Stargate: Universe - possible spoilers

[X]

The episode Water was much like the rest...not very exciting and much too predictable. When Scott falls through the ice my wife says sarcastically..."yea! Like we didn't see THAT coming!". The scenarios is much like the ENT episode Minefields in some ways with the the commanding officer and the his subordinate in a situation where the the commanding officer has to save him. Nothing new! The sand bugs, or whatever they were, are not much interest here either. Early on I said to my wife if they are responsible for the water shortage why not bait them with water? Duh! Like who could see that coming? And the whole time the Colonel is trying to save Scott why the hell didn't he use the platform? If this is good entertainment I hate to see what is bad! Ugh!

Kevin

While you say duh, isn't that kind of common sense that they would use water to bait them? It works for the frame of the story and if they had used something like flying monkeys to get rid of them, you'd probably be mad that they didn't use water. If you write a gun in the first act, you need to use it by the last act. What are you looking for in this show? I mean it's not like the formula used in the other two series were mind blowing and original.

Here is the one thing I see. As much as you have nothing good to say about the show, you are there each week watching it. If isn't not good entertainment, what does that say about someone that comes back week after week to watch something that they have never liked? Either you like it or you like to watch it so that you have something to complain about. Either way, you are there in the front of the tv.

You might say that you're giving it a chance, but if I had been watching a show that has never been enjoyable to me, I wouldn't be several weeks into it by now. Chances should be long over by now.

The scene you brought up with ENT. Wasn't that the same scene with Wes and Picard on the planet where Picard broke his leg? Wasn't that same type of thing in MASH and probably every other show ever made where someone is in command of someone else and has to make life or death decisions? You're right, it's not new, but I don't think anything that you are currently watching is something new.

I could see if there was something out there that's completely new to contrast this against, but the same stories have been happening. It happened in the first episode of defying gravity. It happened in BSG, Chuck, Knight Rider, Hill Street Blues, The Unit, NCIS, CSI, and every other show with a command structure that has aired. Why the venom at this one?

Cancel the season pass or just turn the channel already.

[Ktrek]

Well all I see is Stargate trying to duplicate and mimic the success of BSG. The only think is Battlestar Galactica was actually good and it was in many ways "original". Universe in my opinion is a wanna be. And you're right I probably should stop watching the show and if it continues on it's current course I probably will. I'm not the only person who thinks the show so far has been crap. Over at Gateworld I would say about 75% of the comments on the episodes are negative. It will gain a following I'm sure, as do most shows, but I do think it will lose a lot of the core Gate fans out here unless there are some changes. The only thing that makes this show Stargate is that there is a gate. Outside of that there is no resemblance to what made the other two shows work for such a long time.

Kevin

[Feathers]

Well all I see is Stargate trying to duplicate and mimic the success of BSG. The only think is Battlestar Galactica was actually good and it was in many ways "original". Universe in my opinion is a wanna be. And you're right I probably should stop watching the show and if it continues on it's current course I probably will. I'm not the only person who thinks the show so far has been crap. Over at Gateworld I would say about 75% of the comments on the episodes are negative. It will gain a following I'm sure, as do most shows, but I do think it will lose a lot of the core Gate fans out here unless there are some changes. The only thing that makes this show Stargate is that there is a gate. Outside of that there is no resemblance to what made the other two shows work for such a long time.

...and whether you like it or not, that's exactly what we were promised by the creators of the show. They said they were going to do something very different because they felt that if they put something out that only appealed to the existing, aging fan base then they were dead in the water. They've delivered on that. We're all entitled to agree (or not) but that's their view. Only time will tell if they're right or wrong.

They aren't going to change it so don't sit there hoping for a change that won't arrive. Yeah, it's hard going in places from a running, gunning stargate background and I think it's time for a little more movement now they're starting to settle aboard the ship but it's pretty much fixed on the course it's going to take now.

Personally, even though I had some gripes about this weeks show I still watched it and was entertained by it, even if not as much as I wanted to be. As such I'm a little insulted by speeping generalisations such as what is or isn't 'good entertainment'. I can accept it may not be to an individuals taste but a little moderation in language in these cases would be appreciated.

I'm not going to take a TV channel telling me that their lastest reality offering is good entertainment - I have my own opinion - so I'm going to take the same line with anyone talling me what isn't good entertainment! I hope that makes sense :)

[Ktrek]

It's funny how everyone always says you're entitled to your own opinion but then slam you because your opinion doesn't fit with theirs. No reason to take things so damn personal. In my opinion Universe is not good entertainment. If you want to make that a personal comment on your taste that's your problem. Don't throw stuff on my back an villainize me just because I don't like the show and have the nerve to say so.

