"Well, what's not to like?"

[stillane]

So, that up there? Pretty much describes my reaction to SGA 4x17. Minus, you know, the screaming, flailing, falling-down glee. It's like they went through a checklist of the coolest things known to man and tossed them in one at a time.

Sweaty battle of the titans? Check. Old friends? Check. Old sort-of-friends? Check. Bonding between large, manly forces of nature? Check. Moments of universe in peril? Check. John going commando, Rodney being kickass in the field, a woobie moment of doom? Check, check, and check.

The play-by-play version:

- We all knew it was coming. Nothing screams "Really Bad Idea" like building a highway bypass straight between the bad guys and the place you're trying to keep them away from. Oh, show. We love you when you're smart about being stupid.

- Teyla! We missed you! And you're homicidal. Heh. Also, the fact that John looks both furious and darkly amused is nice. He's protective, like you are of family, but well aware that she could snap the guy like a twig. Along with the horse he rode in on.

- Although, Teyla still thinking about not coming back is sad-making.

- Teal'c the inspirational speaker. Mwahaha. If the program ever gets declassified, you know he's in line for a place on the business conference and high school circuit. He'd rock. Can you picture his Don't Do Drugs approach?

- Sam and Teal'c don't hug when he comes through. That's just not natural. They're both very conscious of her place there, and I like that nod to change, even if it makes me wince a little. I also like watching them loosen up.

- Ronon meeting Teal'c took me back to the conversation with Elizabeth when he first joined them. He really does have an M.O. for dealing with authority figures he doesn't trust, doesn't he? I love that Teal'c is supposed to get flustered, and completely fails to, and that it's not entirely a maneuver in their developing pissing contest. The Pissy Silence and Glare Technique just doesn't work so well on the silently inquisitive type.

- Desert planet! Can we have more desert planets, please? I like them. They are visually arresting.

- Tater tots. *snort*

- Ronon, honey, you're smarter than that. I love how nobody in the cafeteria thinks about moving - lemmings don't last out here - they just call in reinforcements. I also love that Sheppard's answer to the problem is to let them whack it out of each other. Oh, John. God help us all if you ever do have kids.

- Chuck the bookie! Hee.

- The fighting. Jesus. That's kind of obscenely hot, isn't it?

- I love that no one in the room looks even vaguely ashamed when their commander walks in. Bummed when she stops it, yeah, but not embarrassed. And Chuck is making odds in the background the whole time. *dies* Also, international money! Nice work, props people!

- Sulky Ronon is hilarious. He's half a breath from "But Mooooooom!", and then there's the "I hate you." *cackles*

- Hug! They get there eventually. Original team still gives me a warm fuzzy, even after all this time.

- Kavanagh! Hi! You're a twerp, but we're attached to you. It's even better when we can watch Bill Lee lay the smack down on you. Also, like the hair.

- Anybody else get a prison cell feeling when Teal'c and Ronon get settled into their quarters? I wonder who gets to be nicknamed Tiny?

- I love that Lee and Kavanagh and Nameless Bearded Guy stand around out of genuine shock and dismay. Meanwhile, the alarms start going off and you can watch Teal'c and Ronon think, Here we go again, before they sigh and get to work.

- I like the parallel between the first time Teal'c and Rodney shared a storyline, with the whole disappearing-though-the-gate-to-the-unknown bit.

- For a second there in the Midway control room, it was like watching Wraith!John and Wraith!Rodney. ("Fix it." "But it's haaaard. I need to let you know that it's hard so that you don't get pissed when it doesn't happen right away." "Don't care. Fix it." "Oh, fine. Crankbait.")

- I have developed a serious thing for the night shots of the city this season. Preeeetty.

- Todd. Oooh. So he did screw them over. Ouch.

- Oh, poor Nameless Bearded Guy. We hardly knew you, but we knew you were toast from the second we saw the lineup of dinner options. Sorry.

