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**zainea13** · 19 October 2010, 10:17 PM

A nice episode, so far season 2 is great, I feel like they brought in new writers! The episode really was nice due to the fact there was little down time, everything in the episode had a purpose, wasn't just there to fill time. That, and I think Robert Carlyle really got some good performances out of these actors. Eli's purpose has been to be the "people-person" in that we can relate to him most, can feel for him; up until this point, I kinda found him annoying, but here his performance strikes a chord with all of us, he is sincere and serious. There were lots of things that happened in this episode, one thing is Young's change in demeanor. I'm glad they didn't give us an episode filled with Young crying and drinking and moaning about everything that has happened to him. Would it be realistic, yeah, but we can just as easily assume that has happened, and in this episode we were given that opportunity.

We should gather that Young has recovered some what from the loss of two people and his child and now he can make at least one clear minded decision. To obey orders. We all know what it is like to be sad, for different reasons and in different situations of course, but we all get it. Lots of depression, tears, sometimes alcohol and grieving, but eventually we recover. Young let the Luciene alliance out in this episode simply because those were his orders. In the last episode we see that he doesn't care about anything but his own opinions and what happens on the ship; most likely a symptom of the aforementioned depression, grieving, etc. Last episode Wray tells Young that his superiors have ordered the LA to be treated with respect: more info, more freedom.

As far as the Wray storyline. While it could have just as easily not been there, I think it was nice. She really was there for Eli, and they just touched upon the Sharon/Wray relationship. Which was good, I think last season they kinda messed up the communication stones, the people back on earth so readily accepted the fact that these strangers were actually their loved ones. This episode really portrayed it realistically, in that Sharon was broken from all this, sure it was Wray, but to her it didn't feel like it. Seeing someone, and hearing someone's voice is crucial to feeling that bond that you feel in a relationship. And it took a toll on Sharon. Which is good to see.

To me, the Wray/Sharon plot was the writers saying "Ok, we fantasized it up last year, so this is how it should be now." And that is showing that, not only is this affecting the people on board the ship, who don't belong on the ship (which was stressed last year, these people have lives that they were forced to abandon, it's not like the voluntary U.S. military where people choose to leave. But last season, kinda made it seem like a walk in the park with superficial chaos).

Definitely was a great episode for me. The fact that Eli was distraught over his mother and said he refused to go back to the ship really was nice. It showed that there are more important things to life than being on an adventure, especially when it comes to situations like that. The Chloe parts were good too. Really liked how they introduced it, didn't just throw everything at us at once and drug out the rest of the episode. It really built on it piece by piece. First, she is acting weird, then she is missing, then she is writing in an alien language. Then Rush realizes he can take advantage of her situation and does. Then we see a disturbed (idk if thats the word) Chloe as she knows she is changing and probably will never be the same, and so the only choice she really has is to help Rush, which she may or may not agree with.

I said above why Young let the Luciene Alliance out, and to me it makes sense, it's an order. I really like Young in this episode which is rare, he isn't his usual "let's beat someone up and yell" -self, which is good. He seems relate-able and human, sure he is upset when he can't find Rush, but so would I! Then, instead of taking Rush's excuses he actually has covered his bases. The crew grew some brains, a nice touch.

*Slight spoiler for Simeon in next paragraph*
Simeon, not sure what his role is yet, apparently he will get pretty evil later on, and I'd like to see some more build up to that point, so hopefully in the next few episodes it starts to make sense why he becomes a villain. Right now he is just a scoundrel, not anything more than a guy with a big mouth, who likes a little trouble. I really liked that part with him and Varro, that really lets us into what is going on with the LA, who do we believe Varro or Simeon. Simeon thought he was playing his cards right, didn't even act like he was doing anything wrong, then he finds out Varro is telling the truth? I think this is the beginning of Simeon becoming a villain, when he feels betrayed by his own people. Also, the scene with Greer and Simeon, I get it Greer is mad that Simeon was rude to Park, but it was kinda cheesy.

