'Faith' (113) General Discussion

[Pharaoh Atem]

They don't look alike to me. The Paradise Lost planet was open with fields while this planet had more of a wooded area

more like a marsh

[General Jumper One]

The planets are totally different, the Faith one was in a mountainous region with waterfalls, rivers, forest, while the Paradise Lost one is mostly marsh with some forest. And they probably filmed the Faith one at Olympic Peninsula, WA

[morjana]

The planets are totally different, the Faith one was in a mountainous region with waterfalls, rivers, forest, while the Paradise Lost one is mostly marsh with some forest. And they probably filmed the Faith one at Olympic Peninsula, WA

I asked Carl Binder on Twitter about the shooting location for 'Faith,' over the weekend, and he confirmed the marsh/lake area is indeed the same as SG1's Paradise Lost and SGA's Harmony.

[StargateWatcher]

Be worried dude Young just gave most of the non military personnel a reason to kick him out again & even the medic might turn on him next time

thanx for pointing this out; this theory seems to make sense--totally looked over this possible cause ofa possible effect


it was good, but im getting a little tired of not explaining a damn thing, or at least showing us somthing cool or unexpected at the ending montage
I was expecting they'd explore the obelisk a bit more--maybe try to go inside? from the preview for this season 1 half, I expected much more


Not just that it was just refreshing seeing everyone be nice to each other for once
yes; more like what u'd xpect these in-the-same-straded-situation people to endeavor to eventually



I was hoping the stone-guy who was arguing about faith and staying, would stay... and we'd see a clip of him at the end. Aliens coming down... and then we never know what happens.
I think that would have been a much better ending.[/QUOTE

I seriously want to findout who the Obelisk aliens are!!




I'd never seen it in the previews. So it was a good shock for me. I leaned all the way in for that. Makes me think of the Preserver Obelisk that Captain Kirk found on that planet with the Native American Indians in Star Trek TOS.

what did the Obelisk do again? saw that ep long time ago


I was thinking along the same line. I was worried more about unknown bacteria that could swim into... openings and cause infections. Space herpes anyone? I don't think Scott would like that much!

more like extraterrestrial herpes; think TPTB wrote in Chloe bathing naked just for male-viewer enjoyment; even had Scott somehow run into her then; I've come to expect Chloe to do these unwise things by now--typical Chloe action


Not a bad episode. It had some exploration and it peeked some interest in these possible aliens. Not the best ep of the series, but it had it's moments. Would give it a B or 8/10 for keeping interest and making it feel like old school SG with forested planets and exploration. :p
I don't like Universe atall so far but found this episode rather watchable

Characters


Scott just annoyed me in this episode, but won't get into that now, lol.
heard someone say his character a bit unanimated, n I agree

Plot

Always love exploration and finding out new planets and aliens and old civilliazations of aliens. It is what made Stargate, Stargate pretty much. I am sure this episode plot will be revisited later in the show, if not then this episode was pretty much a waste except for letting us know about TJ and the other characters.

yes; this one perhaps the most classic Stargate-ness Universe has or maybe will achieve; I really hope the writers don't decide to repeat their previous actions n not expand a very-interesting story arc


Final Score: B

Peace!


Good episode. I didnt liked that they didnt explained absolutely NOTHING about the planet/star & the light coming out from the obelysk
yah woulda made great plot material

[QUOTE=Alan Wake;11415712]If aliens did indeed make this solar system, they're probably the power-fullest we've come across on all of stargate.
was thinkin just that--not even unascended Ancients could do that from what we might deduce


[QUOTE=Briangate78;11415765]He even took Rush's suggestion about using gunpoint or force. Well he did not do it but he did threathen if the military folks did not return.

After seeing Rush in the preview for next week, I think people are going to start seeing him as a good guy and not this shadey person. If that happens, that will be amazing character development. It's like how I hated Mckay in the beginning but then ended up really liking his character towards the later seasons.
I wouldn't really so such a good guy; he did drag them into this mess in the first palce after all; bout time he started being a team player since it's the sensible thing to do.


Them finding out about who made it or whatever wouldn't change the meaning of the episode. I never said they had to find out everything. Anyways I believe that an Ancient did it. Makes sense to me an Ancient was watching Icarus out of curiosity and went through with them.
would have to be an nonconformist ancient I think

[though. that's bugged me.

Not to mention the possible introduction of a race that surpasses even the Ancients in terms of advancement. This far out in the universe, anything's possible.
yup; technically we can' rule out the possibility thereare races mroe advanced than the unascended Ancients were



I would defiantly consider these aliens more advanced then the Ancients. The Ancients can't even come close to building a sun or planet.
they can terraform a preexisting planet, but we've never known them to be able to do this.


We don't know if some aliens even built the planet. I think it was ascended beings.
even though most choose not to interfere, so must be nonconformist ancients to do somethin like this



A race that advanced. To build solar systems if that's how that solar system was created. Would likely be very enlightened. And possibly have no rivals. You can be advanced enough to hold your territories and not be aggressive.
nice counter-argument


I am betting the seeder ships are only a thousand or so years ahead of the Destiny. Unsure completely cuz they would need time to collect materials and plant gates. But something seems to have created a planet and a solar system and artificially progressed them. I just find it easier to believe powerful ascended beings could do it then a race.

even though interfering ascended beings prob very few?


Granted, by the end of Atlantis the writers had basically turned the Ancients into buffoons, still I wasn't getting why the mystery aliens were supposed to be all that. Potentially interesting though.
no known corporeal race has achieved this so far, at least none have that we know of



Could be the ancients. To me this does not seem like a feat beyond what we know they could do. And the ascended ones could certainly create things from thin air (stargates and such). Also, the atmosphere was perfect for humans. The vegetation was suitable, tasty, and even medicinal, again, for humans. What are the odds (beyond plot necessity) that some alien race would evolve and create the perfect human compatible planet in that galaxy?

made-for-humans; interesting; though other humanoid races than ascended Ancient could've done it...Nox, Furlings

[EllieVee]

Paradise Lost anyone? I have not seen any mention of it so far, they are too similar to be accidental.