- When I first saw the dinosaur egg grenade, I thought bomb. One of these days, I'm going to remember that the Wraith are really just out for a free lunch. I keep thinking in Goa'uld terms.

- Rodney going into the field as a military guy, and John just taking him along easy as breathing, is maybe one of my favorite devices ever. Yes. *glees*

- The patented McKay-Sheppard We Are So Fucked Look when they find out Todd sold them out is great.

- Teal'c checks on Walter, even though he knows everybody's just been knocked out. Aw.

- Rodney is clearly not happy that John's going off on his own. Man, I love our canon.

- Indeed. Heh. The idea that a trademark Teal'c-ism is really just something he hasn't noticed he does makes me giggle. I kind of picture him from here on out keeping a running tally of daily "indeed"s. Or asking Daniel to do it for him. Linguist, after all.

- Gun envy. *snort*

- Kavanaugh screwing them all over by virtue of thinking he's smarter than Rodney... They're reading the fic now, aren't they?

- Not that I'm complaining, because I like a good asshole antagonist as much as anybody, but how did Coolidge manage to wake up before everyone else?

- Oh. My. God. That venting bit. Just. Breathy Johnvoice. Rodney hating the plan beyond all belief. "John." The fact that that conversation is entirely between the two of them, weirdly private. John keeling over to the Music of Sadness. Rodney looking exactly like he did way back at the beginning when the world was ending with a jumper and a nuclear bomb. Lee noticing, and for the first time in the episode changing gears and going soft and professional. Have I mentioned I love our damn canon? Oh, boys.

- The fact that Rodney's last in line to get to the jumper brings me up short. Rodney's never last in line. He's either delaying to find John, or because he doesn't want to know John's not in that jumper.

- "What's taking him so long?"... Rodney was busy holding John against a wall and breathing, hands twined into fabric and hair to stop their shaking. Sheppard was busy letting him. I will believe that until proven otherwise.

- I love the ceiling drop and instant control of the situation. It's the little things.

- Anybody else having trouble getting a handle on Coolidge? I get him as a condescending jerk, I get him as a tightly-wound wuss, but how do we get from there to the willingness to bear Ronon's babies? Is he just worried Ronon will out him as a coward? Is he honestly just impressed, now that he's had time to calm down and think about the fact that he almost blew them all up rather than allowing the experts to shoot fish in their own concrete barrel? Huh.

- Proud papa Teal'c is adorable.

- Sleeping!Sheppard = aw. He's curled up like a little kid, which makes Ronon's wake up call totally appropriate. Ronon is a wet willy kind of guy.

- So, let me get this straight. (Heh.) John went to his room and locked the door so that the other kids wouldn't bother him and he could listen to his tunes in peace. However, Rodney could get in at any time. Ergo, Rodney was allowed in the clubhouse. Wonder how John got that tired...

In summary:

Show! This season, guys. This season is going to break me into little pieces of squee and I am going to love every minute of it. *happy sigh*

Comments

[thegrrrl2002.livejournal.com]

For a second there in the Midway control room, it was like watching Wraith!John and Wraith!Rodney

Hee! Yes! I never thought of that, but I did find myself having weirdly fond feelings for those two.

And yes, at the end there, John was obviously sleeping off a rather spectacular blow job. And Rodney didn't sound nearly irritated enough at Kavanaugh, did he?

Fabulous ep! I really enjoyed seeing Teal'c again.

[stillane.livejournal.com]

but I did find myself having weirdly fond feelings for those two.

Don't do it! It's a trick! These things can only end in tears, I tell you.

John was obviously sleeping off a rather spectacular blow job.

I'm a little in love with your brain. That is completely what happened. *glazed eyes* Ahem.

Dude. I adore this ep. I adore this season. It's kind of hilarious, because before they jumped me, I wasn't looking forward to either of them overmuch, and yet... *flails* So much glee.

