Season Four Episode Reviews

4X22    Exodus (part 1 of 2)
4X21    Double Jeopardy
4X20    Entity
4X19    Prodigy
4X18    The Light
4X17    Absolute Power

4X16    2010 
Plot: Ten years in the future the former SG1 team discovers their alien allies the Aschen are killing off humanity.

Great what-if episode!  The future world looked very neat, especially the Stargate Terminal, great location shooting there.  The alternate-future stuff was very interesting, the Aschen, the Gou'ald War, etc.  The revelation that the Aschen were secretly or accidentally rendering the human race infertile was a very cool idea.  The final suicide charge to the Stargate was a wonderful moving sequence, though it seems idiotic that the team didn't seem to be planning for the lazer defenses at all.  I wonder if we'll ever run into the present-day Aschen, they seem too powerful to remain offscreen just by not going to a single planet.  President Kinnsey was interesting.

4X15    Chain Reaction 
Plot: Jack teams up with Maybourne to resinstate Hammond from NID; a Naquadah bomb is tested by the replacement.

Good episode that deals with important but oft-forgotten plots.  Hammond resigning was a shocker, glad to see Maybourne was arrested.  Jack and Maybourne were an interesting team up (not stellar mind you) but I really love making NID such a major threat without Maybourne (hopefully the next NID character will be more intimidating!).  Great to see Senator Kinnsey again and Jack blackmailing him for NID involvement was very cool.  I hope we don't see Maybourne again, they've taken the character about as far as he can go.  The subplot was actually slightly more interesting, I liked the new General as a heavy and I'm delighted they finally came up with a powerful weapon against the Gou'ald, possibly even a planet buster. This is very important, and the drama of the Gate radiation was great, and there were tons of great continuity about the Gate functions.

4X14    Serpent's Venom 
Plot: SG1 and Jacob Carter attempt to disrupt an alliance between Apophis and Heru'Ur; Teal'c is tourtured by the Gou'ald.

Another great episode that FINALLY moves forward the Apophis storyarc.  Great to work alongside Jacob again, and the mine surrounded planet was a very cool visual.  The tension of flying through it with a mine in the ship was also very exciting.  Teal'c being tortured was done pretty well, and the religious talk was very interesting.  We've never really heard the Jaffa discuss religion before.  The ending was both excellent and lame.  I found it ridiculous that Teal'c just happened to be on Heru'Ur's ship (especially since he was taken on Chulak and so would have been a prisoner of Apophis!!!) and that they just happened to escape off it before it was destroyed.  Apophis having a fleet of cloaked Motherships was a very cool plot twist, especially for its implications about the coming war.  Heru'Ur being presumably killed was also pretty shocking (and disappointing) and now Apophis is stronger than ever.  I can't wait to see what comes next!

4X13    The Curse 
Plot: The death of a mentor draws Daniel back to his old colleagues; another Gou'ald is found on Earth.

Like "Beneath the Surface" it's another slow uneventful episode.  Daniel's past wasn't terribly interesting (as was already covered much better in the movie, "Forever in a Day", and "Crystal Skull") nor were his colleagues.  The hunt for a renegade Gou'ald on Earth (just a rehash of "Hathor" and "Seth" as it is) COULD have been interesting, unfortunately we don't really get into this until the very end.  It was interesting that they invented a Gou'ald tranquilizer though.  The final scene with Osiris was the only really interesting scene in the episode, though he seems to be yet another generic Gou'ald making empty promises of revenge.  I hope they're not building him/her up as a major villain, because he/she did not impress here.  Jack dragging Teal'c to fishing makes him come off as a total ass rather than be funny.

4X12    Tangent 
Plot: Jack and Teal'c are stranded in a converted Gou'ald Death Glider; Sam and Daniel try to get Tok'ra aid.

This was a great episode.  The tension was very great and moving, the situation very dramatic.  Jack and Teal'c on the Death Glider were a real hoot as well as touching.  The scientific solutions were very understandable and clever.  I particularly loved Sam and Daniel running into Jacob and then running into a Gou'ald Mothership.  Very exciting stuff!  It's interesting how Jacob was pissed at Earth for trying to meddle with advanced technology and the legitimate argument he had with Sam and Daniel.  The final rescue was great, especially with Jack acting like a child from oxygen depravation.  I was delighted to see Earth finally had developed their own space fighter from all the tech they've since gotten, hopefully they can get them working so that they FINALLY have some means of orbital defense from Gou'ald attack.

4X11    Point of No Return 
Plot: A conspiracy theorist claims to be of alien descendent and knows about SGC.

What should have been an important story just comes off as a lame joke.  All the conspiracy theorist stuff is incredibly trite and uninspired.  There were a few nice comedy bits (like Teal'c as Murray and the vibrating bed) and it was nice to see the gang in action on Earth, but it just moves really slowly with nothing major ever happening.  The FX of the destroyed world were great, and it was nice to get a Gou'ald mention.  With a title like this, I was really hoping the SGC would go public finally but alas no.  And worst of all, they never explain the security leak; the geek said he read it on a conspiracy website, yet the gang never seems to give this any concern!

