Inquisition

Season 5, Episode 13, Aired
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Episode Summary

When Sheppard and his team are brought to trial by a Coalition of human worlds for what they claim are crimes against the people of the galaxy, it's up to Woolsey's legal expertise to clear their names.
7.3
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Fan Episode Reviews (13)

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  • While this episode does have some good aspects, it is hurt by the fact that it is a clip show with an unoriginal story, and doesn't answer the questions it raises.moreless

    5.0
    "Mediocre"
    By Hungry_Homer111, Oct 14, 2011 Report Abuse
    Four and a half years ago, the Atlantis team came through the stargate in order to find the lost city of Atlantis, which may have caused more harm than good as this episode points out. Now Colonel Sheppard's team is put on trial against the people of Atlantis, and if they lose they'll be sent to a planet which is cut off from the stargate system.

    There are several things about this episode that I didn't like. First of all, while this isn't the first clip show in the Stargate universe, it is the first one that was on Atlantis. I for one was happy that they had gone so long without being reduced to do a clip show, so that they could come up with their own stories instead of come up with a new way to show us what we already know. And then there's the fact that this story, of the heroes of the show being put on trial for crimes that they've committed throughout the show, is one of the most annoying cliches of television. It's been used so many times before that anybody who watches sci-fi should know at least one episode with that plot. However, in this case it wasn't nearly as annoying as most episodes with this kind of plot. This is because, while I do like the show and its characters, they really aren't guiltless, and these charges aren't completely bogus like most of the charges in these kinds of episodes. Whether it was through an accident caused by something understandable (waking up the entire Wraith species by killing the queen Wraith in the series premier), a bad decision (creating Michael, and activating the code for the replicators to attack the Wraith which ended up causing the replicators to attack humans), these charges really were understandable, and I would have liked to have seen a response to the charges. But what do we get as a response? "You have got to be kidding me!" This would be a good response in a normal trial episode, with bogus charges, but in an episode where the charges are as understandable as these, I'd hope for something more.

    However, this episode wasn't a complete waste of time. First of all, it greatly strengthened Woolsey's character as a negotiator and manipulator of situations. While Woolsey has had a few decent moments before now, he hasn't really showed his worth as the head of command. Hopefully this will be further developed in the future, so that he will become a more valuable member of the cast of characters.

    Another good thing about this episode is that it sets up the coalition of species, the people who charge Atlantis of the crimes, as well as a few of the behind-the-scenes politics of it. It turned out that the Genii were the ones who put the coalition up to the trial, because they were trying to gain power in the coalition, and they didn't want Atlantis to challenge that power. However, Woolsey finds out, and manages to escape the charges by showing the coalition that Atlantis would be much better allies than the Genii. This could play a much bigger role in the rest of the season, leading up to the series finale.

    Overall, however, the bad outweighs the good in this episode, and this is probably the weakest episode of the series.moreless

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    4 4

  • This is one of the worst episodes.

    1.0
    "Abysmal"
    By ulistaerk, Oct 14, 2011 Report Abuse
    Its just a pain to watch a plain simple, uninspired and inappropriate plot like is.

    The acting in this episode is awful. Especially John attracts the viewers attention as he does not really fit in the role and reacts completely strange. The court is small and uncreative. The judges are stereotypes do comes over serious. In combination with a completely ridiculous accusal makes this the worst episode.

    More and more episodes are completely exchangeable and do not participate in the main storyline. What happened to the great storyline that once made this series worth watching it? Stargate Atlantis seems to have lost central theme like Stargate SG1 did. Is it so hard to write a story that has the potential to fill more than 5 successive episodes (or even more than 2 seasons) and makes the viewer feel horrible pain if he has to wait 7 days for the sequel?moreless

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    0 5

  • A very disappointing episode that could have been done better…Its major flaw is that it doesn't follow the usually good storytelling practices we've come to expect from SGA.