Finally, the montage at the end was done well. For once the visuals (the whole point of a montage) weren't crowed-out by blaring indie music. It showed us some good information more that just everyone staring off into the distance, and really concluded the episode nicely.

**RamblerReb** · 19 October 2010, 10:32 PM

Well, one can certainly tell that an actor directed this episode. While the character scenes mostly were effective and individually well done (Carlyle knows how to get a performance out of most everyone, Scott and Chloe being the weak links, as usual), the episode as storytelling was another hopeless muddle.

The biggest plus for this episode is that several threads set up early in the run were addressed and, God willing, will never be referred to again except in passing (Eli's mom, Wray's partner). I understand that, since the HIV thing was set up in episode one, it had to pay off in some way, and now that Mom knows that Eli's ok and will start taking her medication again, the writers need not dwell on the matter again for at least a season or so (if the show makes it that far). The storyline itself was well done, with everyone being as believable as possible considering the fantastic nature of the subject matter. Everyone threw themselves into it and Blue had a chance to (effectively) show that he can do more than toss around wisecracks. We have been made aware that he's a well-rounded actor, so he can stop now and go back to comic relief.

The Wray story was only there, I have to feel, to give Eli a powerful buddy to holler to about his mother. Unhappily, in order to justify her presence, a rather pointless story had to be inserted, once more giving the show a jarring, disconnected feel and showing the same problem with story construction that plagued "Aftermath."

What we shall humorously call the "main" story of the show, Chloe's descent into madness (oh, wait, that was never effectively communicated at all, was it?) was, to be frank, weak to the point of asthmatic anemia. I suppose the actors can't be blamed as the rather trite, predictable dialogue ("I feel like I'm slipping away?" Honestly?) makes it virtually impossible for anyone short of an Olivier or a Geilgud to breathe any originality into a performance. The major problem with the storyline was that the Wray and Eli threads took too much time away from it and it couldn't be developed to the point of believability.

The Lucian Alliance prisoner issue had to be seen to, one supposes, and at least it was mostly integrated into the main storyline so that not too much time was taken away from it.

The dialogue and acting were uneven, the best being Eli and his mom, the worst being Scott and Chloe. The scene between them where he's asking about the state of their relationship was borderline painful to watch, to the point that I started playing solitaire on my laptop til it was over. Everyone else did the usual workmanlike job, competent but not inspired.

As far as direction, as I said earlier, Carlyle has a grasp of how to get performances out of people who are up to the task, but the meandering, plodding style detracts from the whole. It's not all Carlyle's fault, as I doubt David Lean could've made anything coherent out of this script, but it doesn't pop, and the big revelations have no punch.

The musical cues seem awkwardly placed and somewhat dissonant. In the scene between Varro and Timeon, for instance, could have easily been done with no incidental music, since the actors were projecting all the needed emotion, while other scenes which could have used some emotional punch, like Rush selling out Chloe, had nothing.

The denouement, if one could honor it with that term, reminded me of a toned-down version of the infamous Battlestar Galactica re-imagined episode when Boomer mainlines a fiber-optic cable while writhing along with a techno song to get rid of a virus or something. Rush sticks Chloe in a chair, gives her the $1.98 lobotomy, and Young buys it and lets her back out into gen-pop? Young is either playing his hand so close to the vest that the cards are actually inside his shirt, or Rush is absolutely correct and the man shouldn't be in charge of a school crosswalk.

In all, this episode shows that the next time Destiny drops out of hyperspace, they'd better be near a Stargate that's on a pretty damn interesting planet, or the ratings will drop like Wile E. Coyote into the muzzle of a cannon.

**nesais** · 20 October 2010, 01:37 AM

So many episodes of Stargate Universe have been filled with resounding aspects of darkness and Pathogen was still filled throughout with forboding potential. However, there was a defining moment that made this not an episode about the darker side of human nature (though the Chloe plotline certainly covered this in depth), but an episode about hope.