I can see that, though I wouldn't cast Young in the role of God. Plus your analogy sort of fails when you realise the supposed fallen angel figure of Rush actually stays on the ship. Unless you're saying TJ is the fallen angel? Though the speech that Young gives Rush about getting people don't like him much could be seen as the justification. *ponders Milton and goes away*

[s09119]

I saw absolutely no similarities to "Paradise Lost."

[Lahela]

I asked Carl Binder on Twitter about the shooting location for 'Faith,' over the weekend, and he confirmed the marsh/lake area is indeed the same as SG1's Paradise Lost and SGA's Harmony.

Vindicated :D Thanks for getting to the bottom of it Morjana - I asked JM on his blog but he didn't answer.

[morjana]

Vindicated :D Thanks for getting to the bottom of it Morjana - I asked JM on his blog but he didn't answer.

I had recognized the location from both episodes, and just wanted to confirm with Carl. Very lovely area. Sigh. Must find a way to visit there one day...

:)

[Saquist]

This was nowhere near as boring as episode as it might appear but I'm still bored since the season returned. I guess I'm losing my patience. The contrivances never stop coming.

The ship is strong enough to survive a star regularly but can't take sustained weapons fire.
The aliens had a ship on the Destiny which means they got through it's shields once but now they can't do it again.
They may be exploring the ship unlike they did in Atlantis but it's leading to the same result. Nothing.
I'm trying to hold out but this is losing my attention span on this show.
SGU is entirely uninteresting and predictable at this point. It's come down to conflict drama for drama's sake.
I'm finding a hard time caring.
I'm finding it a hard time keeping my eyes open.
I'm finding it hard to keep coming back here and talking about it.
I'm just SO BORED.

It's starting to feel JUST like the first season of Star Trek ENTERPRISE. Conflict for little to no reason abounds. I may hang this up sooner before the end of the season.

[MattSilver 3k]

This was nowhere near as boring as episode as it might appear but I'm still bored since the season returned. I guess I'm losing my patience. The contrivances never stop coming.

The ship is strong enough to survive a star regularly but can't take sustained weapons fire.
The aliens had a ship on the Destiny which means they got through it's shields once but now they can't do it again.
They may be exploring the ship unlike they did in Atlantis but it's leading to the same result. Nothing.
I'm trying to hold out but this is losing my attention span on this show.
SGU is entirely uninteresting and predictable at this point. It's come down to conflict drama for drama's sake.
I'm finding a hard time caring.
I'm finding it a hard time keeping my eyes open.
I'm finding it hard to keep coming back here and talking about it.
I'm just SO BORED.

It's starting to feel JUST like the first season of Star Trek ENTERPRISE. Conflict for little to no reason abounds. I may hang this up sooner before the end of the season.

*Pats Saquist on the shoulder* Don't worry, guy, I still enjoy it!

[carmencatalina]

I'm finding a hard time caring.
I'm finding it a hard time keeping my eyes open.
I'm finding it hard to keep coming back here and talking about it.
I'm just SO BORED.

It's starting to feel JUST like the first season of Star Trek ENTERPRISE. Conflict for little to no reason abounds. I may hang this up sooner before the end of the season.

Hey, if it isn't working for you, it isn't working for you. That happens - there have been some shows I've really wanted to like, but it just didn't gel for whatever reason.

Life is short - give it another try or two - and then move on to something you really do like!

(Or have a beer while watching - there is a show my partner loves that I can only watch if I drink a beer while watching. Somehow, that makes it all work. Ha!)

[xxxevilgrinxxx]

tetris does it for me
if there's someone watching something ghastly in the house and I'm playing tetris?
I just don\t seem to mind as much :D

[jelgate]

This was nowhere near as boring as episode as it might appear but I'm still bored since the season returned. I guess I'm losing my patience. The contrivances never stop coming.

The ship is strong enough to survive a star regularly but can't take sustained weapons fire.

As shown in Divided the shields quite strong when energy is only pumped into them but are considerably weaker when the energy is pumped into multiple systems[/QUOTE]


The aliens had a ship on the Destiny which means they got through it's shields once but now they can't do it again.

If your refering to Air then no. Notice how in Divided the shields are right on the surface on hull. So you land on the hull just not breech them


They may be exploring the ship unlike they did in Atlantis but it's leading to the same result. Nothing.
I'm trying to hold out but this is losing my attention span on this show.
the chair, that robot in Faith. We discovered quite a bit just can't implement it yet just can't implement it which makes sense


SGU is entirely uninteresting and predictable at this point. It's come down to conflict drama for drama's sake.
I'm finding a hard time caring.
I'm finding it a hard time keeping my eyes open.
I'm finding it hard to keep coming back here and talking about it.
I'm just SO BORED.

Then don't. Why watch a show if its boring?


It's starting to feel JUST like the first season of Star Trek ENTERPRISE. Conflict for little to no reason abounds. I may hang this up sooner before the end of the season.
Blasphemy. Someone get the tar and feathers

[SG7]

TJ - Apparently, a trained military person wasn't using any type of birth control(like an IUD) while on an official assignment, so that leaves little hope for someone like Chloe. They need more medical personnel somehow, though. A pregnant doctor will be in even less of a position to help the crew.

Normally I would agree to a point as she is military. But this time I'd have to disagree. Just because someone is pregnant doesn't mean that they have suddenly become incapable of performing their duties. Sure there may be the odd limitations because of her condition, however they are stranded on a ship heading to point unknown. And her skills will be just as useful and important even though she is pregnant. With the situation that they are in, I would say that military protocol wouldn't be the same as if they were at home. They all have to work together to help each other survive.

I for one will love seeing how they write her pregnancy. And will love to see how she plays it out in her character.

Episode:

Loved the episode. Though probably not quite as much as the previous two. Probably because there was a little too much left hanging for my liking. And also it felt like TPTB had crammed a bit too much into such a small amount of time. The episode definately could have worked well as a two parter.

TJ's storyline was the highlight for me. The emotions that were portrayed around her revealing her pregnancy were so amazing. And the way the pregnancy was revealed was not too trashy or degrading to her or the actress. And it seemed to fit well. Didn't feel like it was just shoved in and given some lame excuse to explain away the actress' pregnancy in real life. Unlike with Teyla in SGA where they had to suddenly invent "the father of the baby". Here it was easy to explain why she was pregnant (assuming that Young is the father), due to her affair with Young before they left Icarus Base. And if Young is the father (not sure if they actually explained that one or I just missed it, may have to rewatch to see), I can see why she would have wanted to stay on the planet. She probably felt that it was better to stay on the planet then have to face Young and explain to him that she was pregnant with his child. I could see it in her expression when she found out that Young was coming down to the planet to make sure that his military personnel got back on The Destiny.

