wraithfodder | Stargate Atlantis 405: TRAVELERS

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Stargate Atlantis 405: TRAVELERS - a review

Below the cut is a spoiler-ridden review of the Stargate Atlantis episode "The Travelers", in which Sheppard is abducted by an alien race.

Never watch Stargate (or CSI) with someone who knows electronics, as they’ll say “Oh, I know what that is and it's total nonsense”. Referring to the mass of useless wires all over the place in Larrin’s ship during the meal scene. Although I * think * that was to mimic FIREFLY. I’ve seen a few episodes of it and it looked very similar, and in fact, weren’t the FIREFLY folk the same nomadic types??

Overall, this was a decent episode, with some strong Sheppard performance and his team doing their darndest to find / save their friend, And we got Lorne too. I never say no to Lorne and I think it was functional to have him on the rescue mission as I believe you need to have at least one military person per jumper, just in case. Anyway, the first part when the jumper gets attacked and it’s “Sheppard?!” and then “Rodney?” to dead air as they were cut off from each other was well, warmed the cockles of a fan who sees a strong friendship between the two men.

But, the episode had its flaws, regrettably.

The biggest drag for me was the casting of Larrin. I know, I know, some guys think Jill Wagner is hot stuff, and considering how tight her outfit was, she probably is that, but the delivery of dialogue was at times, just, well, eh, flat? Looks only get you so far. I could see the smugness in Larin, she was the leader and had to have a bit of arrogance to pull off that job, but otherwise, I didn’t see much at all to her character. Even when they gave her some meaningful stuff to say, it just wasn’t so believable the way she said it. I think they should honestly start looking at actresses who have done Lifetime moves as they’re at least allowed to frown and emote. Yeah, Larrin yelled once or twice, but anybody can do that. It’s putting the oomph into the parts about abandoning her people that would have helped immensely. I did watch BLADE, well, two episodes. The first one of which I thought was dreadful, and I only returned to watch the one Kavan Smith appeared in, otherwise, I was rather unimpressed with the show, the writing and the lead.

I did like that they didn’t beat around the bush and abducted Sheppard right away, nor did they spend the entire episode trying to coerce him into helping. Tossing him into the void of space (fortunately with a shield) was rather convincing. Reminded me of when I went to the CN Tower in Toronto years ago. They have a glass floor you can stand on and look allll the waaayyy down. I think I put one foot on it.

Sheppard being a smartass all the way through was just the way he is, but that’s not to say I don’t love serious Sheppard either, and there were glimpses of that here. Did love the great maneuver of not initializing the inertial dampeners and the look on the one guy’s face just as he realizes what Sheppard is going to do. And then shooting the guys with the gun (“My friend’s got a gun just like this. Always wondered where he got it”) (although the Travelers, who are just travel and I doubt they have a MasterCard, probably just swiped it off Sateda, etc.).

Best Kodak moment, Sheppard sprawled out on the bunk, arms outstretched, tapping fingers. “Does he look like a man who thinks he’s going to die.” No, he looks like a kid stuck waiting for the schoolbus ;)

(see end of review for screencap credit)

The SOS was good, showing that Sheppard has smarts – shown throughout the episode as he had very good hands-on skills with Lantean technology. Rodney would be proud ;) He could even fiddle with the underside of the control chair to make it work.

However, he really should have punched Larrin back instead of letting her punch him repeatedly, considering she was alone and her other two lackies were up on the bridge. Right? But then it was integral to the plot that that not happen and someone might gripe if Sheppard punched a woman, and I do think Sheppard’s own code of honor is that he won’t punch a woman. Unless of course, she’s trying to suck the life out of him like a wraith queen would. But he did have the perfect opportunity to escape, get the gun and overpower the other two, which I’m sure he could have done with the element of surprise.

Okay, when Larrin foolishly opened the door to the Wraith, I thought, hey, that wraith looks like Billy Baldwin!

And why do women wear high heels in space?? Sure, they were blocky heels but still high enough. It’d be one thing if they needed them for stirrups on horses, but we have yet to see any real animals on SGA..

The hiding in the closest scene was funny, if not predictable, but you’d think Larrin would have brains enough to realize that they had to be quiet so the wraith wouldn’t find them. So, she’s not as smart as she’d like to think she is.

Aw, Shep left the iron on when he left the house (aka left the control room on for the wraith to find) ;) But he was right; if she hadn’t opened the door to the wraith, he wouldn’t have had to go rescue her in such a rush.

Gotta admit, I did not see that coming – Larrin getting sucked dry by the wraith. The scene was both good and bad in some ways. Fantastic in that Sheppard got to see exactly how the de-aging process worked, so his mind was probably going back to what happened in “Common Ground” and I’d love to see some fanfic on that.

