Duet (204)

[sparklegem]

Does anyone think this was bad karma from 48 Hours coming around to bite Rodney on the butt? I'd like to think that one reason he came up with using the gate was his past experience working to reintergrate Teal'c.

What was the point of showing Teyla doing a split? She could have had that conversation with Ronan while sitting perfectly normal and I probably would have taken the scene a little more seriously if they had.

I love how Teyla presented herself in that scene. Ronan wants to apologize and she acknowledges him by inviting him to come in. Her stretching was a nice moment further embodying her strength and culture as an Athosian. Plus, Rachel Luttrell has studied dance, and I think it was nice for her to incorporate that into her character.

Though since this was a fun episode, you get the happy ending. I actually could have gone more for the unhappy ending resulting in Cadman’s death, but I’m not the writer………. Great job anyway, MG.

Hehe. Shep’s little “my worst nightmare” comment. Actually that is the episode I would have paid to have seen instead.

Now you've got my angsty mind working. But I think it would have been overkill, a little. Rodney has had so many people dying in front of him: "Defiant One", "Hot Zone", "Intruder"... It would have been interesting if Cadman had sacrificed herself, and then later they figured how to power the rematerializer and Cadman came out fine as if she'd just been beamed up, that her life signature in the machine was intact even though a copy of her consciousness went into Rodney when he was rematerialized. That would have been a poignant resolution, that Cadman was fine but the person Rodney had been with was lost. It would have been a complicated situation for Carson too, because he bonded with her, but the other her, even though they are the same person, and to see how Carson would interact with her.

Yes, I absolutely would have paid to see Sheppard's worst nightmare instead. The Sheppard/McKay interactions would have been absolutely priceless and it would have been a experience to stick with them. I wonder if that's why TPTB didn't use a main character to put in McKay, because it would have been an experience that would have affected their interactions and they didn't want to go there. I think it would have been an opportunity for McKay and Teyla to have to learn about each other, but I guess Teyla wouldn't have been as pushy and intrusive as Cadman, which they wanted to bring to the episode. Anyway, I know this isn't a thread for fan fiction but since you mentioned it I thought I might let you know of one I found detailing Sheppard's worst nightmare: Don't Mind Me.

[kittyangel]

This is my first post so please bear with me. I will also say I can't spell and if there is a spell check I don't know about it. I also don't know if a need to write spoiler any where because I hope people who havn't seen the episode wouldn't come on to a topic all about it.

I would have to say that this was one of the best episodes I have seen. I loved both Dr. McKay and Carson in this, as always. Their interactions were the best. I do think that maybe the female McKay was played to "femanine" but we also don't know enough about Cadman to make that judgement having only seen her off world for a few minutes.

As for the sub-plot of Ronan, I don't have a very good feel for him. He seems to be some empty fighter just like Teyla. Hopefully they will play off each other and bring more life to both the characters.

As for Cadman, though I like some aspects of her, (her spunk and forwardness) because they made rodney do the funniest things, I didn't actualy like her at all. I found her to be unintellegent and very grating. If you are stuck in someone else is body you need to respect it, and she didn't. She was rude and thoughtless. What right did she have to go around kissing people with someone elses lips? Forcing someone to do things like that against their will is called harashment. I hope if they do keep her around she does some massive apologies and they explain her horrible behavoir was beause only half her brain downloaded or something to that matter. She wasn't only rude to Rondey, she was quite rude to Carson as well. To pretend to be someone else to extract information from them is not right. Some would say she was only tring to find out if he liked her, but that would actualy make what she did worst. If it had been life or death info then using someone like that would be justified. Carson was not an enemy who needed to be question for survial. He was some nice guy who was tring to help. I know I would be upset if someone could "magicaly" look like one of my friends and that press me for info. That wasn't right, it was juvenal. But it was very funny.

And as for a relationship with the good Dr. Beckett, I hope they find someone more on his maturity level who doesn't act like a flake and get their (her's and Rodney's) best chance of getting help(rodney) kick off the project by asking stupid questions. It wasn't that she should have understood what he was saying that made her unintellegent, it was that she should have shut up and let him save her instead of having everyone think he was a nut case. That in itself shows that the character is not bright enough to even hold a conversation with a man with a PhD. Also Carson is very shy and a girl with that much personality would just over power him and leave his character as a yes man as she ran around in hyperactive circles. She actualy has a better personality for Rodney as she knows what he is all about and can put up with him. Carson would do better with the woman Dr MaKay was with, Katie Brown, as in he could romance her the way that she is now hoping that Rodney can. Which Rodney can't.

She did redeem herself when she agreed to stop functioning, but I just don't know if I want to see her in anymore episodes unless some changes happen to her.

But, again I did like that show and if she had behaved the way a intelegent thoughtful person would have the show would have been dull and not 1/10th as funny. So with all the deep thought provoking stuff put aside, and hoping the character acts better when her brain is in the right body, I like this show.

