Saturday, July 12, 2008

Stargate Atlantis: Search And Rescue Reviewed




A mission to find the pregnant Teyla goes bad when Sheppard's team is trapped under Michael's collapsed compound. When Carter mounts a rescue mission to save them, Michael's Wraith cruiser returns. The team bugs out and eventually meets up with the Daedalus.

Meanwhile, Michael sends Wraith to the planet to kill any survivors. The Daedalus and Michael's ship exchange fire, but since Teyla is on board, they cannot risk destroying the Wraith ship. The Daedalus's sensors find Sheppard and Ronin's life signs, and beam them out. Sheppard, though, is injured but refuses to stay down with Teyla missing.

They launch a "302" attack along with a cloaked jumper. When the Wraith open their bay doors and launch their darts, the cloaked jumper sneaks in to search for Teyla. They find her, but also find the ship is almost repaired and will be able to jump away within a few minutes.

While Sheppard and Ronin plant C4 on the main engine and destroy it, McKay helps Teyla as she gives birth. Sheppard and Ronin are quite surprised when they return to retrieve the rest of the team and find a baby. But they don't have the time for pleasantries, and must get off the ship. They discover the jumper has been taken. That's when Kanann (the baby's father), finds them. He agree's to help, the team escapes in Wraith ship. Once they are able to let the Daedalus know they have Teyla (and baby) safely off the Wraith ship, the Daedalus destroys it.

When everyone is safely back on Atlantis, Carter makes her way to Earth for a short project. Once on Earth she is met by Mr. Woolsey, who informs her she has been relieved of command and replaced by him. (The credits run...).

It's a good story, and they added some very good special effects. Sheppard's heroic efforts to save Teyla, in spite of his injuries, paid off. The delivery and birth scenes were... well, this is PG television, so not too real. No fuss, no mess. She gave birth standing up, no screaming, no cord cutting, no after birth, nothing. That's OK because I don't think McKay could have stayed conscience for that.

It was good to see Conner Trinneer, reviving his role as Michael. It's uncertain whether his Wraith character was killed off. Since they never found the cloaked jumper, and we don't see Michael again after he discovers his ship has been boarded and sabotaged. It's not like he didn't know where Teyla was stowed, he put her there. I don't think we've seen the last of Conner Trinneer as Michael.

The last scene is probably the worst in Stargate history, watching Carter lose her command to a civilian no less. While I realize Amanda Tapping is moving to another project, they could have found a better 'cover" for her to leave Atlantis. I have nothing against Robert Picardo, but I truly despise his role as Mr. Woolsey.

Eleven years ago Amanda Tapping etched her rather huge niche into the fabric of Stargate. Her character has single-handedly saved Earth, the galaxy, her team, and countless alien worlds many times over. Why they chose to have her exit with such a negative overtone is just another sign of just how far off the beaten path the shows producers have gone. They are going the same route as Star Trek. Let's hope the rest of the season gets better.


Regards
John Crawford

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