'Harmony' (414) General Discussion

[Mitchell82]

huh... so she was in Smallville... just not who i thought she was...

"Smallville" .... Emily Eve Dinsmore (1 episode, 2003)

M

Not to mention little Adria.

[PG15]

Forgive me, oh heavenly Thor, for I have sinned: I actually thought Martin Gero is capable of writing a bad episode (besides Childhood's End, natch). I shall punish myself now, by watching Childhood's End. Natch.

Ok, I admit it. I was deathly afraid that this episode would suck (i.e. I would have to rate it a 7...OR LESS!), but while it was a tad slow in certain places, and as usual I heavily disliked the stereotypical princesses, the character interactions between the trio was very well done, both in the acting and the writing departments!

The thing I've figured out about Martin Gero's episodes is that, they seem to be either 1). REALLY BIG, or 2). Very small. Now, we know how BIG his episodes can be, but think about the none-premier/finale ones. They're typically built on a very simple plotline, but expanded out over an episode thanks to great dialogue and character interactions. Duet was carried by all the McKay/Cadman shenanigans; Grace Under Pressure was basically McKay ranting to himself (and then later Imaginary!Carter) for an hour; McKay and Mrs. Miller was practically BUILT on the character play between Jeannie and Rodney; Sunday was an anything-goes character extravaganza with a simple bomb-plot; while Trio...

Spoiler:

involves 3 people trying to get out of a hole in the ground, apparently

Harmony follows the same kind of structure. A very simple quest, in this case, expanded out to fill 43 minutes with great interactions. Really, to fully express how hilarious every scene was, I'd just show you the transcript. The dialogue in this episode between Shep and McKay was some of the best banter they've ever done. Sure, we've had greats in the past, but never in this much quantity. I was laughing out loud at least once a minute. And you know what? It was all in character. Sheppard was very much focused on the mission, but obviously he can't let Rodney get away with the stuff he's saying without adding a bit of subtle prodding. I also enjoyed all the (again, subtle) facial movements that Joe Flanigan excels at. Meanwhile, McKay complaints as much as he usually does, and...well, just being McKay is enough to make it funny. He wasn't too cowardice, nor was he anything BUT the McKay we all love. The interplay between these two is pretty much now an art form. They're so good and familiar with it.

Heh, it actually felt like they were holding back on the banter throughout the Season, so as to WOW us with it with this episode. Well, it worked for me.

I gotta talk about Jodelle Ferland. I really don't like child actors because, frankly, they suck. Nothing against them, but I don't think they've gotten the hormone shots needed to express any deep emotions. However, Jodelle was awesome in this episode. There was a tiny handful of line deliveries that was a bit awkward, but otherwise, she was excellent. Her attitude towards McKay was hilarious, while her crush on John Sheppard was appropriatedly cute and creepy. I loved the scene where she "cried" while made a "cut-throat" motion behind Shep's back. The girl can act!!

Oh God, and that painting. I wants it. I wants it NOW.

Overall, a very enjoyable episode, and very repeatable. I know it's not been a very long review, but this episode really didn't have many elements to go over. The thing is, as a typical Martin Gero standalone, Harmony thrived on character interactions and dialogue, both of which were truly excellent.

Score: 8.5/10

[Mitchell82]

Forgive me, oh heavenly Thor, for I have sinned: I actually thought Martin Gero is capable of writing a bad episode (besides Childhood's End, natch). I shall punish myself now, by watching Childhood's End. Natch.

That wasnt the best ep I agree but I actually liked it.

Ok, I admit it. I was deathly afraid that this episode would suck (i.e. I would have to rate it a 7...OR LESS!), but while it was a tad slow in certain place, and as usual I heavily disliked the stereotypical princesses, the character interactions between the trio was very well done, both in the acting and the writing departments!

Same here. I was very worried that would be the case but was glad I was wrong.