[kimberlyfdr.livejournal.com]

I can't watch this episode without remembering the Comic-Con panel last year. Mallozzi let slip that something bad was gonna happen to the Midway Station and David looks at him and goes "wait, I haven't gotten that script yet."

[stillane.livejournal.com]

Hee. That's adorable. Oh, David. *g*

[aurora]

YES YES YES TO EVERYTHING! SO MUCH LOVE.

*bounces with you*

[stillane.livejournal.com]

*bouncy bouncy bouncy*

DUDE. SO MUCH FUN. WHEE!

"Well, what's not to like?"

[maxinemayer.livejournal.com]

I'm with you, dear! Totally awesome episode (SGA "Midway" 4x17) in a string of totally awesome episodes this season! Season 4 for the win!!! I love it all!
Love, max

Re: "Well, what's not to like?"

[stillane.livejournal.com]

Somewhere, the world is a better place from all the cosmic joy output this show results in. *g*

Also, your icon makes me giggle. The focused, raised-eyebrowed, slightly-smirky look on his face is great.

Re: "Well, what's not to like?"

[maxinemayer.livejournal.com]

Ha! Just snagged this one fromailurophile6 , and I love it! Just waiting for the right chance to use it! Grins!
Love, max

[randommagic.livejournal.com]

Yes! This ep filled me full of flail-y, squeeful glee!

John went to his room and locked the door so that the other kids wouldn't bother him and he could listen to his tunes in peace. However, Rodney could get in at any time. Ergo, Rodney was allowed in the clubhouse. Wonder how John got that tired...

How did I not realise this when I watched this?? This just makes it even more full of win. :D *hearts show*

[stillane.livejournal.com]

*hearts show right along with you*

There are tags already about this. How much do I love that? They give us innocent, pissy, sleeping John, and we think, Huh. Sex.. Our fandom rules. *g*

[korilian.livejournal.com]

I don´t know. I though Coolidge was being pretty clever. So yeah, we know Teal´c and Ronon are basically superheroes, but he doesn´t. From his vantage point warning anybody at all that the base had been compromised was a pretty smart idea! And then he left the protection of the superheroes to make sure it was executed. It would have been pretty embarresing if the wraith did escape and the only opposition they met was a couple of state troopers! And he totally risked getting blown up himself (base in lock down and all).

Also it is now canon that whenever they go to Earth, they´ll have to exchange their funny foreign money first, because it´s all they have. They probably only have it for situations just like this!

[stillane.livejournal.com]

Hm. You might be right about Coolidge. I was torn between the idea that he intentionally left Teal'c and Ronon to get to the control room, and the idea that he ran from encroaching death and wound up in the control room by accident.

The whole blowing up of the SGC thing just struck me as a terrible overreaction. On the one hand, yeah, there are Wraith on Earth, and that's disturbing. On the other hand, they're (at least for the moment) confined to the base, there can't be all that many of them or they'd be stacked shoulder deep everywhere, and you've got an entire secret underground fortress full of soon-to-be-awake-and-cranky military types. Even if Ronon and Teal'c got thumped, they've got a heck of a lot of Marines just lying around for a Plan B. The fact that Coolidge doesn't even want to buy a little time once he knows the full situation doesn't really endear him to me, especially since he was planning to make a run for it and not get caught in the blast.

Then again, I may be influenced by the shadows of Senator Kinsey, et al.

Also it is now canon that whenever they go to Earth, they´ll have to exchange their funny foreign money first

Hee. I keep thinking of due South and the long-suffering Rays. John would totally shrug and insist that all he's got are pesos and a Euro or two, so Rodney's going to have to get the check. *g*

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

Yes, yes, and yessss to all of it!

Hug! They get there eventually. Original team still gives me a warm fuzzy, even after all this time.

I was squeaking with despair when there was no hug when Teal'c walked first through, so their farewell made me bounce with giddy relief. Also, Ronon in the background is all, "...Why can't my team be that physical?" Sam so needs to be giving hug lessons to Atlantis.