4X10    Beneath the Surface 
Plot: SG1 is given false memories and made to work in an alien labor camp.

One of the worst in recent years, it just isn't interesting and moves very slowly.  Since these aren't our characters there is little to care about them, and practically nothing happens in the entire episode.  The concept of the alien culture dependent on slave labor to survive but is now merely maintaining the illusion to prevent a class revolution is an interesting, but this wasn't the way to go about it.

4X9    Scorched Earth 
Plot: SG1 attempts to help a small culture about to be destroyed by a massive alien terraforming machine.

Another interesting moral dilemma episode, but nothing spectacular happens.  The FX for the alien machine are beautiful, Lotan is an interesting character, the O'Neill-Daniel argument is interesting.  I'm suprised O'Neill never considered the fact that these terra forming aliens could be VERY powerful allies against the Gou'ald and be willing to give them advanced technology, it's a pretty large plot hole; no one even mentions it.  Not to mention the fact that by mere numbers the terra-formers have more right to the planet!  O'Neill going directly against orders is something major that just isn't followed up on.  Daniel teaching Lotan to be human was just a little too easy.    Naquaada bomb was nice idea.

4X8    The First Ones 
Plot: Daniel is kidnapped by a primitive Unas on the ancestral Gou'ald homeworld.

A somewhat uninteresting and pedestrian plot with Daniel making friends with the beast is combined with a somewhat more interesting but still sub par subplot of SG1 going after him and running into some primitive Gou'alds.  A major MAJOR concept like the Gou'ald home world is completely wasted as some forgotten planet... when it should have been the most powerful Gou'ald planet or something like that.  It's very interesting to learn about the evolution of the Gou'ald and Unas, though it's unfortunate it's so unimportant to the episode.  Rothman being possessed by a Gou'ald and then killed totally shocked me, just when he was becoming a recurring character!

4X7    Watergate
Plot: SG1 travels to Russia, where a group of scientists was using the first captured Stargate but now lost contact.

Great episode that establishes a major new plot line while also telling a great thriller/mystery with a great idea.  Markov was a great character and the stunt casting of Mariana Sirtis was very cool.  SG1 working with the Russians to help their screwed up SG program was very cool, and it was very neat to learn that the Russians had the Giza DHD and so could use it without SGC being aware.  Finding a base all dead with some killing each other was a very neat mystery (though alien possession was a bit obvious then), and finding Maybourne working with the Russians was an amazingly cool and shocking plot twist.  The FX of the mini sub going through the water planet was wonderful, and the drama of being in a trapped sub was also great.  Sentient alien water is a really interesting and original idea, and it's nice to see it was peaceful (the sub window flying away to stationary water was a very cool scene).  It's a tragedy there was no closure in the ending though; we don't know if Maybourne escaped, if the Russian SG Program will continue, if the Americans will demand the Alpha Gate back, if they'll meet the water again, and so on.  Hopefully we'll hear more from Russia and Maybourne later (though I don't see how Maybourne could escape the SG1).

4X6    Window of Oppurtunity 
Plot: O'Neill and Teal'c are trapped in a continuous time loop by an alien scientist.

Time loop episodes walk a fine line on being annoying and boring through repetition.  For about the first half of this episode, it fails miserably in this respect and is quite tedious.  But the second half is very stellar; the montage sequences of Jack and Teal'c are some of the most hilarious things SG1 has ever done.  Jack and Teal'c in golf clothes hitting balls through the Stargate is the real classic, especially with a pissed off Hammond storming up to them.  Also interesting to see Jack taking the opportunity to kiss (and maybe even have sex with) Carter.  Also very cool to have this mention of the Ancients.  The ending where SG1 talks down Malakai was perfectly handled, and was very touching.  It's a shame this character was an absolute rip-off of VOY's "Year of Hell" though.

4X5    Divide and Conquer 
Plot: Gou'ald sleeper personalities in SG members threaten a Tok'ra/Earth summit.

A wonderful "Manchurian Candidate" type episode full of twists and turns!  Nice to see a major event with the Tok'ra- seeing their leader Per'sus who meets the President for a formal treaty.  Great to see Martouf again, and Anise/Freya gets some great material (though perhaps the Jack crush thing is a bit silly).  Carter and O'Neill being zatarcs was a shocking twist, but just as shocking was the real false remembrance, forcing them to define their feelings towards each other.  Very shocking that this happened so soon, though it's unfortunate they decided to ignore it so quickly.  It's really cool to go back into a previous episode, "Upgrades", and find some hidden plot going on there!  Martouf being the zatarc and being killed by Carter was extremely shocking, though it's a real shame since there was lots more stuff for him to do.  It's a real shame the Gou'ald mole in the Tok'ra from "Crossroads" didn't figure into this episode, and it's heinous he wasn't even mentioned.

