Sunday 4 November 2007




With Tabula Rasa airing on Friday, I thought it was about time to do my long overdue review for Travelers and for Tabula Rasa! I'm getting caught up after a hectic week... but i'll save that for another day. So, let's start off with Travelers. A gift to the whumpers, and it certainly lived up to our expectations, I can assure you. However, what I wasn't prepared for was the backlash that followed. Who knew the fandom could get into such a tizzy over one little kiss?! So,are you all sitting comfortably? Shall I begin?

Travelers

The concept was set some time ago, when Mr M issued a message to the Shep whumpers via his blog, that this episode was to be our gift!! We squeed, and speculated, then had to wait for months. There was talk of building a time travel machine, and the pre-discussion thread for this ep over on Gateworld actually felt like a second whump thread. Nails were bitten to the quick. Our heart rate increased exponentially as the time for Travelers and DG got closer, until finally it arrived! While the whump certainly lived up to our standards. *squee for blood* alas some of us felt that once we arrived on the episode discussion thread that we had to continually defend Sheppard's actions in this ep! So what was the controversy? Well, let me put it this way, a little kiss and some innuendo.


Suddenly threads are popping up all over the place that Shep was a slut, was unfit for command. And brace yourself people.. he flirted! I know, shocking isn't it. Well, apparently to some people *waves to FAII* it was the crime of the century. Now normally i'm quite a shy and reserved sort of person, and I really don't like to cause chaos and mayhem, and certainly I have no desire to derail any thread, no matter how ridiculous I feel it is. But, it was just too much fun to ignore, and yes ill freely admit that I had great fun blowing that poster out of the water. For some strange reason he really dislikes me, and my thoughts. Apparently i'm childish, immature, irreverent, and get on his nerves. And this is something new? :o)

So we debated back and forth about the kiss and Shep being unfit for command as a result of being a complete slut. You can just imagine my eyes rolling at that statement can't you? So, with smut being the topic of conversation, let's just say, it was not my fault the subject of boobs was brought about. I was simply trying to stand my ground and make a point. And if the thread descended into chaos and mayhem as a result of that, well, that's the way it goes sometimes.

So what did I adore apart from all of it? Bear in mind that this was a Shep episode, it's not just my obsessive compulsiveness with the dashing pilot. :P

  • Sheppard being captured, tied up and beaten. (Maybe I was a dominatrix in a previous life)? :o)
  • Sheppard getting all bloody!! Yes that does excite me, and no i'm not a vampire. :P
  • Very rarely do we get to see true ramifications of actions, like cuts and bruises, so for me this was a definite highlight.
  • Shep being irreverent and playing hard to get. ;) (That one was for you FAII)
  • Shep using his ATA gene do access the control systems on the Aurora class ship, the control chair and the internal communications device!
  • Shep being resourceful and using his smarts to get out of situations
  • Larrin using her feminine wiles, and innuendo. (What?) *pretends to look innocent*
  • The fleet of puddle jumpers at the rescue
  • Continuity in the ep (ala Common Ground S3)
  • Great story and cinematography... the lighting to was amazing and very pretty
  • Tentative alliance with the Travelers.


Best lines:
"Just remember not to shoot to early... i'm guessing that's not the first time you've heard that from a women." *giggles*

The bad points. Well, just a couple. Although I understand that there are time restraints in the episode, I would have loved to have seen and heard more about the Travelers. Who they were, how they came to be, where they lived. What their culture was like and to meet the people. Alas i'm assuming that the writers are saving that for another day. The only other point I wanted to say was that I missed the team. In reunion, although it was a Ronon centered ep, we got to see a lot of team interaction, and unfortunately for me that felt a bit flat in this episode.

I honestly thought that this ep would be similar to Common Ground, as in we (as the viewer) would see the angst of his colleagues, and for me, I guess I didn't feel that as much as I did in CG. Nevertheless it was a great story, plot, we got to see the ATA gene and Shep in action. An all round great ep!


Tabula Rasa!

Unless you've fallen asleep reading this by now. LOL. From the onset, the whole episode felt very different. Whether it was due to how they filmed it, the lighting effect or the actually story itself (Writer Alan McCullough - Directed by the wonderful Martin Wood). The episode was pure class from start to finish. Set up with McKay tied to a chair, the episode went from strength to strength. Each character was given the opportunity to shine (which I love) and the whole episode felt as if the SGA family had finally been established. Now you know how much I adore bonding, mistrust, team moments, angst and not to mention whump and infirmary scenes. Well it had all this and more, including some great lines and interactions between the team. So I know you're getting tired listening to me ramble, but you know how I get when I haven't had the opportunity to chatter with you all, I go off on a tangent! Anyway what I adored in this episode;

  • Team episode
  • Great character moments between Teyla and Rodney, and Shep and Ronon.
  • Teyla being patient with McKay and keeping him focused. It was a really nice surprise to see her upfront and center in this, and she really felt as if she was an integral part of the story! Thank goodness, it's been a while, and she never disappointed me.
  • The Ronon and Shep scenes were for me one of the best i've seen. Ronon getting frustrated with Shep when he lost his memory and trying to be patient... and failing miserably. LOL.
  • Ronon shooting Shep and saying, "Never get's old!" best SGA line to date. Whether that was an ad lib or not i'm not sure, but it has to be said, Shep getting shot really doesn't get old. LOL.
  • Ronon grabbing Shep by the hair. Not sure if that was added, but Jason seemed to be enjoying that scene quite a bit. LOL
  • Mistrust played up between the soldiers and scientist.
  • Radek going nuts with his pipe.
  • McKay and his insecurities (That's always endearing).