The long time "A plot" of this episode had been the Chloe plotline, and yet it was very much on equal footing to the B plots, that of Eli and Wray on Earth. Scott is trying, as pathetically as he might, to be there for Chloe but has no idea how to get into her head, where he really needs to be helping her. They are distant, and along comes Rush, once again manipulating the people around him to utilize this new resource: an alien consciousness, another mind to assist him with the ship. He goes so far as to protect this new prize, but doesn't care as much for what it might do to Chloe in the process. Obviously this ruse will be discovered eventually, but maybe all Rush expects is that his understanding and controlling of Destiny will only be a matter of time: he is wrong if he thinks this, and maybe he'll be discovered before he can learn this lesson. Rush is getting impatient, tired, and caring less about the sacrifices he has to make when the allure of controlling Destiny is so close and yet still out of reach. The loss of Telford (and his choice to not return for him), was a descent from the unintended death of Riley, and now his third victim, Chloe, has become his toy of sorts, an even more sadistic and darker chain in characters he is affecting so far this season. The Rush-Chloe relationship is the darker side to this episode, but is not the strongest plot to shine through the murk of what Destiny had to offer this time around.

The strongest plotline was that of Eli and his mother. It had the potential to take a turn for the worse, and yet even after all the disbelief and rejection his mother had of the idea he was billions of light years away, unable to come home, it turned itself on its head and became one of the most positive stories to come out of the show thus far. It's very interesting that Eli, rather than lie to his mother and say he would be coming back, chose to tell her the truth. It is the mark of an untainted man, one that loves enough to be truthful, but not hurt enough to lie into comfort. Eli is still very much the kid he was in the season 1 premiere, and the episode makes one appreciate that he hasn't yet changed into a darker more mature person. The scene where Eli showed his mother the observation deck and the view out to space was absolutely gold.

Wray fought hard for Eli, yet she would not fight for herself, even though Sharon was drinking more than she should, and hurting more than she would want to. Wray might just recognise that Eli is still a child, still very young and especially innocent. It is an aspect that niether Rush or Young have in them, so endorse the innocence and purity where you can find it: Wray actively does this, and surely wants to do more of this in her time on Destiny. Eli's mom and Sharon meeting each other in the end, reemphasizes the message of hope: these characters will not stumble any longer, they now have support to rely on. The episode was a reminder that we still have an attachment to home, but that it isn't all doom and gloom: we truly have something to return to and it is the most precious thing of all.

This reminder of hope, the resounding positive aspects of this episode aren't something that will become common on the show, but if the show can stand more evenly on various pillars, such as positive and hopeful character interaction with humor tossed in, darker tones and toying with the human condition/psyche, and the science fiction/action-adventure element, then the show very well might grow into a Stargate of the future that retains the aspects of its predecessors and grows into the deeper darker character drama that the show will remain iconic for to the end of its days.

**gildor23** · 20 October 2010, 06:03 AM

SGU's fourth ep of season 2, Pathogen, is another bright spot in what is turning out to be a great sophomore season of SGU. This was the first episode that didn't make me want to throw the stone out an airlock.

In the ep Chloe starts to act weird, sleepwalking, etc. And Eli discovers that his mothers condition is getting worse, so he uses the stones to visit her. Thats the ep in a nutshell.

What was most amazing about this episode, was the fact that for the first time I cared equally about the events on Earth as I did for the events on Destiny. Throughout the shows run I have always dreaded the communication stones. They seemed to only bring each episode they were featured in to a grinding halt. Or worse they would bring the whole series to a grinding halt. But not last night. After getting to know Eli for 24 or so episodes I found I actually cared weather or not his mother was going to recover. More than I cared about the ship stuff, amazing!

Also Wray's character is starting to seem more and more like "the voice of empathy" on the show. I find myself siding with her more and more as the series goes on. The way she pulled strings to help Eli endeared her character to me in a big way. And who cares if Eli's mom knows about the Stargate program? He's trapped in space and she is dieing, give them what they want.

