402 - Lifeline Options Rating

[Revan]

The Ancients probably deactivated the code when they realized yet another of their plans had gone belly-up.

Its as easy as putting percent symbols around code in matlab, or, if I recall correctly, in front in Visual Basic.

Basically you put symbols in the coding, so the computer ignores the lines inside those symbols.

[JTMAG1]

Speculation is still speculation. Just because it came from the main characters doesn't automatically make said speculation true.

Maybe not, but it is logical to assume that the writers had them say it for a reason, unless, M & M are doing the writing.

Thank you, that's what I mean. This conversation has gone on here before. The writers have to talk to us through the characters. There are Characters that we are supposed to trust. The main characters are usually telling the truth. Their ideas and plans are usually right, until they are said to be wrong.

The Ancients probably deactivated the code when they realized yet another of their plans had gone belly-up.

Its as easy as putting percent symbols around code in matlab, or, if I recall correctly, in front in Visual Basic.

Basically you put symbols in the coding, so the computer ignores the lines inside those symbols.

Yes, it's rediculously easy to admit certain parts of the code.

And Lancelot, There isn't really a simpler way to describe Faraday's Theoretical limit. If you understand the other laws and theories, it kinda just comes together.

[Dave312]

And Lancelot, There isn't really a simpler way to describe Faraday's Theoretical limit. If you understand the other laws and theories, it kinda just comes together.

Faraday's Theoretical Limit? Is that something to do his laws on magnetic flux etc? Its been a while since I've studied that sort of physics.

Despite what most people have said, I quite liked this episode. Very enjoyable. I agree with people on how it was SG-1 like, but i still thought it was good. Some nice shots of the Asuran City too.

As far as the next episode being a filler, it doesn't worry me. They need an episode to set up the framework for the rest of the season. Like Carter coming back and taking charge.

[Auntie Em!]

So they would not use Weirs super powers to get them out of any jams eh! It only took to the next episode to prove that belief wrong. Give me a break. The problem with Atlantis is that the writers and producers come from SG-1 and are stuck for new ideals. They make up these impossible jeapardy scenariels and than come up with dumbass ways out that only leave them in more of a writting jam later on.

I knew that Apollo would come to their rescue. That was just to damned easy.

Why did the producers get rid of Weir for another character who is military
I thought that Atlantis was suppose to be a civilian run project (hence the international flags on everyones shoulders). So now the one running Atlantis is a col. and so what happens to Sheppard?

I think that the fact that they went back for the stupid code instead of getting the ZPM back to their friends who were DYING if to far fetched to be believed. I mean come on.

This is why one of the producers needs to be RDA. "Don't treat the audience like they are dumb. Because they are not!"

I do agree with Invisible that the sunset at the end was beautiful.

PS to the producers and writers ....send Carter back to SG1 and give us back Weir.

This post has been edited by Auntie Em!: Oct 15th 2007, 12:29 AM

[Pitry]

Lifeline:
Rodney: Technobabble technobabble technobabble! Technobabble technobabble. Technobabble?
Sheppard: What?
Weir: Look, I'm Ford! But I have hair.
Teyla: Am I getting paid for this episode?
Ronon: growl.
Rodney: technobabble technobabble! Replicators!!
Sheppard: what?
CGI people: look, it's hard to outdo what we did last year.
Teyla: Dr Lee is more in this episode than I am. Are you sure I'm getting paid for this?!
Rodney: Let's do something real dumb cos the writers wantedc this to be a two parter and well, we're only 10 minutes into the episode.
Weir: Look! I'm Daniel and Ford!
CGI people: we're trying!
Ronon: Growl.
Dr. Lee: I'm more in this episode than Teyla is, ha!
Carter: I can be just very little in this episode cos the viewers already know I'm a regular now instead of Weir because of the opening credits.
Rodney: Technobabble!
CGI People: okay okay. We can't undo First strike, especially with the amount you're paying us. But look, since Atlantis moved it's a wonderful opportunity to have all new backgrounds. Look! Another moon! Shiney!
Keller: I'm not in this one, I think.
Teyla: Neither am I.
Ronon: agreement growl.
Sheppard: congrats for the promotion, cos we're not sure if the movies or SGA is going to be on first so we can't actually say anything about when this happened and why, just contragts. Oh, and did I mention Elizabeth is Ford? I just said we're going to find her! Just like we did Ford! Hold on, was he even in season 3?
Teyla: Well, no. But neither was I, really.
CGI people: look! Mat paintings!
Pitry: I'm hoping Reunion is better.

[wonderland]

Pitry: I'm hoping Reunion is better.

Don't hold your breath, darling. On an up note, that was hilarious.

[Rogue Ashrak]

That's hilarious Pitry! A tad unfair perhaps ( I Didn't think the ep was that bad really), but funny all the same.

I'm sure you could pull similar things with a lot of eps Rehashed plotlines are pretty standard, as many people have pointed out, total originality is hard to come by these days. Theres only so many types of story that can be told. They key to how good the story is, is the unique spin put on it, which I think they did fairly well here.

