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.

Sheppard is taking Teyla in a Puddle Jumper to visit the Athosians on the mainland. En route, they encounter a storm front that stretches across the entire horizon. Sheppard takes the Jumper into space to get a better look at the storm. Not only does it take up twenty percent of the planet's surface, it is heading straight for both the mainland and Atlantis! McKay and Zelenka discuss the problem. With the shield off, Atlantis is incredibly fragile. Winds will cause massive damage and flooding could sink the city. There is simply not enough power to activate the shield, and in twelve hours, the storm front will hit. Weir instructs Sheppard to take Ford and find a world that will be willing to put up with the Atlantis crew and all the Athosians for a couple of days. On Manaria, they grudgingly reach a tentative arrangement with Smeadon, insuring that his generosity will not be forgotten. After they depart, Smeadon prepares to transmit a message to Genii leader Cowen (season 1's Underground). McKay and Zelenka present their plan to Weir: Atlantis has many lightning rods channelled into four grounding stations. If they can disabled the mechanisms that channel lightning into the ocean, they could channel it to generate the city's shield. Everyone will still have to evacuate, as only the control room would be safe as the lightning will be channelled through the city's corridors. Commander Kolya is training three subordinates; one of whom is Sora, the daughter of Tyrus (season 1's Underground). Kolya is summoned by Cowen, who tasks him with readying a strike force to raid Atlantis for supplies—specifically medicine and C4—while the city is empty. On the mainland, all of the Athosians have evacuated to Manaria except for a hunting party that Teyla, Ford, and Beckett are waiting for. Beckett is fretting as the storm rapidly approaching, but Ford decides to keep waiting. On Manaria, Smeadon dines with one of the Athosians, and gets him so drunk that when Sora and Kolya enter, they easily get him to agree to let them through the shield that protects Atlantis. As McKay, Weir, and Sheppard race around Atlantis to deactivate the grounding stations, the soldiers guarding the gate report to Weir that they have incoming injured Athosians from Manaria. They lower the shield, and are quickly killed by Kolya in a surprise attack. Kolya orders the gate room secured, and soon introduces himself to Weir and Mckay, telling them that he is now in control of Atlantis!

Atlantis is hit by a double whamming: a super massive typhoon and an invasion. This time, it is not the Wraith, but fellow humans in the Pegasus Galaxy that are causing the trouble. Arguably the best thing about the plot is that it all develops naturally, and none of it comes across as forced. What sets it all in motion is Sheppard's accidental implied threat of using force on the Manarians in order to secure refuge for the temporary shelter of the Atlanteans and Athosians. Unbeknownst to the Atlantis expedition, the Manarian leader Smeadon is not only allied with the Genii, but knows what they really are, what they are capable of, and what they are after. He quickly makes a deal with them, as he also appears to know that the Genii are smarting for revenge on the Atlantis expedition after the double-cross that happened in Underground.

The Storm not only brings back Cowen (Colm Meaney) and Sora (Erin Chambers) from Underground, it also introduces us to the ruthless Kolya, played pitch-perfect by Robert Davi. In certain ways, the episode deliberately vilifies Kolya, but in so doing, it sets up a strong recurring antagonist that we love to hate. Kolya also seems to be just as wily and intelligent as Sheppard, and the latter half of the episode becomes a lethal chess match as they both attempt to outmanoeuvre each other. Kolya has the upper hand, though, as not only does he have more armed personnel to patrol Atlantis with—Sheppard is on his own at this point—he is also holding McKay and Weir hostage. However, the actions that the episode used to vilify Kolya also appear to have planted some doubt in the minds of his soldiers; namely in Sora, who immediately protested his actions at the Atlantis gate. The Storm provides a good balance of set up and pay off, while both revealing new things about Atlantis and the planet it is on, as well as further developing the Genii, who are quickly shaping up to be a major thorn in Atlantis's side. Due to all that and more, the episode has a lot of novelty, and truly feels like something we haven't seen before in any of the preceeding Stargate SG-1 episodes or even any of the latter Stargate Atlantis seasons (for those that are rewatching the series). A must see that perfectly sets up the cliffhanger for the mid-season!

