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The team learns the Goa'uld have planted a bomb on Atlantis
- any action that might overload the ZPM output will result
in an explosion. The city must be cloaked to remain invisible
to the Wraith, but this would cause the energy source to detonate.
All indications are that the bomber is a member of the Atlantis
team...
Critical
Mass is
noteworthy for the fact that it brings back a lot of recurring
characters in order to confuse the viewer into who is responsible
for planting the bomb. It's almost an written sci-fi law that,
whenever a minor character returns, there is usually some
plot twist waiting in the wings that sees them as the villain.
Here Cadman and Dr Kavanagh return and it appears that one
of these two characters is the most likely suspect. Kavanagh,
who we love to hate, is chief suspect, but I was convinced
early on that Cadman had all the necessary expertise to plant
the bomb and get away with it. I
won't spoil the story here, but the twisting and turning of
the plot will keep you guessing until the final reveal.
There
is also an amusing story, which plays off-camera, for Zelenski
as he is forced to visit a planet overrun with children. And
for some reason Teyla starts singing because an old woman
dies. Okay, there is a very good explanation why, but I couldn't
help but cringe during this rather soppy scene. Also, was
that a homage to Close Encounters of the Third Kind
slipped into the episode - when McKay says: "They're
here!" when the Wraith get in range of the station?
I
was disturbed to learn, thanks to the audio commentary, that
the director of photography, Brenton Spencer, is always distracted
by Torri Higginson's jugs! But he does make a valid, if comical
point, that had never occurred to me before.
A
great example of clever writing, ensures that this is an enjoyable
episode.
On a test flight, McKay and Captain Griffin suddenly lose
control of their jumper and crash into the ocean. The jumper
descends to the ocean floor - the impact causing a slight
rupture that allows water to slowly seep in. Zelenski and
Sheppard devise a rescue plan, but will they be able to reach
McKay in time?...
Grace
Under Pressure is
an interesting episode in that the entire action takes place
in the back of a jumper with McKay being the main driving
force of the story. Amanda Tapping also appears as Sam Carter.
She turns up as a figment of McKay's imagination - he's a
little concussed - to help him work out how to escape his
predicament.
You
really do get a sense of: "Now, how on earth are they
going to solve this one?" throughout the episode - as
everything that can go wrong does. It was interesting to learn,
on the audio commentary, that writer Martin Gero's original
script wasn't as neat as the finished episode - that a lot
of the random element he included to pad the episode out (like
the whale) were eventually used to explain away a lot of the
problems with the fluidity of the script. In fact Gero's insistence
that he's not a good writer, but likes to take the credit
for other people's ideas, was a great running joke throughout
this commentary.
If
David Hewlett's acting had not been up to the challenge this
episode would have sunk quicker than the jumper. Thankfully
it was and, as a consequence, this is a fantastic episode.
The
team is introduced to the Lord of a village who is able to
protect the people that live there from the Wraith. However,
a two tier society has arisen - those that have the Ancient's
DNA live in luxury, while the rest live in poverty. Discovering
that Sheppard also has the DNA, he is taken by the Lord's
army and plans are made to have him marry into the Lord's
family, and become his successor...
The
Tower sees
our heroes discovering a civilisation that inhabits a city
that is identical to Atlantis. Well, the actual construction
is the same, but has been decorated differently. The twist
in the tale is also rather unexpected, which is starting to
become a familiar pattern with the current Atlantis
episodes. You think you know what's going on, thanks to years
of clichéd sci-fi shows, only to discover that the
writers are deliberately playing on your preconceptions of
familiar scenarios, and then pulling the rug out from under
you.
The
audio commentary was entertaining for this episode. Highlights
include the comical revelation about "hat meetings";
Joe Flanigan's encounter with a hoof in formaldehyde; and
an explanation of what the "image shaker" is and
how it works.
While
this episode is entertaining, I didn't find it as strong as
the other episodes on this DVD. I also didn't really care
much for the costumes and settings for this episode. I kept
expecting Henry VIII to walk in at any moment and shout: "Off
with their heads".
On
opening two alien pods containing lifeforms, an energy beam
hits Weir, allowing her to harbour the consciousness of Pheobus,
one of the pod's almost dead occupant. Sheppard agrees to
host the consciousness of Pheobus's husband, who is in the
other pod, so that they can communicate one last time...
The
Long Goodbye is
an entertaining episode that sees both Weir and Sheppard's
bodies being overtaken by alien lifeforms. Now, I have to
say that the Atlantis team got what they deserved here. You
just know that when in the future there is an episode where
the leadership of the Atlantis team comes under scrutiny that
this episode will feature. "Sorry? An alien lifeform
came on board Atlantis and asked to use your body? And you
said 'Okay'?"
Just
why Sheppard agreed to the plan is beyond me. Why didn't they
suggest that one of the chefs act as the host? At least that
way if the aliens turned out to be evil all they'd learn is
their secret recipe for lemon ice-cream. But no, having accidentally
handing over the body of the head of the team, they then offer
up their top military personnel - nice going. So now all the
secret codes etc are in the hands of two aliens.
There's
a great line when Ronon and Teyla are deciding who will go
after Weir and who will go after Sheppard. Teyla questions
Ronon's choice that he should go after Sheppard, to which
Ronon says: "I know how he thinks. I don't have the slightest
clue how she thinks."
Another
great tongue-in-cheek moment occurs when Sheppard is pretending
that he wants to help Teyla. Weir simply says: "Please!
You call that acting?"
The
audio commentary for this episode is a little too much of
a love-in with everyone saying how great the acting is, lighting
and directing. But it's still worth listening to.
I
enjoyed the fact that Weir and Sheppard got to play as other
characters throughout this episode - and that at long last
Weir has finally gotten to leave her office (and her jugs)
and get involved in some of the action.
Extras include audio commentaries for each episode; Introduction
to a Character: Ronon Dex (15 minute featurette that looks
at this season's latest addition to the team - the writers
admit to introducing him in order to play off Sheppard and
try to emulate the O'Neill/Teal'c relationship in SG-1);
Stargate: Atlantis Stunts (18 minute look at the role
of the stunts in the show); and Photo and Production Design
Galleries.
Pete
Boomer
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