Stargate Atlantis: The Complete Series [Blu-ray]

Description

Explore the celestial wonders of an unknown world and
experience the ultimate Sci-Fi adventure in stunning high-definition with
“Stargate: Atlantis” The Complete Series Blu-ray gift set. From award-winning
Executive Producers Brad Wright and Robert C. Cooper, “Stargate: Atlantis” is
anchored with a compelling ensemble cast including Jason Momoa (Conan the
Barbarian, “Game of Thrones”), David Hewlett (Rise of the Planet of the Apes),
Joe Flanigan (Ferocious Planet), Rachel Luttrel (Imposter) and Torri Higginson
(The English Patient). Continuing the journey of “Stargate: SG-1,”
television’s longest running sci-fi series, “Stargate: Atlantis” explores the
great city of Atlantis built thousands of years ago by the Ancients and the
new home base for an elite expedition team from earth. Overflowing with
exciting quests and surprises, fans will experience every captivating, and
spine-tingling mission of the Intrepid Team from their first hostile encounter
to their last rescue mission. Winner of the 2008 People’s Choice award for
Favorite Sci-Fi show and three-time Emmy nominee, “Stargate: Atlantis” The
Complete Series Blu-ray is the perfect gift for any sci-fi aficionado filled
with all 100 episodes from seasons one through five and tons of commentary and
special featurettes. Now, for the first time on Blu-ray, you can own all five
seasons of this groundbreaking science fiction series in this 20-disc set.
Atlantis, built thousands of years ago by the highly evolved ancients, is home
base for an elite expedition team from earth. these courageous military
commanders and scientists leap through the city’s stargate to explore the
wondrous Pegasus galaxy and battle the treacherous wraith, who seek control of
Atlantis – at any cost. Stargate Atlantis: Season One It’s not a
franchise on the order of Law & Order, CSI, or Star Trek–not yet, anyway–but
with Stargate Atlantis, a more than worthy successor to SG-1, Stargate is
becoming a nice little cottage industry in itself. The premise, in a nutshell:
The Ancients, the greatest race the universe has ever known (or something like
that), abandoned Earth millions of years ago, taking Atlantis with them; they
then sunk the entire city in order to escape the clutches of the dreaded
Wraith, an implacable bunch of villains who nourish themselves by sucking the
life from humans. Now, as the two-hour “Rising” pilot details, a new team has
gained access to the legendary city. Once they arrive, Atlantis loses the
power to sustain its protective shield and rises to the surface, and thus
begin the team’s adventures (i.e., using the stargate to travel to other
planets in the Pegasus galaxy, encountering aliens both hostile and friendly,
and trying to defeat the Wraith, or at least stay out of their way). Jack
O’Neill (Richard Dean Anderson), SG-1’s driving force, is missed, but Atlantis
has a strong replacement in Major John Sheppard (Joe Flanigan), easily the
most charismatic member of the new team. Like O’Neill, Sheppard is a wiseacre
and a loose cannon, as well as a superb pilot with an innate understanding of
the Ancients’ arcane technology. His humor, humanity and conscience provide a
welcome contrast to the other characters, especially brilliant-but-neurotic
Dr. Rodney McKay (David Hewlett) and ultra-serious project leader Dr.
Elizabeth Weir (Torri Higginson), who has little to do but give orders and
stand up for her people. The Wraith, who resemble a vampire mutation of the
albino blues guitarist Johnny Winter, are the focus of most of these 19
episodes (including the pilot). These bad boys will stop at nothing–nothing,
I tell you!–in their quest to snack their way through every galaxy in the
universe, with Earth their ultimate feeding ground. And while the final four
episodes, dealing with the Wraith’s massive attack on Atlantis, end with an
unsatisfying cliffhanger (basically, nothing is resolved), earlier shows
effectively keep their ominous presence in the forefront. The episodes in
which the Wraith play little or no active role are often compelling as well,
including “Thirty Eight Minutes” (one of our heroes’ “puddle jumper”
spacecraft gets stuck in the stargate), “Childhood’s End” (we meet a race
whose members are convinced that only ritual suicide is keeping the Wraith at
bay), and “The Eye” (a planet-size hurricane/tsunami bears down on Atlantis).
