Bits Tits and Babble - My impressions of SciFi Friday

[gategrrl]

Part One: Stargate SG-1

Surprisingly, while I watched Gemini Redux er...Nipples NO, RIPPLES damnit! I was fairly amused, and appreciated Tapping's comedic timing and looser acting, and let the show give me a ride through parallel AR SG-1 teams. But it was tiresome, oh so tiresome, to hear Sam Carter babble, double-babble, technobabble through explanations the audience didn't give a shit about to begin with. It also didn't help that just about every scene with Carter the SuperWonderHorse National Treasure in it just had to reference her sad, sad, sexlife/romantic life. There was, of course, the obligatory shot of one of the AR Sams wearing one of those odious tank tops from past seasons, thrusting her chest out for view. Talk about cattle call. This was in the scene with multiple Sams babbling along, all getting along (cuz there's no way that Sam wouldn't get along with herself, it just wouldn't happen, she's wonderful and perfect and beyond petty bickering everyone else is prone to).

Where, pray tell, were the scenes of multiple Daniels, whom we have NEVER met before in any AR/AU episode of Stargate before? I guess National Treasure Bits Tits and Babble was worth the FX budget, because, you know, we ALL love to more of the blond ingenue bombshell on our screens. As I said, Tapping was amusing enough, and, considering the job she had in this corker of an episode, was pretty darn on top of things. But the writers once again show her character trusting a double (Gemini, anyone?) who isn't necessarily as nicey-nice as Lt Col Carter. She must think the sun shines out her own ass.

It was embarrasing to see Daniel do double takes about Sam's romantic life, when told about it by the AR Black Mitchell. I mean, WTF should it surprise him so much? Hadn't he seen Sam engaged to Jack in another reality years ago? Hadn't they all met yet *another* Sam Carter who was a Jack widow? Frankly, it would have been a huge laugh if Mitchell had said she was married to Bill Lee (see the Atlantis episode following this SG-1 one), and much more worth the romance ship shit shoveled on in this episode.

So. TPTB of Stargate have reduced this female character to her vulva, her babble, and her tits, just like Tapping said they weren't going to, just like the writers said they weren't going to, and you have to wonder, what is the point of this character, if, in an episode where she's the focus, all they have to talk about is who she is or is not banging in another universe, when all that science is all around her?

Part Two - Atlantis

Atlantis was much more engaging on a plot level, with scenes taking place on Atlantis, the Daedalus, the SGC, with a deadline for everything to work or else it would all blow up. I'm surprised the producers didn't have a timer clock in the lower left corner of the screen, ticking the time away. I already knew who the culprit was going to be - but that didn't matter to me, since I'm much more entertained by HOW the story is told, rather than how it ends up (usually). That's why spoilers usually don't bother me or upset me.

I did have a problem with Weir's treatment of Kavanaugh, and frankly, if the writers want me to hate this guy simply because Sheppard and everyone hates his guts, well, it ain't working. I like him. He tells his views like it is, and honestly, he is right about Weir and her synchophantic way of running Atlantis. I'm surprised Kavanaugh didn't bring up the way Weir had Sheppard's rank raised so he could stay in command of the troops on Atlantis. I'm surprised he didn't mention how the gossip on the Daedalus is saying how they think Sheppard is banging Weir in order to KEEP his position, since he's a relatively lousy commander with minimal presence who relies on his mistress to keep him in power. Mentioning something that extreme may indeed have made Kavaugh less sympathetic, but again, grain of truth there. They haven't shown much head-banging between Sheppard and Caldwell, mostly to set up some fakey antagonistic relationship between Weir and Caldwell, wherein she pulls out the cat claws, and he looks at her like she grew another head and Wraith fangs.

I have no problem with Ronan (although my Guy fails to see his attraction or purpose on the show). It's a little worrying how he didn't hesitate to volunteer to torture Kavanaugh for the information. Even worse, the Atlantis team, led by the Wonderful Weir, had no reservations to get hers back at Kavanaugh by having the shit beaten out of the guy - mostly, one thinks, because Kavanaugh doesn't think the sun rises and sets at her doorway.

Other than that thread of wavering ethics (I think ALL the characters on Atlantis are ethically challenged, which is why I think Sam Carter would fit right in, if she was moved to this show) the pace was tight, the many threads were woven well, with just enough time given to each one.

The Teyla thread through the episode didn't feel too out of place to me, although it didn't outwardly seem to fit in with the rest of the show. As one fan of the show has said, if her voice hadn't been so obviously run through a studio set-up and echoed, it would have been more believable and effective. And unless there was a time restraint for the ceremony, I have no idea why Teyla was compelled to hold this ceremony while the city was under attack. After all, the dead are dead, and promises like that can be held off for a little later. I have a feeling her grandmother-figure, who I liked very much, would not have been pleased to see Teyla risk her life and the others' lives for her death ceremony.

