Coup D'etat (217)

[mentalmichael]

I could quote Earth history to cite instances when people have been cut open just to satisfy someone's curiosity (and not all of them in the distant past), but whatever. I tend to be very bloody-minded and when someone says "gathering samples" I tend to think that it's a slight understatement and that what's being gathered is more than just blood. *shrug*

And if I were a ruthless and desperate sort and I had a bunch of prisoners who had some genetic quirk I didn't fully understand but wanted badly to possess, I know that in addition to just "gathering samples" I'd be trying to test the limits of that quirk- seeing how it worked, why it worked, under what conditions it worked, if there were any limits under which it wouldn't work (and death/dismembered limbs would definitely be one method)... Fun stuff like that.

But as I said, I'm very bloody-minded.

*backs away slowly from ShadowMaat*

Note to self: never piss ShadowMaat off.

[ShadowMaat]

Note to self: never piss ShadowMaat off.

It's funny how often people say that.

Seriously, though, if Atlantis is supposed to be "darker" than SG-1, I'd like to see more evidence of that. And I'd prefer that a majority of the darkness NOT come from the SG crew itself. *sigh*

[mentalmichael]

Where was it said that Atlantis was supposed to be "darker"? After the end of season 9 I'd say SG-1 is getting pretty damned dark!

The only other spin-off I've ever really been interested in was Angel, and that was so much darker than Buffy it actually got disturbing....if Atlantis gets that dark I will be amazed!

[ShadowMaat]

I can't name specific sources, but I think it was said in various interviews that Atlantis is supposed to be "darker" than SG-1. Unless that was just a lot of fanwanking.

Haven't watched S9 so I can't compare.

[npattis]

This episode is a perfect reason why Lorne and Sheppard need to be rid of from Atlantis.

[Lightbane]

It's funny how often people say that.

Seriously, though, if Atlantis is supposed to be "darker" than SG-1, I'd like to see more evidence of that. And I'd prefer that a majority of the darkness NOT come from the SG crew itself. *sigh*

HELL NO!! SG-1 goes into Torture, Psychological torment raving suicidal brainwashing religious cults, Deadly Disease FAR more often then SGA

the only real terrible episodes involving stuff like that

The Rising Part II 1.02 i'd say a wraith sucking the life out of a dude and a skelton
Thirty-Eight Minutes 1.04 freaky life sucking bug
Poisiong the Well 1.07 people dying from a wraith killing drug
The Hot Zone 1.13 nano-virus
The Sanctuary 1.14 weird monster thingy

The Hive 2.12 people dying from enyzeme thing

nothing really serious in any those episodes either

SG-1 has a lot more horror content like all the torture that happens several times a season

[Lightbane]

One thing I have yet to understand...Atlantis has the Deadelus now, and the Deadelus has beaming technology. Even if they didn't know where Sheppard and the others were being held, once Weir became aware of the situation she should have sent the Deadelus to take the Genii's DHD. It could do that, right? And it would effectively cripple the Genii, and make a great bargaining chip. In fact, I think they should have done that the minute the siege on Atlantis was over at the beginning of the season. Effectively neutralise the threat without a drop of blood shed. Was there even any mention of the Deadelus? Maybe it was on a supply run to Earth and I just missed that?

they'd find another way to dial the gate so it would be well just beam up the stargate, its an asgard teleporter, carter teleported the stargate out of the SGC when they were crashing Thors ship into the atmosphere to kill the replicators

[Serenity228]

As a whole, I thought this was a good episode. However, I did have one complaint and one "what might have been" comment.

I plan on refering to the SGA S1 Underground episode without adding spoiler tags in my response, so beware.
BEWARE OF SPOILER







In the original Genii episode, other than the fact that the Genii had a secret society, Sheppard had no inclination that the Genii have no issues double crossing those who are considered allies. Yet, at the end of the episode, John had two cloaked puddle jumpers ready to go in case of trouble.

In the beginning of Coup D'etat, when Sheppard meets up with Ladon, he remarks that he hopes that the crack on the head Ladon received had not made him simple. Here is my problem. I think Martin Gero got confused at to who was simple. Ladon recieved the crack, not John. Yet, a few scenes later, John and his elite strike force get caught in a Genii double cross. If first season John did not fall for the Genii's trickery, then second season John would have been all the more prepared.

Now remember, John "coulda been mensa." I agree that characters with character flaws are more interesting than perfect characters, but it has already been established that John is clever and is a capable military leader. I did not appreciate him being "dumbed down" to serve the plot.