AND

  • The infirmary scene and team loving at the end *sniffles*.

I do love infirmary scenes, I can't help it I get really gushy and my heart melts when they stand by the person's bedside asking them if they're ok, and how they're feeling. *sniff* I can't help it, i'm a whumper, and where better to show team bonding than when someone is sick. Joe Flanigan does vulnerable very well, and I guess that's the part of the charm. And we got CHEST PEEKAGE! *dies* Well after all of that I felt as if the quest had been successful LOL, whether that was intentional to have Sheppard in scrubs or not. I would just like to send oodles of hugs for giving us that scene. It has to be said that, that is the best infirmary scene to date.


Best line: Ronon, "Never gets old!" *giggles*

Low points. None!


This year the episodes showcased have shown just how much SGA has come into it's own. Great story lines, plot, characterization. Writing, direction, lighting, CGI, whump, team bonding and not to mention EVIL SHEP and Chest peekage! S4 is turning into a great season and with another 14 episodes to go, I look forward to seeing what else is in store.

So don't forget what you have to do, apart from petitioning Mr M for shirtless Shep!

Stargate Atlantis: Watch it live on SciFi 10pm every Friday!

Oh I meant to say that Sky are actually advertising Stargate Atlantis! That's got to be a first. For weeks Zak Selwyn has been tooting his rap song, and today they actually aired the full version! Sky, let me stand and applaud you for at last advertising a great programme! let's just hope it continues!

*looks up at her blog* What can I say i'm a chatterbox. And I never even got to tell you that I got my promotion!! Woohooo, go me. I'm now the man!! I just hope I don't have to tape my boobs down now. ;) I'll tell you all about it in the next installment along with a presentation I have to give on Stargate Atlantis. Oh well it should be interesting if nothing else. The whole of my work will finally know that i'm a SciFi geek.... I wonder if I can get hold of some visual aides... Hmmmmm.

Excuse the formatting, I think Blogger has the hiccups!

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

HELLOOOOOO!!!

What can I add? I agree with you.

I was prepared for the Travelers backlash. Been there got the t-shirt and all...yawn... Same boring old farts, saying the same old stuff - blah, blah, blah. Either these whiners are frigid, have issues or just are plain boring. Hey, maybe all three of the above! LOL! Maybe they have relationship issues? Maybe they're jealous? Who knows. One kiss? Geez, you've have thought Shep took Larrin over the damn console or something! :eek: Oh, eek doesn't work here, damn it!

Don't get me wrong, Travelers wasn't the greatest story ever, but Joe F's charm pulled it off for me, we got a new ally who are technically advanced, saw lots of action, and, oh yeah, Sheppy got beaten, bruised and bloody. As JM said, what's not to like? LOL!

So, Sheppard returned a kiss to a beautiful woman, in a tense situation?...wow, what a complete tart! How does he live with himself? He's just so out of control there...yeah, right...okaaaay. Well I enjoyed it, and no, not because of the kiss. I couldn't care less either way whether he kissed Larrin or not.

On to TR. I love this too. Great story, it honestly put Traveler's story to shame rather, and great performances all round. I'd have liked more Sheppy perhaps, and less McKay/Katie, but the Shep/Ronon scenes and the wonderfully gratuitous infirmary scene at the end made up for any minor quibbles I had!

Seriously, that infirmary scene was the best EVER. Thanks to TPTB and AM for that. I'm just in love with that scene!!!

Ramble over! LOL!

Anonymous said...

I am going to just be boring and unimaginative and say "DITTO" to all you and Linzi have said.

One Kiss does not a slut make (channeling Yoda here I guess) I would have been more worried about him if he hadn't returned the Kiss SHE GAVE HIM after all they had just been through. How cut off emotionally and untrusting that would have been. That's not my Shep!!

As for TR -- Great ep all around. The infirmary scene with groggy, sleepy, drowsy Shep was just the icing on the cake.

Congrats on the Promotion and use those Boobs to full advantage. That way they will know you aren't "the Man" but you are "THE WOMAN"

Keeping it honest... said...

Wow! Finally someone who makes sense. Whenever I read those John as Slut posts I honestly have to wonder if I"m missing out on something because that's sure not what I'm seeing. A kiss is just a kiss!

I enjoyed Travelers, I enjoyed TR and I agree completely with your post.