Several million years ago, the continent of Antarctica became covered in ice. Their lies Atlantis, the great city of the Ancients. One Ancient bids a solemn farewell to another, who will stay behind. The city lifts off the surface and flies away like a great ship, leaving behind only a small outpost and the woman, who scientists will discover frozen in the ice millions of years later, and name "Ayiana" (Stargate SG-1 season 6's Frozen). In the present day, an international expedition has been set up on the same site to study the outpost of the Ancients and the technology in it. It is headed by Dr. Elizabeth Weir (Stargate SG-1 season 8's New Order (Part 2)), recently transferred from SGC. Also present are Canadian astrophysicist Rodney McKay (Stargate SG-1 season 6's Redemption (Part 2)), Scottish medical doctor Carson Beckett, and many others. Jackson is also there, and eagerly reports his findings to Weir and McKay: he's found a stargate address to the lost city of Atlantis, which is now in the distant Pegasus Galaxy. Gen. O'Neill heads toward the Antarctic base in a helicopter piloted by Major John Sheppard, who knows nothing about the Ancients or even the stargate. When Beckett accidentally activates an Ancient drone weapon—as he possess the rare gene that allows those with it to use the base's chair control mechanism—Sheppard must take evasive action to keep from being shot down. Shortly after arriving at the base, Jackson explains his findings to O'Neill, who does not approve an exploratory mission to Atlantis when he learns that it will take their only ZPM (Zero Point Module) power source to dial a stargate address beyond our galaxy. Weir and Jackson manage to convince him, however, based on the great wealth of Ancient technology (including more ZPMs) that they are likely to find should they discover Atlantis intact. Weir's team of dozens of international scientists and military personnel arrives at SGC and makes final preparations for departure. They successfully dial Atlantis and bravely head through the gate, knowing full well that they may never be able to return home. Even the reluctant Sheppard has agreed to go as Weir wants him, despite his checkered service record of disobeying orders to save lives, because he not only possesses the Ancient gene, he is a natural at controlling their technology. The team is lead by military commander Colonel Marshall Sumner, who is the first to step through to Atlantis. The facility is cleared and secured, and remarkably the systems begin to activate and light up as the humans begin exploring the massive city. It's not long before the team discovers that the city is underwater. They also learn that after seeding the human form of life on a thousand worlds, the Ancients awoke the Wraith, a terrible enemy who began feeding on the human-populated worlds. The team soon realized that Atlantis is nearing destruction, as the three ZPMs powering the city are nearly depleted, and the more things they activate in the city, the more quickly the shield that is holding back the ocean will fail! As they can't dial back to the Earth, Weir quickly organizes a team led by Sumner to head through the stargate to try to find either a new ZPM, or a safe place for the expedition to retreat to!

Rising (Part 1) isn't really meant to be viewed on its own, as it is mostly introducing the lead characters, and setting up not only the situation, but the circumstances behind why Atlantis is in the state the expedition finds it in. The episode strikes the right balance between exploration—both in Antarctica and in the Pegasus Galaxy—and character development. In addition to some familiar faces, we also get the wonderful and memorable Dr. Beckett. There are other new characters introduced, such as Lt. Aiden Ford and scientist Peter Grodin, however it is Paul McGillion's Beckett that stands out the most, especially as McKay's apparent frenemy. We also get hints that Sheppard sees through McKay's whinging and with a few quick words get him reorientated and focused on the task at hand.

The interesting addition to the episode is Robert Patrick as Sumner. While the wattage of his star power was a bit overwhelming on a first watch—coming so soon after appearing in such things as Terminator 2 (1991), The Faculty (1998) and The X-Files (2000-2002)—he is pitch perfect as the gruff, no nonsense Marine. While his immediate dislike of Sheppard is reasonable, it is also remarkable how much Patrick suggests is going on in Sumner's head with only a glare, angled chin, or sidelong glance. Rising (Part 1) is a great first episode that does an excellent job of both setting up the series and its characters, as well as foreshadowing the overwhelming threat of the series' protagonists: the Wraith. Perhaps its greatest achievement, though, is that it successfully captures the sense of wonder of exploring new places.

