The Hive (211)

[Morbo]

Its not really a spoiler, but the new opening credits sequence is tons better than the original - and glad to see it back.
and as for Atlantis itself - they've really taken some time to rework the look of the city.
its such a friggin beautifully sexy thing to look at now. they've added dynamic lighting it seems, and a ton more deatil to the textures and overall outline of the city.

[xfkirsten]

-I'm so disappointed with the wraith now. They just try to be scary and end up comical with their hissing and teeth baring. The setup with the queens and their tension wasn't handled very well. I think the writers are trying to make the wraith seem mysterious but they ended up just confusing me

Gotta agree with you on that point. I like that they've been given a characteristic style of movement, because that really adds an element of realism to them... but we get it already! It gets a little old watching them move their heads around a lot, and I'll admit that it's started making me laugh at it more than anything now.

[Eoin]

The Hive has to be one of the coolest eps this season
I loved the hive ship battle it was absolutly class

[Korean_Turtle87]

“You do not fear them?”
”The wraith? Nah. Now clowns. That’s another story. Scare the crap out of me.”

“You have fought the wraith before?”
”Lots of times. Won some battles, lost some. War’s not over by a long shot, but we’re managing to hold our own.”
”And the clowns?”
“Clowns? Oh, yeah the clowns. Well we fight them too. Entire armies spilling out of Volkswagens. We do our best to fight them off but, they keep sending em in”
enjoy ^_^

[rexpop]

I wondered about that part a bit, too. The way he said it almost implied a really personal experience, but Beckett doesn't seem the type to have done that in the past. My assumption is that it comes from him having seen a lot of similar cases in his experience as a doctor, but he did seem to imply a very personal understanding of exactly how Rodney felt...

More than likely.

Two of the major Scottish cities (Edinburgh and Glasgow) have had really bad heroin epidemics in the past 20 years. I can't remember if it was ever mentioned where in Scotland Beckett was from, but it wouldn't be a major leap to say that either he watched people he grew up with becoming addicts, or that while he was interning he had experiences dealing the addicts that had OD'd.

[xfkirsten]

More than likely.

Two of the major Scottish cities (Edinburgh and Glasgow) have had really bad heroin epidemics in the past 20 years. I can't remember if it was ever mentioned where in Scotland Beckett was from, but it wouldn't be a major leap to say that either he watched people he grew up with becoming addicts, or that while he was interning he had experiences dealing the addicts that had OD'd.

Ah! I was not aware of that... but that certainly would make sense, though! Thanks!

[prion]

More than likely.

Two of the major Scottish cities (Edinburgh and Glasgow) have had really bad heroin epidemics in the past 20 years. I can't remember if it was ever mentioned where in Scotland Beckett was from, but it wouldn't be a major leap to say that either he watched people he grew up with becoming addicts, or that while he was interning he had experiences dealing the addicts that had OD'd.

There's addiction everywhere, so before he went into primarily research, he'd have seen it. Could even have seen it with a colleague, and don't forget, not long ago Sheppard had to de-bug in 'Conversion" and well, we missed all that as two weeks passed during a commercial break!

[prion]

save all this for the thunk thread.

Yeah, the time issue is a real pain in the ass.


Going with my gut feeling about those scenes, I estimate another day, pushing two days, maybe even three, for McKay to come down off his high. Sheppard et al. weren't quite on the same timeline as McKay, but I figure three days, maybe even four, isn't that hard to swallow if you account for all the time spent being shot by stunners, regaining consciousness, being helpless prisoners, playing at darts using knives, and then going right back through another round of the same. The episode gave us all the under-ten-minute highlights.

On the severity of the enzyme withdrawal, I think the only two in danger of dying were Ford and Kanayo (who did die). Ford had arguably better moral support from Sheppard and, probably more important, got another dose of enzyme before the effects got too bad. Being cocooned---assuming he was---might also have slowed the withdrawal. Who knows? Your guess is as good as mine.

This was also a problem with "Conversion" (even though I quite enjoy that ep). It also whizzes by and it seems like it takes place in just a few hours when in fact it's spaced out over days (and in COnversion, a few WEEKS went by during a commercial break).

I think McKay did risk dying due to the massive amount of enzyme he took, which could have easily pushed him to a stroke with his BP soaring (Beckett said that even before this, he was borderline hypertensive). I think Ford too could have come off hte enzyme on Atlantis, but since it messes so quickly with the head (and since RSF was leaving the show)....

But I can't see Rodney being that near death's door and "bright eyed and bushy tailed" within 24 hours. I figured the whole scenario from landing on the hive ship to getting back to Atlantis had to have taken a minimum of 48 hours, at least.

[Cynicat]

Re: the whole Sheppard in the dart thing. The darts can't so much damage, it's true - but they way I saw it; Sheppard wasn't causing much actual damage, that wasn't his intention. He was being a mosquito, pestering the wraith until they slapped themselves in the face. All he had to do was provoke them enough to let their own paranoia override common sense. Just IMHO, anyways.


