Stargate Atlantis Review Blog

Perhaps it is fitting that the fifth and final season of “Stargate: Atlantis” contained all of the strengths and weaknesses of the series as whole. The show has always struggled with its sense of identity, after a strong introductory season, and it has never found the balance that it strove to achieve. So ends the second series for the Stargate live-action franchise, and one can only hope that its successor will be an improvement.

Which is not to say that “Stargate: Atlantis” was a complete failure. The show was simply average in the end. It fell into the same rut that plagued the latter half of the original “SG-1″ series. As I already said, the problems with the series were all exhibited in the fifth season as well.

The writers were constantly fighting the battle of episodic vs. serialized storytelling. They knew that the fans wanted to have several plot and character threads over the course of a season, but they never seemed to have a plan for how to make that happen. Apart from the first season, there was never a sense that the writers were planting the seeds over time to pay off in the season finale.

This inability to capitalize on the potential of a plot element was remarked upon in the wrap-up for the fourth season as well. In this case, Michael’s gambit, the emergence of a new threat, and the formation of a coalition within the Pegasus Galaxy were all handled haphazardly. This lack of attention to detail led to a situation with the Wraith in the finale that literally came out of an alternate universe without any advanced foreshadowing. (Yet, somehow, many fans loved the prelude to the finale, “Vegas”, which was an awful send-up of the “CSI” franchise.)

The most well-known example of sacrificing ongoing plot coherence and logical character development in favor of a mish-mosh combination of episodic and serialized elements is “The X-Files”. Episodes of that series varied drastically in quality from week to week, and towards the end, the characterization of Mulder and Scully even changed from writer to writer, even as their iconic roles were reinforced.

This was precisely the case for this season of “Stargate: Atlantis”. Other than the stop-start McKay/Keller relationship (which is overly criticized, usually at the expense of Jewel Staite), there just wasn’t much attention given to character arcs. When supporting characters were brought in, they either fulfilled their genetic roles in the story or, when necessary for a given situation, acted far out of character. Teyla in particular was hard to reconcile. Ronon’s semi-involvement in a love triangle was ridiculous.

If there was one bright spot to the season, it was the introduction of Woolsey as a capable and sympathetic commander. I wasn’t sold on the idea at first, but he quickly grew on me, and turned out to be better than Carter in the fourth season. One can only hope that Woolsey makes a solid appearance in the eventual “Stargate: Atlantis” DVD film.

The fifth season of “Stargate: Atlantis” earned a Critical Myth rating of 7.2, which is just slightly above average and a slight dip from the fourth season. That is also the approximate rating for “Stargate: Atlantis” as a whole. It certainly had its moments, but too often, the writers were clearly making things up as they went along, and it never seemed to come together as well as they had hoped.

Written by Joseph Mallozzi and Paul Mullie
Directed by Andy Mikita

It’s hard to tell how much of this series finale was conceived after the decision to cancel the series. Is that final scene on the balcony something that was always on the page, or was it a last-minute addition to give the fans a sense of closure? Was Atlantis always intended to crash back to Earth as a cliffhanger?

I personally believe that the return to Earth was always on the books, and that we should be pretty damn happy that it was. Normally the seasons end with a cliffhanger, and ending the series that way would have been a shame. This choice makes it seem like the series has come full circle (recalling that “The Rising” began with the Atlantis taking flight in the distant past).

Of course, none of the long-term issues are resolved. This eliminates one particular problem by taking down the only Wraith ship with a ZPM. But Todd’s alliance has fallen apart, the Wraith are still marauding the Pegasus Galaxy, and now one of the major human powers has flown the coop.

It’s not hard to imagine that repairing and refining this “wormhole drive” will factor into any future return to Pegasus, and might even factor into the impending launch of “Stargate Universe”. With the SGC and Atlantis in such close proximity, I also can’t help but wonder if this was meant to facilitate some future character cross-pollination. With Area 51 gone and the defense of Earth now a rather big problem, Atlantis is going to be at the center of a great deal of attention.

Keeping Todd around was a great choice. Keeping Ronon alive may not have been. As much as I like the character, he hasn’t been given much in the way of development of late. The producers only seem willing to take out major characters when they want to toss a cast member out of the franchise airlock, and this would have been a stunning change of pace. Hopefully the eventual TV-movie will give Ronon more to do to justify his survival.

