S1 E001 - Air

Hey,

Well the first episode (and the second but I'll write about that later), of Stargate Universe was on yesterday and here's my review. Just to let you know, I'll be giving an overview of each episode and it's events so spoliers will follow. Then after that I'll give my review.


So on with the episode.
As the first episode of this new series we were graced with the presence of three quarters of SG-1. Richard Dean Anderson, Amanda Tapping and of course Micheal Shanks. Sadly Christopher Judge did not appear. The scene was opened with our first views of the Starship 'Destiny'. The lights all turn on along the corridors and we get a clear view of the Stargate. Almost immediately we see First Lieutenant Matthew Scott fly through the open wormhole. Afterwards more and more people start flying through. Soon we see Dr. Nicholas Rush come through and unlike everyone else who is confused by what happened, he smirks. Not a good start for his character at all. It makes me think, 'what's his story'. The final person to come through the stargate is Colonel Everett Young, he is badly injured and for a short period of time, can't feel his legs.

Don't worry people...he does walk again!

When everyone is through, Lieutenant Scott quickly asserts himself as leader and with the help of Lieutenant Johansen, calms everybody down. As this is going on we flash back to a house. We are introduced to Eli Wallace, an overweight slob who quickly wins the viewers hearts over. We see him playing a computer game and telling his friend he, 'just cracked a code' to get through the level. When he enters in the code his computer goes back to the beginning of the game. His friend doesn't believe he figured it out and they finish their visual call. Not long after Eli opens his door to Maj. Gen Jack O'Neill and Dr. Nicholas Rush. They explain that they embedded a mathematical code within the game, hoping someone would crack it. He's asked to sign a non-disclosure agreement but Eli becomes uncomfortable with the offer. When he closes the door on the men he walks upstairs and is promptly beamed up to a ship. From here he is told that his mother will be looked after and we see him learn more about the Stargate's history. This was done through a series of educational videos starring Micheal Shanks. There seem to be a lot of them.

Eventually they reach a planet and facility they have dubbed 'The Icarus Project'. Doomed to fall if you think about it. I mean really, Icarus?
We are given a small look around the facility and the stargate. Dr. Rush orders the personnel to start the dialing sequence while Eli looks on amazed. Let's not forget...the mathematical problem Eli solved gave the scientists the way to dial a 9 chevron gate address. Previously the most chevrons ever dialled was 8, talking the person to another Galaxy. 9 chevron's as we find out will take you many Galaxy's further. After all, the Pegasus Galaxy was just outside our own and the Atlantis team were able to gate back to Earth using the intergalactic gate system. Definitely not something that will be able to be done from the new location.

When the gate technician(really a Lieutenant) calls out the 8 chevron has locked everyone waits with baited breath...the 9th chevron does not lock. Dr. Rush becomes irritated and insinuates that the fault was Eli's. We see Dr. Rush leave the gate room for his private quarters. He listens to opera music and takes out a picture. As he looks at the picture he begins to cry. This short scene gives another dimension to his character. Perhaps he's not a 'bad' person...maybe he's just had bad things happen to him. His character obviously has a story, that's for sure. Truthfully I think all of our main cast have difficult stories. While the other two Stargate series gave us information about the characters past, I believe that this series will go far more in depth into the characters histories.

Through out the rest of the episode we see Eli meet a good looking girl, Chloe Armstrong. She is the daughter of the US Senator also present at the base. The two talk but not much is said. Once again Eli feels awkward as everyone seems to know everything about him. Eli and Dr. Rush continue to look for the 9 chevron gate address. Eli makes fun of Dr. Rush for his use of a white Board while they were surrounded by computers. While not very confident he does insist that his proof was right, after all...they had already said so.

While this is going on we go back to 'Destiny' and see everyone getting patched up. The Senator is having trouble with his heart or his breathing and takes some pills he carries on him. Everyone seems to be very confused still. I think that when they filmed the episode the flashbacks were meant to take place over an amount of time while the present events are happening in seconds.

We also get some short flashbacks from other characters. For example, when Lieutenant Johansen looks at Camile Wray we see a very uncomfortable scene between the two of them; from what I can understand, Lieutenant Johansen is trying to get out of the Air Force and is looking for or got a scholarship somewhere. Maybe she's not trying to get out of the Air Force but just didn't want that mission in particular...that seems to make sense. I'm sure we'll find out in time. None the less, the two women do not look happy with each other.

Another flashback we get is from Colonel Young. He's in the kitchen with his wife and they are arguing. She believes that he is choosing his career over her. He reassures her otherwise...but we are left with the feeling of an unresolved issue. We also worry over his health after he collapses slightly.

When everything is calm on the planet for a few minuets the settlement is bombarded. We flash to a ship with Amanda Tapping alerting the ground personnel they are under attack. She believes it's the Lucian Alliance. The planet's core is unstable and such brutal bombardment causes the plant to implode. Before that however the people must be evacuated. At one stage Senator Armstrong is separated from his daughter when a wall or ceiling caves in. They are blasted out and they all make it to the gate room. The gate is on but surprise, surprise it's not going to Earth.

Eli convinces Dr. Rush that the 9th chevron needs to be the symbol for Earth. The Tau'ri. As we all know the final symbol of a gate address needs to be the point of origin but Eli believes that in this case the address is also a code. This is why the 9th symbol is not the point of origin. Dr. Rush recognises this as his last opportunity to dial the 9 symbol address and dials it himself.

Everyone is rushed through, carrying as many supplies as possible and Colonel Young is last through, an explosion pushing him through at the last second. We are now up to date with our first scenes of the episode.

If only that was the end of the torture...but is it ever. ;)
Life support is failing on the ship and it is also damaged in several area's, venting atmosphere.
When Dr. Rush tries to fix the problem initially we see Eli telling him, 'no!', and Lieutenant Scott rushes in to see Sergeant Greer holding a P90 to Dr. Rush. From what we've seen of Sergeant Greer, he is short tempered and some what of a trouble maker. When everyone was rushing through the planet base, Greer had to be released from a small room. What he was being punished for we don't know.

Lieutenant Scott calms him down and despite Eli's warning against it, Dr. Rush presses the button to help the life support get back on-line. Nothing happens. We do find out that they're several BILLION light years from home.

Our last images of the episode are between Col.Carter and Maj.Gen O'Neill with some Walter thrown in. Col.Carter is reporting the attack but explains that due to the material in the walls of the facility, they were unable to beem anybody up. She asks how many got through on Earth side as the scanners detected the gate was open a full 7 minutes, but Maj.Gen O'Neill says 'None'. The last thing said is: Col.Carter, "So where'd they go?"

End episode.

Well, my thoughts on this? It's was filmed very well. Certainly exciting. However there are one or two points to note. If I was someone who had just turned this on and had a basic or no understanding of the previous series I wouldn't have had a clue what was going on. It was quiet confusing in that sense. Maybe as we get further into the story and they make new discoveries someone who has just started watching will be able to pick it it. Even as an avid fan I had to run things through my head once or twice.

Secondly...the theme tune. WHAT WERE THEY THINKING?! The SG-1 theme tune was really good...hum worthy as Amanda Tapping proved. The Atlantis theme tune was also quiet good. Right now though SGU doesn't even have good pictures to go with their music. If they don't want to give anything away just do what Atlantis does and have the characters appear and fade out over an image.

Otherwise, I'm loving it. Eli is fast becoming a favourite, along with Lieutenant Scott and Lieutenant Johansen.