    5.0
    "Mediocre"
    By tv-striker, Oct 14, 2011 Report Abuse
    A very disappointing episode that could have been done betterIts major flaw is that it doesn't follow the usually good storytelling practices we've come to expect from SGA. Contains spoilers if you continue

    The stakes at the beginning of the episode are that Sheppard and his team are captured and brought to trial for some sort of crimes. The stakes at the end of the episode are exactly the same. They are still captured and are still standing trail. In short, the stakes don't change and the suspense doesn't continually rise.


    For some reason a rescue mission is ruled out. At least if one had been possible it would have helped raise the stakes. Instead, "film clips" are supposed to provide suspense but since we've seen them before, it doesn't work.



    Specifically, Sheppard and his team are accused of: 1) Awakening the Wraith when Sheppard killed the Wraith Queen in Season 1. 2) They made changes to the Replicator code and the Replicators started to kill humans. 3). By creating Michael, they unleashed a menace who (at this point) is infecting humans with a plague to make them poisonous to Wraith but has an exceptionally high mortality rate of its own. I won't go into the timing of the charges in the story. They're kind of doled out in an attempt to create some kind of suspense but since we've seen them before, none of them really raise the stakes.



    Our heroes' general defense is to admit to all of the above but then deflect those charges based on all the "heroic things" they've also done (also shown in film clips). Of course, in relation to the underlying charges, that's legally irrelevant. Rather than mount a rescue from Atlantis, Woolsey shows up. Now, I was expecting at least a good legal "soft shoe" from him to get our heroes off. I don't know how about: 1) Killing a Wraith Queen who is trying to kill you is self defense in any culture. 2). When the Replicators code was changed, they were already on their way to Atlantis to destroy it and kill the humans there. They didn't need any code change to kill humans. 3). Michael is a Wraith killing humans. That's what Wraith do. If you have a problem with it, start killing Wraith and especially Michael.



    However, instead of offering up some inspired legal defense, Woolsey bribes one of the judges. Part of me rebelled against that kind of resolution since I'd have preferred a solid legal disposition to this "court proceeding." On the other hand, it's simply so typical of Woolsey. He's been a worm for most the series (somewhat cleaned up this season) but it's the exact thing I'd expect his character to do. Overall, I think the structure of the episode is wrong. If you're going to do a court proceeding, then make it look like one. If you're going to do film clips then make them inspired such the ones in "Letters from Pegasus" in Season 1. Above all though, remember going good storytelling. The stakes need to rise even if you have to write them into the story (create a rescue attempt, even if it fails).moreless

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    2 1

  • We all hate flashback episodes....

    6.0
    "Fair"
    By Parricida, Nov 27, 2010 Report Abuse
    Oh.. So, I think most people hate flashback episodes - they have some good too but mostly they just waste time and let the show have another episode without much effort. The only good what this episode had was that they had really great moments on those flashbacks and reminded us the journey Atlantis expedition has done in last five years and as it is the final season, so.. it can have it's point but on that occasion, I would have found some other way to do it as being accused of tearing this galaxy apart is not the best way to look back all the great times.

    I hope this episode pursued a look back and save money for other great action later purpose.moreless

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    8 3

  • The right issues, the wrong treatment

    7.0
    "Good"
    By entil2001, Nov 27, 2010 Report Abuse
    For quite some time, I've wondered whether or not the denizens of the Pegasus Galaxy found Team Atlantis to be a beneficial addition to the population, considering all that has happened since the SGC sent the mission to the Lost City in the first place. And I've always thought that it would have been a more interesting show if those in command of Atlantis (particularly Weir) had been forced to defend their decisions to others. For example, during roughly the same time in the Stargate continuity, SG-1 was defending themselves against the IOA.

    I think the idea of the various human communities in the Pegasus Galaxy coming together in a coalition is a very good one, and one that should be maintained over the course of the rest of the series and the impending TV-movies. In a way, it legitimizes the idea of calling out Team Atlantis on their decisions. Previously, there was no one else out there willing and able to take the unilateral actions necessary to fight the Wraith, the Asurans, and Michael. Now that time has passed and the human societies have come together, they have the right to ask Atlantis to play along and consult them.

