SGA 5.19 "Vegas" Episode Guide
Précis
Detective John Sheppard investigates murders in Las Vegas linked to an unusual man with superhuman abilities.
Guide | Transcript
MGM/SciFi.com Official Summary
Police find a desiccated corpse on a desert road outside Las Vegas, Nevada, the seventh victim of a bizarre serial killer. Detective John Sheppard, called in to assist, is baffled by these murders. Then a clue, traces of radiation found on the bodies, leads him to a strange looking man with super human attributes who easily evades capture.
Some time later, Sheppard is detained and driven to Area 51. There he meets Dr. Rodney McKay who reveals that the suspect is, in fact, an alien—a Wraith—who feeds on human energy. What’s more, McKay and his team have traveled to Earth from the Pegasus Galaxy, by way of a Stargate, to prevent this Wraith from compromising the security of the planet. But so far, Sheppard is the only one who’s been able to get close to him.
Cast
- Joe Flanigan as Lt. Col. John Sheppard
- Rachel Luttrell as Teyla Emmagan
- Jason Momoa as Ronon Dex
- Jewel Staite as Dr. Jennifer Keller
- Robert Picardo as Richard Woolsey
- and David Hewlett as Dr. Rodney McKay
Guest Stars
- Neil Jackson as Wraith
- David Nykl as Dr. Radek Zelenka (alternate version)
- Gary Jones as CMSGT Walter Harriman (alternate version)
- Frank Vincent as Mo's Friend
- Steve Schirripa as Mo
- Jody Thompson as Nurse
- Mark Burgess as Sick Guy
- Chris Nowland as Crime Scene Guy
- David-Paul Grove as Hotel Manager
- Paul Jarrett as Captain Hendricks
- Carmen Moore as Reporter
- Loren Christopher Michaels as Dealer
- Charles Cohen, Joel Goldsmith, Roy Winston and Todd Brunson as Poker Players
Production
- Written by Robert C. Cooper
- Directed by Robert C. Cooper
Related Articles
Keywords
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- Season Five Episode Guides
- Episode Guides
- Season Five Transcripts
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- Previous: SGA 5.18 "Identity" Episode Guide
- Next: SGA 5.20 "Enemy At The Gate" Episode Guide
Related Links
Official
Fan
- Solutions On-Site Forum: Season Five Discussion Board
- Solutions News and Spoiler Blog
- Stargate Screencaps: Season Five
Galleries
Stills Galleries
Production Galleries
The following are links to images and videos concerning the production of this episode and were published by Joseph Mallozzi in his personal blog:
- Google Video: Carl Binder leads a tour of the SGC where a scene from Vegas takes place (August 28, 2008)
- September 13 entry has several images from Command Center that include Gary Jones, Robert Picardo, David Nykl, and David Hewlett.
Other image sources:
Production Notes
- "...and episodes 19 (which Rob Cooper will be writing/directing/producing)..." — Joseph Mallozzi in his personal blog, March 22, 2008.
- "Finally, in response to those complaining about an uneven balance in the types of stories being told this year - like last year, everyone will be getting an episode. The reason I haven’t discussed the Sheppard story is because, unlike Ronon, McKay, and Teyla, his story falls in the back half of the season. Ronon has Broken Ties. Teyla has The Queen. McKay has The Shrine. And Sheppard will have CSI: Atlantis (and possibly Hexed if we can make it work)." — Joseph Mallozzi in his personal blog, April 17, 2008.
- "CSI: Atlantis which will be helmed by Robert C. Cooper..." — Joseph Mallozzi in his personal blog, April 29, 2008.
- "Robert Cooper actually came in and he pitched an idea for episodes 19 and 20, which we thought was great, so we know what we’re working towards." — Joseph Mallozzi in MGM interview, April 29, 2008.
- "We’re talking about shooting some of it [finale] (and #19) on location." — Joseph Mallozzi in his personal blog, May 18, 2008.
- "Read Rob’s outline for episode 19, CSI: Atlantis. All sorts of greatness." — Joseph Mallozzi in his personal blog, June 4, 2008.
- CSI: Atlantis and the season finale are "two very different stories, but they’re linked." — Joseph Mallozzi in his personal blog, June 7, 2008.
- "CSI: Atlantis will be Sheppard-focused." — Joseph Mallozzi in his personal blog, June 7, 2008.
