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Stargate Atlantis – Inquisition

Sci Fi

Sci Fi

(Season 5, Episode 13)

How does the old saying go? You can put lipstick on a pig… but it’s still a clip show. Really, that’s what we had here. No matter how you look at it, ultimately a clip show is just not going to be as good as a full scale episode where fans of the show are concerned. Trips down memory lane are nice, but we’ve all seen it before, and something we haven’t seen will always be better.

That being said, as far as clip shows go, this was one of the better ones. The all too brief story serving as the framework for the clips brought up some interesting questions, and gave Woolsey a moment to shine.

The impetus for the trial, the effect of the Atlantis expedition on the galaxy, is something that has been the elephant in the room for a long time. While the ending left a little to be desired, it did do a good job of presenting the arguments for and against their involvement. They certainly have indirectly caused some trouble, but has the good they’ve done outweighed those mistakes? It’s a question without an easy answer. And that’s where they lost me a bit at the end. It all wrapped up rather neatly for the Atlantis team, and I would have liked to see a little more recognition of their role in the bigger picture, as opposed to what felt like a celebration of the victory.

Sci Fi

Sci Fi

Sci Fi

Sci Fi

Sci Fi

Sci Fi

During the trial, two things stood out to me. First, it was a great showcase for Woolsey. The decision to put him in charge of Atlantis is paying off. I was on board when he told the guards to put Myrus in a cell, and ready to cheer for him when he told the team, “Now that I know what the game is, I can play it.” He really is a leader. And a leader that has gone through some pretty significant changes. Or possibly, given his recitation of his resume, reverted back to what he once was. I loved how completely unimpressed Ronon was with the Harvard Law Review.

Second, I’m left awfully curious about the Genii involvement in the trial. After learning that, I found myself thinking during the various clips that I would really like to see more on the Genii conspiracy. The makings for a full blown episode were right there. Removal of the clips also would have afforded time for the rest of the team to get on the stand. It would have been great to see McKay squirm through some questioning. More importantly, it would seem that the most intriguing testimony would have come from Teyla.

At the end of the day, it was alright. I’m glad that they acknowledged the question of the expedition’s role in the galaxy, and it was fun to see all of the old clips, but it was still a clip show. Things should pick up next week. He’s baaaack.

Categories: | Episode Reviews | General | TV Shows |

3 Responses to “Stargate Atlantis – Inquisition”

October 25, 2008 at 3:48 PM

Woolsey should have been added to the show last season instead of destroying Sam’s character.

October 25, 2008 at 6:38 PM

It was also nice to see David Lovgren again, who had previously appeared on two SG1 episodes (Threshold and Bounty).

The Atlantis may have indirectly cause some problems — but who’s to say what would have happened if they hadn’t arrived in the Pegasus Galaxy?

And isn’t finding the “blame” for something more a Western culture idiosyncrasy? At least, it’s highly pervasive in the US.

What about finding the solution to the Wraith? How would that clip show have worked if the plot forwarding mechanism was that Coalition throwing in with Atlantis to help them with the Wraith resolution?

Oh, and in response to Oreo, Samantha Carter’s was NOT ‘destroyed’ during season four. Season Four of SGA added another rich chapter in Sam Carter’s history.

October 28, 2008 at 12:11 PM

How was performing a search-and-replace of “Elizabeth Weir” for “Sam Carter” in the season 4 scripts adding a rich chapter to the character’s legacy? Was it when she spent an entire episode stuck in a hole in the ground playing “who would you rather?” The episode when she was awkwardly trapped in a transport chamber with the annoying Zelenka? Or all the episodes in which the actress was not available to actually appear, and thus was only referenced in dialogue or forgotten entirely?

Atlantis made me dislike Carter for the first time ever, which was something not even SG-1 season 10 managed to do.

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