SGU: Time (my reaction)

Television, Movies Games and Books Stargate Universe
#1

I’ve been a pretty vocal hater of SGU since its pilot; I’ve found the plot to be boring, the characters exceptionally underdeveloped and the tone to be farcical.

But the latest episode, Time, has changed my mind (to a certain extent).

First of all, I love time travel and I think it was great to see it in the show. However, I feel like time travel is the trop that shows go for when they’re tried everything else – obviously this isn’t the case for SGU. If it is, then they’re in big trouble.

The episode had some really nice cuts (though god I hate that awful keyno filter screen bullshit), but it felt too hand hold-y. I love when a show doesn’t necessarily explain something. But most of Eli’s dialogue was directed towards the audience – a Syfy constructed audience which is apparently too stupid to hang on and wait for the explanation. i could have done without all the explaining.

That being said, I think this actually develops the characters and having them put in such an incredibly emotional situation (dying, seeing themselves die, fearing death) lead to some really interesting scenes.

Rush continues to be my favorite character. I loved the fact that he didn’t want to explain the reference (For a minute there I thought we were in trouble) and tries to brush it off. I love the fact that he abandoned the group fighting the flying-squid things – but for the greater good.

This sort of stunt can only be pulled off once and I hope they don’t try it again in the future.

Time has rekindled my interest. And I have to admit to that.

#2

I definitely liked this episode more in the last half. For most of it I was pretty bored. They even managed to confuse me which I like! The ending was strange. Are we to think it’s a two-part episode or do we assume that last message will be heeded and everything will be worked out? I tend to think the latter. As usual in the Stargate franchise everything works out in the end, but I give them credit for not actually showing it.

#3

Agreed. I’m not done with it yet, but mostly done. The first half was boring the bejeezus out of me, even when people started dropping. I was half asleep when Chloe died, and that woke me up quick. I liked how fast the did it – not a big, slow, dramatic thing. Like, WHAM BAM DEAD, WHAT THE FRAK JUST HAPPENED?

#4

I’ve been mildly enjoying SGU, but I agree that “Time” is the most interesting of the episodes so far. There was much more character development there than in all the other episodes combined, as well as action and mystery. Good stuff. Let’s see if they keep it up.

#5

What I’m afraid of is that this is some last ditch attempt to win fans over – I just hope they have a whole lot of interesting episodes in the wings, not just an ok two-parter.

#6

I would imagine that this episode was (at least) written before the pilot aired, and was probably even filmed and edited by then. So I don’t think this is a sign of desperation as they didn’t have the benefit of reviews or ratings during writing. It could be a sign that by the time the writers got to this episode they were finished with some of the groundwork they had been laying and ready to move on. Well, I hope that’s the case anyway.

And, just by the way, this week’s episode “Life” doesn’t seem related to last week’s, so it appears “Time” was not a two-parter after all.

#7

You’re right it doesn’t seem to. What it does relate to is the episode before and that last scene with Telford at Young’s Door.

#8

is it weird that the first time Chloe died I was like “Oh No!!! WTF” and the second time I was like “YES!!! they did it!” ???

I guess at first I couldn’t believe they’d kill off any rstablished characters so i was suprised.

But when I realized they could have what it takes to kill off someone, I was a bit hoping Chloe die, because if she doesn’t then it’s going to e a reset button on top of a reset button, making the whole episode of character developement moot. I kind of liked what every character got out of watching their fatal trip.

but nope, it’s a reset button on top of another. i hope it’s the last reset button i’ll see on SGU, because I will not go through another series filled with reset buttons. Voyager has enough of those for one lifetime.

#9

Yeah. As a matter of fact, I’m pretty sure they either are filming or have wrapped on the season finale already.

#10

Amen! I have never liked that sort of thing either. And your term “reset button” is a pretty good way to describe those time warp/alt universe stories we see in sci-fi where characters die but not really. I’m tired of that stuff too. It’s understandable that the genre would go there, but it’s been done too much.