This review may contain spoilers.

There are two things that keep this episode running; the first is Robert Carlyle. As Dr. Rush, he offers a character that is so completely different from the scientific roles in the Stargate franchise. On "Stargate SG-1," Col. Carter was backed by a sense of purpose and the need to defend the human race. On "Stargate: Atlantis," Dr. MacKay was fueled by his desire to expand scientific knowledge.

Sure, his judgment may have been questionable at times, but there was always a line he would not cross. Rush though knows no such boundary. He is a cold and calculating man of science who sees numbers, equations and variables instead of people. And with the power failing on Destiny he has his work cut out for him.

His rant in the middle of the control deck and his verbal attack on Dr. Volker was brilliantly executed by all involved. His reaction to the situation is a refreshing burst of real life in the genre and helps sell the idea that this scenario could actually happen. Plus, as a scot, it is a genuine pleasure to see a Glaswegian meltdown in the middle of a science-fiction show.

Secondly, are the directorial talents of Peter DeLuise; the man knew what he was doing when he constructed the episode; the kino scenes are very intimate and provide a rare glimpse into the psyche of the cast, the likes of which the previous incarnations of the franchise rarely touched.

The simple, matter of fact statement, "I don't wanna die out here," wonderfully underlines the tone of the series and again establishes the risks involved if Rush is not allowed to continue his work. This approach works fantastically as Destiny soars passed a gas giant, providing a very rare opportunity to stare in awe at the wonders of space and admire the beauty of the planet instead of discussing the technicalities of it all.

And that is something very rare on a sci-fi series.

What Worked

Don't let the title fool you; despite the bleak harshness there is a lot of humor in "Darkness." From jibs at body odor, re-enactments from "Planet of the Apes" and

All the relationships on Destiny are evolving at a very natural pace; Camille (Ming-Na) and Col. Young (Justin Louis) are oddly similar to that of Adama and Roslin on "Battlestar Galactica," there is a growing love triangle between Eli, Chloe and Scott which is becoming more and more fascinating and the rest of the crew are cracking under their current situation.

The problem with the love triangle is though that all of these characters are completely likeable : which means one of them is going to be let down.

And it was nice to have a bit of a history lesson on the Ancients, their technological development and the complete lack of their gene-based technology. By removing all the Atlantian elements, "Stargate: Universe" keeps itself simple, accessible and watchable.

What Didn't Work

Besides trying to survive every predicament that Destiny throws the crew's way, very little is actually taking place on the show. The series has been compared to genre greats like "Firefly" and "Battlestar Galactica," but in amongst the obvious efforts to survive the dire situations both of these shows had a bigger story at work. "Firefly" had Reavers, the Alliance and all the antics associated with a Han Solo like captain, while "Battlestar Galactica" had Cylons, political intrigue and colonial terrorism on a weekly basis. If you want to watch a gang of people trying to cope in the harshest of climates and situations, why not just tune into "Survivor" instead?

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 Kalanj and Lou Diamond Phillips. "Darkness" was written by Brad Wright, and was directed by Peter DeLuise.

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