SGU 1x09 "Life" [SPOILERS]

don ramo

Iolar wrote: »

idk i think this series is just plain boring and unininteresting,it doesnt grab my attention like SG1 or even atlantis

but the thing is the people who write this show know what there doing, there laying a very solid foundation for the show, plus they know syfy will let them tell the story, syfy are very good that way, your more or less guaranteed 2-4 seasons on syfy,

this is a very differnt stargate, but there are flashes of old stargate, they may come more to the fore as the series goes on, it could go wrong, or this may end up being the best series yet, you really have to wait for some proper bad guys to come along,

the mid season episode will tell a lot, 2 week time isnt it,

Owen

don ramo wrote: »

and you believe him

Yes, I believe Rush when he says the chair is from an earlier period in human evolution. Everything in the Destiny has been said to have been so since episode 1. Hence no ATA activated tech, etc.

Overheal

I think the first half of this season the producers have just been testing the waters and getting their feet wet. Dont forget they could also be bored to tears from doing 10 f@#king years of Stargate episodes it doesnt hurt to let them Branch out a little bit. They look to be fighting for breathing space with these episodes. But Im sure, come the 2nd half of this season, they will whippen up and respond positively to criticism and throw in a few more of those elements we all know and love.

don ramo

PaintDoctor wrote: »

Yes, I believe Rush when he says the chair is from an earlier period in human evolution. Everything in the Destiny has been said to have been so since episode 1. Hence no ATA activated tech, etc.

so you believe its harmless, its not a death sentence,

if so why doesnt rush use it, young has no problem with him useing it,

herya

don ramo wrote: »

so you believe its harmless, its not a death sentence,

if so why doesnt rush use it, young has no problem with him useing it,

He might, just not today. Or he may get somebody else to use it. It's the beauty of SGU, story arcs span over more than one episode so there is always something going on in the spotlight and in the background.

don ramo

herya wrote: »

He might, just not today. Or he may get somebody else to use it. It's the beauty of SGU, story arcs span over more than one episode so there is always something going on in the spotlight and in the background.

true, i dont think rush will, but someone will end up having to use it, it ineveitable, i know that, afterall the lockout codes must be in there, and they will need them,

plus if the icarus like planet info was made up, did rush actually contact the seeding ship so,

Fenster

The writers would do themselves a real favour if they tossed those bloody stones out of an airlock!

Also: Rush

Scruff

ok bored now. BSG might have been slow at times but at least there were fraking Cylons thrown in to the mix. Enough of this SG: Creek! Ep 8 was good but this is was a major step back.
I think thought that we are going to see a major reduction in the use of the stones. The residual\crossover memories seen on this show might cause them to use them less often. hopefully.

_Kaiser_

I really think some people will never be happy...

BSG was (after the initial uproar about Starbuck being a woman etc died down) almost universally hailed as the most gritty/realistic/outright watchable sci-fi shows in years. Personally I felt it started to lose its way in season 3/4, but I still stuck with it till the end and enjoyed most of it.

Here we have a show from a franchise that has lasted over a decade that's trying to lose some of it's more cartoony aspects and take on some of the same elements that made BSG a success (there's also echos of early SG1 I think) and simultaneously do something new with the franchise - in the same way as JJ's Star Trek has successfully reinvigorated that franchise.

Still people aren't happy!! Atlantis (and late SG1) went all "action sci-fi" with cool ships, super tech, lots of explosions and space battles and invincible SG teams asnd people gave out about it being "unrealistic".

Personally I'm really enjoying the series so far. Yes tonight's episode was a bit slower than last weeks but so what? As others have said when you watch it in the context of an ongoing story arc it'll probably make more sense and "fit" better.

If ye want explosions and battles, there's always the SGA boxsets

chopperbyrne

I liked this episode.

Characterisation is needed. If they just went to a different planet every week it'd be SG1 and Atlantis all over again (not that they're bad shows).

They are trying to do something different with this show and for that I'm prepared to give them lots of time.

Oh and T.J. is definitely the hottest.

Fenster

Kaiser2000 wrote: »

I really think some people will never be happy...

BSG was (after the initial uproar about Starbuck being a woman etc died down) almost universally hailed as the most gritty/realistic/outright watchable sci-fi shows in years. Personally I felt it started to lose its way in season 3/4, but I still stuck with it till the end and enjoyed most of it.

