Stargate Universe Season Two

As many know who visit here at Musings Of A Sci Fi Fanatic, I've been enjoying an entry by entry review of Season One of Stargate Universe (SGU).

A recent look at SGU, S1, E17, Pain and E18, Subversion inspired me to enjoy the rest of the series in succession. In other words, I really wanted to get to it and have a proper look at the series final season, Season Two.

For those who have read over my look at SGU, S1, Subversion the series had me concerned about its trajectory.

SGU was suddenly entangled with earthbound stories and being sucked into a story thread with the Lucian Alliance (a hold over from the days of SG1). For this viewer it was the least compelling storyline of the series in its first season of survival for the crew aboard Destiny. The SGU S1, two-part finale, E19 and E20, Incursion threw the crew of the Destiny up against the Lucian Alliance. It was indeed my least favorite portion of a mostly great first season. Despite the missteps at the end of Season One it was still expertly assembled and its merits are arguably debatable. One man's trash is another's man's treasure.

SGU, Season Two, E1, Intervention essentially concluded that Season One thread. Mercy.

This writer is relieved to report SGU, Season Two, despite some Lucian Alliance reverberations and echoes throughout, is nearly as compelling as its first season and perhaps more exciting. It was pure relief to find myself immersed in the series' journey and mystery aboard the Destiny once again. The exceptional handling of suspense and mystery of the first season was indeed salvaged with the infusion of potentially more thrilling moments for those who missed these elements within the Stargate franchise.

As the series wrapped up quickly with its final episodes E19, Blockade and E20, Gauntlet it broke my heart to see it go.

SGU, as a standalone science fiction series, was that good and had that much potential as Dr. Rush would suggest to young apprentice Eli Wallace.

In just 40 episodes of television the characters evolved amidst some beautifully filmed and often compelling science fiction. This large ensemble group of characters, an unruly mix of military and civilian, once working in a contentious, uneasy alliance in the first season even gradually grows to connect as family with a delicate, fragile trust, but with bonds formed nonetheless. Each character was not an easily identifiably, quantifiable being of good or evil. Each and everyone of them seemed, like most of us, human, infinitely capable of making good choices as much as bad ones or at least mistakes. As the journey continued the characters evolved and matured together slowly. This science fiction enjoyed populating the Destiny with interesting characters and a subtle examination of human behavior.

As many have often said about ABC series LOST (2004-2010), a show seemingly less about the mysteries of the island and more about the journey of a diverse mix of people thrown together for six fascinating seasons. The same can be said for those aboard the glorious ship that was Destiny.

The mythological mysteries of this series deepened as much as the characters as Destiny voyaged through space.

While the characters were richly written throughout the show in its comparatively short run to LOST, the visual effects were second to none. The Destiny herself, an important character to the show as much as Serenity was to Firefly (2002), is also deeply layered and and lovingly detailed as she herself unfolds and is revealed across two seasons like a tapestry.

As a whole, it was the relationship between the characters and the ship that is one of the most engaging components of the show as the characters discover her.

Gauntlet (E20), the series finale, was moving beyond words considering the brevity of the series and quite possibly one of the best series' finales penned given the circumstances. It was nearly as powerful as Unending (S10, E20) following Stargate SG-1's ten season run. The latter arguably more so given the length of that show's run and the chance its characters had to fill the hearts of audiences.

SGU we hardly knew you and yet experiencing these forty wonderful episodes we wish we knew you more and you had the chance to see through another three years of science fiction exploration aboard one of the most glorious ship designs ever created, the Destiny (on par with the Eagle of Space:1999 for this space ship fan).

Like the stars that powered her through the darkness of space, Destiny and Stargate Universe shined for two glorious years.

It's outright shameful, a crime, that Season Two has only seen the light of day on DVD and there has been no official release for the wonderful accompanying score of this show by the late Joel Goldsmith.

