Epiphany (212)

[prion]

I'm sorry, monster from the forbidden planet? Is this a Dr. Who thing or something?

FORBIDDEN PLANET. It's a *classic* sci-fi film. Eegads, way before Dr. Who even came out.

[Matt G]

Later got made into a cool musical play. Maybe you'll remember that(given that I've never watched the film).

[maxbo]

I believe JF said flashbacks to Aghanistan MAY be included. Maybe it was one of his ideas that Brad Wright didn't incorporate. In Collateral Damage Mitchell got those instead, so Epiphany lost and CD gained. Fair?, nope!.

I haven't seen Collateral Damage, but it's strange that Mitchell was allowed flashbacks and not Sheppard.

Anyway, I went into this episdode not expecting much and really enjoyed it. I thought it was a good, but not exciting or particularly tense, episode. JF's acting for me was enjoyable to watch, and I did learn more about Sheppard. He was more whiney than I've ever seen him and less of an optimist. He felt abandoned, thus the loner has become more at ease in his friendships on Atlantis. He needs them now.

I had read many spoilers before seeing this episode so I knew what to expect and as a result, wasn't as disappointed as I could've been. I agree that JF was great and his portrayal of a whiny and pessimistic Sheppard was both poignant and hilarious.

I had no problem with his fling with Teer. He'd been there for nearly half a year, and that is restrained compared to most single, lonely and hurt men or women seeking solace. So, Kirk? I don't think so. Sleeping with a woman who was attracted to him and made the first move makes Sheppard promiscuous? Erm, not in my opinion. Six months in the waiting makes him restrained, IMO. After all he's NOT part of a couple is he? He is single guy.
The beast was fine in my eyes, not terrific but not stupid either.

I didn't have a problem with Teer either. In fact, I didn't join the anti-Kirking of Sheppard until "The Tower" (*shudders*). However, Epiphany, IMO, clearly illustrates how Kirking a character can diminish that character's storylines. Although I wouldn't consider his fling with Teer Kirking on its own, the fact that TPTB decided that adding this fling with Teer was more interesting than using JF's original idea to flesh out Sheppard's character is troubling.

Although I still enjoy this episode, the more I hear about the background of it, the more I wish we had gotten more of JF's version instead. When I watch this episode now, there seems to be a clear line of demarcation between where JF's version ended and TPTB's version began.

Some great lines scattered throughout. I especially liked the malp on a stick, and when Sheppard said that had he known Teer and him would sleep together that night he wouldn't have gone on a 10 hour run!
So, yes lack of backstory was disappointing, but still an entertaining episode.

The great lines are what saved this episode for me, but it's still disappointing that it didn't live up to what it could've been.

[Stricken]

McKay’s “Why do you have to park so far away?” was great and typical McKay, and then when the found the portal, his idea of a M.A.L.P on a stick was great and should be used more often to save money! . But the fact that he didn’t notice all the signs that on the other side was faster than our side and not to check the Ancient writings on the wall was a bad idea for one!

When I watched it again I noticed that Sheppard wouldn’t have noticed the flowers sticking through as when that was done, he was most likely long gone or asleep, more likely to be asleep. The timings didn’t seem to match as when they had the flowers he was there but he wasn’t, the time frames were confusing. Sheppard’s frustration over the fact that it was taking them so long to do anything. The Radio was thrown about and you must wonder if it survived! After some time of adjusting to Sheppard living time faster than the rest of the team it seemed to make sense when the bag cam through, it would have been several hours after it had been thrown through before Sheppard would have got it. The “volleyball” line was a great reference to a certain film and I’m sure a certain writer would have seen this film whilst writing the script : D

