SGU 1.20 "Incursion Part 2" Episode Guide

Précis

A hostage crisis unfolds following an attempt by the Lucian Alliance to seize Destiny, which starts to have ship-wide power fluctuations and blackouts due to its proximity to a binary pulsar.

Guide | Transcript

MGM/SciFi.com Official Summary

Official summary is not available as this episode has not yet aired in the United States.

Cast

• Robert Carlyle as Dr. Nicholas Rush
• Louis Ferreira as Col. Everett Young
• Brian J. Smith as 1st Lt. Matthew Scott
• Elyse Levesque as Chloe Armstrong
• David Blue as Eli Wallace
• Alaina Huffman as 1st Lt. Tamara Johansen
• Jamil Walker Smith as MSgt. Ronald Greer

Production

• Written by Joseph Mallozzi
• Directed by Andy Mikita

Related Articles

Keywords

• Destiny

Other

• Stargate Universe: Season One
• Previous: SGU 1.19 "Incursion Part 1" Episode Guide
• Next:

Related Links

Official

• MGM Official Website: Search Results for "{{{MGM_search}}}"
• Syfy: 1.20 "Incursion Part 2" Guide

Fan

• Solutions News and Spoiler Blog
• Solutions at LJ: Universe Tagged Entries
• Solutions Universe Forum

