'Quarantine' (413) General Discussion

[JohnDuh]

Anyway I think Katie was only ever there to please some fans who think McKay should be different, (you know not like McKay at all! ).

You missed the point where he said he is always in pain. He needs some emotional support (which he doesn't get from anyone else on the base, they all just coldly dis him all the time)

[Arga]

I've never been so bored watching an Atlantis episode..

Sorry it seems most people enjoyed it. I was surprised not to read more people disappointed in this episode.. For me, it was uninteresting, oddly conveniant, soap opera situations (all the major characters stucked in couples simultaneously) and completely absurd escape (breaking a window! why not sneeze in front of it to make it break...?)
and at the end, to close the chapter, "oh, it was only a weather problem, and hurray, no one picked up the SOS signal!" the drama with the danger of the beacon was actually what made it a bit interesting to watch, but I guess the purpose of this episode was not to show any normal captivating sci-fi plot.



It was good however to hear the number 42 mentioned again.
And that Zelenka actually speaks czech when he is alone.

[Butlersgate]

"never underestimate the size of that mans ego" lmao i enjoyed this episode

[major davis]

Bottle episodes will be bottle episodes. However, how come we had two so close together(this an then trio). Makes me so angry

7/10

[mrscopterdoc]

One of my least favorite episodes ever. I hate what Rodney did to Katie so sad, I wish they had got together. At least Radek saved the day

[Blizzah]

A one off and not enough action.

[Skie]

Not to mention that they recycled an Atlantis episode again!! Also Hot Zone and Tabula rasa dealt with a Virus, though I liked those two episodes.

[Krisz]

Oh my, this was so boring for me. Pairing people off, yawn, so obvious. I guess because I'm not invested in the characters of SGA emotionally (even after trying to see if things would change with the re-watch) I really wasn't interested in what was the reason for this plot, isolating people due to a malfunction caused by atmospheric disturbances and forcing them to interact when they wouldn't have normally.

I can understand how it would work though for people who like the characters, it would stir up the dynamics a bit.

No enemy picking up the subspace distress beacon?! For heaven's sake, hive ships were on them within hours before!!!

[NowIWillDestroyAbydos]

Thought it was going to be a worse episode.

There was a lot of character development. But the thing is, not even though about doing it, not even McKay and Katie, but I guess he's too crazy to all have it come in mind.

Tomorrow, one I remember, something about a girl, Shep, and McKay going on a field trip.

[Lythisrose]

From Joe Mallozzi's Blog:

QUARANTINE (413)

A “bottle episode” is a cost-saving episode that limits its scope to our established characters and sets while also making equally limited use of visual effects. After Be All My Sins Remember’d, we really needed one of these to get us back on track budget-wise. More often than not, the action in a bottle episode centers on our heroes, trapped and isolated, attempting to reverse the conditions that landed them in their difficult circumstances. When done well, bottle episodes can be engaging and entertaining, shedding light on our characters as they open up to one another in closed confine conversations. When done poorly – well, there’s not need to discuss that since Quarantine did it well, throwing together some unlikely pairings (Ronon and Keller, Carter and Zelenka) and delivering an episode that, while inexpensive to produce, offered humor, suspense, and insight into our characters. It also granted an opportunity to a most unlikely hero, Radek Zelenka, who ends up saving the day – following a terrific tumble out a vent.

Ah, how things may have gone had the circumstances been different. At the beginning of the season, Martin Gero pitched the idea of McKay becoming a dad. I liked the notion of Rodney having to balance fatherhood with his ongoing commitment to safeguarding the galaxy and we were giving some serious consideration to having him settle down with Katie Brown… But when Rachel informed us that she was pregnant, we elected to write her pregnancy into the show instead. There could only be room for one parent in season 4.

This creative shift also, curiously, had an effect on another storyline we’d been considering, a romantic arc that would have seen Ronon and Keller get together. In the end, it became a love triangle and, instead of Kellnon (or is it Roller?) we wound up with McKeller (or is it KellKay?).

Thoughts? Opinions? Did you prefer one pairing over another? Or would you have preferred no pairing at all?

[Matt G]

MIdweek, another ep of Atlantis.

1. McKay and Katie was just too painful this time.

2. Shep, again you are a nutcase.

3. Forgot about the alarm going off...though that was why Radek had to crawl through the ventilation shafts.

OK ep but there are better.

[Lieutenant Sparrow]

Pretty boring ep.

Crawling through the vents. Bugger that. Claustrophobia.

Shep climbing the outside of Atlantis. Yeah no thanks.

Rodney dumping Katie. Dumb.

[jelgate]

This is a good and bad episode. What is unique about Quarantine is that you have all these "min-stories" of character interaction. Some are good and some are bad. I think you can tell it was meant as a character episode as it had a weak plot. Lets crawl through air vents is a pretty simplistic solution. Even if it was great to see Zelenka whine in Czech. Some of these character events I think were quite good. I like the serious discusion between John and Teyla about what she is going to do when she has her baby. I think its natural for a person in Teyla's position to be concerned about the safety of her child. Some might say that Sheppherd scaling the tower was too unrealastic. I don't know. Its doesn't look that much different then mountain climbing except nothing to hold Sheppherd if he slips. Ronon and Keller stuff was too shippy for me. Yawn. I liked the Zelenka and Carter stuff just to show how socially awakward Zelenka is around people. I know one criticism was Zelenka was being a perv but after eeing the scene again it was 2 seconds. Seems a little blown out for a small glance. I really hated McKay in this episode. Its a wonder Katie didn't break up with him sooner. The show in general is inconsistent with McKay. He changes and grows and then falls to a jerk that rivials Kavannagh. His we are doomed in this episode really annoyed. On the other hand a married person on Atlantis would have been interesting if done right. On the other hand Kannan and Teyla in S5 wasn't done right

[Cluas]

I really enjoyed this one.

McKay/Katie - McKay was just a little over the top here. Katie is always so sweet. I really don't understand how she could put up with Rodney for so long.

Ronon/Keller - They started on some stuff, but did anything ever happen?

Zelenka/Sam - Well, I would have thought Zelenka wasn't up to it. He was the one who surprised me the most in this episode. Sam didn't really do anything.

Shep/Teyla- Awesome climb by Sheppard. But then the self destruct started... Teyla was on her way, but then changed her mind. Good choice...

Overall, really good, because it was different.

[Baron Of Hell]

I liked this one. I thought all the mini stories were good to some degree. The Mckay one was a little to much of of downer. I kind of wished they ended that one on a upbeat instead but I still liked it.

Not a lot of Carter. I wonder why they brought her on at time since she seems under used.

I liked the idea of Ronin and the doctor together. I guess I liked the idea of such big opposites coming together.