'Water' (106) General Discussion

[x Varda x]

Just watched this for the first time this morning (being in the UK and all)

Alas, I found it predictable and dull. To me the whole scenario on the ice world thing was far too similar to the plot of Air Part III (they go to fetch something or other... it's not by the gate... cue peril, oh someone fell down a hole in the glacier - that's never happened before in an icy scenario! Rescued in the nick of time! )

They're on a spaceship... in space. I can't think of a sci-fi series which has ever been shown that didn't have an enemy or some kind of tangible threat (an exciting one - like an alien race for example) Sure the tension is supposed to be internal - the relationships between crewmembers. But to me it's like RL... in fact, it's worse than RL - it's a soap opera

There is so much opportunity and it's being wasted with every episode I see. I was ready to love SGU and really looked forward to seeing it, but now I'm finding it increasingly more difficult to justify carrying on watching SGU.

[Jper]

Well, if the suit was doing that, then I missed that. I don't think it was the suit though, because wasn't Young walking around the ship at the very end of the episode after he changed out of the suit without using the cane?

What Jelgate said:

Its been established three weeks separate Air from Water. That is an accpeatable range to recover from an injury like that

I don't recall exactly what type of injury he sustained to his leg, but he went from not being able to walk to full recovery while lifting heavy ice blocks on a hostile alien world in three weeks. He's also not exactly a kid anymore. It seems a little to quick to have him doing heavy lifting and all in that short a time frame.

There was no injury to the leg itself. Young had nerve damage, a concussion and broken/bruised ribs. And to me he did not look fully recovered.

No we don't. I personally think Scott was halucinating, I don't think the Dust Devil had owt to do with that.

Yeah, I agree. Scott was hallucinating, however the dust aliens were real.

[Wib]

So far the only episode that I've really been blown away by was LIGHT, all the rest including this one have been average, to me. I have enjoyed them all to a certain extent and I intend to continue watching, and I liked the continuity of bringing back the "Dust Aliens", but I have to agree it was a bit too similar to Air 3. I was one of the ones who was angry Atlantis got cancelled, but after a while I did really look forward to this show starting, to the point i was counting the days, but so far I'm a little disappointed all in all, maybe I hyped it up too much in my mind and the reality simply can't match it. Hopefully things will improve as the season progresses and Incursion is sounding amazing. Greer is growing on me episode by episode, but Scott I'm liking less and less.

[Blue Shadowdancer]

They're on a spaceship... in space. I can't think of a sci-fi series which has ever been shown that didn't have an enemy or some kind of tangible threat (an exciting one - like an alien race for example)

Red Dwarf?

Personally, I'm not so keen on having one big bad alien threat. All the way through the previous Stargate shows, my favourite episodes tended to be ones which didn't deal with Go'uld or Ori or Wraith, with a couple of exceptions. In fact, I found many of them on or past the verge of boring. My favourite episodes in Atlantis were ones which involved the actual city, and making discoveries with the dangers that came with them, rather than just fighting over and over with the same guys, when you know they're going to win, and usually in the same sort of way. With guns and bangs. Ok, I'm generalising a LOT, but I think my point stands

For me, what I love most about SGU is the Destiny itself, and how everything's so unexplored, and they don't know much about it yet, and there're so many possibilities about what they can find on this ship, or where they can find themselves. And I like seeing human ingenuity to solve problems - Eli's Kino float, Greer's flamethrower, Scott and Young's grunt work to get the ice. And I also very much like all the character interactions. In my opinion it's far from a soap opera - we've passed (imo) the point of them being disorganised and panicky, and they're beginning to adapt to and grow into their situation, which TJ especially did a fantastic job of in Water. I'm currently pretty optomistic that the others will get a chance to develop too, particularly Chloe and Wray. Anyway, I'm certainly looking forward to it

[badwolfSG]

I just watch this episode today b/c I missed it friday, I found it okay. I'm still waiting for the big threat to show up.

On another note for a whole 2 seonds I actually like Dr. Rush!

[Commander Zelix]

Red Dwarf?

Personally, I'm not so keen on having one big bad alien threat. All the way through the previous Stargate shows, my favourite episodes tended to be ones which didn't deal with Go'uld or Ori or Wraith, with a couple of exceptions. In fact, I found many of them on or past the verge of boring.

I also think visiting empty planets gets boring real fast. Walking a very very long long time in the desert or falling down a hole ain't my idea of an exciting story. Personally I wish they meet many advanced aliens, friend or enemy. Finding themselves in the middle of a complex political situations between Aliens would be nice too (like for next season or something).

For me, what I love most about SGU is the Destiny itself, and how everything's so unexplored, and they don't know much about it yet, and there're so many possibilities about what they can find on this ship

Like what?

I find the possibility to be there, but very limited in the number of episodes it can generate. Same thing for Atlantis. Sure finding the talking archive room, the personal shield, cryogenic weir was all fun, but you can't do much.

[kymeric]

I think the implication was the bugs used all that water to reproduce. Thats where it went, into creating more bugs. Alot of bugs at that...

[MattSilver 3k]

They're on a spaceship... in space. I can't think of a sci-fi series which has ever been shown that didn't have an enemy or some kind of tangible threat (an exciting one - like an alien race for example) Sure the tension is supposed to be internal - the relationships between crewmembers. But to me it's like RL... in fact, it's worse than RL - it's a soap opera

There is so much opportunity and it's being wasted with every episode I see. I was ready to love SGU and really looked forward to seeing it, but now I'm finding it increasingly more difficult to justify carrying on watching SGU.

