Originally posted by Pajus
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Nah, what we saw in "Sanctuary" was just first base. Yeah, that's it.
(This is legal notice that any attempt to censor or delete, for the purpose of oppressing fair and open discussion, any statement made by me will be considered a violation of my right to free speech as guaranteed by the First Amendment of the United States Constitution, and will be dealt with in accordance with federal law.)
Sparky is on screen. Therefore, it is canon. Elizabeth is still out there. And John WILL bring her home. -
Go for it darling! Doesn't have to be long, post it here under spoiler tags! I'm sure anyone can remember some anecdote of how they made their parents blush... and some of us have kids of their own.Originally posted by Torri012 View Post*yaaaay* sweet idea anuna
i'm in
Anyway... (I should be writing Big bang)
Spoiler:I'm not weird, I'm limited edition.Comment
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Yay, Ice Wolf! Congratulations!Originally posted by Ice Wolf View PostETA: WOOT 1500 posts
*tosses confetti around and passes out glasses of fizzy drinks and plates of tasty snacks*(This is legal notice that any attempt to censor or delete, for the purpose of oppressing fair and open discussion, any statement made by me will be considered a violation of my right to free speech as guaranteed by the First Amendment of the United States Constitution, and will be dealt with in accordance with federal law.)
Sparky is on screen. Therefore, it is canon. Elizabeth is still out there. And John WILL bring her home.Comment
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Rawr! Just look at that devious look on her face!Originally posted by Southern Red View PostGood morning Sparkies! Lizzie has plans for later.
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*sniffles and hugs Sparky*Originally posted by Southern Red View PostNow ready for viewing, my "B" wallpaper. *runs off to work on "C"*
Spoiler:(This is legal notice that any attempt to censor or delete, for the purpose of oppressing fair and open discussion, any statement made by me will be considered a violation of my right to free speech as guaranteed by the First Amendment of the United States Constitution, and will be dealt with in accordance with federal law.)
Sparky is on screen. Therefore, it is canon. Elizabeth is still out there. And John WILL bring her home.Comment
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*snort* LOL!!!Originally posted by Anuna View Post
Heightmeyer's Lemming -- still the coolest Lemming of the forum
Proper Stargate Rewatch -- season 10 of SG-1
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All you ready?
Critical Mass
If I had to list my top five Atlantis episodes, they'd probably go something like The Eye, The Real World, Echoes, Common Ground, and...pick one of four. Critical Mass would be one of those--an excellent episode, with a lot of complexity--and only a few shortcomings that keep it just out of slots 2, 3, and 4.
For those who enjoy Critical Mass as one of their top five, they'll probably mention the fact that the episode is about Atlantis, and how the Atlantis personnel react to save their city, that makes it exciting. Like Echoes, it is completely set within the city (save the scenes at SG Command and the Daedalus), and though something like this was intended as a 'low budget' episode to save cost, it ends up being one of Season 2's best, in my opinion.
Critical Mass begins with throwbacks to the past--first, a mention of the planet of children from Season 1--and a humorous Zelenka as he's forced to be the emissary. Then, to the delight of SG-1 fans, we jump back to reminisce with SG Command. Of course, they tell us that there's a bomb on Atlantis, which, for the first ten minutes or so, our Atlantis crew is nail-bitingly unaware. I actually enjoyed the suspense of we knowing the truth and Atlantis not.
Zelenka's Czech exclamations include calling Rodney an idiot.
Critical Mass is also a reunion episode of sorts. We get to see a plethora of characters we'd almost just forgotten about. They include Kavanaugh, Hermiod, Lindsay Novak, Colonel Landry, Agent Malcolm Barrett (for those with really good SG-1 memories), Charan, Dr. Lee, a random Gou'uld, and, of course, our favorite Lieutenant (and apparently bomb expert in residence) Laura Cadman.
Apparently there was a great debate about Laura's hair being down for this episode. In the Air Force, regs apparently require all active on-duty members to wear their hair up at all times, but the producers found a way to allow Laura's hair to be down.
The discussion of communicating with Atlantis felt, for me at least, to be a little bit of a bone for those who were SG-1 fans. I did find the Twilight Bark vs. Lord of the Rings beacons to be rather funny--though even I remember the Twilight bark!
Remember why we love Hermiod? Because his attitude is just as obnoxious as Rodney, and in this case Kavanaugh, and yet we love his cool demeanor.
And so, the tension begins. One of the elements of Critical Mass I really like is the directing. Here, as in a couple of other standout episodes, direction makes a huge difference. One of my favorite shots is the focus dissolve from Chuck's hand to Rodney's face right behind it.
Ah, dramatic Rodney!