While McKay wasn’t the centre of the episode, he had some great lines, one was the fact that the idea was Zelanka’s and not McKay’s! But h admitted it wasn’t his and other times he would have said it was his. When Sheppard woke and wondered who had got him into his new clothes and the meeting a girl first was a great line!
When Sheppard realised that he couldn’t return to normal time as those who went through the portal could have no regrets. You could tell that Sheppard was shocked at the thought of being stranded away from his friends. Sheppard’s ways seemed strange to the people living there, as did the meditation that they did all day to Sheppard.
You wonder if any had ascended before or did they die, did all those who died there ascend or did none of them die; this was left out and was left unanswered.
Every time Sheppard went up against “The Beast” and then woke up later and realised that he didn’t remember wining but was still alive thanks to the little girl with healing powers. The abandonment issues were harsh, Sheppard was going to go to almost death and the people weren’t going to help him, this was harsh to say the least!
When Teyla managed to work out the ratio that time was passing amazed me, as it seemed to be taking McKay a while to work it out, and then we discover that several months could have passed in the few hours that they have been getting equipment from Atlantis.

The powers that the women that Sheppard was “attracted” to were weird to say the least and Sheppard didn’t know what to think about them, and when she said that he would defeat the beast, which he had gone up against twice and couldn’t remember winning, and then they would ascend and that she hadn’t given up on John ascending with them. And it was in this scene that the “rough” and “ragged” Sheppard seemed to be attractive, which was strange to say the least.

The field was a place where the Ancients could go during the war with the Wraith to live out their lives and gradually ascend and then for the peoples under their protection to go and ascend to be with them.

And it seems that Sheppard has another fear…thunderstorms, after the clowns last week, we seem to be getting the fears of Sheppard season, who knows next week it could be bombs…
When the team had been “detected” and Sheppard went running to help them with the beast, only to discover that in the 6 months he had been several hours in the team’s time frame. The team got their collective behinds kicked going up against beast so when it turned out that all it took was the villagers to circle it and do something to remove it from view as it was their fears! And then they ascended and left Sheppard as he didn’t think that he was ready to ascend or that he ever would be. Then McKay’s “Whats with you and ascend women?” was great and also a reference to Season 1’s Sanctuary.

Not a great episode in the terms of revelations to do with the Ancients or the Wraith, but a one off story which will play the part of clip shows in future seasons, I’m sure

Epiphany recieves a S.G.C rating of 6 out of 9 Chevrons!

[Dr. Dredd]

You wonder if any had ascended before or did they die, did all those who died there ascend or did none of them die; this was left out and was left unanswered.

Actually, Teer mentions that before her mother Ascended, she could move objects with her mind. So I'd say that other folks have probably Ascended, too.

[Elinor]

I was surprised that Sheppard had as much problem with depression as he has always come across as an optimist.

Yes...I thought the same to! Oooh...such a complex character!

So much we don't know about him. Will we ever found out what goes on in that mind of his?!! I hope so!

[maxbo]

I was surprised that Sheppard had as much problem with depression as he has always come across as an optimist. His trips to the cave to check to see if the others had come to his rescue would have suggested he still had hope.

Yes, that was interesting and surprising and I wanted to the episode to explore why he felt that way. If the TPTB had kept the focus on Sheppard and left out the villagers, this would've been a much more interesting episode, IMO. The scenes in the cave were fascinating to me because for awhile it seemed like Sheppard's carefully constructed shell was going to crack a bit. Unfortunately, the entire tone of the episode changed after he left the cave and although I thought many of his scenes were LOL funny, the feel was totally different.

Unfortunately, I think the writers have forgotten what a complex character Sheppard is and have too often resorted to writing him as nothing but a charming pretty boy this season.

[Daniel's_twin]

I forgot how iffy this episode was.

Basically, it was an episode that showed off more Kirking abilities for the Mighty John Sheppard (put in sarcastic italics). The ending was made blatantly obvious half-way through, and it was extremely anti-climactic. The best part of this episode were the many one-liners and (tho I never thought I'd see myself typing this) McKay. He was the best part of the whole episode.

