lesbiassparrow | (no subject)

Entry tags:

stargate

(no subject)

Have you ever watched something that you know is not good, that frequently makes you want to smack most of the main characters at least once per episode, but still you can't stop watching?

Such is my horrified and fascinated reaction to watching season one of Stargate:~~the white man's burden~~Atlantis. The main plot of this show is fighting EVIL SPACE VAMPIRES whom our intrepid heroes wake by accident while doing something they shouldn't! The male lead is a maverick who always know better than his female boss! His female boss decides that interviewing people (whose culture and lifestyle your crew accidentally have destroyed) in a friendly way means locking them in their quarters first then having two of you throw hostile questions at them! Because clearly that's going to get them to want to tell you things. For supposedly smart people they do an endless amount of stupid things most of which I am apparently supposed to applaud because a) they leave no one behind (thus waking the EVIL SPACE VAMPIRES) and b) they value human life.

It's like they sent all of the people most likely to cause harm in our galaxy to another one to ensure that they couldn't blow things up here.* At least now I know whom the ancestors of the people on Star Trek: Voyager are.

And still I find myself compulsively wondering what fresh havoc they will wreck in every new episode. And madly shipping everyone with everyone else on an episode by episode basis. Except for Sheppard/McKay. I think Sheppard would shoot him within 10 minutes.

SEND HELP. STOP. CANNOT STOP WATCHING. STOP. PLEASE. STOP.

* Honourable exception: Lt. Ford. I bet they kill him, the bastards.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

This is the mild version of my posts on the season. I swear, everyone but Ford and Teyla screwed up 50 times in that season. (That said, at least half of Weir's problems were caused by Sheppard's stupidity forcing her into difficult situations.)

The race and gender(ESPECIALLY gender) issues there were so screwed up that I think only my deep love for Teyla got me through it.

I swear, everyone but Ford and Teyla screwed up 50 times in that season.

And it's made worse that even though all the others clearly have screwed up the show wants us to shrug and go 'oh well! They had good intentions!'

The race issues are massively compounded by the fact that the Athosians are clearly modeled on Native Americans and no one person in Atlantis ever says 'hey, you know how removing them from their land and crowding them together in an alien environment did go so well on Earth.' It's a hard call which they're worse on though, that or gender.

AND STILL I WILL WATCH. *shame*

Nonono...we're only supposed to see McKay and Sheppard as having good intentions. Weir's wishywashy and has no idea what she's doing. Or so they tell me. Honestly, except for the whole interrogation thing(which, you'll note, was also the woman caving to the advice of the man) every "bad call" she makes is a case of Sheppard or McKay being stupid and acting without authorization, and her having to deal with their mess. The only male on the show I never wanted to strangle in the first season was Ford.

Really, the only ones I can honestly say that I like are Teyla, Ford and Weir. Sheppard and McKay and most of the rest of the base personnel could drown and I wouldn't notice. And I LIKED McKay from SG-1(wanted to drown him there, too, but liked him.)

To be far fairer to the Earth people than they deserve, the Athosians are there because it was that or leave them to die. Not that that remotely makes howthat's dealt with more worthy of bashing your brains out against the wall. (I swear, the only reasons I can even contemplate watching more are Teyla and Sam. I know Ford is only recurring next season and then gone, and I hate seeing the screwed up way they handle a character like Weir, who should be the most awesome thing ever.)

The whole thing that really annoys me is that Weir's very first big decision in this new galaxy - not to go and rescue the Colonel - is shown as bad which is why she changes her mind. But every event since then more or less says 'yeah, waking up the ALIEN SPACE VAMPIRES not so good a thing to do.' Though maybe they would have woken up anyway when they knew there were all of these delicious human beings on Earth.

As for the Athosians, I think that's a good point. But then why do the Athosians need rescuing in the first place? Because the Earth people showed up! They should be celebrating the fact that the Athosians apparently do not hold grudges and apparently are the most adaptable people ever. Actually, that could have been a great plot point - how do two very different peoples live together in this confined environment but that would not really allow for heroics and romping around a new galaxy so much.

I really like Teyla and Ford, though I think Teyla ought to be a little more wary of these people. It's been nothing but disasters for her own since they've turned up, after all. Though it sounds like they're used to that.

*sigh* Yes. I try to be generous and make as many excuses for it as I can without gagging to help me watch more, but I really do know better.

Teyla definately should be more wary. And, honestly, the idea of Sheppard being a better choice at field leader than her? Please. She should so be in charge. Yeah, I know she isn't because of the military thing, but it's just ridiculous.

