Stargate Atlantis (2004) Retrospective/Review - Stargate Retrospective, Part 4

[@RowanJColeman]

HELP THE CHANNEL GROW: www.patreon.com/rowanjcoleman

[@MrAshleyR]

OK fine, I'll rewatch Atlantis again.

[@rutgerb]

I never did because it wasnt sg1. I think i am now growup enough to start with an open mind😂

[@dosmastrify]

They cut it off at cliffhanger, assholes

[@jon-michaelharris5840]

Just finished my bi-annual binge watch

[@centy64]

@@rutgerb Oh to be able to watch it for the first time again... you're in for a treat.

[@Shervin86]

@@rutgerb I actually envy you! Have a nice journey

[@Sir_Loin_Of_Beef]

the fact that Shepherd had the balls to just splash 55 geni against the gate shield is part of why I like him almost as much as o'neill.

[@jayburn00]

That episode was awesome. Basically die hard in stargate.

[@marocat4749]

@@jayburn00 you mean other than the stsg1 referencin it ?

[@lincolnnoronha4128]

lol

[@Cheesusful]

​@@jayburn00"how do you know which dot is Shepherd?" he's the dot that's going to be killing all the other dots"

[@supermagnificence7503]

Ronon vs Teal'c is fanservice done RIGHT

[@CantankerousDave]

Indeed. /s

[@c1ph3rpunk]

Undomesticated equines could not keep from away from this.

[@leapingtortoise]

The look on Shepherds face as Ronan decides to go hand-to-hand is incredible.

[@baddman69]

"I would very much like to have a weapon such as this." "Yeah, get in line."

[@ukmediawarrior]

As someone who has met Jason Momoa a few times and was lucky enough to have spent time in his company while he was on Atlantis, I can tell you that a lot of Ronon's character is straight from Jason's own. His sense of humor, how physical he is, that's all Jason, lol. As an example I will tell you an anecdote from a Stargate Atlantis convention I worked at in the UK. I was security for Joe at the time and we were walking through the main hall outside the Green Room when the nearby toilet door opens and Jason appears. Upon seeing Joe he grins and then charges me and Joe, slamming us both to the ground, him on top as he hugs Joe. Then laughing he leaps up, grabs Joe's and my hands and drags us to our feet. Patting us down, he grins and walks off. When I asked Joe if that was how Jason normally behaved the man looked at me with tired eyes and said 'Yeah ... all the time', LOL :D

[@marocat4749]

Inreresting but makws sense if it fits on the show. And jason mamoa seems awesome and lovely. Dude even adopted wolves. And how he on a talkshow is a dork lol

[@AnnoyingCritic-is7rp]

I always wondered why he didn't go anywhere, and figured he was washed in B movies...

[@IrisCorven]

Based on the kind of stuff Joe has posted on IG with Jason in it, this checks out 100%. lol

[@redkommie80]

After seeing Jason bring Joe into that commercial recently, seeing how they are still friends, I love hearing this.

[@iamperplexed4695]

Who is Joe?

[@amehak1922]

Stargate SG1 was popular enough that NORAD's Cheyenne Mountain facility labeled a supply closet door "Stargate Command" for the tourists.

[@ANTIStraussian]

​@@TomatoFettucciniand he lead several missions interuppting Japanese whaling vessels 😂

[@edwardkuenzi5751]

At least that's what they want us to believe

[@BogeyTheBear]

One of the quality-of-life services provided within the facility is a barber shop, so they could have given Joe Spencer a job there.

[@shaggycan]

The slow, multi year build up to actually seeing Atlantis take off and fly through space was amazing. Seeing a city sized ship was fantastic.

[@lincolnnoronha4128]

indeed

[@Zyzyx442]

Though I love Star Trek series and Battlestar Galactica it's only Stargate SG-1 & Atlantis that has that red thread of continuity of progress no other show have. Humanity goes from MP5's to Intergalactic Battlecruisers.

[@lincolnnoronha4128]

@@Zyzyx442 oh! watch the expanse! :)

[@Zyzyx442]

@@lincolnnoronha4128 thanks, looks good.

[@JessePollardII]

You should read "Cites in Flight". (Saberhagan I think) The concept is quite old.

[@Ternalin]

Tori NAILED the part of Weir, Atlantis was never the same after she left the show. She had Janeway-like style and I loved how she never belittled the men who worked under her, indulging them a few times but her line "Gentlemen, Focus" was a reminder of who was in charge. I thought she was so good as the leader of Atlantis.

[@Xathian]

The entire pivot on all fronts of the story going from season 3 to 4 was an absolute disaster for the show. I still think it was very good after but it wasn't the SAME. It compounded its baggage and started to drag itself down, wiping out the Replicators and effectively solving the Genii and just returning to the Wraith as the only actual villain even after they had been depowered and humbled by the power creep of the heroes. SG1 was smart to sidestep the Goa'uld after they became useless as enemies and only used them sparingly when they could be made MUCH more threatening (Anubis' ascendant powers, Ba'als incredible cunning).

