SG-1" "The Road Not Taken" and IM notice
May. 1st, 2007 07:25 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
moonshaydeFinally, I am awake enough to post some thoughts. And I'm procrastinating so...
I thought it was an interesting episode and it was good, but I don't like my shows preaching at me.
That about sums it up.
Seriously. I have absolutely nothing against the message. I think dialogue on freedoms, sacrifice, and the missteps that can be made along the way are really important things to talk about and consider. I just really didn't like how TPTB handled the message and how heavy handed it was. Usually, I find they are much better with that sort of thing without getting preachy.
However, I still enjoyed the episode. I don't think they should have rushed the actual "tackle the problem" part of the episode because I felt that was just as important, but oh well. And the end seemed very rushed.
That said, it was so so nice to see an AU where Sam wasn't attached to Jack. This isn't a slam against Sam/Jack or Sam/Jack shippers, but I just feel that AUs are about infinite possibilties. For the same thing to happen in every AU is a bit dull. So the change was sweet. Again, not too keen on every AU being about Sam's romantic entanglements -- can't we have an episode where we get a single AU Sam who is not defined by the men in her life -- but I felt that this AU did a very good job of showing Sam as a confident scientist who sticks to her morals and considers things she might not have wanted to consider. And the ship aspect was not the main component. (Much like There But For the Grace of God -- the Sam/Jack in that episode was nicely done.)
Nice to see Lorne, but I'm not a Lorne squeeworthy person. I don't get the Lorne fascination.
Rodney was awesome. I loved him. That says a lot. I only usually just like Rodney.
Hank fascinated me. I'm going to be unpopular here. I like Landry. He's certainly no Hammond or Jack, but I don't want him to be. Hank definitely has this darker, more ruthless streak in him. Does this make him a bad general? No. Does this make him a bad leader for the SGC? No. But it does make him different. And in a situation like we saw in this AU, I can buy him slipping down that slope. It worked.
I tend to run with the theory that Jack knew what he was doing when he appointed Landry as head of the SGC. First, well, he was a friend and general and I don't think anyone had the foresight to see something as grave as the Ori coming in. Otherwise, I think Jack would still be running the SGC. However, since Landry was there when the crisis struck (both AUs) I think the right call was made to keep Landry there. Landry will fight for the country, the base and the people inside and outside the mountain. However, he's a lot more harsh in tone and he'll do what it takes to fight the Ori. This is exactly the toughness that is needed against the Ori. Sure, Landry makes some mistakes. He's way too lax on some things that Hammond and even Jack would not be. But he's right for the job. I think Jack was fully aware that he needed to have someone with that kind of outlook to take his place. Jack was a great general, especially a field general, but he had obvious bias and attachment to SG-1. For him to effectively do his job, he needed some distance. And everyone was leaving as far as he was concerned anyway. So it all fits,imo. Jack can still watch Landry and keep him in check. It makes me wonder what the AU Jack was doing or if he was even alive.
Speaking of which, it was odd that there was no Jack mention. But I loved the Daniel mention.
Sam asking for Daniel right away made sense to me. See it as shippy or friendship, I am talking about from a plot angle. Daniel has experienced more than one AU before and he would be the most likely to sympathize with Sam at that point. It was a nice reminder of how they work well together. And Sam asked about him at the beginning and the end too! They miss Daniel *sniff*
Much love for Lee.
And Cam? God, I love Cam so much. And the return of the wig of doom gave me the chuckles.
Best part? HAMMOND. I was spoiled by Sam/Rodney, but I had no clue that Hammond was in it. Squee for Hammond!!!!!!!
Anyway, I did indeed enjoy the episode. Interesting despite its flaws. I had fun with it and I thought Sam was fantastic in it. The end scene with the team sans Daniel was too cute. Doesn't Sam just rock this year?
That's 3 for 3! Can The Shroud make it 4 for 4?
Oh, and btw,![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-syndicated.gif)
6beforelunch's post reminds me that I don't talk to my flist enough. If you are ever bored, please feel free to IM me -- Essieliv -- anytime if you have AIM and you see me online. I love to talk, especially about SG-1 and writing. (But I'll chat about anything.)
I thought it was an interesting episode and it was good, but I don't like my shows preaching at me.
That about sums it up.
Seriously. I have absolutely nothing against the message. I think dialogue on freedoms, sacrifice, and the missteps that can be made along the way are really important things to talk about and consider. I just really didn't like how TPTB handled the message and how heavy handed it was. Usually, I find they are much better with that sort of thing without getting preachy.
However, I still enjoyed the episode. I don't think they should have rushed the actual "tackle the problem" part of the episode because I felt that was just as important, but oh well. And the end seemed very rushed.
That said, it was so so nice to see an AU where Sam wasn't attached to Jack. This isn't a slam against Sam/Jack or Sam/Jack shippers, but I just feel that AUs are about infinite possibilties. For the same thing to happen in every AU is a bit dull. So the change was sweet. Again, not too keen on every AU being about Sam's romantic entanglements -- can't we have an episode where we get a single AU Sam who is not defined by the men in her life -- but I felt that this AU did a very good job of showing Sam as a confident scientist who sticks to her morals and considers things she might not have wanted to consider. And the ship aspect was not the main component. (Much like There But For the Grace of God -- the Sam/Jack in that episode was nicely done.)
