Stargate Atlantis: Fans' Choice [Blu-ray]

Stargate Atlantis: Fans' Choice [Blu-ray] Review

This last year, the galaxy-hopping "Stargate Atlantis" came to a premature end when its producers decided to devote resources to a new, less anticipated spinoff instead. But though it's gone, it's hardly forgotten -- "Stargate Atlantis: Fans' Choice" brings together both the pilot two-partner and the tense series finale on one blu-ray disk. But given the cast changes and massive plot developments mean you better have already seen the series or you'll be totally lost.

At the Antarctic base, Daniel Jackson (Michael Shanks) has finally figured out the location of Atlantis -- in the Pegasus galaxy. General Jack O'Neill (Richard Dean Anderson) gives the go-ahead for an exploratory unit to go to Atlantis -- even though they don't have the power to return back to the Milky Way, and will be stranded there. So Dr. Elizabeth Weir (Torri Higginson) leads an international group of scientists and military to another galaxy, and arrive in the sunken Ancient city of Atlantis.

Unfortunately, after ten millennia Atlantis is running out of power, and soon the whole place will flood. The military unit, including Major John Sheppard (Joe Flanigan), goes scouting for a planet to evacuate to, and encounter the friendly natives.

Meanwhile, the irritable scientist Rodney McKay (David Hewlett) tries to somehow salvage the city -- only to have it rise from the ocean floor. But then the SG teams accidentally wake an ancient enemy -- the parasitic, vampiric Wraith, who destroyed the Ancients long ago. Cut off from Earth, the expedition settles into the Ancient city and tries to make the best of their situation.

Then the story zips from the very beginning to the very end: the series finale "Enemy At The Gate. The expedition is told that the Wraith now have ZPMs and will soon have a hive ship capable of reaching (drumroll please) Earth and its juicy inhabitants. Even worse, the Wraith have sent a squadron to destroy Area 51, crippling Earth's Ancient defenses -- meaning that Earth's best chance for survival may be to return the Lost City. In other words: "You better get me the President. It looks like Atlantis is coming home."

"Stargate Atlantis: Fans' Choice" is not a good place to start for newbies -- with ninety-eight episodes in between them, you'll end up wondering, "Where did Carter and Woolsey come from? How did they contact Earth again? Where's Weir and Ford, and who's that big guy with the dreadlocks?" So basically this is what the title implies: the beginning and end, aimed at fans. With blu-ray players.

But it's nice to see the solid premiere and finale of this series, both for nostalgia and for a glimpse of how much changed in the five seasons between them; the finale also is left open for the forthcoming "Stargate: Extinction" movie. And they are both pretty good episodes: they're heavy on plot, with lots of nasty Wraith stuff (including some really gross lifesucking), space battles, and dialogue both funny ("Maybe he's turning over a new leaf." "Get those down to Zelenka immediately." "Or maybe they're going to blow up when you plug them in...") and quirky ("Now I'm thinking about a nice turkey sandwich").

There are some major changes to the cast between these two episodes, but all the actors included do a great job -- Torri Higginson made a solid commander in the first episode, while Robert Picardo's Woolsey made an unexpectedly likable one in the last. Paul McGillion and Joe Flanigan are wonderful as the hilariously asocial scientist and quirky military man, and there are also good supporting performances by the teddybearish David Hewlett, David Nykl, the "Chewie" Jason Momoa, and brilliant guest stars Amanda Tapping, Richard Dean Anderson, and Mitch Pileggi.

"Stargate Atlantis: Fans' Choice" gives fans a look at how "Stargate Atlantis" both began and ended, and frankly it makes me want to go watch this solid spinoff all over again.

Stargate Atlantis: Fans' Choice [Blu-ray] Overview

Studio: Tcfhe/mgm Release Date: 08/04/2009 Run time: 87 minutes Rating: Nr

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