Season Two Episode Reviews

2X1    The Serpent's Lair (part 2 of 2) 
Plot: SG1 and Bra'tac attempt to sabotage Apophis' fleet besieging Earth.

A massive action packed epic episode, the best from the first three years!  Apophis invades Earth; the ultimate story.  And the episode is just packed with great action sequences of SG1 and Bra'tec running around the Gou'ald Mother ships having shoot-outs with Jaffa.  Exciting stuff!  There's a real sense of dread built about the threat to Earth, and I appreciate the Hammond-Samuels subplot about Earth's lame attempts at defense.  I also love the bickering between Bra'tec and O'Neill.  Plus we get Daniel on the verge of death.  It's all perfect!  Even the ending where they haul ass out in Death Gliders!  I don't think anything else will top this one... until Earth is again invaded.  About the only bad mark is the less than stellar FX of the space sequences, but they are adequate.  This was the first episode I ever saw of SG1, and it certainly hooked me!

2X2    In the Line of Duty 
Plot: Carter is taken by a Gou'ald claiming to be an ally, who is pursued by an assassin.

Great shocking episode!  It just shows incredible guts to have Carter possessed by a Gou'ald, it completely changed her character in so many ways.  It's a testament to the high quality of this show.  The introduction of the Tok'ra is handled beautifully, and I really love the interaction of the guys with Gou'ald/Carter.   That opening battle scene was absolutely amazing!  It's cool to see Cassandra again and how she ratted out Carter.  It seemed a tad ridiculous the assassin could get in SGC so easily but oh well.  The ending is very touching, where Carter tells them that Jolinar gave up her live to save Carter.

2X3    Prisoners 
Plot: SG1 is imprisoned by an alien race while Gen Hammond attempts to free them.

It's a very unoriginal idea, but it's handled decently.  Linea was a pretty interesting character.  It's was neat to see Hammond going through the gate for the first time and argue with a xenophobic race while his aide tries to meditate him.  However it was quite an interesting plot twist to have Linea turn out to be a mass murderer though, and totally out-class the entire SGC and freely escape.  Look forward to her returning!

2X4    The Gamekeeper 
Plot: SG1 is captured and put in a virtual reality world where they must relive their worst memories over and over.

Your basic virtual reality episode but with some nice bits.  Great to see Kawalsky again, though the time loop got very annoying very quickly.  Interesting to see how Daniel's parents were killed.  The stunt casting of TNG's Barclay as the Gamekeeper was perfect and he acts amazingly different.  The little VR twist of escaping to SGC but it's still fake was pretty obvious, but faux-Hammond was funny.  Nothing spectacular.

2X5    Need 
Plot: An alien princess addicts Daniel to a Gou'ald Sarcophagus while the rest of SG1 is in a labor camp.

This is one of the first truly bad episodes I've seen of the series.  There's little to recommend in this one, aside from Carter getting her Gou'ald sensing ability and talking about naquadah.  The prison camp stuff is very unoriginal, and Daniel going nuts is handled very bad, and the performance leaves a lot to be desired.  It's just silly... though it's interesting that they theorize using the Sarcophagus robs you of your morality, which is why the Gou'ald are so evil.  The Daniel love story is also handled very poorly, and the princess character is pretty lifeless and uninteresting.  Even a potentially interesting idea like Gou'ald impersonators is totally hishandled and ultimately forgotten.  A bad, silly episode that was attempting to be serious.

2X6    Thor's Chariot 
Plot:  SG1 attempts to aid Cimmera from a Gou'ald invasion by contacting the Asgard.

Great action-packed episode that was a major turning point in the series!  It's really cool to see Cimmera under a Gou'ald invasion and SG1 trying to help.  Tons of great action scenes as Jack and Teal'c fight Jaffa and even try to kill Her'Ur!  The Asgard hall tests were interesting, but the best part is the revelation of Thor as a Grey alien Asgard!  The Asgard Mothership appearing in the clouds to teleport away the Gou'ald army was an absolutely astounding sight- those ships look awesome!  Also cool that Carter learns she can use a Ribbon Device and a Healer!

2X7    Message in a Bottle 
Plot: An alien artifact infects SGC and injures O'Neill.

An interesting little crisis episode.  The opening scene in space suits was very cool, and the alien artifact looked great.  O'Neill getting run through the shoulder was pretty shocking, and it lead to some great bonding with Teal'c.  The scientific dilemma was presented well, and it's interesting to see the emergency detonation programs the SGC has set up.  I also appreciate the ending where the aliens turn out peaceful when they talk through Jack, and leave in peace.

2X8    Family 
Plot: SG1 returns to Chulak to free Teal'c son from Apophis' mind control.

