Stargate SG-1, Season 5, Episode 4

"The Fifth Man"

images used above are courtesy of Gateworld and MGM

Overall Rating:  Excellent

Commentary by:
Peter DeLuise -- Director
Joseph Mallozzi -- Writer
Paul Mullie -- Writer

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

Review:
Off world, SG-1 battles a large contingent of Jaffa near a stargate.  Except for O’Neill and Tyler, who are pinned down by Jaffa weapons' fire some distance away.  O’Neill orders the rest of his team to return to SGC, and get reinforcements.  Carter, Daniel, and Teal'c return to SGC, and request help from General Hammond in order to rescue O’Neill and Tyler.  Rather than granting the request, General Hammond tells Carter to slow her roll.  He wants to know who the heck is Tyler.  Carter, Daniel, and Teal’c state that he is a member of SG-1, of course.  Hammond states that there is no such person as Tyler on SG-1.

Did SG-1 travel to an alternate universe SGC?  Or, is it all a dream, and the story ends with a scene of either O’Neill, Daniel, Teal’c, or Tyler in the shower?  No.  Although, it would have been nice to incorporate a scene of one of the guys taking a shower.  Hmmm … *cough* ahem, anyway, SG-1 and General Hammond are both right about Tyler.  Carter, Daniel, and Teal’c investigate why no one else at SGC remembers Tyler.  At the same time, Dr. Frasier and General Hammond investigate why SG-1 is convinced that the seemingly non-existent Tyler is a real person.

The viewpoints converge as a conspiracy is uncovered involving the covert accessing of SG-1 personnel files.  Simultaneously, Dr. Frasier uncovers something about Tyler.  Due to concerns about SG-1 perhaps being under alien influence, and an unknown party snooping on SG-1, O’Neill and Tyler remain stranded off world, struggling to survive a Jaffa onslaught.

Dion Johnstone is Tyler.  Mr. Johnstone’s portrayal is wonderful, absolutely convincing as the fifth SG-1 team member who is real, yet just a wee bit off.  He also portrayed Chaka in “The First Ones.”  John de Lance returns as Colonel Frank Simmons (“Ascension”), the N.I.D. representative with questionable goals.  Simmons is smug, and arrogant.  Mr. de Lancie’s Simmons is supreme when it comes to dropping thinly veiled threats.  Kudos to both guest stars.  The regular cast provides strong performances.  An exciting, very interesting episode.

Failures:
Jaffa are supposed to be fearsome warriors, with great fighting skills.  Sometimes, I think Teal’c and Bra’tac are the only good fighters amongst the Jaffa.  This is one of those times.  O’Neill almost single-handedly kills a lot of Jaffa, while holding off many more.  The Jaffa are numerous, each armed with a staff weapon.  Yet, O’Neill prevails through much of the fighting.