Oh. My. God. That venting bit. Just. Breathy Johnvoice. Rodney hating the plan beyond all belief. "John." The fact that that conversation is entirely between the two of them, weirdly private. John keeling over to the Music of Sadness. Rodney looking exactly like he did way back at the beginning when the world was ending with a jumper and a nuclear bomb. Lee noticing, and for the first time in the episode changing gears and going soft and professional. Have I mentioned I love our damn canon? Oh, boys.

Yes and yes and yes and also these scenes get better every time I watch them. Oh, Rodney's face...! And Lee's "Dr. McKay" is so lovely, he's been with the SGC a while, he knows what gate teams are like...

So, let me get this straight. (Heh.) John went to his room and locked the door so that the other kids wouldn't bother him and he could listen to his tunes in peace. However, Rodney could get in at any time. Ergo, Rodney was allowed in the clubhouse. Wonder how John got that tired...

Also, Rodney positioning himself right outside the door, making sure the other kids couldn't get in and wake up poor tuckered-out naptime!John. Awwwws~. Though I do believe Rodney is later going to call in a marker for letting John sleep while he had to babysit Kavanagh.

*off to friend you because your squee is so very affirming; also I'd be sad to miss any more fic*

[stillane.livejournal.com]

I was squeaking with despair when there was no hug when Teal'c walked first through

I know! It was just so unnatural! I mean, they're like the original touchy-feely team. I've been rewatching the early SG-1 seasons and it's hit me a bunch of times how physically demonstrative they are, even in the beginning.

Sam so needs to be giving hug lessons to Atlantis.

Oh my god. That needs to be a fic, seriously. Like, everyone always thought if group bonding exercises were to be instituted on Atlantis, it would have happened under Elizabeth, so the announcement knocks them all over. The mandatory hug classes go surprisingly well, though, and everyone winds up getting into it. Hugging spreads like the plague, with exactly two exceptions: Rodney remains weirdly uncertain and awkward, and John's mysteriously absent whenever a whiff of an embrace is present. Ronon and Teyla are the only ones who can get satisfactory results from them, mostly because Ronon doesn't give them much of a choice (the swooping tackle method is employed) and Teyla... is Teyla. Sam, though, thinks that they're still not reaching their full potential and threatens to force them into remedial classes, so they start studying together. And it's painfully uncomfortable, right up until it really isn't. And then it really isn't. *g*

And Lee's "Dr. McKay" is so lovely, he's been with the SGC a while, he knows what gate teams are like...

That just killed me. It's one thing to watch Rodney quietly falling apart, but that Lee sees it, and reacts with a gentleness that in any other circumstance wouldn't apply to Rodney McKay... yeah. *wibbles*

Also, Rodney positioning himself right outside the door, making sure the other kids couldn't get in and wake up poor tuckered-out naptime!John. Awwwws~.

How did I not see that?! That's awesome! He's even got himself stretched out, blocking the way with stubbornly crossed arms and all. Hee!

And yeah, I think you're completely right. John is so going to pay for that. Heh.

Oh, and I think I've probably been horrifically lazy and not told you so, but I adore your tag to this episode. I love that Rodney calls John on all of his blinders and what they mean, and that it doesn't actually change the fact that John would do the same thing any day of the week.

*friends you back, as of days ago* I'm slow with long comments when my brain shuts down, but I get there eventually. *g*

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

Hugging spreads like the plague, with exactly two exceptions: Rodney remains weirdly uncertain and awkward, and John's mysteriously absent whenever a whiff of an embrace is present.

I've been saying Sam needs to give hug lessons since I hit s4...and yup, I see it playing out like this, except that Rodney might be a little more willing, if Carter were offering personal lessons. And then John would get all grumpy and grudgingly tell Rodney to practice with him first, to make sure he hugs Sam just right...

And thank you, so glad you enjoyed my tag!