[Revan]

Given scifi has done pretty much everything up to this point, it is difficult to make a storyline that doesn't have elements from others.

I was happy with it, and I definitely didn't think it was as bad as Pitry seems to think.

[Invisible Painting]

Given scifi has done pretty much everything up to this point, it is difficult to make a storyline that doesn't have elements from others.

Storylines that sci fi has told fair enough, but stories that THIS SHOW has told? That's where it's starting to draw a line, they have shown that they can do original scripts and episode ideas (Bad guys, 200, Unending (well it was good anyway) Sunday) they can. But are used to the universe in which they created and these writers a lot who have been on the show for 7+ years have gotten so used to that way of thinking that naturally they come round to the same ideas again. They need to freshen it up a bit. Half of SG-1 season 9 plots were rehash's. Or at least if you do re do an idea try to tell it in a different way, or from a different perspective

» Click to Show Spoiler «

Which they tried with Doppleganger, but as it was an episode point it came off better then some of their other ideas have.

But often their story ideas are just told in the same way, like with Weir sacraficing herself by controlling the replicater and freezing them all to let SG-1 sorry, Sheppard and Ronan escape. It was very similar. Quite a good episode, I feel they could have handled Weir's departure better as I've said (A.k.a not make it seem like she'd come back the next episode). But still quite a good ep imo. And yes Pitry that as funny

This post has been edited by Invisible Painting: Oct 15th 2007, 1:15 PM

[Revan]

When a show goes for ten years, you tend to run out of possible storylines. Well okay, not necessarily, but when you are limited in what you can tell, like Stargate is, for whatever reason, you have to find new ways to tell old stories. I think they are doing a good job of it.

[Invisible Painting]

When a show goes for ten years, you tend to run out of possible storylines. Well okay, not necessarily, but when you are limited in what you can tell, like Stargate is, for whatever reason, you have to find new ways to tell old stories. I think they are doing a good job of it.

Nah, they're not. Plot exclusive stories (say like dominion, where it's the characters specific to that show dominate the story. They're generally original) But 20 story ideas a year that are original? How hard is that, if you ave an idea that you think maybe is a bit similar work around with it so it's different. It's not that hard. Some of their ideas they can tell in new ways, and that's good, but old ideas told in the same way? What's the point in that? You're not really telling much that you haven't before. Maybe tell this sequence from the Replicator POV (not sugesting it, but it's an example) and suddenly it's differen't. It's the fact that both episodes were told in the same way, with the same things happening with the same consequences and character loss ect.

The Road Not Taken is an example for instance, as soon as Carter was dragged into another dimension I thought 'Oh here we go again....' but the direction that episode took with the political meanings and implications set it apart and it had more of a point of existing as an episode and was a good one as a result of that. Had they just had it the same as Point of View with it becoming purely about trying to hold off an Ori invasion suddenly it would have lost some of (most of it's) ground. But it didn't and held up well. That wasn't present here and we were presented with the same scenereo told the same way. Nothing really that much differen't, and doesn't show that much artistic licence. Sometimes they can do it well, but they didn't really here.

[Parmenides]

Original writing requires original writers. It doesn't take that much effort to come up with twenty or so original episode ideas per year, especially if you make most of them arc stories, rather than filler. What's so hard about achieving that?

[JTMAG1]

Original writing requires original writers. It doesn't take that much effort to come up with twenty or so original episode ideas per year, especially if you make most of them arc stories, rather than filler. What's so hard about achieving that?

Because, if every ep were an Arc ep, then you would get a story that should be told in 10 eps told in 20 eps you end up with something like Heroes...

[Invisible Painting]

Because, if every ep were an Arc ep, then you would get a story that should be told in 10 eps told in 20 eps you end up with something like Heroes...

To be honest the way they did it in season 9 was good, the first half of te season was very arc heavy but there were individual stories there as well. And keeping episodes related to the arc like the next one reunion is is a good way of doing it. But when you have individual episodes (which they should have, it's the way of the show) there should be a point to them existing and they should do something new or offer something new. Not fully arcy but I don't believe that's what Parminedes meant.

[Parmenides]

Because, if every ep were an Arc ep, then you would get a story that should be told in 10 eps told in 20 eps you end up with something like Heroes...

Sure, if you write a ten episode arc.

An intricate, compelling, twenty or so episode arc isn't unachievable. I'm not saying I abhor filler episodes or anything, but there should definitely be more arc than filler stories.

I fear we've gotten too used to "short" writing.

