The Fourth Horseman, Part 2 (911)

[NakedJehutyV2]

Atlantis did the virus better in hotzone too.

hotzone and prior virus are the same?

[AGateFan]

hotzone and prior virus are the same?

No I do not think so. I was indicating that the tension that was played out in Hotzone was superior do the lack of tension that exsisted in this episode. You dont really need 500 extras to pull off the "everyone is going to die isnt this terrible". You just need SOMETHING On Screen so everyone knows that "everyone is going to die isnt this horrible". The Landry thing didnt work at all, seemed like he got sick in the last 10 min and got heald in the last 5 min.... not enough time to even care.

[BigGator5]

No I do not think so. I was indicating that the tension that was played out in Hotzone was superior do the lack of tension that exsisted in this episode.

You have made your point in about three posts. Take it to the "Anti" thread.

I think it was. That is why I have a hard time with the fact that the Alterans were killed off by this virus. In Hotzone, people with the Alteran Gene were immune to the virus.

[Dani347]

I'm just saying, to make the plague story really hit home, someone had to bite it. And in this story, that would have been Hammond.

For me, it would have been enough for him to get sick, if it included showing the toll it took on Daniel, Sam, and Teal'c. For me, to see the fear and sadness in them would have worked to personalize it, even if, as a viewer I knew odds were he'd be okay.

As for the characters, let me first get it out of the way and say that Chris Judge absolutely stole the whole show. He was terrific, certainly his best peformance of the season so far.

Again, I say amen!

My feelings about Mitchell are mixed in this one. As a serious, intelligent player in the story Mitchell did some of his best stuff yet. When talking with Haikon and Jolan,

I really do like this bonding he has here. It was a nice continuation from part 1, where I loved that small moment when he quietly defends the Sodan to Landry.

I saw little reason to leave Daniel in his cell while Cam talks with the Sodan. For that matter, I really saw little reason for Daniel to be off-world with Cam at all. Daniel should have been making that speech to the Prior, not Landry. Daniel makes empassioned pleas on behalf of the Universe, not Mitchell and not Landry. Anything more than inane, throw-away lines would have been welcome.

I don't think that only Daniel can make impassioned speeches, but for Daniel not to make them is off. Especially since he went there with the hope of turning the prior around. Daniel doesn't do "lets mock our way to change." Daniel defiant, Daniel impassioned, Daniel frustrated. All those I could believe. Like Daniel talking to the Doci in Avalon 2. Daniel joking his way to victory? Nope, don't buy it.

His banter with Mitchell was humor for humor's sake, not really adding anything to the story.

I really think they were trying to play up the chemistry between them. And, they do have chemistry. They have a nice rhythm. But, it would have fit better as a set up. Have them trade quips in the hut before the action. Of course, the quips wouldn't be the same ones (since they wouldn't be doing a routine to get the prior to change his beliefs) but the humor could have been brought in, and then they could get down to the nitty gritty where it counted

AGateFan

The Landry thing didnt work at all, seemed like he got sick in the last 10 min and got heald in the last 5 min.... not enough time to even care.

I wonder if it would have helped if Landry had gotten sick in part 1.

[ToasterOnFire]

hotzone and prior virus are the same?

I don't think so either, just by comparing the apparent symptoms of the two illnesses:

Hot Zone illness: "Six hour hibernation, reoccurring visions, and best of all, so I've left it til last, brain haemorrhage, or aneurysms."

4th Horsies illness: "It's colonel Barnes. About 3 hours ago he came in complaining of fatigue, about an hour after that he could barely stand. High fever, chest pain, respiratory distress...sound familiar?"

I don't remember the Hot Zone virus inducing fever and fatigue, nor did I hear any indication that the 4th Horseman virus caused hallucinations and aneurysms. I'm going to assume they're completely different.

[AGateFan]

You have made your point in about three posts. Take it to the "Anti" thread.

I think it was. That is why I have a hard time with the fact that the Alterans were killed off by this virus. In Hotzone, people with the Alteran Gene were immune to the virus.

Im pretty sure they said the virus in Hotzone wasnt actually a virus but was just nanites that were easily killed by a big enough EM pulse. In this case the virus is actually a virus, otherwise they would have just isloated people and used an EM Pulse generator to clear up the virus.

So I would say that these are not the same, but it doesnt mean the Ori didnt cause both. Maybe the hotzone virus was the first run, but then why would they kill their own food. No I would have to stick with the "they are not the same virus" theory.

Should I take this to the Anti thread or the Pro S1 Atlantis thread? Maybe something in the Science and Tech folder. Please feel free to ask a mod to move this where ever your lordship thinks it should be moved.

[golfbooy]

Just wanted to add that this is the worst episode of the season, for me, in terms of missing Jack. I feel like even RDA's limited presence in this one would have made Fourth Horseman play much better. It would have added weight to the whole disaster on Earth, and I can't help but think that those scenes offworld with the Prior would have played really great with Jack there. Instead I feel like they wrote the scene how they normally would have with Jack and just gave his parts to Mitchell. And, alas, Mitchell does not have the character depth or cynicism to pull off that special Stargate brand of humor.