Col. Sumner's team, along with Major Sheppard, are continuing their investigation of the planet Athos. Sumner is in the midst of investigating the ruins of a city near the Athosian encampment while Sheppard is being shown around the settlement by Telya Emmagan, one of the Athosian leaders. Lt. Ford at the stargate reports that three Wraith "Dart" ships have come soaring through and are heading toward the camp. The Darts systematically cull portions of the Athosian-occupied camp. The humans are ill equipped to handle the bombardment. Sergeant Bates manages to disable a single Dart before he and Sumner are swept away in a culling beam. Teyla and a number of other Athosians are also swept up. Sheppard orders Ford, who is still at the stargate, to memorize the coordinates that the Wraith return to. In Atlantis, power readings have gone critical, and it is time to leave before the shield's fail and the ocean destroys the city. Just as Weir orders the evacuation, an incoming wormhole blocks their escape. Ford's IDC ushers in Sheppard, the remainder of Sumner's team, and the entire Athosian colony. Just then, Atlantis releases itself from the bottom of the ocean and rises to the surface. Now safe from drowning, Weir is hopeful that the shield will be useful if the city falls under attack. Unfortunately, there is only enough energy remaining in the ZPM to power only the most basic systems. Sheppard turns over the coordinates the Wraith returned to, ordering McKay to come up with the right combination. Weir, however, is not willing to let him attempt a rescue. She privately explains that once the Wraith become aware of the city, it will be impossible to stop them. Sheppard assures her that now that humans have been taken prisoner, Atlantis will likely be revealed anyway. Reluctantly, Weir grants the mission. Unfortunately, the coordinates the Wraith returned to end in space. McKay introduces Sheppard to the ships found earlier in a hangar in Atlantis. He is joined by Ford, Sergeant Stackhouse, and several military team members for the rescue mission. The ship, nicknamed a Puddle Jumper, remotely activates the stargate and flies through. Telya, Bates, and the other prisoners are forced to watch as Sumner is taken away by a trio of Wraiths from their cell. He is brought to the Wraith Keeper, who uses powerful mind tricks on Sumner to force him to reveal that there are billions of humans on the Earth. However, she is unable to learn the Earth's location other than that it is not in the Pegasus Galaxy. Sheppard lands the Puddle Jumper several kilometres from the Wraith compound. He teams up with Ford and they enter it. Inside, he separates to search for Sumner. Locating Sumner, Sheppard finds the Wraith Keeper beginning to feed on him—by draining his life force!

Where Rising (Part 1) was all about establishing the setting, Part 2 is about the series' main villains—the Wraith—and the expedition's first allies in the Pegasus Galaxy: the Athosians. Where Sheppard initially appeared to be a clone of O'Neill's character in Part 1, in Part 2 we see that he's quite a bit less of a wise-ass, and quite a bit more morally grounded. Joe Flanigan has put a compelling and unique spin on a character that almost appears to be equal parts O'Neill and Jackson's morality.

At first blush, it seems that the showrunners are continuing in Stargate SG-1's easy-breezy style with Sheppard's rescue team easily infiltrating the Wraith compound—later revealed to be a Hive Ship. However, it kind of makes sense that the Wraith would be so arrogant that they don't bother with ship security as the odds that they would be attacked are quite remote. Of course, having their stargate in orbit is also an extremely effective first line of defence. All in all, this episode does a great job of demonstrating what the show is about, while further defining its main characters and exactly what kind of danger the Wraith present, as well as setting the tone of the first season. A must see.

