In the Line of Duty

Plot: A Goa'uld escapes a dieing man by infesting Sam Carter. This Goa'uld is not what everyone assumes it be, however.


I'd say that this episode is most notable for really putting a new spin on the idea of the Goa'uld. So far, we've only been introduced to bad ones, but it transpires that there really are two sides to every tale. Sam is infested by Jolinar of Malkshur, who is a member of the Tok'ra. Daniel translates the worse as 'resistance', which helps to give some idea of what they're about. We learn a great deal about them in quite a short period of time, particularly how they live in harmony with their host, even building rewarding relationships. Most importantly, they oppose the idea of posing as Gods to enforce slavery upon people.

We'll see a lot more of that later in this series, as the Tok'ra play a fairly major part in it. They'll be an ally of Earth for years to come.

On top of that, we find that the Goa'uld can choose to leave the host if it wishes. Indeed, Jolinar gave his life to ensure that Sam lived. His life was lost after being found by a Goa'uld hunter. These hunters are the assassins of the Goa'uld world and are called The Ashrak. I'm not convinced that we ever see them again, but it's certainly an interesting concept. I think it ties quite nicely in with the idea of a Wraith Runner. The hunter and the hunted.

We also get the chance to catch up with Cassandra in this episode. She's played by Katie Stuart for the final time. We'll see her later played by different actresses, but she seems to be doing fine living with Janet Frasier, which is awesome.

This episode runs a funny parallel with the first episode of the last season, where Kawalsky was infested with a Goa'uld. This is a vast improvement on that episode for sure and helps to set up the major plot arc for the second season, the Tok'ra.

7 out of 10

The Serpent's Lair

Plot: SG-1 enlists the help of Master Bra'tac to save Earth from the Goa'uld invasion.


Season two really kicks off with a bang with this fine, fine episode. SG-1 are captured at the start of the episode, but are set free by Bra'tac, who helps them move to the other ship and to a pair of Death Gliders to escape the blast from the multitude of C4 they laid around the ship.

Bra'tac is in fine form again and we really start to see the makings of a strong alliance. He makes his first trip to the SG-C in this episode, it'll be the first of many. On the other hand, it wasn't quite the send of for Skaara that we might have expected. Klorel has control of the body for the most part and it's all a bit anti-climactic. We'll see him again, but not for a couple of years.

What's really awesome about this episode though, is that SG-1 genuinely saved the world. There was an invasion pending and they kicked some ass and took some names and returned home to a hero's welcome. There was a great moment as Sam, Jack and Teal'c were re-united with Daniel. They thought he was dead and he thought they were dead. Funny how they all make it through in the end though.

So I guess this means the Stargate program is saved. There are more adventures to come, but few will top this.

9 out of 10

Within the Serpent's Grasp

Plot: With the Stargate program shut down and the Gate due to be buried, SG-1 violate orders to go to the co-ordinates found by Daniel in the alternate reality. There, they find themselves on a Ha'tak vessel, headed for Earth. It's under the control of an old friend, Skaara.


So, this wraps up the season. It's not the best finale, but it's good enough. I realised that shutting the Stargate program down would have been a good mechanic for ending the show, had it not been renewed for a second season. If that had been the case then I imagine the events of this episode would have played out with a little more expediency, before a happily ever after ending. Of course, there would always have been chance for them to unbury the Gate at any point, should the show have been revived. But that's all speculation.

The episode itself seems to drag a little, especially as it's mostly just shots of SG-1 running around the corridor of the Ha'tak vessel. Fortunately, we do get introduced to a new toy. The 'Zat'nik'tel', or Zat Gun is shown and used for the first time. It's a Goa'uld version of a pistol and is fired once to stun, twice to kill and three times to disintegrate a victim. I always liked how the Goa'uld are fairly careless with their weapons, allowing SG-1 to take countless Staff Blasters and Zat Guns back to Earth for use on missions. Pretty handy.

This episode marks a new chapter in a journey that was started in the pilot. We finally learn the fate of Skaara. He was implanted with the Goa'uld son of Apophis. No word of Sha're, but Jack is able to bring Skaara back under control of his body, if only fleetingly. This'll provide an interesting episode later on as Skaara and Klorel, his Goa'uld, fight for control over the body.