My main bugaboo: Larrin’s reaction to being fed upon and resurrected was just well, that’s it? Cripes, the process sounded painful in “Common Ground” If nothing else, the experience has got to be psychologically traumatic but she acted like it was basically nothing, or something cool. Of course, she might be a closet masochist and maybe that’s why she was smiling * cough * I think boils down to acting and the director/writer/whoever putting the ‘gee that’s cool’ spin on it. Blech.

Second bugaboo – As Larrin puts the seductive moves on Sheppard, nobody bothers to check that the wraith did leave?? He might have decided that out of sight, out of mind, and hightailed it do damage in the ship.

Back to the romance… Of course, Sheppard is never gonna tell McKay that she seduced him and then stunned him because he SOOOOOOOO deserved to get stunned. There’s a time for a little hanky-panky and that was not the time with the wraith just seconds out of view and for all they knew, he could have been standing around the corner. Of course the leading man/woman kiss is a classic cliché in the old scifi movies, but at least they wait until the last Martian is dead before locking lips. So, well, Sheppard’s never gonna mention that to McKay cuz he’d never live it down, although if Larrin appears, I wonder if she’d mention it.

Second screencap I want - Stunned sprawled Sheppard waking up in corridor.

(see end of review for screencap credit)

We got to see Sheppard do technical stuff we normally don’t see and negotiate (and not end up giving C4 to the bad guys). It is nice to see an advanced race who aren’t total idiots (although their tactic of attacking people to get technology doesn’t fall far from the Genii). So they’re not total good guys, at least not this bunch. More of the end justifies the means, and Larrin hadn’t been above abduction, torture and possible long-term imprisonment. Yeah, she wanted to save her people, etc. but this was not a good first impression to make.

Had to freezeframe the food just to see what they’re importing. Lettuce, chocolate chip cookie, carrots, mashed potatoes?, burnt meatloaf. Ah, no Evian water in this episode (I’m not big on product placement). Loved Ronon’s way of just stabbing the steak and taking bites off it. That’s what kids and barbarians do. Ah poor Ronon, getting stereotyped. I liked this team shot better than last week’s, which seemed more ‘look at how they’ve all bonded, see, see’ and seemed tacked on. Here, it made sense and was a bit amusing.

Third screencap wanted – Teyla’s eye roll during that scene. (see note below)

Overall, a 6.5 out of 10. Might have given it more but Jill Wagner’s delivery of Larrin just didn’t impress me. I actually sat there and thought, hmm, Botox?, due to lack of reaction on her part. I think a stronger actress could have pulled off the role a lot better, especially when it came to talking about having to ‘abandon’ some of their people on the ground. However, as much as I love Shep, I adore episodes more where we get to see more team. There wasn’t enough in this one (and I suspect I’ll bemoan that aspect with TRIO, if video clips are any indication). Plus, well, it was a sort get-captured-escape type plot, which doesn’t really give a lot of depth or anything to go “oh wow, that was just incredible”, although if they’d written Larrin a bit better, toned down a bit of the smartass Sheppard, and gotten a better actress, I think the episode could have warranted a higher rating (at least from me).

And it wasn’t until it was over and I saw someone else mention it. I hadn’t even noticed carter not being there. However, it was great to see Rodney charging off to lead the rescue team J

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QUIBBLES / Questions (besides the casting of Larrin):

Now, how much radiation did Sheppard get when Larrin “flooded” the bridge area. If it’s being flooded, there should have been some lingering aftereffects at the end of the episode, or maybe that can be a great tag written by a fan since the writers seem to have an aversion to that kind of stuff.

Okay, how did Larrin operate the life signs detector??

Sheppard really, truly, for having been hit repeatedly by two people, should have had some bruises. Sorry, folks, but people do bruise when they get hit. The writers oughta just google ‘black eye’ to get the idea. Not to mention with all the blood he spit out, he should have a nice sized cut inside on the cheek, so it’s gonna hurt when he eats.

Just how does Lantean technology NOT fall apart after being underwater, in space, etc. for thousands of years?

Did Sheppard checking the gun’s ammo mean they actually run out?? And if they run out? What? You go to Walmart to get a new insert??

Will our folk EVER get to keep a Lantean spaceship? And not blow it up if they do get one?

*Screencaps snerched from a_pilgrim_soul 's delightful photo commentary (link below)

TRAVELERS reviews

http://a-pilgrim-soul.livejournal.com/53789.html *

http://belisse.livejournal.com/184812.html

http://crysothemis.livejournal.com/54219.html

http://forums.stargateworlds.com/showthread.php?t=9254

http://hebrew-hernia.livejournal.com/77859.html

http://kristen999.livejournal.com/88996.html

http://lelianamckay.livejournal.com/7597.html

http://tipper-green.livejournal.com/36782.html

http://tvrage.blogspot.com/2007/10/stargate-atlantis-s04e05.html

http://www.tvsquad.com/2007/10/27/stargate-atlantis-travelers/

TRAVELERS fanfic

http://community.livejournal.com/sheppard_hc/132942.html

SCREENCAPS

http://a-pilgrim-soul.livejournal.com/53789.html

http://caparchives.crystalfires.net/2007/10/26/stargate-atlantis-season-4-hdtv/ - not yet but hopefully soon

http://www.stargatecaps.com/sga/s4/405/ - not yet, but hopefully soon

Feel free to add links to comments section below.

