Stargate: Atlantis

I love it!... It could have went another five years..... Now all we see is garbage on t.v, bring back the GATE!!!!

An international expedition lead by Dr. Elizabeth Weir is set of through the Stargate into the Pegasus galaxy. They discover a threat far beyond anything encountered before. A race that destroyed the Ancients, the most developed race known to man.

As a big SG-1 fan I had my doubts that this spin-off would succeed in being close to SG-1. To my great surprise I found Atlantis better in many ways.

First there is a great well written story. They use the new galaxy for all it's worth. The casting is great. A nice mix of civilians and military. I find the characters here better then SG-1. David Hewlett and David Nykl make a perfect couple as Dr. McKay and Dr. Zelenka. And season two newcomer Ronon Dex is also turning out to be good as the quiet more mysterious type.

Atlantis is a lot darker then SG-1. It's one of the more darker sci-fi of it's kind I've seen and it works. Specially since the mood is so well captured. The cinematographers does a great job at that. However, at the same time it's dark, the show manage to have humor. I like that. They don't overdo it. It's a nice mix. It gives the show a kind of looser feeling. A feeling of that they don't take them selves all too seriously. That it one of the things I really like about the Stargate series.

The directing is also very good. The fact that the same directors and creative crew members work or has worked on both series gives the series much of the same qualities and they manage to stay somewhat in the same style without the one being a copy of the other.

Stargate Atlantis features some of the best special effects you find on television. The plain CGI sequences is very well made and when they mix CGI and real footage you can hardly tell the difference. There are also some pretty nice fight scenes. These are very well coordinated and well executed. The Wraith makeup and makeup through out the show is also nice done. So are the costumes.

As spin-offs have a tendency to might not be as good as the original Atlantis is on many points better then the original. This is a show you should catch if you get the chance.

Atlantis had a great kick off, especially being introduced to us with some crossover of the Stargate Sg-1 crew comprising of the two original Stargate characters O'Neill and Jackson.

With exceptional fx, some great makeup on the bad guys and what is forming to be a good team on the front line Atlantis is making a good impression and after winding down it's premiere season, its actors have already signed up for a five year deal proving it's popularity. Bringing in some oft he best audiences for a premiere sci-fi show it has potential to be worthy to carry on the Stargate franchise.

The characters are likable, if we get to know them a little better. I feared a few may be culled in order for it to continue but it hasn't happened yet. Sarcastic spars can be a little too much but it's the kind of humour I'm drawn to so I shouldn't complain too much.

it will be nice to get to know the characters better and if five years has been called for it gives us plenty of time. I do wonder about the bad guys, unlike Stargate SG-1's Gould, who we also got to know and had some sort of personality to them, it seems all the Wraith are around for is to suck out lifeforces before going back to sleep. For me they provide a convincing scare fest of 'Wouldnt want to meet one down a dark ally' but as to their staying power I'm not convinced, if they sleep every one hundred and fifty years, and yes we accidentally woke them up, wouldn't they go back to sleep after a while, are they now destined to stay awake forever in pursuit of Earth which they conveniently found out in the first episode.

I'm still impressed y them, the look, the threat, but compared to the Gould and other bad guys of SG-1 like the replicators I do hope other enemies come into play lest they become too boring by the end of the second season.

All in all,Atlantis has potential, and is worthy to carry on the franchise as the first spin off, ( i hope for a few) as long as the characters stay likable, the bad guys stay believable and the plots don't lose themselves in SG-1esque outlines.

There are some people who are comparing Stargate: Atlantis to Startrek Voyager. As a Trekker and a huge fan of Voyager, SG: Stlantis is not similar to Voyager. I have seen all the Voyager episodes, and so far, none of the episodes have had same storyline.

Although they both start off in an unknown location where they cannot return to earth, the story that continues after is completely different.

There are some similarities, such as the Wraith vs. the Borg and the Atlantians vs. Caretaker, many other things do not match.

Atlantis has a unique storyline, that is very fun to watch and will continue to make you watch it again and again. Also, since this is made by Sci-fi, there are no commercials!

However, if you are a Trekkies, where you want variety, you might not like the show. In the show, everyone speaks English (lol I know) and most of them (excluding the wraith) looks like human. Also, the technologies are not as techie as in Startrek.

Give it a chance. I'm sure many people will like it. Also it will keep continue to make you watch more. Although not as scientific as Startrek, this is a must for every startrek fans!

Having only seen a few episodes of 'Stargate: Atlantis' and given it is a young show, I have to say that while it may not be on the same level as 'Stargate: SG1', it is enjoyable in itself. No first season of any series is wonderful (look at Star Trek: The Next Generation) but 'Stargate: Atlantis' has fared quite well.

The characters are likable although understandably we don't have much of a feel for them yet. There is a nice rapport between Sheppard, McKay, Weir and Beckett already but I think Teyla needs some work otherwise she'll just end up a token alien character. I'm still not sure how I feel about the Wraiths yet, I hope they don't crop up in each and every episode and other plot devices are explored instead. There is nothing so dull as when TV show focus on the main 'baddie' to the exclusion of everything else (Buffy and Angel were guilty of this as was 'The X-Files').

I think if given some time 'Stargate: Atlantis' can progress to be as great as its predecessor and it certainly has the making of being a thrilling sci-fi show. People need to stop compared it to SG1 though and give it a chance to develop. Too many potentially good shows are cancelled too soon because they are not given the opportunity to improve.