SGA Countdown: The John and Rodney Show
Jul. 13th, 2006 04:11 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kaaatieThursday: The forth reason for my love of SGA – The John and Rodney show
Sometimes Atlantis really does seem to be the John and Rodney show: John Sheppard, our ridiculously attractive, incredibly charming, fallible and dorky (but completely lovable) hero and Rodney McKay, the arrogant, snarky, self-centred and brilliant scientist. So much can be said about those two.
From season one, they were almost immediately joking around like life time friends. They finish each others’ sentences, they have coordinated movements, and they tease each other like only good friends do. In today’s post, I was planning on going through all the episodes, to write about my favourite John and Rodney moments from each, but I have just realised that would be an REALLY LONG post. So instead, I’m just going to go through some of my favourite "John and Rodney" moments and then you guys can let me know what I’ve left out!
In my opinion, some of the best John and Rodney moments are the ones where Rodney is surprised (and impressed) to learn that John actually does have a brain. The following moment from “The Rising” was the first time that we saw that type of interaction:
McKay: “Even with six symbols Lt. Ford provided they’re still hundreds of permutations…”
Sheppard: “720”
McKay: “Yes, I knew that, of course, I’m just surprised you did.”
Then there was a similar moment in “The Brotherhood”, when John worked out the Magic Square, and Rodney was obviously impressed to discover that John had taken (and passed) the Mensa test!
I also love the snarky banter between the two of them:
(In “Underground” when they’re trying to find their way back to the Genii village)
McKay: They were very clear which route to take.
Sheppard: I prefer a straight line...
McKay: Yes, of course, ‘cause everything's a short cut in Sheppard's world.
“Underground” also brings us to another of my favourite John and Rodney interactions – the ones where they finish each other’s sentences – there was the moment in “Underground” discussing the bunker…
Sheppard: “As far as your little secret down here goes…well umm...”
McKay: “We say what giant underground bunker?”
And the moment in “Coup D'Etat” when they were trying to convinceMother Weir to let them go on the raid to retrieve the ZPM...
Sheppard: Even if these men are highly trained and armed to the teeth ...
McKay: ... which most probably they are not ...
Sheppard: ... they're no match for our guys.
Weir: A raid?
Sheppard: Oh, yes, a raid! If this is their main base of operations, I'm willing to bet the ZPM is there.
Weir: And, what, just steal it?
McKay: Well, the Brotherhood stole it from us, Ladon stole it from the Brotherhood – it's not really stealing, it's, um ...
Sheppard: ... recovery! Look, we tell Ladon we're ready to do business; he needs to send a dozen guys here to carry back supplies ...
McKay: ... along with the ZedPM.
Sheppard: He won't do that but, sure, we can ask. When they get here, we detain them, leaving eight men in the building for two small strike teams to deal with.
Weir: OK. It's worth the risk. Go get us a ZPM!
“The Defiant One” could actually be renamed “The John and Rodney Show”, it was simply FULL of great interaction! The scene with John trying to teach Rodney to fly the puddle jumper is absolute GOLD!
Sheppard: “Ease up on the controls a little.”
McKay: “I’m fine.”
Sheppard: “You’re going to snap the damn things off ease up.”
McKay: “I’m just seeing what this baby can do.”
Abrams: “Did you just say this baby?”
McKay: “That’s perfectly appropriate space pilot parlance.”
Sheppard: “Try to fly the baby in a straight line.”
McKay: “I’m flying in a straight line.”
Sheppard: “Not so much.”
McKay: “Well in space all motion is relative.”
And then the part where they try to convincemother Weir to let them go down on the planet:
Weir: So what are you saying?
McKay: We have to go down and take a look.
Weir (cynically): You have to. It took you almost fifteen hours to get there.
Sheppard: All the more reason we should have a look. We're already here.
Gaul: I should mention that the planet's atmosphere is extremely ionised. Radio communication could be difficult.