There is so much going on in Critical Mass, it's hard to make out all the dangers and action the first time around. However, when you go back and study it (as I had to do for this recap) you do find a few minor things to gripe and complain about. For example, Rodney mentions somewhat harshly in this scene it would be nice if SG-1 would have sent more than 'hey, there's a bomb on Atlantis' in their message...and yet somehow Elizabeth and John already know that the problem was caused by a Gou'uld operative working from within the Trust. Now was Rodney being sarcastic, did the Daedalus know more about who, but not how, or was it a failure in writing?
For a break in what is already tense action, we are also given a very personal story wrapped into Critical Mass. Teyla's beloved Charan, a woman who has been a wonderful character the few times she's been seen, is dying. This sideway storyline is an interesting parallel to the dramatic action of the bomb of Atlantis. While the Atlantis personnel are worried their entire city will be destroyed, Teyla's careful world is quietly imploding. She's not only losing the closest person to a parent she's had for a long time, but she's also officially shouldering the burden of leadership--alone--for the first time.
Also unspoken in this episode is the strong bond between John and Elizabeth. Again, with as much going on as there is, we don't have time for purposefully written 'bonding' scenes--so the quiet unity they share is more understated here. But that's why I like it. Because the actors share good chemistry and the relationship has been developed so strongly, the interaction between them is easy and realistic. This conversation about the possible suspects, for example, shows that ease, with John gently suggesting the possibilities go beyond Atlantis and Elizabeth implicitly trusting his judgment:
SHEPPARD: Passenger manifest?
WEIR: Yeah.
SHEPPARD: Any names jump out?
WEIR: A few, actually. I hate this – having to suspect one of our own.
SHEPPARD: Unfortunately the list of suspects may not be limited to the Daedalus.
WEIR: You think the Trust operative might still be here in Atlantis?
SHEPPARD: Well, with everything that's happened: the Gate dialling by itself...
WEIR: I don't know – getting themselves blown up along with the city doesn't seem part of their MO.
(Rodney walks to the doorway but for the moment the other two ignore him.)
SHEPPARD: Well, all it takes is one not to be talked into it.
WEIR: Wow. OK. Who around here do you suspect?
Love she does this in front of him--like she's comfortable enough to worry with him there. Much of that is very much Elizabeth's civilian nature and the character's humanity, but you have to wonder--does she make the same gesture if it's Rodney, Ronan or Teyla? Or does she keep up a braver front?
Coming up...dangerous decisions...Visit SGArising.com to read our virtual continuation of the Atlantis series!Comment
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Exactly! He's like, "you've been really nice to me, so I'll humor you this once." Come to think of it, the way that he's totally not interested in that next scene makes me wonder sometimes if things actually did go that far after the bedroom scene faded to black. What Teer said about what she saw was sufficiently vague that it's possible she could have simply been seeing flashes, individual pictures, but not complete moments. Food for thought.Originally posted by Anuna View Post
Bwahahahaha!!!! Nothing can resist the power of Ascended!Sparky sex!Originally posted by Anuna View Post
Originally posted by Anuna View Post*howls of laughter* Oh, that's precious! "Spending too much time with Rodney..." Hah! I love that!Originally posted by Anuna View Post(This is legal notice that any attempt to censor or delete, for the purpose of oppressing fair and open discussion, any statement made by me will be considered a violation of my right to free speech as guaranteed by the First Amendment of the United States Constitution, and will be dealt with in accordance with federal law.)
Sparky is on screen. Therefore, it is canon. Elizabeth is still out there. And John WILL bring her home.Comment
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» Yay CM! Hee, I love the J/E in this one - as well as the subtle Ronon and Lizzie interactions. I love how Ronon recognises Liz as the leader of Atlantis and just doesn't ask Shep.
» And also - Carson/Teyla! I love it when Charin totally disses Teyla about the cooking, which, Teyla looks a bit peevish but then she looks over at Carson and makes the damndest cutest pout EVER. *sigh*
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Great fic, Anuna. John with kids, his own or anybody elses just makes me melt.
I reviewed for CM by rereading this. In fact when I need a pick me up, I read any one of these and it works like a charm.
CM has always been one of my faves, though I wear out the FF button going part the dirty people parts. The bond between John and Elizabeth is like a well-oiled machine here. *does not see smut in that comment*Comment
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Critical Mass, Part II
One of the elements that makes Critical Mass stand out for me, personally, is they do head into that ground of morally right and wrong. It's an unsettling episode, and it's supposed to be--if you don't have an edgy, uncomfortable feeling as the action progresses, well, you have thicker skin than I do.
At the helm of all this is Elizabeth--who, being leader, heads up the interrogations of the suspects. As with the Athosians in Suspicion, she starts off rather easy, but in this episode we also see the edge to Elizabeth that got her this job in the first place. Her toughness feels out of place if you've gotten comfortable with easygoing Elizabeth over the course of this season, and I think it's intended to be that way. This is the writers reminding you--as Kavanaugh finds out--Elizabeth does have the necessary equipment to lead Atlantis.
