SGA ep review: Infection

[icarus]

Infected, Infectious, or Ineffectual, whatever the ep is called: skip this one and Brainstorm (unless you're a Bill Nye fan, in which case be sure to watch Brainstorm).

The SGA cast in Infection look... demoralized. It's obviously filmed after they got the news of the cancellation.

- Joe Flanigan bleeds hurt through every line, pouting whenever he's standing still.
- Hewlett throws away his lines with an "Are we done yet?" attitude.
- Momoa just saunters through his role, bored and watching the clock.
- Jewel can't control the tight smile of bitter irony.
- Rachel is a pro, as is whatshisname Picardo (ah, thank you, amothea) who plays Woolsey.

Season five is good in many respects, except for how they've handled relationships (Woolsey, Sheppard, and especially McKay). A few years down the line we'll look back and decide, oh, the season's not so bad.

Woolsey's a surprisingly interesting addition. The interaction between Woolsey and Sheppard has been a mix of gratitude and mutual admiration. Sheppard seems to empathize with Woolsey's fish-out-of-water feeling, while Woolsey accepts only facts and therefore doesn't have the bias Sheppard expects from his commanders. He doesn't want Sheppard to kow-tow, he just wants results. Sheppard can deliver results. (I suspect Sheppard's paperwork is a little more up to date.)

The tough female marines in that horror show episode were a nice touch. And there have been great action/adventure sci-fi stories, such as Daedalus Variations. The-episode-where-Rodney-loses-his-marbles was truly powerful.

Initially I thought McKay and Keller were cute together. I was prepared to like them with a cheery "not my ship but they're never going to show Sheppard leaving Rodney's quarters in a towel, so what the hey." But they have the McKeller on fast-forward. I suspect they meant to spool the ship out slowly and then got canceled, so tried to hurry it up. The results are not good. An emotional arc can't be rushed.

The real problem is the way SGA was canceled. My reading is that Brad Wright wanted to be the showrunner, as he was on SG-1. It's a matter of his career. He pushed for his new series and, when it came down to a fight between the new series and Atlantis, he used every bit of clout he had from his 12+ years with MGM. He's now dangling the option of SGA movies to force the cast and crew to put up or shut up. It's a masterful political move. I am most displeased with him.

Fortunately for us all, there is the magical slashiness that is Merlin.

Comments

Yes

[monniesgirl-65.livejournal.com]

- Joe Flanigan bleeds hurt through every line, pouting whenever he's standing still.
- Hewlett throws away his lines with an "Are we done yet?" attitude.
- Momoa just saunters through his role, bored and watching the clock.
- Jewel can't control the tight smile of bitter irony.
- Rachel is a pro, as is whatshisname who plays Woolsey.

I couldn't figure out what was off about this ep, but you just spelled it out perfectly.

Re: Yes

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

I expect a brilliant performance from Flanigan in the next episode, Vegas. He's going to be looking for good clips to showcase his talents.

wish you could edit comments...

[amalthia]

Robert Picardo (aka Woolsey) is an awesome actor he was in Voyager and totally made the show.

Re: wish you could edit comments...

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

He is, and he's been in a series that's been surprise-canceled before. The Star Trek spin-offs were doing well but the networks just dumped them.

Re: wish you could edit comments...

[amalthia]

Yeah, I was kind of unhappy with the Star Trek spin offs getting canceled but they at least had 7 years to tell their stories.

Re: wish you could edit comments...

[moojja.livejournal.com]

I wasn't in the loop when Voyager was canceled, but was it a surprise? Both Next Generation and Deep Space Nine was canceled after 7 seasons. Next Generation was certainly much more popular than Voyager.

Re: wish you could edit comments...

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

Deep Space Nine was surprised it was canceled. They had good ratings and no reason to think they would be.

The Next Generation was canceled to build excitement for the coming movies (why pay for a movie when you get the show for free?).

I'm not sure if the Voyager cast was surprised. I remember hearing noises about UPN's "commitment to the franchise," and then it was.

Re: wish you could edit comments...

[moojja.livejournal.com]

For DS9, I remember a lot of the cast kind of assumed there would be a movie. It has been a while since I watched, but at the time, I thought the last season tied up everything pretty well.

[rane-ab.livejournal.com]

I'm really sad as, while I haven't watched anything past The Shrine yet, myself, I keep seeing posts pop up on my flist from people who are very disappointed with SGA. It makes my heart bleed a little. :(

I'm actually one of the very few people who weren't all that crazy about The Shrine, so who knows, maybe I'll have an inverted reaction to the rest, too? But, like you, I like the idea of McKay/Keller (I adored Trio), but it shows in The Shrine already that they're fastforwarding the relationship to the point where it makes zero sense. And it was so promising! :/

I was rewatching s2 recently, and it struck me just how great it was - both plot- and characterwise. Even the first eps of s5 stand in stark contrast to it, to me, but I really had hoped for better things in the future. I guess that at least I'm duly warned for when I will get a chance to see them. *hugs fandom to chest*

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

Part of it is how the show was canceled. It's affected the performances and the fandom, and the fast-forwarding of McKeller is a glaring mistake.

I expect Vegas this Friday to be excellent. The cast is going to be looking for new roles and it gives them a chance to flesh out their resumes out of costume, with meaty acting to boot. It's good of the show to give them this chance.

[rane-ab.livejournal.com]

I really hope the last episodes will bring a little cheer to the fandom!

[september1967.livejournal.com]

I think it had to do with AT deciding she would rather do a new show instead of being in a show she was wasn't a major character. Or at the least, her decision helped make the decision to end it.

