The Return Part II - Review
23/10/2008 02:25 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
rachel500The Return Part II is the 11th episode in Season Three of Stargate Atlantis.
Review
The first part of The Return was so successful in building anticipation for the conclusion that there was the risk that Part 2 would not live up to the high level of expectation. Luckily, Part 2 is good enough to satisfy those expectations. It is hugely enjoyable and good fun. The storyline manages to deliver action galore, a suitably dramatic climax and a more substantial role for its major guest star, Richard Dead Anderson. However, although this is definitely an above-average outing for SGA, there is still room for improvement, both with a few gaping plot holes and the SGC scenes.
The SGC scenes do provide some function in clearing up loose ends; the codes of the Atlantis team being deleted, the plans for what will happen to the mid-way station, and to reiterate that the Daedalus is still on track to execute the standing orders to nuke the city despite the rescue mission mounted by Sheppard et al. However, given that one short scene up front could do all this, there is a question mark over whether all the scenes back at the SGC are necessary. Certainly, cumulatively, they feel like unwanted intrusions as they break the building tension generated by the fabulous action sequences back on Atlantis. It would have been much more preferable to have given the screen time to Richard Dean Anderson and Robert Picardo.
The two actors have fantastic comedic chemistry together and their scenes with the panicking Woolsey and the sanguine, dry wit of classic Jack are a joy. They provide much of the initial humour within the episode with their exchanges on the food, the explosions, Sheppard’s timing, and simply Woolsey’s inability to handle the situation. Adding David Hewlett’s McKay to the comedic duo provides even more comic relief both in the scene of directing Jack underwater and with the fake escape plan. Even later in the more serious scenes of torture, Jack and Woolsey continue to provide the lightness to an otherwise action-oriented script as Jack banters with the Asurans with the same impudence that he has previously used with the Goa’uld.
All in all, it really felt like the Jack of the old SG1 days had indeed returned; his primary role as action hero is well resurrected as he rescues the trapped Atlantis team from the underwater jumper bay, he uses humour when captured to disarm and confuse, and he’s suitably commanding both with Sheppard, Weir and Caldwell. There are also a couple of allusions to SG1’s canon with Jack noting it’s not the first time he’s been probed mentally and that it’s good not to have tiny robots within you. His mentions of Carter both when the ultimate plan is revealed, and in the final scene with Weir, also serve as a nod back to SG1, and continue, whether intentionally or not, the tease for those hoping to see the two military officers ending up together. Certainly, the return of this Jack evokes a sense of nostalgia for the classic SG1 days.
If the return of Jack is one major success of the episode, the team feel generated by the storyline is another. All the characters have a role to play in the rescue although Sheppard, Weir and McKay are given the bulk of the dialogue and scenes. It was good though to see Beckett utilised to deploy the drones from the chair and Teyla take down the guards. In all their combined scenes, there is a real sense of the six regular characters acting and responding to the situation as a team.
The action sequences are another success. All are done brilliantly from the explosion of Stargate Operations, the chase with the jumper and drones through the city, not to mention the drones being deployed to take out the star drive. The musical underscore heightens the tension and excitement; the shots are well executed and the special effects fabulous. They really work on all levels and it is difficult to fault any aspect of the action sequences or special effects within the episode.
However, there are a few gaping plot holes that litter the storyline; if the drones could be deployed to hit a target underwater, why did they veer away when Sheppard took the jumper into the ocean? If Jack figured out that they were being used for misinformation why didn’t the Asurans discover this when they probed his mind again? And given the Asurans were able to access Jack and Woolsey’s minds enough to know about and activate Niam, why didn’t they just send a team straight away to the jumper bay to apprehend the team?
While these questions no doubt will plague fans in their sleep, the pace of the action is enough to gloss over these on first viewing. The ending is also suitably happy and dramatic enough to leave most viewers satisfied customers with the rewind trick neatly executed and the surprise of the real plan. The scenes where the Asurans are destroyed by the wave definitely provide a ‘wow’ moment. Perhaps the following scene with the Daedalus detracts a little but is worth it to see Jack pulling rank on Caldwell. The scene as Jack agrees to the team staying on Atlantis provides the happy ending and as Weir gives Jack a thank you hug, a nice warm fuzzy feeling descends.