Would loved a bit of explaination of who in the end actually stayed behind and who went back to the ship. Now if we get that explaination in the next episode then I will be ok with it. Otherwise it will just be something that will mildly bug me for a while

[Blackhole]

The episode made for interesting drama but in any real world situation imo, none of Destiny’s crew would have elected to remain on the planet.

The reason all the planets that have been visited in the Stargate Franchise have been in forests is the show is filmed in Vancouver. If is far cheaper to do location shooting nearby. Vancouver is very far from the Equator.

Planning to settle on a planet with minimal supplies and equipment would be foolish and possibly not possible anywhere far from the equator. The only place they would have a chance of surviving would be somewhere tropical where the climate is mild and there is food available year around.

A similarly appearing location on Earth would not have that much wild edible vegetation available. I guess this place was better. Since there are no animals present then there is likely no fish either. The absence of animals would make me very, very, very nervous. How could a planet not have any animals on it? Without animal flesh how are they going to get their protein requirements? There might not be enough diversity of wild edible vegetation to meet everyone’s protein and nutritional needs?

I think most people have no idea how hard it would be to survive anywhere where there is winter. Enduring a winter even with the shuttle would be extremely difficult if not impossible. What are they going to do about food once winter arrives and they can no longer forage? I doubt the shuttle has extensive refrigeration capacity. How are they going to store their food? How long do you think fruit and vegetables would keep? Very shortly into the winter they would run out of food and starve. They would have to rush to can and preserve enough food to last them through the winter. How many containers do they have and where would they store them? And how many of those people have ever built a shelter? What are they going to use for tools? They couldn’t have had time to bring much if any with them from Icarus. Do you think the Ancients would have left basic tools on the ship and when would they have had time to load them on the shuttle? Something as simple as nails would be well beyond them. And eating the few indigenous wild fruits and vegetables would get very old after a while. They would need to plant crops? How are they going to do so without tools and seeds?

A tropical environment would have year around edible food and may be survivable; but without animal flesh there may not be enough diversity of wild food there either to fulfill everyone’s nutritional needs. I can understand how basking in the sunshine after being cooped up on a Space Ship would feel tremendous but I really doubt many of the scientists would be so foolish as to not think through the practical requires of survival. I haven’t even addressed any of the possible unknown dangers that may yet arise.

The likely explanation for why there are no animals is there is something present harmful to them. And if so, it would likely affect the humans. And if there are no animals then I assume there are no insects either. Is there bacteria? The life cycle interactions between flora and fauna on an Earth like planet are extremely complex, diverse and widespread. Many species require both for their continued survival. I don’t know how viable an Earth like planet would be with flora and no fauna even if it was supposedly "designed" as some type of planetary garden. I certainly wouldn’t want to gamble my survival living on it? Scientists would be intimately aware of this.

The whole idea of people wanting to leave Destiny makes for an interesting story but in a real world situation I doubt any of the crew would have taken a chance with their survival on this planet. Being off world and involved in the Stargate program they would have been trained and educated to know just how difficult survival would be for a handful of very ill equipped people on an unknown planet, especially one that displays a lack of fauna.

[CJ Master]

SG1 and SGA would never devote a whole episode to character developments. So I don't see how we can draw parallels between the two

Cold Lazarus?

[jelgate]

Cold Lazarus?

That one did have character development but it had a huge plot as well

[Eternal Density]

I'm finding a hard time caring.
I'm finding it a hard time keeping my eyes open.
I'm finding it hard to keep coming back here and talking about it.
I'm just SO BORED.Then give up, for crying out loud! Seriously, if you think you're bored, imagine how we feel about your whining about being bored? Why continue to waste your valuable time watching something boring and then writing about it?
(Also I wish the Ignore feature worked on quotes of the person being ignored.)

[nx01a]

The reason all the planets that have been visited in the Stargate Franchise have been in forests is the show is filmed in Vancouver. If is far cheaper to do location shooting nearby. Vancouver is very far from the Equator.
Planning to settle on a planet with minimal supplies and equipment would be foolish and possibly not possible anywhere far from the equator. The only place they would have a chance of surviving would be somewhere tropical where the climate is mild and there is food available year around.I live somewhere tropical and let me tell you... Hurricanes are real. :D Not to mention any number of regular storms, earthquakes, mudslides... Even somewhere tropical can be a deathtrap.

I can see those people leaving the ship as a good thing: separating the wheat from the chaff, those who're willing to tough it out and fight to get home versus those who want someone to come along and save them.
Cold Lazarus?
That one did have character development but it had a huge plot as wellCold Lazarus is a wonderful and under-rated episode. It really lets Jack and the ex come to some closure re: their son and each other, letting us get the more comic Jack vs the suicidal one from the movie. I love it.

[the fifth man]

*Pats Saquist on the shoulder* Don't worry, guy, I still enjoy it!

I know I sure do as well. I have since the beginning of the season. Sadly, it just isn't for everyone.

[nx01a]

If the bickering and in-fighting continued, I probably would have quit. Don't get me wrong, I'm hoping that we get lots more of it but not to the level we just went through. I was very happy to see how the Big 3 [Young, Wray and Rush] interacted in this episode. Here's hoping that it continues... until some really big issue makes them go at each other again. :D

[starhearted]

I enjoyed the show.

[yanna]

I can see why she would have wanted to stay on the planet. She probably felt that it was better to stay on the planet then have to face Young and explain to him that she was pregnant with his child.

I'm sure Young has an idea of where babies come from. TJ has nothing to explain. I didn't get that she wanted to leave Destiny so she wouldn't face Young's disappointment (!?). I got that she was simply looking out for her child and sought a better environment than Destiny. The ship is dark, they face starvation at every corner and aliens can and will attack them. The way things are she'll be lucky if she carries to term. Her reason for returning was that she chose the welfare of the crew over her own child and I'm afraid both her and clueless Young will pay for it.

