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Alphas – “The Unusual Suspects” – The Ninth Circle of Hell and Occam’s Razor

Welcome back Alphas fans!

Who is the traitor?

This very question is at the heart of what is likely the darkest hour so far for Doctor Lee Rosen, (David Strathairn), and his Alphas. This week on Syfy’s Alphas, both the writing and the story take a twisted turn that pits the Alphas against one another, forcing well-hidden secrets to light, and having potentially dangerous repercussions on the relationships that have been forming so precariously over the past few weeks.

We as humans in general despise the concept of a ‘tattletale’, (which could be consider a level 1 traitor for you gamers out there). Tattletales are generally distrusted, avoided, and mocked. As they grow up, they become more secretive in their behaviors, taking on titles such as ‘informants’ or, (in some cases), ‘spies’, ‘double agents’, or even ‘mercenaries’, (I use the definition loosely). The term ‘traitor’ is often thrown around depending on the emotional level of the person doing the accusing but the truth is, at the endgame, ‘traitor’ is truly the last ‘level’. It is sometimes considered the worst title that can be given to someone, because betrayal can often cut deeper than any other crime. Even Dante Alighieri, in his Inferno, places the traitors in the lowest level of Hell (the ninth circle), and the greatest Biblical traitor of all in the central mouth of the terrible Cocytus. They are unforgivable. They are dangerous. They are….traitors.

According to Nathan Clay, (Mahershalalhashbaz Ali), one of the Alphas fits the bill. He is so convinced, in fact, that he kidnaps the entire team and plants them in The Place, (also known as Binghamton). We have heard about this ‘rehabilitation center’ at least once an episode every week. We have glimpsed it. We have heard the disgust and fear in the voices of the Alphas who have been there and the Alphas who are trying to avoid it. Now, we are in it.

We are not getting out.

MAJOR SPOILERS TO FOLLOW

The Alphas wake up in what Clay calls: “soundproof, signalproof, escapeproof, Alphaproof cells.” Through dialogue with Rosen, we learn that the entire team has been moved to Binghamton, and over the course of the next few minutes the Alphas are each interviewed, (read: “questioned”), individually, each with the sole purpose of being revealed as the traitor. Someone has been aiding Red Flag in tracking down and killing the Cold War-era Alpha researchers. Clay uses an Alpha of his own: Eric Latreaux, (Tom Barnett), whose ability enables him to read micro-expressions, effectively a human lie detector.

He focuses a lot on Nina Theroux, (Laura Mennell), because of her aiding Skylar Adams, (Summer Glau), previously, but nothing is revealed – save for the fact that Eric himself was formerly a patient of Rosen’s and he evidently has a thing for Rachel Pirzad, (Azita Ghanizada). Eric pastes Cameron Hicks, (Warren Christie), as the mole purely on a guess, though he does call him ‘too handsome’.

The next stage of questioning puts the Alphas in a room together, forcing them to sweat it out on the threat of going to ‘Building 7’, (the next level of Binghamton, and the one place no one wants to go). The Alphas turn on one another, identifying faults and snapping over minute details. Only Doctor Rosen is able to stop things from escalating by pretending to fake lower back pain. He is not actually faking; the pain is real, but he is able to use it to tell the others they need to escape. They do so, and hole up in an old warehouse. Here, things explode. Rosen reveals he knows who the traitor is, and after nail-biting seconds of waiting, he also pins Cameron Hicks.

Bill Harken, (Malik Yoba), attacks Cameron and, in the resulting confusion, Rosen sneaks Gary Bell, (Ryan Cartwright), out. The two head back to the office, where Rosen attempts to get Gary to erase the files on the main computer that started all of this. At the same time Rachel realizes that the blood coming from a wound Rosen received is not his. Rosen – or rather someone who looks like Rosen – is the mole.

The shape-changing Alpha almost gets away with it too, if not for the real Rosen waking up, escaping his own prison cell, (near the Alphas’ office building), and essentially getting in a fight with himself, (which he loses). The shape-changer, (who we never see but who is voiced by Rafal Mickiewicz), tries one last time to get free but in his haste does not properly fully change into Gary. He is caught.

It seems like things are going to turn out well for our Alphas this week, with Eric soon to sign on as Rosen’s newest member of the team. But Bill is still recovering from the loss of his powers, and in the final shots of the episode we watch as the amped-up Alpha collapses to the floor, victim of a ferocious heart attack.

Most of the Alphas finish strong this week despite the terrible challenge that has befallen them.

Bill and Cameron are even joking around despite the fact that a few hours before one of them was nearly trying to kill the other. Gary has bounced back from his panic attack. Rachel and Eric already have the possibility of something brewing between them. However, Rosen is deeply troubled both at the way Clay handled the situation and with the concerns as to what Red Flag will do next. Despite working for DCIS and despite all he has seen and even done, Rosen still feels unprepared for the assault Red Flag is focusing on him. He also feels betrayed in his own right by Clay, who he feels handled the situation ‘dangerously’. Clay defends himself by quoting Occam’s Razor, that all things being equal, the simplest explanation tends to be the right one. In this situation, Clay was correct in that there was a mole on the team, even though that mole had not been there for long. But no matter how it is worded, It is still a slap to Rosen’s face by someone he trusted, and he may be feeling like he and his team really are just as much a threat to DCIS as any other Alpha. That kind of realization brings consequences – which we may see in season two. If Clay always operates on the belief of Occam’s Razor, what could be in store for Rosen and his Alphas when they come under fire again?

Before we move on to what was revealed about the characters and their growth this week, I would like to take a look, finally, at the silent menace that has been growing all through the season and finally, this week, became a character in its own right. Binghamton. (It deserves the bold).

On the outside, Binghamton is a rehabilitation center for the most dangerous Alphas, (though the worst of the worst go to a place called ‘Building 7’). Doctor Rosen seems to have freely sent many Alphas there himself, believing them to be going to place where they will be safe. Such does not seem to be the case. Binghamton gained its first true level of infamy with Marcus Ayers, (Devon Graye) revealing to Rosen that ‘experiments’ were conducted behind its walls. Since then it continued to be mentioned at least once an episode. We have glimpsed its inner walls and Nina, especially, seems to be particularly terrified of it. Now that we have been inside, we can all see why.

Binghamton, in its prisoner hall, sports a Spartan, (read: nonexistent) decor and bleached walls with only one tiny window to suggest a world outside. Much like a mental hospital, it is meant to emphasize nothingness, no stimuli to affect the people placed within its walls. The tiny cells contain a bed that is more like a cot and a stainless steel toilet and sink with no suggestion of nearby toilet paper.

On top of that, the cells seem to be able to be programmed to suppress each specific Alpha ability, as we can see Gary attempting to access signals. The cells can be accessed with a key code, (that Rachel is able to get off her handler’s glasses), but otherwise there is no clear handle or lock to pick.

Perhaps most disturbing of all, however, is the interrogation room. This is the room we glimpsed in the second episode, and it has not changed at all in its disturbing appearance. Huge, vast, and empty save for one white table and two chairs, the room is darkly lit by deep yellow light, a tough color to handle for any length of time. From a technical standpoint, the color is warm but oppressive, meant most likely to push the weak-minded into admitting anything just to get out. Symbolically, yellow is used in the third Hindu chakra to mean willpower and achievement, and as been noted by psychics as the color of a scientific mind. Outside the metaphysical, ‘yellow’ is also the color of cowardice and deceit, all too appropriate for the episode and for the facility itself, given the rumors of its two-faced nature.

The effect Binghamton has on the Alphas is stark. Nina and Rachel are both equally terrified, with Rachel nearly in a full-blown panic and Nina wound tighter than a violin string. Cameron and Rosen are both equally calm, representative of their respective backgrounds. Cameron knows the side of the law he is on now, and has slipped into old habits. Rosen, (fake Rosen), as the mole, actually has the most pressure on himself, but he bears up well and only begins to fall apart as his Alpha ability begins to affect his body chemistry. Bill, as a special agent, (do not call him a cop), alternates between amped-up agitation and relative calm. He does not like being on this side of the table, especially as he knows the methods that are being employed and how well they work. He believes in the system, but with his own troubles going on he is low on patience and high on adrenaline.

Speaking of Bill, his subplot in the second half of season one is reaching a head – almost literally. He is the only Alpha to have lost his ability while under the effect of Jonas Englin, (Garret Dillahunt). From the looks of it, Rosen’s forced countermeasure is having severe side effects as Bill appears to amp up without being in control of it. In addition, the countermeasure seems to be serving as a pacemaker in that it is simulating Bill’s ability more than restoring it and, as with many artificial methods, there are bugs. Yes, a heart attack is a pretty big bug. What is going to happen to Bill?

Finally this week, we have another secret exposed from Gary Bell. While it has been suggested that Gary has kept up with Anna, (Liane Balaban), this week he admits it out loud. This is a clear surprise to the rest of the Alphas, none of whom support his decision. However, none of them outright forbid him to stop talking to her, which is a reflection of how Gary has grown throughout season one and how each of the Alphas have changed their opinions of him. That being said, Gary shows an almost frightening naivete in his assessment of Anna. He points out that she hurt him, but that she apologized. She may be the leader of Red Flag, but he insists they do not talk about work. Is Gary hiding something? Are he and Anna really only keeping their conversations friendly in nature? Or is the deviously clever Anna using Gary in ways Gary does not realize yet?

We include the promotional trailer of the season finale “Original Sin” which Alphas airs Monday, September 26, 2011 at 10/9c on the Syfy Channel. Enjoy!

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Please feel free to leave a comment here or if you prefer, click the social media icons below to share this news article. Or as many of our readers and visitors often do, visit WHR on Twitter, WHR on Facebook or visit me on Twitter by clicking the text links or images avatars in this news story.

I and the WHR team look forward to and will be Seeing You on The Other Side“!

Thank you.

Regards,

Nayari09 (Pam)

September 26, 2011
Alphas: “Blind Spot” – Fringe Elements

Welcome back Alphas fans!

So as the season begins to draw to a close, Syfy’s Alphas is pulling some old tricks out of its still-new hat. One of those said tricks is the ever-popular back-to-school theme. Monday’s lesson began with the first sentence of the entire episode. “Possible Red Flag prisoner in our office.”

Now, truth be told, it does not matter just how high-tech your holding cell is. It does not matter if you have strict surveillance. It does not even matter if you have an Alpha who can read minds (we have not seen that one yet). There is just one lesson that you need to know.

Alphas Lesson #4: Always meet the enemy on neutral ground.

Your professors this hour are Doctor Kern, (Brent Spiner), and Griffin, (Rebecca Mader). Take notes if any appear, put on your hard hats for when the ceiling starts falling, and pay no attention to that shadow out of the corner of your eye. It is all part of the course.

Cue the tardy bell. Everyone in their seats? Off we go, then. MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD!

Doctor Lee Rosen, (David Strathairn), and Bill Harken, (Malik Yoba), set the stage for Nina Theroux, (Laura Mennell), and Cameron Hicks, (Warren Christie), to bring in a prisoner possibly associated with Red Flag. Right on cue, the moment the prisoner arrives, strange things begin happening around the office.

The Alphas feel they’re being watched. Strange cracks appear in the walls and windows. Gary Bell, (Ryan Cartwright), gets very upset to find out his phone has been stolen, and before long Rachel Pirzad, (Azita Ghanizada), goes missing after following her heightened senses to an elevator. Dancing around all of this is the mesmerizing, enigmatic, and possibly evil Doctor Kern, the aforementioned prisoner who reveals that not only is he associated with Red Flag, but he is attempting to create Alphas by altering prenatal vitamins which he then prescribes to pregnant mothers.

The plot thickens as Kern reveals that he is not behind Rachel’s disappearance, but he knows who is. An Alpha named Griffin (Rebecca Mader), who is a mercenary that works for no one, is after him, seeking to bring him in for a bounty reward. Rosen deduces through the clues given to them that Griffin’s Alpha ability allows her to take advantage of a person’s ‘blind spot’ – to stay just out of peripheral vision so that our own natural radar is raised, but we never see what is lingering so close.

After Griffin is trapped, (rather heroically by Rachel and Gary), she reveals cockily that she is truly not the bad guy, and that Kern is the true enemy of the Alphas. Caught between two, Rosen does not realize which way to lean until it is too late. Doctor Kern’s Alpha ability of echolocation has a side effect of sonically attacking the structure of a building. The holding cell he is pinned in shakes apart, and soon the entire building is at risk. Only a well-placed piece of glass from Griffin saves the Alphas, and the mercenary herself vanishes without a trace, leaving behind only a name and the sensation that she could be a potential ally.

The starting and ending lines of the episode form a nice little summary of what is likely to be the end of Alphas season 1. “Possible Red Flag prisoners in our office?” “Things aren’t going to get any easier, are they?” Everything now is beginning to come to a head, and with next week’s hint that one of the Alphas themselves is an informant to Red Flag, (theories? Go on. Who is it? I’ve got my idea.), Rachel’s overall assessment of the lifestyle of an Alpha is ringing true.

This week was the most intense episode yet as the danger level came home, but on a personal level this episode also gave further insights into the characters. Little details are hammering home. The Alphas, no matter how close they are, are still five people with their own opinions and their own relationships and their own problems. In all seriousness, how long can each of them keep this up? And why would they? Is the money that great, or do each of them have a specific goal they are working towards? Perhaps these questions will be answered in later seasons, but I think we’re going to see the first stone fly in a couple of weeks – if not next week!

Bill has an interesting little subplot this week still dealing with the fallout of meeting the Angel Alpha. While neither Cameron nor Nina are showing aftereffects of their “short time in Paradise”, Bill remains unable to “amp up” – or regain his power. The personality change is surprising. Bill’s sense of humor is lighter, his sarcasm is gone. He’s no longer so gruff and, as Gary blithely puts it: his veins: “don’t stand out anymore.” We’ve known for the whole series that each one of the Alphas’ abilities comes with a price. Cameron’s ability fades and he becomes almost clumsy. Nina has no idea if anyone she talks to is responding to her, or her push. Bill suffers extreme weakness. Gary gets headaches. Rachel loses her other senses.

