SGU: Intervention Part 3

[CaptJodan]

Surprised this hasn't been started yet.

I counted at least 2 Deux Ex Machina incidents in this episode. It was a pretty shitty way to start the episode in my view, taking basically all the cliff hangers and simply solving them with two previous plot devices. (the first is obvious, but completely unnecessary. The second I imagine will be a result of Chloe's time with the Blue Man Group, something they did caused her to heal).

The baby being "ascended" from where it was to the star system builder planet makes very little sense unless they plan on actually continuing that line somehow. Maybe they will, but I didn't get the sense of that from anyone there. TJ made her choice and it didn't seem like they were planning on giving her visitation rights. If that's the case, then that subplot was really nothing more than a way to dispose of an inconvenient plot point. If they didn't want a baby on the show, then go ahead and kill it off and have her deal with the loss and the regret of not trying harder to stay on the planet. Have the loss be real, rather than this quasi-ascended transport it's soul thing. It just seemed lazy for no real reason or benefit.

We get more hints in this episode that the Destiny is something special other than what it looks to be. This, plus the rumors about the season already stated, gives me hope that we'll learn what that is soon.

It looks like, at least for a little while, the crew will have to deal with the Lucian Alliance types. I wouldn't mind if they stayed aboard for a while. They could use reinforcements from those they've already lost, and it'll provide another element for them. Same goes for Telford being around a bit longer.

Overall, I think it does a decent job to set up the next few episodes, but does a poor job resolving some of the tension of last season that they built up. We'll see where it goes from here.

[Netko]

Well, its the second Stargate spinoff series which shoots its concept in the head with the beginning of the second season. Atlantis was supposed to be a cut-off expedition that had to do with limited support from home at best. Except, come season 2, we have regular gate and spaceship travel to Earth. Which was partly great (I love the various Deadleous-class ship related episodes), but it also made the series lose its focus and slowly degrade.

And then they did it again here, except not as literally. SGU was supposed to be a more down-to-earth, "realistic" (in quotes because its more realistic in what passes for contrived realism in Hollywood), except they just had blown that out of the water with the TJ subplot (What the hell, just man the fuck up and kill off the baby!).

I don't know, maybe I'm just bitter that BSG got spoiled in basically exactly this way (mysticism over realism), but I'm really getting a feeling with this episode (there are some other touches except TJ - the general style of filming, the non-focus on survival on the planet, the consequence-less firefights in the corridors) that they are pulling back on the things that made SGU unique compared to previous outings and its not something I like.

Rush was yet again one of the only great things about the episode. The only person willing to do what needs to be done to win. I'm really not liking the non-acceptance of that on Eli's part - I'm not going to argue he should have been supporting Rush, but the way he was advocating surrender in a situation they know surrender is not a realistic option did not sit well with me.

Anyhow, overall I felt it was disappointing. Middle of the road on its own merits, but heralds things I really don't want to see connected with SGU.

[Oskuro]

Ok, first things first (and I know the show will eventually contradict me, but what the hell), to me the baby is dead and the planet thing was a hallucination. Period. The nebula at the end was a cheap shot to hint at it being real, when the effect of creating some doubt about things was already Ok.

The episode was largely meh, although the introduction of a cute redhead is always a plus in my book. And it took me forever to realize that the henchman that talks to Telford as he wakes up is played by the same actor than the villain from the last Heroes season. Seems he got abducted.

Speaking of Heroes, has Chloe, an pretty bland and irritating character, gained traits from Claire "Daddy Issues" Bennet? Will she be wearing cheerleader outfits next? Seems her Teyla-fication continues in an attempt to give her a purpose.

[Zac Naloen]

Whatever you think of the grittiness and realiness of what SGU is trying to do, it's still Stargate and Ascension is still a huge part of its mythos, and has already been brought up by Rush in season 1. So it was always going to be a theme here. Through most of season 1 was waiting for a more specific allusion to it that never came.

