Stargate: Atlantis 3.15: "The Game"

Written by Carl Binder, Don Whitehead, and Holly Henderson
Directed by William Waring

The previous episode felt like the SGA version of “Flowers for Algernon”. This episode immediately feels like the SGA version of “Ender’s Game” or “A Taste of Armageddon” from the original “Star Trek”, with a bit of the classic game “Civilization” tossed in for good measure. Why it would take three people to develop such a derivative story is hard to imagine, and of course, having so many cooks in the kitchen is a recipe for disaster.

The concept is always interesting, of course, because of the ethical issues involved. If nothing else, it’s hard to reconcile how entire societies would hand over their progress to an unseen “oracle”. It certainly adds another questionable layer to the Ancients’ intervention in the progress of less “evolved” civilizations.

The success of the episode lies in two areas: how each society fits within the personality of its “oracle”, and how the ethical quandary of controlling a civilization is addressed. The personality question is obvious in some ways, subtle in others. McKay’s society is all about scientific progress, and Sheppard’s society is aggressive and somewhat paranoid. The usual tension between McKay and Sheppard, particularly their competitive nature, is expressed very clearly.

As one might expect, people will make decisions and authorize actions that they usually would never agree with, if it’s all in the name of playing a game. In computer games in particular, aggression is practically a given. After all, conflict is a quick and easy source of action and excitement. Of course, in the real world, that’s not practical and completely unethical.

For all that McKay and Sheppard attempt to bring things back on track, the damage is done. It’s interesting to see how the two of them continue to think of the two nations as their own, even when it’s clear that the game is over. That adds to the ethical discussion. After all, forcing a diplomatic and peaceful solution to the conflict is, in essence, a continuance of the meddling, only with Weir in the driver’s seat. That measure is equally ineffective.

The end of the episode is a bit of a cop-out, though it wasn’t entirely unexpected. It would have been more interesting had the conflict been unavoidable, with McKay and Sheppard forced to deal with the material and psychological consequences. Instead, all’s well that ends well, and by the very end, it’s almost like nothing happened. It’s an unsatisfying end to what was a surprisingly effective episode.

Writing: 2/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 1/4

Final Rating: 7/10