Where the heck was everybody?!

[Mattathias2.0]

"A couple of hundred" indicates 300 or more people, at the very least. Otherwise, you just say "roughly 200". "A couple" usually indicates more than two.

OK, that is semantics.

Actually, a "couple" indicates 2, in that case 200. Where as "a few hundred" would indicate 3, as in 300. But we don't have an exact count, and I don't care to have one.

Point being: Why would you need, or want, to see all 500-800 members of the expedition? Who cares?

[Mandysg1]

OK, that is semantics.

Actually, a "couple" indicates 2, in that case 200. Where as "a few hundred" would indicate 3, as in 300. But we don't have an exact count, and I don't care to have one.

Point being: Why would you need, or want, to see all 500-800 members of the expedition? Who cares?

Exactly, time and money needed to be spent on the story, not on how many extras you could cram in one shot.

[SierraGolf-OneNiner]

Exactly, time and money needed to be spent on the story, not on how many extras you could cram in one shot.

Well they could at least have given Lorne a line like "We captured another one. Let's get him into confinement area no. 25. Its the closest." Or something like that. It's the little things we fans are looking out for.

[ReganX]

There was only a very small number of people in the mess and the sick bay can only hold so many. As far as we saw, Teyla was the only one to be put in a holding cell.

So where the heck were the rest of the civilians? Was this the week where the majority were off-base for whatever reason? Were they all hiding out throughout the city (despite it being said that there were only a few stragglers)?

Plothole of doom.

The plot device fairies kidnapped them and brought them to Don'tAskQuestions Land.

There's really only one rule there.

[Mattathias2.0]

There was only a very small number of people in the mess and the sick bay can only hold so many. As far as we saw, Teyla was the only one to be put in a holding cell.

If you want to get nitpicky, "sick bay" was the term used in Star Trek. In Stargate, we call it an Infirmary .

[Mattathias2.0]

But there is zero evidence to support everyone was rounded up in the Mess Hall to begin with, such as Radek. And given the memory loss everyone was experiencing, it's more than likely people were still roaming around the city.

There isn't a simple answer. There is several possiblilites.

[FallenAngelII]

But there is zero evidence to support everyone was rounded up in the Mess Hall to begin with, such as Radek. And given the memory loss everyone was experiencing, it's more than likely people were still roaming around the city.

There isn't a simple answer. There is several possiblilites.

We only ever saw that one dead guy and Radek, though. If there were hundreds of people wandering the halls, Rodney should've met at least a few of them.

Also, the guards had been rounding people up for, like, 8 or so hours. Of course they'd gotten most people since at the the start of the rounding up, Sam probably told everyone to gather at designated areas (if she didn't, well, then, bleh on her and the entire expedition for being so irresponsible).

[Detox]

Are there more than one mess hall, though?

Yeah, there's the one that looks like the gate room. Then there's one that's opened to the outside and has a nice view of the city. And those are just the ones we've seen.

[Detox]

No, the original expedition was less than a hundred. Here's a quote from Sanctuary:

CHAYA: How many of you are there?

SHEPPARD: Counting all the Athosians on the mainland...might get a couple of hundred, which leaves a very large empty city...Right now we're living in one section because we don't have the power to spread out more than that. *looks at her* What do you think so far?

So we know that they barely had around 200 people in and around Atlantis when including the Athosians. If you want get more specific you can take the time you can count how many people were crowded into the gateroom in Rising.

KAVANAGH: There are tens of thousands of life-sucking aliens in highly advanced spaceships on their way here to destroy us, and we have -- what? -- two hundred people, most of whom are scientists who've never even fired a gun before.

[Mattathias2.0]

We only ever saw that one dead guy and Radek, though. If there were hundreds of people wandering the halls, Rodney should've met at least a few of them.

Also, the guards had been rounding people up for, like, 8 or so hours. Of course they'd gotten most people since at the the start of the rounding up, Sam probably told everyone to gather at designated areas (if she didn't, well, then, bleh on her and the entire expedition for being so irresponsible).

Not necessarily. The city is massively huge. With the soldiers roaming around, likely most of them went into hiding. This is with the assumption the soldiers went to every part of the city (which is very time consuming).

Ummm, you were aware that a) a large number of people were losing their memory, b) including Carter, Sheppard, and others, and c) so how could one expect to function normally and with logic?

There was no way for Carter or any other member of the Expedition to know that the situation would have spiraled out of control so quickly (15 hours is not alot of time at all).

And lets say even if Carter did made the order, who is say who would or would not remember Carter, or the order???

[Xaeden]

KAVANAGH: There are tens of thousands of life-sucking aliens in highly advanced spaceships on their way here to destroy us, and we have -- what? -- two hundred people, most of whom are scientists who've never even fired a gun before.