This is the first time we’ve been exposed to other side effects of the abilities. At home, Bill was the warm bear, and at work he was the gruff lion. Now, without his ability, he is gentle all the time. He even blames the ability for his issues with anger and his marriage. Now that he is no longer an Alpha, he even mentions about how he is ‘in control all the time’, which is something we’ve known Bill prefers. To him, losing his ability must be a gift.

How the others react to Bill’s ‘inability’ is just as interesting. Gary is extremely annoyed, complaining endlessly that Bill: “being different [and] being gone is the same thing,” (his unique perspective on the world coming out again). He comments that he liked the ‘old Bill better’, and we can see through his blunt if nondescript wording that Gary misses his friend. Of course, the old unspoken affection returns as Bill attempts to hug Gary and Gary refuses. There are some lines you just don’t cross, even with personality changes.

Fascinatingly enough, Doctor Rosen is the most disturbed, and his reasons for doing so are vague and muddled. “No,” he says, “I”m not all good with it. It’s not who you are, and the DoD isn’t happy with it either.” These statements could be easily interpreted a number of ways, especially when Rosen adds later that the government views them as a ‘group of Alphas’. So the questions begin.

What did Rosen mean by ‘it’s not who you are’? Is he saying what we believe Rosen would say, that Bill’s power does not define who he is? This seems like the psychologically correct thing to say, but couched around the fact that Rosen is not happy, that the DoD is not happy, and that Rosen wants to bring Bill’s power back, it sounds more like Rosen is saying this ‘new’ Bill is not ‘who Bill is,’ which is a bit of a dark thing for him to say! It is almost out of character. Or is it perhaps in character, and a whole new level of Rosen that is beginning to come out in response to the new, violent environment that he and his Alphas are living in?

Regardless of how those statements are interpreted, the darkest moment of the episode and I would almost say of the series happens later on, as Rosen injects Bill with a cocktail meant to jump-start his ability back into working. Though Bill is complacent and does not fight Rosen on this, he makes a heavy-handed comment that left me with a sinking feeling. “So, the decision is made for me.” Again, though Bill did not fight, it is clear that his hand was forced.

Rosen, in a panic, saw Bill as someone who could physically open the doors that had locked down the building and Bill, seeing the circumstances around him, was pressured into doing exactly what he had been doing. Make no mistake, this was not a choice that Bill wanted as a snap decision and even though he says later: “You bet I am [back],” we are left knowing that it is very possible that this is not what he wanted.

Bill is not the only person with whom Rosen is butting heads this week. Nina’s confession to Rosen about her and Cameron’s relationship and his clear disapproval of it brings Cameron to Rosen’s door in a heady fit of testosterone. Cameron sees Rosen as a father here more than a shrink – and not in a good way. While he may not view Rosen as competition, (despite the quiet sexual tension between Rosen and Nina in the early episodes), he does view him as someone who is in the way and ‘stopping’ him, much as a teenager might view a parent preventing them from trying something new.

In this episode, we finally and clearly see that Cameron is serious about this relationship, that he is willing to push any boundary necessary to try and make it work. Whether that stems from his divorce, his need to have someone as he is losing his kid, his intense attraction to Nina, or some combination is till unclear. But Cameron is serious about this. Nina, however, does not seem to be. She is still trying to bear up under immense pressure of self-confidence issues and resignation when it comes to relationships. Good luck goes out to Cameron to see if he can break her out of the mold.

Rachel and Gary both continue to show their growth in this episode. While at the start of the series both of them were the ones meant to be protected, here they were each singled out and thrown into very specific danger. Gary faced down Griffin alone as best he could, and though he was unable to fight back he stood his ground and shouted for her to surrender even as she advanced on him with a knife.

Rachel, for her part, saved Gary as well as the rest of the Alphas, first by attacking Griffin with a laptop, (and saying, curiously enough: “that felt so good!”), then detecting Kern’s oncoming destruction of the building. By the end of the season, I feel I will not be able to call them the ‘children’ of the Alphas anymore.

A buzzword for this week’s episode forms the unspoken pattern and theme. “Fringe elements.” While, Kern argues that fringe elements such as the Ghost who attempted to assassinate Rosen in the pilot episode are non representative of their larger factions, Rosen argues right back that fringe elements cannot function without parent support of their larger factions. Either way, Red Flag has returned again. As shadowy as they are, their quiet fringe appearances are becoming more and more frequent as they expose themselves steadily. All the while the romance between Nina and Cameron has grown.

This week was one of their boldest moves yet as Doctor Kern outright invited Rosen to join their cause, even going so far as to reveal that he was trying to create new Alphas, something he believed Rosen should support. Rosen did not show any approval, instead telling Kern that he will intervene on his behalf if Kern turned himself in.

The concept of working with a terrorist organization is what turned Rosen away, but at the same time I would not be surprised if, with all of those exposures, Rosen’s mind is not wondering about Red Flag and its motives, and if perhaps they have the right idea. More attacks from humans may shift his view, but that can only come later. Right now, it’s only a theory.

One more interesting thing about this episode is that despite the overall danger level, neither Kern (a supporter of Red Flag), and Griffin, (a mercenary who MAY work for Red Flag, but there is really no evidence to support this), actually tried to kill anyone until their hands were forced. Rachel was abducted and hidden. Bill, Rachel, and Rosen were all knocked unconscious.

Cameron was stabbed, in a nonlethal area, (indeed, he was stitched up and moving around within a few moments, only bleeding because of the vibrations Kern was building). In fact Anna, (Liane Balaban, and the suggested leader of Red Flag), did not attempt to kill Gary, merely incapacitate him. Only the Ghost – the fringe element – did such a thing. Is it possible Red Flag’s motives or interests in the Alphas have changed?

Finally, the end-all question that will likely be answered by season’s end: Who or what is Stanton Parish? The name was tossed at Bill as payback for saving Griffin’s life. Was she toying with him and throwing the Alphas on a wild goose chase? Or is there an actual meaning to it that could bring down huge consequences? We shall find out.

Thank you for visiting WormholeRiders News Agency

Please feel free to leave a comment here or if you prefer, click the social media icons below to share this news article. Or as many of our readers and visitors often do, visit WHR on Twitter, WHR on Facebook or visit me on Twitter by clicking the text links or images avatars in this news story.

I and the WHR team look forward to and will be Seeing You on The Other Side“!

Thank you.

Regards,

Nayari09 (Pam)

September 19, 2011
Alphas: “A Short Time In Paradise” – Judgment Calls Before Brent Spiner Arrives!

Welcome back Alphas fans!

First off this week, why don’t we all pop a bottle of champagne (or a can of soda if you are reading this at work) and celebrate the fact that Syfy has decided Doctor Lee Rosen, (David Strathairn) and his team of Alphas deserve a second go-round! Hurray for a second season! Cue the confetti (that Gary Bell [Ryan Cartwright] will be picking out of his hair for weeks to come).

Done sneezing from the champagne? Let’s get to business! It has been a while, no? But here we are again after a nice little break, jumping back into the action as the Alphas are forced to experience and see a whole new perspective on the lives they lead. In one deliciously subliminal hour, three members of Doctor Rosen’s team get a dose of paradise, while two others get their eyes opened in ways they had not expected. In an upheaval necessary to strengthening the bonds of the team, each Alpha comes away from this week changed – and the repercussions will be felt for weeks.

There is a duplicity when it comes to the phrase ‘seeing the light.’ In some cases, the light is good, signifying change and revelation, understanding, (the “Eureka!” moment), and the new drive to overcome some obstacle that has been standing in the way for hours, days, or years. But in other cases, ‘seeing the light’ has a far more dire truth behind it. Light also represents the afterlife or moving on, which may be all right and good for the person who is about to leave the shackles of Earth, but it is certainly not pleasant for those of us left behind.

This duplicity is powerfully explored in this week’s episode, and the aftereffects of being exposed to this constantly conflicting intoxication are going to reverberate through the rest of the season. We had a couple of earth-shattering (or earth-moving, depending on your point of view) moments, at least one “Oh my!”, and a chance for some of the shippers out there in Fandomland to squee wildly. Leave it to a cult leader to get people to expose themselves – (and not just figuratively).

Off we go now, with MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD!

The episode starts with a terrifying suicide – a church burning with willing devotees within while a young boy watches in horror. Fast forward to present day, and the young man is revealed to be Jonas Englin, (Garret Dillahunt), an Alpha who has the ability to open people’s eyes to a ‘light’, or an ‘interconnectedness of everything. The first Alpha he places under his spell is Cameron Hicks, (Warren Christie), who is attending an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting in an effort to avoid drinking away the pain of losing both his ex-wife Patti and his son Tyler.

Shortly after, Cameron visits a bleary Nina Theroux, (Laura Mennell), and brings her under Jonas’ spell as well. As the couple explodes in fiery passion, one of Jonas’ other followers falls terribly ill, causing Nina and Cameron to call in Doctor Rosen. Rosen soon realizes that Jonas is unable to accept or deal with the fact that his gift is causing his followers to fall ill and die, and despite successful treatment, Jonas will not relinquish the hold he has over ‘his’ people.

In the meantime, Rachel Pirzad, (Azita Ghanizada), is going through a powerful crisis of her own; an emergency forces her to take Gary as her date to her sister’s engagement party.

Within seconds of arriving, Rachel learns that her father is ill and refuses to see a doctor. Gary convinces Rachel to force her father to go to the doctor, and as a result his stage one throat cancer is caught and treated. With Nina, Cameron, and Rosen all missing-in-action, Bill Harken, (Malik Yoba), rounds up the two younger Alphas and makes a play on Jonas’s grounds. Bill comes under Jonas’s spell himself, and ultimately it is Rosen who finally frees everyone – by shooting Jonas Englin in the face.

The parallels between the cult of this episode and the overarching threat of Red Flag turn Jonas Englin into almost a warm-up round for the final battle ideally set for the season closer. While Red Flag is no cult, it does have a stern following of people who all believe in ‘the right way to live’. Equally led by charismatic, intelligent, and potentially insane people, each following has tested the Alphas in terms of ethics and morals, forcing them to change things about themselves or view the effect of new ideas in the general populace.

Each following has also caused each Alpha to make a judgment call, a moment where only they are in charge, and no one else could influence their decision or help them in any way. How each Alpha handled the call could be representative of many things, including where they will fall when Red Flag makes its move, (assuming it does, of course – perhaps Anna [Liane Balaban] will slip into the shadows until mid-next season. Anything’s possible!).

This week, the focus was on the Alphas and their interactions with each other as a whole – a bit of a change from the person-specific focus we have seen over the past couple of weeks. The strongest focus was on Nina and Cameron, and Rachel and Gary. Each pair took significant steps in their relationship to each other. Each pair also came out of their struggle differently – Nina and Cameron shaken, and Rachel and Gary warm.

The budding and burning sexual tension between Nina and Cameron has been no secret. Ever since Rachel caught them a couple weeks ago, the playful flirtation and flying sparks revealed that this is no simple office crush, nor is it going to simply go away anytime soon. Both Nina and Cameron are fearlessly vulnerable, and their silent understanding of the fragility of the other has drawn them closer together.

On the surface, it may only look like the hot ex-con and the seductive vixen are making eyes at each other, but underneath they are cultivating a friendship bond stronger than anyone has imagined. Their handling of “the Jonas experience” is at the core of this bond. Each pretends it will never happen again and they can safely move on from it. But the unspoken words are still there.

To me, the silence between them is not so much an ‘I’m going to pretend I don’t care’ as a “We have got something here and neither of us is really ready for it. Let’s wait.” What do you think, readers? The evidence flies both ways, Both encounters between them have led to each backing off and saying: “it was weird, let’s not do it again,” but neither of them can seem to stay away from each other. Denial, or a careful work-through? Regardless, they are starting to see the pattern – and even if they are not, hawk-eyed Rosen certainly is!

It is my opinion that the season’s biggest “Awww” moment occurred in this episode as well, thanks to one Gary Bell and Rachel Pirzad, (and a tub of hummus). Despite Rachel’s tendency to stay prim and proper, it is clear that Gary has an effect on her, and Gary himself takes his role as Rachel’s boyfriend very seriously, most interestingly keeping it up even after the two of them have left the party!

He does not let up as well about her father, giving an impassioned speech about how she needs to keep telling her father to go to the doctor until he listens to her. “I am looking out for you,” he says to a somewhat-surprised Rachel. “You should learn from me.” We are left wondering why Gary feels so strongly about this point, but there is certainly no question that his unswerving persistence and genuine concern have left Rachel a little dumbfounded.

Judgment calls. We saw at least two of them ‘above and beyond’ what this show has revealed so far. First, with Rachel, (who has grown so much since the pilot), taking Gary’s advice to heart and taking a stand to her father. Second, the potentially character-changing moment when Doctor Rosen lifted his arm and shot a man in the face in order to save a roomful of people.

Rachel Pirzad is well known as the mouse of the group. Quiet, reserved, shy, proper, and wholly unassertive, she has taken step after step this season towards not only finding her voice, but using it. Her father has described her as a ‘quiet, obedient child’, but as Rachel points out to him, she is ‘grown up’.

In a truly impressive scene of spine, Rachel wears her father down to the point that he goes to the doctor. We are treated to the realization that despite all the pain she has gone through, Rachel still holds family as one of her most important priorities in the world. She could have become a rebel with the way her family has raised her, but she remains loyal and loving. At this point in the season it could be argued that Rachel is the heart of the Alphas. I’ll take any dissenting opinions!

Finally, we come to the big cheese this week – a huge character-defining change for Doctor Lee Rosen. Up until now, Rosen prefers to put his troubles on a couch and talk out the problems. He is a thinking man, not an action man. He is both confused and intimidated by Bill’s insistence that the Alphas learn combat tactics, and has actively fought against the stronger dangers that DCIS has exposed his team to. Any number of factors could explain his behavior until now.

