'Air, Part 2' (102) General Discussion

[fandomatic]

You're missing the point. Any arguments that start with something like "like what we've seen before" is irrelevant, as that's the basic goal of the writers on this new series. They've said it many times that they are trying to do something different.

Couldn't have said it better myself.

There are a 12's of other doors with the exact same mechanism.

By pointing out how simple it is to mine parts off other doors, you're missing the point again. Fixing the door(s) was beyond the capabilities of available personnel in the time allotted. This is the fact the writers presented and they didn't get into any technical details over the mechanical failure because the mechanical failure isn't what the show's about.

It's about ordinary people coming up with survival solutions because they don't have any McKays or Carters on board. To me, it's far more interesting to see Rush present a detestable list of expendable people and try to deal with the door as a logic problem rather than have McKay deal with the door as the problem, which we all know he could fix in less than 30 seconds.

Anytime a door is chosen as a plot point it becomes representative of a turning point or birth for characters. The Destiny door represents failure and the shuttle door represents a choice between redemption and damnation.

It was not a coincidence that there was a birthing tunnel between the doors.

The doors are a catalyst to see the real nature of the lead characters. Therefore, as a plot point, the Destiny door is destined to make these characters fail because they don't measure up.

I would not call that a plot hole.

[Pharaoh Atem]

destiny is in rough shape and the crew must repair it while being in a complete unknown situation .....epic start

you know rush has screats and i can't to see why he was so determined to dial the 9th chevron

[jelgate]

you know rush has screats and i can't to see why he was so determined to dial the 9th chevron

I think it was just human curiousity. The passion for that women was transferred into his work. Its a classic psychological response

[Pharaoh Atem]

I think it was just human curiousity. The passion for that women was transferred into his work. Its a classic psychological response

what women??/ me confused

[jelgate]

what women??/ me confused

Didn't you see that picture of him with that woman. It looked like he had some form of love for her

[Briangate78]

I watched the pilot again for the 4th time yesterday. One of my favorite scenes was when the Ship falls out of hyperdrive and the gate begins to dial and you hear the music score playing. That moment was great because it likely defined how the adventures are going to be on SGU. Them exploring planets and only having a certain time to do so or will be left behind. That moment also felt so much like Stargate I knew the series was going to stick to it's aspects that made it do popular. Anyway, just thought I post that.

[Linda06]

The second part wasn't as good as the first, it was kinda slow and dragged a bit in places *shrugs*

But I have a bone to pick there isn't any thunkable guys on SGU

[Linzi]

I watched the premiere on Sky tonight.

Hmmmm, I can't say I was overly enamoured, but I gave it a chance, even though I had some grave reservations.

Positives first:

I liked the hyperspace type effect on the Destiny - looking out of the vast windows. Very pretty and cool and the space battle was pretty good. I liked the vis effects. The kino's are fun, but they seem familiar somehow... Nice to see Carter again RDA's O'Neill didn't look so good for me. Jackson's video was amusing.

The negative:

I didn't particularly enjoy any of the characters. The females were woefully underwritten, IMO - but hey, their make up was impeccable!

As this IS Stargate, I can only compare how I felt about COG when it premiered over here, and Rising. With both of those pilots I instantly loved the styles of both shows and became invested in the characters immediately. I cared about them and what they went through and were going to go through. With those of SGU, I just don't so far. They're not likeable. Though I guess Eli is upbeat, if not a little irritating. Sometimes he reminded me of a poor man's McKay.

Rush was interesting. But I didn't like him. I want to like the character in a show I'm invested in.

The women were boring to me. Very pretty, but just... uh, uninspiring so far.

Didn't like Scott much, I'm amazed to say

Young was ok though.

Wray and Telford didn't get much chance to shine. Hmmmm....

Hated the overuse of the flashbacks. It made it confusing at times - so much that I actually thought 'huh?' . The editing was very choppy and I found the second half just didn't flow. There seemed little pacing and building up to a climax. So I felt no REAL drama, sense or urgency.

