2024/01/18

The six episodes which I like the least are: “The gamekeeper” where SG1 is pulled into a virtual world on a planet where they are forced to relive things that were very hard to begin with. Guest starring Dwight Schulz. I believe he is one of the few well-known TV actors who played as well in Stargate, Star Trek and Babylon 5! “Need” was another episode which I thought was below par. Daniel becomes intoxicated by frequent use of a Sarcophagus, which also changes his character while the rest of SG-1 has to work in the mines. I really dislike “Family”! First of all, I am not a real fan of Jaffa episodes, but this episode is worse because Ry’ac, Teal’c son, he is so annoying, difficult to watch. Best thing about the episode is that of Bra’ tac is there too!

I thought “Bane” was slightly better than the first 3 mentioned episodes but still it was not that interesting to me. Although I always like it when Maybourne comes along because it usually means lots of banter between Jack and him. “One Small Step” was probably my least favorite episode of the second season. Unfortunately, among my least favorite episodes this season, I also count the season finale “Out of Mind”. It starts out interesting and it still is kind of interesting with these Goa’uld pretending to be SGC personnel in a 2077 time line (funny that Continuum 2012, uses the same timeline) but then it becomes an ordinary clip show again and I really hate these episodes, especially because we fans watch these episodes many more time as non (sci-fi) fans, so we’ve seen it already so many times and the creators, to save money, showing it to us again! I’d rather have one episode less per season than a clip show.

“The Serpent’s Lair” was a great opening for season two, it continues from the previous season finale where the Goa’uld are on its way to earth with two vessels which could easily decimate earth. Great adventure story, really like the alpha male behavior of Jack and Bra’tac towards each other. They both want to be the leader of this mission and they try to outdo the other one. The 2^nd episode “In the Line of Duty” is actually a very important episode regarding the story-arc. Sam Carter gets invaded by a Goa’uld but this creature, now living in Sam says she is the opposite of a Goa’uld, they call themselves the Tok’ra, the creature inside Sam is called Jolinar and they are fighting against the Goa’uld. The Tok’ra and the human host live in harmony in one body. Sam’s experience in this episode, frequently gets a follow-up in this season. The same you can say for the 3^rd episode “Prisoners”. It is important because we will meet Lenea, the destroyer of worlds, again. The episode itself I thought to be entertaining but not high on my favorites list.

“Thor’s Chariot” is more or less a follow-up to the season one episode “Thor’s Hammer”. SG-1 returns to the planet Cimmeria, after the Heru’ur has attacked the planet. We actually see the power of the Asguard. Heru’ur is the new Goa’uld bad guy. It was a really exciting episode. “Message in a Bottle” is an okay episode, SG1 brings a device back which promises to be a source of energy. But when it starts to act strange, they want to throw it back through the gate, but sharp pins come out of the device and one of them takes O’Neill with it, hanging O’Neill against the wall. After trying everything the device shows a symbol in the computer screen what is also on the device which makes Daniel think that it/they are actually trying to communicate. “Secrets” is definitely one of my favorite episodes of this season.

Stargate SG1’s 2^nd more political driven episode, first one was season one’s “Politics”. Back then I read that SG1 fans didn’t like most political oriented episodes. Well, I love these kinds of episodes. Daniel’s father-in-law sends Daniel a message to come to Abydos, he meets his wife there who is pregnant and as long as she is pregnant, the Goa’uld inside her stays dormant. Jack is in Washington, and he is approached by a journalist (Chris Owens, Jeffrey Spender in The X-Files) who tells him he is familiar with the Stargate program, he knows specifics. Sam’s dad Jacob (Carmen Argenziano) wants Sam to become an astronaut, he even has some connections to make this possible. Sam of course is way beyond that but cannot tell her dad, who tells her he has cancer! Again, we meet Maybourne (Tom McBeath), which is good for some nice banter with Jack O’Neill.