So, I can understand Mr. Flanigan's frustration with the many screenplays he had to come up with before he came up with this, but I hope that if he decides to write again, he comes up with something better than this.

And PTB, listen up. WE DON'T LIKE THE KIRKING! ENOUGH OF IT!

[mckaychick]

WE DON'T LIKE THE KIRKING yeah it needs to stop

[Merlin7]

WE DON'T LIKE THE KIRKING yeah it needs to stop

For the record. The Kirking was not JF's idea. He didn't write TEER into the Story idea. BW did that. ::kicks BW::

And I think I remember reading/hearing that RC is the one who came up with the planet of wannabe ascenders. Blech

[FoolishPleasure]

I really don't care WHO wrote it, this was a terrible episode. Couldn't even bring myself to watch the rerun on Friday. . .even with all its "pleasures".

[Cory Holmes]

I really don't care WHO wrote it, this was a terrible episode. Couldn't even bring myself to watch the rerun on Friday. . .even with all its "pleasures".

That's still better than me, since I couldn't bring myself to watch it the first time around. Fast-forward button is my friend

[lissa1000]

I hated the way Sheppard dropped poor Teer. He could've at least looked a little conflicted about it. The only thing I liked about this episode was the little flirty scene between Liz and Sheppard in the end.

[FallenAngelII]

Didn't they meditate to free their minds of the physical world? As Ascended beings they no longer are to interact with it. I didn't notice anyone younger then Teers' sister. When Teer had these visions of her did the people know ascension was close? If so, why would Teer go to bed with Sheppard? Wouldn't there have been the possibility of Teer concieving.

I was surprised that Sheppard had as much problem with depression as he has always come across as an optimist. His trips to the cave to check to see if the others had come to his rescue would have suggested he still had hope.

1) We're all hoping they DIDN'T sleep together.
2) What depression?!

Teer always came across as an airhead. I mean, she stalked John using her powers! She was all "Don't leave! You cannot leave us! You belong with me! Why? Because I saw it in one of my freaky visions!".

She got upset because John kept looking for a way to leave the sanctuary. What the hell...

And her visions weren't that very accurate. She said they'd ascended together. Like hell they did. And if she really had true visions, she'd have known how they were supposed to defeat the beast. All she knew was that John would help them ascend... somehow.

All he did was tell them to cut the crap and stand up to the beast and fight. And then at the end of the episode, through the magic of plot holes, Teer had suddenly figured out the beast was of their own creation and that all they had was to face it to make it disappear.

Or she knew it all along and lied and manipulated people so she could get John to ascend with them because she's a slutty ***** who needs to be killed (somehow). For all we know, that could be the answer to all of the plot holes of this episode.

I hated the way Sheppard dropped poor Teer. He could've at least looked a little conflicted about it. The only thing I liked about this episode was the little flirty scene between Liz and Sheppard in the end.

Poor?! Here you have this weird girl who comes up to you and said "I've been waiting for you all my life (which would be a few friggin' months of real world time)", how he's destined to lead them to ascension and ascend with them (lies!!!), who stalks him using her freaky powers, who got upset about him trying to find a way escape the Sanctuary, who...

And why do you have to be nice about dropping people?! They were never together! I (and many others) would like to think he had enough self-control to not sleep with her (like he had in "The Tower"), hence, there was no need to "drop" her.

I can understand that men on hormones might've accepted this woman who threw herself at them and then offered them ascension (what right did she have to help him ascend anyway?! I doubt he'd meditated enough to do it on his own. And they have rules, remember? Who gave her the right to choose who to ascend because she wants to have sex with them in the Ascended plane?!), but I'd like to think John's not one of them.

Why do you have to be nice when breaking up with people (if that was what they were doing), anyway? Why not just say "Go away!" and be done with it? If you really can't stand the person.

[lissa1000]

Since I assumed they slept together, then leaving the way he did seemed cold. I have to admit, she behaved pretty creepy. If I had been Sheppard, I definitely wouldn't gone for her.