I feel your pain, mi amigo. My burden is called Battlestar Galactica. I wanna slap most of the humans on that show and cheer for the robots instead of the other way around! I like that the female characters are intelligent and strong-willed, but one of them (Starbuck) makes me see red with her cavalier bullshit that I know I'm supposed to find so empowering and awesome. She just irritates me to no end except when she's being tender with someone or in a dangerous situation, wherein I actually sympathize with her.

I used to watch Battlestar Galactic too but gave up in season 2. I really want to like Starbuck as well and sometimes I do but a lot of her traits aren't ones I like in men either, so I'm not really going to like them just because they've switched gender. I do like her and Anders though. (The little I've seen of it)

I get the feeling that the writers want us to love Starbuck for acting like a dude basically, like it's so clever that a woman can possess what are usually considered maculine traits. Oh, and if you saw the shit she pulls with Lee in S3, you'd hate her! Poor Anders deserves so much better than her ass!

*runs by and steals her OTP* Parts of season three do NOT exist in my personal canon.

I wish Dualla would smack the hell outta Starbuck and Apollo, dude! Those two make me sick...even if Apollo is hot as all hell!

Man. I'm still pissed she didn't kick him to the curb in TaB. There should have been serious groveling. Possibly with roses (yes, Lee, roses. GO FIND SOME.)

Man, they should've hooked Dualla up with Anders so I'd have a couple I could stand behind instead of roll my eyes at! Helo and Sharon are love though! :)

IIIIIII knoooooooow! (I said that the way Craig Ferguson would.) I watch this show most days at 5:00 PM on Sci Fi, and my mind boggles that I know intelligent people who actually like it. It's just...awful. And McKay! My frelling word, I'd kill him in 30 seconds

I started out watching randomly too on Space (Canadian SciFi) and then I thought I'd take some episodes with with on my ipod for this current trip because it seemed entertaining enough when I saw random episodes.

And I know it's terrible, but somehow I cannot stop myself from watching it. It's as if they are sending subliminal messages to me through my screen.

Race and gender issues aside, I just don't understand how Fandom finds McKay hot! Augh.

Do people really find him hot? I know he gets shipped a lot with Sheppard (and I really don't understand why - going from season 1 if you were going for a slash ship I'd say Sheppard/Ford is the more obvious one. To me at any rate).

But I would not wish a romantic relationship with McKay on any human being. No! I take that back! Him and Captain Janeway.

Oh yeah, there's nauseating amounts of McKay love. I think it's a combo of David Hewlett encouraging fan attention and a lot of fans identifying overmuch with someone who's "heavy" and socially malajusted...

Now I'm imagining Captain Janeway in a relationship. Damn you!

Also, cough, you're not so far off about Ford. Though truly, Jason Momoa in pleather pants is a gift to any viewer.

Also, cough, you're not so far off about Ford.

I figured that Ronon appearing meant that they'd get rid of the other ethnic person. Because there can be only one! (And I haven't seen him in the later episodes I've seen. Woes!)

While I think McKay's character can be funny, I just find him rude in that way that really bright people often excuse* because you can expect them to bright and a decent human being.

*But in themselves only. Everyone else should be polite. Because it doesn't work both ways.

Oh man, I don't even find McKay funny. I never enjoy the "humor" on shows like this. With McKay, a lot of the humor triggers my embarrassment squick, but mostly it's because he's a character that I think I'd punch in the face in about 30 seconds. And so I spend a lot of every ep wishing someone would punch him. AND YET I STILL WATCH. I CAN'T HELP IT!

Oh, but they don't just get rid of him. Wait until you find out HOW they get rid of him.

Trust me, he doth not get a dignified end. There have been times when I wished they'd just killed him off at the end of Season 1 and let the character die a hero (you know, like quite a few of the other characters who end up dead. But they're, what's the word, white).

As for Sheppard/McKay, I don't really see it on the show itself, but I started reading the fic before I ever watched the show, and there are some very good writers in the fandom. Naturally, there are lots of sucky ones too, but I tend to ship McShep over the length of a good story. But yes, Hewlett/McKay is fandom's Marty Stu a LOT.

Oh, and just to clarify, the show's gender and race issues don't get better in future seasons. Just thought you'd like to know. And they never do let Rachel Luttrell take off that wig and use her gorgeous real hair. I guess she'd look too ethnic and not Pocahantas-y enough. On the bright side, some of the non-white actors on the show have said things in public which suggest they know exactly what kind of issues the writers have. Very politely, and there are many segments of the fandom sticking their fingers in their ears and going "la la la la", but at least they're getting a few swipes in without losing their paycheques.