Note that he said that right after Telya told them that her people said they would stay and fight, which would fit with Sheppard previously saying they had a couple hundred people around including the Athosians. Here's the full quote so you can see what the context of the conversation was at the time:

WEIR: Good. Teyla: are the Athosians getting prepared for an evacuation?

TEYLA: Yes -- but many believe there is no other world that is safe from the Wraith.

WEIR: They want to stay?

TEYLA: As we have heard from our allies and seen for ourselves, there are cullings happening all over the galaxy. My people have spent their lives hiding from the Wraith.

WEIR: Yes, well, the difference here being we do intend to destroy the city rather than let it fall in the hands of the Wraith -- and if it comes to that, anyone left on the mainland will be cut off from the Stargate for good. Now, thanks to Rodney's discovery of the Gate's control crystal (Rodney raises his hand and waves in acknowledgement) we at least know we'll be able to take that with us and hopefully use it to access Earth again some time in the future.

TEYLA: We understand that, Doctor Weir.

WEIR: I'm sorry, wh...?

TEYLA (sounding irritable): I am merely saying the people of Athos wish you to know that if we are going to stay and fight, they too will help defend the city of the ancestors.

WEIR: Well, that is very honourable, but I ...

KAVANAGH (interrupting): Oh, please! We can't possibly consider staying and fighting.

SHEPPARD: I disagree. I think it's entirely within the realm of possibility.

KAVANAGH: There are tens of thousands of life-sucking aliens in highly advanced spaceships on their way here to destroy us, and we have -- what? -- two hundred people, most of whom are scientists who've never even fired a gun before.

McKAY: Shockingly, first time ever I've found myself having to agree with Kavanagh.

SHEPPARD: All I'm saying is, let's not give up -- just yet.

McKAY: Now what was that we were supposed to all remember? It was something important ... uh, oh yes, that's right -- the Alamo!

SHEPPARD (trying not to smile): Granted you guys are scientists. No-one's considering putting you guys on the front line, but science can turn the tide of war. Look at the ... A bomb.

ZELENKA: Not exactly our proudest moment.

WEIR: The fact is, the Wraith aren't here quite yet, and until that moment I would like everyone to remain focused on what it is they do best. Like I said off the top, if there are any options, I want them. That's all.

The only thing that doesn't fit is him saying most of that two hundred were scientists, which wouldn't be the case with the Athosians included. However, given the context and the previous quote from Sheppard, (a couple is never more than 2 of something for our English challenged friends in this thread) that one word is not enough to to make what Sheppard said invalid nor is it enough for us to be sure he really wasn't talking about Telya's people too. I think the best way to solve this is for someone to just count the people in the SGC during Rising (I won't have time to bother until this weekend, so unless someone remembers another quote that sheds new light into this, I'll shelf my end of this debate until then). We won't get an exact number, but we will have a general idea.

[Detox]

Note that he said that right after Telya told them that her people said they would stay and fight, which would fit with Sheppard previously saying they had a couple hundred people around including the Athosians. Here's the full quote so you can see what the context of the conversation was at the time:

WEIR: Good. Teyla: are the Athosians getting prepared for an evacuation?

TEYLA: Yes -- but many believe there is no other world that is safe from the Wraith.

WEIR: They want to stay?

TEYLA: As we have heard from our allies and seen for ourselves, there are cullings happening all over the galaxy. My people have spent their lives hiding from the Wraith.

WEIR: Yes, well, the difference here being we do intend to destroy the city rather than let it fall in the hands of the Wraith -- and if it comes to that, anyone left on the mainland will be cut off from the Stargate for good. Now, thanks to Rodney's discovery of the Gate's control crystal (Rodney raises his hand and waves in acknowledgement) we at least know we'll be able to take that with us and hopefully use it to access Earth again some time in the future.

TEYLA: We understand that, Doctor Weir.

WEIR: I'm sorry, wh...?

TEYLA (sounding irritable): I am merely saying the people of Athos wish you to know that if we are going to stay and fight, they too will help defend the city of the ancestors.

WEIR: Well, that is very honourable, but I ...

KAVANAGH (interrupting): Oh, please! We can't possibly consider staying and fighting.

SHEPPARD: I disagree. I think it's entirely within the realm of possibility.

KAVANAGH: There are tens of thousands of life-sucking aliens in highly advanced spaceships on their way here to destroy us, and we have -- what? -- two hundred people, most of whom are scientists who've never even fired a gun before.

McKAY: Shockingly, first time ever I've found myself having to agree with Kavanagh.

