Runner (203)

[Droops]

First, I think this was better than the SG-1 episode. I liked that one fine but found the plot to be clunky. Runner was good, entertaining, and I didn't find a lot of times where I was scratching my head and wondering WTF just happened.

Criticism: Okay, three wraith darts come through. They sweep with their beams but they couldn't pick up anyone until Ford jumped in. WTF? Those things are usually accurate but there they couldn't hit the broad side of a barn? Or pick up anyone else? And why did they leave when Ford was on board? Weren't they coming for Dex?

Caldwell. He's pounding on Sheppard about Summner. Sheppard was already forgiven for that. Give it up. Caldwell can hate Sheppard for other things, and give him grief for those, but let's leave the Sumner stuff behind now, shall we?

Praise: Absolutely LOVED what RSF did with Ford. If TPTB haven't signed RSF to some more episodes for next season, they should. That character needs to recur and be developed!

Love his interaction with McKay. It's nice to see the writers showing interaction with people you wouldn't expect.

Dex was fine. I thought that the introduction was good, it gave us what we needed and gives us a reason to keep watching.

Not much Weir, but that wasn't necessary this week.

Lorne was fun, hope that character recurs now and then as well.

I'm not much of a McKay fan so if I find it irritating I just dismiss it as being in character. His talks with Ford were great, his interactions with Ford were tops, and past that it was, IMO, McKay being McKay.

Sheppard was what I expected and he pulled it off just fine. Great job JF.

I actually liked Teyla this show. First, most of the show she was in uniform and not sporting a nothing outfit. Second, she had interaction with other characters that was useful. I agree that she needs more development, but I was actually encouraged just a tiny bit by this episode.

LOVED the fight scene between Dex and Ford. Great stuff.

All in all, I was entertained and found myself talking about this episode with my wife more than the SG-1 or even BSG.

[Liam Kincaid]

I don't think that Ford will betray Atlantis on purpose, but don't the Wraith have telepathic powers, especially regarding someone in Ford's condition. By going aboard a Wraith ship won't he be letting the Wraith know that Atlantis was not really destroyed, even though he doesn't want to let them know this? Unless he somehow manages to kill every Wraith aboard the ship, which seems to me to be very unlikely. Won't the Wraith now soon attack Atlantis again?

[Xanderic]

He was only on a Dart. I think he'll kill the Wraith(s) driving it.

[rhade]

I gotta say that I enjoyed SG-1 much more than this episode. We have a new potentially multi-season bad guy, more burning cause that was fun in Avalon Pt. 2 and it creates a much bigger threat to the galaxy than even the Wraith currently possess. Runner was cool and all but it didn't have the atmosphere that Origin has and I think SG-1 just brought in a better bad guy. It will be interesting to see what they reveal about them. I guess it is that they are so different than the Wraith. The Wraith want a food supply. As there sole purpose is to have a stable feeding ground while the Ori believe themselves to be gods and in some way they are right with all the powers those Ascended folk have. You can see how over millions of years they would feel like they deserve to be worshipped.

Anyways about Runner

Runner was a good character episode for Ford and a good intro for Ron I look forward to how it develops. The fight scene was just cool and even after reading all the other views I still think that Mckay was too over the top. Well next week looks to be good and I for one can't wait.

I can't wait to see what happens with Ron though although I agree that his background fits a little to perfectly I hope that they will be able to make him unique. I think it would be better if they use him as a special forces person to go where they can't because it would reveal Atlantis has survived. I think he shouldn't come to Atlantis right away but want to remain independent and live with people he knows go on another planet for awhile and while he does he could act as a scout and intel guy, instead of just being apart of a team. But I look forward to whatever the writers do as long as it is done well.

[derrickh]

Dex hasn't done anything that should cause anyone to trust him. Look at his actions. He attacked the group without provocation. He kidnapped 2 people to force safe passage to the gate. When he found out they had the ability to remove his chip, he still kept Teyla hostage (who seems to suffer from Stockholm syndrome). He went after Ford, and tried to kill him. (You don't get in a knife fight with someone unless you intend to do damage). Then, when he got back to Atlantis, he told Shepard that he could take out the guards whenever he felt like it. Thats called a threat.

So why is Dex getting cut so much slack? Judging from this ep, he should be in the brig.