[Duneknight]

you guys seem to forget that the planet was created artificially. and thats probably the reason for the lack of animals.

[Blackhole]

I live somewhere tropical and let me tell you... Hurricanes are real. :D Not to mention any number of regular storms, earthquakes, mudslides... Even somewhere tropical can be a deathtrap.

You are right. I picked tropical because of the year round growing season and availability of food.

[Krisz]

I found it boring. The doctor walks around looking bored and constipated most of the episode. If they're going to find something why an obelisk? I'm curious how the writers decided on that.

Also it bothers me they seem to just forget about the fact that someone was murdered, tried to frame young and he left Rush on that planet and lied to everyone about it. But hey they're ok with it so everyone else must be.

Obelisks are mysterious! You never know why they are built and what for! It’s enigmatic aliens’ way of saying… “we were here!” :D



Paradise Lost anyone? I have not seen any mention of it so far, they are too similar to be accidental.

Both episodes were filmed in the same area, a lovely place called Widgeon Creek/Pitt Lake. I confirmed this with Brian J. Smith when I met him at the Vancouver con, who said it was indeed Widgeon Creek that they went to film this. A lovely area comprising a huge lake, creeks, marshy areas and forests. I know the area as I live near there.


Do I have too? I really dislike Paradise Lost

You will be shot at dawn! How can you dislike that fantastic episode? There really is no hope for some people! :P

I liked this episode very much. It helped me decide that I really do like where SGU is going now. We know the characters we have, and now it's a case of seeing how they deal with good and bad situations and dilemmas. That to me is good Sci Fi and what Stargate has always been about.

[xxxevilgrinxxx]

......
Both episodes were filmed in the same area, a lovely place called Widgeon Creek/Pitt Lake. I confirmed this with Brian J. Smith when I met him at the Vancouver con, who said it was indeed Widgeon Creek that they went to film this. A lovely area comprising a huge lake, creeks, marshy areas and forests. I know the area as I live near there.....
thanks for the location info! Pitt Lake is a beautiful spot :)
I had originally thought it might have been Minnekhada Park but that's a little TOO marshy :D

[nx01a]

You are right. I picked tropical because of the year round growing season and availability of food.Yup, but there're problems with that. We basically have two seasons: wet and dry. :D Much of the Caribbean just came out of a 3 month drought and that wreaked havoc on farmers. And the rainy season can drown crops... and farmers.
The tropics can be paradise, but only to a point. :o

[Saquist]

*Pats Saquist on the shoulder* Don't worry, guy, I still enjoy it!

May have to for both of us.


Hey, if it isn't working for you, it isn't working for you. That happens - there have been some shows I've really wanted to like, but it just didn't gel for whatever reason.

Life is short - give it another try or two - and then move on to something you really do like!

(Or have a beer while watching - there is a show my partner loves that I can only watch if I drink a beer while watching. Somehow, that makes it all work. Ha!)


...I don't drink...but this show makes me want to.
I think I'll catch up in a few season. I'll finish Season One. Or Try two but maybe this is just not the show for me.

[harakiri]

Then give up, for crying out loud! Seriously, if you think you're bored, imagine how we feel about your whining about being bored? Why continue to waste your valuable time watching something boring and then writing about it?
(Also I wish the Ignore feature worked on quotes of the person being ignored.)


I totally agree with you.
Why watch a show that is boring? My guess would be to come here and complain about it.

Saquist: After 13 episodes I would think its safe to say that you aint gonna like this show. Stop torturing yourself by watching the show. And if its at any comfort,you manage to bore me too.

I love SGU so far. It needed half a season to gain up some speed,but the episodes after the break has been of high quality. Faith was not the best episode,but I liked that one too. So far only Earth and one other episode has had me a bit bored.

[EllieVee]

I think I'll catch up in a few season. I'll finish Season One. Or Try two but maybe this is just not the show for me.

I agree with the others. Stop torturing yourself. :)

[Yoshi442]

Hopefully the aliens who built this planet will make an appearance sooner than later. They'd better. Or this was a waste of an episode.



I disagree. Any answers about whether this was a created planet and who created it will defeat the purpose of the episode. It's just like in real life--some people choose to have faith in a deity, others (like me) do not. But we will never know for sure. Neither will the crew of the Destiny. They could've thrown away an opportunity to get home. Or, they could've dodged a stranded-forever bullet. I, for one, do not want to know for sure which it is.

[mparsons1981]

This was a great episode, and its not important to know the origins of the star and planet. Stargate is Sci-Fi after all, and without getting too deep into a debate over what exactly sci-fi is, for me, one of the key themes has to be that of mystery and wonder.

This was key in 2001 A Space Odessy for example, as well as being found in the works of peter f hamilton, stephen baxter and many others.

Not only was Faith in my opinion the best episode of Universe so far ( and continued the real improvement that began with space) but it was also a great piece of science fiction in its own right.

To find out anymore, would take away from the quality of this episode. Its like the film Jeeper Creepers - really good for the first 45mins, but as soon as the monster is revealed, the overall quality dipped drastically. It can also be seen in the success of the halo games, with the mysteries of the ringbuilders.

[xxxevilgrinxxx]

This was a great episode, and its not important to know the origins of the star and planet. Stargate is Sci-Fi after all, and without getting too deep into a debate over what exactly sci-fi is, for me, one of the key themes has to be that of mystery and wonder.

This was key in 2001 A Space Odessy for example, as well as being found in the works of peter f hamilton, stephen baxter and many others.

Not only was Faith in my opinion the best episode of Universe so far ( and continued the real improvement that began with space) but it was also a great piece of science fiction in its own right.

To find out anymore, would take away from the quality of this episode. Its like the film Jeeper Creepers - really good for the first 45mins, but as soon as the monster is revealed, the overall quality dipped drastically. It can also be seen in the success of the halo games, with the mysteries of the ringbuilders.

I'm really glad you brought up mystery and wonder, and yes, 2001 really showed that well!

[mparsons1981]

I'm really glad you brought up mystery and wonder, and yes, 2001 really showed that well!

Yes and when you think about it, that was one of the key things about the stargate premise in the first place - the mystery and wonder about what was beyond the gate!

