Review: 'Stargate: Atlantis' - The Shrine

"You're stuck with me, Rodney. Just accept it." -- John Sheppard
"You're a good friend, Arthur." -- Rodney McKay

After being stuck on top of a Stargate in a flooded valley, McKay falls ill. He is stricken with the Pegasus version of Alzheimer's called "Second Childhood" and is quickly losing his memories.

McKay's sister, Jeannie, is brought to Atlantis to say her final goodbyes to her dying brother.

But Ronon has a risky plan. His people know of a shrine located on the planet Talus that would allow McKay to return to normal for one day before he dies.

So the team head off on a dangerous mission hoping to have one last day with the Rodney McKay they all know and love.

What Worked

I thought last week's episode was well written, but this episode is perhaps my favorite of the entire "Atlantis" series and is a contender for my favorite for the entire franchise.

David Hewlett did an absolutely fantastic performance showing great range. It is one of those defining moments for an actor that shows what they can really do. The only other Stargate episode that challenged an actor to this level was the classic "SG-1" episode, "Lifeboat," where Michael Shanks had to play a Daniel Jackson possessed by different people.

I was amazed by the performance, and it gave the rest of the cast something fantastic to work off of. I could feel the sorrow and pain felt by each character as they ached to see their friend becoming a shadow of the man he once was.

The several short videos scattered throughout the episode was well executed and did a great job showing us McKay's decline.

There were two very emotional scenes that stood out for me. The first one was where McKay freaks out when he wakes up alone and runs down the hall yelling Sheppard's name. Sheppard tries to reassure him, and they go out on the pier drinking beer. The conversation between them seemed so real and their friendship is leaps above any that we ever saw on "SG-1."

Another scene that stood out was when Jeannie tries to talk to McKay and she can't keep herself composed. She ran out of the room and started crying. It was great to see Hewlett's real-life sister again on the show, and this was a perfect episode for her to appear. Hopefully we will see Jeannie again in the future.

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