Production Notes

• "There has been some discussion of making the story idea Rob pitched out for episode 17 the season finale. I think it would be a wonderfully Holy ****! way to cap off the Universe’s first year. Blazin’!" — Joseph Mallozzi (March 10, 2009)
• "The story that formerly occupied the 17 slots is now the season finale." — Joseph Mallozzi (May 6, 2009)
• "I eventually made my way back up to the offices and where I chatted with Brad about episodes 18, 19, and 20. He and Rob have some fantastic notions for the stretch run that promise to cap off SGU’s first season with a bang! And plenty of surprises." — Joseph Mallozzi (May 22, 2009)
• "I spent some time pitching out some ideas that didn’t really go anywhere but it looks like I’ll be writing episode 19 that Exec. Producer Brad Wright had a terrific idea for the other day." — Joseph Mallozzi (May 24, 2009)
• "I’ll start thinking about 19 – which dovetails nicely into 20, our thrilling season finale." — Joseph Mallozzi (May 31, 2009)
• "Today, we set aside an hour to talk stories – specifically, the back half of SGU’s first season. ... Finally, Paul and I are going to start thinking about #19 and #20 as it now looks like we’ll be the ones to put the capper on SGU’s inaugural season." — Joseph Mallozzi (June 3, 2009)
• "Paul and I are presently hammering out episodes #19 and #20. It remains to be seen who will be writing which one." — Joseph Mallozzi (June 6, 2009)
• "Well, damn. Normally, when I’m given the green light on a story idea, I can head off on my own, spin it and beat out an outline inside of a week, but I seem to have hit the wall with episodes 19 and 20. Part of the problem rests with the fact that, when I break a story, I start at the beginning and work my way through. Unfortunately, the idea pitched out for episode 19 is fairly complex and full of TBD’s (“To Be Decided’s” for those not in the know). Paul suggested we work backward from episode 20, but that is easier said than done given that 20 is fraught with TBD’s as well. Working backward is the right idea, but our starting point should actually be season two. Sometime in the next two weeks, we’re going to have to sit everyone down and establish a game plan for the back half and beyond. That way, we can all head off on hiatus with a script assignment – and, more importantly, come back from hiatus with SGU’s first season stories locked down." — Joseph Mallozzi (June 14, 2009)
• "Well, with time ticking down toward the beginning of our summer hiatus, we all gathered again the other day to discuss episode 20. We took an hour to discuss the story, throw out some notions and then, with time running out, put the potential act breaks up on the whiteboard (You know, those tun-tun-TAAA moments right before you cut to commercial – ie. the villain gets the upper hand, our team is trapped, our hero loses his lucky sock.). The plan was for everyone to re-gather today and actually break the story – the tease and all five acts, 4-5 beats per act. ... I broke down the story, jotting the beats up on the whiteboard, then invited Paul, Carl, and Brad into the room and pitched it to them. They had some great suggestions that I incorporated into the narrative and, half an hour later, I was done. Now all I have to do is put out the beat sheet, get some feedback (hopefully Rob will like what we‘ve got), and I’m done. Well, practically done. There’s that whole “writing of the script” thing, but that’s the easy part." — Joseph Mallozzi (June 22, 2009)
• "Now if all goes according to plan, we’ll break Episode #20 on Wednesday, discuss Brad’s story, and ensure everyone is poised to go to script before our lengthy hiatus." — Joseph Mallozzi (June 22, 2009)
• "With three days to go before the official start of our summer hiatus, I was back in the office today, trying to figure out the beat sheet for the big SGU Season 1 finale (hint: the title rhymes with the name of the preceding episode). Lots going on in this one and this first pass was really just an attempt to establish the major beats, who is where doing what and why, and the general escalation of the action. Tomorrow, I get down to details and start running the character through lines, ensuring that all the individual beats track and, hopefully, dovetail in step with the plot. Some wonderful shocks in this one, big and small." — Joseph Mallozzi (June 29, 2009)
• "I received notes on the outline for 20 and plan to start work on the script later in the week." — Joseph Mallozzi (July 12, 2009)
• "Well, I finally did it. I finally started writing the season finale. Next to writing any of the first three and a half acts or doing the re-writes, actually starting the script is one of the hardest parts of the process. This morning, I decided to tackle the Tease (aka Teaser, aka Cold Open, aka Lord Pimsley’s Lugubrian Cache-Entrée). After a discussion with Paul – who is writing the penultimate episode which segues neatly into mine – I had a game plan. And after working out the broad strokes of the scene(s) over breakfast, I was ready to move onto the next step – a hot shower where I proceeded to run the dialogue in my head. Forty-five minutes later the bathroom walls were bubbling and I had my Tease. I hurried downstairs lest I suddenly collapse and wake up with an inexplicable case of amnesia like that woman in the first season of 24, and wrote it up. Four glorious pages! From here on in, it’s smoooooth sailing. Until tomorrow when I have to start Act I." — Joseph Mallozzi (July 15, 2009)
• "I’m on a roll! I followed up yesterday’s Tease by writing the first scene of Act I. At this torrid pace, I should have at least half a script completed when I return to the office in August. There’ll be a lot of raised eyebrows when episode #20 goes wide." — Joseph Mallozzi (July 16, 2009)
