Overall: 8.2
OK, maybe the burgeoning romance between Eli and Chloe is terribly cliche, but cliches aren't always bad and frankly, my readers, I don't give a damn. :) The characters are starting, already, to acquire some layers, and the bastards in charge of this show have already sprung their first cliffhanger on us!
Cut for Spoilers
Plot Synopsis:
Dr. Rush is in an out and out panic as the ship's power supply is dwindling to dangerous levels and systems he once could access are becoming lost to him. In the meantime, Colonel Young, desperate to learn all he can about the ship, has his teams exploring the various devices aboard, further driving Rush batty as their use of power is perhaps irresponsible. The crew meets in groups to discuss their current living situation and plan ahead, but all discussion ceases when the ship loses power completely, aside from life support. In response to this setback, Dr. Rush has a complete nervous breakdown and they are forced to sedate him.
On the personal side, Colonel Young uses the ancient communication stone to tell his former wife where he is and beg her to wait for him to get home. She refuses (with a lot of frustration evident) and tells him that he made his choice (career over her - adventure over their relationship) and so has she. Dejected, he goes back to the Destiny, only to learn that Colonel Telford is threatening to strip him of his command for his failure to keep the ship operational and to resolve his differences with Dr. Rush. Meanwhile, Chloe - the slightly spoiled senator's daughter that she is - is the first to test out the ship's shower system (a nifty water-saving steam-powered device that cleans without wasting resources), and Eli, standing guard to make sure people don't walk in on her (that's his story and he's sticking to it!) very VERY awkwardly strikes up conversation. When the power goes out completely, poor Chloe panics and Eli is there to help her through.
They have dropped out of FTL in a solar system with a red dwarf at its' core, orbited by several planets, three of which might be able to sustain life. The ship executes a high precision slingshot maneuver through the atmosphere of a gas giant (a site which attracts the attention of the entire crew, including Eli, who has dragged Chloe to the observation deck to share his enthusiasm), in an attempt to bring them closer to these potentially habitable worlds, but evidently the course is just slightly off and the ship ends up flying directly toward the star, which is where we are left hanging.
Writing: 8.2
The Eli/Chloe storyline has happened a thousand times on TV in one form or another...but it's very cutely executed here. The details we get about Everett's rocky relationship are succeeding in making him an increasingly potential-rich character. I don't know how they plan to use this stuff going forward, but they have my attention. And speaking of attention, Dr. Rush continues to attract it from me. Not only is he potentially evil, but he's extremely unstable too...more so than I think we've realized up until now. Add to that his complete lack of people skills (at least Rodney, back on Atlantis, could have a calm conversation and explain the situation to his crewmates...Rush flat out REFUSES to communicate with anyone, and then wonders why they don't know what's happening to the Destiny), and this is a powder keg waiting to explode.
Acting: 9.0
I would just like to take this opportunity to squeal like a 13 year old girl at a Backstreet Boys concert. Eli and Chloe are so unbearably cute together that it makes me want to pinch both of their cheeks hard enough to break the skin! Oh I hope they're not setting me up to be heartbroken by some painful breakup or the death of one of these two...because that couple is just BURSTING with chemistry. YOWZA! All credit to David Blue and Elyse Levesque, here. :)
Meanwhile, Louis Ferreira and Ona Grauer (Mrs. Young) did some outstanding work in their scenes on Earth, and I continue to be impressed with Robert Carlyle's acting chops, and he is definitely getting more comfortable with his role, although he may have played his mental breakdown a bit over the top.
Message: 7.5
It was nice to get confirmation that Lt. Scott is going to be allowed to have some religious proclivity even if his character winds up not being the idea Catholic. It was equally nice to see Eli interacting with Chloe, not just because they're RIDICULOUSLY adorable, but because he handled things like a total gentleman...despite his checkered past on Earth, he obviously means well and treats people with respect and good humor. I can tell I am going to relate with him on a regular basis.
Highlights:
ELI: Whenever you're ready, Lieutenant.
SCOTT: My name is Lieutenant Matthew Scott. I'm 28 years old. And I'd like to say a prayer...for everyone on board, if that's OK?
ELI: Absolutely, whatever you want.
SCOTT: The lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures...(this stuff is very basic to the military and it's nice to see it acknowledged in Gate, finally)
YOUNG: I'm going to get home!
MRS. YOUNG: No! You wouldn't be here like this...saying goodbye to me...if you really thought there was a chance.
YOUNG: I am trying everything I can...I will do everything I can...to come back to you...I guess all I'm saying is...I hope you'll be waiting for me when I do.
MRS. YOUNG: You made your choice, Everett. So have I. Just leave me alone. (she turns to go back inside the house)
YOUNG: Wait...please! (he reaches for her but she twists out of his grasp)
MRS. YOUNG: No! Just...I can't do this. Just go. - OUCH
ELI: How does it feel? (referring to the steam shower)
CHLOE: What?
ELI: How does it feel...on your (voice cracks like q 14 year old nerd trying to ask out a cheerleader) bare skin? - LOL
CHLOE: It's really warm...nice really! You know, you don't have to stand there the whole time.
ELI: I'm just standing guard...anyone could just walk in here! (riiiiiiiight :) )
(after the power goes out for good)
CHLOE: Eli!! Eli!!!
ELI: What's wrong, Chloe?
CHLOE: The power went out in here!
ELI: I know...it's the whole ship.
CHLOE: Well I can't see, and I'm cold now!
ELI: Here. (He turns out his remote device and shines the light on her, whereupon he realizes she's still buck naked) Oh! Sorry! (he averts his eyes and blushes fifty shades of red)
CHLOE: (scrambling to get dressed, now that she can see where he clothes ended up) I guess I just got scared. You can leave now, I'm alright.
ELI: Oh, sorry...of course. Here. (he hands her the remote, still refusing to look at her in case she doesn't want to be seen) It's something anyway. - irrepressable cuteness alert!! SQUEE!!!
ELI: Come on! How often to you get a chance to see this?
CHLOE: I'll be there in a minute.
ELI: But the show is about to begin! How can you already be so jaded to stuff like this?
CHLOE: I'm not jaded...I just have a lot on my mind, right now, that's all.
ELI: Right. Adventures in space, totally alien solar systems, we see this kind of stuff all the time. Oh well, I guess there'll be other gas giants.
CHLOE: (very delicately extends her hand to Eli) Alright, Eli...let's go. (Eli practically whipsaws her through the corridors to get to the observation deck like a giddy school child dragging along his first puppy) - This is going to be FUN...seeing the universe with the wonder of a boy and girl who don't do this sort of thing every day...it takes me back to the first couple of seasons of Stargate SG-1 when all of this space exploration was new.
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