Customer Reviews

Stargate Universe - SGU: Season 1.5 [Blu-ray]

5 star:		(24)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(17)

 

 

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.

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.

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.

The first half of season one was very dark and I thought that it was unrelentingly grim..but I hung in there and all of a sudden this show took off and by the first season cliffhanger I was a true fan. The writers have gone in to a totally different direction. The show seems much more character-driven and it's fascinating to watch the development. What you have to remember about this particular Stargate is that this time around you have a very large civilian population involved (in addition to the military) and they are not trained or prepared for what they have to face in this particular series. It makes for some very interesting conflicts between the military and civilian population as both learn that give and take is absolutely imperative if they want to survive.
I do have to concur with everyone else about splitting the season as two different units, though. That is for the birds.

Patience seems to be something so few people possess these days! I think its an American problem. It's all about instant gratification. Everything has to be done in an hour right? I think not!

After watching the previous Stargate series, I have learned to appreciate the fast paced "bottle" episodic style of Stargate. But after the producers went from 10 season with Stargate: SG-1, to a seemingly quick 5 seasons of Stargate: Atlantis(SGA), I think they clearly saw that they needed to make a bold new change or the next project won't get past a single season or even a pilot episode.

It would appear that there are people who will never like Stargate: Universe! I think that's a crying shame and you're missing out bigtime! I like the fact that they take 2 or 3 episodes to resolve an issue. I adore the shooting style of the show. I love the level of detail of the sets and the characters' back stories. As was revealed in a commentary, one of the producers got a chance to visit the set of Battlestar Galactica where he found that the level of detail there was stepped up another level for shooting in HD. There is alot to love about this show and they dont give everything away in the first episode so you will need to be patient and enjoy the journey!

By the way - I own every season and movie in the Stargate franchise. I love it all and I cant wait to sink my teeth into more Stargate: Universe...

I am a long time fan of Stargate and own all the DVD sets which were all released as full season sets.Hollywood likes to rear its greedy head as to how the Internet is full of piracy,blah blah blah but I see them as the real pirates.They have ripped us fans off in many ways.This is just one of them that is forcing fans to buy 1/2 seasons which costs more for us consumers and may even take up more of our shelf space.I for one am sick of greedy corporations and there are many of them in our world.That is why I only gave this one star.And as much as it hurts I am buying both of these sets used not new.
hollywood stop splitting shows into 2 or I for one will never buy them new.

Now onto the show:
This new SGU is definately not like SG1 or SGA and I do enjoy the show but not as much as the older shows.To much drama not enough good action and humor.Maybe season 2 will bring a change.
I am sticking with the show and not jumping ship.I do enjoy the Stargate idea and love the going thru the gate to new and exciting places.Hope we gate more in season 2.

I have been a fan of the Stargate saga since the movie "Stargate" was released in theaters. Although, for me at least, it was difficult to get into the new storyline with each Stargate storyline, it was still a familiar theme. SG:U is altogether different, at least for now.

SG:1 and SG:Atlantis dealt with the stargate as the center of the storyline universe; Stargate:Universe does not. SG:U focuses more on the characters, trapped within an Ancient-designed ship and hurtling into the farthest celestial territory imaginable. This is where SG:U shines. Unlike previous storylines, they can't just step back into the stargate and return home. In fact, it is quite a challenge for the characters to just survive on this aging vessel that tries to kill its passengers with each lightyear traveled.

I don't really care why the studios want to release SG:U in half season increments. I'm just glad they do it, since I can get more episodes on my shelf to review at my leisure in a shorter amount of time.

I loved SG:U 1.0 and am eagerly awaiting the arrival of 1.5. July can't come soon enough!

Bought this after I bought the "complete First Season". It's allready included! Plus they give you a folder to hold both together! Good grief! You don't need this one. what a waste of money.

Stargate Universe is a very good science-fiction show, filmed in a way similar to Battlestar Galactica. It's different from the first two Stargate series in terms of style and pacing, but I feel it does more to get you involved with the characters and their back story. The second half is just as good as the first, though with the introduction of an alien threat, season 1.5 could be considered more exciting than season 1.0. Any way, I wish they didn't split the first season in half, thus making it more expensive to buy the two seperate sets on either blueray or DVD. Regardless, Stargate Universe is a compelling show whether your familiar to the other Stargate shows or not. To do Stargate Universe's great special effects justice, its worth spending the extra money on getting the blueray set of season 1.5.

At times the SG-U episodes are a little confusing, but it is the first season and the characters still seem to be in the development stage. The idea of a group of people being essentially trapped on a ship of apparently unknown origin and unknown destination is a bit of a stretch, but it is a hope that little-by-little viewers will be given enough to keep them hooked. Not sure if selling the series by half seasons is the best idea, but it may help those who don't like to wait a full year for a season release. The concept is a bit different from most other Sci-Fi series. Don't give up the ship, and I hope the budget holds up.