Commander Kolya prepares to kill Weir while Sheppard continues to plead over the radio for him to stop. McKay moves between Kolya and Weir, and attempts to convince Kolya that he needs both himself and Weir to save Atlantis. If Kolya goes through with the killing, he will lose Atlantis as there are codes to activate the shield that only Weir knows, and he needs McKay to fix the damaged lightning grounding station. Kolya retreats to the commander's office and contacts Sheppard. Kolya tells him that Weir is dead, and McKay will join her if Sheppard does not stay out of his way. Sheppard vows to kill Kolya. Ladon Radim, one of the Genii soldiers, manages to activate enough internal sensors to detrimentally track people in the city. He soon spots Sheppard in the hallways, and tells another soldier to take two men and capture him. Beckett, Teyla, Ford, and the three Athosians are waiting on the mainland as the storm continues in full force. Teyla asks how long until the storm passes. Moments later, the team is surprised to see the rain stop, and the sun shining. Sheppard, using the Ancient scanner (season 1's Rising (Part 2)), detects the approaching Genii soldiers. To cover his movements, he sets off a handful of smoke grenades as he moves into another section of the city. Kolya, McKay and Weir arrive at the damaged grounding station. McKay quickly gets to work, and tells Kolya that he should be able to bypass the damaged circuits in less than 20 minutes. Kolya is pleased, and orders Sora and Ladon to take control of the stargate, and call for reinforcements: a 60-member echelon of soldiers! The team on the mainland determine that they are in the eye of the storm. Ford wants Beckett to take advantage of the brief window and fly the Jumper back to Atlantis. Beckett's protests fall on deaf ears—particularly his concerns about landing on Atlantis in hurricane-force winds. He relents when Teyla agrees with Ford, and they take off, flying over the storm toward the city. The three Genii soldiers, guided by Ladon from the command centre, corner Sheppard in one of the rooms. Sheppard is momentarily hidden due to the smoke, but that is dissipating quickly. The storm begins to hit Atlantis at full force. Not only is the city being hit by lightning, the storm has whipped up the seas and the waves are steadily getting larger and larger!

The Eye is a wonderful conclusion to the mid-season two-parter. It quickly catches us up with where the respective groups of characters are when we last saw them, and then resumes steadily ratcheting up the tension. While some things are a given—Beckett, Ford, and Teyla arriving in time and the heroes retaking Atlantis—the fun of the episode is the journey, and how such things come to pass. One thing that I really appreciated is that most everything that happens is due to the characters' respective decisions. The titular eye of the storm isn't a deus ex machine, but merely an opportunity that the heroes exploit in order to put them into a position to better render help. I also liked that the episode refrained from turning Kolya and Sheppard's conflict into a shoot out, and continued the battle of wits depicting the two attempting to outmanoeuvre each other. I also really appreciated the episode taking the time to show just how far out of their depth the Genii are with Atlantis's technology and their mostly unsuccessful attempts to take control of and operate the city. Robert Davi's performance is particularly intriguing as he successfully depicts a military man fully in control of the tactical situation, but overwhelmed by the technological aspects of the city, and slowly realizing that he's losing the battle due to his opponents' technological prowess.

The wildcard of the episode is Sora, who ends up revolting against Kolya as expected, but in a way that is completely unexpected, and with reasons that fit her character. Which brings up the great thing about this two-parter: it brings together a diverse array of elements from the preceding episodes, and even wraps up a couple of dangling story threads, while concurrently introducing a whole batch of new ones. The episode ends with Kolya, Ladon and a few other Genii soldiers retreating from Atlantis, and with Sora remaining in the expedition's custody. While it's left unsaid, one suspects that Kolya now has a black mark on his military record as not only did he not achieve the main goal of his mission—stealing Atlantis's C4 and medical supplies—his ambition saw him lose a considerable number of well-trained Genii soldiers. One suspects that Kolya will be burning for revenge, and that Sheppard is aching to defeat Kolya in battle. The Storm and The Eye are a wonderful mid-season two-parter that not only highlights the danger that fellow humans present to the Atlantis expedition, but also further embellishes the Genii danger and creates a wonderful recurring villain who has not only a professional conflict with Atlantis, but a personal one, too.

Sheppard, McKay, Dr. Brendan Gall, and Dr. Abrams are surveying an Atlantean Lagrange Point satellite in the Lantean system when they detect a weak Wraith distress call emanating from a nearby planet. On further investigation, they find a Wraith supply ship on the planet's surface that was shot down by the satellite ten thousand years earlier during the final stages of the Lantean-Wraith war. They land the Puddle Jumper on the surface to investigate. Sheppard's team finds the Wraith ship dead and devoid of life, but are shocked to find evidence that indicates the Wraith crew of the ship resorted to cannibalism by feeding off each other—most likely out of desperation due to the lack of food on the barren desert planet. Further investigation of the ship reveals hundreds of stasis chambers for storing humans, indicating that the ship was actually a giant supply vessel. Unknown to Sheppard and his team, a single Wraith survivor from the ship's original crew is still alive. When Sheppard and McKay separate from Gall and Abrams to explore more of the ship, the survivor attacks, killing Abrams and draining most of Gall's life force. When Sheppard and McKay return, Gall tells them that he told the Wraith where the jumper is parked. McKay and Sheppard agree that the Wraith won't be able to fly the ship, but are concerned that it might be able to use the ship's subspace communicator to call for help. Sheppard heads out to stop the Wraith before he can reach the jumper while McKay stays to help Gall, who has been temporarily paralyzed from the neck down. The Wraith beats Sheppard to the jumper. He attempts to pilot the vehicle, but finds it unresponsive. Sheppard taunts the Wraith, and riddles the torso of the Wraith with an entire magazine from his P90 when he comes out of the rear of the jumper to investigate. Moments later, the Wraith is fully healed and back on his feet, and disappears back inside the jumper to continue attempting to activate the jumper's communication system!