[xxxevilgrinxxx]

yep, just standing on one side of the puddle, wondering what will happen as you step through
now there's an act of faith :)

[BobbyScars]

First post woohoo!

So I have to say that this episode was great. No action to speak of which is great, personally I applaud shows that dont see a need to put as much action and special effects in every seen. For example, TNG had almost no action to speak of, but they used tension of the situation to replace the lack of action, also Heroes did this during the beginning, they never actually fought which added more to it when they did.

Now as for the planet, I think they lost a perfect opportunity to introduce a new character, an Alterran. Yeah I said it, you can have had an Alterran crash on the planet or something and he could have been in a cryogenic chamber, then you have someone who can shed a little light on everything. Im not saying you want a commander or scientist Alterran, that would defeat the purpose of the show. But if you get one who was a soldier, he can help out and say I know what this is and this is how it works etc. This would add another dimension to the show, 1. You can possibly move away from trying to find food and water all the time. 2 You get to define what the Alterrans were before they became the Ancients, something we have gotten only pieces of before.

[EllieVee]

First post woohoo!

So I have to say that this episode was great. No action to speak of which is great, personally I applaud shows that dont see a need to put as much action and special effects in every seen. For example, TNG had almost no action to speak of, but they used tension of the situation to replace the lack of action, also Heroes did this during the beginning, they never actually fought which added more to it when they did.

Now as for the planet, I think they lost a perfect opportunity to introduce a new character, an Alterran. Yeah I said it, you can have had an Alterran crash on the planet or something and he could have been in a cryogenic chamber, then you have someone who can shed a little light on everything. Im not saying you want a commander or scientist Alterran, that would defeat the purpose of the show. But if you get one who was a soldier, he can help out and say I know what this is and this is how it works etc. This would add another dimension to the show, 1. You can possibly move away from trying to find food and water all the time. 2 You get to define what the Alterrans were before they became the Ancients, something we have gotten only pieces of before.

Please don't write my fan fic before I do. :P

Glad you liked the episode. It was lovely.

[SG7]

Yes and when you think about it, that was one of the key things about the stargate premise in the first place - the mystery and wonder about what was beyond the gate!

Agreed. I watched one episode of SG1 (the one where SG1 sees those invisible creatures on earth). It was the first episode I saw. I dismissed the show and didn't watch for almost a year. Looking back I saw that it was because I tried to watch the show from the middle. However the moment I saw the episode "Children of the Gods" I was hooked. The mystries of what lied beyond that blue puddle was like getting a Christmas present every time they stepped through the gate. All added to the element that it was a show based on "the here and now". They were travelling millions and even billions of miles across the galaxy here today and and not hundreds of years later as many of them like Startrek portray.

[garhkal]

I am Glad Children of the gods hooked another faithful SG viewer!

[BobbyScars]

Sorry Ellie but my writing instincts sometimes get the better of me.:mckay: :P

[EllieVee]

sorry ellie but my writing instincts sometimes get the better of me.:mckay: :p

http://www.dolforums.com.au/style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif

[Sussitout]

I liked the episode but I thought it lacked some explanations. I think that there is an Ancient watching the crew. Prob watching Icarus cuz they were curious how the Destiny is fairing and went through the gate with them. But my theory still doesn't really explain what the obelisk was for. I am really hoping that this is revisited in the future.

Wouldn't that be nice - though I have not seen the episode yet. LOL yet :( too.

[Jumper_One]

Belouchi writes: “1. Will we ever encounter the race that built the star system and the obelisk in the future or is it meant to stay a mystery?”

1. It’s possible the Destiny crew will cross paths with these near-omnipotent beings again.

Eric.Stewart writes: “How can TJ know that some plants have medicinal properties?”

Answer: The same way people discovered the medicinal properties of plants prior to the creation of lab equipment – through trial and error testing.
http://josephmallozzi.wordpress.com/2010/04/26/april-26-2010-its-an-all-mailbag-blog-entry/

[SG7]

I am Glad Children of the gods hooked another faithful SG viewer!

Heck yeh. My dad had actually spent a good six months to a year trying to convince me to watch it. Finally I thought that I would give it a go. And have been hooked ever since

My only regret is not getting into the series sooner! :)

[Matt G]

1. "Can Rush be trusted?". Congratulations Camille, better late than never.

2. TJ preggers. Unusual but we'll see how it plays out.

3. Caine thinking the planet is a route back to Earth. Plausible but they'd already given the aliens a month to show themselves. How much longer are they meant to wait? As you guys have said - surviving winter would have been mission impossible.

4. Young is learning. :)

5. "We can't afford to lose people". Rush realises this 'after' he sacrificed someone to the chair. We'll see what happens here.

Pace has dropped a bit though.

[Jumper_One]

Eric.Stewart writes: “so she tried the plant in a tea and realized it made her headache go away so she decided to give it to Wray! didn’t she get the warning not to ingest “crap” :? in the first trimester of a pregnancy!!”

Answer: There are many potential test subjects aboard Destiny. Also, for a time there, Tamara didn’t realize she was pregnant.
http://josephmallozzi.wordpress.com/2010/04/27/april-27-2010-junes-book-of-the-month-club-cynthia-cooks-puppy-pics-chotto-mailbag/

[Linda06]

Well I just finished watching the ep, and it was okay. But this is the time I bow out gracefully from SGU :) There were two things I didn't want to happen above anything else. TJ to be pregnant and TJ/Young to have/had a romantic liaison past or present. So it looks like I struck out twice.

So I bid SGU farewell and wish everyone who still enjoys it all the best and hope it continues to live up to your expectations for a while to come :)

[SG7]

Well I just finished watching the ep, and it was okay. But this is the time I bow out gracefully from SGU :) There were two things I didn't want to happen above anything else. TJ to be pregnant and TJ/Young to have/had a romantic liaison past or present. So it looks like I struck out twice.

So I bid SGU farewell and wish everyone who still enjoys it all the best and hope it continues to live up to your expectations for a while to come :)

That's ok. Not every show is going to be for everyone. And SGU is no exception. Just because one may have loved the other two series (SG1&SGA), doesn't mean one is obligated to like SGU as well. Feel free to watch every now and again, and if you are truely not happy with it then that's ok. There are plenty of other Sci-Fi shows that you can watch.

