Review – Stargate Atlantis: First Strike, Sky One HD
In Stargate Atlantis’ season finale, Earth is under threat from the Ancient-made human-form Replicators, introduced in 2006. It’s up to Colonel Ellis (Michael Beach from ER and Third Watch) commanding new starship, the USS Apollo, to launch a first strike against their planet, wiping out the armada before it launches...
But, as usual, there are complications. The Replicators retaliate against Atlantis in the form of a satellite containing a stargate with seemingly indefinite power that fires a beam at Atlantis, gradually draining its shields. Rodney McKay’s first solution is to submerge the city but when that fails to buy enough time, he concocts an elaborate plan to launch the city into space, as long as Ellis and Sheppard can create a diversion.
Meanwhile, Dr Keller, the new head of medicine refers to filling Carson Beckett’s shoes (it’s good to see Jewel Staite from Joss Whedon’s Firefly and Serenity in this hopefully recurring role). She’s concerned that she won’t be able to handle things in an emergency. It’s not long before she gets her chance to test that out.
Although it has many parallels with Stargate SG-1’s own finale also shown this week (an energy beam that could spell disaster unless drastic measures are taken), First Strike is a cracking season finale for Atlantis and, as the series is definitely back for another season – unlike its parent show – it was able to keep several plot lines open to be resolved later in the year, including the fate of Elizabeth Weir.
The story will be concluded in the autumn with two more episodes, aptly named Adrift and Lifeline, which will also see the arrival of SG-1’s Samantha Carter, who will appear regularly in season four.