When a science fiction series works so completely with writing, story, casting, effects and score (LOST, Firefly) you have a winner. Add the understated, underrated Stargate Universe to the pantheon of the best.

The Sci-Fi Fanatic BIG 5: Science Fiction Franchises

In this short life of ours, no matter what science fiction has to offer and throw my way, this writer tends to have his go to series that he enjoys returning to time and again.



Some science fiction concepts, stories, ideas come and go never to register in the synapses again, but there are those that are faithfully returned to as some of the best science fiction comfort food a man or woman could wish for.

The concept of exploration is key and never grows old. Many of these franchise properties have that variable in common.



This is my personal Sci-Fi Fanatic BIG 5: Science Fiction Franchises or properties that seem to have a life of their own and continue to provide enjoyment to me years after they completed their runs as evidenced here at Musings Of A Sci-Fi Fanatic.




1. Star Trek. The most obvious choice for a science fiction fan. The franchise for Star Trek is like Star Wars in terms of abundance. There is just no shortage of material. ST: TOS (1966-1969). ST: TAS (1973-1974). ST:TNG (1987-1994). ST:DS9 (1993-1999). ST: Voyager (1995-2001). ST: Enterprise (2001-2005). ST: Discovery (2017-present). ST: Picard (2020-present).



Like Star Wars, it's fairly relentless and yet in terms of story quality, particularly at this point, Star Trek is head and shoulders above Star Wars for this writer.



Take your pick in terms of television runs and there is plenty for the franchise fan. Star Trek is currently clocking in at eight (8) official TV series. Gene Roddenberry's vision seems infinitely interesting. Sadly, the world of George Lucas has become a rather messy spectacle.



2. Battlestar Galactica. I can't be alone in this camp, but the two TV versions of Battlestar Galactica (1978-1979; 2003-2009) remain treasures. I love them both for very different reasons. One is filled with inspiration and hope, while the other is more often pessimistic, brutal and internally grim when it comes to the human heart. Yet the Glen A Larson original and the Ronald D. Moore reimagining both have their moments of despair and hope.

Without the original we wouldn't have had Moore's work which is important, but without Moore we might not have had this wonderful franchise that makes this list.



Meanwhile, Caprica (2010) and Battlestar Galactica: Blood And Chrome (2012) are good, while not as memorable, but it's time for a return. The books and comic books are excellent as well. Still, I'm ready for a new series or that much fabled, heralded would be film that always seems to be shelved.



Did I mention Galactica 1980 (1980)? OK, maybe that was intentional.

3. Stargate. Ten seasons of the original series, Stargate SG-1 (1997-2007), based on the Dean Devlin and Roland Emmerich film coupled with a solid adventure spin-off in Stargate Atlantis (2004-2009) and capped off by the darker, more atmospheric and even cerebral Stargate Universe (2009-2011), this is a property that just got better and better.



There are no shortage of books and comic books to worm your way through either.



4. Space:1999. Just two seasons (1975-1977) of stimulating mind-fucking sci-fi greatness and then nothing. What a shame. But the series has endured and lived on in the form of some wonderfully creative book stories (Powys Media) that any fan of the original series would want to pick up and have on their book shelf resting next to their run of The Expanse. There are some great comic books to seek out there as well.



Alongside Battlestar Galactica the franchise continues to deliver some of the greatest toy collectibles on the market to boot. The Gerry Anderson classic has also been in the mix for a TV remake, but that Eagle has yet to lift off. Nevertheless, when it comes to those Gerry Anderson/ Brian Johnson designs and the series production work it's tough to mess with perfection.



5. Gatchaman/ Battle Of The Planets. The original Science Ninja Team Gatchaman (1972-1974) was one of the best in anime. Simple in its focus, but executed with seeminly uncompromising artistic perfection. The Japanese super hero team adapted from American superhero concepts was then adapted in the USA for Battle Of The Planets (1978-1980).