Here we have a show from a franchise that has lasted over a decade that's trying to lose some of it's more cartoony aspects and take on some of the same elements that made BSG a success (there's also echos of early SG1 I think) and simultaneously do something new with the franchise - in the same way as JJ's Star Trek has successfully reinvigorated that franchise.

Still people aren't happy!! Atlantis (and late SG1) went all "action sci-fi" with cool ships, super tech, lots of explosions and space battles and invincible SG teams asnd people gave out about it being "unrealistic".

Personally I'm really enjoying the series so far. Yes tonight's episode was a bit slower than last weeks but so what? As others have said when you watch it in the context of an ongoing story arc it'll probably make more sense and "fit" better.

If ye want explosions and battles, there's always the SGA boxsets

The complaints aren't about the new direction - I personally love the grittier feel. The complaints are about the writer/producer focus on steeping the story in personal drama. Husband cheating on wife. Wife cheating on husband. Man has alcoholic girlfriend who works as a stripper. Seriously? Can we bust out more tired tropes than that? At least BSG had a purpose: Cylons. A foe. A focus for their antagonism and a fulcrum to drive plots.

SG:U, right now? No focus, beyond surviving from day-to-day, and the inter-character drama that comes of it. There is no aim past that, beyond some early foreshadowings of the season's end (

The Lucian Alliance come back into it later...

). I don't care about the sex/sexuality/drama side of SG:U...so long as it is held in moderation. This isn't Dawson's Creek, FFS! We're on a million-year old spaceship, on the far side of the universe, surrounded by unknown alien races, exotic environments, and a refreshingly dark and grim tone. So why is Telford-Young-Young's Wife-T.J love square getting so much air time?

DeVore

quite a number of the characters are so bland I found myself thinking of them as Crew Member #4 etc... Consequently I dont really care about their back stories. The acting with a few notable exceptions is poor and unbelievable, and the camera work is "uninspiring" to be kind.

The thing that makes these people interesting is that they are stuck on a ship a billion light years away. For some reason they are intent on removing that aspect from the story repeatedly. When they do, they are just another bunch of whingey, bland people to me.

Lost kicked off with a bang and then quickly established very strong, antagonistic characters with their own agendas and quirks. Only then did they start telling the backstories because only then did their audience start to go "I would really like to know more about this person and how they came to be like this".

I really LIKE the idea of doing a gritty personality/story based Sci Fi... they just arent doing it well.

So far we have had an episode called Air when they were short of air, Water when they were short of water etc etc... Pretty soon I expect an episode entitled "Fans".

DeV.

User45701

yup...


not enough focus on the ship and the crew settling in for a charactor heavy story . i mean really the stuff they have covered is very uninteresting.

i know 1 bsg fan and 1 sg1 fan and both plan to stop watching unless 10 is good

personly i will probally keep watching because it slim pickings for new scifi now

Memnoch

Agree with most of above. I have no issue with deep and well developed characters, but these JUST aren't it.

The whole stone/body swap nonsense is really wrecking my head now. I don't understand how there wouldn't be some kind of rule or limits about what you could do with someone else's body. I mean it's THEIR body, they're kindly lending it to you as a courtesy, not so that you can go around having sex with whoever you please.

I mean, I wouldn't mind Young using my body to screw his wife, or camile using it with her lesbian lover, all healthy fun, but at some point, someone is going to try and use it to have sex with Telford and THAT, I do mind.

GSPfan

I honestly hope that all of you who think it's crap stop watching it. It seems to be causing you all a lot of sadness. I would never watch a show filled with characters that I either hate or don't care about. I can read criticism all day but reading these posts depress me. Stop putting time limits on when you'll stop watching and just stop watching now. Watch something you do like and be happy.

also.... Whats with comparing everything in the show to another show? Its not Battlestar Galactica. Its not Star Trek Voyager. Its not Dawsons Creek. Its not Eastenders. Its not trying to be Battlestar Galactica. Its not trying to be Star Trek Voyager. Its not trying to be Dawsons Creek. Its not trying to be Eastenders.

Apolloyon

It's not trying to be Stargage either. SG-1 and Atlantis were very different in their approach but both were recognisable as being part of the same series. You could say that about any tv franchise whether it is Law & Order or CSI.

SGU for me seems to be moving so far away from what makes this franchise tick, I think it is very close to alienating most of its initial fanbase. Getting new people interested - excellent idea. It's the best way to ensure your series continues. But thumbing your nose at the fans with mindless, melodramatic 'character' moments is a sure way to make a lot of Stargate fans turn off.