[EllieVee]

Well I just finished watching the ep, and it was okay. But this is the time I bow out gracefully from SGU :) There were two things I didn't want to happen above anything else. TJ to be pregnant and TJ/Young to have/had a romantic liaison past or present. So it looks like I struck out twice.

So I bid SGU farewell and wish everyone who still enjoys it all the best and hope it continues to live up to your expectations for a while to come :)

Fare thee well. :)

[Promethius30]

Another great episode SGU is really picking up.

[generaloneill]

Hands up who saw the star trek reference coming i did from about a mile away, i'm not that surprised that tj is knocked up it would have been fairly obvious to anyone who watches the medical dramas ER greys anatomy and so on.

lol at greer making those 2 dig the latrine that's his best scene yet i didn't care much for greer until that scene nice to see the writers are giving him a sense of humour which is a million miles away from his initial character description which made him sound like the bad guy from the movie abyss

[Ukko]

Well I just finished watching the ep, and it was okay. But this is the time I bow out gracefully from SGU :) There were two things I didn't want to happen above anything else. TJ to be pregnant and TJ/Young to have/had a romantic liaison past or present. So it looks like I struck out twice.

So I bid SGU farewell and wish everyone who still enjoys it all the best and hope it continues to live up to your expectations for a while to come :)

How dare you!! This is an outrage!! *Gets on the first train to Clackmannan*

[Linda06]

How dare you!! This is an outrage!! *Gets on the first train to Clackmannan*

Well you get Karen in it and I might reconsider ;)

[Alan]

Hello! I've just come back from holiday in Somerset, England today and have finally got to see this episode after recording it from Sky1. I'm probably the last Stargate fan in the world to see this episode but boy was it worth the wait. What a beautiful episode it was! I loved it! The acting was top-notch as always and the CGI sequences of the shuttles entering the planets atmosphere and flying across the landscape were incredible! Very simple CGI I'm sure but I was impressed!

The highlight for me...the beautiful and talented Alaina Huffman! My goodness what a performance. Everything she's going through mentally and emotionally is displayed so subtly in her eyes and smiles but comes across so clearly. I'm overjoyed that the writers have written Alaina's pregnancy into T.J.'s story and made Young the father! I think it's an incredibly brave decision, I applaud them for it, and I really look forward to seeing what affect having a child on-board Destiny will have on T.J. and Young's lives. As a supporter of a T.J. / Young relationship I sincerely hope that TPTB will handle the pregnancy in a far, far better way than Vala's in Stargate SG-1 or Teyla's in Stargate: Atlantis.

[SG7]

Hello! I've just come back from holiday in Somerset, England today and have finally got to see this episode after recording it from Sky1. I'm probably the last Stargate fan in the world to see this episode but boy was it worth the wait. What a beautiful episode it was! I loved it! The acting was top-notch as always and the CGI sequences of the shuttles entering the planets atmosphere and flying across the landscape were incredible! Very simple CGI I'm sure but I was impressed!

The highlight for me...the beautiful and talented Alaina Huffman! My goodness what a performance. Everything she's going through mentally and emotionally is displayed so subtly in her eyes and smiles but comes across so clearly. I'm overjoyed that the writers have written Alaina's pregnancy into T.J.'s story and made Young the father! I think it's an incredibly brave decision, I applaud them for it, and I really look forward to seeing what affect having a child on-board Destiny will have on T.J. and Young's lives. As a supporter of a T.J. / Young relationship I sincerely hope that TPTB will handle the pregnancy in a far, far better way than Vala's in Stargate SG-1 or Teyla's in Stargate: Atlantis.

Indeed! I sooo agree with you. I am very happy that the writers embraced her pregnancy and wrote it into TJ's storyline. As I am sure that it was much easier for AH to play her character as being pregnant rather than having to have her pregnancy concealed behind objects. And I'm sure that she must have enjoyed knowing that she would be able to translate her RL pregnancy into TJ. Absolutely applaude TPTB for allowing AH to be able to have TJ be pregnant in her storyline. I too hope that they will at least do TJ justice in writing her pregnancy. And that TPTB will give her a decent storyline with her pregnancy. I wasn't fond of how they wrote Claudia's pregnancy. I didn't mind most of Rachel's pregnancy till her last bit. And had no issues with Amanda's pregnancy as they just wrote her being elsewhere for the time as for her character it wouldn't have seemed right to have Sam pregnant.

[Alan Wake]

This episode is still my favorite by far out of the series.

I can't really explain it... I just love the whole premise of this episode. It didn't need ANY action what so ever, just exploration and mystery.

[Jumper_One]

Heather writes: “In my favorite episode “Faith” TJ goes to a river where there is a waterfall. Can you tell me the name of that waterfall?”

Answer: I don’t know whether the waterfall has an actual name, but I do know that it’s located in Widgeon Park, where the episode was shot. According to Carl, who produced the episode, the waterfall required a bit of a trek to get to – and Alaina, pregnant at the time, was a trooper throughout, making the hike there and back without a peep of protest. Also according to Carl, there are plenty of park rangers in the area who could probably point you in the right direction. Or recover your body if you wander off the trail and happen to encounter one of the many bears that frequent the area.
http://josephmallozzi.wordpress.com/2010/06/18/june-18-2010-finally-office-pics-yet-another-guest-blogger-announcement-and-the-mailbag/

[SG7]

http://josephmallozzi.wordpress.com/2010/06/18/june-18-2010-finally-office-pics-yet-another-guest-blogger-announcement-and-the-mailbag/

That was actually me that asked him that. As I am planning on going with my dad to check out the area when I am there in three weeks for GateCon. We will be there for almost two weeks. I will go to GateCon and then we will tour the area. And that was at the top of my list. As that episode is my favorite of the season. And absolutely adored Alaina in the episode. She was sooo brilliant in how she portrayed what TJ was going through.

[Pharaoh Atem]

http://josephmallozzi.wordpress.com/2010/06/18/june-18-2010-finally-office-pics-yet-another-guest-blogger-announcement-and-the-mailbag/

adama falls.

[Jumper_One]

Becky writes: “Hey Joe … has anyone asked you if we will be seeing the folks who were left back on that paradise planet again?”

