Sateda (304)

[prion]

Finally the quick cut editing that's done during the flashbacks and emotional scenes/scenes of anguish often tells me the actor just couldn't get it long enough in one take and they had to squish a bunch of takes together. When being that powerfully emotional I find it distracting to have jump cuts. I want to see the anguish, I want to get inside that characters head and heart, not think I'm watching a music video.
Zuul out.

Quite honestly, I saw it a style choice, not becuase the actor 'couldn't get it long enough in one take.' Virtually all actions are show like that now (videos are even worse) and I thought it worked out well.

[prion]

Just got to skim over a bunch of posts here as well as the reviews, and have to say this. While I read fan reviews, I don't put much into them as fans put too much into them, if that makes any sense. Pro reviewers (who get paid) watch a ton of stuff and review on whether it's entertaining or not. They're not 'squeeing' over something, or *****ing constantly about expectations not being met. They don't have a lot of personal time, interest, etc. invested in the show. I've already read a number of remarks that insinuate the writer of the reviewer knew what the director had in mind, when that's just plain silly. Unless you were on the set at the time of course

When I read reviews, I want to know what did or didn't work and WHY. If a writer has a personal agenda, it usually shows quickly so I just forget what they wrote. I'd rather just banter with other fans about the episode on the same topic, but not have an opinion (good or bad) shoved down my throat.

Someone asked:
//There is to many posts in this topic, so I don't know if somebody mentioned it, but I have one interesting observation. What happened to this Hive ship queen? It's first "male" commander of the Wraith hive ship I've seen. Is that result of wraith civil war or sth?//

I sorta thought it was mutiny on the hive ship and the queen got toasted, er, toasted, eaten I mean, hey, whose to say that couldn't happen.

[stewsith]

This episode was absolutely amazing. As I work with cameras alot myself I was very impressed by the camera work in the episode with nailed the tone and pace of the narrative. I also have to say WOW to the music. It pulled the episode together and I felt completely immersed in the show which rarely ever happens when im watching television.

All the technical aspects of the show came together with the brilliant action and plot to give an amazing episode! More like this would be appreciated.

Also, did anyone get the feeling they were watching an 80s Arnold Schwartzeneger (sp) movie by the name of 'Running Man' at any point. That film also follows a man put out into a ruined city and hunted by increasingly dangerous opponents. But this wasnt a bad thing in any way.

[smushybird]

If the reviewers are such complete rubbish, why don't you write your own review? Otherwise, try to accept the startling fact that different people have different interests and that what you find so amazingly fantastic may not be seen as such by someone else or it could be eclipsed by something that they really hated even if you- gasp!- thoght that whatever-it-was was really good.

I also find it really ironic that people can be called on the carpet for daring to make suggestions on how they'd try to improve things when NOT doing so causes them to be ridiculed and challenged with, "How about suggesting ways to improve it instead of just b****ing about it?" Damned if you do, damned if you don't. Maybe everyone would like it better if all the reviews said, "OMG! This was the BEST! EP! EVAH!!" And went on to say how this was great, and that was brilliant and how much they loved such-and-such and this character was perfect and that one was wonderful and love, love, love for everything about the show. ...Except that according to the rules for submission, reviews have to be BALANCED- and that means finding faults as well as merits. So we're damned that way, too- either we praise unto the masses about all the ways an ep was sheer perfection and thus fail to get it published, or they admit to stuff they didn't like and get criticised for daring to think that such-and-such element was anything less than fantastic.

Personally, I'll take insults and snide remarks over lying about what I think or trying to fit in with the groupmind of fandom by nodding and smiling at everything and seeing nothing but wonderful things everywhere I look.

Sateda really didn't work for me. I played up some of the things I liked, but I still thought the ep as a whole could have been handled a lot better and if I'm a monster for daring to suggest improvements then so be it. At least I'm open-minded enough to SEE faults and I'm not afraid to point them out and express my feelings about them, although some people around here sure seem keen on squelching all forms of dissention.

Whoosh....take things personally much?
Anyway, some reviews have been thoroughly negative, without any balance whatsoever, and while I for one don't intend to "squelch" dissention, as I have certainly made some negative comments on episodes in the past few seasons, I think the implication that there's something wrong with you if you wholeheartedly endorse the episode (or if you ripped it to shreds, as the case may be) is worthy of reproval. If someone says you're an idiot for liking this, naturally I have the right to say umm, no, not really, because...etc.

Certainly if I think a review is being unfair to the writer/director/etc, I'm probably going to comment on it (as above). If people want to harp on niggling things about an episode that was clearly a powerful one for the majority of fans, they have every right to. And consequently if you review an ep, expect to get comments on the review. That's what critics have to put up with. That's part of the job. If you're (generally speaking) too thin-skinned to take it, you shouldn't review.

The writers of SGA can't make up for two seasons' dearth of characterization in a single hour, but it's my opinion that Mr. Cooper's made an excellent start.
He's set a standard that the other writers are going to have to work hard to keep up.

I don't personally like Woo-style cinematography, violence, and so on, but that did not detract much from my own enjoyment of Sateda. I disagree that the episode was lacking because we did not get any peaceful, domestic scenes of Ronon and his wife before he became a Runner. It wouldn't have fit into the tone of the episode. As many of us know from personal experience, when you are under particularly hideous stresses, memories that come to you are generally not of the happy, cozy variety, but of other horrible moments that brought you to that point. I think the writer did a fine job of showing the truth of that experience, and happy/cozy would have been jarringly out of place in Ronon's flashbacks. It was a very intelligent, well thought-out, and fully-realized script and once again, yes, I am one of those fans impressed by it.

