OMG SGA 2x19 - Inferno

[amalthia]

OMG this episode was fucking brilliant!!! Why can't all the episodes of SGA be this good????? in just 45 minutes this episode has taken first place as the best episode of season 2. It had everything, the snark, the jealousy, the plot, the cool ship, the blonde wasn't obnoxious, Rodney and John's scenes together, naming the ship!!! Ronon and Teyla were great. Elizabeth sold her scenes. Caldwell was spot on. I'm just freaking amazed at how much they were able to put into this show and keep the tension going.

I really don't know how the last episode of the season is going to top this episode.

Anyway this episode felt like a real gift to all McKay/Sheppard slashers. Though the two guys kind of fought over the girl and tried to impress her...it's like all episodes where a girl is thrown in the mix, it only makes the guys look even gayer than before.

I knew when I saw the ship and the gate got sucked into the cgi lava that they'd have to find some way to fix the ship but I still loved the chaos of all the people running, the poison gas, Rodney's look of relief when Sheppard turns up alive and in one piece. the nail!!!

I didn't mind the technobable at all, in fact the plan sounded good to me. I just loved this episode. I'm going to have to watch it agian, and when my husband gets back another time, there was so much happening this episode, looks characters give some characters behind their back..cough...john...cough...rodney. the thigh slapping, did I mention I loved Teyla and Ronon in this episode? their scenes together worked.

basically, great character moments, humor, drama, action, cool special effects, tension (I knew they'd survive I just didn't know how) but I felt like the characters were scared for their teammate's lives so that worked for me. If there were plot holes I didn't notice them. But then again I could have been reeling from all the scenes of Rodney and Sheppard in the same room together and missed something vital.

I need to find out who wrote this episode I think Martin Gero wrote it but I could be wrong...maybe they got a new writer on their staff. It's just funny how the first episodes of the new season are kind of blah and actually some were blah in the later half...and then this gem of an episode comes along and reminds me of why I love SGA. I'm not sure why some episodes are stronger than others....but I'm just glad this one worked for me on all levels.

EDIT: Carl Binder wrote this episode. He also wrote the episode Michael. damn he's good. (I know some people didn't like Michael (for various reasons) but I thought it was a brilliant episode, if you could ignore the bad science and just watch the character's interactions. I did say I wanted to see an episode from another character's pov so you can see how Sheppard's team looks from another pov....just didn't expect them to kind of look like the bad guys, I loved that they were able to make Michael into a sympathetic character)

another edit: other episodes Carol Binder wrote that I loved. Before I Sleep, Aurora, and Letters from Pegasus. he also wrote Critical Mass, which would have been a great episode if they cut out the B plot. Condemned was okay, I loved some parts of the episode...but it was one of the more forgettable episodes of season 2 in my book. Anyway he totally redeemed himself with this episode (um Inferno).

Comments

[krabbypatty.livejournal.com]

*squee* I'm so happy! I was wondering what this ep would be like, because I haven't found any spoilers other than the vague description of the ep on the net so far. It's like it was kept secret or something, and if it's as awesome as you make it sound, then I'm glad it was kept spoiler free. Now I just need to wait for someone to produce a dialup version!

[amalthia]

rofl...you just ruined the whole point of being spoiler free...lol actually I don't think it really matters if you konw the plot because the best parts of the show is the dialogue and the looks and the doing stuff behind other people's backs. that's what made this episode really stand out, that and hte plot was actually entertaining. I mean I knew it was going to be about a volcano planet....but the description didn't really interest me so it really was a pleasant surprise when the the episode turned out to be really good.

[krabbypatty.livejournal.com]

heh, I love to read spoilers. Since the eps have been airing in canada early, I've read a ton of reviews before actually watching the eps.

I knew it was going to be about a volcano planet
yeah that and who the guest actress was, were all i knew about this ep, and I didn't think a volcano could make a good ep. Glad to know I was wrong!

[mcalex22.livejournal.com]

Hehe, I saw your post and resisted the temptation to read it until after I've seen it and OMG I was COMPLETELY BOWLED OVER by this episode!!!

You're absolutely correct - I didn't think it could get better but it's THE BEST episode I've seen all season!

So much John and Rodney and they were both so CUTE fighting over the girl... sheesh, John really is Kirk and I felt sorry for Rodney, probably knowing that he was losing to John. And the two of them kept bickering over the girl even after returning to Atlantis.

And she just looked amused...

I'm going to write something in my LJ later... but rewatching it now.

Squee.... :D

[cross-stitchery.livejournal.com]

Carl Binder wrote this episode

god, i'm so confused i think my head might explode. he wrote the two SGA eps i hate the most - Critical Mass and Condemned - and the two i love the most - Michael and this one. and the others you mention, they're among my favourites. it seems like he either hits it spot on, or makes a complete hash of the ep.

[amalthia]

yeah I was confused too, it seems either he does a excellent job or a really piss poor one, no middle ground.

[kalikahuntress.livejournal.com]

I rechecked Condemned and he co-wrote it with some other guy that Im not familiar with which explains why Condemned is Binder's weakest ep even though i really liked it.
Critical Mass I enjoyed quite a bit but it also suffered from the fact that he had to make it a crossover ep.

[cross-stitchery.livejournal.com]

my problem with Critical Mass was how badly the whole story was handled, especially since it had such a serious and contentious issue - the torture of Kavanaugh. not to mention, of course, the relevance to current events. i didn't object to the torture per se - how else do you get debate on moral issues started if not by having the characters put in the position of having to make these kinds of decisions? but i do think it should be handled responsibly, and this wasn't done, imo.

the whole B story was unnecessary and intrusive. it would have been better to drop it altogether and devote more time to the main plot. that was just plain bad writing.

with Condemned, i just felt it was heavy handed, and the decision to allow the prisoners to escape and thus bring down the Wraith on the rest of the population was presented in such a black and white manner - no debate as to whether this was the right course of action - that i really objected to the whole ep.

it did bring up one interesting idea - that individual Wraith could make some kind of accomodation with humans - that i would love to see followed up. and in fact 'Michael' could be used to further that premise. if they intend to do that. i'll be interested to see what happens.

actually, the Michael ep reminded me of a Star Trek TNG ep where a young Borg got "humanised" but ended up having to return to the Borg. later we learn that because of this the whole Borg civilisation began to change. i can't help wondering (given all the Trekkie references) whether this is where they plan to go, since the Wraith have the same kind of 'hive' mind.