Also, this whole "Secret Stargate Program" is getting old. At what point are they just going to let the public know? 100 years from now? It's only a TV show, you can let the fake world you have created in on the whole Stargate thing. This has been one of my pet peeves with the series since the ep with the rich guy who threatened to reveal the program. Who cares if fake people Know about the SGC? I feel the whole secret Stargate program is just something the writers do out of habit: "We've always done it like that! We couldn't CHANGE something!". Heaven forbid.

But I digress. The whole chloe/alien thing is not that important to me. Don't really care, can't figure out why. Maybe it's because her character is a tacked on "Hot Chick" and now the writers are just TRYING to find some way to make her relevant. The most interesting thing about her storyline was how Rush treated her. It helped give you an insight to how much of a dick rush is. All he does is use people, but to what end? Thats the real mystery of the show!

And finally, when the hell is Young going to have someone follow Rush? I mean cmon! He is always absent when they enter and exit FTL. He never "went to the bathroom" or "slept" this much before. Young has never trusted Rush yet he hasn't had him followed, I find that very odd.

In summation, this episode was good, as is the series as a whole. They have finally spent enough time developing the characters that I am now interested in their problems and interaction. It's easy to get me interested in heroes, villains, and spaceships. It's takes good writing to make me find people interesting.

**entil2001** · 21 October 2010, 05:02 PM

This was an odd episode, in that I kept waiting for something to happen with Chloe, and it never quite took that next step to pay off all the hints and foreboding. Iâ€™m not used to a â€œStargateâ€ show focusing on nothing but transitional character beats, so it was a little unsettling and a tad disappointing. If I didnâ€™t have the sense that this was a step on a much more substantial path, I would have panned the episode.

As it is, Chloeâ€™s alien influence is going to be an issue in future episodes, especially when Rushâ€™s bid for control of the ship takes its inevitable downward spiral. Rush is playing a dangerous game, and he seems to be rather cavalier about the unknowns in the equation. Itâ€™s all going to come down to a confrontation with Young again, and itâ€™s just a matter of figuring out on which side the other pieces on the board will fall.

It may come down to Camille. At least some of the Lucien Alliance is becoming loyal to her, and if Young continues to come around, she may see him as a more stable ally than Rush at this point. But some elements of the Lucien Alliance (in particular, Simeon) are unlikely to fall into that camp, and could be a convenient source of support for Rush. Then again, those elements seem to be following their own agenda, and Rush could be seen as merely a means to an end.

This setup was mated with a couple of stories that seemed to be tossed in for filler, though I understand the intent. Camille and Eli each have personal struggles to maintain the faith of their loved ones, even as the hopes for true reunion become more and more tenuous. I would argue that these stories fulfill a humanizing need in the story itself, reminding the audience that the characters are not resigned to their fate.

More than that, it makes sense. We know Camille has been regularly using the stones to maintain contact with the IOA and what not, so she is a touchstone to the familiar. But after the cruel moment in the previous episode, when everyone thought they would finally be going home, it makes sense to focus on a personal consequence.

The unfortunate part is that these subplots would have worked better if there was more of a balance to the episode. But all these low-key plot threads, while necessary in the bigger picture, just didnâ€™t come together as a solid whole. Robert Carlyle did a capable job as the director for the episode, but that wasnâ€™t enough to offset the relative lack of tension.

**xxxevilgrinxxx** · 24 October 2010, 03:27 PM

Pathogen Review [SGU 204]
By xxxevilgrinxxx | Published: October 24, 2010 | [crossposted at my personal blog - pics removed]

The fourth episode of SGUâ€™s season two, â€œPathogenâ€ continues in the tradition of an aptly named episode. The word pathogen is defined as â€œa specific causative agent (as a bacterium or virus) of diseaseâ€ [Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary]. In the case of Chloe, while we donâ€™t know the exact causative agent, itâ€™s believed to have been due to the action of the Blue Aliens implanting something in her, somehow.

True to SGU tradition, the term â€˜pathogenâ€™ isnâ€™t held to strictly one character, and the theme of â€˜pathogenâ€™ echoes throughout the episode. Eliâ€™s mother, the existence of the Lucian Alliance, the alcoholism exhibited by different characters and Rushâ€™s actions all echo the term â€˜pathogenâ€™.