We also get our first experience of hyperspace in this episode. Teal'c claims that the Ha'tak vessels travel at ten times the speed of light, though this is proven to be false as they arrive in orbit around Earth much faster than that speed would allow. Of course, hyper flight capable ships will become a large part of the show in the future. For now though, there's still a lot of Gates to explore.

The episode ends with the Ha'tak vessels arriving in orbit of Earth. Death Gliders are ready to deploy, but SG-1 have planted C4 around the whole ship. I'm sure they'd blow themselves out of the sky before they let Earth perish. But what about the 2nd ship?

8 out of 10

Politics

Plot: Senator Kinsey arrives at the SGC with the intention of shutting the Stargate Program down. Before making his final decision, he hears testimony from SG-1, involving them explaining details of previous missions.


Ah, the clip show. It's like committing televisual heresy. This one was really by the numbers. An arbitrary frame for showing several clips to sum up the season ahead of the finale. In all honesty, this wasn't the worst I've seen. In the frame, Senator Kinsey arrives to shut down the SGC. Apparently they can't justify spending 7.4 billion dollars a year on exploring the galaxy and expanding Earth's horizons to untold levels.

There's some fine retort from SG-1. In particular, Teal'c put in a strong argument to try and convince Kinsey. It was interesting because Teal'c has tended to take a back seat to Earth matters.

Notably, this episode carryies on almost immediately from the end of the last episode, in which Daniel arrives from the alternate time line with portents of a Goa'uld invasion. In this, it really forms the 2nd part of a 4 episode series that runs until the season 2 premiere. We've not really seen episodes link together in this way yet and it works quite well.

The clips included episodes such as the pilot, Children of the Gods, The Nox, Singularity, The Enemy Within and Brief Candle. It also included a clip from the film, in which the Goa'uld mother ship lands on the pyramid on Abydos. That's the first and last time that we'll see such a reference to the film.

All told, it wasn't the most terrible of clip shows and the writers did a good job of really making Kinsey look like a complete ass in the end. I've got one episode of season one to go. :)

6 out of 10

There But For The Grace Of God

Plot: Daniel falls in to an alternate reality where he never joined the Stargate programme and Earth is under a Goa'uld invasion.


So SG-1's multiple excursions in to alternate realities and time-lines starts here. This is probably one of the better ones, as Daniel has to convince the alternate SGC that he is who he says he is. Notably, Jack is a General and is in charge, while Hammond is his right hand man, still under the rank of Colonel. As you can imagine, Jack has little time for Daniel and it's left to Catherine Langford to fight his corner.

What I particularly enjoyed about this episode is that it did bear some relevance to the actual ongoing plot. The fact that the alternate Earth is under attack means that our Earth is probably likely to be under a similar threat. The alternate Earth received a transmission detailing the gate address of the origin on the Goa'uld attack and Daniel is able to take this back with him.

It was also interesting to consider what would have happened if Daniel had never accepted the invitation to work on the Gate. They probably wouldn't have figured out the Gate at the time they did. Daniel wouldn't have spent a year on Abydos, which means he wouldn't have uncovered the Abydos archive of Gate addresses. It also means that the team would never have gone to Chulak in search of Sha're and would never have met Teal'c.

As will become the norm in alternate realities, Sam and Jack have hooked up in the alternate Earth. Infact, they're engaged. Rank always comes between our Jack and Sam, but I always enjoyed the very subtle development of that relationship through ten seasons of SG-1.

Finally, this episode establishes that a stable wormhole between Gates can only be maintained for a maximum of 38 minutes. This'll provide an interesting basis for a number of episodes of SG-1 and Atlantis for years to come.

With the forthcoming Goa'uld invasion, this episode launches the plot in to the final 2 episodes of the season in a tremendous way.

8 out of 10

Solitudes

Plot: Daniel and Teal'c arrive back at the SGC without Sam and Jack, who were supposedly right behind them. A malfunction with the gate diverted the wormhole, sending Sam and Jack to an icy cave, where they must find a way to get the DHD working and dial home, before Jack's broken leg and internal bleeding cause him serious problems.


I thought this was a very special episode. Harrowing for sure, but intriguing as well, as we're introduced for the first time to Earth's 2nd gate. Yes, when the worm hole jumped, it jumped to the closest gate in the network, which happened to be on Earth. Unfortunately for Jack and Sam, they couldn't figure out that the gate wasn't working for that reason. As Daniel put it, it was like trying to dial your own phone number.