As series finales go, this did pull out most of the stops. Sheppard and McKay had their usual moments of brilliance, the supporting cast was strong as ever, and Woolsey gave a rousing command performance. (Who would have guessed that Woolsey would be a better leader than Carter?) It was great to see some old, familiar faces here at the end. Some items felt a bit rushed at times, and this would have worked better as a two-hour finale event, but they did a great job with the time and resources available.

Perhaps the best thing I can say about this series finale is that it was much better than the series finale for “Stargate SG-1″. That finale was simply frustrating; this episode did a nice job of bringing the series full circle while pointing to the future. Frankly, I feel there’s more potential in further Atlantis adventures, considering how the two “SG-1″ DVDs have covered off most of the lingering plot threads of that series. Hopefully it won’t be a long wait before we discover what the future holds for Team Atlantis.

Writing: 2/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 2/4

Final Rating: 8/10

Written by Robert C. Cooper
Directed by Robert C. Cooper

I don’t often mention it, but I find the entire “CSI” franchise to be a waste. What could have been a far more interesting series was quickly revealed as style over substance. In particular, the writing and acting is abysmal, and the directorial style seems based on a combination of ADHD and excessive drug abuse. I have yet to get through even one episode of that series, despite multiple attempts on the advice of others.

So it’s not hard to understand my reaction to this episode. As clever as it was to co-opt and mock the “CSI” formula to tell a very different kind of “Stargate” story, I found it very hard to enjoy. I’ll give everyone full credit for the effort that was put into the presentation and characterization, and the cast (particularly Flanagan and Hewlett) pulled it off beautifully, but I kept waiting for things to return to some semblance of normalcy. After all, we like to say that change is good, but that only applies if the changes are actually palatable.

In terms of plot, this was also a bit of a cheat. The writers wanted to set up a major Earth/Wraith conflict at the end of the season/series. So why not build up to it over the course of the season? Instead, they use this alternate reality episode to jump-start the plot, thus allowing for the invasion without the need to spend time on setting it up. Considering some of the questionable plotting decisions this season, including entire episodes that have felt like a waste of time (even without the cancellation in mind), this feels like a massive plot convenience.

I’m sure this will appeal to a number of fans (especially those who love anything involving Sheppard and McKay). It does provide a prelude to the finale, and for that reason alone, it justifies its existence. That said, for me, the style was abrasive and made it hard to enjoy. In fact, my reaction to “Vegas” was similar to my reaction to “Sateda”, another episode directed by Robert Cooper where style was very much in the forefront. When style becomes an unwelcome distraction, the results will always be hit or miss.

Writing: 2/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 1/2
Style: 0/4

Final Rating: 5/10

Written by Carl Binder
Directed by William Waring

After a handful of episodes devoted to resolution of various plot threads, this stand-alone installment is a bit jarring. Not because it is bad, per se, but because it’s not necessarily the best use of the time the show has left. Some have claimed that the past few episodes were evidence that the writers hadn’t quite finished out the season before the cancellation notice came down, but this episode suggests the opposite. (Someone, I’m sure, has the facts straight.)

This is another Keller-centric episode, and that will inevitably annoy the fans who dislike her very presence. I would like to think that Dr. Beckett’s return would mitigate some of the negativity, but somehow I doubt it will be enough. I’m not sure that was the problem. Despite some nice (if confusing) ties to the overall Stargate continuity, the episode just didn’t offer very much (with the exception of Jewel Staite in leather, which is hard to complain about).

Having Keller switch bodies with a hot young thief was somewhat clever, since it placed her in a dangerous situation, but I’m not sure it did much to advance the character. The experience didn’t inspire Keller to demonstrate some hidden depth or a dark side or any of the things that might have made the Freaky Friday situation a bit more interesting. In fact, with so much time spent on the guest star, there wasn’t time to push the envelope with Keller.

It’s a pleasant enough episode, in the end, so it’s not going to offend too many people (other than, perhaps, Radek fans). It’s just not the most energetic or original episode, either. It’s fairly average. That wouldn’t be a problem if this were any other time of any other season, but this is the very end of the final stretch. The net result is that it will seem, to many, like a waste of potential.

Writing: 2/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 1/4

Final Rating: 7/10

Written by Alan McCullough
Directed by Andy Mikita

The writers may not have been aware that these would be the final episodes of the series, but they are turning out to be a reasonable (if temporary) end to ongoing plot threads. First there was the apparent resolution of Michael’s arc, and then the culmination of McKay’s relationship with Keller. Now it’s a return to Keller’s “Wraith cure” and Todd’s relationship with Team Atlantis, which was left ambiguous at best after the mid-season two-part epic.