The first and most obvious is of course Chloeâ€™s transformation, into what we canâ€™t exactly be sure but that she may be turning into a Blue Alien is definitely suspected. While this transformation is interesting enough all on its own, it is the rest of the crewâ€™s reaction to her and her change that I find interesting.

Itâ€™s not surprising that Eli, still strongly connected to Chloe, should be the first to note her strange states. In dealing with the situation, Scott moves through inexperience in the relationship aspect, to putting the good of all above his desire to respect Chloeâ€™s privacy, and hands over her diary.

The quarantine option is juxtaposed with the treatment of the Lucian Alliance, where Chloe is accompanied everywhere she goes, when sheâ€™s not confined to her quarters which, perhaps in the eyes of the crew, paints her as a threat on a par with the Lucian Alliance. At the end of the episode, when Chloe is sitting at the table with her friends, it seems as though some of the crew might be watching her warily.

Lastly, there is Rushâ€™s reaction to Chloe, which is something I found quite frightening, especially when Rush is alone, speaking into the radio and suggesting that Chloe sit in the chair. There was something slippery and dangerous about the scene and I can honestly say that I got chills watching it. It wouldnâ€™t surprise me at all if we saw manifestations of parts of Chloe in later episodes, separated out by Rush while she sat in the chair.

The second occurrence of the â€˜pathogenâ€™ theme is in the scenes with Eliâ€™s mother, who is fighting HIV back on Earth. There is the direct â€˜pathogenâ€™ in the disease itself and there is the subtler â€˜pathogenâ€™ â€“ something from the outside that is causing harm to Eliâ€™s well-being aboard Destiny. Eliâ€™s absence is also an outside agent acting on his motherâ€™s health, furthering the progression of her disease.

In the scenes with his mother, Eli is completing the trip that he took in Season One, when he couldnâ€™t tell his mother who he really was, with the benefit that he is now in a position to prove out his story. While HIV cannot (in this universe) be cured so easily, the loneliness and worry of Eli and his mother are pushed back for a time when Eli is able to bring his mother to the Destiny, sharing the wonder with her.

Aside from the beautiful visual of Eli and his mother on the observation deck, three interactions really stand out for me in this segment of the storyline.

First, Young defending Eliâ€™s absence when Brody insists on Eli being there. Young pushes Eli hard but with this he shows that he will only push so far. If that is the case for Eli, itâ€™s the case for everyone.

Second, in Wrayâ€™s insistence that Eli be allowed to bring his mother to Destiny, she shows once again that when she is fully backing the crew of the Destiny, she is at her best. I do wonder if there will be fallout from this act, especially if others wish to bring their loved ones to destiny.

Last but not least, getting Sharon together with Eliâ€™s mother, for support, for company, has a certain finality to it. In a way, Wray and Eli have found a way to begin the act of dealing with the situation at home, and so are one step closer to acceptance of their fate.

In the form of an outside causative agent comes the Lucian Alliance on Destiny. Through previous episodes, a good deal of the â€œillnessâ€ has been removed and, through the actions of Wray, Earth, the IOA and lastly Young, much of the â€œthreatâ€ has been taken out of the remaining Alliance members.

Trust remains a key issue and, while the Alliance members strive to prove their sincerity, they continue to be contained and quarantined by the military contingent aboard Destiny, as well as being distrusted by the remaining crew. Even among the Lucian Alliance members themselves there is distrust and they appear to have quarantined themselves from Simeonâ€™s volatile actions, leaving Simeon out of the loop and isolated.

The desire to be seen not as an outside force but to belong comes through very effectively in Simeonâ€™s dialogue with Young. Even this late in the game, I am left wondering who to trust among the Alliance. Varro and the others appear to be trustworthy but the fact that they were so easily able to mislead and exclude even their own has me wonder how wise it is to trust them.

