Stargate SG-1, Season 4, Episode 18

"The Light"

images used above are courtesy of Gateworld and MGM

Episode Rating:  Poor

Commentary by:
Peter Woeste -- Director
James Tichenor -- Visual Effects Supervisor
Andy Mikita -- Production Manager

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

Review:
At SGC, Barber -- an SG-5 team member -- commits suicide by leaping into the ka-woosh.  (Ka-woosh is the effect that expands from the inner area of a stargate once the final gate address symbol is engaged.)  The rest of SG-5, and Daniel, are investigating a Goa’uld device on another planet.  The device creates a light show.  Everyone who sees the light show is mesmerized.  They act like junkies going through severe withdrawal when they leave the vicinity of the light show’s source.  SG-1 goes to the planet where the device is located; gets hooked on the light show; and tries to discover a cure for the pretty, sparkly monkey on their back.

An almost slightly interesting story, paired with many uninspired performances.  The episode’s flow seems jerky, as characters overlook the obvious for the sake of the story

Failures:
The story.  The dialog.  The acting.  This is the second episode in a row with Daniel acting un-Daniel like.  The third episode this season using a similar plot device on one, or more, of the main characters.  Enough with the characters acting out of character.

Stargate SG-1, Season 3, Episode 8

"Demons"

images used above are courtesy of Gateworld and MGM

Overall Rating:  Poor

SG-1 investigates an off world medieval, European, Christian village.  The place is definitely not anyone’s version of a cheerful village of yore.  Small, muddy, with little beauty, and its population suffocating under the weight of desperation, and fear.  When the team enters the village, the people scatter and hide.  Near the center of the village, SG-1 finds a woman chained to a post.  She is ill, and slated to be a sacrifice because the villagers believe that demons cause disease.  Unlike today’s society, where people know that diseases are not caused by demons; diseases are sent by demons to the unworthy.  These days, we are much more enlightened, and evolved.  [insert ceremonial chanting, warding and gestures here]

The demon comes to the village, looking for sacrifices.  SG-1 recognizes the demon as being an Unas (“Thor’s Hammer”), a humanoid reptilian species thought to come from the original home planet of the Goa’uld symbiotes.  Not a minion of the Satan, just a minion of that satanic poseur wannabe, the Goa’uld Sokar (“Serpent’s Song”).  The villagers torture Teal’c to prove he is in league with demons.  They live their lives covered in fear and mud, so this makes sense to them.  SG-1 eventually battles the demon, Unas, actor in a bad costume, but no one cares because they have fallen asleep watching this episode.

The story crawls along at a slow pace, completely devoid of suspense, or intrigue.  No one shines in this episode.  The Unas’ face looks like an immobile plastic mask, a rare failure for the make-up department.  David McNally portrays Simon the soft-spoken, milquetoast zealot, with the heart of a budding psychopath, and dead eyes.  Mr. McNally previously portrayed Hanno in “Cor-Ai.”

All in all, a boring, very skippable episode.

Failures:
Goa’uld can jump hosts, literally, yet everyone runs up to an injured host, and leans closely over them.  Too bad the Goa’uld didn’t jump out, slither, and bounce on everyone leaning over the host.  That would have meant one good moment in the episode.

Stargate SG-1, Season 1, Episode 13

"Hathor"

images used above are courtesy of Gateworld and MGM

Overall Rating: Poor

A sarcophagus etched with Egyptian hieroglyphics is found in a Mayan temple.  Hathor, Egyptian goddess, arises.  Somehow, with only an eye-catching outfit, and an attitude, Hathor makes her way from Mexico to Cheyenne Mountain, Colorado -- the location of the stargate -- in a remarkably short time.  Upon learning that Ra, her father/husband/jailer, is dead, Hathor begins to build a new empire on Earth, beginning with the SGC.

Suanne Braun does a good job portraying Hathor.  Every actor has a respectable performance.  However, the performances cannot overcome the writing, and the story is what makes this episode terrible.  It is a misogynistic mess.  The writers seem to have two points they want to get across.  First, women are pheromone factories who bend poor, helpless men to their will.  Second, women, no matter how intelligent and successful, play the vixen card to bend poor, helpless men to their will.  The writers do present a moment of whining, which I think is their view of female empowerment.

The entire episode takes place at SGC, except for the brief time at the Mayan temple.  I am usually disappointed when there is not any off world, stargate travel, although I realize that such episodes are money savers when it comes to production costs.  No matter.  Off world travel would not have helped this episode.

