'Darkness' (104) General Discussion

[JohnDuh]

As for the "chest" shot, *ahem*, nice and all but I preferred the CGI of the Destiny and the planet's in the last 10 minutes

Nice and all, but I don't quite get why some people feel the CGI was so brilliant - not much of it and not that impressive. Perhaps I need a 60 inch plasma screen to really appreciate it

[JohnDuh]

Having sex with one girl does not constitute sex addiction. I know that it's a bit weird to see adults actually being portrayed as adults. It takes some getting used to.

Your snide character suggests you don't know about adults. And throwing in gratuitous sex scenes is not adult, that's pandering to the teens and tweens - of course that worked well for Torchwood.

The thing that people have to realize about these characters is that they aren't 1 dimensional archetypes. They're more complex, and you shouldn't try to pigeon hole them. Stereotypes are too common, especially in sci fi, where you have a "desert planet" or an "ice planet".

I've seen nothing but 1 dimensional characters (with Rush just about the only exception, and that's down to the actor me thinks)

[JohnDuh]

The first 4 episodes have been almost nothing but character development. With nearly every scene we've either learned something about the characters' personalities or their history.

Character information is NOT character development. Contrary to what some here believe, saying "I've got a blue car" doesn't show anything of relevance about your character.

[Jper]

I've seen nothing but 1 dimensional characters (with Rush just about the only exception, and that's down to the actor me thinks)

Well a rewatch may be in order then.
Because we have for example T.J. who wanted to quit her job for unknown reasons, but now is actually thinking about how she then would have missed out on the Destiny. She now cannot leave anymore, we're not sure if she still wants to leave, and we don't know why she wanted to leave in the first place. Next to that you have her interactions with Col. Young and Camille Wray (IOA).
Seems pretty complex to me.

Further more we have for example Col. Young. We had so much backstory and different insights on him that it would take me a whole post to point out all sides of his character, evolution and complexity. This only four episodes in.

ETA/
Also, btw, I can understand how you can have a double post, but having five posts in a row, is normally considered not-done on Internet boards/forums.

[JohnDuh]

I also don't understand those who say this show has no sense of humor. Loved the bit with Eli and Young, when Eli says something like: "I'm actually an MIT dropout". And Young replies, "And your proud of that?" Seriously, its there. Don't know how you can miss it.

Because humor is subjective - that wasn't funny.

[Pandora's_Box]

As for the rest, well, total power is gone, Rush has collapsed. It looks like everyone is going to die, so Col. Young uses the body-swapping stones to do what? Pick the best brains at the SGC to save his people? No, he goes to visit his ex-wife. Yeah, maybe Telford has a point. Maybe someone else SHOULD be in charge. That was dumb. Just dumb.

The thing with the crowd confroning Eli came kind of out of left field, and I can't quite figure out why these folks haven't figured out that if no one is telling them anything, it probably means that they aren't going home and are likely to die. I mean that would be my assumption if I was way-the-hell in space and things were sucking beyond belief. A little logic, people.

The "Kino Confessions" were terrible. What a bunch of whiny people! I also felt they were completely pointless to the episode. I would think that if they really thought they were going to die, they would try to leave messages to their loves ones, not whine about dying for posterity.

The Letters From Pegasus videos didn't tell me anything about these people other than they have social issues and don't come across as the best and brightest that you would think the Stargate program would be recruiting.

A bunch of whiny spoiled brats.. at least someone finally said something good about Rush,,

Col Young leaving the scene of an emergency to visit his, wife/ex-wife, whoever she was? That was one of the worst ideas I've ever seen! And some people think we got such wonderful character development from Young in this episode? He left his post? He left his people in mortal danger? All to go visit a woman who doesn't even like him? Give me a break!

People seem to be forgetting that these are human characters. Yes, they're science fiction characters too, but that doesn't negate or even preclude their humanity.

Regardless of whether their military or scientists or civilians, people cry when they think they're about to die, they're sad when all signs point to never-seeing-family-or-friends-ever-again, and they get mad when times get tough or stressful or go unpredictably awry. Every emotion these people are feeling is going to be extreme not because the show is a soap opera or Stargate:BSG or whatever, but because when people are stranded billions of light years from home on a ship that's falling apart, there are no guarantees that even the most stoic military officer is going to be able to remain calm or even sane. There's so much working against them (including their own bodies...I'm referring to addictions here) that it would turn even the most glass-half-full person suicidal. And I don't blame them. So seeing those glimmers of hope and strength turn into things more tangible (like solutions to stay alive) is part of the appeal of this show.

And, yes, if they get the chance to go home and say goodbye to loved one, even a Colonel would do it. I can't begrudge them that especially when he'd already reported in.

Also, as I mentioned last week, the show is more and more appearing to be intended for the sci-fantasy-watching young demographic which over the years was targeted by everything from Buffy to Roswell. Note that is not necessarily a bad thing, but it leaves out some of the traditional SG-1 audience.

One of the problems is the super-intense Rush scenes don't fit well with the camp or teeny-romance stuff. It feels awkward to shift between moods so quickly in only a 43 minute show.

If this is the sort of the show that appeals to teenagers nowadays, then maybe there's hope yet.