The goal was to misinform and as odd as it may sound on its face, Simeon remained true to the goal that they had set â€“ to misinform. It is a strange thing to find something honorable in a man that held true to that goal, even when that goal is to be dishonest. Lastly, the existence of the LA â€˜pathogenâ€™ is prompting a fighting response from the crew of the Destiny, where the unlikeliest of members will come forward to fight for the crew. What Simeon said to Park is irrelevant, but Volkerâ€™s willingness to defend a crew member is, as is Greerâ€™s defending â€œhis peopleâ€.

A more subtle â€˜pathogenâ€™ echo is the alcoholism beginning to be exhibited by Sharon, as a way to deal with the continued absence of Camille, as well as its effects on Sharon, resulting in her being short tempered and despondent. While Young;s drinking wasnâ€™t as evident in this episodes as previous episodes, I wonder if, when Wray returns to the Destiny, she will be looking anew at Young and Youngâ€™s behavior. Will Youngâ€™s growing reliance on alcohol to cope with the burden he is carrying be more evident to her? Further, will her reaction to Young be tempered by her own experience with Sharon? Given the experience, I hope that Wray uses this for good, as that tends to be when she truly excels as a character.

The reference to Rush and his actions has been made, in reference to Chloe, but it bears some repeating. While it may not be so much a â€˜pathogenâ€™ as â€˜pathologicalâ€™, Rushâ€™s actions are definitely becoming a concern. His actions regarding Chloe are frightening and in continuing to lie to and divert the other members of the crew, he continues to threaten all of them.

In showing the others his â€˜study spaceâ€™ he may have placated the rest of crew temporarily but this deceit isnâ€™t likely to hold for long, especially as the rest of the crew, Young included, donâ€™t trust him. What is more unfortunate, for Rushâ€™s sake, is that this distrust is mirrored by the Destiny itself. In this episode, Destinyâ€™s manifestations stand farther back from Rush, rather than coming in close to talk to him. In body language and tone of voice, Gloria appears distant, almost sad when she is interacting with Rush. If he has gone so far as to distance the ship, can he ever come back?

Lastly, a â€˜pathogenâ€™, classic or otherwise, doesnâ€™t disappear in a day and this true for all of the characters and scenarios aboard. Chloe has not been â€˜curedâ€™ although I suspect that was never Rushâ€™s goal. Eliâ€™s mother, while she now has the friendship of Sharon, will continue to sicken, both with her ongoing HIV and with the loneliness of missing Eli. The fallout from what the Lucian Alliance has and hasnâ€™t told Earth will continue to play out, with Simeon being a pivotal character. Does he strive for acceptance from Young, someone he appears near-deferential to, or side with Varro and the others, possibly playing a dangerous game? The presence of alcohol, and the burdens and pains that have caused their overuse, continue. Possibly the most dangerous point of all is Rush, something that should prove interesting in later episodes.

Rating: 8/10

**Rachel500** · 23 December 2010, 08:03 AM

There are moments with TV shows where you want to reach through the TV, wrap your hands around the show in question and squeeze the living daylights out of it because itâ€™s frustrating the heck out of you.

Of course, that could just be me.

There were definitely moments in "Pathogen" where Stargate Universe irritated me enough into wanting to shake the TV. The thing is, it has nothing to with any specific moment I was watching and more of a cumulative â€˜will you get to the point already?!â€™ freak-out in terms of the meandering pace and the now-familiar feeling that the episode lacked its own plot.

Two of my â€˜what needs to be improvedâ€™ notes from Season 1 were pacing and the need to balance arc building with the episode in question, and four episodes into Season 2, they still need to be improved. The latter in particular is the thing thatâ€™s irritating me most. If old Stargate struggled to move beyond its episode of the week format, Universe is like a dog allowed too much leash and has far too much arc building at the expense of a cohesive weekly episode plot. This episode actually has four plots but all are tied in with arc building whether on the character front or the major storylines, leaving the impression conversely that there is a serious lack of plot.

