FF:QLD Stargate discussion

I contemplated continuing discussing this in the "I'm bored, what are you all doing" thread. But while I know this isn't one of our "flagship shows", I figured screw it, new thread.

I finally managed to collect all of Stargate: SG-1 late last year as well as the first three seasons of Stargate: Atlantis and am very slowly making my way through them. I like the show, but unfortuately during it's commercial airplay over here it was shown at different times to those scheduled, seasons weren't complete and episodes were out of order. When the main NID plotline kicked in in later seasons and I was trying to recall stuff I'd barely seen nearly seven years before, I realised it was futile and I'd need to get all the DVDs if I wanted to follow it.

As a few of us do actually like the show and don't mind discussing it on occasion (unlike Buffy & Angel where it's just Alastair and myself) and also because it's continuing with direct to DVD movies and the spin-off guaranteed a fifth season (again, unlike Buffy & Angel), I hope a thread can be justified.

Anyway, what BBN said last time:

Yeah, Magnus, Stargate begins finding its stride around the end of the first season. The climax and cliffhanger there are pretty cool. And once it hits the third or fourth it's rocking along very nicely and is very comfortable in its groove.

All true, but what surprised me is that it took about seven to eight episodes to actually hit it's stride and become arguably decent. The pilot Children of the Gods has got some great moments along with some "what the frak??" stuff too. Most of Carter's dialogue is just embarrassing; not Amanda Tapping's fault, but the writer's had a hard time trying to portray a strong, intelligent woman in the US Military. Sadly that problem's drawn out for the whole third episode Emancipation. Annoyingly, that episode had a great guest cast and good ideas, it just fell back to long tested "women in sci-fi" cliches of the like we used to see in original Trek that haven't aged well. It's not 'til about episode seven; Cold Lazarus; where a duplicate of O'Neil is sent back to Earth to try and recover his dead son that it kinda becomes something new and good. And even that is shaky, the next episode Thor's Hammer is probably the best on the first two DVDs

After that the quality is consistently above average 'til episode thirteen, Hathor, or "The Day the SGC Stood Stupid". This is the first, and sadly, not the only time the characters in Stargate have their IQs drop by a good 50 or so points for plot expediency. Again, not a terrible episode, but when you're screaming at the TV, "She came from the sarcophagus you morons!" when the characters with multiple doctorates in quantum physics and archaeology; and are therefore meant to be much smarter than you; can't see the bleedin' obvious, it does get a little frustrating

As for the Atlantis\SG-1 interplay... It's not a hugely big deal, as there's very little genuine crossover. The end of season 7 of SG-1 leads into the opening of season 1 of Atlantis, though there's obviously a good few months of time in between them. Season 1 of Atlantis and 8 of SG-1 go parallel to the point where watching order doesn't really matter at all until right at the very end where they weave back together. From memory I'd say you want to watch the SG-1 season 8 finale just before you hit the build-up to Atlantis season 1's climax, (though "Letters from Pegasus" has to come just before the climax of season 8) because although there's not all that much time in between them, there has to be at the very least a few days. No spoilers on the events of those episodes, but you'll see what I mean. Beyond that, there's very little overlap at all. Season 9 of SG-1 kicks off a good several months after the start of Atlantis season 2, but there's no overlap after that that I can recall. In season 10/3 there's a genuine crossover episode, but the timing of that can go basically anywhere

 

I enjoy watching Stargate.

 

After having Tim's season one boxset in my posession for at least a year, I'm finally forcing myself through the awkward beginnings. I can't wait to find this Stargate: The Good Show you guys keep talking about.

My issue with these early episodes is that it's too sincere for its own good. At this point the writing and supporting performances aren't consistent enough for it to hold up as credible "serious" sci-fi (Cold Lazarus being a happy exception). This is a stark contrast to what you're all saying about the show at the top of its game: that it's great because it doesn't take itself too seriously.

Not that I need convincing. Firstly because I trust your opinions, damnit, and secondly because the aforementioned vampire slaying show (which I'm also working my way through for the first time) seems to have gone through the same shifts in tone, quality and attitude at the same points in the same seasons.

There's another "fun" rainy day activity: charting the parallels between the SG1/Atlantis and Buffy/Angel. Only twenty-one accumulated seasons of research remaining. Better get cracking.

 

Magnus: don't even talk about Hathor. After the second season (okay, and the very first episode of the third), she's never even mentioned again, so you should follow that example. Please.