The series's main antagonists return after a five episode break (last seen in season 1's Suspicion) in the form of a stranded Wraith on a deserted planet. Even though it is a mere solitary Wraith, not only has he survived marooned on the desert planet for over 10,000 years, he is able to decimate Sheppard's team through both his cunning, and powerful regenerative abilities. It's a testament to the survivor's tactical prowess that he effectively divides Sheppard's team—'wounding' Gall to force someone to remain and help him—and is able to not only quickly familiarize himself with human technology and weapons, but also seriously injure Sheppard in a firefight! While one can surmise that this particular Wraith is an exception to the rule, even if the other Wraith are only a tenth as capable, they are quite formidable opponents.

While the episode fills in some details on the Wraith's capabilities, it frustratingly only paints the most basic of broad strokes on the century-long Lantean-Wraith War. It also suggests that the Lagrange Point satellite will be something that the Atlantis Expedition will continue exploring in season 1's remaining 8 episodes. Nevertheless, the episode does what it sets out to do very effectively: vividly depict just how dangerous and difficult a foe the Wraith are, and give us a tense cat-and-mouse game as Sheppard tries to stop the Wraith, while the Wraith tries to keep him from interfering long enough to activate the jumper's communications equipment to call for help. The thought provoking part of the episode is McKay: we get the sense that he is changing from a cowardly scientist to someone who is more willing to go into danger to help his teammate—to the point of facing down a murderous Wraith with nothing but a pistol and the hope that he'll be able to distract the Wraith long enough for Sheppard to put the Wraith permanently out of action. It's an unexpected and thought provoking development. While the episode isn't vital for the series' overall plot, as it informs so much on the Wraith and has a thrilling, tense plot, it ought to be seen.

During the post-storm damage survey of Atlantis, McKay, Ford, and a team of scientists and military personnel come across one of many abandoned Ancient labs. The two exploration personnel who first explored it alarmingly start to see hallucinations, and drop dead shortly afterwards! Due to the inexplicable nature of their deaths, Weir asks that all sections of Atlantis be locked down under a self-imposed medical quarantine. Beckett and medical personnel are dispatched to attempt to discern the nature of the contagion. Sheppard, who is locked in the gym with Telya, begins to grow impatient, particularly when Weir points out that there is nothing for him to do. Shortly afterwards, Beckett and his team begin their work on checking out the team members and prepping the victims for autopsy. Sheppard receives word that Dr. Peterson, a member of the infected team, has escaped and is fleeing toward Operations in the populated centre of the city. Against Weir's orders, Sheppard orders Sgt. Bates to open the doors. Bates does so, offering an after-the-fact apology to Weir. Sheppard manages to catch up with Peterson, who escapes by leaping into an elevator-cum-transporter (season 1's Hide and Seek). As soon as Peterson transports into the crowded mess hall, the city begins to automatically lock down and the expedition loses its control over the city. The only two people that can move around unhampered are Sheppard and Telya, who had procured hazmat suits from a lab after they left the gym. Meanwhile, results from the autopsies show that the victims died in exactly the same manner. As another team member begins to die, McKay theorizes that there must be more going on than a mere contagious disease, as the infected all shared strikingly similar frightening hallucinations. McKay and Zelenka begin pouring through the Ancient lab's files, hoping to find more information on a virus that the Ancient's were obviously studying. They are racing against the clock, as the virus has a 6 hour incubation time, and McKay is running out of time—as he was the next person infected!

Hot Zone takes place entirely inside Atlantis, and sees the team dealing with another deadly mystery that the Ancients left in the city before they abandoned it. Even though this is only the second episode this season dealing with such circumstances (season 1's third episode Hide and Seek), as this motif occurs fairly regularly throughout the entire Stargate Atlantis series, the cumulative effect makes this episode seem a little lackadaisical on a rewatch. On the other hand, the nature of the virus—and both the city's reaction to it and how they eventually overcome it—are novel. In addition, I really appreciated that the show remembers the events of the preceding episodes, as the episode is premised on a team exploring a section of the city that was recently flooded during the mid-season two-parter.

Ultimately, the episode merely reinforces how much of the city the expedition doesn't know or can't control, and the dangers—both those left by the Ancients and newly introduced ones—that the city still harbours. The fun of the episode is the characters. It is not so much seeing them operate under a ticking countdown, but how they squirm under both self-regulated and automated lock downs. The most intriguing part of the episode is the manner in which Sheppard disobeyed Weir's orders to stay put. Even though it ultimately helps to save the day, his actions also briefly put everyone into a much worse situation. As the Stargate Atlantis has so far proven to have a good memory for these sorts of things, it will be interesting to see how this plays out in their relationship in the subsequent episodes.

