Stargate Universe: First Impressions
IT’S DIFFERENT, YET FAMILIAR. Much has been made about how the show is going to be unlike what has come before it, and long-time Stargate viewers will certainly be struck by how different SGU is. The difference in shooting style, the focus on characters and relationships more than a driving plot, and a very different approach to music may stand out in particular. It’s not just the next Stargate show; it’s a different kind of Stargate show. It is done beautifully, and for us it is a welcome change.
There’s a ton that is familiar, though — and we don’t just mean the big, spinning ring. In spite of the differences it still feels like Stargate. Not least of all is the world that the characters inhabit. The faces, the technology, the set design, the subtly updated sound effects, the humor mixed with fantastical circumstances and emotion … it’s Stargate.
NO BAD GUYS, PER SE. We heard rumblings of this early on, and it seems to be working out nicely so far. There are enemies, to be sure, and the Destiny will encounter alien species. But the pilot doesn’t set up a primary antagonist like the Goa’uld or the Wraith. Instead, the show is about the Destiny crew and their struggle to survive, to learn what they are made of and who they can count on.
DAMN GOOD ACTING. There are a whopping nine cast members, and every one of them is very good at their craft. Everyone gets moments to shine, and after three episodes it feels like we know a bit about who they are and what makes them tick — and where they have personal flaws. There are a few stand-outs, but we are eager to see the spotlight shone on everyone in turn.
One of the very first feelings we got when watching “Air, Part 1? was that these characters have history, and history with each other. Most of them aren’t meeting one another for the first time. They already feel “lived in;” we get to drop into the middle of their story and figure out what kind of people they are. That’s a credit to the writers (who are clearly writing for an audience that is smart, and doesn’t have to have every plot turn or relationship pointed out with banal dialogue), and it is a credit to the actors.
IT MAKES YOU THINK. Shoot-em-up action and plot-driven fun is great. But because many of the characters on SGU have a history with one another, you may miss something if you’re not watching closely. Our second pass through the pilot revealed over a half dozen clues to characters and potential future scenarios that we didn’t catch the first time around. Thus …
IT PLANTS SEEDS. A large portion of what is hinted at throughout the pilot does not come to fruition at the end of the three hours. The pilot shows a concerted effort to establish that this is going to be a marathon journey — one that will be rewarding to the viewer — than a solo sprint every week.
Related posts:
- Stargate Atlantis/Stargate Universe’ Crossover
- Stargate Universe Updates
- Stargate Universe Concept Art!
- Carlyle: “Stargate: Universe” Will Be Darker
- Third Stargate TV Series Named