[smushybird]

Really like Ronon's 'talk" with Weir. She tried to pull that "I so value you" political/corporate double-speak crap on him and he just said, "OK" and left her standing there unable to play the great administrator. He was so very unimpressed and so very elegant and polite doing so that it made her look rather silly. She's got to realize that everyone's not going to fall for that pretentious Washington insider superiority attitude especially people from other worlds. I like Weir the best when she relaxes and loses all of that.

The one negative point I have about the show is the fact that Ronon was very accomplished with any and all kinds of weapons, but yet eats very messily with his hands. Overall, a very good episode. I enjoyed it very much.

You are so dead-on with the comment about Liz. That's exactly how I see her, too. I think the scene with Dex may be the first time I found myself not disliking her character. When she knocks it off with the attitude, she's more likeable.
And Ronon I think, as some others have mentioned, was eating with his hands because he's been on the run for ages and probably had to eat that way many times and maybe still does so just because he's so in the habit of it. When you have to live like a wild animal, I could see it might be difficult to adjust to being "civilized" again. And getting used to having more than one word conversations with other people (assuming he wasn't necessarily always the man-of-few-words type). So he was pretty funny with Miss Hypercivilized Liz.

[ShadowMaat]

Ya know, sometimes it isn't whether or not a given plot has been done before. As has already been mentioned, these days it's hard to find anything TRULY original and people will always be on hand to point out that such-and-such is ripping off something-or-other. Sometimes, the important thing is how much of a new spin can be put on an old story and, IMO, Martin did a great job of adding some new twists and making it funny and original.

I haven't seen Lifeboat and I have no intention of ever seeing it. But I HAVE seen stories with similar plots. So what? At least it isn't as blatant a "rip off" as Intruder was. My opinion, of course.

[smushybird]

Yes, I absolutely would have paid to see Sheppard's worst nightmare instead. The Sheppard/McKay interactions would have been absolutely priceless and it would have been a experience to stick with them. I wonder if that's why TPTB didn't use a main character to put in McKay, because it would have been an experience that would have affected their interactions and they didn't want to go there.

Maybe they thought Rodney's lessons to be learned about women would work better with a woman inside his head -- although the scenes with Katie would have been funny with Sheppard trying to show Rodney how to win her over. I'm sure Rodney would have been pleased to find "Captain Kirk" giving him dating tips. Or maybe they wanted to give DH a chance to really show off his acting ability by 'being' Cadman -- although again David does a rather funny impression of Joe Flanigan and I think that would have made for a really cute episode, with some rather intense Sheppard/McKay banter and maybe a better understanding of each other by the episode's end. Especially if Sheppard had to volunteer to sacrifice himself to save McKay. (Although if Shep sleeps in the buff --and lordy, can I imagine that for a minute, thank you-- the scene with nekkidMcKay would have had homoerotic undertones that would have made a good portion of the audience squirm Me, I would've loved it to pieces. )

I thought it was touching that Beckett had to ask whether it was McKay or Cadman who'd volunteered to give up control and fade away.
Rodney's a good guy and it's nice to see that the other characters know it.

[Buzz Lightyear]

*Did anyone notice the slip-up (either intentional or by mistake) Weir made while talking to Ronan...she said "Major Sheppard"

Yes, noticed that right away and did a bit of a double-take. Can't imagine why the storyline would have Weir say that on purpose, so I'm assuming it was an error. Though it's hard to believe this gaffe was missed by everyone on the production staff.

[Buzz Lightyear]

I'm also not loving Dex. Please, the whole scene in the cafeteria was disgusting and not quite believable--they didn't have eating utensils in the military on Dex's homeworld? Also, what's with the one or two word pieces of dialog? Are they afraid he can't handle longer sentences? I must admit, though, that his scenes with Teyla show potential. I'm trying to reserve judgement for now, but so far I'm not too impressed.

What sort of niceties of civilization would you have retained after being on the run for 7 years and living off the land?

As for his reticence, I can only presume the writers are developing his character as a man of action and not words. Others have suggested he may simply be very guarded around those he hasn't formiulated any real trust with yet.

[lily]

Absolutely LOVED this episode (well, I loved all Atlantis episodes so far). This epi's highlights for me were:

- Sheppard asks "Rodney, are you OK?" and McKay falls down unconscious.

- Sheppard and Ronan at the cafeteria. Hehehe. Good thing Shep gave him some silverware

- McKay was a riot through out the whole episode. Outstanding job.

- McKay/Zelenka banter in general. Also, when McKay realizes Zelenka is right, that he's making mistakes

- The first scene with Ronan giving fighting lessons. Sheppard says "Let's try it again". And the other guy replies "You try it again... sir". LOL

- both scenes at the shrink. ROTFLMAO

- Sheppard thinking he was teaching Ronan how to shoot their weapons. Yeah, sure Ronan making that big hole and Shep looking through it. Hahaha

- The frame with that pic of Rodney showing off his diploma

- The dinner with Rodney, Carson and Rodney's date. Priceless

- Shep trying to convince Elizabeth that Ronan should be in his team

- Ronan in general. That scene with him and Elizabeth. Man of few words. Indeed Also, when he goes to Teyla room to apologize. Nice scene.