Kevin

[Feathers]

No, I'm happy :)

As you just said it's your opinion. That's fine as it's a lot less generalised than your previous statements which implied it should also be my opinion.

It's hard to communicate clearly in writing, so much is lost without access to tone of voice and facial expression that things get taken a lot more literally than perhaps you intend.

[Bryancd]

This doesn't have anything to do with liking classical music, does it?   :blink

(....runs, ducks for cover)  :biggrin

[X]

It's funny how everyone always says you're entitled to your own opinion but then slam you because your opinion doesn't fit with theirs. No reason to take things so damn personal. In my opinion Universe is not good entertainment. If you want to make that a personal comment on your taste that's your problem. Don't throw stuff on my back an villainize me just because I don't like the show and have the nerve to say so.

Kevin

No one is doing that. Week after week, you come on and gripe about the show. Week after week, you have nothing good to say about it. At this point, it's like you are going to a diner each week where you know the menu and know the staff and you have never liked the meal, but you keep complaining about it. No one has slammed you.

You are completely right about people being entitled to their opinions, but you are wrong in assuming that we are attacking your opinion. No one has said that your opinion is wrong. I think everyone that has responded about your opinion as suggested that you stop.

I really don't care if 100% of the comment on what ever site are against the episodes. Maybe you should complain there because people seem to like complaining there. I am a core SG fan and I enjoy the show. I also think that what you call original for BSG wasn't that original. Hell even the skin jobs were a part of BSG 1980, but not being 100% original didn't ruin the show for me.

The only thing that has been debated here is that your insulting the show not being good entertainment is actually sort of insulting to those of us that like the show. We aren't brain dead lemmings that are jumping on the band wagon. We are all pretty literate people that read what the show would be about and are seeing that they are delivering the show that they said they would.

Is it perfect? No. Is it BSG redux? Not really unless you think the first movie was also a BSG redux. This show has carried the elements of that movie forward and it is working. When Sg-1 premiered, it was a watered down version of the movie taking away a lot of the darker elements in exchange for action. This has returned to those darker elements and it's what they said they would do.

You are completely entitled to complain about any and everything under the sun, but and this is not to sound mean or anything, most of your posts about different things are a majority of complaints. I like to hear what people have to say, but it's getting to the point that when you post, I think "What is Kevin going to complain about now?"

Sure that isn't a fair thought, but that's what's happing when I see your posts and I would rather not see them like that. Even when others are complaining, a good deal of the complain are followed with ideas on how they would like to see things made better or what they were missing from something. Empty complains with no constructive criticism seem kind of pointless to me.

So that's my two cents on the subject. Sure people aren't going to like things, but when a majority of your post seem to be empty complains, it becomes white noise or a turn off.

[X]

Last night was a good one! I loved the unintentional comedy they threw in. Next week's seems to be hitting the action sci-fi buttons.

[Rico]

Interesting episode this past Friday.  Quite a bit happened....

[spoiler]The stone body swapping is becoming interesting - especially when they were popping quickly back and forth without warning.  One thing though I realized and don't get.  How do they know when to activate the stones on each side?  They can't communicate via the Stargate.  Do they have a set time to do it or does that little console thing light up on the other end when someone wants to swap over?  I'm also liking Rush quite a bit more after this one.  I liked how he made them run off the ship when they thought they would die.  But, I kind of thought O'Neil was a bit out of character to insist on the experiment.  If it was my command I wouldn't let people back on Earth call the shots for things they don't understand.  Anyway, enjoying the way the show is starting to move along now.[/spoiler]

[X]

Interesting episode this past Friday.  Quite a bit happened....

[spoiler]The stone body swapping is becoming interesting - especially when they were popping quickly back and forth without warning.  One thing though I realized and don't get.  How do they know when to activate the stones on each side?  They can't communicate via the Stargate.  Do they have a set time to do it or does that little console thing light up on the other end when someone wants to swap over?  I'm also liking Rush quite a bit more after this one.  I liked how he made them run off the ship when they thought they would die.  But, I kind of thought O'Neil was a bit out of character to insist on the experiment.  If it was my command I wouldn't let people back on Earth call the shots for things they don't understand.  Anyway, enjoying the way the show is starting to move along now.[/spoiler]

[spoiler] The way the stones work is a combination of two things. The first time they did it, they had someone waiting with one stone already in place earthside. When that first crossing happened, we learned that people had been waiting there in shifts with their stone side active. So, I think that earth side, they have someone always in position to do a shift and spend their duty time waiting for communication. The second part came into play on this last show. They schedule meeting where more than one person is waiting with the stones active for the people to jump across.[/spoiler]

[RickPeete]

I happen to enjoy SGU. It is different but after 10 years, I would hope so.  I remember all the flack that DS9 got for being 'different'.  Yeah, but with difference comes the possibility for new ways to tell the story and new ways to view the characters.