Three Wraith Darts are chasing Sheppard's Puddle Jumper. Suddenly, electricity from the planet below destroys the Darts. McKay theorizes that there might be an Ancient weapon powered by a Zero Point Module (ZPM) on the planet. When they land, they find a pre-industrial civilization who know nothing of the Wraith. The people are protected by a being named Athar. The team are taken to meet Athar's priestess, Chaya Sar. McKay blurts out about the weapon protecting the planet, but no one has any idea what he's talking about. Sheppard tells him to be quiet. They ask if refugees can be taken in. Chaya leaves to consult Athar. When she returns, she says that Athar's response is no. Athar understand that their cause is righteous, but must put her own people first. McKay becomes angry. Sheppard tries to calm everyone down, and meets with Chaya alone. He thinks that once Chaya gets to know them and understand that they—as human beings—are related, she will get Athar to reconsider. Sheppard invites Chaya to come back to Atlantis, and she agrees. Arriving at Atlantis, Sheppard personally takes Chaya on a tour of the city and talks about Earth. While in the gate room, Chaya activates a dormant control panel, and everyone is surprised to see that she has the Ancient Technology Activation gene. Later, McKay talks with Sheppard and tells him that he suspects Chaya is deceiving them in some way, and is concerned about Sheppard forming such a close bond with her. It turns out that the machine that Chaya activated can detect aliens; a kind of early warning system for the city. McKay's theory is that it didn't turn on because she has the gene, but because she is an alien and set off an alarm. He can't prove anything either way. Sheppard is disgusted with McKay. He leaves to take Chaya out on a late night picnic dinner, which raises some eyebrows among the crew, while McKay continues to look for something, anything that will prove him right!

Sanctuary starts with the promise of new technological wonders, or at least a ZPM, that will help the Atlantis expedition. It quickly turns into the possibility of having found a paradisaical sanctuary that is free from the Wraith scourge. However, all of that is preamble for what the episode is really about: the series taking its first deep look at the ascended Ancients in the Pegasus Galaxy. Like all episodes in the various Stargate TV series about Ancients and Ascended beings, answers are thin, and we are left with even more questions. Nevertheless, we can infer several things, such as not all of the Ancients ascended at the same time, and that their edict to not interfere with the lower levels of existence—namely ours—was created relatively soon after they started ascending.

We also get to see Sheppard letting his proverbial hair down, and developing a romantic relationship of sorts. McKay also behaves even more persistently than usual. While it is entertaining to see Sheppard squirm, McKay's unrelenting persistence tends to get annoying at times. Ultimately, it serves to not only progress the plot, but also informs so much more on who McKay is: piss-poor at social skills, but acting in everyone's best interest. While he goes around it completely ass-backwards, he is right about Sheppard being seduced by an unknown alien who may be more than what she appears to be. It's also fun seeing the writers put a lantern on the 'captain' romancing the alien beauty of the week. It both skewers the original Star Trek series, while also reminding viewers of how rare such a situation is in any of the Stargate TV series. Of all the questions that the episode raises, the biggest—and one that should be easily answerable—is whether or not Sheppard pursued his relationship with Chaya or not. It's a shame that the Atlantis series never gets around to addressing it.

Sheppard, Ford, and Teyla are exploring Atlantis while McKay watches from the control room, hoping to find bigger living quarters. In a laboratory, a cryogenic-like chamber is found, with what appears to be an Ancient woman inside—one who did not evacuate the city with the others. McKay believes that the woman is in some sort of stasis, slowly aging but will eventually die as she is already very old. Despite Beckett's protests, Weir decides to awaken the woman to ask if she knows where any Zero Point Modules (ZPM) were stored. When she later wakes up, the woman initially doesn't say anything, but is listening and aware of them. She only says the enigmatic "It worked" before falling asleep. The team finds a piece of paper with stargate addresses written on it, including one that they have already been to. When the woman wakes up later, she claims that she is Dr. Elizabeth Weir from an alternate timeline, who had travelled back in time. Beckett runs a DNA test and confirms her words. When old Weir awakens again, she explains that when the team arrived on Atlantis, only the lights went on, but not the consoles or the city's computer—which is wildly different from what actually happened. The shield around Atlantis broke down almost immediately after their arrival in the city, which caused Col. Sumner (season 1's Rising (Part 1)) and many others to drown when the sea rushed in. Atlantis also did not have a fail-safe command to rise to the surface, so the whole city quickly collapsed. While escaping, Weir managed to get into a Puddle Jumper that was unlike any of the others. When activated, it transported her 10,000 years into the past. Rescued by the Atlanteans, Weir asks to be given a ZPM and use the time machine to return back to the precise moment that her team arrived through the gate. However, they refuse and order the time machine destroyed!