Apparently, despite his misgivings earlier in the season regarding the genetic therapy and its potential side effects, Todd decided to proceed with the experiments without Dr. Keller to help ensure its success. Things went wrong, to say the least. The result was an episode that wasn’t quite what I was expecting from the initial setup.

The writers already went for a “Resident Evil”-esque episode earlier in the season, so another “zombie” installment felt like overkill. After the first act or so, I was resigned to the notion that the team would spend most of its time bemoaning the apparent failure of the gene therapy and fighting off zombie-Wraith. I’ve mentioned before that the zombie genre is more fun in theory than actuality for me, so I wasn’t thrilled.

By the end of the episode, however, it was more about Todd, his reaction to the loss of his people and his vessel, and his future. His conversations with Keller were enlightening, and it’s interesting to consider what might have happened if Sheppard hadn’t put Todd on the defensive. Not that Sheppard was wrong in confronting Todd about his past choices, but they certainly didn’t need the additional conflict at the time!

Although it wasn’t my favorite kind of storyline, I must give credit to the writers for making an effort to give Todd and his related plot threads a proper rest. I’m sure (or I can hope) all of that will come back in one of the telefilms next year.

Writing: 2/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 1/4

Final Rating: 7/10

Written by Martin Gero
Directed by Martin Gero

The romance between Rodney McKay and Jennifer Keller has been a point of contention since Keller’s first foray into such territory. Fans were rankled by the abrupt nature of their mutual interest, especially since the writers had Ronon equally interested in Jennifer around the exact same time. Keller has struggled to gain traction with the fans, seen as an intrusive replacement for the “departed” Dr. Beckett, and her inclusion in a love triangle didn’t help matters.

Thankfully, this is a pleasant little episode that goes a long way towards demonstrating why Keller is a good match for Rodney. She gives him plenty of room for his ego, but she does manage to rein it in from time to time. She’s got equal determination and looks after his best interests, particularly when he’s in “speaking without thinking” mode. And she looks damn good in a party dress (but really, does Jewel Staite ever look horrible?).

The plot had some interesting insights into the scientific community and the difficulties faced by those engaged in cutting-edge but classified research, but beyond that, it was a standard situation. Experiment goes awry, loved ones in peril, McKay saves the day. Special appearances by Dave Foley and Bill Nye the Science Guy weren’t enough to overcome those issues.

In fact, it felt like the episode was trying to be more humorous than it was. Don’t get me wrong; there were definite moments with chuckle-worthy material, but by and large, the synthesis of comedy and drama didn’t quite hit the mark. I doubt it made much of a difference in the end, however, since I imagine reactions to the episode were based less on the content and more on the McKay/Keller relationship as a whole.

With only a handful of episodes left, it’s a bit unfortunate that an entire episode was devoted to a couple of characters and an admittedly unpopular relationship. On the other hand, this does resolve the question of whether or not the two will even have a relationship, which ties up another potential loose end. The writers could certainly have done worse.

Writing: 2/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 1/4

Final Rating: 7/10

Written by Joseph Mollazzi and Paul Mullie
Directed by William Waring

The previous episode was fairly intense, even as predictable as it was, so it’s a bit of a letdown to see the writers stray back into less interesting territory. Episodes like this make me wonder if the studio wasn’t right to put an end to “Atlantis” and option a new series with a broader premise. It’s getting harder and harder to tell stand-alone stories with genuine surprises. Much like the Star Trek franchise, it may be time to shake things up a bit.

The most interesting element of the episode was Woolsey’s realization that he was sent to Team Atlantis as a puppet of the IOA, and they are not happy with his quick and responsive independence. Woolsey, despite the fears of the entire team (and most of the audience) has been a capable commander. He’s a bit naïve at times, but that only serves to make the character more endearing in the end.

Frankly, I was expecting a lot more time to be spent this season on the struggles with the IOA and the general impression that Team Atlantis is a collective of loose cannons. Bringing it up this late in the season was therefore a bit of a shock, even if it was a welcome chance for Woolsey to defend himself and show loyalty to his people.