- "Rob, meanwhile, is going with Vegas for episode #19." — Joseph Mallozzi in his personal blog, June 12, 2008.
- "We finally got to read a first draft of Vegas, written (and soon to be directed and produced) by Rob Cooper. I told Rob that one of the great things about this show is that the series premise allows you to tell a wide variety of stories. Vegas is very different from anything we’ve ever done on Atlantis before. Different in a very good way. And I’m sure the fans will agree." — Joseph Mallozzi in his personal blog, July 21, 2008.
- "Between scenes, we talked Vegas, the as-yet-untitled episode #20, and beyond. Who knows what the future holds? Well, hopefully we will sooner than later." — Joseph Mallozzi in his personal blog, July 23, 2008.
- "Well, it’s a race to the finish line as ... Carl (Identity) and Rob (Vegas) field questions about their respective episodes..." — Joseph Mallozzi in his personal blog, July 31, 2008.
- "Now I can't tell you exactly what is said in the writer's room, but I can tell you that these are some witty guys and the jokes always come fast and furious. Today's topics included: ... finding locations for episode 519 ("Vegas")..." — Alex Levine, scifi.com blog, July 31, 2008.
- Michelle writes: “Joe, will you be going to Vegas along with Rob and the gang?” Answer: "Alas, I will not. We’re just going to have to trust that Rob will be able to control himself and not blow the show’s budget on all the spectacular sequences he has in mind - or on 22 black." — Joseph Mallozzi in his personal blog, August 1, 2008.
- "Lucky, lucky Rob Cooper, meanwhile, headed off on a location scout to South Okanagan this morning. To those of you unfamiliar with location scouts, they’re a little like school field trips to potential shooting sites. Although, in today’s case, the kids would have had to be at school for 5:30 a.m. and looked forward to a four and a half hour bus ride to a barren desert. Hell, beats the planetarium." — Joseph Mallozzi in his personal blog, August 5, 2008.
- "And nineteen will set up twenty. So there will be like -- not really a two-parter -- but one sets up the other." — Carl Binder, Gateworld interview, August 9, 2008.
- "Speaking of titles - we finally got one for our 100th episode: Enemy at the Gate. Looks like it will shoot in the #19 slot, meaning we’ll wrap in Vancouver and finish shooting season five in Las Vegas." — Joseph Mallozzi in his personal blog, August 15, 2008.
- "We’re going to Vegas, man. Actually, Jason and I were all excited and high-fiving, 'We’re going to kill aliens in Vegas.' And then he found out that he wasn’t in the sequences. ... I think we’re going to end the season there. I think the last four days of shooting will be us there." — Joe Flanigan in Cinema Spy interview, August 18, 2008.
- "We've been casting and prepping for ... episode 519 "Vegas". But for the script coordinator (me!), much of the work on prepping scripts has already been done. So I'm taking the opportunity to help coordinate some of the aspects of the Vegas shoot, which will be heavy on legal clearance issues." — Alex Levine in his scifi.com blog, August 18, 2008.
- "Weird shooting the last few episodes of Atlantis, I must say. Cooper's giant episode "Vegas" is going to keep me busy all weekend with the brain stomping amount of McKay dialogue next week...I'm not going to miss that aspect of things...then again, maybe I will!" — David Hewlett in his blog, August 31, 2008.
- "I've just read "Vegas," which is really interesting -- and an absolute departure. It's really one of those ones where, if you are flicking channels it's going to take you a little while to figure out that this is Atlantis. ... I don't think that I go down to Vegas, no. I do a lot of talking and it's all inside. So my hunch is I'm probably not going to go to Vegas. In fact, I'm pretty sure it's just Joe. Now, on the plus side, by not going to Vegas it means that I'm wrapping almost three weeks earlier than Joe is. I think I'll call him on a daily basis and tell him how much fun I'm having. ... Or tell him what I had for lunch. He loves that, too." — David Hewlett, Gateworld interview, September 1, 2008.
- "Shooting Vegas...in Vancouver...why don't I get to go there?" — David Hewlett on his Twitter, September 3, 2008.
- "Wow...The Bridge Studios is now Area 51! Shooting nights always makes you feel like you're really shooting a TV show ;-)" — David Hewlett on his Twitter, September 5, 2008.
