Phantoms (309)

[PG15]

This episode is to me the worst episode of the season. I don't know what you guys liked about it. Heres my take:

Trite and ridiculous storyline, absolutely no suspense since you knew pretty much exactly what was going to happen (everyone but the SGA team dies, what a surprise!). Didn't progress the wraith or replicator storyline, i.e. a reset button episode (will Ronon and McKay still be shot in the next episode). At least Weir wasn't in it much.

It was one of those "Producer: Go into the woods of BC and shoot a cheap one" filler episodes that we've seen too many of already in Stargate.

3.5/10

You don't like the episode, fine. But if you think that any episode will end with a major character dying (which we will most definately know before hand), then you're...well, I guess I can say "naive".

[doylefan22]

I did however think that the shooting at the end of Mckay was fairly gratuitous.

It was basically plot related. McKay had already realised his mistake and that he was hallucinating. He probably would have gone back in and stopped it himself had he not been shot. It was a way of incapacitating him so that Teyla could have her moment at the end.

[Descent]

I was shocked when Mckay got shot...again. I mean, how many times are they going to torture Mckay before hes had enough.

[Mitchell82]

I must say I expected alot more bashing than there is. It did remind me of "Paradise Lost" an ep I really liked and even though it was similar it was very different IMO. I loved the whole I"m Shot" by Rodney and Sheppards backstory. I really thought this episode was well done and I forget who posted it but yes this season has kicked ass. I even loved Irresistable and can't wait for Irresponisble. I have loved both SG-1 and SGA form the begining and am still really enjoying it. Can't wait for next week! 10/10 for me.

[TheUnknown]

I was shocked when Mckay got shot...again. I mean, how many times are they going to torture Mckay before hes had enough.

And strangely no matter how many holes get blown into them, they never have any scars, lol.

[expendable_crewman]

Sheppard aimed directly at him and probably would have killed him if Teyla hadn't pushed his gun away. She deflected the gun just as he fired.

I checked it out and you're 100% right.

Since I was there I just went ahead and rewatched the ep. I think I liked it even more on second viewing. Dark and creepy.

[NotAscended]

IMO, we're not getting any down deep details about Sheppard. I'm giving up on it. We've got all we're going to get. Now, if they give us any, that'll be me falling off my chair, and I've got pretty good balance.

What they did give us worked for me in that it kept my attention. So what if I have more questions now than I did before? I guess that means for me Binder and Flanigan did a good job bringing it to my TV. Besides, I'm not bursting or anything to know how Sheppard escaped a court-martial or when / how during the rescue his friend died. The PTBs can keep that a secret if they'd like. Really.

I was pleased the episode had Sheppard wanting to get off the planet pretty fast and there was effort made to take back the dead. There I go again with these issues with the dead. Must be me.

I agree with all these points; the issues with the dead aren't yours alone. I thought it was particularly telling that not only did he think it important to get the dead back, but that his first reaction after Leonard blew himself up was that he had to get the dog tags. It's all about not leaving anyone behind, which seems to be John's strongest core value.

Like you, at this point, I'm not expecting much more Shep backstory, and don't really feel as much need for it as before. Basically, this episode affirmed everything we did know about Sheppard, without any equivocation. The man is about his team, first, foremost, always. And that's good enough for me.

How he came to be that way? Well, we may never know. But if we do ever find out, I think there'll be lots of thumps heard as many of us fall off our chairs.

[AutumnDream]

It would be cool if he turned out to have some psychological disorder from some horrific experience that made him so bent on not leaving anyone behind. And not something trite and overdone like, "Oh, my daddy abandoned me. Oh noes."

[lily]

WOW! This has become my second fave Carl Binder epi ever, the first one being Common Ground (and this one is really a close second). What I love about Carl Binder episodes is that he always write great team interaction and gets all the characters. In particular in this epi everybody in the team had something to do.

Actually, Ken Culperus wrote "Common Ground"; he's new.

Oops. I knew that. What I meant to say is that it was my second fave s3 epi right after Common Ground. And that Phantoms is my top fave Carl Binder epi ever.
I guess I shoud've read my post again after posting it. <headdesk>

[Miyth]

My 2 cents:

I thought the storyline was a little generic, but I think it was absolutely perfect for character development and depth. I personally loved it, and watched it more than once.

I definitely think that there will be some great fanfiction coming off of this ep.

[vaberella]

My 2 cents:

I thought the storyline was a little generic, but I think it was absolutely perfect for character development and depth. I personally loved it, and watched it more than once.

I definitely think that there will be some great fanfiction coming off of this ep.

Totally agreed. I didn't see much development for John, but then I like the mystery around the guy, what I was given I'm satisfied with and I can't wait for the fanfiction...I'm writing one about Weir's muskrat.

I was shocked when Mckay got shot...again. I mean, how many times are they going to torture Mckay before hes had enough.

Hahaha...agreed, but my man has thick skin, he'll handle it well!

[civilbloodshed]

Seriously, did Wood take a seminar or something? I really loved the way he shot this episode; it really brought out the level of urgency it needed. I felt like I was watching E.R. or something, only with stuff blowing up and whatnot.

The only thing that took away from it was all that wet sand and cloudy overcast in Afghanistan. I know, I know, it's canadian weather and all that, and schedules need to be met regardless of fickle conditions, but still.

[Willow'sCat]

Well, this was an OK ep nothing special, it actually reminded me of Red Dwarf again, interesting wonder if next week they encounter a monster made entirely out of vindaloo.

Anyho... So we still don't have a Sheppard background story... my god why is this so hard for the writers to do? Come on guys it is getting annoying.

OK breaking it down to characters as it is easier.

