'The Seed' (502) General Discussion

[pittsburghgirl]

Because to do CPR properly would be quite painful for the recipient - after all, they do say if you're doing it right you'll probably break a rib or two in the process. Even from my limited understanding, I'm aware that CPR needs to be done straight-armed from above, not pushing ineffectually at the chest with bent arms from the side. They did it that way in Doppelganger and they did it again now and I admit it did pull me out of the story a little because it was just SO patently incorrect. They'd be better over using creative camera angles/editing than showing it in full so poorly done.

nobody is expecting them to actually do the chest compressions-they don't even really have to show that part-just get the counting right for heaven's sake.

even just showing the proper positioning would be nice.

but compressions have never, ever been 3 compressions to 1 breath-never.

you can suspend belief on some things for a show-but when you are showing a medical professional doing something that a layperson can do-at least-do it right.

[Rweethareyet]

I'm having a problem with Keller and the silly smile she always wears. As a Firefly fan I half expect to hear her say "shiny" as part of her bedside manner.
Also, in my opinion you can never have too much Zelenka!

[Pegasus_SGA]

Also-- for this particular episode--
not sure if anyone has mentioned this already, but I thought there was a bit of external programming double speak going on about Sam Carter's withdrawal from Atlantis when Shep said that she's
"a victim of her own success."

hmmm.. a *Santuary* series jibe..??
LOL, if so.


and the comment from Woolsey in the end about "the rules are there for a reason" and not being sure if he could trust his judgment for fulfilling the job (formerly filled in by Sam and Dr. Weir).. sometimes I think some of those storyline comments are deliberately placed there to offset the voice of those individual viewers who might end up eventually complaining, if they haven't started already.. (especially in this Tv series/franchise). *sigh*

I thought the same about the Sam line.

As for your second point, I don't think the lines were there to offset, personally speaking when you go into a new job, especially management and your predecessor has been well respected, it's very hard to fill that person's shoes. So maybe subconsciously he doesn't feel he's worthy of the position, and he's got to prove it to himself that he can do the job, but at the moment he can't relax into it, because he has to earn everyone's respect? Just a thought. Shouldn't be having too many of them this time of nite, it's not good for me.

Ooooh spideysense!

Maybe the others would have just incorporated themselves into the ship without developing another consciousness. They would have just been bridging points to make a reallllly big hive ship?

...I have no idea.

I think's it a very cool idea about Hives and Wraith Queens though. I hope it's true. *crosses fingers*

And don't you mean "noodles of DOOM"?

oooh yes, now that's an interesting theory, Atlantis as a hive ship, hehe, I wonder how the weapons are created if it's based mostly on organic material and a bi-polymor compound... where do the weapons come into play, and how are they made, or is that just man made do you think? Or Wraith made.

Sorry the spideysense does get a bit tangety at times. Well, to be honest, I was really surprised that Sky made an appearance on SGA, I wonder how much she charged to loan out her Noodles of Doom to the set?

nobody is expecting them to actually do the chest compressions-they don't even really have to show that part-just get the counting right for heaven's sake.

even just showing the proper positioning would be nice.

but compressions have never, ever been 3 compressions to 1 breath-never.

you can suspend belief on some things for a show-but when you are showing a medical professional doing something that a layperson can do-at least-do it right.

I didn't want to talk about that as i'd go off again, initially it was 1-5 (one breath to 5 compressions) then it changed to 2 -15 and now I believe they've settled on 2 to 30? I think that was the most recent change to CPR wasn't it? But 1-3, not heard of that one before. Nope not going to get worked up over it, i'm being very good.

[Skydiver]

Because to do CPR properly would be quite painful for the recipient - after all, they do say if you're doing it right you'll probably break a rib or two in the process. Even from my limited understanding, I'm aware that CPR needs to be done straight-armed from above, not pushing ineffectually at the chest with bent arms from the side. They did it that way in Doppelganger and they did it again now and I admit it did pull me out of the story a little because it was just SO patently incorrect. They'd be better over using creative camera angles/editing than showing it in full so poorly done.

doing cpr 'right' on an actor is a quick way to kill the actor.

the compressions will mess with a person's real heartbeat and harm them...thus they fake it. sometimes better, sometimes worse

[Pegasus_SGA]

doing cpr 'right' on an actor is a quick way to kill the actor.

the compressions will mess with a person's real heartbeat and harm them...thus they fake it. sometimes better, sometimes worse

I prefer better. I've only had to do it once in real life, and several times on dummies, so I know it can hurt real people, but at least the positioning should be right and the count of breaths to compressions. Didn't I say I was going to shut up about this? I'm going to bed.