• "So far, so good on the script front. I hit the 15 page mark this afternoon. Things get very busy very quickly and there’s a hell of a lot happening in what’s shaping up to be a fairly robust first act. Tomorrow, I’ll go over what I’ve got so far, tweak and tighten, trim the page count and move on, hopefully closing out Act 1 before the 18 page mark and well ahead of schedule. Complicating matters for some of the one on one discussions is the fact that the preceding scripts are presently being written and certain cross-character developments are still in the process of solidifying and settling. Some of these conversations will have to be TBD until I’ve read the scripts for episodes #16 through #19 and, more importantly, everyone is on board with the directions of a few of these arcs." — Joseph Mallozzi (July 18, 2009)
• "Well, some progress on the script for the season finale today. On the positive side, I hit the 22 page mark and I do like what I have. On the negative side, Act I is 17 ½ pages long. I’ll look to trim where I can but, in all honesty, it’s action-filled and should move pretty damn quickly." — Joseph Mallozzi (July 22, 2009)
• "Last night, I hit the 28 page mark and things were coming along nicely – until I realized I’d forgotten to address a character. And then, upon closer scrutiny, two characters. Damn. Tonight, I re-read, readjust, and rewrite. The plan all along was to have half the script written by the I return the office on Monday (I’m already there)." — Joseph Mallozzi (July 23, 2009)
• "A rare burst of creative energy today! I revised the Tease and Act I of episode 20, getting the latter down to a more manageable 16 pages, then made some significant headway on Act II, shaping up to be a robust 14 pages. All the characters are in play but two so, tomorrow, I’m going to go over what I’ve got and make them a little more prominent, thread them into the existing story a little better. This being the season finale, I think it’s important that all of the characters get their turn to shine." — Joseph Mallozzi (July 24, 2009)
• "I only have a few short scenes to write and I’ll have completed Act II – well on schedule. Of course, once we get into the third, that’s when the fun starts. And by fun, I mean heavy research. I have a stack of enormous tomes stacked up by my laptop, just waiting to be read." — Joseph Mallozzi (July 25, 2009)
• "In order to make any headway on the writing front, I need the authorial equivalent of a running start – all the way back to the Tease, reading over what I have, zipping along through the first act, picking up speed in the second act until I reaching the point where I left off – where I launch myself, allowing momentum to carry me headlong into the unknown. Like the long jump: sprint, stride, stride, and LEEAAAAAAP! I landed somewhere on P.38, smackdab in the middle of Act III. So far, so good except that I have a feeling this script is going to be long. On the bright side, I’m sure my fellow writers will be more than happy to tell me what to lose when the time comes." — Joseph Mallozzi (July 26, 2009)
• "Oh, you’ll all be pleased to hear that I did make some headway on Episode #20 today, hitting the 40 page mark late this afternoon. I do like what I have but, as I told Exec. Producer and Co-Showrunner Robert Cooper last night at dinner, I fear the script is going to come in long. There is simply a helluvalot going on here. For his part, Rob didn’t seem all that concerned. Quite the opposite in fact. His reaction: 'Great! Two-parter! We’ll save on of the other stories for season two!'" — Joseph Mallozzi (July 29, 2009)
• "I am Exhausted. Yes, with a capital E. After chatting with Brad and co. about my script for the season finale, it was decided that I would go off, work on it this long weekend, and hopefully/eventually get a firm sense as to whether it was actually one episode or two. After all my talk of 'too much story', I was prepared for disappointment in the event I ended up with a solid script and a half – which I would, of course, trim down (1 jam-packed episode always beats 2 flabby episodes). Anyway, as I was leaving the offices yesterday, Rob advised me not to force it. If it was two scripts, great. If it was only one script, just as great. My writing partner Paul, however, couldn’t resist delivering the following parting shot: 'Boy, everybody’s going to be so disappointed if it’s not two scripts. You’re going to let everyone down.'" — Joseph Mallozzi (July 31, 2009)
• "So today, I wrote. And wrote. And wrote. And wrote. And, by the time I was done (and I only mean “done” in the sense that I’m “done writing for the day” and am nowhere near finished my work), I’d completed one script, 50 glorious pages, written the Tease of the next one, and had more or less figured out: a) where I’m going to end up and, most importantly, b) how I’m going to get there. As it turned out, writing wasn’t the challenge today (although I’ll admit to spinning my wheels a little on one particular scene). No, the real challenge presented itself when it came time to reconfigure the act breaks. Act 3 was too long and, despite my best efforts, either Act 4 or 5 kept coming in too short. I thought about it, re-read what I had, cut, pasted, shifted scenes, re-balanced the acts and, finally, voila! Five solid acts! Let’s hope the same can be said for the second script. If I catch that elusive second wind any time between now and bedtime, I’d like to make a little more headway. If not, there’s always tomorrow. I figure if I complete ten pages a day, I’ll have two completed scripts by the time Brad and Robert get back from the TCA’s later next week." — Joseph Mallozzi (July 31, 2009)