Perhaps he prefers pacifism. Perhaps he is frightened to take action because he feels it it out of his league. Perhaps he simply does not want to get anyone killed or even take the chance that it will happen. Regardless of his reason, all the bets are off. This thinking man proved this week that when the chips were down, he had the ability to do what was necessary to protect those around him. In short, this week, Doctor Rosen proved he was capable of murder.

Murder in self-defense, of course. Doctor Rosen is still not likely to kill anyone in cold blood. But despite his intense misgivings and his verbal ‘choice’ never to fire a gun, when backed into the corner he still went against his own personal core of beliefs. This reveals a lot about Rosen, not the least of which is he can be influenced, and that he values the good of the many over the good of the one.

His ability to set aside his own morals is almost a frightening one, but it shows a strength of character we have not yet seen, and it paints his resolve in diamond-hard strength. You might argue that it also shows Rosen as ‘giving in’ to the ‘methods’ that so many have been trying to convince him are the only ones that work. It is a viable argument. But take note that Rosen gives in, finally and only, when there is no other choice left. Ultimately, he made the decision alone.

This week’s episode was a powerful one for bonds. Over the past few weeks we have seen each Alpha’s personal strength come to light, but now as we near the end of season one the bonds they form with each other continue to grow. Ultimately, and I will say this again and again, it will be these bonds that decide how the first showdown against Red Flag goes.

Alphas returns Monday September 12, 2011 with an excellent new episode called “Blind Spot” featuring Brent Spiner which proves beyond any doubt that this series is worthy of the recently announced second season! We include the “Blind spot” trailer below courtesy of Syfy for your enjoyment!

Thank you for visiting WormholeRiders News Agency

Please feel free to leave a comment here or if you prefer, click the social media icons below to share this news article. Or as many of our readers and visitors often do, visit WHR on Twitter, WHR on Facebook or visit me on Twitter by clicking the text links or images avatars in this news story.

I and the WHR team look forward to and will be Seeing You on The Other Side“!

Thank you.

Regards,

Nayari09 (Pam)

September 10, 2011
Alphas: “Catch and Release” – “Run, Idiots!”

Welcome back Alphas fans!

“Run, idiots!”

Well, at least she gave them the option.

In a lot of films and TV shows, the villain of the scene is often crippled by their inability to comprehend the ticking clock, shoot in a straight line, or simply stand in one spot and gloat while the hero works their way free of any trap that has befallen them. Is it a natural instinct by the writers to always do happy endings, or are bad guys really just that stupid, blinded by their obsessions, orders, or overall lack of observation?

At any rate, in the opening of this week’s action-packed episode of Syfy’s Alphas, techno-gifted Alpha Skylar Adams, (Summer Glau), took pity on the poor idiots following her and gave them a warning before blowing them off their feet.

Unfortunately the warning didn’t work, because they just kept coming. Maybe it really is stupidity.

That theory is for another time. Let’s review what we saw when we weren’t staring in utter jealousy at Summer Glau’s hair, (or maybe that was just me?) As always, MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD!

Doctor Lee Rosen, (David Strathairn), and his Alphas appear to be going about business as usual, but a few kinks have been thrown into their works. Sandra Bell, (Jane Moffat), is refusing to allow Gary Bell, (Ryan Cartwright), to come to work. Jeannie Harken, (Rachael Crawford), is pushing Bill Harken, (Malik Yoba), to have children. And despite his own flirtations with their handler Kathy Sullivan, (Valerie Cruz), Doctor Rosen is concerned about Nina Theroux, (Laura Mennell), and Cameron Hicks’, (Warren Christie), ‘innnocent flirtation, (again, et tu Doctor?) These kinks are soon put aside as the arrival of the news that ‘catch and release’ Alpha Skylar Adams is in trouble.

Despite her not being any real threat to anyone unless threatened, Skylar has come under some trouble and is being followed. Over the course of the episode we learn about Skylar’s history with Rosen and Nina, and are introduced to her own opinions of herself and the world she has managed to hide from. Paranoia and trust becomes a strong issue, especially when it’s revealed that Skylar is also hiding a second-generation Alpha – her daughter Zoe, (Skyler Wexler).

With some help from Nina and ultimately Dr. Rosen, Skylar makes an escape. Of course, she’s not gone for good. Not with that little smirk being the last we see of her.

As with any group that spends a lot of time together, the Alphas themselves are beginning to splinter a little – not necessarily for the worse, but each of them has their own life to deal with, and given how closely they work together the lines between personal and professional are beginning to blur. Romance especially seems to be a subject everyone is avoiding, as Rosen tells no one of his flirtations, (and there have been a few in this series so far!), Nina and Cameron downplay their budding relationship, (but the tension between them is palpable), and Rachel Pirzad, (Azita Ghanizada), outright refuses to discuss anything with anyone. Also, as the world around them begins to open up, the Alphas’ individual opinions about their roles and their world are starting to clash. Skylar was a lovely catalyst for Nina in this episode. Bill’s motives about his life are clearly in conflict. Rosen is finally getting a clue about how he and his team are really viewed. And Gary, still under the influence of his encounter with Anna, (Liane Balaban), strongly asserts his place as an adult in one of the more emotional scenes of the episode.

Skylar Adams is this week’s Alpha, a seemingly harmless young woman with a gift for invention and a knack for trouble.

Described as the ‘typical catch-and-release’, her natural rebellious streak has landed her in some trouble. As with many government agencies, the one chasing her now, (the NSA) has elected to bring her in and have her create objects for use while ‘compensating’ her. Covered in tattoos and with a wild hairstyle, Skylar does not present the picture of one who would simply conform to whatever she is told to. She is devilishly smart, a true escape artist, sarcastic, and at her core: compassionate. She does, after all, have a daughter to whom she is devoted to and determined to protect. She also, as stated earlier, uses mostly non-lethal methods to achieve her escapes. Skylar is no threat; she is merely protective of herself and the one person she holds dear. She is also, like Cameron, a lone wolf, having turned down Doctor Rosen’s offer to join his Alphas. Whether or not she refused to join him because of her own solitary preferences or because she knew what he and his Alphas would become is unclear, but it is open for discussion. Finally, while Skylar is no threat, she is a wild card. Given her opinion about the government in general, where will she stand when the chips fall?

Skylar wastes no time with Rosen and Nina, pointing out to them immediately that they are nothing more than flunkies for the government, taking orders and doing as they’re told with little regard for consequences. Nina understands this without hesitation, but Rosen is less open to the idea, sighing that ‘we can’t always do as we please’. Up until this episode, Rosen has been comfortable to call the shots but keep everything he has done within the confines and protection of the DoD and DCIS. He is helpless against the machine, having no control over who comes in, and seemingly he likes it that way.

Yet, at the end of the episode, Rosen makes a decision, (or series of decisions), that shows he has finally broken out of that mold. Instead of allowing Skylar and her second-generation Alpha daughter to be taken to Binghamton, he allows her escape and writes a report omitting many facts. To some, Rosen has finally ‘gone rogue’. His comment to Nina about finally doing something against the grain? “You’re right, that felt good.” Perhaps the patient is now teaching the psychiatrist. We can only hope that Rosen’s ‘going rogue’ will continue through the rest of the season, because the rules may not apply when the fires finally spin out of control.

This was a strong Nina episode this week as well. Though not as expository as previous weeks, we get to really touch on what makes Nina….Nina. She is a free spirit, taking no orders, flitting wherever she wants, and doing whatever she wants. This comes from her power, but it also comes from other circumstances that we still have yet to discover about her. But she has changed from her earliest appearances on the show – she is no longer quite as twisted, and in fact appears far more fragile and far more caring than the ice queen she has previously shown the audience. While she continues to hold herself apart in general, she has warmed to the group. The most interesting change we see so far is her compassion. We know it is there, but being forced away from the role of protector and into the role of captor has brought it out full force. She is willing to turn against the group and aid someone who could be trouble because she believes it is the right thing to do. It can be argued that she is the reason Rosen ultimately turns against the DoD, because thanks to Skylar and her own suspicions, she realizes that the Alphas really are turning into government flunkies, lapdogs to chase down other Alphas and bring them in for study and exploitation, instead of mere identification and freedom.

She presents this case powerfully to Rosen more than once in the episode, finally getting through to him at the very end, and hopefully opening his eyes enough that he will continue to give his team precedence over what the government tells him to do. This, obviously, opens up a whole new can of worms. The question from this? How will this tie into what happens with Red Flag? Once Rosen realizes the government many not be so helpful with his Alphas, how long will he stand against Red Flag’s belief of offense rather than defense? Is he the only one asking himself this question now?

Suddenly, the first lines of the episode: “Run, idiots!”, takes on a whole new meaning.

We have seen our developments in the field. Coming back to the home front, we had two more large character developments swing forth this week. One of the Alphas is turning his mind far into the future, while another has solidified his present.

Jeannie Harken wants kids. On top of all the pressure Bill’s under, suddenly his wife wants kids. Well, not so suddenly, it is been a topic of discussion, but with the FBI upheaval and Bill’s ‘new’ job as an Alpha (that he finally took full-time a couple weeks ago), circumstances have changed. Jeannie does not know this, but Bill is weighing his options. Whether or not his child is an Alpha is a clear concern for him, and he gets both sides of the coin here, quietly studying Tyler Hicks, (Cameron’s kid, a non-Alpha), and Zoe Adams, (Skylar’s kid, an Alpha). The dilemma takes on a whole new turn when you add in Red Flag’s attack on the anti-Alpha drug factory a few weeks ago.

By the end of the episode Bill is clearly a little more into the whole idea, but studying a book does not guarantee a decision. It is a dangerous world to raise a child in to begin with, much less a child who could have heightened reflexes or stronger hormonal control, (using Skylar’s kid as an example, it seems second-generation Alphas may have abilities that stem from their parent’s). Plus, the long-term effect of Bill becoming an actual father will have a clear impact on his role in the Alphas. At least Bill is showing some changes from his earliest appearances too – he’s no longer quite so rude or angry. Maybe having a child will mellow him out even more?

Finally, Gary Bell stands up to his mother in the best way he can – by proving himself, coming back, and making his argument in his trademark frank way. At the start of the series, Gary’s main focus was on driving a car and trying to make sure everyone understood and recognized him. In this week’s episode, he asked for no help, and tracked down Nina and Skylar on his own in his own particular, (though admittedly not cost-effective), way.

He has grown now from someone who is taken care of to someone who is taking care of others. His regard for his coworkers is also coming into sharper focus – he doesn’t always call them coworkers anymore, but rather friends. He argues that he helps to take care of them, and indeed he does. While stuck in his room, he watches them to make sure they are all right, and chimes in whenever he can via text message. He is integrating into the group more – which frightens his mother to no end. Gary is clearly close with his mother, trusting her enough to tell her what he does when she asks, but thanks to Anna he has also found the motivation and the drive to take a stance and inform her that he ‘is an adult’, a ‘secret agent’ and that working with the team makes him happy, which is all she has wanted for him.

The emotional scene in which this point is driven home is a bit of a tearjerker, and even though we are left with a sense of pride that Gary has finally taken responsibility for himself (in words), we still know that he likely would not have done this without the help of friendly enemy Anna. It puts a bit of a dampener on the excitement.

The Alphas are growing. Next week, it looks like we get another glimpse into the power of the mind. What effects will come from experiencing “A Short Time in Paradise”?. We include the sneak peak below courtesy of Syfy. Enjoy

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Please feel free to leave a comment here or if you prefer, click the social media icons below to share this news article. Or as many of our readers and visitors often do, visit WHR on Twitter, WHR on Facebook or visit me on Twitter by clicking the text links or images avatars in this news story.

I and the WHR team look forward to and will be Seeing You on The Other Side“!

Thank you.

Regards,

Nayari09 (Pam)

August 28, 2011
Alphas: S1x06 – “Bill and Gary’s Excellent Adventure” or “What Happens When Gary Gets Behind the Wheel of a Car.”

Welcome back Alphas fans!

Do we believe in superstition? Who out there refuses to walk under ladders, will not pick up facedown pennies, and throw salt over their shoulders when some is spilled? Does the sight of a black cat send you into a panic?

If so, then you are probably thinking that Gary Bell, (Ryan Cartwright), should never get behind the wheel of a car again. After all, even if an ‘excellent adventure’ came from his seemingly innocent act, there was of course the element of mortal danger that followed.

The sixth episode of Syfy’s breathlessly exciting Alphas held a few milestones within its hour time span. We finally discovered a few of the skeletons in the closets, allowed some things to happen that we have been waiting for, had some tension finally reach its breaking point, and even found time to address the ongoing and silent division beginning within the Alphas themselves, (more theory time)!

Let us take a look at our plot for the hilariously-titled and eagerly-awaited “Bill and Gary’s Excellent Adventure.” As you can expect: MAJOR SPOILERS TO FOLLOW!

In an effort to catch a fleeing man, (with a tablet similar to the one used by Red Flag in “Rosetta”), Rachel Pirzad, (Azita Ghanizada), is forced to leave Gary alone in a car. Gary, following her strict instructions to neither move nor speak to anyone, is soon arrested. As Bill Harken, (Malik Yoba), comes to bail him out, Gary reveals that he knows where a phone is that could contain the location to a kidnapped girl, Lisa Collier, (Melissa Hood). With the FBI on the case and Bill currently suspended, (likely expelled), Bill makes the decision to solve the case on his own, using Gary as his partner.

Meanwhile, Nina Theroux, (Laura Mennell), allows Cameron Hicks, (Warren Christie), a little more into her life when he catches her pushing a cop asking questions about the death of her ex-boyfriend. Bill and Gary spend the night working on the case, eventually revealing that Sarah Nelson, (Stargate Universe’s Alaina Huffman), the security for the kidnapped daughter of big-shot James Collier, (Sanctuary’s Peter Wingfield), is in on the plot.