This is the kind of episode where we really see the relationships between the characters grow. In this case, the ordeal that Sam and Jack have gone through will serve to really strengthen their bond. Sam really showed her strength in not giving up, whatever the circumstance. She tried everything to get that DHD working, including turning it off and on again. At the SGC, we see a similar bond, as Teal'c and Daniel unite to try and find their friends, first off world and then on.

Of course, I knew that they were on Earth for the entire episode, but it must've been a real Planet of the Apes type moment when viewers saw this for the first time. It's a cleverly written episode that's well played by the SG-1 crew.

The second gate will prove useful as a plot device in many future episodes. It's amazing how much drama an extra device can provide, but also the possibility of jumping a wormhole from one gate to another can develop exciting themes.

There are only three episodes following Solitudes in this season and I'm looking forward to seeing how it'll all play out. :)

8 out of 10

Tin Man

Plot: SG-1 arrive on a planet, where the only surviving member of the civilisation transfers their conciousnesses to artificial bodies. As the bodies are powered by an energy source on the planet, they have no choice but to live out their new immortal lives there.


I'm at the risk of repeating what I said in the 'This Mortal Coil' review this week. It's a similar set up. The duplicates think they're the real thing, but then must accept life as a replica, while the originals get to carry on with life. It's an interesting concept, but it's a little bit tired now as there is genuinely only ever one conclusion. The duplicates either die, or get sent to an arbitrary out of plot location. In this case, they get to stay on P3X-989 with Harlan. For the rest of time.

It could be worse. Harlan is a charming and quirky character and the underground station that is the only habitable part of the planet is one of this season's better sets. The problem is that it all felt a bit fruitless and I've figured out why that is. It's because this episode wasn't about our SG-1. The experiences that the characters went through will not contribute to the evolution of the ones that we're to follow for the next 190-odd episodes. If the writers had wanted to, they could never have mentioned the duplicates again. As it happens, they show up in an episode in season 4.

So, this wasn't the best of episodes. I can tell you that it was definitely better than doing university assignments, though. :)

6 out of 10

Enigma

Plot: SG-1 arrives on a planet where a current cataclysmic event has left several people fighting for their lives around the Stargate. SG-1 take them back to the SGC, where it is discovered that they are part of a high developed civilisation, the Tollan. The SGC must fight to prevent the NID from taking them away for study.


Enigma is an intellectually satisfying episode that shows the Stargate programme's first contact with a clearly technologically superior civilisation. It turns out their world had been destroyed after a series of events had played out that started with them sharing their technology with a less advanced neighbouring planet. Understandably, they were a little cagey about sharing with the primitive Earth people. It was stimulating to see SG-1 try to learn as much as they could from the Tollan, all in good faith.

Their leader, Omoc, was played by Tobin Bell, of Saw fame. He's been in several other TV shows in recent years, notably 24 and Alias. I don't think there's even been a character actor that could play a mean, arrogant bastard as well as him. He was in fine form as Omoc, spending most of the episode looking down his nose at the regular cast members.

Also in the group was Narim, who has quite a thing for our Sam Carter. He's a bit more open with them, explaining how Quantum Physics is elementary science and how much he loves her, and his new cat. He's the first of Sam's love interests and we'll see him again as she rampages her way across the galaxy, leaving a man at every port. Narim is played by Garwin Sanford, who appears in a couple of episodes of Atlantis as Dr. Weir's fiancee.

That's not all. We're introduced for the first time to Colonel Maybourne. He's immediately up to his tricks as he seeks to take the Tollan away for study. He's easy to dislike and plays up well to the role that he's been set. Maybourne is a name that's easy to say with disdain, which Jack does so well. The obvious highlight of the episode saw General Hammond pulling rank to put Maybourne in his place, if only briefly.

In the end, the Tollan go through the gate to live with The Nox (remember them?). Lya shows up to escort them to the Nox homeworld, as Maybourne is desperately trying to hold on to them. Fortunately, Lya pulls off some seriously cool shit as she opens a wormhole back to the Nox homeworld without having to manually dial the gate. It's a cool trick that I don't think we see again.

This episode triumphs in reprising a couple of plot lines that were laid carefully at the beginning of the season. The Tollan and Maybourne are a couple of new ones that are added to a nice little pot of plots. SG-1 is really hitting its stride at this point as it quickly rattles towards that first end of season finale.

