New Sci-Fridays
Jul. 19th, 2005 11:45 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
khaosworksOver the weekend, I managed to catch hold of the season premieres of Battlestar Galactica, Stargate Atlantis and Stargate SG-1. In that order: I know it's actually the reverse order of broadcast, but those who saw the cliffhanger for BSG's first season know why I went straight for that one, just the see what the hell happened. All I can say, non-spoilery wise, is... wow. Edge of my seat for the last ten minutes or so.
None of them were exactly duds, but I have to say that Stargate SG-1 came off as the weakest of the three, which is a shame because it really should have been a blast, especially with Crichton and Aeryn... uh, Cameron Mitchell and Varla appearing in the opener. The problem, I see, is that they were trying to introduce and make us like Ben Browder's new character, and at the same time sneak in Beau Bridges as the new commander of the SGC. They succeeded in the former, but Bridges doesn't seem to have the same military cachet as Don S. Davis did. Browder - Mitchell - is basically a slightly more disciplined Crichton, but it's the same wisecracks, the same pop culture references. I loved that the writers were post-modern enough to sneak in a crack about much Michael Shanks and Browder look alike. But as the first of a two-parter, it felt stretched out, and I suppose it'd hold up much better when viewed as a unit.
On the other hand, Atlantis moved along at an amazing pace. Mitch Pillegi comes in as the commander of the Daedelus, and I love his command style already - consultative, but doesn't waste time once he's gotten the input he needs. The ditzy Novak from SG-1 turns up, and she's funny, too, as is the cranky new Asgard crewman Hermoid. We'll see how that goes.
Atlantis has really grown, in terms of its ideas, its cast and its concept, and the parallel between TNG and DS9 for me is striking. I think I've got my finger on why I like Atlantis so much - the characters are much more interesting than the SG-1 crew. Sheppard and Weir need work, still, but Teyla is getting all her Wraith DNA in gear, Ford is now Super Hybrid Soldier, and Rodney and Zelinski are like an old married couple. Where SG-1 felt (and still does) like the cool kids in the school getting together and doing really wild things, Atlantis's crew isn't quite as perfect, and are building into not a clique, but a family unit, complete with the emotional support and the abrasive jives that all families have. When Sheppard returns to the gate room, one of his first words is, "I'm home," and Elizabeth says, "Yes, you are," before she hugs him (feel the Sheppard/Weir 'ship!). I like the idea that they're setting down roots now, that Atlantis is not just a base anymore - same reason why DS9 was much more compelling.
Weekend nights are good again for SF television, even if I have to wait for the downloads.
None of them were exactly duds, but I have to say that Stargate SG-1 came off as the weakest of the three, which is a shame because it really should have been a blast, especially with Crichton and Aeryn... uh, Cameron Mitchell and Varla appearing in the opener. The problem, I see, is that they were trying to introduce and make us like Ben Browder's new character, and at the same time sneak in Beau Bridges as the new commander of the SGC. They succeeded in the former, but Bridges doesn't seem to have the same military cachet as Don S. Davis did. Browder - Mitchell - is basically a slightly more disciplined Crichton, but it's the same wisecracks, the same pop culture references. I loved that the writers were post-modern enough to sneak in a crack about much Michael Shanks and Browder look alike. But as the first of a two-parter, it felt stretched out, and I suppose it'd hold up much better when viewed as a unit.
On the other hand, Atlantis moved along at an amazing pace. Mitch Pillegi comes in as the commander of the Daedelus, and I love his command style already - consultative, but doesn't waste time once he's gotten the input he needs. The ditzy Novak from SG-1 turns up, and she's funny, too, as is the cranky new Asgard crewman Hermoid. We'll see how that goes.
Atlantis has really grown, in terms of its ideas, its cast and its concept, and the parallel between TNG and DS9 for me is striking. I think I've got my finger on why I like Atlantis so much - the characters are much more interesting than the SG-1 crew. Sheppard and Weir need work, still, but Teyla is getting all her Wraith DNA in gear, Ford is now Super Hybrid Soldier, and Rodney and Zelinski are like an old married couple. Where SG-1 felt (and still does) like the cool kids in the school getting together and doing really wild things, Atlantis's crew isn't quite as perfect, and are building into not a clique, but a family unit, complete with the emotional support and the abrasive jives that all families have. When Sheppard returns to the gate room, one of his first words is, "I'm home," and Elizabeth says, "Yes, you are," before she hugs him (feel the Sheppard/Weir 'ship!). I like the idea that they're setting down roots now, that Atlantis is not just a base anymore - same reason why DS9 was much more compelling.
Weekend nights are good again for SF television, even if I have to wait for the downloads.
