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3x16: The Ark
Did this one make anyone else think of NotTasha's fic Among the Stars? Team trapped on a space station that's venting atmosphere, separated by bulkheads and able to communicate only with their radios! HEE. Of course the actual plot was quite different, just the basic premise was similar, but it made me grin.
In a lot of ways this felt like a throwback to the action/suspense episodes of the first season. I remember thinking, when we started watching the show, that their action episodes were the most successful ones, with the plots falling down just a trifle when they'd do the more story-driven episodes. Over time, I think I've come to enjoy the "slow" ones more; I don't know if that's because they're doing them better now, or because we tend to get more "character moments" in the slower episodes, or what. However, it's really nice to see that they can still do tense, fast-paced, "OMG we're all gonna die" action well. I was just talking on Derry's LJ about the need for balance on the show, and this episode was perfect to balance out the more humorous and "talky" episodes that we've had lately. In fact I'd love it if the show kept up a mix like this -- a couple funny or character-focused episodes, offset with a couple of fast-paced ones.
I really liked the episode; unlike the last couple, it didn't really have any huge "squee and rewatch a dozen times" moments, but there were lots of fun parts and a few sweet ones. Loved Rodney's "We don't leave people behind!" to Lorne, and Rodney and Sheppard trying to say goodbye in that emotionally-stunted-yet-touching way that only they can do so well. (There was a certain lack of concern for Teyla on Rodney's part in that scene, IMHO, but on the other hand she's out of sight and mind at the moment, while a certain Colonel is going all kamikaze AGAIN.) All the banter was too much fun, including Teyla and Ronon's long-suffering reaction to the usual bickering in the beginning -- and I just loved how they dial up poor Weir, only an hour late for their check-in, with this massive, abbreviated tale of woe; good thing she's such a diplomatic person, because you can just imagine her thinking, "Everything was FINE the last time I talked to them! How did they screw up THIS badly THIS fast?!"
One of the things I've always loved about the Stargate shows is how they find new ways to use old technology, and when they find a new thing to do with it, they remember. This episode's case in point -- turning the cloak into a shield and extending it to the space station. And I liked that they didn't waste a lot of time explaining it to the viewer ("Hey, just like we did when we rescued old so&so!") -- it's just very matter-of-fact. I also liked the way they had the LSDs strapped to their arms, freeing up their hands for other stuff. Clever!
Another way that this episode provided nice balance is that all of the team got to do something -- emphasis on Sheppard and McKay, of course, but the four-way interplay was neat. (Oh, and if I may be shallow? Sheppard in the welding goggles -- ROWR! *grin*)
Oh, and it's been nice to see Lorne so much lately! I'm not a huge Lorne fan the way some people are -- not that I don't like him, just that I don't really feel like I've seen enough of him to have that much love for him -- but because of his history with the team and his friendly-affectionate way of relating to them, it's a lot of fun when he's the one who gets to come and rescue them. I'm always happy to see his name in the credits.
In a lot of ways this felt like a throwback to the action/suspense episodes of the first season. I remember thinking, when we started watching the show, that their action episodes were the most successful ones, with the plots falling down just a trifle when they'd do the more story-driven episodes. Over time, I think I've come to enjoy the "slow" ones more; I don't know if that's because they're doing them better now, or because we tend to get more "character moments" in the slower episodes, or what. However, it's really nice to see that they can still do tense, fast-paced, "OMG we're all gonna die" action well. I was just talking on Derry's LJ about the need for balance on the show, and this episode was perfect to balance out the more humorous and "talky" episodes that we've had lately. In fact I'd love it if the show kept up a mix like this -- a couple funny or character-focused episodes, offset with a couple of fast-paced ones.
