Stargate Atlantis - The Complete Fourth Season Reviews

• Atlantis, Still Fun And Entertaining, But Where's It All Heading?!

  
  By A3IF5BJFPH8OG5 on 2008-04-27
  Although the actual DVD set isn't out as of the time I write this, the 4th season finished airing months ago and now since they have the page for pre-order up, I've been kinda itching to write a review.
  
  Well as this season starts off from the 3rd season cliffhanger, it is definately off to an awesome start. Atlantis lost, adrift in space and running out of power. To conserve energy, they shrink the shield down to a small section of the city and then what happens?...Atlantis runs into an asteroid belt! Then to get more power, they actually raid the Asuran homeworld for ZPM's using Dr. Weir! A very entertaining beginning.
  
  While the majority of episodes are hits, such as the episode where a disease causes everyone to lose their memories(Tabula Rasa) or the one where Teal'c comes for a visit(Midway); there are some that fall short of their potential for giving more or are just plain boring! For example: the end-season cliffhanger! This is the first time I've ever been disappointed with an Atlantis cliffhanger, not leaving me anxiously curious to see how they get out of that situation, waiting for the next season. It ends with Sheppard and his team searching a building for Teyla, but it self-destructs and collapses in on them. (Zzzzzz...you know they survive it) A better way to end the season would have been to leave Sheppard stranded 48,000 years in the future, revealing more about what happened in the galaxy in all that time and trying to figure out a way to get back home with the McKay hologram's original plan failing to work! Now that sounds like one hell of a cliffhanger!
  
  I reviewed season 3 as well, saying it gives potential for an awesome season 4. Does it live up to that potential? It comes close, but unfortunately no it doesn't. Why? It just seems like the shows creators/writers aren't willing to go all the way in some of the episode's stories. For that matter, I can't figure out what direction the show is headed in anymore; can you? (I assume the show IS going in some direction)
  
  At least this time around they gave more attention to the Wraith and to Teyla. The whole story arc with the Athosian people being kidnapped and Teyla's search for them, both expanded, and renewed some interest, in her character. In my season 3 review I also stated my favorite character is McKay, but even I am starting to get tired of seeing him so much in every episode.
  
  Dr. Weir was officially lost this season, then killed, then...kinda came back? But fortunately we regained some old faces. Dr. Beckett (or at least a clone) came back at an end of the season episode. And while I liked having Samantha Carter as the Atlantis commander, just like Dr. Weir in season 3, they didn't utilize her character enough!
  
  Which leads us to season 5. SPOILERS AHEAD! I've read various sources about what season 5 of Atlantis will have instore for us fans & veiwers, and most have been confirmed. The biggy for me being that Samantha Carter (Amanda Tapping) will NOT be back as Atlantis' commander. (Due to the fact she'll be staring in her own show, "Sanctuary".) But she will come back for some guest appearances. Who's replacing her? Richard Woolsey (Robert Picardo)! I have completely mixed feelings about his character, but he definately doesn't have what it takes to command Atlantis! So unless he grows a pair and proves himself as something other than a cowering beaurocrat, this alone makes me uncertain about season 5 as well as the future of the show. Dr. Beckett and Dr. Daniel Jackson will guest star in some episodes, as well as 2 new characters and an entirely new race being introduced.
  
  Don't get me wrong, I still really like Atlantis and am going to get the season 4 DVD once it's released, but I must say this is the first time I am uncertain about how the next season will take shape, or if it will even be any good? Let's just hope season 5 will prove me wrong!
  
  The season 4 DVD set itself will have the usual: commentaries, deleted scenes, etc. However, this will be the first Atlantis season DVD that will have a bloopers reel.
  
  **UPDATE: Well, Season 4 came out today, I've got it and am watching it right now. Physical DVD-wise, the video and sound is still great like seasons 2 & 3. Packaging is the same as well. The menus are different from seasons 2 & 3 DVD's, but are still cool-looking and are easy to navigate. (You don't have to go through a lot of submenus to get what you are looking for.) Hope this latest info helps anyone!
  
  
  
  

• Disappointed!

  
  By A1A3CMPU17Z2OK on 2008-05-14
  I agree with other reviewers that the show seems to have lost it's way. Season 4 does not live up to the standards set by the first 3 seasons. I gave it 3 stars because the initial episodes were quite good and seeing the departure of Dr.Weir gave me a warm fuzzy feeling. The trouble is that Dr. Carter doesn't fit the role as station chief mainly because McKay fills the role she had on SG-1. You don't need two of them. Ronin is Teal'c with dreads, only without an interesting back story. Teyla's function in the team is so undefined that she comes across as merely annoying and Shepherd, while boyishly charming, is just a younger version of O'Neill. McKay is the most interesting character which is why he is on screen so much, but he can't carry the show by himself. Dr. Beckett was the perfect foil for him, but for some insane reason was killed off in Season 3. Lets hope his reappearance is permanent. The problem for Atlantis is that the team has never jelled the way SG-1 did, and Season 4 seems to flail around trying to assemble a core cast that will capture the imagination the way SG-1 did. Richard Woolsey has the potential to be an interesting station chief if the writers give him a decent role and lose the whining bureaucrat aspect of his SG1 character. There were moments (few to be sure) in SG1 when he showed his potential as a standup guy (his role in Voyager was the only reason I ever watched that show). I don't think there is too much more they can do with the Wraith as villains and the Replicator thing has been done to death. Heroes can only be as good as the villains are bad. A new bunch of ascended beings? Unless the writers can pull something big out of the hat besides leftovers from SG1, Season 5 may well be the final season. Pity.
  
