Stargate Atlantis musings (spoilers for S1-S2)

[elgrey]

I've been catching up on Stargate Atlantis on DVD now that enough of it is out that I wouldn't get stuck on a cliffhanger. The more I see of TV shows on DVD, the more I think this is the only way I want to watch them. I've really enjoyed the show. More musings behind the cut, including spoilers for S1 and S2.

Have now watched 28 episodes of Atlantis and have enjoyed every one of them. (S2 Vol 3 doesn’t come out until June 5^th or I would have watched more.) The show really reminds me of early season Stargate, with the same zip and enthusiasm from all concerned. It’s making me very keen to see S9 of Stargate and if the same zip is apparent there. So far, I’ve liked all the characters, even Sheppard, who I expected to find annoying, although I do worry a little for a group of people whose most senior military officer went on a trip to another galaxy and forgot to pack a comb.

 

The show has done nothing to cure me of my 48 Hours-induced McKay crush as he simply rules. Still think he should be with Sam but I’m just starting to get over my snit about Atlantis bagging him instead of him staying on Stargate. Zelenka is adorable and every home should have one. I want to pet him and feed him cookies every time he bounces around enthusiastically like Daniel’s eccentric Czechoslovakian uncle. Love Weir; such a change having someone in charge who doesn’t get into entrenched positions. I suspect she has a What Would Daniel Do? badge hidden somewhere in her room. Much as I adore Hammond, I'm pleased to see someone in charge who isn't military. Love Teyla although I do feel that on missions she is often in the unenviable position of being the only grown up amongst a group of unruly squabbling schoolboys. Beckett is a sweetheart. There can never be too much of him. I really liked Ford, but prefer Ronon, and think the Ford story so far has been excellent, very moving and RSF did an incredible job showing his conflict before heading off to be with the Wraith. I like to think of Ford munching his way through a whole ship of them although I suppose that’s not very likely.

 

So far all the plots have been great, even the slightly cheesy ones have been saved by sharp scripting or a new twist. Some really sympathetic people have died, and the effects are incredible. I found Atlantis rising out of the water in Rising was so beautiful I was in tears. Love the music too.

 

I don’t usually like inter-team ship, especially in the Stargate universe, as the writers on this show aren’t very good at progressing romances and having people come out the other side of them, as things happen in real life, and usually leave them in a ridiculous holding pattern of yearning glances and no physical contact like twelve year olds trying to get up the courage to ask each other to dance. However, even though I know it would probably be very bad for the show on all kinds of levels, I really *really* want Ronon and Teyla to have lots and lots of sex where I can watch them having it, because they’re just so amazingly hot together. They can break up afterwards and decide to remain friends or whatever so there isn’t too much tedious mooning around, but I would really like them to have the lots and lots of sex first. Perhaps aliens could make them do it just for me? Ronon has the same effect on me as Teal'c. I just want him to stand there so I can walk around him going ‘Wow…’

 

I’m not seeing the McShep thing, although I’d like to as I love their interaction on the show, and I am seeing the Shep/Weir thing although I’d really like not to as I think it would be a terrible idea, not least because Sheppard is nothing like good enough for Weir. However, now Ronon is around I do find it very hard to believe any woman on the base is going to want to look at anyone except him even if Sheppard strips naked and turn cartwheels. Unless they’re a lot less shallow than me, of course, which is perfectly likely.

Comments

[bka0711.livejournal.com]

Check out the Rodney-love in my icon. :)

I've approached Atantis in a completely new way for me. In the first place, this was the first show I've ever wanted to watch due to a songvid. (Lori, I have proof this happens to you, but it has never happened to me before.) I never really expected to like it all that much, because I was certain I would be annoyed by Sheppard, and I still have "issues" with the Stargate universe I used to love so much. However, I was stunned, and I was hooked before I even finished the first episode. And now I am Rodney McKay's slavefangirl.

There are two things I normally do when I'm excited about a show: first I check out the on-line communities and then I look for fanfic. I now have a sizeable list of places I won't visit twice due to the negativity and the Weir-hate and the shipper warring. In the past, this wouldn't have stopped me from going to those places and I would have muttered under my breath and gotten angry and negative myself. But I've learned my lessons well, and I only visit Happy Places where the fans love Atlantis, and I am a much happier person.

