Stargate Universe - Air

Stargate Universe is going to be the darker, grittier Stargate series. This is what we were all told before it started. I thought this would be a good thing. The Deep Space Nine of Stargate. So far though, I'm not sure it's working well at all.

It seems to me as though they've set out to do something darker and more drama based, and in doing so, forgotten a lot of what Stargate is. SG1 managed to have great serious story arcs and still be pretty hilarious and light hearter. Atlantis was definitely a little darker and a little more serious, but you always had the witty humour to go with it. If they want to go even darker and even more serious, that doesn't mean they have to lose 100% of the light hearted nature of the show, and 100% of the humour. To me, it looks as though they've tried to go in a similar direction to Battlestar Galactica, and I know they've mentioned Firefly as in inspiration. That just doesn't work with Stargate. Well, Firefly maybe, but not BSG. It's not the same kind of drama, and if they were intending it to be, I think they're aiming it at the wrong audience. It's not what people expect of Stargate. I'm not saying that going off in that direction is bad, and it would certainly make a lot of sense given the situation that the characters find themselves in, but to start off with a load of dark/flawed characters and a general dark feeling....I'm not sure how well it's working.

I also think it suffers from lack of background/build up. Atlantis was talked about for an entire season of SG1 before they found it, and sent an expedition through to have their own series. Universe got nothing. I thought that Shepherd and Caldwell's discussion about what the Odyssey was up in Atlantis was related, but turns out it wasn't at all. That means that they started off totally from scratch. I know that's what they wanted, for this to be a seperate series, but I'm not sure it helps the story. The connections to the other Stargates was made with the involvement of three members of SG1 plus Walter. Walter did his usual job of giving the continuity some credibiltiy. Same guy at the SGC for all series! I like Daniel's video thing. Good way to include him. Carter...underused. Again. She was commanding the Hammond, like she said she'd be, but she was barely in it. I'm surprised that Amanda Tapping agreed to show up. The worst cameo has to be O'Neill though. Richard Dean Anderson is funny. He's funny during the most series and life threatening events of both SG1 and Atlantis. It's what he brings to Stargate and the O'Neill character. Why oh why have him in it and not have him be funny at all? He provided a good link to SG1, but other than that, he was disappointing.

The actual Universe characters aren't that bad. Rush is a bastard, which is interesting, although maybe having your central character being like that so early on is a little off putting. Young looks like he'll be a likable leader, but he's not been in it enough yet, and he's been kind of out of the spotlight with Robert Carlyle around. Scott seems like a bit of a stereotype. I hope he doesn't end up being just another Ford. Chloe doesn't stand out much yet either. Eli is definitely my favourite character so far. The idea of completing an online game (Stargate Worlds!) to get involved is awesome, and the only Stargatey bit of this new Stargate. I think he's taken it in a little bit too easily, and maybe they should have had weeks of him knowing about stargates rather than a day before he's whisked off to the Destiny, but he's still a good character. He's funny, and he's the everyman character. I can imagine him always being my favourite.

The actual plot is pretty good, mostly. Air part 3 was a bit dull, because not all that much happened, but it still looks promising. I just hope it does get better. Air was no Children of the Gods or Rising. I do like the idea of this being more character based than alien bad guys based, but I just feel that it's rushed into being different rather than evolving. Deep Space Nine evolved into the darkest Star Trek. It didn't just start that way. I still think SGU is worth sticking with though, if only because the ideas behind it are so good. I was watching some making of programme the other day, and Brad Wright really does make it sound awesome.

You know what disappoints me the most? I loved Atlantis. Atlantis was the highlight of my viewing week for most of the time it was on. I wanted SGU to be the best thing on television this year by a long way, and it's not...by a long way. I look forward to Sanctuary, Dollhouse, and Flashforward a lot more. Maybe that'll change, maybe it won't, but SGU is good enough to stick with. Well, as if I wouldn't stick with new Stargate, whatever the premiere had been like!