a review by
Husher315
Sep 29, 2009
Stargate Universe
Second Spin-off of the Hit Sci-fi Series Stargate: SG-1 scheduled to debut October 2, 2009 ... see full wiki
Stargate Universe which has also come to be know simply as SGU is the second spin-off series to spawn off of the success of Stargate: SG-1. Stargate Universe will debut on October 2nd 2009 on the Syfy Channel with the three part episode/movie … more
5 reviews about Stargate Universe
Husher315's Review
"Where Will Destiny Take You?" "SGU" is Fresh, Sexy and Exciting!
Rating:
+4
When I first heard about the premise of SGU, I wasn't thrilled. The idea of taking Stargate and making it edgier and more accessible didn't really sit right with me. Stargate fans had what they wanted with SG-1 and Atlantis already and with the promise of more movies, they pretty much were satisfied. I was actually under the impression for a while that I wasn't even going to give the show a chance. People were saying it was a rip off of Voyager with a 90210 twist. Then I saw the first preview for the show. Needless to say that the two minute and forty-five second trailer completely turned my opinion around. I still had my doubts, but for the most part, I was just happy that Stargate was coming back on the air. Now that I've seen the first three episodes of the show, I can tell you that Stargate Universe will be an instant hit.
The first and most important fact about SGU is that it is truly accessible to anyone. If you've never seen an episode of Stargate before, that's ok! Believe it or not, there is actually a crash course guide to the Stargate aboard the U.S.S General Hammond which is narrated by someone all Stargate fans love and know. Stargate Universe gives television viewers a fresh start to, no pun intended, the universe that is Stargate, without having to know about a single character from either series. Having said that, if you are a Stargate fan, you will instantly be sucked into this new creation by Robert C. Cooper and Brad Wright. Along with all of the new faces, fans will quickly see some old faces like Jack O'Neill, Col. Carter and the beloved Daniel Jackson...oh and let's not forget about Walter.
What grabbed me the most while watching the premiere was how the show, being able to take aspects of both SG-1 and Atlantis, brought this brand new approach and put some english on it. Without giving much away, the show starts with the Icarus Base members being thrown through the stargate onto the floor of the Destiny gate room and then, not five minutes later, we're back in time in an Icarus Base closet with Lt. Scott (Brian J. Smith) having sex with another officer. Sexual content wasn't something that was really featured in previous Stargate shows, which I think is something that adds a little bit more spice and humanity to the table. SGU has also brought a change to the way in which the series is filmed, having a more BSG feel to it, giving it the shaky camera effect at times which again, makes the show a touch more realistic. Joel Goldsmith has also taken a complete departure from previous Stargate shows with the way in which SGU is scored, offering fresh new music that is actually reminiscent of Toto's score of David Lynch's Dune.
While everything talked about above is very promising for the continuing Stargate franchise, the cast of this new edition is what will make SGU go on. I was very surprised with how well this cast came together in the first three hours of the show and made it believable. Anyone can write about a group of people who are stuck on a ship without any chance of returning home, but it takes a great troop of actors to make it believable and that's exactly what they did. Robert Carlyle as Dr. Rush is fantastic. He does a very good job playing someone who is very sly and most definitely not trustworthy. David Blue as Eli Wallace is hilarious and is what you would expect out of a young Rodney McKay except in this case, scared out of his mind. I could also talk about the older more seasoned actors like Louis Ferreira or Lou Diamond Phillips, but it's the younger actors who really stood out in the three hours I got to see. Brian J. Smith as Lt. Scott taking charge in the midst of the Destiny's life support systems failing or Alaina Huffman as Lt. Tamara Johansen trying to be a doctor with only medic training. Elyse Levesque as Chloe Armstrong dealing with something very difficult while already being terrified of the very real possibility that she will never be abel to return home. All of these details were played out extremely well by what is a very young cast.
There is no doubt in my mind that SGU will be a hit. With a more serialized season forthcoming, viewers will truly get a chance to get to know these characters while also going through the pains and hardships of life aboard the Destiny, Billions of light years away from home. If this show gets a chance to really grow, there is no telling how many more amazing stories this fabulous writers will come up with. Stargate Universe has a chance to be really big and I'm hoping it gets that chance. After watching "Air" part III, I was definitely left wanting more. All I know is that for the time being, Stargate is back, and it's bigger and better than ever, 4/5!
