'Pain' (117) General Discussion

[xxxevilgrinxxx]

I've had laugh out loud moments in SGU, usually because of Young's very dry sense of humour.

...

I've been loving his sense of humor too
Occassionally I'll go back and read the transcripts because a lot of the funny things he says just need to be read again. His delivery is never over the top; it's great

[EllieVee]

I don't mean to hate on SG1 or SGA in general, but I would rather watch Pain again than Grace or Doppelganger.
Call the plot 'contrived', 'weak', or 'obvious' all you like, but I think what it showed of the characters fit into the overall show better than those other two episodes did. (Grace was about a side of Carter's feelings which wasn't really that relevant to the overall show, a girl randomly singing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, an alien ship we never saw inside or saw again, and a nebula which we never found out much about. Doppelganger was about an evil Shepperd randomly haunting people's dreams, fear of whales (and maybe clowns or am I misremembering that?) and Shepperd fighting with mindShepperd. Most of the hallucinations and fears in Pain were based off stuff in previous episodes and from the show's track record I expect that at least some of it will be important in later eps.
Phantoms was a better past hallucination ep, though mainly because of the action. The 'character development' was more 'briefly show off that the characters have a backstory' which tended to be the pattern in the past shows (as they were not so character driven) (not that there's anything wrong with that).

I liked Doppelganger, though I couldn't sit through Grace more than once. Grace didn't make a whole heap of sense. Doppleganger could have been a lot more. I'll reserve opinion on Pain until Friday.

[ancientaction]

(QR)

After watching the preview for this episode, i was anxious to actually see it. But then, I find out that the cause of the hallucinations were ... ticks.... I really...really just wanted to turn of the TV. but didnt just b/c it was some interesting character development.

I am really just disappointed that the cause was ticks... I want to see some face eating bugs or arachnid cats, or green ooze that dosn't clean off. but, ticks... that was kinda weak IMO

[SG7]

(QR)

After watching the preview for this episode, i was anxious to actually see it. But then, I find out that the cause of the hallucinations were ... ticks.... I really...really just wanted to turn of the TV. but didnt just b/c it was some interesting character development.

I am really just disappointed that the cause was ticks... I want to see some face eating bugs or arachnid cats, or green ooze that dosn't clean off. but, ticks... that was kinda weak IMO

As much as I loved the episode, I have to agree with you on that. They did miss the boat on what "could have" caused the hallucinations. That was a huge plot that could have been exploited to the max for dramatic purposes.

[Arga]

Wasn't it the first "stand alone" episode of the series? (one that could be removed from the season, without compromising the story-line).

[Eternal Density]

(QR)

After watching the preview for this episode, i was anxious to actually see it. But then, I find out that the cause of the hallucinations were ... ticks.... I really...really just wanted to turn of the TV. but didnt just b/c it was some interesting character development.

I am really just disappointed that the cause was ticks... I want to see some face eating bugs or arachnid cats, or green ooze that dosn't clean off. but, ticks... that was kinda weak IMO

I don't see what's wrong with the ticks. They were hard to find, tricky to get rid of, and caused extra confusion by jumping around. Anything much beyond that would have distracted and detracted from the real point of the episode. And if it had been something horrible/dramatic it would have got in the way of the 'Chloe wanting to keep hers' plot.

Wasn't it the first "stand alone" episode of the series? (one that could be removed from the season, without compromising the story-line).

Are you referring to "Pain"? I think removing it would compromise the storyline, partly because it introduces new new galaxy, and partly because there's lots of character development and I'm sure at least some of it will be important later on. It doesn't seem quite as "connected" at the moment but it will tie in better in hindsight. Kinda like how "Water" seemed fairly standalone but then it became important to Time.

[MrVivi]

i just know that i was dying from laughter when i saw a space tick and the scene when in the background you can hear some heroic and uber tense music as TJ removes the tick and Young heroically squashes it with his gun is indescribable it must be good drama or was it to much action that i heard some people complaining around here.

I mean WoW

Where did those people do military training is beyond me. Young finds out about space ticks and what does he do NOTHING i mean at least order everyone to be checked and examined but no he decides to tell no one because its so logical that only one person got the tick or one tick per person or even that ticks cant jump i mean its not like those are space ticks from like 100 galaxies away, OH WAIT THEY ARE!