(McKay draws his hand across his throat to shut Gaul up.)
Weir: And it would take at least fifteen hours to send out any sort of rescue.
McKay: We'll be fine.
Weir: Major?
Sheppard: I agree with McKay.
Weir: Of course you do! How could either of you resist exploring a crashed alien spaceship?!
Sheppard: Exactly.
McKay: I assure you our interest is purely professional, Elizabeth.
Sheppard: Seriously, the amount of intel we could gather from their weapons system -- codes, shields ...
Weir: Alright. Proceed with extreme caution, please, and check in with me in three hours.
McKay: Three hours is hardly enough time ...
Sheppard (interrupting him): Will do! Jumper One out.
John also loved to teach Rodney things. Then there was obviously the moment (I just mentioned) with John teaching Rodney to drive in “The Defiant One”:
Sheppard: This is why parents get someone else to teach their kids how to drive.
McKay: I'm both insulted and touched by that.
And then the time in “Suspicion” where they have a little heart to heart, followed by some nice coordinated shooting!
Talking about coordination, it wasn’t long before they started copying each other’s movements! I love the moment in “Before I Sleep” where they both have folded arms:
Then they had matching outfits in “Aurora”:
And matching glasses in “Coup D'Etat”
John copied Rodney’s dorky ‘catch ya later’ thing in “Critical Mass”:
And their coordinated presentation in “Allies” sort of speaks for itself!
Anyway, this post has become longer than I’d planned… so I’ll just leave you with another favourite picture (from “Before I Sleep”) and another of my favourite quotes (from “The Storm”)
Weir: The city can handle that?
McKay: Yes. Theoretically.
Sheppard: Like "dinosaurs turned into birds" theoretically or "theory of relativity" theoretically?
McKay: [looks confused] What? Um.., somewhere between.
Let’s all cross our fingers and hope that they’ll be plenty more great moments in Season 3! And tell me, what is it about “The John and Rodney Show” that you love?? Feel from to comment with pictures or anything else relating to your favourite moments! (And stay tuned for the final instalment tomorrow – The Team Interaction)
Sometimes Atlantis really does seem to be the John and Rodney show: John Sheppard, our ridiculously attractive, incredibly charming, fallible and dorky (but completely lovable) hero and Rodney McKay, the arrogant, snarky, self-centred and brilliant scientist. So much can be said about those two.
From season one, they were almost immediately joking around like life time friends. They finish each others’ sentences, they have coordinated movements, and they tease each other like only good friends do. In today’s post, I was planning on going through all the episodes, to write about my favourite John and Rodney moments from each, but I have just realised that would be an REALLY LONG post. So instead, I’m just going to go through some of my favourite "John and Rodney" moments and then you guys can let me know what I’ve left out!
In my opinion, some of the best John and Rodney moments are the ones where Rodney is surprised (and impressed) to learn that John actually does have a brain. The following moment from “The Rising” was the first time that we saw that type of interaction:
McKay: “Even with six symbols Lt. Ford provided they’re still hundreds of permutations…”
Sheppard: “720”
McKay: “Yes, I knew that, of course, I’m just surprised you did.”
Then there was a similar moment in “The Brotherhood”, when John worked out the Magic Square, and Rodney was obviously impressed to discover that John had taken (and passed) the Mensa test!
I also love the snarky banter between the two of them:
(In “Underground” when they’re trying to find their way back to the Genii village)
McKay: They were very clear which route to take.
Sheppard: I prefer a straight line...
McKay: Yes, of course, ‘cause everything's a short cut in Sheppard's world.
“Underground” also brings us to another of my favourite John and Rodney interactions – the ones where they finish each other’s sentences – there was the moment in “Underground” discussing the bunker…
Sheppard: “As far as your little secret down here goes…well umm...”
McKay: “We say what giant underground bunker?”
And the moment in “Coup D'Etat” when they were trying to convince
Sheppard: Even if these men are highly trained and armed to the teeth ...
