The Kindred Part I - Review
23/10/2008 12:34 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
rachel500The Kindred Part I is the 18th episode in Season Four of Stargate Atlantis.
Review
Two-part episodes are always a difficult challenge; each part in itself has to provide enough cohesion and interest as a story to keep the audience engaged while fulfilling a function either as a set-up or as a conclusion. Additionally, in the case of The Kindred I it needed to fit seamlessly into the wider story arcs that the overall story touches upon. Ultimately, it delivers a solid character-driven set-up, assisted by accomplished acting and a high production quality but there is still room for improvement in regards to story-telling.
It’s probably best to get the complaints done first and they do centre around the story-telling both within the story and the season arcs. The first complaint is how the plague is introduced into the episode; the first time we hear of it is in a briefing, there is no real sense of the plague as we don’t see any of the planets affected. With no context except exposition, there is nothing to provide an emotional connection for the audience to the human loss suffered or threatened by the plague’s existence particularly as the only time the plague consequences are shown, it’s dead Wraith. As a result, the threat the plague represents feels underplayed and never really has the impact it should. Possibly this is because the episode sets out Teyla’s search for her people as the main plot and the plague as the sub-plot (with both ultimately coming together). It may have worked better the other way around.
The other complaint is really in terms of the wider season arcs. Season 4 has been joyous in that it has embraced an arc approach for both characters and stories yet my feeling is still ‘could do better.’ It’s one thing to decide to do arcs, it’s another to really plan them through the episodes – both those which focus on the arc story and those that don’t so there is a seamless connection. Having set up Teyla’s search for her people in the first half of the season, the series has failed to continue to mention it in a succession of previous episodes. The return to the arc is therefore somewhat jolting although not as jolting as the return to Michael’s arc which was last seen in Vengeance at the end of Season 3. It would have been great to have seeded some hint of Michael’s involvement earlier in the season in some way.
These complaints aside, The Kindred I is a very enjoyable outing, not least because it focuses on character interaction. Teyla centres the episode; it is her interactions that primarily provide the structure for the story. Although her visions with Kanan are later revealed as a ploy by Michael, they do provide a much needed insight into the relationship between Teyla and Kanan which has only ever been talked about to this point and never shown. There is enough chemistry and warmth in their interaction that a relationship between them is believable; a real hint of their friendship. These early scenes also provide a great contrast to the actual reunion where Teyla finds Kanan changed almost beyond recognition with Michael’s brain-washing.
The better reunion though is with Michael and Teyla; these two just zing with chemistry. Here there is no love nor warmth just an unwanted connection between them. Rachel Luttrell and Connor Trineer have the interaction worked out perfectly. Teyla’s hostility and distrust alongside Michael’s ambiguous caring and concern; his plans for her child and for the galaxy as a whole. Despite everything Michael remains a sympathetic character primarily because he is what he is because of the actions of the Atlantis team, but Trineer deserves praise for playing him with a continued sense of vulnerability underscoring the villain act. Personally, I love Michael as a character and it’s great to have him back.
Smaller in nature but no less significant are the scenes between McKay and Teyla, and Sam and Teyla. The scene in the mess with the present was very sweet and shows the gentle friendship between the two team-mates while the scene with Sam shows two strong women who understand each other. This scene was beautifully acted by both Tapping and Luttrell.
Luttrell does carry most of the episode and it provides a wonderful vehicle for her to demonstrate her range; from the softness of her visions to the woman demanding answers to her bravado with Michael. It’s a tour de force and very well played. In fact all the principals deliver as do the supporting actors; Kavan Smith is great as Lorne and that his guilt and remorse at losing Teyla on his watch is evident simply from body language and look as he walks back through the gate is a sign of his strength as an actor. Christopher Heyerdahl also continues to delight as Todd, the character that really has this season injected a much needed personality into the Wraith as an enemy. With Todd, Michael and the varying Queens, the Wraith are becoming much more three-dimensional which is one of this season’s big successes.
The rest of the production also steps up; the make-up of both Michael and Todd is great, the costuming of Michael and his followers excellent – enough to hint at the Wraith style while being much more human like in tailoring while Teyla’s pregnancy wardrobe also deserves a mention; the washes used for Michael’s ship – the cold blue/purple providing an instant dose of fear and apprehension. The final act also serves to fully deliver on The Kindred I’s function as a set-up for the following episode. It leaves Teyla in the clutches of Michael and the fate of the Athosians to be resolved while delivering the surprise return of Beckett. The audience is definitely left wanting more.
Ultimately, The Kindred I is a good episode as the first of two; it delivers a nicely character driven piece, well acted, that weaves together various elements from the Stargate Atlantis backstory and it will be interesting to see whether it fully delivers the pay-off to these in the second half. I’m looking forward to finding out.