The thing I've figured out about Martin Gero's episodes is that, they seem to be either 1). REALLY BIG, or 2). Very small. Now, we know how BIG his episodes can be, but think about the none-premier/finale ones. They're typically built on a very simple plotline, but expanded out over an episode thanks to great dialogue and character interactions. Duet was carried by all the McKay/Cadman shenanigans; Grace Under Pressure was basically McKay ranting to himself (and then later Imaginary!Carter) for an hour; McKay and Mrs. Miller was practically BUILT on the character play between Jeannie and Rodney; Sunday was an anything-goes character extravaganza with a simple bomb-plot; while Trio...

Spoiler:

involves 3 people trying to get out of a hole in the ground, apparently

All of those are great examples of his best work and despite the simple plot in Trio I'm sure it will be great.

Harmony follows the same kind of structure. A very simple quest, in this case, expanded out to fill 43 minutes with great interactions. Really, to fully express how hilarious every scene was, I'd just show you the transcript. The dialogue in this episode between Shep and McKay was some of the best banter they've ever done. Sure, we've had greats in the past, but never in this much quantity. I was laughing out loud at least once a minute. And you know what? It was all in character. Sheppard was very much focused on the mission, but obviously he can't let Rodney get away with the stuff he's saying without adding a bit of subtle prodding. Meanwhile, McKay complaints as much as he usually does, and...well, just being McKay is enough to make it funny. He wasn't too cowardice, nor was he anything BUT the McKay we all love. The interplay between these two is pretty much now an art form. They're so good and familiar with it.

Heh, it actually felt like they were holding back on the banter throughout the Season, so as to WOW us with it with this episode. Well, it worked for me.

I gotta talk about Jodelle Ferland. I really don't like child actors because, frankly, they suck. Nothing against them, but I don't think they've gotten the hormone shots needed to express any deep emotions. However, Jodelle was awesome in this episode. There was a tiny handful of line deliveries that was a bit awkward, but otherwise, she was excellent. Her attitude towards McKay was hilarious, while her crush on John Sheppard was appropriatedly cute and creepy. I loved the scene where she "cried" while made a "cut-throat" motion behind Shep's back. The girl can act!!

Oh God, and that painting. I wants it. I wants it NOW.

Overall, a very enjoyable episode, and very repeatable. I know it's not been a very long review, but this episode really didn't have many elements to go over. The thing is, as a typical Martin Gero standalone, Harmony thrived on character interactions and dialogue, both of which were truly excellent.

Score: 8.5/10

Everyhting went right in this one. Jodelle was great but I knew she would be as she was great in Flesh and Blood.

[majorsal]

i actually liked the ep more than i thought i would.

i didn't like harmony much. she was just *so* irritating and bratty. but i know that's the whole point.

the part she stole sheppard's food and then blamed it on mckay; not likey. but that was the only part i would have skipped.

my fave parts were all with mckay, just seeing his reactions and david's cuteness.

all in all, it was an enjoyable enough episode.




sally

[prion]

FYI

New video at Mallozzi's blog on HARMONY

http://s230.photobucket.com/albums/e...McKayatthe.flv

It's "McKay" at the ruins; runs about 30 seconds

[Killdeer]

OK, I'm going to post this before reading too many other comments on the episode - I've read a few, but not many yet. I guess I could sum up my reaction to the episode by saying "amused but unimpressed."

Let me start off by saying that I love Shep and McKay, and Shep and McKay episodes. And that I wouldn't be watching this show if it weren't for John and Rodney. In fact, they are the only two characters on this show that are truly indispensible to me, as much as I enjoy most of the others.

That being said, this wasn't really that "awesome", if I may be permitted to use the term (sorry, been watching Chuck ). There were some great lines, but in a general sense Shep and Rodney didn't have the zing in their banter that they've had in a lot of my favorite episodes. Shep especially seemed rather subdued, even in the banter with Rodney, as if his heart wasn't really in it.

The worst scene was probably the scene where Harmony steals the powerbar and then blames Rodney. Shep hugging her and calling her "sweetie" was completely weird, and I could almost feel Joe Flanigan rolling his eyes in that scene - it was almost as if he was doing it under threat of death. Especially since he seemed to make every effort to keep a distance from her for the whole rest of the episode, even before he found out that she was crushing on him.

