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.

I'd think that an important part of learning to be a doctor would be to learn not to scream and throw your hands up.

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.

Cally froze because she was supposed to go running toward the Cylons shouting, "Plesase shoot at me!" Earlier in the Kobol misadventure she'd been fine when they were under fire. I don't think her training extended to pointless suicide missions.

But yeah, Crashdown threatened to shoot her, then Tyrol threatened to shoot Crashdown, and then Baltar actually shot Crashdown. Because he's a doer. But everyone had flipped out by then; it's not like the guys were being all competent and calm until Cally ruined it for everyone. I mean, if Baltar's in a position to save the day, everyone else has really fallen down on the job.

Not that I watched the episode, but my (very minor) experience has been that people do less panicking in stress situations than you'd think, as long as they have someone giving direction.

I mean, if Baltar's in a position to save the day, everyone else has really fallen down on the job.

HAHAHAHAHA. So very, very true.

tavella, that was the point: the guy who was supposed to command couldn't. Which is why they fragged him. And by "they" I mean Baltar.

Or were you talking about SGA?

I'd also argue that Baltar shooting Crashdown wasn't a case of him being all manly and self-controlled while everyone else fell to pieces, but of him freaking out in a different direction than the rest of the group. Normal people freak out and aim guns at people. Baltar freaks out and actually shoots them. That it turned out to be the helpful and pragmatic thing to do was more or less a coincidence.

Not that I watched the episode, but my (very minor) experience has been that people do less panicking in stress situations than you'd think, as long as they have someone giving direction.

Amen. I have no illusions about not being in over my head if attacked by raging hordes of Warrant video extrasberserkers, but you'd better believe if I were in that sort of situation along with a shining pillar of tactical competence like Teyla who wasn't in over her head, all my instincts would flip over to Shut the Hell Up and Do Whatever She Tells Me To.