Nice to see Lorne, but I'm not a Lorne squeeworthy person. I don't get the Lorne fascination.
Rodney was awesome. I loved him. That says a lot. I only usually just like Rodney.
Hank fascinated me. I'm going to be unpopular here. I like Landry. He's certainly no Hammond or Jack, but I don't want him to be. Hank definitely has this darker, more ruthless streak in him. Does this make him a bad general? No. Does this make him a bad leader for the SGC? No. But it does make him different. And in a situation like we saw in this AU, I can buy him slipping down that slope. It worked.
I tend to run with the theory that Jack knew what he was doing when he appointed Landry as head of the SGC. First, well, he was a friend and general and I don't think anyone had the foresight to see something as grave as the Ori coming in. Otherwise, I think Jack would still be running the SGC. However, since Landry was there when the crisis struck (both AUs) I think the right call was made to keep Landry there. Landry will fight for the country, the base and the people inside and outside the mountain. However, he's a lot more harsh in tone and he'll do what it takes to fight the Ori. This is exactly the toughness that is needed against the Ori. Sure, Landry makes some mistakes. He's way too lax on some things that Hammond and even Jack would not be. But he's right for the job. I think Jack was fully aware that he needed to have someone with that kind of outlook to take his place. Jack was a great general, especially a field general, but he had obvious bias and attachment to SG-1. For him to effectively do his job, he needed some distance. And everyone was leaving as far as he was concerned anyway. So it all fits,imo. Jack can still watch Landry and keep him in check. It makes me wonder what the AU Jack was doing or if he was even alive.
Speaking of which, it was odd that there was no Jack mention. But I loved the Daniel mention.
Sam asking for Daniel right away made sense to me. See it as shippy or friendship, I am talking about from a plot angle. Daniel has experienced more than one AU before and he would be the most likely to sympathize with Sam at that point. It was a nice reminder of how they work well together. And Sam asked about him at the beginning and the end too! They miss Daniel *sniff*
Much love for Lee.
And Cam? God, I love Cam so much. And the return of the wig of doom gave me the chuckles.
Best part? HAMMOND. I was spoiled by Sam/Rodney, but I had no clue that Hammond was in it. Squee for Hammond!!!!!!!
Anyway, I did indeed enjoy the episode. Interesting despite its flaws. I had fun with it and I thought Sam was fantastic in it. The end scene with the team sans Daniel was too cute. Doesn't Sam just rock this year?
That's 3 for 3! Can The Shroud make it 4 for 4?
Oh, and btw,
6beforelunch's post reminds me that I don't talk to my flist enough. If you are ever bored, please feel free to IM me -- Essieliv -- anytime if you have AIM and you see me online. I love to talk, especially about SG-1 and writing. (But I'll chat about anything.)
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2007-05-02 12:55 am (UTC)I do like your thoughts on Landry. Of Hammond, Jack, and he - he is the one I can see slipping down the slope. I still not sure I like him though, I can respect him, but don't like him.
And I am so with you on the preaching thing. Yet I am glad it was *Sam* who stood up for Truth Justice and all that jazz. Usually it is Daniel. Oh - and Sam had boobs - which was great they showed it.
no subject
Date: 2007-05-02 01:18 am (UTC)Evenso, I'm still not sure I liked this episode. I absolutely loved Sam getting an episode, but it felt like two different episodes crammed into one hour.
Also, Hammond in the ep was just awesomely awesome.
no subject
Date: 2007-05-02 04:02 am (UTC)Back atcha. I'm (originally enough) stargazercmc.
no subject
Date: 2007-05-02 08:16 am (UTC)Anyway, I didn't like this episode so much. I very much agree with you about The Message and event though the end was really cute, I didn't feel that it redeemed it. I found Sam really...boring. Almost to the point of not being able to watch her. Which annoyed me, because "Line in the Sand" blew me away.
I can't wait to hear what you thought of "The Shroud". *evils*
no subject
Date: 2007-05-02 09:57 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-05-02 09:59 pm (UTC)And you know, I don't recall ever feeling like SG-1 has preached at me before. Daniel can go off a little, but that is in his character so it doesn't bother me. This was a different kind of preachy. I appreciate the message, but preachy, man. Preachy.
no subject
Date: 2007-05-02 09:59 pm (UTC)I added you though :)
no subject
Date: 2007-05-02 10:02 pm (UTC)I still enjoyed the episode though. Maybe because it was such a different kind of AU. Sam didn't bore me, but I felt they should have focused more on the problems in the episode instead of parading Sam around here and there. I found those parts boring. More story and less preaching, please. But even so, I did enjoy it. Doesn't compare at all to "Line in the Sand" though.
I am afraid of "The Shroud." We shall see...
no subject
Date: 2007-05-07 04:50 am (UTC)I agree with you about this. :-) Sam and Jack were each their own character in this and not attached at the hip and while their stories intersected, they were not dependent upon each other.
I'm going to be unpopular here. I like Landry.
I like Landry, too--or, well, I like him as a character, especially in season 9. :-)