[Unknown site tag]

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Dang, she was using the LSD, wasn't she? I missed that. Bad writers! Bad director! No chocolate! Wait until something on the ship fails and they can't do a thing without Sheppard!

I really didn't like the episode (posted my review a little earlier today). I'm not sure recasting Larrin would have helped that much for me, but it would have been a start!

Love your first screencap. That was a good moment. Wish there had been more of them!

Recasting Larrin would have probably helped a lot, at least for me, if they'd gotten someone who had more range.

Glad you enjoyed the screencap. You should visit the site from whence I snerched it - a-pilgrim-soul. Her commentary is hysterical.

Great review :)

I think I can answer a couple of your questions!

Lantean life signs detectors only need the gene to activate them, then they stay switched on until someone deactivates them (something that bugged me in another episode)

Sheppard does have bruising/swelling around his eye, though it looks to be in the "it hasn't come out yet" stage. Sadly, I didn't stare at his mouth long enough to notice split lips and whatnot ;)

I was wondering about the radiation, and all I can think of is the lights on their armbands seemed to be flashing orange (?) as a midway increase, and he caved before it got too dangerous.

Thanks. :)

Huh, hadn't realized that about the LSDs...

Well, do think the bruising should have been a bit more apparent at the meal scene. THey need the makeup people from "24" to come over :)

Yeah, alien radiation detector so we can't tell, but as long 'teh hair' is safe ;)

Nope -- you still shouldn't be able to use the LSD. Siege II stated that clearly, in dialogue. It doesn't just initialize and then work for everyone. I think it's just another example of M&M changing the canon to suit their stories. Bugs me.

Guh, won't don't they have a writer's bible! Or at least use it!

From what I've read, Mallozzi and Mullie have no qualms about disregarding canon if it suits their needs.

Well, Ronon's gun is not from Sateda, Satedan weapons are more primitive projectile based weapons (in flashback scenes you see Ronon handling a shotgun) He acquired a traveler weapon during his years on the run. and about them kissing with that wraith nearby... Wasn't that wraith dead? The whole several shots in the back thing, and it hadn't fed yet

And why do women wear high heels in space??

THANK YOU!

The biggest drag for me was the casting of Larrin. I know, I know, some guys think Jill Wagner is hot stuff, and considering how tight her outfit was, she probably is that, but the delivery of dialogue was at times, just, well, eh, flat?

OY! Claudia Black, she is not
~~Prometheus Unbound, with some slight turnarounds, anyone?~~

Oh whoa. I hadn't even made the connection. Yeah, it's a sorta retreaded "Prometheus Unbound." Hmm, wonder who wrote that??

Sheppard was the best and, really, only good thing about this ep (other than the team moments). Outside of that, the Travelers and Larrin were so horribly *flat*. And, the more comments I read, the more I feel that way. (Am I getting poisoned by other people's opinions? Most definitely. LOL! It's like their ratcheting up my annoyance! Friendshipper's almost whipped me into a frenzy!)

I also wanted to comment on this: Just how does Lantean technology NOT fall apart after being underwater, in space, etc. for thousands of years? My theory? When they came back to Earth, the eventually all died, except for a few, who went on to found Maytag. My parents still have their 34 year old Maytag washer and dryer, and they both still work just fine. LOL!

My parents still have their 34 year old Maytag washer and dryer, and they both still work just fine.

Don't you mean that *all four of them* work just fine? :)

If I knew that this was a one-shot, stand-alone-forever episode, I'd moan and groan about it and then go on with my life. However, since this was merely our introduction to the Travelers, I'm going to just record my moaning and groaning and play it back every time we see them from now on.

On the up side (because there is always an up side), Larrin wasn't Lucious Lavin, even though her name comes quite close.

True, the Travelers COULD improve. Time will tell. Wonder why all the characters I dislike begin with "L". Hmm, not a good sign.

You know how Larrin had her stupid 'radiation detector' arm band? Wouldn't the other men who were unconscious also have those detectors, so that John could have figured out if Larrin was indeed bluffing or not?

The two other redshirts, er, guys, yup, did have the blinking radiation detectors and they were busy blinking when Sheppard turned around after she said she was flooding the area with radiation, which is why he surrendered.

I see, I was wondering if I'd missed something.

Just went back and checked. Yup, blinking and making a noise, and it was the noise that made Shep spin around in the chair to look.

