Release Date: May 31, 2011
Rating: NR
Running Time: 16 hours, 43 minutes
STARGATE: UNIVERSE Complete Season 2 continues the saga of an unlikely group of cosmic explorers aboard the spaceship Destiny as it soars to the furthest corners of the galaxy. Struggling to control the ship’s systems, the crew suffers from a lack of supplies and no knowledge of its final destination. Tempers flare and personalities clash—especially between Dr. Rush (Robert Carlyle, Trainspotting) and Colonel Young (Louis Ferreira, Dawn of the Dead), who struggle for leadership of the group—as they face uncharted space and unknown enemies who would take the ship by force. Through it all, the Destiny crew must persevere in their struggle to stay alive, bond together, and find a way back home to Earth.
Had I not sat through the first ever Stargate Universe panel at San Diego Comic Con, I can honestly say that I would not have watched this show. Thank God for Comic Con! Having seen a handful of episodes from the Stargate franchise before and not having been all that intrigued, I was completely taken aback by SGU and it quickly became one of my favorite sci-fi shows. Now, I am happy to say that I am on a mission to watch the other shows in the Stargate franchise. Anyway, as the show entered its second and final season, I was very disappointed to find out (as so many others did on Twitter) that one of the most compelling sci-fi series currently (at the time) on television was coming to an end. But with commentary included for every single episode of the season, I am excited to re-watch the series this summer and relive the magic once more. But for now, let’s get to the bonus features…
Bonus Features:
Commentary – There is commentary for every single episode of the second and final season of Stargate Universe. For this reason alone, this is my favorite television show on DVD this year and my number one favorite television show on DVD period. There’s a lot of fun and games and there’s plenty of insight given and technical details shared for fans to mull over and soak up for quite some time. Fans will absolutely love re-watching the season with the cast and crew, which is detailed below by episode.
Intervention: Louis Ferreira, Alaina Huffman, & David Blue
Aftermath: Brian J. Smith & Jennifer Spence
Awakening: Andy Mikita, Patrick Gilmore, & Mark Savele
Pathogen: David Blue & Ming-Na
Cloverdale: Brian J. Smith & Elyse Levesque
Trial and Error: David Blue & Patrick Gilmore
The Greater Good: Louis Ferreira & Alaina Huffman
Malice: Jennifer Spence & Brian J. Smith
Visitation: Louis Ferreira & Alaina Huffman
Resurgence: David Blue & Patrick Gilmore
Deliverance: Jennifer Spence & Patrick Gilmore
Twin Destinies: Jennifer Spence, Patrick Gilmore, & Peter Kelamis
Alliances: Ming-Na & Jamil Walker Smith
Hope: Jennifer Spence, Patrick Gilmore, & Peter Kelamis
Seizure: Elyse Levesque & Brian J. Smith
The Hunt: Andy Mikita & Mark Savela
Common Descent: Jennifer Spence & Patrick Gilmore
Epilogue: Jennifer Spence, Patrick Gilmore, & Mike Dopud
Blockade: Andy Mikita & John Lenic
Gauntlet: Andy Mikita, John Lenic, & Lauren Bancroft-Wilson
Disc 1
Robert Carlyle Directs “Pathogen” (4:16 minutes) – Executive producer, Brad Wright and Robert C. Cooper discuss Cooper’s directorial debut on SGU as footage on set of the episode, “Pathogen” is show. It’s quite fun to see Cooper in his directing element on set rather than being the one taking direction, especially for one of the first episodes of the season. This was no easy task and Cooper did a fabulous job so it was rewarding to be able to see a bit of what led up to the finished product.
Andy Mikita Directs (2:06 minutes) – Andy Mikita and executive producer, Paul Mullie are on set of SGU when Mikita is behind the lens but this feature is far too short and barely even touches the surface of the genius behind Mikita’s work. I did like that the changes in shooting on location was included because it shows how unpredictable a day of filming can be, no matter how well planned out the day of shooting is. Great inclusion of this matter! Though the feature is still far too short to really appreciate.