Of course, I am comparing this to the exisiting Stargates. I mean this IS Stargate. Alas it doesn't at this stage seem to be any Stargate I recognise or feel attached to. Time will tell if it improves in my eyes, or if I just watch casually or not at all.

At this stage, I can see it as not being the type of show I like; a mish mash of scifi genres but not one that knows where it wants to place itself.

I just ended up feeling bored at times. I wasn't excited

My overall first impression? Far too much soapy melo-dramatics for me, (particularly when Chloe lost her father), too much OTT acting for my tastes too, Brian J. Smith stood out as being a culprit of that for me - which is funny, because I thought I'd like Scott best, and I didn't. (Maybe that was partly because I instantly disliked him after seeing him have sex on duty, right before a load of VIPS were due to beam in I didn't find the scene explicit at all, just random, unnecessary and not in a good place for the show, IMO. If the scene had been in an episode when I'd got to know him more, maybe I could have overlooked his very unprofessional behaviour? Maybe not. Don't know. But I thought the scene was very silly, and just looked like it had been inserted, um, excuse the pun, for shock value, and a sort of 'yeah, Stargate does sex now' I find that pretty immature, personally. *Shrugs*)



I didn't particularly feel attached to any of the characters; there was no instant liking for me, and quite honestly, I didn't care which or if all of them sacrificed themselves. So a big disappointment in some ways. Hope it improves

[gater101]

While I very much enjoyed the episode I felt it lacked some things that are important to a pilot. First it really didn't wow me at all, nothing about it made me think this would attract new people to the franchise. Second I really don't like how they used tech with a back story, the ancient com devices and earth having interstellar ships, without at least some background on the tech.

Yeah, I know what you mean. But I did watch it with someone who didn't even make the connection to the SG-1 ep that the Ancient communication device was used so...

I was surprised by how much I liked the episodes. I didn't particularly like the first episode but episode two really picked up. I may be biased (since I'm Scottish) but I think Robert Carlyle was the shining light in the episode. I like that he was a bit of an a*hole but I think he will be more accessible to the viewers than he evidently is to the other chararacters in the show. I liked Eli... more than I thought I would. The skyOne ads didn't do his charcter justice.

i think the only thing I'm going to have an issue with (since I've decided I'm going to give the show a chance.... ) is the kinos. If they are used as a personal diary it might turn me out. I don't like the soldier who had been in detention... he seems... quite stereotypical... But it's only the second episode so... but I can see me not liking him. I think a lot of the storylines (the senators sacrifice, the relationships and why do all the lead characters listen to Opera and classical music?) so I think they really need to get new writers in to shake things up a bit.. .So

I can also tell from the get go that they are going to fall into the same trip with their female characters. We're into the second episode and I can't remember any of the female characters names... What does that say? Please don't make the same mistakes in SGU as you did with SGA, PTB... It'll really put me off. The rest... I coudln't care who else might die. I can guess who won't and who will but... Meh. I don't care about them

But like has been said... I didn't feel a connection to any of the characters aside from Robert Carlyle's character, and maybe Eli...

I think the characters were laid on a bit thick... You can tell they've made the switch from action/adventure to drama but I think... if they can add a little bit more action to each episode then I think it will draw more viewers.

I was... pleasantly surprised.

PS. I am into the new 'gate

[ciannwn]

I'm going to say what I think of Air 1 and Air 2 as a series premier because dividing them up into separate episodes seems somehow artificial to me.

I did my best to watch it while pretending that I'd never seen Stargate before (this took my mind off wondering what happened to Todd). I really enjoyed it and here are a few random thoughts.

1: I love the design of the Destiny but am hoping they find better light bulbs in the near future. The gloom made me feel that they were going to run into an alien (as in the Alien movies) at any minute.

2: I really like the scenario of the ship being in poor shape because it gives the characters technical problems to solve.