Speaking of the death of the elder -- I was relieved that Carson didn't fight the old woman's desire to die a natural death, instead of prolonging her life through methods which might have resulted in her dying a Wraith inflicted death. Carson may have his own ethically challenged problems, but on the whole, he's a good guy, who doesn't need to be ordered by the base's CO to do what he should do (hello, Janet Fraiser - do you hear this?) and takes Teyla's word for it that she agrees reluctantly, with her grandmother-figure and respects her decision.

Zelenka wasn't in the episode much, except for a cameo at the beginning and the ending, both of which were hilarious, and wonderful round of continuity from the previous season. That's nice to see in a Stargate show. Stargate SG-1 doesn't seem to believe in continuity much, if at all.

Rodney was back to his season one self, which was great. There wasn't TOO much Weir with Sheppard, and I have to admit, I didn't notice how much or how little time Sheppard spent in Rodney's company. Ship on this show is off my radar, unless it's banged over my head, as in the episode Sheppard is turned into a Wraith bug, and the only person who can have access to him is Weir. I wonder if Sheppard is being more careful about that now, knowing that Weir turns into a possessive bitch whenever he goes and injures himself and keeps his other friends and work-mates away.

I'll have to write about BSG on another post. But it ROCKED. I love this show more and more, even when it relies on plot machinations that are just a leeeeeeetle too pat (like the letter Baltar opens at the end, soon after he's decided to Do Right). I so adore the President and Adama and their relationship, which is just a *touch* shippy, but not really, because they are equals and there's NO WAY they could end up together due to political problems, etc and so forth. I hope it does not become an overriding plot point, but, if it does, man, this is one writing/production team that could carry off a middle-aged romance (unlike the writers of SG-1, for comparison) and make it work.

Comments

[nialla]

I did have a problem with Weir's treatment of Kavanaugh, and frankly, if the writers want me to hate this guy simply because Sheppard and everyone hates his guts, well, it ain't working. I like him. He tells his views like it is, and honestly, he is right about Weir and her synchophantic way of running Atlantis.

Glad to see someone else saying this. I've been saying for a while now that Kavanaugh may be an asshole, but that doesn't make him wrong. The writers have a tendency to set up a character that you're supposed to "love to hate", such as Kinsey on SG-1. His whole purpose is to be an ass and make Our Heroes look better. I think this is what they're aiming for with Kavanaugh.

But if you think about it, Kavanaugh isn't too different from how Rodney was when he was introduced on SG-1. He was more than willing to knock the National Treasure off her pedestal, and got sent to Siberia for his troubles. So when Kavanaugh has lines, I try to think how I'd react if Rodney were saying it instead of having the kneejerk reaction to Kavanaugh the writers intended.

[lovellama.livejournal.com]

I liked the techno babble. I liked that they tried to give an explanation for what was going on. But I do agree that it was too much on Sam's love life. I think it would have been hilarious and have tempered it a bit to have her married to Lee, Felger, Davis in all the different AUs. :D

And I realize that the beginning of the season was Daniel heavy, but some info on the AU Daniels wouldn't have hurt!

[aizjanika.livejournal.com]

I know about the beginning of the season being Daniel heavy, but I don't get why people (I don't mean you) keep bringing this up as a reason he should be "light" in the rest of the season. That doesn't make sense to me.

[gategrrl.livejournal.com]

I liked the techno babble. I liked that they tried to give an explanation for what was going on.
Oh, I don't mind explanations, but the technobabble in this one droned on and on and on in the manner of a beginner writer giving InfoDump instead of weaving the explanations into the fabric of the show's action. It was Carter babble babble to Carter, who babbles back to her, etc.

It was inelegant and yawnworthy, at least to me.

[(Anonymous)]

Brilliant reviews!

I like Kavanaugh. He's one of the few who will look Weir in the eye and tell her she's a harpy. A screeching, cosmic-joke harpy. Every time they try to do something with Weir, she comes off looking even worse. Why is she even on the show? She's the female J-word.

[captain-tiv.livejournal.com]

Brilliant reviews!

[aizjanika.livejournal.com]

nd let the show give me a ride through parallel AR SG-1 teams.

Me, too. It was a fun enough episode.

There was, of course, the obligatory shot of one of the AR Sams wearing one of those odious tank tops from past seasons, thrusting her chest out for view. Talk about cattle call. This was in the scene with multiple Sams babbling along,

To be honest, I didn't even notice this--or the GeekSam others mentioned. I was too turned off by that scene to pay much attention to anything, but the main action, I guess.