The problem with four plots is balance. While the writing and direction manage to balance the time devoted to each, the rest of the balancing act is not there. Two of the plots are emotional character stories (Wrayâ€™s and Eliâ€™s), one is a mystery (Chloe), and one feels like the set-up of a psychological thriller (Simeonâ€™s). All have people standing around and talking. None have any particular action. Overall, the effect is a slow meandering pace with a soporific effect reminiscent of Horlicks (or any other malted milky bedtime drink). Had one of the plots been action-oriented, the overall episode may have gained some sense of momentum.

But itâ€™s not the plots individually are bad. Taken on their own merits, each plot has something to offer. The saga of trying to make Chloe into a more engaging character dovetails nicely with the Rush-is-going-mad arc. Iâ€™m still loving Rush talking with manifestations of Franklin and Gloria; still loving Rushâ€™s evasions and happily throwing Chloe to the wolves to cover for his own actions. And Iâ€™m sure in terms of the arc, this is important and vital and will all pay-off in some huge way. Because if it doesnâ€™t, Iâ€™m going to be seriously unhappy.

Equally, the Lucian Alliance plot is interesting as they get released into the general population. I love Simeon (Robert Knepper in fine form). Heâ€™s creepy and radiates violence in a way that delights me as a viewer. I loved the scene in the mess with everyone standing up for Park, and the later stand-off between Simeon and Greer in the corridor. I love that I was worried about Greer in that scene; I loved the tension that both men radiated. Jamil Walker Smith continues to make Greer believable and the guy Iâ€™d want protecting my back on Destiny. I love that Simeon is loyal to the Alliance; I love that maybe Varro (Mike Dopud) isnâ€™t. I love the continuation of the something between Varro and TJ. I would have loved for more with this plot.

The Earth-based plots by comparison are not quite so engaging, although both show the impact to loved ones left behind: Camileâ€™s partner is slowly losing it and Eliâ€™s mother has lost it. The emotional stories here are wonderful and fabulous in their own way -- and itâ€™s the type of story that Carl Binder really excels at writing. It would perhaps be remiss of me not to mention that Robert Carlyle does directing duties on â€œPathogenâ€ and if this is the kind of performance he can inspire in his fellow cast members, Iâ€™m all for encouraging him to do more behind the camera. David Blue and Ming-Na both do an outstanding job with their plots which are intertwined and reflective of each other, and I like the idea of Eliâ€™s Mom and Sharon turning to each other for support back on Earth. I loved the moment Eliâ€™s Mom got to use the stones and see Eli, and see the wonder of space (great special effects).

One of the other things I enjoyed about this episode was the sense of a team that is slowly beginning to emerge through the tangle of relationships on Destiny. Eli turns to Wray on Earth and she comes through for him; everyone stands up for Park; they all try to help Chloe. Itâ€™s nice to see because â€œteamâ€ as a concept has always been at the heart of Stargate.

Overall, this isnâ€™t a bad episode. Universe continues to deliver a quality product. But it does need to improve the pacing, to give a satisfying chapter every week and not only what seems to be more prologue. I said it about the last episode and Iâ€™ll say it again this time: enjoyable moments do not equal a good plotty episode. Iâ€™m still waiting and hoping that I donâ€™t get the urge to reach into my TV monitor and strangle the show next week.

Previously published at GeekSpeak Magazine

**ZRFTS** · 26 August 2012, 06:52 PM

Pathogen

In an attempt to lead Season 2 in a direction desirable to it's survival; the producers of the show put Chloe under an alien influence while also having Eli visit her ill mother's bedside while also sending Ming Li to have some quality time with her lesbian girlfriend. Unfortunately, while the results do further the show's growth; it doesn't exactly work out as they expected it to.

