(Season 5, Episode 16 – “Brain Storm”)
Like sands through the hourglass, these are the days of our Stargate. Yeah, from the get go, there were a lot of reasons for me to not like this episode. With the series rapidly racing toward its finale, an episode where Sheppard and Ronon make the briefest of cameos, while Teyla and Woolsey are completely missing, is really not what I’m looking for. Add to that the fact that this was a ‘relationship’ episode, and we were really starting out in a hole. Some fun casting helped a little, but I’m guessing that this one will ultimately be viewed by a goodly number of fans as a swing, and a miss.
Not that there weren’t a couple bright spots. Most notably, Dave Foley. I don’t know that I’ve ever seen Foley in anything that I didn’t like. Holding to form, he was good here, as well. Malcolm was just the right balance of arrogant, jealous, and successful to make for the perfect foil for Rodney. And for a moment, I almost cheered when he finally admitted that McKay was smarter. But then it occurred to me that while Rodney was so angry about Malcolm stealing his work, he was in no hurry to give Jeanie her much deserved credit either.
That brings up a thought. Would this episode have been better if Keller was off on whatever unseen project was taking up all of Teyla’s time, and instead Rodney was attending the conference with his sister? Take all that romance nonsense right out of it, and give us one more visit with Jeanie. Perhaps. Because really, I just don’t get the reasoning behind this whole McKay/Keller thing.
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For one, there are only four episodes left, so mostly I’m left asking, “Why bother?” If you are going to do something like this, though, there really has to be much more of a commitment than what we are seeing here. How did we get from first date to loving you for a long time so quickly? Has it really been that long since Rodney was proposing to someone else and Keller was eyeballing Ronon like a tasty piece of mancake? That’s why, for the most part, I don’t like getting that relationship peanut butter all over my sci-fi chocolate. It takes work, planning, and a level of dedication to make it worth doing. None of the things that we are seeing here, where it comes from out of the blue and is supposed to be much bigger than it has any believable basis to be.
While I would have preferred that it was just left out altogether, there was a bit of the McKay/Keller stuff that I didn’t mind. For whatever reason, she seems to be fine with dealing with the McKay ego, which we saw in his description of the conference. “If I know this guy, it’ll be, you know, first class presentation. With like, second rate science. Probably some minor adjustment to someone else’s work. But the food’ll be good.” And she’s also willing to call him on his bullshit, which he desperately needs. I don’t know that those are the makings of a successful relationship, but at least it hinted at the possibility of why this might be able to work.
Meanwhile, back at the experiment, I also liked the addition of Bill Nye and Neil deGrasse Tyson (from TV!). It’s interesting that this all came about in episode 16. Last season, in episode 16 (“Trio”), we had another reference to Tyson in the “Who would you rather?” game. It’s just his bad luck to be a part of two below-average episodes, because he did a fine job. Nye had more to do, and handled it well. My favorite bits were his declaration, “I’m an engineer! I can do math!” and Rodney’s dismissal, “Watch who you’re correcting, ‘Science Guy’. At least my Ph.D isn’t honorary.”
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While those casting choices were fun, the story back on Earth suffered from not knowing when to say when. To start, the effects of the demonstration going off the rails. Normally, I’m pretty forgiving when it comes to the crazy space science. I was more than happy to nod along as they described piping heat from the planet to the bridge. Although, that’s really not a solution to global warming, more of a stopgap. Either way, the real problem was with the breakdown of the field.
What we had was a small pocket of pretty cold air being released into a huge warmer environment. The resulting effect should have been something on the order of “Do you feel a draft?” Not three tornadoes. And certainly not three tornadoes that just disappear when the machine is turned off. The thing is, everyone in the building was going to die! That’s plenty of danger. Seriously, killing Stephen Hawking is a big deal. It really didn’t need the silly twister shenanigans.
It’s something we also saw in the daring rescue. Rodney decided to pass up getting the glory to save Keller. Big character moment. Yay, and stuff. That was enough. She didn’t need to die first. And if she hadn’t, it would have saved us all from the ridiculous, Baywatchesque, three pumps and a cough first aid. I would have bought that one if it was Sheppard saving a space-coed on the beach (another idea I would have preferred). Here though, she froze to death. How about we warm her up? And while we’re at it, toss in a trip to the hospital as opposed to throwing her on a jet in the same wet clothes.
