“Upgrades” is also a fun episode where our heroes become faster, stronger and smarter because of a device they get to use brought by the Tok’ra operative Anise (Vanessa Angel). A few episodes later a certain moment of this episode becomes important because of Jack’s feelings for Sam.

“Crossroads” guest starts Peter Wingfield (Methos in Highlander, the Series) where An old love of Teal'c, Chulak Temple Priestess Shan'auc, arrives at the SGC saying she can communicate with her symbiont. Teal'c does not believe her until he tries and sees that it is true. But Shan'auc's symbiont is not what it appears, the symbiont is a Goa’uld and despises Shan'auc. He infiltrates into the Tok’ra but instead of capturing him, the Tok’ra let him believe his cover is safe so they can use him. “Divide and Conquer is another great episode where an SG-team member tries to assassinate the Tok'ra leader, it is believed that some of the SGC have been converted into Za'tarc - programmed assassins. Anise returns with Martouf because the Tok’ra have a device which is some sort of a lie detector which could expose the Za’tarc. Jack and Sam are suspected of being a Za’tarc. Refers back to episode “Upgrades”. We loose a great character in this episode too.

“Window of Opportunity” is one of the best or perhaps the best episode of the season. Jack and Teal’c are experiencing groundhog day, every time the same day starts again. When Daniel at one point suggest they could be doing things which normally would have consequences, Jack and Teal’c decide to just play around for a while. I only say this: In the middle of my backswing!!!! 😊 Another Star Trek guest star in the next episode “Watergate”. Marina Sirtis (Troi in TNG) guest stars as a Russian scientist Dr. Svetlana Markov. The Russians also have a Stargate, which is dialed out but aren’t able to shut it down. They ask the help of the SGC. Note - Another solid episode and always nice to see Marina Sirtis in role so unlike Troi in the TNG series. In the Star Trek movies she’s a lot more fun.

In “The First Ones” Daniel gets captured by young adult Unas. Daniel tries to communicate with him but goes very slow but he slowly builds a rapport. Note - It is a good episode, some more insights in the Unas, some great scenes between Daniel and the young Unas. I also like “Scorced Earth” with guest star Brian Markinson as Lotan. SG1 has helped the Enkarans to a new world which was very specific to their needs but soon after they discover a machine hovering nearby terra-forming the ground, making it suitable for another species who has been dead for several thousands of years. Daniel always thinks a little differently than what Jack wants and how he sees things. Funny how Jack ends up agreeing with Daniel most of the time. “Beneath the Surface” is, for me, a bit of a weaker episode, although the set-up I really found interesting. Where there is a group of people living in luxury for the most part possible because another group of people is led to believed that while they need to live and work beneath the surface because the surface is still unhabitable as a result of war. SG-1 has been captured and also work underground, not remembering who they are. Only Teal’c physiology makes it harder mess with his mind.

“Point of No Return” is so much fun, these kinds of episodes I always am looking forward to. The SGC is contacted by a strange man called Martin (Willie Garcon, RIP), a conspiracist who believes he is an alien. The question is, how does Martin know about the Stargate and how come he has a gate address and is he being drugged by others? Martin just wants to go home but his companions don’t, they are deserters and don’t want to go back because they would be punished. Teal’c is Murray! 😊 “Tangent” is also very solid episode with some O’Neill humor in the first few minutes with General Vidrine (Steven Williams) . I think RDA regularly improvises, has to be with what he is saying and doing. Also the remark of Jacob is gold and so true: There's nothing wrong with being young, but you've got to learn to take small steps. You can't just slap a US Air Force sticker on the side of a death glider and call it yours. Advancement like that has to be earned. O'Neill and Teal'c test-fly the experimental spaceship X301, created from two captured Death Gliders. While they attempt a test run in the atmosphere, the craft flies into space. A message from Apophis plays to say that the traitors who took his property would die in the cold of space. Luckily an Tok’ra operative, Jacob (Carmen Argenziano) is in the ‘neighborhood’.

The Curse is an episode I am less fond of, still, with this rewatch I seemed to appreciate it more for some reason. Daniel returns to Chicago when his professor has died. Artifacts that were found contain Goa’ulds: Orisis and Pharaoh. Daniel believes that a former co-worker has opened a jar and has become a Goa’uld, the other one did not survive because the jar was damaged. It turns out Sarah, his former girlfriend has opened the jar and she now is a Goa’uld Osiris, she manages to escape. B-story is humorous when Jack wants to go fishing but nobody wants to go with him. He practically orders Teal’c to come with him, and he really doesn’t want to. In “The Serpent’s Venom” Teal’c is captured after he has been set up, he thought he was meeting with people who also opposed the Goa’uld. He refuses to break when tortured in his conviction that Goa'uld are not gods. He finally convinces Rak'nor, who now bravely acts. “Chain Reaction” definitely is one of my favorite episodes. I really love these kinds of political episodes! When General Hammond suddenly retires, Jack immediately is suspicious of this because knows General Hammond all too well. It appears he is being blackmailed involving his grandchildren. Jack enlists the help of someone he really dislikes: Maybourne! Note – Absolutely great episode, Ronny Cox (Senator Robert Kinsey) is back, which is always fun. From this episode on Jack and Maybourne become …sort of friends.