8 out of 10

Singularity

Plot: SG-1 arrive on a planet to observe a black hole during an eclipse. However, they find that SG-7 and the planet's population are all dead, except for a young girl named Cassandra. Cassandra returns to Earth with SG-1, where it is discovered that the entire thing was a trap set by a Goa'uld. Cassandra has a bomb in her chest that will obliterate the SG-C and the surrounding area.


Funnily enough, this is the first episode of SG-1 that I ever saw. It was on Sky One way back when and the image of Sam in the lift with Cassandra has always stuck in my mind. I think I was home ill from school that day and it's a strange coincidence that today, when I watch this episode for the first time since, I'm full of cold.

This episode really ups the ante in terms of drama and action. It's a really grand plot, dealing with some really grand themes. First of all, having SG-1 observe a black hole during an eclipse on an alien planet is some pretty awesome science fiction. What's more awesome is the reminder that our own Jack O'Neill is a bit of an astromonist. He gets a chance to flex his oft quiet scientific curiosity to witness the event. Afterall, he didn't have that telescope on his roof just to look at the neighbours.

Following that, we find Dr. Frasier referring to Naquadah by name for the first time. That's the stuff that the gate is made from and it's damned explosive. The Goa'uld plot to blow up the SG-C is a clever one, and it's cleverely written. Cassandra's potassium levels are artificially lowered by the Goa'uld, so that Frasier will have to inject her with some to re-balance it. This then binds with the Naquadah in her system and makes one hell of a bomb.

Cassandra herself is fun to watch and facilitates a great happy ending. She's off to live with Dr. Frasier, and a new -adorable- puppy, courtesy of Jack. We also get to see Teal'c's awesome hat again and I'm serious that I'll take one of someone's hands if they want. :p


This has been one of the high points of the series so far. A majestically written piece, that's beautifully executed.

9 out of 10

Cor-ai

Plot: SG-1 arrive on a planet that Teal'c had visited as a Jaffa. There, one of the villagers recognises Teal'c as the murderer of his father. Teal'c must then stand trial, with the likely punishment of death looming.


Following on from yesterday's post on General Hammond, this is a perfect example of him having to make the crappy call. It was good to see the SGC respecting the laws of other cultures, even if it did mean that Teal'c was to be left for the dogs. It's interesting as he could genuinely be considered a war criminal. We all know, however, that he has a greater destiny than standing trial for those crimes, even if he would do so willingly.

I felt that Jack was somewhat out of his depth in this episode. This was never an appropriate situation for him to start taking some names. The only decision that he could ever come to was to try and break Teal'c out, even though that would have done little good. Fortunately, Daniel really comes in to his own to help Teal'c. Daniel was excellent as the diplomat, articulating his thoughts and beliefs about his friend in a beautiful way.

Daniel mentioned during the trial that he wanted to hate Teal'c for the fact that he chose Sha're to be a host. I don't think we ever really saw that at the time, which is understandable considering the myriad plot threads that were being laid down at the start of the series. However, it was interesting to see that extra dimension added to Daniel's relationship with Teal'c. This episode also served to flesh out Teal'c's character. His regret for his past crimes and willingness to do the honourable thing for absolution.

This is an intriguing juncture in Teal'c's development as a character. We've so far seen his remorse, regrets and sacrifices. It'll soon be time to see him rise above that and really start to show that none of his actions were in vein and that he can make a difference.

Despite those points, this is a reasonably dull episode. There's little in the way of action for the first 30 minutes and it feels like the episode is treading water after the first ten.

6 out of 10

Special Features: Profile On General Hammond

Disc 3 of Season 1 features a six minute profile on our very own General George Hammond.

What I've always liked about Hammond, and the writers' use of him is the fact that he is very faithful to what the character should be. He's the military man that is always going to follow the strict lines that it entails. However, he's not without heart and this was touched upon by Don S. Davis in the feature. He mentioned that he wanted to bring that heart, that extra dimension to the character. It's fair to say that he succeeded through seven seasons of the show. Davis touched upon the fact that it was right that he rarely ventured off base, as the General should be away from the front lines commanding the troops.


Davis himself became popular through appearances in several TV shows in the 90s. Notably Twin Peaks and the X-Files where he played similar roles. Davis mentions that his character acting draws on his own experience of the military, as a Captain in the United States Army in the 60s.

Annoyingly, this feature is out of place on disc 3, as it features spoilers for episodes later in the season. Fortunately, I'd seen it before, so no biggie, but I wish that DVD producers would watch out for that kind of thing.