Don't get me wrong. I want to like this series. When this episode opened and we had teams moving around the ship searching and they found the chair. I thought to myself. Cool! This could be my favourite episode of SGU so far. Guess what? It wasn't!

I'm going to stick with this series for the entire season but as we're nine episodes in and I'm not feeling engaged. I'm seriously worried about the future of this series and a franchise as a whole.

GSPfan

The thing is though. If you want a show thats like SG-1 then watch SG-1. If you want a show thats like Atlantis then watch Atlantis. It really is that simple.

I understand people won't and don't like it but thats life. I really don't know why people watch tv shows that make them so "bored" or "dissappointed".

And as for trying to please the fans!...... If anyone here has watched Heroes from the start then you may know of the trouble caused by listening to the fans. After an amazing first season of character development and story arc the shows creator listened to the fans and season 2 and 3 became a crash, bang, wallop, super powered, save the world, time travelling mess.

This is the show they want to make. I really like it and I have faith that it will get even better.

Apolloyon

I'm not sure I'm seeing your point here. Sure if I want to watch SG-1 or Atlantis, I'll watch those series. What's that got to do with SGU? It doesn't even feel part of the same franchise. I think that's the point, some people are making. I'm glad you like it just as it is. Personally I think like any series it can be improved and surely that's a good thing?

As for pleasing fans. I can't see that in the negative context. I assume the creators want fans of the other Stargate series to enjoy this one too?

Draupnir

SGU is not going to be like SG-1 and SG:A for a while at least, you can't expect it to be. The premise is that people are stranded and vastly under qualified for this kind of thing, were you expect them to be doing missions to other planets in week one?

It's a first season, setting a premise and establishing characters as people with an identity. A bit like the O'Neill / son accidently shooting himself stuff. I'd much prefer this than never getting any real backstory like with Carter or Daniel who are pretty one dimensional throughout SG1.

I'm with you guys that some of the on earth stuff is slow and dull, but I feel that the show is building to a very interesting premise with the discovery of the chair, the inaccessible areas of the ship and the pod that jumped off Destiny in episode 3 or 4.

PATIENCE is a virtue people.

Memnoch

Draupnir wrote: »

SGU is not going to be like SG-1 and SG:A for a while at least, you can't expect it to be. The premise is that people are stranded and vastly under qualified for this kind of thing, were you expect them to be doing missions to other planets in week one?

It's a first season, setting a premise and establishing characters as people with an identity. A bit like the O'Neill / son accidently shooting himself stuff. I'd much prefer this than never getting any real backstory like with Carter or Daniel who are pretty one dimensional throughout SG1.

I'm with you guys that some of the on earth stuff is slow and dull, but I feel that the show is building to a very interesting premise with the discovery of the chair, the inaccessible areas of the ship and the pod that jumped off Destiny in episode 3 or 4.

PATIENCE is a virtue people.

Patience isn't the issue. There is nothing wrong with setting up a premise and establishing characters as people with identity, but that doesn't mean we should accept endless filler content, which seems to proliferate through most of the episodes.

The problem isn't that they are doing the above, it is that they are doing it BADLY and in a way that is not entertaining to watch. Something like Lie To Me for example. A lot of pretty awesome character development throughout Season 1, but never once did it take away from the entertainment factor of the show, or make you sit through overly dramatic hammer in face scenes. Skilfull character development never takes centre stage, it just happens, you're watching the show, enjoying it, and before you know it, you've gotten to know these great characters.

That is where SGU is failing right now.

As for not watching it, well I'm kinda getting close, and if there was any other space based sci-fi show on right now, I'd certainly give it a go. Sadly there isn't. And if SGU keeps alienating it fans... we space nerds might be a desperate bunch, but even we have standards.

Richard Dower

I'm happy enough with the hot chicks to keep watching...keep stretching Chloe!

Sherifu

GSPfan wrote: »

I honestly hope that all of you who think it's crap stop watching it. It seems to be causing you all a lot of sadness. I would never watch a show filled with characters that I either hate or don't care about. I can read criticism all day but reading these posts depress me. Stop putting time limits on when you'll stop watching and just stop watching now. Watch something you do like and be happy.

also.... Whats with comparing everything in the show to another show? Its not Battlestar Galactica. Its not Star Trek Voyager. Its not Dawsons Creek. Its not Eastenders. Its not trying to be Battlestar Galactica. Its not trying to be Star Trek Voyager. Its not trying to be Dawsons Creek. Its not trying to be Eastenders.

