'Ghost In the Machine' (505) General Discussion

[justhere1971]

Actually I think Teyla was lying about Torren being off-world. She was protecting her son, not trusting why Weir was asking so not willing to give an honest answer. And you could see that Weir knew Teyla was lying, and it made her sad.

ITA agree with this. She understood Teyla's need to lie though... even if she was sad about it. It was necessary.

[SgaIsBad]

I also realized this episode was sort of a "bottle show" to save money... besides the beginning with the puddle jumper but alot of that was probably stock footage. To think that Joe M said DV last week was one of the most expensive show SGA has ever made, up there with the first episode Rising. It just goes to show me that good writing kicks ass over big special effects any day.

[SamJackShipper93]

That's not giving enough credit to the Morgan. She did exactly what an actress is supposed to do. She adopted different vocal inflections and mannerisms in order to have the audience see the character in a certain way. In this case, the role she was playing was Weir - an established character with distinguishing physical characteristics and movements. Morgan was apparantly able to capture them so well that the audience bought her as Weir in a different body.

That's a serious testament to Morgan's abilities as an actress.

Thank you! As an actress myself, I know how difficult it is to develop a character from scratch as it is, but Michelle had to study everything that Weir does, how she how physically react to something, what she'd be like when she had to say good-bye to the team, what she'd be like in response to finding out about Teyla's baby, the list goes on and on.

Then she has to make sure she incorporates all of those little mannerisms into her movements and dialouge, making sure they'll be believable to the fans, and IMHO, they definetely were. I don't think they could have found anyone better to play Elizabeth.

[A Wraith Named Bob]

I had trouble picturing Weir when she was talking through the voice synthesizer and when she was in replicator form. I think that is what made this episode hard for me to like. I didn't get the feeling of Dr. Weir.

[Infernorhythm]

I mentioned this briefly in my review on page 1, but I really have to hand it to the director (whose name escapes me). That was some seriously strong direction. The camera work, the pacing, it was brilliant. Even the score was done so well that it enhanced every scene. At every commercial I was thinking to myself "This episode is so awesome! But wow, the production is insane."

And yeah, Michelle Morgan really showed how good of an actress she was. It is difficult to emulate someone else, and the fact that she really captured Weir was testament to that ability. Like I said, I would LOVE to see Torri Higginson and MM act together in a film/TV show. Two very gifted, and underrated actresses.

If the show was half this good all the time I would be ecstatic. This season has stepped up from season 4 (started off so good, but the second half was terrible), and Ghost in the Machine was the pinnacle of that. I don't think they'll top this one for a long time.

[Ncc-72452]

I'm pretty sure she did take that part, could be wrong though.

I'm pretty sure, and I admit that I could be wrong, that she agreed to come back for 4 episodes. I don't think there was a breakdown of how much screen time she would get in each episode.

[Rocky89]

Woolsey was great, he is putting Carter to shame.

That's not very nice. To me Carter is still the best leader of Atlantis, Woolsey still has a lot to prove to fans, and besides, if Amanda had stayed, Sam would be owning S5.

[KindlyKeller]

Without Torri as the original actress, Michelle Morgan wouldn't have much to go off of. Are we happy they she can imitate a former actress on the show????? The character of Weir is nothing, without Tori developing it.

I don't understand the issue. Shouldn't the actress who so ably and competently filled the role get some credit? It's not a knock on Torri to say that Michelle Morgan did a great job in the role, and it's not fair to somehow give Torri all the credit for Morgan's acting job.

[Shan Bruce Lee]

That's not giving enough credit to the Morgan.

lol "The Morgan"? I completely agree. She was good

I think because Carter was already such a developed character, it was hard for her to act or react in a surprising way. I had no idea Woolsey was going to bluff the replicators.

That's an excellent point. I hadn't considered that.

[the fifth man]

I don't understand the issue. Shouldn't the actress who so ably and competently filled the role get some credit? It's not a knock on Torri to say that Michelle Morgan did a great job in the role, and it's not fair to somehow give Torri all the credit for Morgan's acting job.

Michelle Morgan did do a very good job playing Weir. I was really shocked by how well she pulled it off.

[Biokinetica]

Am I the only one that feels like that ending was 'the easy way out'? By that time, Atlantis and the remaining Replicators had gained the trust of each other. So why would they throw away the great chance for a powerful ally so they can have a half-dozen replicators floating around for the wraith to find? Who is to say the wraith wouldn't offer them "revenge" and use them as a weapon? I can't be the only one who sees this as a huge loss, and potential problem later on.

