Dr. Keller gets what can be called an “extreme make-over” in this interesting episode of Atlantis.
This episode started with promise. There was a good character moment between Dr. Keller and Teyla as Teyla tried to take care of her newborn child and Dr. Keller sought to find the cure to Dr. Beckett’s condition (if you will recall, Dr. Beckett has been frozen because he has a virus or something that will eventually kill him if a cure is not found. The theory is that freezing the man will freeze the virus, or whatever it is, and henceforth buy the team more time to assess the situation). There are some interesting camera angles put to good use towards the beginning of the episode as well and the suspense is quietly gripping. You know that something is wrong with Dr. Keller, but you do not know what. When the secret is revealed it may just blow you away. I, however, rolled my eyes at how ridiculous the premise was no matter how creative. At least we get to see how a Wraith hive ship is “grown”. This brings about the return of Dr. Beckett, which may be rushed but is understandable and welcome. Keller has found the cure and given it to Beckett (it is untested but Woolsey pressures her to make a decision). It is, of course, up to Dr. Beckett to find the cure and his character is given good time in this episode even if he is not developed much further than he already has been. His character is called to earth and leaves at the end of the episode.
This episode also brings to us the newest permanent character and new commander of the base, Dr. Richard Woolsey (performed by Robert Picardo of Star Trek: Voyager fame). I believe that his character could really shine if the writers (or whoever is/was responsible) don’t do what they did to Torri Higginson’s character (Dr. Elizabeth Weir) so suddenly. Here we have a man from the IOA (International Oversight Advisory) who is a strict follower of every rule in the book. The IOA has now siezed the opportunity to get somebody from their organization in on the team (which Dr. McKay alludes to early on in the episode) and Richard Woolsey is the man that is chosen. Being a man who maintains strict adherance to protocol, he is almost immediately forced to make ethically (by his judgment) questionable decisions which must challenge him. He even, at one point, questions whether he is able to do his job, remarking that “The rules are there for a reason, Colonel, and if I can’t trust them then I’m not sure I can do this job.” The writers may have struck gold with this character. Here we have a man that we know next to nothing about except what has been revealed in previous episodes (a very limited amount). We know nothing about his personal life apart from his professional one, nothing about family, personal interests, etc… and he is already a three-dimensional character. The possibilities are indeed many for this character and I, for one, can’t wait to see how they flesh him out. He is given a good proper introduction in this episode.
Anyways, back to the main story. It seems that a Wraith hive ship is growing out of Dr. Keller and that the others who were on the planet when Michael’s lab collapsed are also infected (Michael is suspected to be the cause), but the virus has yet to come to fruition from within them. Eventually the hive ship’s consciousness takes over Dr. Keller’s while the ships tentacles rush to major power sources. Despite the team’s efforts (shutting down power), the hive ship continues to grow I believe and become more of a threat to the base. Dr. Beckett puts together a cure. So eventually Ronan goes in (the theory being that he will be percieved as friendly since he has the virus) and is nearly choked to death (when he starts firing at the ship) by the tentacles. Sheppard eventually saves the day by injecting Dr. Keller with the cure (who looks hideous).
The storyline itself was not all that special in my mind, though the episode did offer some interesting visuals. The acting was about average. Almost none of the characters get any development, which is disappointing. Neither McKay, Sheppard, nor Ronan are given much funny material to work with. This episode could be said to be disappointing but there are some really good moments. Kenan, Teyla’s husband, is absent from the show but her child is not. There is a cute conversation about keeping a child calm between Teyla and Dr. Keller towards the beginning of the episode. However, it is ultimately Dr. Woolsey, the interesting visuals, and individual good moments which make this episode worth a view or more.
I give this episode a 6/10
Things still to look forward to: More fleshing out of Teyla’s husband and child, the further development of the Woolsey character, and the possible romance between Dr. Keller and Ronan.