HB: The thing to remember about those early episodes is that they're twelve years old. Look at how far sci-fi TV has come since then in terms of sophistication. And indeed, forget about the age in years and look at basically any long-running TV show has evolved and strengthened over the length of its run. Take Star Trek The Next Generation, or The X-Files, or indeed, as you say, Buffy. And while Stargate is no Battlestar or Firefly in terms of rich sophistication and depth, it's very happy in its Star Trek-esque groove as fun, light, pulpy space-adventure, and it's well-suited to that. Arguably it hasn't been as good over the last few years, but the fiction and universe just keep getting richer and richer, and it's one of those rare shows where the universe evolves and changes in very real and very dramatic ways. In 12 years, humanity goes from being a bunch of nobodies stepping out into space to being the dominant superpower in our galaxy, and when you stop to think about that it's actually fascinating to watch the progression. So yeah, keep on slowly watching that box you borrowed from me. I just bought season 9 and ordered a copy of 10, so I'll have plenty to nudge your way if it piques your interest.


So anyway, how many here have seen The Ark of Truth? My copy arrived from Amazon late last week. With the clock passing midnight it's too late for me to sit and post much of a review, and to be perfectly honest I'd kind of like to re-watch seasons 9 and 10 before settling on a firm opinion, but I liked it a lot. It could have been a bit better, I suppose, but there was a lot to enjoy, and frankly, it was just super-cool to see Stargate shot on film and with a much higher budget. It really is very nice to look at. So yeah, black out your spoilers and post your thoughts here, folks.

 

Keep digging HB. Stargate: The Good Show is there. I can rattle off at least a dozen good episodes from the various seasons (if not by name, at least by "It's the one with..." as an opener), and I'm sure BBN can too. And we can probably rattle off twice that number of decent episodes with moments of pure awesome.

Do you think I wanted to talk about "She Who Will No Longer Be Named In This Thread" BBN? The only reason I watched the episode is that I knew she played a part in the Season 2/3 cliffhanger/resolution, and also I needed to show my dad that this was where one of the many strains of The Stupid Virus first infected the SGC

You are right though, twelve years is a long time and things have changed a lot since then in terms of sophistication in sci-fi. Hell, I went from a teenager to an adult in that time period, and I know my tastes certainly changed during the transition. Which reminds me, next time I see you HB I'd like to discuss the differences between watching Buffy as an adult as opposed to having originally watched it as a teenager. But I digress.

Anyway, watching the development of the universe is going to be fascinating, especially since I'll be able to log all the steps along the way. In these early episodes, the Secretary of Defence complains about how the SGC hasn't secured any advanced alien technology, and Teal'C dreams of the day his people will be free. I know how both those plotlines end up, but I can't remember exactly how they got there.

I've had a bootleg copy of The Ark of Truth for a while now, but haven't watched it for obvious reasons. My legit copy should be getting here any day now, so I'll stow it at the bottom of the stack to when I legitimately get there. What's hobbling me really (and why it took me so long to get through Babylon 5 last year) is that I'm watching it with my dad each night, and we really can only get through two episodes on a weeknight. But, I'm going to do this properly and not race ahead.

Be seeing you,

Magnus Darcrider

 

Watched bits, don't mind it. Happy to be pointed towards some cool episodes. Always thought it was a bit too cheesy.

I think you're missing a few people from your group of Angel/Buffy devotees though!! CJ..ME.

 

Just an addendum before I start, I'm going to highlight things I feel are spoilerific, in case people haven't watched the last few seasons. Also I haven't seent eh movie yet and I'm only half way through season 4 of Atlantis, so be kind guys!! No spoilers!! It was bad enough that Luke and MAtt spoiled both Beckett and Weir's deaths Though I'm catching up! I promise!

I LOVE LOVE LOVE Stargate It's always been one of my favourite shows in teh whole entire world I can still remember watching the movie in grade 7 (I'm pretty sure it was grade 7) and being all excited because within the next week, the show was about to premiere here in Australia. It was the kind of show that brought out whole family together to watch it, so I'll always love my stargate!

In it's original screening on tv, I religiously watched it until that horrible thing happens in season 6. I balled my eyes out in that episode!! (oh also when Dr Fraiser died! I totally did not see that coming!!) That was when tv people decided to change the times drastically, so I missed most of the 7th season (I think it was the 7th. I basically missed most of the stuff with Jonas Quinn and the human form replicators) which made the 8th season totally not make sense!! So it wasn't really until I got the box sets that I finally was able to watch those last 3 seasons and know what the hell was going on.