Before I Sleep is one of those odd Stargate episodes that plays with time in a way that leaves a bad taste in the mouth. In short, the characters that travelled into the past change things so much that they no longer have to travel back in time, yet their actions in the past aren't erased! This episode suggests that the time machine may have put Weir into a parallel dimension, but as the majority of the episode treats it as time travel in the same dimension, the logic doesn't hold up. This episode's 'sequels'—of sorts—treat time travel a bit better, such as Stargate SG-1's season 8's It's Good to Be King and the direct-to-DVD Stargate: Continuum. The opposite extreme would be Stargate Universe's season 1's Time, which leans into future-past actions not being erased and turning it all into a truly nightmarish story. Ultimately, the main point of Before I Sleep falls flat, because in addition to feeling like deus ex machina, there's a reset button at the end of the episode that renders it all moot.

As a "what-if" episode, Before I Sleep is much more interesting. Not only do we get to see the selfless actions of the main characters—McKay's is arguably the most surprising—we also get a glimpse at what Atlantis looked like in its final days before the Ancients abandoned it. Unlike Sanctuary, there is no talk of ascension. Instead, the episode looks at the scientific and political sides of the Ancients. The one thing in this part of the episode that falls a bit flat, however, is the sequence depicting the Ancients leaving Atlantis: why aren't they carrying any equipment or supplies with them? For that matter, why doesn't it feel like an emergency evacuation? I appreciate that the focus is on Weir hiding in the shadows while they evacuate, but on the same token, it feels like a missed opportunity to, at the very least, depict the emotions in the Atlanteans as the evacuate their city. Ultimately, Before I Sleep is a bit of a head scratcher. It has a lot of things working in its favour and gives us a great opportunity to see things we wouldn't ordinarily be able to see, but it is also let down on it's illogical time travel story and the overall lack of emotion.

According to the note left by the alternative timeline Weir (season 1's Before I Sleep), a Zero Point Module (ZPM) is hidden on the planet Dagan. When Sheppard's team arrives, they learn that there was an ancient group on the planet, called "The Brotherhood", that was charged by the Ancients to protect a valuable object that, when they (the Ancients) returned for it sometime in the future, the Dagan's would be rewarded for guarding the object. The team soon finds images confirming that this object is a ZPM. On Atlantis, Zelenka has discovered that the city has long range sensors, which can track objects in deep space. The sensors had suddenly activated because a Wraith Dart is inbound and arriving in just less than half an hour. On Dagan, the team learns of three of nine map stones that the locals have unearthed. Deducing where the missing stones ought to be, the team begins digging for the missing six, soon finding all but one. Concurrently, Genii Commander Acastus Kolya (season 1's The Eye) learns of Sheppard's activities from a cohort on Dagan. Knowing that he won't get permission from his commanders, Kolya soon sneaks himself and a small team to Dagan, intending to take the ZPM for his people. When the Atlantis team enters a hidden underground chamber in order to search for the ZPM, Kolya's team makes their move, capturing Sheppard and his team. On Atlantis, three Puddle Jumpers are scrambled to intercept the rapidly approaching Dart. As Sheppard—the Atlantis expedition's best pilot—is offworld, the Puddle Jumpers are piloted by those with little flight experience and virtually no combat training, such as Dr. Beckett!

The Brotherhood brings together a wide range of story points from the mid-season two-parter and onward, and puts the series in high gear as it begins to accelerat toward the season conclusion. The episode is composed of three overlapping stories: the continuing search for a viable ZPM, Kolya throwing a monkey wrench into things, and laying the groundwork for the season-ending plot. The episode masterfully blends and balances a core Stargate story showing the heroes investigating ancient ruins and solving riddles, with newly discovered technologies and capabilities in Atlantis, and their ramifications. Interlaced throughout is a sense of dread coming from the series's two main antagonists: the Genii and the Wraith.

The episode isn't plot heavy, and finds plenty of time for wonderful character development and interactions, such as McKay not recognizing when a Daganian woman is expressing interest in him until the others in Sheppard's team bluntly point it out to him. Arguably the greatest revelation is that Sheppard not only took but passed the Mensa entry exam. It's significant not so much that he did it, but that Sheppard is actually much smarter than he lets people know he is. This is a trait that he shares with Stargate SG-1's Jack O'Neill. McKay responding to the news by obsessing about it—despite being in a life-or-death situation—speaks volumes. The highlight of the episode is the return of Kolya. Being disgraced and in the proverbial doghouse due to what happened at the end of season 1's The Eye, we get a sense that he has been itching for a rematch, as well as a way to get back into the good graces of Chief Cowen (season 1's Underground). The episode's fun comes from seeing him gain the tactical upper hand over Sheppard, but once again being overwhelmed by the technological aspects of the traps set by both the ancient Daganian ZPM protectors and Sheppard's team. Due to that, the episode is highly satisfying, and has an ending that causes so much anticipation, that one is hard pressed to resist rushing to see the next episode. A must see!

