Search & Rescue - Review
23/10/2008 09:31 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
rachel500Search and Rescue is the 1st episode in Season Five of Stargate Atlantis.
Review
Search and Rescue provides a solid finish to The Last Man and a solid start to Season 5. It delivers to expectations; a space battle between Michael and the Atlantis team, the rescue of Teyla, the birth of her child and Sheppard playing hero. There are some fantastic touches throughout but, in playing to expectations, the episode fails to excel and in the end the broad brush strokes of the story leave gaping holes within the plot.
The plot is the weakest link in the episode. The series needs – for the team to be recovered and for Carter to be replaced as Atlantis leader seem to overpower the need for a believable plot. Part of the problem is that the building explosion and team trapped in rubble scenario was never a great set-up; it’s anticipated that the main cast members at least survive so the story opens with a severe lack of dramatic tension. One attempt to inject tension by having Michael turn up does work to some degree; there is sense of urgency about the rescue attempts, there is a niggling worry that the hybrids will find Sheppard and Ronon before they can be beamed. But overall this is where the plot really falls down as why would Michael knowing the compound had been compromised, that the place was booby trapped to explode if that happened, ever return there?
If the idea was that he wanted to check everything there had been destroyed then this should have been made more explicit. As it is, Michael’s decision to go to the compound is confusing to a viewer. Michael’s motivations in continuing the search for survivors in the rubble are equally not well explained; does he do it because he wants to turn them into hybrids and gain access to their knowledge or to kill them (as suggested by Carter)? He seems to risk his whole master plan for no obvious reason. From an overall story perspective, I can appreciate that in having Michael come to the compound and stay around it allows the team to rescue Teyla but I can’t help but think the story could have been structured more believably to achieve the same aim.
The other area where the plot falls down is around Sheppard’s injury and his desperate need not to fail a team-mate. The latter underlying thread is beautifully woven in with the opening scene of Sheppard dreaming of being thanked by Teyla only to be bluntly reminded by Ford (a fantastic cameo that is the one shining unexpected moment and which delighted hugely) that he hasn’t rescued her at all. It nicely follows through in Sheppard’s insistence with both Keller and Carter that he will go on the mission despite not being 100%. The ending with Teyla in the infirmary where Teyla thanks him for real is touching and a wonderful balance to the opening.
This whole piece of Sheppard ignoring his injuries to save a team-mate would have been a joy if the suggestion had been that Sheppard was injured enough that his insistent participation in the mission bordered on him being a liability but not so injured that his ability to perform the mission is unbelievable. The episode unfortunately delivers the latter as Sheppard’s injuries in the first part are suggested as being truly life-threatening. The scenes with Ronon in the rubble and the infirmary scene with Keller stating outright he needs immediate medical attention – surgery even – to fix his injuries underscores this. It also means that the scene with Carter standing by and allowing an insistent Sheppard to go on the mission is also unconvincing.
Carter’s command is the other underlying theme. The scenes during the rescue, the retreat, the relationship with Caldwell all show off Carter in her command role; the scenes with Sheppard walking off from her, Woolsey relieving her of her command undermine this picture though and this latter scene in particular suggests that Carter is replaced because the IOA don’t approve of her. It’s an ignominious exit for the character and it’s hoped her return later in the season will redress this.
Having said all that, while the plot has issues, it is well executed. The scenes in the rubble are well done; Kavan Smith does an excellent job with Lorne in pain and dealing with an irritating McKay, while Ronon and Sheppard’s buddy act is also nicely acted. Michael and Teyla continue to spark with great chemistry, with Connor Trinneer continuing to delight as Michael. Teyla’s birthing scene provides a great moment between her and McKay – fabulous acting by David Hewlett and Rachel Luttrell. Joe Flanigan delivers a vulnerable Sheppard. Indeed the acting throughout is very good and the episode excels at providing moments between the characters that play up their friendships and relationships with the result that it has a glorious team feel.
The other area of production that excels is the graphics; the pan up from the rubble to the planet and into space, through stars and planets to Michael’s ship is fantastic and the battle scenes provide a smorgasbord of special effects. The explosion of the hyperdrive is brilliantly executed as is the eventual destruction of the cruiser.
The execution and overall production (make-up, costumes, etc) produce a polished episode; one in which the plot flaws are neatly glossed over allowing them to be ignored by an audience seeking only to be entertained. The episode is solid and overall enjoyable; it leaves the series with enough of a clean slate for the rest of the season to build upon but overall I am hoping that the quality of the plotting improves going forward and matches the rest of what is otherwise a quality show. Here there are only glimmers of that and the promise of what can be.
