TV episode review
US premiere 12 December 2008 (Sci Fi Channel)

A bewildered woman wanders into one of the labs in Atlantis and, disturbed by Zalenka’s concern to help her, stabs him. Glancing at her reflection, she can be identified as Keller. After she cannot perform surgery when called to the infirmary, McKay, Ronon and the others become convinced she is, in fact, another consciousness in Keller’s body. When it is revealed she activated an Ancient device similar to the one Jackson and Vala used when they discovered the Ori galaxy, it becomes a race to locate and restore Keller…

For a programme that is down to its last three episodes ever, why just do a stock, filler plot that has been done at least a couple of times before and doesn’t do anything to propel the show to any sort of final gripping climax (especially as the previous episode went a long way towards setting this up)?

Why don’t we see what’s happening with Todd? Why aren’t the anti-Asgard back? What, not even any hint at what the Wraith are up to?? No, nothing at all like that – even as a secondary or side plot. Instead, we get an OK episode with a lot of running around in the Canadian forest and a frantic rush to save Keller. Even as a body swap story, it doesn’t entirely work.

From past characterisation, Keller is not an action heroine type by a long shot, but when her body is inhabited it takes on all the physical prowess of the interloper. How does that work, then? Ah, well, it’s a romp, but not terribly much fun at this point in the series. Brigid Cherry

VERDICT: 4/10

Click here for all the latest news in the official Stargate magazine!