A narrow save opens the door for Bill to re-enter the FBI, but Bill turns the chance down, electing to stay with the Alphas. Nina, as it turns out, did not kill her ex boyfriend, but the spark of lust between her and Cameron suggests that she might be in the market for a new one soon.

It’s official now: we’re moving into the revelatory episodes for each character. Two weeks ago, it was Gary. Last week, it was Rachel. This week, we got a peek into both the lives of muscleman Bill Harken, and aloof ice queen Nina Theroux.

Bill has changed from the pilot episode. His boundary issues seem to be improving, as have his anger issues, (though his tendency to externalize his internal monologue has not quite been subdued yet). He has gone from being a dangerous giant to a quiet cobra: he keeps himself under strict control, but once he loses it the consequences are dangerous. His Alpha ability is of no help to him in this matter: adrenaline causes a “high” that heightens the senses and sharpens the reflexes in preparation for fight or flight.

For a large man such as Bill with a history of this thready control, it comes as no surprise that we finally learn the reason for his brief suspension from the FBI. A simple disagreement with a fellow agent resulted in a broken clavicle when Bill lost control and shoved the man into a wall.

In my first review, I mentioned the difference between Bill as an Alpha and Bill as a husband, stating that he is calmer, more collected, and less stressed at home. (You might even say he is gentle). Home-Bill has begun to bleed over into Alpha-Bill, (thankfully not the other way around), becoming a little calmer in his interactions with people and steadier when confronted with deep emotional troubles. Bill and Gary have so far enjoyed sniping at each other whenever the chance arose, and for a bit it seemed that Gary could frustrate Bill enough to where he would leave the room.

Such is no longer the case; in this episode, we see that Bill actually cares for Gary a great deal. The question can always be risen: does Bill care for Gary as a person or because Gary is the only one who can help him solve the case and get his job back with the FBI. But given the actions of the episode, I think we are led to believe it is the former. Bill’s blunt attitude, rock-solid determination, and fatherly (protective) instincts come out in strong force around his more-fragile partner, (an interesting note: both Bill and Cameron have each done something to care for Gary; Bill with the driving, and Cameron with the baseball to the microwave tower). The affection between Bill and Gary is unspoken, but it is not unseen.

Bill also shows more remorse than he has in previous episodes. Even though he takes Gary’s arrest lightly and casually degrades Rachel and Doctor Lee Rosen, (David Strathairn), as ‘amateurs’, (a common nickname Bill has given the Alphas in general), he is apologetic and frank. Later on in the episode he also shows genuine shame as Rosen rips him a new one about landing himself and Gary in jail. With the help of these emotions, (and a bit of acting magic by Malik Yoba), Bill has become a more sympathetic character than just the muscle of the group.

The dynamic between Bill and Gary also got to take center stage this week. When put together, these two make a hilarious, if rough, duo. Both blunt, frank individuals, Bill is the doer while Gary is the pusher. Whether or not Gary holds back because he has been told to all his life, or because he is aware of his limitations, remains to be seen, but Bill offsets that with his own power and a little dose of impulse, (happily provided by the introduction of Cameron Hicks). The effects of Cameron’s impulsive nature and Gary’s unpredictability force Bill to step back from the plan occasionally, (or just rush in blindly because there is no other way to go). Unfortunately as we see, when Bill gets impulsive, bad things happen.

Despite that, and despite their still-fairly-constant sniping, (a memorable scene in a diner comes to mind here), the two work together well. Plus, (and finally), Gary gets a little bit of recognition within the Alphas through Bill. In many of the previous episodes, it has become quite clear that while the Alphas genuinely care about their transducer, they still do not take him seriously. Most things he says are dismissed or not given the full weight of their attention.

Gary has several times pointed out that “You need to work on your listening skills.” In this episode, Bill gave it right back to him, telling him he needs to listen to what people tell him to do. Gary takes no offense to this, but it seems rather hypocritical of Bill to say so – and Bill potentially recognizes this, as he makes a valiant effort to pay attention to Gary for the rest of the episode. He even points out that Gary is ‘on to something’ after Hicks attempts to dismiss one of Gary’s statements. As it turns out, each time Bill listens to Gary, Gary turns out to be right. Is the lesson learned? Will the Alphas start to take him more seriously? Or will they dismiss him again as just having a ‘lucky streak’?

Also featured in this week’s episode, (though admittedly to a smaller degree, perhaps she still has her own episode to shine), is the beautiful Nina. After five weeks of wondering, (and a few dropped hints), we finally get the full story on the skeleton she is been keeping in her closet. She is feeling guilty, thinking that she pushed an ex-boyfriend into committing suicide, and has been dodging the cops asking questions about it.

Nina is so certain that she is the actual cause of death that she has blinded herself to any other options, and so it comes as a surprise to her and the viewers that she actually had nothing to do with it. Now, as she has told Doctor Rosen that she was the cause of death, how will she deal with learning she was not? What will Rosen think?

Nina has always appeared as the untouchable beauty of the group. Sophisticated, aloof, and seductive, she does her job and seemingly only truly cares for Rachel, (her relationship with Rosen has taken a backseat since the pilot, and she acts strictly as a mother to Gary). In the pilot, there was a strange bond formed between herself and Cameron, and this week the bond finally sparked enough tension that the two gave into each other. Or would have given into each other had Rachel not walked in the door, (way to go).

Unfortunately for the smouldering pair, habit becomes stronger than passion, and both withdrew their actions for each other. Cameron took a step forward in the end by asking Nina to dinner ‘sometime.’ Nina agreed, hinting that the romance is not over. The ice queen and the lone wolf: now there is some potential there!

Cameron and Nina are the only two who have not really shown themselves to take a side in the growing conflict. Rachel and Gary have both expressed a distrust of Doctor Rosen that is virtually unspoken. This week, Bill actually ‘sided’ with the good doctor, choosing the life of an Alpha over the life of a man in the FBI. It is mentioned that Bill joined Rosen and his Alphas because Rosen promised to get him back into the FBI. But when given the chance, all on his own, Bill chose to stay with Rosen. It’s a mark of trust.

The reasons behind his decision are not fully clear, but some can be theorized. Perhaps he feels he can do more as an Alpha. Perhaps he does not want to hide. Perhaps he, too, knows that when Red Flag makes its next move, Rosen and the Alphas will need him.

For the first time since Alphas has started, we finally see an episode that is not focused on finding a new Alpha. It is a curious change from the rhythm of the show, but also a welcome one. The Alphas now work for DCIS, (and in the episode they are helping the Department of Defense as well, and not having to track new Alphas all the time enables them to use their skills to help in ‘normal’ cases as well.

Does this help them keep their cover, or does it threaten to expose them more? Arguments can be made for either side: the Alphas are not only being called in on ‘mysterious’ cases, but as they bring more and more people in, it runs the risk of showing Red Flag and human enemies where to find them. Why are Doctor Rosen and his Alphas safe from the compound? What kind of trust does DCIS have in him?

Also for the first time since the start of the series, Doctor Rosen has taken a huge step into the background, emphasizing the focus on the Alphas working together without his leadership and guidance. In fact, near the end of the episode, it is Bill who takes control of the Alphas, laying out a game plan and giving the orders while Rosen sits quietly and pays attention. We are finally seeing that the Alphas can act alone when need be, even if their actions are not entirely orthodox. However as the episode proves, the Alphas are so far strongest when they all work together. If there is tension brewing within them, (a theory that so far, I support), then what will happen if a splinter drives a wedge between them?

It’s the sixth week! Is Alphas making the grade for you? Let me or the cast know with a comment here or on Twitter! Next week Alphas returns with “Catch and Release” guest starring Summer Glau! We include the trailer below for your enjoyment!

Thank you for visiting WormholeRiders News Agency

Please feel free to leave a comment here or if you prefer, click the social media icons below to share this news article. Or as many of our readers and visitors often do, visit WHR on Twitter, WHR on Facebook or visit me on Twitter by clicking the text links or images avatars in this news story.

I and the WHR team look forward to and will be Seeing You on The Other Side“!

Thank you.

Regards,

Nayari09 (Pam)

August 18, 2011
Alphas: “Never Let Me Go” – Oxytocin: A Psychological Study with S1x06 Alaina Huffman Promo!

Welcome back Alphas fans!

Here we are in our fifth week of living the lives of Syfy’s Alphas, learning our life lessons and experiencing the consequences of cutting third period science. Now, in the school system I grew up with, we got report cards every six weeks. So, since next week is the big week, figuratively speaking, let us start by taking a look back at what we have seen so far.

HERE COME THE SPOILERS….

Week 1: Meeting the Alphas

Gary Bell, (Ryan Cartwright), Nina Theroux, (Laura Mennell), Bill Harken, (Malik Yoba), and Rachel Pirzad, (Azita Ghanizada), are a professionally-close-knit group of people under the care of Doctor Lee Rosen, (David Strathairn). Using their individual, enhanced human abilities, (called ‘Alpha’ abilities), they find and welcome a fifth Alpha, Cameron Hicks (Warren Christie), who is under the influence of Red Flag, an organization that may or may not become the Alphas’ main adversary in the season.

Week 2: Cause and Effect

Doctor Rosen and his Alphas track down Marcus Ayers, (Will McCormack), Rosen’s first patient, who is dangerously paranoid and a threat to those around him. Though he ‘escapes’ at the end of the episode, Ayers does his damage: he reveals a war brewing between humans and Alphas, and warns that Binghamton, a supposed ‘safe’ area, may not be so safe.

Week 3: Anger Management

The Alphas experience a severe shakeup when Matthew Hurley, (Devon Graye), turns them all against each other with his pheromonal Alpha ability. The Alphas also lose their primary handler, Agent Don Wilson, (Callum Keith Rennie). Rachel finally moves out of her parents’ home, though under worse circumstances than planned, and Doctor Rosen finally bends to the reality that his Alpha team no longer seeks Alphas to help, but rather Alphas to put away.

Week 4: Rosetta

As the Alphas try desperately to fit themselves into their new roles, Red Flag makes a stunning reappearance in the form of Anna, (Liane Balaban), an apraxic woman who forms a special connection with Gary. Anna finally exposes Red Flag as a real threat to the Alphas, and vanishes with an unspoken warning.

Now we come to this week’s episode: “Never Let Me Go”, in which a quietly written story arc slowly comes to light.

A small football town is plagued with gruesome deaths, and Doctor Rosen brings Rachel along to investigate. A young man’s suicide may have triggered the murders, but the Alpha actually causing them is well-hidden. Using their new DCIS badges and with the help of CDC Doctor Vanessa Calder, (Warehouse 13’s Lindsay Wagner), the rest of the Alphas join up and go on the hunt, questioning everyone including the sheriff, the football coach, and the star quarterback, (with whom Gary accidentally and hilariously picks a fight). After nearly half an hour of horror-story-meets-whodunit, the mother of the young son is discovered as the murderess, blaming the whole town for her bullied son’s suicide. Worst of all, the mother now has the emotionally-vulnerable Rachel in her clutches, and the race to find them is on. In a briefly emotional moment, Rosen manages to save Rachel, and the woman is sent away to Binghamton.

We have taken a step back from the curtain call of Red Flag last week, but with the rise of a new villain it makes sense that we would strengthen our forces and turn inward for introspection in preparation for the battles to come. This week’s episode turned inward to the Alphas and the relationships they have to each other, as well as their relationships to Doctor Rosen. The theme this week was that of family, and we saw a never-ending stretch of its gentle, though sometimes painful, touch.

Forget hyperkinesis. Forget having the ability to see cause and effect. Forget the leader of Red Flag herself. (Well…no, put her in reserve, don’t forget her completely). There is nothing more dangerous than a mother with the ability to love you to death.

Jessica Elkert, (Isabella Hofmann), is a grieving woman unable to move on past her son’s terrible suicide due to bullying and the various torments of high school. Though her first attack is accidental, (she kills her husband when she learns he did nothing to stop their son from being bullied), she manages to turn her grief to action and takes vengeance on the town.

The birth of her son, Chris, seems to have been her catalyst for her Alpha ability, and living with it for years suggests she had a pretty good handle on it until she discovered its vicious side effect right when she was weakest and needed help. Essentially, she addicts people to herself through an overdose of oxytocin, (the ‘love hormone’), and then harshly cuts herself off from them, causing them to die of withdrawal. Doctor Rosen suggests she is suffering from psychotic post-partum depression. It is this diagnosis that makes me personally raise my eyebrow at him. Et tu, Doctor?

Here now is the quiet story arc that has its roots in week two of Alphas. The theme of paranoia that was so evident in the first two episodes of Alphas has returned in a much more subtle form. In my first review, I asked many questions about Doctor Rosen. Why did he form the Alphas? What is his connection to each of them? The next week, we saw that Rosen does seem to have difficulty letting go of past mistakes, (evident in Marcus Ayers), and that he does clearly see his Alphas as more than patients.

But of course, does he see them as the next step in evolution, or as people he has become close to? In last week’s “Rosetta”, Gary turned against Rosen for even a fraction of a moment, directly informing him that Rosen is not an Alpha, not “one of us.” And in this week’s episode, Rachel confesses that she wants to trust Doctor Rosen, but is unable to decide if he only sees her for her abilities, or as the human she is.

How does Doctor Rosen view his Alphas? Slowly but surely, the Alphas are beginning to doubt him, or at the very least reveal that they do not trust him or believe him as much as he thinks or as we have been led to believe so far. With Red Flag looming on the horizon, trust is going to become core to the battle, and so far the bonds are shaky at best. Rosen, though presented with several opportunities to show his care for the Alphas, is almost always careful to draw the professional line. Though briefly and frantically emotional at the thought of losing Rachel, when he has a moment to tell her how valuable he finds her as a person, he instead withdraws and tells her that she saved herself with her abilities, implying that he did nothing of real importance.