I personally didn't care much for the 8th season. Too much replicator stuff for my liking. I guess the thing I really like about the show is that they still manage to feature a lot of stand alone episodes. You know those ones that you can watch without really knowing a great deal about the show. I think that's maybe why I didn't like season 8 as much, coz you really had to follow it week by week.

I only just saw season 9 and 10 last year, and I did like them quite a bit. I was a bit worried at first with O'Neill and Carter both not having much to do with it, and it was really strange having all that Vala stuff, but I have come to an appreciation of it. I LOVED the final episode of seaosn 10, it really was fantastic! such a great concept and so great to watch!! I can't wait to see the movie; Matt watched it quite some time ago, but hasn't really thought to let me watch it...hmmmm

I can't choose a definitive favourite episode, but one of my favs is the groundhog day one! I loved O'Neill golfing through the Stargate, and I LOVED it when we finally saw the whole thing from Teal'c's point of view! I felt so bad for him!!

As for Atlantis... I was never a huge fan, but now that SG1 has finished, it's my only stargate fix. I binge watched season 1 and 2 last year, and then season 3 this year and now I'm half way through season 4. LOVE Keller, for obvious reasons. Also loving Ronan, he's such a cool character. I should be finished the season in the next few days. I loved the season 3 cliffhanger, and the resolution was incredible! I have to say though, I think Atlantis probably has better season cliffhangers than SG1.

I'm a little worried about the 5th season though, after finding out a bit about who's actually in it. I just don't know if it will work, though I do love the actor in his other famous role So maybe that might save it?

Really hoping I can make it to Melbourne Armageddon in November, and meet Dr McKay himself He has got to be a cool guy! Also working on a Keller costume! hmm funny how all my favourite characters are doctors - Dr Fraiser, Dr Jackson, Dr Beckett, Dr Keller, Dr McKay

Oh and if anyone is interested, I'm selling my stargate box sets. I'm thinking $10 per set, and I have 8 seasons. They're the big bulky ones (back when you had 5 cases per box) and I just don't have the room for them, but someone might like to have them for a bargain price! Anywho, lemme know!

 

The Atlantis season 5 thing that LC nebulously referred to is Richard Woolsey (Robert Picardo, AKA the doctor from Voyager) taking over command of the Atlantis expedition. This is a big event, for many reasons that probably won't mean a great deal to people who haven't followed the show. From a story point of view what it says to me is that something must seriously go wrong if the IOA feels the need to pull Sam Carter and shove Woolsey into her place. From a production/story arc point of view, I think it's a really interesting idea, because it gives us a commander that the audience doesn't like and isn't really supposed to. There's going to be a lot of tension, but what I've always liked about the Woolsey character is that as much as he's represented as the bureaucrat and the outsider and in some cases basically the Bad Guy, it's always been pretty easy to at least slightly sympathise with his point of view.

But anyway.


In these early episodes, the Secretary of Defence complains about how the SGC hasn't secured any advanced alien technology, and Teal'C dreams of the day his people will be free. I know how both those plotlines end up, but I can't remember exactly how they got there.

There's always someone complaining that they're not acquiring enough technology. But the struggle of Teal'C and the Jaffa to be free is one of the core storyliens of the whole series, and it pays off in a really satisfying way. And definitely watch the Ark of Truth DVD over the bootleg version. Like I said, my favourite thing about it was honestly the quality of the the high budget shoot and vfx. Not that the story isn't pretty good, but the real draw is seeing Stargate shot on a big budget, and seeing it on DVD really makes it look awesome.

 

Please tell me something; Is Jack in these straight-to-DVD movies?

 

Hmm season 5 will be interesting that's for sure!

So I just finished watching episode 18 of SG:A, and I look forward to seeing the last two eps when MAtt gets home. Wow, what a cliffhanger! YAY! Very excited about this! woo!

Anywho, I was thinking as I watched Trio, that as much as I love Carter, I really don't like her being in Atlantis. I think it totally ruins her character for me. In Atlantis she's in command, but she never really gets to do much stuff. And she's really been relegated to a scientific position. I can remember the days when she was jsut as tough as Jack and Teal'c, and Trio really reminded the audence of that, as well as Rodney and Keller. Seeing her in the position, sometimes it's hard to remember that she was actually the kick butt chick back in the day, and I miss that! I think that's the thing I'll always love about SG1 seasons 1-8, that 9-10 and Atlantis can never have; the fab four doing their thing, getting into trouble and getting out of it. It just feels like there's way too much technobabble and amazing technology in these last few seasons. I really enjoyed seeing them fight their way out in their struggle against the 'Gould' (hehehe that's how I always think General Hammond says it ) and there was jsut something better about it. Obviously with all the technological advances (both in the show and in real life) and being set in the city of the ancients, there's going to be all that stuff. But I dunno, I guess I really love the basic 'lets go get em' stuff that happened in the beginning of SG1. Plus I think there was way more depth to the characters, and much more interaction stuff. I know Matt loves season 9 and 10 and thinks they're the best, but I honestly perfer the earlier stuff myself.

