SGU Stargate Universe: Darkness Rewatch
May 3, 2016 7:31 AM - Season 1, Episode 4 - Subscribe
Destiny suffers a power crisis, putting the lives of the stranded crew in jeopardy when even the emergency reserves run dry. Colonel Young orders everyone to limit their power consumption and Dr. Rush pushes himself to his breaking point. Meanwhile Eli begins recording individual messages from the crew in case they don’t survive.
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Colonel Young [about Dr. Rush]: "That man is a lot of work."
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The Episode
* Transcript of this episode.
* Trailer.
* Full episode is on Hulu, but requires a subscription.
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Dr. Rush: "I don't think you seem to understand what's going on here, Colonel. Our "reserves" are gone! All of our power is gone!"
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Trivia (cribbed from here, here and here)
* This episode ("Darkness") and the next ("Light") were originally written as a single episode, titled "Fire." The episode ran 20 minutes long, so it was broken into a 2-parter later in the production process.
* "Darkness" marks the return of veteran Stargate director Peter DeLuise, who left the franchise at the conclusion of SG-1's tenth and final season (two years previous). DeLuise had been a regular director, writer, and consulting producer since that show's third season. He also has a cameo in the episode as the man whom Colonel Telford relieves at the communication stones.
* According to this episode, only a day has passed since the events of "Air, Part 3."
* This episode was originally titled "Fire", however, since the script ran for 20 minutes longer than any episode, it was extended to cover two episodes mostly by adding in several Kino scenes, and was renamed "Darkness", and "Light".[1][2]
* Crewmembers who left Kino messages: Lt. Vanessa James, Sgt. Spencer, Dr. Dale Volker, Airman Hunter Riley, Dr. Lisa Park, Dr. Adam Brody, Lt. Matthew Scott, Eli Wallace, Lt. Tamara Johansen and an uncooperative Dr. Nicholas Rush.
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Dr. Lisa Park: "The odds of coming out of F.T.L. on the outer edge of a star system are astronomical. Throw in the fact that there are three potentially habitable planets plus a gas giant to act as a comet catcher on the outside of the system - we're talking miraculous! So, there's a chance now that we're gonna live - though our definition of "habitable" just means the surface temperature range allows for the presence of liquid water and, since the primary is a red dwarf, the planets must have a relatively short orbital radius just to fall within that range, which means there's a likelihood at least one or two of them will be tidally locked, meaning one side will always be facing the star, which increases the prospect of geological instability due to tidal stresses, and I can't stand earthquakes. I was in one when I was thirteen and I cut both my feet on broken glass."
[She pauses for a moment, realizing how negative she has been sounding, and gestures brightly.]
"But it might be nice!"
--
Colonel Young [about Dr. Rush]: "That man is a lot of work."
--
The Episode
* Transcript of this episode.
* Trailer.
* Full episode is on Hulu, but requires a subscription.
Dr. Rush: "I don't think you seem to understand what's going on here, Colonel. Our "reserves" are gone! All of our power is gone!"
--
Trivia (cribbed from here, here and here)
* This episode ("Darkness") and the next ("Light") were originally written as a single episode, titled "Fire." The episode ran 20 minutes long, so it was broken into a 2-parter later in the production process.
* "Darkness" marks the return of veteran Stargate director Peter DeLuise, who left the franchise at the conclusion of SG-1's tenth and final season (two years previous). DeLuise had been a regular director, writer, and consulting producer since that show's third season. He also has a cameo in the episode as the man whom Colonel Telford relieves at the communication stones.
* According to this episode, only a day has passed since the events of "Air, Part 3."
* This episode was originally titled "Fire", however, since the script ran for 20 minutes longer than any episode, it was extended to cover two episodes mostly by adding in several Kino scenes, and was renamed "Darkness", and "Light".[1][2]
* Crewmembers who left Kino messages: Lt. Vanessa James, Sgt. Spencer, Dr. Dale Volker, Airman Hunter Riley, Dr. Lisa Park, Dr. Adam Brody, Lt. Matthew Scott, Eli Wallace, Lt. Tamara Johansen and an uncooperative Dr. Nicholas Rush.
Dr. Lisa Park: "The odds of coming out of F.T.L. on the outer edge of a star system are astronomical. Throw in the fact that there are three potentially habitable planets plus a gas giant to act as a comet catcher on the outside of the system - we're talking miraculous! So, there's a chance now that we're gonna live - though our definition of "habitable" just means the surface temperature range allows for the presence of liquid water and, since the primary is a red dwarf, the planets must have a relatively short orbital radius just to fall within that range, which means there's a likelihood at least one or two of them will be tidally locked, meaning one side will always be facing the star, which increases the prospect of geological instability due to tidal stresses, and I can't stand earthquakes. I was in one when I was thirteen and I cut both my feet on broken glass."
[She pauses for a moment, realizing how negative she has been sounding, and gestures brightly.]
"But it might be nice!"
--
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* This episode was originally titled "Fire", however, since the script ran for 20 minutes longer than any episode, it was extended to cover two episodes mostly by adding in several Kino scenes, and was renamed "Darkness", and "Light".[1][2]
That makes total sense in retrospect.
Stuff:
* Rush's breakdown felt a little abrupt.
* Telford's behavior here was especially offputting, so I'm glad they had a reason for it later.
In both cases... hm. I sort of liked this take on the Stargate universe. Almost everybody in the other shows was hypercompetent - both O'Neill and Sheppard are incredibly smart despite lacking many academic interests. Carter blew up a sun that one time. Teal'C was First Prime of Apophis. Daniel Jackson Ascended, *twice*. Jonas Quinn had a literally superhuman intellect. Rodney McKay was in Carter's league.
These guys are shmucks, and it's a good change of pace, adds some texture to stuff. They were in sort of a crap posting, and it makes sense that Stargate command would eventually run of the best of the best of the best and have to assign some guys who are just okay.
(They hit that note pretty hard on the show itself, "These are the wrong people," and all that, but I really do feel like it was a good thing.)
posted by mordax at 7:10 PM on May 4, 2016