Doctor Rosen is slowly becoming a very multi-layered character. His necessity to keep a professional distance and his theorized inability to let go of certain events or people suggest that he should put himself on his own couch and ask himself what he is trying to hide from, if anything. We are introduced to a new aspect of his life this week that we had not known before, and in this one sentence, a new theory is born. Rosen informs Jessica that he is a father.

When we first met Rosen in his home in the pilot episode, he was alone. We have never seen any evidence of his family or his personal life. Or have we? Again, how does Doctor Rosen view his Alphas? Is he their ‘father’? Or, given a number of clues we have seen throughout the episodes, could he be a real father to one of them? Start looking, readers. Piece it together. Start theorizing. (My money, just so you know, is on Gary Bell).

Moving on now to Rachel: this was a huge episode this week for her. The fallout from her explosive exodus from her parents’ house continues to linger around her, even as she struggles through this coming of age story arc. She’s taken a bold step forward, dating on her own to the point of even bringing a guy back to Nina’s place, something that surprised me greatly, (then again, being on your own from your parents for the first time does bring a certain intoxication with it – even if your separation from them was not on the best of terms). We are also sadly introduced to the ‘downside’ of Rachel’s ability.

her oversensitivity makes her extremely vulnerable to sensory (and sensual) experiences. She is unable to handle the heat of a kiss, or certain scents, or the sight of germs. It is a powerful burden for her to bear, and it serves to physically weaken her, even though her strong internal core manages to overcome it. Normally. This week, she was deeply affected emotionally as well, exploited at first accidentally, then cruelly, by oxytocin-emitting Jessica Elkert.

Rachel has suffered in silence. Though she is steadily growing more assertive, (she went from apologizing profusely for interrupting Doctor Rosen to informing him directly that she will not talk about something), she is also beginning to put a bubble up around herself that could become impenetrable if it is not stopped.

There is a time to be quiet and a time to ask for help, and Rachel may not realize the difference yet. She has not been reaching out, and it has eaten away at her to the point that once she came into contact with one person who had both the motivation and means for her to explode, she did. Rachel told Jessica everything – exposing herself and the others as Alphas, revealing her troubles with her family, and confessing that she does not trust Doctor Rosen as much as she would like.

While it could be argued that she did all of that under Jessica’s influence, it is suggested that Jessica really gets a hold of people once she touches them – and Rachel was already affected before she had any kind of contact with Jessica. We will only have to wait and see what kind of fallout Rachel has to deal with now that she has been exposed to what she can do when the pressure becomes too much.

Eventually, we hope Rachel’s mother will start returning her phone calls. Is her mother simply angry at her? Or has something happened to her family? It is a bit of a stretch, but at this point in the series, anything is still possible. The writers are peeling away the layers bit by bit and it is my firm opinion that these episodes are only getting better as we go along.

Stepping back from the family theme, there is another pattern that has been emerging through the episodes. This is the fifth episode of five to mention Binghamton. We have glimpsed the facility once, in ‘Cause and Effect’, (which is also where it got the most mention), but hearing its name every episode is beginning to raise questions. It has become a point to ask if this week’s Alpha is going to Binghamton. Is Binghamton just stuffed chock full of Alphas with dangerous powers? Doesn’t that make it seem like a breeding ground for Red Flag to move in on?

Then, of course, there is also the question of what is going on at Binghamton. Marcus Ayers mentioned experiments, and Rosen describes it as a ‘safe place’ for Alphas to go. Contradictory statements only serve to heighten the mystery and brings up yet another question: if Rosen is working for DCIS and has his own team of Alphas, but honestly believes that Binghamton is safe – just how in the loop is he with the organization he works for?

This week, with all of the personal revelations and introspection, raised more questions about the Alphas themselves than their outside world, but these questions needed to be raised. As the season reaches its halfway point, the tension is building moment by moment with the writers leading us through a neat little chess game.

Next week looks to be a new set of rules being established, and despite the lightness of the title I suspect we’re going to get a very good look at what the Alphas do when turned loose featuring Alaina Huffman of Stargate Universe in “Bill and Gary’s Excellent Adventure”! We include the trailer below courtesy of Syfy via Hulu for your enjoyment.

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Nayari09 (Pam)

August 13, 2011
Stargate Universe: “Blockade” with Special “Gauntlet” Sneak Peek

Greetings Sci Fi Fans!

It is hard to believe that the last new episode of any Stargate flavor will air so soon, at least for the foreseeable future, and I am personally very nervous about how Stargate Universe will end. Our beloved SG-1 and SGA each had the luxury of a years-long run that allowed characters and story lines to fully develop in a way that they could be brought to some kind of reasonable (if reluctant) close.

Sadly, Stargate Universe was not afforded the same opportunity and I am afraid it may be difficult to bring the series to a conclusion that will not leave us tangled in a bunch of hanging threads. Nevertheless, I am hopeful that the writers will be able to give us some kind of closure, preferably through a door that might, some day, be opened again.

This latest episode, “Blockade,” continues to expand on two themes: the descendants of the crew’s other selves, and the Drone ships programmed to destroy any technology other than their own. What might happen if two thousand years of human evolution came up against such a mindless, destructive force?

The advent of the aggressive Drone ships is strikingly reminiscent of the Replicators, nemesis of both SG-1 and Atlantis. Like the Replicators, the Drones are a machine intelligence, mindlessly fulfilling its prime directive and destroying all technology and technology-capable beings in its path. In “Blockade” we begin to see that there may be lot more Drones out there than we might have originally thought. This may be one story element that cannot be concluded with only one more episode to go. Maybe if all the brilliant scientific minds from all three series get together in one last big effort they could figure out a quick and miraculous solution!

“Blockade” begins with Eli Wallace (David Blue), watching the video of the dedication of the little school that was named after his other self. He has obviously watched it many times, and his face betrays both sadness and perhaps some longing as he watches. The Kino footage of the other Eli has affected him very deeply. He saw himself alone while all the other survivors slowly paired off, had children, became families. That other Eli ultimately married Corporal Barnes (Leanne Adachi), who really didn’t seem like his type. I don’t think our Eli was all that excited about the pairing either, yet another reason to feel regret for the fate of his other self. On the other hand, that Eli accomplished great things, creating the basis for an entire people’s education.

Destiny is low on fuel and drops out of FTL to fuel up at the nearest appropriate star but for some reason the ship has decided to detour around a big gas giant. This turns out to be a lucky decision because as soon as they get around the gas giant and in view of the star, they see a Drone command ship blocking the path to the star and the Drones swoop in on the attack. Time for a hasty retreat! Destiny takes a few hits before jumping back into FTL but they get away without any major damage. How did the Drones know about Destiny’s refueling methods? How did they know to position themselves on that particular side of the star? Even Destiny’s crew was surprised that the ship chose such a circuitous approach.

After getting away from the Drone ship, Dr. Nicholas Rush (Robert Carlyle) seems strangely interested in having everyone let go of the idea that the Drones can track them or know their destination. When Eli challenges him, Rush says “call it wishful thinking, if you like.” Rush? Wishful thinking? That seems a little out of character, doesn’t it?

Rush plots a course for an appropriate red dwarf star that is not on Destiny’s normal route, in hopes of avoiding the possibility of another Drone attack. If the Drones are waiting for them at all of the eligible stars along their route, Destiny’s only hope for safely refueling—and they are almost out of gas—is to find a star that the Drones will not think to check.

On approach to the next star, Camile Wray (Ming Na) gets to sit in the captain’s chair! She is reluctant at first to take Colonel Young’s (Louis Ferreira) seat, but he says, “What am I, Captain Kirk?” Of course, Rush has to tell her not to touch anything, as if she would.

That Star Trek joke was just the first of many fun references to other sci-fi shows peppered throughout this episode.

Despite their careful planning, when they drop out of FTL they find the Drones are blocking their way to this star too. Destiny jumps back into FTL but they cannot keep this up forever. In fact, power reserves are so low that there will only be one more chance before Destiny is incapable of reaching any more fueling stops.

The Drone blockade does provide some useful information, though. Since the Drones are forming a blockade to prevent Destiny accessing any potential source of fuel, it follows that the Drones are not able to track Destiny after all.

Eli comes up with another brilliant but risky plan to get them the fuel they so desperately need. He proposes they try refueling at a star that the Drones will never suspect they would try, simply because it is incredibly dangerous. Sgt. Ronald Greer (Jamil Walker Smith) gets the joke in this scene—“Don’t tell me—Death Star.” But no, Eli is proposing they pass through a blue supergiant. If you want to know more about blue supergiants, click here. (WHR’s own SciFiFanGirl616 was named for a blue supergiant. How awesome is that?)

Eli and Rush are convinced that Destiny’s shields will be able to withstand that extreme temperatures of passing through one of the hottest stars in the galaxy, but the people on board would not be able to survive. Temperatures inside the ship are expected to climb to nearly 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Everyone will have to be evacuated through the Stargate to whatever habitable planet is in range while Rush and Eli stay on board to pilot Destiny through the star. They can wear two of the three available suits to protect them from the extreme temperatures.

It is agreed that there is really no choice but to try Eli’s plan so everyone starts getting ready to carry it out. High on the priority list is to salvage whatever they can of the fresh food they have managed to cultivate in the hydroponics dome. Under the dome it is lush and green, plants heavy with lots tomato-looking fruits.

As the ship comes nearer and nearer to the blue supergiant, more and more systems start to shut down and Destiny starts locking down hatchways. When the first set of doors unexpectedly shut and locked I was immediately put on alert. This seemed to be an ominous development and I started to get worred.

When the time comes to evacuate, Dr. Lisa Park (Jennifer Spence) has a crazy idea. She volunteers to stay behind in the one remaining suit so she can use the additional time before Destiny enters the star to salvage more of the precious plants. Again, her decision to stay behind made me nervous. Things were starting to look dicey.

Dropping out of FTL, there are no Drones in sight and there is one gate address in range. So far, so good. Eli sends the Kino through the gate, revealing what looks like a long-unused warehouse of some kind, very earth-like and cluttered with debris. Eli’s comment: “Holy crap, we’ve dialed Pittsburgh.” I am sure no offense was intended to Pittsburgh or its residents; merely a comment on how very earth-like the city appeared! Eli theorizes that this must be one of the planets that their human descendants settled but whoever once lived there, it looks abandoned now.

Once on the planet, Col. Young decides to send a few small teams out to search for useful goods like food and weapons. Sgt. Greer has already noted that their supply of ammunition is running low. Camile Wray remarks that she would kill for a new outfit. That made me laugh because the subject of outfits actually came up during Elyse Levesque’s (Chloe Armstrong) Q&A at the 2010 Stargate Convention in Los Angeles.

On the ship, Eli helps Dr. Park harvest the precious plant material until Dr. Rush calls him back to the bridge. Eli and Park have already suited up, but when Eli gets to the bridge he finds Rush is still suitless. He says there is still plenty of time before they reach the star and in the meantime they can work better without the suits. Eli: “Yeah, but now I look ridiculous.” Rush: “Yeah.” Hilarious!

Rush surprises Eli by asking which of the two of them will be piloting the ship through the star. Naturally Eli had assumed Rush would be in charge, but it is Eli’s plan and Eli’s calculations, after all. They agree that Eli should be in charge of the operation so he can enter any necessary course corrections on the fly.

An alarm sounds in the dome as Dr. Park is still pulling up plants. She grabs her bags and heads for the door, but too late—Destiny locks down the hatch and she is trapped inside. Okay, I definitely saw that coming. This is the kind of thing that can happen when a show is cancelled. Characters can be killed off because there is no tomorrow for them anyway. The end of a series can bring shocking outcomes. I knew in my heart that Park was doomed the minute she announced she would stay on board to gather plants in a space suit. Still, I clung to a tiny shred of hope and clutched the edge of my seat, waiting to see what would happen next.

Sgt. Greer finds some canned goods with the labels faded to nothing. Handing some to Dr. Dale Volker (Patrick Gilmore), Greer insists that they take the cans along. Volker: “Mmm, botulism.”

In the warehouse, one of the men, Morrison (Vincent Gale), finds a page from what looks like a newspaper, the headline reading “ATAK!” Young finds a rooftop vantage point and sees that this city was not just abandoned, it was destroyed.

The search teams are halfway across town, walking past abandoned stores with names like Kand-i-Mart and Harmuth Markit. (I wonder if Harmuth Markit is an homage to Harmut Essinger, the person responsible for much of Apple Computer’s early design strategy? I always wonder what inspires writers and set decorators to choose things like store names, don’t you?)

Meanwhile, Morrison thinks he has deciphered the newspaper article. It says the attack on the city came from space, from machines that went after the inhbabitants’ technology. Of course, we knew all along that it was going to be Drones, right? There is no evidence yet, but I know it is just a matter of time.

The salvage teams still have not found anything like a gun shop or a grocery store. Suddenly they hear something that sends them running for cover. A Drone has somehow detected them and comes down to hover over the street, just outside the teams’ positions.

Eli tries desperately to find some way to override Destiny’s systems and get Park out of the hydroponics dome, but nothing is working. Eventually, Rush brings everyone back to the very real problem: trying to help Dr. Park has taken Eli away from the bigger job in front of him, which is piloting Destiny through that star without killing them all and stranding everyone else on some unknown, abandoned planet. He tells Park to get down in the collection basin and ride it out under water. No one really thinks that will work, but they all accept the situation and Eli gets back to work. Rush assures Eli that she will be fine, but his expression seems more doubtful.