Teyla should be screaming to put this guy in chains but she's too busy ogling his scars (chicks dig scars) and practicing light bondage acts with him. Listening to her talk about 'legends of Runners' like they're celebrities after Dex has physically abused her is disturbing. It's like she was saying 'Yeah, he shot me, and tied me up, and threatened to kill me, but it's ok, because he's a legend'.

D

[watcher652]

Here’s my stream of conscious post about Runner. I'll read what every one else says about the episode after I post this.


- Nice new shirt, Rodney. Although I personally don’t like a style that draws attention to the sides of my stomach. Are you the only one who will be wearing this style, like your blue with black side panel shirt? Will Elizabeth have one with red panels?
- Rodney saying “Do you see my complexion? Yes, it’s very fair. Extremely fair. This isn’t fair.” Ha!
- Rodney has a point. Why does he need to go on the mission? He’s a scientist. They aren’t going to be using his skills here.
- Caldwell has a point. Ford is a significant threat. But just because Dr. Beckett thinks there may not be anything that can be done for Ford, doesn’t mean they shouldn’t try. Caldwell seems to have written off Ford.
- Are we never going to hear the end about Sumner? Get over it. Everett has.
- Convenient that they can’t use the life signs detectors because of the radiation absorbing plants.
- Boy, is John cranky. He was pretty nice with Rodney last week.
- Rodney’s obsession with radiation makes me wonder about his grade six project. Was it the radiation that got him interested in nuclear bombs, or did his research on bombs make him more aware of the dangers of radiation?
- Given Rodney’s allergies, you’d think he’d go for an unscented sunscreen.
- Does John really use Aqua Velva or was that just a snide remark about whatever aftershave John uses?
- Love how Rodney points out that he should know more about radiation that a botanist.
- If McKay is on the mission so Ford would have a familiar face to talk to, then why are John and Teyla on a team and those two Marines on another? Wouldn’t it make more sense to split John and Teyla to be on a team with one of the Marines?
- I can see how freaked out Rodney was last week. Radiation, claustrophobia, and getting shot down by a computer virus controlled F-302 could cause a normal person to snap. Last week’s close encounter with a sun has brought his radiation obsession to the foreground.
- Rodney also is a chemist making his own sunscreen.
- Rodney has a new victim to complain to. So he’s probably going to whine more. John wouldn’t let him get away with it.
- Why are the Wraith grenades and the stunner still where the dead Wraith was found? The body has already been moved. Is someone going to retrieve the weapons at the end of the mission?
- Rodney seems more nervous this episode. Maybe because he was with this unfamiliar Major Lorne and not with his regular team? He’s so out of it he forgets the basic hand signals.
- Get the one guy who snarks at everybody to try and talk Ford into turning himself in.
- How many hours are in an Atlantis day? More than 26 since Major Lorne hasn’t heard from John and Teyla since 26:30.
- I don’t think I ever noticed that Teyla’s jacket has the command red panels. She usually has a vest over it.
- Damn, I was all set not to like Ronan but he’s good.

[watcher652]

Wow, I hit the post word limit and had to make 2 posts.

