The Return, Part 1 (310)

[rosstaylor]

what does anyone reckon that was behind rodney area 51, looked pretty outlandish

[Wedo765]

Their not Ancients, thats all i have to say, we're missing something, but theres no way there Ancients, cause lets face it if there Ancients that solves every problem instantly and wrecks the show, and i find it hard to believe that if they where full blooded Alterans that the Replcators what've moved in so quick, before they fought back, or rasied the sheild, or submerged the city

[ToasterOnFire]

Now see, this was an ep worth of the mid season finale title! I'm actually looking forward to part 2, unlike with Hive/Lost Boys last season. Great plot, nods to previous eps, and character development. I thought there was a bit too much set-up and less action compared to the SG1 finale, but I'll have to wait to see how the second half shapes up before rendering a final decision.


-Bravo for all the little character moments! Ronon bear hugging Shep, Teyla and Shep's farewell, Carson reaching out to Elizabeth, Rodney and Zelenka snarking while Carson tries to say something touching, Rodney and Elizabeth teaming up to get PJ access, Teyla and Ronon sticking together with the Athosians, and Shep and Rodney's phone call. All of it felt natural, not forced. THIS is what was missing in s2!

-Jack's scenes fell flat with me. They weren't as grating as s9 of SG1, but they lacked spark or something. Still, I did like his scene with Weir in her office.

-I thought they gave up the city way too easily, especially after mistaking the Asurans for Ancients so recently. The transition between hello Ancients! to exiting Atlantis to 6 months later was a bit jarring. The push to stay in Atlantis would have been a perfect opportunity to use Weir, but it ended up being more Jack and Woolsey. Perhaps that was intentional to make it easier to show her spiraling into depression?

-I can understand that TPTB wanted to convey how Shep, Weir, Rodney, and Carson saw Altantis as their home. But realistically there's no way that they would charge off like that to save it on their own. Come on, with Teyla and Ronon only half of the team are really competent shooters (Rodney's a maybe, depending on who's writing him ). Why would they think that they stood a chance against a ship full of replicators beating the piss out of Ancients?

-Shep's in the hot seat again with Landry. But come on, does anyone honestly think he's going to be reprimanded?

-Ladon and the Genii!!

-Was the costuming during the Earth dinner intentional? Weir was wearing a red top, Rodney was wearing a blue suit, and Shep was wearing black (right?). Was this to show that subconsiously they were missing their roles on Atlantis? I don't tend to think TPTB work on that deep of a level, but bravo if they did.

-I enjoyed seeing Rodney cranky for Elizabeth when she was turned away from the meeting and worried about her self-imposed isolation while on Earth. And his lab is "too big", HA!

-WHO WILL SAVE THE WEE TURTLES!!!

[SG1Atlantis]

Not a bad ep, but it definitely could have been better. The whole thing was just setting up for the 2nd half. I also gotta agree with the other ppl here who said that they are NOT ancients. They cant be, they've gotta be replicators. I mean after all this time of trying to find ancients and we just conviently find them on a ship, conviently a short distance away from the Daedalus at that exact time? Bit of a stretch.
I can see the ancients kicking them out, after our glimpse into thier personalities in "Before I Sleep", but give them more time and I don't think they would have done it in such a abrupt manner.

Also, I hate to say this cuz I adore RDA, but he looked so much older than he did in S9, even ep "200". Maybe its the Air Force uniform but he just didnt look or sound like his sarcastic and adorable self.

Overall, not bad, good team dynamics and good seeing Weir go rebellious against Landry and joining the others, but I give it a 6/10.

[Arlessiar]

Heh. Rewatching and had a random thought - none of Elizabeth, John or Rodney have an annoying tune on their mobile phones? Just standard type ringtones, every one of them... now come on, you're not tell me that McKay at least wouldn't have the Star Wars theme tune or something on his mobile?!!

That's funny, I thought exactly the same thing! You hear so many weird or annoying ringtones every day, on the street, in the bus, in the office - when these three phones rang in the restaurant I immediately noticed that they all have "normal" ringtones and was very thankful for that!
I'm not sure about Rodney having a geeky ringtone. Yes, he is a geek, but he doesn't admit that often (didn't he even once call TV a waste of time, although it's pretty clear that he watches a lot of TV? See "Home" or how often he talks about Star Trek). In fact I would have thought that Sheppard would be the one whose mobile phone has a geeky or funny ringtone. Or a Johnny Cash song.

Bye, A.

[doylefan22]

Their not Ancients, thats all i have to say, we're missing something, but theres no way there Ancients, cause lets face it if there Ancients that solves every problem instantly and wrecks the show

Not if they're all dead or ascended by the end of the episode.

and i find it hard to believe that if they where full blooded Alterans that the Replcators what've moved in so quick, before they fought back, or rasied the sheild, or submerged the city

I was under the impression that there weren't that many Ancients. That's why O'Neill and others were offering them manpower that they themselves didn't have. Depending on the ferocity and numbers of the Asuran attack they could have been easily overwhelmed.