Answer: Boy, wouldn’t that be weird?
http://josephmallozzi.wordpress.com/2010/06/28/june-27-2010-the-soccer-report-production-update-mailbag/

[maylet]

I love this episode, (I just saw it) and OMG, it was amazing. TJ pregnant O.O!!!!!! And many of them were right, what if that planet was there for them to stay? And they just let it go, but at the same time they were also right, what if those aliens who created the planet came back and kill them all?
I would really like to know what happened to those who stayed on the planet, it would be really cool to know.

[Blizzah]

This epsiode rocked. The story was interesting and the acting was fantastic. I was kind of hoping Chloe would stay behind (not my favourite character so far) but I was glad to see that some did. The whole idea of Faith and why did this planet get created makes for a very exciting plot and I hope this is revisited later in the show before it was canceled.

[maneth]

Cool ep, loved the mystery of it. I figured some of the ladies would turn out pregnant sooner or later, after all I didn't expect them to pack pills or condoms, but I didn't expect it to be TJ but Chloe with Scott as the father.

[Zombies Rise from the Sea]

I vaguely remember watching this episode while channel surfing in the mornings (I'm guessing it was one of those marathons that Syfy was running.) and this was my first taste of SGU. From what I can remember I don't even remember if I liked it or if I hated it but I did watch it but I didn't stick around for other episodes nor did I bother to look up the show on the internet. I guess it was telling of it's fate. There was one thing that came to mind when first watching this episode and it was the show "Lost"; I know, I know but those huts, those people trying to live lives and some of the lighting is eerily similar and I couldn't stop thinking about that show as I was watching this one, in fact it's the only striking thing I can remember about this.

I really wanted this to be one of the good ones but alas I was disappointed from the offset, much of the episode seems to be an argument over whether the planet or Destiny is more suitable in the longrun and while that may seem to provide decent arguments, it's merely the usual "destiny vs. logistics", as in "We must stay on this planet, the aliens who built it will come back, it is our Destiny, it has everything" and "No, we must stay on Destiny, there's a chance we could get home and it's more reliable than having to wait for aliens who'll never come back." Worst part is, barely anybody discusses it; the point is driven by a one-off character who's only dialogue seems to be the praising of these aliens. I really expected there to be more of a thought based perspective, various ideas being exchanged from viewpoints that aren't really balanced on one side, making us question things that we're not supposed to question before, heck this entire show is based on the "unknown"; I mean what is the point of having a serious Stargate if you're just going to do the same things as regular Stargate?

The acting is surprisingly but expectedly poor, much of the planet seems to consist of secondary characters/one-offs and they do nothing to convince us in their ability to care for them, which is a shame since they're the most populated group here. (I blame that on their lack of exploration; while it does show life exists on the ship, they should of at least given them some personality or good backstory; in a show like this, every character should matter.) Chloe, Scott and TJ from my memory are one of the ones to explore the planet and surprisingly, Scott gains the most character growth here; it shows his sensible side, the side that isn't militaristic, the side that wants to support the people but can't help but to follow the military protocol. It was one of the few moments in the show where his character seemed invitable, warm, charming and most of all, interesting. I couldn't remember anything about Chloe and TJ... I disliked that pregnancy plot heavily; to me it seems forced, like it was an attempt to give a character something that people would be invested in. It would of been believable if it was introduced earlier but it just comes out of nowhere, and the way she proclaims "I'm pregnant" is the epitome of cliche. I'll admit it gives her some character but only a small amount.

I'll also admit that Faith has something that keeps you on the line with it's will they/won't they flip-flopping but I really wanted a main character to stay instead of finding the most dramatic and in-character way to keep them onboard. Do you know how much a main character leaving would shake up the show, for past years SGA usually had their teams intact, only with one leaving for logistic problems or personal reasons. If a character is kept off Destiny and stranded or chose to stay than just imagine what it could do the show, just imagine how it'd effect the characters but keeping all of your main characters and leaving the secondary just dilutes the potential that the show has. You're supposed to be fighting for survival, show it! Treat your characters as possibly disposable.

Other things, I somehow thought Eli and Wray were in a sudden love relationship; it's just the way they filmed it, the type of affection that they show, the dialogue... I even thought that Eli, Chloe and Wray would form a new love triangle, I somehow forgot Wray was a lesbian doing that time but somehow the relationship was more natural. Funny how the way things are filmed can alter the perception of what you see and I kind of liked the fact that the planet would get some focus later on in the season, thus showing that they're serious in making some moments matter to the continuity of the series. (the thought of living in a junkheap, with no food or trees, with every moment being your last; definitely something that drives some characters.)

[NowIWillDestroyAbydos]

Average episode.

I don't understand why everybody seems to love that Balding Asian Guy. To me, he's just another average one-time only, background extra.

It's amazing no one caught that Wraith of Khan reference except Eli.

Tomorrow, Rush backstory and Dr Daniel Jackson.

[Krisz]

The whole BAG thing was a fun tongue in cheek appreciation of one of the background characters who stood out in this episode for some strange reason! It then took on a life of its own with the wonderful Bill Butt joining in as well, being a great sport about it all! It's all in the name of having a laugh really and getting to hear his great stories of working on SGA and SGU, along with many other shows filmed in Vancouver. :)

Apart from having BAG in it. :P; this episode is one of my favourites of the season.

Finding paradise, always room for a lot of problems there! I really felt for TJ especially and she really brought across well how wonderful it was to breathe fresh air and look out into the distant peaceful landscape of tranquil lakes and mountains. She really conveyed the despair of being stuck in a dark closed in ship, breathing recycled air and practically starving. Finding out she was pregnant just made it worse for her.

What a dilemma? Stay or return to Destiny, the lure of the perfect planet that shouldn't really exist. I couldn't help feeling that there was more to its purpose as far as the aliens were concerned, for all we know it could be a trap to catch certain life forms for study. Or it could be the life line that some of the crew thought it was to a better life than what faced them on Destiny. This is what I liked about this episode, it could have gone either way, but somehow you couldn't help feeling that Young and Rush were right, they stood a better chance of survival on the ship in the long run. Apples and serpents come to mind!