Beckett's gene therapy has progressed, and he is finally ready for his first human test subject. McKay eagerly agrees, so that he can activate and easily use Ancient technology like Sheppard does. It's not long before the therapy is proven to be effective. McKay has found an Ancient personal shield generator, and soon tests it by getting Sheppard to not only shoot him in the leg, but also throw him off a balcony—neither of which hurt McKay at all! When he wants to take it off, however, McKay finds himself blocked by the shield itself, and is unable to deactivate the device. McKay begins to fret, as he cannot eat or drink. Beckett, on the other hand, is celebrating: his first test subject was a success. Meanwhile, allocating living quarters is proceeding in a timely manner. Teyla wishes her people to contribute, but Sheppard and Weir caution that it will take time to train them in Earth's weapons and tactics. That night, Sheppard tries to scare the Athosian children to sleep by telling them a bedtime story, but they get hung up on the unknown human terms such as hockey and football. Afterwards, he plays a football game for Teyla and his team, introducing her to some of its concepts. Meanwhile, Jinto and Wex (season 1's Rising (Part 2)) sneak out of their quarters and play a game of hide and seek in the dark corridors. After an odd delay, Wex calls out for Jinto, but he has disappeared. Sheppard is alerted and awakens his men to try and locate the boy. Weir makes a city-wide communique for him, but the only response is a loss in power and a random gate dialing. McKay suggests that there might be some merit to the Athosians' believe that Atlantis is haunted. Sensing a possible danger, Sheppard orders all teams back to the gate room. Power loss occurs again, and McKay passes out. Out on patrol, Sheppard encounters a creature which appears to be a shadow of darkness. It retreats into a Naquadah generator bay and leaves after he and British scientist Grodin (season 1's Rising (Part 2)) power it down. Jinto manages to use a communication device and explains where he has been taken, though he doesn't specifically know where it is. It turns out that he discovered an Ancient transport chamber that the expedition had mistakenly used as a closet. Sheppard and McKay go to his location and retrieve him. Concurrently, Grodin has managed to recalibrate Atlantis sensors to detect the entity, which they now have running in circles by deactivating the Naquadah generators as it approaches them. Still, any form of energy is enough for the entity to feed on, and it displays a surprising level of intelligence. It corners Lieutenants Ford and Stackhouse in a corridor. As Stackhouse is pushed out of the way, the creature subsumes Ford!

A somewhat routine bottle episode. Coming so soon after the series' premier, however, it is extremely effective at highlighting the basic challenges the Atlantis expedition faces—finding safe and secure living quarters and creating a steady supply of fresh water. This is in addition to the ongoing exploration of Atlantis itself, and the numerous wonders and dangers it contains. If this episode is any indication, the expedition could spend a couple of seasons exploring only Atlantis, and constantly find new dangers and challenges. Wisely, the showrunners opted not to do that, and have given us a great external threat with the Wraith, as well as a pressing need to get out and explore the Pegasus Galaxy for supplies that can't be found or created in Atlantis. The showrunners' decision to leave the city essentially unpowered (it is only running on the 5 or 6 Naquadah generators the expedition brought with them) and undefended (without a ZPM, they can't power the city's defensive shield) also makes for a strong reason to promptly explore the city as well as the galaxy.

The episode also underscores just how alien the Ancient's technology is. The best example is the elevator-cum-transport chamber. If the expedition members can't even recognize a device as simple and basic as an elevator, what chance do they have with the even more advanced and exotic devices? Nevertheless, a good chunk of the episode's fun comes from the characters. On the one hand, we have the Athosians baffled by the alien (from their perspective) concepts of professional sport—echoing O'Neill and Teal'c's interactions in Stargate SG-1's first season. On the other hand, we have McKay, who is concurrently so overenthusiastic that he is blind to the great risks he takes, and extremely neurotic when he stumbles into the negative effects. The production team have arguably struck the right balance, as his neurosis never overstays their welcome, and they pile on the fun by allowing his comrades to take the mickey out of him. Overall, while the episode doesn't really offer anything novel in the great pantheon of sci-fi shows, it is perfectly timed in the series to develop the basic setting of the Stargate Atlantis series.

