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Stargate Universe Season 2 Episode 4

Pathogen

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7.7

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AIRED: 10/19/10

When Eli and Rush realize Chloe is acting strangely, they investigate and determine that a pathogen placed by her alien captors allows them to control her... and learn the secrets of Destiny.

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Fan Episode Reviews (4)

This is my very first review ever in tv.com so bear with me, also English is not my mother tongue. Good episode, could have been a bit better. I somehow felt it lacked a bit of cohesion.moreless

8.5

By bluemorphotat, Feb 02, 2011

I am excited that the Stargate franchise is finally trying to make a show for grown up sci-fi lovers. Don't get me wrong I liked (most of the time) the SG1 and Atlantis series. But this series has finally made an effort to convey a more realistic and less cartoonish feel about human realationships in a futuristic/alternate world. In this particular episode I liked very much the A plot about Eli and his mother and the strain in the relationship between Camille and her partner. The B plot about how Dr Rush is manipulating Chloe to possibly become his helper (well, more like "a tool") I think was a bit too light... it did not feel intense enough to me. I don't think it was R Carlyle's fault, I think the writing needed a bit more editing... (Mr. Binder were you distracted?)

The C plot about the guys from the Lucian Alliance not being as straightforward as they claim to be was well done I thought. Although the scene about Johansen going into the quarters of the Lucian main guy to say what had been very clearly expressed in previous scene s was totally redundant. That should have been edited out and another scene about Camille and parter should have been included.

So we had 3 plots in this episode but actually the one that gives the episode its title became plot B because it was a bit vague.

I think David Blue stole this episode! Well done!moreless
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From Adventure to soap opera

6.0

By PeterJones3, Dec 03, 2010

Summary of the Show

10 minutes of a son and his mom bonding

10 minutes of a lesbian couple talking about there relationship

10 minutes of two guys not trusting each other

When battlestar was a Drama set in space, this is a soap opera set in space.

Take away the location, it would quite happily be shown on a weekday afternoon.

The problem with this show is we (as viewers)care very little about the people.

Apart from eli and maybe rush. imagine, if any other cast member was killed, would you care?, the guy from the last episode who was killed, did you really cry for his loss?

So why do we really care about a cast members family back on earth. when we have yet to bond with the main cast.

To me they are trying to do too much in each episode, skipping from one cast member to another, and they end up doing nothing much.

do i really need to know a lover back on earth misses her girlfriend Spoiler alert

The most action this episode, was that the keys were left in the door overnight. My heart was pounding when she couldnt find them.moreless
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An odd transitional episode

6.0

By entil2001, Dec 03, 2010

This was an odd episode, in that I kept waiting for something to happen with Chloe, and it never quite took that next step to pay off all the hints and foreboding. I'm not used to a "Stargate" show focusing on nothing but transitional character beats, so it was a little unsettling and a tad disappointing. If I didn't have the sense that this was a step on a much more substantial path, I would have panned the episode.

As it is, Chloe's alien influence is going to be an issue in future episodes, especially when Rush's bid for control of the ship takes its inevitable downward spiral. Rush is playing a dangerous game, and he seems to be rather cavalier about the unknowns in the equation. It's all going to come down to a confrontation with Young again, and it's just a matter of figuring out on which side the other pieces on the board will fall.

It may come down to Camille. At least some of the Lucien Alliance is becoming loyal to her, and if Young continues to come around, she may see him as a more stable ally than Rush at this point. But some elements of the Lucien Alliance (in particular, Simeon) are unlikely to fall into that camp, and could be a convenient source of support for Rush. Then again, those elements seem to be following their own agenda, and Rush could be seen as merely a means to an end.

This setup was mated with a couple of stories that seemed to be tossed in for filler, though I understand the intent. Camille and Eli each have personal struggles to maintain the faith of their loved ones, even as the hopes for true reunion become more and more tenuous. I would argue that these stories fulfill a humanizing need in the story itself, reminding the audience that the characters are not resigned to their fate.

More than that, it makes sense. We know Camille has been regularly using the stones to maintain contact with the IOA and what not, so she is a touchstone to the familiar. But after the cruel moment in the previous episode, when everyone thought they would finally be going home, it makes sense to focus on a personal consequence.

The unfortunate part is that these subplots would have worked better if there was more of a balance to the episode. But all these low-key plot threads, while necessary in the bigger picture, just didn't come together as a solid whole. Robert Carlyle did a capable job as the director for the episode, but that wasn't enough to offset the relative lack of tension.moreless
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For me the most lackluster episode of the show so far.

6.0

By co_fragment, Dec 03, 2010

SGU gets a lot of hate, I can see why it bothers some people, but I still find plenty to enjoy. However this one stretched my affection for the show to near breaking point.

This episode is completely made of 'B' story plots - all the stuff that's usually going on either as a counterpoint or respite from the 'A' story. I assumed the Chloe mystery was going to go somewhere, but nope, That's all folks! Tune in next week!

I certainly can't describe it as bad, it's kind of like someone got all the deleted scenes from the last few weeks and stuck them all together so that you get a whole load of character moments. The time passes ok but instead of a real plot we get to see:

- Eli making his mum take her medicine and in the best moment of the episode, finally show her the ship.

- Camille's relationship hit the skids a bit.

- Rush still trying to make sense of the control room and enlisting 'Zombie Chloe' to help. It's a little hard to accept him still keeping it a secret, but enlisting a possible enemies help? My disbelief is stretching pretty far here. Plus, has no one thought keeping an eye on Rush too might be a good idea? He was on the Alien's ship far longer than Chloe.

- The Lucian's getting parole and rubbing up against Greer.

The acting was as good as usual and the overall arc is incrementally progressed, but were I to tune into SGU for the first time and see this, I'd continue to channel hop. Plus we get another weak montage! Thankfully without some crummy indie band this time.moreless
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Cast & Crew: STARS

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Robert Carlyle	Dr. Nicholas Rush
Elyse Levesque	Chloe Armstrong
Louis Ferreira	Colonel Everett Young
Brian J. Smith	Lt. Matthew Scott
Jamil Walker Smith	MSgt. Ronald Greer
Alaina Huffman	1st Lt. Tamara Johansen

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Cast & Crew: RECURRING AND GUESTS

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Reiko Aylesworth	Sharon	Guest Star
Louise Lombard	Gloria Rush	Guest Star
Alisen Down	Dr. Brightman	Guest Star
Peter Kelamis	Adam Brody	Recurring Role
Mark Burgess (III)	Jeremy Franklin	Recurring Role
Julia Benson	2nd Lt. Vanessa James	Recurring Role

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- International Airdates:
  Australia: October 22, 2010 on SCI FI
  UK: October 26, 2010 on Sky1
  Sweden: December 17, 2010 on TV6
  Germany: March 23, 2011 on RTL II
  Czech Republic: January 23, 2013 on FANDA
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