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Fans
of Stargate: SG-1 can now purchase the entire eighth
season as one complete box set. This collection is basically
the six discs that were originally released, but now inserted
into a rather attractive cardboard box.
Season
Eight is yet another impressive season. To follow are
reviews of some of this season's episodes...
Carter
and Teal'c fly to the Asgard world of Hala to try and revive
O'Neill. Replicators attack them and Carter is taken prisoner.
Meanwhile, Dr. Weir and Daniel Jackson attempt to negotiate
a treaty with Goa'uld System Lords who wish to unite against
a common enemy. The Goa'uld send a mothership to Earth demanding
that it prove its superior defences. Dr Weir is deep in negotiations
with the Goa'uld while Daniel and the still unconscious O'Neill
are beamed aboard Thor's ship where Thor tries to access the
knowledge of the Ancients...
Season
Eight of Stargate: SG-1 gets off to a flying start
with the double length episode New Order. This episode
also helps to establish the character of Doctor Weir, who
also appeared last season, in order to help migrate fans over
to spin-off show Stargate: Atlantis.
There are several major changes to the show's format. General
Hammond has left the SGC (it's a shame to see the end of Don
S. Davies as a regular cast member - although he will appear
towards the end of this season) and is replaced by O'Neill,
Carter is promoted and Teal'c has hair! It also sets up what
is sure to be an exciting story arc for later in the season.
Daniel Jackson contracts a mysterious illness from a Russian
Colonel assigned to the team. O'Neill is convinced an epidemic
has infected the base and orders a lockdown. When Daniel comes
around he reveals that he was possessed by Anubis who is now
loose on the base. The team must do all they can to track
Anubis down before it is too late...
Lockdown
is a gripping episode which reveals that Anubis didn't actually
die last season. Floating around in spirit form, he is attempting
to leave Earth through the Stargate, without alerting the
Ancients to the fact that he is still very much alive.
There
are some great comedy moments in this episode. I especially
enjoyed Daniel trying to fathom out which one of the SGC shot
him when he was possessed, and O'Neill (who is the culprit)
tries to change the subject as quickly as possible.
Gavin Hood is excellent as Colonel Alexi Vaselov - although
I couldn't work out how, from the infirmary, his character
knew what to do at the right time (sorry, that might sound
a bit vague, but I'm trying not to spoil too much here). Entertaining,
and not as clichéd as it could have been.
O'Neill
finds his plate full when the president visits amid negotiations
with the two warring tribes from the planet Amra. But when
SG-1 is captured by a Goa'uld System Lord and he's forced
to choose between the safety of the team and the fate of an
entire planet O'Neill begins to question his competency...
Zero
Hour is played mainly for laughs, so it will come as no
surprise that it is an O'Neill heavy episode. In the run up
to the President's visit to the SGC, just how many things
can go wrong? Don't ask! For
those who were worried that O'Neill's promotion would mean
the end of Richard Dean Anderson's comedy... this episode
will stop you fretting.
It
was also fantastic to see that Gary Jones's character (Sergeant
Walter Davis) actually get to do a lot more than sit behind
a desk shouting: "Chevron one encoded..."
SG-1's sudden appearance sparks a civil war on the planet
Tegalus, whose inhabitants were unaware of the Stargate's
true nature. Intent on easing the situation, Jackson stays
behind as the team returns to Earth... but finds himself pitted
against a tyrannical religious leader with no tolerance for
those who don't share his beliefs...
Icon
is an interesting episode. The opening sequence reminded me
of Back to the Future. Daniel Jackson wakes up in a
strange bed to find a woman watching him. This almost mirrored,
shot for shot, the scenes in Back to the Future where
Marty wakes up in a strange bed in the past to see his younger
mother watching him.
I
had a few problems with this episode (although they are really
anal and very minor ones). Firstly I didn't understand why
humans that were raised on a different planet would have exactly
the same fashion as we did in the '40s. And also this episode
illustrates why O'Neill is not really suited to the role of
commander of the SGC. Sure he's funny, but he is way too flippant
and in instances where diplomacy is called for he wades in
there and rubs people up the wrong way.
Otherwise,
this is an solid story that examines a problem that hasn't
been tackled on SG-1 before - how a race of religious
people react to the Stargate being activated.
A
virtual reality training scenario goes terribly wrong when
the simulation begins to learn from Teal'c, trapping him and
endangering his life. Jackson volunteers to enter the simulation
on a rescue mission. But will he be able to rescue Teal'c
or become a victim himself?...
Avatar
drags,
kicking and screaming, that old sci-fi cliché out of
the woodwork - technology gone bad. Yup, plug someone into
a computer, tell everyone it's perfectly safe and... oh, no!
Everything goes pear shaped.