I keep forgetting how old the series is, but Midway (SG:A) really reminded me. When Sam introduced Teal'c as having 10 years of experience in the Stargate program, I was like, 'No way? That long!! Wow! it really has been that long!' and it was kinda weird. they've been through so much together, but I still rememebr those early episodes. It makes me feel kinda old But I totally loved this ep! Putting Ronan and Teal'c together is such a brilliant idea. Though I think there could have been heaps more interplay between them. I was actually expecting the fight much sooner though. Hehehe my money was on Teal'c though; he may be old, but he's well trained and has a lot less anger than Ronan. It kinda makes me think of the interactions with Braytac 'Old Man'

Ah yes, Stargate is teh awesomes, and I LOVES it! And even if Atlantis isn't as good as the old stuff, it's still my dose of stargate.

 

Midway was definitely a great episode, very action packed.

You're right about Atlantis and the differences between it and SG-1. Stargate has always had a real Star Trek-ish vibe to it, but Atlantis, just by nature of the overtly sci-fi setting, bears that much more strongly. That doesn't bother me greatly. As I've said before, I'd watch the show just for Rodney McKay, who's stolen just about every scene he's been in for the past 4 years. But basically, like I said: I just find the Stargate universe so interesting, because it's just so big and ever-changing, and that keeps me drawn into the show even when it has an off episode.


Please tell me something; Is Jack in these straight-to-DVD movies?

First one no; second one yes. "Continuum" comes out later in the year and features Jack.

 

Regarding Atlantis Season 5, Richard Woolsey would be an interesting choice; frankly it's his involvement in Stargate that made me buy the DVDs in the first place. The first episode he appears in (Season Seven's "Heroes, Part 2") necessitated the longest "Previously, on Stargate: SG-1" I can recall, as it referenced events going back to the first season. Over seven years of spotty memories weren't enough; I was kinda lost, so here I am now. I actually do like the character of Woolsey though; despite being bureacratic and officious, here is a man who genuinely believes in Civilian Oversight for Military Programs for the noblest of reasons, and is unfortunately often finding himself working for organisations without the same nobility he's seeking. And Robert Picardo's a very good actor, so it should be good. What also makes it interesting; as BBN already pointed out; is that Woolsey won't be liked, when typically Stargate Program Commanders have been well-respected people by their subordinates and colleagues in their fields.

I finally finished the first season, and the quality still holds up. Cor-ai is a standard "we put a team member on trial" sci-fi episode, but it does touch on a subject that rarely gets a look in military sci-fi, particularly in regards to contemporary Earth military forces: War Crimes. Teal'C committed great atrocities in his previous role as First Prime to Apophis, and those actions are called into account while O'Neill, having done wet work and Black Ops and other contemptible stuff over the years in service to his country is highly sympathetic to Teal'C's plight.

Enigma was billed as the "season finale" by Channel 7 back in the day...frakkers...Anyway, the idea of a superior race being terrified of younger races abusing their technology was well handled. The hypothesis that the Dark Ages set us back technologically speaking is an interesting one, though I've got no idea as to it's validity as a whole of the figure of 800 years postulated by Daniel. Post if you've got some My only problem with the episode is that this is where all the boys start chasing after Carter on a universal stage, so to speak

Solitudes was another solid episode; good performances and realistic reactions to getting marooned with no hope of getting home.

The final story arc of the season with Jackson in an alternate reality and returning with the dire warning of a Goa'uld all out attack on Earth is very good, but the episode in the middle there, Politics despite being a cheesy clips show cements one of the more important continuing storylines and villains of the series. What amazes me thinking about it now is that this plotline runs parallel to real world politic events in the US during the run of Stargate: SG-1. Senator Kinsey is clearly a Hawk, one of the powerful Republican officials who wanted greater control over US Military actions and to direct changes in US Military and Foreign Policy and who supported actions in Afghanistan and Iraq.

So while George W. Bush's War on Terror may not fit into established Doctor Who continuity, it certainly does fit into Stargate continuity

That'll do for now.