[Ncc-72452]

I had trouble picturing Weir when she was talking through the voice synthesizer and when she was in replicator form. I think that is what made this episode hard for me to like. I didn't get the feeling of Dr. Weir.

I almost cried when the computer typed, "help"... Twice! Then, when the voice synthesizer said, "you're the only friends I have," I, personally, found this gut-wrenching. I think the voice was MM run through a synthesizer, but I'm guessing.

Though, I think that having the computer typing first was a brilliant way to reinto the character. It let the audience imagine TH. Then, the synthesizer tried to mess with that internal picture by introducing a new, but distorted, voice. Finally, we get the new body. I thought it was wise to do it gradually, but that's just my opinion.

[Wilson3Girl]

Actually I think Teyla was lying about Torren being off-world. She was protecting her son, not trusting why Weir was asking so not willing to give an honest answer. And you could see that Weir knew Teyla was lying, and it made her sad.

Yes, I saw it that way too. I found that scene heartbreaking.


Wilson3Girl

[SgaIsBad]

Michelle Morgan did do a very good job playing Weir. I was really shocked by how well she pulled it off.

Geez I get it everyone, Michelle Morgan rocks.

[mimi1970]

I also realized this episode was sort of a "bottle show" to save money... besides the beginning with the puddle jumper but alot of that was probably stock footage. To think that Joe M said DV last week was one of the most expensive show SGA has ever made, up there with the first episode Rising. It just goes to show me that good writing kicks ass over big special effects any day.

Stock Shots? Where in SGA do we have a PJ with a nebula and rings around a planet? When have we seen the city sink like that? I think there were lots of great effects in that episode. I don't know where bottle show comes from?

[tombombadil]

Am I the only one that feels like that ending was 'the easy way out'? By that time, Atlantis and the remaining Replicators had gained the trust of each other. So why would they throw away the great chance for a powerful ally so they can have a half-dozen replicators floating around for the wraith to find. Who is to say the wraith wouldn't offer them "revenge" and use them as a weapon? I can't be the only one who sees this as a huge loss, and potential problem later on.

because a key part of rplicator programing is to kill wraith. they would never assist them.

[Vis Uban]

Michelle Morgan did do a very good job playing Weir. I was really shocked by how well she pulled it off.

She really did a fantastic job. It's hard enough pulling off a new character, but it's exponentially harder for another actress to pull off a well-established character. I don't even want to think of all the work she had to go through, trying to get into Weir's mind and mannerisms. Great Work!

[Ncc-72452]

Am I the only one that feels like that ending was 'the easy way out'? By that time, Atlantis and the remaining Replicators had gained the trust of each other. So why would they throw away the great chance for a powerful ally so they can have a half-dozen replicators floating around for the wraith to find. Who is to say the wraith wouldn't offer them "revenge" and use them as a weapon? I can't be the only one who sees this as a huge loss, and potential problem later on.

Yeah, I can understand where you are coming from, but I think that where they were going was to show how terrible an enemy the replicators are. Weir, by being a replicator, could no longer be trusted. If you couldn't trust one of us turned into them, how could you trust any of them? In the end, Weir realized that she was a threat to the city that she loved and *sniffle* the only friends she has. Thus, she chose to end that threat... completely... Which included herself. She, as she said, "Set things right."

[Biokinetica]

Stock Shots? Where in SGA do we have a PJ with a nebula and rings around a planet? When have we seen the city sink like that? I think there were lots of great effects in that episode. I don't know where bottle show comes from?

The city's pseudo-sinking was hardly technologically straining. It submerged itself for all of 5 centimeters, then back to normal. Not tough. However, this episode (especially the opening) did have a more 'polished' gate, Jumper, and city. Or maybe I'm imagining it...

[SgaIsBad]

Stock Shots? Where in SGA do we have a PJ with a nebula and rings around a planet? When have we seen the city sink like that? I think there were lots of great effects in that episode. I don't know where bottle show comes from?

My point was they blew out the budget on DV, but GITM not so much opticals intense but much better quality of writing , at least in my opinion.

And is anyone else confused why there were so disturstful of the replicators, even though it was their former commander Weir. Wouldn't you want the Asurans around to say, tell you how to build a ZPM??????