Lt. Scott and Sgt. Greer deal with a panicked crowd in "Air."
Our intention here is to provide you with a largely spoiler-free review of “Air,” the 3-hour premiere of Stargate Universe. To us, that means no major plot turns or reveals (beyond the widely publicized premise of the series). But there are some “broad strokes” about the story in this review. If you would rather watch the episodes cold, we suggest skipping this review until you have seen the show.
After 12 years and 15 produced seasons of television amounting to 314 episodes and two DVD movies, the Stargate franchise turns a major corner with the premiere of its third series, Stargate Universe. The first two hours of “Air” debut tonight (9/8c on Syfy in the U.S., 9e on SPACE in Canada) and Part 3 follows next week.
Just what is that “corner?” In every respect SGU is just what we hoped for: mature storytelling for a twenty-first century audience, an audience that tends to prefer dramatic character moments to shoot-’em-up action, and long-term story arcs to episodic vignettes. This is, of course, not to say that everyone’s tastes are the same or to speak ill of the two Stargate shows that went before it — shows that were excellent in their own right, for the type of shows they wanted to be.
SGU is not the same type of show. That means that some viewers just won’t be interested (as a recent GateWorld poll shows). And that’s OK. But those who do give the series a chance are sure to be rewarded with stories of heroism and duplicity, adventure and quiet introspection — stories that make us cheer, disquiet our consciences, and leave us gaping in disbelief.
Yes, Universe is a new Stargate. But in a couple of unexpected ways, it is more Stargate than anything that has come before it. It is human. We treasured scenes in the later years of SG-1 when it was the whole team chillin’ at Jack’s house. We were warmed with Sheppard and Rodney sharing a six pack on an Atlantis pier. And then, when the time came, there were victories for the people we got to know. “Air” does exactly this and more, and it does it from episode one.
Stargate Universe is not a “perfect” show yet (what series is by the end of its pilot?), but it is exactly what we were hoping the next incarnation of Stargate could be and will be.
More than anything, SGU is about people and how they respond to incredible circumstances.
“Air” is cleanly divided into three acts of a single story, which brings our characters onto an Ancient ship called Destiny and begins to weave together the threads of their relationships with one another. The first act centers on the forced evacuation of a base full of military personnel, scientists and civilians through the Stargate. The second act turns to the question of how these people are going to survive on the derelict ship, with both a dwindling supply of oxygen and a question of leadership. And in the third act, the crew sends a team to a newly-discovered planet on a mission to save all their lives.
If you’ve been watching the trailers and promos for SGU, looking at the photos and perhaps speculating a bit with us over at the forum, you probably know what to expect out of the first hour. The new characters are introduced in interesting ways, leaving you liking some of them right off the bat. The plot itself proceeds in a somewhat predictable way (again, the promotions engine has already told us a lot), but the characters are so dynamic that we found we didn’t really mind. The circumstances which get these people onto the Destiny have a few fun connections to Stargate‘s established mythology, rewarding long-time viewers without leaving newbies behind — but this episode of television is more about the people.
The second hour of “Air” is unlike anything that this franchise has produced, and illustrates the ways in which this show is different. The plot is incredibly simple, yet compelling to those of us who take things like breathing for granted. Here the story slows way down, building to an ethical dilemma that is most fascinating in the variety of ways that different characters respond to it.
Taken together, “Air” Parts 1 and 2 are a fine set-up for the show and an illustration of how SGU is about people, more than technology, alien planets, or the plot of the week. Neither of these episodes, however, represents what we think is going to be a typical hour of the show. For that, you’ll need to hold out for the end of the story and come back for “Air, Part 3” on October 9.
SGU makes use of impressive new vistas to depict galaxies far, far away.
In the final hour of what is really an extended pilot, the human refugees must send a team to an alien planet to find what they need to keep breathing. It’s a trip through the Stargate to a vast, desert world in a galaxy where no human being has ever set foot. In so many ways, this is what Stargate is all about — and has always been about. But SGU gives the classic “trip through the gate” formula a new twist (or three): Instead of exploring a planet, meeting a village of humans, and finding (or causing) a crisis, here the characters are on a continual mission of survival. Air. Water. Food. Like plane crash survivors in the wilderness, they need to stay alive long enough to find a way home. And there aren’t any medieval villages to go to for aid.