The main team is discussing what to do after they discovered that three Wraith Hive Ships are coming in their direction (season 1's The Brotherhood). Ford suggests that they take the Zero Point Module from the young inhabitants of M7G-677 (season 1's Childhood's End), but Weir refuses. McKay then reveals that it may be possible to use the entirety of their energy resources to open a wormhole to Earth for 1.3 seconds—far too short for gate travel, but long enough to send a high-compression data burst. Though risky, the team decides to do it. Zelenka then tells the team that he has deduced where the approaching Hive Ships will leave hyperspace. Sheppard and Teyla decide to personally investigate the threat. They travel to a planet which Teyla knows via Puddle Jumper, and meet an old friend of hers named Orin. After warning him of the threat from the Wraith, Teyla tells Orin that they will rescue his family, though Sheppard can make no promises. At Atlantis, McKay tells Weir that significant space will remain after the transfer of all the expedition data, and that everyone should be able to include a personal message as well. Weir decides to let everyone in the expedition make a video message to send to their loved ones, with the restriction that they don't reveal any classified information. Ford takes on this task, and starts by filming a message for his grandparents. Meanwhile, Teyla and Sheppard are hiding in orbit when the Wraith appear. Each Hive Ship is escorted by three Wraith Cruisers, making the force that is heading toward Atlantis far worse than they initially expected. The Wraith then shower the plant with a flurry of Wraith Darts. Before the Jumper can escape through the stargate, it is dialed by the Wraith to prevent anyone on the planet from escaping. They then land the jumper to wait for Orin and his family to join them. Sheppard and Teyla can only watch in horror while the Wraith cull the planet's population en masse. Suddenly, a Dart deposits something on the planet which emits a strange beam into the sky. Sheppard is so intrigued that he decides to investigate on foot, despite the great danger and Teyla's vehement protests!

Letters From Pegasus is a dichotomous episode that is both lighthearted and humorous, and unnervingly chilling. The lighter content comes from the B plot that sees Ford recording video messages from the Atlantis expedition. For most, it provides a glimpse of their private lives as they record messages to their loved ones. A few are sombre, such as Weir recording messages for the families of all the personnel that have died after the expedition's arrival on Atlantis. And then there is Dr Peter Kavanagh (season 1's Thirty-Eight Minutes), who uses the opportunity to list all of Weir's command mistakes in a message addressed to Gen. Jack O'Neill! Throughout these vignettes, there are numerous flashbacks to previous episodes, as well as some newly filmed segments; such as as Miko Kusanagi's recollection of working under the temperamental and idiosyncratic McKay!

The A plot depicts a large-scale Wraith culling, and is downright chilling. While we have occasionally had innocents being massacred by the Goa'uld in Stargate SG-1, the majority of that occurs offscreen, and it has generally been only referred to in dialogue, or depicted in snapshots of the destruction after the fact. Letters From Pegasus doesn't mince words, and not only depicts a mass culling, it also forces the heroes to passively observe the massacre as they have to stay hidden. While the majority of the victims are depicted being beamed up by the Wraith Darts, the soundtrack is punctuated by people screaming in terror, which greatly intensifies the chilling mood. The A plot is most unsettling, as the show's protagonists are powerless to help, and the horrors that they are witnessing are slated to happen to Atlantis in a mere two weeks time! With what little we know about the Wraith and how impotent and defenceless the series has depicted the Atlantis expedition, one wonders if the Stargate Atlantis showrunners have bit off more than they can chew. Hopefully next week's intriguingly titled episode will provide a means for the show's protagonists to get out of their predicament, without the showrunners having to resort to an unsatisfying plot device. While not specifically part of a multi-episode story arc, this episode ought not to be missed as it is the second episode in the 5-episode arc that brings us to the season ending cliffhanger.