The fanfic, by the way, totally rules. I've been bemoaning the fact that several fandoms I've read in after Stargate didn't come up to the standards I was used to in that fandom, but my goodness, this is more like it! The fic is wonderful, the fans are inventive, and I will always be grateful for the songvids, one of which got me to watch a show I swore I'd never watch.

I love all the characters. It seems to me that the writers on Atlantis learned from their mistakes on Stargate and haven't made them on Atlantis. The characters are so well fleshed out, and even something like 'Letters from Pegasus', which I suppose was a clip show by definition, gave us more information about each of the characters who put a letter on tape. Now that's the way to make a clip show.

I'm not a fan of ship, and so far I haven't seen anything to annoy me where ship is concerned. Hopefully they will keep that subtle and everyone can see what they want to see and read and write what pairings they like best. I'm just happy enjoying the whole show for what it is: a source of great entertainment, wonderful characters, and a universe I fell in love with.

Long live Atlantis. :) And bring on McKay!

[ankh-lj.livejournal.com]

Speaking of fic, have you checked out pegasus_b?

[elgrey.livejournal.com]

Aww you have a McKay icon! That's so cute. :) Yes, I thought Sheppard would annoy me, but he doesn't, even his hair doesn't annoy me any more.

The way Sam was written still bugs me, but I think part of the problem with Sam came from a place of wanting to give people a happy ending who liked the Sam/Jack thing and not being able to do that until the finale and the show getting renewed when they didn't expect it to be. I do think that the relationship is now a possibly unsalvageable mess because it's dragged on so long, but I do get that if you want to have a positive outcome for those two (if you're into that relationship) in the final episode, you have to show that there is still an interest between them before that episode or else it will just be a big WTF? It's just unfortunate that when the show was transferred to SciFi the producers weren't given a firm undertaking for five seasons rather than this year by year renewal thing. I think if they had they could have worked out a better arc for the relationship, instead of making Sam look like a pathetic drip and Jack the world's worst heterosexual male equivalent of a prick tease.

The big thing that bugged me then and still would now if they're still doing it, is the not having people who have faced death together or are related to one another giving a stuff about one another in times of stress. There were just so many times from S5 onwards when there was no scripted line or even reaction shot to the person whose father or friend was in danger or now out of danger to show that this was important. Other shows just *don't* miss those character beats because they're the point of the putting the person in peril, and SG-1 was doing it all the time from 2001 onwards. Sam on the ramp in that episode is still one of the worst moments for that but it started to be a regular sloppiness in almost every episode; from Jack and Teal'c not giving a stuff about Sam or Daniel's situation in Summit to Sam not giving a stuff about her father being in peril in Evolution to anyone giving a stuff about anyone.

That's what I find odd about Atlantis, which is written by the same writers and directed by the same directors who stopped bothering with those moments in SG-1 and yet are bothering to put them in in Atlantis. I've found watching Atlantis a thoroughly enjoyable experience, not least because they do seem to feel these characters care about each other and bother to show it. Perhaps Martin Gero being the scriptwriter has made a difference or perhaps they've just had more time/more money on Atlantis to get it right. I'm hoping it's the latter as that bodes well for S9 of SG-1.

I'm so glad you love McKay now. All that time of trying to get you to watch 48 Hours and one wonderful songvid did the job for me. *g* I don't mind reading opposing views but I know what you mean about the relentless negativity, however heartfelt it is, and it does get tiresome when people really dislike a character that you like. I mean I've been the person being relentlessly negative and probably very annoying so I understand both sides, but it's not what one necessarily wants to read when full of Shiny!New!Happy!Love for a show.

The little bits of fic I've seen all look excllent but I think we've been pretty lucky with fic really, in that Daniel, Wesley, and Vin from Mag7 all seem to be the whumpee of choice in lots and lots of quality fic, which is nice for us. :) But I would love some more gen hurt-comfort in Without A Trace fandom.

I love all the characters too, so far. It feels as if a lot of thought and a lot of love has gone into them by writers and actors alike, and there is that really high level of enthusiasm coming off the show which is very enjoyable.

So far it's been perfectly understated, hasn't it? There's something there for the Sheppard/Weir, Sheppard/Teyla or Sheppard/McKay people if they want to see it or not if they don't, but it certainly hasn't becoming intrusive or annoying.

I just really want Daniel to get a chance to visit and for him to interact with McKay now.