Stargate Universe - "Gauntlet"

Rush (Robert Carlyle), Eli (David Blue), and Col. Young (Louis Ferreira) prep the stasis pods.

Photo Credit: Syfy

Review by Paul Steven Brown

'Stargate Universe'
Season 2 - Episode 20

"Guantlet"

I've mentioned before that I was never a viewer of 'Stargate SG1' or 'Stargate Atlantis', but I decided to give 'Stargate Universe' a try because of Robert Carlyle and the very fact that it look totally different from the previous shows. It didn't hurt that it was promoted as being new viewer friendly. For the most part, it was different (less 'Star Trek' and more 'Battlestar Galactica') and I was able to jump into it with ease and with very little knowledge of the Stargate franchise.

Stargate Universe - "Blockade"

Eli (David Blue) runs through some calculations.

Review by Paul Steven Brown

'Stargate Universe'
Season 2 - Episode 19
"Blockade"

As 'Stargate Universe' nears the end of its run, it's pretty clear that the creators were not given much wiggle room to wrap things up in a more final fashion. "Blockade" is the penultimate episode of the series, but it certainly plays as it was originally intended, an episode before a "season" finale. Alas, Syfy deemed the show not worthy of a second season and it looks like the show could likely end without a satisfying resolution.

Stargate Universe - "Epilogue"

Alternate versions Greer (Jamil Walker Smith) and Park (Jennifer Spence) grow old together 2000 years in the past.

Photo Credit: Syfy

Review by Paul Steven Brown

'Stargate Universe'
Season 2 - Episode 18
"Epilogue"

What really makes "Epilogue" work, unlike Lt. Scott's small town fantasy in "Cloverdale", is that the events are a "What if?" that actually happened within the context of the 'Stargate Universe'. Also, the historical data highlights the potential of a few people, the hint of possible romance, and the spectre of disease for at least one crew member. Once again, no communication stones or call backs to the previous two Stargate series. Not bad gang.

Stargate Universe - "Common Descent"

Lt. Scott (Brian J. Smith) checks out a new world on the other side of the gate.

Photo Credit: Syfy

Review Paul Steven Brown

'Stargate Universe'
Season 2 - Episode 17
"Common Descent"

Finally, after several lukewarm episodes, 'Stargate Universe' delivers one that not only builds on material generated from within this series, but with some compelling ramifications. No communication stones. No mix bag of unrelated subplots. No ideas that would make more sense if I had watched the other two Stargate programs. This was more like it.

Stargate Universe - "The Hunt"

Varro (Michael Dopud) nd Greer (Jamil Walker Smith) realized that they're the ones being hunted.

Photo Credit: Syfy

Review by Paul Steven Brown

'Stargate Universe'
Season 2 - Episode 16
"The Hunt"

"The Hunt" is a little all over the place. Despite the visceral nature of the main story, this episode felt like a pause between major plot developments to the show's overall narrative. For the most part, we're given some opportunities to look at a few characters in a different light and to see how their experiences on Destiny have changed them.

Stargate Universe - "Seizure"

Robert Picardo and Lou Diamond Phillips on 'Stargate Universe'.

Photo Credit: Syfy

Review by Paul Steven Brown

'Stargate Universe'
Season 2 - Episode 15
"Seizure"

I've only seen about half of the first season of 'Stargate SG-1' and have never seen an episode of 'Stargate Atlantis', the installments of 'Stargate Universe' that either tie back to plot lines or characters from the two previous programs tend to be of less interest to me. Ever since the Lucian Alliance invaded the narrative of 'SGU', I've been fearing the injection of more Stargate lore to this show. I know it's silly, since this is part of a franchise. Still, 'SGU' started off and was promoted as being new viewer friendly and for the most part it has been so. Unfortunately, "Seizure" had too much of the old to win me over.

Stargate Universe - "Hope"

Chloe (Elyse Levesque) undergoes a bit of a personality problem (again), while Eli (David Blue) and Matthew (Brian J. Smith) helplessly watch.

Photo Credit: Syfy

Review by Paul Steven Brown

'Stargate Universe'
Season 2 - Episode 14
"Hope"

I've found most of the 'Stargate Universe' episodes that have aired after the mid-season hiatus a bit underwhelming. This is opposite of how I viewed first season, when I thought series really started to click during that season's back half. That being said, "Hope" is probably my favorite episode since the second season winter break.