[@Matt42MSG]

@@Xathian The show was not planned or developed well. There were times when it seemed there was a war between two writing groups, each of which pruned the long-term developments of the other group whenever they showed signs of developing. And too much focus on Rodney in what was supposedly an ensemble cast! I know he was a great character with a great actor, that's no excuse to not develop anyone else.

[@Ternalin]

@@Xathian I agree, but I also respectfully disagree with Rowan, I don't feel that Michael was a good antagonist myself and I was a little bored with him after the first episode, I much preferred "Todd" and I felt the show should have focused more on the political infighting between the different hives and showing more aspects of Wraith society. I also felt the best thing to come out of Season 4 and 5 was the Vanir, the off-shoot of the Asgard and how they reacted to the destruction of their cousins was really interesting. I am surprised Rowan didn't mention those episodes because the Stargate on Atlantis literally exploded.

​@@TernalinAgreed, Michael wasn't great, while Todd was the best frenemy in all of Stargate.

[@supermagnificence7503]

Yeah Honestly I loved her both in execution but especially in concept. She's not a military officer, she's diplomat a civilian. I feel like it tied pretty well into exploring the wider concept Stargate touched on at times, that being the whole "The Military making huge impactful decisions on behalf of the whole species with little to no oversight from civilian authorities let alone the average person."

[@Herosthroe]

Atlantis is the only show where I NEVER skip the opening credits. That main theme is just Heavenly! 😇

[@Grivehn]

I always felt like it could have used a bit more oomph. It wasnt bad nor bland, just some tones felt like they could have been a pinch stronger. But maybe thats just my taste, it certainly fit a 'heavenly' theme.

[@briannevs2772]

The Season 4 (IIRC) effect of the character being somewhat frozen struck me as an excellent touch.

[@jakobrandel8105]

Man, McKay and Shepard were just a lot of fun. I've loved all of the SG, but there was something about Atlantis.

[@GOLANX]

Favorite moment is when Shepard Gives Cameron a Lemon tells him to use it on Mckay whenever he needs a Miracle.

[@Xathian]

The Shepard/McKay dynamic is exactly the reason why I think Atlantis is personally better even though I feel that objectively SG-1 is the better show. You just can't beat those 2.

[@GoosterHiista]

Ima just shout out the most underappreciated character from the show. Radek Zelenka.

[@Sci-Fi-Mike]

Those two worked well together!😅

[@Sci-Fi-Mike]

​@Xathian it's Jack O'Neill and Daniel dialed up. Great pairing of actors/characters!

[@TKinfinity01]

I still think Stargate Atlantis had at least 1-2 more good seasons in it. There were so many storylines left open and needed exploring. The fact that Aiden Ford wasn’t brought back is just a shame.

[@CantankerousDave]

The Asgard offshoots in particular needed more story time, particularly after the extinction of the “local” ones at the end of SG-1.

[@marocat4749]

Yeah, its really sad, and woolsy really carried a lot ther alone and there easyy could be other things to fight. plus wraith still exist, and the traveller, i mean the traveller ship folk and allies and the alliance that existed that didnt like them or was odd on them that existed is really interesting. Its really interesting that the y mess up stuff too and are sideyed by an alliance in that universe that isnt known. And they are foreigner. Which also is way more aware to not be the saviours but more complicated.

[@IrisCorven]

My biggest issue is that the ending was "We took Atlantis to Earth". Atlantis felt like a home in a different universe - it made a great way to separate the two chunks of the series mythos, by having Earth and the Pegasus Galaxy have their own issues, and teams that handled each. It's part of why the books immediately ran that back and were like "Lol no get that thing back out there."

[@makasete30]

They even set up a new enemy in the Daedalus variations and I remember reading a review saying this would be cool enemy to explore in the next season. I’m curious why the retrospective doesn’t mention Stargate Universe as a reason why Stargate Atlantis was finished early. This is the first I’ve heard that the reason was the success of the movies. Joe Flannigan has said in a few interviews that the network was happy with SGA and would have accepted another season but the word from the writers was that they wanted to concentrate on SGU and not work on two shows.

[@notanactualuser]

@@IrisCorven well the plan was apparently to always take Atlantis back to Pegasus

[@Scerttle]

20:35 I forgot Colm Meaney was in Atlantis, but I immediately recall loving him in it!

[@Scerttle]

1:00:00 oh cool, I thought the films were forthcoming, nice!

[@NativeNewMexican]

Hell, his character in Atlantis was FAR cooler than STTNG or DS9.

[@Bluestar1079]

Season 1 of Atlantis was definitely unique for a sci-fi show. it got off the ground running, without the usual 'we'll make up the mythos as we go along' stumblings of most first seasons.