4X4    Crossroads 
Plot:  An old flame of Teal'c's claims to have mastered her symbiote and the secrets of the Gou'ald, and wishes to join Tok'ra.

A good taunt episode, though lacking in action.  The mystery of whether the Gou'ald is defecting or not certainly keeps interest, though I was reasonably positive he would be evil all along, because if he was good it would be too easy and make the Tok'ra too powerful.  I found Anise much less annoying, and plus her motivations were better explained (she's fighting for survival!).  Also cool to see the Tok'ra HQ, nice sets.  I was very surprized to see that NOONE mentioned the fact that Teal'c is married and has a son while he's off with this girl, possibly even having sex.  I'm also pissed that Bre'tac didn't appear, I mean if he just walked through the gate for 5 minutes he could have immeadiately confirmed the girl's trust worthiness, saving us about 10 minutes of redundant plotting, plus it would be great to see him!  And what is he doing with people on Chulak, I thought Apophis wiped out the entire planet in "Maternal Instinct"!  Very powerful ending though.

4X3    Upgrades 
Plot: The new Tok'ra liason offers super-human enhancing to SG1 which has unintended effects.

Great episode, though perhaps a bit slow until the final act.  SG1 getting super-human powers is just an incredibly cool concept in every way, and seeing their affected behavior was pretty hilarious.  The new Tok'ra character, Anise/Freya, was very interesting, though I was pretty mystified by SGC's distrust of the Tok'ra all of a sudden; with the possible exception of the Asgard the Tok'ra have been the most helpful ally they've ever had!  In all their recent appearances they've been nothing but friendly (in "Devil You Know" they were willing to sacrifice SG1 to take out Sokar, but that makes sense), sure sometimes the symbiotes are a little rude but so what?  And so what if the Tok'ra produced these gauntlets just so they could take out Apophis' new battleship, it makes sense!  And man, that final act with the super-human powers against an army of Apophis was just absolutely amazing. Wow!  Very impressive FX as always, and it's great to finally get some Apophis action again.

4X2    The Other Side 
Plot: SGC agrees to help a besieged alien race in return for advanced technology, but all is not as it seems.

A very good stand-alone episode with some very good controversial moral issues!  The stunt casting of DS9's Odo as the leader was very cool, and he was great for the role.  There's also some very neat action FX sequences with the remote controlled air fighters.  The final 'Nazi' plot twist took me awhile to figure out (I was positive they were connected to the Gou'ald).  Personally, I think that Earth had no place to impose their morals on an alien society, and should just gotten the technology.  After all, Apophis is coming!  And I think Jack's abrupt turn around from dealing to murdering Alar was a bit weird.  And it's a shame that Jack's actions seem to have cause a split between him and Carter, just when they were getting along so well.  Certainly one of the better stand-alone episodes.

4X1    Small Victories (part 2 of 2) 
Plot: The surviving Replicator takes a Russian submarine; Carter aids the Asgard war effort against the Replicators.

A rousing action packed premiere, and it goes in some unexpected and interesting directions.  Unfortunately the biggest aspects of the season finale's cliffhanger were negated; we don't see anything of SG1 and Thor stuck on some alien planet, the loss of the Stargate is given a throwaway line, and only ONE Replicator survived the crash.  Just one!  I was looking forward to seeing a mass of them a) crawling along the ocean floor, then the US military shooting them up when they reach California or b) taking over the Navy ships sent to investigate and then more ships (and maybe the Russians!) must be called in to stop them.  Very anti-climactic, but given all that the action sequences in the cramp submarine were very impressive.  Unlike Thor's spacy ship, there's no room to maneuver in here (impressive use of a real submarine as well!).  Another anti-climactic bit is these Replicators being weaker, though it does make sense.  Carter with the Asgard was much more interesting on a whole, though it would have worked MUCH better if O'Neill had gone; he's the one Thor really likes and he's the military commander, Carter's just a scientist!  The FX of the Asgard planet were absolutely amazing, though unfortunately we only see the naval battle as a computer read-out and not the real thing (very lame!).  Carter working with Thor on stratagems was very cool, particularly when she hugs him at the end.  Plus, Thor actually demonstrates some humor ("I like the yellow ones", "It was your stupid idea")!  Again, it's a shame the Replicators don't have their own ships, and I'm very glad that this episode didn't miraculously end the Replicator threat, it was only a 'small victory'.  It was very touching when Thor expressed their gratitude and promised their aid in the Gou'ald War after they've finished with the Replicators.  And how hilarious was the Asgard's new super ship being named "The O'Neill"?!  What is up with their connection to O'Neill?  On a minor note, there was a few superficial changes this episode.  Carter got longer hair, Teal'c got an incredibly stupid looking yellow goatee, but most important Carter and O'Neill are suddenly much more interested in each other than they were last episode.