Jumper One is on final approach to an orbital stargate after having suffered an attack from several Wraith on their homeworld (season 1's Rising (Part 1)). Sheppard is in critical condition, having been bitten in the neck by a paralyzing insect that refuses to let go. After opening the gate to Atlantis, Jumper One begins to make its way through the event horizon, but becomes lodged mid-way via a damaged drive pod that does not retract. It is soon made imminently clear that the team has 38 minutes to live before the gate automatically shuts down! They retrieve Ford by pulling him back using his un-dematerialize arm from the front compartment. He reports to Weir, giving an update on their latest problem. He then gives a run-down of the recent events: when Jumper One reached the surface of the Wraith homeworld to gain reconnaissance, they found the colony to be gone. In its place was an enormous crater, which was not created by an explosion. It is soon surmised that the colony was actually a hive ship that had lain there for so long that a forest had grown on top of it. Apparently not all of the Wraith abandoned the planet, as several warriors chased the team back to the jumper. En route, Sheppard became lodged in an enormous web where the giant insect bit him and began to disable his immune system. In a hasty retreat, the jumper's starboard drive pod was damaged by the Wraith. When Sheppard regains consciousness, he finds McKay busy taking readings from the ship's electronics. Sheppard informs them that he is beginning to lose feeling in his arms and legs. In Atlantis, Dr. Zelenka and his team work with a Jumper's computer pathways in the hopes of triggering the appropriate command to close the drive pods. Under Beckett's advice, Ford tries several items—from their backpacks and the Jumper's medical kit—on the creature attached to Sheppard, hoping it will loosen its grip, but nothing works. However, when Ford tries water immediately after pouring salt on the creature, Sheppard goes into violent shock!

Thirty-eight Minutes is a fun episode that puts the heroes into great jeopardy at the very beginning, and steadily ratchets up the tension by not only giving us a countdown, but also keeps things fresh by depicting through flashbacks how the team got into the predicament in the first place! It's an interesting story where not only is Sheppard's life in grave danger, the crew of the Puddle Jumper also hangs in the balance. The episode also highlights just how alien and unfamiliar the Atlantis technology is, as it concurrently depicts the scientists attempting to jury-rig a solution, while also detailing the lethal risks of activating the wrong circuit. I really liked that the production team allowed the characters to work the problems. While it's not as pseudo-science-filled as shows such as Star Trek, it at least shows the teams of scientists and doctors logically proceeding as they blindly grope for the solutions to the team's predicaments.

Thirty-eight Minutes also provides a hint to the origins of the Wraith. While it doesn't go into very much detail, it at least suggests that the Wraith's way of feeding by sucking the life-force out of other beings was a naturally occurring development in the Pegasus galaxy. The episode also foreshadows the great danger the Wraith's present to not only the Atlantis expedition, but all the humans in the Pegasus galaxy, by implying that they are now flying around in a giant city-like spaceship to populated planets and engaging in mass-cullings the likes of which haven't been seen in over a millennium. Nevertheless, the highlight of the episode is the introduction of Dr. Zelenka, played wonderfully by David Nykl. He is a great foil for David Hewlett's McKay, and provides his own unique brand of manic fun—a great addition to the cast!

Sheppard's team flees back through the stargate to Atlantis under fire from the Wraith. Not long after returning, Weir confronts Sheppard: his team has met the Wraith on five of their last nine missions. It's clear that there is a spy in Atlantis. Sgt. Bates—who has now been placed in charge of base security—joins the team in discussing the situation. Sheppard is put off by the fact that Teyla, his team's new Athosian member, was not invited to the briefing. Bates and Weir insist that no Athosian, not even Teyla, is above suspicion. Sheppard is frustrated as Weir and Bates begin interviewing all of the Athosians. Halling (season 1's Hide and Seek) and the rest of the displaced tribe are offended by the accusatory nature of the questioning. They have lived in fear of the Wraith for generations, and there is no one among them who has not lost a loved one to the Wraith. Halling himself has only tried to help their new allies from Earth, such as by introducing them to some of the Athosians' trading partners. Despite Weir's attempts to diffuse the situation, the Athosians come to the conclusion that they are no longer welcome. In the Puddle Jumper bay, McKay and Zelenka accidentally trigger a command they haven't seen before as they continue to study the Ancient ships. They marvel as the ceiling of the jumper bay retracts. Excited by the prospect of exploring the planet, Sheppard and Lt. Ford take a Puddle Jumper out. They soon discover a massive continent only 25 minutes flying time away from Atlantis. At Bates's suggestion, and over Sheppard's objections, Weir considers the possibility of relocation the Athosians to the newly discovered continent. She is somewhat surprised when Halling approaches her with the same idea, eager for his people to make a life for themselves by farming the land. Weir agrees that it is the best solution for all parties, and the Athosians prepare to leave. Teyla, however, comes to the difficult decision to remain a part of the Atlantis team. With the Athosians safely relocated, Sheppard takes his team to explore a new planet. While investigating ruins they find near the stargate, Teyla suggests that things will go much more quickly if they had help from the locals. She warns Sheppard that they are a very shy people. He tells her to go and find them, sending Ford with her. Not long after, shots ring out as a group of Wraith attack the team!