[@marocat4749]

I mean 2 and late season 1 still did improve on what could be, hell ford is even send off interesting and his comeback. plus i love ronan And teila became interesting. It still figured out kinda. But true having a lore already helped while plenty room for new one.

[@Blisterdude123]

In fairness, unlike a lot of shows, Atlantis had a lot of established background in terms of story and lore and history, and by then extremely skilled and veteran crew working on it after SG-1. That was a well-oiled production team, by that point.

[@robwalsh9843]

One of the most memorable scenes is when the mass of Wraith wake up in their honeycomb-like hibernation chambers on the ship's ceiling. It really made them creepy and it effectively communicates to the audience that this is a different galaxy than that of the System Lords.

[@ChrisHolzer]

I am in love with Stargate ever since I watched the movie in the cinema. SG1 and Atlantis were awesome and I honestly enjoed Universe A LOT - but I am still upset that this show was not allowed to have a proper conclusion. :(

[@jclebourdais10]

I wonder if he's going to cover the recent web series where Connor Trinneer appears.

[@chrisb4944]

True story. The moment I saw Jason Momoa in the second season I thought this guy has the look of a movie star and could be a movie star. And then years later it was conan, game of thrones then Aquaman that made the world see what I saw years prior. Pretty cool. Also saw Henry Cavill as a future star in The Tudors. Two proud moments realizing I saw potential in these two as others saw as well!

[@pokes404]

I remember nearing the end of his introduction episode and thinking, "this guy's actually pretty good. I hope they bring him back some. I'd watch more stuff with him." Definitely a bit of an understatement on my part seeing as he was a household name a decade later.

[@atlanteean]

I had the same reaction when I saw about 18 years ago James McAvoy in Children of Dune, and then years later he became the young professor X

[@captainyossarian388]

1:27 The late Joel Goldsmith's theme for Atlantis is one of my favorite science fiction themes. Just love it, and love the show. They really captured the feel of being on a new unexplored frontier.

[@Rocketsong]

That "but first I need something to heal" line could have come straight out of Firefly.

[@CantankerousDave]

“It’s a mite fuzzy on the subject of kneecaps.” (Shepherd Book)

[@CantankerousDave]

No mention of the super-weird penultimate episode set in Las Vegas? Or the *other* fan service episode for nerds with Bill Nye and Neil deGrasse Tyson? Or the appearances of McKay’s sister, played by David Hewitt’s actual sister?

[@Xathian]

Yeah, mind blown about the absence of Vegas. Very strong twist on the tone, gave some good space for Joe Flanagan to play a spin on his character.

[@c1ph3rpunk]

His sister appeared in what, like 6 episodes.

[@martinhollas5874]

Ohhh I didn't know it was his actual sister, that's cool to know!

[@BioniclesaurKing4t2]

He needs to leave something for people to find in the show that's not spoiled.

[@cazdanjaladan]

Man, this show was like...my first real TV show. I was too little to understand SG1 until the last few seasons, but Atlantis I watched with my dad from the first episode until it was canceled. I couldn't get enough of it and Atlantis holds a special place in my heart for the entertainment it brought me all those years ago. Thank you for this video, I think I'm going to go watch this show again!

[@roshieifra]

I always respected Landry's speech in continuum, even though I understood that ultimately Baal's plan would work against us. I appreciated Beau Bridges' delivery a lot.

[@Xathian]

Beau Bridges was gold, I loved basically any scene when Landry spoke

[@shaggycan]

When Atlantis and Enterprise were cancelled it was the end of the golden age of TV Sci-fi.

[@alex30425]

I don’t know, we got some truly amazing Sci fi shows in the 2010s. Some of them even being way more popular with the mainstream.

[@shaggycan]

@@alex30425 name one? I don't think sci-fi really recovered on TV till 2015-2020. There was at least a 5 year 'Dark Age'. I totally count The Expanse, but that really took until 2020 to really catch fire.

[@alex30425]

@@shaggycan well the second of the decade is still the 2010s. Though yeah I’d say it’s definitely more pack in the that second half. The first one that comes to mind is Black Mirror, which premiered in 2011 which entered the mainstream and is the modern day Twilight zone. There were still other really good shows like continuum, 12 monkeys, Dark Matter, the Orville, travers and others. When it comes to other big hits there was of course The Expanse, Westworld, Stranger Things and more. The 2010s were a transition period away from episodic and cable TV but I’d say streaming allowed for some truly great Sci fi shows that found large audiences.

[@TealJosh]

​@@dffndjdjdI'm a little confused by what you are using the word serialized for.

