Stargate Universe Season 2. The First Five.

For a variety of long and boring reasons, I decided to hold off on writing anything about the first few eps of  SGU season 2 until now, but now that we are 5 full episodes into the new season, I thought I'd better get off my arse and put finger to keyboard.

As the season kicked off, we got a quick resolution of the main cliffhanger. Scott and Greer hid underneath the ship to escape the deadly radiation and quickly hook up with Chloe and Eli to help retake the ship. Rush has a way of getting the Destiny away from the deadly pulsar, but chooses to steal power away from the shields, forcing Destiny to stay in range of the pulsar, thereby levelling the playing field with the Lucian Alliance.

TJ is back on the mysterious alien planet which they landed on last season, at least it seems that she is, in her mind. She has been shot and is in some kind of bizarre coma. Either she is hallucinating or she really does have some kind of spiritual connection to that planet and the crew members they left there.

Meanwhile, the Lucian Alliance round up all the Destiny crew members they have and dump them on a planet which has come into range of the gate. Rush frustrates their efforts by constantly interfering with the ships systems. After an ultimatum by Rush, a power struggle ensues within the ranks of the Lucian Alliance.

Ultimately, Destiny is back under control of the good guys, with some bad guys in tow, locked up and kept secure. Now it appears that two separate crews must learn to co-operate, reminiscent of Star Trek Voyager, albeit quite a bit darker.

As things progress, one of the major developments of the show occurs in the second episode when Rush is alerted via a crashed system, that a code of his has finally been cracked. The code which gives him the location of Destiny's bridge and the ability to control more, if not all of her systems.

In true Rush fashion, he of course does not reveal any of this information to Young or any of the others. He discusses his findings with a memory of his dead wife, Gloria. Throughout this episode and the next few, he manipulates Destiny's course, dropping in and out of FTL as he steers the ship in search of more resources, to the crews bewilderment.

There are some notable moments in the first five episodes, including an excellent crash scene and a desperately dark but gripping scene where Col Young must put a friend out of their misery. Destiny docks with a damaged seeder ship and find an unknown alien race within it.

Episode 4 looked like it was going to be just another drama episode, with Eli and Wray using the stones to return to Earth. Eli must visit with his mother to find out why she is not taking her HIV drugs anymore. Upon realising that her lapse in physical and mental health is due to the fact that she no longer has contact with her son, Eli reveals the truth, and of course she does not believe his story until he receives permission from Wray to bring his mother aboard Destiny via the stones. The moment she sees her son again and understands what he is really up to, is inspirational.

Lastly, a dud.

Science Fiction always has the odd dud episode here and there and I have to say that generally SGU has not had a single one, until now....

... Scott is infected on a planet by an alien plant which seems to extend across a vast landscape and experiences a vision of himself on Earth where members of Destiny play parts in his life as family and friends during his impending marriage to Chloe. Some great moments, but overall, eh..

I have to say though, it's a great start to what hopefully will become a superb second season. I really do love this show!

DO NOT CANCEL IT, SYFY!