Gatchaman II (1978-1979)and Gatchaman Fighter (aka Gatchaman F) (1979-1980) followed. A Japanese live action film (2013) was made. Others have been announced and dropped. A reimagined anime OVA (1994) was created from the property. Gold Key comic books (1979-1980) happened. Still, I'm waiting for something as good as the Top Cow comic books (2002-2003) in live action or animation form again. This one remains my dream. Keep dreaming right? Thus it fills my number five spot.



Common variables within these series that draw me back to them beyond the characters is their ship and production designs. Each and every one of these is a feast for the eyes. Space:1999 and Battlestar Galactica may be at the top in this area for me. Science Ninja Team Gatchaman is a close second along with SGU.



This writer wishes he could have included Thunderbirds for its design work and Irwin Allen's Lost In Space. Sadly, the original series of the latter property is the only one that matters and counts for this fan of science fiction. All other iterations including the Netflix series simply pale in comparison. Yet all of the other franchises continue to create varied series or books that remain relevant and stimulating in terms of science fiction adventure.



If I had to choose a franchise ready for reintroduction Space:1999 would be at the top. But I'm just as ready for some more Battlestar Galactica or even another animated Battle Of The Planets. In the meantime, these remain the five best for this writer thus far. G-Force!

Stargate Universe S1 E18: Subversion

"I am not a spy." -Colonel David Telford-

"Right now I'm thinking of the greater good." -Colonel Everett Young-


Many series have their ups and downs. Shows graced with two or three seasons sometimes struggle to find their footing before cancellation. A podcast by James McLean and John Kenneth Muir dubbed First Season Wonders/Second Season Blunders (June 2018) explores those missteps in entertaining fashion.



Buck Rogers In The 25th Century (1979-1981), War Of The Worlds (1988-1990), Space:1999 (1975-1977), Seaquest DSV (1993-1996) and Millennium (1996-1999) are among their targets of analysis.

As this writer approaches Stargate Universe Season Two with SGU, Season One, Episode 18, Subversion, one wonders if this rendition of the franchise won't struggle in its own right after being so strong in its first season.



Brad Wright and Robert C. Cooper's reinvention of the franchise was under tremendous pressure in its first season. Criticism was lambasting the series from all corners of fandom and sometimes unfairly so and without proper perspective or understanding of trajectory.

There was a strong desire by many viewers to see SGU (2009-2011) share more in common with its sister series Stargate SG-1 (1997-2007) and Stargate Atlantis (2004-2009). The call for change on the show put considerable weight on the shoulders of the creators. Instead an effort to drop it sometimes comic book-styled adventure roots was dropped in favor of a more exploratory science fiction journey into the unknown with an emphasis on the human nature of its diverse cast of characters.



As Season One comes to a close with Subversion (the first of the last three episodes) we see the series connecting more and more, beyond communication stones, back to Earth.

The sense of isolation that truly shined for the series' first season seems to be the victim of an invasive mission creep of the SGC making a play to alter the vision of Stargate Universe. Was this originally the intention of Wright and Cooper or were the creators caving to some pressure from the outside to see the show change? Existing Stargate fans were vocal. One can only hope this was all part and parcel of the original playbook and series bible as it were.



We shall see if SGU remains the wonder it has been for the bulk of Season One into its final trilogy of entries and beyond especially into Season Two. As someone who enjoyed some aspects of the changes found in Year Two of Space:1999 as well as Buck Rogers In The 25th Century. Will SGU remain as substantial for its second season or will a blundering misstep ensue?

This writer can't imagine SGU would undergo that radical transformation. Yet, will it feel different from the show's initial seventeen episodes? We undertake that exploration as SGU closes out its journey into the stars, the darkness and the unknown with its fantastic first season. We can hope a second season gem is set to follow.



Subversion sets the table for the conclusion of the final three episodes of SGU Season One. It's the opening to a thread that comprises the season's final trilogy.