Really, I spent an awful lot of time just shaking my head at this one. It felt like the story came together like this: We have to do green week, and McKay and Keller have to finally declare their deep love for each other. The rest of it was just window dressing, and window dressing of the garish variety. So, yeah, it’s a rare thumbs down for Atlantis for me. On the bright side, Todd will be back to save the day in two weeks.
Clacked by Brett Love 
on Nov 22, 2008 @ 10:23 EST5EDT
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I’m probably not in the majority here, but this was definitely a “hit” for me. Normally, I watch “non-Carson” episodes by flipping back and forth between them and several other shows, but this episode caught my attention early on and I came back and watched the second airing of the show completely through. I’m definitely a fan of Rodney and Jennifer together, and while the “relationship” bit was a bit rushed, I can forgive that because of the few numbers of episodes left….I’d rather have them together at show’s end instead of leaving us to wonder. Dave Foley and Bill Nye were a lot of fun and I really didn’t miss “the other regulars” (which could be of course because the main reason I got invested in the show in the first place was Carson).
Your review is right on the money. This episode was a disaster. Two thumbs up to you.
Good review. And you are absolutely correct. Keller was eyeing Ronon up late last season, and hey, early this season too. And as for McKay? Well, didn’t he just propose marriage to the insignificant botanist Katie Brown this time last year?
Give me a break! The wet clothes? Rodney McKay…the mile high club? This is Atlantis? No, this is called JUMPING THE SHARK.
Your review is right on the money. This episode was a complete cringe-worthy waste of time. I want my hour back!
Woops! Sorry to post twice!
I enjoyed the episode. Yes, the McKeller romance is a stretch…but hey, at least Stargate is trying to reach that “grown-up” stage where they can present two adults in a loving relationship. That Stargate is trying to establish that two adults who work together can actually fall in love and not bring on the end of the world as we all know it…although at times, it does seem that McKeller do come close to that end.
I too, however, was curious on why Rodney and Jennifer would fly home still wet. With blankets draped around them? I would think that the debrief from that debacle would at least take several days, time enough to dry out or at least rustle up some different clothing.
Thank you again, Brett, for the lovely HD screencaps. Very nice! And best wishes for a Happy Thanksgiving to everyone at Clique Clack.
I like the romance between the two of them. Yes its a bit rushed but i think it provides some nice culmination of the evolution of Rodney that has occurred over the course of Atlantis. Think back to SG1 appearances and how he is now, fairly big change. Keller provides a compliment to him and sort of a reward for his slight metamorphosis. Sure it was rushed and they toyed with a Keller/Ronan thing but just to provide drama, they had to speed things up when they weren’t getting renewed. So that being said while I enjoyed the episode and the relationship given that so few episodes are left I would have rather had a team episode so long as it was related to one of the major story lines. I would rather have this episode over another clips show or solo story for some other character.
I think the reason they are pushing the Rodney/Keller romance is because of us seeing them together in the “future” episode. The entire fate of the galaxy is different because of the love and devotion Rodney felt for Keller. Personally I feel kinda let down with future episodes, because it’s just a giant “what if” that never applies to the future of the TV series. Nice to see it actually have some tie in to the actual series
-Kevin
I don’t think this episode was horrible – there were plenty of funny moments. I think it’s just that since we know the series is ending, we are now expecting every episode to be BIG and important. But Stargate is more of the Star Trek-type sci-fi show, not the Battlestar Galactica-type. There are going to be a lot of episodes that stand alone. Personally, I like that with the series ending we’re getting glimpses of the possibilities for the characters’ lives beyond Atlantis.
ALSO – did anyone else enjoy/notice the moment when Keller gets excited about the bowl of strawberries? This is a fun homage to her Firefly character, Kaylee, who loves strawberries.
I believe that this is the worst episode the Stargate franchise has ever produced. The Ship between Keller and McKay is a middleaged man’s depraved wet dream of nailing the little blond girl. It looked like father/daugher day at the dance, and squicked me out big time.
Worse than both the Irre eps together, I’m glad they cancelled this show if this was the direction they were taking.
