Stargate Universe: Season 2

Introduction

Stargate Universe, or SGU as it is better known, was the latest in the Stargate franchise, following both SG1 and Stargate Atlantis. I say 'was' as the show was cancelled after filming finished on Season 2 - and this was despite the considerable acting promise of Robert Carlyle as scheming scientist Nicholas Rush.

We ended Season One with the Lucian Alliance making a move to take over the Destiny, resulting in a number of casualties. Season 2 picks up from there with the SGU team winning the battle and Colonel Everett Young (Louis Ferreira) having to sort out whom he can trust and whom he can't. The answers to this question turn out to be quite complex and have implications further down the line.

In other news, it seems the script writers also found a role for Chloe (Elyse Levesque) other than being a mattress for Lieutenant Matthew Scott (Brian J.Smith), as it becomes clear that the aliens who kidnapped her have changed in some way that will have a major impact on Rush's research into the Destiny and her mission.

It also turns out that Eli (David Blue) may just turn out to be the genius everyone hoped for, but he must face many different challenges and overcome them before this becomes clear.

There's a lot that happens in SGU this season, but it starts off with the same pedestrian pace that it carried throughout the first season before really kicking off in the second part…

Extras

Lots of little bite-sized extras to get your teeth into on various subjects from Robert Carlysle directing the first episode, through story ideas and special effects shots.

The only really substantial extra is a funny piece about Peter Kelamis (Brody) and Patrick Gilmore (Volker) trying to get in on the action and pitch a script. Be aware that it is around 20-25 minutes long, but it is pretty funny.

There's also a Season 2 finale featurette where the cast seem to aware that this may be the end but clearly aren't saying as much.

Overall

I'll be honest, I can't actually remember a show from a popular franchise that was effectively killed by its own fans. The negativity on-line against SGU has been quite extreme. And why? Because the writers of SGU wanted to add a slice of realism and a slow burning arc into the show rather than have a mcguffin of the week type of show that both SG1 and SGA were. I'll accept that the slow burn of SGU may also have put off new viewers to the genre, but I think it could have escaped that if the fanboi's had gotten behind it.

The slow pace of SGU was in my opinion, what made SGU so good as a series. Yes, it was darker in tone but it was also more realistic as you could see the character's developing before your eyes each week rather than someone bringing some unseen trait to the fore for one week and then never seen again. The very realistic challenges of insufficient supplies and the unknown perils facing the crew led to some great dialogue/interaction between characters and was clearly an ambitious direction to take the show. It meant that viewers also had to be very patient as it seemed clear that major developments would be eked out over time rather than each week, and it was clear that a large number of the audience weren't getting this.

Then the series went out for its mid season break, which I used to hate but am now slowly getting used to as more series are airing closer to their original US timings, and then came back with a bang. It was as if the SGU team had been forewarned that not only were the viewers losing patience, but so were the Network. Things moved up a apace and got quite lively. Still not as lively as the old SG fans would have liked, but it was pretty much a turbo charged second set of episodes.

The ensemble cast were great with some rather great performances. Carlyle, Ferreira and Blue were always great but Smith and Jamil Walker Smith were also making their mark this season. And even Elyse Levesque was starting to get something to get her acting chops to digest. My favourites are probably still the comic sidekick scientists Brody (Peter Kelamis) and Volker (Patrick Gilmore), initially minor characters who have steadily found their feet and become quite important.

The final episode is a rather bittersweet one in that it wasn't clear that the show had been cancelled but was wrapped up in such a way as to be either a temporary goodbye or the big farewell, it works fantastically either way. It's just a shame that one of the more intelligent sci-fi series out there has been cancelled…

Oh, there's an on-line petition to try and save SGU. It may not work, but please feel free to add your name here: http://www.petitiononline.co.uk/petition/save-stargate-uk-make-it-your-destiny/3178