[@IrisCorven]

@@TealJosh I get the point he's making - he means the way in which sci-fi up until then was "Planet/People/Issue of the week", and then some of those would factor into a bigger storyline, instead of the series being one big push through a single story. A lot of newer sci-fi shies away from that method now, as having a more cohesive, singular plot seems to be better for audience retention, as most people might tune in and go "wtf is even happening?". Which honestly is kind of a weird thing to begin with, as it just doesn't happen anymore, because no one "tunes in" to anything on accident anymore, they start from episode #1 on a streaming service. I'd love if a few more shows would go the old TNG/DS9/VOY/SG-1 route of storytelling, but it's just not the norm anymore. He's right in the way that Orville managed that the best.

[@jamesabernethy7896]

These long retrospectives have been great. Although always thought that SG1 was the better show, I really liked many aspects of Atlantis. You've said much of this already, the characters were fresh and not lazy copies, this created a whole new dynamic. I really liked the Wraith, they dipped into that horror aspect. Although SG1 was the stronger show, when Atlantis got things right they could got toe to to with the best of SG1.

[@IrisCorven]

There are some great episodes of SGA that trump ones from SG1, for me. Which is saying a lot, because SG1 has some killer episodes.

[@sw-gs]

15:53 I wouldn't called that as "ruthlesness", but as compassion.

[@comentedonakeyboard]

41:26 Fun Fact: Tod means Death in German, arguably the most fitting Name for a Wraith.

[@VolrinSeth]

It's pronounced completely differently though. And spelled differently too.

[@TheRealZiktus]

Great video! SGA is peak science fiction for me. It's wild to think that McKay barely made it onto the show, since even in a cast filled with wonderful characters and performances, Hewlett's McKay is an absolute standout for me.

[@Tolly7249]

Rodney McKay is my favourite, Autism/ADHD solidarity all the way. Also, if Sunday doesn't make you well up at least once, there might not be hope for you. That episode is perfection.

[@NinaFelwitch]

It was a mistake by MGM to cancel Atlantis. I personally didn't like the premise of Universe and wish we had gotten more SG1 and Atlantis episodes or movies.

[@Xathian]

I can see why they did it. Keep in mind, the SG1 movies were eye opening. Instead of making a 20 episode season they made a movie that cost as much as 4 episodes and it made more money than the season would have. That's a clear indicator of a much smarter financial setup to shift the show to. While I FULLY stand on the side of long, expansive season being much better than one off movies. It's not hard to see why the powers at MGM, especially in their building financial disaster, wanted to safer movie option instead, just disregarding that the bankruptcy meant we never even got the movie.

[@IrisCorven]

Eureka and Atlantis were MUST WATCH TV for me, in my late teens/early 20's. Up to that point, I just watched stuff made for my age range, or would sit and watch an episode of TNG/DS9/VOY with my dad, here and there. They were the first TV shows I really remember connecting with. I had watched SG-1 and liked it, but felt pretty lost because I'd miss so much of it. But Atlantis hit a sweet-spot with me that I didn't expect - SG-1 had great adventures that would lead to them going home and having a new adventure each week, further pushing the mythos out and creating a universe. Atlantis felt the same, but had that added quality of "We're out here on our own, building a *new* home". Which honestly made it pretty bittersweet when they finally got back to Earth.

[@brandonmurphy301]

Atlantis is my favorite SG series. I have watched the whole thing more than 10 times, and still default to a choice few fairly often(Tao of Rodney, and the 3-part The Siege the most). I was lucky enough to meet David Hewlett and Jewel Staite at Shore Leave in 2008, and my photo with them is one of my prized possessions. I was devastated when it was canceled, and further when the movie never came to be. Shepherd: "how are the weapons coming?" McKay: "We couldn't hit the side of a barn." Shepherd: "Well, compared to a hive ship, a barn is-" McKay: "A GIANT, FLYING BARN! We couldn't hit that!"

[@Norvo82]

Thanks for this enjoyable look at Atlantis 🙂 I forgot how much I enjoyed seeing David Nykl's doctor Zelenka. He was only supposed to be a minor character, but proved to be such a natural, fun fit for this show about an international expedition.

[@explorinjenkins349]

Him cussing in Czech while crawling through the air vents was great.

[@CJonesApple]

Yay more Stargate content

[@kevinkorenke3569]

I am so pleased to see the many references to Eureka, from props to actors being in this show.

[@haloman117fanatic]

A the Eureka cast popped up in a lot of programs especially the ones by the Sci-fi channel. It was always fun spotting them. It would be cool to get a Eureka retrospective 😀

[@shadowdancertheredmage6798]

Altlantis bringing in the Replicators reminded me of ST Voyager bringing in the Borg.

[@afaultytoaster]

Hey you didn't mention the absolutely incredible alternate reality episode Vegas! It's like X-Files meets CSI!

[@xtexasxfightx]

Atlantis was my first introduction to stargate. I love it to this very day. Love your stuff, Mr. Coleman.