This, I believe, is the episode where Caldwell officially gives up trying to control things when Elizabeth's there. Not only because of his Gou'uld infiltration, but because at this point Elizabeth has trumped him so many times it's not even worth arguing about.
I like that Kavanaugh becomes prime suspect. It also demonstrates a little weakness on Elizabeth's part, which is necessary character development. No leader should be stone, IMO.
I love Novak and her hiccuping. I believe this is the last time we see her, which is a shame.
On the Teyla side of the story, she's coping with the loss of hope--she's been told by Beckett Charan could extend her life, yet Charan refuses to take it. I think this is the first time we get a true look into how the Athosians think, and have Atlantis show a modicum of respect for it.
As the bomb-on-Atlantis becomes more dire--we discover that it's, in fact, not a bomb, but a way for the ZPM to overload (how many caught that the first time around?)--things become hairy. Elizabeth's hand is being forced, and she's required to make some difficult decisions. Her personal bias against Kavanaugh--not to mention a ton of overwhelming evidence--leads her down a road that she's loath to take.
What I find interesting about the Kavanaugh stuff, though, is how it's a little more complicated than just him being a jerk. Notice how he characterizes her in an earlier scene. Is Elizabeth's subsequent treatment of him motivated by the statement he makes? I would believe that Elizabeth's judgment can be fallible enough for her ego to be wounded by his words--but I'd be more willing to believe that he's touched on her darkest fear--that her actions will lead to the death of people she cares about and the destruction of Atlantis.
WEIR: My personal feelings towards you, no matter what they may be, have nothing to do with this.
KAVANAGH: Oh, please! Everything you *do* is motivated by personal feelings. You're driven by emotion, not reason. It's why I've always felt you're not capable of doing this job. You don't have the...strength to be leading the fight against the Wraith.
WEIR: If I remember correctly, you were the one who wanted to – what was it? – run and hide?
KAVANAGH: And at the time, I was right. If the Daedalus hadn't arrived at the eleventh hour, this city and everyone in it would have been wiped out because of your recklessness. There no need for The Trust to blow it up when Doctor Weir's at the helm!
Another great 'look of doom'.
The death of Charan is tragically quiet and amazingly powerful, given the other goings on. The actress, Rachel Luttrell, and Paul McGillion did a wonderful job with this scene. I especially love the 'manly' attitude Carson takes here. He looks so durable, so strong--it's no wonder Teyla/Carson shippers exist. And it's amazing when you take an episode like this and then compare it to earlier Carson--such as his attitude in "The Storm".
Teyla's world has reached its breaking point--and now Elizabeth is at, pun intended, critical mass. There is no salvation in sight...the ZPM is going to overload, and only the perpetrator can save the city. And so Elizabeth gives an order to cross the line.
But...she's not doing it alone. It's important, I think, for the writers to emphasize that the decision to torture Kavanaugh for information came at the behest of Ronan--and with John's implicit approval. And we have, again, that understated bond between John and Elizabeth. If they're crossing a line, they're going together.
DEX: The quickest thing to do is get the code. Just let me in with Kavanagh – I'll get it from him.
McKAY: ZedPM overload in ... (he consults his tablet computer) twenty- four minutes.
(Elizabeth looks at John, who gazes back at her meaningfully. She looks at Ronon again, then nods.)
WEIR: Do it.
(Ronon looks at John, who nods to him, then he turns and leaves the room.)
Finally...one of the best sequences in SGA history--plus, a total cop out...Visit SGArising.com to read our virtual continuation of the Atlantis series!Comment
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Critical Mass, part III
The very first time I saw Critical Mass, this was the moment that stood out for me--the song montage. For one thing, I wasn't expecting it--certainly not with an elegantly dressed Rachel Luttrell actually performing. This was a wonderful touch, and was one of those moments that had an amazing power as both a production device and a part of the story. It's a uniquely perfect way to tie both plotlines together--it's a harmonizing of triumph over tragedy in two very distinct ways.
We also have many questions answered in this sequence--were you paying attention? If you wondered what happened to those Wraith ships, oh, yeah, they passed on by. And how about that deletion sequence Laura mentioned that Rodney brushed aside? It had some significance, too.
For the lyrics to Teyla's song, click under the spoiler:
Spoiler:
Scenes like these make me realize Rachel Luttrell is horribly underutilized. Look at how amazing she is here. And yet, to get the Ring ceremony in, they have to make Teyla appear a bit of a fool--stubbornly refusing to leave despite the danger. She does this again in Echoes, and both times I shake a fist at the writers for having to resort to character reduction in order to get Teyla's dramatic moments in.