We found this final chapter of the premiere to be the best — the most compelling, the most visually unique, and the most satisfying. By this point the characters are beginning to feel familiar. The alien vista provided by filming in White Sands, New Mexico is stunning, harkening back to the deserts of Abydos in the “Stargate” feature film. And yes, the producers’ promise that any alien life we encounter will be very alien pays off early.
"Everyman" characters are plenty in the newest Stargate series, most notably newcomer Eli Wallace (David Blue).
Just watching this show, you get the feeling that it is expensive. The visual effects in Stargate Universe are among the finest ever made for the franchise. The set design, a mix of Jules Verne and Firefly, are James Robbins’ best work. And composer Joel Goldsmith proves that he is as flexible as the show’s writers by reaching so far outside of himself with a stunning and original score that you have to check the end credits to make sure it is still him.
But “Air” is, again, not perfect. While the three parts are distinct and each tells an important piece of a single narrative, we wonder if a 2-part opener would have made for a stronger start. But we’re getting used to the slower pace of storytelling, just like the writers are getting used to writing Stargate differently. Somewhere in between those is “Air,” a strong start to a show that will only get better. Those who want everything they hoped to see in a new Stargate series will, like the show, need to slow down and wait for the rest of the season to unfold.
Unlike its predecessors, Universe is also a show aimed particularly at adults. This isn’t one to watch with the kids, as one very “adult” scene demonstrates early on. (It’s up to fans to determine whether or not the scene is inappropriate — but watch what is going on with those characters later on before deciding.) It is tonally darker, as advertised, but it’s not the next Battlestar Galactica by any stretch of the imagination. As another reviewer recently put it, SGU finds a sweet spot between the enduring optimism of Star Trek: Voyager (which rarely seemed to appreciate the gravity of its disturbing premise) and the brooding moodiness of BSG, which seemed to take itself so seriously that it was at times nihilistic. For those of us who want optimism qualified by realism (and vice versa), Universe is right on the mark.
What more is there to say? We’ve been talking-up the show for over a year now, and it certainly does not disappoint. But watch it for yourself. We think it’s just what is needed in 2009, and we’re sure that it has a great future ahead of it as we get to know the Destiny and open up our living rooms to the men and women on board. Like the ship itself, Stargate Universe is going where no Stargate show has ever tread.
All in all, a rather interesting review.
I’m sure the show will be great (in terms of quality) and I’ll watch the first episode but if it’s anything like I think it is (and you say it is) I may have to give it a miss, which is a shame, as I was really looking forward to more of the ‘old’ Stargate, which may never happen in this economic climate if SGU succeeds. I fully admit I’m still bitter over SGA and SG1’s cancellation, and the fact that they are no longer making that ‘style’ of show, disappoints me. We’ll have to wait and see if there… Read more »
Sounds like the rumors that this will be “Stargate Voyager” are accurate. Depending on whether they mange to combine the best or the worst of both series, it could be excellent.
Interesting… I’m looking forward to it.
About Voyager not living up to it’s disturbing premise, you have to consider that these are Starfleet officers who may serve on deep space ships for years at a time. They know how to handle themselves on a mission like that.
“Unlike its predecessors, Universe is also a show aimed particularly at adults. This isn’t one to watch with the kids, as one very “adult” scene demonstrates early on.”
So much for them aiming at getting the younger crowd watching.
@ J-Whitt987: Younger audience meaning teenagers and early-20’s, not the ten-year-olds the review was probably indicating to. Yeesh
Great review. Less than a day left! Awesome.
“Unlike its predecessors, Universe is also a show aimed particularly at adults. This isn’t one to watch with the kids, as one very “adult” scene demonstrates early on.”
So Joe Mallozzi lied about Universe being a show the family could watch, huh?