Review
Two-part episodes are always a difficult challenge; each part in itself has to provide enough cohesion and interest as a story to keep the audience engaged while fulfilling a function either as a set-up or as a conclusion. Additionally, in the case of The Kindred I it needed to fit seamlessly into the wider story arcs that the overall story touches upon. Ultimately, it delivers a solid character-driven set-up, assisted by accomplished acting and a high production quality but there is still room for improvement in regards to story-telling.
It’s probably best to get the complaints done first and they do centre around the story-telling both within the story and the season arcs. The first complaint is how the plague is introduced into the episode; the first time we hear of it is in a briefing, there is no real sense of the plague as we don’t see any of the planets affected. With no context except exposition, there is nothing to provide an emotional connection for the audience to the human loss suffered or threatened by the plague’s existence particularly as the only time the plague consequences are shown, it’s dead Wraith. As a result, the threat the plague represents feels underplayed and never really has the impact it should. Possibly this is because the episode sets out Teyla’s search for her people as the main plot and the plague as the sub-plot (with both ultimately coming together). It may have worked better the other way around.
The other complaint is really in terms of the wider season arcs. Season 4 has been joyous in that it has embraced an arc approach for both characters and stories yet my feeling is still ‘could do better.’ It’s one thing to decide to do arcs, it’s another to really plan them through the episodes – both those which focus on the arc story and those that don’t so there is a seamless connection. Having set up Teyla’s search for her people in the first half of the season, the series has failed to continue to mention it in a succession of previous episodes. The return to the arc is therefore somewhat jolting although not as jolting as the return to Michael’s arc which was last seen in Vengeance at the end of Season 3. It would have been great to have seeded some hint of Michael’s involvement earlier in the season in some way.
These complaints aside, The Kindred I is a very enjoyable outing, not least because it focuses on character interaction. Teyla centres the episode; it is her interactions that primarily provide the structure for the story. Although her visions with Kanan are later revealed as a ploy by Michael, they do provide a much needed insight into the relationship between Teyla and Kanan which has only ever been talked about to this point and never shown. There is enough chemistry and warmth in their interaction that a relationship between them is believable; a real hint of their friendship. These early scenes also provide a great contrast to the actual reunion where Teyla finds Kanan changed almost beyond recognition with Michael’s brain-washing.
The better reunion though is with Michael and Teyla; these two just zing with chemistry. Here there is no love nor warmth just an unwanted connection between them. Rachel Luttrell and Connor Trineer have the interaction worked out perfectly. Teyla’s hostility and distrust alongside Michael’s ambiguous caring and concern; his plans for her child and for the galaxy as a whole. Despite everything Michael remains a sympathetic character primarily because he is what he is because of the actions of the Atlantis team, but Trineer deserves praise for playing him with a continued sense of vulnerability underscoring the villain act. Personally, I love Michael as a character and it’s great to have him back.
Smaller in nature but no less significant are the scenes between McKay and Teyla, and Sam and Teyla. The scene in the mess with the present was very sweet and shows the gentle friendship between the two team-mates while the scene with Sam shows two strong women who understand each other. This scene was beautifully acted by both Tapping and Luttrell.
Luttrell does carry most of the episode and it provides a wonderful vehicle for her to demonstrate her range; from the softness of her visions to the woman demanding answers to her bravado with Michael. It’s a tour de force and very well played. In fact all the principals deliver as do the supporting actors; Kavan Smith is great as Lorne and that his guilt and remorse at losing Teyla on his watch is evident simply from body language and look as he walks back through the gate is a sign of his strength as an actor. Christopher Heyerdahl also continues to delight as Todd, the character that really has this season injected a much needed personality into the Wraith as an enemy. With Todd, Michael and the varying Queens, the Wraith are becoming much more three-dimensional which is one of this season’s big successes.
The rest of the production also steps up; the make-up of both Michael and Todd is great, the costuming of Michael and his followers excellent – enough to hint at the Wraith style while being much more human like in tailoring while Teyla’s pregnancy wardrobe also deserves a mention; the washes used for Michael’s ship – the cold blue/purple providing an instant dose of fear and apprehension. The final act also serves to fully deliver on The Kindred I’s function as a set-up for the following episode. It leaves Teyla in the clutches of Michael and the fate of the Athosians to be resolved while delivering the surprise return of Beckett. The audience is definitely left wanting more.
Ultimately, The Kindred I is a good episode as the first of two; it delivers a nicely character driven piece, well acted, that weaves together various elements from the Stargate Atlantis backstory and it will be interesting to see whether it fully delivers the pay-off to these in the second half. I’m looking forward to finding out.
