Stargate Atlantis review: "Infection" *SPOILERS ahead!*

[wraithfodder]

A spoiler-ridden review for Stargate Atlantis episode "Infection," which aired on December 4th, not to be confused with "Identity," which airs December 12th. (What is IT with these one name titles??)

AFter last week's not so great episode (sorry, the medical stuff STILl bugged me when I watched the repeat earlier tonight, it was great to see a more coherent, tightly scripted episode with "Infection."

Plusses:
> Sheppard going dark side, sorta. He was all set to just blow Todd and the hive out of the sky. After Todd seized the Daedalus, well, Shep obviously didn't trust him, and had no compunction in exterminating the rest of the wraith in hibernation, even though they could no longer suck you dry, but they could chew a few holes in you.
> Shep whump - when the wraith drone attacked him, although I really thought a guy of that size could have done a better job of scratching the colonel. Oh well.
> Lorne didn't die. (one can never tell)
> Teyla got more dialogue and had stuff to do.
> Okay, it's simplistic, but I do love it when Ronon is gleeful about wraith croaking.
> Todd isn't dead. I do want him dead, but not at the moment

Meh parts:
> Sorry, when is Keller going to get over this 'crisis of confidence' stuff? Bu tI suuppose on the good side she didn't easily pull the solution out of a hat at the last minute. 
> Sorry, the rubbing shoulders stuff with McKay and Keller - imminent death on the horizon - not the time for that. I dont' mind the pair together but hey, they're on duty *cough*

Now, since the crashed wraith ship is infested with the virus, doesn't anybody worry that this virus might mutate into the environment, thus creating giant man-eating crabs? (And that was a really good bad movie in case you've never seen it).

Overall, big thumbs up, especially for the gap at the end - where we discover that Sheppard was unconscious by the time the rescue folk found him, which means fanfic writers can gleefully run riot with whump tales - I mean, yes, he dind' thave to be knocked out instantly. Could have passed out after having a girder atop him, or something..

Comments

[strange-magic.livejournal.com]

It was better than the last ep, but still kinda "meh". The shoulder rubbing thing made me cringe.

"Sorry, when is Keller going to get over this 'crisis of confidence' stuff?" I couldn't agree more. She's so damn whiny.

Doctor who had giant man eating crabs too! LOL!

Ronon was pretty damn adorable.

What was with Teyla's hair though? I've seen better "bad" wigs. It was like all nice in the front but then had a flippy tail-thing sticking straight out the back? *shakes head*

And is it me, or does it seem Rodney has the same lines over and over lately. EVERYTHING he says is so damn predictable. Ronon too. It's not like a few catch phrases that characters always say, it's most of their dialog. It's like the writers didn't even try this season.

[delcamy.livejournal.com]

strange_magicIt was better than the last ep, but still kinda "meh".

I definately agree with the "meh" part of the episode. Though I'm not sure myself if it was better then the last one.

[strange-magic.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I only really feel it was better because it actually had the whole cast in it. It still lacked A LOT though.

[clight000.livejournal.com]

Gotta agree with you on that one! Any other season, I would not have been impressed with this episode, but for once we got to see the team actually working together on something, so I can't hate the episode either.

[mcsheplovers.livejournal.com]

Since Shep got scratched on his face by the wraith, I thought for a moment that maybe he'd become sick----the title being called "Infection" and all that----but then Keller discussed what the infection actually meant and meh....not impressed with the episode.
I really wanted the series to go out with a bang, but it looks like its going out with a ppbbffttt.

[negolith2.livejournal.com]

Our dang cable kept freezing so we missed at least 15 minutes of the episode, so I'm recording the second showing.

Yeah, might think about a whump/rescue tag....

Did like the belly landing on the ocean - that was a nice touch. And it was cool how the hive ship was meeeelllting. Heh. Hive snot. =^.^=

Ya know, ever since "The Seed", I've been wondering what the Wraith grow their hive ships from. And if the disease affected the ship, wonder if that's what happens to Queens that don't get to form their own colony....

[ga-unicorn.livejournal.com]

Pretty much loved the episode (except for the shoulder rubbing - definitely meh!).

Although, once again, I found myself wanting to shout at the tv: Damn it, Keller, don't accept all the blame! Todd stole the damned gene therapy and experimented with it. If he had stuck to the bargain and Keller had been around when it hit the fan, things might have ended differently. The Earthlings shouldn't always have to shoulder the blame! Stop being so freaking guilt-ridden!