@imitation Tofu: Sadly, Family no longer has the traditional “Mom, dad, 2.5 children and a dog” meaning. Now it broadly encompasses “person, spouse or significant other (more to what this show targets), and an unspecified pet of indeterminate gender”. It’s like Gene Roddenberry’s “To boldly go where no man had gone before” changed to “no one had gone before”. So technically, Mallozzi may not have lied. New Seasons of Stargate in the past was always a joyous occasion, and much looked forward to. Now All I have is an empty feeling in the pit of my stomach (Wonders off to… Read more »
Cannot wait for this. Damn lucky yanks watching it tonight :(
Still have to wait for 4 days and I refuse to watch it on the internet. Ah well, enjoy :)
I subscribe to many of the opinions above regarding the disappointment, caused by the radical change in tone, of the show. I really enjoyed the uplifting sensation the show gave during the first two series and I will miss it incredibly. I’m also a bit sad because there aren’t that many shows out there which make you fell like stargate did when it comes to humor and knowing stargate will be different just makes the world a place a bit less cheerful. I do hope something similar will come to take it’s place( I have enjoyed Warehouse 13 so far… Read more »
So the big difference between SGU and previous incarnations is that we are immersed in the characters issues from the start (oh and their sexual relations)and this is meant to draw us in. Stargate was about the adventure and the comraderie, not plodding plots and cliched characters. All of them have over the top dramatic pasts to add to the so called “drama” that was seemingly missing from past shows. Well I could relate to the previous casts much better than this latest one. You need to be able to connect and care for the characters before inflicting their interpersonal… Read more »
I’ve read most of the reviews by the more major media outlets (e.g. TV Guide, NY Times, Hollywood Reporter). Not one mentioned the “adult” scene. I’m expecting that it won’t be any racier than what you typically see in Primetime TV these days. Nevertheless, Kids under 12 only represented 4% of the audience of the previous shows anyway. Time to stop writing for an audience that wasn’t even there in great numbers anyway.
blackhawlk I understand where you’re coming from. Do not take our word for it, of course. See for yourself and make up your own mind. :)
I have been watching Star gate since I was in 7th Grade! I am 26 now and still a doe hard StarGate fan…. Today is like Christmas to me because I have been waiting for new StarGate for along long time… Please let this new show be even close to as good as SG1 and I will be happy! Also lets get the next SG1 movie!!!
Well, thats reassuring to hear that aliens will actually be alien. I just hope they dont have boring features like Legs, arms ect.. I want -completely- alien aliens that are entirely unrelatable and out of this world, and a lack of symmetry would be nice too ;)
I’m not reading this until after I watch it. Gotta do it with fresh eyes
DOA. Any show that requires porn in order to get ratings to replace the lack of substance is poor writing. Not to mention trained professionals crying in the middle of an immediate crisis situation. Looks like they have combined the bad from both BSG and Voyager.
Fell asleep in it. Too much like Battlestar G’s “I’m peeing my pants” camerawork. Maybe someone could bring back Lost in Space.
I really enjoyed parts 1 and 2 and i’m hoping 3 will be a decent conclusion. One thing that i’m worried about is the character drama we’re going to get. Now it seems we’re going to end up with conflict between the characters which is understandable and probably a good thing. But I really hope it isn’t just this week character A hates Dr. Rush and next week character B hates Rush. That’s the majority of the conflict I saw allthough Greer I think? He seems like he’s going to be interesting but then the teaser for part 3 shows… Read more »
Hi, I am Tom and I have been watching an SG-1/SGA episode everyday on DVD for two years. First of all I would like to say I am a Die Hard SG-1/SGA fan. When I found out that SGA was cancelled, It saddened me deeply, but on the other hand the franchise had gone off the air in a blaze of glory. Whith the new films comeing out my sorrow turned to anticipation. Then I heard of Stargate Universe and how it was going to be “different”. I said I would try it because the other two shows were so… Read more »
Well i just watched air and it was awesome. I anticipate it just getting better. The writers made you care about these characters in the first hour. It’s different yet familiar. And it was nice to see a few familiar faces.
For those of you still complaining, perhaps the campy Dr. Who is more your style. Let the rest of us enjoy the new series you’ll be missing out on.
Only thing that bother me was the sex scene. I really don’t think it was necessary. That was too much for this being Stargate. Everything else was fine. It’s too early to tell if I really like it.
It looks promising… right now I would give it a solid 6.5 and expect it to jump another point or two after episode 3. I do like how they are portraying the young LT’s though. It is easy to think that you are just a Lieutenant and you have little responsibility or influence and then all of the sudden you are flung into a situation that you never thought you would be in. Some step right up… some revert to the whole “I’m just a Lieutenant… don’t ask me” mindset. I think it is very accurate how these characters are… Read more »
Well… except for the whole sex thing… a bit out of line if you ask me. I hope that she was another officer and not some airman that the military advisers missed the rank on the sleeve… that would piss me off.
