Stargate SG-1, Season 5, Episode 1

"Enemies"

images used above are courtesy of Gateworld and MGM

Episode Rating:  Excellent

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:
This episode picks up immediately after the final events in “Exodus.”  Teal’c is presumed dead on Vorash (the name of the Tok’ra’s planet).  The rest of SG-1, and Jacob/Selmak, escape the artificially induced supernova by using the Earth’s recently acquired Goa’uld mothership.  However, as they enter a hyperspace window, the ship is hit with a blast wave from the supernova.  Damaged, the mothership drops out of hyperspace, off course, and in an uncharted part of the universe.  Three-quarters of SG-1, and Jacob/Selmak, do not have the means to return home in their lifetimes, but at least they are safe.

Characters in safe Stargate SG-1 situations can be boring.  How about Apophis’ much larger ship showing up, having been knocked out of hyperspace by the blast wave, too?  On the only ship in his attack fleet to survive the supernova blast, Apophis is in an incredibly foul mood.  He spots the mothership, and he is mighty furious, so much so that he is going for the direct kill, instead of the drawn out, tortuous death Goa'ulds often relish dishing out.  Apophis does not even do an evil 'Goa’uld with the upper hand' riff.  Now, that is one very angry Goa'uld.

But, wait.  How about another ship joining the fray, just as Apophis is about to destroy the mothership?  The newcomer is of an unknown design.  SG-1, and Jacob/Selmak, do not know if the new arrival is a friend, or a foe.  All of this happens with the first five minutes of the show.  And, the action is just beginning.

On board the damaged mothership, the remaining members of SG-1 work with Jacob/Selmak to avoid being destroyed by Apophis.  If successful, they must also learn who, or what, is piloting the alien ship, and their intentions.  Most importantly, the team must find a way to get back home in their lifetimes.

This is an exciting story, with a lot of suspense, and some surprises.  The lulls in the action are interesting, forming bridges to other scenes without slowing down the story’s pace.  That is not easy to accomplish.  The dialog is lively, and informative while at the same time entertaining.  Kudos to the writers.  All of the actors provide top performances, rounding out this thrilling introduction to Stargate SG-1, season five.

Failures:
Apophis’ ship ending up so close to the team’s mothership seems sketchy.  Apophis’ ship opened a separate hyperspace window, yet wound up (in astronomical terms) within throwing distance of the mothership.  Then, there are space battles, and desperate escapes, and action, and clever dialog, … and I forget all about questioning how Apophis’s ship got where it was.