| |
|
Stargate Atlantis Season 2 Volume 2 |
|
|
Info/Review: The first thing that catches your eye with this DVD is the menus. On insertion the disc brings up a command line style prompt, for language selection (English and German). After a brief, and really well put together advert for both stargate shows, you're taken to the menu. It's based on the display of a puddle jumper, which is in orbit over what I assume is Atlantis' planet. And it's fully animated, with shots of your puddle jumper flying over different worlds as a transition between menus (or back through the gate to Atlantis for language selection).
Special Features:
Production Design and Photo Gallery
A slideshow of photos from the featured episodes.
Transport Chamber - Stargate Atlantis Set Tour
Martin Wood and Peter DeLuise take us on a tour of the set. These two directors are always a good laugh in the behind the scenes extra's, and this one is no exception. It's another good look at the Atlantis set, although most of it is the same as what was in "From Stargate To Atlantis: The Lowdown" on the SG-1 DVDs.
Transport Chamber - Preview to Stargate Atlantis
This is an introduction to the series, and includes interviews with the crew. During the interviews they show alot of the concepts behind Atlantis in the form of drawings. And James Robbins (Art Director) discuses how the wraith were developed. The characters are introduced, and the actors behind them. And also the Puddle Jumper, visual effects, and how the continuation of SG-1 changed their ideas about Atlantis, are among what's included in this great look at the show. This extra are really something that should be watched before the episodes. As it is an introduction to the characters, and the new part of the stargate universe that's being explored. It's a well put together feature that gears the viewer up nicely.
Episodes:
Rising (Parts 1 & 2)
Dr. Weir (now played by Torri Higginson) leads an expedition to Atlantis set in the Pegasus galaxy. After some persuasion from General O'Neill, Major Sheppard joins the expedition of the best personnel from across the world. As soon as they arrive in Atlantis things soon turn to saving themselves from impending doom. After thousands of years the power source of the city is nearly depleted, and Atlantis is soon going to be crushed by the ocean which has protected it for so long. Which is the least of their worries when a team sent through the gate discovers more than they were bargaining for. A race of vampiristic, insect like, aliens are awakened. The wraith feed off the humans in Pegasus, sucking the life and knowledge out of their victims. And after Colonel Sumner's capture and early exit, they have discovered there's a new rich feeding ground out their. Earth. The first minute of this episode has some awesome graphics as you follow a puddle jumper across an icy landscape and to Atlantis, and a shot of a couple of Atlantians. Atlantis then rises from the ancient outpost, with movie like special effects. In fact the graphics throughout Rising are excellent. Atlantis rising from the seabed in the Pegasus galaxy has raised the bar for TV, and has been likened to the special effects in "The Day After Tomorrow". Dr. Beckett nearly sending O'Neill and Sheppard to an early grave is the highlight of the first ten minutes. And is a great introduction for Joe Flannigan's character. It's also get's you a close look at the Ancient drones, which look like they were inspired by the attack bots in "The Matrix" movies. The Atlantis set looks superb, full of high-tech looking Ancient gadgets and displays. And the city holds many wonders to be explored. And the move to another galaxy leaves the show wide open to have an entirely new story to explore. Even the stargate looks different. Yet the key elements that make SG-1 so great are still there. The aspect of realism that the show has, because it's not set in the distant future and is based on earthlings as we are now. And the exploration of planets and cultures in order to acquire new technology and understanding is still there. And as always there's a threat to Earth that seems impossible to overcome.
Hide and Seek
Dr Rodney McKay (David Hewlett) also trials a new gene therapy to enable him to use Ancient technology developed by Dr Carson Beckett (played by Paul McGillion). That isn't all McKay experiments with, and soon ends up in trouble when he discovers an Ancient personal shield device. There's a catch though, he can't get it off or pass food and drink through it. And he isn't the only one at risk, when an Athosian child unleashes a dark entity held in an ancient research lab. Apparently used by the Ancients to learn about ascension. The entity feeds off the already limited energy supply, and things only get worse when it starts to attack the inhabitants. McKay provides some funny moments, in this city based ep. And his character develops quite well throughout the episode, and there's even a little bit of heroism. The return to the ascension storyline also brings back the reason why they're in Atlantis, which got lost a little with the discovery of the wraith.
Thirty Eight Minutes
Major Sheppard get's bitten by a bug we later find out the Wraith evolved from. But that's not there only problem when the Puddle Jumper transporting him back to Atlantis get's one of it's drive pods stuck open, leaving them trapped half way through the stargate. Without the ship being transported all the way through, the crew in the forward section are left inside the event horizon. Now it's a battle against time to free themselves before 38 minutes pass, and the gate shuts down. Leaving the ship open to the vacuum of space and certain death. This episode get's a bit of action by flashing back to before the starting point of the episode, showing the mission they were on and how the ship got damaged. The issue of the Athosians religious rights and beliefs also comes up, when Teyla is amongst those facing death. As the main plot is quite simple there's plenty of time for a little character development, and Dr. Zelenka (David Nykl) is among those who gets a bit more airtime. Dr. Kavanagh's (Ben Cotton) part in the show is also established, as he gets the role McKay had in SG-1.
Release Date: March 14, 2005 |
|
|
 |
