Starting in a very CSI style format, out in the desert with some camera shots of a crime scene, this episode got on my nerves early on. A strange lady yelling “Detective Sheppard” made it worse. Within the first two minutes, I wanted to turn off the video, but because it is Stargate, I continued to watch.
Looks like the episode is filled with the actors we know and love, but they don’t know or understand why people are turning up dead from old age, despite the dental records saying that they are much younger.
Dr. Keller looks good but acts fairly cheesy as the chief coroner in this episode.
A Wraith is in, what appears to be, Las Vegas. Woolsey is an agent in the FBI. Is this another universe? Is this really worth the second to last episode? Because we know who the killer is, there is no mystery, no suspense. We sit, and wait for the characters to catch up and start to understand what is happening.
One of the cool things in this episode is that the Wraith has created a nearly human look by using makeup and whatnot. He looks like a pale goth rather than an alien. If you want to picture it easily, think of the twins from the Matrix movies that are pretty much all white, and that is sort of what he looks like.
Also, the episode is filled with some good music despite the horrible zoom camera usage.
Playing poker with some gangster types, the Wraith looks confident, and doesn’t say a word. It is a strange scene, used to show how the Wraith affords his less than decadent lifestyle.
Detective Sheppard chases the Wraith from the poker game, and they play some more funky music, and do some more strange camera shots.
Dr. Rodney McKay enters the show as a bit of a bad-ass. It is a really cool role for him. He has always had a “holier than though” attitude. I really enjoy him being pushy, rather than afraid and jittery.
In one moment, the episode changes dramatically as Rodney says, “I once met another version of you, he was very different.”
It is definitely another dimension episode. As they talk about alternate versions of ourselves.
The Wraith got to Earth during a battle, the Wraith had come to Earth, and were shot down using the chair in Antarctica. Not sure why the Wraith had come to Earth, or anything else. Rodney gets us caught up on everything going on in this Universe, including the fact that the Atlantis expedition exists in this Universe.
The episode gets infinitely more interesting after this switch happens. I won’t give any details about what happens next, but the music and weird camera shots stay, which frustrates me to no end. The plot gets better, but the execution leaves a lot to be desired.
As the second to last episode of Stargate: Atlantis, it wasn’t as good as I had hoped, but it does set up the final episode nicely. Before you watch the final episode of Stargate: Atlantis, you need to see Vegas.
In the end though, I give Vegas a 2 out of 5.
{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
Looking around the web, I have noticed a LOT of people quite strongly disliked this episode. I thought it was excellent, and more than worthy of it’s position as penultimate episode. The total change of style was a very good choice, even though it hard me confused at first :p. I thought I was watching the wrong show until I saw Joe Flanigans name appear.
One thing I particularly liked about this episode, was that by the end, I realized this episode had a HUGE insight into the character of Jon Sheppard, one that we may not have ever known had the episode not taken the perspective it did.
I realize that not all of the main characters didn’t have much of a part in this episode, but being that Sheppard is the focal point in Stargate Atlantis, it makes sense that leading up to the finale, that they took a moment to focus in on this character, maybe giving us an important look into his character before the finale? Oooo… the suspense!
When Rodney refers to meeting the alternate John, what episode did that happen in if any?
Fan: Season 3, Episode 8 entitled “McKay and Mrs. Miller”. We get to meet a more outgoing Rodney, who calls himself “Rod”. Dunno if that’s the same guy as in Vegas, but it is the only alternate McKay I can find.
Does anybody know the name of the song when Sheppard chases that wraith? You know after they played poker.
I liked this episode because it did give us insight into John Sheppard, albeit an alternate universe one, but’s it’s more than we’ve gotten throughout the series, which is odd. Anyway, the ‘goth’ Wraith was great, and his choice of music - somehow a wraith being attracted to Manson’s music makes perverse sense. The AU Rodney dresses up quite nicely and has social skills. Whoa!
To my knowledge, this episode was on the writing board before the idiots at MGm and Skiffy decided to axe the show, and “Vegas” does lead into “Enemy at the Gate”.
Had some cute lines - particularly about the Star Trek Experience
seems like people either love or hate this ep, but I have seen a great deal more praise for it than dislike. I thought it was a beautiful, beautiful episode, the music, the mood, the wraith and the brilliant hotness of Joe Flanigan made it the best ep of SGA I think I have ever seen. I loved Rodney and Radek too.
I don’t have anything at all bad to say about this one, if they had been this creative with the rest of the series, I would have been in heaven for 5 years.
Reila 12.29.08 at 7:22 pm
Does anybody know the name of the song when Sheppard chases that wraith? You know after they played poker.
Is that “Sympathy for The Devil” by the Rolling Stones? That was in there but don’t recall if it before or after the poker scene.