I really liked the episode; unlike the last couple, it didn't really have any huge "squee and rewatch a dozen times" moments, but there were lots of fun parts and a few sweet ones. Loved Rodney's "We don't leave people behind!" to Lorne, and Rodney and Sheppard trying to say goodbye in that emotionally-stunted-yet-touching way that only they can do so well. (There was a certain lack of concern for Teyla on Rodney's part in that scene, IMHO, but on the other hand she's out of sight and mind at the moment, while a certain Colonel is going all kamikaze AGAIN.) All the banter was too much fun, including Teyla and Ronon's long-suffering reaction to the usual bickering in the beginning -- and I just loved how they dial up poor Weir, only an hour late for their check-in, with this massive, abbreviated tale of woe; good thing she's such a diplomatic person, because you can just imagine her thinking, "Everything was FINE the last time I talked to them! How did they screw up THIS badly THIS fast?!"
One of the things I've always loved about the Stargate shows is how they find new ways to use old technology, and when they find a new thing to do with it, they remember. This episode's case in point -- turning the cloak into a shield and extending it to the space station. And I liked that they didn't waste a lot of time explaining it to the viewer ("Hey, just like we did when we rescued old so&so!") -- it's just very matter-of-fact. I also liked the way they had the LSDs strapped to their arms, freeing up their hands for other stuff. Clever!
Another way that this episode provided nice balance is that all of the team got to do something -- emphasis on Sheppard and McKay, of course, but the four-way interplay was neat. (Oh, and if I may be shallow? Sheppard in the welding goggles -- ROWR! *grin*)
Oh, and it's been nice to see Lorne so much lately! I'm not a huge Lorne fan the way some people are -- not that I don't like him, just that I don't really feel like I've seen enough of him to have that much love for him -- but because of his history with the team and his friendly-affectionate way of relating to them, it's a lot of fun when he's the one who gets to come and rescue them. I'm always happy to see his name in the credits.
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Oy. Now back to ancient history...
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Ooh, what Ancient History?
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Uhm, this quarter I'm studying European Prehistory and Ancient Greece. Fun stuff, (*whining*) but they expect me not to just read the material, but study and write about it! ;-)
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That kind of History is a bit TOO old for me. I was/am a Medievalist, though I went as early as c300AD. No modern, however. Nothing beyond 1648, adn the only time I stepped out of Europe was when studying the Crusades.
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I take it your degree is in Medieval history?
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But then Archaeologists think we're soft, and Geologists make fun of all of us!
1064 - because of the soon following Norman Conquest? And that's what? Pre-'The Peace of God' movement in Europe? Most of my knowledge starts c1100.
PS(I've been to Lascaux. Well Lascaux II, not the original!)
Bed time.
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And yeah, I was thinking about a minor in Archaeology, but the department chair is basically of hte opnion historians are wannabe wusses so I'm not even going to try to deal with him. He's a great teacher in his field, but otherwise? Meh.
Did I say 1064? Silly me. I meant 1066. Yup, the Norman invasion of England is when history ends. Period. ;-) I don't know enough European history in the Middle AGes to know what was going on there.
And I am JEALOUS if you've been to either Lascaux! Only reason I could come up with to actually visit France willingly. ;-) But I've been to Calanais, and Dun Carloway (see icon).
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Must be 12-14 years since I went to Lascaux. When I was little, we went to France once (and sometimes) twice a year. I've not been back for a very long time. My choice!
I went to Scotland for the first time last year. It's gorgeous. I stayed mostly in Edinburgh (the castle is amazing) though I had a few days at Loch Lomond.
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And LOL! My oldest son loves sociology, we throw barbs back and forth at each other. "that's ancient history, Mom. What use is it?" "That's just current events. It's not history yet, and it's not even interesting as current events!"
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Well as fun as it might be to try and squeeze the rest of the population of Europe into Scotland, I don't think we'd fit.
Population of Scotland = circa 5 million
Population of LONDON = circa 8 million
It would be cozy if we tried!
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I have this Christmas Amazon.com gift certificate burning a hole in my inbox and I really need to pick your brains on some books to buy. I have tons of books on prehistoric Alaska and a smattering of others that have caught my eye over the years, but I'm starting to have a craving for more. And ancient textiles are something I actually know very little about ... hm!
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If you want Ancient, Ancient, I can only recommend the book I had to buy for class, "The Oxford History of Prehistoric Europe" edited by Barry Cunliffe. Great book!
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I'll be over in the corner with my barrel of happy squee, thanks.
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