SHEPPARD: All I'm saying is, let's not give up -- just yet.

McKAY: Now what was that we were supposed to all remember? It was something important ... uh, oh yes, that's right -- the Alamo!

SHEPPARD (trying not to smile): Granted you guys are scientists. No-one's considering putting you guys on the front line, but science can turn the tide of war. Look at the ... A bomb.

ZELENKA: Not exactly our proudest moment.

WEIR: The fact is, the Wraith aren't here quite yet, and until that moment I would like everyone to remain focused on what it is they do best. Like I said off the top, if there are any options, I want them. That's all.

The only thing that doesn't fit is him saying most of that two hundred were scientists, which wouldn't be the case with the Athosians included. However, given the context and the previous quote from Sheppard, (a couple is never more than 2 of something for our English challenged friends in this thread) that one word is not enough to to make what Sheppard said invalid nor is it enough for us to be sure he really wasn't talking about Telya's people too. I think the best way to solve this is for someone to just count the people in the SGC during Rising (I won't have time to bother until this weekend, so unless someone remembers another quote that sheds new light into this, I'll shelf my end of this debate until then). We won't get an exact number, but we will have a general idea.

We do have a good idea. Kavanaugh clearly meant 200 people, that being 200 members of the expedition. How hard is this to get? When he said most of them are scientists, he's again, referring the to expedition! Most of which aren't military, but scientists. It fits because he's referring to the expedition!!

Also, what are you talking about?!

I think you're the one having trouble with english. Cause you obviously don't understand the multi usage of "couple". When couple is used as a NOUN, then it means two. But when it's used as an IDIOM, then it means more than two, but only a few. Get your english straight before you start correcting others.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/couple

[FallenAngelII]

Since when is "a couple never more than two"? And please, your veiled insults are barely veiled.

So whenever someone says "A couple of students", they mean "2 students, not possibly 3 or more"? Funny, the English I hear at school, on TV and in movies must be wrong, then.

This is what Dictionary.com had to say:
14. a couple of, more than two, but not many, of; a small number of; a few: It will take a couple of days for the package to get there. Also, a couple.

[Xaeden]

So now we're assuming Sheppard is uneducated and doesn't know that to use an idiom like that is highly contradictorary and confusing as generally people are taught from a young age that saying a "couple" of whatever means only a pair of something (as they should be taught since that is the correct meaning of both the word and phrase - I asked a few friends and all but one also remembered having that drilled into them so I don't know what school FallenAngel went to)? Where as if you want to express more than a pair, you say "a few of" like a normal person. Well if you're going to use that argument than I don't see why you find it so hard to believe that someone would think that Kavanaugh would be including the Athosians in his argument and simply mispoke with the word "most" when the only reason he spoke up was to cut off Telya and Weir when they were discussing her people joining the fight. Afterall, apparently the writers are going to great length to use improper English in an attempt to confuse us (being educated writers there's no way they should use that to mean anything but around 200 unless they are trying to write in a character's voice). So why not have characters say "most" instead of "a lot of?" Anyway, I didn't say that it was obvious that it meant something different than what you thought, only that it can be taken to mean more than one thing. I'm perfectly willing to admit I am wrong if we can come up with something more conclusive.

[Detox]

So now we're assuming Sheppard is uneducated and doesn't know that to use an idiom like that is highly contradictorary and confusing as generally people are taught from a young age that saying a "couple" of whatever means only a pair of something (as they should be taught since that is the correct meaning of both the word and phrase - I asked a few friends and all but one also remembered having that drilled into them so I don't know what school FallenAngel went to)? Where as if you want to express more than a pair, you say "a few of" like a normal person. Well if you're going to use that argument than I don't see why you find it so hard to believe that someone would think that Kavanaugh would be including the Athosians in his argument and simply mispoke with the word "most" when the only reason he spoke up was to cut off Telya and Weir when they were discussing her people joining the fight. Afterall, apparently the writers are going to great length to use improper English in an attempt to confuse us (being educated writers there's no way they should use that to mean anything but around 200 unless they are trying to write in a character's voice). So why not have characters say "most" instead of "a lot of?" Anyway, I didn't say that it was obvious that it meant something different than what you thought, only that it can be taken to mean more than one thing. I'm perfectly willing to admit I am wrong if we can come up with something more conclusive.

Where did you learn english? A couple of, means... a couple of, a few, a couple. Everyone knows that! Everyone uses that idiom. It's common language. You hear it everywhere!

"I've got a couple of bucks left"

"A couple of friends and I are gonna go out for lunch"

"Can you spare a couple of minutes?"

So please, get the hell off of your high horse, and stop pretending you're "better" at english than the rest of the world's population.