Stargate Universe - "Alliances"

Col. Young (Louis Ferreira) aboard the Destiny.

Photo Credit: Syfy

Review by Paul Steven Brown

'Stargate Universe'
Season 2 - Episode 13
"Alliances"

Wray and Greer have bumped heads on more than one occasion since the start of 'Stargate Universe'. While their differences have never escalated into a physical altercation, as with Young and Rush (twice), There has always been a notion that their situation would eventually come to a head. While Young and Rush have had problems seeing eye to eye as far as the how the mission was to be handled, Wray and Greer's conflict has always been about personality differences.

Stargate Universe - "Twin Destinies"

Eli (David Blue) is hit with a strange form of guilt that temporal mechanics could only provide.

Review by Paul Steven Brown

'Stargate Universe'
Season 2 - Episode 12
"Twin Destinies"

In "Visionary", one of my favorite 'Star Trek: Deep Space Nine' episodes from that show's third season, everyman Miles O'Brien gets bounced in and out of the short term future, gathering clues to prevent the destruction of the space station. The cool twist in that story is that Miles from a few hours in the future ends up replacing the one that we've been tracking entire hour (if not the series up the this point). "Twin Destinies" has a similar prophet of doom from the future sort of plot.

Stargate Universe - "Deliverance"

Camile (Ming-Na) pays Chloe a visit.

Photo Credit: Syfy

Review by Paul Steven Brown

'Stargate Universe'
Season 2 - Episode 11
"Deliverance"

After a three month hiatus, 'Stargate Universe' is back. Unfortunately, during the break Syfy announced that they were cancelling program, which has been part of a long running science fiction franchise that had benefited the network for the better part of a the last decade. Luckily, 'SGU' isn't getting its remaining episodes burned off in a single day like 'Caprica'. I guess Syfy feels they can still make a little money off the show.

Stargate Universe - "Resurgence"

Lt. Matthew Scott (Brian J. Smith) hunts for an escaped Chloe.

Photo Credit: Syfy

Review by Paul Steven Brown

'Stargate Universe'
Season 2 - Episode 10
"Resurgence"

Several of this season's plot threads come to a head in this mid-season finale. 1. Chloe's alien influenced metamorphosis. 2. Destiny's increased encounters with new alien races and ships. 3. Col. Telford's abandonment aboard the seed ship. 4. Destiny preparing Col. Young for a battle just like the ones that occurred in this episode. 5. Eli dealing (or not) with Ginn's death. 6. The crew's increased control over Destiny's systems. 7. Varro's continued feeling of uselessness and attempts to bond with T.J. It sounds like a lot, but most of these points tie neatly into one another.

Stargate Universe - "Visitation"

Col. Young (Louis Ferreira) questions Dr. Caine (Tygh Runyan) about his mysterious return.

Photo Credit: Syfy

Review by Paul Steven Brown

'Stargate Universe'
Season 2 - Episode 9
"Visitation"

I was not expecting "Visitation" to be my favorite episode of the the second season of 'Stargate Universe'. Caine and his preaching really got on my nerves last season when he and a few others decided to leave Destiny and stay on a lush planet in the appropriately named "Faith". However, my curiosity was piqued during TJ's dream journey back to Eden in the season premiere. It certainly opened the door that Caine and the others may be making a reappearance in some form or other.

Stargate Universe - "Malice"

Dr. Rush (Robert Carlyle) attends to a restrained Dr. Park (Jennifer Spence).

Photo Credit: Syfy

Review by Paul Steven Brown

'Stargate Universe'
Season 2 - Episode 8
"Malice"

Anger is a powerful emotion. If produced due to tragic events, it can cause someone to almost become a different person. With the death of Ginn and Amanda at the hands of Lucian Alliance creep, Simeon, We get to see some very unpleasant sides to Eli and Dr. Rush.

Stargate Universe - "The Greater Good"

Col. Young (Louis Ferriera) and Dr. Rush (Robert Carlyle) explore the second ship to cross Destiny's path this season.
Photo Credit: Syfy

Review by Paul Steven Brown

'Stargate Universe'
Season 2 - Episode 7
"The Greater Good"

Rant #1: Before I begin the actual review, I've got to comment on Syfy's awful spoiler problem. The spoiled a couple of things on 'Caprica' with the commercials and this problem seems to have infected 'Stargate Universe'. The ending of "The Greater Good" was an intense cliffhanger. Instead of waiting in anticipation for next Tuesday, the people that edited together the preview for the next episode completely gave away the resolution. Way to be sloppy, there Syfy.

