SGA: Kindred pt 2...

[sholio]

Um. Not so happy here. About one specific thing in the episode, at least.

Okay, so remember how my huge DO NOT WANT for this season was that I did not want a monster baby for Teyla?

AAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.

Okay, now that I've got that out of my system...

I totally called the Carson thing! (Edit: Actually, naye called that one, pretty much. I'd been thinking along the same lines, but she's the one who really laid the theory out in the open, so she ought to have credit.) Except I didn't expect the degeneration. Overall, I was happy that we got a lot of Rodney/Carson interaction -- I also liked the Carson/Keller bits and I loved Ronon's overall awkwardness with the whole situation, right up to the hug at the end, and the sad way he laid his head down on Carson's shoulder? That was pretty much my dose of "awwwwwww" for the episode. Awwwwww!

But aside from that little scene at the beginning where they're outside the isolation room, we really didn't get any reaction scenes with the others discussing and digesting the whole situation, and that left the whole thing feeling kind of flat to me. I think in particular what I wanted was *something* with Rodney getting support from his team, or Sheppard, or even Carter, who's done the whole "He's dead! Oh wait! He's back!" thing too many times to count. Presumably, there would have been scenes like that during the slow times in the middle of the episode -- while Carson and Keller are working at the microscopes, for example. But I wanted to see~! There was lots of stuff with Carson, which was nice, but I didn't really get the sort of emotional impact and teaminess that I wanted from the episode. Maybe I just wanted too much ...?

I did appreciate the fact that Rodney, at least, recognized that a Carson clone with all Carson's memories *is* Carson, for all intents and purposes, which is something that they didn't seem willing to acknowledge with the RepliTeam. I liked Rodney's protectiveness, even to the point of pushing Carson out of the way of bullets and covering him in the field. And ohhh, I hurt for Rodney, having to vicariously relive the deaths of Elizabeth and Original!Carson ... and then losing him AGAIN. And Sheppard, losing Teyla, maybe permanently. I think they (and Ronon ... that sad little hug still breaks me) need to go get really drunk together now.

And they got the Athosians back! Well, most of them! (Er, aside from the dead ones and the really *important* one, of course.) That was pretty neat. Once they get back Teyla AND HER BABY, she'll have somewhere to go.

In conclusion, I'm utterly unspoiled for the season finale and hoping to stay that way (haven't even watched the previews, don't have a clue what to expect other than the title) ... and then we'll be done with the season!

EDIT: Okay, now that I've had time to think and digest the episode a little bit, I'm feeling a lot better about most of what bugged me, emotionally. I think the problem *was* that I had certain sorts of scenes I wanted to see, and we didn't see them, and I was irked by that. But I did like what we got! (Well, except for the Teyla thing. NOT GOING THERE.)

Comments

[aelfgyfu_mead]

I had no problems with Sam; I thought she was being quite reasonable. She had no emotional connection with Carson, and she didn't see this as someone back from the dead; I think she was more afraid of something like "Foothold"--or even "Gemini." It's when the aliens look like friends (or like you!), and especially when bad guys have created and programmed them, that you get into real trouble! She's the commander, and she has to see Carson as not Carson, but a threat. After all, he has been programmed by Michael, although not as much as she no doubt feared. Given all those worries, and past experiences with her Replicator self, I thought she was quite sympathetic in the final scene. Partly, she feels for the team; partly, I think he has managed to connect with her, because, well, he's Carson.

I'm convinced Teyla's baby is pure Athosian, and I hope it will stay that way; the advantage of Carson having worked on the 'treatments' here is that surely he was also simultaneously considering at every point how to reverse the process.

I too have the sinking feeling that they'll solve Teyla's baby versus place on the team dilemma by making her place on the team a way to get the baby back. To echo a sentiment already expressed: DO NOT WANT! I deeply hope that doesn't happen, but I'm trying to prepare myself for it.

For the most part, though, I'm just so full of squee at getting Carson back, and getting scenes with Carson and Rodney that really did exceed my expectations (low expectations is the way to go, I'm telling you!), that I refuse to let the Teyla/Michael/Kanaan/baby stuff bother me. In fact, I'm planning to watch the episode again and skip those most disturbing scenes. (I do have to catch the little Flanigans! I didn't know until after I'd seen it!)

My review is here.

[sholio]

I had no problems with Sam; I thought she was being quite reasonable.

Did anyone have problems with Sam? That would surprise me ... I agree with you, I thought that caution was absolutely the right approach to take, especially considering some of the weird stuff the Pegasus Galaxy throws at them.

I'm convinced Teyla's baby is pure Athosian, and I hope it will stay that way; the advantage of Carson having worked on the 'treatments' here is that surely he was also simultaneously considering at every point how to reverse the process.

Well, I just hope that you (and others) are right and I'm wrong. I still think that whatever he injected was the bug serum, and that she's now carrying Michael's ultimate creation. *shudders*

And the little Flanigans are definitely worth rewatching for! They're very cute!

[aelfgyfu_mead]

Oops! Someone had problems with Sam; it wasn't you, Sholio, but I thought it was someone on your page. I may have goofed--too many tabs open at once!

Yes, I found them and must show my husband, who was busy this afternoon. They are indeed awfully cute, and I can't believe I missed the one little tyke looking with unbridled love and admiration at his dad.