I agree that the plot complications and resolutions have been a little predictable.  Heck, I knew the ship had to be solar-powered by Air #3.  How else could a ship survive that long without a renewable energy source?  Pretty obvious to me, but not a bad thing. It is logical.  I would hope the show would be logical in its plot devices and technological choices.  The fact that the solar collectors/storage batteries are degraded so they can only keep a 40% charge also makes sense.  The writers could not have created a ship that was 'perfect' or there would be no drama at all.

I would like to see more action but I figure that will come.  With a 12-hour window for off-ship excurions, and the inability to actually control the ship's decisions/functions, I think they are going to have to focus on getting control over their new home before they spend too much time outside of it.  That also makes sense.  First order of business would be physical security -- which means controlling your environment, securing food and water, and gaining access to the bridge and engineering compartments.

Is the show too slow?  For some, perhaps.  For those who enjoy character-based shows, I find it intriguing.

[Omra]

For me it jumped the shark last episode...

I have tried to give it a chance, but it has gotten too 'Desperate Housewives' for me.  I am not a fan of soaps, and if I want to watch people bicker, vie for positions of power and lie because of hidden agendas.  I will watch the 'House of Representatives' on CSPAN. :biggrin

"ICE" was the most promising, I enjoy problem-solving episodes.  But I just don't like the feel of the show, so I would say it is a personal thing for me.  Not a comment of the quality of the show or the writing, I understand their desire to try and take the series in a new direction to try and keep it from becoming stale, or seeming like a 'knock off' of earlier shows.  

I also did not like 'Defying Gravity' either because of the overt liaisons that dominated the show, at least SGU did not take it that far! ;)  

I guess I will stick with Warehouse 13... sorry SyFy; but I am looking forward to ALICE and 'Being Human'!

[X]

For me it jumped the shark last episode...

I have tried to give it a chance, but it has gotten too 'Desperate Housewives' for me.  I am not a fan of soaps, and if I want to watch people bicker, vie for positions of power and lie because of hidden agendas.  I will watch the 'House of Representatives' on CSPAN. :biggrin

"ICE" was the most promising, I enjoy problem-solving episodes.  But I just don't like the feel of the show, so I would say it is a personal thing for me.  Not a comment of the quality of the show or the writing, I understand their desire to try and take the series in a new direction to try and keep it from becoming stale, or seeming like a 'knock off' of earlier shows. 

I also did not like 'Defying Gravity' either because of the overt liaisons that dominated the show, at least SGU did not take it that far! ;) 

I guess I will stick with Warehouse 13... sorry SyFy; but I am looking forward to ALICE and 'Being Human'!

I can respect that. I loved the last episode and I had to scour places to see all of Defying Gravity. I love that show and how by some miracle that it can rise from the ashes.

Personally, I'm enjoying the people aspects and even the sex to some extent. I guess I'm jaded that violence is more acceptable than relationship in most programs and I'm happy to see it balanced in this one.

Being Human is a great series. I can't waint for series II to finally come up. I'm also looking forward to Alice.

[Feathers]

I've enjoyed the series so far but for the first time I was really gripped by this one.

[spoiler]Still no 'running and gunning' but the whole interplay between the characters enabled by the stone mechanism is fascinating.

Not only do we get Telford taking command but he's doing it in someone else's body. Were I Young, I to wouldn't care who issues the orders if only because his body is his and he should have final say in what it does. The fact that Telford bailed out when things went wrong reinforces that view - with no personal jepoardy, these people shouldn't be playing around!

On that note, the swapping back and forth as they enter/leave FTL was interesting. I'm not sure what Telford thought of Young's use of his body...but I'm not sure it was the first time he found himself in that position. Maybe that''s why Young and Telford don't get on?

Anyway, good episode this week. I've been waiting for a 'send scientists for earth' story.[/spoiler]

[moyer777]

Now we're talking!

[spoiler]I LOVED this episode of SGU.  It was filmed very cool, the whole time paradox, a little Alien mixed in.  I have to say this one kept me on the edge of my seat the whole episode.  I have to admit that I figured out the whole contaminated water thing early on.  And Amy figured out the venom fix also.  But still, it was really good sci fi shoot em up, night vision time travel science fiction!!!![/spoiler]