The first season of a series is a testing ground, to explore possibilities and lay the foundation for the series’ future.  What I like about this episode is it demonstrates the wisdom of Stargate SG-1’s creative team.  They wisely disregarded virtually every idea presented in “Hathor” when creating future episodes.

13th episode broadcast.
13th episode in the DVD set.

Failures:
There is one point that is relevant in future episodes.  Mostly, there is non-canon balderdash woven around enormous plot holes.  All with a plethora of cringe-worthy moments.

Stargate SG-1, Season 1, Episode 3

"Emancipation"

images used above are courtesy of Gateworld and MGM

Overall Rating: Poor

Synopsis:
SG-1 goes to a planet populated with people of Mongolian descent who were snatched from Earth by some Goa’uld or another a long time ago.  The Goa’uld haven’t been back to the planet in quite some time.

Samantha Carter, Sam for short, is treated like a subservient sex object by the native folk because she is female.  Jack, and Daniel, think this is funny.  Sam is kidnapped by other native folk for use as a subservient sex object because she is female.  Jack, and Daniel, do not think this is funny.

While held captive, Sam is threatened with being beaten, and the possibility of being raped is implied, however, neither of these things happen.  Instead, she is sent to do chores.  After being freed from captivity, Sam beats the snot out of the leader of her captors.  Then, SG-1 goes back to the stargate.

If my review makes this episode seem interesting, or implies that the episode has any worth at all, then I did not write the review correctly.  I think this is the worst episode of SG-1, ever.

Fortunately, the quality level of the stories picks up immediately with the next episode. There are many stellar episodes coming in this, and subsequent, seasons. The badness that is this episode is the exception, not the rule.

SG-1, Season One DVD Set - Content

I will rate each season’s DVD set before reviewing the season’s individual episodes.  My rating in this post solely reflects the DVD content, options, & extras (or lack thereof), not episodes.

Overall Rating for the Set: Poor
No commentaries, and no "play all" option.  The episodes are not in broadcast order.  The episode, "The Nox" is missing English audio for one of the characters.  No English subtitles.

This is a five disc set, with 21 episodes.  The pilot episode, “Children of the Gods” is 1 hour 36 minutes long.  All other episodes are 44 minutes long.  A re-edited version of “Children of the Gods” was released on disc in 2009.  The version of the episode in this set is the original.  (see *note below)

All episodes are widescreen, anamorphic 1.78:1.

Sound: 5.1 Dolby Surround for English; Dolby Surround for French, and Spanish.

The set is not rated, except for "Children of the Gods" which is rated "R".  The special features are unrated.

Audio languages on the set are: English, Spanish, and French.  There are subtitles in Spanish, and French.  Although there are not English subtitles, the discs are close captioned.  You can use the close caption option on your television to view.  The special features are not closed captioned.

Watch disc one as soon as you load it into your DVD player.  A voice says, “Enter the stargate.”  You will see a stargate on screen.  When you press “play,” the onscreen stargate activates, and shows a “ka-woosh” effect.  Very cool.

There is not a “play all” option.  Episodes have to be accessed, and viewed, one at a time.

There are no commentaries on any of the episodes.  However, there are featurettes:

Disc 2:  “Cast and Crew”
Disc 3:  “Profile on General Hammond”
Disc 4:  “Profile on Captain Carter”
Disc 4:  Behind-the-scenes with the Producers of Stargate SG-1
Disc 5:  “Costume Design”

*Note:    My limited understanding of the rationale for re-editing, and re-issuing, the pilot episode was producer unhappiness due primarily to a brief nude scene, the only nude scene in any episode of Stargate SG-1.  The scene is very brief, and not lascivious.  Stargate SG-1 began on the premium channel Showtime, although I have no idea if this was a factor in the nudity.  Don't start rumors.  Personally, the nudity didn't surprise me as much as how easily the character's intricate outfit snapped off in one move.  That puppy popped right off.  Dang ...

The stand alone, re-edited episode is available on DVD, and digital download, as "Children of the Gods - Final Cut".  At a run time of 92 minutes, compared to 96 minutes for the original, more than just the nude scene was cut, although additional scenes were added.  I don't own the disc, but I read that it has commentary, trailers, and a featurette.  I adore Stargate SG-1, but nothing short of the disc being delivered to me by Richard Dean Anderson is going to get me to cough up $14.98 (less, if it's on sale) for one episode.