Anyway, Hammond is an enduringly popular character that is never afraid to do the right thing, even if it involves making the crappy call. Much love George.

This Mortal Coil

Plot: A rogue Replicator faction duplicates the Atlantis team to study their humanity, hopefully unlocking the key to ascension. When Oberoth attacks the faction, the duplicates are released to find the original Atlantis crew and aid them in their fight against the Replicators.


This just screamed scam from the get go. I was adamant that it was a massive ruse to get the duplicates to lead the Replicators back to Atlantis. I was nearly right.

I guess the main talking point of this episode will be Torri Higginson starring as the duplicate Dr. Weir, and our learning of the original's fate. That's right folks, she's dead. Probably. It sounds like she put up a good fight, but eventually the Replicators had little choice but to kill her, preventing her humanity from being a further nuisance. Of course, we only have the Replicators' word on this and she may well turn up at some point in the future. ;)

This episode was somewhat reminiscent of a Star Trek: Voyager episode, Course: Oblivion. In that episode, a duplicate Voyager ship and crew discover that they are not the original crew, as they suspected, but had in fact been duplicated on the Demon planet. The whole idea of being a duplicate and how you would co-exist with your original is an interesting one to explore. In the Voyager episode, the crew and ship decayed before they could reach Voyager for help. Here, the duplicates did the human thing by sacrificing themselves to save their originals. Ultimately, the duplicates are never going to survive for long, although it would be interesting to see a more in-depth look in to how the same person could co-exist.

I'd also like to point out that, again, Amanda Tapping was absent from this episode as Sam Carter. I'm sure that Jewel Staite has probably made more actual appearances than Amanda Tapping has this season. It's interesting, because there has been some reasonably negative discussion of Sam being on Atlantis. It seems to me that the writers probably aren't quite sure what to do with her. Dr. Weir was probably a much more suitable character for the role, as she was the seasoned negotiator. Sam was always the scientist and the intellectual, which is a role that's already filled by one Rodney McKay.

This was the mid-season finale, ahead of the Christmas period. I'm not sure how the writer's strike will have affected the production of the show, but most signs seem to point towards the show returning early in January. Indeed, it appears likely that most episodes will have been written well before the strike began. Joseph Mallozzi's blog explains how he wrapped the writing of This Mortal Coil in April.

I can't say that this was the most thrilling of finales, but it has continued building the Replicator plot. I'm interested to see how it will all pan out in the end.

8 out of 10

Hathor

Plot: A goa'uld is found in stasis within a sarcophagus on Earth by a team of archaeologists. She is Hathor, goddess of fertility, inebrity and music. Hathor finds her way to the SGC, where she bewitches the men on base. It's up to Sam, Dr Frasier and the rest of the women of the SGC to stop her evil plot, without harming the men under her control.


First of all, some top Jack O'Neill quotage:

Daniel Jackson: Hathor was the Egyptian goddess of fertility, inebriety, and music.
Jack O'Neill: Sex, drugs, and rock & roll?
Daniel Jackson: In a manner of speaking.

He's a great wit and was in danger of becoming a great Jaffa in this episode. Turns out that Hathor is a queen bee of Goa'uld's. She gets Daniel to knock her up and then births a bunch of larva. We see them on more than one occassion, writhing around in a hot bath, like a pool of hot dogs. Mega gross.

It was interesting to see how quickly Jack's health detiriorated after Hathos transformed his gut in to a pouch for a larva. It seems that the procedure removes the host's immune system at the same time, meaning that the prospective Jaffa must accept the Goa'uld, or die. Tough choice.

Hathor herself, as played Suanne Braun is wonderfully enchanting and a pleasure to watch. A fine bit of casting for sure.

This episode also sees Frasier and Carter teaming up for a bit of girl power action. Kicking ass and taking names in order to rid the men on base of Hathor's control. Seeing Sam knock General Hammond out with a rifle butt to the back of the head was a particular highlight. I'm not sure George thought so.

The SGC took delivery of the sarcophagus after it was found by the archaeologists. Frasier uses it to heal Jack after he'd been given the pouch. I was just thinking that it would be massivle convenient to have that in sick bay, when Hathor kindly blows it up and throws that plot device out of the window. We do see the detrimental effects of long term use of the sarcophagus in season 2, so the writers certainly had their bases covered.