[@Josh-oj9mm]

37:57 Jason Momoa was 26 in 2005. Assuming the character is the same age, Ronan would have been 19 in the flashback of Sateda. And living essentially as a hunter-gatherer for 7 years doesn't help with emotional maturity

[@GyroFootlose]

Up to the last minute, I thought this would be the end of the retrospective, I had totally forgot Stargate Universe's existence. I watched some seasons of SG-1 and Atlantis multiple times, but I never gave a second thought to Universe!

[@kelvincasing5265]

Only good thing about it was the music. And that one episode with the facehuggers was fun too.

[@Matt42MSG]

@@kelvincasing5265 So much wasted potential...

[@pokes404]

Maybe it really is what the creators wanted to do, but it sure felt like the Sci-Fi Channel mandated that Stargate give the network another Battlestar Galactica to air. It was an interesting premise, but it just tonally didn't fit the rest of the franchise. Which, to be fair, isn't always a bad thing. Andor is tonally much different than the rest of Star Wars, but it's one of my favorite things Star Wars has ever put out. That's a difficult needle to thread though and the execution just wasn't up to that level in Stargate Universe.

The second season was much better. I think that the biggest issue was that they ignored their own premise in a way, we spent too much time on Earth having melodrama. This could've worked later in the series, if we've got to know these people and their struggles, but on the get go this was bad. Season two was what the first one should've been.

[@Matt42MSG]

@@pokes404 Supposedly the showrunner wasn't a fan of the Stargate franchise. That would explain a lot. I note that Universe also spent a lot of time on Earth having pointless drama due to the communication stones. Unfortunately, they never bothered working out how the stones actually functioned; that is, whether the stones merely intercepted nerve signals going in and out of the brain, or somehow transmitted someone's mind. They seemed to be leaning towards the latter in some cases, but didn't realize how many problems that brings up.

[@breakingthenotion.6045]

I’m surprised at the way they handle Aiden Ford. I found his story arc interesting and they never touched on it again or gave it an official definite ending.

[@nothingness863]

SGA is a top tier scifi that appears once in a decade. I was really upset when cancelation was announced. I really appreciate everyone involved in the production of this gem

[@mahatmarandy5977]

Sadly, Sam just didn’t work in SGA. They just fundamentally didn’t think it through: she can’t do any of her normal super-genius stuff because that would reflect badly in Rodney, and she can’t do any of her normal badass stuff because that would reflect badly on Sheppard. And she’s even second-bananna in All My Sins Remembered *because* taking command of the operation would reflect badly in Caldwell. So essentially she’s stuck behind a desk doing admin work all year, and occasionally getting trapped in a hole or an elevator. Both of those could have been done by anyone. If people don’t see what the problem is with having Samantha goddamn Carter on the show for a year, and never firing a single bullet, nor using her scientific abilities….I don’t know what to tell them. Carter is one of the best female characters in all of SF, and here they make no use of her whatsoever.

[@samuelazzaro]

I adore the moment Rodney hugs ronan and heals his scars.

[@NooOneSpecial]

It was this retrospective series that's made me commit to watching the entire thing. Once I get to season 8 Im gonna try watching both series episodes one after the other to keep both series on the same timeline.

[@sharp14x]

See the viewing order compiled on /r/stargate by /u/bill.

[@roshieifra]

I'm probably biased, bc I loved Robert Picardo in voyager, but I really liked him as Woolsey.

[@Xathian]

Robert Picardo is on a whole other level, the guy stole scene after scene in season 5, his scene talking about his fathers Alzheimer’s was incredible acting

[@roshieifra]

@@Xathian yes, I always specifically remember that scene. There was so much bittersweet pain in his eyes and tone of voice.

[@TwoWholeWorms]

My favourite Stargate series

[@NerdRahtio]

I loved the show despite it having a ton of issues that would have killed a lesser show. Ronan grew on me, but seemed to necessitate a change in Taila, Beckett’s death was rushed, but the clone’s return cheapened it. Weir was missed when she was gone, but it was clear they were pushing her into the background prior to her departure. I loved Carter in Sg-1 but she didn’t work in season 4 and her quick departure was odd. The Athosians had potential but were pushed aside quickly. It also seems very unrealistic that the ranking military officer would also lead a team of the leading scientist which headed his own department and two alien warriors. I also wanted more of season 1’s setting with city exploration and isolation. Despite all that, I loved the characters and the I think they had the 2 best villain groups in all of stargate.

[@Blazing_Hyperion]

Thanks for finally making this video. I have been a massive Stargate fan, and specifically a massive Stargate Atlantis fan. I was introduced to Stargate Atlantis before Stargate SG-1 or the original Movie, so I’ve been waiting on this video for a while.

[@rmsgrey]

I've not rewatched Atlantis since it first aired, but watching the description of Ronon here, my first thought is Tyr Anasazi...

[@Matt42MSG]

Less arrogant, less fixated on his own superiority. Otherwise... the similarities are startling.