Glad you liked it. Take a step back and try to look at it differently, kind of how I look at it - the first few episodes are an arc based on human survival, as the crew deals with the essentials and builds relationships, but then the rest of the season (If spoilers are any indication) deals with new enemies, exploring and more character tension, though there's always that underlying bit of survival...

I'm curious as to what your criteria for an unwasted opportunity for SGU is... a crew who are completely professional, in complete control of the Destiny, mentally stable, fighting a domineering bad guy who is definitely the bad guy with no gray area, and the crew are bestest buddies with each other? Food, water, power and air - explained away with one sentence of technobabble?

[Shirl]

Darn it i missed half of this ep as my sister came home with the weeks shopping which had to be put away - anyone know when its shown again?

Shirl

[Skydiver]

check this friday's lineup

prior to halloween, they'd re-run an SGU eps at 7 before the new one at 8 (the halloween movie messed with that,b ut they might go back to it)

[Arga]

I liked how Eli said he didn't know that the stargate remain open for a maximum of 38 minutes, and is surprised how Rush came precisely on time to order to redial the gate.

For old SG fans, it's funny; we take this knowledge for granted, but Eli reminds us that this fact is not obvious if you haven't been told before.
(I realise : wasn't this fact on the Daniel Jackson's introduction video? or Eli forgot about it).
For new viewers, it's a nice way to let them know about this fact.

[Oka]

Another average episode. Still no real antagonist. No character has stood out for me so far (except maybe Greer). Everything from characters to story lines have been very average. I've found myself bored and annoyed at one point in every episode. Looks like next episode isn't going to be any good either. Yawn.

The thing is, I didn't like Atlantis either. I thought it was a bad copy of SG-1 with McKay being the only character I liked. But, Atlantis was still more watchable than SGU because Atlantis was light entertainment. It was episodic, had some humor, some decent stories (and some very bad ones).

SGU is almost provoking some times; it's not terribly acted, directed or anything, it's just so average it's not even funny. It wants me to care about the characters, but I just don't. What SGU trying to do has been done in much better shows before it (Firefly, BSG, B5, Farscape), it's just not compelling television.

I hope I'll be proved wrong and that remains to be seen. I'll keep watching until S1 ends.

The CGI and music have been the best part of this show so far.

4/10. Why'd they cancel SG-1

[Less]

I liked how Eli said he didn't know that the stargate remain open for a maximum of 38 minutes, and is surprised how Rush came precisely on time to order to redial the gate.

For old SG fans, it's funny; we take this knowledge for granted, but Eli reminds us that this fact is not obvious if you haven't been told before.
(I realise : wasn't this fact on the Daniel Jackson's introduction video? or Eli forgot about it).
For new viewers, it's a nice way to let them know about this fact.

That scene was an example of the good quality acting and writing that I have enjoyed with other SG, and that I hope to see more of in SGU. That's the kind of teaser that keeps me watching, even though I've been underwhelmed so far.

In that brief scene:

• New viewers learned important SG technical stuff, and it wasn't awkward exposition
• We see Rush and Eli both working towards survival, separately but with common purpose
• Eli is suspicious of Rush, assuming bad motive, finds that he's very wrong
• Rush is matter-of-fact, doesn't think about what others are doing or thinking with regard to him. He knows he's working for survival, is surprised others doubt that. Kind of Spock-like - doesn't seem to "get" the emotional stuff when it's illogical.
• Something to ponder in our own lives - assuming evil intent in others when we have incomplete information, possibly not helpful, hmmm
• Continuity, consistency, this IS Stargate

That's the kind of thing I like to see. Make me think about the show after it's over, and in a good way.

[LoneStar1836]

On another note I was also very pleased to hear Rush mentioning that there was in fact no accessible airlock present on the Destiny. Or at least not in the habitable compartment. Now, if someone makes a comment about how they want to put X or Y in an airlock I’ll be able to point out that this simply is not possible. You’ve been warned! I actually found it funny it was mentioned.

And I can still do this and point out that doesn't mean that there are no airlocks at all and that they have access to EVA suits. Certain characters can still find their way into one.

For the first time I also realized that 1st Lt. Scott, Col. Young, 1st Lt. Johansen and 2nd Lt. James are the only four officers on board. When Young and Scott leave, this leaves TJ as the one in charge. People, however, seem to forget that Vanessa James is there as well, and that T.J. is actually equally in rank and in experience as Scott.

Which one has more time in grade though? Scott can still technically out rank her I think. Though at this point it doesn't particularly matter, but it's nice that she and Scott are essentially on the same level.

[Linda06]

Good episode this

We finally get to see TJ shine. She done well when she was left in charge, personally I think she'd be a better second in command than Scott, he's too immature. It was rather careless of him to switch off his radio so he could sneak off for a quickie It's about time he started acting more like a military officer and less like a randy teenager I'd rather have TJ as second to Young than Scott. Looks like she won't take any nonsense from anyone As for the kissing scene, well I'm not really bothered about it but did they have to have the cameras so close to them, I could almost see up their nostrils it was that close At least James acted more mature in that scene and didn't make a scene I wouldn't have blamed her if she did. She probably realises she's the lucky one

Young is always great Good to see him finally get to go to another planet. Loved the you've done this before scenes between Young and Scott