[pittsburghgirl]

doing cpr 'right' on an actor is a quick way to kill the actor.

the compressions will mess with a person's real heartbeat and harm them...thus they fake it. sometimes better, sometimes worse

at least get the numbers right

[Jackie]

nobody is expecting them to actually do the chest compressions-they don't even really have to show that part-just get the counting right for heaven's sake.

even just showing the proper positioning would be nice.

but compressions have never, ever been 3 compressions to 1 breath-never.

you can suspend belief on some things for a show-but when you are showing a medical professional doing something that a layperson can do-at least-do it right.

New Red Cross guidelines are for PROFESSIONAL level cpr...3 to 1. They were doing it correctly.

Also the red cross has done a sweeping change across the board...but mainly at the professional level.

doing cpr 'right' on an actor is a quick way to kill the actor.

the compressions will mess with a person's real heartbeat and harm them...thus they fake it. sometimes better, sometimes worse

If not kill them then possibly throw them into an odd heart beat and break their ribs. (I can tell you from experience, the ribs do indeed crack.)

[Enzo Aquarius]

Overall, I thought it was a good episode. The character interaction was excellent, especially as the Atlantis crew adapt to Woolsey. Even the background characters, when Woolsey arrived, seemed disappointed (notably the one whom he asked to have his belongings delivered).

I didn't find this episode to be cliche (apart from Sheppard saving the day ) and couldn't think ahead of a solution. I am curious, however, why the tendrils, when shot at by Teyla and chopped/destroyed by Ronon didn't have any ill-effects on Keller. Didn't Beckett say that they are related to her bodily functions? Also, another question regarding Keller, what was that medication she took, and could that have been the issue that fully jump-started her transformation?

The CGI was, just like last episode, amazing. Though there wasn't a lot, the exterior shots of Atlantis were spot on excellent. The shot of Atlantis powering down (not all at once, but by section) was good, and especially the shot of the Jumper leaving the bay (with the door opening as well!). I also liked the work with the tendrils and the slow consumption of the isolation ward and surrounding areas. The question it brings up though, is what I call the 'Post-Star Trek: First Contact problem'. A lot of the area around the isolation ward, heck, most of the tower, is enveloped in tendrils. Since the tendrils were consuming material, how are they going to fix the tower?

Overall, I enjoyed this episode. The team is starting to get used to another new command, Woolsey is getting used to his new home, Sheppard is recovering from yet another injury (I thought he was whacked in the crotch at first before rewatching the scene) and work goes on. I give the episode a B+ rating.

[CRAZY4DH]

I liked the ep alot. You could see no one was happy to see Woolsey arrive and Woolsey is aware of that fact. Being military Sheppard knows that you have to accept the change of command with fairly good grace. I loved how McKay didn't want to stand up until Shep glared at him.

I like Keller. Everyone says she's wimpy and shouldn't be in charge. HELLO! She said it herself in the first ep where she was in charge. She asked Weir to get someone better at commanding to take her place. Weir refused.

Let's not forget Carson's whining about having to just go through the Gate at first. Oh and the memorable scene in Hot Zone where the guy dies of brain anurism and Carson gives him CPR until Rodney yells at him to stop.

I like Carson. I like Keller. My point is that the writer's write them both as stupid at times.

I liked how McKay went in to talk to Keller when she woke up and to tell her everything was going to be alright. Not sure why they chose him unless its to further the relationship slowly growing between them. I liked it though.

I was unsatisfied at the end. I agree with other posters that it felt rushed. Sheppard convulsed for quite awhile. At least that was the impression I got. Keller's was over in seconds.

Overall though a good episode to introduce Woolsey to the Pegasus Galaxy.

[Reiko]

» Over all, this episode sucks. Very, very hard.

» Other than that: Carson Beckett is still my best friend. Elizabeth Weir is ALWAYS there in spirit and memory, no matter what. Teyla and Radek were awesome.

» I'm quite disappointed they just didn't grab the roundup; with Keller and the seed, you could kill two weeds at once

[PG15]

Ok, a few things to jot down before I forget them:

Shep almost getting intubated. I actually paused the video and laughed my ass off because I know Linzi and the rest of the Shep Whumpers must've screamed at that point. But oooooooh, so close. Damn Shep for waking up early, right?

The Phage. AND the references begin! For those who don't know, The Phage was the name of a Season 1 Star Trek Voyager episode featuring a disease of the same name. Again, I paused the video and had a good laugh. Can't wait for more of these!

