sheryden | Stargate: Atlantis--Ghost in the Machine (Reply)

First of all, I loved seeing the time squabble about flying monkeys at the start of the episode. It was the kind of silly, normal conversation that adds so much color to the show.

I was wondering how they'd swing bringing back Weir without Torri Higginson, and when I heard they were planning to use the actress who played Fran, I was dubious. But I'll admit that it really worked. I bought her as Elizabeth when she was just a disembodied voice and after she built the Replicator body. Well done with that.

Well done with the reactions of the team, too. Ronon reacted with just the right amount of suspicion and vigilance, and Rodney's guilt was beautifully done. Sheppard's reactions were filtered through his natural social awkwardness, of course, but you could see that he wanted everything to work out. Still, he had to put the city first.

The only one I'm a little iffy on, though, is Teyla. I think they did a nice job with her suspicious reaction to Elizabeth's question about Torren--and I assume she was lying about Kanaan taking Torren out of the city. I thought that was well placed. The only thing I wanted was some private reaction, or even a line shared with someone on the team that indicated her sorrow over losing Elizabeth again. She never really got to give us a reaction in "This Mortal Coil," and that always seemed off to me. Still, at least they got a scene together.

Yay for Zelenka! I would so like to see him tell Rodney off one of these days, though, because really. Zelenka deserves more respect from Rodney than he gets. He's essentially the Number Two scientist in the city. He didn't get there by being a substandard scientist. I'd like to see him really knock it out of the park one of these days. I remember back in Season One that the writers portrayed him as a brilliant man who could hold his own with Rodney. Why does he get downgraded all the time now? And yes, I realize I'm reacting more in general here, but it's been bugging me.

I did love his bitchiness with Rodney at the beginning, though. :D

Woolsey was fantastic. I appreciated that they wrote him as a strong, capable leader who was willing to bluff and hold his ground. He's officially one of my favorite characters on the show.

Elizabeth's sacrifice didn't come as a surprise. I knew they were stepping out into the vacuum of space. This was a good solution story-wise, because it leaves the door open for someone to find the Replicators and reactivate them if the writers want to use them again. Actually, in retrospect, it wasn't that bright of the Atlanteans to just leave them floating out there. One man's trash is another's treasure, after all. I could just see Michael stumbling across the Replicators.

And woot for Chuck getting to say stuff more than once this episode!