TV Review: Stargate Atlantis 5.16 – Brain Storm

Posted by Kevin Carr (kevin@filmschoolrejects.com) on November 22, 2008

Stargate Atlantis

Stargate: Atlantis, SciFi, Airs Friday 9/8c

Episode: “Brain Storm” (Season Five, Episode 16)

Synopsis: On a two-week leave, Rodney (David Hewlett) invites Dr. Keller (Jewel Staite) back to Earth to attend a scientific presentation by one of his rivals, Malcolm Tunney (Dave Foley). The presentation involves a demonstration of Tunney’s plan to combat global warming by building a space-time bridge to siphon off excess heat into an alternate reality. Rodney begs Tunney to not start the demonstration because he knows that space-time bridges can be unstable (as evidenced by his accidental destruction of an entire solar system a few years back). Tunney continues with the demonstration but is unable to turn off the bridge. It’s up to Rodney and the other genius scientists at the presentation to shut things down before the bridge threatens to destroy the Earth.

Review: This episode doesn’t contribute that much to the overall ending of the series, unless the Atlantis team ends up using a space-time bridge to eventually defeat the Wraith. Rather, this show is more about the characters of Rodney and Keller. As I mentioned previously, when I interviewed Jewel Staite at Comic-Con in July, she assured me that Keller was going to make a choice in men, between Rodney and Ronon, and here’s her choice.

This is a spotlight episode on both characters, but mainly it’s about Rodney. He has to deal with the fact that he can’t brag about all of his scientific findings while in the Pegasus Galaxy, and it also shows what a pariah he was in the scientific community back home.

We’ve seen Dave Foley show up in some curious spots lately. There was that whole Postal debacle this summer with Uwe Boll, and only a week or two ago, he showed up as an irritating homosexual suitor for Ron Rifkin’s character in Brothers and Sisters. It’s nice to see him show up in the spotlight again (or, at least the rim of the spotlight). I’ve always liked Dave Foley.

What’s neat about this episode is that while Rodney comes across as an annoyance to the Earth-based scientific community due to his consistent complaints that other scientists have stolen his work, he’s vindicated when Tunney silently admits that he may have stolen Rodney’s work on the space-time bridge. That’s what I’ve always liked about Rodney… he’s arrogant and pushy, but he’s usually not wrong.

Finally, while this episode doesn’t contribute to the overall storyline of the Stargate universe, it was a nice cameo spotlight, with an appearance by Gary Jones as Airman Harriman and Bill Nye the Science Guy as one of Rodney’s scientific rivals back home.

Up Next: It’s a break for the Thanksgiving holiday, but Stargate: Atlantis returns after that to start its last three episodes, beginning with a visit from Todd the Wraith who is looking for help battling an illness.

For more coverage of your favorite shows, check out the Control Freaks Archive.

Did you watch Stargate: Atlantis this week? If so, feel free to discuss below.

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Knowles2

Think that the only reason I been getting slat is because Jewel Straite their certain that do not like her because she replace carlson, I think if it was say Carlson in the ep it was got all round great views.

As to what I think of the episode thought it was great. Part three essental flaws, one it was not rodney work it was his sister that came up with the maths behind the bridge, but that may of just been the prove he nick other peoples works to and he just the same has everyone else in the room but they should hinted at it in the ep. Two the essential theme of why Jenny had to travel to Atlantis the first time was used ZPM to prove whether her work hold up under practical implementation, how did they get the power to create in this episode. Three why did not Mckay mention that they could be travering the heat from this to a other living earth in a other universe. This was something that he could easily of pointed out in the conference room.

wraithfodder

The reviews from fans are pretty mixed. Some thought it was great; some gave it 'worst episode ever.' I thought it could have been a LOT better. Alas, they tossed logic out the airlock. The writers have never had a grasp of anything medical, but this episode with 'hypothermic shock' just topped their lack of knowledge and made Keller look, well, downright stupid at points (plus instead of caring for the flash-frozen guy, she seemingly forgets about him and trails Rodney around).

Twistz0r

as a comment to knowles2's post...let's start with the end...the last time he tried to direct energy to another dimension..the galaxy was almost destroyed by the people in the other dimension who were fighting back. No comments on your second flaw but at the first one .. Jenny came up with the maths but rodney helped a lot after she got to atlantis. Also he was the one who solved the problem back then, with jenny's help of course. But he had the ideas that ultimately saved the day. about this episode..I 2 believe it's odd that Keller didn't show any concern about the first victim of the ice thing and didn't try to give him any medical care. All in all this episode was supposed to point out the relationship between keller and mckay and what better was to do so, if not putting them in a life and death situation

Deker

Waste of an hour and episode. Just a plot to have the writers fantasies of geek gets girl on screen. Keller nags at McKay to change the whole time and stops him from keeping the machine from being turned on. McKeller is forced and fake, no chemistry. The smartest guys in the world all bickering and school marm Keller miraculously stops them and makes them cooperate. Keller leaves the seriously injured man to follow Rodney around. Not to mention the middle aged guy and the middle 20s ingenue - who wants to jump him in the plane, on the first date, and join the mile high club. That was disgusting. Gero keep your fantasies to yourself. BS made me want to retch and use brain bleach. I will never, ever watch this again. Please cut the romance and focus on the team. We still don't know much of anything about Sheppard, but now we know too much about Keller and McKay. Please focus on writing for the team. There are other characters outside of Keller and McKay.

Morjana

Hi, Kevin.

Thank you for your review. I enjoyed this episode, but can't figure out why Keller would still be wet on the return flight. The debrief for the situation should have at least taken a day, time enough for her dry out and/or obtain a change of clothing. But other than that, I enjoyed the freeze lightning.

Oh, there are four new episodes of Stargate Atlantis left:

"Infection" airs Dec 5

"Identity" airs Dec. 12.

"Vegas" airs Jan 2 '09

"Enemy at the Gate" airs Jan 9 '09. Series finale! (SOB!)

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone at Film School Rejects!

Ben

The geek gets the girl is a staple of sci-fi and has been for ever. beats a clip show anyhow.

Zeva Z

This was a very bad episode. I have no words to describe how much I hated it. It had nothing to do with Stargate or Atlantis, it existed for the sole purpose of allowing the writers to Get Some vicariously through the character of Rodney McKay. The science was bad, the CGI was horrible, the McKay and Keller "romance" was disturbingly incestuous as she seems so much younger than he is. I wish I had bleach to wash the sight of them kissing out of my mind. Having a Plot B with Ronon, Teyla and Sheppard camping and surfing would have at least given those of us who don't like this horrible ship something to watch. As it is, I deleted this ep the second I was finished. What a pathetic, sad way for this once-cool series to go out.

Dean

Am I the only one who thinks the McKay/Keller romance is forced? Both actors look uncomfortable acting "in love" - I don't know, it's weird.

TV Review: Stargate Atlantis 5.16 – Brain Storm

Stargate: Atlantis, SciFi, Airs Friday 9/8c

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