Be seeing you,

Magnus Darcrider

 

It's funny, everytime I either watch previous seasons or just read synopsis', I find myself thinking, 'wow, was that really a season X episode! I could have sworn it was later in the series!'. hehehe They kind of all jsut roll into one for me

Oh another thing I realised; every season there's always one episode which is made up entirely of flashbacks to previous episodes. Though I'm pretty sure that stopped after season 8, and I don't think they've ever done it in Atlantis.

 

Yeah, they gave up on the clip shows towards the end of SG-1's run. Letters From Pegasus, at the end of Atlantis Season 1, was the last one. And like just about all the other clips shows, it was actually really good as a character piece in the in-between bits.

Yeah, you're right about Woolsey, Magnus. The thing I like about him is his sincerity. Even though he's ballsed-up a number of situations for Our Heroes, he very clearly is a man who has strong principles, believes in what he's doing, and has his heart absolutely in the right place. I really do look forward to seeing how he's going to play as commander.

Yes, I do very much enjoy the political subplots. Especially later on when the existence of the Stargate program gets harder and harder to cover up, and other countries have to be let in on the secret, and the whole thing becomes politicised. And then of course you've got Seasons 9 and 10, where the existence of Earth's growing fleet of powerful warships becomes the new frontline force, and threatens to relegate the SGC to little more than a glorified gatekeeper (pardon the pun). I like the struggle for them to prove their relevance and importance in the face of that very real fact.

 

So, got through season 2 and am starting into season 3

The first episode wrapping up the first season cliffhanger is great, and I like that they don't dodge from the idea that SG-1 got damn lucky in defeating Apophis. Interesting thing about this episode in it's original Australian broadcast; they cut out all the scenes showing how badly Daniel got frakked up in a firefight (yet they showed him all burned and bloody in the promos). Consequently, I had no idea how Daniel got into the sarcophagus, as they cut the scene of him dragging himself painfully along the floor towards it!

I like Prisoners as it sets up a great non-Goa'uld villain, which they then fail completely to capitilise on in later episodes. Though that's okay, Sliders did the same thing with Logan St. Claire, one of the coolest ideas for a villain ever, if only for the interplay between her and the hero Quinn Mallory. The other great thing about this episode, the SGC gets pants, something that honestly didn't happen often enough considering it's humanity blundering about amongst the stars.

Aside from the knowledge that the sarcophagai make you evil, the episode Need can be skipped. I fast forwarded through most of it, I found Michael Shanks kinda bad in it. Which is a pity, cos he was casting genius as Daniel Jackson following on from James Spader.

Thor's Chariot, despite the lack of budget showing, sets up probably the most important (and frankly, the cutest) allies Earth has; the Asgard. Also, their ships are awesome

Speaking of allies, The Tok'ra, Parts 1 & 2 cement the Tok'ra into Stargate mythology. Personally, I found them kinda annoying (Carter's dad aside). Also, the Intergalactic Samantha Carter Fan Club gets a new member... Which is completely fair.

A Matter of Time, while I'm not sure if the physics are remotely decent, is a fun episode with Black Holes in it. The idea of scaled timezones within a localised area is a neat one.

My favourite episode in this season (and for a few seasons, I suspect) is The Fifth Race. Unlike other sci-fi, in Stargate humanity has to earn it's status as Intergalactic Awesome; up until this point and for longer we're just incredibly lucky; and this episode is the first step on that long road. Jack's speech to the Asgard representatives isn't cheesy or jingoistic, it's earnest and more importantly, it works both narratively and in a wider context.

Serpent's Song wraps up the first part of Aphophis' storyline, but what makes this episode great to watch is the glorious moment where Teal'c gets to gloat over the dying body of his former God.

One False Step is interesting in that it tries to show somewhat successfully a completely alien culture with little analogy to humanity, and the dire consequences that can occur with the SG teams trampling all over the Universe.

1969 is just a fun episode, my favourite line being Teal'c's explanation of the meaning of the Jaffa mark on his forehead.

While the season finale isn't bad per se, the fact that it's a clip show, and after the great season 1 finale, you kinda get the feeling that the production team peaked a bit too early.

And unfortunately, the conclusion to the cliffhanger isn't the last reference to "She Who Will No Longer Be Named In This Thread"

More to come.

Be seeing you,

Magnus Darcrider

 

I like Prisoners as it sets up a great non-Goa'uld villain, which they then fail completely to capitilise on in later episodes.