One other thing I meant to comment on was Ronon's wife, whom some fans didn't care for, or thought seemed too meek or delicate for him. I liked the choice and I was glad the role didn't go to some amazon type. It seemed a case of opposites attract and I thought we saw enough of their relationship to know it was a good one, that she could stand her ground with him, and that they respected and loved each other.
Also agree w/ posters on the chest-beating--that it was an element not out of synch with Ronon's personality and culture, and was done to psyche himself for the battle to come against a formidable (at least that particular wraith) enemy, and I thought it was interesting that the writer even thought to have him do it (assuming it was in the script).

[Mattathias2.0]

This episode was certainly the best of Season 3 so far.

Mattathias

[watcher652]

This episode was certainly the best of Season 3 so far.

I agree, but sadly the ratings don't seem to indicate this.

http://www.gateworld.net/news/2006/0...seasonlo.shtml

I'll make the obvious observation: I wonder if the fall off is due to the Battlestar Galactica fans not watching SciFi Friday, but are waiting until October.

[Easter Lily]

I disagree that the episode was lacking because we did not get any peaceful, domestic scenes of Ronon and his wife before he became a Runner. It wouldn't have fit into the tone of the episode. As many of us know from personal experience, when you are under particularly hideous stresses, memories that come to you are generally not of the happy, cozy variety, but of other horrible moments that brought you to that point. I think the writer did a fine job of showing the truth of that experience, and happy/cozy would have been jarringly out of place in Ronon's flashbacks. It was a very intelligent, well thought-out, and fully-realized script and once again, yes, I am one of those fans impressed by it.hat much.

One of the things that really impressed me about this episode is how much was conveyed in such a short period of time. That to me is good writing and intelligent film making... I don't really need to know everything about Ronon or his wife but I now know enough to know why he hates the Wraith or Kel or why he's this morose, angry creature that he is.
Personally I think the audience is intelligent enough to fill in all the blank spaces if they're given something to work with.

[Willow'sCat]

You gotta love some of the reviews by people who didn't care for Sateda, especially when the reviewers pontificate on and on about issues, like oh this scene shouldn't have been filmed like that or the direction wasn't sheer perfection or JM read a line in a way that didn't quite suit--and consequently the reviewer just can't imagine how any of us poor fools could have actually enjoyed the episode!

Of course the reviewer never touches on the involving drama of Ronon's still-fresh grief or the fun of watching DH and PM play off each other so beautifully or the sweetness of John and Teyla's character-revealing conversation. The reviewer ignores entirely that this is the first SGA ep we've gotten in a long while which is brimming over with the sort of character interaction we've been yearning for--and which is the reason so many of us adored this episode.

I suppose I come from the point of view that if someone can single out Sheppard wearing a leather jacket as a good reason to like an ep, then someone can also say not having this type of shot as reason to not like an ep.

Sure I would prefer a little more in depth reasons both pro and con, but then I find it hard enough writing up my posts on most eps without getting into all the 'critical reviewing' that others may do.

I have enjoyed reading all the 'actual' reviews of this episode, somethings I agree with some I certainly do not; but they, for the most part are fairly impartial *which I really appreciate* and they do mostly say what the episode was about and not just a commentary on why TPTB should do this more or give up now! That to me makes them worth while and a good addition to the forums.

A review whether paid or not is never 100% impartial, it is impossible, we all have too much baggage and preconceived ideas to be fully impartial. The idea is to not let your impartiality determine your final review, that is the line you walk.

Mind you there are some reviewers *out side in the RW* that I respect but I also know darn well they have a bias, I just take that into account when reading the review. Also I have never read a review that in and of it's self has made me totally change my mind on something they are reviews after all not gospel.

And as ShadowMaat said <snip> why don't you write your own <snip> I for one would love to read it.

[Hatusu]

It's great to see that people are reading and commenting on the reviews. I enjoy reading the different viewpoints. I also find it interesting, here and in the reviews, how people focus on different aspects of the episode. It allows me to appreciate things I may have missed.

[parisindy]

OMGOMGOMGOMGOMG!

that-that-that was a thing of beauty!

wow... speechless.... freaking wow!

how cool were the fight scenes! OMG! RONAN ROCKS!

and the mushy scene between sheppard and teyla... how freaking cute was that! awwww his family

and shep lying about the wraith he killed hehehehehehe..gads joe was excellent in this as well
over all an awesome team episode!

and ronan hugging carson

OMG have i said how much i loved this yet! freaking hell that was awesome!

[Lauriel]

Breathe, Girl!!
I felt the same when I had watched it. I still haven't seen Irrisistable, so this was the first ep I saw after Misbegotten (which was the original order, so *shrug*) I found it really exciting and vibrant after the darker, more somber tone of Misbegotten (which I also loved, but for different reasons to Sateda).

[jash]

I thought Sateda was an awesome episode. Ronan kicked some major ass, and that big wraith looked cool. Maybe he was an advanced drone wriath because he looked to big to be one of teh other wraiths.

[Coremae]

Sateda was awesome. Ronon before was just muscle. Now he's a tad bit more.

[Coremae]

I thought Sateda was an awesome episode. Ronan kicked some major ass, and that big wraith looked cool. Maybe he was an advanced drone wriath because he looked to big to be one of teh other wraiths.

Okay let me be a bit more extensive i'm feeling a bit lackadaisical. Ronon's history and emotions was perfectly telegraphed. He isn't a badass because he's a tall dude with dread locks, he's a badass because he's goverened by a need for vengeance. It was so refreshing to see Ronon all big badass be completely and totally smashed by the Wraith Commander. I'm sure he's as powerful as he is because he may be among the oldest of the Wraith. Perhaps he has also fed on fellow wraith. Enemies that were captured or those still in hibernation,(The defiant one). As with the wraith in the Defiant One, this could be a reason why he is so strong.

[shockwave04]

I think they went overboard a little bit.