[Themightytom]

I took away an entirely different impression regarding the baby, and the aliens taking care of it now.

I saw it as an attempt to revisit the er.. "success" of the harsesis subplot from SG-1. maybe they'll do it better this time, maybe they will end up canceled before they really get into it, maybe a better idea will come along, but it seems likely to me the baby's fate was deliberately handled this way because it would have been almost easier for writers to either have it be a character building delusion, or just kill the baby off outright. instead they went through the whole introduction of the planet builders to TJ and then made SURE to drop that little visual reference nebula in at the end so we would all be sure it really happened.

I'm actually willing to believe they deliberately alluded to the planet builders in advance of this episode to lay the groundwork for the fate of TJ's baby. it wasn't a "subplot" it was the name of the damn episode. I turned it ON expecting some kind of third party involvement based on the title alone. This wasn't even a one off episode, its the season premier. If they are going to dangle important threads this is the time, so I would put money on the reappearance of not only the planet builders, THIS SEASON, but probably TJ's baby as well. Despite the dialogue in the episode suggesting she say goodbye. If the aliens are actually being portrayed as omniscient, its entirely possible TJ will buy the farm at some point but Colonel Young will get to see his kid, this I doubt though, my impression was the aliens weren't saying "You're never seeing the child again" so much as "You can't stay and you can't take it with you.

[Zac Naloen]

If the aliens are actually being portrayed as omniscient, its entirely possible TJ will buy the farm at some point but Colonel Young will get to see his kid, this I doubt though, my impression was the aliens weren't saying "You're never seeing the child again" so much as "You can't stay and you can't take it with you.

Which is very similar to something The Others would say with a side order of being a bit more interested in what the Destiny crew get up to.


It's the wrong part of space to be the Ancients unless they've been specifically following the Destiny but it could be another group of Ascended beings who know the Destinys mission, are interested in it, and aren't burdended by the non-interference rules of the Milky Way ascended's.

[Adrian McNair]

Well, that was spectacularly...unspectacular. That must be the most underwhelming season premiere I've seen in a while. Compare this episode with Atlantis' The Eye Part 2 and it comes off as even more lacking than it already is. That two-parter had a similar plot to this arc, with the Genii taking temporary control of Atlantis. But that one was much better in its execution and pacing. You had nice moments like Sheppard activating the shield (killing a company of Genii reinforcements in the process) or that cat fight between Tey'la and Sora the sexy red-head. Plus it all took place during a super-hurricane, lending atmosphere to the proceedings.

Conversely with Intervention Part 3 there weren't any defining or spectacular moments that grabbed my attention. The episode should have been titled Going Through the Motions Part 3 because that's what it felt like the entire time. All of the cliffhangers set-up in the previous episode were disposed of in a mundane manner. It's an annoying trend that I've noticed with the show. They place the characters in jeopardy and take them out of peril in a low-key way.

TJ's scenes were a waste of time in every respect. Would it have killed them to have her dealing with the loss of her baby in a grounded, realistic manner? I detest the mysticism that keeps infecting shows that I might be interested in (Battlestar Galactica and Lost are glaring offenders), bogging everything down in vague ambiguities that don't mean a fucking thing. Keep your feeble attempts to proselytize out of my fucking science-fiction.

Chloe continues to be a useful bed warmer for Scott. For me, her character is superfluous, empty eyecandy. You know there's a problem with a character when the sum total of what he or she has to do in an episode consists of walking around and being concerned. They could have had one of the Lucian Alliance goons gun her down and I wouldn't have given half a shit. What has been her defining accomplishment at any point in the entire series? What are her accomplishments? Continuing to draw breath doesn't count as one. Since they included those mysterious aliens in the callbacks at the beginning, I'm guessing that Chloe's inexplicable healing has something to do with her time spent aboard that mothership.

