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SGA 3x14 (or possibly 3x15): The Tao of McKay
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... yeah. Incoherent.
Now that I've managed to come back down to planet Earth ... this was weirdly like an SG-1 episode -- the whole feel of it, the weird changes happening to a team member (I never realized just how OFTEN that sort of thing happened to SG-1, compared to how often SGA has to deal with it, 'til we went back and rewatched SG-1 season 1 recently), and most particularly the team interactions. I ... guh. I mean, I NEVER thought we'd get anything like this in SGA. In a weird way, it kind of threw me a little bit. You know how it is, when you want something and then you get it and you're not absolutely sure that you wanted it after all ...? There were moments that felt a teeny bit out of character for Rodney. I know he's dying and all, but things like ... the scene in Teyla's quarters ... I just don't know if I could see him *doing* that. If it happened in a fanfic, I would have thought it was OOC.
On the other hand, maybe when you scrape away all the layers of sarcasm and defenses ... this is what you're left with. A genuinely nice person. I mean, yeah, we always knew Rodney was a decent guy deep down ... but this is the first episode where we see more than just glimpses -- where he's actually *been* nice and managed to keep it up for a significant part of the episode.
I have this wishlist for SGA. Things I'd love to see in an episode that I thought I never would. I ... think it's quite possible that very nearly everything on that list happened in this episode. There is exactly ONE item I can think of that wasn't in this episode. (In case you're curious ... Sheppard performing CPR on Rodney. Or vice versa. But I don't think we'll ever see that in this series. Everything ELSE, however ...)
The *one* thing in the whole episode that didn't make me DROP DEAD ON THE FLOOR was the not-so-subtle hints of McWeir. But you know what ... Rodney being Rodney, I can actually see the scene at the end as his attempt to make light (and make sense) of an utterly incomprehensible thing to him -- having a bunch of people tell him they love him. He has to rationalize it away as sexual desire, simultaneously feeding his ego *and* his insecurities. And in the end, they go to lunch as friends. Just like before.
There's really no point in listing everything I liked about the episode. Just start at the first scene and run through to the last. But there were two real standouts for me. When he's going through and doing his goodbyes and making amends ... there were two scenes in there that really made me ... well, stop and stare. And I think the timing of the whole sequence is entirely deliberate. Those two scenes are the bracketing ones, his goodbye to Zelenka and to Sheppard.
Zelenka's the very first one, because Zelenka is the person he has the most to make up for -- and while I kind of got the impression with some of the others that he was just trying to come up with something, ANYTHING that he could do for them, with Zelenka there really *was* something that needed to be done ... probably the hardest thing in the world to do: Apologize for being an ass for the last two and a half years. And he did it, and it was truly heartfelt.
The other scene was the one with Sheppard. Throughout all the rest of it, I kept thinking, "I can't WAIT to see what he does for Sheppard." But what made that scene stand out was that he didn't have to do anything at all. There was nothing between the two of them that needed to be said or done. Everything they needed had already *been* said or done. They were good. End of story.
I ... *still* can't quite get my mind around this episode. I think I will go die of squee now. see ya ...
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" But what made that scene stand out was that he didn't have to do anything at all. There was nothing between the two of them that needed to be said or done. Everything they needed had already *been* said or done. They were good. End of story.
That's what I loved the most about the scenes between John and Rodney - it just proved for me that both of them already know where they stand with each other. They don't NEED anythimg more - which is pretty much why I laugh at all the stories where Rodney is feeing so insecure because "John is so MEAN to him" or some other BS like that! What show are people WATCHING?!?!?!
I also feel the same way about the scene at the end where Rodney says "thank you" to Carson - that was all that needed to be said between them and AGAIN I ask why people think that Carson is mean to Rodney when Rodney obviously doesn't think so.
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I think that others may have more problems with the Carson/Rodney interaction simply because there's a lot less screen time given to that friendship (and Carson in general - his character's not been properly developed IMHO). And yes, I agree - Rodney doesn't think he's mean - but occasionally the timing of Carson's snark is perceived by viewers as being 'off'. I still struggle a little with the scene in 'Common Ground' - you know the one! I won't list reasons why here.
But Rodney himself is certainly no put upon victim.
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*nods* exactly! Also I think you have to take into consideration how men interact with each other and how women interact with each other ... totally different types of interactions.
I think that others may have more problems with the Carson/Rodney interaction simply because there's a lot less screen time given to that friendship (and Carson in general - his character's not been properly developed IMHO).