As is the case with SG-1, the visual effects work, especially by TV standards,
is excellent; in fact, one might wish for bit more cool sci-fi action and less
talk in some of the episodes. Special effects include commentary (by
directors, writers, and/or actors) for every episode, as well as the
occasional behind-the-scenes featurette. –Sam GrahamStargate Atlantis: Season
TwoIf Stargate Atlantis isn’t the coolest sci-fi series on television, this
five-disc, 20-episode box set from the second season (2005-06) offers ample
evidence that it’s right up there. The writing is good; the stories are
intriguing, and the science part of the equation is credible enough to justify
our suspension of disbelief. The characters are for the most part well-
defined, and the acting, while perhaps not Emmy-caliber, is just fine. The
action is exciting, the effects work impressive, the costumes and sets first-
rate. But what Atlantis really has going for it is the presence of some of the
baddest bad guys in the cosmos: the Wraith.With their flowing white locks,
cat-like eyes, pale, almost translucent skin, and teeth so bad they’d make the
British blush, the Wraith rock. They also have a constant need to feed–on
humans, of course–and are a serious threat not only to Atlantis but to the
entire known universe, including good ol’ Earth. And although there are
occasional diversions, the producers and writers have wisely kept the focus on
these implacable antagonists; in fact, the newest member of the team, one
Ronon Dex (played by the dreadlocked and hunky Jason Momoa), is a “runner” who
escaped the Wraith’s clutches, was a fugitive for years before being found by
our heroes, and specializes in dispatching the villains with cold precision.
In the course of the season, via single episodes and several multi-parters,
the Stargate team, commanded by Dr. Elizabeth Weir (Torri Higginson in the
show’s least interesting role) and led by insouciant Major John Sheppard (Joe
Flanigan), with genius-neurotic Dr. Rodney McKay (David Hewlett) handling the
scientific intricacies and yet another doc, Carson Beckett (Paul McGillion,
affecting a Scottish brogue), overseeing medical matters, deals with the enemy
on many fronts. Lt. Ford (Rainbow Sun Francks) defects after assuming Wraith-
like characteristics. The team experiments with a “retrovirus” designed to
turn Wraiths into humans (the results are decidedly mixed). They encounter a
human who raised a Wraith female from childhood and insists she’s just like us
(she’s not). They’re captured and imprisoned on a Wraith “hive” ship. And in
the final episode, the humans and the Wraiths even form an alliance of
supposedly mutual convenience (the episode is a cliffhanger that awaits
resolution until Season Three, but anyone who thought this “partnership” was a
good idea for our side clearly hasn’t been paying attention). As was the case
with the Season One set, bonus materials are generous, including audio
commentary (by actors, directors, and others) on every episode, various
featurettes, photos, and more. Now if only there were a few Wraith
interviews… –Sam GrahamStargate Atlantis: Season ThreeWith Stargate SG-1
now permanently off the data screen (except for a TV movie or two) after ten
productive seasons, it appears that the fate of the universe is now the
responsibility of the Stargate Atlantis crew. Based on the latter’s third
season, whose 20 episodes (plus a wealth of bonus features) are made available
here on five discs, we’re in good hands. Three years into it, Atlantis has
retained numerous familiar elements while continuing to evolve steadily. The
core cast is intact, with the cocky wiseacre-hero Lt. Col. John Sheppard (Joe
Flanigan) and the egotistical, neurotic genius Dr. Rodney McKay (David
Hewlett) still the most entertaining of the bunch; as the series explores the
characters’ personal lives and backstories, we even meet (in “McKay and Mrs.
