The Tracker, intial reaction

[greyias]

Okay, I actually went into this episode expecting to come away disliking it. Simply put, spoilers are evil and can taint my views on something that I have no idea if it's going to happen.

The main thing that I was expecting, and thank god it did not happen (or at the very least was low key), was love triangles. It is possibly one of my biggest pet peeves in television, and fiction in general. Especially love triangles between friends. Perhaps it's my own past experiences tainting things, but usually it happens between three very good people, the two "made-for-each-other" end up together, and a third party gets really hurt, and the two people I'm supposed to like and be happy for I usually want to slap the living daylights out of. It's ruined several shows for me, and I was really scared it was going to harsh majorly on my SGA squee.

Thankfully, it hasn't happened (at least yet).

Happily, for me, this episode wasn't about Ronon and Rodney fighting for Keller's affections as they fight Wraith and Runners, but hey, about Keller being kidnapped, being a medical doctor with ethics and savvy, and kicking a little ass. It also had a B-plot with Rodney and Ronon running around the woods looking hot, and, of course, Rodney being the biggest damsel-in-distress in the episode (which is so how it should be. Yay show! \o/ )  Love Rodney's girly "Hello Wraith! Easy prey found here!" scream, still looking away and firing wildly with his pistol, and for the most part not being an action hero, even when he is. I really did enjoy his and Ronon's B-plot (and the fact that it was the B-plot?), because we just don't see much of a shake-up outside of the John + Teammate pair up, and it was nice to see an offworld adventure that defied the norm. It wasn't the Ronon/Teyla buddy adventure I was hoping against hope for on the Improbable Wish List, but it was still great fun. (With swinging logs! And Runner-built bear traps! ♥!).

And I really liked Keller in this. Even if she was "kidnapped in the woods", she didn't play the damsel-in-distress (once again, oh, Rodney) she rescued herself, and had that same attitude and presence onscreen that made me really enjoy her part in "Trio". Of course, now I have really confused myself, because my reaction to her parts in season five has been all over the place. Serisouly, I have no clue, maybe some serious viewer issues going on or something. I enjoyed her in "Search and Rescue", was kind of blah about the poor girl in "The Seed", have extremely mixed reactions on her for "The Shrine", kind of wanted her to be quiet last week, and this week I'm wanting her autograph. So seriously, what is wrong with me? I'd like to blame it on the writing, but I honestly don't think that's it.

(There's more I've written that's now going to go into a follow-up meta post, because it has nothing to do with this episode.) (ETA: On second thought, it became a bit ranty, so it's going on the private filter now :)

So, in summary: Kick-ass Keller (plz stay, i♥u), Rodney screams like a little girl (♥), and his aim with a gun drastically improves when he's trying to save someone else (♥), Ronon=Survival Instructor (♥), Hot Runner Ver. 2.0 is hot and fun (♥), little girl wants Rodney ejected from the infirmary (♥).

Comments

[gnine.livejournal.com]

I'd like to blame it on the writing, but I honestly don't think that's it.


Actually, I'd say you have every right to, cause the writers don't really seem to be in agreement themselves about her character. Every writer has a totally different take on her, which leads to VERY mixed messages.

xparrot and I have probably spent waaaaaay too much time dissecting her character from every angle (have a LONG essay I'm debating actually putting up on the subject :-p) and the more you look at it, the more the writers seem to be in as much confusion, so...:-p

But Ronon/Rodney running around was truly love, ne? Not to mention HOT! Mmmmm...

[aelfgyfu_mead]

I blame the writers for inconsistencies in Keller's character.

Best moment for me: when Keller offers to put the defib paddles on Kiryk, Brilliant Husband said, "Because I've been experimenting with putting them in different places!" (harking back, of course, to defibrillating Sheppard's kidneys in "Doppelganger"), and I laughed so hard I might have missed a little dialogue.

My one complaint is that I think Ronon and Rodney are better friends than they showed last night, and I could do with seeing a little of that. My favorite line that did not come from BH was Rodney's "And you'll say, 'Good work,' or grunt, or slap me on the back unnecessarily hard."

I'm very happy with Keller being a competent and ethical doctor and saving her patients and doing better hand-to-hand than Rodney ever does!

[trystings.livejournal.com]

I liked the episode! Went into it all open-minded and zen, and Keller seriously rocked.

I hate the 'two guys fighting over a girl' angle, I do, but competent Keller, and a hot new Runner and tough tracker Ronon and adorable Rodney with his non-existing combat skills and a new alien gadget and BEAUTIFUL Vancouver nature, it all made for a very enjoyable episode.

I can't pinpoint my reaction to Keller either. I like her, but I can't stop myself from thinking that she is too young to be Head of Medicine on an alien outpost. It keeps me from fully enjoying her character.

And about the love triangle. I don't understand why Rodney becomes so clueless and awkward when he likes a woman. Give me the overly-confident, acerbic Rodney who went after Carter in SG-1, over this stumbling, awkward guy any day. Ronon, however - oh, I love her with Ronon! I think they are adorable together - it shows Ronon's softer side and I love how he handles their friendship, very cool and low key.

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

I had a similar reaction, was expecting to dislike it and was surprised I didn't. I do kinda wish Rodney & Ronon had been the A-plot, because yay for woodsy hijinx and saving themselves/each other - but then the triangle might've been emphasized in that case, so more content with it like this.

Damsel-in-distress!Rodney is so pretty! *cough* (and the bear-trap! Weren't we just talking about that? XP)

Keller...ehhhhh. I'm annoyed because I did like her when she was first introduced, and now I've swung over to not liking her, and I'm having trouble swinging back even though she did a lot of good stuff in this ep that I should like her for. I was really pleased to hear she has been studying hand-to-hand (and also pleased that they pitted her against a Wraith that had already been shot in the heart a couple times, because it made it believable to me that she could defend herself while Rodney reloaded. Which he really needs to practice more, poor thing. Though I liked how he fired without hesitating, confident enough of his aim even with Keller right there - mmm, Rodney with pistol, saving people!)

(I, uh, am very curious about your ranty post. Could I be on that filter? Or else could you send a private copy? I promise I won't argue too much? ^^;)