Teyla is experiencing nightmares of the Wraith attacking her in Atlantis while she is asleep. Due to the subsequent lack of sleep, she can't focus in her training bouts with Sheppard, and later snaps at Weir during a meeting. Later, Telya is approached by Dr. Kate Heightmeyer in the cafeteria. When Heightmeyer indicates that she wants to talk, Teyla declines and even becomes angry when she concludes that Sheppard talked to Heightmeyer about her. Teyla soon confronts the Major, but he indicates that he only wants to help her; even forbidding her from coming with him on a routine mission to the Alpha Site—the planet the expedition has chosen as their evacuation site. When she is unable to take a nap, Teyla decides to visit Heightmeyer. They soon start talking about Teyla's ability to feel the Wraith, and Teyla reveals that there are other people like her who can also feel the Wraith. After another nightmare, Teyla decides to go to the Lantean mainland to talk with the other Athosians to find out more about her 'gift'. There, Teyla visits an old woman named Charin, who tells her a story about how some people from another planet returned after the Wraith had captured them. However, they were forever changed and began to hear voices. Because of that, many of them either left through the stargate or were killed by the fearful villagers on the planet. It turns out that Teyla is descended from these people. With approval from Weir, Sheppard's team travels to the planet to investigate. They soon find a concealed Wraith laboratory. Inside, they recover a Wraith data storage device. Back on Atlantis, Weir starts to translate the information, as the Wraith language seems to be derived from the language of the Ancients. The next day, Telya is informed by Weir and Beckett that a lone Wraith scientist experimented with some of the captured humans in an attempt to make their food more compatible to their feeding process, and he did this by putting a small bit of Wraith DNA inside them. The scientist eventually stopped his experiments because it had given the people the ability to hear what the Wraith were telepathically saying. Weir and Beckett then conclude that Telya may be able to access the Wraith's telepathic network using this ability, and acquire some much needed intelligence on them! Telya readily agrees to help in any way she can.

The Gift presents both a compelling, intriguing situation, as well as the nightmarish scenario where the very fibres of your being contain pieces of your nemesis! While Teyla grimly absorbs that revelation and attempts to make the best of this terrible news, Rachel Luttrell does a stellar job of depicting the conflicted feelings that Teyla experiences. It's hard to put a specific label on any of the range of emotions crossing her face, but Luttrell successfully conveys the complicated feelings that anyone in Teyla's situation would be feeling. The unexpected and unsavoury results when Telya first attempts to use her 'advanced' capabilities are also realistically depicted, as she is soon overwhelmed by what she experiences—in more ways than one! It will be interesting to see how the series further develops this 'gift' in later episodes.

While the majority of the episode is devoted to Telya, through that we get glimpses at the origins of the Wraith, and a strong indication that they only came into existence after the Ancients arrived in the Pegasus Galaxy and began seeding it with human life. This story beat continues to hammer home the hubris of the Ancients, and that they themselves planted the seeds of their downfall. The highlight of the episode is the banter between McKay and Zelenka. David Hewlett (McKay) and David Nykl (Zelenka) are perfectly in sync, and have a sublime comic timing in which they not only finish each other's sentences, they also laden their dialogue with subtle jabs and put downs. That alone makes the episode worth seeing!

As the Wraith steadily approach Atlantis, McKay and Zelenka inform the expedition leadership that the Wraith ships will pass the Ancient Lagrange point satellite (season 1's The Defiant One). McKay and Zelenka also state that they are very confident that they can bring it back online and obliterate all three Hive Ships before they even reach Atlantis! Weir authorizes a mission, and McKay volunteers for it. Later, Weir, Sheppard, and Bates search for a new Alpha Site. After selecting a potential planet, Bates tells Sheppard that he doesn't trust Teyla, but Sheppard defends his team member. Later, Zelenka tells Weir that their planned method of destroying Atlantis with the Naquadah generators won't destroy enough of the city. He predicts that the Wraith will eventually be able to recover the city's advanced hyperdrive, and large parts of the Atlantis database. Weir realizes that the team has to find a way to delete the database. Suddenly, the stargate activates, and Sheppard's team returns. Bates assumes that they were attacked by the Wraith and immediately accuses Teyla. However, Sheppard immediately tells them that they were attacked by some kind of T-Rex. Later, Telya confronts Bates, and their argument turns violent when Teyla punches him in the face! They are quickly separated by Sheppard and Ford. McKay, pilot Lou Miller, and Dr Peter Grodin (season 1's Before I Sleep) successfully use a Naquadah generator to power up the Ancient satellite. They soon discover that the power connectors linking the weapon's energy storage buffer to the main firing system have been damaged. The only way to fix it is for someone to don a spacesuit and repair it on the outside of the satellite! Meanwhile, Sheppard and Ford are summoned because Bates was attacked and is badly injured. They ask Teyla about it, but she tells them that it wasn't her. Becket soon contacts them, telling them that he found Wraith DNA in Bates's injuries, and that there is a Wraith in the city!

The Siege (Part 1) puts the series into higher gear as it steadily picks up steam toward the season-ending cliffhanger. This episode is largely setup for the next two episodes, but it is also full of smaller payoffs. For starters, the conflict between Bates and Teyla that has been brewing since episode 5's Suspicion finally boils over. This smoothly segues into a follow up to The Brotherhood—where we learn that the Wraith's advance scout was doing much more than just scanning the city! As the Bates–Teyla conflict is left unresolved at a very fiery moment, it will be interesting to see how much their relationship has soured in the future. The C plot detailing the expedition's search for a solution that will prevent Atlantis's technology, and mostly the Ancient database from falling into the Wraith's hands, is also intriguing, especially after it morphs into a discussion on how much of that knowledge, accumulated over several dozen centuries, can be saved. Zelenka's line, "In war, there are casualties." is particularly poignant, and observant.

