A few quick thoughts on "Mortal Coil"

[thegrrrl2002]

I have mixed feelings on this ep. On the one hand, I loved loved loved the emotional notes. This ep was full of lovely character moments that made me squee and sigh. On the other hand, the pacing felt off. The action was uneven--slow in the beginning, and then rushed in the middle where our team comes into contact with the Repli!Team and so forth. And I'm embarrassed to admit that when Repli!Team was revealed (not that it was a surprise, it was pretty clear something was up) it all felt familiar to me and I couldn't put my finger on why. It wasn't until I read my flist that I realized the story was basically SG-1 "Tin Men". Which was one of my favorite eps. ::rolls eyes::

I can haz memory?

In my defense, Rodney and John were looking mighty fine, and they were whispering to each other, and John did the stickfighting thing, and Lorne was mean and crafty, and Zelenka was clearly up to something, then there were TWO John and Rodneys, and Rodney was so delighted with finding another one of himself and John said "My McKay"....how am I supposed to think straight? I'm sure I would have remembered on my own, eventually.

I found it very sad that the real Elizabeth was killed off-screen. It seems like a anti-climax for her character. But I loved how much they grieved for her, how much it showed on their faces, and the way they tried to comfort each other at the end. The Rodney and Radek scene made me sniffly. It was warm and touching and very much in character. Rodney going on about how losing himself in his work and dealing with crisis was a way to not think about all the losses they suffered was heartbreaking.

There are no words for how much I loved John and Rodney talking about bedtime and turning in, though. I loved the warmth between them in that final scene.

So, I did enjoy this ep, a lot, but it left me wanting more--I wanted Teyla interacting with the other Teyla, I wanted the team to at least acknowledge that the person on New Athos who claimed to be Elizabeth might be part of a replicator trap (they just ran off to the planet to greet here, didn't they?), I wanted an action scene where the Repli!Team stole the replicator ship, I wanted more Repli!Angst (although the scene with Ronon and Teyla, where Repli!Ronon contemplates going off on his own was wonderful) and I wanted more of the Repli!Team interacting with the real team.

I was surprised that as a cliffhanger, it didn't leave anyone in immediate peril. And sort of relieved. I did like the very end, with them detecting more and more of the replicator ships in the galaxy. The final moment was cliched, but still effective.

In conclusion, snappish, grumpy suspicious John is hot like a hot hot thing.

Now I'm off to do some Christmas shopping!

Comments

[kimberlyfdr.livejournal.com]

I posted my ep notes (http://kimberlyfdr.livejournal.com/297058.html) right after the ep aired (like always). The scene with Radek and Rodney made me cy :(

[thegrrrl2002.livejournal.com]

That was such a touching scene, and I really didn't expect it, which made it all the more lovely. *g*

[drlense.livejournal.com]

Yeah, this was the first episode of this season that left me... wanting more. or something. There were a lot of cute moments, but there was a point where I was waiting for the moment that would tie everything together and wrap it up for me... and it never came.

[thegrrrl2002.livejournal.com]

It was just a little off, wasn't it? I didn't hate it or anything, but yeah, I wanted more!

[tex.livejournal.com]

I wished there had been more interaction between the real team and the RepliTeam, too. What little they did give us (two Rodneys in mutual geeky admiration) was great.

And the scene where John and Rodney see Elizabeth on the monitor? That made me a little sniffly.

[thegrrrl2002.livejournal.com]

That was such a great moment, with such wonderful emotion--very, very satisfying to see. Too often on Stargate I end up feeling like I want to see more emotional fall-out from the characters, so I was just so happy that it was all there for us to see this time.

[kitestringer.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I kept thinking about "Tin Man," too, and I actually almost watched that episode before I went to bed last night. (Ended up being too tired. *g*) "Tin Man" *killed* me; I felt *so horrible* for the robot versions of SG-1. In "This Mortal Coil," though, it was like they were trying to cram too much into the episode, and they didn't have enough time to make us really feel for the other, "manufactured" team—not to mention for the fact that they apparently willingly sacrificed themselves. So, yeah, I had some problems with this episode, too, although there were also a lot of things I loved about it.

[thegrrrl2002.livejournal.com]

Oh god yes, I was traumatized the first time I saw "Tin Man". In a way I'm sort of glad we didn't spend too much time for the Repli!Team, because it would have broken my heart at the end.

I'm sticking to my belief that the Repli!Team is not dead, though. ::nods firmly::

[dovil.livejournal.com]

McShep whispering. I'm sorry, you said something else?

[thegrrrl2002.livejournal.com]

Yeah, my reaction exactly. *g* How is that so hot?

[pollitt.livejournal.com]

There are no words for how much I loved John and Rodney talking about bedtime and turning in, though. I loved the warmth between them in that final scene.

*nods* I know it's blasphemy, but if they'd ended the scene with the Rodney and Radek scene, I would've been happy. The emotional satisfaction and awesomeness of that scene was that good. But I was waiting, and wasn't disappointed, when John showed up and they had their low-talking moment, talking about bedtimes and turning in and they have what they've been through to process. *sigh*

[inthekeyofd.livejournal.com]

I swear we share a brain.

We do.

[thegrrrl2002.livejournal.com]

I know, I know, it was like having two desserts! With a cherry on top! And extra hot fudge sauce!

[wesleysgirl.livejournal.com]

John said "My McKay"

Um, yes. Everything else paled compared to that for me, because I am a sad, sad fangirl. *Grin*

Good luck shopping!

[thegrrrl2002.livejournal.com]

Those were two very wonderful words. *g*

And thank you--I got just about all my shopping done! Yay!