The first and most important fact about SGU is that it is truly accessible to anyone. If you've never seen an episode of Stargate before, that's ok! Believe it or not, there is actually a crash course guide to the Stargate aboard the U.S.S General Hammond which is narrated by someone all Stargate fans love and know. Stargate Universe gives television viewers a fresh start to, no pun intended, the universe that is Stargate, without having to know about a single character from either series. Having said that, if you are a Stargate fan, you will instantly be sucked into this new creation by Robert C. Cooper and Brad Wright. Along with all of the new faces, fans will quickly see some old faces like Jack O'Neill, Col. Carter and the beloved Daniel Jackson...oh and let's not forget about Walter.
What grabbed me the most while watching the premiere was how the show, being able to take aspects of both SG-1 and Atlantis, brought this brand new approach and put some english on it. Without giving much away, the show starts with the Icarus Base members being thrown through the stargate onto the floor of the Destiny gate room and then, not five minutes later, we're back in time in an Icarus Base closet with Lt. Scott (Brian J. Smith) having sex with another officer. Sexual content wasn't something that was really featured in previous Stargate shows, which I think is something that adds a little bit more spice and humanity to the table. SGU has also brought a change to the way in which the series is filmed, having a more BSG feel to it, giving it the shaky camera effect at times which again, makes the show a touch more realistic. Joel Goldsmith has also taken a complete departure from previous Stargate shows with the way in which SGU is scored, offering fresh new music that is actually reminiscent of Toto's score of David Lynch's Dune.
While everything talked about above is very promising for the continuing Stargate franchise, the cast of this new edition is what will make SGU go on. I was very surprised with how well this cast came together in the first three hours of the show and made it believable. Anyone can write about a group of people who are stuck on a ship without any chance of returning home, but it takes a great troop of actors to make it believable and that's exactly what they did. Robert Carlyle as Dr. Rush is fantastic. He does a very good job playing someone who is very sly and most definitely not trustworthy. David Blue as Eli Wallace is hilarious and is what you would expect out of a young Rodney McKay except in this case, scared out of his mind. I could also talk about the older more seasoned actors like Louis Ferreira or Lou Diamond Phillips, but it's the younger actors who really stood out in the three hours I got to see. Brian J. Smith as Lt. Scott taking charge in the midst of the Destiny's life support systems failing or Alaina Huffman as Lt. Tamara Johansen trying to be a doctor with only medic training. Elyse Levesque as Chloe Armstrong dealing with something very difficult while already being terrified of the very real possibility that she will never be abel to return home. All of these details were played out extremely well by what is a very young cast.
There is no doubt in my mind that SGU will be a hit. With a more serialized season forthcoming, viewers will truly get a chance to get to know these characters while also going through the pains and hardships of life aboard the Destiny, Billions of light years away from home. If this show gets a chance to really grow, there is no telling how many more amazing stories this fabulous writers will come up with. Stargate Universe has a chance to be really big and I'm hoping it gets that chance. After watching "Air" part III, I was definitely left wanting more. All I know is that for the time being, Stargate is back, and it's bigger and better than ever, 4/5!
While I respect your love of the show, I am not feeling it. It feels like more like Battle Star-gate. It lacks aliens, adventure and it waaaay to heavy on overly done drama. I was worried when I saw the previews of it and that the one 'name' on the cast was Lou Diamond Phillips. Sorry man, but you aren't exactly a show making star.
On November 06, 2009
Reply
I only saw the pilot two evenings ago...it is very sexy. It piqued my interest and anything with Ming-Na I would have to give a chance LOL! nice work.
On October 06, 2009
Reply
Very good review. I do consider myself a fan, ever since the Kurt Russell movie, Stargate. Darn it, I did not get to see the entire two hour pilot. But from what I did see, this has some potential. They really need to develop the characters better because at this point only the standard SG1 actors, O'Neill, Carter and Daniel, really connected with me. I did not write a review since I have not watched enough yet. But from your write-up, I'll definitely put some time aside Friday nights.
On October 04, 2009
Reply
Great review. I was never able to get into any of the Stargate shows, based on the trailer and your review I think I'll give this the old 'Tivo Try'
On October 02, 2009
Reply
All 5 reviews
Stargate:Universe, with a grain of salt
Rating:
+4
I really do understand why some fans of Stargate are choosing not to watch SGU because of their worries over it becoming Stargate:90210. It's been touted as bigger, better, and with a younger, sexier cast. Then, there were worries about the handling of a lesiban relationship onscreen, and whether bodyswap communication was really going to be a good idea. I appreciate their concerns over the various issues that have been brought up, but I felt that I needed to see it for myself before making a judgment call on whether or not it was offensive or good or even worth watching at all.
Being the big geeks that we are, Julian and I and our other sci-fi friends decided to plan a geeky Stargate party for the premiere, complete with costumes/SG t-shirts, stargate-themed food (Salisbury Steak, tater tots and blue jello, along with lemon chicken and lemonade just for Rodney and Guinness to drink) and general geekery. We even watched "Window of Opportunity," the awesome groundhog-day episode of SG-1 before the premiere started.