Teyla, aw she got shot and took it like a man, a stupid keep it all inside man. Why can't people show emotion and why can't she show emotion? Sure with John freaking out she needed to be the one holding on to her sanity but as John said (for the audience watching at home) her DNA should keep her from being effected. Other then, for plot devices via playing off Sheppard she was next to useless here.

Carson, I noticed he was in this episode. He was still nothing more then the doctor but I guess we just have to get use to that, it isn't going to change. I didn't feel for him, probably because I was two or three steps ahead of them, I already suspected they were all in the grip of the generator so I was expecting things to not be as they seemed. I did like the little McKay/Beckett moments but really they were rushed and I was left at one stage wondering if Carson has a permanent poll stuck *cough* *cough* because he seemed really pissy here, I thought only Rodney was allowed to be pissy.

Ronon, he was Ronon which is really sad as he is the most one dimensional character on the show, remember they got rid of Ford because he wasn't working, well how is Ronon working any better????

Elizabeth, she did what I suspected she would, listen to the next brilliant scientist on Atlantis.

Sheppard, well major disappointment about the lack of background. Also about the lack of growth for him, he is still being written as the big dam hero with no reason to be a hero, like to know what makes him tick and it isn't happening. At least he seemed genuinely remorseful for shooting McKay and even Ronon, which is good but odd as he couldn't help it, why apologise when you couldn't have helped it? Why not explain to his team why he shot them? No that would mean he would have to show real emotion and explain that huh maybe he made a big mistake once, miss calculated the risks and we can't have that! Because he is the big dam hero! *arrh!*

Zelenka, can we make him a regular?

McKay, and here I have to quote ToasterOnFire...

Ah Rodney, back to snarking and being pissy after a chance for some growth post-M&MM. Still, his hand on Carson's shoulder was quite touching.

I think he did show growth in this episode from last week, I have no idea in what order they were written or shot; but I heard Rodney ask twice after one of the marines, and he seemed genuinely annoyed with himself when he got the guys name wrong, also despite the fact he was busy trying to SAVE everyone, he still took time out to show a little sympathy to Carson. This is not what he would have normally done in my opinion.

This may just be all to do with the generator but I think it was a small attempt to follow through, as hard as that is to believe.

I didn't mind him getting shot as it wasn't used to mock him, but really if it goes on like this I wouldn't blame him for leaving Atlantis and going back to Earth, even the threat of The Ori has to be better then this!

In all a nice filler episode but nothing really new.

Bring on The Return.

[Gate gal]

This was a good episode. I expected it to be a little predictable and maybe even a little dark, but I was actually really suprised a few times. I didn't expect the Beckett and the dead marine scenes. I love Carson more every single week. I also loved getting some backstory on John. It was time. Another nice suprise was John shooting Ronan and Mckay. I loved the way Mckay reacted. It was really nice to see Teyla's wraith DNA help her save the day. I love the continuity that SGA has given us this year. Teyla needed a bigger part this week. She hasn't been around enough this season. Now, if only we could have an episode that had plenty of Teyla and Elizabeth. We usually get a lot of one or the other.

[Jeyla4ever]

I think that John would have the same hallucination regardless of who got shot with him. It has nothing to do with Teyla personally. If it was Ronon or Rodney or Carson, John would have had the same vision, methinks.

What inner sanctum? I don't understand this depth you see. There must have been some straws lying around here...

This is a very good point...never thought of this one...

For me, it makes me wonder why the writers chose Teyla in the first place..and if you go back from Season 1 all the way till the very last episode, the person that is always by John's side in his worst and his best, is Teyla..so it wasn't a coincidence that they use Teyla....they friendship and bond is like no other, and if anything this episode solidifies it more....

again, it's what's in the writer's mind....why didn't they put Rodney next to John, it would have made more sense, they are best friends after all, and it was bound to happen that Rodney was going to get hurt..and of coarse, we wouldn't be getting the ridiculous comments on how John sees Teyla as a guy...but in the writer's mind, I"m sure they didn't do it with the intention of thinking that John thought of Teyla as a guy, but more importantly as the only person that understands him and as the only one that could get through to him...even Rodney figured that one out...

Edited: I'ts also interesting to add....that John knew he was loosing it so, why didn't John leave immediately....he wouldn't risk hurting Teyla....and then of coarse, he knew Teyla wouldn't hurt him because he figured out that because of her Wraith DNA she would not be affected...so, like a friend just mentioned to me, John knew that he wasn't going to hurt Teyla before he went into his hallucination...he was even joking with her....and he also knew that she wasn't going to hurt him....

I thought this was a solid episode...it was creepy and very eerie to see that all of them lost it...with the exception of Teyla..and basically, they would have all died and Teyla would have remained because none of them were going to hurt her...

Joe was incredible...from the very first time you saw him, you knew this was going to be creepy, he showed it to us right from the beginning..he wanted to get the heck out of there..

Ronon was great...I loved how they use his mind to make us see the Wraith hive ship when in reality it was Atlantis's attempt to figure out what happpened to them...

Teyla was amazing..Rachel did a fantastic job making us see through her struggle as she sees her teammates suffering and loosing their minds and she unable to do anything....when she finally saw Rodney's plea as her being their only hope, you could see in her face that she knew she was the only one that could get Sheppard to do something about it...

Carson broke my heart...he was Fantastic..I have no clue why he's not used more...the man is amazing! he had me the entire time...the hurt in his eyes, the anguish and pain...man, these guys are going to need some serious help...

but in the end, that was classic...Again...Ronon on the side, Rodney with Carson...and John next to the one whom he feels most comfortable with any time...insane or not..Teyla.....or was it the guy!