[Invisible Painting]

My policy is as long as the 'filler' episode is good then I don't mind, but when we get crap we KNOW that a more arc based episode would be better watching. For instance in season 10 we got Family Ties and Dominion, family ties was ok, there are worse episodes but it was written under the knowledge that there would only be three episodes left. Dominion was great, and had some great plot/arc points to it. Now, would you rather get Family ties and then Dominion, or Dominion fleshed out a bit more and have that as a two parter and get rid of Family Ties? I know what I'd prefere. If they'd thought all the decisions through and put that more arcy story it would have been a better end to the season, and instead we got 4 non Ori related stories in a row, where it wasn't needed and would have been better with. Individual episodes are great, as long as they's a point to them basically. The show should have individual ones, but when you haven't had Arcy related ones for 4 episodes and then they give us Uninvited, is that really needed, or would an arc one be better? (I'm not saying I dislike uninvited, I don't) If they just give us a few more arcy episodes then there would be less fillers for them to make and they'd be less likely to be just repeats of older ones.

This post has been edited by Invisible Painting: Oct 16th 2007, 12:38 PM

[Jade]

I think this is pretty good, (but maybe my standard has become really low)
Some bits were predictable, like the tablet, I knew it was not gonna work straight away, and when did Shepard got so smart that he can now understand what the hell Mackay is talking about and fix the problem.
The Weir over powering Oberon was cool, nice twist. I guess if from now on, Ausran and Wraith starting fighting each other, than her sacrifice would be worth a while.
And maybe this would mean there will be more interesting and new plot ahead in this season

[JC1]

I thought it was a fairly good episode, not great but better than the last one. There was a bit more action and story development. Starting a war between the Wraith and the Replicators should be intresting. I did find McKay very annoying, there was just too much technobable. And Weirs situation is a bit too much like Fords.

I was wondering where the Replicators got a fleet of ships to launch against the Wraith, considering the Apollo was supposed to have destroyed their fleet in "First Strike." But it seems they can cloak their ships, so I guess they had a few cloaked ships already built, that the Apollo missed.

Considering the ease at which McKay was able activate the Replicators command to attack the Wraith, it makes me wonder why the Ancients didn't do it 10,000 years ago. Back then the Replcators couldn't alter their base code or attack the the Ancients, so why not use the weapon they created?

[Revan]

Considering the ease at which McKay was able activate the Replicators command to attack the Wraith, it makes me wonder why the Ancients didn't do it 10,000 years ago. Back then the Replcators couldn't alter their base code or attack the the Ancients, so why not use the weapon they created?

They were already gone.

Reunion spoilers:

» Click to Show Spoiler «

We find out that the Wraith originally deactivated the command line. Because Rodney has now altered the Asuran programming, the Wraith are unable to disable the coding again.

The Wraith had driven the Ancients out, and found they had a new enemy, one which could not be fed upon, to deal with.

[Dafmeister]

I can't say I was overly impressed with this episode. Episode 1 and 2 could easily have been condensed into one episode. Everything that happened was pretty predictable, except for Weir remaining on the Asuran homeworld.

[JTMAG1]

...and when did Shepard got so smart that he can now understand what the hell Mackay is talking about and fix the problem.

Well, we know that he is smart enough, but the technical knowhow should have escaped him. I was wondering why Mckay didn't just do it remotely with his laptop.

[nitehawk]

Did anyone else notice that when the apollo was being attached by the replicator ship there wasn't the usual array of over the top smoke, fires and electrical shorts. The crew were also quite calm when dealing with a technologically superior race in battle for the first time.

Seeing as wraith ships seem to deplete earth shields fairly fast in battle, ancient ships are more powerful than wraith ships, and the replicator fleet having an extra 10000 years to evolve their tech would have better weapons than the ancients. It seems the Apollo received a quantam leap in abilities. Lets see what happens when the Apollo takes on the wraith next

edit: although we don't know what asgard technology the apollo currently has activated.

This post has been edited by nitehawk: Oct 19th 2007, 8:02 AM

[Invisible Painting]

Did anyone else notice that when the apollo was being attached by the replicator ship there wasn't the usual array of over the top smoke, fires and electrical shorts. The crew were also quite calm when dealing with a technologically superior race in battle for the first time.

Seeing as wraith ships seem to deplete earth shields fairly fast in battle, ancient ships are more powerful than wraith ships, and the replicator fleet having an extra 10000 years to evolve their tech would have better weapons than the ancients. It seems the Apollo received a quantam leap in abilities. Lets see what happens when the Apollo takes on the wraith next

edit: although we don't know what asgard technology the apollo currently has activated.

I think they just realised that steam probably wouldn't come out of a ship that isn't powered by steam I think maybe they realised that given Asgard shields are really advanced that they wouldn't duplete and blow all the said-steam-pipes after they were hit by two energy beams. They only do it to look good, but I feel they thought it wasn't necessary here.

[nitehawk]

I think they just realised that steam probably wouldn't come out of a ship that isn't powered by steam I think maybe they realised that given Asgard shields are really advanced that they wouldn't duplete and blow all the said-steam-pipes after they were hit by two energy beams. They only do it to look good, but I feel they thought it wasn't necessary here.

LMFAO. Sums up my thoughts exactly.