You can enjoy a show and still point out where it falls down. It keeps me entertained but they're missing opportunities to explore Destiny and new races. I just hope this approach doesn't cost them ratings/seasons before they get to the good stuff. As irritating as people who are always down on a show & keep watching are the people who are always over protective of the shows they watch. It's a good show so far. It could and should be better.

Turtwig

Given that Smallville (which supposedly moved to the Friday Slot to die!*) has more viewers than SGU one would have to wonder if this show has the viewership with patience to carry it. Make no mistake SGU ratings are just slightly above average, so it needs a strong mid season finale or it could be in trouble.


*Highly unlikely now given that it's rating are strong.

GSPfan

Memnoch wrote: »

Something like Lie To Me for example. A lot of pretty awesome character development throughout Season 1, but never once did it take away from the entertainment factor of the show, or make you sit through overly dramatic hammer in face scenes. Skilfull character development never takes centre stage, it just happens, you're watching the show, enjoying it, and before you know it, you've gotten to know these great characters.

Thats a very good point. That show has done things really well.

Sherifu wrote: »

As irritating as people who are always down on a show & keep watching are the people who are always over protective of the shows they watch. It's a good show so far. It could and should be better.

Yeah I can be guilty of that, and on the BSG forum I'm guilty as charged but not with SGU. I'm not saying its the next big thing. I just don't know why everyone is so down on this show all of a sudden. Its like its cool to complain. :cool:

Conor108

Im liking it so far!

Col. Young: We're evacuating through the gate! Rush dialled the ninth chevron!
USAF Soldier: Should I grab some naquadah generators?!
Col. Young: Are you mad!?! GET THE SPORTS GEAR!!!!

TheKells

Why did they get TJ to do the psychiatric analysis? Surely it wouldve made more sense to bring in a fully qualified psychiatrist using the stones?


I just hate that fella young, but telford is even worse! I'm honestly not sure why I watch this show, cause its as if i dislike nearly everything about it but im still interested in what will happen next

herya

I like character development, I don't even mind the stones, although I do hope they'll develop some problems with them that will force them to start using them sparingly and at a cost (Scott's experience?) and the stones won't be used for personal visits but for scientific input.

What I mind is the fracking suburban heaven they give us as their life back on Earth, all those lovely white timber houses and green lawns! Their silly love affairs and most of all the wine, why is everybody drinking wine! The lesbians have wine, Young's wife must be drunk on wine all the time she drinks so much, even the fallen stripper welcomes the soldier with a glass of fecking wine... better give him some lager girl... Oh and Eli's mother has cookies. Al they need is a kennel of labrador puppies to run haplessly around.

Why are they giving us the "Desperate Housewives" background and not something like gritty "Law & Order" lives for example?

Unfortunately this is not new in SG franchise, remember how SG-1 SPOILER (OLD)

Sam Carter had a fiance who bought her a shiny new white suburban house with velvety green lawns? And how she rejected his love and broke his heart? And she swallowed the tears and came back to SG command as if nothing happened, for the greater good obviously.

If they wanted to keep something from SG-1 why did they keep THAT... Looks like SG writers should really stick to ships in space as they don't know sh*t about relationships.

Gareth-W-A

TheKells wrote: »

Why did they get TJ to do the psychiatric analysis? Surely it wouldve made more sense to bring in a fully qualified psychiatrist using the stones?


I just hate that fella young, but telford is even worse! I'm honestly not sure why I watch this show, cause its as if i dislike nearly everything about it but im still interested in what will happen next

Young probably wants someone he can trust.
Also TJ is familliar with the situation they're in, and an external psychiatric assessment would probably find that most people on board are CRAAAAZY:eek:

herya

TheKells wrote: »

Why did they get TJ to do the psychiatric analysis? Surely it wouldve made more sense to bring in a fully qualified psychiatrist using the stones?

I can only imagine that they wanted someone who will have the opportunity to continue with the observation, also in action. They could have gotten professional help for her instead of sending reluctant Scott though.

Sherifu

http://tvbythenumbers.com/2009/11/26/stargate-universe-sgu-ratings-for-first-half-of-season-1/34668

http://www.cinemaspy.com/article.php?id=3600