Now on to my comment. What would have happened had Ladon's sister not been one of those that the Genii sacrificed? What would have happened if Carson had not been able to save her? Would Atlantis' military leader, head scientist, and elite force been left to die? It seems that way. Again, I realize perfection is boring, but from a "rah, rah, go Earth" stand point, I would have liked to have seen Earth's best and brightest get out of their predicament rather than just sitting around waiting to be rescued!

[Catsitter]

I think the reason why I like this episode so much is that it is kind of a throwback to season 1. No Daedalus to save them at the last moment, no referral of issues to Earth, Weir making the decisions herself, Sheppard doing his naive best (sorry! I like that naive quality, though), Rodney nervous about using a gun but trying hard, everybody desperate to get a ZPM... also the fact that it fits together with previous episodes (just look how much they had to put into "Previously on Stargate Atlantis"!) and presumably with later ones.

I suspected the ZPM would be a depleted one straight away, though my guess was that it would turn out to be either the one from The Tower or perhaps one of the depleted ones from Atlantis itself, as I wouldn't have put it past the Genii to have collected one or two to study while they were exploring the city in "The Storm / The Eye".

I also thought it was obvious that Ladon was going to let them go because of his sister, but I didn't really mind that being obvious.

I would have liked them to mention Sora even if the actress that plays her wasn't available. As far as I know, she never went back to the Genii, did she? Should she still be on Atlantis, having been evacuated once or twice with everybody else? If they had just said something like "Sora says..." or "If only Sora was still here instead of...."

Shame Colm Meaney's character got killed off. Also, it would have been nice to have a Wraith somewhere in it to make it seem really season one-ish, not just the mention of Wraith weapons. They didn't even seem to consider that the attack on Lorne's team could have been Wraith for a minute!

[buzlighty1]

Each season seems to have its own flavor

Season 1 No Earth, No ZPM

Season 2 ZPM, Battle Crusier

Season 3 No ZPM, Space Bridge

Season 4 Space Bridge, ???????

[meredithchandler73]

I really liked this episode. I don't know what it is about the Genii - they're just so....untrustworthy!!! I guess the Genii fill the role that the NID fills on SG-1. They have a common enemy, but the means by which they obtain information and technology is rather unscrupulous.

You knew there was a double-cross coming. But, that was part of what made it the episode so cool - the fake coup ended up being a real coup. I kinda hope we have seen the last of the Genii. Or at least, I hope that if we see the Genii again it won't be "find the double-cross" all over again.

[jenks]

Each season seems to have its own flavor

Season 1 No Earth, No ZPM

Season 2 ZPM, Battle Crusier

Season 3 No ZPM, Space Bridge

Season 4 Space Bridge, ???????

Spoiler:

We have a ZPM in season 3, infact we had 3 at one point.

[meredithchandler73]

Ummm....jenks...you quoted in your last post:

Quote:
Originally Posted by buzlighty1
Each season seems to have its own flavor

Season 1 No Earth, No ZPM

Season 2 ZPM, Battle Crusier

Season 3 No ZPM, Space Bridge

Season 4 Space Bridge, ???????


For those of us that are just starting to watch SGA now and trying to stay unspoiled, can we please leave any season 3 discussions in season 3 threads? Or at least put them in spoiler spaces??? (Yeah, I know I just reposted the spoiler but the damage was already done, no?)

I've got a few episodes left in season 2 to watch and then I get to start on season 3. Here's hoping I won't run into many more spoilers before then.

[jenks]

Ummm....jenks...you quoted in your last post:

Quote:
Originally Posted by buzlighty1
Each season seems to have its own flavor

Season 1 No Earth, No ZPM

Season 2 ZPM, Battle Crusier

Season 3 No ZPM, Space Bridge

Season 4 Space Bridge, ???????


For those of us that are just starting to watch SGA now and trying to stay unspoiled, can we please leave any season 3 discussions in season 3 threads? Or at least put them in spoiler spaces??? (Yeah, I know I just reposted the spoiler but the damage was already done, no?)

I've got a few episodes left in season 2 to watch and then I get to start on season 3. Here's hoping I won't run into many more spoilers before then.

It was in spoiler tags, no one was spoiled unless they wanted to be.

[meredithchandler73]

Oh well. When someone quoted it in another post, the spoiler tags disappeared.

I think maybe I should stop reading this forum until I've watched the remaining SGA episodes, so I don't have to worry about being spoiled.