- Even though Rodney didn’t seem to get along with children in Childhood’s End, he still has plans on having some. Can’t deprive the galaxy of his genius genes, I guess.
- “Stargate. Big circle thing.” That was funny how John moved his head in a circle to give a visual to his description.
- John’s learned his lesson somewhere. Let Teyla do the negotiating.
- That Wraith was still moving when Ford went over to get the enzyme. Did Ford shoot it some more first?
- The Wraith hand gun doesn’t seem to disable like the stunners do. Ronan go up pretty quickly after being hit. But isn’t that the same weapon that Ronan used on John and Teyla? It took them a bit to wake up from the effects.
- Rodney seems to be less concerned about his claustrophobia than his the fear of radiation over exposure in wearing that radiation suit.
- John: “What do hell are you’re doing?” Teyla: “ Getting my hand free.” John: “Doesn’t feel that way.” Cough!
- Hey, no snide remarks about the genius, Major Lorne!
- Psycho Ford! Hold a gun on Rodney but still want to catch up on what’s happening in Atlantis.
- What made that Wraith stop feeding on Ronan? More Wraith genetic tinkering?
- Loved the Teyla/Ronan moment. Nice way to get some backstory.
- Carson changed shirts from his white one to a black one.
- Ford has a gun on Rodney but when he hears something, he hands Rodney a gun.
- Did Carson at least give Ronan a local anesthetic?
- That Wraith tracking device looked alive, like a scorpion.
- When Rodney shows himself to 2 searching Marines, Ford shoots them, saying they can’t be trusted. Way to win Rodney’s trust, Ford.
- Rodney has had enough of this nonsense. He aims his gun at Ford, telling him he’s going to bring him in, it’s for his own good. Ford laughs, he doesn’t believe Rodney will shoot him. Ford starts to raise his own gun in his left hand. Rodney shoots and amazingly hits Ford in the left shoulder. Rodney then panics because he’s just shot Super-Ford and it can’t be good to have someone like that mad at you. So he turns tail and runs. So Rodney!
- Carson’s shirt is black with white panels. Must be the new style for department heads. I don’t recall Carson wearing a white shirt with black panels, but he usually had on a lab coat so maybe it did have the panels.
- Poor Rodney, so freaked out he’s firing his gun in the air so someone can find him. At least John knows where to look for him now.
- Rodney upside down in a snare trap. Gotta give David Hewlett credit for filming that.
- The fight between Ford and Ronan looked really good.
- Who would have thought Ford would jump into the beam? How was John supposed to know that? John didn’t have time to kill Ford if he wanted to.
- Rodney changed shirts before the briefing.
- Caldwell travels with an entourage. There were at least 4 men waiting for him outside the briefing room.
- Don’t the Wraith just beam up people when they cull? Why waste resources destroying a city? Maybe Ronan’s people were too far technologically for the Wraith and they made them an example.

This was a good intro to the new character and great job moving the Ford story along.

Rodney was great. Without John and Teyla there, he reverted back to his old frightened self that needs time to screw up enough courage to do what John or Teyla would do immediately.

I liked the new guy Ronan. I like how Rodney and Ford got a chance to interact. John is just racking up the negative points with Caldwell. At least Elizabeth, Rodney and Teyla understand what John is going through. I liked how Beckett showed a healthy amount of concern for the situation but still did what needed to be done. In the past, Beckett’s lines tended to be even more whiney than Rodney’s.

[joasia]

He went after Ford, and tried to kill him. (You don't get in a knife fight with someone unless you intend to do damage).

Didn't Ford reach for a knife first?

[ShadowMaat]

So why is Dex getting cut so much slack? Judging from this ep, he should be in the brig.

Well, there were some token guards at the door, but basically everyone in Atlantis is an idiot and they never learn their lesson. They always trust random dangerous strangers and invite them back to see the city.

- The Wraith hand gun doesn’t seem to disable like the stunners do. Ronan go up pretty quickly after being hit. But isn’t that the same weapon that Ronan used on John and Teyla? It took them a bit to wake up from the effects.

I think we're supposed to get the idea that Ronan is so super and strong and has probably been shot so many times that he can shake off the effects of the stunner.

And somewhere was a question about the Wraith still being alive as Ford moves toward it. I think that was kinda the point: Ford ripped the gland out of it while it was still alive.

[joescookiem]

I liked this episode. I loved Shep's expression when Caldwell made the comment about Sumner [the muscle twitching in his cheek]. Great acting on Joe's part! Dr. McKay was hilarious. Going on about his skin and the sunscreen. I thought that Major Lorne {?was that his name?} was going to knock McKay upside the head after awhile. I thought the fight between Ford and Ronan was great. Kudos to RSF for his acting. He's been great as Super Ford.

[wizzy502]

Jason "OWNS" Ronon Dex!!!

[entil2001]

Robert C. Cooper is one busy guy. Not only did he completely revitalize “Stargate SG-1” (haters, look elsewhere) by steering a three-part epic, but he’s also been knee deep in giving Lt. Ford a makeover and a new motivation. Ford’s been begging for a reason to exist since the series began, thanks to a spare supporting role that even the writers knew didn’t have enough to it. So things had to change, and this is the episode where it comes together.

Rainbow might have been a little pissed when the initial idea came across the table, but he seems to have embraced the concept wholeheartedly since then. The fact is, the man is being replaced. The character of Ford is given an arc that ought to give the actor good material, but he’s been sidelined in favor of a more dynamic character. Given a choice between Ford and Ronon Dex, it’s not even a contest. Ronon gets one hell of an introduction in this episode, and for me, it works.