[white noise]

i think something stinks with the "ancients"! why do they want everyone gone immediately, even tayla's people? what's the big rush? then the replicators popping up immediately........something is definatly fish there. i think it was a great story, but having to wait 6 months for the rest, makes me wonder if i'll even care by then. i also find myself taking out my animosity on battlestar gallactica, which was one of my favs, which is stupid...but what are you going to do. there's a good probability i won't even watch it anymore. sigh! thanks for letting me vent, guys. i am NOT in a good mood!

[LiLTiff17]

Did anyone notice that when Linea (sp) caused the podium to rise up seemingly out of nowhere that Ronon pointed his gun at it. I noticed it not in the actual episode, but a screencap.

I would have liked this episode better if it had been a three parter not a two parter to allow more time for interaction/first impressions of the ancients and then being able to witness more snippets of their 6 months back on Earth (and perhaps a scene with Teyla getting readjusted to living among her people along with Ronon). Then I would have had this episode end the way another poster suggested, Weir, Sheppard, Mckay and Carson are in the Jumper and zoom off and then "TBC".

Nonetheless great setup-enough to keep me interested when it airs again in 6 months.

Oh and please let them have been real ancients.

[Alipeeps]

Seen a coupla people here referring to the team being back on Earth for 6 months.. I think we're getting confused with the real-life (horrendous) 6 month hiatus here... it is stated in the ep that the team has been back for 6 weeks, not 6 months.

[ShadowMaat]

Jack looked... airbrushed. He was too crisp and perfect and shiny. That's not the Jack I remember.

Of course, the Jack I remember is also from three or four seasons ago. Obviously a lot has changed since then. What a shame...

Why bring a character as historically significant as O'Neill into an episode if he's only going to be used as a fill-in-the-blank character? Weasel Woolsey could have had a trained monkey in a suit and it'd have served about the same amount of purpose as Jack did. In fact, the monkey might not have looked as awkwardly misplaced.

All my opinion, of course, but I hate to see characters wasted and Jack was, IMO, tremendously wasted in this ep. And I doubt he'll be much better in the conclusion.

[LiLTiff17]

Seen a coupla people here referring to the team being back on Earth for 6 months.. I think we're getting confused with the real-life (horrendous) 6 month hiatus here... it is stated in the ep that the team has been back for 6 weeks, not 6 months.

My bad I meant to say 6 weeks. I guess I was thinking of the 6 month hiatus. Besides if the crew where exiled from Atlantis for 6 months Weir would probably be dead from depression.

[Descent]

Not at all happy with the rumors about Beckett....

I suggest taking them as what they are: just rumors. There was a rumor that Ford would be in Allies. I didn't see him, did you?

[Elles]

Thanks for bringing the Ship-Hate into a otherwise happily Ship-Free thread.

I don't understand what you're talking about anyways...

Firstly, you're welcome.
Ok... fine...
I am so sorry.

Secondly, it wasn't that way with Gero episodes before... Well, before I considered Conversion to be a fluke... But the unreasonable doubt left in my mind when there's a little bit of both... annoys me.

[Alipeeps]

Firstly, you're welcome.
Ok... fine...
I am so sorry.

Secondly, it wasn't that way with Gero episodes before... Well, before I considered Conversion to be a fluke... But the unreasonable doubt left in my mind when there's a little bit of both... annoys me.

Or it could just be that the writers are not intentionally writing any ship into an episode (let alone "a little of both") and were in fact portraying the close friendships the team has formed.

If that spoils the episode for you then I guess that's your loss...

[nccjones]

Spoiler:

Ellia is supposed to become a doctor???

I actually haven't heard anything about that. But it does make sense. I mean, Carson acted all sad and depressed when he was returning to Earth. Acted like he only had a little bit of time left. He was all sad and stuff.

Spoiler:

Well I hope it's not who is implied . My hopes would be that Ronan leaves (not killed...I don't like main characters getting killed whether I like them or not) and that Carson joins the team and then Jewel becomes the new doctor. That would make a perfect Atlantis to me

I really enjoyed this episode pretty much for all the reasons everyone stated. Great team moments. Up and down emotions from being nervous about the gate jumping to excited about the Ancients and to quiet disappointment about losing Atlantis.

Loved how we saw the team adjusting (or not) to life back on Earth. Loved how it wasn't a trick of any kind and it was really happening for once. I actually like the team of Wier, Sheppard, Mckay and Carson...they were awesome!

Can't wait till part II. It's a long way away