Stargate SG-1, Season 7, Episode 5

"Revisions"

images used above are courtesy of Gateworld and MGM

Overall Rating:  Very Good

Commentary by:

Michael Shanks — Daniel Jackson
Martin Wood – Director
Jim Menard – Director of Photography

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

Review:  

At SGC a MALP sent to the planet P3X-289 sends back telemetry, including a live visual feed.  The planet’s atmosphere is toxic and corrosive.  Since there is a stargate on the planet, Sam and Daniel postulate that at some point there was a breathable atmosphere, some sort of life.  Part of the information from the MALP shows a dome-like structure in distance, about 2.2 kilometers wide and 500 meters high in size, as the only area that seems to withstand the planet’s atmosphere.  Moving the MALP towards the dome, the MALP’s arm goes through the dome’s field.  Its video feed shows a lush, tailored, green space with a blue sky, and indicates a breathable atmosphere.  The video feed is abruptly cut off at the MALP.

SGC does love getting a hold of new technology, and that dome is unlike anything Earth technology is capable of creating.  Also, there’s the out of contact, possibly missing, MALP.  Those things aren’t free.  So, it’s time to go exploring.

SG-1 gates to P3X-289, and walks through the dome’s field.  They encounter the bucolic scene sent by the MALP, as well as the MALP itself.  Sam thinks the inside of the barrier projects a sort of hologram, giving the impression of being in a larger vista than its 2.2 kilometer size.  And, the barrier not only prevents the poisonous atmosphere from entering, it even scrubbed the protective gear SG-1 is wearing of contaminants.  Oh, yes.  This is some technology worth investigating.  Then, an adorable little boy greets SG-1.  The child takes SG-1 back to his town.

The town folks are curious rather than afraid.  SG-1 meets up with the four member town council.  Mildly surprised by SG-1’s arrival, the council explains that they are aware of the the barrier.  They use technology, mainly a small whatsit they can attach to, or remove from, their heads.  They call the gizmos, and the access to a vast source of knowledge about their planet and society’s past and present, the link.  Demonstrating the link, a council member pulls up information about their planet’s past to answer some of SG-1’s questions.  All of the council members, and the lookie-loo villagers peering through the council room’s windows, freeze for a moment.  Then, one by one the council members relate information they gained from their links.  Every villager now knows the same information the one council member pulled up via their link.  Creepy, but the villagers aren’t fussed about it.

Quite some time ago the Goa’uld System Lord Morrigan (”Last Stand”) brought humans to P3X-289, later abandoning the planet and the people.  The people made technological advancements over the centuries.  Out of control industrialization poisoned the ecosystem.  The dome was created to protect the remaining folks, who made a deliberate choice to live simply in order to not repeat the mistakes of the past.  They have lived this way for 400 years, and are fine with the situation.  Still interested in learning more about the dome’s system, after making a report to SGC, SG-1 stays on the planet.  They are invited to spend the night at some of the villagers homes. 

During the night, one of the council members awakens in their home, packs a small suitcase, and calmly walks through the dome’s field out into the poisonous atmosphere.  Unaware of what happened with the council member, the next morning SG-1 chats amongst themselves.  O’Neill doesn’t get why the people would be happy living in a bubble.  Sam wants to know more about their technology.  Daniel is almost always in learning mode.  Teal’c is ready to punch anyone who needs punching, but there is a lack of anyone needing punching, so he is pretty much just there.  SG-1 meets with the village council again, this time offering to move anyone who wants to leave to another, non-poisoned, planet.  The council politely declines relocation.  They see no reason to leave.  The council makes decisions for the entire town, and the three council members say their decision to stay is unanimous.  Daniel asks about the fourth council member's decision, and the council insists that there was never a fourth member.

SG-1 knows that something hinky is going on with the friendly town folks who don’t seem to remember a person who is now missing.  Sam investigates the technology aspect.  Daniel goes to do research in the town’s paper archive, which is small and neglected due to the usage of the link.  O’Neill and Teal’c go to the MALP to update SGC, but the MALP is not where they left it.  Returning to town, the two find out that the household they stayed at the night before is also not where they left it.  SG-1 is faced with a mystery while dealing with non-hostile, mostly nice, town folks who are apparently lying through their teeth to SG-1.

This episode is a nice change up from the running and gunning that usually involves SG-1.  It’s an enigma, but without the usual “they are up to something” blatantly bad behavior.  There is a direct message of the dangers of rampant pollution making a planet unlivable, but there is also another message unveiled later in the story.  I think this episode is good as far as writing, but the actors elevate the episode to very good.  The acting is done with tempered sincerity and believability.  The best performances are by the guest stars, although the rest of the cast does a good job.

Failures:

When SG-1 heads to P3X-289, they ponder the possibility of badness that could be the result of walking through the dome’s barrier.  After all, the MALP stopped sending telemetry shortly after crossing the dome’s barrier.  But, they all head through the barrier anyway.