  

• Very disappointed! (Warning! Spoilers for Season 4 and 5)

  
  By A2XVY5I5YBKYJB on 2008-05-23
  Season 4 started very good and went downhill very fast from the fourth episode on turning this season into the worst Stargate Season in the franchise history.
  
  I had nothing against Samantha Carter's addition to the show. It was however unnecissary. She was missing in most critical moments throughout the season. It gave me the impression that Sheppard is making "all" the decisions which is unrealistic. (I know the Stargate isn't real but the franchise has always proven that they adhere to real and proper military conduct. This has been neglected this season.) I was really looking forward to Teyla's story arc only to be disappointed again. The arc lasted only three episodes (Missing, Kindred I + II).
  
  Lets start about Keller. In my 23 years I have never seen a television character that badly written. All she does is whining and screaming like a six year old. I have seen Jewel Staite on Firefly and know she can act. She played my favorite character there. But even she can't make something out of this poorly written character. I know it's not the actresses fault. I looked forward to episodes like Missing and Trio but had to turn of because it became unendurable. Almost every episode her character appeared in became unwatchable because of the whining. Furthermore; first she starts something with Ronon only to do the same thing with Rodney a couple of episodes later. What'll happen next season? Will she go after John too? I bet! Now they made her and even Woolsey regulars in Season 5. Thanks TPTB for ruining a great show.
  
  Oh and we where let to believe that we get the real Carson back and then suddenly he is just a clone.
  
  The stories itself became repetitive and unimaginative. Many plotpoints from SG-1 were recycled. I expected to watch quality television and got mediocre entertainment at best.
  
  What infuriated me the most was that every female guest star had to be a 20ish year old supermodel only for Rodney and John to go after. The show became quite sexist.
  
  While I would rewatch all 20 episodes from Season 1; 19 episodes from Season 2 and only 18 episodes of Season 3, Atlantis Season 4 had only 9 episodes I would even consider watching again. Whereas 8 out of 9 were mediocre at best, 1 episode was outstanding namely Midway. Midway had the same quality standards Seasons 1 - 3 had. I will however buy this season on DVD because I am a completist. While I will not give Season 5 any live ratings I will probably buy those DVDs for the same reason. To have a complete collection. I don't believe that there will be a 6th Season.
  
  I hope amazon won't censor my review. This is my opinion about Season 4.
  
  

• If it isn't broken, it doesn't need to be fixed

  
  By A334DYKDLA9K8L on 2008-05-06
  First mistake was to get rid of Tori Higginson and the second was to put replace her with Amanda Tapping who was barely around most of the season. Why bring on Amanda who was so good on the original Stargate and not utilize her?
  Other than that there were some decent episodes but seems that they dropped the whole Replicator/Weir subplot mid season. Why was she not in the finale?
  If they were going to get rid of any of the cast members, it should have been Ronin who is not only played by an Actor with no emotional range but the character he (tries to play) is just your typical hot head alien modeled after Worf.
  
  

• Great Season, dont listen to the bad reviews

  
  By A394656OFW6CRT on 2008-05-06
  OK I have to say that this was a great season however many people were dissapointed with the ending. But trust me they did that to have a great season intro for Season 5.
  
  When people start rating this show poorly then it will be cancelled I don't wan that to heppen like SG-1.
  
  
• Great series, great season!
  By AASZF4BH5N90S on 2008-05-16
  While I respect everyone's opinions regarding Stargate Atlantis and this last season in particular, I must say that I DO NOT agree with the majority of them. I was a great fan of Stargate SG-1 and absolutely fell in love with Stargate Atlantis. What makes the show so good is that its characters, situations, and overall agenda is so much like its predecessor yet also completely different from it. They appropriated the character models and story lines which worked the best and provided the most entertainment and then tweeked them just enough to be unique and still totally AWESOME!
  
  
• Stargate Atlantis Rocks
  By A36NK3VHX27R4S on 2008-05-18
  I think that Stargate Atlantis Season 4 is well worth watching. I would agree with other reviewers that Carter should have been in more episodes (it was fun to see how she and McKay got along). I also agree that I continually expected to see something else on Weir and the Replicators, but it never happened. However, I think overall this season was great. I can't wait to own it on DVD this summer or for the next season. I hope it lasts as long as SG-1, or even longer!
  