“2010” is an almost perfect episode where the Aschen have come to earth as friends, technologically advanced race who is very helpful and cooperative. But then Sam learns something alarming. The birthrate has dropped 90%. A slow but certain way of conquering the earth without ever firing a shot! Sam is married to Ambassador Joseph Faxon (Christopher Cousins) and the president is Kinsey. When Sam informs her husband, it becomes clear that he knew of this, but it should have been a 3^rd of that! Our team manage to sent a note back in time, to 2001, not to go to the planet of the Aschen!

Note - After this perfect episode, there is a drop in quality in the last five episodes before the season finale. So I absolutely love season 4….until episode 16. Not to say that the coming 5 episodes are all bad but certainly not my favorites. Season finale is great again.

In “Absolute Power” Harcesis teaches Daniel in a dream what can happen when someone has absolute power. In that dream Daniel is the one with all the power, He also neglects his former team mates and is even, according to Sam, responsible for the death of Teal’c. Note -  As said, not my favorite episode. What I did like was Harcesis child Shifu, teaching the SG command with wisdoms. “The Light” was certainly no highlight, pun intended! 😊 Our team gets almost immediately addicted to a certain light symphony. A light which causes almost immediately addiction symptoms. SG5 members all die from it before SG command knows what’s caused it. Note - I was a bit annoyed that the SG1 team knowingly stood in the light again after the news about SG5, while Carter herself said it earlier about the light that the light could be the cause of deaths of SG5. Not my favorite episode for sure, barely average. I thought “The Prodigy” thankfully was a bit better than the last two episodes. Sam is impressed by a US Airforce cadet Jennifer Hailey (Elisabeth Rosen) who has an attitude problem. She is perhaps as brilliant as Sam is. Sam sees something in her and convinces General Kerrigan and Hammond. She goes with Sam on her first away mission to another pla… moon. There she has her first adventure. Jack and Teal'c are on a planet's moon as security escort to three scientists, soon find a life-form consisting solely of buzzing lights. Sam and Hailey come up with incompatible theories - and time is running out, with the fuel for the generator they need for the only known defense - so Jack makes a barely educated gamble.

“Entity” is the worst episode of the season for me, really boring while it starts out promising but it soon turns into a mediocre episode. When the SGC probes a new planet, an alien energy entity there, responds by invading the SGC's computer systems, and then Major Carter herself. “Double Jeopardy” is several ticks up from last episode. Still not a fantastic story but entertaining. Harlan (Jay Brazeau, “Comtrya”) returns to the SGC telling them he needs their help because his robotic SG-1 team has been going on missions lately and they are long overdue to return. They didn’t bury the gate as they were supposed to. It is a fun as well as a bit of a tragic episode concerning the robotic SG-1 team. Directed by Michael Shanks.

In the season finale, “Exodus” SG-1 is helping move the Tok’ra to a new location. But first Tanith has to be dealt with and he is exposed in front of the Tok’ra council and SG-1. However he manages to escape and gets out of the compound signaling for help. SG-1 sets a trap to kill off as many of Apophis’ soldiers by loading the Tok’ra stargate into a ship and sent the Stargate into the son, soon after Apophis’s ships show up, SG-1 dials the gate to the world they’ve been before where there was a black hole on the other side. A glider is going down to the planet to pick-up Tanith but Teal’c and Jack go after him and stops the ship while they crash-lands themselves. A Goa’uld ship also sends in troops and shoots Teal’c in the back, O’Neill can escape leaving Teal’c behind. SG-1 picks him up and Jacob flies the ship into hyper speed just as the Stargate hits the sun and explodes. Apophis's army is destroyed. But the effects of the explosion catch up with SG-1's ship and knocks it off course. They end up in another galaxy. Jacob says it will take them over a hundred years to get home, even with hyper speed. Soon another ship comes out of hyper speed. It's Apophis's mother ship. Note – This is a great season finale, it has everything, the action, the Jack humor, Apophis and the continuously devious smiling Tanith (Peter Wingfield) 😊. All jokes aside, worthy season finale!

Final Word:

I said it many times before, season 4 is arguably the finest Stargate SG-1 season. Still there are some weaker episodes, especially towards the end of the season but still it is top-notch. Season 4 definitely is several ticks up from the previous seasons with some remarkable episodes like “The Other Side”, “Window of Opportunity”, “Point of No Return”, “Chain Reaction”, “2010” and the season finale “Exodus”. I am really curious now, if season 7 tops this season, it will take awhile to get there but I am looking forward to watching the next upcoming seasons, especially season 7. And if memory servers, I also really enjoyed season 10. Regarding the Blu-ray, I keep being amazed about the PQ, yes I know it is not true HD but if you expect less, you’ll get much more! I did not expect too much from this release, so I am very happy with what I got. Downside, the subtitles, all in capital letters still, with an exception here and there. Very annoying. Overall, I would rate season four 8.5/10.

With help of IMdB, Screencaps taken from: GateWorld