Season 2 is over. How good was it?

[honzix]

All right, the season has ended (at least in Canada) so I wanna ask what do you guys think. Did you enjoy it, did you hate it, something in between?

Personally, I liked this season quite a lot. It had some great episodes like The Siege III, Duet, Aurora, Critical Mass, Michael, Inferno & Allies. But still, for me, it wasn´t nearly as good as Season 1 and (don´t hit me for saying that) Season 9 of SG-1.

So, what do you think about Season 2?

[AutumnDream]

But still, for me, it wasn´t nearly as good as Season 1 and (don´t hit me for saying that)

Don't worry, I think that's the general concensus.

For me the stars were: Siege III, Runner, Duet, Conversion, Critical Mass, and COUP D'ETAT (ahem).

[nfx]

i enjoyed it. I'm interested to see how Earth will combat the Ori and the Wraith at the same time, and how the Ori and Wraith will react when they find out about each other.

Does anybody know the significance of the Wraith downloading the Aurora mission report files from Atlantis? How is that useful to them?

[caty]

Season 2 was good, but there were more episodes I didn't like than in Season 1.

I didn't hate any ep in the first season, but this season, I did -> 'Grace under pressure'. And there were more average ones than there should be!

But I seriously think that a series is much more enjoyable without spoilers. I didn't have a clue what happened in season 1 and I got addicted to spoilers this season. That just takes away so much of the excitement and anticipation and tension what's going to happen next! (I'll try to keep that in mind for season 3).

All in all: I COULD NEVER HATE ATLANTIS!!!

[TJuk]

Ditto....this season was a little lackluster, couldn't seem to find its grove or what direction it was heading in, and certain aspects were either over hyped and disappointing (did we really learn anything particularly exciting and relavatory about the Wraith in 'Instinct and Conversion'?) and much much less of the ensemble feel I love this show for. I understand Shep and McKay are the leads...but there is over kill. Weir, Teyla and Beckett were MAJORLY underused and on a whole, specially plot and overall arch wise, Season 1 was much better IMHO.

I'm a big Beckett fan, (no surprise there!) I love the emotional depth of the character and well, no real stand alone ep for him this year, nothing like PtW, so thats 1 thing on a list of big disappointments for me. Paul McGillion is a really talented actor (watch 'See Grace Fly') but I dont think he or his character have really been used to anywhere near his full potential. So much for becoming a regular this season, I think he was in just as many eps (16/20) and didn't have anywhere near as much screen time or character development this year. We had the whole retrovirus thing, but barring the odd scene and a few throw away lines, we've not really seen the way its affected him, the focus has been more on its results on others (i.e. Michael).

Character developemante wise, did we really learn that much about any of them? Even Shep and McKay? Granted, they've had their moments, but I wouldn't say there has been much change or revelation about either their characters or past. Weir has been so terrible underused (she's gone back to 'hi and bye' lady again, someone for Shep to argue his point and get his way with so certain plot points and motivations can be revealed). Ditto on Teyla, though there have been some nice developements for her and I love her dynamic with Ronon. Specking of Chewie, now he has been a kickass and much need addition to the cast, he's evened things out much much better then Ford (sorry but I did not like the good Lt. he was frankly, boring and limiting). Super Ford however swung from being fab in Seige 3, to annoying an 'I hope he's dead' in Lost Boys. Caldwell...well the jury's still out on him, kinda warming to the man though, he brings a nice bit of ambiguity and tension. Beckett, absolutely love the guy, kick ass character so woefully underused, I'd like to REALLY start to see the results of the ethical and moral hole he's been digging himself!!! Dr Z, love the guy, can we see more please! (but not at the expense of the mains). Lorne, Chuck (Sgt control room dude) and Kav, PLEASE NO KILLING the recurring, its nice to see firmilar faces...though again, not at the expense of regs.

Stand out eps, 'Seige 3', great high to start the season. 'Duet', probably my fav, so bloody funny I nearly peed myself laughing...though the kiss...ultimate cringe worthy moment! 'Runner', not over fussed about the ep but I'm serious digging Ronon and this is where he's introduced and 'Critical Mass', some nice Teyla developement, she's another fav! And that fab song!.

All time fav eps, still 'Rising' (what a kick ass season premiere), 'Poisoning the Well' (a taste of the kind of emotionally charged acting Paul is capable of...GIVE HIM MORE FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!) and 'Duet' (see above).

Overall Season rating 5/10 - Not bad, but not good either. SGA is supposed to be an ensemble show and its been too heavily biased to certain characters (no doubt because they're the easiest to write for) and because frankly, its been too formulaic and adverage arch and plot wise as a whole.

[AutumnDream]

Thank you for that post, TJuk. Good stuff.

