Stargate Atlantis 09/22/06 "The Return"

Anubys · 09-23-2006, 12:12 AM

Much better cliff hanger than last season!

Did Dr. Weir put on a lot of weight or did they just make it look this way?

I very much enjoyed this one...

MikeSh · 09-23-2006, 12:47 AM

I watched the 1st half tonight before I headed for work. I'll watch the rest in the morning from my D*Tivo. I'll have to take a good look at Weir.

MikeS.

lawilson2 · 09-23-2006, 12:54 AM

Excellent episode but I wish they went into more about the ancients that returned. Guess time didn't allow it. I had thought that the replicators were posing as the returned ancients, feigning being on a broken down ship, etc.

Nice cliffhanger for next season. Good to see Jack doing some more work. He seems to really like the Atlantis show more than SG1 lately.

MrGreg · 09-23-2006, 02:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lawilson2

I had thought that the replicators were posing as the returned ancients, feigning being on a broken down ship, etc.

I still think that's the case.

drew2k · 09-23-2006, 11:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrGreg

Quote:

Originally Posted by lawilson2

I had thought that the replicators were posing as the returned ancients, feigning being on a broken down ship, etc.

I still think that's the case.

O'Neill told SGC that more than half the city was already lost. Why would the replicators go to the trouble of faking being Ancients just to get the humans to leave so they could take over the city peacefully and then bomb it to oblivion? That makes no sense to me.

I'm just curious what kind of military career Sheppard will have after he heroically saves the city, Woolsy and O'Neill next season. Promotion?

jerobi · 09-23-2006, 11:30 AM

Good stuff. Hopefully these replicators will end up destroying a few existing plot devices and get the Atlantis team back to that "stranded" feeling.

I mean, IF the team can save the city. Gee golly I hope so.

geekmedic · 09-23-2006, 11:36 AM

Is Atlantis on for another season? I've heard that SG-1 is being canned after the finale.

I really loved the Stargate series. Hate to see SG-1 being retired. Hopefully another network will pick it up for new episodes.

Any idea when SciFi is going HD?

PJO1966 · 09-23-2006, 12:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrGreg

I still think that's the case.

Same here... why else would the show the replicators in the "previously on" bit.

Peter Miller · 09-23-2006, 02:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by geekmedic

Is Atlantis on for another season? I've heard that SG-1 is being canned after the finale.

I really loved the Stargate series. Hate to see SG-1 being retired. Hopefully another network will pick it up for new episodes.

Any idea when SciFi is going HD?

SG-1 was canned, ATL was renewed for a 4th season.

SG-1 just got too expensive to produce. (actor's salaries go up each year) That's the reason why SG-1 was canned and ATL was renewed even tho both have about the same ratings numbers.

Rob Helmerichs · 09-23-2006, 04:24 PM

But there is still a half-season of SG-1 left, in case you were wondering...

windracer · 09-23-2006, 05:12 PM

I guess Robert Picardo and RDA were still in Vancouver from the "200" shoot so they wrote them into this one.

So the Ancients didn't request their puddle jumper back?

How long did it take in the pilot episode for them to gate from the SGC to Atlantis? 30 minutes using Rodney's gate-pipe macro seems long.

flyers088 · 09-23-2006, 05:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by windracer

I guess Robert Picardo and RDA were still in Vancouver from the "200" shoot so they wrote them into this one.

So the Ancients didn't request their puddle jumper back?

How long did it take in the pilot episode for them to gate from the SGC to Atlantis? 30 minutes using Rodney's gate-pipe macro seems long.

I thought they had a ZPM so they just gated there from SGC. With no ZPM to use on either side they had to come up with a new plan.

Rob Helmerichs · 09-23-2006, 05:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flyers088

I thought they had a ZPM so they just gated there from SGC. With no ZPM to use on either side they had to come up with a new plan.

I think the question was, why does it take 30 minutes to gate to Earth using the chained gates when using a regular gate takes nowhere near that long (it seems to be virtually instantaneous, since they're able to have real-time conversations).

But since in Rodney's method each gate along the way has to receive the "information" comprising the travellers, dial the next gate, and then pass it on, it doesn't seem unreasonable that it would take a half hour to make one's way through the entire system. Heck, just dialing all those gates one by one would probably eat up a pretty good chunk of time...

windracer · 09-23-2006, 05:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flyers088

I thought they had a ZPM so they just gated there from SGC. With no ZPM to use on either side they had to come up with a new plan.

I understand why they had to do it. I was just wondering why the new method still took 30 minutes? I realize we're talking two galaxies here and some untold number of gates linked together so 30 minutes compared to 3 weeks is pretty good.

Rob Helmerichs · 09-23-2006, 05:54 PM

I would, however, like to know why the entire population of Atlantis didn't die a horrible death when they returned to Earth without a puddle-jumper, and hit the transfer point half-way, with an unfinished and unenclosed space station, thus having to breathe vacuum while waiting for the second sequence of gates to start up.

stark · 09-23-2006, 06:01 PM

They mentioned that the Atlantians loaned them a ZPM so they could gate directly to Earth.

drew2k · 09-23-2006, 06:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rob Helmerichs

I think the question was, why does it take 30 minutes to gate to Earth using the chained gates when using a regular gate takes nowhere near that long (it seems to be virtually instantaneous, since they're able to have real-time conversations).

But since in Rodney's method each gate along the way has to receive the "information" comprising the travellers, dial the next gate, and then pass it on, it doesn't seem unreasonable that it would take a half hour to make one's way through the entire system. Heck, just dialing all those gates one by one would probably eat up a pretty good chunk of time...

