Life

 DVD, Stargate Universe S1 (Life)

It wasn't a two-parter after all, so one of my guesses about the previous episode was correct: they were able to use the information sent back in the kino to avoid the whole incident. That makes the episode's ending a bit better, a bit more radical to leave it so unfinished, so that's something. But if 'Time' wasn't so bad, the same can't be said for this one. If you want to watch downer TV, then this is the one for you! A more gloomy, miserable episode would be difficult to find outside of soap operas, I imagine. It's one of those where the story stops so we can see people take a trip back to Earth. When I say stop, I mean it practically pushes hard on the brakes as there isn't really anything happening aboard Destiny. That's the point, and another reason why it's a bit of a slog to get through. By all means if you're having a bad time you could watch this episode and feel better about your own problems, but I prefer the upbeat, optimistic version of 'Stargate' - you know, the one where there's a team of heroic people out there saving lives and discovering new planets. I can give this series credit for being different, it's definitely not falling into the 'trap' of being formulaic to the 'Stargate' franchise, but that also means it's missing the core features that made that enjoyable in the first place! With misery like this I can see why it didn't last, and I say that from the perspective of one who largely likes the characters and dynamics, and can see that when they are exploring the ship or a planet, it can work quite well.

An example is when Greer and some other soldiers search unexplored areas of the ship - that could have led to anything. In this case it leads to them finding an Ancient chair which Rush says is similar to, but older than, the repository device O'Neill discovered back in the 'SG-1' days (remember that?), the thing that sucked his face in, if I recall correctly, rather than the chairs that could shoot down enemy ships from Antarctica and such. There was potential there, but Young shuts down any further exploration of this device because of the dangers and what it did to O'Neill (nice that he gets a couple of references to remind us, against the evidence, that we are indeed still in the 'Stargate' world!). It causes further tension between he and Rush, who, in the same way he's comfortable sitting back and allowing the soldiers to take the risk in exploring while he follows their progress on a kino, refuses Young's kind offer to be the one to sit in the chair. He doesn't do himself any credit in this episode, but then no one comes off particularly well. Young has his own problems over jealousy and suspicion of Telford becoming involved with his wife - at least they didn't go down the sordid path of Telford pretending to be Young as I first suspected, and as would naturally be suspected given their differences, but in a way it's worse since his wife has accepted him as a 'friend' while still holding onto jealousy about Johansen being stuck on the ship with Young. Yes, all very soapy and not very compelling to watch.

TJ herself is trying to run psychological evaluations on everyone and they all take it in different ways, refusing to talk, lying, walking out, getting upset. She has a thankless role on this mission, you really have to feel sorry for her. On the other hand it was much harder to feel sorry for Lieutenant Scott (other than when Eli arrives to butt in on his solitude!), who, along with Camille, is selected to return to Earth for a visit and discovers his old girlfriend now has his son. Again I find it difficult to understand what Christian belief system he subscribes to as abortion would be absolutely anathema, yet he seems somewhat disappointed to hear that she didn't go through with it these several years ago, or at least he'd been accepting of that decision. Not to say he isn't happy to find he's a Father, but obviously that brings with it new pangs of bitter sadness that he may never see this son in person. Spencer meanwhile is getting more and more explosive, treating the civilians like they're inferior beings (well, that one chubby guy whom I can never remember the name of, but isn't Volker), and being sorely tongue-lashed by Young when he catches him doing it.

Is there anything positive to say about the episode? I'm not sure there is, whether it be the drab, colourless scenes set on Earth, or the dark, grimy, gloom-stricken life on the ship, this is certainly not an advert for why these people would want to ever remain on Destiny willingly. And while I see the possibilities of Earth-based stories, going back there so far has been more of a curse than a blessing, like having a glimpse of something you'd only be wondering about otherwise and perhaps is best not to know. The second-rate life Scott's former girlfriend has settled for is perhaps supposed to be some kind of mirror to the enforced second-rate lives carrying on aboard Destiny with people locked into these dull routines of punishing exercise, poor food, not enough water and not enough to do, and if only she knew what she was spared she could be doing anything, but that's maybe just something I'm pulling out of my own imagination. I think this is probably the first episode I could say really failed. It still held the attention, but it's just so depressing - it's one thing to weave these little personal stories in and out of the 'main' sci-fi event of each episode, but when they're the focus I can't help but feel the potential is being wasted. Maybe they thought they were guaranteed many seasons to come in the same vein as 'Enterprise' was practically a 'given' to run seven years. Not that I'd want it the other extreme, as in modern Trek where everything is squeezed in far too early and at much greater speed, but there must be a happy medium and they still haven't found it on this series. Funny that I should see such a lacking episode when I've recently heard they're bringing 'Stargate' back in some form. My advice: don't use this series as a template!

**