Suspicion is a thought provoking episode that is simultaneously a who-done-it mystery and an examination of the ramifications of merely suspecting a group of people of some transgression. The latter is arguably more interesting, as the arguments of both sides are equally valid, and even Teyla—the leader of the Athosians—agrees that she would be doing the same things if she were in Weir's place. Even so, coming so quickly after the blatant lack of trust displayed by the Earthlings in Hide and Seek, we get the sense that the damage is done, and the relationship between the Earthlings and Athosians will, at the very least, be less trusting and more guarded.

With the revelation that the jumper bay roof can open, we get the impression that Atlantis has plenty more secrets to reveal, and—if this episode is any indication—some of them will be downright transformational. Nevertheless, it is the twist at the end where Sheppard's team captures a Wraith commander that is most intriguing. It promises some interesting developments in the coming episodes, as this episode only gets as far as showing the initial foray into the prisoner's interrogation. While not the most exiting or thought-provoking of episodes, Suspicion does a great job of further rounding out the Atlantis setting, while also setting up future stories and more-or-less concluding the Athosians-in-Atlantis arc.

While on a survey mission to an unexplored world, Sheppard and his team detect a large power source emanating from the surface. When they move in to investigate, their Puddle Jumper loses power and they crash land. Using a magnetic compass, McKay soon deduces the disturbance that forced them to land is electromagnetic. It also explains why all of the technology is inoperable, not just the Jumper. If they can locate the field's source, they can shut it off, and avoid the long trek back to the stargate by flying the Jumper. The team enters an open area filled with ancient ruins. Just before they start exploring them, the team is surrounded by a pack of children armed with bows and arrows. The children's leader tells them that they must see the elders immediately. Sheppard and the group are led to a village in the treetops. On the ground is a shrine with the skeletal remains of a Wraith warrior and pieces of his Dart. The Atlantis team is instructed to climb into the huts high in the trees to meet the elders. Keras, the leader of the elders, is only 24. He explains that his people's ancestors secured protection from the Wraith by taking their own lives just before they reach the age of 25. The Wraith have not returned since the practice started. McKay attempts to use science to explain the real reason why the Wraith don't come, but it falls on deaf ears. Nevertheless, Keras agrees to let McKay investigate the ruins. He designates two of his tribe to accompany Ford and McKay at the ruins. Sheppard can't help but ask if there is another way other than suicide. Keras reveals that as he would turn 25 tomorrow, he will die tonight. Ares, Keras's second, begins discussing plans with other villages that he will kill the Atlantis team if they have not departed by nightfall. He believes the safety of their people may depend on it. Back at the ruins, McKay discovers the source of the field generator: a Zero Point Module (season 1's Rising (Part 2)). He disables it and is instantly able to communicate with Sheppard, asking to return to Atlantis with the ZPM for further analysis. Teyla, however, believes the ZPM is the only thing truly protecting the tribes from the Wraith. Back at Atlantis, Weir cannot believe that McKay has returned with the protective field's power source. She is also flabbergasted when he suggests they uproot all of the tribes and bring them to Atlantis to settle on the mainland! Back at the village, Keras requests that Sheppard stand and be witness to his cleansing ceremony in preparation for his coming sacrifice. In the midst of the proceedings, Sheppard notices a Wraith bracelet in the shrine is glowing with an active transmitter. He rips the bony arm from the shrine and shoots the device until it stops blinking. As the shrine is sacred to the villagers, they immediately point their weapons at Sheppard, and take him and Teyla prisoner!

