Brenna O’Brien
Brenna played a young Adria in the Stargate SG1 episode Flesh and Blood and has guest starred on Supernatural, The Haunting Hour, Life Unexpected, Tin Man, The 12 Disasters of Christmas, X-Men Last Stand, Murder, She Baked: A Deadly Recipe and voiced shows such as Elemental Glade and InuYasha: The Final Act. IMDBTwitterBehind The Voice
Rodney A. Grant
Rodney played Tonané in the Stargate SG1 episode Spirits and has also appeared on Due South, Legend, Ghost of Mars, Don’t Come Knocking, Dark Blood, The Jack Bull, Vanishing Point and Wild Wild West. IMDB
In Brain Storm Rodney is invited to a presentation by a former colleague, he asks Jennifer to accompany him and perhaps a little to his surprise she is quite pleased to do so. The presentation takes place in a facility in the middle of nowhere with tight security where Dr. Malcolm Tunney reveals his matter bridge a device intended to funnel heat from the Earth to another universe/reality thus reducing global warming. Rodney recognizes the device as being the same technology he used to access the alternate realm which brought his other self to Atlantis but when he speaks he is ridiculed as it seems Rodney has a bit of a reputation amongst his peers. However as Rodney suspected once the device is activated and working it can not be turned off as it’s providing it’s own energy and as more heat is drawn from the facility the colder it gets resulting in a new phenomenon imaginatively called “freeze lightning”. Jennifer attempts to contact the SGC after they find a weak area in the containment field but she is then trapped in a corridor flooded with water, Rodney desperate to get to her pulls the proverbial rabbit out of the hat and leaves the control room to save her. Tunney using Rodney’s code shuts down the matter bridge and in the nick of time Rodney is able to revive Jennifer, not a bad official first date it would seem based on the events that occurred on the plane flying them home.
Brain Storm is a very very good episode, we finally get to see Rodney asking Jennifer out and as we knew she had serious feelings for him it’s no surprise that she says yes, Rodney was surprised which made the whole scene just that more enjoyable. We also learn that Rodney really did make himself a bit of a loner within his peer group, his reputation is not good and that fact working with the SGC and IOA means no published papers just underlines the disdain many feel for him. Of course the fact that Bill Nye and Neil deGrasse Tyson are two of his peers kinda raises the whole episode to a whole new level and huge thanks must go to the two men who were more than willing to poke fun at themselves.
As always we want to thank our guest Andrew for joining us over Skype from the states, he always delivers and I think it’s evident having three voices in the mix keeps things fresh especially when a guest has a particular affinity for the episode in question. This weeks podcast promo was for The Rusted Robot and next week we are going to be taking a look at the Atlantis episode “Infection” so let us know what you think and don’t forget to vote in our Season 5 favourite episode poll:)
Brenna O’Brien
Brenna played a young Adria in the Stargate SG1 episode Flesh and Blood and has guest starred on Supernatural, The Haunting Hour, Life Unexpected, Tin Man, The 12 Disasters of Christmas, X-Men Last Stand and voiced shows such as Elemental Glade and InuYasha: The Final Act. IMDBTwitterBehind The Voice Rodney A. Grant
Rodney played Tonané in the Stargate SG1 episode Spirits and has also appeared on Due South, Legend, Ghost of Mars, Don’t Come Knocking, Dark Blood, Vanishing Point and Wild Wild West. IMDB
In The Shrine Rodney McKay develops a degenerative brain condition and within days his mental faculties decline with startling abruptness. Initially they believe a mission to a failed research camp which had been destroyed by a flood coupled with spending hours soaking wet and cold on top of the Stargate was the root cause but only Rodney was affected. However Jennifer with help from the Pegasus natives identifies the condition as “Second Childhood” a known condition in the Pegasus galaxy which is caused by a parasite that embeds itself in the brain and creates similar symptoms as Alzheimer’s. Jeannie is brought to Atlantis to say her goodbyes to Rodney and Ronon approaches her with his own experience of the condition which had affected his grandfather. It seems there is a shrine that has the capability to nullify the symptoms for one day allowing the sufferer to spend quality time with their family and friends. Jeannie decides to take Rodney to this Shrine despite Jennifer’s scientific doubts but they have to get past the Wraith outpost, fortunate the Wraith are a little dumb or complacent.