Ah, thank you. Well at least that makes sense, I still hate that episode though.

I don't hate it, but it could have been better. Alas, seems Larrin will be back later in the season.

As I mentioned on yahoo sgahc, Joe M said in his blog they had trouble casting Larrin (I think they probably wanted someone with some stunt experience). I guess they did think about Gina Torres (Zoe), but she wasn't available (I think if they could have casted her, she would have been a lot more believeable, not to mention less of the typical bimbo they get trying to seduce Sheppard).

Interesting there was no mention of "hey. we have this gene therapy.."

*squeeeee* OH, that screen cap of Shep flailed out on that bunk *hugs adorable Shep* that was THE BEST! I just giggled and my son and husband just didn't get why.

But, you pretty much hit on everything I didn't like about this ep too. Although, the only reason I gave it the same rating as you was the lack of (and this is a personal issue this season that will haunt me all season, I'm afraid) CARTER! Not once did we have to suffer through her didactic comments; When I was at the SGC.. or, Jack O'Neil and I came across a similar situation bla bla bla. I know it only makes sense that she interject her past experiences but.. ugh.. we survived without that for 3 seasons, with mentions of SGC mission reports only occasionally, now? UGH.

So, ONE Carter-free episode was worth giving this episode a higher rating. Now, it would've made sense for someone to make MENTION of her at some point, that they were given the greenlight to attempt to rescue Shep.. I gotta concede that point.

But yea, Larrin was ... *sigh* contrived. In fact, much of this episode suffered as a result, then again, look who wrote this episode.. need I say more? Plenty of ego, just not a lot of talent.

You know, I sorta understand why Shep wouldn't have hit Larrin, but seriously, when she punched him that 2nd time? He should've at LEAST caught her fist, held it. Then, when she drew back the other fist, she could've swung, he ducked and when the momentum of her swing carrys her around, he pin her arms to her side and held her, her back to him and angryily hissed, "I said STOP that!"

It was hard to respect Sheppard in some ways in this episode and THAT is a true crime of any episode that pegs his character so intensly.

Anyway, great critique. As always, enjoy your comments and nearly always agree 100% with your pov.

Good comments, and yeah, that Shep slouched and sulking on the bunk is just... well, it's priceless. My favorite photo of the entire season so far!

And must admit, not having carter around didn't bother me much.

I really did like this episode, more so after viewing it more than once. That said, a couple of things just bug the heck out of me. The first is the Wraith that A) backs down without a fight when Sheppard threatens him, B) restores Larrin's life and Larrin gets restored and neither seems to wonder why/how and C) they just let him walk away, Scout's honor. A wraith, like it is a cat they let out. The other bothersome detail is Larrin, the character is cartoonish, the "bad ass" female, no real depth, although after reading other comments, maybe it is the protrayal by the actess as much as the dialog itself.

As to her punching out Sheppard, I read where Joe Flanigan was saying that she beat the crap out of him and then he gets to beat the crap out of her. So maybe he gets to give paybacks when she is on one of the future episodes. Also, maybe we will get to see if all of her people are like Larrin or if there are some reasonable people among the Travelers.

I thought Joe Flanigan was excellent in this, the sprawl alone was made of awesome. The whump was good, but yeah, unless the ATA gives him miraculous healing powers, we should have been able to see some cuts and bruises through the end of the show. I think this is the most screen time and dialog he's had and he really took it and ran. This much Sheppard elevated the ratings for me. Overall, I liked and enjoyed Travelers, but with a couple of major sticking points.

Joe Flanigan was great in this episode. Definitely. The wraith that just merrily went on its way? Wanted to bang my head on the keyboard, too.

I know what people see is all subjective, but I thought Jill Wagner did an OK job with what was at times an awfully written script and the direction left something to be desired also. I do agree she needs more work with her emotional delivery, but her action stuff was great! I have seen where she said she had no problems with the high-heel boots and didn't think anyone would have problems with Larrin wearing them. I think it would have been better if she had on a more realistic wardrobe similar to the men and there was one other woman Traveler passing by the camera as Larrin lead Sheppard down the hallway to the Hanger Bay. She had on an outfit just like the male Travelers. Here is a quote from Jill to her fans on IMDb: "Hope you all enjoyed Travelers. I had a blast making it! It is a very fun show to work on and I hope next season they will give Larrin much more action!!!
Jill"

Yeah, the action stuff was great. I think a lot of how a character shows up is also from teh director. I mean, Corin Nemec *can* act, but his Jonas Quinn character was, at least to me, flat. I still think high heels in space is silly (and hey, I'm a woman). I think the episode could have improved greatly if we'd seen more people, but maybe they didn't have the budget for extras, who knows?

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Stargate Atlantis 405: TRAVELERS - a review

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Jill Wagner's acting

Re: Jill Wagner's acting