[pjt]

But about the episode. I wanted to write my opinion, but reading the forum got me a bit sidetracked...

This was the episode that made SGU click for me, I just simply liked Air 1-3, but didn't have that "Dang, I wish the episode lasted longer" feeling.
When I read that the episode was directed by Peter DeLuise, just couldn't figure out what his cameo will be, since he was obviously not on the Destiny. It was great idea that he was sitting by the stones.

Eli and Chloe were cute as the two civilians that just can't figure it out, what the heck are they doing there. One forced by her father to be his assistant, and Eli literally dragged there by the military to fix their power problem. His face when he saw Chloe naked was priceless. BTW what's the average battery life of an iPhone, when the screen is used as a flashlight?

Rush was great, 'cos Robert Carlyle is great, and colonel Young is getting better in each episode. It's interesting what they have planned for colonel Telford, 'cos when they said LDP was on the show I was sure that he wouldn't be a regular. What I couldn't figure out was will just die like colonel Sumner died, when they hired Robert Patrick for the role. So it's a great twist for me, that he's the antagonist.

Another note, I just like that they address issues like water quantities, waste processing, bathroom issues, and that people who don't bathe smell bad, considering that after five seasons we still don't know if Atlantis had WC-s, or they just used to squat on the pier and...

As for Lt. James' assets, well I'm sure there are some people who are actually bothered by them, but I can assure everybody, that I'm not one of those people.

[MediaSavant]

People seem to be forgetting that these are human characters. Yes, they're science fiction characters too, but that doesn't negate or even preclude their humanity.

Regardless of whether their military or scientists or civilians, people cry when they think they're about to die, they're sad when all signs point to never-seeing-family-or-friends-ever-again, and they get mad when times get tough or stressful or go unpredictably awry. Every emotion these people are feeling is going to be extreme not because the show is a soap opera or Stargate:BSG or whatever, but because when people are stranded billions of light years from home on a ship that's falling apart, there are no guarantees that even the most stoic military officer is going to be able to remain calm or even sane. There's so much working against them (including their own bodies...I'm referring to addictions here) that it would turn even the most glass-half-full person suicidal. And I don't blame them. So seeing those glimmers of hope and strength turn into things more tangible (like solutions to stay alive) is part of the appeal of this show.

And, yes, if they get the chance to go home and say goodbye to loved one, even a Colonel would do it. I can't begrudge them that especially when he'd already reported in.

Bravo. I think part of the problem here is that Stargate has not often given us human characters. They've given us characters that are idealized--fantasy human characters that react to things the way people wish humans do, not as they really would.

It can be jarring to make the adjustment.

[pjt]

This sex/large breast relationship you are talking about, is that common? I should google that, see if anything comes up.

I'm so sorry, but this had me in stitches for minutes...

[pjt]

Well a rewatch may be in order then.
Because we have for example T.J. who wanted to quit her job for unknown reasons, but now is actually thinking about how she then would have missed out on the Destiny. She now cannot leave anymore, we're not sure if she still wants to leave, and we don't know why she wanted to leave in the first place.

I don't know if it's a spoiler, so I'll just use the tags

Spoiler:

We know from the Comic Con girl talk that Alaina Huffman is expecting a child, and that's a first time for her that it's during the making of a show. Maybe they want to use this for SGU?

[myles_kast]

I’m starting really to like SGU,and the latest episode was the best so far…..except one part.When people was talking into the keno (however you spell it).I hated it,It gave nothing to the story and really wanted me to fast forward through them.What was with the lady and the earthquakes?I hope This is the only episode like this.It was just the characters looking into the camera and saying stupid things.Other then that great work so far and I’m excited to see were destiny will take us all.

[Jper]

I don't know if it's a spoiler, so I'll just use the tags

Spoiler:

We know from the Comic Con girl talk that Alaina Huffman is expecting a child, and that's a first time for her that it's during the making of a show. Maybe they want to use this for SGU?

Well, if they will use it, it only adds up to what I said. Lots of 3-D characters and character development.

As for if they'll use I don't know, I've only recently found out she was pregnant... haven't heard or read anything about it to indicate they would or wouldn't use it.

TPTB did use Rachel's real pregnancy for her character Teyla in SGA. So maybe.

[Yoshi442]

I'm definitely not upset, and I think you've missed my point. People judging the show negatively because of one scene like that should not let it affect them so much. there were people using that scene as a means of trying to justify the premises for their argument of why they think the show is bad. One scene like this should be easily put aside even if it does offend someone. I say brush it off

A lot of the audience is, of course, Americans. And we Americans have Puritanical hangups about sex. We love our violence, but sex? ICKY! Don't talk about it and don't show it and maybe the kids won't have it til marriage.

[Callie]

Because humor is subjective - that wasn't funny.

In your opinion. Some people found the "MIT drop-out" lines funny; others found them amusing; others, like you, didn't think they were funny. But you can't speak for everyone, John, and I'm afraid that I have to break it to you that your opinion isn't the only one that counts.

[Nemises]

didn't feel stargatey to me.

they better up the ante or they'll lose a lot of viewers. i'll still watch it though no matter how sh*te it gets.