McKay: ... which most probably they are not ...
Sheppard: ... they're no match for our guys.
Weir: A raid?
Sheppard: Oh, yes, a raid! If this is their main base of operations, I'm willing to bet the ZPM is there.
Weir: And, what, just steal it?
McKay: Well, the Brotherhood stole it from us, Ladon stole it from the Brotherhood – it's not really stealing, it's, um ...
Sheppard: ... recovery! Look, we tell Ladon we're ready to do business; he needs to send a dozen guys here to carry back supplies ...
McKay: ... along with the ZedPM.
Sheppard: He won't do that but, sure, we can ask. When they get here, we detain them, leaving eight men in the building for two small strike teams to deal with.
Weir: OK. It's worth the risk. Go get us a ZPM!
“The Defiant One” could actually be renamed “The John and Rodney Show”, it was simply FULL of great interaction! The scene with John trying to teach Rodney to fly the puddle jumper is absolute GOLD!
Sheppard: “Ease up on the controls a little.”
McKay: “I’m fine.”
Sheppard: “You’re going to snap the damn things off ease up.”
McKay: “I’m just seeing what this baby can do.”
Abrams: “Did you just say this baby?”
McKay: “That’s perfectly appropriate space pilot parlance.”
Sheppard: “Try to fly the baby in a straight line.”
McKay: “I’m flying in a straight line.”
Sheppard: “Not so much.”
McKay: “Well in space all motion is relative.”
And then the part where they try to convince
Weir: So what are you saying?
McKay: We have to go down and take a look.
Weir (cynically): You have to. It took you almost fifteen hours to get there.
Sheppard: All the more reason we should have a look. We're already here.
Gaul: I should mention that the planet's atmosphere is extremely ionised. Radio communication could be difficult.
(McKay draws his hand across his throat to shut Gaul up.)
Weir: And it would take at least fifteen hours to send out any sort of rescue.
McKay: We'll be fine.
Weir: Major?
Sheppard: I agree with McKay.
Weir: Of course you do! How could either of you resist exploring a crashed alien spaceship?!
Sheppard: Exactly.
McKay: I assure you our interest is purely professional, Elizabeth.
Sheppard: Seriously, the amount of intel we could gather from their weapons system -- codes, shields ...
Weir: Alright. Proceed with extreme caution, please, and check in with me in three hours.
McKay: Three hours is hardly enough time ...
Sheppard (interrupting him): Will do! Jumper One out.
John also loved to teach Rodney things. Then there was obviously the moment (I just mentioned) with John teaching Rodney to drive in “The Defiant One”:
Sheppard: This is why parents get someone else to teach their kids how to drive.
McKay: I'm both insulted and touched by that.
And then the time in “Suspicion” where they have a little heart to heart, followed by some nice coordinated shooting!
Talking about coordination, it wasn’t long before they started copying each other’s movements! I love the moment in “Before I Sleep” where they both have folded arms:
Then they had matching outfits in “Aurora”:
And matching glasses in “Coup D'Etat”
John copied Rodney’s dorky ‘catch ya later’ thing in “Critical Mass”:
And their coordinated presentation in “Allies” sort of speaks for itself!
Anyway, this post has become longer than I’d planned… so I’ll just leave you with another favourite picture (from “Before I Sleep”) and another of my favourite quotes (from “The Storm”)
Weir: The city can handle that?
McKay: Yes. Theoretically.
Sheppard: Like "dinosaurs turned into birds" theoretically or "theory of relativity" theoretically?
McKay: [looks confused] What? Um.., somewhere between.
Let’s all cross our fingers and hope that they’ll be plenty more great moments in Season 3! And tell me, what is it about “The John and Rodney Show” that you love?? Feel from to comment with pictures or anything else relating to your favourite moments! (And stay tuned for the final instalment tomorrow – The Team Interaction)