  
• My favorite season so far
  By A1CIZ90FFOZTLM on 2008-07-12
  I suppose everyone has different expectations, but I can't help but be puzzled by the many negative reviews of season 4. I'm a huge fan of SG-1, but from the beginning I liked Atlantis better (probably because the wraith are just so darn cool), and it is still improving. I thought season 4 was the best yet. If I have any complaints at all, it's that Sam's character was underutilized. She was a great addition to the show (much more pleasant to be around than Weir), but I would have liked to see more of her.
  
  I think the strength of this season was the characters, especially (and as always) Rodney and Sheppard. It was good to see Rodney changing into a nicer person (even as a jerk he was always my favorite). It was also good to learn a little more about Sheppard and to see him in situations that brought out aspects of his character that we haven't seen before. Those two are stellar. Teyla's pregnancy added realism to the character that hadn't been there before, and I thought Ronon had a great season too, at least insofar as he did more than just glaring at people and occasionally flattening someone against a wall with a knife to their throat. The "minor" characters continue to be enjoyable, especially Zalenka, but I also like Major Lorne. I hope they continue. The death of a minor character early in the season was an unhappy surprise.
  
  I thought the first and second episodes - the conclusion of last year's cliffhanger - were especially good. Other highlights include the return of the adorable Kate Hewlett as Jeannie Miller, the return of Sheppard's "ally" wraith in quite a few episodes, at least two episodes that take place on earth (these are worth watching just to see Ronon in earth clothes), and the season highlight of getting Ronon and Teal'c in the same room and seeing what happens. Now if we could only get Daniel to come visit.
  
  I eagerly look forward to season 5 to see how the many story lines are followed up, and to continue to watch a great cast of characters in a series that just gets better. Long live Stargate Atlantis - may it continue for many more years!
  
  
• The season 4 cliffhanger was a disappointment.
  By A21ZXM8XB9XJHK on 2008-04-28
  I love Stargate Atlantis,but the ending of season 4 didn't leave me anticipating season 5.I hope I'm wrong because I love this series.....I'll still watch it(don't get me wrong),but the series seems to be off course..................
  
  
• STARGATE ATLANTIS SEASON FOUR *
  By A3M3QGFXFZ0YFV on 2008-05-15
  ASHKAUN! THIS SEASON WAS THE BEST YET LOTS OF GREAT EPISODES AND LOTS OF ACTION LEAVING US WITH THE END OF THE SEASON CLIFFHANGER AND THE ONE QUESTION WE ARE ALL ASKING..... WILL THEY FIND TEYLA AND RESCUE HER? PERSONALLY I THINK THEY WILL AND WE WILL SEE ANY WAY ONCE THEY START SHOWING SEASON FIVE WHICH I AM SURE WILL BE JUST AS EXCITING.. IF I HAD TO RECOMMEND ANY TV SERIES ON TELEVISION IT WOULD BE STARGATE ATLANTIS .STARGATE ATLANTIS GETS A NICE FAT 100 STARS FROM ME .AND IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT A GOOD TV SERIES IS THEN WATCH STARGATE ATLANTIS SEASONS 1 THRU 4 WHEN IT COMES OUT.
  
  :-)
  
  
• Not only the worst ATLANTIS season, but possibly an all-time low for the entire franchise!!
  By A171FU7AC9YYMS on 2008-07-08
  After three seasons of rivaling SG-1 as best Sci-Fi show on TV, I suppose a downfall was inevitable. Season 4 served up disappointment after disappointment. If you are familiar with what's going on behind the scenes, this isn't really much of a surprise.
  
  There were SO many problems surrounding Season 4, there was just almost no chance of pulling off anything good. To begin with, you had many cast changes, which is a major gamble for any show. Fan favorite Dr. Beckett (Paul McGillon) had been killed off late in Season 3, to be replaced by the beautiful but one-dimensional Dr. Keller (Jewel Saite, of Firefly). As noted in other reviews, Beckett and McKay (David Hewlett) were great foils for one another, and this relationship is SORELY missed in Season 4.
  
  To make matters worse, the leader of the expedition, Dr. Weir (Tori Higginson) is killed off in the first episode. Now, there seemed to be mixed feelings about Tori. Die-hard fans did not like her as the replacement for the original Dr. Weir on SG-1. Others, like myself, who got into Stargate via Atlantis, loved Tori and were very sad to see her go! The upshot of her death was supposed to be replacing her with Samantha Carter (Amanda Tapping). This probably sounded great on paper - take a beloved character from SG-1 and bring her to Atlantis to bring back any SG-1 viewers who never got into Atlantis. However, Carter is used so sparingly in the season, that she hardly seems to even be in it! I don't think there was a single story revolving around her, and many of the episodes didn't have her at all! Now, I loved Carter on SG-1, but here she feels more like a ploy than a member of the team. In short, the producers did not give us a satisfactory return for eliminating Dr. Weir.
  