[@lightspeedbear]

You must say the word Staaaar at least 500 times in each of these Stargate or Star Trek retrospectives.

[@mahatmarandy5977]

The way this is phrased makes it seem like Ark of Truth and Continuum take place after season 4. In terms of continuity, Ark takes place after the end of season 10 of SG1 and prior to the first episode of season 4 of SGA. Continuum takes place after the first episode of season 5 of SGA.

[@ferrenberg]

I really love Atlantis, it's my favorite Stargate. Also a nice change of pace after so msny seasons of OG Stargate

[@eXtremeStreamers]

Thank you for Re-uploading with the end fixed. Going to need a new badge soon almost 3 years.

[@davidalan6701]

Your retrospectives are easily my favorites. I actually just finished rewatching atlantis because I knew this was coming. Onto universe!

[@FeannaFey]

I watched SG-1 from the start, but SGA was the one where I got into the fandom aspect of it, mainly fanfiction. And I still miss a lot of things about that. While the show was good (at first) there was also a lot of space left by the narrative to expand in all directions. And I enjoyed the ones that focused on creating a future for/in the Pegasus Galaxy. One story that never actually got written, just the a setup chapter, still makes me kind of wish that it was a show I could have watched. The premise was that during the preparations for the expedition somebody pointed out that preparations for a trip where you know NOTHING about where you're going and if you would ever be able to get back would mean preparing to found a colony world. So they took seeds and trees and picked staff with relevant secondary skills AND practiced going through the Stargate a lot so they could use up every millisecond to get through as many resources as possible. To this day I cringe when watching the scene with Sheppard and Ford just standing talking around while the Stargate is already connected to Atlantis. This is also why the show's ending with Atlantis on earth just feels wrong. It needed to go back to the Pegasus galaxy. The last season(s) also have a lot of bad stuff in it. I vaguely remember an episode with a "special all women!!" gate team that was incredibly bad and offensive. I also remember many people pointing out, that while in general the idea of Teal'c vs. Ronon is fun and the episodes had some good stuff in it, the exact way they did the scene with Ronon and Teal'c fighting/sparring is set up in a way that there are two men of color fighting for the entertainment of a bunch of white men standing around them (and betting). (And I can absolutely see how that scene came about without any bad intentions!, but it still has some bad vibes.) I also still recall some disparaging comments from the showrunners at the end about the fans that absolutely made me feel unwanted. (not young and male enough, eh?) That said, I still tried to watch Stargate Universe, but found it just simply unenjoyable. All that said, it was incredibly fun to watch this video and be reminded of a lot of things I loved about the show, so that you for making it!

[@michaelfields3951]

1:02:58 Got to say you can really hear his Kratos voice in that line

[@danjon1972]

Vancouver dude here - the Pemberton Icefields (not glacier) aren't in Alaska - it's located nearby Pemberton BC (north of Whistler) . Picky but - yeah gotta rep Pemby proper.

[@Dirt1061]

I can’t wait for the Universe retrospective. It was a show I hated at first but then fell in love with. Really sad to me how the whole franchise kind of disappeared.

[@gregcampwriter]

Will you be doing a retrospective on Amanda Tapping's series, Sanctuary?

[@Matt42MSG]

Surprisingly good for something they threw together to round out Tapping's contract.

[@Shervin86]

Been waiting for this episode for so long and I have to watch later😢 it's 11.30pm and I got work at 4am Sad I can't be here watching this with all the SG teams. Thank you for all your hard work putting these videos together. ✌🏻 'n' ❤

[@adrianvanleeuwen]

Worthy opponents on Atlantis were the replicator world which was developed far more than in SG1. Some great episodes.

[@satyasyasatyasya5746]

Always had a softspot for Atlantis. Its not very deep but its just so kinda, well made TV. Comfy but actionpacked, funny but well acted at times.

[@mahatmarandy5977]

The story I’ve always heard is that Steen claimed she had a family emergency and begged time off, so they rejiggered shooting to accommodate and *then* learned that her emergency was going to Burning Man. At which point they realized they couldn’t trust her, and, boom, gone.

[@wilhelmrk]

Burning man? No, more like burning career

[@marocat4749]

I mean too bad for her but i think i cant imagine another weir. Lol

[@roshieifra]

Rodney McKay is great in Stargate Atlantis. I had no problem believing that the character would've changed between the shows, and within Stargate Atlantis.

[@Jeremy-83]

Shephard was never head of security nor did he inherit said position. Shephard became the ranking military officer upon Sumners death making Shephard the military commander. The bases chief of security was Sergeant Bates.

[@mementomori5580]

Nice work Rowan, looking forward already to the last part!

[@damaradona]

That short choral piece whenever Atlantis is mentioned is practically identical to that used for the original Tomb Raider theme. It's probably unlikely that Goldsmith had ever even played the Tomb Raider games so plagiarism accusations are unwarranted. It's a crazy coincidence, though. Another great retrospective. They always are. Thank you for sharing more of your brilliant, hard work with us.

