STARGATE SG-U: 1.0 (2009, Blu-ray released February 9, 2010 – MSRP $69.99)
The universe is a big place. A vast expanse, filled with mystery, wonder, and shows that seem very similar. Stargate Universe, reminds us that no matter how big the universe is, people can still borrow themes and situations from other sci-fi shows and do something engaging with it. Some may say that another venture into the Stargate franchise is unnecessary, but I say get on board.
I really like sci-fi, but have always been a bit of a TV sci-fi snob—lower production budgets than films, a plethora of cheesy performances…Ok, I did watch all of the Star Trek shows with varying regularity. With few exceptions, I’ve never gotten into many other shows, including the show SGU most closely resembles…I can’t remember what it’s called, but I know that Lorne Greene was on it…or was that the original…? Hmm. I saw the original Stargate film with Kurt Russell and James Spader, but I hadn’t returned to the land of teleporting, side-standing pools for some time, but after watching the first 10 episodes of SGU, I’m hooked! Stargate Universe 1.0 is the initial release of this Syfy series (look for Stargate Universe 1.5 this summer). Released at the halfway point of the first season, the 2-disc set does a great job of introducing the show, its characters, and their ever-evolving predicament. The crew is made up of military personnel, scientists and civilians. The characters are literally thrown into the situation. Forced to dial blindly, they burst through a stargate, only to land (painfully) onto Destiny, an unknown, ancient ship, launched hundreds of thousands of years ago, and millions of light-years away. Unable to dial up a stargate to transport them home to Earth, or even decipher where they are in the universe, the crew, made up mostly of reluctant and distrustful adventurers, must learn how to survive, and harder still, how to deal with each other.
Interestingly, the action isn’t limited to the interior of the Destiny and any planet they make a pit stop at. It’s something we don’t normally see with these types of stories. Usually, they have to survive completely on their own. But here there is a means to connect in a real way, without leaving the ship, with those they’ve left behind. Using it is a cause of all other kinds of trouble, and it freaks me out a little—the things that people are willing to do with other peoples’ bodies, and the things that people allow others to do with their bodies…Sheesh! There is plenty of drama, but without the melodrama. We get love-triangles…heck, even one love-square! Sure, the characters are archetypical, but good character-driven storylines (that haven’t been just about getting home) is why this show works. The ship, a character in its own right, seems to know where the crew, and ultimately the show, is going in this first season. The show is primarily shot hand-held, revealing the beautifully dark and seemingly winding set, giving the viewer the feeling of being on board and peeking around corners. The exterior design of Destiny is striking. The ship is huge and most of its secrets are still undiscovered.
Cinematographer, Rohn Schmidt, shot the 3-part pilot episode. Having lensed most of the FX series, The Shield, hand-held and on Super 16 (a variant of 16 mm) film, he was the obvious choice to establish the look and style of the show. SGU is shot with wide angles on digital video and the picture is crisp, with rich blacks–a necessity when shooting the bowels of a mystery ship with power issues in deep space. The slightest of noise is visible on some effect-y shots, but overall, the image is beautiful. The initial shot of the ship in flight elicited a “Whoa” from me. The DTS-HD MA 5.1 Surround audio track is extraordinary. All channels firing impressive, atmosphere creating sounds and clear dialogue. You feel the lower frequencies first–The rumble of the moving ship permeates out of the surround channels, enveloping you, and further conjuring up the feeling of traveling on board.
The dual layer, 2-disc set contains an extended version of the pilot episode and cast and producer commentaries on every episode. At times, the commentary with several of the cast members all talking at once descends into silly chatter, but there are still some anecdotal gems to be found. The extras uncover details about the ship; it’s crew; how the show is made and the Stargate mythos as well, using a mock-up star map called the ‘Destiny SML’ (Star Map and Log). It’s comprised of selectable stars containing cast interviews, behind-the-scenes and making of footage. The ‘Kino Video Diaries’ are short, personal video-messages recorded by the Destiny crew using the free-floating cameras found aboard called Kinos. The “footage” allows for a deeper understanding of the characters and their motivations. Included in the extras as well is a cool little feature called ‘Kawhoosh! 2.0′, which demonstrates how they achieved the newest opening-stargate effect.
Regardless of the similarities to other shows, SGU still manages to set itself apart, even from the other Stargate shows. It’s the characterizations and the performances that make all the difference. Robert Carlyle, Ming-Na and Lou Diamond Phillips are the “names” of the show, but it’s Louis Ferreira, the Colonel (Young) in charge, that is the most compelling central figure. The (literal) head butting relationship he has with Carlyle’s character, Dr. Rush, is classic character conflict, and works well as a device to tell the overall story.
New life has been breathed into the Stargate franchise. This is the right idea at the right time–A character-driven, space adventure, where personal dramas can play out. Creators, Brad Wright and Robert C. Cooper knew there was somewhere else the franchise could go. Within the protective and frustrating belly of Destiny, we travel with the crew–Witnessing the power plays, planetary explosions and even a murder mystery. All the while, lines are drawn and alliances forged. Even with a familiar foundation to the surface story, the work has been done to make Stargate Universe stand out and be noticed. Inspiration plus perspiration equals good television.
[...] personal KNO Diaries and the Destiny Star Map & Logs (SML) are expanded and, similar to the SGU 1.0 Blu-ray disc set, there is plenty of commentary where cast and crew participate. What is completely new this time is [...]