- "Hard to believe but this will be my last week on Atlantis the series. Three days this week, two on "Enemy at the Gate", the finale; and a day on "Vegas" the penultimate Atlantis adventure. Whew. Those five years went fast! It seems like only yesterday a hapless doctor with a weird accent told his commanding officer to "stop talking please". That was way back. Atlantis old school." — David Nykl in his blog, September 6, 2008.
- "Well, things are winding down here for us at The Bridge Studios. In a little over a week, we’ll be wrapping up production in Vancouver before shifting focus to our location shoot in Vegas for a few days. After that, we’ll strike the sets, say our goodbyes, put the production assistants to sleep, and mark the end of a glorious five year run with a special Milestone Episode/End Of Series Wrap Party - our second in three years! Before then, however, some familiar faces will be dropping by. Actor Michael Beach was on set yesterday. Today, it was Mitch Pileggi. Amanda Tapping and Christopher Heyerdahl will be joining us in the days to come." — Joseph Mallozzi in his personal blog, September 10, 2008.
- "An explosion tears apart a trailer on the outdoor set during Wednesday’s filming of an episode of Stargate Atlantis in a field just east of Oliver. RCMP closed off a section of Camp McKinney Road during the blast which sent flames over 30 metres into the sky. (Inset) Actor Neil Jackson plays a wraith in the show." — Penticton Western News, September 11, 2008.
- "Rob was already at post, working on an unfinished director’s cut of Vegas. ... The Vegas shoot starts and wraps next week." — Joseph Mallozzi in his personal blog, September 23, 2008.
- "I am here until the weekend then back to NY for a family function, then off to Vegas. I will be filming an episode of Stargate Atlantis in Vegas at the end of the month. Although I have done a fair number of talk shows over the years, it will be my first TV series. I'm sure my part is going to be very small, but who knows, I could be discovered and on my way to yet another career (for those of you who like to post on the various forums keep in mind that the preceding sentence is meant to be sarcastic)." — Roy "The Oracle" Winston, professional poker player, blog posting at CardPlayer.com, September 24, 2008.
- "Went in today and watched Rob’s partial director’s cut of Vegas. Rob did a terrific job on this one and, once completed, it’ll be a truly cinematic out-of-the-box episode." — Joseph Mallozzi in his personal blog, September 24, 2008.
- "I am delighted to report that we reference Star Trek: The Experience in an upcoming Stargate: Atlantis episode set in Vegas. Dr. Mckay’s character points out that there is only one place an alien could easily get a job in Vegas and that’s in Star Trek :The Experience. He of course gets a droll response from Richard Woolsey who happens to look more than little like that Doctor character from Star Trek." — Robert Picardo in Q&A at Joseph Mallozzi's blog, September 26, 2008.
Further Reading
- Joseph Mallozzi's Blog
- Alex Levine's scifi.com blog, July 31, 2008.
- Gateworld: Scribe of the Soul, interview with Carl Binder, August 9, 2008.
- Cinema Spy: Exclusive Interview: Joe Flanigan, August 18, 2008.
- Alex Levine's scifi.com blog, August 18, 2008.
- Solutions: SGA S5 Spoilers: "Vegas", August 21, 2008.
- David Hewlett's blog, August 31, 2008.
- Gateworld: Rodney Forever, interview with David Hewlett, September 1, 2008.
- David Hewlett's Twitter, September 3, 2008.
- David Hewlett's Twitter, September 5, 2008.
- David Nykl's blog, September 6, 2008.
- Penticton Western News: Fire in the Sky, September 11, 2008.
- CardPlayer.com: Roy Winston, September 24, 2008.
- Joseph Mallozzi's Weblog: Robert Picardo Answers Your Questions!, September 26, 2008.
- Las Vegas Review Journal: SHOOTING STARS: 'Stargate: Atlantis' orbits Planet Hollywood, September 29, 2008 and companion Solutions: SGA S5 Spoilers: "Vegas" on Location, September 29, 2008.
- Pokerati: Sci-Fi Poker, October 1, 2008.
- Alex Levine's scifi.com blog, December 29, 2008.
- Solutions: SGA Tonight: What Happens in "Vegas". . ., January 2, 2009.
--DeeKayP 19:00, 21 July 2008 (PDT)