Customer Reviews

Stargate Atlantis - Rising (Pilot Episode)

5 star:		(32)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

First off, you may want to read this, then skip over to the season 1 boxed set, as that contains this episode, and the entire first season. It pretty much makes this one defunct. Aside from that, this is a very thrilling start to the SG-1 spinoff, and they've assembled a very interesting team for the show. It's too bad Robert Patrick didn't stay on as a regular, as I liked his tough as nails military leader attitude, and the clashing between him, Sheppard and Weir.

The story revolves around SG-1's discovery of a new Stargate on Antartica, at the end of Season 7, and then Daniel Jackson uncovers a link to the Stargate at the real Atlantis. This new team, headed by civilian Elizabeth Weir, and militarily by Colonel Sumner (Robert Patrick) are sent in to investigate the new find, knowing that they may never safely return. What they find is the ancient city of Atlantis, buried beneath an ocean on a planet in the Pegasus Galaxy. There, they find there isn't enough power to keep the city's shields from imploding with water, so they send a team led by Sumner to a random Stargate dialed from an Ancient code. It is here they encounter the two main races of beings which they will deal for most of the first season, the Athosians and the Wraith.

The Athosians are a nomadic tribe like people, who are friendly, and the Wraith are their feared enemies, but were not seen for a very long time. The SG team's presence there causes the Wraith to awaken, and the Athosians are forced to relocate to Atlantis, which has now risen from the water to become a spectacular city again.

There is plenty of action and tension throughout the entire pilot, and it gives high expectations for the new series. I was a little skeptical whether or not they could keep the interest up through an entire season, and was rather disappointed with the second episode (not bad, but a simple plot that was rather dull), but overwhelmed again with the 3rd episode, which was one of the best of the first season. I won't get into the rest of the season, as this is only a page for the pilot, but you can check season 1 and I will write a review there soon.

DO NOT believe that guy who says that the 2-parter pilot episode won't be included in the Atlantis season 1 boxset. Of course it will be. The thing is you won't get a special box for "Rising". The boxSET will contain 5 discs. Every disc has 4 episodes on it. "Rising" will be on the first disc with among episode 3 and 4. If you are a MAJOR FAN of the show and really can't wait for the whole boxset then go ahead. And if you think you'll need this special neat box I'm not stopping you. But please understand that if you think you can wait then don't buy it. It costs alot and THESE EPISODES ARE INCLUDED IN THE BOX SET.

Seeing just the pilot movie for sale makes me skittish. I really dislike it when companies release shows piece-meal. I'd like to know if this will be part of a Season 1 box set later so I can save my money. Or do they plan on releasing them bit by bit much like Farscape and Andromeda only to turn around later and sell you the same thing in a neat little box set? I like what we've come to expect from SG1 and am hoping that SciFi/MGM don't begin this nerve racking trend. Anyway the spin off from the original SG1 is clever and refreshing, something Stargate fans should really enjoy. But please tell me you're putting out a box set I'm sure many agree with me on this. Loyal fans of the show deserve better! Can I get an Amen!

This is a good introductory DVD to the spin-off of SG-1, though I concur with those who've complained that it should have been released not on its lonesome, but rather with the full Season 1. The Rising is definitely a lead-in to the rest of the series and though it's a good episode, it's not necessarily the best representative episode of Season 1. Some of the characters aren't as well developed as others in this episode (Rodney McKay comes to mind--IMHO he's become the most interesting of the group and his developing dynamic in Season 1 with Sheppard is equal to that of Jack O'Neill and Daniel Jackson of SG-1) and the Wraith aren't fully compelling yet.

The best reason to get this ahead of the full release is the commentary by Joe Flanigan and Martin Wood--there are some interesting insights offered. The other features are sort of bland.