Ok. Just watched the premier. Here are my thoughts. This was a VERY CAUTIOUS start. It is very different from any other Stargate series. It’s actually much more like the original movie as far as the characters go (in conflict and edgy). I wasn’t crazy about the whole bounce backward, bounce forward scenario. SOOOO many shows are doing that now. It is OLD. There is a LOT of conflict on this show. No one trusts anyone (accept the military contingent). Dr. Rush (Carlyle) is hiding something and may be up to no good. Half of the military folks are sleeping… Read more »
Sheesh, what is it about “fan fanatics” that can wait to condemn a show because it’s not what they think it should be? At least give it a chance to fail before bitterly dismissing it.
OMG WTF!!! There are no likeable characters on this show. I fell asleep on it, boring. I will be watching Dollhouse from now on. Just call it Battlestar Voyager.
Trust me its going to make you think of a knock off of BSG, LOST and Voyager. Which I liked all, but to have bad softcore sex in first 10 mins is poor writing. I remember SG1 started with nudity in first episode but it wasn’t needed to create revenue or more viewers. So much for younger kids watching it. If I was still a kid my parents would have blocked it with the first impressions, those are my BIGGEST concerns. I’ve been watch stargate for a very long time and in my mid twenties now but it needs to… Read more »
Yawn. For a pilot episode there should have been better writing, ah well just gotta wait til LOST comes back on air and dissapoints me :(
Slow paced opening, but wow… loved how they inserted epic parts to the plot and the acting is incredible. I cannot wait to find out more about these characters! FINALLY, REAL people rather than super-human geniouses all the time.
Right now I am so missing SG-1 and Atlantis. This was terrible. Terribly boring, boring and boring. I thought they were going to break new ground, not watch it dry up. I was holding out hope but all those hopes died tonight. Can’t wait for the movies to get back on track. That or them bringing back the superior Defying Gravity in place of Universe.
I loved it… I think it is a very bold and great direction to take the franchise. I can’t wait to see all 18 remaining episodes of the first season. And I already hope it gets renewed for a second season. I for one, am glad that this is a bit slower paced. However, the first two hours still seemed to go by very quickly. I also am loving Dr. Rush. His whole hidden agenda is great. I can’t wait to find out more….
Stargate Universe strikes me as a lot of unlikeable characters “Lost in Space” complete with its own version of Dr. Smith. It seems heavy on military characters and extremely light on engineers and scientists. I guess the idea is to thrust “ordinary” people into an extraordinary situation, but I don’t buy the premise. If these people weren’t trained for a dangerous mission and selected for their smarts, what were they doing on a military base on a distant world with heavy armor in the first place? The show’s writing wasn’t as stinking bad as you encounter when you tune into… Read more »
I miss SGA and SG1 so VERY MUCH right now!
I’ve been a Stargate fan since the beginning. I’ve watched the movie, SG1, and Atlantis numerous times. I know the franchise backward and forward. I’m such a fan that I and several friends are working on a fan series. After watching the premiere of SG:U tonight, I feel extremely satisfied that Stargate has not been bastardized into an entirely different show. Rather, it has ascended to a new plane of being. There are elements of what made both SG1 and Atlantis great laced throughout ‘Air’ (which I will not mention due to spoilers). The tone is definitely darker, and the… Read more »
I liked the premiere of SGU for the most part. It may have been just a little to Battlestarey, and I did not care for the sex scene toward the beginning, two military people kinda forbidden. That was right out of BSG. I love the Stargate franchise and I am ok with SGU going a little darker, but I hope that the fact that there is a gate is not the only similarity to the other shows.
It was the worst Pilot since Caprica and Legend of the Rangers.
I give them 1 Season
I liked the pilot very much. It’s different than SG1 and Atlantis but still has the “stargate” feel.
I was a little worried of how would (or even if) they incorporate the usage of stargate and the last moments of the pilot made me glad.
I have to agree that there was not much action (in a sense of shooting, running and explosions) but there was not even a second of boredom.
There was also a lack of a real Story and for me it had absolutly no Stargate Feeling.
I’m also a long-time fan, having studied both series. I wrote a live-blogging review of my own here: http://fieldbeatings.blogspot.com/2009/10/stargate-universe-premiere-live.html
I liked it. Not as much as I liked the SGA pilot at the time, but SGU is more intriguing. It’s darker, it’s different. If they manage to pull it off, it’ll be excellent. There are hundreds of premises that could be exploited to the show’s advantage. The acting force is absolutely top. They have everything on their side, except maybe for the VFX.
