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

[ankh-lj.livejournal.com]

I've been putting off checking out ATL because of some of the reactions I've seen online, particularly towards Weir. I liked Weir in SGSG-1 and I wanted to continue liking her. I've only seen 8 episodes or thereabouts and my response was pretty much the same as yours, so perhaps I'll buy or rent the ATL boxset and catch up on what I've missed.

"The show has done nothing to cure me of my 48 Hours-induced McKay crush as he simply rules."

Yeah, I was pleased to hear they had kept the '48 Hours' Rodney rather than diluting him. It's very satisfying to see how popular he is now as DH isn't really a pretty boy but he's a damned good actor, so in this case talent has won out. Now I want to see DH and Michael Shanks tossed into a room together to see what would happen with their characters. I'm not entirely sure who would win that particular snark-fest but it would be so much fun watching it.

"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. "

*snort* According to Torri, Weir has a Daniel Jackson pillow so the badge is a distinct possibility. I'm so relieved you like her as it's a good indication I'll continue to like her, too.

"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."

One of the recent episodes I caught was one with a volcano about to erupt. There was a lovely scene with Ronon and Teyla with Ronon admitting Teyla was right. Very nicely done and showed up both characters in a good light. Very nice chemistry there.

[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!

[bka0711.livejournal.com]

I have now. :)

Thank you!

[innocent-lex.livejournal.com]

I have been watching SGA over the weeks as it came out rather than in one big blob like you seem to have done. To get the point of disagreement out of the way first, I'll let you know I cannot stand Weir. I think she's a terrible excuse for a leader, female or otherwise - Teyla is much better. Then again, I've found that the SG writers really don't seem to have much of a clue what good leadership is, so this isn't a change for them. I tend to ignore Weir as much as possible, and when she's featured in an ep I'll just not watch too closely. I loved the first choice of actress, so I think part of the problem is I can see how the first actress would have risen above various of the poor lines Weir gets while the current actress just doesn't seem to make quite the right choices. Ho hum.

On the good side, I adore Rodney completely. He's absolutely wonderful, intelligent, sharp-witted, sharp-tongued and is played by a fantastic actor who I love to bits. I've now seen him in Treed Murray and have just ordered Boa vs Python (which sounds like a really dodgy B-movie) just to see the actor. I am pathetic, but I'm happy in that patheticness.

Overall, I found S1 better written than S2; I think the writers lost their focus somewhat in S2 and I'm very much hoping it'll come back in S3. The characterisation and depth of personality of many of the characters is great, but sometimes the writing is falling into the SG-1 trap of fitting the characters into the plot rather than the other way around. The characters have mostly ridden that wave - Rodney, Beckett, and Zelenka especially - but at times it's very hard to believe that the characters I thought I knew would behave as they do in some of S2. The bad writing choices seem to have happened when the writers are either going for funny or edgy, and they don't appear to be able to keep the characters in character while they do that.

Overall, though, I'm sticking with the show. It's possible lots of that is due to fanfic, where I can get the bits of McShep that I don't see on-screen i.e. the sex. I see absolutely everything else on-screen, and the "they're *so* doing it" practically screams from every scene those two are together in. Until the volcano ep (still to come for you) I didn't see any ship, thank goodness (other than the obligatory 'hero gets girl' nonsense), and the volcano ep showed how good Teyla and Ronon would be together. Bless. I'll stick to my McShep, and be happy with it.

[emeraldteal.livejournal.com]

Hi Elgrey :)

Haven't seen you around for a while. Hope all is well with you and yours :)

First off... YAY! Another SGA and McKay fangirl! Whee! I don't have many who are on my flist, so I'm very, very pleased. *g*

Have you seen the 'Stressed' music vid? It's a McKay vid, and it's totally about him and stress. lol. Very impressive. Oh, but it has scenes until late S2 I think, so maybe you wanna avoid it if you don't want to get too spoiled. Here's the link- http://www.relative-obscurity.org/belles/cb.html

When I first heard about a Stargate spin-off, I wasn't too impressed. It's not always easy to duplicate the success of the original show. Boy, was I wrong. I only saw S1 late last year, and when I saw Atlantis rising from beneath the waves, I knew I was hooked. I loved John a bit when he stumbled down a slope after Teyla and pretended to be cool about it. I loved John more when he told Rodney in the Brotherhood that he could've joined MENSA. And my final complete fall was when he went all stealthily rampaging and killed 60-odd Genii in defense of Atlantis (and Rodney + Elizabeth). Oh, *purr*

Of course, I'm a total McKay slavegirl. Oh Rodney. My love knows no bounds. You had me at 'Hide & Seek' and I love you more and more as I see each ep. *bg* And now I'm a DH fangirl too. O.o There are some very good eps in S2, I hope you share your thoughts with us when you're done seeing them all.

I love all the characters in SGA. It makes me very happy :D I love Dr Weir, sure she could've been written better in S2, but I totally don't see why people hate her so. *shrug* At least there's fanfic, and in this fandom we are blessed with so many exceptional writers. I literally don't have time to keep up with all the fic.

Teyla is amazing, and yes, she totally have to do it with Ronon. :D Everyone was prepared to hate Ronon since he's practically replacing Ford, but boy! Didn't we all fall all over him, lol. He's amazing too. There are some interactions between him and Teyla in S2 which are very, very good. They do have a lot in common, being the 'aliens', and always seem to be sharing amused looks when John and Rodney start bickering. (and yes, I'm a McShep fangirl, though it took me a while to see it, hee)

Radek! You're right, we have to clone him. He's adorable. And Carson, yay. I'm sorry that Peter had to die, that was a blow. I even love Kavanaugh and Bates. There should be more of them too, damnit. When a show makes me love each and every one of the characters, well. You can be assured I'll be fangirling til the end. Just like Angel and Firefly and NCIS and X-Files and SG1 and The Sentinel. *happy sigh*

Oh, and Lorne! He even came over from SG1, isn't that great? What a great continuity right there. And some more new supporting characters who are distinctive and vital and so unique. Did I tell you I love this show? *g*

Ooops, didn't mean to ramble so much. But I really am happy :D

Be seeing ya, and happy viewing! :)

[hotspur18.livejournal.com]

Came over to your lj after wesless recced your fics and turned me into a shameless fan of your Wesley-centric stories...

As someone whose primary fandoms are Angel and SGA, I couldn't be happier that you've discovered the joy that is Atlantis (and McKay's arms, and John's possibly sentient hairstyle, but anyway...)

Hope you don't mind...I friended you, in the spirit of the friendship meme :-) since I am out pimping it, I felt I should hold to my principles *g*

:-) xx