DVD
Stargate: SG-1
Volume 40
(Season 8 - Vol 3)

Starring: Richard Dean Anderson, Amanda Tapping, Christopher Judge and Michael Shanks
MGM
RRP: £19.99
10005428
Certificate: 12
Available 25 April 2005


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).


Extras include a 14 minute featurette on the origins of the Super Soldier; as well as two featurettes that follow Shanks and Amanda Tapping as they make appearances at conventions.

Not content with depriving fans of audio commentaries and more features (as we've come to expect after being spoiled in previous season releases) MGM decide to drop one episode for this volume so we only get three shows. Oddly enough it is the episode that aired between Endgame and Prometheus Unbound that has been pulled from this release. This is presumably to ensure that the last release this season has more than two episodes (which has become the norm).

While the episodes are all above average the lack of audio commentaries, the cutting back of extras, not to mention one less episode, will leave some fans feeling a little cheated. This volume is still worth purchasing though.

Darren Rea

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cover
£14.99 (Amazon.co.uk)
   
£16.99 (MVC.co.uk)
   
£19.99 (Moviemail-online.co.uk)

All prices correct at time of going to press.