I have faith in Stargate Universe. Can’t wait for the next episode!
I just watched the premier and thought it rocked. I did not know that the SyFy channel these guys had it in them. About the voyager comments I thought Voyager was the worst thing Star Trek ever put out, yes worse then Enterprise. This was completely different. I think Sci-Fi is getting more complex. I don’t know if anyone here ever watched Babylon5. In B5’s first season it seemed like a typical Sci-Fi adventure and then by season 3 you realized what the first 2 seasons were really about. I think this is going to be like that. The show… Read more »
@arnoldrimmer (“There was also a lack of a real Story”), you mean there was no “alien/planet of the week” kind of story that most episodes of sga/sg1 had?
for me that is not a bad thing.
i’m pretty sure we will have later on plenty of that with the “stop at habitable planets for 12 hours” rule.
In an interview Micheal shanks once said “on stargate your not watching every week to find out who is sleeping with who, you watch to find out what alien wourlds the team will discover, what people they will meet, and how they will try and change things for the better” Universe so far is a discrase to Stargate SG-1/Atlantis. As an avid fan of both series when I heard universe was going to concentrate on characters I said “ok” and decided to watch. What I didn’t expect is that all the characters hate each other and the show is pretty… Read more »
I dont want “stop at habitable planets for 12 hours” Storys see B5 JMS did plan for 5 Years and pulled his Story to the end. Even encounter at Farpoint was not that Boring. Btw I expected something like this Disaster Pilot, seen how many good Storys were in Season 5 of SGA or Stargate Continuum… a few examples the General Hammond could have blown Ori ships out of the sky but a few Goauld Hatak gets them into trouble? Hello? Coumputer Game Riddle = see last Starfighter or Mercury Puzzel and the Destiny is leaking Air since ages but… Read more »
To be totally honest I hated it. For me Stargate died with SGA. It seemed more star-trek to me then anything For Stargate it has a certain feel to it and SGU lacks that. They made alot of mistakes my mother stopped watching it after the half hour and me well I watched it threw but it was only for Amanda Tapping and Richard Dean Anderson. It was Very Disappointing.
That episode was simply just ****… I mean I gave it the chance, I watched the pilot.. probably cause I wanted to see the SG1 guest stars (yes even Dr Lee) but it was done so wrong… I dont even know where to begin. I LOVE SG1 and SGA, followed both from the beginning but this was so disappointing to the brink where I hope they all die on that ship. I mean when did a daedalus class battlecruiser ever had any problems dealing with 3 motherships (oh marks was there, hes so cool!). Why didnt the airman in the… Read more »
My wife and I were deeply disappointed. The dark tone and creepy characters were what put us off. This was not the Stargate universe as we know it. It was Stargate meets BSG or the Hills or something unpleasant like that. The characters were not likeable, and they were constantly fighting. Where was the military order of the SGC infrastructure – this should not have been a Lord of the Flies situation. The writing was weak. I thought it veered wildly from one emotion to the next in attempts to try to show idk maybe more depth, but in fact… Read more »
I’ve got positive and negative feed back, so hear me out both sides. I’ll go back and forth. First off, let me say that the cameos by the SG-1 cast were great. They established that SGU fit into the previously set up canon, while not taking the focus away from the new cast (although I wonder if the next SG-1 Movie will focus on the L. Alliance and the attacks). I hated that sexual scene. They didn’t show anything (0bviously) but I wasn’t crazy about the moaning and blah. It contributed little to the plot. This scene will likely be… Read more »
And think what Buck Rogers Season 2 did and does someone know Space 1999 (Monbase Alpha) both Shows traveld also across the Universe without a Destination SGU has absolutly nothing NEW just stole Ideas from other SciFi Shows. Maybe the writer did think we had forgotten these old Shows?
I’m toms friend and I borrowed his account to say what i think about Stargate Universe…… It is way to much like Battlestar galactica. Too much Drama. I don’t think it is going to be a very FAMILY FRIENDLY SHOW, anyone who watched it also will know what i mean. SG1 and Atlantis were always PG, they never went into anything gross. I am going to give this new show a chance, but it needs improved or i will not watch it past the first season(if it doesn’t get canceled before then). I THINK THIS SHOW IS A DISGRACE To… Read more »