Guess the Wraith didn't sense the star drive ignition!
The last minute discovery by Laura reveals the true perpetrator--and in noble Atlantis fashion Elizabeth and John calmly and confidently go and confront--who? Caldwell! I liked this twist. Though, as with many elements to this story, I didn't figure out the real Caldwell was unaware of his infiltration until a later re-watching.
It's the...er, not so phenomenally done Gou'uld eyes. Well, I think the production budget on this one was lower than most, and it's not noticeable during the action--only on screencaps.
A Sparky moment for us--I LOVE this scene between John and Liz. It's the epitome of that unspoken understanding they possess. When Gou'uld Caldwell reveals his presence and refuses to give the code, John just looks at her. One look. And Elizabeth understands what he's going to do, that it's going to be dangerous for her to be there, and so she leaves. He doesn't even speak!
GARGH I LOVE THIS COUPLE!
As Teyla wraps up her song, the danger is over. You notice I mentioned a cop out, and I did believe there was one. That was the scene of John coming in to find out Ronan hadn't touched Kavanaugh. Now, I don't know if that was because the writers got really tetchy about someone actually being tortured, or because there are rules about torture in broadcast (doesn't seem likely) or because they just didn't want Ronan/John/Liz to have to go that far.
For me, it was a cop out. I wasn't looking for Ronan to string up Kavanaugh, but for nothing to happen? That, for me, detracted from the power of the decision Elizabeth made. Am I being too harsh, perhaps, or sadistic? Not really--just realistic. Even if Ronan hadn't used the knife, it would have been more dramatic to have Kavanaugh be pushed around a little. This way, everyone's hands are clean, save for Elizabeth's conscience.
We get a few humorous elements here--I do applaud the writers for bringing in a side-splitting moment with Zelenka looking as he did. It goes full circle to the idea that life goes on.
But we end with an important scene--Elizabeth talking seriously with John about the line she feels, personally, she crossed. I like how John is relaxed here, even as she unloads on him. And that Elizabeth feels she can say these things to him. These are worries that come from deep within her, and he is there to listen, reassure, and empathize.
We mentioned John's tone of voice and demeanor in regards to Elizabeth, and here we get a great final scene that emphasizes that.
Here in the Sparky thread we over and over again emphasize the bond they share, because that's what our hearts keen to. Yet, I don't think there's any denying in a more general sense that these two characters are handed some important, story defining moments together. Some may argue it's based on the fact that they are co-leaders, but many times these scenes, such as the final ones in Critical Mass, aren't about re-assessing battle strategies and command as you'd expect leaders to do. They're about who they are as people, and it seems to me they share a lot more of these moments than any other two characters in the series.
We can see the bond when it's intended we see it, like Elizabeth's balcony birthday present in Before I Sleep, but what makes it more tangible to me as a fan is episodes like these, where the pace is so fast that you don't have time to expound--you just have to feel where the characters go. And unsurprisingly for Sparkies, John and Elizabeth head down the same path together, side by side to the end.
What do you think? Do you agree that Kavanaugh's lack of torture was a cop out or do you think I'm being sadistic? How did you like the song montage? Did you get confused early on with everything going on? What sparky moments did I miss? Discuss!
Last edited by Eri13; 04 June 2008, 09:11 AM.Visit SGArising.com to read our virtual continuation of the Atlantis series!Comment
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No camera angle... Gun safety was always terrible on SGA - Especially in S1 *shudders at the memory of ep. The Eye*Originally posted by Southern Red View Post
and mocking his reproductive capabilities at the same timeOriginally posted by Eri13 View Post
Zelenka's Czech exclamations include calling Rodney an idiot.Comment
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Originally posted by Anuna View Post
awww sweet
i wrote one too .. but i have to warn you - NO BETA and I'M NOT GOOD IN ENGLISH
so sorry for all the grammar mistakes i make... i would really appreciate it if someone in here could do me a beta for that 
otherwise i cant post it somewhere else *blushes badly*
Spoiler:Last edited by Torri012; 04 June 2008, 09:53 AM.Comment
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Oh my!! What an Oooops moment!
dear Eri, I didn't forget about CM discussion. Just a bit busy to reply properly right now
Again I ask - discussion question, please?I'm not weird, I'm limited edition.Comment
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I think I'll do discussion questions tomorrow, if you don't mind! I'll let people read, watch, simmer and make general discussion over CM for today (plus people at my work are getting suspicious of the smilies on my computer screen--they're giving me weird looks).Originally posted by Anuna View PostOh my!! What an Oooops moment!
dear Eri, I didn't forget about CM discussion. Just a bit busy to reply properly right now
Again I ask - discussion question, please?Visit SGArising.com to read our virtual continuation of the Atlantis series!Comment
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