I'll admit, I was more excited than wary, but I want to have faith in the Stargate franchise because it hasn't failed me yet (barring the untimely demise of Atlantis). But, I did make sure not to let my excitement cloud my judgment.
Overall, I enjoyed it. It's almost not a Stargate series, because the feel of it is so different. The whole feel of the show is darker, less happy action-adventure-y that SG-1 or Atlantis, and the set and the handheld camera-work really play to that. It opens with a bang, literally, with injured refugees flying through the Stargate into a dark, unfamiliar location, all panic and confusion and no answers, which start to come as the episode goes on.
The ship is pretty neat, although not shiny and beautiful like Atlantis or the Asgaard ships, and it's largely a mystery. It's very Battlestar-esque in that the ship is old and falling apart and barely able to support life, which I'm sure will create lots of plotlines for future episodes.
I think the most interesting thing about the series is the characters. Yes, some of them are young and attractive, but so was Sam Carter in the first season of SG-1, and look how she developed as a character. I think a lot of the characters have some great potential for development and I hope they get it as the series goes on. It doesn't seem like SG:90210 yet, and I don't see that happening anytime soon.
I like Lt. Scott right off the bat, and I think he has some interesting growth ahead of him, as a green soldier thrust into a leadership position. Johannsen, the medic, is interesting too. I'm intrigued to see how they deal with the relationship between her and Ming Na's IOA committee member, Ray. I hope, in future episodes, we'll get to see a lot more development from Ming-Na's character. She's such an awesome actress, and has potential to be great.
The moral ambiguity of some characters isreally fascinating.. Dr. Rush is like no one we've seen on Stargate, yet. He clearly has his own motives, and really only cares about the science, the discovery, about proving that he is right, but without him, the stranded Icarus Base crew is without an expert. I love the fact that he's really the first leading stargate character who could easily be a hero or a villain. Greer is problematic to me, though. I'm interested in his backstory, but really, did they have to make the one black dude the crazy possibly homicidal incarcerated soldier?
Overall, I think it was really cool and interesting, and I'm hoping that SGU provides some development for potentially fascinating characters in future episodes.
Being the big geeks that we are, Julian and I and our other sci-fi friends decided to plan a geeky Stargate party for the premiere, complete with costumes/SG t-shirts, stargate-themed food (Salisbury Steak, tater tots and blue jello, along with lemon chicken and lemonade just for Rodney and Guinness to drink) and general geekery. We even watched "Window of Opportunity," the awesome groundhog-day episode of SG-1 before the premiere started.
I'll admit, I was more excited than wary, but I want to have faith in the Stargate franchise because it hasn't failed me yet (barring the untimely demise of Atlantis). But, I did make sure not to let my excitement cloud my judgment.
Overall, I enjoyed it. It's almost not a Stargate series, because the feel of it is so different. The whole feel of the show is darker, less happy action-adventure-y that SG-1 or Atlantis, and the set and the handheld camera-work really play to that. It opens with a bang, literally, with injured refugees flying through the Stargate into a dark, unfamiliar location, all panic and confusion and no answers, which start to come as the episode goes on.
The ship is pretty neat, although not shiny and beautiful like Atlantis or the Asgaard ships, and it's largely a mystery. It's very Battlestar-esque in that the ship is old and falling apart and barely able to support life, which I'm sure will create lots of plotlines for future episodes.
I think the most interesting thing about the series is the characters. Yes, some of them are young and attractive, but so was Sam Carter in the first season of SG-1, and look how she developed as a character. I think a lot of the characters have some great potential for development and I hope they get it as the series goes on. It doesn't seem like SG:90210 yet, and I don't see that happening anytime soon.
I like Lt. Scott right off the bat, and I think he has some interesting growth ahead of him, as a green soldier thrust into a leadership position. Johannsen, the medic, is interesting too. I'm intrigued to see how they deal with the relationship between her and Ming Na's IOA committee member, Ray. I hope, in future episodes, we'll get to see a lot more development from Ming-Na's character. She's such an awesome actress, and has potential to be great.
The moral ambiguity of some characters isreally fascinating.. Dr. Rush is like no one we've seen on Stargate, yet. He clearly has his own motives, and really only cares about the science, the discovery, about proving that he is right, but without him, the stranded Icarus Base crew is without an expert. I love the fact that he's really the first leading stargate character who could easily be a hero or a villain. Greer is problematic to me, though. I'm interested in his backstory, but really, did they have to make the one black dude the crazy possibly homicidal incarcerated soldier?