When they enter the Shrine it’s effect is felt quickly and Rodney regains his sensors, he is alarmed at the news but Jennifer identifies the radiation source being emitted from the Ancient device in the cave. She correctly speculates that this causes the parasite to shrink (for a time) but maybe with it in a tightly controlled area of the brain the option to surgically remove it although with limited tools it will require a lot of skill and some luck.
The Shrine is considered one of the best episodes of Stargate Atlantis and a firm fan favourite, it also gains a lot of praise for David who gave us a Rodney McKay so very different than what we were accustomed too, it was also interesting to see the dynamic between Pegasus folklore and Earth scientific method clash although that was more for effect than a plot element that was going to be explored in depth. It was also great to see Kate return to the show for her final appearance as Jeannie Miller and it was heart breaking to and inspiring to see Rodney confess his feelings to Jennifer even if he needed the security blanket of a video recording to express himself.
Many thanks to Andrew who joined my early one sunday (Alan was at a convention) and he will be returning next week for the episode Whispers. This weeks podcast promo is for Tuning Into Scifi TV so click the link and pay them a visit. Thanks to everyone who took the time to listen to the bonus shows over the holidays and once again thanks to all those that voted in the poll, the Stargate box of goodies is on it’s way to Jodi in New York 🙂
Sam, Jennifer and Rodney pay a visit to M5V-801 to confirm to the local population that the mining work the Genii forced upon them two decades previously was going to have grave consequences for their settlements. However on their way the grounds collapse and the three of them find themselves in an unknown abandoned mining complex with little to help them escape. They try to improvise a number of ways to reach the glimpse of sunlight far above their heads but the results are all negative and bring a fresh collection of injuries and the situation continues to get worse. The building they are in is on long stilts which are slowly giving way as the load increase thanks to soil pouring into it from above but maybe the way out is to be found by going deeper rather than higher.
Trio is very much a character piece, pretty much a one location show and allows the already established dynamic between Rodney and Sam to flourish making it very easy to ease Jennifer into the group and a by product is that it opens up the possibility of a relationship between Rodney and Jennifer especially after he made so much of a mess with Katie a few weeks before. The show was also intended to be a bottle episode, limited sets and guest stars but logistically it turned into a nightmare, very complex set pieces and a lot of CGI to removes wire work from the scenes where it was impossible to use doubles. Overall though while at times it can feel a little stretched the story is entertaining and offers up a lot to the regular viewer of Atlantis, maybe not so much to a first timer viewer.
Many thanks to Phil for joining me on this show, this was his first time on Gatecast but since it was recorded in January 2014 not the first time you’ve heard an episode he has been on. This weeks promo is for the Sci-Fi Movie Podcast and next week we are going to be joined by Brad for the excellent Midway, let us know what you think since it’s been gratifying to get some feedback these last couple of weeks:)
Brenna O’Brien
Brenna played a young Adria in the Stargate SG1 episode Flesh and Blood and has guest starred on Supernatural, The Haunting Hour, Life Unexpected, Tin Man, X-Men Last Stand and voiced shows such as Elemental Glade and InuYasha: The Final Act. IMDBTwitterBehind The Voice Rodney A. Grant
Rodney played Tonané in the Stargate SG1 episode Spirits and has also appeared on Due South, Legend, Ghost of Mars, Don’t Come Knocking, Vanishing Point and Wild Wild West. IMDB
While searching for a power drain in the depths of the city Rodney and Radak along with a science team discover an active lab and terminal, full of himself and in response to a wager Rodney is careless and is zapped by an energy ribbon, he regains consciousness and everything seems to be fine but it isn’t and now no donut is safe as he develops a voracious appetite to sustain his ever increasing mental superpowers which include telepathy and telekinesis. Further investigation reveals that the lab was exploring the means to artificially accelerate the ability to ascend (similar to what Anubis was attempting) and the machine scanned Rodney’s DNA and made adjustments which if all went well would allow him to join those that went before him. Of course Rodney at his best is not 100% comfortable with himself and the mental component is eluding him, without the physical and mental being in perfect sync the changes to his brain will kill him.
