Aquarium 4.18-19: "Kindred"

[hth_the_first]

I'm trying not to be online too terribly much because I'm in the middle of a big project that will last the rest of the month -- but I do want to talk just a little, wee bit about "Kindred" (and presumably the season finale, as well -- but that's it! Other than that -- work!)

Comments

[zoniduck]

I love reading your meta posts. I mean, sure I handwave all of this while I'm watching the show, but it's interesting to read the thinky thoughts afterwards. And then I get all retroactively indignant about the shoddy storytelling on the part of the writers, and then I wish that I could put this in front of them and say, see! This is how you're letting the fans down! And then I go read some fanfic to make it all better.

[zoniduck]

Nothing specific to these issues, unfortunately. I was speaking about Hth's meta posts and fanfic in general.

[anatsuno]

What she said!

[amothea]

I'm convinced they changed writers at some point between season 1 and this season because seriously you're right Teyla had more respect in season 1 than she does now and I'm not sure what that says about the show but I kind of have to handwave everything just to watch SGA. The squee is offically gone. :(

[hth_the_first]

Yeah, squee isn't much a part of my SGA life these days. I still love the show in some ways and continue to be interested in what they do, obviously. Actually, I really only suffer through these metaplot episodes because I continue to enjoy the one-offs, where the writers just let them get caught in volcanos or invaded by energy creatures and try not to get themselves killed. The less an SGA episode is attempting to do, the better the chances it'll come off well. It's these fucking arcs that kill me.

[hth_the_first]

and the writers don't even seem to realize--even while they're making Halling look like a camp survivor--how awful it is, or how you need to deal with this kind of material to make it anything other than cheap thrills.

Well, that's exactly the thing. This arc could be done well, but if you took it seriously, it would be a really hard story -- something brutal and painful with enduring fallout, for Teyla and the Athosians. But they don't take it seriously; they'll just wrap things up haphazardly and go on to the next adventure.

I'm fairly sure that however far his experiment progresses, he's not actually going to end up changing Teyla's DNA. What I don't know, however, is whether TPTB at this show have the utter audacity to kill a main character's unborn child. Only time will tell.

[janedavitt]

I enjoyed reading this; thanks for the interesting thoughts

[hth_the_first]

I think that's a really insightful thing: the Atlantis expedition has officially Lost the Mission. What *are* they bringing back to Earth that's of any help or significance? What's ultimately at stake? For a long time now, it feels like we're treading water, just trying to keep things from being a lot worse, and never dealing with any of the higher aspirations that we presumably came in with, about exploration and knowledge and discovery. When do we do any of *that* anymore?

[janedavitt]

And who is paying for it? And why, back on a largely clueless Earth, is no one noticing the vast expenditure? There are five or so major governments in the know; they all have to account to their tax payers and I really don't see something this huge getting covered up for long. The Cheyenne Mountain was one thing; it was small and contained, but when you have huge space ships floating around and ...oh, why am I trying to make it make sense?

[hth_the_first]

I just assumed it was filed under Very Secret Important Defense Project: Classified! Aren't there a lot of DoD expenditures that we know are being made, but we don't know exactly what for?

On the other hand, maybe it's all tucked away in the budget in secret, clever ways. Those five thousand dollar staplers? Really ninety-seven cents in bulk from Sam's Club.

[tintros]

This kind of discussion and thinking about a show is one thing I do so very much love about the internet. I don't get any of it irl. That being said...

I never much liked Teyla, not at all. I suppose part of it was that I saw her (along with Ronon) as the 'locals' that were supposed to be there to be the 'new Teal'c's of this show, and ho-hum look one's a warrior and ones a maternal figure, so I never much warmed to either.

That said, I came back to the show recently after a bit of a hiatus where I'd just watch SG1, and good gravy, it's criminal what they're doing to her character. Not the torture, even but the minimalization, the jumping-through-hoops-of-bad-plot, etc.

The whole Athosian plot has the feel (to me, I've no evidence of this) of a writer coming back to the 'room' after time away doing something else, and going 'what happened to the Athosians', 'um.. nothing?', 'Oh, well, let's write about that, then, as I don't know what you guys've been doing while I was away'...

[hth_the_first]

I was pretty dismissive of her originally for the same reasons -- yeah, of course she's sort of stoic and Native and martial arts-y, she's the new Teal'c iteration. It's really the actress that changed my mind about Teyla: I just think Luttrell plays her with this really interesting intelligence and gravitas that makes her feel like a person and not a character slot -- and like a person it would really be cool to know! So, yeah, watching her consistently be ignored except when they want to do a Teyla Plot (but they only want to put in enough effort to do a half-assed job of it) is pretty trying.

[clare_nce]

As a non fan of Carson I humbly ask for your pity not your anger. This ep almost made me wish I liked the character.

At least Carson fans got an episode with a favourite character, they feared they'd never see again, getting screen time.

Non fans had to put up with a episode ending with Teyla meekly heading off with Micheal, other blatant plot devices and all the other issues you mention - without that highlight.

I also hope that the next episode they decide to bring Carson back in is a good one and will thus please everyone. But seeing as they're probably not purposely writing bad episodes/storylines there's no guarentee.

[hth_the_first]

Hey, I really have very little anger! *g* And I totally see what you're saying -- the Carson bits were the only part I found enjoyable, so I can totally see that if you didn't dig those, this episode must have been a miserable slog. My condolences!

[clare_nce]

Thanks for your sympathy. :)

And congratulations on getting misundestood in JM's blog. My favourite bit is how the bottled water comment goes over his head.

He seems to have no idea what having those little bottles of water on Atlantis actually means - and then when that's coupled with 'Sunday' where the girl is unable to get a pair of shoes for exercising really makes you wonder.