Prisoners

Plot: SG-1 are sentenced to life imprisonment on a prison planet after inadvertantly aiding a fugitive. In the prison, SG-1 must enlist the help of a mysterious woman, Linnea, in order to secure their escape.


I've seen this episode five or six and I can't say I find it to be particularly inspiring any more. It's a decent enough watch, but the alien prison schtick (and I'm looking at Andromeda here) is a little over done by late 90s, early 00s science fiction.

Still, we get to see General Hammond's first excursion through the StarGate. He goes to negotiate (read: throw his toys out of the pram) with the race that imprisoned SG-1. Putting it nicely, they're described as xenophobic, worse, they're arrogant and aren't much interested in what the little man from Texas has to say.

So, it's up to SG-1 to save themselves. Linnea has developed a form of cold fusion using what looks like a glowy rock inside some hay. It's good enough to power the gate and they all escape back to Earth. Obviously Linnea has a secret that she's not yer shared. Her story of her involvement in a planetary plague was true enough, she just forgot to mention that she started it, destroying half a world. Linnea escapes with knowledge of the Gate network, eager to continue her evil deeds.

Linnea will be back in season three. Until then, SG-1 can shrug this one off as a bad job and move onward and upward.

Oh, and happy new year. :)

6 out of 10