Review of Duet

Stargate: Atlantis: Duet (2005)
Season 2, Episode 4
7/10
Great minds had much rather think *alone*.
31 July 2011
Warning: Spoilers
This is one of those great episodes which, when you watch them again, actually seem a bit disappointing. The plot is based on a really funny, original idea, and you can see all the potential of having a bright, modern young woman trapped in Rodney McKay's head. And honestly, the situations they get in are honest fun, especially since David Hewlett seems to really enjoy getting in touch with his feminine side ^^ Besides, those romantic subplots will be re-exploited later on, and I always appreciate a bit of continuity. And while I'm listing the good points in that episode, it's interesting to watch Ronon's uneasy re-integration into civilised society, and we get to meet another recurring character, the young psychologist (and as a side note: why are most of the female geniuses young and attractive? The homely ones always get stuck with the subaltern roles... never mind.)

Despite those good points, on second viewing, David Hewlett's great performance starts to feel like a 40-mn one-man show, with everybody else just filling in the gaps. While amusing, the Rodney/Cadman situation is a bit limited to serve as the main plot line. It would have been much better used as an added twist for another plot line just like in Hide and Seek: there, Rodney's problems with the Ancient shield added to the main plot, instead of *being* the plot. Another problem is that for all its potential, this forced cohabitation has little or no impact on the story. I don't know, Cadman's weird situation might have been a good opportunity to get into Rodney's mind, even to affect him durably. But we don't know Cadman and never will (she'll only reappear in Critical Mass), and Rodney won't come out of it any less annoying or arrogant. Now, this is not incoherent with his stubborn streak, but I still think it's a waste of an excellent situation.
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