Stargate SG-1, Season 6, Episode 2

"Redemption, Part 2"

images used above are courtesy of Gateworld and MGM

Overall Rating:  Good

Commentary by:
Martin Wood -- Director
James Tichenor -- Visual Effects Producer

The commentary is very informative, and interesting.  Lots of behind the scene information.  The commentary stays on point with what is on screen.

Review:
Continuing the events from “Redemption, Part 1,” with the failure of the X-302 as a means to contact the Asgard, the clock is ticking for Earth.  The energy build-up in the stargate continues.  Dr. Rodney McKay (“48 Hours”) is at SGC, working with (and against) Carter, and other scientists, to find a way to stop the impending explosion of the stargate.  Anubis revealed himself as the perpetrator of the latest attempt to destroy Earth.

Unknown to SGC, Teal’c and Bra’tac learn about Anubis’ attack on Earth, and they attempt to find, and stop, that Goa’uld.  Just two Free Jaffa against the might of Anubis’ Jaffa forces?  Of course not.  That would be silly.  Rya’c is going with them, so it is three Free Jaffa against the might of Anubis’ Jaffa forces.

Continuing the theme of redemption, Rya’c wants to prove himself a warrior to his father by accompanying him to stop Anubis.  Back at SGC, Jonas Quinn wants to redeem himself in O’Neill’s eyes, and work on his survivor’s guilt about Daniel.  After pushing a plan into action to stop the energy build-up in the stargate that fails, and leads to Carter being injured, Rodney McKay wants to redeem himself to Carter, sort of.  O’Neill does not have jack to redeem himself for, and is taking heroic measures to help save Earth.

While “Redemption, Part 2” is rife with adventure and suspense, it fails to maintain the quality level of the characters interactions and motivations in part one.  This episode lacks smooth transitions as individuals strive to redeem themselves for their real, or perceived, failings.  Instead, their redemptions take the form of grand acts whose successful completion is sketchy, or by pointing out the obvious to those folks around them.

All of the actors’ performances are fine.

Failures:
“Redemption Part 1” mixed character development with exciting action, and suspense.  In this episode, the character development is a distant second to the action.  I enjoy the action, and the special effects are phenomenal.  I think the handling of the characters seeking redemption in this episode is too glib, especially when compared to part one.