Watching Stargate

Torri Higginson

It’s taken me a week just to decide what I had to say about the season 4 premiere of Stargate: Atlantis. Normally, I don’t find myself lacking in words, but this time… all that comes to mind are the same old boring ones. Words like ‘Wow!’ And ‘Holy Crap!’ And ‘Huh?’ So, I find myself reduced to expressing myself in list form, and here goes. If you haven’t seen the ep and don’t want spoilers, don’t read.

1 — Weir is a flipping cyborg!!! I, for one, think that is amazingly cool. While I have always enjoyed her character, she has always lacked a trait that made her stand out from the rest. She could speak Ancient, but so could many others on the Atlantis base. She was a diplomat. Yeah, but how often did she really get to use this ability to good effect? Seldom. Seldom. Teyla’s a fighter, a part Wraith and a local. Ronin is a runner and a local. John is a soldier, has the gene and is an unbelievable pilot. Rodney, well, Rodney’s is Mr. Universal Science with Zelenka as a his sidekick. But Liz? Well, now she has an incredible ability all her own. And if she has to miss much of this season because of the change, that’s ok. I trust to writer’s to bring her back cooler than ever.

2 – Rodney is a genius. Enough said.

3 – The depth of emotion we saw in John and in Ronin during the premiere was truly impressive. I want to see more! Oh, and the Ronin/Weir shippers and Teyla/Weir slasher must have really loved this ep. Hints of everything all around.

4 – I still haven’t warmed up to Jewel Staite as the new doctor. This is ironic since I am a Browncoat through and through. However, the character as written and, unfortunately, performed is a cookie cutter doctor. Except for not wanting the job, she lacks the quirks and idiosyncrasies that make scifi characters interesting.

5 – I loved the entire section with the asteroid field. Especially McKay’s comment that he once scored zero on the game Asteroids. That is just classic McKay. Go, Rodney!

6 – Finally, a mild complaint. What is with Sam’s new hair? I know that Amanda Tapping has wanted long hair for years, but Sam Carter is still bound by military regs. It bothers me. What do you guys think?

If you want to know more about what’s up and coming in season 4, click here.

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