The Best of John Sheppard
2. DOPPELGANGER
(Season Four, Episode 4)
This twisted tale from Robert C. Cooper also showed a different side of Sheppard — a very evil and sinister Sheppard. Fortunately he’s confined to the dream world. Unfortunately, the entity that has taken on his appearance has the ability to kill you in your sleep. Each member of the team experiences a disturbing nightmare, each time with Sheppard as an antagonizing presence.
When they finally realize what is going on, a little technology helps John himself go into Rodney McKay’s mind and confront the entity face-to-face. The knock-down, drag-out fight in the gate room between Sheppard and Sheppard remains one of the coolest fight scenes that Atlantis has done. It also shows just how far Sheppard is willing to go for one of his friends.
1. COMMON GROUND
(Season Three, Episode 7)
There’s nothing like watching your favorite hero captured and mercilessly tortured by the enemy. In this case, Kolya is back with a particularly cruel weapon to use against his rival: a hungry Wraith. In an attempt to convince Atlantis to hand over the Genii traitor Ladon Radim (Ryan Robbins), Kolya kidnaps Sheppard and lets the Wraith feed on his life force … while transmitting the video live to Atlantis through the Stargate. Each time the Wraith is allowed to feed, Sheppard loses more years off his life and ages before their eyes.
What makes “Common Ground” such a good episode is not just the dynamic of hatred between Kolya and Sheppard, or the cruelty shown by the villain, or the moral dilemma that John’s friends face. It’s the surprising relationship between Sheppard and his fellow captive, the Wraith. The two form an alliance to escape, and we’d like to think that through the Wraith — who the Colonel would come to know as “Todd” (Christopher Heyerdahl) — John Sheppard learned a little bit about who the Wraith are, and perhaps even about who he is.
Don’t miss the final episode of Stargate Atlantis, “Enemy At the Gate,” Friday at 9 p.m. (8 Central) on SCI FI Channel in the United States!
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vegas should not be in there and what about remnants?
gavatarman | January 5 @ 4:12 pmWait… i just thought of this… Are the events that McKay talks about in Vegas the same events we see in Phantom??
darsfog | January 5 @ 4:28 pmHappy Birthday Joe!!!!
Sylvia | January 5 @ 4:30 pmAnd Paul too.
My new favorite Shep ep is Vegas, but I also love Common Ground, Doppelganger, Outcast, Remnants, The Eye if I had to only pick 5.
So many others too, he is the reason I have loved Atlantis for these 5 years!
The Vegas epp was one of his best acting.
vector | January 5 @ 4:33 pmVegas was awesome, and Common Ground is one my favourite episodes. The Eye was great and Phantoms was good too. Not sure about Doppleganger though, I found it a bit boring
Jedi_Master_Bra'tac | January 5 @ 5:22 pmThis is a nice idea although as team leader I think you should have saved Sheppard for last. I’m betting you give that honor to McKay. Oh well.
If I had to pick I think I would have chosen the same five episodes. Doppelganger may not have been a favorite of mine but at least it allowed us a peek into Sheppard’s head and we learn a bit more about his character. The same goes for the other episodes.
Vegas was absolutely superb.
jasong | January 5 @ 5:40 pmI liked all the above mentioned, but would have added Remnants to the mix instead of the Eye. I think it just said alot about the guilt that Shep carries around in that he pictured himself subject to that kind of abuse.
ladyblu | January 5 @ 5:55 pmVegas ROCKS!!!!!!!!!!
Trak90 | January 5 @ 6:24 pmCommon Ground makes my number one list and Phantoms would be my number two. The others wouldn’t be on my list. Hated Vegas. Dopplegangor wasn’t bad but not a favourite and didnt like the The Eye at all.
blackhawlk | January 5 @ 6:28 pmOthers that would have made my list would be 38 minutes, Conversion and Infection.
Rising parts 1 and 2 and common grounda re up there but i love all of them really!
carrollwoman | January 5 @ 6:38 pmOh yeah 38 minutes was good!
carrollwoman | January 5 @ 6:40 pmI just hope that the SGA movie will be good….
