Subversion

 DVD, Stargate Universe S1 (Subversion)

Mixed feelings on this one. It has all the drama and style of some kind of Jason Bourne film, it's got appearances by General O'Neill and Dr. Jackson, not to mention the pair of them in the same room (which counts for a lot), and it's got high stakes. But then it's also one of the more brutal episodes (also very Bourne), with torture, beatings and hands-on murder and leaves a bit of a nasty impression that they're glorying in it just a little. You can believe Greer would eagerly beat Telford to a pulp, he's barely being restrained, but it's a bit much that O'Neill would sanction torture even in aid of someone else's life. It's undoubtedly well written, you can see how the soapiness of earlier in the season has led to us believing Colonel Young would go to the extent of killing Telford if he refuses to give up the secret location the Lucian Alliance have taken Rush to, and against the expectations I feared that it would be picking up those soapy strands to further them it now makes clear they were there for a reason. It helps that since originally seeing this a few years ago I've caught up with all other 'Stargate' and have seen all there is to see of the Alliance. Not that I was ever favourably impressed by them, but they aren't the complete nonentities they appeared when I was still in the dark on first viewing. It seems to me that the best course of action would be to sever the connection, bringing Rush back, saving his life, but also casting off Telford to be with his adopted own.

Trouble is they don't know what's coming, knowledge really is power - they want to deal with the Alliance and prevent them being the threat they've become, not forgetting it was they whom attacked Icarus Base at the beginning of the season and set up this whole problem of our people being stranded on Destiny (as helpfully reminded by the opening recap). Now they want to connect to Destiny and Rush must help them, or else. If they whipped him out of there they'd at least stop Destiny from being a target - according to Telford the Alliance wants Destiny, but it's not clear why they'd want a ship that's out in the middle of nowhere in the Universe, it's not like they could use it! That does suggest there's a want of logic in the main premise. But otherwise it is a relief to find Telford really was a villain, that the reason his experiences were being left behind in others he swapped with on the communication stones had justification (Alliance technology, though wasn't that when they thought he was being brainwashed, so why did it happen now we don't think he was - unless he really was and they simply did a better job than we imagined since he's gone over to them completely?), and that we can get onboard with Young, whom, let's not forget has sometimes been a little morally compromised based on what's happened to him and the pressures of his unique command. He may be a good guy overall, but he's pulled off some pretty terrible things, the kind of stuff 'Stargate' good guys would never do!

Scott and Greer are like representations of the two extremes of his nature, one a conscience that is uneasy about certain things he does, the other with no holds barred and willing to do anything, cause any pain. I have to assume that was the intention so I salute the writing that got me to that point - were they inspired by things such as the Kirk/Spock/McCoy trio or was it just a general understanding of how a character can be shown in those around them? Mike Dopud makes it as one of the few to have appeared in all three 'Stargate' series' as he'd already been other characters in both 'SG-1' and 'Atlantis.' I don't remember well enough if he's playing the same character as in 'SG-1' (definitely different in 'Atlantis' as he was a runner like Ronon), but he's suitably menacing (there was some good characterisation such as scientist Olan who clearly is in awe of Rush for the work he's achieved, and who, by the slip of Rush's tongue, is strangled to death for not being up to par!), and it's fun he's in the same episode to feature O'Neill and Jackson, who have also both been in the two previous series', too. I liked all the mystery, Rush running around losing his escort (though it was a pretty big fail that he was caught so easily - he basically just threw himself into the lion's den and must have known they would have ways of verifying if Telford had been compromised!), and Jackson tailing him (though it doesn't quite seem in his remit to be doing surveillance work instead of working on scientific research or whatever... I won't argue with it, we got Jackson back!).

It's not the same as having all four of the original 'SG-1' cast back together, but sadly that would never happen (to date, but I'm guessing at least Richard Dean Anderson would be too old now, sniff). Perhaps if 'Universe' hadn't been so prematurely cancelled that would have been a possibility eventually, but you always have to remember with these things that it's not about what came before, primarily it's about the new characters and their series, as much as we'd love to see SG-1 continuing to work together. As it is Young does a good (if questionable), job, not fully trusting Rush, not trusting Telford, but with good reasons, and not giving in to pressure from the civilians who just want to know what is going on. They'll know soon enough, oh how they'll know! And I have to admit it was nice to see an Alkesh flying again, if nothing else. But in truth there was plenty else. I didn't remember Telford's nature so maybe he'll still turn out to have been turned and his real mind is not for the Alliance. Either way he's constantly been set up as the thorn in their side so an ignominious end isn't unlikely. And they even allow time for a brief moment to ponder whether TJ's baby will have much of a life on Destiny, bringing to mind Naomi Wildman on 'Voyager' where the same situation of there being many people glad to be there for her was a mitigating factor compared with a normal life. It wasn't all brutality and bitterness.

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