Worst episode ever. Ever. Jumping the shark is correct. The McKeller is ruining the show. To begin with there is absolutely no chemistry whatsoever between Staite and Hewlett. There is no history, no build up, no subtly. All through The Shrine, Rodney is calling for John then at the end out of nowhere, not ever having been on a date, brain addled (explains it for me) he declares his long love for Keller. Now in BS (better title) Keller mirrors that after having been revived, she is miraculously not only non-hypothermic but frisky kissing Rodney and declaring her love for him. Gag! Um, then the first date and she is gonna give it up in the plane all wet. Gero’s fantasy come to life I guess. Totally disgusting – not to mention the age difference squick. Also, the biggest thing that bugged me as this ep was all about McKeller, not green or science, was that Keller spent the whole time bitching at Rodney to be nice, to be humble. Apparently she doesn’t know him at all. Why is she trying to change him on the first date? McKeller is unbelievable and even the kiss was lacking passion. Did either actor really want to be there? Can they break up already and we can get back to Sci Fi action adventure instead of Days of Atlantis. I want Sheppard. I want the team. I am sick of Keller this season. McKeller makes me want to turn the tv off. Let Gero and the geek writers get the girl in their fantasies not on my tv. Bring back Atlantis! I want that hour of my life back. What a waste.
This episode showed the complete lack of intelligence on the part of the writers. Even a five-year-old could google hympothermia and find out the particulars on it. And McKay and Keller go back on the plane in soggy clothes, she, after nearly dying?
And what is a high security installation doing with a cheap on-sale at home depot wooden door in it?
The plot might have been decent had the author of the piece not been trying to relieve his high school years, or something.
Guest stars notwithstanding, it was a waste of an hour. The fans would have been better served watching Shep and Ronon trying out surfing, intead of watching Keller be incredibly stupid (for being a doctor, she sure doesn’t like to tend to patients (aka flash-frozen guy)).
Most of your arguments ring so true but I don’t mind the romance, I think it’s perfectly reasonable for the doctor to rethink her attraction to Ronon in the span of, what, a couple of months?
Also I really liked how they addressed Rodney’s absence from the perspective of the scientific field. Kind of how they did for Daniel Jackson and his field back in SG-1 in a few episodes. And I’ve loved Bill Nye since I was 10 years old so I had a soft spot for this episode going in.
But yes the crazy tornadoes and the “first aid” were way too crazy.
I would’ve believed it if David Hewlett was able to KISS properly.
Man those two, three scenes were HORRIBLE to say the least. I mean he loves that woman and they kiss with mouth closed, lips curled up… bleeeeg. If they’d nailed the kissing, I could’ve been (finally) sold. I am also one of the people who doesn’t get it. Last season McKay was in love with the station’s botanist and then he somehow “wins” over Ronon without actually doing anything and instead admitting he loves Keller during losing his mind in an earlier episode, later on forgetting all that altogether.
I mean I kiss better than that. That was so god awful it hurt.
This episode was meh at best if not “god dammit learn to kiss already”. 4 out of 5 cringes with a “gawd”.
Guess I am in the minority on this one since I enjoyed it. Science goofs aside, I had no problem with the episode. Only issue I saw was the ham fisted “saving the environment is noble” crap shoved at us just because it’s “green month.”
But to counter on your illogical point of “why bother with only 4 episodes left?”
You need to remember that all of Season 5 was written with Season 6 being somewhat hopeful. Cancellation of the show didn’t come til after production was done on the majority of episodes.
As for not having Keller and having Rodney’s sister around that leaves 2 problems.
1. After the ridicule Rodney already gets, do you really think he wanted to bring his Sister?
2. If Jeanie was around, that would have changed the whole dynamic of the stealing of Rodney’s work.
I liked the mile high club thing honestly. Let’s us know that Keller is a little freaky. And for all of us who still have a crush on Kaylee from Firefly this works out just fine.
I never understood why these scifi script writers don’t ask a real physicist to proof read their creations before airing them. Young viewers could be seriously mislead by errors.
I am pointing at the tornado thing. A cold air pocket released in the middle of the warmer desert air will never rise. Instead it will spread into a thin layer over the desert, as cold air is denser than warm air. All what you will see is localised fog and eventually rain if the warm air is moist enough, hard to expect in a desert.
If you heat the air instead, you might get that ascending gale as hot air is less dense and therefore lighter, but the power requirements for that are a lot higher than those sugested by cooling that facility 10F in 10min. That was a low power device.
“Copywritten” pearl of Rodney also caught my attention.
I am a huge fan of all Stagate series and I rate this week episode quite low.
I enjoyed the episode a whole lot. Considering Mckay and Keller are the first stable relationship in either Stargate SG1 or Stargate Atlants I was glad they took at least one episode to dedicate to that. Plus it wasn’t as rushed as it seemed, after all Katie Brown broke up with him almost a year ago, even if it seems like it was only a few episodes ago.
I do admit that the lack of other characters as well as an interesting plot line was surprising and dissappointing, they could have at least done something else while they were accumulating a relationship between McKay and Keller.