Unfortunately, Sheppard’s apparent encounter with Kolya was only fun until the point where John lost a hand. At that point, it was clear that something else was going on, and that it was probably related to the artifact that Rodney and Radek had recovered. After all, once it was clear that something was unusual about Dr. Conrad, it didn’t take long for the pieces to fit together.

The premise strayed into territory that would have been overly familiar in the Trek universe, so at this point, a lot of people in the audience have seen it all before. I wouldn’t say that it made the story entirely predictable, but it did mean that there were few surprises. I’m a sucker for the more thoughtful episodes in the “Stargate” franchise, but this one never went anywhere fresh.

Which brings me back to where I started. I think that my growing dissatisfaction with this season is not simply a matter of wishing the series had ended on a higher note. I think it’s the feeling that the cancellation has placed the remaining episodes under a more critical eye, as I hope for a strong sendoff, and it’s not measuring up to expectations. If anything, I might even say there’s a hint of complacency in the material. With another season and all the time in the world, that might have been ignored, but now I fear it’s glaring. Perhaps shifting to a new series will give the franchise a fresh start and a chance to reshape our expectations.

Writing: 1/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 1/4

Final Rating: 6/10

Written by Carl Binder
Directed by Andy Mikita

Despite my reaction to the season premiere, I’m not sure I was ever convinced that Michael was dead. I think it was more a reaction to the notion that he was being treated as dead again; I liked him better as an active villain. This episode demonstrates why Michael is such a potent adversary, especially in the wake of the previous episode.

One item that Team Atlantis could not defend themselves against during the Coalition “trial” was Michael’s creation and subsequent reign of terror. Michael never would have existed without the ill-advised experiments on Atlantis, after all, and while it’s hard to say that they dropped the ball on taking Michael down given their efforts, they bear some responsibility for his subsequent actions.

Michael manages to take over Atlantis (as so many others have) for the purpose of abducting Teyla’s child so he can continue his work. The plot doesn’t get much more complicated than that. Sheppard and McKay work to find a way to counter Michael’s control of Atlantis’ systems, Ronon attempts a more straightforward counterattack, and Teyla desperately tries to keep her conveniently quiet child out of Michael’s clutches.

In other words, the story is quite predictable. There’s even a moment where Teyla tries to hide from Michael, scrambles into the functional equivalent of a closet, and the baby makes the requisite cooing noises. And of course, it’s the only time the baby makes those noises in the entire episode! It couldn’t be more of a cliché, and that’s the problem with 90% of the episode.

Thankfully, there are some shining moments. Michael wants Teyla to understand his motivations, but he has serious drawbacks in his moral justifications. It’s fascinating to watch him struggle with the notion that Teyla doesn’t see that he’s the victim, and that he’s doing the right thing. And of course, he fails at every chance to show true compassion or mercy, which simply underscores the threat that he has become.

Which makes it that much better for Teyla to make the decision that Michael must die. Michael spoke to the fact that Teyla had been the most compassionate member of the team during his time with them, and it comes full circle when she makes the choice to kill him. It’s played as the brutal choice of a mother protecting her son, but this calls back to her initial role as the “warrior queen”. Teyla doesn’t wear the stylish leather bustiers for nothing.

So, surprisingly, the character aspects of the episode made up for the lack in the plot. I’m not sure Michael is dead this time either (he is resilient, after all), but if he is, perhaps it’s for the best if he is. With the end of the series swiftly approaching, there’s nothing wrong with tying up the loose ends. And, as Teyla mentioned in the episode, without Michael, there’s always someone else waiting in the wings.

Writing: 2/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 2/4

Final Rating: 8/10

Written by Alex Levine
Directed by Brenton Spencer

For quite some time, I’ve wondered whether or not the denizens of the Pegasus Galaxy found Team Atlantis to be a beneficial addition to the population, considering all that has happened since the SGC sent the mission to the Lost City in the first place. And I’ve always thought that it would have been a more interesting show if those in command of Atlantis (particularly Weir) had been forced to defend their decisions to others. For example, during roughly the same time in the Stargate continuity, SG-1 was defending themselves against the IOA.

I think the idea of the various human communities in the Pegasus Galaxy coming together in a coalition is a very good one, and one that should be maintained over the course of the rest of the series and the impending TV-movies. In a way, it legitimizes the idea of calling out Team Atlantis on their decisions. Previously, there was no one else out there willing and able to take the unilateral actions necessary to fight the Wraith, the Asurans, and Michael. Now that time has passed and the human societies have come together, they have the right to ask Atlantis to play along and consult them.

