SGU: Water (Episode 6)

SGU Episode 6 “Water” Reviewed by Colonel_Ez Spoiler Potential High With a personal title of “Everyone is lying…” In my review of Air 3, I had hoped and speculated that the wisp in the desert had been an ascended ancient, given the appearance and the visions/memories Lt Scott experienced, but it seems that the most insignificant part of that episode, the wisps interaction with water was the most significant detail. Early on into the episode I was a little peeved, since it appeared that Scott’s knowledge of the wisp was passing at best, however we find out in this episode that he was only aware, but he was aware enough to file a report, I can understand why that detail got lost in the mix and I can also understand that as part of SGU’s storytelling method we viewers have to get used to learning things in a less linear pattern than we’re used to but that detail would have made TJ’s initial reaction more understandable because she was on some level aware of what it was, or at least prepared for the possibility. Now, the episode was good, some extremely nice moments for characters and all that which ill get onto in a moment, however… im concerned about the problem of the week format, how long we can ride it out. I was going to grumble about this being yet another episode with Lt Scott getting his end away, making SGU more grown up than stargate of the past is fine, but it runs the risk of being oversold if it’s done too much, but then that moment set up two really nice moments for Lt James, which were both very nice. I liked the interactions between Young and Scott on the ice planet, I liked how Young said to Rush “you think I don’t know when somebody is pulling a number out of their ass” and then did the same to Scott on multiple occasions on the planet, I really liked how Scott drew attention to the fact that Young has been the first to sign up for suicide mission of the week each time they have been required, is this a personal wish to die, or is this the soldier clinging to being a soldier instead of taking command, the difficult transition from Field work to command we have seen before with O’Neill, but that was in an established situation, where things aboard the Destiny are definitely not established. I realise that the “these are the wrong people” tagline has been the main selling point for the show since before the first episode aired and, its definitely a plotline that can be ridden for a time, however there need to be some movements made towards establishing a command structure aboard Destiny, putting people to work, the crew members can be seen to be inexperienced and make mistakes in these areas just as well as they can be in lurching from crisis to crisis, the longer it goes with Young managing things off the top of his head, the less believable it becomes. What I mean by that is, even an inexperienced officer is an officer, which is brought into even clearer focus when it’s an Officer of the SGC. Back to this episode however, it was really nice and each episode we take a pass over characters and learn a little more about them through seeing how they handle situations presented to them, both personal and professional – im being turned around on Greer, a credit to the writing and the wonderful acting talent that is Jamil Walker Smith – its encouraging to see that given the time and the opportunity each of these characters can be sold to the viewer in a different way However, now that we have air, power and water I think its time to turn our attention to the ship, the crew and how they are going to exist there indefinitely.