63 of 76 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
More Payoff, More Characterization, and More Darkness, June 11, 2010
The creation of a new show within a television franchise is a tricky business. The new show must maintain the familiar elements of its parent series or predecessors while establishing its own identity and seeming fresh and new. The Stargate franchise is no different. "Stargate Atlantis" heavily emulated "Stargate SG-1", despite their differences. While "Stargate Universe" maintains the familiar rules of Stargate stories, it is in many ways a rejection of its sister shows and this rule -- and yet, as Season 1.0 showed, it worked, so things looked good for Season 1.5.
Season 1.5 contains the second half of Season 1 and picks up shortly after the mid-season cliffhanger, where Colonel Young marooned Dr. Rush on a desert world in retaliation for framing him for murder. While Young is haunted by his decision, there are new problems for the Expedition commander. Tensions between the military and civilian camps are boiling to a head and the threat of a mutiny seems imminent. These threats from within are exacerbated by outside threats as the Icarus survivors learn that there is intelligent life in their region of space after all, intelligent life that has long had its eyes on Destiny's secrets. And there are still the unresolved questions surrounding the attack that brought to them the ship in the first place. Was the Lucian Alliance actually responsible for the attack on Icarus Base and if so, how did they learn of the top-secret project?
This still a different kind of Stargate, a darker and gritter take on the concept. The difference here is that serialization pays off as the characterization and seeds of Season 1.0 finally bear fruit and payoff. Questions put into play in the early episodes are answered and like SG-1 and the Atlantis Expedition before it, SGU finishes its freshmen year with a bang.
If you're enjoyed the opening 10 episodes, then you'll love the second half.
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80 of 105 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Tolerable episodes in Intolerable packaging, July 12, 2010
As I have adamantly proclaimed before, the 1/2 Season rip-offs absolutely have to stop. I'l explain in detail what I will do to the marketing executives. I will only buy SGU as a complete season box set, or I will wait for both the 1/2 seasons to fall beyond the price point together well below the average full season price for other series. YOU WILL NOT GET THE EXTRA MONEY!
On its own merits SGU is an interesting premise and approach to the setting. I like it well enough and want to see more. But I will NOT support the price gouging tactics of the marketing execs. If that "percieved lack of income" ends up killing the show (which could and should otherwise survive on its own merits) the blame is on them, not the public that refuses to be ripped off.
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34 of 44 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Keep An Open Mind!, June 20, 2010
This review is from: Stargate Universe - SGU: Season 1.5 [Blu-ray] (Blu-ray)
This is a series that you are going to love or hate. I am not here to persuade you one way or another. This is obviously just my opinion and nothing more and nothing less.
On one end, purist of the SG franchise, at least from my experience, usually end up disliking the show because it is not a fun filled action sci-fi show. It does not have the humour or the fast pace, so the obvious change is what is making them trip over their own feet. They talk about they do not know how to write a show, but the show has been having the same writers since sg-1. So the question I ask is, you loved them before, why dislike them now?
On the other end, it does have drama. Sci-fi to me is not always about goofiness cliche's, wild aliens and big bangs of fire. It is about the actions between people with a hint of possibilites.
This is where Star Trek took its cue from. Roddenberry realized that there has to be some potential realism to make sci-fi believable and the cool gadgets and other what nots made us believe that these things are possible futures.
I love SG-1 and SG-A, both always have drawn me in and made me believe and I do love the camaraderie between the cast. This series takes it a step up and show that not every one will get along. There is a deeper torture between the cast and a sense of jealousy and hatred. It is almost a cast of sins and inner demons. Regrets and low self esteem.
I read comments that each episode is so different from the last. Well is each day that goes on with your life exactly the same as yesterday? No, I think not.
Others say its a BSG rip off. Somewhat, but even BSG wasn't an original idea and a rip off off the original. Yeah yeah yeah, a re-imagining of the show. Still not original I say. I actually found the BSG quite boring and trite. Though, I am in the minority of that opinion.
The thing here I love is the fact there is this ship with folks who are stuck and have to learn to live with one another even if they do not like them... that in itself is a challenge. I can not imagine me living with someone who, lack of a better word, hate.........and who I can not escape from because they are stuck with me.
All in all, you have to crawl before you walk and this show is going to take time for you to really enjoy. Unless you come in with a perceive notion on how SCI-FI is s'pose to be..let the show get its barrings. Hell, I hated the original Star Wars, but loved Empire Strikes Back, but I gave it a chance and now love the whole series (4,5,6)
last but not least
What I do love about the show is the continuity. Bringing back characters from the original series to make the show more believable as far as time line goes. You know it takes after SG-1 and SG-A and sprinkles the characters through out the series to let you know, hey, they are still connected with these people in some form or way. They are part of the SG crew....
I imagine the show will start to ramp up a bit on the action, but who knows right..
All in all, keep an open mind ... imagine yourself on that ship and figure out who you would be your friend if you are cut off from everyone or who would you go against because of your beliefs. Imagine yourself being stuck with a life or death situation and the possibilities are there... you just have to take in the show and see for what it is and not compare it to other similar shows because no matter what, we all borrow things from folks all the time.
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