That's all I remember for now. Let's move on to my usual review.

This episode was solid. It didn't blow me away or anything, but there were plenty of excellent little character moments and past references, as well as those few moments of cool CGI. It was great to see Beckett back, and Robert Picardo just proves once again how AWESOME he is at everything. The main plot was your typical alien biological attack kind of plot, and so it wasn't too interesting, though it did offer up some cool moments.

Yeah, I couldn't really get the images of hentai tenticle sex out of my head either. It was just so...yeah. I need to get off of the Internet.

Ok, moving on. I LOVED the little character moments in this episode. It's stuff like this that just starts developing at this point in the show, where the characters have been established, and so they can slowly exploit their idiosyncrasies. The Keller-Teyla scene at the beginning was both informative and heart-warming, seeing Teyla adjusting to motherhood. The news that McKay was telling frozen!Beckett of everything was a great detail added in, and even though it's small, it just reinforces the friendship between the two. Wonderful stuff. Then, Woosley arrived to underwhelming fanfare. I loved the "aw, do I have to?" look McKay gave there, and the horrible speech Woolsey gave (I think "well then" was really the speech; the rest was his first orders). It was perfect for his character and TPTB nailed him perfectly. The conference room scene had more small moments. I loved how TPTB tied up some of the loose ends from the previous episode, like why Carter was carted off (totally saw that reason coming; it's only logical); as well as touching on the similarily between this timeline and the alternate with regards to Woolsey; it was hilarious how Shep hinted at the McKay/Keller thing but decided to hold it back for his pleasure.

Speaking of which, it was pretty clear that TPTB have started laying the groundwork for that relationship here. Luckily, it didn't feel like it suddenly happened, since it hasn't been that long since Trio, in-show wise, where feelings MAY have began (I know I denied it then, but given recent evidence...I guess you never know). So far, I like what I'm seeing; small awkward moments here and there, and McKay actually caring a lot for her well-being. Lovely. Can't wait to see where they go with this.

I loved how the disease was connected back to Michael's imploded compound. I always love continuity carry-overs instead of just randomly making up a new plot device for the episode.

Man, I gotta keep reminding myself that I'm talking to you guys, the fans, instead of JM, as I've been writing episode reviews in his blog comments for months now; I keep saying "you guys" instead of "TPTB" or "they". Heh.

There were some great character moments in the rest of the episode as well. I loved the reference back to Conversion with Shep's "been there, done that" (I knew he was going to say that, actually); how Beckett, Ronon, and McKay all volunteered for the mission; how Beckett goes "oh, it's ordinary then" (or something similar) after McKay lists his symptoms; how Radek was all giggly-geeky after realizing that he was watching a Hive ship being built right before his eyes; etc. etc. Great stuff.

Moving on. Robert Picardo was awesome in this episode, as I predicted. The guy can't do "bad acting"; he just can't; it's not in his genes. Right from the start we have him acting all Woolsey-like; getting to the point, seeing things as black-and-white, etc. That initial meeting seemed to have proven to everyone there that their worse fears have been realized: Woosley really is that bad, even if he was given a whole new position. I loved the looks on everyone's faces by the end; it seemed like a mutiny is afoot. But Woolsey just keeps on going, 1 issue at a time, shooting down every suggestion with his bureaucratic mumbo-jumbo. I loved it. He seemed to have everything under control...and then boom; Keller gets Hived. I loved how Shep kept almost daring him to step out of line, to break the rules. But, what I really loved, was how understated Woolsey's transformation was. Sure, there were times where it was obvious that he was breaking the rules, but in many other instances, like when he allowed Beckett to remain and work on Keller, or when he let Ronon go into the infected areas, it seemed his will was bent so easily. He may have protested a bit, but ultimately he seemed to have just gone with the flow. He was caught up in the way things in Atlantis works, and I loved how he realized that at the end.

It's just...he was professional the whole way through, and only at the end did he come to realize that there is room for rule-bending within him after all. It was like his under-developed sense of "do the right thing" was stopping him from sending Beckett home, or stopping Ronon from leaving quarantine. Hopefully that sense will develop more as time passes. He was pretty emotionless the whole way through, and I think that was the point. This is the man he is. The man he was. An impersonal bureaucrat. We saw just how impersonal this concept can be when he advocated killing Keller with drones. I mean, this is big. For the leader of the Expedition to openly consider this, and tell everyone else about it. Usually it's someone else, like Shep who comes up with these unethical plans, and here we saw that he has indeed considered this. That was a really telling moment, for both characters; especially since they come from such different backgrounds. It was a disturbing scene.