While not directly connected to the overall main plot in the first half of season 1, Childhood's End goes a long way into establishing the lengths that people go to in order to avoid the Wraith scourge. The sympathetic way the episode approaches the villagers and the way they end their lives leaves a lot to think about: specifically the countless people who have made the greatest of sacrifices over the centuries, as well as the heart-wrenching choices made by the ancestors who created the defensive EM field and initiated the culture of sacrifices. One can't help but wonder about their fate, and if they led by example...

Concurrently, we have the moral dilemma introduced when McKay basically steals the EM field's power source. In a way, McKay is the perfect character to do this, as he is motivated by intellectual curiosity and an innocent desire to protect what and whom he cares most about. He's not being malicious, and one gets the sense that he's trying to help the villagers evolve beyond the need for sacrificing themselves when they turn 25. Weir tries to put him back on the right track, but we also see that McKay is the type of person that doesn't listen to advice, and has to learn things the hard way. The episode also gives us a moral dilemma among the villagers, as there is essentially an armed coup by a group of traditionalists against the more open minded Keras as he befriends and is ultimately forced to protect Sheppard and his team. The conclusion neatly brings the diverse aspects of the episode together, and is downright transformational—resulting in one of the most memorable episodes in the entire run of Atlantis.

Sheppard's team have been visiting the planet Hoff for a day and a half, and have seen technology reminiscent of Earth's in the 1920's. Once Chancellor Druhin and his people begin to trust the off-worlders, they reveal their most prized discovery: a chemical defence that they believe will prevent the Wraith from absorbing the life energy of any human who takes it. Weir is told about the Hoffan drug, and thinks that if the entire civilization is committed to succeeding in developing a viable antidote against Wraith cullings, Atlantis should help them in whatever way is possible. Sheppard enlists Dr. Beckett's aid and returns to Hoff. After looking over their work, the team meets Perna, one of the lead scientists responsible for developing the drug. She explains the origins of the original anti-Wraith prototype drug. Apparently the Hoffans have been working for more than 150 years on it, with the research having survived over three cullings and being stored in multiple knowledge archives deep underground. Beckett is more surprised than anyone by the revelation, but he believes that it's time Atlantis helps the Hoffans carry the drug to the next level. He tells Weir just that, saying he has already informed the Hoffans of their "guest" in the brig. Meanwhile, Sheppard talks to the Wraith captive, nicknamed "Steve" (season 1's Suspicion), asking him how many Wraith hive ships are active in the galaxy. Steve states that the only way they'll learn anything from him is if he is gets fed! Beckett has been experimenting on the Wraith arm the team brought back from Athos (season 1's Rising (Part 2)). As those cells have already decayed, he has reached a roadblock. He needs completely active cells in order to continue his work. Steve is incapacitated with a Wraith stunner, and with much trepidation, Beckett recovers the material he needs from the living Wraith. He then returns to Hoff to continue his work with Perna. Soon they produce a drug that works perfectly in a lab setting. Beckett is alarmed, however, when he learns that Druhin and Perna are eager to take the next step: they want to use the drug on Steve. Weir talks the matter over with Sheppard. The Hoffans are talking about putting a human in the same room as a starving Wraith—something that the Geneva Convention would never allow, even if the Hoffan test is terminally ill and has volunteered for the experiment!

Poisoning The Well is a story about the moralities of a questionable situation, and takes a deep look at the lengths people will go to in order to achieve a desired result. Here, we have a multi-generational quest to find a drug that will prevent the Wraith from feeding on the people who take it. The episode details the extremes that the Hoffans took in the past, and are taking in the present. It even suggests a poor outcome in the future when the Wraith learn what happened and move to eliminate the drug and those who have taken it. The episode is thought provoking as it ponders the question of whether or not the end justifies the means, and how many lives will be lost even if future generations will be free of the Wraith.