[@nox5555]

tomb Raider was much bigger at that time than now, so maybe?

[@Matt42MSG]

There are only so many possible melodies.

[@damaradona]

@@Matt42MSG indeed.

[@pyroxys007]

Thank you so much for doing this for stargate! I always feel like in the wider audience there are only two Star sci fi universes, and I LOVE that my favorite show of all time is getting such loving treatment from you! Also, just in general you are VERY good at these long form videos, and if this is something that interests you (and supports you) enough, I believe you can find major success in this whole youtube thing. Like, you are just too good not be loved once the algorithm hits or whatever.

[@roshieifra]

I personally never thought Shepard was ruthless in killing Sumner, I thought it was merciful.

[@matthewmagee3123]

You did a brilliant job on these, I can't wait for the next part. I love Stargate. It was a big part of my childhood as my dad and me bonded over that and Star Trek. Keep up the great work!

[@marcushanes100]

Stargate Atlantis is one of my all time favorite shows. It started off kind of rough but by the time it made ford a villain and added ronin it really clicked and the main cast really played well off each other. But for me the most stand out character was Rodney I have almost never had a character I liked so little to start with become a favorite. His growth in the show was a joy to see. Hewlett loved this character and it shows!

[@prince-solomon]

1:14:01 But what about the greatest Stargate show of them all: Stargate Origins? I see myself out...

[@Xathian]

💀

[@shaggycan]

So many stunning ladies on this show. Not sure I ever recovered from Erin Chambers though.

[@CantankerousDave]

She and Allison Smith - a crush of mine from back on the day - could be twins. Canada has a ridiculously attractive gene pool. Plus Leonor Varela, of course.

[@operatorhoot470]

Fantastic work Rowan, thank you.

[@Tomhyde098]

I still remember watching the premiere of Atlantis. I was 13 and I watched it on our CRT tv in the basement. I was blown away and loved it. I can’t believe how fast 20 years has passed

[@andys3000]

You forgot the best episode "the shrine" because of david Hewlett's acting.

[@Sci-Fi-Mike]

I need to rewatch my DVD boxset. I absolutely loved SG-1, but Atlantis was fantastic, as well.

[@trevinbeattie4888]

Connor Trinneer was my favorite actor in this series, as well as ST: Enterprise. He reminds me of my cousin. 😍 It’s a shame they wound up hiding his adorable face beneath wraith prosthetics.

[@paleiko811]

David Hewlett is simply gold. The way he portaits McKay is cherry on top of good episodes and the only saving grace in some of the bad ones... I explicitly wish for this character to be brought back whenever there is more Stargate to be made.

[@andybrown4284]

I always found it hard to believe that O'Neill or those who knew about the stargate program would have considered colonel everett as a good (or best of the bad) option for the defence of the city. He might have been a decent enough military commander for a standard operation but the instant he stepped through the gate and announced "you are relieved" to people with nowhere to go he failed as a leader. Also very dismissive of their efforts until their arrival and seemed reluctant to find out up to date intel.

[@Flatlower]

we needed a proper ending season or movie, more than SGU

[@Captain11890]

Still not over Carson Beckett's death.

[@Matt42MSG]

I really disliked the attempt to 'bring him back', not least because that isn't how cloning works.

[@supermagnificence7503]

@@Matt42MSG Yeah they REAAAALLY just glossed over him somehow having the exact same memories/personality. They literally ask at one point "How tf did he do that" but they never actually explain it.

[@Matt42MSG]

@@supermagnificence7503 Atlantis had some good writing, and lots of bad writing. Very patchy.

[@NovusDundus]

Rewatching Atlantis, I couldn't help but see some proto ideas for episodes that'd be redone in Stargate Universe

[@AWMJoeyjoejoe]

Another thing i liked about Sheppard is he was a lot smarter than O'Neill, like Mensa smart.

[@NerdRahtio]

O’Neill was faking his “dumbness” it slips through sometimes.

[@piecaruso97]

i just finished watching atlantis for the first time, this is excellent timing for the video to drop

[@CJonesApple]

Stargate Universe. Just when it found it's footing and got good it was cancelled.

[@Flatlower]

@@dffndjdjd SGU came after BSG style fatigue set in. It was more about personal drama than Scifi....Needs to be a mixture of both and it didnt know what it wanted to be.

[@CantankerousDave]

The unrelenting grimdark misery capped off every episode by a music video montage eventually turned me off.

[@paulrasmussen8953]

It got way too dark for franchise

[@Matt42MSG]

After it had alienated most of the fans of the previous iterations of the franchise, it had burned too much goodwill in the process of finding its footing.