I do love Sheppard when he has his sexy Dirty Harry voice going, even if it was caused by working on the mist filled Hive ship set. And am I the only one who thought it was oddly funny that a sick Hive was better lit than a healthy one?

[libra-traveller.livejournal.com]

My favorite part of the whole episode was Ronon saying something along the lines of 'it better not be a wraith hive from another reality.' That cracked me up.

[the-other-sandy.livejournal.com]

I loved how this episode reminded us that John and Todd are not friends, they just occasionally work together when it's mutually beneficial for them to do so.

I'm eagerly awaiting the missing scene fic tags to fill in what happened after the crash.

[erin-anderson.livejournal.com]

I do love Ronon's gleefulness about wraith croaking. Cracks me up everytime, even if it is predictable. And I love how McKay yelled out Sheppards name first when he was worried that they didn't make it past the bulkhead (I don't mind seeing the Keller/Rodney stuff...I'm just a McShepper at heart). Oh and any episode with Todd in it is awesome. The stuff between him and Sheppard always makes for good TV viewing.

[d_odyssey.livejournal.com]

Oh man, totally agree. Love, love that we got to see some serious Shep. The argument with Todd was great as was the tag at the end. Yep, Todd is alive to attack again and Sheppard kept his word, even went to bat for Todd with Woolsey. Yay team plus Lorne. Glad Teyla got to do something. Enjoyed Ronon and Sheppard not seeing the bad side of the Wraith dying.

Would have preferred that they cut out the poor, pitiful me segment and added some whump when the ship crashed. Keller whining is seriously getting old. She is a medical doctor in a serious, life threatening situation and she is sitting there while people/wraith are dying feeling sorry for herself. Bah! Then the little shoulder rub - totally inappropriate and sickening. Also, tired of her lecturing, the school marm bit is old too. Very glad that Todd thought of the solution to save himself and Mary Sue didn't come up with a miraculous cure. Thank you Alan McCullough for that. Please can we stop with the McKeller now that Gero got the girl. Blech!

Ooooh, I hope we get some good whump tags for Shep between getting attacked by the Wraith and then the ship crashing and mention of infirmary. And what happened to that scratch from the fight? Looking forward to the fanfic for this. Overall, enjoyed this one a lot.

[wildcat88.livejournal.com]

My first thought when Woolsey asked John how he was feeling was: "Damn! We missed the whump!" My second thought was: "Think of all the missing scene fics we're gonna get!" Woo hoo!

I really liked this ep. My favorite scene was Todd snarling at John that he owed him, and John responding that he didn't owe him a damn thing (though John's expression said otherwise when Todd walked by). Good stuff.

[ditraveler.livejournal.com]

"Todd snarling at John that he owed him, and John responding that he didn't owe him a damn thing" yes that was pretty great I loved that part

[(Anonymous)]

Overall a "Meh" episode in my books(and the first I truly *enjoyed* in weeks- ie: getting to watch it alone in the dark, curled up 3 feet from the screen).

Was really really, really really, glad that Lorne didn't die(though I'd kinda already known that by Kavan's comments at cons recently) as THAT? woulda sucked big ones.

Though I totally had a moment there when the wraith thingy jumped ronon and the other dude, and you couldn't tell who it was where I totally had a heart attack and may or may not of hugged the big screen, lol.

As for the McKeller "Blech"! is all I have to say.

[ditraveler.livejournal.com]

"when the wraith drone attacked him, although I really thought a guy of that size could have done a better job"

at first like other people, I thought he would get sick (hint to people to write a fic about his somewhat mixed up DNA iratus/wraith/ancestor and the virus)
and I was waiting for the almost passing out or actual passing out, but nothing!!
but it was odd because they made a point to show the wraith scratch him! so then I thought maybe joe got a scratch at some point during the time they were filming and they had to find a way to explain it.

I don't know, but I AM specting a fic out of this episode!!!
this was sort of a zombie thing...I love action episodes but I'm dreading yet another swap ID episode with KELLER!!!
why!! I just hate how our precious last episode are waisted in secondary character =( so vegas is after this swap ID episode? and is it the last?

[nakedwesley.livejournal.com]

Vegas is after Identity, but won't air until January 2nd. The final episode is the week after. *sniff*

[nakedwesley.livejournal.com]

I wanted John to at least cringe at the very idea of a planet full of Iratus bugs. How about a 'been there, you really don't want to' comment to Todd? Still, guess he was in full on Bad Ass mode, which is fine with me! That moment when Todd struck out with his (non)feeding hand and Sheppard didn't even flinch, sent shivers down my spine.

