Atlantis is right where we left her at the end of season three, stranded in space, a damaged ZPM, and decreasing odds of survival.

Adrift opened season four on 28 September, 2007. It was written by Martin Gero.

The pressure is on! McKay (David Hewlett) is trying to figure out a way to get the most out of the remaining power while Doctor Keller (Jewel Staite) continues to fight to save Weir’s (Torri Higginson) life. She has a plan, a dangerous plan, using Replicator nanites.

Tensions are high as lives are lost, power is rerouted, and the city begins to shut down non-essential systems to stay online. And Sheppard (Joe Flanigan) finds himself in temporary command. Things are escalating drastically, they really aren’t holding back for a season opener.

And the city is about to tumble into an asteroid field. So they are going to use puddle-jumpers to clear a path.

Everyone lends a hand, Zelenka (David Nykl) and Sheppard have to do a space walk around the city! A hit from a micro-meteorite ups the risk to Zelenka, and things are looking pretty dire.

But there’s some new hope. It looks like Colonel Samantha Carter (Amanda Tapping) and Dr. Lee (Bill Dow) are working at midway station. They may be able to provide some help, throw in Colonel Ellis (Michael Beach) and the Apollo, the odds may be more in the favor than they realize.

Things are coming fast and furious in this episode, choices are made, and it races us right towards a To Be Continued as Weir wakes up; McKay and Keller went ahead with the nanite plan. And McKay comes up with a plan involving a hyperspace enabled puddle-jumper and a heist of ZPMs on the Replicator homeworld…

Helluva opener!

Lifeline aired 5 October, 2007. It was written by Carl Binder.

So McKay, Sheppard, Ronon (Jason Momoa), and a recovering nanite-infused Weir, are off on a heist! Mckay and a recovering Zelenka are able to get the puddle jumper ready for hyperspace. Weir has agreed to go along, with the understanding that Sheppard execute her, should the Replicators be able to take control of her, or her nanites behave in a dangerous way.

Teyla (Rachel Luttrell) is left in charge of Atlantis. And Carter and Lee? They are working on their own plan to find Atlantis.

Weir is able to use her connection to the nanites to track down ZPMs in the Replicator city, but how much time fo they have before things go sideways? McKay finds a command code inside the Replicator network – he could reactivate it, and reprogram them. And he can do it through Weir’s nanites when they synch up again. But what about the risk to Weir?

The Replicators, led by Oberoth (David Ogden Stiers) become aware of the team’s presence, and things start to go very badly. Can they upload the code? Is there a way to save Weir? Will the Replicators remain an ongoing threat?

The team is captured as Weir and Oberoth struggle for control, but it’s all part of a bigger plan. Weir is stronger than she appears. But will it be enough for her to escape with her team?

Not by the looks of it, Carter and the Apollo arrives just in time to save the rest of the team, and they are able to return to Atlantis, and settle on a new home. And it looks like Carter may be hanging around for awhile.