They never adequately explained why the Lucian Alliance even wanted Destiny in the first place. Characters like Kiva and Varro kept harping on about how the ship should be used for the good of all of humanity (not just Earth), but that always struck me as being such a bullshit excuse (that I suspect they didn't even believe). It was mealy mouthed nonsense when brainwashed Telford said it and it's particularly hollow coming from the leader of a gang of thugs and killers. If that isn't the reason then what is? Do they want to take Destiny in order to gain technological parity against Earth? The very notion is ludicrous. Even if they managed to take control of the ship and somehow bring it back to the Milky Way, they'd still have to deal with a fleet of top of the line BC-304s. A creaky, antique rust-bucket against fully-fledged warships would be quite a sight for all of thirty seconds.

The one thing of note in the entire episode was the appearance of Robert Knepper (T-Bag in Prison Break and Samuel Sullivan in Heroes) as one of the Alliance minions. I'm predicting that the Alliance prisoners will go the way of the Maquis in Voyager. That is, they'll have one episode devoted to bringing them into the fold and we probably won't hear or see from them again. Maybe Knepper, since he seems to be getting typecast nowadays, will be the recurring antagonist. I can't say that I'm particularly excited at this point.

Hopefully the writers will get their arses into gear, over the course of the season. Maybe Rush will do something suitably machiavellian and intriguing. I can only hope.

[Netko]

Whatever you think of the grittiness and realiness of what SGU is trying to do, it's still Stargate and Ascension is still a huge part of its mythos, and has already been brought up by Rush in season 1. So it was always going to be a theme here. Through most of season 1 was waiting for a more specific allusion to it that never came.

I have no problem with the whole ascension concept (I liked and was interested in it being more explored in several episodes that dealt with it so far on SGU), but I want it handled from a viewpoint more in the style of SGU, not the innocent-angels-go-to-heaven-while-their-whore-mothers-suffer motif straight out of Touched by an Angel and similar mind-numbing stuff. I mean, what the hell? A normal human kid is saved why? If he isn't normal, why the hell wouldn't he be? If its TJ that matters, again why? This is a show (especially compared to previous SGs) that supposed to be about characters that aren't all that special but manage to find strength and dedication to overcome the odds.

Its more irritating because it sets up the inevitable push of the series into mysticism (they have to discuss it, agonise over it, etc. so a we've got a lot of screentime incoming where we're discussing dead little angels who are now watching over us), and:
1) this has never been Stargate's approach to the whole situation (ascension has so far been handled in a relatively nuts and bolts way), or religion in general, aside from sometimes painful and offputting Christian pandering that stands out
2) I like and want to watch smart but grounded people using their brains to get a decrepit old failing hulk back home/save themselves. You know, what was advertised. Also what was advertised on BSG which went to shit in exactly this way.
So as of this episode, I'm officially put off and worried about SGU.

[JME2]

Not as strong an opening as I was hoping for. Hope the rest of the season is stronger.

3/5.

Edit -- The other thing bothering me is that I still want an answer as to what the operatives' plan was. They wanted to seize the ship and its tech -- fair enough. But how exactly did they plan on getting back to the Milky Way when Telford's reports probably made it clear Destiny couldn't dial that far? Did they have an alternate power source or do they know something the Expedition doesn't know?

[CaptJodan]

Edit -- The other thing bothering me is that I still want an answer as to what the operatives' plan was. They wanted to seize the ship and its tech -- fair enough. But how exactly did they plan on getting back to the Milky Way when Telford's reports probably made it clear Destiny couldn't dial that far? Did they have an alternate power source or do they know something the Expedition doesn't know?

They clearly know something, and I'm no longer sure that it's the tech they're really after. Very little if anything on Destiny has been shown to be huge levels above what the Goa'uld had. I'm beginning to think it's whatever Destiny is out there to do that's important. And I think that not only does the LA guys know what that is, but Rush does too. He's just not willing to tell everyone.

[JME2]

Edit -- The other thing bothering me is that I still want an answer as to what the operatives' plan was. They wanted to seize the ship and its tech -- fair enough. But how exactly did they plan on getting back to the Milky Way when Telford's reports probably made it clear Destiny couldn't dial that far? Did they have an alternate power source or do they know something the Expedition doesn't know?

