Stargate: Universe

Starcraft Stargate Universe is probably the one that many won't remember. It came out with two seasons right around the last spark of the Stargate series was dying in 2009. And I must say this: The tone of the series is completely different than Stargate: SG1 or Stargate: Atlantis (even though the elements and characters still show up). You don't get a tight-knit group of people who signed up for the adventure. You get a rag-team of random people who are forced to tag along for the ride.

If you like Battlestar Galactica, you would love this series. You have a bunch of people who are scared and whine about their situation. Then you have a couple military members and scientists that keep everything together. You think the situation would improve... and then things just get worse. For the first few episodes, the show was boring to watch. I was mad about everything. I hated the characters and I hated watching them argue with each other. Then for one brief moment in "Time", everything changed. There was action and science fiction. There was a moment where things made me stand up in my chair and pay attention. Then in "Life", my dreams were crushed as it pulled away from everything beautiful. The episodes were hit-and-miss after that.

I think my problem with the series is that it tried too hard to explain 3 central themes: The Lucian Alliance, Long-Range Communication Stones, and the ultimate goal of the ship Destiny. Many of the episodes focused too heavily on Earth's conflict with The Lucian Alliance which detracted from the idea of being really far away. We aren't talking about 8th chevron Stargate: Atlantis Pegasus galaxy where a ship can travel in less than a month. We are talking 9th chevron distance where it could take more than a year. In the 5 seasons of Stargate: Atlantis, there were only a handful episodes that show off Earth (They were completely cut off the first season). Nearly half the episodes of Stargate: Universe were them checking out things on Earth using the Communication Stones. Whole episodes were devoted to showing who these people were before going on the ship. The only episodes I liked were the ones that I came for: Planets and Aliens.

I think at one point of my viewing the series I asked the question: "Where's the fun?" That's the thing that hit me the most. The show is depressing as it reviews one horrible revelation after another. The writers did not do a good job improvising Tamara Johanse T.J. (played by Alaina Huffman) pregnancy. I feel... so annoyed by how the baby suddenly disappeared that I nearly gave up watching the rest of series. The state of consciousness and time-traveling themes were so overdone. Rush's argument that staying on the ship is more important than going home is so weak that I was honestly relieved for a moment when I thought he wasn't going to be on the show anymore.

The sad part is the series just sort of ends. The writers came up with a wonderful story that ultimately ends in them making the hard choice of being put in stasis pods. -The End- That's it. There is no movie. There is no third season. That's all there is. Oh well. At least the ending was better than most of the other episodes. Maybe they were trying to be like Star Trek where it doesn't get good until the third season. We will never know.

 

9-4-2016