I'm out of town for a couple of days, so this is the last post until the weekend. In the mean time, take it easy gate fans.

7 out of 10

Heroes - Volume 2: Generations

Last year, Heroes aired to rave reviews from around the world. This year, with the airing of the second volume of the series, the reviews were somewhat more tepid. Now that the entire volume has been seen, are the plot decisions that were made justified, or should the writers have taken a different approach?

The beauty of the first volume of the show, Genesis, was that the plot built and built and built across twenty two episodes, before it finally exploded in a massive crescendo. Re-watching season one from the beginning is something of a tedious exercise, as the viewer once again navigates through the patient laying of plot foundations. The excitement of the end of the season seems far away and the viewer is almost urging them to get to the point. It appears that season two suffers from a similar fate.

It was back to the laying of careful foundations, a sharp decline in adrenaline from the fantastic finale last year. It was four months later when we were reunited with some familiar faces. Mohinder is embedded within The Company. Michah is dropped off with family while Nikki finds help. The Bennett family are set up in a new town, Hiro is adventuring in seventeenth century Japan and Peter Petrelli finds himself in Ireland. The problem with this is that the audience is suddenly out of their depth. Characters that they'd followed every step of the way in the past year have suddenly moved on on their own. This is further compounded by the introduction of new characters and new plot lines. Maya and Alejandro, dubbed the Wonder Twins by some, trundle around Central America, Takezo Kensei saps Hiro of any real fun and Peter has to find himself all over again, while finding love, in Ireland.

The thing is, it all worked and all paid off in the end. 'Out of Time', the seventh episode of the volume and conclusion of a first arc of the volume was glorious, wonderful and magnificent. Every step of the some what tedious journey was justified in one of the finest hours of television that I've seen in the past 12 months.

'Four Months Ago...' kept up that pace, but there was another slight lull before last night's excellent finale. Little was really concluded, but lots of exciting things happened at a frightening pace, bringing the entire volume to a tumultuous, if shocking, conclusion. Bravo, I say.

David Anders and Kristen Bell were fine additions to the cast. Anders plays a fine villain. He's boyishly handsome and charming, which creates something of an unassuming air around him. His leading of the audience in to a false sense of security about his characters is a gift and he's been wonderful to watch through several years of Alias and several episodes of this volume. The character himself, Adam Monroe was fascinating, displaying the same power as Claire, but with a more sinister agenda than boys and cheerleading.

Kristen Bell was wonderfully refreshing. She drove boys across internet message boards wild with her flirtatious, cheeky ways, particularly in helping The Company detain Adam and Peter. She's done her own stock a world of good and I wouldn't be surprised if she lands a few more movie roles as a result. Watch this space.

Now, a concern. An article appeared on the BBC about Tim Kring, Heroes creator, and an apology made by him to the fans in regards to the slow start to the season and a willingness not to make the same mistake again. Wanting to please the fans is understandable. However, that should never be at the expense of the integrity of the plot. Clearly, Tim Kring and the other Heroes writers and creators know what they're doing. They have a vision and a plan that they enact with a finesse that is the rival of Lost. I can accept the patient build ups, but maybe others can't. Either way, it's a tough line for the creators to tread.

Finally, this volume reiterated the Heroes writers' talents for developing morally ambiguous characters. An initial assumption that Adam was evil was challenged by some actions that suggested he was actually on the side of the good guys, before bringing it back full circle when his true desires were realised. The same thing can be said of The Company. I truly believe that they think they're doing the right thing. I'm not convinced that they actually are, which makes it very interesting to see how the characters respond to their actions. There's no cut and dry answers here and it's up to the audience to really decide where their morales lie. Matt Parkman in particular showed how easy it is to take the wrong path. He tries to do good, but can using his power to manipulate the actions of others really be morally justified? In this case, they were, but what about the next time and the time after that? Eventually, he might find himself in the shoes of his father. It's seemingly easy to make one choice that turns you closer to being Sylar than, well, one of the good guys, whoever they are.

The Nox

Plot: SG-1 travel to a planet in search of a flying animal with the ability to turn invisible. There, they run in to Apophis and three Jaffa, who are on the same mission. A confrontation with Apophis ends badly, with Jack, Daniel and Sam taking fatal hits from a staff blaster. Fortunately, a primitive, yet powerful, people, The Nox, rescue and heal them. SG-1 must do all they can to protect The Nox, even if they seem oblivious to the danger they are in.


