AirLockAlpha.com

This review may contain spoilers.

After an episode of time travel, we must accept that all problems are fixed, and that all is back to as close to normal on Destiny.

Taking a step towards the dramatic edge that separates “Stargate: Universe” from its show predecessors, we return to what happens to the relationships of those on board the ship as well as of those that go back to Earth using the Ancients’ stone technology, especially concerning Col Telford (Lou Diamond Phillips), Col. Young (Justin Louis), and his wife.

While Eli (David Blue) tries to covertly solve the stargate issue of getting everyone back to Earth, Dr. Rush (Robert Carlyle) and others open more sections of Destiny and find an Ancient chair that connects to the neural network like the one that almost destroyed Jack O’Neill (Richard Dean Anderson). At the same time, LT Scott (Brian J. Smith) and Camille (Ming-Na) use the stones to return to their loved ones. Telford continues to question Young’s actions while on the ship. In answer to a cliffhanger ending to a former episode, Telford has struck up a relationship with Young’s wife offering to reveal his infidelities. TJ Johansen (Huffman) suffers from a lack of personal relationships in her role as medic as well as her new role as ship psychiatrist. Not surprisingly, all is not well with the morale of those on Destiny.

On Earth, Camille gets her first chance to visit her private life when she returns to her girlfriend Sharon (Reiko Aylesworth). In short scenes of normal life, Camille shows aspects that they are all deprived of on the ship and the worry of losing those close relationships while being away. Scott waits to visit his old girlfriend, and unlike others who have used the borrowed body to insert themselves temporarily into their personal lives, he distances himself. He is surprised to find out he has a son, and that his old girlfriend has not lived the life she had originally planned. Although Scott tries to change her life, he realizes that he cannot control the outcome of life, and returns to the ship to deal with his own emotions about being a new father.

Rush, refusing to undergo any psychological scrutiny, finds a connection on the ship that allows him to access links between Destiny, other ships, and other stargates. He pushes to try and jump to other ships, but Young quickly squashes his ambitions with the task of getting back to Earth.

The stone technology comes into question when Scott has flashbacks to Telford’s dinner with Young’s wife. When Young finally comes to the overdue conclusion that Telford has struck up a friendship with his wife, he confronts him using someone else’s body. Telford severs the connection before Young can attack him. Before he can go back, Eli reveals that the planet Rush promises will help get them back in a year is a fake. Confronted by Young, Rush claims that he did it to keep them placated. However, when Young in anger tells him to be the first to sit in the Ancients’ neural chair, he shows no initiative or bravery. Back on Earth, Young does get his day with Telford when he secretly returns. After this, it seems like all returns to the way it is at the beginning of the episode except. We know from the mental and emotional cracks that Spencer (Josh Blacker) displays throughout the episode that danger from within lurks on Destiny, unfortunately though we will have to wait until December 4 for the final episode of 2009.

What Worked

It is nice to see the return of Ming-Na, especially utilizing her immense talents to deal with how life continues to exist while they are on Destiny and returning to relationships on Earth, which is a smart move to an audience that may be wavering in its support. “Stargate: Universe” set itself apart from the original franchise with its darker take on the consequences of a tough situation. Showing that there are other more personal things at risk as their lives on the ship and at home keep moving connects us more to the crew. Also, Lou Diamond Phillips is outstanding as a very questionable character, although it was nice to see him finally face some consequences.

What Didn’t Work

There are some continuity issues when this week’s episode completely ignores the deaths of the dire ending to last week’s episode. Are we to assume that time travel happened, and all was fixed with a nice, pretty bow? More could have been done with the time and space continuum that would have solved the plot issues beyond just not addressing them at all.

Also, it would be nice to have a little more progress on the stargate issue. Considering that there is only one more episode in 2009, they need to give the crew of Destiny and the audience some sense of promise in order to keep us all going.

Giving Credit Where Credit Is Due

“Stargate: Universe” stars Robert Carlyle, Brian J. Smith, David Blue, Jamil Walker Smith, Justin Louis, Elyse Levesque, Ming-Na, Alaina Huffman, and Lou Diamond Phillips. “Life” was directed by Alex Chapple and written by Carl Binder.

“Stargate: Universe” airs Fridays at 9 p.m. ET on Syfy.