The Siege Part II

DVD, Stargate Atlantis S1 (The Siege Part II)

It had to end on a cliffhanger, it's the rules, and it worked pretty well in getting to a point of failure, where it appears that only sacrifice can be achieved, Major Sheppard bravely and selflessly flying a Jumper to take out one of the remaining Hive ships, even though there's still another after that to be dealt with. As a finale it's close to living up to the expectation the weight of a whole season has put on it - we knew early on that The Wraith were going to come at some point and they had to pay that off, so it's a suitably chaotic battle - though they obviously couldn't afford to go the full 'Star Wars,' they make a good stab at a convincing melee attack as dart ships speed down in to attack the city. What I didn't expect, or only in some form, but not directly, was a 'gate in from Stargate Command reinforcements, the ZPM found in the final episode of 'SG-1' tying neatly into the ability to open a wormhole between the galaxies and send a team, led by the brisk, but upbeat Colonel Everett, with a plan of defence. As any change in command striding in and upsetting the status quo would do, he shakes things up and doesn't initially blend with Sheppard (whom he has a slight grudge about since he shot his good friend, Colonel Sumner), and Weir, expecting military obedience, despite not being in full experience of the situation and city, as they are, but wisely they didn't dwell too much on the civilian versus military angle, just enough for a few people to be nibbled.

Things soon settle into a more cooperative atmosphere when Everett sees the kind of people who have been running the mission, Weir volunteering to go on a risky diplomatic attempt to the Genii to secure some of their experimental bombs in order to take out the Hive ships, and Sheppard and the others working together to secure the city after the first wave leaves Wraith infiltrators citywide. I had hoped and expected a cameo from at least O'Neill, but they couldn't have 'SG-1' characters coming in and saving the day, I suppose, that's not how these things work, and the 'SG-1' team did their bit with the ZPM, so there was some pleasant symmetry with the two series'. I was a little sceptical at first that this Everett and his men were genuine SGC personnel as I could imagine it being some kind of ruse, but that would have been too complicated, and it opens up the intriguing possibility of back and forth contact between home and Atlantis in Season 2 (assuming the city survives, ha, ha!), so I hope that is the case.

Once again I was sure Ford's time had come as he takes the gun emplacement, kamikaze darts all over the place - I don't know why, but I've felt since early on that his days were numbered, perhaps because he was a little bland as a character, but I found myself hoping that nobody would die as I've come to like this little group. Even McKay. Especially McKay, who has been the breakout role, and certainly the best character on the series, going from unlikeable, to gaining new facets to his personality as he becomes an almost weekly hero thanks to his scientific wizardry. Teyla, too, previously flagged as a potential threat, is soon allowed to show her mettle by she and some of her fellow Athosians volunteering to hunt Wraith in the city. The best visual effects come as the camera whirls round Atlantis, dropping in on various parties as they creep the darkened corridors searching for the enemy, while the Ancient chair gets used to activate defensive drones thanks to the uncertain cooperation of Dr. Beckett. Tactics are employed on both sides, The Wraith demonstrating intelligence by directing meteors into the path of Everett's naquadah bombs, and the Colonel forced to use every resource at his disposal, while developing a respect for the subordinates forced to work with him.

The enemy of their enemy isn't exactly a friend, but Weir's bold attempt to reason with the Genii works out. There's some new guy in charge, or one who deals with her, suggesting they couldn't get another Colm Meaney cameo, but we hear the Genii's age-old tactic of assuming an agrarian surface lifestyle as a ruse to put off The Wraith works again, sacrificing hundreds of their own people in order to keep their secret progress going below the surface. But even their pride can't shoot down the opportunity for a strike on a Hive ship at no loss to them, so a deal is struck. I thought it was a long shot, as the Genii are never to be trusted, but this could be the start of a grudging alliance, you never know. Okay, it's not going to happen, but it gives Atlantis at least a chance, until the plan to remote control the Jumper bomb-carriers from the chair fails with the generators, prompting Sheppard's suicidal resolution.

A lot is thrown into the mix to go out with a bang, and I think they largely succeeded, it kept me absorbed and wanting to see the conclusion (which I won't get to for another year at least, what with reviews of 'Smallville' and 'SG-1' necessary), but as with the season as a whole, I could only say it was partially successful, and almost never shows any greater depth than a surface sheen, aside from Sheppard and Weir's moment as he tells her what he has to do. The knowledge that Atlantis is no longer alone with contact from the SGC should be a greater release, but it comes at a time when things are too dire to appreciate it beyond the immediate help being sent. I hope the main team are afforded time to return to Earth when the attack is all over (assuming they survive, ha, ha!). I have to admit to not being entirely won over by the series, as I've written in previous reviews: the characters, while I've grown to like them, haven't become my friends as SG-1 did, but then they had a lot longer to grow their appeal. I expected the series to somehow be more gripping and dangerous, in the way that 'Universe' would be, but it's less of a halfway house between them and much closer in style, humour and tone to 'SG-1,' with not enough development. It's a tricky one to call, but I'd have to say it's not quite there yet, as with any first season you'd expect, and I don't look forward to it as much as I do the established 'SG-1,' and oddly, even Season 2 of 'Universe' despite that series' penchant for ugliness and negativity. But I do still look forward to it.

I don't know who Bob Scarabelli was, the season ending on a 'In Memory of' credit for him, so presumably he was part of the crew in some respect.

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