It isn't just that she didn't know anything. She went all helpless female. She keeps screaming and yelling for Teyla, even though they are supposedly hiding. You don't have to have any training to keep your mouth shut. She held a gun it like it was a wet fish.

See shows like that bring into sharp focus exactly how little patience I have. While Teyla was just rolling her eyes or grimicing while the doctor was endangering them, I would have said, "if you don't shut up, I will end you." I had the same reaction when Callie on BSG froze with the gun. I hated her from that moment on.

No patience for helpless female. None. At all.

I probably should add that I've never been tested with roving bands of reaver rip-offs chasing me. So ironically, I might actually be a helpless female and just don't know it.

This is one instance where I would not have minded an actor being a thinly disguised ripoff of their beloved character from another show.

A medical Kaylee would rock.

I had the same reaction when Callie on BSG froze with the gun. I hated her from that moment on.

No patience for helpless female. None. At all.

out of curiosity, would you have the same dislike for a male character that did the same thing?

Oh dear. I'm very sorry to hear that they're not making better use of Jewel. Seems criminal.

That said, I've nothing against women being shown as not kickass, provided that it's within a context in which All Women are not being shown as Not Kickass. 'Cause, you know, I'm no ita myself. I'm smart, and there are things I'm very good at, but fighting isn't one of them.

Callie freezing with the gun - I was okay with that. I'd actually find it more irritating to have ALL women being shown as kickass warriors; she's presented as being extremely competent in her own field, but she isn't a soldier, so I wouldn't expect her to be all A Team-ish, any more than I'd expect me to be. I didn't read that as a comment on gender, though - I'd expect her male colleagues to be much the same.

Which isn't to diss your squick - YHairTriggerIrritatingThingMV.

You know, if they'd alluded that Keller had gone through more serious training than sleepaway camp, and still froze up in a true physical peril situation, I'd be much more sympathetic. It really does happen to some people when they're confronted with their first real emergency.*

But simply, she should have had some training On What To Do When The Bad Guys Attack and basic wilderness survival.

* A for-instance, something like 50% of first time skydivers panic during their first jump, which is why it's done with automatic ripcords or buddy-jumpers. And they get extensive training beforehand, too.

No, I understand what you are saying Fay. For some reason, the scene with Callie just hit a button. I didn't see a man being portrayed that way. The Chief wouldn't have been shown to freeze up. I don't even remember the details now. Was that when Baltar saved her by shooting the guy that was shouting at her? It was something like that.

out of curiosity, would you have the same dislike for a male character that did the same thing?

Honestly, no. I think about it used as a comedy device with MacKay and it doesn't provoke my anger. I think because there are SO MANY uber-heroic males around to balance out. On either show.

My button was the perpetuation of the portrayal of a woman falling apart under pressure. Not your average woman either, but a woman that had been approved for a military expedition to another galaxy. Even if she is not military, that is her environment and she would have realistically had some kind of idea that it could be a hostile environment even if she wasn't briefed before hand that it was a different galaxy. There are plenty of places here on Earth to think twice about taking employment. She would have been briefed to some degree, even if it was vague, that there might be danger. It's also not like she was fighting aliens, which would have its own level of freak-out, but they were just aggressive humans.

I felt it was a stereotypical portrayal of a woman falling apart which overshadowed the portrayal of the woman who was strong and competent and properly trained. It was as if Keller was transplanted from Desperate Housewives to Atlantis.

It really does happen to some people when they're confronted with their first real emergency.*

And this is where I feel guilty for being all judgmental. I'm pretty sure I would be scared beyond being able to move. But I'm also not representing or undermining my sex on television.

I felt it was a stereotypical portrayal of a woman falling apart which overshadowed the portrayal of the woman who was strong and competent and properly trained. It was as if Keller was transplanted from Desperate Housewives to Atlantis.

I think what I hated about it, is the implication that Keller had NO training for survival and self-defense. It's not like she ever once said, "Wow, all those classes to prepare me for this, and I am still falling apart like a wuss." It is beyond irrational that someone smart enough to be a doctor, and adventurous enough to apply for a position In. Another. Freaking. Galaxy. where the expedition are fighting two major sets of bad guys without making damn sure she got that training. Is she really such a brilliant physician that the IOA are willing to overlook her lack of survival skills and then not insist that she take some training? Were there really no other doctors that were not only brilliant and adventurous, but also had either some survival skills or a lick of sense about learning some? And while I am totally absorbed in ranting about this like I have forgotten it's a tv show, the only thing that forgives Carter allowing Keller off Atlantis without some training, is that she is new to her job there, and likely would not have had time to comb through personnel files looking for blank spots where training records should be.

While it's certainly sensible to think that all personnel on Atlantis, including the non-military ones, were put through survival courses, I'm not sure it's actually canon. I'm trying to think of applicable situations.

A couple of scientists got their ass kicked by the Wraith in "The Defiant One."

The scientists were armed in "The Siege, part 1."

Rodney has (sort of) shown a gradual progression towards competency with weaponry, and actually using it to help lay down cover when they're under attack.

I mean, did Daniel carry a gun at the beginning of SG-1?

You know, if they'd alluded that Keller had gone through more serious training than sleepaway camp, and still froze up in a true physical peril situation, I'd be much more sympathetic. It really does happen to some people when they're confronted with their first real emergency.

Yeah, I would have liked a line or two about "This never came up in the training simulations!"

I didn't mind her being scared and helpless, but I could have done with less speechifying about it. I thought Jewell did a great job of portraying an otherwise competent person completely in over her head, but it would have been nice if it had been more show and less talk.