I'm actually thrilled at how this season has been developing other character relationships WITHOUT sacrificing the Sheppard/McKay friendship which is, for me, the heart of the show. They've just found a really, really nice balance. On an admittedly selfish level, I had no problem at all with the heavy levels of Sheppard and McKay last season, and I was a little worried (knowing that the spotlight wouldn't really be on them this season, and especially given the end of Sunday) that they were planning on pulling them apart and pairing them off with other characters in a friendshippy sort of way, kind of like SG-1 did with Jack and Daniel as the series progressed. But, if anything, this season has actually given us a John and Rodney friendship that's more intensely close than the lighter tone of earlier seasons, while still giving them space to explore their friendships with other people -- it's just been very, very nicely done!