Stargate Atlantis 2004

Average season rating: 7.6

I can't help but think that Atlantis would have been better off if its continuation film(s) hadn't been canceled. That was a major advantage in SG-1's favor, beyond having double the episode count.

In some ways, though, it might have been the better decision not to continue. Atlantis never quite managed to capture the same feeling of adventure that SG-1 had in its heyday. It's telling that my favorite characters (except for Ronon) weren't even part of "the team" that went out on missions every week. There was actually a ton of potential for character dynamics that went undeveloped because we almost never got the kind of "home front" episodes that really showed who SG-1's members were outside of their jobs.

Atlantis also never developed the individual characters to the same degree as SG-1 had in the same amount of time—which, admittedly, is a reasonable prerequisite for developing dynamics between characters. Flat characters can't riff off each other nearly as well—and Atlantis is chock full of flat character archetypes:

• Tough-guy soldier — two of them, really
• Arrogant genius
• Magical/mystical foreigner
• Doctor cinnamon roll

They don't seem like real people, except for (maybe) Rodney. It's really hard to relate to them most of the time, which was not an issue I had with SG-1. (Anyone I've not listed above is because they were even more forgettable than these.)

In short, I can understand why the show's ratings declined enough that it got canceled. Still worth the ride, but probably not a rewatch.

Spin-off series with a lot of potential. but the series is filled with disappointing episodes that feel like rehashes of other shows and series and some of the fillers (especially in it's first year) stink. Too many episodes also rely on either a crew member getting kidnapped, getting a strange virus or being trapped with a big problem to solve (or all Three situations combined). The main villains were memorable as they could suck the life energy out of humanoids but their looks was terrible as they looked like old tired Goth rockers who had been travelling a little too long on the tour bus. It also didn't help that they became more and more humanized after the series went on. My biggest problem with the series though was David Hewlett who were terribly annoying throughout and Joe Flanagan who felt like a poor-man's Richard Dean Anderson or Kurt Russell. The season-enders and beginnings were usually the most interesting episodes to see as they were filled with action and great effects. The series were also not afraid of killing off favorite (and not so favorite) characters permanently. The series usually got some great new additions to the cast too for each season, with Jason Momoa, (the lovely) Jewel Staite and the addition of "Stargate SG-1" regulars was lovely. Sadly, the final episode was anti-climatic and the fate of the show has never truly been resolved. Enjoy it for what it is.