3: I found three characters who interested me. (a) Colonel Young who might make up for my disappointment when Sumner was killed off in Rising and knowing that Caldwell is never going to make a guest appearance in SGU. (b) Eli who promises to be a fairly well balanced human being as well as a genius. It's not that I hated Rodney but sometimes a little of him went a very long way. (b) Scott because he seems to be intelligent and have some people skills.so he's got a lot of potential in spite of being young and inexperienced.

4: Annoyances. (a) Greer - I can't understand how someone with a touch of the Ronons was allocated to the Stargate Program. (c) Chloe's outfit which looked like she'd time travelled back to a 1960s boutique.

I forgot about pretending I'd never watched Stargate before and cheered when I saw Walter. He's a Stargate institution as far as I'm concerned and SGU just wouldn't have been real Stargate without him appearing in it.

Am I still angry about the way SGA was cancelled? Yes. Do I still want an SGA movie? Yes.

[Linda06]

I agree about the female characters gater, I can't really remember them doing anything meaningful. I hope they don't fall into the SGA trap with the female characters

If the show keeps this up then I would have to agree with them about cancelling SGA and doing SGU.

But........There's no thunkable guys

But I really like Colonel Young as a character. I think he's gonna be a really good character throughout the series

[ciannwn]

I agree about the female characters gater, I can't really remember them doing anything meaningful. I hope they don't fall into the SGA trap with the female characters

I think it's a little early to tell where the female characters are concerned.

1: Tamara Johansen - she's a field medic whose the nearest they've got to a doctor. There were a number of wounded people to be seen to so she spent her time seeing to them.

2: Chloe - understandably upset about her father. We learned that she did something very meaningful before she was stranded on a space ship far from home, though.

http://www.gateworld.net/universe/s1...ipts/101.shtml

SENATOR: It was also her idea to embed the Ancient proof in a medium that would give us access to brilliant young minds ... (he gestures at Eli) ... that we would have otherwise overlooked.

3: Camille Wray - she's a member of the IOA and I honestly can't think of anything meaningful she could have done during Air 1 and Air 2. This doesn't mean that she won't do anything meaningful in future episodes, though.

But........There's no thunkable guys

Have to admit I missed having a Wraith around to thunk over.

[jelgate]

I agree about the female characters gater, I can't really remember them doing anything meaningful. I hope they don't fall into the SGA trap with the female characters

If the show keeps this up then I would have to agree with them about cancelling SGA and doing SGU.

But........There's no thunkable guys

But I really like Colonel Young as a character. I think he's gonna be a really good character throughout the series

That is the risk you run with essemble casts. Some episodes can not heavily feature everyone. That is why TJ wasn't that much. Their was only so much that could be done. But I thought Chloe had ample screen. time

Also 2 things

1)Could you be more shallow? *ducks the fish*

2)And I thought you said you weren't watching?

[jelgate]

I think it's a little early to tell where the female characters are concerned.

1: Tamara Johansen - she's a field medic whose the nearest they've got to a doctor. There were a number of wounded people to be seen to so she spent her time seeing to them.

2: Chloe - understandably upset about her father. We learned that she did something very meaningful before she was stranded on a space ship far from home, though.

http://www.gateworld.net/universe/s1...ipts/101.shtml

SENATOR: It was also her idea to embed the Ancient proof in a medium that would give us access to brilliant young minds ... (he gestures at Eli) ... that we would have otherwise overlooked.

3: Camille Wray - she's a member of the IOA and I honestly can't think of anything meaningful she could have done during Air 1 and Air 2. This doesn't mean that she won't do anything meaningful in future episodes, though.



Have to admit I missed having a Wraith around to thunk over.

It is a little unfair to judge Wray in this one. When Air was written she was written as recurring. It was only when Ming impressed Brad and Robert that she was upgraded to regular

[garhkal]

By pointing out how simple it is to mine parts off other doors, you're missing the point again. Fixing the door(s) was beyond the capabilities of available personnel in the time allotted. This is the fact the writers presented and they didn't get into any technical details over the mechanical failure because the mechanical failure isn't what the show's about.

Plus how much more time would have been lost by going to one of those other doors, taking what was needed out (assuming even that they knew what to look for), coming back and installing them in this door?