In no particular order:
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.
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.
Our full review of “Air” will be online next week. Why wait so long? Press kits do go out weeks in advance, to give television writers ample time to watch and write. But there’s a reason why most of the mainstream media reviews you will see in the days ahead won’t be published until Friday, October 2: For viewers who aren’t sure if they’re going to watch, that final week and final day are the most critical for publicity.
We’ll have lots more to say about “Air” and Stargate Universe as we count down these final days to the show’s premiere, as well as after the rest of the world has seen it! To make sure that we don’t miss a beat, we have already recorded podcast discussions for the show’s launch week, for “Air” Parts 1 and 2, and for “Air, Part 3.”
Stay tuned for all that and more, and watch the premiere of SGU on October 2!
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You paint a positive picture of the show. I know you are vested in the series, but not to the extent of say an NBC employee who would only point out the positives.
With that in mind, I appreciate the effort at putting some of us at ease. I have had concerns that the show would diverge too far from what we have come to love about Stargate. I think you have helped with this small article.
I don't think the ptb need to worry about gettin an audience for the premier. I'm sure many will tune in just to see how good or bad it is. The true test will be whether it continues to appeal after the first 5-6 episodes and from reviews so far I find it disconcerting that some reviewers feel we need to hang in there to really be able to judge how good the show will be. What are premiers for if not to bring in viewers. If an audience doesn't like what they see in the premier they wont come back. A lot of effort and money has been put into SGU and the premier in particular, so if reviewers state that even the premier won't be enough to keep the audience watching then thats a bit worrying. I intend to watch the premier. I've hated what I've seen so far and I know this new incarnation won't be for me. A show focused on the drama of the characters from week to week in not my kind of scifi,particulary with characters I feel no connection to. But my biggest gripe with the reviews that have come out is the constant need to say that SGU has great actors. I would assume they wouldnt have been cast if they werent considered to be good actors. Stargate has always had good actors and I'm getting sick of the implication that the SGU actors are any better than the previous casts. If fact what I have seen of Robert Carlyle so far has been rather underwhelming.
It didnt help me at all. I was actually very excited about this at first, and was not bothered by the idea of a younger cast, which was probably the first thing we heard about the series. But as the premiere has gotten closer I have become less and less excited with every bit of new information. I'll wait and watch it to be sure, but I really dont have much hope left. These are some of the things that worry me:
-"the focus on characters and relationships more than a driving plot"
-"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." (they expect me to come back each week because of a strong interest in the characters relationships instead of in a driving story? Doubtful)
-"we get to drop into the middle of their story and figure out what kind of people they are." (dropping in the middle of a story doesnt sound like it could ever be a good thing)
-"That’s a credit to the writers (who are clearly writing for an audience that is smart" (so are fans of the original SG writing style stupid?)
-"Shoot-em-up action and plot-driven fun is great. But..." (but not as fun as ppl making out? 3 times in trailer!? I really hope that isnt a proportionate representation)
I feel vaguely insulted, so I'm not smart cause I liked SG1 and SGA? I'm sure you didn't mean that though. But it's all part of why SGU disturbs me; the frequent insinuations that everything about this new show is better than something that I've loved for years. Makes me feel like a second class citizen.
No matter what people say; I'm really excited about the show! I'm a big fan og scifi and I've enjoyed SG1 and SGA, and the fact that Universe is a characterdriven show is great news! I can see why many people are scared by the "no-plot" thing, but come on... We have this large, incredible universe that is Stargate and we get a show that is focusing on a group of people whom are lost and need to rely on eachother. This just ups the ante: Stargate has always been a kind of "realistic scifi series" beacuse of the fact that it is not set in the future, we don't have overwhelming technology and we are naught but a small part of a large galaxy. And now we get to dive even deeper into that. I'm loving this! I'm really excited and can't wait for the premiere.
It seemes to me that everyone wants a new SG1. I loved SG1, but when a new show comes along, I'm pleased that it's not just a rehash of a former, succesful series. It's gutsy to jump into a new thing. I respect, I believe in that, and I'm pretty sure I'm going to love it.
And I think GateWorld does a great job promoting this. It could be I'm just a genuinly positive guy, but I really look forward to this. October 2nd is so far away...
"so are fans of the original SG writing style stupid?"
...sigh. Yes, you are a complete idiot because you liked SG-1 and SGA. I'm SURE that's what they're trying to tell you here.
Seriously, these "complaints" are getting pathetic. It seems as if with every positive review that comes out, with every unfounded argument against SGU that gets refuted, the anti-SGU crowd desperately try to make up for it by coming up with new complaints and arguments (because they WANT to dislike SGU, not because they have a legitimate reason to) and making less and less sense as they do so.
Come on... Even if you'll never admit it, things are looking good for SGU at this point. It's time to either just drop the BS and give SGU a fair chance, or just GTFO of the debate already.
So far everything I am hearing about this show just sounds brilliant from the cast, the many scenes which have I have read about, the depth of characters and character histories something we lack. They seem to be using more modern story telling techniques. More modern look.
So far SGU seem to be fixing the flaws that were obvious in SG1 and SGA. I love that we are having a darker side of the Stargate universe, I am personally fed up of the light side so that ought to be great.
Sounds good!!
+ i don't believe the intent is to say fans of SG-1 are stupid + this is a step up... in fact i think it very much implies that Stargate fans are smart + the writers are playing to that. That being said i would be o so very happy if the level of writing managed to rebound from SGA. To be sure there were some good episodes + Season 5 of SGA might be my favorite since the first but it was certainly less consistent than SG-1, @ least in my opinion.
Why do people have to twist things around when something is said in an article?
Originally posted by Sylvia:
"I feel vaguely insulted, so I’m not smart cause I liked SG1 and SGA? I’m sure you didn’t mean that though. But it’s all part of why SGU disturbs me; the frequent insinuations that everything about this new show is better than something that I’ve loved for years. Makes me feel like a second class citizen."
Actually, if TPTB are smart and all, I hope it is better. (Although, it is primarily a different take and a different direction for Stargate.) There were flaws in SG-1 and Atlantis, so they are taking the flaws from those two, learning from them, and making something better. Wouldn't you want to take mistakes that you make and better yourself from them? Or stick to more of the same.
Will SGU make mistakes? You betcha. It is created by humans and last I checked, humans are flawed. Future sci-fi will simply learn from SGU's mistakes to become better. It's a process. We learn from the mistakes to create or become better at whatever it is we are trying to do.
Come on, if you know or at least think they would never insinuate something along the lines that SGU is for 'smart people", why make the comment, "...so I’m not smart cause I liked SG1 and SGA" at all?
You (will) either like it or hate the show. Stop looking for things to jab the show because they look childish to say something like you did.
(I don't have a problem that you are not looking forward to the show and from what I can tell, probably won't watch it, but that is guessing on my part only by your take on this. I could be wrong with that, but oh well. My problem with your post and others is that you make statements like the one I mentioned above that shouldn't even be mentioned because they are simply jabs, nothing more, nothing less.)
Just read above before I posted. Nicely said Ugly Pig.
I also just want to say that while SG-1 and Altantis had flaws, they also had strengths that made them awesome. All shows are flawed, unfortunately. (Whether there are plot holes, etc.)