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The following contains MAJOR SPOILERS for the "Trio" episode of "Stargate: Atlantis."

Col. Samantha Carter (Amanda Tapping), Dr. Rodney McKay (David Hewlitt) and Dr. Jennifer Keller (Jewel Staite) try to convince the people of a planet to abandon their homes and seek new settlements in order to escape the dangerous earthquakes that are plaguing them. The quakes are destabilizing the underground mines plundered by the Genii.

However, before they reach the town, the three fall into a giant sinkhole and are trapped. As the mining facility teeters on the brink of a seemingly endless abyss, they must find a way to escape or die trying.

What Worked

It was really great to see Carter again. She has been mostly MIA this season, and it is always great to see the interaction between Carter and McKay.

Their dynamics lead directly into the other strength of this episode: the humor. As exemplified by the earlier quote, these characters have a well developed sense of humor and report with one another. The scene with the grappling hook was also a great example of well-placed, well-timed humor.

What Didn't Work

While I usually like plots that involve characters trapped and needing to bond and therefore grow in order to escape/survive, this didn't do it for me. SG-1 did a much better job in the first season with "Solitudes" and it wasn't just because of the delicious sexual tension between Carter and Jack O'Neill. Perhaps the difference is, in "Trio" we already know two of the characters too well for there to be much revelation or development. "Solitudes"was in the first season when our heroes were still new, still fresh, and we the audience had much to discover about them. How would they cope under such stress? How would they change? What would be revealed?

In "Trio," however, we already know Carter and McKay so well, we can practically recite their lines with them before we hear them. That's not to say that the characters are stale, but throwing them in this type of situation this late in the game seems tired and unnecessary.

The only way this would work would be after a long separation or if there was information that one had been withholding. Something, anything really, to add to character development or plot advancement. If not, then we get precisely what we just got -- three people stuck in a hole.

Also, Dr. Keller is not coming across as a strong character, given her penchant for either making out with or falling for men with whom she becomes trapped in tight quarters. This could be a real problem considering the situations the Atlantis crew routinely finds themselves in. Staite is a good actress, but her character seems to be a step backward from the strong females Stargate usually employs. Seriously, this kissing/falling for co-workers thing is becoming pathological.

Also, some story points. I was sick of seeing Carter falling off boxes. How many times can you have the same character fall off those darn boxes? I was almost glad when she got hurt, because it meant she wouldn't climb back up there -- and fall off the boxes. (See how this repetition thing can get annoying?) And finally, there was no resolution to the settlement issue. Did they convince the people to leave? Did they sink into the abyss? Do we not care because their kids were willing to let our heroes die? What happened?

Giving Credit Where Credit is Due

"Trio" was written by Martin Gero and directed by Martin Wood ("Andromeda," "Sanctuary"). "Stargate: Atlantis" airs on the SciFi Channel Fridays at 10 p.m.