Review
Search and Rescue provides a solid finish to The Last Man and a solid start to Season 5. It delivers to expectations; a space battle between Michael and the Atlantis team, the rescue of Teyla, the birth of her child and Sheppard playing hero. There are some fantastic touches throughout but, in playing to expectations, the episode fails to excel and in the end the broad brush strokes of the story leave gaping holes within the plot.
The plot is the weakest link in the episode. The series needs – for the team to be recovered and for Carter to be replaced as Atlantis leader seem to overpower the need for a believable plot. Part of the problem is that the building explosion and team trapped in rubble scenario was never a great set-up; it’s anticipated that the main cast members at least survive so the story opens with a severe lack of dramatic tension. One attempt to inject tension by having Michael turn up does work to some degree; there is sense of urgency about the rescue attempts, there is a niggling worry that the hybrids will find Sheppard and Ronon before they can be beamed. But overall this is where the plot really falls down as why would Michael knowing the compound had been compromised, that the place was booby trapped to explode if that happened, ever return there?
If the idea was that he wanted to check everything there had been destroyed then this should have been made more explicit. As it is, Michael’s decision to go to the compound is confusing to a viewer. Michael’s motivations in continuing the search for survivors in the rubble are equally not well explained; does he do it because he wants to turn them into hybrids and gain access to their knowledge or to kill them (as suggested by Carter)? He seems to risk his whole master plan for no obvious reason. From an overall story perspective, I can appreciate that in having Michael come to the compound and stay around it allows the team to rescue Teyla but I can’t help but think the story could have been structured more believably to achieve the same aim.
The other area where the plot falls down is around Sheppard’s injury and his desperate need not to fail a team-mate. The latter underlying thread is beautifully woven in with the opening scene of Sheppard dreaming of being thanked by Teyla only to be bluntly reminded by Ford (a fantastic cameo that is the one shining unexpected moment and which delighted hugely) that he hasn’t rescued her at all. It nicely follows through in Sheppard’s insistence with both Keller and Carter that he will go on the mission despite not being 100%. The ending with Teyla in the infirmary where Teyla thanks him for real is touching and a wonderful balance to the opening.
This whole piece of Sheppard ignoring his injuries to save a team-mate would have been a joy if the suggestion had been that Sheppard was injured enough that his insistent participation in the mission bordered on him being a liability but not so injured that his ability to perform the mission is unbelievable. The episode unfortunately delivers the latter as Sheppard’s injuries in the first part are suggested as being truly life-threatening. The scenes with Ronon in the rubble and the infirmary scene with Keller stating outright he needs immediate medical attention – surgery even – to fix his injuries underscores this. It also means that the scene with Carter standing by and allowing an insistent Sheppard to go on the mission is also unconvincing.
Carter’s command is the other underlying theme. The scenes during the rescue, the retreat, the relationship with Caldwell all show off Carter in her command role; the scenes with Sheppard walking off from her, Woolsey relieving her of her command undermine this picture though and this latter scene in particular suggests that Carter is replaced because the IOA don’t approve of her. It’s an ignominious exit for the character and it’s hoped her return later in the season will redress this.
Having said all that, while the plot has issues, it is well executed. The scenes in the rubble are well done; Kavan Smith does an excellent job with Lorne in pain and dealing with an irritating McKay, while Ronon and Sheppard’s buddy act is also nicely acted. Michael and Teyla continue to spark with great chemistry, with Connor Trinneer continuing to delight as Michael. Teyla’s birthing scene provides a great moment between her and McKay – fabulous acting by David Hewlett and Rachel Luttrell. Joe Flanigan delivers a vulnerable Sheppard. Indeed the acting throughout is very good and the episode excels at providing moments between the characters that play up their friendships and relationships with the result that it has a glorious team feel.
The other area of production that excels is the graphics; the pan up from the rubble to the planet and into space, through stars and planets to Michael’s ship is fantastic and the battle scenes provide a smorgasbord of special effects. The explosion of the hyperdrive is brilliantly executed as is the eventual destruction of the cruiser.
The execution and overall production (make-up, costumes, etc) produce a polished episode; one in which the plot flaws are neatly glossed over allowing them to be ignored by an audience seeking only to be entertained. The episode is solid and overall enjoyable; it leaves the series with enough of a clean slate for the rest of the season to build upon but overall I am hoping that the quality of the plotting improves going forward and matches the rest of what is otherwise a quality show. Here there are only glimmers of that and the promise of what can be.
