If my information is correct, the Sci Fi channel in the good ole USA isn’t showing these yet. But we Canadians have the option of catching them on TMN. The first two episodes after the break were pretty good, I thought.
And then came this one.
HERE BE A WARNING: UNBOXED SPOILERS FOLLOW
The show has already aired, so just like the LOST threads or whatever, events from this episode will now go unboxed. Spoilers from future episodes, andvance information from those naughty spoiler websites, or stuff you know 'cause your cousin Larry works catering on the set should all be BOXED.
The “there’s a bomb somewhere” plotline seemed lame right off the top. They’ve demonstrated in past episodes that the city is chock full o’ sensors, and yet it took forever to find the actual explosion mechanism. McKay’s exposition piece on how calling the wraith, dialing Earth on the gate and transmitting a message all work together to blow the city up was - although expertly delivered - some painful and convoluted dialogue.
The Earth scenes were useless tie-in crap. The team could have easily discovered the bomb on their own somehow, and as the Earth squad did nothing in helping resolve the issue, they were rather unceremoniously omitted from the remainder of the show. “So, we can’t help them? Oh, well.” They didn’t even get a wrap-around bit at the end, notifying them of Goa’uld presence.
And the guy that plays the suspect gives his second terrible performance. Too bad, he had some interesting points to make (both times) about how Weir runs things.
But all of this pales next to the abomination that was the Ring Ceremony.
Teyla’s people and their renaissance-faire lifestyle have never really meshed well with the rest of the series, IMHO. But this hippie-love fest death celebration, complete with wanna-be-Loreena McKennitt music was appaling. I don’t know if Rachel Luttrell did her own singing for this. If she did, she’s got a lovely voice. But the whole ritual, and the song itself were both just stuffed with cheese.
Finally, at the end, Weir’s “How are we better than them?” nonsense was ridiculous. Umm, because you agonized about the idea of torturing someone, only tried it as a last resort, and didn’t enjoy the process at all, whereas the Wraith do it for kicks?
So, I say Worst Episode Ever.
Some things I did like: The 101 Dalmations/LOTR stuff at the briefing back on Earth. The Asgard telling pony-tail boy to shut up. And… uh… that’s it.