Ooops, I did it again!
Tao of Rodney is another great episode of Stargate Atlantis and allowed David once again to push Rodney into areas of this psyche and personal interaction he has never been at one with, the joys of his superpowers as you would expect make his day but the realisation that he may not be ready and ultimately die causes him to look inward and try to address some of his shortfalls helped by John in particular but the understanding from people who are his friends despite how he may have treated them in the past. One thing this episode really gets right is the cinematography, the episode looks fantastic despite so many scenes shot in restricted lighting, all credit to the director and his DP ( Michael C. Blundell ) for making the HD presentation of the episode so stunning. I personally really enjoy the Tao Of Rodney but it does get some mixed reviews but I think overall the episode has a very strong position in the third season of the show especially given it’s standalone nature.
Many thanks to Brad for joining us this week and the podcast promo we chose to include was for the Sci-Fi Movie Podcast a fantastic weekly show that reviews and discusses all manner of movies in the genre we all have a passion for. Next weeks show will be taking a look at the SG1 episode Bounty and the ups and downs of a High School reunion when intergalactic bounty hunters are hot on the trail of SG1, hope you join us for that and don’t forget to let us know what you think of our show and Stargate, thanks to Mack for commenting on last weeks episode over on our Google+ page.
A cry for help from the planet of Taranis has the team visiting the world which is the site of an Ancient outpost. It seems the ancients built an advanced defensive shield powered by geo-thermal energy to protect the base and the local inhabitants since the fall of Atlantis have used the facility although not to any great extent but with the rise of the Wraith and the ongoing culling the shield has been activated but there are consequences. Rodney while examining the systems realises that the continued full power use of the shield has strained the geo-thermal vents that supply the raw power and the super volcano is close to eruption and by close he means days which isn’t good. While Rodney is working with the alien scientist Norina the chancellor reveals the great secret of Taranis, the outpost was the home base for an Aurora class Ancient warship and it’s still there fully intact albeit currently unable to fly but hey Rodney is close at hand. As the super volcano becomes more active and Rodney finally convinces everyone that the imminent eruption is a global killer and part way through the initial evacuation the gate is lost as lava wells up from the ground leaving the team and the locals with no escape except for the Ancient ship and the hope that the Daedalus can reach them quickly despite it’s limited life support which means they could only take a few people on board as the inferno rages below.
Great view, from a distance.
Inferno has it’s flaws but at heart it’s a fun story making good use of the chemistry between Rodney and John and particularly the energy David brings to his role, he really makes the combination of genius and egotistical hothead work so well and add in the awkwardness around an attractive woman, no any woman just adds the icing to this episode. Strangely enough Norina (Brandy Ledford) does seem interested, it may be his intelligence rather than his character but it certainly knocks Rodney off his center where as John lays on the charm with a gusto. The special effects for the super volcano is fairly good, not fantastic but as we see with the “Orion” and Deadealus the CGI has really been perfected for more manufactured objects where as more fluid effects are at that time just a little beyond the scope of a tv budget. The natural scepticism of the Chancellor played by Kevin McNulty rings true but this episode is all about the dynamic of the main characters when under extreme pressure and in that regard we can’t forget once again Teyla and Ronon being paired up and facing death as they become stranded in a local village as the volcanic ash falls.
One again many thanks to Thomas for joining us for Inferno and this weeks podcast promo was for Flash Pulp an excellent source of short form pulp themed audio productions, many thanks for the feedback over on Facebook, Google+ and of course Twitter and next week we are going to return to SG1 for it’s season 9 finale “Camelot”, hope you join us for that and don’t forget we are keen to get people on the show for S10 of SG1 and S3 of Atlantis, please get in touch if you are interested as hopefully as times passes the episodes will be allocated:)
Rodney A. Grant
Rodney played Tonané in the Stargate SG1 episode Spirits and also appeared on Due South, Legend, Ghost of Mars and Wild Wild West. IMDB Brenna O’Brien
Brenna was a young Adria in the Stargate SG1 episode Flesh and Blood and has been on Supernatural, The Haunting Hour, Tin Man, X-Men Last Stand and voiced shows such as Elemental Glade and Zixx. IMDBTwitterBehind The Voice