Let's start off with the usual things such as the ongoing plots on Destiny regarding Rush's attempt to control the ship and the Lucian Alliance. The LA being released onto the ship should finally attempt to resolve some concerns that the show is underutilizing them; just imagine, thousands of potential enemies on one ship; unfortunately, the result of this comes from the focus of one person who's is obviously a negative influence. While it does do well for the LA leader who appears to be growing into a decent character and while it does provide some decent drama, he is just so one dimensional the way he slams the table and bosses around; there is no depth to his character, nothing to at least make us sympathize with him and the only reason he exists is just so they can give the Destiny crew some conflict. The LA leader is good though, I could connect with him more then previous episodes and I could even begin to get a feel for his character as he cared for his crew members and gave out powerful speeches but he seems to be getting sidelined for the whole "can the LA be trusted" plot, which is beginning to wear a bit thin with the inclusion of guys who show dominance.

Rush's ever going attempts to control the ship doesn't get much exploration, only getting two or so scenes which hint at the nature Rush is going at and while those scenes do thin the line Rush is walking on, nothing substantial seems to be revealed about them. It is only when Chloe enters the scene that the scenes on the Destiny get a bit more substantial; finally, a moment which should place Chloe in a situation where she can provide the best of herself. Just look at her! she seems to be under the control of an alien influence. These scenes show some of the worry and some of the concern she is going through (the scenes with Scott are sort of an example) and the addition of the crew and the precautions they take help but it never really gets to the point of magnificence shown in "Pain" or even "Incursion (Part 2)", it just seems like something that Chloe would normally do except this time, the stakes are raised significantly. Chloe does play well into Rush's plot who's intrigue with Chloe really furthers the series as a whole; Chloe is made to be a possible important factor in the series, Rush's secrets and intentions are being slowly revealed and there just may be something that'll keep viewers tuned in for Season 2; plus it just makes Rush's performance that much better and hey, who doesn't want a arc where Chloe will be decently used.

Eli and Ming Li's respective plots on Earth are good and provide the drama and character moments most of us are used to but in this case, I have to say that Eli's plot was the better of the two. Don't get me wrong, Ming Li is good and she's even better when she's on Earth but much of the romance didn't break new ground and the only moment that was truly substantial and noteworthy was the moment where her girlfriend commented on her being in somebody else's body, which really shows the emotion and the connection that they have and utilizes the stones to provide a heartwarming moment for the audience. Eli's deviation, empathy, devotion and nervousness come across well here; starting off like "Earth" Part 2, he pretends to be someone else and through this we learn of his mom's worries, her ambitions and reasons for living; what she says really makes us bond to her and allows us to get across what she's thinking. Anybody who's ever had a son can understand what she's going through, who doesn't want to know where his son is and have constant contact with him?

The moment where it really gets good is when Eli drops the act and tries to convince her it's him in that body; he goes all emotional, reflecting on his character's past memories, reflecting on the feelings he has, he goes all out to provide a performance which is most likely the best in the episode. You'll be pulled in by the way that he feels, the way that he talks and the actions that she does; it's almost like you're watching a human being at work and her mother, well let's just say that her worries, her questions, her doubts and her conspiracies become more fleshed out at this point, giving credence to her performance and also furthering our immersion into the character. Bringing Eli's mom onto the ship was a total surprise, a surprise that really resulted in some heartwarming moments and an awesome ending to Eli's story but it felt kind of gimmicky and threatened to dilute what Eli had put into his story, (and additionally, further prevent potential growth now that his mother's out of the hospital.) it didn't get to a point where it affected the story but still.... As for the characters well Young was good as usual and TJ was herself. Scott did well with Eli as it seemed to reveal her emotional, caring side and the need for a friend but it seems like he's there mainly so he can form a love triangle between Chloe, himself and Eli. Not to say his scenes have merit but that's what it felt like to me.

It has good intentions but "Pathogen" is one of those episodes that promise a lot but delivers only some of the time. Chloe's plot is interesting but none of it really manages to click together save for a few scenes and despite the fact that some series-defining moments happen, it's not worth the effort to wade through these scenes to get to them. Eli's plot is incredible in that it provides an engaging story for his character and provides some of the best & heartwarming moments of the episode and if there's anything this episode will be remembered for, it'll be him. The rest... Well, the show is going places but I'm still waiting here...

5.5/10

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