[Lone Wolf]

Season 2, in my opinion, was fairly good, but not as good as it could have been. For some reason, through the whole season I had the impression that they didn`t really find their pace.

It started off great but then it kinda lost direction a bit.

Also, the fact that they have established regular contact with earth has somehow made the characters a little less likeable in my opinion. In season one they were in a desperate situation which at times seemed hopeless...I was rooting for the characters, got involved in what was happening to them.
But now the Wraith and the humans seem almost evenly matched which kind of takes away from the shows charm.
And the fact that fan favorites like Ford, Weir, Shep and McKay are showing different, less-positive traits of personality - although it`s an interesting way to go - makes it harder for us to connect with them.

The only character I found endearing in season 2 was Beckett.

On the other hand cast additions have been great. Ronon is fabulous while Caldwell, Cadman, Novak and Hermiod are a breath of fresh air.

The one thing I hope for in season 3 is that writers find a way to establish our connection with the characters again since that was a very important feature of the show in the first place.

[SmallTimePerson]

Does anybody know the significance of the Wraith downloading the Aurora mission report files from Atlantis? How is that useful to them?

it might help them fix their hyperdrive to go intergalactic distances, rather than the interstellar.

My opinion of Atlantis, all episodes were good, they had some really great ones IMHO were Siege Part III, Duet, Aurora, Lost boys, Critical Mass and Inferno (yet to see allies but apparently its good).

My only real trouble with it was the Tower, which wasn't a bad episode, but it had some serious potential, it was easily a 2 parter epsiode and at a stretch a 3 parter, but they crammed it into a single ep. Coup D'etat was a great episode where we become 'friends' with the new genii government, but that did take away an interesting enemy with technology that is close to earth's.

Would have been good if we would have visited the hoffans this season, and see what happened to their society...maybe in S3 though.

[Falcon Horus]

Season 2 was overall a-okay, I liked it a bit more than season 1.

I'm eagerly awaiting season 3.

[russ_sg1]

Im not sure the season fitted together as a whole as well as season 1, but then finding a zpm was always gonna make things different. I dont think there's been enough on the city and how cool it potentially is.

Good episodes: Siege part 3, runner , duet, trinity, critical mass, coup d'etat, inferno, allies

Didnt-quite-live-up-to-their-potential-for-me episodes: aurora (I know most people liked this one), lost boys / hive, epiphany (didnt feel shep's connection to the locals), the tower (obviously! finding another atlantis could have been way cooler than it was),

I think a lot of the episodes would have been fine one off's (eg grace under pressure) had the one's around it been more complete. I could have handled just seeing mckay in GUP had the last few episodes not featured him so prominently.

Coup D'etat really redeemed it for me, very complete episode with fewer plot holes and out-of-character repsonses compared to the others.

As someone above me mentioned, I cant help feeling that my spoiler reading seriously hindered my enjoyment of season 2, if you know whats gonna happen in the last 7 or so episodes, is it really the same?

Even so I no nothing about season 3.... I wonder how long my new no-spoiler policy will last?

[Wyrminarrd]

All in all I´d give season 2 of Atlantis a rating of 87/100 compared to 92/100 that season 1 got.

I agree with OP that season 9 of SG-1 has been better then season 2 of Atlantis but the difference between the two shows is small.

The thing I like most about season 2 is Sheppard/Mckay, these two really carry the show and are what makes it successful. Other great additions were of course the Daedalus and Caldwell, both brought in great oppertunities for the writers.

The thing I most dislike about season 2 would be Teyla and Ronon. Just what is the point of having these characters? It seemed to me that they are there just to give each other someone to talk to. This is most obvious with Ronon who replaced Ford more or less because it gave Teyla someone she could more easily relate to and have interesting dialogue. Now, both of them are good characters or at least would be if given an episode or two were they really shine.

[Hatcheter]

Let's see...

Overall, I think this season was good growth for the show, and an improvement on the first season's success. There were some weak episodes in the second half, but it was an overall more solid effort than season one.

Lots of great new additions to Atlantis, with Ronon, Caldwell, Lorne, the Deadalus, etc. Contact with Earth is a good thing, IMO. I like the idea of "remote" better than "cut off/stranded" for this show. They've developed the galaxy and the bad guys a lot more, and have built up lots of future story avenues.

Is it July yet?

[leaper]

I enjoyed it, overall...intend to watch the next season...

[FallenAngelII]

I loved this season. Lots of drama, comedy and McShepness and other slash hints XD.

[shockwave]

season 9 is better then season 2

I give season 2 6/10
Not much episodes gave me a desire to watch them again, while in season 1 I was rewatching most of the eps a lot


(but I'm a BSG fan now, changed from sg1 to bsg somewhere end the first have of season 9. Am rewatching bsg all the time)