Miller”) the latter’s sister, who’s every bit the wiz that he is. On the other
hand, the roles of team leader Dr. Elizabeth Weir (Torri Higginson) and
members Teyla (Rachel Luttrell) and Ronon Dex (Jason Momoa) are neither
especially well-written nor well-played. The return of Richard Dean Anderson
(and his sense of humor) as General Jack O’Neill, the SG-1 mainstay during
most of its run, for a few cameos is most welcome, as is the presence of the
Wraith, the series’ principal villains (SG-1 fans will also recognize the
“sentient machines” known as the Replicators from that series). With their
flowing white locks, cat-like eyes, pale, almost translucent skin, ultra-fine
black leather dusters, and, in one case, shades that would make a Hollywood
hipster envious, the Wraith remain the coolest bad guys on the sci-fi scene.
We already knew that they feed on humans, but this season brings some
startling new revelations, particularly in “Common Ground,” an excellent
episode that finds Sheppard and a Wraith (Christopher Heyerdahl) forming an
unlikely alliance against a mutual enemy; we also witness the return of the
Wraith known as Michael (Connor Trinneer), who was the subject of the Atlantis
team’s ongoing “retro-virus” experiment (designed to make Wraiths human) in
Season Two and plays a significant recurring role in Season Three. Other
developments are apparent as well, but most dramatic of all is the death of
one of the team’s key members. Stargate Atlantis isn’t the most original TV
show ever created; in fact, elements of The Running Man, Alien, The Abyss,
Enemy Mine, and other sci-fi works are sometimes so obvious that the
characters themselves mention them in dialogue. But as always, the action
sequences, special effects, models, and other technical elements are first-
rate, as are the bonus features, which include episode commentaries,
featurettes, and photo galleries. –Sam GrahamStargate Atlantis: Season Four
Replicators and Wraith. ZPMs and hyperdrives. Good guys, bad guys, and guys
who could go either way. They’re all on hand for the fourth season (originally
aired in 2007-08) of Stargate Atlantis, still one of television’s finest sci-
fi shows. There are a number of new developments in the course of this
20-episode run. The first is the departure of leader Dr. Elizabeth Weir (Torri
Higginson), who’s gone from the team by the third episode, replaced by Col.
Samantha Carter (Amanda Tapping, who will be familiar to Stargate SG-1 fans
after her long stint on that now-defunct series); seems Weir’s body contains
“nanites,” the elements that make up the “sentient machines” known as the
Replicators, which leads to her making a supreme sacrifice on behalf of her
fellow humans. (Speaking of the Replicators, these bad boys are so formidable
a threat to the entire known universe that even the Wraith–the cat-eyed,
white-haired, weird-skinned, vampire-like Johnny Winter lookalikes who feed on
humans–fear them, resulting in a rather fraught, on-again-off-again alliance
with the Stargaters. Unfortunately, the Replicator-Wraith showdown, which
could have made Godzilla v. Megalon look like a game of tag, isn’t exploited
to nearly the degree one might have wished for.) Meanwhile, the team’s
personal lives are examined more closely this time, as Teyla (Rachel Luttrell)
becomes pregnant, dreadlocked beefcake dude Ronon (Jason Momoa) considers
rejoining his original tribe, irreverent hero Lt. Col. John Sheppard (Joe
Flanigan) returns to Earth for his father’s funeral (where he runs into his
ex-wife and estranged brother), and genius scientist Dr. Rodney McKay (David
Hewlett, a good actor whose character’s incessant glass-half-empty,
pessimistic whining is getting a bit old by now) once again meets up with his
sister, who also made an appearance in Season Three. Overall, the fourth
season contains several terrific stories (like “Adrift,” in which the entire
city of Atlantis heads into space in search of a new home planet, “Tabula