  Then there were at least two pregnancies to contend with. Amanda Tapping either was just back from giving birth, or was in the middle stages of pregnancy this season, which probably helps explain the smaller role. As such, she looks very frumpy and dishevelled all season (sorry) and her baggy uniform just doesn't help anything! And, Rachel Lutrell (Teyla) became pregnant midway through the season. Which means . . . you guessed it . . . TEYLA is pregnant! The introduction of this story line in the Atlantis world was so sudden and random, it felt like a semi plowing into you on the freeway! Since she hadn't really been paired off with anyone on the show, they didn't want to jump right into a romance, so they invented a character we've never seen before to suddenly become her "true love." A random person from her village, which we've rarely seen her visit, suddenly is thrust into the main storyline. It's a bad sell that sticks out like her pregnant belly! Of course, her pregnancy eventually demands the other norm for expecting Sci-Fi actresses - a kidnapping! Yes, they trot out that tired storyline to cover her time off for delivery. (By the way, please don't get me wrong - I am very excited for both Amanda and Rachel! But it still affects the show!)
  
  Finally, the producers of the franchise were clearly busy on the two "feature' SG-1 films, and as such the stories this season seem VERY repetitive, recycled, and frankly boring. The larger story is all but lost, and the threads are so scattered now that there is little interest for me to see them reconnected. I have lost track of which Wraith is good or bad, which clone is on whose side . . . and how many times is a member of Stargate going to be possessed by an alien entity!!?
  
  There were many wasted opportunities this season. From the get-go, leaving the home planet with the city seemed RIFE with possibility. I couldn't wait to see what would befall them on a new planet. Yet they never once, NOT ONCE, set foot on their new planet! There were no new enemies, no new challenges. Just the same old ocean. You are left wondering "What was the point of all that!?"
  
  The better villains have been lost by the wayside - did we even see the Genii this year? And, again because of the SG-1 movies, the budgets were clearly very tight this year. There were many episodes with just two or three of the main cast (cut per episode spending) - ALOT of episodes set in one location, like out in the woods (to cut set costs) including an entire episode stuck in a mine shaft (much like the previous episodes of characters getting stuck in the Jumpers). Indeed, it seemed like the Stargate universe SHRANK this season, rather than expanding!
  
  It wasn't a total loss. For one, the actors are still top notch, and the chemistry is still there. Jewel's Dr. Keller is a sore replacement for Beckett, yet she also works nicely in the cast. There were a handful of truly great episodes, namely Shephard doing "Die Hard" in TRAVELLERS and the Ronon/Tealc smackdown episode MIDWAY (an instant franchise classic, by the way).
  
  I give it three stars because it's still better than alot of TV out there right now. But even with some good moments, the overall feeling is of being letdown. I still have hopes for Season 5. Now that the SG-1 movies are completed, the writer's strike is over, and Carter is back out, maybe they can get back on track! Here's hoping we still have many seasons of Atlantis left and will eventually look back on this season as "that season we survived the diversion of funds and writers to the SG-1 movies."
  
  
• Cliffhanger does hang well
  By A3Q3EN08PH07Z6 on 2008-05-27
  I agree with most other reviewers - the cliffhanger was weak - and unless they are going in a hole new direction - they cast will emerge from the building. This is the worst cliffhanger since the show started. The series season 4, as a whole, was great. Weir is gone - thank goodness - she had become sickening - what of Teyla's baby and how will it fit into the series? I had some questions, which I hope are answered and not in a dissappointing way. If you saw season 4 on TV - then you're like me and just want to simmer in your favorite episodes. But if you missed it - you'll love it - at least most of it. A few episodes they could have kept to themselves - "Harmony" absolutely 'sucked'. Our replicator friend "Todd" provided the best episodes. And of course McKay was great - he's finally human , and a pretty great human. I hear Ronan has cut his locks - I can't imagine. What he really needs is to have a love interest or at least more people from his planet besides the Wrath worshipers. He's too predictable and boring. In fact Shepperd, McKay, and Ronon need a love interest - alot more regular. But all in all - I love Stargate Atlantis as much as Stargate SG1. Over the ten years they had a few loser episodes too, but all in all - Stargate - either one - has been great from the beginning. I hope the writers open their minds for some great episodes this season - otherwise this could be the last season - And we can't have that!!!
  
  
• Another great season!
  By A39ESIV3LTIZNV on 2008-05-28
  I don't agree with the other reviews, this season was great. Some of the episodes were not as good as the first few seasons, thats true, but I still enjoyed the rest. The acting was still great, the special effects magnificent, and the whole feel of atlantis I came to expect was still there. Yes! Do check this out...
  
  
• Excellent!
  By A2DK8URXA9XDYR on 2008-06-07
  Love this series. The acting, writing/stories, cast -- it really is fun to watch and keeps your interest. I enjoy it like I enjoyed the SG-1 series.
  
  
• Only for fanboys/fangirls
  By A3BRP0Y489744F on 2008-07-12
  The only people who will really appreciate Season 4 are the fanboys and fangirls out there who fanatically believe that the show can do no wrong.
  