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

You honestly think an actress, however popular with TPTB, could have that much of an impact? It's not like she's on SU, is she?

I got the impression that as soon as Brad Wright's new series was green-lighted, SGA was in conflict with it, but there were hopes MGM could sell both.

With economic pressures, it came down to the sales pitch between taking a risk with the new show (but hoping for that elusive young male demographic), and a successful show whose ratings and ad value were hurt by its popularity -- TiVos and illegal downloads taking a bite out of its viewership.

[september1967.livejournal.com]

Yes, I think her decision helped TPTB make the choice to end the series since no one wants to claim responsibility. All want to act like their hands weren't in it. To me that means everything had a hand in it, even popular actresses choices.

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

Mmm... I think that since Stargate Universe replaced Stargate Atlantis, the culprits would be the ones who benefit from Stargate Universe.

Who was the showrunner for the canceled SG-1, knocked down to show creator and occasional writer on SGA? Brad Wright.

Who's the showrunner for S:U? Brad Wright.

Who announced S:U the day after SGA was canceled? Brad Wright.

Who insisted to fans that S:U replacing SGA was a good thing? Guess.

If there's one person who had the most to gain, it was Brad.

[princessofg.livejournal.com]

i saw a lot of plausible meta about the new economics of filming a show after season five, balanced against the long tail of dvd sales and the occasional movie.

the new show would be cheaper and yet they can make their money off the earlier shows now off the dvd market; a fifth season is apparently the magic break point nowadays.

*cheers*

[creascendo.livejournal.com]

The SGA cast in Infection look... demoralized. It's obviously filmed after they got the news of the cancellation.

I couldn't quite put my finger on what was off exactly. At first I (perhaps wishfully) attributed it to Joe playing John as the slighted lover and the others reacting to the shift in team dynamics, but your interpretation makes perfect sense.

Re: Brad Wright. I wondered what happened. :( Though, I'm not sure it'll be a good move in the long run; he may very well have alienated the cast and crew. Not to mention many fans.

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

S:U uses many in the SGA crew, and he's picked up Mallozzi. But he burned the cast, big-time.

His big problem is the fans. Announcing it the day after SGA's cancellation was stooooopid.

[creascendo.livejournal.com]

...The day after? OMG, doesn't MGM have PR people? *gigglesnort* Sorry, but that's just ridiculously stupid.

Btw, there's another episode before Vegas. And it's another Keller-centric. :(

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

They did!

I assume they thought it would calm things down.

Oh, you're right. And you're doubly right. That summary is not at all promising.

[littlemousling]

Of all the people to hang on to, Mallozzi? Poor, poor, poor choice, Brad.

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

Keeping the squeakiest wheel, perhaps? Mallozzi's blog is well-read. Perhaps he's concerned about Mallozzi leading a mutiny?

[birggitt.livejournal.com]

I believe most of my meeh sensation about last episodes come from my disappointment, that, as you say, when we look back at them, they wouldn't be such a mediocrity.
But I feel quite bitter now :(
And I love Robert Picardo, and more than that, looks like I love Woosley, too, which is weird, as he wasn't a favorite of mine in SG-1
McKay/Keller... I just can't take it. I mean, to me, Jenny is in love with the less abrasive, losing-his-mind Rodney. And Rodney... Rodney is in love whit the idea to show he can get a nice, smart girl from himself.
They don't hit me as a couple. and it has nothing to do with my McShep heart. I just can feel any chemistry between them *shrugs*
Brad Wright, bleah!
But, yes. Merlin!

[bramble-rose.livejournal.com]

Definitely taking your advice and skipping this one and Brainstorm. I read a Jewell Staite interview on GW and in it she said she and DH had a really comfortable/fun/silly friendship off-screen and so tptb decided to capitalize on it by making them a romantic pair on-screen. BIG MISTAKE imo. I could see them as bff's but the whole kissy-huggy thing between them icks me out. In the interview it sounded like it wasn't her favorite thing, either.

[lavvyan.livejournal.com]

Ditto on the McKeller. I thought they were cute until the relationship started to leap and jump with no logical connection I could make out. I mean, maybe Keller is just really straight-foward and takes what she wants (except I don't see her that way), but I find it hard to connect the Rodney who awkwardly courted Katie Brown for over a year with the guy who suddenly declares his love and has sex and whatnot.

[skinscript.livejournal.com]

The only good news for me on Infection was that at least McKay was a bit irritated again. I agree - the actors are really hurt and you can totally tell.

On McKay/Keller - I *wanted* Rodney to have a good relationship with someone, someone who was smart and able to keep up and able to give as good as they got. I like Keller, but she is just not that person. She'll keep pushing Rodney to be nicer and ... maybe the writers think that = better, but me? I really, really don't. I also find their body language totally at odds with people who are in love. Every time they kiss it's at arm's length - literally. Go back to The Last Man, or to Brain Storm, and then contrast that with the McKay/Carter kiss in GUP. Probably the actor's comfort level with each other bleeding through again, but it bugs me.

... and this turned into much more of a rant than I meant it to! Sorry about that. I too thought Daedalus Variations was a good episode, and the Shrine will be a classic forever, but for me most of the rest of this year might as well have never taken place.

[littlemousling]

A few years down the line we'll look back and decide, oh, the season's not so bad.

This is why I've stopped watching. The rest of season 5 will still be in my iTunes when I'm more, ahem, receptive.

Thank goodness for Merlin, indeed.