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Summary: Into Pegasus
Comment: One of the big arcs of the "Stargate SG-1" series was finding the Lost City of the Ancients, also known as Atlantis.

It also turned into fertile fodder for a spinoff series (come on, you KNEW they had to make one eventually), known as "Stargate: Atlantis." The first season has its duds and awkward moments -- much like its parent series -- but it proves to be a solid introduction to likable new heroes, a legendary city, and a new race of alien parasites.

At the Antarctic base, Daniel Jackson (Michael Shanks) has finally figured out the location of Atlantis -- in the Pegasus galaxy. General Jack O'Neill (Richard Dean Anderson) gives the go-ahead for an exploratory unit to go to Atlantis -- even though they don't have the power to return back to the Milky Way, and will be stranded there.

So Dr. Elizabeth Weir (Torri Higginson) leads an international group of scientists and military to another galaxy, and arrive in the sunken Ancient city of Atlantis. Unfortunately, after ten millennia Atlantis is running out of power, and soon the whole place will flood. The military unit, including Major John Sheppard (Joe Flanigan), goes scouting for a planet to evacuate to, and encounter the friendly natives.

Meanwhile, the irritable scientist Rodney McKay (David Hewlett) tries to somehow salvage the city -- only to have it rise from the ocean floor. But then the SG teams accidentally wake an ancient enemy -- the parasitic, vampiric Wraith, who destroyed the Ancients long ago. Cut off from Earth, the expedition settles into the Ancient city and tries to make the best of their situation.

Unfortunately, the Pegasus galaxy has plenty of its own dangers -- an energy-sucking "shadow," possible spies, life-sucking bugs, a destructive nanovirus, a mysterious goddess, suicidal kids, cannibal Wraith, and an Amishlike people who turn out to be ruthless soldiers. And the Wraith are closing in on Atlantis, intent on getting to Earth -- forcing Weir and Sheppard to arm the city for what may be its final stand.

"Stargate: Atlantis" has an easier introduction than most series, even spinoffs. The whole idea was introduced over a few seasons of "Stargate SG-1," and two of the characters (Weir and McKay) were also recurring characters. And thank God, there is no endless whining about how they may never see Earth again, as many series would do -- the Atlantis personnel just forge ahead, and deal with it.

It does have some flaws, mostly the same ones that "SG-1" had in ITS first season -- a few duds ("The romancing of the alien priestess? It's very 1967 of you"), and many others that are good sci-fi watchin', but not great. It takes a little time for the series to get comfortable, but by the last four or five episodes, it really takes off.

And it has plenty of sci-fi staples -- ugly nasty aliens, tightly wound scientists, little tubular ships, explosions, moral quandaries and a bit of classic-style horror. But it doesn't lose its laid-back style (Rodney massaging his feet during a conference), or its human side -- for example, one episode has everyone recording touching messages to send back to Earth.

And the dialogue is pretty great, with lots of one-liners and snappy exchanges. Most are from Rodney ("This device must be using an older version of Windows"), and Sheppard ("I am your death. That is all you need to know." "I prefer 'Steve'"). But there's humor from everyone ("Find another problem with it! Tell him that the power-loop interface isn't jiving with your walkabout!").

The cast is a bit uneven -- Higginson is given too little to do, and Rainbow Sun Francks just never works. But Flanigan has a nice O'Neillian sarcastic snap, Hewlett is hilarious as the mildly antisocial, ever-exasperated scientist, and Paul McGillion is simply adorable as a cuddly Scottish doctor. And while Rachel Luttrell starts off as just the token native love interest, she evolves nicely at the end of the season.

"Stargate Atlantis" has its shaky moments, and the actors were still getting a grip on their roles. But it's a solid first for a solid sci-fi series, gating out into a new galaxy.

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