And this episode is a total re-hash of SGA episode with evil sheppard and at least they had and evil sheppard and McKays fear of clowns and wails that was at least marginally funny.

[xxxevilgrinxxx]

i just know that i was dying from laughter when i saw a space tick and the scene when in the background you can hear some heroic and uber tense music as TJ removes the tick and Young heroically squashes it with his gun is indescribable it must be good drama or was it to much action that i heard some people complaining around here.

I mean WoW

Where did those people do military training is beyond me. Young finds out about space ticks and what does he do NOTHING i mean at least order everyone to be checked and examined but no he decides to tell no one because its so logical that only one person got the tick or one tick per person or even that ticks cant jump i mean its not like those are space ticks from like 100 galaxies away, OH WAIT THEY ARE!

And this episode is a total re-hash of SGA episode with evil sheppard and at least they had and evil sheppard and McKays fear of clowns and wails that was at least marginally funny.

Young had the people that were exposed rounded up and checked. He believed that the problem was contained. When there was more to the problem, he had everyone checked. Given their situation, what does terrifying everyone do if it's not absolutely necessary? Yes, you're right in saying it's a rehash, but it's a rehash of a LOT of sci-fi shows where people come back with some sort of problem that results in hallucinations or sickness or the like. It's a fairly common theme

[SG7]

Wasn't it the first "stand alone" episode of the series? (one that could be removed from the season, without compromising the story-line).

I think that there were other episodes like "Faith" where basically they were just moving along in space and found another planet to explore. And other than TJ announcing to a couple of people that she was pregnant, it didn't IMO require previous episode viewing. Only problem we've really encountered with these "could be stand alones" is they tended to explore stuff and leave it "hanging" so that we don't necessarily have resolution. Such as in "Faith" where they could have explored the ruins. Where we get bits and pieces, but are left with more questions than necessary at the end of the episode.

Young had the people that were exposed rounded up and checked. He believed that the problem was contained. When there was more to the problem, he had everyone checked. Given their situation, what does terrifying everyone do if it's not absolutely necessary? Yes, you're right in saying it's a rehash, but it's a rehash of a LOT of sci-fi shows where people come back with some sort of problem that results in hallucinations or sickness or the like. It's a fairly common theme

I just found it ironic that neither TJ nor Young got a tick and both were in the infirmary practically the whole time.

[xxxevilgrinxxx]

....

I just found it ironic that neither TJ nor Young got a tick and both were in the infirmary practically the whole time.

me too
my brain even went to the wierd place that this mioght all be a hallucination for Young, given his feelings about losing people (quickly threw that theory out though )
Once they knew where these ticks ended up implanting themselves, I suppose it was pretty easy to keep checking

[Commander Zelix]

Wasn't it the first "stand alone" episode of the series? (one that could be removed from the season, without compromising the story-line).

Pain was a re-hash of the character drama from the first half. Chloe's father, Scott's child, Rush abduction (at least it wasn't Rush's wife..thank god). So its far from being a stand alone. A first time viewers would find that story pretty boring and it wouldn't be clear what is really happening. This episode simply doesn't stand on its own. In fact, Space and Time stand better on their own (while still being part of a greater scheme)

[jelgate]

Pain was a re-hash of the character drama from the first half. Chloe's father, Scott's child, Rush abduction (at least it wasn't Rush's wife..thank god). So its far from being a stand alone. A first time viewers would find that story pretty boring and it wouldn't be clear what is really happening. This episode simply doesn't stand on its own. In fact, Space and Time stand better on their own (while still being part of a greater scheme)

It is? You'll have to explain that one to me. Rehashes tend to refer to plots not characters

[Commander Zelix]

It is? You'll have to explain that one to me. Rehashes tend to refer to plots not characters

There's nothing to explain. Pain was a re-hash of the 'characters drama' (read: plot) from the first half.

[MattSilver 3k]

Pain was a re-hash of the character drama from the first half. Chloe's father, Scott's child, Rush abduction

I think that last one happened in the back half of the season, but semantics.

[Commander Zelix]

I think that last one happened in the back half of the season, but semantics.

I knew some smartass would say something like that.