• "The title is a secret. And, yes, it will be a bigtime cliffhanger." — Joseph Mallozzi (July 31, 2009)
• "I went over Script #1 (52 pages but 49 ½ actual full pages of fun), made some revisions, went over the Script #2 Tease, made some minor adjustments, then forged ahead. By the time dust settled about an hour ago, I’d hit the top of page 17 and the beginning of Act II. All good EXCEPT…I just realized that I don’t have an Act II break. I have apparently misplaced it and require a new one. And Act III may be a little thin. But when I hit Acts IV and V, they’ll be packed with adventure, intrigue, and wonder-stellar goodness. In addition to assorted Holy Crap! moments." — Joseph Mallozzi (August 1, 2009)
• AMZ writes: "I am wondering though – does this mean the finale will be twice as long? Or does it mean we’ll get a JM Cliffhanger special, and have to wait until season two for the second part?" Answer: "It means episode 19 will become episode 18, episode 18 will become episode 17, the story schedule to be episode 17 will disappear, and the two scripts I’m working on will become episodes 19 and 20." — Joseph Mallozzi (August 1, 2009)
• "A great writing day. Granted, a better day for lazing about in the sun but, still, writers can’t be choosers. So after lying awake in bed last night working the story out in my head, I finally found my Act II break! (I’d left it in the garage behind the recycling bin.). Thus armed, I sat down to write (actually, I stood but that’s neither here nor there) and banged out the second act in no time. 10 ¾ pages, by the time I was done I had hit the 26 page mark. And it was only a little after 3:00 p.m.! Of course the fact that I got up at 7:00 a.m. may have been a contributing factor. Anyway, I’m very pleased with my progress. If I can get Act III done tomorrow, Acts IV and V will practically write themselves (Not literally though. I’ve tried and it doesn’t work.). I’m aiming to complete rough drafts of both scripts by Tuesday, will go over them Wednesday and Thursday, and put them out on Friday when I will, no doubt, be relieved and overcome with euphoria that accompanies a job well done…until Monday when I receive everyone’s notes and they tell me to combine the two scripts into one." — Joseph Mallozzi (August 2, 2009)
• "Well, I had only planned on finishing up Act IV of Script #2 today but, as expected, got on a roll and ended up sailing through Act V to finish the darn thing. The second script is a robust 53 pages (52 full) and contains what is, without a doubt, the biggest HOLY #%&@! ending I have ever written. I mean, I knew what was going to happen but, as I was writing toward it and the different pieces of the story were falling into place, I decided to go with a little something different in the lead-up and…well…it’s quite the eyebrow-raiser. Actually, the double eyebrow-raiser. Hell, the truth is, you don’t have enough eyebrows to make it work. Trust me." — Joseph Mallozzi (August 4, 2009)
• "So, now I have two rough drafts. ... Tomorrow, I start work on streamlining my two scripts, getting the all important timing down, adjusting the scenes, tweaking the dialogue, and generally just making sure it all makes sense. The plan was to put them out on Monday but, given that I’m so ahead of schedule, I may aim for a pre-weekend release." — Joseph Mallozzi (August 4, 2009)
• "I’m going to go over both of my scripts and – provided on how things go – try to get them in tomorrow so [Rob Cooper will] have the weekend to read them rather than having to read them on set. The latter would be terrible as I’m sure he’ll be so engrossed and eager to finish reading that he’ll no doubt hold up production just to see “how it all turns out”. And I, of course, would feel terribly guilty. So, tonight, I start my first pass on my drafts." — Joseph Mallozzi (August 6, 2009)
• "Okay. Almost there. Today, I finally trimmed both scripts down to a manageable 51 pages. Next up is the “Print and Pace” stage in which I have Lawren print me up a copy so that I can walk up and down the halls of the production office, script in hand, reading and revising, looking very much like an actor preparing for an audition. I might give both scripts another once-over before Monday but, until then…" — Joseph Mallozzi (August 8, 2009)
• "I went over both scripts and made some tweaks. Tomorrow, I’ll review them one last time and then, finally, put them out – if not for me, then for Carl who seems especially eager to read them, his eyes lighting up whenever I stroll by his office. 'Script?!' he’ll call out in anticipation. 'No,' I have to tell him. 'Not yet.' His obvious disappointment breaks my heart. It’s like telling a kid Santa Claus forgot to bring him presents. But not as funny." — Joseph Mallozzi (August 11, 2009)
• "Today, I finally finished the scripts. Well, not really because a script isn’t technically done until it’s been shot and I still have my most despised stage of the scripting process not to look forward to – the dreaded rewrite. But, for the moment, a much-needed breather. Now, it’s all in the hands of my fellow writer-producers who will read, consider, and give me notes – some time between now and early next month." — Joseph Mallozzi (August 12, 2009)
• "Rob has been directing Human, Brad has been prepping Sabotage, and Paul has been finishing up his first draft of Subversion, so the only producer who has actually had the time to read my scripts, episodes #19 and #20, is Carl. He dropped by my office today to offer his opinion. Yes, I agreed, the B story will require some rethinking and there are a few sequences that will need some tweaking but, happily, Carl found it exciting, well-paced and seemed quite intrigued by the ending. And, most importantly, he felt it worked well as two scripts. Hopefully, the others will feel the same." — Joseph Mallozzi (August 13, 2009)