The salvage teams remain hidden in buildings on opposite sides of the street, but after a while they can hear more Drones arriving. The people near the Stargate can hear them too, and Morrison panics. He grabs the remote and dials the Gate. Lt. James (Julia Benson) knocks him out with an awesome elbow to the face and shuts down the Gate, but too late. The Gate activation has alerted the Drones. Worse, when James radios Lt. Scott (Brian J. Smith) to report the situation, the ratio chatter gives away Scott’s position and the Drone fires. Greer takes that as his cue to go on the attack. He fires on the Drone to distract it from Lt. Scott and give the rest of their party a chance to escape. Greer and Scott keep firing while everyone else makes a run for it. Then Young unexpectedly shows up and between the three of them they finally shoot the Drone out of the sky. Lucky for them, the other one had taken off for the Gate location. Too bad they used up so much ammunition. That could prove to be a problem down the road.

Destiny is entering the star and Rush and Eli are fully suited, helmets and all, manning the controls. Temperatures inside have already climbed to 150 degrees Fahrenheit. Eli theorizes that the ship closed off the hatchway to the dome and would not let them override because it knew the dome would never be able to survive the heat and stress of passage through this particular star.

Lt. James radios that a Drone has just appeared outside the warehouse. Scott warns her to stay off the radio but says she is counting on the Drones being drawn to the signal. Varro (Mike Dopud) comes out with a grenade launcher and blasts the Drone out of the sky.

Park is still clutching her bags of plants. It looks like the temperature in the dome is outrageously high. We can hear the fear in her breath, and we can see it in the way she moves, hesitantly, toward the edge of the collection basin. What a great performance by Jennifer Spence. With a last look around, she climbs into the pool with her sacks of greenery and grabs on.

Eli manages to make all the necessary course corrections and get them into the star long enough to charge all systems to maximum capacity. He starts moving them back out of the star but then the roof of the dome blows apart. The garden is on fire, massive flames leaping toward the sun, Park barely hanging on in the collection pool, her body being pulled toward the shattered roof. With flames all around her and the prospect of being sucked out to a burning death, she screams, but is still stubbornly hanging onto one of her bags. I am personally wondering why the bag is not burning right now.

They make it out of the star with interior temperatures all the way up to 310 degrees. As Rush prepares to start cooling the Gate room so they can bring everyone back on board, he sees on the ship indicators that they have lost the dome. Eli runs from the bridge.

Camile Wray explains to Young and the rest of the salvage team what they have learned from the newspaper article. Apparently, the plan was to move the Stargate from a place they called Terminus to an older part of the city, the building where they are now. There is no technology at that location so the inhabitants were probably trying to avoid attracting the Drones. Volunteers were driving vehicles away from the city to draw off the Drones and save as many people as they could.

There are a few little details bothering me at this point. Where are the remains of the dead? They couldn’t all have gone to dust already, not with the buildings still so intact and no vegetation taking over. And why do they have to try and decipher the newspaper article? Store names and headlines all appear to be a close relative to English. Could the rest of the article have been that much different? What about remnants of vehicles? The Drones don’t have disintegration rays; they just blast things to pieces. The streets just seem too clean. Okay, pickiness moment over!

There is still at least a half hour to go before the crew can expect to rejoin Destiny. Camile asks Young about what he brought back from his salvage run, and it’s a new outfit! Although he was not able to find anything like weapons or food, he did find a dry cleaner.

When Eli arrives at the hydroponics dome, to his immense relief Dr. Park is able to tell him that she is just on the other side of the door. Now that they are through the star, Destiny allows Rush to override the lockdown and he gets the door open. With Eli’s help, Park makes her way back inside the ship, still stubbornly clutching that bag of plants. Miraculously, she is alive and seems to be okay. But she is blind.

On the planet, the landing party does not like what they are hearing outside. Young decides it is time to dial the Gate. As everyone starts through to the ship, a Drone command ship descends low over the city.

Everyone makes it safely on board. Rush sends Lt. Johansen (Alaina Huffman) to the infirmary, reporting that Dr. Park has flash blindness, and says that hopefully it is only temporary.

Rush tells Young that Eli got them through. He said he kept checking Eli’s calculations looking for a mistake but there weren’t any. He said it was genius, and that he had never seen anything like it, but: “Please don’t tell him I told you that.”

So at the end of this episode, Destiny’s systems are fully recharged, but they will not be able to use the same trick to refuel that way again. Rush says the Drones will not fall for it again, plus that type of star is very rare. Young thinks they are right back where they started but Rush says not exactly, they have a full tank of gas. Last funny moment of the episode: Brody (Peter Kelamis) and Volker: “Yay.” Okay, not so funny in print but very funny on video.

And Destiny jumps back to FTL.

I am both anxious to see the next episode, so I can see what will happen next, but wishing it would not air just yet, so the end will never come. For now I am going to live in the present and relish the fantastic experience of getting to see these talented actors give us their all, interpreting rich storytelling from the gifted writers of the Stargate Universe series. Thank you everyone, cast and crew. We love you all!

Stargate Universe will air its concluding episode May 09, 2011 on Syfy and on the Space Channel on May 10, 2011 with “Gauntlet”. We encourage all Stargate fans to watch the episode live to prove your support of this superb MGM Studios franchise. Thank you. Here is a sneak peek at “Gauntlet:”

Until next time,

OffworldTravelr

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May 7, 2011
Stargate Universe: “Common Descent” and “Epilogue” Clearly Worthy of the Stargate Lineage!

Hello once again Stargate fans,

The latest episodes of Stargate Universe were once again a delightful experience for the supporters of the current incarnations of Stargate by a large portion of the fandom in the United States and an overwhelming majority in Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom and Europe as measured by percentage of the populations in those regions.

As we have reported previously and unfortunately for Stargate fans, according to Brad Wright’s recent disclosure at the Creation Entertainment Vancouver Stargate convention, the franchise has been placed on the shelf for the time being. The good news is that Stargate may (repeat MAY) be back in the future in one form or the other.

However, it is not likely we will see Stargate in the form of the three series Stargate Universe, Stargate Atlantis or Stargate SG-1. Why? For that answer we suggest you stay tuned to WHR as our team will have more on that particular subject in the near future.

In the meantime, this analysis review encompasses two outstanding episodes which are intrinsically tied together at the hip; “Common Descent” and “Epilogue”. Read on to find out just how much entertainment fun is in both!

Common Descent:

With outstanding writing by creators Brad Wright and Robert C. Cooper, “Common Descent” was directed in typical awesome fashion by Stargate legend Peter DeLuise. Not to be missed are more superb effects under the guidance of Mark Savela witnessed in a wilderness like location where the descendants of the “other” Destiny crew was sent as a result of a solar flare Stargate time warp far into the past.

“Common Descent” featured superb acting by virtually the entire ensemble cast including the return of one of my favorite actresses, Ms. MingNa as Camile Wray. Normally confined to the environs of the Destiny itself or on visits to Earth via the Ancient Communications Stones, Wray is observed on a rare away team mission to a strange planet with even stranger inhabitants. I was very pleased to see MingNa return in “Common Descent” since she portrays the Camile Wray character so effectively.

The seventeenth episode of Stargate Universe opens with Adam Brody (Peter Kelamis) Dr. Lisa Park (Jennifer Spence) examining the air purification system which is in need on lime and other minerals to keep the air onboard the Destiny breathable. The recent encounters and battles with the heartless robotic drones have precluded the crew from locating the supplies they needed for survival. In addition to the air purification minerals, food stuffs are also in short supply.

Colonel Young (Louis Ferreira) and Tamara Johansen (Alaina Huffman) are observed sharing the concern discussing the bad air on Destiny which is causing headaches and nausea on board the ship. Both do a nice job in portraying officers able to focus on the business at hand, setting aside the fact that a relationship is developing between TJ and Varro (Mike Dopud).

Speaking of Camile Wray (MingNa) the scene then makes a segue to a fun and humorous scene with Chloe Armstrong (Elyse Levesque) and Eli Wallace (David Blue). As the ship decelerates from Faster Than Light (FTL) speed, the two ladies are also discussing the need for supplies, specifically a horrid purple fruit procured previously as Eli enters the observation deck. As with most men being oblivious to such matters, Eli cannot for the life of him figure out why Chloe and Camile want more of the nasty tasting fruit?

Well this is one gentleman who knows the answer and I got a good belly laugh in the process! The ladies on board have not been enjoying or liking the fruit for the taste, they have been using the purple fruit as lipstick for goodness sakes! I guess we better get Eli some glasses because despite the evidence looking him right in the face, he cannot figure it out saying “why am I always the last to know?” As indicated it is a very funny vignette. So I must ask; Are most men so dense?! I suggest you ask your girl friend, wife or female soul mate. They will undoubtedly let you know in two words: “You bet”! So go figure!

Finding the three of them on the observation deck, Eli’s attention on the fruit and pretty lips quickly looses focus as the subject is the return of the hostile drones which have somehow located the poor and ailing Destiny and her crew.

The suspicion is that the drone captured previously and used for study to program a defense in the earlier attack may be the culprit. The orders are given to jettison the drone and Destiny make a jump back to the temporary safety of FTL. Each time the different angles of the Destiny entering FTL are witnessed one can only praise the special effects of Mark Savela and his team including Sonia Gilmore and Andrew Karr. Even more spectacular is a new angle of Destiny entering FTL where they will visit a planet in search of the minerals and food stuffs the crew desperately needs.

We are then treated to new guest supporting actors, fresh faces to be featured in both “Common Descent” and “Epilogue”. Some of the new faces include Reilly Dolman (Supernatural) as Jason, Kate Findlay (Fringe and The Killing) as Ellie and the excellent and well known veteran movie and television character actor August Schellenberg (Eight Below, Free Willy, Free Willy 2, Free Willy 3) as the elder leader Yaozu, who is named after her father, an ancestor of Camile Wray!

As we quickly learn, all are the descendants of the “other” alternate reality Destiny crew from the episode “Twin Destinies” whom escaped destruction using the time honored Stargate solar flare time warp factor to send the “other” Destiny crew thousands of years into the past.

These people of “Common Descent” are found living on a planet they were to colonize for the “home” planet of the “Novus Civilization” where a faction called “Futura” worships many things, but others do not think very highly of Dr. Nicholas Rush (Robert Carlyle).

In another of several very funny sequences, Yaozu recalls the other faction “The Futurans” who think Rush is a demon or devil who steals peoples souls and send them to live an eternity in a lifeless “hell”. No doubt inspired by memories of Rush manipulating the memory core of Destiny these are most enjoyable sequences with Dr. Park and Dale Volker (Patrick Gilmore) sharing differing opinions about Rush. This plot twist will play a key role later in the second part of this ninety minute “movie” imparted by Kino flashbacks.

No doubt the seeds of thought about Rush are what lead to the two diverse factions that think of him as a devil or futurist. In any event the colonists were sent from Novus to this new planet through the Stargate after determining the home world was facing imminent destruction from volcanic eruption.

Also most enjoyable is a scene an older woman from the settlement who says that Sgt. Ronald Greer (Jamil Walker Smith) is more handsome in person than is his Kino footage. Like most women who enjoy Smith as Greer and the character he portrays, she appears to have a hankering for Greer! I would swear he actually blushes in the scene!

Unfortunately the colonists lost contact with Novus and apparently the ability to get back home since they cannot dial the Stargate to make a connection to the Novus gate. During the historical perspective we are delighted to observe the “other” Destiny crew in “ancient” Kino footage on a device similar to a USB hard disk drive. TJ has had a baby and is seen screaming through the process. We are happy to see birth not for the pain of childbirth, but since our TJ lost her child previously.

Colonel Young among others are observed as older people in an aged state and is sharing knowledge on their journey and salvation on the new world that will become known as Novus. Young is seen talking about the challenges that face them in generations to come.

While the crew we know from our reality are reminiscing over the Kino footage, the hated drones return attacking both the planet and Destiny destroying the Stargate ring and circuitry taking a huge chunk out of it on the planet colony. It was rather a nice scene to see a Stargate not fully destroyed. Very nice work by the field crews and VFX teams once again. The end result of this attack leaves many of our heroes stranded while they were evacuating the inhabitants of the planet to Destiny.

In the meantime Lt. Matthew Scott (Brian J. Smith) has ordered to Eli to try to fix the gate, an impossible task given the circumstances. Eli states that he can barely turn the power source off crystals off and on. Eli is an undisputed genius, but it takes the experience of the military officer to put two and two together to figure out to use the low power emanations as a Morse Code signaling device to signal Destiny.

A nice script writing mechanism (to say the least) to save the team left of the planet. This is not to mention the excellent overhead VFX sequence of the Destiny shuttle coming back to their rescue.

Forced to leave the area to save themselves before returning, we get another laugh at the humor as Dr. Lisa Park makes a joke about “Futura” being a “font” while Volker and Brody are observed bickering in their good nature banter we have come to enjoy from week to week!

As always the interplay between the Volker and Brody characters brings another moment of humorous distraction from the drone attacks and what is about to come next. As we have come to expect it is this great job at levity by both Patrick Gilmore and Peter Kelamis with a bit of ever present catalyst provided by Jennifer Spence!

We leave the first half of the wonderful two part adventure with the Destiny journeying to the home world of Novus. The shuttle is observed over an advanced city covered in what appears to be deep snow fall. No one is found on the planet and no electromagnetic radio emissions can be detected. What is the world has happened to all the millions of people of Novus and the civilization they have built?

Epilogue:

We begin with another very cool, in fact outstanding VFX sequence with the shuttle coming in for a landing on Novus attempting to return the settlers to their home world. A statue of Col. Young is in the foreground. The away team is comprised of Eli Wallace (David Blue), Camille Wray (MingNa). Sgt. Greer (Jamil Walker Smith), Lt. Scott (Brian J. Smith), Jason and Yaozu. They quickly realize it is not snow covering the city but is instead volcanic ash. The fear on the faces of the away team are palpable.

We discover that the main weapon of Destiny will be used for another purpose. Yaozu knows where there is an underground bunker of the archives of the Teneran Archive. The Teneran’s were one of two countries created after the Rush faction setup their own society “Futura”. The archive is however protected by a very thick blast door and here is where the Destiny weapon will play a constructive role in gaining access to the archive facility where the secrets of the society are secreted.