  Anyone who is honest with themselves will admit that Season 4 was, overall, a huge step down from the previous seasons. Even most of the good episodes this season had the potential to be far, far better.
  
  ----- Spoilers -----
  
  The removal of two major characters, Beckett and Weir, was a huge mistake. Beckett was an absolute fan favorite and I don't think there's any SGA fan who will say that his absence and the addition of "I wonder which guy I'll be hooking up with this week" Keller was an improvement to the show.
  
  Also, as far as Weir's removal.. the question is not whether or not replacing Weir with Carter was a good idea, because Carter was hardly even seen this season and was not utilized fully when she was. And she's already gone in Season 5! So the real question is whether or not removing Weir for *no reason* was a good idea or not, or whether replacing her with Woolsey was a good decision. The answer to either is a resounding NO.
  
  A major part of this show, and Stargate in general.. is banter. McCay and Beckett were hilarious. Sheppard and Weir were equally charming. Likewise with Weir and McCay. Season 4 severely lacked this friendly verbal sparring.
  
  Of course, the fanboys/fangirls will still love it just because the opening credits say "Stargate: Atlantis" and have some of the same characters. Such blind devotion is silly. People who really love Stargate can admit when an episode or season doesn't live up to expectations and needs improvement.
  
  
• Worst season overall -with a few really good episodes
  By A3L2OIJM1A8KIB on 2008-06-21
  I am an SG1 and Atlantis fan and when Stargate ended was very grateful that we still had Atlantis. But I am worried that the series is going downhill. SG1 had some dumb episodes but this 4th season of Atlantis had more duds than good episodes.
  
  They need to keep the humor in it. I will get the dvd more because I want to watch some of my favorite episodes such as "Harmony" (this was hilarious) and Miller's Crossing (has McKay's Sister in it) If they had to get rid of any character(s), I think it should be Keller and Teyla. They are dull and boring. I do want Atlantis to continue and hope that they can correct the direction it is going in.
  
  On a side note I agree that the season 4 cliffhanger should have ended with Shepherd stuck in the future. That would have been much more interesting and made me excited to come back. How ironic that here we are unpaid fan reviewers writing a better season cliffhanger than the professional paid writers. Come on you guys, we love Atlantis so let's get back to good writing.
  
  
• Some very unfortunate decisions...
  By A203P3B9HCNHV1 on 2008-07-08
  After a few shaky moments early on, Atlantis and its characters really developed quite nicely through season 3. It was, however, very unfortunate that two cast changes were made at the end of the 3rd season/beginning of the 4th season. The first was the death of Beckett; the second was the ...loss...death...whatever... of Weir. The result is that the remaining (and additional) characters no longer balance each other out (e.g. brawn vs. brain; intellect vs. action). Bummer...
  
  
• sigh
  By A1OP8UECOYCR5I on 2008-07-12
  like others have said, the first three seasons were good.
  this one sucks... bigtime.
  it was a waste of money to buy season 4, and i wont be watching this show anymore.
  it really was that bad.
  i think they were trying to appeal to a younger audience with this one.
  like, 12 year olds.
  they must have been running out of ideas for this season, because instead of keeping themselves distanced from sg-1, they started trying to pull closer.
  the inconsistancies of this season with the previous made me sad.
  anyway, i absolutely loved the first 3 seasons but...
  i am so disappointed with this one, i am done watching stargate for the rest of my life.
  
  
• Rising again
  By A1TZDTEULS0618 on 2008-07-23
  Surprisingly, season 4 of Stargate Atlantis is better than season 3--it is just about on par with season 2. Most of the storylines are decent, with some very enjoyable ones; even with the mostly annoying characters, this season is tolerable.
  
  Lt. Col. John Sheppard has deviated from his Jack O'Neill Jr. behavior, now becoming a standard yet spineless character; when faced with most women, he's quiet and weak-willed, barely standing up for himself--unlike his decisive attitude around men. Col. Samantha Carter, taking the place of Dr. Weir, is a capable and strong leader--at times, she is the only one to speak up for the right course of action. Dr. Rodney McKay, barely changing in the slightest, remains arrogant and smug; however, Carter can sometimes shut him up with a well-placed comment, which is quite satisfying. Teyla, although the victim of a sometimes pathetic plot twist, is very faintly better than she was in season 3, sometimes offering up Athosian wisdom for those in need. Ronon is, in my opinion, the best character in the show: he is on occasion the only person with common sense, and also tells it exactly like it is.
  
  As for the episodes:
  
  Adrift--5 of 10--We pick up where we left off in season 3, with the city floating in space and losing power. The whole of this episode is spent on creating and solving problem upon problem: an asteroid belt threatens the city, as well as badly damaged power conduits and loss of shield protection. This goes on until it ends in a very unsatisfactory manner. I couldn't help but think that a better solution could have been found to the main, crippling problem of this episode.
  