Oh yes, I am going to love Woolsey.

Seeing Keller with her face covered in tendrils was disturbing. I'm squeamish of facial distortions, so stuff like that really gets me. Luckily, it wasn't too bad, but just strange enough to creep me out. Awesome.

Loved seeing a new part of Atlantis. Also loved how assertive and authoritative Teyla was in this episode. Being a mommy helps in that regard, I guess. I've been watching Season 1 and...was it Peg? I think so...anyway, she said that Teyla was stronger in Season 1, and now I see that she's correct. What's more, the Teyla here reminded me a lot of the Teyla of old, the strong leader. I liked that a lot.

Poor Keller. I can't imagine how horrible it must have been for her. I mean, think about it. Once the lights went out, she was basically a head with her mind slowly being consumed. She couldn't feel the rest of her body, her mind was getting taken over, and everything was dark. Her reality must've been extremely confusing. Did she have hallucinations while her sense of sight was being deprived of stimulus? I'd be driven to madness if I were in her position. Just...a horrible experience. Besides that, I loved how she worked tirelessly to cure Beckett, as she had promised. Screw Keller-hate (note I didn't say haters). All I know is, I like her character a lot, and her being on screen is bringing me enjoyment. Hooray for me.

Beckett! It was jarring at first seeing him so unfazed when everyone gathered around him like that, but then I had to remember that, to him, little-to-no time has passed since Kindred Part 2. His scene at the balcony was just beautiful, and his efforts throughout the episode was great to watch. Beckett's back baby! Besides that, I also loved his last scenes. The exchange "good luck, Carson" "Thanks, John" was just so heartwarming. A small piece of dialogue excellently delivered by two amazing actors.

That voice Keller had when her mind was taken over was so badass! The way Jewel Staite delivered it, plus the computer effects, made it really menacing and mechanical. Wonderfully done.

Loved finding out how a hive ship could be built; this can spawn many more stories, I feel.

Finally, I gotta give props to Mark Savela for those brief but exquisit CGI scenes. I loved seeing new shots of the city, and these are absolutely fantastic. I think it has to do with the lighting and the subtle blurring due to distance; it made everything seem so realistic. I think I've taken photos that were less realistic. Haha.

So overall, a solid episode, though not particularly spectacular. It entertained me well enough, and it will be very interesting to see how Woolsey develops from here on out. "Welcome to the Pegasus Galaxy" was just the beginning.

Score: 8/10

---

*Sigh* Again with the Keller bashing? So she's now a wussy for wanting to make sure her Beckett treatment works? What bull**** is this? It's wussy for doctors to make sure their medicine works. Ok, that's great.

Well then, Beckett's big wussy for wanting to make sure the Hoffan drug is safe or whatever, despite the fact that it worked, in Poisoning the Well. There, I said it. Same thing. Beckett's a wuss, apparently.

[jelgate]

*Sigh* Again with the Keller bashing? So she's now a wussy for wanting to make sure her Beckett treatment works? What bull**** is this? It's wussy for doctors to make sure their medicine works. Ok, that's great.

Well then, Beckett's big wussy for wanting to make sure the Hoffan drug is safe or whatever, despite the fact that it worked, in Poisoning the Well. There, I said it. Same thing. Beckett's a wuss, apparently.

Don't you just love these double standards

[pittsburghgirl]

For the record-neither the Red Cross nor the American Heart Association state in their guidelines that it is 3 compressions to 1 breath for the professional.

I am an RN and teach CPR to other Nurses and support staff.

I know that we have to sometimes suspend belief on shows-but CPR is such an important need and skill to portray that service in an inaccurate fasion doesn't help anyone.

TV programs teach as well as entertain-if someone does need CPR wouldn't you rather these shows get it right?

[AutumnDream]

Despite how asinine it is to simply replace characters you can't write for, or arbitrarily bring in new ones because you've run out of ideas, I like Keller. The episode itself wasn't very effective, but if anyone was going to be taken over by such a grotesque thing it was certainly the most effective choice to make it the nice new kid.

[PG15]

Tell me about it, jel. What complete crap.

TV programs teach as well as entertain-if someone does need CPR wouldn't you rather these shows get it right?

Actually, no. I don't think many people are dumb enough to take medical advice from SciFi shows. Besides, 30 compressions? I don't care how fast it's performed; it will take up valuable time that can be used for other, more entertaining things.