    It also makes a lot of sense for them to question the decisions that have been made. They can't argue the fact that they woke up the Wraith, and they definitely can't argue the fact that they were directly responsible for creating Michael. They bear responsibility for those actions and dozens of others. The fact that they've saved millions after the fact doesn't absolve them of the need to atone for those mistakes.

    So I was a little annoyed when the writers chose to have the coalition go so far as to put Team Atlantis on trial without due process and in the most questionable manner possible. Not only that, but ultimately two of the judges were corrupt. One had already decided that Team Atlantis was guilty, based on an irrational desire for revenge, and the other had been bribed by the Genii.

    The net effect is to render the points brought against Team Atlantis completely invalid, because they are framed as biased. This is despite the fact that Sheppard and Woolsey were unable to give strong and compelling arguments in defense of the expedition! Woolsey essentially has to match the Genii in terms of persuading one judge to vote in his favor. The bottom line is that the very real issues brought up by the coalition were never really addressed.

    This leaves Team Atlantis with a false sense of righteousness in their decisions and actions. It's unlikely that they will change their thought process in any way as a result of the "inquisition", and that means that the coalition will probably be seen as more of a nuisance and impediment than an example of a rising good for the Pegasus Galaxy. It's pretty much typical of the Western view: indigenous populations don't know what's best for them, and they cannot function without the "enlightened" actions of those more knowledgeable.

    It might have been better if the coalition had been treated more like the Jaffa on "SG-1". Generally speaking, the SGC stood for the rights of the free peoples of the galaxy against the System Lords because the free Jaffa weren't ready to step up to the plate. Once they were, it was more of a partnership. This episode firmly places the moral superiority in the laps of the Atlantis expedition, and I think it would have been a lot more interesting if they were left with a little more doubt in the rightness of their actions.moreless

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    4 2
 

Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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  • Trivia

    ADD TRIVIA
    • The scene of the transforming Wraith was not of Michael but a member of the Hive he brought to Atlantis in "Allies." Edit
    • The Coalition now includes the Atlantis Expedition, the Free Peoples of Riva, the Tribes of Santhal, Latira, and the Genii. There are possibly more but it is not known. Edit
    • It is stated that there have been, at the very least, 2 million human deaths in the five years since the Wraith were awoken by Sheppard in "Rising." Edit

  • Notes

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  • Quotes

    ADD QUOTES
    • (Sheppard has been brought before the Council again.) Sheppard: Well, what's next on the agenda? Did we step on the rose bushes on our last trip to Vidina? Edit
    • Sheppard: So, are you going to tell me how you managed to pull this one of? Woolsey: Well, I would say it was a combination of things: my legal skills, my eloquence, the indisputable logic of my arguments and the bribe I offered Kelore. Edit
    • Ronon: I say we go to Plan B. Wait for the guards to come in, I beat 'em up, we take their guns, we shoot our way out of here. Edit

  • Allusions

    ADD ALLUSIONS
    • Star Trek: The Next Generation Sheppard sarcastically quips that the Atlantis expedition is on trial for stepping on a rose garden. In the ST:TNG episode "Justice", Wesley Crusher is sentenced to death by a civilization for tripping and falling on a flower bed. Edit
    • Boston Legal: The end scene, with Woolsey and Sheppard standing on the balcony sharing drinks and cigars, is an allusion to the show Boston Legal. In the show the two main characters Denny Crane and Alan Shore often share drinks and cigars on the balcony of their companies building. (This may be a double reference, as Alan Shore, the main character in Boston Legal, is played by James Spader, who also played Daniel Jackson in the original Stargate movie). Edit
    • Woolsey: The IOA believes it could be an important first step toward interplanetary government. A...Federation, if you will. McKay: The Federation had ships. Reference to the United Federation of Planets, the League formed of various planets, including Earth in the various Star Trek series, including Voyager, in which Robert Picardo himself starred as the ship's Emergency Medical Hologram. And during its run, the series Deep Space Nine also had an episode titled "Inquisition", in which Dr. Julian Bashir was faced with having to defend himself on accusations that he was a spy for the Dominion, a ruthless power seeking to destroy the Federation and conquer the galaxy. Edit

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