Are you talking about the unseen guys who sentence them? Or about Linea? Because if it's the later, don't be so sure. There's a very good episode with her a few seasons later, which I won't spoil for you beyond that.


A Matter of Time, while I'm not sure if the physics are remotely decent, is a fun episode with Black Holes in it. The idea of scaled timezones within a localised area is a neat one.

The physics make me painfully gnash my teeth, but it's a good idea in principle, and the whole notion of time passing at different rates is handled extremely well, so I tolerate it for that reason. And besides, I enjoy any episode that expands on the rules governing Stargate operation, and the whole Black-Hole-keeping-the-wormhole-open thing is a trick they use more than once throughout the series.


My favourite episode in this season (and for a few seasons, I suspect) is The Fifth Race. Unlike other sci-fi, in Stargate humanity has to earn it's status as Intergalactic Awesome; up until this point and for longer we're just incredibly lucky; and this episode is the first step on that long road. Jack's speech to the Asgard representatives isn't cheesy or jingoistic, it's earnest and more importantly, it works both narratively and in a wider context.

QFT. In the final episode, the Asgard explicitly say that humanity has most definitely become the Fifth Race, and it's a really nice callback.

 

So, moving onwards with seasons 3 & 4...

Into the Fire finally gets rid of "She Who Will No Longer Be Named In This Thread", but she's unfortunately mentioned at least once an episode until episode 4. Why was she a threat? Who knows. But this is another one of those episodes that keeps the O'Neill/Carter 'shippers happy. It also further cements the bond between Bra'tac and Hammond as old soldiers, which is neat. In hindsight, a lot of this episode doesn't make sense, but it's kinda fun.

Seth was an interesting idea; a System Lord has been hiding on Earth since the Egyptian Uprising back in the day and masquerading as a cult leader. I'd have thought he'd have gotten bored after a couple of thousand years with such a small following, but apprently his needs were few. also the episode where Carter takes a step up in the power stakes regarding Goa'uld technology.

Fair Game cements Earth as a protected planet via an Asgard treaty; basically meaning the Goa'uld can never directly attack Earth, which eliminates that potential p[roblem for the time being. The mythology of the Goa'uld is also expanded from the original solely Egyptian mythology, and starts to incorporate Chinese, Indiana and Greek mythology as well.

The fifth episode LEarning Curve has a very neat but brutal premise at it's core; using children as learning repositories for a collective intelligensia, then burning the kids out when the knowledge is transferred to the collective. What's interesting here is that while SG-1 improves the situation overall, they don't stop the practice, which they originally viewed as morally reprehensible. It's unsettling to say the least. The big impact of this episode (sadly) though is that this is where humanity gets it's ubiquitous Naqahdah generators from.

Point of View sees the final use of the Quantum Mirror, as alternate versions of Carter and Kawalsky (doing his best Rambo impersonation) arrive on Earth fleeing a Goa'uld occupation of Earth in their reality. Another one of the O'Neill/Carter episodes, the situation here reminded me of a story I read years ago in Astro City Volume 2: Confession called The Nearness of You. Astro City is a very cool superhero comic which is well worth your time, but that particular story had me weeping with the sadness of it. Pick up any of the trades if you get the chance. Anyway, the other neat thing about this episode is Teal'c's matter of fact way of dealing with the situation; his reality is the only one that matters, so he doesn't care if he kills his alternate self to achievge his goals.

The only notable thing about Deadman's Switch is that it's Sam Jones AKA Flash Gordon playing Boba Fett wannabe Aris Boch.

Forever in a Day finally wraps up the Sha're storyline, with tragic consequences. It's sad, but it gives Daniel further purpose (which arguably, he didn't need by this point, but anyway).

Past and Present continues the story set up in the previous season's Prisoners, as SG-1 stumble across a planet suffereing in the aftermath of one of Linea's experiments. I was aware of this episode, my only complaint is that I wish they'd done a couple more episodes utlising Linea's character before they finally caught up to her. As it is, this is an excellent episode which wraps up the storyline nicely.

The next two episodes Jolinar's Memories/The Devil You Know were slated to be a big deal, but they just weren't as impressive this time around. SG-1 is forced to go into the fires of Hell itself and face off against Sokar, a System Lord who has styled himself on the original Devil. Sadly, he's just not that scary, where potentially they could have made him the most terrifying creature in the universe. Ah well. This duo also sees the return to power of Apophis, which actually was neat (though you've got to wonder how he did it actually).

