:04 pm

Great episode this week.

Spoiler:

But if you could suspend disbelief on that for a bit, the show had more "edge of my seat" moments to it than most of the rest of the season. I hope they can maintain the tension and still develop the characters sufficiently for me to give a shit about one or two of them.

dbt1949 · Post by **dbt1949** » Sun Apr 11, 2010 7:12 pm

I thought it was a pretty good episode too. I don't think Rush told his side the whole truth tho or they might not have been so unanimous in their decision.

Odin · Post by **Odin** » Sun Apr 11, 2010 7:13 pm

dbt1949 wrote:I thought it was a pretty good episode too. I don't think Rush told his side the whole truth tho or they might not have been so unanimous in their decision.

That's pretty typical for Rush, yeah. I'm curious to see what Young does to him next episode (after he recovers, anyway). Obviously calling a truce didn't work out so hot.

Kelric · Post by **Kelric** » Sun Apr 11, 2010 8:44 pm

Still watching, still enjoying.

Doomboy · Post by **Doomboy** » Sun Apr 11, 2010 10:47 pm

I guess the only solution to their little problem is to elect a civvie leader that Young doesn't hate. I guess it is too bad the senator died. I guess he was probably the best choice for a civilian leader. Rush is out, so is Ming Na. Who does that leave?

Defiant · Post by **Defiant** » Sun Apr 11, 2010 11:27 pm

Spoiler:

Rush is out, so is Ming Na. Who does that leave?

Chloe. Eli. Or one of the various recurring scientists. (or possibly someone new?)