Stargate SG-1 Season 2, Vol. 4

Rating:
Summary: SG-1 saves the world (again) but will they save Apophis?
Review: Somebody asked me the other day what my favorite television show was and I had to stop and think for a moment because the answer I have been given for the past six years, "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," ended its run. So I went through all of the shows I watch regularly and found that the one I enjoyed the most, season after season, episode after episode, has probably been "Stargate SG-1." This DVD offering up Volume 4 of Season 2 provides evidence of the quality of this science fiction series and why Richard Dean Anderson turns out to have one of the drollest sense of humor seen on this planet or any other:

Episode 15, "The Fifth Race" (Written by Robert C. Cooper, Aired January 22, 1999) begins when a probe comes back from P3R-272 showing characters carved into the wall resembling one of the four languages inscribed on the wall of Heliopolis, the great meeting place of the four ancient races. This means Daniel Jackson is all excited since this could well be a clue to contacting one of those great races to help in the conflict with the Goa'uld. However, when they investigate, an alien device grabs O'Neill's head, and he collapses. Back as SG-1 O'Neill checks out but then starts acting weird: he starts speaking words in an ancient, alien language and then moves on to adding new Stargates into the computer database. Eventually these strange new abilities will lead O'Neill to an encounter with the Asgard and the identity of the fifth race. Obviously this is an episode with profound implications for down the road, but watching O'Neill use 90 percent of his brain is a hoot as well (5 Stargates).

Episode 16, "The Serpent's Song" (Story by Misha Rashovich, Teleplay by Brad Wright, Aired January 29, 1999) is where SG-10 dials up a real wrong number on their first mission when they gate to a world on the edge of a black hole. Unable to disengage the Stargate, the time-distorting gravity field threatens to destroy the earth as well. In addition to the threat to all life on the planet, there is the grim fact that even if earth is saved, nothing can be done for SG-10. Meanwhile, the black hole has enveloped SCG in a time bubble a lot slower than the rest of the world. Meanwhile, O'Neill has to put up with an unexpected visit from an old "friend." This is one of those episodes where the human drama is better than the imminent crisis (5 Stargates).

Episode 17, "Holiday" (Written by Tor Alexnader Valenza, Aired February 5, 1999) SG-1 discovers a room filled with advanced technology presided over by Ma'chello, an elderly scientist who has devoted his life to developing weapons to fight the Goa'uld. Ma'chello uses one of his devices to switch bodies with Daniel Jackson, however this turns out to be just the first in what eventually becomes a comic series of body jumps. This is one of those episodes where the comic contrivances are more enjoyable than the crisis, as the members of SG-1 take turns acting like each other (4 Stargates).

Episode 18, "Serpent's Song" (Written by Katharyn Powers, Aired February 12, 1999) takes an unbelievable turn as Apophis asks SGC for sanctuary from Sokar. Because he was defeated in his attempt to take over the earth, Apophis lost his status as a System Lord. Unable to regenerate in a sarcophagus, Apophis is dying in the infirmary and willing to bargain for his life. This engenders a big debate regarding Apophis, the Tok'ra, Sokar, and even the Egyptian host that Apophis has been using for all these centuries. Each of the SG-1 members gets a chance to spend a little personal time with Apophis, rehashing some shared memories. Then Sokar attacks through the Stargate and things become more urgent. "Serpent's Song" is a surprising episode, given that none of us ever thought the Apophis plot line would end with a whimper and not a bang (4 Stargates).

These four episodes are a good indication of the strength and scope of "Stargate SG-1." You have a couple of episodes dealing with the big picture regarding the Goa'uld, a couple of episodes emphasizing comedy, and several nice examples of pathos. This is just one of these series that you need to watch from the beginning because context means a lot in your enjoyment of these episodes.

Rating:
Summary: SG-1 saves the world (again) but will they save Apophis?
Review: Somebody asked me the other day what my favorite television show was and I had to stop and think for a moment because the answer I have been given for the past six years, "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," ended its run. So I went through all of the shows I watch regularly and found that the one I enjoyed the most, season after season, episode after episode, has probably been "Stargate SG-1." This DVD offering up Volume 4 of Season 2 provides evidence of the quality of this science fiction series and why Richard Dean Anderson turns out to have one of the drollest sense of humor seen on this planet or any other:

Episode 15, "The Fifth Race" (Written by Robert C. Cooper, Aired January 22, 1999) begins when a probe comes back from P3R-272 showing characters carved into the wall resembling one of the four languages inscribed on the wall of Heliopolis, the great meeting place of the four ancient races. This means Daniel Jackson is all excited since this could well be a clue to contacting one of those great races to help in the conflict with the Goa'uld. However, when they investigate, an alien device grabs O'Neill's head, and he collapses. Back as SG-1 O'Neill checks out but then starts acting weird: he starts speaking words in an ancient, alien language and then moves on to adding new Stargates into the computer database. Eventually these strange new abilities will lead O'Neill to an encounter with the Asgard and the identity of the fifth race. Obviously this is an episode with profound implications for down the road, but watching O'Neill use 90 percent of his brain is a hoot as well (5 Stargates).

Episode 16, "The Serpent's Song" (Story by Misha Rashovich, Teleplay by Brad Wright, Aired January 29, 1999) is where SG-10 dials up a real wrong number on their first mission when they gate to a world on the edge of a black hole. Unable to disengage the Stargate, the time-distorting gravity field threatens to destroy the earth as well. In addition to the threat to all life on the planet, there is the grim fact that even if earth is saved, nothing can be done for SG-10. Meanwhile, the black hole has enveloped SCG in a time bubble a lot slower than the rest of the world. Meanwhile, O'Neill has to put up with an unexpected visit from an old "friend." This is one of those episodes where the human drama is better than the imminent crisis (5 Stargates).

Episode 17, "Holiday" (Written by Tor Alexnader Valenza, Aired February 5, 1999) SG-1 discovers a room filled with advanced technology presided over by Ma'chello, an elderly scientist who has devoted his life to developing weapons to fight the Goa'uld. Ma'chello uses one of his devices to switch bodies with Daniel Jackson, however this turns out to be just the first in what eventually becomes a comic series of body jumps. This is one of those episodes where the comic contrivances are more enjoyable than the crisis, as the members of SG-1 take turns acting like each other (4 Stargates).

Episode 18, "Serpent's Song" (Written by Katharyn Powers, Aired February 12, 1999) takes an unbelievable turn as Apophis asks SGC for sanctuary from Sokar. Because he was defeated in his attempt to take over the earth, Apophis lost his status as a System Lord. Unable to regenerate in a sarcophagus, Apophis is dying in the infirmary and willing to bargain for his life. This engenders a big debate regarding Apophis, the Tok'ra, Sokar, and even the Egyptian host that Apophis has been using for all these centuries. Each of the SG-1 members gets a chance to spend a little personal time with Apophis, rehashing some shared memories. Then Sokar attacks through the Stargate and things become more urgent. "Serpent's Song" is a surprising episode, given that none of us ever thought the Apophis plot line would end with a whimper and not a bang (4 Stargates).

These four episodes are a good indication of the strength and scope of "Stargate SG-1." You have a couple of episodes dealing with the big picture regarding the Goa'uld, a couple of episodes emphasizing comedy, and several nice examples of pathos. This is just one of these series that you need to watch from the beginning because context means a lot in your enjoyment of these episodes.