Stargate: Universe – Recap & Review – Subversion

photo: syfy

Stargate: Universe
Subversion

Original Air Date: May 21, 2010

Em – Sr. Reviewer
em@thetwocentscorp.com

After last week’s personal drama, Universe gives us external conflict between the Destiny crew, backed by Stargate Command, and the Lucian Alliance. Remember them?

That’s okay if you don’t. Despite the fact that they blew up a planet and kicked off the show, we haven’t heard about them since Air. But they’re back now, and it seems they’re getting a little help from one of the “good” guys.

Rush has a dream one night that tells him that Telford told the Lucian Alliance about the Icarus base. The timing on this all seems massively convenient. First of all, if he and Young have been worried this whole time that their enemies have a spy, why have we not addressed the issue ever before? And when did Rush get these memories, anyway? Telford hadn’t been on the Destiny in a while, so why is Rush just now having the dream?

Young tells Scott, who points out that Young’s judgment regarding Telford is clouded. Young, being the self-loving moron he is, shushes this completely legitimate to info-dump some back story: Telford spent a year undercover with the Lucian Alliance. Um…he was undercover with them for a year and no one suspected him as the mole before now? Young also raises the possibility that the Lucian Alliance have brainwashing technology.

Young approves Rush to body-swap with Telford and try to make contact with the Lucian Alliance. Telford is surprised to find himself in Young’s body, since he was supposed to swap with someone else. He asks to talk to Young, but Young is busy with a little body-swapping trip of his own. He goes to Earth to warn General O’Neill about Rush’s plan, since he’s not entirely convinced Rush isn’t the spy. They have some people follow Rush.

The crew throws a baby-shower for TJ, giving her little homemade gifts. This is probably the happiest scene this show will ever have, and it gets cut short when Brody and Volker drag Eli away to try and figure out what’s going on with Rush and Young. They are marvelously unsubtle, and while that’s kind of amusing, I’d really rather have seen more of the baby shower. Face it, which question is more interesting: what is the BIG SECRET on the ship (which we already know), or where did these people get wrapping paper?

Rush breaks into Telford’s house and finds a hidden key, which leads him to a bank safe deposit box containing a cell phone. He redials a number and tells the person on the other line that they need to meet. Shortly after, some guys in a black van pick him up.

Young pours Telford a drink. They trade some insults, and the whole scene is just incredibly boring.

Rush and his contacts are being followed by Daniel Jackson. It’s nice to see Richard Dean Anderson and Michael Shanks again, really it is, but I can’t help but feel that they don’t fit in Universe, and were only included as a gimmick to drawn in SG-1 fans that have been disappointed with the show so far. A better gimmick, writers? Make the episodes better.

Unfortunately, a woman who seems to be calling the shots shows up and tells Rush that she knows he’s a fake. They take him away on a spaceship before Daniel and his backup can intervene.

Chloe finds TJ upset about how her baby is going to have a crappy life. They have a cute moment and…yup, that’s about it for that story. Well-developed little B plot, wasn’t it?

Daniel identifies the woman who took Rush as Kiva, daughter of a Lucian Alliance war lord. He suggests they cut the connection between the comm stones, but Young wants to get info out of Telford first.

Rush tells Kiva that he is Telford and he purposefully messed up the contact, but she doesn’t believe him and has him tortured. When he admits that he’s Rush, she makes him help with the Lucian’s attempts to dial the Ninth Chevron.

Young locks up Telford, and Greer offers to help with the interrogation. Greer really needs more lines that aren’t about him being angry/wanting to hurt people. Scott is very concerned about the whole situation, but Young just shuts him out.

Rush tries stalling the Lucian Alliance’s work by saying that the work done by their own scientist, Olan, is all wrong. Kiva has Olan killed for it. When Rush freaks out, she says she knew that he was lying but wanted to show him that she was serious. Okay, this woman is messed up…and I’m intrigued. I’m not sold, but I’m intrigued.

Young brings O’Neill aboard the Destiny, and Telford confesses. This annoys me for two reasons: one, there’s really no reason for Telford to confess at the point. He goes from “what the hell, guys, I’m innocent,” to “I did it, and I’d do it again if I had the chance!” with no provocation or change in situation. Why? Secondly: why does this show ALWAYS vindicate Young when he’s a jerk? Why is this guy even still alive. I hate him so much.

At least Telford has motivation for what he did and considers it the right decision, rather than giving us some mustache-twirling villain. It’s still unclear if he was brainwashed or not. Frankly, I hope Telford really did turn on his own free will; it’s just more interesting that way.

Camille comes around to Telford’s quarters, mad about being shut out, and Scott tells her what’s going on. She wants Young to cut the connection, but he refuses and instead has them vent the atmosphere in Telford’s quarters and tells Telford he has five minutes to tell them where the Alliance base is or he’ll suffocate.

I can’t really put my finger on why, but this episode really bored me. The only bit that really kept my attention was the end. Hopefully, this means that the next few episodes will be more interesting than the set up episode. What did you think? Loved it or hated it? What do you think is going to happen to Telford? Give me your two cents!

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