Grace Under Pressure (214)

[The Engineer]

I don't use Fahreheit as my system (it's an akward system, much like feet-yard-miles and pounds - but thats another issue). But I can tell what was the temperature of the water. Exactly. 4 degrees Celsius.
How? It has to do with the fact that water has the highest density at 4 degrees and at the bottom of the ocean or every lake that is deeper than a certain depth (more than 500meters there is no light (that's cca. 1500 ft) - you go figure) the water has no heat coming from the sun. And keeping in mind that at the bottom is the water with highest density there you go: 4 degrees Celsius. In Fahrenheit if I'm not mistaking is 4ºC * (9/5) + 13 = 20ºF.
As for how fast hypothermia can happen you know better than me.
But I'm not so sure of hallucination.

[Cynicat]

Suspension of disbelief, people Sometimes it hangs there all by itself like a helium balloon... and sometimes you have to hold it up with occy straps* and hope for the best. I'm all for accuracy, 'cause I'm a nitpicky little SOB, but at the same time I'd rather be entertained by an engaging story (even if that does mean introducing logic to a handy window on occasion).

*For non-Aussies: Occy/Octopus straps = elastic straps with hooks on the end, most commonly used for securing loads in vehicles, and holding suitcases closed.

[The Engineer]

Unfortunately this story wasn't engaging story.
And in case of human insanity/hallucinacion I hardly suspend my beliefs.
Except the following:
schizophrenia....................................................not the case
mind altering substances.....................................not the case
mind control.....................................................not the case
temporary insanity (especially in the US courts)......not the case (this one I don't buy it, but it's acceptable only in movies)

The most believeble are the mind altering substances in Rodney's case.

[xfkirsten]

I don't use Fahreheit as my system (it's an akward system, much like feet-yard-miles and pounds - but thats another issue). But I can tell what was the temperature of the water. Exactly. 4 degrees Celsius.
How? It has to do with the fact that water has the highest density at 4 degrees and at the bottom of the ocean or every lake that is deeper than a certain depth (more than 500meters there is no light (that's cca. 1500 ft) - you go figure) the water has no heat coming from the sun. And keeping in mind that at the bottom is the water with highest density there you go: 4 degrees Celsius. In Fahrenheit if I'm not mistaking is 4ºC * (9/5) + 13 = 20ºF.
As for how fast hypothermia can happen you know better than me.
But I'm not so sure of hallucination.

Ah, I was not aware of that. Then yes, hypothermia was a big issue at that temperature! To get an idea of how fast hypothermia occurs, check out the table on this page. It happens fast, and moving around makes it even worse - and most of the time, McKay was moving around the jumper trying to work on his plan!

As for the hallucination stuff, I really couldn't say on that one. I've somehow managed to avoid serious head injury, and I'm not a doctor. In any case, I know they they were tagging on the idea from the SG-1 episode "Grace," so I can suspend disbelief in this case.

[ToasterOnFire]

Yeah, I just had to fanwank away Rodney being able to function that well in freezing waters. It's much like what I had to do when watching the scenes in Titanic when the hero and heroine were splish-splashing around in water chilled by icebergs...

It would have been a nice effect to show his breath when he was nearly submerged though, since I would imagine it was that cold.

[Mio]

It's way, way easier to pick up something in the vaccum of space, particularly when they are giving out alot of energ. Detecting something under miles of water is very, very difficult.

But they were the ANCIENTS.

They can send you millions of light years in a blink of an eye, and send a city through the void between galaxies, but they couldn't scan under an ocean?


I'm hoping that it's just some sensor array that we haven't found yet. Because they did it in 'Before I Sleep'....Though, the city WAS underwater at the time... :\

[The Engineer]

Thanks, xfkirsten for the link.
From what I gathered from that site is that at 32.5°F in under 15 minutes you loose consciousness. So McKay would have to be unconsciouss long time before the rescue could come to him. After all 20.2°F is less than 32.5°F and the interval necessary for him to loos consciouss would have had to be far more shorter than 15 minutes.

[The Engineer]

But they were the ANCIENTS.

They can send you millions of light years in a blink of an eye, and send a city through the void between galaxies, but they couldn't scan under an ocean?


I'm hoping that it's just some sensor array that we haven't found yet. Because they did it in 'Before I Sleep'....Though, the city WAS underwater at the time... :\

In the VOID there is nothing. In water si more. You can run faster than you could swimm. Boats cannot cruise faster than a Concorde, not to mention a space rocket. It's about density.

And do you think that they had the time and resources to play Jacques-Yves Cousteau when they had the Wraith coming from the stars?

[The Engineer]

It would have been a nice effect to show his breath when he was nearly submerged though, since I would imagine it was that cold.

Yeah, that could have been "easily" fixed with some CGI (lol).
Seriously, I don't know if TPTB would have worked Hwelett's/McKay's pneumonia as easily as Vala's pregnancy.

[GatetheWay]

Yeah, I just had to fanwank away Rodney being able to function that well in freezing waters. It's much like what I had to do when watching the scenes in Titanic when the hero and heroine were splish-splashing around in water chilled by icebergs...

It would have been a nice effect to show his breath when he was nearly submerged though, since I would imagine it was that cold.

Didn't Sam say something about heating the water? I'm sure that would of staved it off for a while.

[xfkirsten]

Thanks, xfkirsten for the link.
From what I gathered from that site is that at 32.5°F in under 15 minutes you loose consciousness. So McKay would have to be unconsciouss long time before the rescue could come to him. After all 20.2°F is less than 32.5°F and the interval necessary for him to loos consciouss would have had to be far more shorter than 15 minutes.

I suppose he's got a bit more leeway since he's just wading most of the time. I believe those numbers are based on being fully immersed and floating/swimming/treading water. But still, yes, he probably stayed conscious longer than he should have.

[Agent_Dark]

I don't use Fahreheit as my system (it's an akward system, much like feet-yard-miles and pounds - but thats another issue). But I can tell what was the temperature of the water. Exactly. 4 degrees Celsius.
How? It has to do with the fact that water has the highest density at 4 degrees and at the bottom of the ocean or every lake that is deeper than a certain depth (more than 500meters there is no light (that's cca. 1500 ft) - you go figure) the water has no heat coming from the sun. And keeping in mind that at the bottom is the water with highest density there you go: 4 degrees Celsius. In Fahrenheit if I'm not mistaking is 4ºC * (9/5) + 13 = 20ºF.
As for how fast hypothermia can happen you know better than me.
But I'm not so sure of hallucination.

You're forgetting one thing - this isn't Earth. I'm sure those calculations are perfectly correct on Earth, but on a different planet they could be completely useless

[GatetheWay]

I'm all for suspention of disbelief because I like this episode but I'm sure no matter what planet you're on physics is still physics and water is still H2O.

[NakedJehutyV2]

haha carte topless mckay head must've blown off

[Tok'Ra Hostess]

It was an okay ep, but there was so much untouched potential that, IMNSHO, could have made it not only a better ep but have offered an enormous new character arc for the series.

Why, oh why wasn't "Carter" the physical manifestation of a water entity instead of yet another bump-on-the-head halucination?

It would have drawn on elements in the Stargate universe, like the SG-1, Watergate and the Atlantis, Home where the sentients were in the water and the air, respectively.

This way, MacKay could have had to deal with a life-threatening situation while communicating with a sentient lifeform in the shape of someone he thinks very highly of and his boo-boo on the head could have served as an excuse for him to be an ass while actually trying to show a little grace under pressure, which I didn't really see much of, by the way.