They clearly know something, and I'm no longer sure that it's the tech they're really after. Very little if anything on Destiny has been shown to be huge levels above what the Goa'uld had. I'm beginning to think it's whatever Destiny is out there to do that's important. And I think that not only does the LA guys know what that is, but Rush does too. He's just not willing to tell everyone.

If they know something, then Varro has a bargaining chip with Young: Information in exchange for liberties/privileges for the prisoners. And that could put Young in an interesting position of trusting the devil he knows (Rush) or the devil he doesn't know (Varro).

[Minischoles]

Bit of a 'meh' episode really, for the episode that's supposed to hook you back in after a long break and finish off the cliffhanger from S1, it wasn't exactly a very good or exciting episode.
The best bit was watching one of the leaders finally have the balls to solve the LA problem with minimal fuss. Young wouldn't vent the atmosphere at first, letting them get a foothold, but when Rush is in charge, he has no hesitation about sacrificing people to retake the ship.

[JME2]

Bit of a 'meh' episode really, for the episode that's supposed to hook you back in after a long break and finish off the cliffhanger from S1, it wasn't exactly a very good or exciting episode.
The best bit was watching one of the leaders finally have the balls to solve the LA problem with minimal fuss. Young wouldn't vent the atmosphere at first, letting them get a foothold, but when Rush is in charge, he has no hesitation about sacrificing people to retake the ship.

I loved the look on Young's when he realized Rush had saved their bacon big time.

But you're right. It's another indication that Rush was correct in "Justice". Young really is the wrong person for the job. The question know is whether or not he'll be able to adapt and grow into the role or go under.

[Alyeska]

Having Telford on board is also going to change things. This was supposed to be Telfords command.

[JME2]

Having Telford on board is also going to change things. This was supposed to be Telfords command.

Yes and that sets up multiple chances for conflict this season. The big question is whether Telford will pursue that. He may choose not to, perhaps feeling guilty for his role in all this. If he does, will the military contingent follow their original orders or will they side with Young? Will Wray push for Telford? And how are Varro and the Lucian Alliance prisoners going to react when they learn that their entire operation went to hell because Telford fought off the brainwashing and alerted the SGC? Retribution may be coming his way.

[Zac Naloen]

One thing is for certain, the Lucian Alliance did not go to the Destiny with the intention of returning it to the Milky way or to acquire technology from the ship. They knew going in it was a one way trip and Varro suggested being on Destiny should be some major deal. Our guys just don't know what that deal is. I think Rush might though, why would he want to die to prevent them getting the ship otherwise? They can't take it home... or relay their discoveries the Alliance in the milky way like they can. The Stones link only to Earth.

Spoiler

I wouldn't be surprised if it was something to do with ascension, because in the previews Rush had a line along the lines "The Ship is called Destiny for a reason" and of course there is all that guff about the crew learning that they have a mission now. Which gives them all purpose.

[Themightytom]

Bit of a 'meh' episode really, for the episode that's supposed to hook you back in after a long break and finish off the cliffhanger from S1, it wasn't exactly a very good or exciting episode.
The best bit was watching one of the leaders finally have the balls to solve the LA problem with minimal fuss. Young wouldn't vent the atmosphere at first, letting them get a foothold, but when Rush is in charge, he has no hesitation about sacrificing people to retake the ship.

I loved the look on Young's when he realized Rush had saved their bacon big time.

But you're right. It's another indication that Rush was correct in "Justice". Young really is the wrong person for the job. The question know is whether or not he'll be able to adapt and grow into the role or go under.

Moreso, because while Rush was willing to lose people, he... actually didn't, whereas Young managed to get about 10 people and a baby wasted.

Wray sure turned into a puddle of mud though, the way I see it they can handle her character two ways, nervous breakdown induced withdrawal from efforts at leadership, at least for a time, or over compensatory assertions that she CAN take charge again.