Warning! Extremely geeky rambling ahead...

Was watching the episode again, and noticed something:

Beckett comments that it was probably only McKay's stubbornness that got him through the enzyme withdrawal. Weir then mentions that they won't tell him that, Beckett replying that they "mustn't feed the beast". That particular comment triggered something in my geeky little brain...

An old X-Men storyline featured Beast (Dr Henry McCoy) being infected with a disease that increased his strength each time he used it, but with a corresponding decrease in his intelligence. It parallels what happened to McKay - the enzyme gave him the brute strength he needed to escape Ford's lackeys, while at the same time stripping him of the mental faculties he needed to help the team.

So, Weir as closet comic book fan? Somehow, I doubt it (more likely me grasping at random straws) but it's fun to hypothesise nonetheless. That's one of the things I love about this show, it gets you thinking about the most random stuff, heheh.

[AutumnDream]

I'll let you in on a secret. I think so, too. What do you want to bet maybe Beckett lied about Sheppard's DNA being 100% back to normal? Ah, hope springs eternal.

It makes loads of sense. What was Caldwell trying to do in Conversion? Get Sheppard's job by taking advantage of the fact he'd been compromised by the Wraith DNA. Weir did not like that one bit. I can't see the little DNA repairing thing they made (in a rush, I might add) being 100% efficient. She probably told Beckett to tell Shep and anyone who asked that he'd been completely restored so that Caldwell wouldn't have any grounds to make a move for power, or for Earth to start on the road to replacing everyone... especially her dear friend John.

So, Weir as closet comic book fan? Somehow, I doubt it

But I bet Sheppard brought along more reading than just War and Peace.

[watcher652]

Beckett comments that it was probably only McKay's stubbornness that got him through the enzyme withdrawal. Weir then mentions that they won't tell him that, Beckett replying that they "mustn't feed the beast". That particular comment triggered something in my geeky little brain...

An old X-Men storyline featured Beast (Dr Henry McCoy) being infected with a disease that increased his strength each time he used it, but with a corresponding decrease in his intelligence. It parallels what happened to McKay - the enzyme gave him the brute strength he needed to escape Ford's lackeys, while at the same time stripping him of the mental faculties he needed to help the team.

So, Weir as closet comic book fan? Somehow, I doubt it (more likely me grasping at random straws) but it's fun to hypothesise nonetheless.

Wow, that is a geek moment. I just took the "beast" to be McKay's ego, or in this case, McKay's stubbornness. For while his stubbornness can cause him no end of grief like in "Trinity", it was what pulled him thru in "The Siege".

See how brilliant Atlantis can be? You can enjoy it on so many levels.

[Cynicat]

Wow, that is a geek moment. I just took the "beast" to be McKay's ego, or in this case, McKay's stubbornness. For while his stubbornness can cause him no end of grief like in "Trinity", it was what pulled him thru in "The Siege".

See how brilliant Atlantis can be? You can enjoy it on so many levels.

I totally agree with the beast comment actually being about his ego. His ego is certainly a double-edged blade for the rest of the team. For most of the time it stays balanced at a functional level, but it's not something you want to provoke in any way. The X-Men reference was one of those completely random things that occurs to you at 3am. I'm too used to watching Joss Whedon shows and analyzing things to within an inch of their lives in obscure ways

LOL - I've just cemented a reputation as a tradgic geek here, haven't I?

[knowsfords]

This was a fun episode.

Rodney was hilarious, my hulk 'chop really was apt
Ford seemed more like normal Ford at the end, but I have a feeling that if we see him again he'll be back to crazy Ford.
The clown thing was awesome.
Shep once again mentioned he likes Ronan's wep, I see a potential running joke here

[neko138]

damn those clowns in volkswagons!! >_< as soon as the chick was seen in the cell with sheppard and ford i went "there's somethign hinky about her." i actually thought she was an ancient. i hope that we see more of the wraith worshippers soon, its an interesting idea (like the Pah Wraith followers in ds9).

I would say that the Rockett slashers will have a field day with the screen caps of Rodney /Beckett, i already know that the McWeir girls (and guys) are going dada over this ep. Me... well... i didnt see romantic love as much i saw genuine concern for a friend, but then im neither a weir/mckay nor beckett/mckay shipper. Ronan and teyla, now thats a s obvious as sam and jack.

As far as the drugs, i agree, go anywhere and you will find them. I mean, spend a night in the ER and you'll see all kinds. Or just work in a mall in a really sketchy neighbour hood. When rodney was babbling after coming through the gate i went "omg, im back at work" becasue ive had to deal with a few crack addicts in my time (and i work in a computer games store!!)

Still, my poor little heart was "awwwing" for rodney all through this episode. I felt so bad for him.

[AutumnDream]

Shep once again mentioned he likes Ronan's wep, I see a potential running joke here

We need it, too! Now that Ford isn't at Atlantis anymore we've lost the turkey sandwich / naming things. ; _ ;