  Lifeline--7 of 10--Even with the bad ending of `Adrift', this episode finishes things up very nicely, with a daring mission and brave help from the wounded Dr. Weir. Rodney of course discovers something else that they could try to do while going through with their original mission; I expected things to go from bad to worse and their plans to fail, but thankfully everything went well, with the city actually surviving somewhat unscathed. This is a good ending to a bad problem.
  
  Reunion--8 of 10--Ronon stumbles upon three of his friends from Sateda (his home planet) and wonders whether he should leave Atlantis to stay with them. The Satedans are actually slightly dislikeable, being somewhat boorish and rough around the edges; they influence Ronon far too much at times, but they have an unpredictable secret that almost dooms Ronon. As with mostly all episodes focusing on Ronon, this is enjoyable--although it features some very strange fight scenes...
  
  Doppelganger--4 of 10--Sheppard touches a crystalline object on an alien planet and soon appears in everyone's nightmares. The idea behind this episode is interesting; but throughout it, I was laughing! Unintentionally, it becomes more of a dark comedy instead of horrific and engrossing. Something about Sheppard being the villain in each and every nightmare is actually quite amusing.
  
  Travelers--3 of 10--Sheppard is captured by a strange ship and tries to escape while dealing with the ship's stereotypically beautiful commander. This episode might actually outdo season 2's `Grace Under Pressure' in terms of being annoying. Larrin, the commander, is anything but military, even though she lives on her tattered ship; her hair is long and flowing, she wears tight black leather, and she saunters through the corridors like a fashion model. When she gets what she wants, her attitude is predictably smug--when she doesn't get what she wants, she becomes pugnacious and petulant, at one point stomping her foot and hollering like a twelve-year-old. All in all, this is useless.
  
  Tabula Rasa--9 of 10--In an amazingly good and intriguing episode, Rodney finds himself tied to his desk, with almost total memory loss, and strange instructions from a recording of himself. The explanation of the memory loss is logical and understandable; the adventures ensuing are exciting and mysterious; the flashbacks to hours earlier are nice and enlightening; and it all serves to create an episode I heartily enjoyed!
  
  Missing--6 of 10--Teyla and Keller, traveling to spend a day at the new Athosian settlement, find that the people are missing; they encounter the infamous Bola Kai tribesmen wandering the planet and must hide for fear of capture and death. In this episode, Keller at last shows her mettle--after whimpering and moaning for most of the time, she finds her inner courage and faces a dangerous enemy. The largest problem with the episode, though, is that in all other season 3 and 4 episodes, I saw no mention of the Athosians being relocated to another planet. I have no idea when they got there!
  
  The Seer--8 of 10--Still searching for the Athosians, Teyla seeks out a well-known seer--the leader of a group of people on another planet--and finds that he knows much about Atlantis' future. Although the seer himself doesn't have much to do, his visions predict quite a bit of trouble for Atlantis; meanwhile, the team finds themselves inextricably linked with the Wraith in order to fight the Replicators. With the amount of adventures involved--and the very small amount of mistakes made--this episode is very good.
  
  Miller's Crossing--5 of 10--Rodney's sister Jeannie is kidnapped and, in searching for her, Rodney stumbles into a trap. This episode gives Rodney and Jeannie a chance to argue and sulk, which they are both quite good at. Just as in season 3's `McKay and Mrs. Miller', the premise itself is not very sound; the decisions that Rodney, Jeannie, and even their kidnapper make are foolish; as a plus, Jeannie decides to call Rodney by his real name, Meredith, through the entire episode--even though he has already told her that he goes by the name of Rodney. Like before, this is rather worthless.
  
  This Mortal Coil--9 of 10--After a strange drone from an unknown source crashes into the city, the denizens of Atlantis slowly begin to realize that there's something unusual going on. At the beginning, this episode is a game of `what's wrong with this picture?' Once the truth is finally known--shocking not only the team, but myself as well--the team must work to avert disaster and provide help...but those who need help are the most unlikely of people!
  
  Be All My Sins Remember'd--7 of 10--Since the Replicators are attacking more and more planets, the team decides to settle things once and for all. Larrin, clichéd commander of the Traveler warship, gets an appearance; when Sheppard comes to her--virtually groveling for her help instead of candidly asking for it--she decides to tie him to a chair (apparently a running gag). What's nice is that Col. Ellis, commander of the Apollo, finally manages to give Rodney a piece of his mind before they all go off to fight the Replicators. In the end, though a new and shocking enemy is revealed to us in the audience, although the team knows nothing of them.
  
  Spoils of War--7 of 10--The team, led by a signal from Todd's subspace tracking device, stumbles on a top secret Wraith outpost, where they will find many threats. Teyla finally gets a chance to help out, with as much courage as ever, while Sheppard, Rodney, and Ronon explore the facility. A Wraith queen is spotlighted and gets to hiss and spit in the usual over-the-top manner. Although this episode is contrived in spots, it still is somewhat decent.
  