Using a superb digital angle on the Destiny main gun, we see an energy blast leave the weapon from orbit and zoom towards the city archive bunker doors. It is another great special effect which is a pleasure to behold.

The team begins the investigation of the archives. Especially enjoyable is the elevator “Muzak” sequence. Along with all the crew, the look on Greer’s face sure to bring a grin to anyone who has been in such situations themselves.

Another scene with Greer illustrates the actor doing his characters part perfectly! Greer finds a food storage locker with beef jerky perfectly preserved after 2,000 years and immediately has a snack festival throwing a bag of the jerky at Dr. Rush! At least we know that the problems with Earth-like food will be solved for the time being!

During the initial reading of the archives, Chloe finds her own daily diary and her first entries from 200 centuries earlier. This effective use of brilliant science fiction writing technique allows us all to take a journey back in time to learn details about the alternate Destiny crew.

Each member of the crew is observed, many with tears in their eyes as they see their alter selves living life under initially primitive circumstances. In these sequences we see Varro (Mike Dopud) and TJ are not getting along while he sees Young and her kissing. A moment of sadness on is the expedition’s first loss, the death and burial of the alternate Dale Volker (Patrick Gilmore) character.

We also see other tender moments including Lt. Vanessa James (Julia Benson) and Lt. Scott discussing his pending marriage to Chloe. Despite the reputation she wrong deserves as a wild woman, James wishes him well and says that she is proud and happy for both of them.

TJ and Young get together again in the alternate story arc. To enhance the romance and hence need for couples, in fact survival, of course there is the making and delivering of babies!

Fans of the TJ Varro romance could be heard groaning in pain just like TJ above as James and he are making eyes at each other! Sure enough a little baby Varro/James is the result! We see then observe the many alternative babies being born with good ole’ Lt. Scott is standing by “on duty” with scissors to cut the umbilical cords! Everyone gets in the act including the proud poppa and momma Greer!

Even Eli gets in the act himself and finally has the relationship we all wanted to see with Corporal Barnes (Leanne Adachi) after the two “bust their buns” helping support the birth process of all the other couples!

And yes you guessed it, they are next on the list for making and having babies as the Kino visage documents the screaming Cpl. Barnes in the process of bringing new life into the universe while papa Eli look on in panic!

We observe the leading ladies of the community some years later. Chloe, TJ and Camile Wray are working in the vegetable gardens. TJ’s young child is growing up and playing in the crop fields of Novus.

Chloe sees him reading his diaries and teases Eli; “Something to pursue”? Throughout “Epilogue” Eli’s Kino footage coupled with the flashbacks from the computer journals is a great way to share the story and wrap the story arc of what happened to the alternate reality versions whom went through the Destiny Stargate and actually survived.

I often found myself wishing I could spend a lifetime in the Teneran archives to learn all about the characters and their descendants of the alternative versions. So many stories left to explore, and so little time!

The lighter moments of humor in “Epilogue” more than effectively demonstrate the path of character development in Stargate Universe. This outstanding episode clearly proves that the writers had planned, all the way along, great things for fans of this series in general and all the dedicated supporters of the Stargate franchise in specific.

The light moments are offset by the urgent situation that the planet Novus is being pulled apart by a Black Hole in the vicinity. The gravitational effects have led to the cracking of the planets crust and subsequent volcanic activity that led to the evacuation of the entire planet. We also learn that the two opposing factions developed into separate countries.

The current reality versions of our characters begin transfer of the Teneran archive database. Brody works with Eli to effect the transfer of the many exabytes of research. However we all know that dire circumstances will not allow then to discover all the secrets and research. This item will become critical as we will discuss in the coming analysis.

The transfer of the archive data is where everyone can learn a valuable lesson in life. What lesson? That people with differing opinions can learn to respect each other and work as a team to obtain progress rather than slinging mud at each other. Doing so in real life is never an easy process. We all have observed this senseless mudslinging on social media sites like Twitter and Facebook as well as in the interactions of our real lives at work, in politics and even at home between family members. The fact of the matter is that people slinging mud at others is most often a cover-up by the slingers hiding their own shortcomings as they seek to blame others for their own mistakes. Such is a sad but true part of life.

As observe the alternate survivors raising their children in flashbacks, we find out that coming to the planet has consequences for TJ in both story arcs. She has contracted the un-curable disease ALS also known commonly as Lou Gerhigs Disease. The elder citizen Yauzo indicates there is a cure in the Novus database, but ther emay not be enough time to transfer all the data. “Our” Varro rushes to his love saying it does not mean she has the disease. TJ knows this is not the case and tears well up in her eyes (mine too).

We learn that she will likely die some eight year later much as the diary from the past 2,000 years ago documented. The current reality scenes between TJ and Young are accentuated by the primitive life sequences of her death some 2,000 years ago in the house as we saw Young at the table with the two children and an empty seat. I am convinced that there was not a dry eye for lovers of this series.

As the episode progresses we see the surviving alternate reality characters become grandparents. The make-up used to age the characters seen in the Kino footage is simply excellent. We see James and Varro, Scott and Chloe, Greer and Park and Camile Wray all becoming old. One of the best bits included a very grouchy and grumpy older Adam Brody!

MingNa is especially wonderful when she talks about writing the new Novus constitution and that Eli has become a teacher! I gigged when Camile said that Eli is good at it too. The look on her characters face says it all!

Back in the story arc version of “our” characters, fans of Varro (Mike Dopud) get a heart attack moment as the violent earthquakes lead to a ladder rung giving way during the escape from the archive facility while he saves TJ’s life. Varro falls to the bottom of the shaft and after observing the SGU hash tag tweets on both Monday April 25 and Tuesday, more than several hundred tweeted “Nooooooo”!

Varro is of course saved by none other than his main competition for the affections of TJ, Col. Young. Young takes critical time to rig a rescue line to haul the injured Varro to safety. A fitting bit of irony would you not say? As TJ diagnoses Varro whom has merely suffered a broken arm, we learn that the result of data transfer from the archive did not contain the cure for ALS. She knows her life is limited and will likely be cut short. At this point I wanted to pass the tissue box to TJ as her tears begin to form again.

Based on the fact that Stargate Universe is canceled, this episode could easily serve as a fine ending to the series. There were too many moments of excellence to effectively analyze in this review. However, two very poignant moments really did it all for me.

The first is the scene at alternate Col. Young’s deathbed with Chloe, Scott and his children at his side. Col. Young feels that failed in his mission to bring the crew back “home”. The telling moment is the quote from Chloe when she shares with Young that “We are home”. You see people it is fairly simple; home is where you make it under any given circumstance.

The final sequence with a very old Camile Wray portrayed by MingNa was both touching and brilliant. Kudos to the writers in this regard and to the considerable acting talent that is what MingNa herself is all about. We find ourselves at the Eli Wallace School. Camile Wray is the last living member of the expedition. Camile she delivers the heart felt lines about “Wahn Shee Rul Yee”, “May all go according to the wishes of those who hear it” and life being about “Our mission is and always will be about the journey itself”. We all take such journeys’ in our lives, but not everyone gets the message. Bravo MingNa for superb delivery in the closing sequences!

The visual effects team then takes us on a “journey” as we witness a move through Novus history to see the society evolve into a fine civilization over the two millennia to the present. The episode ends with a look at a magnificent city and the first of the giant space ships beginning their journey to life on a new planet some 200 years distant.

No matter what you think of Stargate Universe, this two part story epitomizes the greatness of the Stargate franchise. I would suggest that you go to Hulu or tune in to Comcast or other cable system to view these two episodes to witness for yourself it’s greatness. Trust me when I say you will not be disappointed.

Stargate Universe begins its concluding episodes May 02, 2011 on Syfy and on the Space Channel on May 03, 2011 with “Blockade”.

If you call yourself a Stargate fan do everyone a favor and watch the episode live to prove your support of this superb MGM Studios franchise. Thank you.

As always we appreciate your visiting our news sites at WormholeRiders News Agency. Thank you.

If you prefer, click the social media icons below to share this news article or as many of our readers and visitors often do, visit the WHR on Facebook or me on Twitter by clicking the text links or images avatars in this news story and or on See You on The Other Side“! Thank you.

Best Regards,

WR_Systems (Kenn)

May 2, 2011
Stargate Universe: The Hunt Season 2 Episode 17 with Mike Dopud Interview
Heya my fellow Stargate Universe fans.

Welcome back to yet another awesome episode of this fantastic series, Stargate Universe.

Okay, when I was told that this was the best Varro (Mike Dopud) episode to date. I simply HAD to request that I write this review. Though I am not writing this review to score points (I do not feel I need to).

Now do not get me wrong, I love the entire cast of Stargate Universe, however I am a big fan of Mr. Mike Dopud! And well to be perfectly honest with Varro in leather in The Hunt– OMG!! Why on earth would I or anyone pass that up? 😛

Again, if you have not seen this episode, one question – WHY THE HELL NOT?? Or for that matter, ALL of them. But anyway. this episode focuses on a several interesting story lines. The Hunt does have focus on the Varro character and his future with the crew of the Destiny. However there is also Dr. Nicholas Rush (Robert Carlyle) who continues in being conniving – no big surprise there. The episode includes Sgt. Ronald Greer‘s (Jamil Walker Smith) new outlook on life. Then there are new and interesting creatures to blow our minds!

And I apologize if I seem to have more Varro pictures in this report then anyone else. It just cannot be helped. After all, this is more of a Varro-centric episode. Though I will have others in here too. And I might jump around a bit, so I hope you still enjoy the read.

I must say the location where they filmed The Hunt episode is awesome. I have never had the pleasure of venturing over that far west in Canada, but when I eventually do, the locations where Stargate Universe is filmed is definitely one place I will want to go and visit.

Besides the gorgeous scenery, you cannot help but be in awe when you see the new alien animals created by Mark Savela and his visual effects team . One of which Lt. Scott (Brian J. Smith) and Sgt. Greer decided to try and hunt down to take back to the Destiny for food. Hey, nine plus months on the ship with no fresh meat? The crew certainly needed some steaks!

Of course, The Hunt does not go without dislike from Dr. Lisa Park (Jennifer Spence), she is a vegetarian. Dr. Park voiced her opinion on the matter in no uncertain terms. A good doctor, she did so not for the fact that she does not eat meat, but that they were on an alien planet and she did not know if the dear-like creature was going to be safe to eat at all.

In the end, Lisa leaves with a “not cool” and heads back to the camp they have set up.

And the fact good ole’ Dr. Rush lured Eli (David Blue) and Adam Brody (Peter Kelamis) to an unopened and unexplored section of the ship, Rush knew that their curiosity was going to get the best of Eli. Especially when they opened the door to a room full of stasis pods. Everyone knows that Eli wasn’t going to just open, look around and then leave. Which was what Rush told them to do.

Leaving the stasis pods reluctantly, Eli started getting fed up that Rush seems to always call the shots as to what is important to check out and what to leave. So going against Rush’s “orders”, he turned around and went back, with Brody running to catch up with him.

Of course with Rush back in the main bridge, he could see that Eli could not help but to go back to the room. I was thinking that there was no way in hell that someone was going to actually get in a pod voluntarily, so by being the sneaky little snake, Rush had Eli and Brody fall for his trap.

Then we have Varro stepping up and asking Lt. Scott to let him and his team go to the planet and help in the search. Scott I find is a character that cares for his teammates that much that he would do anything to keep them safe. Or for that matter, if he could, he would take their place.

Of course the best moment is when Varro and his team met up with Young and his and start on the tracking of where this new and dangerous creature has taken TJ and the other officer.

But what I found to be really touching was when Col. Young (Louis Ferreira) got injured and Varro went to his side and convinced him that he is a liability to the mission. Young knows that Varro will do whatever it takes to get TJ back. So stepping aside (sort to speak), Young issued Varro a gun so Young could go back to the Destiny.

Varro and Greer have their moments as well. Varro heard what happened to Greer not able to take the shot at the deer-like animal. So to Varro he needed to find a way to kick Greer in the arse and get back to his usual loving self. LOL

Of course with Greer having had a near death experience, he did not feel like his usual, shoot now – ask questions later. Instead he felt himself questioning everything he has ever done. Suddenly he was afraid, but he knew that could get him in trouble or the very least a liability to everyone on the ship.

The pivotal point to his enlightenment was when he was having a chat with Lt James (Julia Benson). She did not understand how someone like Greer could go from wanting to kill everything or anyone who got in his way, to a guy who started thinking of what his actions could cause.

I think Greer has grown a lot this past few episodes. Learning to live with a group of terrorists who wanted to take the Destiny from them is one thing, but then turning around and putting in a good word for Varro. Which leads to Varro’s freedom aboard the ship.

Although, like Varro tells TJ, he doubts very much that if he had to confront Greer about it, he would deny it. So it does show that Greer is lightening up and getting a bit more trustworthy. Least I hope so.

Then we have Tamara Johansen (Alaina Huffman) in the cave trying to calm down the young officer with her. He was freaking out that he did not want to be some creature’s dinner. She had to step up and whip him back into fact – no one gets left behind. Same sentiment as SG-1 and Atlantis. That I found was awesome to see them carry some aspects from each of the previous series, into this one. Very nice way to tie them all together.

I found this next sequence of pictures so awesome. Finally we get to see the connection that have obviously has gotten stronger between Varro and TJ. When she came to visit him in his room to inform him that he was a free man, he smiled and said “I know”.

As I watched this I said, “Well it’s about bloody time!” Then with him looking at her.

And she looking at him.

Then he walks in closer and reaching out for her to draw her near.

With their lips just about to touch, do we finally get contact?

OF COURSE NOT!!!! Young had to beep at the door and F*** it all up. I never wanted to go through the TV so badly then at that moment.

But the look on Young’s face as Varro left to join the rest of them for their version of a BBQ, he then realized what was about to happen AND what he lost.

