The Sam & Jack Episode Forum

Shippy Review

 

SEASON One

EPISODE NUMBER 104

EPISODE TITLE The Broca Divide

WRITTEN BY Jonathon Glassner

DIRECTED BY William Gereghty

REVIEWED BY Cagey

 

OVERALL OPINION This is probably one of the hardest episodes to assign a shippy rating: the usual banter, supplemented by physical confrontation, makes it prime shipper material. However, to take Star Trek's incarnations of this theme in The Naked Time and The Naked Now as a comparison, the effect of being 'Touched' is not an exaggeration of already latent desires, but rather a degeneration to the basest of social relationships. The implications of "The Broca Divide" are suggestive for the SJ projector: Sam and Jack's implicit sexual attraction and contemplation thereof are played out with (mostly) abandon when all rational controls disappear. However, is there any emotional connection underlying Sam's 'seduction' of Jack, or Jack's attack on his 'competition', Daniel? When does Jack start to lose his own control? When he starts to respond to her kiss in the locker room? When he admits that he might want her? Or does it matter when his degeneration starts?

 

NOTABLE SCENES

1) Briefing/Departure: Sam, as usual, is sitting next to O'Neill. Mr. Smartaleck--showing off to the Marines of SG3?--proclaims, "I pride myself on my deductive reasoning skills". He definitely looks to Carter for a reaction, and she gives him the expected smile. Similarly, when Sam explains to Daniel that the labels for planets are "based on a binary code the computer uses for extrapolation", Jack replies facetiously, "which makes it much easier to remember". She offers an even more obvious smirk, acknowledging his teasing. Later in the departure room, they joke about the thermal night vision gear.

2) Great Minds: Upon entering the main hall:

Jack: Love what they've done with the place.
Sam: I was going to do my living room like this, but it didn't go with my other stuff.

3) Great Bodies: In the infamous locker room incident, Jack becomes aware of Sam's presence when she slams his locker door shut. He doesn't really seem fazed by That Look (the come hither, heaving chest, intent eyes of Carter dressed definitely 'down' in a tank top), though possibly he is more embarrassed than anything else.

Jack: Carter. Sorry, I didn't know you were in here. (He looks away and puts on his shirt. Sam doesn't respond verbally, but spins him around and kisses him intently. Jack's first impulse is obviously to kiss back--his hand moves up to her back involuntarily before he catches himself. He pushes her away.) Hey! What the hell is going on?
Sam: I want you. (She kisses him again.)
Jack: (With his lips still against hers, he protests.) Why? I mean, no! (He pushes her away again.) Carter, this is a little out of line. Don't ya think?
Sam: (She's not pleased. She knocks him off balance, slamming him down on the wooden bench. He winces as his head hits the wood, and she throws herself on top of him.) Don't you want me? (She kisses him again.)
Jack: No... no... no, not like this. (He pushes her away.) For crying out loud. (Sam kisses him again.) Carter, what's gotten into you? (Sam kisses him again. Jack puts his arms around her more firmly, and rolls them both off the bench onto the floor so that she is pinned beneath him. He grasps her firmly at the back of her neck as she strains--in pain? protest? primal enjoyment--against him.) It's about time you saw a doctor, doctor. (Sam arches her head back and he--definitely, absolutely--kisses her neck before dragging her up from the floor with him.)

4) Doctor, Doctor, Give Me The News: For some reason, Carter has been put in blue scrubs, and she struggles against body restraints in an infirmary bed. Jack watches relatively impassively, asking the doctor, "Is this pretty much what Johnson has?" He follows Janet Fraiser away for an explanation, giving a backward glance at Sam.

5) She's Got A Bad Case Of Loving You: Janet and O'Neill analyze Carter's 'attack'.

Jack: You think Carter has the same thing?
Janet: Uh-huh. The behavior fits. All the victims are behaving like primitives. Most female low-level primates tend to choose their sexual partners according to who would give them the strongest offspring. The leaders of the pack, or a tribe, are usually the prime choice. You should be flattered.
Jack: Oh yeah, I'm honored.

6) My Girl, Talkin 'Bout My Girl: Daniel finds O'Neill in the control room. At first, he is intent on his sheaf of papers.

Daniel: Jack, there you are. I got on the Internet to do a little research on Australopithecus and... wow. What happened to you? (Daniel notices Jack's shirt, which is torn at the shoulder. O'Neill has to have done it himself, because it was whole in his previous scenes with Janet. In that sequence he is, like Carter earlier, scratching himself absently. Is this part of the 'new follicle growth'? the bodily changes?)
Jack: Oh. (O'Neill scratches his shoulder harder.) I got into a little wrestling match with Carter.
Daniel: Why?
Jack: I guess she's got whatever Johnson's got. I had to drag her off to the infirmary.
Daniel: What, she tried to fight with you like Johnson did with Teal'c?
Jack: No. She, uh, she tried to seduce me.
Daniel: Oh. (Pause.) You poor man.
Jack: No, it wasn't like that. (Jack is obviously self-conscious.) She was like a wild animal--she was nuts.
Daniel: Well, is she all right? I should go see her.
Jack: Why? (Jack's tone here is interesting.)
Daniel: What do you mean why? Because I care about her.
Jack: (Jack grabs the front of Daniel's jacket.) Care about her? What does that mean?
Daniel: It means I care about her. She's my friend. Now, let go.
Jack: (Daniel tries to turn away, but Jack pulls him closer by the front of his jacket.) She's not yours to care about.
Daniel: What the hell are you talking about?
Jack: I'm talking about Samantha. (Oh my, the way he draws out the syllables of 'Samantha'.) You just stay away from her, okay?
Daniel: Okay, okay Jack. I think you should come with me to the infirmary, okay? Just let go of me. Let go of my arm-- (Jack punches him, sending Jackson flying across the room, and proceeds to beat the crap out of him until restrained.)

7) Baby Needs A New Pair Of Tank Tops: Once they've shown the 'Untouched' a cure, Sam falls into pace beside Jack.

Sam: Uh, sir?
Jack: Yeah?
Sam: About my earlier behavior? I wasn't myself... (She's obviously embarrassed, and O'Neill brushes it off.)
Jack: Oh, Carter, I don't even remember your earlier behavior.
Sam: You don't? (Sam is definitely relieved.)
Jack: No, I was infected too, remember?
Sam: Right. Good. I'm glad.
Jack: By the way, how's the wound?
Sam: Wound?
Jack: I understand you got stabbed in the stomach?
Sam: Oh, yeah. It was nothing. With any luck there won't even be a scar.
Jack: Good. I was concerned.
Sam: You were? (Sam's tone is sweet; she's pleasantly surprised.)
Jack: Sure. If it doesn't heal properly, you'll never wear that sweet little tank top number again. (Sam pauses as O'Neill continues to walk ahead. Her expression falls--he obviously does remember the incident--then she shakes her head ruefully and smiles.)

 

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