I think mostly the problem was that there wasn't enough plot to keep me interested, the Shep and Rodney banter was too toned down for me to really love it, and I really hate kid episodes. Jodelle is better than some of the child actors they've had. The kid who played Orlin in The Fourth Horseman was absolutely awful. But I still didn't really like Harmony very much - I hate brats, and I couldn't find it within myself to be amused at most of her antics. All the way through, I was waiting for one of them to really get in her face and give her a good dose of reality, and it never happened. And Rodney being unnerved by her threats was rather bizarre - it would have been better if he'd totally mocked her.

There were some good parts - I had to stop the player because I absolutely howled over Rodney's line about "you're more mature than most of the women he falls for". That was absolutely wonderful. And I liked it that for once Rodney didn't turn out to be the butt of the joke in the end - he finally gets one over on Shep! About time. I saw it coming a mile away, but still.

Best part about this episode - Rodney McKay. Most of this was classic Rodney, and I really enjoyed that. In a reversal of what I've been feeling like most of the season, Rodney is the one I connected with for this episode, and Shep was the one that felt off to me.

Overall, an ok episode, and one that might possibly improve with viewing - it's hard to say right now. But it's not one I would show to someone to get them hooked on the Shep/McKay dynamic - I would go to episodes like Underground, The Brotherhood, Echoes, Aurora, Inferno, etc. This episode just wasn't quite as much fun as I've found them to be in the past.

[Mekarri]

I didn't care for this eps. Although a lot of people enjoyed it. It had some good moments. I like john and Rodney but I rather see Ronon, he is so easy on the eyes. The little girl was too annoying. And I don't think she will make a very good queen at this point. Is Carter in charge of SGA? John seem more in charge than Carter.

[Admiral Mappalazarou]

I can honestly say that the last scene was the only good part of the episode. The rest was crap. And thats me being generous.

[Killdeer]

Something just occurred to me. Didn't someone say that Joe Flanigan got sick during the filming of this episode? That would certainly explain why he didn't seem to have his usual energy.

[PG15]

I think he got food poisoning.

[Jeffala]

I wanted to shoot her with a P-90.

Horizon.

[ladyjanus]

After the (mostly) really good episodes we've been getting this season I can find it in me to forgive one less than stellar ep. There were some good moments in this episode, even some LOL bits, and lots of fun back-and-forth with McKay and Shepherd, but I got real tired of the baby brat really, really fast. And I just did'nt understand why the Genii had to be the bad guys...Oh, well....

Best I can compare this ep to is that old quote: It's like sex. When it's good, its really, really good, and when it's not, it's still pretty good.

I'd watch it again. I'd probably enjoy it. I just wouldn't go out of my way for it...

ladyjanus

[DigiFluid]

Oh dear god. I guess it was too much to hope for that the whole back half of season 4 would be good. Three decent eps was all we got, and then...this.

This was just embarassingly bad. Like, 'The Tower', 'Irresistible', or 'Doppelganger' bad. Maybe worse. Holy crap, that's an hour of my life I'll never get back.

[morjana]

In watching "Harmony" again tonight (for the third time) I noticed in the closed captioning that it referred to Rodney's handheld device (the uhm, electronic one), as a PFD.

PFD?

I'm stumped. What's that an acronym for?

Plastic filtering device?

Plasma flow detector?

Phonic Fin Detonator?

Phobic Fig Dryer?

Morjana

[rosey_angel]

i had my rant about the little girl in the thread about her, so with that over with i'll try to talk about the rest of the ep...

...


...


i'm a little annoyed with rodney at the beginning of the ep. he didn't break up with katie at end of last ep, and now he's like "dibs" on the new princess. i'm not sure what kind of man that makes him, and i'm not sure i like him when he's like this.

i'm also quite shocked with all the slashing that gero put in. i'm not a slasher, but i felt this was quite obvious. rodney seemed a little jealous that harmony liked shep, and then john the queen at the end of the ep. i did ROFL at that tho, i was expecting harmony to go off at him, yelling about now he's the queen and should wear the crown. the thought of queen john still makes me smile

the pic at the end was funny, but it makes me hate harmony all the more, and i didn't wanna talk about that here, did i?

i wonder who the genii were working for? i know the sister hired them, but are they real genii, or like kolya etc in Irrisponsible?