The A plot detailing the restoration of the Ancient satellite is also an intriguing adventure, that is full of novel things, such as an EVA repair, that we haven't seen in any of the Stargate shows to date. The most disheartening aspect of this part of the episode, however, is that a likeable character is killed off! While it does give the episode emotional punch, it's also disappointing as the character was killed off before the show really developed them. In addition, it kind of set a precedent for Stargate: Atlantis, with other likeable recurring (or even main!) characters being killed off almost on a per season basis! While it is good to always strive to keep shows fresh and original, one of the reasons fans regularly tune in is to see the characters. Nevertheless, while the price was high, it still helped the Atlantis expedition greatly even the odds, and—at the very least—bought them a bit more time before for the coming Wraith onslaught. Aside from that disappointment, The Siege (Part 1) is a great, must see episode.

Out of options, Weir has ordered the evacuation of Atlantis. Just after she orders the activation of the city's self-destruct, the stargate suddenly activates. Much to everyone's amazement, a company of Marines come through from Earth, and Weir and the others are greeted by Col. Dillon Everett, who immediately takes command. He tells them that the Marines are there to defend Atlantis at all cost, and that they brought the weapons and equipment that are needed to do so. McKay concludes that SGC found a ZPM, and Everett tells them that the Daedalus will arrive in four days with it; they just have to defend Atlantis until it arrives. He then tells them their plan: they will use rail guns originally intended for the Prometheus (Stargate SG-1 season 8's Prometheus Unbound), and eight Naquadah-enhanced nuclear warheads as space mines. The Marines also brought a Mark II Naquadah generator, which was designed to power Atlantis's Control Chair (season 1's The Siege (Part 1)). After the meeting, the rail guns are deployed around the city and the mines are laid in space by Puddle Jumpers. McKay is soon able to link the new reactor to the Control Chair. When it is powered up for the first time, they are dismayed to learn that there are only a few dozen Drone Weapons left in the city. Suddenly, the long range sensors detect hundreds of asteroids heading straight toward the planet. McKay assesses that the rocks were redirected toward them by the Wraith. With no way to deactivate the space mines, all eight of them explode, with the Wraith a safe distance away. The resulting nuclear radiation causes interference that disables Atlantis's long-range sensors. Not long after, a swarm of Wraith Darts dives toward the city, and the battle for Atlantis starts. Marines man the rail guns and Sheppard takes the chair. Soon, the first wave of Darts are destroyed, but some parts of the city are damaged. Contemplating strategies, Sheppard suggests that they remotely control the Puddle Jumpers using the Chair, and fly them—cloaked—into the hive ships armed with explosives. He believes that they should ask the Genii (season 1's Underground) for a couple of the nuclear weapons that they are developing. Suddenly, Telya tells them that she senses Wraith in the city. Together with a group of Athosians, the military starts to search for them. Weir volunteers to head to the Genii world to begin negotiations. As soon as she arrives, however, she is captured and taken hostage: the Genii want to exchange her for the C-4 that they believe they were cheated out of!

The Siege (Part 2) picks up shortly after Part 1 ends, and is pretty much all plot from the word go. The problem with that is that it doesn't give much of a chance for any character beats, let alone character development. For starters, the episode doesn't let the principle characters mourn for Dr Peter Grodin's untimely death at the end of Part 1. It then has a bunch of marines show up, without introducing any one of them. They might as well be cardboard cutouts, as we feel nothing when a squad of them gets beamed away in a Wraith culling beam during the first wave. The commander—Col. Everett—barely gets any development. He comes across as a pastiche, or composite of the gruff, no nonsense military types that we've seen before in Stargate SG-1 and countless other military shows. The episode starts to develop his character when he begins to describe how he was close friends with Col. Sumner (season 1's Rising (Part 2)) to Sheppard, but even that gets cut short.

The lack of characterization is somewhat compensated for when the Wraith's first wave appears. We are given the astounding visuals of the skies over Atlantis lit up with hundreds of rounds of tracers as the Atlantis expedition attempt to shoot down the Wraith darts. The episode is more than worth a viewing for the air defence of the city alone. However, the episode's ending feels overly forced, as it puts multiple characters in widely different locales and scenarios each into different predicaments, in an attempt to create an even more potent cliffhanger. It's not enough that the Wraith's main forces are beginning their attack on the city, we also get Sheppard piloting a Puddle Jumper into a Wraith hive ship armed with only a Genii nuke, Everett facing off against a Wraith commander, and the combat team led by Ford surrounded by two groups of Wraith warriors. Of those, Everett's and Ford's feel unnatural, as everyone just pauses while the episode cuts away to set up one of the other cliffhangers. While The Siege (Part 2) is a must see—as it and Part 3 essentially shake up the status quo—its forced ending leaves a bad taste, and doesn't bode well for the resolution of the 3-parter in Part 3.