Great action packed episode, too bad the ending disappoints.  It's really great to return to Chulak, interact with Apophis, and have zat gun shoot-outs with about a hundred guards!  Great action scenes (though it raises the question why doesn't SG1 ALWAYS use zat guns since they can be non-lethal).  Very interesting to see the dilemma Teal'c left his wife and child in, how she remarried to his childhood friend.  Great dramatic material for the oft ignored Teal'c.  Great to see Bre'tac working with SG1 of course.  Apophis' little master plan of sending Rya'c to wipe out Earth was very clever.  The scenes where Teal'c tries to break Rya'c of brainwashing are pretty lame though... and the big deal made of shooting the kid with a weapon which only helps him is pretty silly.  Bad ending to an otherwise great episode.

2X9    Secrets 
Plot: Daniel returns to Abydos to find Sha're pregant by Apophis and briefly of free will; O'Neill and Carter travel to D.C. where they learn Carter's father is dying of cancer and a journalist has discovered the truth about SGC.

Wonderful episode with three interesting arc heavy plots.  Great to finally return to Abydos and see Kasuf and Sha're again, and Daniel being briefly reunited with Sha're was very touching.  I appreciate Teal'c wanting to kidnap Sha're for her Gou'ald knowledge.  The pregnancy stuff was a little stilted, but it was incredibly exciting when Heru'ur arrives to steal Sha're.  Very cool plot twist!  It was very clever of Teal'c to convince Amunet/Sha're that Heru'ur has taken the child and not Kasuf.  Also interesting was Daniel suggesting an alliance between Earth and Heru'ur, and Heru'ur laughing it off.  And the action finale was incredibly cool, Teal'c and Carter blasting away with zats, O'Neill shoots vainly at Heru'ur then throws a knife in his hand!  Awesome!  Even the D.C. plot is very exciting, and bodes big things for the future.  There is a press leak in the SGC (probably Senator Kinsey) and someone else killed the journalist to keep it secret.  I also liked the journalist (Chris Owen, who would go on to be Spender on X-Files) and his admiration of O'Neill for his deeds.  Carter's Father was a really great character, I like his humor and openness, and the frank way he delivered the news about cancer, which was a very touching scene for Carter.

2X10    Bane 
Plot: An alien insect infects Teal'c who escapes into public while SGC and Maybourne hunt for him.

Pretty bland, without the Maybourne involvement this would be a real stinker.  The insect swarm was a great effect and it's a real shame we didn't see more of it (particularly the off-screen raid to capture one!).  Teal'c hiding in a city is done pretty horribly, even with the awful concept of a young kid teaming up with him (though to the writers' credit this was portrayed as well as it possibly could have been, the kid was only slightly annoying).  Carter's colleague doesn't get anything interesting to do, Maybourne doesn't get enough to do.  About the only interesting little tidbit was Frasier finding a way to keep a Gou'ald symbiote alive outside the body.  The ending was cute with Teal'c in a water gun fight.

2X11    The Tok'ra (part 1 of 2) 
Plot:  A vision from Carter leads SG1 to meet the Tok'Ra as Jacob Carter lies dying from cancer.

Very heavy on exposition and set-up but it's still an important episode and it's fascinating to learn about the Tok'Ra.  I like the paranoia and security of the Tok'Ra and how they're basically just saboteurs and infiltrators.  It's a shame practically nothing happened in this episode aside from Tok'Ra exposition though.  But it does dramatically alter the face of the series!  The Jacob subplot was nice.

2X12    The Tok'ra (part 2 of 2) 
Plot:  SG1 takes Jacob Carter to become a Tok'Ra host while the Gou'ald approach the Tok'Ra base.

Much better than part one, this one has some great drama and action!  I really loved everything with Jacob Carter here.  I liked his reaction to learning about the Stargate, to the trip, his conversations with Selmak were particularly memorable and funny.  This one has suspense from the impending Gou'ald attack from Gou'ald infiltrators; though I find it a little implausible that only Jack had the brains to rat them out!  It's a real shame there wasn't some big action from the Gou'ald attack, like Motherships fighting or something, but oh well.  Very cool that Jacob Carter is now with the Tok'Ra!

2X13    Spirits 
Plot:  SGC's interference with a Native American culture calls the wrath of their spiritual protectors upon them.

A very different but very interesting episode.  I really liked the first half where Carter is the leader and they're running around with Tonane, who is just hilarious in his innocence and down-to-earth manor.  It's a real hoot!  I also liked the spiritual bits about animal protectors.  Jack getting shot with the arrow was a nice shocker, and I liked seeing the dark side of the SGC looking for alien technology.  The second half was cool to have SGC easily taken over by aliens and having shootouts and whatnot, but the appearance of the aliens was pretty comical unfortunately, something straight out of the first few seasons of Star Trek Next Generation.  This episode would have been lame if not Tonane basically!

2X14    Touchstone 
Plot:  SG1 must hunt a rogue Stargate team who stole an alien device vital to the survival of a world.