Foothold was a very cool episode with a long overdue idea; an alien force has actually taken

 

i]It also further cements the bond between Bra'tac and Hammond as old soldiers, which is neat.[/i]

I always really liked the relationship between those two. Hell, I like General Hammond's relationship with everyone, he's great.


I really like Learning Curve, it's a great episode. Very indicative of how the Star Trek/Stargate format is able to do really interesting science fiction stories that make you think.


Forever in a Day is probably one of my favourite episodes of the show for it's intruiging and wonderfully executed premise. I always like otherwordly stuff like that, and as you say, it's an important moment in the show's timeline.



Maternal Instinct with it's Buddhist basis is interesting, though the Zen jokes get old quickly.

Indeed, but what it sets up, with Oma and the notion of Ascension, is probably THE biggest and most important plot point for the rest of the series and beyond. It's with this episode that the future shape of the Stargate universe begins to take shape. Seasons 3 through 5 are extremely formative in that regard.

 

That is so true! Without all the Ancient stuff, we never would have had Atlantis and the stuff with the Ori. Very interesting thought!

I love Oma's character, she's so cool!

 

I just watched episode 200 again, and I had to chime in here with how much in continue to love it. Wonderful, wonderful fan service.



We now return you to your regularly scheduled program.

 

Finally watched The Ark of Truth. Was pretty good More like two episodes than a movie though. Still wishing there was more

 

Well, it was a big episode, really. It's basically the season 10 finale, which is what's cool about it. Continuum (the next movie, coming out in June), on the other hand, is getting some really good buzz, and is a big, epic standalone piece, and I'm really looking forward to it.

 

You guys are absolutely right, Maternal Instinct is probably the linchpin episode of Stargate SG-1, like Yesterday's Enterprise is for Star Trek: The Next Generation, wherein important stuff happens that impacts everything to come, and you may get confused if you missed it

Looking over season 5, I initially thought the quality had dropped off rather significantly since season 4; this isn't true, there are simply more stand alone episodes with less arc storylines woven through them (though historically, Stargate is fairly light on long story arcs during the early seasons). This means you don't have to watch them if you're looking for episodes that will impact on future storylines, but you're gonna miss out on some fun if you do that.

The first two episodes wrap up the Apophis storyline once and for all, and reveal mroe of Teal'c and Bra'tac's backstory.

Ascension lays some ground rules for what Ascended Beings can and cannot do (basically, don't interfere with the idiots who still have their fleshy bodies), and also introduces Colonel Frank Simmons, the new NID antagonist played by John de Lancie. He's a good friend of Richard Dean Anderson's, so it was fun to watch them play off one another in a spiteful capacity.

I got a geeky thrill out of Red Sky when Jack met the Asgard High Council. But what I want to know is, why didn't Odin have an eyepatch? It's implied heavily that Supreme Commander Thor is regarded as a maverick and a little strange for liking these humans so much, despite their pluck and tenacity...

Beast of Burden sees SG-1 get their hands inadvertedly dirty by allowing a group of Unas led by Daniel's friend Chaka to start an armed uprising against a group of humans. It's another interesting fallout of the SG teams traipsing merrily through the galaxy.

It should have had all the hallmarks of a classic horror story but The Tomb doesn't work on that level sadly. What it does reinforce is the notion that Jack and Hammond are Cold War Warriors, and therefore have a large distrust of Russian soldiers (tempered by a fair amount of respect, to be fair). The proto-Russian SG Team is wiped out except for Lieutenant Von Hottie (who is promptly never seen again), but we also get to meet the future Russian SGC Liason, Colonel Chekov. While initially antagonistic, he is eventually portrayed as a shrewd and pragmatic officer who is thinking about the long-term gains the Stargate Program has to offer his country.

Episode 9 sees the Tollan wiped out. The only major impacts here are that the Goa'uld have advanced their technology to the next level and the Intergalactic Samantha Carter Fan Club loses another member...and another in the next episode! No wonder she's referred to as "Black Widow Carter" by the production team!

Desperate Measures contains much plot-fu, as a Goa'uld symbiote and Carter are both captured to be experimented on at the behest of a dying billionaire who seeks the symbiote's healing powers without the downside of acting as host. The resulting Goa'uld is the nexus of the NID's schemes until mid season 6. This episode also reminds us that Daniel is obviously spending some time getting some military training, as he's getting effective in raids and the like. Maybourne also adopts another persona, trading in his almost Hannibal Lectorish bent from his previous appearance to something akin to Roger Moore's portrayal of James Bond. It's weird, but it works, oddly...