Revealed are deeper top secret underpinnings within Stargate Command (think Section 31 or the Federation in more current iterations of Star Trek) as the mission of Colonel David Telford is revealed and how that work was connected to the Lucian Alliance. That aforementioned entity is brought into the SGU fold from the world of Stargate SG-1 including a special guest appearance by Richard Dean Anderson (General Jack O'Neill) and Michael Shanks (Dr. Daniel Jackson). One wonders if the show's backers were getting nervous?



While it's likely a pleasure for some to see these worlds collide for fans of SG-1, SGU developed such a different flavor and atmosphere the two worlds seem ultimately at odds. The third series had its Richard Dean Anderson guest appearance in Air but here we were going back to the well again. Though as much as SGU feels entirely like its own entity, its own unique creature, it is still connected to the world of Stargate and bridging the worlds makes sense to a degree. Those connections were made between SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis and they are made here indubitably to the delight of SG-1 fans. "I know what makes me special." Even the old Jack O'Neill's humor cannot be suppressed from infusing some fairly intense and serious moments. But it all does run against the grain of a more serious Stargate.



As someone who thoroughly enjoyed SG-1 the Lucian Alliance was always something of a bore for me personally. Further, SGU is a thoroughly more engaging animal than anything the Lucian Alliance could add to it, but I'll reserve my final judgment on this trilogy until the season's end.

To delve deeper into the potential conspiracy Colonel Everett Young and Nicholas Rush hatch a plan to make contact with the Lucian Alliance through the communication stones. The stones return Rush back to Earth using the body of Colonel Telford. Is Telford a Lucian Alliance mole or spy or is he an American patriot? Is Rush the mole or is he experiencing memory bleed from his previous connection to Telford in an earlier SGU entry? Whatever is in play the Lucian Alliance is indeed a threat to Stargate Command and the ship called Destiny.



Subversion's suspense over the question of divided loyalties is threaded nicely and all of it is complemented by a moody, thriller of a score by the late Joel Goldsmith. His outstanding compositions continue.

The episode ends on a cliffhanger setting up the final two-part finale dubbed Incursion.

While Subversion is generally fine as an entry in the series, my problem with it lies in the fact I've enjoyed so much of what has preceded it. Ironically, the title itself is an accurate reflection of that reversal within the series for me.



SGU has been expertly weaving this seamless mix of humanity's inner conflicts whilst it barrels headlong within the Destiny into the unknown of space. It has been a nearly flawless mix of the internal struggles against a back drop of the external outer space exploration and mysteries of space that draw the sci-fi fan in all of us. That element of SGU made it special. It's likely why it likened itself to a good degree to the often forgotten science fiction effort that was Space:1999. Space:1999 was filled with wonder and mystery and SGU has established some of that approach within a more contemporary context. With Subversion SGU turns inward to the human struggles and betrayals and ultimately the franchise for linking to an established mythology set within Stargate SG-1.



There was something entirely fresh and spectacular about the SGU series until writers Joseph Mallozzi and Paul Mullie seemingly subverted that rhythm with a kind of U-turn backward tying us back to the familiar faces and world of the SG-1 past. Not to be too hard though as it would seem Mallozzi and Mullie were damned if they did or damned if they didn't. All of that said perhaps every move by the team was entirely as they envisioned it and this writer just isn't enjoying the move away from space. That simple.



Subversion retains the mood, atmosphere and style of the series to date, but feels a little more earthbound with the switch to the Lucian Alliance. This either sits well with the viewer or doesn't depending on what variables and expectations or not the viewer brings to the series.

The episode does however bring the season full circle tying the back end to events from Air that opened the series setting the table for the Incursion finale. SGU intends to weave a darker human undercurrent through its politics and military command structure and Subversion serves the story to that end nicely.



Subversion, as good as it is, stands as a great example of what a tightrope it was for Mallozzi and Mullie and this new series to walk with the long established franchise. In most cases, it simply gets harder and harder to traverse that line.

Writer: Joseph Mallozzi/ Paul Mullie. Director: Alex Chapple.