Overall, I think it was really cool and interesting, and I'm hoping that SGU provides some development for potentially fascinating characters in future episodes.
Stargate Universe 1.1, 1.2: I am your density!
Rating:
+3
STARGATE UNIVERSE is the third television series to spin off from the movie Stargate. It concerns a mismatched group of explorers, soldiers and civilians trapped aboard an Ancient vessel billions of light years away from Earth with no way of returning home. What sets this series apart is its darker tone, younger cast, and much more kinetic feel. The characters barely know each other let alone like each other, and spend a lot of time in the opening story hurling accusations and blame for their dire circumstances. The whole thing feels like a mash-up of STARGATE: ATLANTIS and LOST IN SPACE, with maybe a little STAR TREK: VOYAGER (but let’s hope not much). Kicking off a new series with edgy characters who bicker endlessly is a risky gambit to attract viewers, but my hat is off to the-powers-that-be for not serving up a simple retread. Diehard STARGATE fans will need to get used to this status quo, but there’s a chance that newcomers to the franchise will be intrigued. The gloomy lighting and quick-cut editing make the series feel more action-packed than it actually is. The premiere opened with a mad scramble through a stargate as the characters fled an alien assault with no idea where they were landing. The group was not designated to venture off-world, and thus are ill-suited to be stranded aboard an alien starship. For instance, there is no doctor, only a flustered medic (Alaina Huffman, who played Black Canary on SMALLVILLE). The expedition’s top scientist and self-proclaimed leader, Dr. Nicholas Rush (Robert Carlyle), has absolutely no people skills whatsoever. (Picture Dr. McKay without the personal magnetism.) Despite his discomfort with others, Rush repeatedly stresses the need for him to be the leader, while seeming dumbfounded as to why his tremendous intellect has not cowed the Ancient starship into returning them home. The frosty Rush is counterbalanced by the appealing civilian consultant Eli Wallace. Normally, I despise the “boy genius” archetype, but David Blue works overtime to make sure his character doesn’t come across as an insufferable Wesley Crusher-type. The mostly-youthful cast feels like a transparent attempt to appeal to a younger demographic, but SG-1’s Richard Dean Anderson, Amanda Tapping and Michael Shanks hitch a ride to ease the transition for veteran viewers. Lieutenant Scott (Brian J. Smith) seems too baby-faced to lead the military contingent, so it’s a good thing that Colonel Young (Louis Ferreira) survived to take over as the no-nonsense father figure. It remains to be seen who will fill the matriarch role, although my money is on Ming-Na's IOA rep, Camille Wray. Poor Ming had no real role in the premiere, but I’m sure this will be remedied when it makes more sense for her character to step forward. (BTW, want proof SGU is still courting its core audience of SF geeks? Here it is: Chloe (Elyse Levesque), the politician’s hot daughter, actually talks to husky “math boy” Eli!) Despite being a roomy two hours long, the premiere suffered from the usual pilot-itis: It sketched in a multitude of characters but spent more time establishing their situation and piling up problems. The most immediate of those problems was finding enough breathable air to avoid dying before they can strangle each other. Do audiences want to watch 20 episodes of a bunch of strangers arguing with each other? Realistically, no, so I’m sure the survivors will jell eventually – and the huge crowd of people aboard promise lots of red shirts to make the stakes seem high each week. The Ancients’ ship is called Destiny; let’s hope SGU doesn't sink under the burden of its own density.
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About this tv show
Stargate Universe which has also come to be know simply as SGU is the second spin-off series to spawn off of the success of Stargate: SG-1. Stargate Universe will debut on October 2nd 2009 on the Syfy Channel with the three part episode/movie entitled "Air".
SGU takes place aboard the Ancient ship, Destiny, a ship that was created by the ancients in order to follow another ship that was seeding stargates in different galaxies. In order to reach the ship, a gate address using all nine chevrons would have to be dialed, something that has never happened in the Stargate universe before. When a team of soldiers and scientists from the SGC is attacked at a secret base, they dial all nine chevrons of the gate, leading them to the Destiny. Now, with not enough food, air or water to survive and no way to change the ships course back home to Earth, the makeshift crew of the Destiny must find a way back home...and a way to stay alive in the process.
This new take on the Stargate franchise is aimed at both seasoned viewers as well as a new audience as well. While the show will rely on previous Stargate mythos, viewers will not really need to know about the franchise going in. Instead of plots on an episode to episode basis, the show will focus heavily on one main plot through out the course of that season while also focusing more on the characters than the adventure and exploration aspects. While the show takes on a more...
Premiere Date:
October 2nd 2009
Genre:
scifi,
Science Fiction, Drama, Action, Adventure
Studio:
MGM
Original Air Date:
October 2nd 2009
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