TV episode review
US premiere 5 December 2008 (Sci Fi Channel)

There’s a Wraith ship coming… but thankfully it doesn’t attack. Instead, Atlantis receives a pre-recorded - and degraded - distress call from Todd. With no life signs identifiable aboard the Wraith ship, Keller joins Sheppard’s team to investigate. They play an intact copy of the message and learn that something has gone horribly wrong with Keller’s gene therapy and the Wraith have gone into hibernation in the hope that Atlantis can save them…

With only a couple more to go before the finale, this episode would appear to be tying up the loose ends of the Wraith gene therapy storyline before the big Wraith episode which will see the series out. It does that well enough, but by the far best thing here is the return of Todd after his turning on the humans at the end of the mid-season two-parter.

This time he needs their help, but thankfully Christopher Heyerdahl continues to give him a forceful and menacing edge. The initial suspected attack turns out to be a trap, before the episode turns into a medical thriller which focuses on finding a cure for Todd. It also manages to weave a stalk-and-chomp scenario into the action. It all just about works, especially as the hiveship itself becomes a focus throughout.

The sets and shooting style are effectively creepy, and the special effects sequences don’t disappoint. There’s also a neat exploration of the implications of an organic living ship with plenty of bizarre detail. Brigid Cherry

VERDICT: 7/10

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