In a nice bit of continuity, Ronon’s introduction is directly tied to the ongoing search for Ford. Ford is running around a dangerous planet, and a team is dispatched. The team splits up almost instantly, but the writers let the story evolve organically. It doesn’t take long for Ronon to get a drop on Sheppard and Teyla (who are supposed to be rather good at this sort of thing), and in the process of gauging a potential enemy, Ronon demonstrates some serious warrior skills. The man is simply badass, and for the ladies, let’s just say my wife was paying a lot more attention once he was on-screen.

The writers do a nice job of giving Ronon a background that plays into the overall series arc. A couple of intriguing elements are introduced. Apparently, the Wraith have some interesting ideas about organized sports, because some of their prisoners are turned into “runners”, who the Wraith implant with tracking devices and then hunt down. Why the Wraith would do that is probably going to become important as the season marches on, but for now, it gives a solid reason for Ronon’s somewhat paranoid response to visitors.

Ford is a lot more fun with his neat personality shifts. He provides a nice counterpoint to Ronon’s paranoia. Ronon is paranoid because he has absolutely good reason for it; Ford is riding high on a chemical cocktail that keeps his judgment from kicking in. Ford seems to want to retain the confidence of his former friends, but his temper and paranoia keep getting in the way. In the name of proving that the “new man” he has become is a good thing, he keeps escalating an already very bad situation.

Prior to this episode, it looks like Ford was taking it to the Wraith, perhaps for the purposes of testing his worth. That’s what makes his decision to jump into the Wraith beam so disturbing. Does he think that he can take down a Wraith ship himself? Far more likely, he will be handing the Wraith a rather interesting biological experiment.

Early on in the episode, McKay gets to play the sarcastic and bumbling scientist again. Once Ford grabs him, however, McKay is locked in a duel of wits, and his desperation shines through. McKay seems to be the go-to character for that kind of material, but the writers need to be careful. Like Daniel Jackson before him, McKay needs to get character development to remain fresh. It doesn’t have to be much, especially since the seeds have already been planted in the first season.

I wasn’t thrilled with Teyla’s involvement in this episode, but the writers are letting her have a quick connection to Ronon. They probably have more in common than the rest of the characters, and Teyla is supposed to be quite the competent warrior herself. I say, “supposed to be”, because she’s not been utilized much this season at all. Since I enjoy the very sight of Rachel Luttrell on my television screen, I’d like it to include more of the fierce substance that marked her earlier appearances.

Going into this episode, I wasn’t sure how the new character introduction was going to go. It could have been a lot more heavy-handed. Instead, the transition was handled as elegantly as the more obvious transition on “SG-1”. Ending this episode with a nearly exact repeat of the confrontation from premiere was a stroke of genius by the actors (who demanded it be so, to hear tell). Add to that some great flashbacks to Ronon’s Wraith-repelling days and one damn fine fight scene, and this continues to keep the series moving in the right direction.

[greytop]

A great way, IMO, to introduce Ronon Dex. I enjoyed the some of the lighter moments.

Shep: What are you doing?
Teyla: Trying to free my hand.
Shep: That's not what I thought it was.

The time McKay was upside down in a tree and Dex and Ford just finished fighting. It was the look Dex had when McKay asked him to free him.

Also the conversation that McKay had with the Major Lorne that ended in McKay not having kids.

[SophieTucker]

It looks like some people were upset with this ep and others like it. Am I correct that the people that don't particularly like McKay were okay with this ep but those that like the character had trouble with it?

As for Ronan, he's no Tyr Anasazi.

[Lida]

I think we're supposed to get the idea that Ronan is so super and strong and has probably been shot so many times that he can shake off the effects of the stunner.

Well, after being a runner for 7 years, during which time, he was probably shot innumerable times, I would think Dex has developed a combination of strength and a relative immunity to the effects of the Wraith energy weapon.

Guess we're supposed to believe Ford is so tuff (like the truck, maybe), that he'll just waltz away from being culled by the Wraith? Oh, I forgot, he's Super Ford now. LOL

It's a TV series, remember? I could have sworn you didn't get emotionally involved with TV characters...................