Even though the drug could potentially eliminate the Wraith scourge from the Pegasus Galaxy, all of the members of the Atlantis expedition find what the Hoffans are doing morally repugnant. What's most interesting, and makes Stargate: Atlantis all the better, is that that moral line differs in each character. Some are willing to accommodate the Hoffans more, and others far, far less. The most poignant part of the episode is when Druhin reveals the results of a vote on whether or not the Hoffan populace wants to take the drug, even if it is fatal to fifty percent of those who take it. Overall, Poisoning The Well is a challenging episode that, while not revealing very many new things about the Wraith per se, speaks volumes about the people that the Wraith feed upon. Coming on the heels of Childhood's End, this episode is doubly troublesome, as one suspects that the Hoffans are far from alone in the Pegasus Galaxy in being willing to go to such extremes in order to rid themselves of the Wraith scourge.

Food shortages are becoming an issue on Atlantis. Teyla offers a viable trading partner: the Genii, Amish-equivalent farmers and fair traders. Teyla introduces the rest of Sheppard's team to Tyrus and his daughter Sora. They offer to take the team to their leader, Cowen, to commence negotiations for trade. Sheppard's team is introduced to Cowen, who says that while they can supply food in exchange for medicine, large volumes are out of the question. If they give too much, the Genii themselves will not survive the winter, and preparing new land for tilling is complicated. In response, Sheppard offers C-4, along with a demonstration that shows how effective the weapon is at quickly 'removing' tree stumps and the like. Cowen is convinced and asks for trade to commence immediately: explosives and medicine for as much food as Atlantis requires. Sheppard and McKay take this news back to headquarters, while Teyla and Ford stay with the Genii. Weir is hesitant to become an arms dealer, and is also concerned that Sheppard agreed to terms that she hadn't yet approved, but eventually authorizes the trade. On the planet, Teyla and Ford are invited to a harvest celebration. When Sheppard and McKay return, they find themselves lost without a guide to take them from the stargate to the village. McKay soon detects a radioactive signal, and admits that on an "Amish" world, this is highly unusual. They move to investigate and soon uncover a massive underground facility. Three guards quickly capture and detain them. McKay theorizes that the Genii exist as two separate cultures, but that is quickly dismissed when Cowen appears in full military uniform, and starts interrogating them! Meanwhile, Teyla and Ford sense something is afoot. When they try to step outside, Sora says that there is a Wraith ship in the area, and that everyone must remain indoors. Soon, heavily armed soldiers appear, and quickly take Teyla and Ford prisoner!

Underground continues the theme of the first half of Stargate Atlantis's first season: developing the various human cultures in the Pegasus Galaxy, and the unique ways that they have each adapted to the Wraith threat and their efforts to overcome it. Of the handful of cultures we have been introduced to, the Genii are both the most duplicitous, as well as the most militarized. Just like the Hoffans in the preceding Poisoning the Well, the Genii are also working on a scientific breakthrough that has taken generations. The difference is that the Genii are developing atomic weapons, with a plan to sneak aboard a dormant Wraith hive ship to gain access to the ship's data core in order to gather as much information as possible—namely the locations of all the hive ships! Things inevitably turn really sour when Cowen learns that the Atlantis expedition has inadvertently awakened all of the Wraith (season 1's Rising (Part 2))!

The fun in this episode comes from it defying audience expectations. For starters, the Genii are not who they initially appear to be. They are also no where near as trusting as the other humans that the Atlantis expedition has met and befriended in the Pegasus Galaxy up until now. The Genii also have the ability to access and interpret Wraith computer files, something that the Atlantis expedition apparently lacks, and they initiate a joint mission to gain intelligence on the Wraith; something else that the Atlantis expedition sorely needs. The episode—which is full of surprises and unexpected twists and turns—saves some of its biggest surprises until the very end; the mind-boggling gigantic scale of the Wraith hive ships being one of the more memorable revelations. However, the real highlight of the episode is Colm Meaney's performance as Cowen. Coming not long after the conclusion of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, it is both bemusing and striking to see him successfully play a character that is arguably the opposite of the wonderful character he played in Star Trek. A must see.