Where, pray tell, were the scenes of multiple Daniels, whom we have NEVER met before in any AR/AU episode of Stargate before?

:-( Boo hoo. I can't tell you how many times I've read people saying how great and fantastic this episode was, then adding on, "Where was Daniel?" or "Daniel didn't have much to do" or something, as though it weren't really important, but just an observation. (And I'm guessing it's not important to everyone, but it is to me, dammit. *g*)

As I said, Tapping was amusing enough, and, considering the job she had in this corker of an episode, was pretty darn on top of things.

I didn't even find her that amusing.

So. TPTB of Stargate have reduced this female character to her vulva, her babble, and her tits, just like Tapping said they weren't going to, just like the writers said they weren't going to, and you have to wonder, what is the point of this character, if, in an episode where she's the focus, all they have to talk about is who she is or is not banging in another universe, when all that science is all around her?

And thank you for saying this. It's exactly what I think, too.

I did have a problem with Weir's treatment of Kavanaugh, and frankly, if the writers want me to hate this guy simply because Sheppard and everyone hates his guts, well, it ain't working. I like him. He tells his views like it is, and honestly, he is right about Weir and her synchophantic way of running Atlantis

I agree with all of this, but I think it didn't bother me that much because I don't care that much about Atlantis or Weir. I was so hoping we'd see Kavanaugh again. :-)

I'm surprised Kavanaugh didn't bring up the way Weir had Sheppard's rank raised so he could stay in command of the troops on Atlantis.

He probably didn't know about that. In the military, promotions are *not* done the way it's portrayed on Stargate. There are no *surprise* promotions like they imply with Sam and Jack. People are up for promotion for a *long* time and there are lists and things. Everyone knows who's going to make it. In Sheppard's case, he would have had to have been on the list already and, at Weir's insistence, possibly deep selected (i.e. promoted over those with more seniority and/or who were higher on the promotion list for a variety of reasons--it's a very complicated system), but he had to have been already on the promotion list--even if he was so far down that he had no chance in hell of making it any time soon. (And an officer passed over twice is booted out of the service, so he'd have to make it eventually.) Not that this has anything to do with anything. LOL I'm just ranting. hehe

As one fan of the show has said, if her voice hadn't been so obviously run through a studio set-up and echoed, it would have been more believable and effective.

That's true. It bothered me at first, but then I just went with it. hehe

Rodney was back to his season one self, which was great.

Yay!

[aizjanika.livejournal.com]

I want to change my mind about Kavanaugh knowing about the promotion thing. hehe Actually, if Sheppard was deep selected and it was considered unfair, other officers may have gossiped about it. While they might not know the reason Sheppard was promoted, Kavanaugh is smart enough to have guessed. OTOH, he said he didn't like working with the military, so maybe he wouldn't be friendly with any military officers back at the SGC.

[gategrrl.livejournal.com]

The trip to Pegasus is three weeks (groans...even on Star Trek they couldn't travel to other galaxies, how can a 20th century military do it? Bah). As weird as Kavanaugh is, he's not stupid, and knows how to hear with his ears, and may even ask about discretely for the scuttlebutt. Hiccup-scientist wasn't too familiar with him, but she knew him by sight in any case.

I have no idea how likely military is going to gossip around the civilians travelling with them as supercargo, but after a week or so, I'd imagine there'd be some talk going about. After all, none of these folks knew who he was, really.

[aizjanika.livejournal.com]

hehe Knowing what I know of military officers personally, I'd say there'd definitely be gossip. I could tell you so many stories... LOL And I know some wives of Navy officers, too, and it's exactly the same in that service as well. Anyone who's promoted ahead of everyone else (unfairly) or gets a promotion in a way that's perceived unfair--there's lots of gossip about it. I think they'd gossip with civilians as well, if they were even vaguely friendly with them. They wouldn't gossip about missions or anything top secret, but about unfair promotions? Yes! lol

Well, that's my experience anyway.

[jennixen.livejournal.com]

It's funny, because as opposed to a year ago, I now have more faith in Atlantis than Stargate...and I'm not even watching Atlantis! Or have just started recently.
I haven't yet seen anything shippy in the first season and I hope they don't push it, or if they do - make it good.

It's so strange because I'm a big sucker for romance sometimes but what they've done with Sam Carter is just awful beyond comparison.
I used to love Sam and now she's just a lousy copy of herself.
I feel like Stargate has lost its charm, which is strange seeing as people more than ever seem to love it now.
Maybe it's just me... ;)