[Battousai the Manslayer]

I wonder if it would have helped if Landry had gotten sick in part 1.

That's a good idea. However, I think someone really pinpointed the problem I have with his whole character earlier. He gets sick and is not able to command, guess what...the SGC doesn't even miss a beat. It's not even clear what he actually does to even contribute anything when he's not sick. If Hammond was sick in one of the earlier seasons, I'm betting that there would've been someone to step in as head of the base and it would've been portrayed as being a crippling blow to the command structure of the base. Not in this episode, as far as I can tell Landry isn't really even needed around the base.

[jckfan55]

Certainly personnel would have been more worried about Hammond. I know everyone was at risk of dying, but still...

[Dani347]

That's a good idea. However, I think someone really pinpointed the problem I have with his whole character earlier. He gets sick and is not able to command, guess what...the SGC doesn't even miss a beat. It's not even clear what he actually does to even contribute anything when he's not sick. If Hammond was sick in one of the earlier seasons, I'm betting that there would've been someone to step in as head of the base and it would've been portrayed as being a crippling blow to the command structure of the base. Not in this episode, as far as I can tell Landry isn't really even needed around the base.

Good point. One of the issues they were dealing with was the possibility of governments crumbling and chaos that didn't deal directly with death. If we saw the SGC crumbling, the impact would have been better.

[rexpop]

An excellent episode up until the last 10 minutes when the writer realized that he didn't have another episode to finish up everything that he had set up and invited Mr Deus Ex Machina to finish the job for him. Definitely spoiled what was up until that point was an excellent story.

The good parts:
- Ben Browder continues to do an excellent job with Mitchell. The one-liners between him and the Prior were so funny and so in character.

- A great scene between Tealc and Gerak. Could have done with a little more exposition of the point that Tealc was showing Gerak, that he had become what he and his had spent most their lives fighting.

- Nice to see General Hammond even if it was to say goodbye and pass the torch.

The bad parts:
- The last 10 minutes. They could have had a great cliffhanger in Lamb telling Landry that he now has the Ori virus which would have lead to an episode were we find out more about Lam and Landry's history while SG-1 races to find a cure for the virus as the global death toll mounts and Orlins mind goes for a walk. Instead we had the Deus Ex Machina ending that completely spoiled the previous 80 minutes of fighting against impossible odds and rising tension. Not that I had a problem with the solution, its just it was way way way too rushed.

I'm really sorry to keep beating up on the writers of SG-1 and SGA about rushing stuff and other recent faults, but when the show following your two hour slot (Battlestar Galatica) sets the bar pretty high for character development, writing and drama, it means that you have to start thinking things through a whole lot more and not relying so much on cliche.

[JanusAncient]

The is one of the best episodes I have seen. What was most depressing was the part with Orlin, at the end, stuck in that home, I can't understand why the writers couldn't figure something else to do with him, the dna manipulation machine, the Ancient healing cube, something other than, now this once ascended being is stuck in a retirement home, and will possibly never remember what he was, or who he is ever again.

[Johnquixote]

Honestly, I didn't think it should have worked. I would have found it much more realistic if the prior had said, "We mock what we don't understand," or something else like that. I just don't buy that what they did would get through to him.

You are a harbinger of these all powerful gods who have given you incredible abilities. You are going to deal with people who did not follow the Ori's quest for them. They attempt to capture you. You kick their buts, lifting the leader into the air and interogating him by strangalation.
But then... he falls and Zats you. You have completely lost.
The only thing that I could think of that went through the Prior's mind was the Ori have forsaken me. And at the hands of the heretic enemies. For all the time he put into the priors I would think a guy explaining how to build an omelet and telling you the Ori aren't gods and they lie to you would be awfully tantalizing. And its not like ol' Dumerris (CSM Prior) was made for this kind of torture (Mitchell and Daniel mocking him).
The priors are still human, they still feel pain and emotion, I found his reaction completely believable.

[rnwhocares]

This episode was atrocious. Painful to watch.

But, there was heart in the scene on the pel’tak with Teal’c and Bratec, as well as the scene with Teal’c and Garrick by Garrick's father's grave. So, it doesn’t get zero stars.

Good acting by General Landry at the end, but awful dialogue with the new Doctor spilling her guts out – have the writers heard the word ‘subtext.’

I’ll give it 1 star. Pretty terrible.

I totally agree about this episode. And who really cares about the personal relationship between Lam and Landry!!!

[Johnquixote]

I totally agree about this episode. And who really cares about the personal relationship between Lam and Landry!!!

I really like Landry. I dono about Lexa Doig though. After watching a few episodes of Andromeda and the end of one of those new fangled crazy Jason movies, her acting is always the same. She doesn't bring much to the character.
However, for her monologue at the end, I could see the character still having an angriness at the end, because she still has resentment but is trying to forgive. She played the anger, but came off like a whiny brat.
I loved the episode though. It just moved too fast and I think that took alot of the care away. The prior action sequence was awesome but too short lived. They should have had Sodan and the other SG members attempting to bring him down.
Too many commercials!