Eli’s Mom Comes on Board (3:11 minutes) – Executive producer, Carl Binder leads this feature as he makes it a point to express the rarity of a loved one’s visit on Destiny, as well as delight in the chemistry between the actors not just when Eli’s mom comes on board but when Eli visits his mother. Because Eli is such a favorite on board Destiny, it was very important to dedicate a feature to him and all that he is on the DVD, and this episode did that justice – even though it was a bit short. It is definitely worth the watch.
Brian J. Smith’s First Fight (2:26 minutes) – Actor, Brian J. Smith is seen training with stunt coordinator, James “BamBam” Bamford during rehearsal, behind the scenes on set, and on set for the final scene in this feature. This is the first of many features that include Brian J. Smith, so if you like this, you’ll enjoy plenty more of the other features.
Crashing a Shuttle (4:08 minutes) – Executive producer, Robert C. Cooper and Visual FX Supervisor, Mark Savela are on set with special effects coordinator, Wray Douglas as the crew shoots a model plane for the big shuttle crash scene in “Aftermath.” This is perhaps the coolest feature on the DVD because a split screen of the final cut of the shuttle crash and the vfx elements cut is shown and it is really quite fascinating. The guys talk about combining real life elements with CG which I have found more and more interesting over the years, especially with television so this may be an eye opening feature for some but a sweet treat for others. This feature is definitely a must see! You’ll get to see first hand just how out of the box the people behind this show are to give us the most incredibly visually engaging show possible.
The Seed Ship with Joe Mallozzi (3:20 minutes) – Executive producer, Joseph Mallozzi is on set during the episode, “Awakening” and gives viewers a tour of the Seed Ship, which is older than Destiny. For those incredibly interested in the Seed Ship, this is a fabulous feature. But even if you’re not, it is still worth the watch. Mallozzi gives great insight about certain things while giving the tour!
Saying Goodbye to Sgt. Riley (2:59 minutes) – In one of the most meaningful features on the DVD, this feature says goodbye to actor, Haig Sutherland who talks about his time on the set before his big farewell. Actor, Patrick Gilmore gives an informal interview with Sutherland on the set and footage of the cast and crew giving him a round of applause on his last day packed quite an emotional punch for those viewers who were invested in the character of Sgt. Riley. Sutherland’s goodbye speech was also shown, which was short, simple, but very sweet and will not be forgotten, especially thanks to the fact that it is on this DVD. Having this feature on the DVD shows the viewers how much every member of this ensemble show really matters. The cast and crew and the team behind picking the special features really care about each other and what the fans want and this feature displays that so well. Job well done.
Lou Diamond Phillips on Guest Stars (2:02 minutes) – Lou Diamond Phillips briefly talks about less than a handful of the SGU guest stars, including Victor Garber, David Hewlett… and aliens. Oh, actually that’s really all this feature was about… Phillips working with the aliens, what with the language barrier and the aliens not getting some of the jokes on set and in the script. This was probably one of my least favorite features, as it was quite misleading and did not give any insight as to what Phillips thought about working with many of the guest stars or at least what he thought about their contribution to SGU.
Disc 2
Lt. Scott Gets Hit By A Car (3:01 minutes) – This feature follows actor, Brian J. Smith on the set of the episode “Cloverdale” during the scene in which his character gets hit by a car. The feature gives a step by step look at the behind the scenes of this scene as well as a post-hit interview with stunt performer, Brent Connolly. As “Cloverdale” is one of my favorite episodes of the season, it was a lot of fun watching Smith, Connolly, Stunt Coordinator, James “BamBam” Bamford, and executive producer, Brad Wright give viewers commentary every step of the way during filming of the car stunt. While a short feature, it packs in quite a lot of great footage so be sure to watch.
Inside Cloverdale with Brad Wright (3:37 minutes) – Executive producer, Brad Wright talks about the episode, “Cloverdale” which is one of the most unique episodes of the series. This feature was disappointing only because it was so short in length. Could anybody else sit through an all day analysis of just this episode alone? I could.
How to Get Sucked Into Space (3:07 minutes) – Actor, Brian J. Smith, Stunt Coordinator, James “BamBam” Bamford, and Director, Andy Mikita take viewers into rehearsals for Smith and on the set of the episode, “Trial and Error” where Smith’s character is sucked into space. Whoever had control of deciding what made it to the bonus features did a fabulous job because there is plenty of Brian J. Smith and plenty of intriguing behind the scenes footage that will make fans appreciate all of the work that went into this show. Great job with this feature!
