'The Kindred, Part 1' (418) General Discussion

[Crichiel]

Of course
What I'd pay money to see is Todd wraith Halling.
Green screen suicide, anyone?

OMG! That would be hilarious! I hated Halling and love Todd!

[Briangate78]

Rodney's gift - He is actively taking interest in Teyla's child. In his mind, what could be greater than encouraging the baby to develop his love of science. Instead of assuming that a backward Athosian would be unable to understand it (like McKay would have in earlier seasons), he assumes Teyla's child can be brilliant and wants to give him a headstart. The very idea of Rodney thinking of a gift - and he had to spend a lot of time on this - shows sensitivity on his part. I find it incredibly sweet that he cares about Teyla enough to care about her son's well-being. He could have gone the easy way - had Jeannie pick something out from Baby Gap and send it. Instead, he spends hours recording his theories. For an unborn infant.

Ronon's teasing - I think Ronon's comment in and of itself is his way of showing respect and admiration of Rodney's abilities. He's fond of McKay or he wouldn't have said anything at all. He was obviously teasing, and the look they shared (to me) showed that Rodney understood it as well. Otherwise, a typical Conan zinger would have been tossed right back at him. Most guys I've been around seem to show affection by insulting each other. Weird, but a total guy thing to do.

This is what we call continued character development, imo Thaaaaaaank you. Season one Rodney would be too worried about himself to even think of Teyla or anyone. Season two, Ronon would not even say a word to Rodney. I think Ronon and Mckay became closer as friends in "Tao of Rodney" and "Sunday". Like I said from last season, Carson's death has changed Rodney. I think it has made him a stronger person, but he still has his flaws as we saw with him trying to propose to Katie.

[AutumnDream]

I think part of the problem is that the Athosians have been portrayed more as a nuisance than anything else. Or at least that's the impression I always got. First they were underfoot and in the way and then they were interrupting tense situations with their weird need for rituals and then they were out of the way but still causing problems, and then they needed to be moved AGAIN. Other than a couple of eps in S1 we haven't really gotten to know any other Athosians, either as individuals or as a people. They're just a blob moving from place to place and now that they've gone poof, so what? Dunno about anyone else, but I never felt emotionally invested in the Athosians and their plight. And Kanaan? We should care about him because he's obviously important to Teyla and even has Wraith genes (and what an "oh, by the way" moment that was! ), but again there's no emotional investment in his story. He's just some random Athosian guy. Sure, we can feel some sympathy for Teyla on a generic "missing loved one" basis, but we don't even know what she sees in the guy beyond what little we've been told. Told, not shown.

I know that the whole pregnancy storyline wasn't where they originally planned to go with the character, but it would have been nice if there had been some kind of base for them to build on rather than making stuff up on the spot and pretending there'd been some background for it. Offscreen, of course.

Yeah, everything you've said here is a good example of how many the SGA writers tend not to think like... writers. There's a certain logistical way you approach situations as a writer, first considering 1)what story elements you want to include 2)what you want to get across with those elements 3)the most effective way to approach the execution in order to achieve the desired effect. In many SGA scripts, it comes across more like some teenager's fanfiction writing, wherein the "author" suddenly thinks up a bunch of "cool" plot elements and throws them all in his word processor without going through any of the above steps. As a result things that could have been very potent end up being weak and understated, or worse - weak and overstated. (Teyla plot)

[Chailyn]

Of course he won't make it. In fact, he's probably going to be portrayed as a bad guy so that we'll have a grieving Teyla clinging to Our Hero, Sheppard and thus appease all the Shep/Teyla shippers out there and give the writers more fodder for another agonizingly drawn out, contradictory and generally obnoxious shipped/not-shipped extravaganza like the S/J stuff we got on SG-1.

I'm not going to touch the shipper speculation, lol, but I am bothered that these tough choices seem to be removed from the characters. Ronon's friends went "evil" so it nullified any choices he had to make. Now, Teyla's people and lover are hybrids. Unless Carson can reverse the effects, it looks like they're going to be "evil" too. Really tough decision for Teyla. It's a shame since these decisions are what define characters. It's all just too easy and convenient. On the other hand, I recognize that RL threw them a curve ball with her pregnancy. This wasn't Plan A by any means. Regardless though, I haven't been happy with the way they've handled it.

And I agree about Michael. I'm sympathetic to the guy too.

[Sam_Carter]

CARSON!!!!!!!!
OH MY GOD!!! YAAAAAAAAAAY!!!
SO SQUEEDIDILY HAPPY!!!!!!!

Just saw the episode, oh it's so good to see Paul back. Missed him so much. Can't wait till next tuesday!!!!

[jannagalaxy]

I think it was a cool episode and it sounds like to me that Micheal is after Teyla, but I could be wrong. He seemed to be talking to Teyla like he's the father of her unborn son.
I think the character is so cool and so is Connor Trinner -

I'm suprised John didn't start off with Todd about the attack on Midway Station.

Loved when Rodney give Teyla a pressie that was so adorable....until it was him talking, I don't think it's morrally right to brainwash an unborn child.

But the end!!!! OMG!!!!!! CARSON!!!!!!! It brought a tear to my eye!!!!

But the end nearly was cut off. The credits where shoved in the corner....flaming skyone

Anyhow, can't wait for next weeks!