Rasa,” in which the crew is infected with amnesia, and “Trio,” described by
its creators as the most logistically complex episode of the entire series),
and a smattering that aren’t so hot. As always, Atlantis has terrific special
effects, sets, and action (this show ain’t cheap to produce, and it shows),
plenty of wit (Sheppard, upon being served a strange-looking meal by his
captors: “Is that a form of torture?”), and a very generous selection of bonus
features, which include commentaries for every episode, featurettes, and photo
galleries. –Sam GrahamStargate Atlantis: Season FiveAs the curtain is drawn
on the first of the 20 episodes that comprise this fifth (and apparently last)
season of Stargate Atlantis, we’re assured that “the threat level is down”
across the universe. The “sentient machines” known as the Replicators have
been defeated; The Wraith, the white-haired, translucent-skinned, cat-eyed
vampire dudes who have been our heroes’ principal nemeses all along, are in
disarray; And while the character known as Michael, who was the subject of the
team’s ongoing “”retro-virus”” experiment (designed to make Wraiths human) in
Season Two and played a significant recurring role in Season Three, is still
around, he too no longer inspires much dread. So, “the threat level is down,”
right? Yeah, right. You don’t need to be an astrophysicist to know that rosy
analysis is mere wishful thinking. Indeed, Michael’s human-Wraith “hybrids”
are a serious menace almost immediately; and by the end of the season, not
only have the Wraith pulled themselves together, they have constructed the
mother of all “hive ships,” located Planet Earth, and begun attacking it. In
between, regular Atlantis fans will witness a few significant developments:
among other things, Samantha Carter (Stargate SG-1 veteran Amanda Tapping),
who took over command of Atlantis in Season Four, is soon replaced by the by-
the-book civilian Richard Woolsey (Robert Picardo); team member Teyla (Rachel
Luttrell) has a baby; and Rodney McKay (David Hewlett), the kvetching genius
scientist, and medical doc Jennifer Keller (Jewel Staite) kindle a romantic
relationship. Daniel Jackson (Michael Shanks), another SG-1 veteran, appears
in two mid-season episodes.Story-wise, Season Five offers considerable
variety; “The Daedalus Variations” is heady sci-fi filled with technical
mumbo-jumbo about parallel universes, while “Whispers” is a zombie jamboree
straight out of Night of the Living Dead, and Vegas, an “alternate reality
episode” in which Lt. Col. John Sheppard (Joe Flanigan, in what is still the
show’s most appealing role) plays a beleaguered homicide detective, takes
place almost entirely in that city. As usual, the best stories are the ones
involving the Wraith, including “The Queen,” in which Teyla temporarily
transforms into one of those villainous creatures. Also as usual, the visual
effects are first-rate, and the bonus material is copious (including
commentaries for every episode and all manner of featurettes) and impressive.
If this is indeed the end of Stargate Atlantis as a series (a feature-length
movie is already in production), it will certainly be missed–but at least
they’re quitting while they’re ahead. –Sam Graham

Features:

Product Details:

• Genre: Military & War, Action & Adventure, Science Fiction
• Format: AC-3, NTSC, DTS Surround Sound, Color, Blu-ray, Dolby, Widescreen, Subtitled
• Language: English
• Number Of Discs: 20
• Runtime: 73 hours and 18 minutes
• Is Discontinued By Manufacturer ‏ : ‎ No
• MPAA rating ‏ : ‎ Unrated (Not Rated)
• Product Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 0.7 x 7.5 x 5.4 inches; 1.5 Pounds
• Item model number ‏ : ‎ 4409850940
• Media Format ‏ : ‎ AC-3, NTSC, DTS Surround Sound, Color, Blu-ray, Dolby, Widescreen, Subtitled
• Run time ‏ : ‎ 73 hours and 18 minutes
• Release date ‏ : ‎ May 6, 2014
• Subtitles: ‏ : ‎ English
• Language ‏ : ‎ English (DTS 5.1), French (Dolby Surround), Spanish (Dolby Surround)
• Studio ‏ : ‎ Tcfhe/MGM