Remember the Star Trek: Next Generation episode Elementary,
Dear Data? Well the bare bones of this episode are not
dissimilar - asking a computer to defeat Teal'c in the same
way as the Enterprise's computer was asked to defeat
Data. This
episode also has an element of Groundhog Day added
to the mix. The
virtual reality equipment is actually the same kit that the
SGC acquired in Season Two's The Gamekeeper.
It's
not in Teal'c's nature to quit, so when the big fellow realises
there is no way to defeat the simulation there is something
quite moving about the way he just sits there and lets the
events unfold around him again and again.
A
great episode that will please fans.
Given
clearance to live off-base, Teal'c tries in vain to blend
in as an ordinary civilian. But when his unwavering ethical
code compels him to help ordinary people in trouble - specifically,
a neighbour with an abusive boyfriend - he soon finds himself
thrust into the spotlight as the prime suspect in the boyfriend's
murder...
Affinity
is
another Teal'c episode and sees him attempting to fit into
a 'normal' way of life. However, his constant insistence on
doing the right thing ends up getting him into trouble as
he turns into a bit of a vigilante. His
new neighbour, who is in her 20's but looks about 16, takes
an instant shine to him. But her old, abusive, boyfriend is
still on the scene.
This
episode is interesting for the way it leads you on a bit of
a wild goose chase. Teal'c is wanted for questioning when
the abusive boyfriend turns up dead. All the evidence points
to someone with immense strength being the murderer and another
neighbour heard Teal'c threaten that he would kill the dead
man.
Affinity
also tackles racism - there are racist remarks made towards
Teal'c due to the fact he is an alien. No matter what he may
have done for this planet in the past, he is an alien and
there are questions as to his motives based purely on his
race.
There's
also a pretty major plot development for Carter's character
- one that should prove interesting in later episodes.
Christopher
Judge once again proves what a fantastic actor he is by carrying
the weight of this episode on his shoulders. And I loved the
way that the opening scene has him pay homage to Shaft.
When
a billionaire industrialist threatens to reveal the existence
of alien life at a press conference, SG-1 is charged with
the job of keeping him quiet. Carter, who has worked with
him in the past, tries to explain that the information will
cause panic, but ultimately she must decide how far she is
willing to go to stop this threat to national security...
Covenant
shouldn't
really work as well as it does. The premise has been done
before (Season Four's Point of No Return), although
this time around it is a powerful billionaire who wants to
blow the cover on the SGC and not a crazy guy who believes
he is an alien from another planet.
There
are plenty of problems with this episode if you scrutinise
it closely. Firstly (as is pointed out in the episode) why
does billionaire Alec Colson insist on getting the government
to come clean when he knows that it might mean that the jobs
and lives of his employees are at risk - an argument he later
uses to protect himself from another problem? A billionaire
that doesn't have skeletons in his closet that the SGC can
rattle around to discredit him? Does that seem likely? And
if he is that passionate about telling the public everything,
surely the very first thing he would do after going off world
would be to release all his information and tell them about
the Stargate project (although I suppose that would make him
look like a nut).
However,
despite my nit-picking, I really enjoyed this episode. It
would have fallen flat on its face if the actor playing Colson
was not up to the task. Thankfully Charles Shaughnessy is
believable, and likeable, in the role.
During a meeting with Ishta's rebel Jaffa faction on planet
Haktyl, Teal'c receives some distressing news: his son, Ryac,
intends to marry one of Ishta's warriors. Refusing to give
his blessing to the marriage puts Teal'c at odds with Ishta...
even as they are ambushed by enemy forces...
Sacrifices
sees Enterprise's Jolene Blalock guest star as
the beautiful Ishta. This episode was written by Christopher
Judge - which explains why he gets to kiss the girl as well
as having loads of really interesting scenes. This is yet
another episode that proves, if proof is needed, that Judge
is not only a fine actor, but an incredibly talented writer.
While
Blalock's acting is far from awful, it's not overly convincing
either - probably due to years portraying the emotionless
T'Pol in Enterprise. Thankfully she has Judge to play
off, and the end result is not half bad.
Those
wanting an action packed episode or one bursting with humour
may be disappointed but, as a self contained episode, this
is pretty satisfying. And it's always good to see Tony Amendola's
Bra'tac.
When the Stargate disappears in a flash of light, Carter and
Jackson's investigation leads them to an industrial warehouse
storing VX rockets and vials filled with what appears to be
nerve gas. Meanwhile, Teal'c discovers the mass deaths of
Jaffa, spread across four planets. Could this horrifying event
be connected to the gas?...
Endgame
starts of with a bit of a recap on events that have gone
before. Sadly this recap spoils the identity of those responsible
for taking the Stargate (it's pretty obvious if you have a
recap on a certain organisation/race that they will play a
major part in that episode). This is a shame because it means
that the
opening scenes, where the SGC are trying to work out who has
cleverly removed the Stargate, are not really as suspenseful
as they should have been.
