[MR_T3D]

It's 2009, post Asgard suicide. I got the impression that, despite having the asgard database, they might not yet have the expertise to make the shields and weapons themselves (although they apparently can build their own ancients intergalactic communication device...)

The Asgard originally armed only one ship with beam cannons, but in Atlantis we see several with beams and shields.

Two... three if you count Carter's ship in the alternate history from The Last Man (Season 4 finale of Atlantis).

Presumably they CAN replicate the technology but there is no mention if the Hammond has been fitted yet.  Since it was a courier mission mostly and because the ship is so new it may not be fully fitted out yet.

It was incomplete/doctor Rush gave them specs on the ship?
either one seems plausable, the later being speculation, hence no spoiler tags,  sorry if it turrns out to be true ,but it would make sense, thinking about it...

[NGTM-1R]

So where's my VLS nuke spam like Daedelus did during the Battle of the Abyss on Atlantis, then?

[Fury]

The Horizon that was fired on the Replicator planet was big and slow. It would be shot down before nukes are even armed. Not only that, but using warheads of that caliber in close proximity could be suicidal. The Earth cruisers are already equipped with a plethora of missile launchers that I suppose have quite a destructive power that is still safe to use in close quarters.

[NGTM-1R]

Not the Horizon. The Battle of the Abyss, the one with two Wraith hiveships between galaxies, Daedleus fired its entire magazine of nuclear weapons against a Wraith hiveship to penetrate the ship's fighter screen. The scene was actually beautifully done as you see it in side view, the nukes spreading out, getting intercepted, and then a hit.

If you're still lost, 1:33 to 1:55 here.

[Fury]

Oh that. They might have done that, but off-screen. Besides, have nukes ever been successful against Ha'taks since they have shields, hives don't? The Goa'uld Buster failed miserably because of shields.

[The E]

 

I'm really starting to love this show. The stories so far are great, the music kicks ass.....Definitely the best show this season for me.


(Unless they start jumping sharks fast)

[lostllama]

I'm getting into it too, after a long period of avoiding TV.

[Black Wolf]

Man, that episode was so well done. I mean, it's the 5th episode. We all knew they were going to make it, and yet I was on the edge of my seat. So good!

[newman]

Another brilliant episode. I found it interesting even though I had predicted this exact outcome a week ago.. the "Destiny" had displayed the ability to take care of it's crew in the past, flying into a star seemed out of character unless it could withstand it and actually use it to refuel.
I'm glad to say that SGU has so far exceeded every expectation I had of it. The concept sounded like they'll do a "planet/aliens of the week" think like Voyager had, but so far it hasn't downgraded to that. I hope it never does.

[General Battuta]

That was awesome. The lottery scene was great, the sex scene was tasteful and added to the story, and the ending was a lovely twist.

[Fury]

Just saw the newest episode. It didn't really have a impact on me, as I thought it was pretty generic episode including Rush learning some humility. At the end I was both angry at him and overjoyed because he's still the love to hate bastard. Loved the ending.

[Liberator]

The only thing I actively dislike is that none of the characters are likeable on they're surface except Eli.  He is was he is, everyone else has an agenda or some machiavellian plan or is broken, I dislike shows where there are so actually good people.

[General Battuta]

Actually, I think SG:U does a good power of recognizing the influence of the situation. There are no 'good' or 'bad' people, just people and the stresses put on them.

I really disliked Greer, but he came across well this episode; same with Chloe; same with Rush, to a degree; and even the Colonel really stepped things up.

[Liberator]

That's not what I meant.

Every story has to have a hero or heroic(IE good) characters.  So far we've got 73 or how ever many nimrods who were chosen for an offworld assignment by the SGC/IOA, they should be inherently less prone to panic and disorganization in an emergency situation.  I'm not asking for 70 Jack O'Neills or Samantha Carters, but a little professionalism would be nice.  They're at the point in they're interpersonal exchanges that it took BSG almost 2 seasons to reach.

[General Battuta]

Stories do not at all require heroes or heroic characters. Stories about ordinary people often show ordinary folks acting as heroes...even if they are, in fact, jerks. Other stories simply lack that element entirely.

(Take Ewan McGregor's character from Black Hawk Down, who turned out to be a pedophile.)

We are large, we contain multitudes. The whole point is to show that people can produce unexpected grit, or unexpected nastiness.

Besides, they're incredibly disciplined and non-panicky so far.

[The E]

Yep. They got organized pretty quick after the initial confusion, and even took the lottery thing pretty well. So, while they were not prepared to suddenly be on the other side of several galaxies, they were prepared for extraplanetary missions.
And yeah, good ensemble stories do not need one big hero or two to be awesome.

[General Battuta]

I'm thinking, at random, of Requiem for a Dream, which was a great story, but which was full of characters making bad decisions.

[The E]

Hang on, SG:U made you think of one of the most depressing films EVER MADE????

[General Battuta]

No no, just the idea of a story without likable/'hero' characters.

What other good ones are there? Aside from real life. 

[Liberator]

Ok, so instead of positive role model type characters you'd rather have 50 bajillion shows filled with Gregory House, M.D. clones or better yet a thousand Gaius Baltars.  That would be more boring than watching paint dry.