Now if only we could tone down the Keller whining. At least in January we get VEGAS!

[leesa_perrie]

Oh, I can see the missing scene fics coming already!! But please, don't forget the other team members...especially (not biased at all here, noooo!!) Rodney!! *bg*

Not a bad episode, not a brilliant one; I enjoyed it, but then I'm pretty easy to please!!

I do like the Todd and John dynamic (distrust but working together when they have to), and have a soft spot for the Todd himself - not that I'd be devastated if he died or anything, but he makes a good ally/enemy/something-in-between!!

I like Keller, even with her insecurities, but I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree here. I also thought that Rodney was merely trying to calm her with the shoulder rub, or show support, or something like that. But hey, each to their own!

Infection cont?

[(Anonymous)]

My enjoyment of this episode grew the longer it went on. That scratch Sheppard received from the mutant wraith... I kept waiting for something to happen, but with only 15 and then 10 minutes to go, I realized they weren't going to put Sheppard into quarantine. It would make sense that if anything were going to happen, it would really take longer than the time they were dealing with the situation on the wraith ship. So, I wonder if it will manifest itself in the 'Vegas' episode. Might Sheppard's 'Vegas' adventure be a wraith infection-induced hallucination/dream? The last time Sheppard's skin was pierced by anything hosting a wraith virus ("Instinct"), he was physically transformed. We'll see. I'm not sure the writers of SGA plan on doing anything like that. It could be interesting.

I can't wait to read the missing scene fics on this one. Especially Shep whump, but also team support and love. -Diane

Keller whining

[(Anonymous)]

I am tired of the Keller whining, too. I thought it a good time to tell her, "okay, you can go back to Earth" when she started in on her usual "I don't know if I can do it" blabber on the ship. Seriously, if anyone was that scared and lacking in confidence and put in that situation, they wouldn't last long. Honestly, I don't know what the writers were thinking. Yes, I get it...they LOVE their Canadian star (Jewell)...but give her character some backbone for Pete's sake. I would like her character more if she had earned her position (even after the way she came into it.) Sheppard wasn't exactly ready to take on his new role of leading the military on Atlantis after Sumner died...but he stepped up. He earned it by making the tough decisions.

And I cringe over the McKay/Keller romantic moments. Enough! But here we are nearing the end of the series. I hope they don't inject any of that crap into the movies. They will ruin them. I think it might be a good time to kill her character off. If someone needs to be killed off, better her than Zalenka or Lorne. Sorry Keller fans. But she is the weakest link. Put a strong female character in there. I think the show deserves to have strong Senior staff members.

giant man-eating crabs

[lynnzo.livejournal.com]

...one of my very FAVORITE bad old movies. Heh. Gotta watch that one tonight.

Re: giant man-eating crabs

[wraithfodder.livejournal.com]

Oh my gosh, didn't know anybody else had ever seen Attack of the Crab Monsters!

Re: giant man-eating crabs

[lynnzo.livejournal.com]

Gotta love cable TV and TCM. I taped it late, late one night and just let the tape fill, so that when I watched the tape the next night, I'd also gotten a movie about man-eating shrews on a remote island estate, and one about green slime that eats a space station. Heh. Heh heh.

What I love about the crab movie is the truly pathetic paper-mache crabs. If TPTB are wondering why we're not warming up to "Sanctuary" I'd tell them, it's just no FUN if the special effects are better than the acting.

Re: giant man-eating crabs

[wraithfodder.livejournal.com]

Oh man, THe Green Slime (I remember that one) and Killer Shrews, a *classic* in bad flicks. Don't forget to watch "The Giant Claw". It's in the same class as the crab monsters, only acting is better.

[baranyandi.livejournal.com]

Yeah, where *are* those post-episode whump tags? Anyone? Please? :)

[wraithfodder.livejournal.com]

I know. I'm like, where are my fav authors writing great tags??

[baranyandi.livejournal.com]

Unfortunately I guess this is a sign o'the times.

But I am sorely, sorely missing those tags now... This could be just the type of non-heavy whump I like, with the rest of the team injured to the extent of the fic writer's liking, Shep suffering from a concussion or whatever, tired, running on nervous energy (have you *seen* his hands in that last scene?)... Yum. C'mon, sounds tempting, isn't it?

[wraithfodder.livejournal.com]

i'm trying to think of something to write, then find time and inclination to write!