The Nox are quite interesting, and are a good example of how SG-1 should never take appearances for granted. They appear simple, even primitive, but they have a great wisdom, power and knowledge underneath that. Their great floating city remains hidden from view of visitors and who knows what amazing things might be found there.

It will later be revealed that the Nox are one of the four great races. We first learned of the alliance between those four races in The Torment of Tantalus.

The Nox do feature again through SG-1 and this is a great example of Stargate's ability to lay foundations that can be built upon at a later point. Time and again, we see races, characters and other trends subtly introduced with scope to build plot on at a later date. Building a universe in this way must be fun to write. It's certainly fun to watch.

There was something a bit odd with the DVD during this episode. It seemed like they forgot to include the audio of Apophis' speech, so he was never heard during the episode, even though his lips were moving. Apohphis, as a God, likely had his speech enhanced during post-production and it's possible that the audio never made it to the DVD. If this happened to anyone else, or if anyone knows whether it happens in the TV showings then please feel free to comment.

At the start of the episode, we had our first example of Government agencies breathing down the SG-C's neck in order to get results. This is to become a running theme through the series. Some times it's interesting, other times it can be tedious and frustrating. It's one of those things where I can understand why the writers did it, it just never quite worked for me.

Finally, it was great to see Armin Shimmerman guest starring as Anteaus of the Nox. He was always a bright spot when watching DS-9. Sadly, this is the only episode that he appears in.

7 out of 10

Fire and Water

Plot: An alien implants memories in to the mind of Jack, Sam and Teal'c in order to make them believe that Daniel died on the mission. In actuality, the alien has kidnapped Daniel, in order to learn of the history of Earth and his long lost love.


I'll be honest. This wasn't great. I think the problem with an episode like this, is that it's painfully clear that the character isn't dead, so the impact of what's happened is lost. Then, when they start dragging out funeral proceedings, a wake, packing up their stuff, it begins to get a bit tedious.

It was all a bit Manchurian Candidate, as the surviving team recollect the exact some things about the mission. And, like in the Manchurian Candidate, it all starts to unravel. Their unusual post traumatic symptoms lead them back to the planet, where Daniel has been under captivity of the mysterious Nem. There's an interesting reveal, as Daniel's findings allude to the fact that Nem's mate planted the seeds of rebellion that resulted in the uprising against the Goa'uld on Earth. Interesting, not exciting.

The other highlight was Teal'c's awesome hat when he showed up at Daniel's wake. I could do with a hat like that (hit me up with an e-mail if you want to send me one).

And that's about it.

6 out of 10.

Bloodlines

Plot: Teal'c reveals that he has a wife and son back on his home planet of Chulak. He is desperate to return in order to prevent his son from being implanted with a Goa'uld. Teal'c leads the mission to Chulak, enlisting the help of a former master, Bra'tac.


Teal'c had been something of a mysterious figure up to this point. Bloodlines is a welcome review of his backstory, helping to flesh out the oft-quiet characer. The key point is the revelation of the massive sacrifice that Teal'c made in defying Apophis and helping SG-1. His wife, Drey'auc and son, Rya'c have been forced to live in squalor, shunned even by the families of other traitors.

Teal'c's mission to prove the Gods as false is his driving force, but this is the first time we see how that has had consequences back home. We hear the term 'shol'va' for the first time. It translates as traitor and will eventually become synonymous with Teal'c. It is currently used in a negative way, but soon becomes a source of strength, as people across the galaxy take power from tales of his bravery. This episode highlights that bravery and adds a sense of realism to the work that SG-1 is doing. It's important and could help to alter the future for the entire galaxy. These are early days, certainly, but much has already been set in to motion.

This episode marks the first appearance of three characters that will feature on a reasonably regular basis from now on. Drey'auc and Rya'c, as Teal'c's family provide an important grounding for Teal'c's battle. Bra'tac, as played by Tony Amendola, will become one of Earth's greatest allies and will prove pinnacle in the battle against the Goa'uld. His chiselled looks, defiant attitude and bad ass moves help to make him a great character and one that fans look forward to seeing in action.

The past three episode have marked a real change of pace in the series. SG-1 has laid its foundations, now it's time to really take the galaxy by storm.