Great conspiratorial episode!  This is something we should see a hell of a lot more of, the darker elements of the government/military willing to break the rules to get alien technology.  The paranoia is great, especially when Jack suspects Hammond of being involved.  Very cool to see the Second Stargate from "Solitudes" again and how they use the tricks from that episode to track it, very clever writing.  I particularly loved SG1 visiting Area 51 where all their retrieved technology like the Death Gliders from "Serpent's Lair" are being studied.  It's great to see that there's this whole other level to the work they do!  Also great to see Maybourne in charge of this operation.  I really loved Hammond leaving the SGC and meeting a Deep Throat type contact, very cool!  The ending little shootout at the AF base and the rogue team fleeing through the Stargate was very cool.

2X15    The Fifth Race 
Plot: O'Neill becomes infected with alien knowledge connected to the Asgard and an ancient alliance.

A major storyline episode that really expanded the focus of the series, but most of it is a bit slow regarding the medical problem of O'Neill's affliction.  The opening visit to an ancient meeting place of the Four Races, the discovery of a new set of Stargate coordinates, all interesting stuff.  The topper of course is O'Neill's visit to an Asgard planet and meeting some of them in their true alien form.  Very interesting and touching scene; this is the strength of the show, Earth's interactions with its alien allies.  I really liked the Asgard's interest in and respect of humanity, and promise that we will soon become something more, as well as their personal interest in O'Neill.  Great stuff!

2X16    A Matter of Time 
Plot: Attempting to rescue an SG team trapped near a black hole, SGC itself is affected by the black hole.

Though it's essentially one big scientific thriller, it's a very sucessful one.  It's a show like that showcases how this series knows how to treat science properly and treat the viewers with intelligence (with O'Neill around to garner explanations for us of course!).  It also showcases how the series will follow a logical progression of events; as always the characters think of the same things I do.  And the final gamble, with O'Neill and Teal'c climbing horizontally into the time dilapse, was very cool.

2X17    Holiday 
Plot: An ancient enemy of the Gou'ald, Machello, swaps bodies with Daniel and flees to Earth; O'Neill and Teal'c swap bodies.

What could have been a hilarious sci-fi comedy is unfortunately played straight.  O'Neill and Teal'c swapping bodies should have been played up more as a comedy rather than a tragedy, though as is it was great to see a 'human' Teal'c.  Daniel/Machello befriending a bum and walking the city streets was on the whole underwhelming and uninteresting.  Still, I was interested in Machello as an old foe of the Gou'ald who thinks he deserves another life; like last episode an interesting moral dilemma.

2X18    Serpent's Song 
Plot:  Apophis is captured by SG1, dying and on the run from a new powerful Gou'ald named Sokar.

A good episode that lacks for action but is still an important episode.  It's quite an unexpected and interesting plot twist to have Apothis one-upped by a new Gou'ald.  Sokar obviously promises to be the next big villain for the series, based on the Devil even.  The moral dilemma with Apothis is handled well, especially when we see his host who has been a prisoner for millenia.  It's also great to see the Tok'ra working alongside them as ready (if not incredibly powerful) allies.  This is my favorite aspect of the series, working alongside these alien races.

2X19    One False Step 
Plot: SG1 encounters a strange silent and peaceful race who quickly begin dying off.

The first episode I saw, and very unimpressive.  One of the few genuinely uninteresting episodes.  Between the medical situation and the goofy silent aliens, there just wasn't anything to keep attention.  Even the mystery of the virus and the plants was a yawner.

2X20    Show and Tell 
Plot:  A sick boy comes through the Stargate as an emissary for an invisable alien race, the rebels of which plan to attack Earth.

Great action-packed episode!  Though O'Neill bonding with the boy was a bit slow, these invisable spider aliens were extremely cool (total rip-offs of Babylon 5's The Shadows though they be).  It's also great to see the Tok'ra lending a hand again.  The entire sequence where they are hunting the saboteurs through the SGC compound was incredible, one of the better action sequences I've seen on tv.  And the revelation that an entire army of these critters are waiting is just a story waiting to be told!

2X21    1969 
Plot: SG1 travels back to 1969 from a Stargate mishap, where they encounter a younger Hammond warned by his past self.

A semi-comical time travel episode.  It's interesting to see the past situation of Hammond the Cheyenne base, and the team interacting with them.  Also nice to see Catherine visited.  I appreciate the thought given to preserving the timestream.  Then again, half of the episode is spent with the stupid hippies, which really hurts the rest of the episode.  Also very cool to get a glimpse of the future in 70 or years, with Cassandra an old woman who control the Stargate, though it was obviously in storage.  And the guy playing Young Hammond was a very good match.

2X22    Out of Mind 
Plot: O'Neill, Carter, and Daniel wake in the future but all is not what is seems.

For a clip show it's damn good; the frame story is very intriguing and has quite a neat cliffhanger, plus some great sneaking around Gou'ald stronghold stuff.  And the clips were interesting highlights, rather than inane useless clips as is the norm.  Besides, when I first saw this all the clips were new to me!  However it was quickly apparently these were actually Gou'ald, and it being Hathor was pretty obvious given Hathor got a big clip show as opposed to any other Gou'ald.  Good set-up for the next episode if anything.