Wonderful use of the same beautiful tranquil location that was used in SG-1's 'Paradise Lost'. The Widgeon Creek area is really a lovely nature conservations area. Whilst where this episode was filmed is not easily accessible, unless you get in a canoe and paddle, or drive up a rough logging road, other parts that are at the Pitt Lake end is one of my favourite spots to chill out in after a busy day on a nice late summer's afternoon. :)

[jeri]

Zombies, did you know the actress really was pregnant? What to do, what to do? Well, write it in and milk it.

Not one of my favorite episodes but I think an inevitable one. Sure people were desperate to get off that claustrophobic ship, to the point of convincing themselves they really had some kind of chance. After all they where the "wrong people" for the job.

[min min light]

I loved the freaky perfect planet that shouldn't be there. I thought it was reasonable enough to conclude that the aliens built it for them specifically since it was exactly like Earth, it was thrown directly into their path, and it had everything they needed - food, water, sunshine, and a nice long break from the ship. (Although I note the absence of clothing, drug and liquor stores. You'd think aliens would have thrown them in as well.) The lack of housing: they weren't meant to stay there, just recharge. I was always hoping we'd find out more about them, beyond the one follow-up I mean.

[Zombies Rise from the Sea]

Zombies, did you know the actress really was pregnant? What to do, what to do? Well, write it in and milk it.

I know, and it's admirable for them to incorporate the pregnancy into the plot but it's still forced. TJ herself showed barely any signs of a pregnancy earlier on and considering the lack of experience with the technology of Destiny at the time, there would of been no immediate way to find out she was pregnant before the signs came. (Unless I am wrong, I'm basing this off of what Teyla has gone through in Atlantis.)

[min min light]

I thought she knew before she wound up on Destiny - isn't that why she resigned her position?

[Alan]

I thought she knew before she wound up on Destiny - isn't that why she resigned her position?

That was what I thought. And then T.J. was going to raise the child on her own and in secret so Young could rebuild his relationship with his wife.

[Matt G]

Midweek, another ep of SGU...

1. "Can we trust Rush?" "You tell me!"

2. I'd have at least got that Genesis was a Trek reference, would have taken a few mins to get Wraith of Khan.

3. Forgot that Scott was about to stay on the planet.

4. Of course we know what happens to those guys now...bit wierd...

[VampyreWraith]

I liked this episode quite a bit.

I liked the character interactions; particularly those between TJ and Chloe, TJ and Wray, TJ and Scott, and Eli and Wray. I found it understandable that people would want to stay on the beautiful, sunny planet, instead of the dark ship where there wasn't that much to do.

I'm not a fan of baby drama, but I thought it was ok in this episode, and it gave TJ a reason to really want to stay behind(I also knew the actress was pregnant, so I found adding the pregnancy in understandable). It provided some conflict for TJ, between what she thought was best for her and her unborn child, vs her duty, and the needs of the people on Destiny. I felt for TJ in this episode.

The mystery of the planet and who created it was also pretty interesting.

Overall, I thought it was a really good episode, and I enjoyed it a lot.

[Lieutenant Sparrow]

Average ep.

TJ showing pregnant symptoms. I wouldn't want to raise a child on Destiny either.

I like the mystery surrounding that planet.

Eli and Camille spending time together. Weird.

I want a Universe soundtrack.

[jelgate]

BAG!!!!! This episode is awesome just because of him.

Okay serious time. I liked how the episode explores faith and belief in something. I always felt like this epsiode explores faith without going too far and the episode not taking a religious or atheist side. I hate when TV tries to do that and says athiests are right and religions are wrong and vice versa. The whole story is basically a paradise to people who have experenced nothing but hardships. And it makes sense that the people on the planet would not like to leave. Its seems like a break from the difficulties the people have experenced. What I like is being showcasing some super advanced aliens it postulates that the aliens know about Destiny and are trying to help. It does sound improbable but not impossible. That is what faith is. Believing their is something else out there and the world is not as bleak as it seems sometimes. The episode tries to paint hope in the aliens are out their to help us. Like many SGU episodes it does not answer the question but just ponders it which I like. Because religion is such a touchy subject I think it was a good resolution that at the end of the day we do not know if Dr. Caine was right or not.

Now for the negatives. TJ's pregnancy seems tacked on. They need to mention it at some point due to Aliana's pregnancy but at the same time I feel like it got little revleance for the episode. TJ reveals she is pregnant and its just a flimsy reason she want to say on the planet. Since this episode covers a few months I think it is unfortunate that it kind of dispates the tension of military and civillians. Yes we see some tension in the beginning but it resolves too quickly from the end of the episode. Finally these episode showcases what Rush is a person. Its small be we see Rush's obsession isn't just Destiny but the desire to gain knowledge. Look how angry he gets when he can't figure out how someone built a star and a planet

[Cluas]

I liked this one too.
Will we ever know what happened to the people that stayed behind? It's gonna be a tough winter for them i guess.
There wasn't any animals at all on the planet? First episode where months actually pass, and the crew gather their strength, make repairs and so on. It was really needed...

[jelgate]

I liked this one too.
Will we ever know what happened to the people that stayed behind? It's gonna be a tough winter for them i guess.
There wasn't any animals at all on the planet? First episode where months actually pass, and the crew gather their strength, make repairs and so on. It was really needed...

Yes and No

[Cluas]

Yes and No

Now that I finished season 2 I know what you mean. Personally I was disappointed...

I still think it was weird to find a planet with plant life and trees, but no animals...

[jelgate]

Obviouly the Faith alien didn't want animals on their planet. Maybe something to do with the harsh winters

[Cluas]

Obviouly the Faith alien didn't want animals on their planet. Maybe something to do with the harsh winters

Some animals have lots of fur :P

Some strange aliens - if they wanted flowers but no bees :confused:

[Sobek-]

I have to say... My favourite part of this episode was finally getting to see the best ship-board view of Destiny jumping to FTL. Excellent sound effects, brilliant visuals that we really didn't see again - like the strongly contrasting 'cloudy' effects of traveling FTL being cast across the ship. I'm such a geek sometimes haha.

They did do the ship-board view of jumping to FTL in Divided I think, where Scott & young were on the shuttle and just managed to dock in time, but nothing quite as pretty as in Faith. I just love the audio and visuals of this show... really going to miss that aspect :(