STARGATE: ATLANTIS – THE COMPLETE THIRD SEASON
(not rated)
MOVIE: **** (out of 5)
DVD EXPERIENCE: ****1/2 (out of 5)
STARRING
Joe Flanigan as LT. COL. JOHN SHEPPARD
David Hewlett as DR. RODNEY MCKAY
Rachel Luttrell as TEYLA EMMAGAN
Torri Higginson as DR. ELIZABETH WEIR
Paul McGillion as DR. CARSON BECKETT
Jason Momoa as RONON DEX
Created by: Brad Wright and Robert C. Cooper
Studio: MGM
BY KEVIN CARR
Once I started to watch “Stargate: Atlantis” on DVD in its second season, I became an instant fan. I was never too fond of the original movie, and by the time I got around to watching “Stargate: SG-1,” the series had been going on so long I got lost. But this new series caught me at the right time.
Now that I’ve seen the third season, I can say that I’m seriously hooked. While the show has many elements to past “Star Trek” series (including the beaming technology and the outpost on the edge of another galaxy), it’s far superior to many shows in that series. Primarily what makes it stand out to me is that is shows the universe as a dangerous place and doesn’t carry the overly peace-nicky U.N. message of “Star Trek.”
The third season picks up with Dr. McKay and Ronon trapped on a Wraith ship that knows the location of Earth. Of course, we see our friends prevail and return home to find deeper problems. This season is populated with new enemies beyond the standard Wraith. There’s Michael, the Wraith-human hybrid who has his own agenda. There’s also new Replicators in the Pegasus galaxy with revenge on their minds.
Additionally, the third season saw a development in the characters, giving us a greater look into their personal lives. New friendships are strengthened, my favorite being the unusual duo of Colonel Shepherd and Dr. McKay.
The shows continue to provide solid action and suspense with a healthy dose of geekiness. I love the set-up of the show and the fact that the Atlantis team gets into a fair number of scrapes by making some really bad decisions, and most of the solutions are not candy-coated. I’m now sucked in, and I’m watching the fourth season before it comes to DVD.
The DVD set for the third season comes with bountiful special features. Each of the five discs contains a “Mission Directive” spotlight on a selected episode. There’s also additional spotlights on actors or elements of the show. Additional features include commentary on selected episodes and photo galleries.