033 Starge Universe [SGU]

We have been waiting for this one for a very, very long time. The buzz was intense, the rumors multiplying ten fold as the months went by and the expectations grew along with it.There is something weird and “special” [as is special olympic special] about that franchise. There is no casual viewer, only those who are devoted to it and those who hate it. I understand both sides although I have been involved peripherally with it in the past few months, I can say that I was waiting this premiere with anticipation. I was never a real fan of SG1. For a very long time I just didn’t get it. And it’s only when it got canceled that I actually started to watch the show and realized that yes, there may be something to it even if I still found myself rolling my eyes once in a while. I never liked Atlantis and only started watching in during its final season. Once again, I missed the boat even if at the time, I really felt that if anything this was a sinking ship to begin with. I mean, none of this stuff should be seen as anything but clear, simple entertainment. The fact that SG1 actually lasted more than 4 seasons [10 total] is in itself a miracle. The miracle is that it happened to be in the right place at the right time and that’s very rare these days.

Universe: So, here I am storing the show on my DVR and thinking that for the first time ever, I am actually going to watch this series from the start. It was difficult, I kept it tucked away for three days before I worked up the courage to watch it. I was working on an interview [The Joel Goldsmith one] and was unfortunately given a lot of information about the season before even watching the first episode. So I knew more than I should have when I finally watched it. "Air" [Title of the episode] is a great departure although it could be said that it is not so different at all. The creative team is exactly the same, those guys are still there working at it. To say they are reinventing the wheel but then use the same team to make it, is in my mind a conflicting statement.
It is trying very hard to be different. To be about the characters and not just an action flick. To be mindful of the viewers who are not so stupid after all. To give us a little bit of the darkness in Battlestar Galactica without loosing the fun-careless action of previous Stargate seems to be a tall order. I guess it works in some ways but right now, it’s borderline too dark. Hopefully things get more varied as the shows go on. I hope they can strike a balance.
I know it is probably unfair to judge the show on the premiere episode, but I would think that they would make those first two hours, the best two hours possible. I don’t think they succeeded in that regard. Even if as a whole, the series is more story and character based, I think that the first two hours need to establish more of a hook, a connection for the viewer to hang on to. I think these first two hours were treated too much like a regular episode, I think it needs to be more flashy. Same thing with the characters, it’s difficult to become part of the story and to care about the people because they are already [for the most part] showing way too many weaknesses and flaws. They should build more on that as things evolve rather than throw it all in our faces right away. It’s the disappointment, the discovery, the reversal that makes things interesting. Being curious about a character only to find out later that there is something wrong about him or her is the best part.
The guests: The cast of SG1 [of course Atlantis always gets left in the dirt with these things] makes a brief appearance and I have to say … They all looked really old except for Michael Shanks. That was just weird. Not enough to be completely distracting, but just plain weird.
The music: I don’t think it worked at all. There was nothing that really made it special. I understand they want to stay away from the aesthetic of previous shows and I think that was a good idea. But they need to establish an identity, something recognizable even if it’s subtle and minimalist. The ship is its own thing, for the first time it’s obvious that the Destiny is going to be a character and not just a set. I love that.

Did I manage to talk about SGU without actually voicing a specific opinion? I think I want to leave it vague because it’s only the first episode and I want to give them the chance to show that they are as awesome as they say they are.