  Quarantine--6 of 10--After the city mistakenly quarantines itself, many of the main characters find themselves trapped together, giving them a chance to learn more about each other. We find that Dr. Zelenka raises pigeons; Dr. Keller graduated from college at age 15; and other assorted little tidbits. Rodney is of course featured prominently in this episode, as he is in almost all of them. The extremely good part about this episode is that Dr. Zelenka finally gets a chance to do something beneficial for the entire city. Otherwise, it's the usual, mediocre at best.
  
  Harmony--4 of 10--Sheppard and Rodney agree to shepherd a young princess on a rite of passage; in a reverse of Star Trek: The Next Generation's `The Dauphin', the girl--who bears the Earth name Harmony--develops a crush on Sheppard. This results in her acting somewhat like The Lord of the Rings' Gollum, pretending to cry in Sheppard's arms while smirking at Rodney instead. She is the classic spoiled-brat child, not caring whether Sheppard or Rodney survive their mission, and explaining her actions with the words "I'm the queen!" Throughout most of the episode, I could see all the major events coming easily. This is a light, very faintly comedic episode that is worth seeing only once.
  
  Outcast--6 of 10--Sheppard's father dies and he comes home to Earth for the funeral, but then finds himself in much deeper trouble than he expected. His polished brother wears a fancy suit and has perfectly coiffed hair; his ex-wife, even with her nightclub-style outfit, works implausibly for the Department of Homeland Security; strangely, Sheppard finds himself at a complete loss for words every time he encounters either of them. Otherwise, the main storyline--featuring Replicators, as well as an unexpected appearance by a former supporting character from season 1--is decent at the very least. Of course, there are some story points that I can see coming...but then again, that's true for almost all the episodes.
  
  Trio--8 of 10--Carter, Rodney, and Keller are trapped in a former Genii mine that is racked by tremors. Thankfully, Rodney doesn't get to show much of his very annoying tendencies in this episode, although contributing an idea on how to escape; Carter and Keller also do their separate parts, trying to get out before the tremors destroy the mine. While this is the standard `a problem arises, and most attempts to solve it fail miserably' episode, it manages to be entertaining because of the interaction between the three characters. All three of them prove themselves by way of brave actions.
  
  Midway--10 of 10--With Ronon about to be evaluated by the IOA, Carter decides that Teal'c could teach the Satedan much. However, when times grow tough, Ronon and Teal'c must work together to save Earth. This is by far the best episode of season 4, featuring a marvelous crossover and terrifying problems. There is a great (and regrettably short) fight scene between Ronon and Teal'c, featuring Chuck the gate technician taking bets on who will win. Even with the tribulations, the two warriors work well together; however, in the meantime, Sheppard and Rodney find themselves in equal trouble. I love this episode not only because of Teal'c, but also because of the interesting and plausible problem. If only every Atlantis episode had the wonderful writing this one does!
  
  The Kindred, Part 1--6 of 10--In a slightly sharp decline from `Midway', Teyla finds herself having visions of Kanaan, the father of her child, and feels that she must search at a certain village. In the meantime, a sudden plague is sweeping through the galaxy. Almost everything in this episode results in disaster; Teyla--while searching for her people--is captured, and Sheppard and the other team members find that a familiar and annoying villain is behind the plague. Todd, the jolly Wraith, gives them slight help and asks for it in return, but in the end his information does them no good. The very last moment of the episode features a surprising return from a much-beloved character...
  
  The Kindred, Part 2--7 of 10--While Teyla finds her people again, Sheppard and friends try to find her with the help of the newly returned character (whose identity I will not reveal). That person has quite a few health problems, which lessen his/her ability to help; in the meantime, Teyla learns more about the experiments being performed on some of her people. In the end, information is gathered and the Athosians are rescued, but Teyla remains a prisoner. Even though the villain in this two-part episode now has the usual mad-scientist qualities, this episode is far from terrible. The end is tragic as the returned character takes his/her leave from his/her friends. Not bad!
  
  The Last Man--7 of 10--Sheppard comes through the gate and finds that he's been sent 48,000 years in the future; naturally, Rodney--once Sheppard went missing--came up with a hologram of himself that is programmed to help Sheppard in any way possible. Most of the episode is taken up by reminisces of events taking place after Sheppard vanished--there are many things that go wrong, such as Michael predictably trying to take over the galaxy. While Sheppard tries to find a way out of the future, the hologram of older Rodney tells him stories of Ronon, Carter, Teyla, Keller and Rodney himself too. This episode is good because of its similarities to the Star Trek: Voyager series finale, but unfortunately the ending is rushed.
  
  
  
• Stargate Lovers Heaven
  By AZHKW8JJXTAAW on 2008-06-09
  Worth every penny, This is and excellent Stargate movie in everyway.
  Buy it - you won't be dissappointed
  
  
  
• Disappointed
  By A1WFDH4MARD4SN on 2008-06-26
  I was disappointed to once again see that this product is far cheaper in the US than in Canada; some minor price discrepancy is expected (~10%), but a 34.4% difference is just too much. Even though I liked this season of Atlantis I will not be purchasing it in protest of MGM's unfair pricing policy.
  
