Space Goat

My cable provider has recently added Sci Fi HD to its lineup, so I've been checking out some programming on it. Today, I watched an episode of Stargate Atlantis for the first time.

Or, rather, Star Trek without the name in front, like the first two seasons of Enterprise.

The episode I watched had:

• Transporters, complete with characters talking about beaming in and beaming out. And there was even a last-minute transport with a Star Trek transporter effect!
• Shields. Other sci-fi shows and movies have had shields, but these were dead ringers for the ones on Star Trek. These shields even blocked the transporter.
• Dampening field preventing beam outs.
• Cloaking device.
• Connor Trinneer, looking like a Trip Tucker who's spent four years as worm food.
• Robert Picardo.

I'm not saying it's necessarily a bad show; whereas it's not a classic, I'm still DVR'ing the rest of the episodes on today. But watching it elicits the strongest sense of deja vu...

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Bean

Ok, while I'm generally pretty tolerant of the comparisons between SG and Trek (Let's face it, it's certainly a major influence on SG) pointing out Picardo and Trinneer being on the show as a "rip off" of Trek is stretching it.

Trinneers character on SGA is absolutely NOTHING like Trip from Enterprise. Not only that, but he's a really well written character as far as SGA goes.

Picardo's role I have to admit, shares some similarities with the Doctor from earlier seasons of Voyager in the way that he's rather "stuffy" and anal. But the little bit of development he gets before the series finale makes all the difference in the world.

The shield thing.. well it's kind of a nitpick really. Sure, Trek had shields, and the effects looked basically the same as the ones used in SGA, but seriously, how many different ways are there to visualize a large energy field encompassing a spaceship without it seeming derivative?

I was never happy about the transporter being brought into SG, and not because of the connection to Trek, but because it seemed like a device to get them out of a plot quickly.

All around though, the final two seasons of SGA were a remarkable improvement as far as comparisons to Trek go. I really enjoyed the final season with the one glaring exception being the finale. They had too much packed into one episode. It should have been a two parter, but I understand that they had very little time to pull it together.

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"I haven't faced death. I've cheated death. I've tricked my way out of death and patted myself on the back for my ingenuity. I know nothing."

--James T. Kirk

Space Goat

I didn't use the word "rip off." That has a negative connotation, whereas I think SGA is fun to watch.

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Bean

No, you didn't use those actual words, but the tone of your entire post seems to lend itself to that sentiment.

Let's be honest here, your entire post was comparing SGA to Enterprise. The title alone leaves no room for argument on that count.

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"I haven't faced death. I've cheated death. I've tricked my way out of death and patted myself on the back for my ingenuity. I know nothing."

--James T. Kirk

Sam Cogley

How could one compare SGA to Enterprise using the terms here? Enterprise didn't have shields.

Closet Racist

The Stargate shows have always had sloppy seconds with Trek actors, too. But both franchises are dead, so who gives a fuck.

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Brikar

I think it's hard to call these franchises "dead" when one has a $150 million feature film and the other has 2 dvd movies and a new series ramping up in the next year.

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Space Goat

True, I was comparing SGA to Star Trek and engaging in slight mockery. But, if I thought of the show as a horrible rip off, I wouldn't have added the series to my DVR recording list. Considering all the SGA episodes Sci Fi HD is airing today, that means my DVR will be nuked with SGA episodes.

I'm not one of those people who watch shows they hate.

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Cymro

Stargate is basically Star Trek that isn't up it's own ass.

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"Let me tell you something about humans, nephew: They're a wonderful, friendly people - as long as their bellies are full and their holosuites are working.

"But take away their creature comforts, deprive them of food, sleep, sonic showers, put their lives in jeopardy over an extended period of time and those friendly, intelligent, wonderful people...will become as nasty and as violent as the most blood-thirsty klingon."

Closet Racist

(*** Just kidding, hehe heh...I briefly forgot that this comment would be wsted at TAB and not TW...***)

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