Stargate Universe - Space, S01E11

Please, please, please don't pull the rug out from under me again, like you did last time I thought you were getting good. This episode is the reason I kept watching SGU; I know it has potential, and we've seen it attain that potential a few times, but then the writers do something insane, and everything falls to pieces. So PLEASE go with what you know works!

Why did this episode work? Well, for starters, the communication crystals failed. Instead of being transported back to Earth for some boring emotional drama with the people left behind, Colonel Young (Justin Louis) ended up in the body of an alien. Oooh, it's like it's a science fiction show!

Then, we got a space battle! These aliens are not friendly, and they also appear to be interested in studying us. They kidnapped Chloe (Elyse Levesque), whom, other than the moment she made it really easy for the aliens to take her, actually did not annoy me particularly this episode. If the writers continue to give her believable moments, like her pleasure and subsequent disappointment with the not-quite-tomatoes, I might start to like her.

Young actually did something heroic. Not that I'm going to start liking him at all for it, after all, he abandoned Rush (Robert Carlyle) on a planet to die, he cheated on his wife, he beat up a fellow officer, and he's not even man enough to not feel guilty about what happened to Rush. But at least he went to the other space ship and freed Rush, even though he was really there looking for Chloe.

So we had heroic, science-fictiony moments, which is terrific, and the drama finally was palatable. Because of Young's stupid decision to murder Rush (even though it turns out he didn't succeed), the scientists now actually have a reason to resent the leadership of the military. The army has changed from supposed protector to definite dictator. I love that Camile Wray (Ming-Na) and Rush have teamed up, both knowing what did happen to Rush, even though they both have let on to the rest of the crew that Young's story was accurate.

The best moment of the episode, however, was the demonstration of pure joy and friendship between T.J. (Alaina Huffman) and Vanessa James (Julia Benson). James admitted to having a crush on one of the scientists, who overheard the comment. James was embarrassed, and T.J. laughed and teased her, but not with any cruelty. I hope we get to see a lot more interaction between these two.

Do you agree with me? Was this episode actually what you want and expect from a Stargate show? And do you think they will take this positive new take and run with it? Or will the communication stones begin working again next week, and the quality drop back to pitiful?