  
• Season Four
  By A2X1I41DKR5R0A on 2008-07-04
  I was able to buy the complete fourth season on July 4 at the Fairlakes, Virginia Best Buy when it is not supposed to be released until later in July!
  
  
• The GREAT Stargate Atlantis Season 4
  By A16MWKQNSMK8S6 on 2008-07-06
  This show has only grown and expanded from its original themes. This season has new problems and even more inventing solutions. I recommend this to everyone.
  
  
• GREAT Season!
  By A3R6OHD3JRKU6R on 2008-07-11
  I do not understand why people were dissapointed with this season. So much stuff happens, and it's great! It is a darker season then its predessors. A majority of the episodes were some of the best. Having Sam command the base was another plus. I am purchasing this, and it is worth every penny! Do not miss out on this season!
  
  
• You've Gotta Be Kiddin Me!
  By A2N8DEA37E3X9P on 2008-07-14
  I've been a huge fan of the Stargate Series since its inception & have followed this series... Atlantis, since the beginning. I am terribly disappointed in its approach to telling this story. First the writers seem intent in placing women in all of the leadership positions ... all the time, whether the situation calls for it r not, and puleeze! stop preaching the new pc crap at every lull in the fighting! Stop talking down to me, or at least advertise & warn that the show is now written for the adolescent audience. I thought the irritating Dr. Weird got killed off?! Oh yeah, btw, how is it that she being merely an arbitrator at the start gets to head-up this endeavor .. making command decisions way over her pay grade and experience. Let's not forget the irritating and most obnoxious character in all of TV land ... Rodney, Stupid, arrogant, lacking all traces of humanity, self centered, cowardly, and oh yeah.. why is he always the only one wearing a "Country Patch"? No one else does, are the Canadians so starved for recognition that they have to shove that stupid leaf in our faces all the time? BFD! Who cares? Please kill this crap or hire writers desiring to tell the story instead of searching for a platform to force feed the masses their PC garbage. Great you brought Sam Carter on the set, Great character and actress, strong capable leader... NOW LET HER LEAD!!! and get rid of that condescending, uh, I think her name is Tira, you know the alien they found living in the stone-age during the initial series, who abandoned "Her" people, and seem now for some unknown reason to be like second, or third in command, have intimate knowledge of all the earth based & ancient technology somehow! BTW, did anyone ever even suggest or offer Ronin acting lessons? Did he really spend the money on these lessons or is he here only because he's some producers love interest. Fire this bum or teach him how to act, for God's sake.
  
  Thanx
  DWL
  
  
• Another Exciting Season of Stargate
  By A2A18UDR8NN9A4 on 2008-07-14
  Very exciting, fast-paced season which grabbed my attention from the start and didn't let up until the end. I can't really understand why so many people seem to be so hard on this season. I think the writers did an excellent job, propelling the Atlantis franchise forward leaps and bounds in terms of storytelling. In my humble opinion it was the best season of Atlantis so far, striking a good balance between action and character development. To some, the season may seem to be a little Rodney-centric, but my wife and I find him quite humorous and enjoyable. Highly recommended to any fan of Stargate.
  
  
• Jumped the Shark?
  By ANEUPVXP9GKJQ on 2008-07-16
  Im sorry I LOVE u SGA but this last season was not up to the high level that was set. The best ep was a direct ripoff of momento!
  
  
• Formulaic PC Tripe
  By A3EDPVJBLBVD0K on 2008-07-18
  For this seasoned fan, this season had a few special moments. Very few. I yawned through the entire second disk. I do not want to sound mysogynistic, but this entire season was an exercise in assigning all the strength and intelligence to women, both alien, enemy or ally and assigning all the blunders, ignorance and stupidity to the male characters. The last time I checked, human equality was a relevant cultural goal. If you made the mistake of buying this junk, or can borrow the set, just check nearly every episode. If you want balance and entertainment, forget it; the writing is boring, transparent and palpably annoying. If you're into political correctness and superficial social commentary, you will love it.
  
  Yawwwwn. Sigh.
  
  
  
  
• Not going any where?... Who cares!
  By A5PW5TJ7LYMYH on 2008-08-01
  My son and I have watched every episode on DVD. It sure beats DVR fast- forwarding through the MANY commericals on SciFi. I was a little leary about this season as the early reviewers were complaining that "it wasn't going anywhere". Don't let that sway you... this season is just as good as the 3 before it.
  
  
• Stargate Atlantis
  By AF20A6SZ8N7LC on 2008-08-24
  I was a big SG1 fan and when Atlantis started I had my doubts. I have been pleasantly surprised! No script remakes from other shows, always interesting, the actors are awesome, best damm show on television! I never miss an episode.
  
  

• Stargate: Continuum
• Stargate - The Ark of Truth
• Stargate Atlantis - The Complete Third Season
• Stargate Atlantis - The Complete Second Season
• Eureka - Season Two