Overall, like the previous instalment, the episode is much more of a success than a failure. The story itself is successful even with its areas for improvement, and is immensely enhanced by some outstanding special effects and great performances by the guest cast especially Anderson who seems to enjoy revisiting O’Neill. These elements combine to produce a highly enjoyable episode, flaws and all, and it certainly sets a reasonably high standard for the second half of the season.
The SGC scenes do provide some function in clearing up loose ends; the codes of the Atlantis team being deleted, the plans for what will happen to the mid-way station, and to reiterate that the Daedalus is still on track to execute the standing orders to nuke the city despite the rescue mission mounted by Sheppard et al. However, given that one short scene up front could do all this, there is a question mark over whether all the scenes back at the SGC are necessary. Certainly, cumulatively, they feel like unwanted intrusions as they break the building tension generated by the fabulous action sequences back on Atlantis. It would have been much more preferable to have given the screen time to Richard Dean Anderson and Robert Picardo.
The two actors have fantastic comedic chemistry together and their scenes with the panicking Woolsey and the sanguine, dry wit of classic Jack are a joy. They provide much of the initial humour within the episode with their exchanges on the food, the explosions, Sheppard’s timing, and simply Woolsey’s inability to handle the situation. Adding David Hewlett’s McKay to the comedic duo provides even more comic relief both in the scene of directing Jack underwater and with the fake escape plan. Even later in the more serious scenes of torture, Jack and Woolsey continue to provide the lightness to an otherwise action-oriented script as Jack banters with the Asurans with the same impudence that he has previously used with the Goa’uld.
All in all, it really felt like the Jack of the old SG1 days had indeed returned; his primary role as action hero is well resurrected as he rescues the trapped Atlantis team from the underwater jumper bay, he uses humour when captured to disarm and confuse, and he’s suitably commanding both with Sheppard, Weir and Caldwell. There are also a couple of allusions to SG1’s canon with Jack noting it’s not the first time he’s been probed mentally and that it’s good not to have tiny robots within you. His mentions of Carter both when the ultimate plan is revealed, and in the final scene with Weir, also serve as a nod back to SG1, and continue, whether intentionally or not, the tease for those hoping to see the two military officers ending up together. Certainly, the return of this Jack evokes a sense of nostalgia for the classic SG1 days.
If the return of Jack is one major success of the episode, the team feel generated by the storyline is another. All the characters have a role to play in the rescue although Sheppard, Weir and McKay are given the bulk of the dialogue and scenes. It was good though to see Beckett utilised to deploy the drones from the chair and Teyla take down the guards. In all their combined scenes, there is a real sense of the six regular characters acting and responding to the situation as a team.
The action sequences are another success. All are done brilliantly from the explosion of Stargate Operations, the chase with the jumper and drones through the city, not to mention the drones being deployed to take out the star drive. The musical underscore heightens the tension and excitement; the shots are well executed and the special effects fabulous. They really work on all levels and it is difficult to fault any aspect of the action sequences or special effects within the episode.
However, there are a few gaping plot holes that litter the storyline; if the drones could be deployed to hit a target underwater, why did they veer away when Sheppard took the jumper into the ocean? If Jack figured out that they were being used for misinformation why didn’t the Asurans discover this when they probed his mind again? And given the Asurans were able to access Jack and Woolsey’s minds enough to know about and activate Niam, why didn’t they just send a team straight away to the jumper bay to apprehend the team?
While these questions no doubt will plague fans in their sleep, the pace of the action is enough to gloss over these on first viewing. The ending is also suitably happy and dramatic enough to leave most viewers satisfied customers with the rewind trick neatly executed and the surprise of the real plan. The scenes where the Asurans are destroyed by the wave definitely provide a ‘wow’ moment. Perhaps the following scene with the Daedalus detracts a little but is worth it to see Jack pulling rank on Caldwell. The scene as Jack agrees to the team staying on Atlantis provides the happy ending and as Weir gives Jack a thank you hug, a nice warm fuzzy feeling descends.
Overall, like the previous instalment, the episode is much more of a success than a failure. The story itself is successful even with its areas for improvement, and is immensely enhanced by some outstanding special effects and great performances by the guest cast especially Anderson who seems to enjoy revisiting O’Neill. These elements combine to produce a highly enjoyable episode, flaws and all, and it certainly sets a reasonably high standard for the second half of the season.