After BBN commented on 200, I went back and watched it, then returned to the start of that storyline, Wormhole X-treme!. 200 is clearly the better show, not just for the flagrant fan service (I shudder to use the term, as I can hear Misato belching in my ear whenever I use it, but it is appropriate...) but because in the earlier episode, it's like the writers are having so much fun with their in-jokes and on set parodies that they've forgotten about the audience. it's not to say that it's bad, it's just a little

 

Well, I finally finished my full-series SG-1 re-watch the other night. And just in time, too: Amazon just emailed me to let me know my copy of Continuum has shipped.

I did cheat somewhat, since I skipped almost half of season 10. I just didn't have the patience to sit through all the crappy filler. The storyline-based season 10 episodes are really good, though. The Ori story is very satisfying, even if they didn't get the chance to finish it properly. (Don't get me wrong, I like The Ark Of Truth quite a bit, but it's really one of those "next best thing" type of movies. You know, like Serenity...)

Oh, and Unending, the series finale, really is a wonderful episode.


In other news, Season 5 of Atlantis kicked off a few weeks ago, and it's been... eh. There's been nothing bad about the episodes so far, and in fact the introduction of Richard Woolsey as series regular has been handled great, but the episodes have just been going through the motions. There's been nothing there that's grabbed me at all. Next week's episode sounds like it could be pretty cool, though (even if it's an idea that Star Trek has done seven hundred times or so).

 

Well, my copy of Continuum arrived this afternoon, on the same day I was reading a glowing review and bemoaning that Amazon estimated it would be another full week before it reached me. So do you think I stopped to make dinner when I got home from work, or do you think I sat straight down to watch it?








Fans of the show (and surely anyone reading this thread) no doubt remember the two-parter Moebius, the finale of season 8. There's a time travel mishap and the whole Stargate program is undone. The alternate versions of our heroes have to travel back and correct the mistake, while at the same time giving us a fun look back at the beginnings of the series, with lots of injokes, fan service, and a passing of the torch to Atlantis. It's even more fitting because it was supposed to be the finale of the series as a whole. Instead, SG-1 was renewed for two more seasons, about one and a half of which was pretty good, then canceled quite unceremoniously midway into an epic new plotline.

It was announced quite soon afterward that there would be two straight-to-DVD movies released starring the SG-1 gang. The first would be called The Ark of Truth, and it would serve as the finale to the Ori storyline, and basically the epic end to season 10 (which is not to say that Unending, the final episode of the series, is not a wonderful episode and great endcap to the show). That came out six-ish months ago, and was a lot of fun. It was weighed down by continuity, and the need to wrap up a weighty chunk of plot in the space of a relatively scant hundred minutes (I say scant because HappyBob just bought the SG-1 full series box set, which weighs in at 60 discs and Thor-only-knows how many hours of content). It doesn't hold up quite as well on a second viewing, but you know what? Seeing Stargate shot on film with a budget very very visibly higher than it had on TV is a kick-ass experience, and as story resolutions go, it was solid. But then again, after two previous Series Finales, I guess they'd had a bit of practice.

The second DVD movie was to be called Continuum. And in a move that didn't escape the notice of fans, its advertised plot bore an eerie resemblance to the first of those finales. History is changed, and it's up to our plucky heroes to save the day, all the while hearkening back to where we've come from and where we've been.

I like Moebius. I know Magnus isn't a huge fan, but it's fun. We get to see a bunch of scenes from the series pilot, Children of the Gods, played out in different ways, and we get to see characters we haven't seen in a long time. It's light and fun, but in all fairness it could have been better.

It could have been Continuum.

Put simply, this is one of the best ever episodes of Stargate SG-1, full-stop. It's Moebius told with ten times the budget and a hundred times the scope. It's got drama and consequence, and the running time gives it room to really stretch its legs. It harks back not just to the pilot, but to the original movie. It shows fans of the series in fantastic detail just what a difference our heroes have made, and what the galaxy would be without them. If you're going to have a true finale for the series, this is it, oh hell yeah. (Fourth time lucky, right?) It's a standalone episode that can be enjoyed by casual fans or those with no knowledge of the series, but it's filled to the brim with subtle continuity references and head-nods to those who know where to look. It has the return of Jack O'Neill, in a relatively minor role but in very fine form. It has things we've wanted, as fans, to see for years, and it pays off.

I'm not going to post any spoilers in here, though that review link I posted above does have a few for those interested. Basically, I'm just going to say that anyone with even a passing affection for Stargate needs to check this thing out, because it's great, it's truly the best the show