I am sorry, but I do not feel bad for Young at all. If he had been there for TJ when she lost their baby, maybe that would have bonded them closer. But I think, as does TJ, that Varro would have been the better choice in the end anyway. And who would pass Varro up? A man in leather!! Can you say HOT!!

The best way to end this episode was to have Varro carve the meet in the end sequence. That I found was an awesome gesture to have him included into the rest of the crew.

However, what I did not know was that Varro is left on his own now. Something that Mr. Dopud had pointed out in the interview you are about to listen too at the end of this report. The rest of Varro’s Lucien Alliance members are all gone from one thing or another. But I guess we can take comfort that he’s got TJ there for company. Something in fact I believe has brought them together, they both lost loved ones. TJ her unborn baby, and Varro his wife.

Besides the fact that this episode was full of Varro — and in LEATHER!!! But it had a lot of interaction between Rush with Eli and Brody, Young and Varro, even Varro and Greer moments. And especially Varro and TJ. Whatever it is with this episode that makes you love it, it’s definitely well worth watching. This has been an awesome journey, one that I hope will come back in the future.

Until we meet again below is a treat I have for you. An interview I had with Mike Dopud the aid of WR_Systems (Kenn) from WormholeRiders with an amazing actor from SGU. I hope you all enjoy this little — well, far from little, it’s an hour long — interview. This interview gave me butterflies ten minutes before it actually happened. And with this being my first time interviewing someone, I was worried that I was going to trip over my words. But this awesome actor made it easy to relax and to get the job done.

I have been thinking up questions for this for a while, even googling him for hints or ideas as to what to ask. I must say, coming up with the questions was somewhat the easy part. But when it came time to actually ask them is when I got nervous.

We chatted about his previous role in this episode that you just finish reading about. As well as his other projects he has had the opportunity to do, one of which was Exit Strategy. Though, in saying that, I may have given away who this actor was that I had the honor of having a chat with.

However, once everything was said and done, and we had signed off, that is when I remembered one other question that I forgot to ask. I am sure that I will get to ask it on twitter.

So without further adieu, I give you, Mr. Mike Dopud.
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Thanks for stopping by WormholeRiders News Agency this review of Stargate Universe and our interview with Mike Dopud.

Please feel free to leave a comment here, click an icon below to share this review and interview or you can nab me on Twitter by clicking on my avatar to the right.

Come again.

Karen Ford XO
April 18, 2011
Stargate Universe: “Seizure” Season 2 Episode 15 Analysis with S2x16 “The Hunt” Trailer

Hello once again Stargate fans,

This has been the most anticipated episode of Stargate Universe ever since I saw the preview over a week ago. Although, I have known about this episode for some time now, I put in my request that I write on this one. As I am a fan of Stargate Universe, that still did not take away from the fact that I am still a fan of Stargate Atlantis and Stargate SG-1. To love one and not the other is ridiculous. I love each series for what they were and what they are.

That being said, let us get on with the reason for your visit today. To read my thoughts on the Stargate Universe episode Seizure.

***SPOILER ALERT*** If you have not seen this episode yet, then stop right now and wait until you do.

On the other hand, if you do not mind reading what you have to look forward to, then by all means, keep reading. I will NOT write a play-by-play of the episode, that can get boring real fast. I will NOT jump around to different places as that will only confuse the hell out of you. I WILL however write in sequence from beginning to end the parts that stood out to me the most.

First of all, let me start off by adding in this lovely picture of Washington D.C. I am not adding it in for who it represents, but more of the beautiful landscapes and surrounding areas. I only wish that someday I will get to visit.

Of course first we see our beloved Mr. Woolsey (Robert Picardo) trying to convince everyone that by using the Langeran stargate to dial the ninth chevron, they can get a good connection to get everyone aboard the Destiny home. Only problem was the leader of the Langerans (Victor Garber) wasn’t easily convinced. So seeing that Woolsey was having problems in convincing them, our other lovable guy, Col. David Telford (Lou Diamond Phillips), stepped in and said that they have someone who is qualified that this will work.

And who should we see walking in the door?

Yes, it’s our very own Dr. Rodney McKay (David Hewlett). This was a delight to see Rodney return to Stargate. And it was very cool how they brought McKay back into the Stargate series in the way they did.

With Dr. Nicolas Rush (Robert Carlyle) and Eli Wallace (David Blue) aboard the Destiny, and Col. Samantha Carter (Amanda Tapping) off doing her own thing, it only left us with McKay to solve the problem.

Now do not get me wrong, I like McKay, however I personally like John Sheppard (Joe Flanigan) a bit more is all! 😛

And of course, you can not have Rodney on any planet without some sort of technical gadget with him to solve the scientific problem!

In this case Rodney had his trusty laptop with him to try and convince the Langarens that HIS idea will work. Well of course it would. He is the one and only Dr. Rodney McKay after all 😛

Even if I try to look past Rodney’s egotistical manners (wow, I typed that word correctly the first shot), he was a joy to watch. This fact made me miss Atlantis that much more. Though, the best part that I laughed my arse off was where Rodney used the communication stones and switched bodies to go on board the Destiny.

I guess when it comes to certain areas on a woman, McKay does not notice the color of the hair. Of all the years we heard him say that blond women does something to him, (his constant mention of Samamtha Carter), it is quite the flip for him to sort of hit on a brunette. LOL. The line that had me cracking up was when Lt. James was on McKay duty and noticed that he was looking at something that he should not have been. “I’m up here” to Lt. Vanessa James (Julia Benson) as Rodney was transfixed by her feminine attributes!

I still find myself laughing when I remember the looks on both their faces. Then of course McKay tried to be somewhat polite and offered “Ladies first.” Of course that kinda backfired as James did not move, leaving McKay to walk out ahead of her with his tail between his legs! :-P.

The look on James’ face was of typical, “another boob man”. But I still could not help but giggle. I can not wait for the DVD’s, there has to be some funny behind the scenes from this episode for sure!

Of course, it does not take long to figure out why Rush would want to sit in the chair VOLUNTARILY!

Yep! Rush finally gets a bit!

Then we observe Chloe Armstrong (Elyse Levesque) informing Col. Young (Louis Ferreira) that Rush hooked himself up to the chair, but he was not fixing or alternating anything. He was in some sort of virtual dream state thingy. No, I am not that technical when it comes to wording. This is as good as it gets, and if you know me on twitter, I have my own way of describing things.

Then we have our geek-fest with Eli and Rodney.

I swear, it is a good thing that Rush is not among the rest of them cause I do not think that we could cope with three brilliant minds in the one episode.

Though, besides the fact that Rodney loved making himself seem way smarter then anyone else on any given day, he did manage to get out a compliment to Young about how smart Eli is. I found that to be a nice touch

This is a beautiful scene with TJ (Alaina Huffman) and Sgt. Greer (Jamil Walker Smith). And then we can see Dale Volker (Patrick Gilmore) in the background, feeling much better then Greer is at the moment. From the last episode, we seen Greer give up his kidney to help someone in need. Unfortunate, Greer will need extra time to be himself again.

We then observe see Eli and Adam Brody (Peter Kelamis) trying to figure out what is happening to Rush. That is until Eli gets an idea and tells Brody to go back into the computer log records of what is being uploaded.

This is where I need some science geeks to tell me what is really happening. Where is my good friend Redone68?? She is way smarter when it comes to the science of things. I think she would have been a great asset to the brilliant minds on the Destiny.

This is a great picture of the old style Stargate! It was so cool seeing it in action again.

And, we can never forget the huge KAWOOSH from the event horizon.

With it ending with the lovely blue shimmer of an open wormhole. It takes me back when I saw the event horizon open for the very first time. It still puts me in awe how the special effects by Mark Savela and his crew including Sonia Gilmore are able to make it appear so real!

Another part of all this that seems to never get old, is the using of the Ancient Communication Stones. One second you have you, the next you have a totally different conscience in your head, controlling your every action. The freaky thing about it is the fact that you are oblivious to it all. Freaky, but very cool!

Yet another part that had me laughing, was when the Captain of the Langerans (Darren A. Herbert) was in the body of Lt. Matthew Scott and he looked into the mirror at his reflection. The amazing camera work to pull that off is nothing but astonishing. Plus it only goes to show how awesome these actors are when doing each episode. Mr. Brian J. Smith in his portrayal of Lt. Scott in my opinion demonstrates once again that is a very talented actor and does an amazing job.

Though, in saying that, I believe they all deserve their own recognition when it comes to trying and succeeding to make the characters in Stargate Universe believable each week including a special guest star Victor Garber as the Langaran Ambassador.

I am not sure about you, but does Telford not resemble General Jack O’Neill (Richard Dean Anderson) when it comes to scientists. Especially when it comes to McKay. I guess in a way, McKay makes it very hard to like, from a working with point of view. Mr. Hewlett on the other hand, seems to have a very large following. Especially on twitter.

There was a lovely moment between Eli and Ginn (Julie McNiven) as well. This was a bittersweet one, where Ginn told Eli what Dr. Amanda Perry (Mandy – Kathleen Munroe) was doing and that Rush was in a lot of danger. Typically from actually dieing. And that he had to be the one to terminate the program for them (the girls) to be able to interact with their other half’s (the guys). This was tough for Eli.

There were also a fair amount of touching moments with Rush and Mandy. Until Mandy gave a small peck on the cheek that he felt that something was “off” a bit. Not really realizing he was still inside the ship, per say, just that something felt different.

So he thought he’s put his assumptions to the test and do a little fiddling around with the computers to see if his thoughts were right. And sure enough, when he confronted Mandy, she told him that he was going to kill everyone. He knew that was not the case, and they stood there and watched the Destiny blow up.

Unfortunately, because Ginn had warned Eli of Mandy’s plan and what she was doing. Eli had no choice to do what he done. Mandy could “feel” this and she confronted Rush about what she had tried to do.

To find a way to keep him there with her. She confessed to him that she did love him, and that that was the reason for her messing around with the program. She told him she will always love him and then she was gone. Unfortunately, we are left again to witness Rush go through another mourning. First with his wife, and then with Mandy – twice.

When Rush finally wakes up in the infirmary it has been two days that he was in a coma. Again, TJ was so sympathetic with what Rush went through, as well as Eli. After all, if you think about it, it was Eli who had to severe all ties he could possible have with Ginn, just to save Rush. Of which Eli made that quite clear when Rush asked him, “what did you do?” Eli told him as much, if he did not do what needed to be done, Rush would be dead. TJ concurred with Eli, and Greer spoke up from his bed to tell Rush to listen to the good doctor. She knows what she is talking about.

I felt so bad for Eli. He lost Ginn once, then to get her back in the last episode, only for Mandy to screw it up, he had to essentially loose her again for the second time. Maybe he can figure a way to give her access and not tell anyone. Take a page out of Rush’s book for secrecy.

I shall end my review with an amazing picture of the Destiny flying through space. On her way to her predestined destination. The talents of Mr. Mark Savela and his team can not go unnoticed. Very well done.

That concludes my review. Hope you all had a great read. Feel free to comment below, click on a button to share it, or you can catch me on twitter. Be sure to venture back next week when I will have my thoughts on the episode “The Hunt” posted for all to read. Until then we include the promotional trailer for “The Hunt” below courtesy of Syfy via Hulu.

I will end this analysis with some personal thoughts I have been wanting to say for a long time. I would have thought that the ratings would have gone up a few notches with this episode, solely because we have McKay back again. But I do not think that happened. I am surprised actually, that the fandom as a whole did not support this endeavor.

Yes, I would have loved to have had another season of Stargate Atlantis. Or the very least, the third Stargate SG-1 movie and the first Stargate Atlantis one. But because of the anger by certain factions, this is the main reason why Stargate Universe was not renewed. Ratings for any given show are what counts at the end of the day and this is also what happened to Atlantis.

The only point they are showing is how their lack of support is NOT going to get them their “promised” movies. We were never promised these movies. We were told that it was a possibility. But, here’s a question, why should we be rewarded with a movie for such behavior? It’s no different if a child is misbehaving. Do you reward that behavior with what they want? Or do you say, “until you can learn to behave yourself, you’re not getting it.”

And I know that I will probably loose a nice few followers on twitter for some reason or another. And I wouldn’t be surprised if i did. Especially from certain factions in the Stargate Atlantis fan groups. Yes, they are passionate, and I love Stargate Atlantis just as much as the next person. However, being a STARGATE FAN first and foremost, I will show my support for anything that has the name Stargate in it.

And another subject about this whole thing that has my goat is the fact that the convention organizers go out of their way to give the fans awesome conventions year after year. Yet you have some (and I repeat SOME) who will buy the gold tickets to see every guest there, and then boycott the SGU stars because they figure they will “prove a point” that way too to the creators. How sad.

But what it does is piss me off even more. I would love nothing more then to be able to afford to buy a gold ticket for a Stargate convention that Creation Entertainment presents wonderfully and see ALL the Stargate stars they have confirmed to attend. But you have these “people” that would buy a ticket, only to go and see who they want and ignore the others. That to me is a waste of money. They would take away from someone who would have loved to have seen EVERY Stargate guest going to these things.

And acting like spoiled little brats too. This is my opinion mind you. If I sound like a b***h, then so be it. I am a Stargate fan through and through and I for one enjoyed the many years and countless adventures our heroes have brought to my life these past 14 years, 17 if you count the original movie that started it all.

Like I said, these are my personal thoughts. If you don’t like it, oh well. But just to let some of you that love to cause debates and arguments in open tweets, I will NOT be apart of that. If you feel the need to send me messages to try and provoke me, just so you know, I will NOT answer to it. Not that I am a coward. It is just a fact that I will not be drawn into a pointless debate.

I think that is all I have to say. In fact, I feel I have said what I needed to say. So end of story.

Thank you for stopping by WormholeRiders News Agency and reading my thoughts.

I hope you come back again soon. You can leave a comment here or you can reach me on twitter by clicking on my avatar to the right.

Till next time. XO

Karen Ford

April 10, 2011

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