I actually don't think Telford is as much in play as people seem to believe, he is being depicted as distrusted by both sides at this point, though somewhat influential. I would expect that free of the brainwashing, his loyalties to Earth will become clear.

That being said, I think some exposition on the significance of Destiny, either on the part of Rush, Varro or both could be persuasive in bringing groups together, if the Lucian's AND Rush were willing to commit themselves to a one way trip, it's got to be big. Rush alone, you can conclude he is probably bonkers over the loss off his wife and has a personal agenda, the Lucian's though.

You need a pretty good argument to persuade a group with such a loose command structure that following a homicidal bitch through a wormhole with commander sociopath as her number 2 is a good idea. I had the idea Varro was the 2ic but he had authority pulled away pretty readily despite being reasonable, in control and at least commanding enough respect that his men would conclude they had a better chance on a lightening world full of enemy soldiers than with Chokey McOverlord.
I anticipate some grudging alignment between Young, Varro and Telford, they are like minded military leaders, and DO seem to defer to Young, despite the fact that Young is constantly second guessing himself.

[Imperial Overlord]

Edit -- The other thing bothering me is that I still want an answer as to what the operatives' plan was. They wanted to seize the ship and its tech -- fair enough. But how exactly did they plan on getting back to the Milky Way when Telford's reports probably made it clear Destiny couldn't dial that far? Did they have an alternate power source or do they know something the Expedition doesn't know?

Well they did have an alternate power source, before it blew.

[JME2]

Edit -- The other thing bothering me is that I still want an answer as to what the operatives' plan was. They wanted to seize the ship and its tech -- fair enough. But how exactly did they plan on getting back to the Milky Way when Telford's reports probably made it clear Destiny couldn't dial that far? Did they have an alternate power source or do they know something the Expedition doesn't know?

Well they did have an alternate power source, before it blew.

But that was only for getting to the ship, not returning to MWG.

It looks like they intend for this to be a one way trip, which adds to the mystique of Destiny's ultimate mission.

[Imperial Overlord]

But that was only for getting to the ship, not returning to MWG.

It looks like they intend for this to be a one way trip, which adds to the mystique of Destiny's ultimate mission.

You just dial the gate again from the reactor planet. Say once a week or whatever. The only issue is if someone blows it up.

[Themightytom]

But that was only for getting to the ship, not returning to MWG.

It looks like they intend for this to be a one way trip, which adds to the mystique of Destiny's ultimate mission.

You just dial the gate again from the reactor planet. Say once a week or whatever. The only issue is if someone blows it up.

uh stargates are one way, except for that one time in "Children of the Gods" which they remastered away.

Besides the psycho Lucian leader SAID they knew it was a one way trip.

[Imperial Overlord]

uh stargates are one way, except for that one time in "Children of the Gods" which they remastered away.

Besides the psycho Lucian leader SAID they knew it was a one way trip.

Except they do transmissions back from malps and kinos just fine. Stargate's not terribly consistent about the whole thing. There's also a difference between saying "we knew it could be one way" and "we knew it was one way" and I honestly can't remember which one he said, leaving aside the little detail of the reliability of the source who was tad bit on the overly zealous side.

[Captain Seafort]

Except they do transmissions back from malps and kinos just fine. Stargate's not terribly consistent about the whole thing.

They've always (AFAIK) been quite consistent that while EM and gravity work both ways, physical travel through the gate is strictly one-way.

[Imperial Overlord]

Except they do transmissions back from malps and kinos just fine. Stargate's not terribly consistent about the whole thing.

They've always (AFAIK) been quite consistent that while EM and gravity work both ways, physical travel through the gate is strictly one-way.

I vaguely recall that, but its fucking silly.

[Captain Seafort]

I vaguely recall that, but its fucking silly.

Why? EM and gravity behave in weird ways as it (according to my very limited understanding of quantum physics).