The entire population of Atlantis is held captive in various locations throughout the city when Dr. McKay's quarantine lock down program accidentally kicks in, sealing all doors, and halting all communication...

Quarantine is an interesting episode as it takes different members of the Atlantis team and traps them together in various rooms through out the city. So, we have McKay and Katie Brown; Sheppard and Teyla; Ronon and Keller; and Carter and Zelenka having to work together in teams of two in order to try and work out how to get the city back to normal. There are also a few interesting revelations about some of the crew relationships.

Martin Wood (director / supervision producer) and Amanda Tapping provide the audio commentary on this episode. Highlights include Wood joking about the Zelenka/Carter love story; mention of a scene, which was cut, where Zelenka tried unsuccessfully to hit on Carter; and the fact that a planned scene with Ronon in a hazmat suit was cut because Jason Momoa's head was too big to fit in the helmet.

8

 

While visiting an off-world trading partner, Sheppard and McKay agree to accompany Harmony, a young girl who is successor to the throne, on a time honoured quest that will allow her to become queen. But, or course, not everything goes to plan...

Harmony is one of the funniest episodes so far this season and sees McKay and Sheppard having to escort a bratty little girl on, what should have been, a dull walk in the forest. However, it soon becomes clear that this is anything but a simple task, as a patrol of Genii are on the planet and want Harmony dead. And, if that wasn't enough, there also appears to be a flesh eating beast loose in the forest.

This episode stars Jodelle Ferland who played Jeliza-Rose in Terry Gilliam's Tideland, as well as portraying Adria (aged seven) in the first episode (Flesh and Blood) of season 10 of Stargate: SG-1. She really is an incredibly good actress - if you don't believe in her then the whole episode falls apart.

Martin Gero (co-executive producer / writer) and William Warring (director) provide this episode's audio commentary. Highlights include the fact that Ronon was originally supposed to appear in this episode along with McKay and Sheppard, but due to scheduling issues Momoa had to be cut from the script; Gero joking that he based Harmony on how he imagined producer Joe Mallozzi would be if he were a 14 year old girl; and the fact that David Hewlett split his trousers and had to shoot some of his scenes with black tape holding his trousers together.

9

 

While on Earth for the funeral of Sheppard's father, Sheppard and Ronon meet Ava Dixon, who tells them that a replicator humanoid has been created in a lab she works for. When it escapes a hunt is initiated that sees our heroes having to track the replicator before it can cause any more harm...

Outcast is an entertaining enough episode, it's just that it is nowhere near as good as the other episodes on this disc, which makes it stand out quite a bit. The biggest problem, for me, was that I worked out the supposed major twist way before it was revealed. There's also way too much "borrowing" of ideas from Terminator 2 - from the replicator's style of running and the bullet hit effects.

On the plus side we do get to see more of Sheppard's back story - something that hasn't really been dealt with before. This episode also features Dylan Neal (Blood Ties) as Sheppard's brother.

Allan McCullogh (writer) and Andy Mikita (director) provide the audio commentary. Highlights include the fact that the original story idea was pitched by Joe Flanigan; the actress that played Ava used to be a Power Ranger; and pointing out a Stargate competition winner who appears in a couple of scenes.

7

 

During an off-world mission, Carter, McKay and Keller become trapped in an underground mining chamber that's rocked by fierce seismic tremors...

Trio is one of those episodes that, from the synopsis, sounds like the dullest idea for a 40 min episode. Thankfully though it's not - in fact it's one of the show's best episodes to date. There's so much jeopardy, and plans that just don't quite work, that you'll be on the edge of your seat for the whole duration.

There's some great comedy moments including McKay trying to get Carter and Keller to bare their breasts in an attempt to get some boys to help them, and McKay finally playing the "if you had too" game with the girls.

Martin Gero (co-executive producer), Martin Wood (director / supervising producer) and Amanda Tapping provide the audio commentary. Highlights include the fact that Gero was not overly happy with the fact that Flanigan insisted on eating a lollipop in one scene; the fact that poor Tapping was really scared of heights; and Wood pointing out that Keller seems to be after every man in Atlantis (although he's quickly corrected and it's pointed out that Sheppard never gets any stick and he's far worse).

10

 

Extras include the aforementioned audio commentaries; Mission Directive: Quarantine with Martin Wood (10 min, 22 sec behind the scenes look at the episode Quarantine) Mission Directive: Outcast with Andy Mikita (10 min, 17 sec look at the making of Outcast); The Making Of Trio (16 min, 33 sec); and photo and production design galleries.

Pete Boomer