Excellent episode.

[TheGreatCatOfRe]

This was a great eps. Loved it. Has anyone yet done an intrepretation of what Zelenka said? You know someone has to be working on that. McKay was so funny, loved the interactions between him and Carson. I like Ronan's character, thought the eating scene was funny, which is probably all Gero was trying to get across, I doubt there was any hidden meaning behind it. Great action scenes, when the dart crashes and just misses Carson. The fight scenes have been great also, can see a lot more action packed eps coming up, great job BamBam and Momoa!

[bravesmom63]

I am new here. I was wondering if anyone else thought of All of Me? Steve Martin and Lilly Tomlin should be proud.
I believe this episode hit on all cylinders. DH did a fantastic job.

Yes! That's exactly how I described it to my hubby.

DH was outstanding. I really enjoyed this ep and stayed up an extra three hours to watch the encore showing even though I had to go to work this morning. Still thought MG did a great job giving everyone something to do. Really enjoyed seeing all of the secondary characters. BRAVO!

[Jace021903]

Really good episode. David Hewlett was amazing.

Jace

[bravesmom63]

-- McKay's I-love-me wall (hey, I've dated guys with I-love-me walls. McKay totally fits the profile.)

I noticed that. It made me LOL.

[LoneStar1836]

You don't know any psychologists that you like?

Or you don't like them because they are psychologists?

Sorry to be psychoanalyzing you. It just seems to be an extraordinary thing to say.

I'm not a psychologist by the way.

Nothing that deep there in my statement. I just don’t care for psychologists and their psychobabble so I tend not to like them on screen either. So umm...#2 would be the answer. And nope, I don’t know any personally.

I didn’t like Doctor What’s-her-name’s advice to McKay when he first met with her in this episode.

Now you've got my angsty mind working. But I think it would have been overkill, a little. Rodney has had so many people dying in front of him: "Defiant One", "Hot Zone", "Intruder"...

You are right. That would have been a little overkill for poor McKay, but it would have made for some good angst.

Yes, I absolutely would have paid to see Sheppard's worst nightmare instead. The Sheppard/McKay interactions would have been absolutely priceless and it would have been a experience to stick with them. I wonder if that's why TPTB didn't use a main character to put in McKay, because it would have been an experience that would have affected their interactions and they didn't want to go there.

As far as the storyline goes, that could have been a reason for not having that happen to two main characters. I just figure tptb wanted to avoid the whole thing of not having one of the main actors actually on screen. Heh. I would have enjoyed it either way no matter which character was doing the leasing of space upstairs. Would have made for some interesting and great conversation. I live for Shep/McKay interaction on SGA.

Thanks for the fanfic recommendation. I’ll have to get back to it when I have some time.

[Easter Lily]

The first time I heard the word “duet” was when I was about 6 or 7 taking piano lessons. I was not quite a beginner when I came across a piece of music which would require two pianists on the same piano playing simultaneously. Sounded easy at first. Not so… It was doubly hard. Two people fighting to be heard, trying to play in sync, trying to get their notes right and trying to listen not only to their part but also to the part of the other player. When they get it wrong, it’s jarring and discordant but when they do get it right, it’s music to the ears. These days I don’t play the piano much anymore but occasionally when I do tinker around with it… I am conscious of the beast that is the piano.

I think Martin Gero’s right; it is all about control. Here the object is different. In this case, it is the beast that is the human body. Relinquishing and grasping alternately can be a strain to the nerves. But when it happens to someone like Rodney McKay, the neurosis can be a great subject of humour. McKay is all mind so his control over the body is clumsy and fraught with fear. Words are his food. That is juxtaposed with Ronon, whose control over the body is perfection as demonstrated in the deft movements, handling of the weapons, and the subjugation of a large body. Ronon says little because his body speaks for him. His anger, his cunning, his reticence all seen in his gestures. He is the master of self-control.

What is more impressive, however, is that the great Martin Gero has integrated this very human dilemma with humour on the one hand, as well as offering more insight into Wraith tech on the other. This is the wonderful storytelling I have come to expect from him: the ability to intertwine little people moments with larger concerns seamlessly. In the Seige we saw people fighting for their lives and little moments of friendship and concern. In Duet, we see one man fighting for his mind and little people moments. It is duet not just of the mind and body but of the individual and the collective. At times it is an uneasy coexistence but on this occasion, there is harmony. Note too the little duets between individual characters, interacting and sounding one another out.

So who else thinks that the writers are setting up a duet between Teyla and Ronon?

[AncientKnowledge]

Just my 2 cents,I liked this episode ALOT! Best so far! Atlantis is doing a great job on 2nd season!

-AK