Atlantis itself is a worthy successor to Stargate SG-1 and probably has even more potential than its predecessor in that the spin-off's characters are, in some ways, more engagingly complex. If SG-1 is home to the "epic superheroes who always save the day," then Atlantis is home to the "everyday guys you can relate to and who save the day in spite of their shortcomings." The latter is likely to yield far more drama over the long term.

gotta say to start out that rising is possibly one of THE best tv pilots i have ever seen, and certainly better than the SG1 pilot (though the latter is certainly to be expected what with the crew being so well-oiled after 7 seasons od SG1 :)), and i'd really forgotten how great it was until i watched it again after the season was over!

though i'll admit, even as a great fan of the show, that the wraith don't really become a terrifying enemy until about half-way through the season and surely some characters didn't get much development til very late in the season, i still will oppose the skeptics (of which i know there are many) and say this is an excellent series and has an excellent pilot :) can't wait for the whole season on dvd this fall, but this ep alone is certainly better than nothing for the time being :)

this show has an excellent cast (especially joe flanigan, who plays the unprepared and unexpected, not to mention emotionally-hurting, hero just incredibly-well over the course of the first season and rising is no exception), amazingly-talented crew, and great stories (excluding the few duds which every show is bound to have :D)

This new and exciting series begins when the final coordinates are discovered creating a link to an ancient city that exists far beyond the reach of our galaxy. With the 8th shevron found, a team of explorers could now journey to the Pegasis galaxy in an attempt to unlock the many secrets of the Ancients. Upon arriving to this ancient city, The City of Atlantis, a new threat is discovered. An alien race (The Wraith) sleeping for generations had been awakened and treatens to overtake every planet in the system. And they have their first sights on Atlantis, perhaps the only link back to Earth. Cut off from their home world and with a new treat at hand, a race against time begins to unlock the Atlantian secrets to protect the Pegasis galaxy and even Earth as well.

Stargate SG1 set a high standard for science fiction series. This pilot for the Atlantis Spin-off maintains that standard. It is interesting, creative and adds a new dimension to the Stargate universe.

The scenario set forth for the series is that Stargate Command finally thinks it has located the Atlantis of the Ancients. It is a long way away in another galaxy and getting there will use up the last of the ZPM power crystal. A decision is made to send a large expedition which will headquarter there and which will probably be cut off for a long while. It will have as its mission the investigation of this new galaxy, the acquisition of new technology and the procurement of more ZPM crystals.

They make it to Atlantis but the city is just barely surviving. It is itself almost out of power and its crystals are almost drained. They also find out what happened to the Ancients. They were involved in a long war against an enemy every bit as bad as the Goa'uld. They were finally driven from their home by the Wraiths, a humanoid species which subsists on the life force of humans. They literally suck the life out of people. The arrival of the Atlantis Crew has awakened the Wraith. Now the ancient war begins again and the Atlantis crew is stuck with marvelous technology but little to power it.

OK, I'm a HUGE Stargate fan. At first, I loved the original Stargate movie so much, that I refused to watch SG-1 the series because I thought they'd screw it all up. Then, a friend talked to me about the series. I watched one episode, and I was hooked. What a great show!

Then, we find out that the lost city of the Ancients is Atlantis, and that it may contain valuable insight and necessary technology to defeat the Goa'uld. Well, as if that weren't an awesome enough idea in itself, we actually put together a team to go there. Whoa!

As you can see, I'm a bit too excited about this. If I may explain, I'm active duty military stationed overseas. Unlike the rest of US fans, who actually live in the US, I don't get the Sci Fi channel, and I don't get to see the current season of SG-1, nor SG Atlantis. Therefore, my only solace is the fact that I can buy the complete seasons on Amazon. So, yeah, when I get them I'm super stoked!

When I got the SGA pilot episode, I waited to watch it, because I wanted to be undisturbed for the duration of the episode (I'm newly married, go figure). I only gave it 4 stars, because the show is brand new, but it has great potential (to quote Thor), and it promises to be an extremely awesome show, going in a parallel, yet slightly different direction from SG-1. So, if it continues to get better, I'll have to reconsider giving it a 5!

I only give this item three stars as it was an extra. I ordered it along with the first season of SG Atlantis. I didn't see anywhere on the first season where it said it contained the pilot also so I ordered this along with the first season. If you just need the pilot then this is 5 stars it is an excellent time. However, if you are ordering the first season don't order this with it as you will have two pilots.

Wish I had known that the pilot episode would be included in the Season 1 Collection. Now I have 2 of the same episode.