This
episode has a great opening - giving, at long last, Gary Jones's
Walter Harriman character something more to do than say: "Chevron
one encoded..." They really should do a Walter based
episode - Jones is so under used and this episode proves (like
the audio commentaries last season) that he is a natural comedian.
This
episode also drags the Prometheus out of mothballs
for no other reason, it would appear, than to remind viewers
that it exists before it is used extensively in the next episode
Prometheus Unbound.
Jackson embarks on a mission to search for the lost Atlantis
team aboard the starship Prometheus. But when an unseen
Super Soldier boards the Prometheus and incapacitates
the crew, only Daniel is able to escape. And if he is to save
the Prometheus, he must now face the Super Soldier
alone...
Prometheus
Unbound puts a whole new spin on the Super Soldier plot
thread. It also brings back George Hammond - who finally gets
to charge into battle. There are some uncomfortable scenes
between him and O'Neill - which you could argue mirrors real
life. If Richard Dean Anderson had not wanted to take more
of a back seat this season then his character would not have
been promoted and Don S. Davis would still be a regular in
the show.
There
are plenty of comedy moments in this episode - mainly through
Michael Shanks's and Black's interaction. But the best line
sees Jackson telling a couple of aliens that his name is:
"Olo... Hans Olo."
It's
also great to see that the writers left the ending open, so
that Claudia Black's character could return (which she does
in more than a few episodes next season).
At a garage sale civilian Joe Spencer comes across a small
stone that gives him visions of SG-1 in action. Delighted,
he shares the stories with anyone who will listen. But when
he inadvertently learns that SG-1 really exists, his excitement
turns into obsession. As he slowly alienates everyone around
him, Joe resolves to expose the truth about SG-1, no matter
the cost...
Citizen
Joe stars
Dan Castellaneta (who voices Homer, Krusty, Barney, Mayor
Quimby and many other characters in The Simpsons) as
barber Joe Spencer - an average guy with an extraordinary
gift. This episode is really a clips show - which usually
send chills running down my spine. However, and not for the
first time, the producers of SG-1 have really attempted
to hide the fact that this is a cheap episode (although knowing
how much The Simpsons's actors get paid this may have
been one of SG-1's more expensive episode). The only
member of SG-1 that appears (other than in flashback) is Richard
Dean Anderson's O'Neill. But as Anderson is such a huge fan
of The Simpsons, I'm sure he was instrumental in ensuring
that Castellaneta guest starred.
There
are several nods to The Simpsons, including O'Neill's
insistence that Burns is similar to the Goa'uld. The end result
is a very funny and rather touching episode. In fact you almost
forget that this is a clips show... almost.
Jackson receives documents that point to the location of a
ZPM in ancient Egypt. Hoping that the energy source can be
used to power Earth's defences and open a wormhole to Atlantis,
SG-1 uses an Ancient time machine to travel back to 3000 BC.
But after the team locates the ZPM, Egyptians discover the
time machine, and SG-1 must find a way to retake it without
altering the timeline...
Any
sad 30-something who still remembers fondly the Back to
the Future movies will instantly fall in love with the
story that unravels in Moebius
Part 1 (and
for that matter Part
2).
There are plenty of familiar faces from SG-1's past
(even one who is dead before the episode opens).
Well
paced and incredibly well acted (Amanda Tapping and Michael
Shanks's alternate universe characters are well conceived)
this is certainly one of the best episodes of season eight.
SG-1's attempt to recover a ZPM from 3000 BC has altered the
timeline, leading to a present in which the Stargate was never
discovered. The alternate-reality Carter and Jackson convince
a reluctant O'Neill to take them on their first mission through
the Stargate. But when the team is captured by Teal'c, once
again the First Prime of Apophis, can they convince his to
join their side...?
Moebius
(Part 2)
improves on the events that unfolded in Part 1. The
alternate timeline's Carter, O'Neill and Jackson must travel
to where the original SG-1 met Teal'c and persuade him to
join their cause. Not as easy as it sounds - especially as
they get captured and Apophis decides he's going to torture
Jackson. Although why they must get Teal'c along for the ride
is anyone's guess. I know it was probably to ensure that Christopher
Judge had something to do, but couldn't they have hidden the
ancient Egyptian Stargate from Ra without Teal'c's help and
then come back later to turn his to their side.
Time
travel is something new to SG-1 - something which
I hope they don't start to use too often in the future - and
going back to ancient Egypt, to the time when Ra was on earth,
was intriguing. It was a little like revisiting the movie
- Teal'c even gets to sport one of those oh-so-funky Ra style
transforming head pieces.
The
whole thing finally resolves itself and everything goes back
to normal - no surprise there. But this is a mighty fine episode
with some of the season's best acting.
I
can't think of a finer way to end the show's eighth season.
 
Extras in this box set include numerous behind the scenes
features and as an added bonus (or a reason for fans to buy
the discs again) we have numerous audio commentaries - which
were missing from their single disc releases.
Darren
Rea
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