I started thinking about that the other day and I think you're right. For a lot of people all they see IS the snark so they don't see it as Carson being a friend to Rodney but the thing that bugs me about that is that Rodney is JUST as snarky with Carson as Carson is with Rodney so I don't see a problem.... *shrug*
I still struggle a little with the scene in 'Common Ground' - you know the one! I won't list reasons why here.
The one where Carson asks Rodney WTF he's doing after he makes an ass of himself in front of the Marines? Dude *I* was asking myself the same thing Carson did to be honest. Rodney really had no business doing that, seriously. Sure it was a cute moment but I agreed with Carson - "Rodney what are you on about?" was a fair question.
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At this point you'd think that even the dullest fan would have been sufficiently clomped over the head with the idea that RODNEY'S FRIENDS LOVE HIM (they *SAID* so!) and the snark is all surface. And if anyone STILL doesn't get it ... then I'm sorry, there's just no hope for them. ;)
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Maybe the fact in my family (both nuclear and extended) we teased each other all the time. I have groups of friends where we tease each other as well. Not everyone shows their affection for their friends with hugs and always telling that person how wonderful they are.
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I can understand that reaction, but it wasn't everyone's reaction. We saw Rodney - worried for his friend - missing his presence and wanting to do SOMETHING. There were two scripted reactions (interesting...) to Rodney's 'address' - Carson's 'WTF?' and Teyla's 'Well said.' I, and many others agreed with Teyla, felling a sense of pride and seeing Rodney's words as his attempt to do what Sheppard would have done if it were Rodney who was kidnapped. Therefore we say to Carson 'Shut up! He's trying to do something for John - and by the way, he delivered it damn well, so shush with your comments!'
Also if it had been a member of the military saying it, we would have accepted it as 'Shut up Rodney. That's not how we do it.' leave it to us experts.
But I can also see how it might be seen as Rodney getting a bit above himself, and thinking he can do the whole command thing. It's interesting that there are two equally valid reactions to the incident, both of which are supported by canon character reactions.
And I've just watched the scene again - it actually doesn't bother me anymore and I maintain that Carson is NOT generally nasty to Rodney! Like John, he uses comments to try and deflate the Rodney-head!
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However I'm still looked at it from the Marine's pov and how they probably WERE annoyed that he was doing something that he really had no right ("right" might be to strong a way to put it...though) to do. I DO agree with what you said here: . We saw Rodney - worried for his friend - missing his presence and wanting to do SOMETHING. - it's just that when I heard it I was thinking pritty much what you said here: 'Shut up Rodney. That's not how we do it.' leave it to us experts. (but without the shut up part mostly)... so Yeah I was just looking at it differently and I processed it differently when I watched that scene.
And then when I saw people going "OMG CARSON IS SO MEAN TO RODNEY IN COMMON GROUND" I was like - "WTF???"
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Plus like I've said before - they both snark at each other all the time so I don't have a problem with whatever Carson says, because I know that somewhere along the line it will be Rodney's turn to snark at Carson.
so it's been a good exchange all round!
Cool, glad you think so. It's nice to talk to fans who are willing to see the other pov (even if they still don't fully agree)... better then beating my head against a well like with some people just refuse to consider another possiblity. I GET why some people are upset with Carson and John - even though I don't agree with the argumetns at all I can somewhat understand where they are comming from.
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Not that I always manage it myself - but I shall endeavour to achieve it!
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Me too. :O)
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One of the things I love about SGA (one of the many, many things ...) is how the characters all have such different viewpoints and agendas, so you get lots of *different* kinds of character reactions to any given situation.
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Ditto on the second part! :O)
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I ended up deleting my rant on my LJ that you replied to... of ocurse I deleted it AFTER I replied to you ... *SIGH*
anyway I tried to ask for your email address from the comments in my "brainstorming" post becaue I don't have it saved like I thought I did...
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If I remember right, you'd asked me about the spellings of Jeannie/Jeanie and her husband. You know, I'm really not sure. The spellings that Gateworld uses (whatever they are) are likely to be correct. I think that "Kaleb" is actually the correct spelling, but I just HATE spelling it that way (I always spell it Caleb in my stories) because I've never seen it spelled with "K" and it looks wrong to me. I know, I know ... canon slut that I am, I shouldn't be respelling characters' names just because they look wrong to my eyes. But I can't help it!
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