Before I Sleep (115)

[greytop]

The make-up on Tori was very good. I like this episode.

Too bad it did not show the hologram lady making the hologram. She had to believe Weir to make that for the second time through the gate.

*for me only: Post 1500*

[Bobthespirit]

The multiverse theory for time travel never made sense to me. I agree, it conveniently solves continuity problems in science fiction, but I want to hear somebody who's actually well educated in modern quantum theory tell me that it's plausible and likely that whenever you go back in time you create an alternate universe.

[Cinephilic TV Addict]

it was a good episode - the bad part was in the third-fourth of the episode - yes, i break it into fourths, sometimes more, sometimes less. There was a bad part when weir was first introduced to the ancients around the table - that whole part, from end of commercial to beginning of the next one, was not well done. But the rest was good television.

[ShadowMaat]

I'd like to know more about Shep and Zelenka being killed and Weir being more or less OK. There was that vague "once I recovered" thing, but for someone who survived a ship falling out of orbit and crashing into the ocean, she looked remarkably good.

And while the Ancient technology is no doubt excellent, shouldn't something have shown up on the X-rays 10,000 years later? Some indication of previous trauma? Or maybe the Ancients are that good. Or maybe Beckett didn't bother with X-rays.

I know crashes like that happen, but it just seems too convenient. I'd have preferred one or both of them initially surviving, but then dying from their injuries or something.

This was a great ep, though. Very thoughtful and well put together. I still have trouble remembering that the exterior shots of Atlantis are all CGI, it looks so real in some scenes.

And poor Sumner, no matter what happens, he still dies. hehe. Of course, so does almost everyone else, but it still amuses me.

[Thek]

The scene where the water was rising to above in the Stargate with McKay standing there...that was a very cool scene and the water would be beautiful if it wasn't for the fact it was going to kill several people real soon.

That episode had me in tears.

Janus was fun.

[Major Fischer]

I think I was particularly stuck by three things in this epsiode.

A) Most overwelmingly the sheer tour de force that was Torri Higginson. Both Elizabi were had strength and humor, related well not only to others in the room, but also with herself in the split screen. I think the thing I most enjoyed was how much Old!Weir seemed to just enjoy the Rodney/John banter.

B) It was funny when everyone kept talking about how weird/bizare/creepy it was, but most of them seem to be talking about it to Elizabeth, who certainly had more of a right to be weirded than they did.

C) With Shadow, the exterior CGI is always amazing, I think the most striking shot of the series so far though is when she was spreding the ashes.

[ShadowMaat]

Yay to Rodney the Hero, once again proving he isn't the selfish ass some seem to think he is. ...Well, he IS, sometimes, but he can actually get over himself when he has to.

I wonder about the people in the other jumper. It's implied that they all died, but isn't it possible they could have escaped? If someone with the Ancient gene was onboard and if McKay managed to get the hatch open (or they blasted their way out), the could have survived... right? Not that it'd have done them much good, a handful of people stranded on an alien world with no stargate and no means of long-term survival... Hmm... might be better if they DID just die.

What a horrible way to go, though. Drowning is near the bottom of my list of ways I'd want to die, along with a plane crashes and wasting diseases. If I have to die, make it sudden and painless, I say.

[Blue Banrigh]

I liked the way they filmed the Elizabi ( love the plural) scenes. With the video screen with the old Elizabeth reacting in the background. Makes it a little bit different.

[greytop]

I did wish they showed Elizabeth coming out of stasis to rotate the ZPMs and how much she changed each time.

[Athenaktt]

I liked the way they filmed the Elizabi ( love the plural) scenes. With the video screen with the old Elizabeth reacting in the background. Makes it a little bit different.

I was about to say that! but you beat me too it! Blue!

[Merlin7]

Not my fave ep. The info was interesting. The concept. Loved the McSHEP. Loved Shep's reaction that Sumner drowned the first time.

The makeup was well done, and I really liked Janus.

[LordAnubis]

First, I loved this episode. I normally hate time travel episodes, but this one was believable, concise, and well done. I think Torri did a great job playing the old Dr. Weir. I loved the interaction between the actors, the Ancient Council, and Janus.

However, I have some questions that maybe one of you can answer.

1) The Ancient Council told Dr. Weir that they were going back to Earth. It was established that Dr. Weir went back into time 10,000 years. Ra discovered Earth around 10,000 to 11,000 years ago. The Ancients would not be going back to the Antarctic gate, would they? Or would they go to the Egypt gate that Ra brought? They wouldn't know about the Egypt Gate or the Goa'uld. Why wouldn't Dr. Weir tell them about the Goa'uld or the new gate?

2) Why did the Ancients head back to Earth without Puddlejumpers or other supplies? They went back with backpacks and little else. Isn't that foolish?

3) The old Dr. Weir reported to SGA that the Ancients told her of the Wraith, who possessed powers and "technology" that rivaled the Ancients. Here again is confirmation that Wraith are fairly close to the Ancients technologically.

What are your thoughts?

[MrBojangles]

C) With Shadow, the exterior CGI is always amazing, I think the most striking shot of the series so far though is when she was spreding the ashes.

I agree a hundred percent. That shot alone was amazing. The best CGI I've seen in a long time.

[keshou]

I loved this episode.

Time travel can be such a cliche in scifi but when it's done this well it's such a great tool to inspire the imagination. From the first moment old Elizabeth woke up I was hooked on the story and the hour just flew by.

Weir - OMG I liked her in this. A lot. For the first time I felt she really belongs at Atlantis - she stepped forward to preserve the chances for the future Atlantis team and I really admired her in this one. She's also gradually losing the brittle manner she had in earlier episodes. I hope to see more of this Elizabeth in the future.

I really liked the little relationship moments that we had in the episode. McKay/Shep banter seems to be a staple of every episode now. And thank goodness McKay and Shep seemed back to normal after being awful in Sanctuary. Weir/Shep friendship moments were also nice. Carson's always fun to see. And more Zelenka! yay.

I still think the Ancients are kind of snooty. Oh well. Still enjoy getting more on the Ancient backstory.

Great makeup job on old Elizabeth. I wouldn't have known that was her if I hadn't been spoiled on the premise. Torri did a fabulous job playing both Weirs. I had tears in my eyes when she sprinkled old Elizabeth's ashes at the end. I love those balcony scenes and I think the CGI water shots are much better now. Especially liked the water rising in the gateroom and Atlantis flooded.

Nice job by new writer Carl Bender. I hope he's on board to write more episodes in S2.

..

[Hyperspace]

Beautiful, poignant episode...amazing.