Episode: Season 1, episode 20 – “Incursion, part 2″
Air Date: Friday June 11, 2010 at 9/8c on SyFy
Grade: A-
© dakinegirl DM Lo
Major spoilers to follow here so if you haven’t seen the episode read no further!
“Incursion” part two wasn’t really a season finale as much as another cliffhanger for a three-part arc. Yet we get an hour of a heart pounding thrill ride that makes it difficult to wait till late September for Season Two.
The episode starts off with a stalemate between the Destiny crew and the invading Lucian Alliance. Both sides have wounded people and hostages. Neither want to surrender. Camille Wray (Ming-Na) exercises her negotiating skills again after Col. Young’s failed plot to kill Kiva (Rhona Mitra), the Alliance leader.
Rhona Mitra ©Syfy Photo: Carole Segal
Meanwhile the scientists aboard the ship figured out why one of the Lucian men disintegrated into ashes when after touching an unshielded door. Turns out that after the ship dropped out of FTL (short for Faster Than Light travel), it came too close to a binary pulsar (that’s one with a white dwarf or neutron star). That pulsar is bombarding the ship with dangerous gamma rays and if the crew doesn’t properly shield the ship, everyone on board is going to fry like the Lucian man.
Dr. Rush offers up some possible solutions of course but the other scientists also get a chance to shine. Earlier comments by Rush had us believing the “brains” aboard Destiny were actually morons except for Eli. The second part of Incursion proves they really have grown not just as scientists but as more rounded characters in the show. Not only were they working together like a well-oiled team, but also spoke out against the counter-productive Col. Young/Dr. Rush head-butting and yelling. It’s refreshing that Rush (Robert Carlyle) /Young (Louis Ferreira) were not as much of a focal point. They took a backseat allowing some of the more minor characters to emerge more fully.
David Blue & Elyse Levesque
Another character upgrade came byway of the developing relationship between Eli (David Blue) and Chloe (Elyse Levesque). Amazing how many more times I write about Eli and Chloe rather than Chloe and Scott, eh? Throughout the season Eli has been carrying a huge torch for Chloe, often mumbling snarky comments under his breath about his unrequited love for her as she became involved romantically with Scott (Brian J. Smith). We learn Chloe was more aware of Eli’s feelings than he realized. As he struggles heroically to carry her throughout the unexplored part of the ship, she declares to Eli that he’s her only true loyal friend.
At first his impulse is to make a light Facebook retort to her confession but as the clock ticks and they run out of time and air, Eli proves he can rise to the occasion when needed. Not only does he accept the way Chloe loves him, but also when he’s called upon to race to the other end of the ship to save her lover, he doesn’t hesitate to risk his own life. His last words to Chloe offer the most poignant moments of the episode.
Lou Diamond Phillips as Telford also gets a chance to rise to the occasion as a hero to the point of an exciting, quick fire duel with Kiva that left both of them on the floor bleeding. I’m happy that the “real” Telford has emerged. He’s proving a formidable and brave ally team member. It’s my hope he survives to gunplay and continues through the next season. In the meantime, the Lucian Alliance assumes that the SGU crew shot them both and takes everyone hostage, except for Scott and Greer (Jamil Walker Smith) who are stranded outside the ship after making repairs.
Alaina Huffman & Primo Allon
Another thing to note is the effect the angelic, pregnant TJ (Alaina Huffman) seems to have on men even the Lucian alliance. Her Mother Mary meets Florence Nightingale demeanor seems to soften up the Lucian Men. There’s a palpable sexual attraction vibe from Varro (Mike Dopud) after she saves his life. Dopud was pretty hot as the “Tracker” in an Atlantis episode so hopefully his role will grow and this attraction will be explored in the new season.
On a minor note: “Incursion, Pt. 2” suffers a bit from “red-shirt syndrome”—a phrase coined for the loss of nameless crewmembers on Star Trek. When ST lost crewmembers, it wasn’t hard to believe no one grieved that much. After all there were hundreds on board. It’s more difficult to buy on SGU as well as on the final season of Lost. Both have populations of less than 50 people on each show. So every time someone dies like when Rivers (Zak Santiago) is killed, it seems weird no one will really grieves. The main response was “Oh. I’m glad it wasn’t Chloe or Eli. “ That seems to be the general way the crew accepts news. Phew! Glad it wasn’t one of the important people! It’s a bit too high school for me.
But that’s minor… the main problem with this episode is that it ended without resolution and with many of the crew about to be killed, leaving a queasy unsatisfying feeling. Yes the cliffhanger aims to make us want to tune into the show next season. But I’d rather see some major plot elements tied up and then a larger conflict arise unexpectedly to pull us into the new season.
Still SGU has proudly attempts to go where no Stargate show has gone before. The series has successfully carved its own new path and proven to be a top-notch sci-fi show that stands on its own. SGU has it’s own distinctive mark and style of storytelling. I look forward to SGU and Caprica returning on SyFy.
In the meantime, I still want the promised final SG1 and Atlantis movies. Take a moment to vote for those movies and a way to celebrate Stargate permanent by creating a Stargate Day. I’ll be one of the judges picking the winner so check it out!
I really wish Eli were interested in anyone *but* Chloe. This character in need of constant rescue is my Kate from LOST: I want her to go away, but I know she won’t.
I found the episode dull for a finale except near the end with all the cliffhangers. Never mind that we know the main characters will survive for next season. It will be interesting to see how the writers save everybody.
Rivers was played by Zak Santiago. Guessing by his last name he is of Latino/Spanish heritage. As far as I can tell, he was the only one on the show. So if the crew didn’t feel the loss, I did. :/
Thanks for letting me know the name of the actor who played Rivers. I went ahead and added it to the review…
I agree the show could use more actors of color and certainly a main character who is Latino.
As far as I’m concerned Chloe’s role is seriously underwritten. She’s always in need of rescue. Her relationship with Eli is her one redeeming grace.
Thanks again for commenting… I appreciate your views and reactions. I know you love scifi as much as I and it’s great to hear what you think!
Thanks for letting me know the name of the actor who played Rivers. I went ahead and added it to the review…
I agree the show could use more actors of color and certainly a main character who is Latino.
As far as I’m concerned Chloe’s role is seriously underwritten. She’s always in need of rescue. Her relationship with Eli is her one redeeming grace.
Thanks again for commenting… I appreciate your views and reactions. I know you love scifi as much as I and it’s great to hear what you think!
Not that I’m disagreeing with the red shirt syndrome, but I think part of the reason everyone gets a lump in their throat when (inevitably) “Chloe and Eli” are mentioned as being in dire straits is because most of the dead have been military who signed up for this duty. Of all the people who “aren’t supposed to be (here)”, the dynamic duo are probably the two that really shouldn’t be.
D – as always, your passion for Sci-Fi shines through in your reviews! I’ve been enjoying watching the show because of your reviews! I love Eli (David Blue) – he is such a budding actor…having been on Ugly Betty as Michael Yuri’s love interest and my fav – the tech geek on Moonlight!