Are the travelers dematerialized for a full 30 minutes during the journey? Or 15 minutes for each leg of the journey to the mid-way point? Sheppard said it felt weird, but I would guess he wouldn't really be aware that 15 minutes or 30 minutes of time has passed ...

drew2k · 09-23-2006, 06:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rob Helmerichs

I would, however, like to know why the entire population of Atlantis didn't die a horrible death when they returned to Earth without a puddle-jumper, and hit the transfer point half-way, with an unfinished and unenclosed space station, thus having to breathe vacuum while waiting for the second sequence of gates to start up.

I had a different question you just reminded me of ... When is the code given to SGC to lower the iris? Didn't see it happen in this episode during Sheppard's run. (I really hope they had tried it with something inanimate before Sheppard tried it.)

zordude · 09-23-2006, 06:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stark

They mentioned that the Atlantians loaned them a ZPM so they could gate directly to Earth.

This was my understanding as well. They didn't use the Macro to leave, they dialed direct.

Z

zordude · 09-23-2006, 06:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drew2k

Are the travelers dematerialized for a full 30 minutes during the journey? Or 15 minutes for each leg of the journey to the mid-way point? Sheppard said it felt weird, but I would guess he wouldn't really be aware that 15 minutes or 30 minutes of time has passed ...

When I saw the shell of the future space station, it looked to me like you would step out of the gate on one side, and walk across the space station and then dial again to use the 2nd half macro.

Z

Rob Helmerichs · 09-23-2006, 07:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zordude

When I saw the shell of the future space station, it looked to me like you would step out of the gate on one side, and walk across the space station and then dial again to use the 2nd half macro.

Z

Right, but time would have to pass while in transit each leg. Gate 1 would dial Gate 2 and send the travellers; Gate 2 would receive the travellers; shut down the incoming wormhole from gate 1, dial Gate 3, and pass on the travellers; etc.

Presumably, the incoming wormhole at SG Command would contain a gate code as well so the iris wouldn't engage.

And as I pointed out before, there is no enclosed station at the halfway point yet, so all those unprotected travellers during the evacuation must have had a very uncomfortable journey, having to walk across an open shell of a station in zero gravity to get to the other gate...

drew2k · 09-23-2006, 07:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rob Helmerichs

Right, but time would have to pass while in transit each leg. Gate 1 would dial Gate 2 and send the travellers; Gate 2 would receive the travellers; shut down the incoming wormhole from gate 1, dial Gate 3, and pass on the travellers; etc.

I find it interesting the show started with a discussion of aging regarding the Ancients and the near-speed-of-light travel, as we earlier found that it takes 15 minutes for each traveller to pass to the mid-point of the two galaxies. Since the traveller is dematerialized for each leg of the trip, the net effect is each traveller has aged 30 minutes less than everyone else when they finally reach their destination.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rob Helmerichs

And as I pointed out before, there is no enclosed station at the halfway point yet, so all those unprotected travellers during the evacuation must have had a very uncomfortable journey, having to walk across an open shell of a station in zero gravity to get to the other gate...

Not according to another post - the Ancients loaned a ZPM from their ship to power the stargate, so everyone walked directly from Atlantis to SGC, bypassing the "Carter-McKay Bridge".

nedthelab · 09-23-2006, 07:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peter Miller

SG-1 was canned, ATL was renewed for a 4th season.

SG-1 just got too expensive to produce. (actor's salaries go up each year) That's the reason why SG-1 was canned and ATL was renewed even tho both have about the same ratings numbers.

I guess the money was going to the actors and not to the wirters or production values, as uch as I like the show it has falling off and I am REALLY tired of a never ending arc with a new and similar villian the first 8 years dealt with....may it RIP

Anubys · 09-23-2006, 08:24 PM

I think Rodney said something along the line of 34 gates comprising the gate-bridge...assuming about 1 minute per gate, the 30 minutes seems reasonable as each gate receives the data, dials the next gate, sends the data through...etc.

and yes, the Ancients re-powered Atlantis with ZPMs...so the evacuation was done directly from Atlantis to Earth...

they had full power...as the replicators were attacking, the Atlantians even attempted to raise their shields...

Mr2sday · 09-23-2006, 08:26 PM

That's right, the CARTER-mckay bridge.

Now atlantis can have all the tech the Aurora class ship had to offer--namely a couple of ZMP's. Kill off the ancients-- it's just too hard with them alive. Although I could see one living helping the SGC ala the azgard on the promethius. When the wraith finally get to atlantis there can be a real battle. A fully functional Atlantis vs. a wraith fleet. Now that is a battle worth watching.

Oh yeah, I'm assuming the ancients get killed by the "replicators" and Weir+Sheppard go back and kill all the replicators. Either that or the replicators give up when they realize that something is wrong with their lives.

JimSpence · 09-23-2006, 10:08 PM

So just where did they get all of those gates to make the chained gate?

windracer · 09-23-2006, 10:15 PM

If memory serves they were taking space gates from planets that were no longer inhabited due to wraith cullings ...

jimmymac · 09-24-2006, 03:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anubys

and yes, the Ancients re-powered Atlantis with ZPMs...so the evacuation was done directly from Atlantis to Earth...

And when Sheppard and the thers retake Atlantis next season and rid it of Replicators (including those posing as Ancients) they will have all those ZPMs

jschuur · 09-24-2006, 03:29 AM

I noticed everyone's been calling them replicators now, even in the show. In the first episode they appeared, it was established that they were the Asurans and not related to the replicators from our Galaxy.

This is going to get might confusing soon for the casual viewer.

balboa dave · 09-24-2006, 05:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jschuur

I noticed everyone's been calling them replicators now, even in the show. In the first episode they appeared, it was established that they were the Asurans and not related to the replicators from our Galaxy.

This is going to get might confusing soon for the casual viewer.

But it hasn't been established that they're not related. There's more discussion in this thread about the episode "Progeny."