[cabouse18]

I'm not going to touch the shipper speculation, lol, but I am bothered that these tough choices seem to be removed from the characters. Ronon's friends went "evil" so it nullified any choices he had to make. Now, Teyla's people and lover are hybrids. Unless Carson can reverse the effects, it looks like they're going to be "evil" too. Really tough decision for Teyla. It's a shame since these decisions are what define characters. It's all just too easy and convenient. On the other hand, I recognize that RL threw them a curve ball with her pregnancy. This wasn't Plan A by any means. Regardless though, I haven't been happy with the way they've handled it.

And I agree about Michael. I'm sympathetic to the guy too.

Yeah as much as Michael is the bad guy. He is the bad guy you love b/c you almost feel for him. Connor is a great actor and has done a phenomenal job of portraying Michael as someone who really has no one and has turned bitter b/c of it. He really does have an obsession with Teyla and I think his feeling of their "connection" are genuine.

I have been saying that while RL threw them a curve ball with her pregnancy, the writers could have handled it differently. I think the story they decided to go with has many holes and it shows as the season winds down and comes to a conclusion (somewhat).

[ShadowMaat]

On the other hand, I recognize that RL threw them a curve ball with her pregnancy. This wasn't Plan A by any means. Regardless though, I haven't been happy with the way they've handled it.

If TPTB had bothered to lay any kind of groundwork for the character then it might have been easier to cobble together a story for her. But all we've gotten have been dribs and drabs about her Wraith genes, dragged out whenever it's convenient for the plot-at-hand, but otherwise pretty much ignored- much like Teyla herself, IMO. Then Rachel drops the bombshell about her pregnancy and all of a sudden the writers have to scramble to invent stuff for Teyla and pretend that it's been part of her back story all along.

[cabouse18]

If TPTB had bothered to lay any kind of groundwork for the character then it might have been easier to cobble together a story for her. But all we've gotten have been dribs and drabs about her Wraith genes, dragged out whenever it's convenient for the plot-at-hand, but otherwise pretty much ignored- much like Teyla herself, IMO. Then Rachel drops the bombshell about her pregnancy and all of a sudden the writers have to scramble to invent stuff for Teyla and pretend that it's been part of her back story all along.

Excactly....I like Teyla and feel she has been ignored and while they had a different plan for her character this season....this was NOT the type of storyline to use in order to try and bring her character to a)forefront and/or b) develop the character. I hate when the show throws stuff into a character that would have seemingly been going on either off screen or been there the entire time and finally after 4 years they feel the need to mention it for the first time.

[Falcon Horus]

If TPTB had bothered to lay any kind of groundwork for the character then it might have been easier to cobble together a story for her. But all we've gotten have been dribs and drabs about her Wraith genes, dragged out whenever it's convenient for the plot-at-hand, but otherwise pretty much ignored- much like Teyla herself, IMO. Then Rachel drops the bombshell about her pregnancy and all of a sudden the writers have to scramble to invent stuff for Teyla and pretend that it's been part of her back story all along.

IMHO, spot on!

[Integrabyte]

I love Teyla's line :"Whoever did this, they will pay!!!"

I would have believed that in S1 or S2. But now, it was something hollow. Who will make them pay? She will? She is pregnant she is no condition to go hunting. The IOA does not care about the Athosians, Shep and co don't care either. Lucky she got a ride on that cruiser otherwise nobody would have helped her .


The expedition has better things to do:

1. Drinking games.
2. Play who would you date games in a ditch.
3. Bond in the infirmary
4. Babysit brats
5. Organise fights for profit


...and so on and so forth

[Alan]

Absolutely fantastic episode! Brilliant! What a cliffhanger! Can't wait for Part 2!

10 out of 10!

[Mekarri]

Meh. Probably not, but it doesn't really matter. We know we didn't know.

This is actually the first ep I've seen since Doppelganger. I saw Lorne in the previews and I knew they were doing the Big Reveal with Carson and since the Psych finale was last week I had nothing better to do with my time and was bored enough to see if the show was as bad as I remember. The ep wasn't cringe-worthy, but I don't think it was very good, either. The dialogue felt clunky in places, and not just that trader dude's. The story seemed awkwardly strung together as well and designed to pass time without accomplishing much.

IMO, what Teyla should have done was gone to Shep or Sam and said, "Hey look, I know you guys are kinda busy right now, but I've had a vision of Kanaan. I haven't mentioned it before, but he and I are a lot alike; we both have Wraith DNA and I think he may be trying to contact me the way I've contacted the Wraith. Is it okay if I go to this planet he mentioned and see what I can find?" And, since Teyla has proven herself time and again over the years, they should damn well believe her and let her go without the "It's probably nothing, so don't waste too much of our time, Mamacita" attitude. Let her go on her own or send a team with her, but have a little faith in one of the members of your primary team.

Hello everyone,

I love SGA but completely agree about the way they treat and see Tayla. Her character has changed from a leader to someone who needs others to look after her and to second guess her. Being pregnant she does have to take more precaution, that a given, but doesn't she still have a brain? I always thought that Teyla was an intelligent woman. It would be nice if they were to show her the respect that she has earn.

[nx01a]

I was a bit surprised how they dismissed this. There're Ascended Beings and all sorts of technologies and species able to make telepathic contact. They still had no idea what happened to her people. To dismiss something potentially paranormal just because she's the pregnant little woman is not only disrespect, it's bad exploring.

Bad explorers! Bad!

[Elinor]

Gosh! That was a jam-packed full of good stuff eppie that was! I'm really intrigued to see where they're going with this one. Spoiler freeness is definitely working for me!