I haven't read any Sheppard/McKay. I was too traumatized by reading a bunch of horrifically purple fics about Jack and Daniel from the first Stargate. (All of which were on rec lists. I am now deeply suspicious of Stargate rec lists as a result.) I am sure that you could write in character slash for this show but I haven't read any of it yet.

But you know what makes me sad? Even when they get rid of Ford I will steep keep watching despite my wrath.

SEND HELP. I. JUST. CAN'T. STOP.

Star Trek: Enterprise was my "OMG! I want to slap the shit out of all of you, but I can't stop watching the train wreck long enough to do it!" shows. I'd literally be sitting there, screaming at them in all of their stupidity.

I hated nearly everybody and would usually wish a painful death on Archer at least three times an episode. I think the main reason I stuck it out was becasue I was sure it had to get better. IT HAD TO!

It didn't.

I watched season 1 of that show. By the end of it the only one I liked was the dog. Oh, and that linguist who never got any lines. Probably because she never had any lines.

Did they all die in the end? Because I'd watch that episode.

You know, I have no idea how it ended. And I watched every episode! LOL!

I'm sure we weren't lucky enough to get such a great ending though.

Have you ever watched something that you know is not good, that frequently makes you want to smack most of the main characters at least once per episode, but still you can't stop watching?

I am going to be contrary again but I say "no" to both. :D I am kind of selfish so definition of good for me is "makes alexandra amused" .. But I am never capable to watch something that doesn't amuse me. But the characters in it I can hate or like however.

I tried few times but none of Startrek, Sratgate or similar amuse me.

I am going to be contrary again but I say "no" to both.

Hee!

I don't know what is keeping me watching this show. Well, perhaps I because I like 2 of the characters a lot. And there is something in it that I enjoy even if I want to kick many of the characters once or twice every episode.

I think they put crack in it. That's the only logical explanation for my inability to stop watching.

Crack, Teyla, and pretty men with dreads. It also only makes SG-1 look that much better.

I think they put crack in it.

And subliminal messages. Plus pretty people.

AHAHAHA. I love watching people write stuff like this. 'Cause when I was watching, it was mostly all not noticing the issues iirc. It's only now, looking back, that. Yeah. Sigh.

I don't think I would have so many issues if I weren't watching it all in one big lump. I certainly didn't really have any of them when I was watching random episodes. I just thought 'hey, look at the pretty people! look at them fight evil space vampires!'

I think that's part of it. I'm also a lot more aware of the issues that cause me to go o.O nowadays.

I've never watched this show, but I'm highly amused by the fact that there are EVIL SPACE VAMPIRES.

I love the EVIL SPACE VAMPIRES. Anytime they're on the show improves massively. Mainly because they delight me enormously.

Are the EVIL SPACE VAMPIRES on the show a lot?

No nearly enough. But when they are they are deliciously evil.

I can't help it. I love this show. BSG pissed me of beyond belief and I can no longer watch this, but I do enjoy SGA because so many of the charactres are lovable (despite being terribly flawed). I really like Sheppard, Weir, Ronon, Teyla, McKay, Zelenka, Lorne, even smaller characters like Novak and Chuck the Canadian technician. It's rare that there's a show where I find so many people quite lovable.

As to ethnics, as an Asian, I fear that Pegasus Galaxy appears to have no Asian-looking Aliens. So sad :D

You know, despite all my issues with the show I cannot stop watching it. And all the pretty people fighting the space vampires. Actually, they're my favourite part of the show.

As to ethnics, as an Asian, I fear that Pegasus Galaxy appears to have no Asian-looking Aliens.

I was wondering if they would ever meet any Asian looking Aliens. I guess I shall now stop wondering.

I'm not really involved in it anymore, but if you want a few fic recs let me know. I also have captions and manips. *eg*

Ooh thanks for the offer! It's hard to find anything that isn't McKay/Sheppard. Which doesn't work for me at all as a pairing: I think Sheppard would kill him within 10 minutes.

I'm not really a McShep fan unless it's a humor story, so very few of my recs fit that category.

The SGA recs start on 2006-04-02. If there's no pairing given that means it's gen. http://www.livejournal.com/tools/memories.bml?user=meret&keyword=Recs&filter=all

My SGA fics are here if you're interested.
Gen, humor - http://meret.livejournal.com/532093.html

Weir/Dex - http://meret.livejournal.com/528590.html

McShep, humor - http://meret.livejournal.com/553458.html

gen, humor -
http://meret.livejournal.com/562312.html

Captions and manips - (Spoilers for all aired eps)
http://pics.livejournal.com/meret/gallery/00007gw2

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

(no subject)

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

That's how they get you!

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

Enjoy! :)