[@paulrasmussen8953]

@Matt42MSG i stopped early on. It was the wrong direction

[@Nyanwroo]

I got so hooked on this show just by the battle of Antarctica episode in SG-1 that I made myself learn English, just to watch it as it was only released much much later on my mother tongue. I really don't regret it, but learning a language based on Carter's and McKay's techno babble made it so that I knew very specific scientific words earlier than...how to ask for a cuppa xD

[@mastweiler22]

Looking forward to the next one. I probably need to do a rewatch of all of it 😀

[@metjetfan23]

RIP the late great Julian Sands.

[@emerald8274]

The thing that has always stood out to me rewatching the series over and over is how well the character development for McKay was. He started as essentially an arrogant know it all coward and eventually showed some true bravery and heroism, while still being an arrogant know it all but open to showing humility. Shedding off Shepard's disdain and gaining his respect.

[@Scandic45]

Recently re-watched Atlantis and i do agree the removal of the Asurans was to quick should have been in season 5, the wraith needed bigger bad guys like queen death from the novels. Woolsey might have become the best commander of Atlantis given another season and all the characters and their relationships were evolving much more and better then sg-1. I believe SGU went to far for the maturity and to quickly defently influenced by battlestar.

[@alex30425]

I’d say Lost was as big of influence on Universe. Especially in the pilot with the non linear storytelling.

[@Cobaltxj5]

Really curious about SG Universe retrospective, where MGM somehow fumbled a premise that could have run 10 seasons...

[@Matt42MSG]

They started by taking a proposed show by someone who wasn't a fan of SG and persuading him to set it in that universe for the increased fan draw. Then they miffed making a plot for development, made characters who were unprofessional and often unlikeable, made most of the characters make stupid choices, turned the show into a soap opera in the worst sense of the term, didn't work out the details of how their science fiction worked... and didn't learn from their mistakes fast enough. SG-1 had some problems early on, but they learned fast and corrected errors rapidly. Universe doubled-down.

[@dreadlord5581]

In terms of Digital FX, Originality, and Acting, there are some amazing sci-fi shows around at the moment - but none of them leave you with the feeling of happy contentedness that the Stargate franchise did after each episode.

[@t4rv0r60]

i was the hormoning 12 year old when Ronon was introduced into the show and having what is basically a video game badass on the show was certainly awesome. 20yrs later and i still like him, he is still video gamy but also the kind giant of the group. he displays the same level of loyalty towards his friends as Teal'c does. a fearsome warrior and a stalwart friend. plus his space 6 shooter is like my songle favorite piece of sci fi prop ever. Shepards ruthlessness is stargate command philosophy personified. be aware of potential threads. make friends when you can, when thread appears, deal with it as fast and efficient as possible.

[@Twisted-Atom-O5]

Yay another sg retrospective this time on my favorite show

[@BeckiMuttley]

One of my favourite parts about Shepherd and Ronan is "easy chewey" lol

[@BogeyTheBear]

"Well, they don't watch _The Simpsons._ Or drink beer."

[@JohnSmith-fn3hm]

I love Atlantis. Thank you for making this!!!!!

[@Malkiore1]

Torri Higginson played Angela (Angie) Carver in Storm Of The Century and her scene where she describes what happened to her when taken by Linoge was one of my favorite part's in the movie. I just loved her after that and hated when she was taken off of Stargate Atlantis. She is a great actress.

[@StephenHennessy-Stone-ee5fy]

The best Stargate spin off after SG-1

[@jacklindsey8400]

Them basically writing out Ford never sat right with me and it's why I never picked up mroe than the first season for the longest time, I mean sure sometimes characters don't work out, but in my opinion you find ways to make him work, not jettison him for someone sexier, even if that person does become Aquaman.

[@Xathian]

I know it's a controversial hot take but I liked Ford far more than Teyla. I think Teyla is the worst main cast character in the entire franchise. Her writing from start to finish feels half baked, she almost comes off like a dated concept of the mystical native sidekick who mostly exists to espouse all the needed exposition for all the new people, enemies and planets we're heading to in this weeks episode. For like the entire latter half of the series she feels like straight up useless set dressing, and she clearly starts phoning it in badly after her real life pregnancy. She only had a handful of episodes where she felt like an interesting character. Also as a small irrelevant nitpick that annoys me, I feel like Rachel Luttrell could just never get comfortable with a gun, she holds them very awkwardly in fight scenes.

[@Matt42MSG]

@@Xathian After B5, I thought no SF show would ever be made without established plans for arcs, but it seems the Stargate franchise never had long-term intentions as a whole or solid ideas for character development. In a show with such large cast, it was grossly irresponsible not to make plans for each ensemble member. Teyla was always an afterthought that the writers weren't comfortable with writing, and they had nothing to fall back on.

[@JimParshall]

Wow you nailed this review really really well. Spot on opinions in my opinion. I can't pick between SG-1 and Atlantis as the best of the two they're both great in different ways. Stargate has always been a wonderful franchise and those two shows and their movies were really really good