DeathHeart | January 5 @ 7:03 pmhappy birthday Joe
Excellent choices. Couldn’t agree more.
Rose | January 5 @ 7:38 pmdarsfog-
no, it was diffrent, that is the sole reason he is not with atlantis, because that was diffrent.
gavatarman | January 5 @ 7:39 pmHe was so cute in Phantoms. “I’m sorry for shooting everybody!” Congrats for making it into all 100 episodes of the series…can’t wait to see him in the movies. BTW, am I wrong, or has he never taken his shirt off in the show? I think I would have remembered it if he did.
sammykewlguy | January 5 @ 8:37 pmGood Choices. I have not seen Vegas yet as a friend hopping the pond later this month went into a pact to watch the last three epi’s together so we can cry on each others shoulders. I would have added Outcast And The Shrine <yes I know it’s a McKay epi but still showed what John wouldn’t do to keep his friends close and protected. Very emotional. Hope it gets number one for McKay epi’s :D.
Kara Sheppard | January 5 @ 8:38 pmOne of my favorite John Sheppard episodes is The Defiant One. I prefer that one over Doppelganger. Vegas was superb! Happy Birthday to Joe and Paul! :)
Morjana | January 5 @ 10:08 pmOk I am a little torn about Vegas. It was cool and all and really showed that John Sheppard could be a great detective any day. But I thought it was a waste of an Atlantis episode – like the one about Vala’s father. Why would you waste one of your last episodes on a CSI type story?
I am sure the producers and writers have their reasons, but I really missed Ronan and Teyla in this episode.
TVDIVA | January 5 @ 10:36 pmOk I should have said like the SG-1 episode about Vala’s father in the last season. :)
TVDIVA | January 5 @ 10:37 pmAll picks are great but I really enjoyed Last Man.
sweetred194 | January 6 @ 12:15 amVegas, Last Man, and Search & Rescue are my favorites……
@sammykewlguy
sakurablue13 | January 6 @ 12:52 amhe did in The Lost Tribe
and 38 Minutes, though not completely off… =p
Happy Birthday Joe and Paul!
Favourite John Sheppard episodes? I’d agree with Common Ground, The Eye and Doppelganger but my top five would also include The Last Man (being the last human alive has to be worth something!) and Conversion (Sheppard with scary Wraith abilities is definitely a winner – but only if it comes with a cure!).
Of course there’s also The Defiant One (”Oh, you weren’t around for the end of the war. Your side lost.”) Quarantine (that climb was cool!), Outcast (”I’ve never been to Somalia”), The Shrine (I know this is a McKay one but the whole friendship scene was fantastic “Well, I’m not listening!”) and finally Remnants (the whole tortured soul angle was awesomely done).
How about a top ten instead?!
ShaViva | January 6 @ 1:05 amOooooo how about best quotes?!?
“I’m not taking a bath with you Rodney!” wasone of my personal faves. As well as “Yes Rodney I shot you and i said i was sorry” “You shot me too!” “I’m sorry for shooting everybody!!”
I’m going to miss this show thank god for dvd’s remotes, good Canadian beer and junkfood.
Oh and this has probably been asked and answered fifty million times already but why is Sci Fi not giving Atlantis the fanfare farewell SG1 recieved or at least a leave a thank you section would have been considerate dare I say even nice. Oops my inner Rodney tried to break thru. This is what happens when theres to much caffiened involved and not enough sleep to deal.
Kara Sheppard | January 6 @ 1:20 amOne last thing then i shut up for the night…
Happy Birthday Joe and Paul!!!
Kara Sheppard | January 6 @ 1:21 amI really, really loved Vegas. It was a unique feel to SGA and John was at his best. My wife kept on asking, “Are you sure this is Atlantis? This looks like a new CSI.” (she’s a fan of CSI) Gatta admit, it wad confusing at first, but in the end all questions were answered (sorta kinda).
But yea, I would name that one number one in my book…but thats just me.
blistna | January 6 @ 2:20 am