McKay has convinced Sheppard to send the team to M5S-224, believing that MALP energy readings showed evidence of a civilization on the planet. The only thing present, however, is an atmosphere that resembles fog. As they dial the gate back to Atlantis, McKay takes readings and learns that the gate is actually drawing its power from the fog—which is not water vapour. With this much potential power, it'd be enough to dial back to Earth. Weir listens to the team's incredible findings. McKay offers to return to 224 with Atlantis's control crystal that will enable 224's DHD to dial Earth. He and Lt. Ford go back to the planet to install the crystal, and they soon report their success. Weir, Sheppard, McKay, Ford, and Teyla are present when they successfully make contact with Stargate Command. Sergeant Harriman (Stargate SG-1's season 8's Zero Hour) reports that the Asgard are in the process of installing engines on the Prometheus that will allow it to travel intergalactically. If they come home now, they could be back at Atlantis within a month! The group steps through the stargate, and Weir and McKay are soon debriefed by Gen. Hammond (Stargate SG-1's season 7's Lost City (Part 2)). When he learns of the Wraith threat, Hammond is eager to tell the Pentagon that they should withdraw from the Pegasus Galaxy. Weir is insistent on returning, however, stating that the technological advancements that Pegasus offers, not to mention the responsibility Atlantis has because they reawakened the Wraith, are reasons enough to return and remain there. Concurrently, Sheppard takes Teyla on a shopping spree, and McKay returns to his apartment to relax. Later, Weir returns to Simon's home, more than eager to be back with him for a short time. She is soon summoned by Hammond. At McKay's house, Weir reports that there has been an accident on the Prometheus: they won't be able to return to Atlantis. Sheppard takes Teyla to his house, and introduces her to beer. He soon wants to leave to show her more of his world, but she suggests that he might enjoy spending time at home and visiting with friends. As soon as he thinks it's a good idea, his buddies Mitch and Dex show up at his door. Soon more people arrive, and an impromptu party develops. Sheppard, however, begins noting that things are not all that they appear to be. Among other things, is that a certain something happened to his buddies during a mission in Afghanistan years before he joined the Atlantis Expedition and he doesn't see any evidence of it on them...

Home gives the main characters a chance to return to Earth, and they leap at the opportunity. The episode wonderfully depicts what the individual experiences of each character would be like. Some, like Weir, are poignant, and others (McKay) are as much comical as they are business as usual. We also get to live vicariously through Sheppard's part of the story, as he takes Teyla—who has never been to a planet like Earth—around to enjoy and indulge in some of the pleasures that the Earth avails. Bringing the always wonderful Don S. Davis back out of retirement for this episode adds immensely to the episode. On the one hand, his presence makes it truly feel like the Atlantis team has returned to Earth. On the other hand, Davis adds a much greater gravitas to his scenes—especially in the ones when he is speaking for the alien entities—than Richard Dean Anderson, who is in charge of Stargate Command at this point in Stargate SG-1's season 8. It's not that Anderson would have been bad, it would have fundamentally changed the tone of the episode from the serious one that it needs in order to be most effective. And that's not even taking into consideration what Hammond's presence at SGC means for the overall plot of the episode!

The production team also succeed in balancing the episode with a wonderfully depicted return to Earth that also hints at future developments in the series, and introducing a mystery in the later half of the episode that keeps things fresh and interesting and gives the episode a neat ending. While the conclusion is fairly similar to certain episodes in other major science fiction shows, the point of and fun of this episode isn't the destination, but the ride to it. Highly recommended, particularly for how it develops the characters. Note: for certain aspects of the episode to work as originally intended, it is best to watch it in the context of it's original broadcast—released concurrently to Stargate SG-1's season 8.

In the works!

In the works!

In the works!

In the works!

In the works!

In the works!

In the works!

In the works!

In the works!

In the works!

In the works!