[fanaddict.livejournal.com]

Yeah, you hit on all the things that I liked and disliked about the ep - your review is just a lot more succinct than mine. ;)

I was also kind of bugged by the fact the writers wanted us to think of the repli-team as real enough for us to be concerned about them, yet the real team were having serious issues doing that - in fact Weir and Sheppard's conversation touched on the fact that even if she came back (and she didn't have a counterpart on Atlantis) that she'd still be viewed as second class. So I felt pulled in 2 writing directions - if I felt empathy for the repli-team, then I'd have to feel upset at the attitude of "our" team. If I didn't feel any empathy for the repli-team, then much of the episode is pointless emotionally. I chose the latter, mostly because I knew 5 minutes in this was Tin Man redux and they were probably doomed, in this ep or the next (if it was a 2 parter) because clearly Stargate learned from Tim Men that you have to kill off all copies eventually and sooner is less messy...

[thegrrrl2002.livejournal.com]

I agree--while my brain didn't pull up "Tin Man" immediately, I knew that the repli!Team was doomed from the start (although still not convinced we won't see them again) and tried my best not to invest in them emotionally. Which definitely lessened the impact of their sacrifice.

[velocitygrass.livejournal.com]

It seems like a anti-climax for her character.
I agree. I was surprised that it was just mentioned so off-handedly. But I'm really glad that they showed Rodney grieving (or not grieving). We've seen how much the loss of Elizabeth hit John and we got a scene for Teyla and Ronon, but nothing at all from Rodney.

This was beautifully done and despite the McShep, my favorite part of the show was the Radek/Rodney talk in the end.

There are no words for how much I loved John and Rodney talking about bedtime and turning in, though.
Oh yes, it really shows how slashy the show has become that the fact that Rodney apparently knows when John goes to sleep doesn't seem all that spectacular to me.

And I was waiting and hoping for the Teylas to discuss the pregnancy. Wouldn't it have been a relief for Teyla to talk about this with someone (other than Keller), someone who'll understand her?

[thegrrrl2002.livejournal.com]

The Radek/Rodney talk was so very lovely, I wanted to hug poor little Radek. It's nice to see that Elizabeth's loss impacted everyone. Now, if only we had a sad little Lorne moment.

Yes, yes, I really wanted Teyla to talk to herself! Whether it was the pregnancy or something else. I think it would have been interesting, since she often comes across as the most measured and reasonable person on the team.

[inthekeyofd.livejournal.com]

I loved that he was stick fighting even with his uniform on.

And I did love the "My Rodney" line.

It could be a little confusing, but I still liked it..and grumpy John is a HOTTER THAN THE SUN JOHN.

*sigh..hot John...sigh*

[kristen999.livejournal.com]

lol....and why was John stick fighting with his uniform on? Is the black t-shirt too squee worthy these days?

[thegrrrl2002.livejournal.com]

LOL! I figured it must be kind of uncomfortable, especially if he had the teeshirt on underneath. What where they thinking?

[thegrrrl2002.livejournal.com]

John is just too damn hot, period. I'm surprised the cameras didn't melt. *g*

[libra-traveller.livejournal.com]

This goes to show that people, even fans are a really diverse bunch, because this was the first episode plot wise this season that I was actually satisfied.

Creativity wise my favorite episode was doppelganger, then tabula rasa, then the seer. I guess special effects wise would be the first two eps. And character wise, Sateda.

Then I detested Travelers (and not for ew-het reasons, but for oh lets torture our lead character for a stupid plot reason, and have it done by an insanely cliche woman reason) Then I hated Missing because of bad dialogue and a really pointless bridge that was made scary looking for the sake of scary looking and had no place in reality, and a CMO who couldn't get over her own terror to act professional (I'm sorry regardless of setting, or situation she should've known how to pull it together) not to mention the clich lets break her ankle because she's too much an idiot to have already taken that bag off. And I also very sadly hated Miller's Crossing (and that was the worst of all because I was looking forward to it), and again for bad writing: bad character choices, etc., ect.

So what I mean to say is, I love Atlantis because all fans can find something they like or hate, or love or dislike about it, and then be able to go forth and participate.

[thegrrrl2002.livejournal.com]

This ep definitely left me wanting more, but still, it was very enjoyable. You can't really go wrong with duplicating the team. *g*

[feather-autant.livejournal.com]

Rodney knows John's bedtime. :D How could I not love that?

I agree, it wasn't all balls-to-the-wall like I've come to expect from the cliffhangers. Still, there were some lovely moments.

[thegrrrl2002.livejournal.com]

There were so many lovely little moments like that! And I'm kind of glad it wasn't one of those kinds of cliffhangers. They can be very stressful. *g*

[lamardeuse.livejournal.com]

and John said "My McKay"....how am I supposed to think straight?

Yeah, that was pretty much my reaction when I tried to analyze my reaction to the ep. :)

[thegrrrl2002.livejournal.com]

::sighs:: I hit the wrong button. *g*

As I was trying to say, my brain was totally on the OMG THEY'RE SO CUTE loop the entire ep. Makes it very hard to think.

[miera-c.livejournal.com]

I wanted Teyla interacting with the other Teyla, I wanted the team to at least acknowledge that the person on New Athos who claimed to be Elizabeth might be part of a replicator trap (they just ran off to the planet to greet here, didn't they?)

I was really confused about the Teyla bits. Didn't Team 2.0 say they were going to New Athos to make contact with Atlantis? Wouldn't they then have learned the Athosians were missing there, and shouldn't that have provoked some sort of reaction from Teyla 2.0?

[thegrrrl2002.livejournal.com]

Yes! I thought that maybe I missed something, that they didn't go to New Athos but they ran into one of the off-world teams on a different planet. Because surely the lack of Athosians would make Repli!Teyla a little worried, no?

::grumbles::