SG-U Welcomes You to New Mexico’s Bisti Badlands (19:41 minutes) – This feature takes viewers off set and on location shooting in New Mexico! Robert Knepper’s interview was quite entertaining and inspiring. To see him so happy doing what he does will make so many smile and encourage others to be just as happy as he looked on location. He loves his job and you can clearly tell in this feature. Also showcased were the topics of scouting, how the weather effects shooting equipment, shooting documentary/theatre style, etc… Perhaps because the DVD features a very lengthy extra off set, they’ve got my viewership for all of the rest of the extras. This location that the cast and crew shot at was one of my favorite settings on the show, so you can imagine my delight. You will be pleased with the behind the scenes footage that was acquired as well. Also appearing in this feature are executive producers, Robert C. Cooper, Brad Wright, actors, Robert Carlyle, Brian J. Smith, Jamil Walker Smith, Julia Benson, Director of Photography, Jim Menard, and 1st AD, Bill Mizell.
Disc 3
Deconstructing Destiny (27:24 minutes) – Actor, Patrick Gilmore hosts this featurette which is split up in a number of segments (Power, Weapons, Shields, FTL Drive, The Ancient Chair, Communication Stones, and The Bridge) as the executive producers talk about the different components of Destiny… how Destiny works. What I found to be very interesting was the mention of creating the rules in this sci-fi world. This is a fantastic deconstruction of Destiny that many fans will appreciate. Appearing in this feature are executive producers, Brad Wright, Carl Binder, Joseph Malozzi, and Paul Mullie.
Disc 4
A Day in the Life of Jamil Walker-Smith (5:54 minutes) – Viewers follow Jamil Walker-Smith from his morning walk to the studio all the way until the last hour of filming for the episode, “Alliances.” While it was fun to watch him basically give the fans a tour of his life on set, what I found to be the most entertaining was Min-Na’s facial expressions when she was in the shots behind him. She is hilarious.
Transplant Day (5:09 minutes) – Patrick Gilmore, Alaina Huffman, Jamil Walker-Smith, and executive producer, Carl Binder talk about “surgery day.” Huffman talks about her technical advisor and working with the prosthetics and organs. This is more of an in depth discussion than I expected, especially thanks to Michelle Lemieux and Celine Godeau from WCT Productions.
Sitting Down with Mike Dopud (3:37 minutes) – This is basically a brief character analysis of Mike Dopud’s character (Varro), which also includes comments from writer/producer, Carl Binder, executive producer, Joseph Mallozzi. I’m not particularly al that connected to Varro outside of his relationship with Alaina Huffman’s character, so this feature did not grab me. However, Varro fans will appreciate it!
Bringing the Bridge to Life (3:48 minutes) – Executive producer, Brad Wright and set decorator, Mark Davidson give viewers a brief LED 101 class which may interest some and may not interest others. So depending on your preference, this may be a musts see or skip.
Louis Ferreira vs. Colonel Young (4 minutes) -If you didn’t know that Louis Ferreira was a clown on set, this feature will make you smile and laugh so, so much! This feature takes viewers on the set of various episodes, following Louis Ferreira and his crazy antics throughout. With Ferreira in the cast, every day must have been a joy on set! This is definitely a must see if you want to smile.
Disc 5
Pitches: A Journey of Friendship and Discovery (25:41 minutes) – Patrick Gilmore and Peter Kelamis jokingly pitch a new story line for SGU. From writing to rehearsing and pitching to the execs, these guys do not give up. Alaina Huffman, Carl Binder, Lou Diamond Phillips, Joseph Mallozzi, Louis Ferreira, Brian J. Smith, Jennifer Spence, Julia Benson, Elyse Levesque, and Brad Wright also appear in this satire. Phillips takes off his pants! Or does he… watch to find out! You also don’t want to miss the “We Be Jammin” montage.
Behind the Season 2 Finale: Gauntlet (9:34 minutes) – Viewers catch up with actors, Patrick Gilmore and Peter Kelamis yet again as they introduce the feature in which the cast and crew take a look back on memory lane and express their gratitude for this experience.
Own Stargate Universe: Season 2 on DVD today.