• "Rob dropped my office after lunch while the production was making the move from the location to mess set, waved my first script and joked: 'It’s so hard to know what’s going on without having read episode eighteen.' – a reference to Paul’s script, still being written. 'Yeah, tell me about it,' I countered. 'You think reading is confusing. Try writing the next script!'" — Joseph Mallozzi (August 13, 2009)
• "The final half-dozen scripts are in play and we’ve been busy writing, revising, reading, and critiquing. ... As for those last two episodes – Carl read ’em and liked them. He had some notes, specifically dealing with an element of the story that I was having trouble with myself, but offered up a great idea for the fix. Brad and Paul have only read the first script but responded positively. All well and good but I think I’ll hold off on breathing that sigh of relief until they’ve read the second script AND Rob (who’s been off directing Human) weighs in with his opinion. They’re all tough critics and one bad review is enough to thoroughly upend a draft. The guest casting on these final three should be a lot of fun." — Joseph Mallozzi (August 17, 2009)
• "Hey, finally received notes on both scripts today. Thankfully (and most importantly) everyone agrees that it’s a two-episode story. 'I can’t believe we thought this was only one episode,' were Paul’s words. Anyway, some terrific suggestions that will help clarify certain elements, address a few outstanding issues, and generally tighten things up. I tend to hate rewrites, but this one (technically, these two) actually looks like it could be a lot of fun." — Joseph Mallozzi (August 21, 2009)
• PG15 writes: "1. Is the title of the episodes, 'Incursion'? Plus part 1? and part 2? where necessary, of course. 2. So is this it then? It’s for sure going to be a 2-parter? I mean, unless something unforeseen happens?" Answer: "1. Brilliant deductions. Why, yes, it is. 2. And, yes, it will certainly be a two-parter. We are all in agreement." — Joseph Mallozzi (August 22, 2009)
• "Hey, remember when I said I was actually looking forward to this rewrite? Well, I honestly don’t know what the hell I was thinking. I guess I figured that, given the notes, it wouldn’t be all that big a pass. But it turns out I was wrong. Yep, it never fails. Those tiny little changes you assume will be sleight and may take all of an afternoon to complete actually turn out to be fairly significant changes that trigger repercussions running throughout the rest of the script. Anyway, I was actually making progress this morning, coasting along rather nicely, until I hit a snag and became bogged down in the new and improved wunder-science. I started my research, got bogged down in that as well, and ultimately decided to call it a day. On my way out, I conveyed my frustrations to my writing partner Paul who, working on his own rewrite, had to deal with frustrations of his own today in the form of the incessant BEEP-BEEP-BEEP of the construction equipment across the street. He sympathized and expressed surprise at the requested change. For his part, he preferred the old (in his opinion, much cooler and wondrous) science and strongly urged me to pitch Rob on keeping the original. Something I’ll definitely do. Tomorrow." — Joseph Mallozzi (August 26, 2009)
• "I’m pleased to report that after a brief falling out, my rewrite and I have reconciled and we are on much better terms. I admit that I was a little frustrated yesterday, and said some things I now regret. However today, things are much brighter and progress has been made, thanks in large part to the wise counsel, unconditional support, and rough explanatory sketch provided by Mika McKinnon, the show’s science consultant. Thanks, Mika." — Joseph Mallozzi (August 27, 2009)
• "Hey, great news! For me anyway. I finished the rewrite on both my scripts. Well, with episodes #19 and #20 behind me, I can finally set my sights on thinking ahead to some possible second season (fingers crossed) stories, watching the various cuts and mixes, and, most importantly, whiling away the afternoons in Carl’s office talking about my upcoming Tokyo trip while he does his best to pretend he’s fallen asleep in the hopes I’ll leave." — Joseph Mallozzi (August 31, 2009)
• "Some discussion on Incursion I and II this afternoon (episodes #19 and #20 – As if you didn’t know!). Brad will be taking over duties on both scripts as he’ll be producing the episodes. We discussed, among other things: clarifying who is where doing what (a special request from Paul), the challenges of guest casting, and the workings of alien tech." — Joseph Mallozzi (September 1, 2009)
• Audrey writes: "So when do you start prep on Incursion?" Answer: "Not for weeks." — Joseph Mallozzi (September 1, 2009)
• "So, Brad will be starting his pass on Incursion I and II this weekend. In retrospect, I reconsidered my earlier critique and told him that, believe it or not, I had no notes and thought the scripts were pretty good as they were. He thanked me and pointed out that I’d written them so he wasn’t really expecting me to have notes. On the other hand, Paul and Carl had a few. And Brad had some terrific ideas that will make the finale one helluva ride. I wish I could watch the reaction of the cast as they read the scripts. NO ONE IS SAFE!" — Joseph Mallozzi (September 2, 2009)
• PG15 writes: "Is Andy Mikita directing the Incursion 2-parter?" Anwer: "Yes, he will be." — Joseph Mallozzi (September 3, 2009)

Further Reading

• Joseph Mallozzi's Blog

---

--DeeKayP 15:51, 23 August 2009 (UTC)