8 out of 10

The Torment of Tantalus

Plot: Daniel discovers that a group of scientists managed to activate the gate in 1945. One of the scientists (Ernest Littlefield, Catherine Langford's fiancee) went through the Stargate but never returned, leading to the programme being disbanded. Daniel enlists the help of Catherine and SG-1 to travel to the address in the hope of finding Ernest.


There's end of the world weather kicking off in the skies of West Yorkshire this evening, heavy rain, thunder and lightning has made quite a spectacle. How apt that this should be the next episode to watch. Regular fans will know it for the fact that it features prominently in the SG-1 title sequence, as well as in many trailers and montages following it. It, famously, features a lightning storm that allows SG-1 to power the gate and return home, Back to the Future style.

The Torment of Tantalus builds beautifully on the plot lines drawn in Thor's Hammer. The team discover a room within the castle holding the gate. It appears to be a meeting place for four alien races, each denoted by different forms of scripture on the wall. One of those forms is set to become quite familiar to Stargate fans, it's Ancient, a language that leads to the understanding of a wealth of knowledge about the universe. But not yet. Daniel becomes obsessed with information held in the room, but must give it up to escape the castle, which is falling apart around him.

Epic intrigue that works so well when watched in sequence. I've seen and loved this episode before, but it's so much better in context.

What more? Paul McGillion is in it! He plays the young Ernest Littlefield, Catherine's fiancee who was lost in 1945. Indeed, that 1945 sequence is extremely interesting on its own. Exploring the history of mankind's dealings with the gate and the shocking consequences that came about because of it.

Early in the episode, Daniel speculates upon the fact that the address to the planet does not feature in the Abydos database. This could mean that the Goa'uld do not know if it, have never been there and that they probably weren't responsible for building them. We all know who did, but it's so exciting to see all these tiny bits of plot fall in to place so beautifully.

This is a great piece of television and one of SG-1's finest moments. Bravo.

9 out of 10

Special Features: Season 1, Disc 2

Just a few words to explain the feature on disc 2 of season 1. There's a promo featurette introducing the cast and crew. You've got Richard Dean Anderson talking a little about Stargate and MacGyver. There's also Amanda Tapping, Michael Shanks and Christopher Judge with a few words about why it's such an awesome show and how they all have such fun shooting it, as well as many other exciting clichés.

What was interesting was that Don S. Davis explained how he'd worked with Richard Dean Anderson before. Apparently he was a photo double for Dana Elcar, who played Pete Thornton in MacGyver.


I can see the resemblance.

The featurette then shows the creators, Brad Wright and Jonathan Glassner. Glassner in particular explained how he found the show exciting because it was in a contemporary setting. I've always felt that the contemporary setting of the show was one of it's strongest assets, as it gives the plot a firm basis in reality, before it goes off exploring the great unknown.

There were also a couple of trailers, which I'm guessing were either made for the DVD or for syndication. They show various clips of the show, including some of the Replicators and Hathor, which led me to believe that they weren't trailers for season one specifially. Nothing much more to say about them.

So yeah, I'm pretty pleased with that. Four paragraphs from a four minute feature and two one minute trailers. :)

Miller's Crossing

Plot: When Jeannie McKay (Miller) is kidnapped, Rodney, Sheppard and Ronon travel to Earth in order to help find her. It transpires to be a trap, as Rodney is also taken. Their kidnapper needs the McKays' help in order to save his daughter, whose nanite treatment has gone wrong. The kidnapper's incentive puts Jeannie in similar danger, and Rodney must enlist the help of Atlantis' captive Wraith to save her.


A ropey start, but this episode really delivered in the end. It's a fine exploration of how technological advancements discovered through the Stargate programme have been used on Earth. In this case, not to good effect. It was nice to see some action back on Earth, especially as the midway station has made travel between the two galaxies much easier. To be honest, I'm surprised it has taken this long.

Rodney, as a character, has developed a lot this season and it's great to see a more human side of him. The chemistry between him and his sister (as played by David Hewlett's real-life sister, Kate) was as excellent as it was in an episode last year.

Steven Culp featured as the kidnapper, Henry Wallace. You might remember him as Enterprise's Major Hayes. He's done the rounds through such other TV shows as JAG, 24 and Desperate Housewives.

I really liked how the episode turned the situation on it's head after Rodney was rescued. Where once he was the captive, being encouraged to help save someone, he then becomes the captor, encouraging the Wraith to help him save his sister. It was well handled.

Finally, the title shares its name with a Coen Brothers film. Check it out.

8 out of 10