Atlantis: S02E09: "The Gorgon's Gaze"

Rating: 6

In A Nutshell

Pasiphae tries numerous ways to break Ariadne, including killing the only decent extra in this show, Delmos, before getting Medea to try some rather ineffective magic on her. Medusa cries a lot and can't life with herself anymore, so has pythagoras keep a plan to himself to get the pandora box back, to which Jason doesn't like the idea for about 10 seconds before happily chopping off the now gorgon again medusa and using her head with little remorse turn all guards to stone as he gets to Pasiphae. That ends quickly and with no real resolution after she blurts out I AM YOUR MOTHER!

What I liked

Jason goes all dark and storms the palace with Medusa's head! This was quite dramatic from this show's perspective and about as close to darkness as it gets.

Delmos; just about the only character to add any real belief and gravity to any situation. So few lines and so few scenes. Why are the guards more genuine and interesting than the main characters?

What I Didn't Like

Jason gets all the way into the sparsely guarded palace (sigh) and finds Pasiphae where they go all sword fighting, which is over in seconds because, well, it would be as she's no sword fighter. Why didn't she use one ounce of magic? Jason even comically procrastinated long enough for her to tell him in a Darth Vader way "I am your mother!" which was just missing the deep wheezy voice. Didn't really carry much weight, especially when he just clouts her with the sword. That's it? He did all this, defeats her rather meekly, then leaves? The whole conversation with Medea at the end was about as convincing and interesting as cold custard that's past it's sell by date. Why did he do all that and then actually have achieved nothing?

Delmos; a real legend in this show, because he was actually very good.

Delmos; gone but not forgotten in this dire programme. Added great moments to this series in very small quantities that was not his fault. Died in a pathetic way, that was also not his doing.

Medusa/Hercules love stuff was awful, but at least that's over now.

Jason took to the Medusa plan very quickly after the initial OMG NO WAY I'M DOING THIS PLAN moment.

Huh?

Jason has no problem killing all those guards then? Given most are just following orders rather than actually liking Pasiphae.

We all know the priest isn't happy with what he's done or the situation that's occurred so his rather bold "GUARDS" shout when he finds pythagoras before moments later being totally on side just felt rather awkward.

And Finally

The show balanced out the death of one character who was actually very good at his role, Delmos, with one that we all don't mind seeing the back off, Medusa. The whole Gorgon charge by Jason was filmed very well, but I don't think many of us could take her crying and love stuff with Hercules for much longer. IF everything else had been as dramatic as Jason with the Gorgon head moments, this could have been decent episode but everything else went quite flat and carelessly.

Rating: 6 out of 10 (Aside from Delmos and the Gorgon/Jason moment, the rest of the episode was as flat as a squashed tomato.)