It also makes a lot of sense for them to question the decisions that have been made. They can’t argue the fact that they woke up the Wraith, and they definitely can’t argue the fact that they were directly responsible for creating Michael. They bear responsibility for those actions and dozens of others. The fact that they’ve saved millions after the fact doesn’t absolve them of the need to atone for those mistakes.

So I was a little annoyed when the writers chose to have the coalition go so far as to put Team Atlantis on trial without due process and in the most questionable manner possible. Not only that, but ultimately two of the judges were corrupt. One had already decided that Team Atlantis was guilty, based on an irrational desire for revenge, and the other had been bribed by the Genii.

The net effect is to render the points brought against Team Atlantis completely invalid, because they are framed as biased. This is despite the fact that Sheppard and Woolsey were unable to give strong and compelling arguments in defense of the expedition! Woolsey essentially has to match the Genii in terms of persuading one judge to vote in his favor. The bottom line is that the very real issues brought up by the coalition were never really addressed.

This leaves Team Atlantis with a false sense of righteousness in their decisions and actions. It’s unlikely that they will change their thought process in any way as a result of the “inquisition”, and that means that the coalition will probably be seen as more of a nuisance and impediment than an example of a rising good for the Pegasus Galaxy. It’s pretty much typical of the Western view: indigenous populations don’t know what’s best for them, and they cannot function without the “enlightened” actions of those more knowledgeable.

It might have been better if the coalition had been treated more like the Jaffa on “SG-1”. Generally speaking, the SGC stood for the rights of the free peoples of the galaxy against the System Lords because the free Jaffa weren’t ready to step up to the plate. Once they were, it was more of a partnership. This episode firmly places the moral superiority in the laps of the Atlantis expedition, and I think it would have been a lot more interesting if they were left with a little more doubt in the rightness of their actions.

Writing: 2/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 1/4

Final Rating: 7/10

Written by Alan McCullough
Directed by William Waring

After the overstuffed “Lost Tribe”, this episode feels almost decompressed. It’s ostensibly connected to the overall season arc in terms of the post-Michael status quo for the Wraith, but it’s scope is relatively small. I suppose that’s not much of a surprise. Thankfully, there was an update on the beloved Dr. Beckett and some clarification on the Wraith situation.

I’ll address the Wraith situation first. During “The Queen” and “First Contact”, I couldn’t figure out why the Wraith would actually want to lose their ability to feed on humans. Was the line from McKay in the recap for this episode cut from “The Queen”? Because I don’t remember the “spoiling of the food supply” issue coming up in that episode at all, despite the fact that it’s probably the most important element of the debate. Without mentioning the potential cost to the Wraith if they don’t change their ways, their motivation to do so is completely nebulous. (If it was mentioned in “The Queen”, then I take full responsibility for missing the point!)

Whatever the case, this episode did remind me of that rather important detail, and I imagine it did the same for a number of other fans. I can only hope that it has something to do with subsequent events in the rest of the fifth season, because otherwise, it would be a waste of valuable time. I like the fact that Todd is not the only Wraith looking for a way to resolve challenges and gain advantage; it’s far better to show us that fact than tell us in passing. It also underscores the reality that the Wraith are not just sitting back and allowing their species to fall into ruin. Michael, the Asurans, and the rogue Asgard may have dealt them serious setbacks, but they are still a threat.

Dr. Beckett is also working on Michael’s plague, which shouldn’t be surprising. It makes sense for Earth to dispatch him to research and resolve some of the issues that Michael set in motion in the Pegasus Galaxy, since he was involved in their creation. It touches on the sense of responsibility that Team Atlantis and the SGC must take in terms of the Pegasus Galaxy state of play.

Much of the episode is a meditation on trust, and we’ve seen it before. When things are good and there are no perceived threats, everyone gets along. Apply a little jeopardy, and the divisions begin. It’s not surprising that some of the villagers would turn on the Balarans, but it is surprising that the Balarans would turn on Team Atlantis. It’s all about survival in the end, even in terms of defeating the Wraith.

Thanks to some nice Rodney/Carson interaction (which is sorely missed), this episode manages to find some distinctiveness, despite the relatively bland and familiar story. Unfortunately, I doubt many fans will point to this as one of the best episodes of the season, and it’s the kind of episode you easily skip when skimming through the DVDs.

Writing: 2/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 1/4

Final Rating: 7/10