Stargate Universe - "Trial and Error"

Sparks ignite between Eli (David Blue) and Ginn (Julie McNiven) as Greer (Jamil Walker Smith) watches on.

Photo Credit: Syfy

Review by Paul Steven Brown

'Stargate Universe'
Season 2 - Episode 6
"Trial and Error"

I apologize if I begin another 'Stargate Universe' review with a comparison to a Star Trek episode. However, unlike last week's "Cloverdale", the latest 'SGU' hour was really good and the comparison is a positive one. Even the title "Trial and Error" reminds me of the classic 'Star Trek: The Next Generation' repetitive reset episode "Cause and Effect". And like the Enterprise, the Destiny was the victim of multiple destructions.

Stargate Universe - "Cloverdale"

Dr. Rush (Robert Carlyle) officiates over Chloe (Elyse Levesque) and Matthew's (Brian J. Smith) "wedding".

Photo Credit: Syfy

Review by Paul Steven Brown

'Stargate Universe'
Season 2 - Episode 5
"Cloverdale"

This sort of episode has become a sci-fi staple: a member of the cast is injured and while unconscious, he or she has visions of another life where those familiar to them have been recast in various roles. One of my favorite takes on this ideas was a sixth season episode of 'Star Trek: Deep Space Nine' called "Far Beyond the Stars". Captain Sisko had visions that he was a science fiction writer in the 1950s where he worked along side other writers that had the same faces as his crew mates. Other than the fun factor of seeing this ensemble play other personalities and some without their usual alien prothstetics, the episode added depth to Sisko's struggles as the Emissary to the Prophets, and commented on racial attitudes of the mid-twentieth century.

Stargate Universe - "Pathogen"

Dr. Rush (Robert Carlyle) tests to see the extent of alien influence on Chloe (Elyse Levesque)

Photo Credit: Syfy

Review by Paul Steven Brown

'Stargate Universe'
Season 2 - Episode 4
"Pathogen"

Ug... another musical montage at the end of an episode of 'Stargate Universe'. As soon as the music started and the camera began cutting between various characters on the ship, I was cringing in anticipation of some vocals with lyrics that were too on the nose, again. Thankfully, it was only instrumental. Still, this is getting really, really, really old.

Stargate Universe - "Awakening"

Sgt. Greer (Jamil Walker Smith) inspects the seed ship.

Photo Credit: Syfy

Review by Paul Steven Brown

'Stargate Universe'
Season 2 - Episode 3
"Awakening"

Enough with the musical montages already. The one at the end of the season premiere was understandable, because it gave us a glimpse of the new condition of the cast after the Lucian Alliance takeover had been undone. Also, I didn't care if the music was contemporary pop rather than scored, unlike a number of naysayers online. However, we're three episodes into the season and two have ended with a pop ballad montage. Even the second episode had a mini-montage with scored music as Col. Young cried into his moonshine near the end of the program. It's crossed into cliche and it didn't help matters that last night's montage song had lyrics that were too on the nose.

Stargate Universe - "Aftermath"

Dr. Franklin (Mark Burgess) reappears to offer Dr. Rush some advice.

Photo Credit: Syfy

Review by Paul Steven Brown

'Stargate Universe'
Season 2 - Episode 2
"Aftermath"

When is Dr. Rush finally going to learn that keeping secrets is going to continue to make things worse for him and for those aboard Destiny. Even when one of his poor decisions results in the death of recurring character, he finds a way to rationalize his choice. He's holding on to as much information about the operation of Destiny as long as possible. This way he has some form of power over Col. Young. Rush even was able to unlock and power up the ship's bridge. But at what cost? Luckily, Destiny isn't going to make it easy for him.

Stargate Universe - "Intervention"

Lt. Johansen (Alaina Huffman) wakes up to find herself not aboard Destiny.

Photo Credit: Syfy

Review by Paul Steven Brown

'Stargate Universe'
Season 2 - Episode 1
"Intervention"

One of the dangers of having a cliffhanger between seasons is the chance that any production changes will be noticed. Despite the fact that only a few minutes have transpired between the final episode of season one and the first episode of season two of 'Stargate Universe', there have been months between the production of the pair. Luckily, none of the main cast look noticeably different. However, there are a few new faces hanging around the Lucian Alliance that weren't there before, plus one obvious absence.