In the two-parter “The Tok’ra”, we finally meet the people Jolinar was talking about in the episode “In the Line of Duty”. These people hate the Goa’uld even more, even though they also have a snake in their gut. With the Tok’ra however, the host and the Goa’uld live in harmony with each other. For Sam’s dad this could mean he doesn’t have to die if he agrees to become a Tok’ra also. First time we meet Martouf / Lantash (JR Bourne), who was Jolinar’s husband. “Spirits” is another favorite episode of mine. I really like the character Tonané (Rodney A. Grant), gave me a lot of smiles during the episode. He and his people call the Stargate: Circle of Standing Water! Love it! Another familiar guest star: Roger R. Cross, whom we know of many shows, to name a few: First Wave; Continuum; Dark Matter. “Touchstone” is another strong episode and is also a political episode! The 2^nd Stargate is being used to steal certain items which can protect earth against the Goa’uld. SGI is going to investigate this, starting at Area 51. First episode where we learn that there is more politics involved.

“A Matter of Time” is another exciting episode where a black hole is the reason the Stargate at the SGC cannot be closed again. Because of this, time goes by slower in Cheyenne Mountain than topside. 20 minutes is approximately 22 hrs topside. Jack and a former friend and colleague Colonel Frank Cromwell (Marshal Teague, Babylon 5, Roadhouse) has a difficult task to cut the connection between the black hole and the Stargate. First time we meet Major Paul Davis (Colin Cunningham). “The Fifth Race” is also one of the best episodes this season where Jack meets the Asgard (with a Chevron 8) after a strange device has downloaded knowledge of the ancient race into his brain which makes him smart overnight. This episode has a definite link to the season one episode “Torment of Tantalus”. It is suggested that the human race will become the fifth race after Asgard, The Nox and the Furlings and the Ancients, who were the builders of the Stargates.

In “Serpent’s Song” Apophis, who is chased by Sokar, is caught by SG1. In fact, Apophis himself arranged this because he figures the Tauri will help him, which they do not. The Tok’ra are brought in, and they advise SGC to bring him back to where they got him because otherwise Sokar will come after the Tauri as well. After some consideration they take this advice, even though he is dead. But Sokar can bring him back alive with his sarcophagus. Sam and Martouf grow closer together. In “Holiday” we see something that almost every SCI-FI show has done, switching bodies! On a planet SG1 gated to, they meet an older man named Ma’Chello. He was an adversary to the Goa’uld. Teal’c’s first assignment when in the service of Apophis, was to find this Ma’Chello. He and Daniel switch bodies but at the same time Daniel, now inside Ma’Chello’s body, collopses. They bring him with them and Ma’Chello escapes the SGC to live life to the fullest! When Daniel wakes up inside Ma’Chello’s body, he tells them who he is and the rest of SG1 has to try and locate him. Not only Daniel and Ma’Chello swap bodies, Jack and Teal’c also swap bodies. Nice performance of Christopher Judge as Jack. In “Show and Tell” we meet a young boy (Jeff Gulka, The X-Files) who somehow has over-ridden the Iris and is able to come to earth. He is there with his mother, a Reetou, but she is invisible. He tells SG1 that they are in terrible danger from a group of terrorists, named the Reetou. The Tok’ra come to help in the form of Jacob, they have a weapon which allows them to see the Reetou. Sam’s dad and he says that the Reetou will not give up easily!

I wish “1969” was the season finale! A fun episode, where SG-1 gets to time-travel back to 1969. Just before they leave, Sam gets a note from Hammond, which he asks her not to open before they are through the gate. Hammond already lived through this and knew this day would come, because in the past he was the one who helped SG-1 get back to their own time. And yes “Out of Mind”, already discussed this episode, as I said, the premise is interesting but soon it becomes a clip show, and I really don’t like clip shows. But the episode does start interesting, and there are a few notable things besides the clip show, like Teal’c resigning his post so he can go home to Chulak with the intention of gather help to rescue SG1.

Final Word:

Overall, a very entertaining season, knowing that it will only get better in the seasons to come. I would grade this season a 7.5/10, little bit more than a handful episodes which I could easily miss but on the whole it is a very consistent season. Really hope that subtitles in season 3 are normal again and I really am curious if the PQ gets better with season 3.

Screencaps taken from: Gateworld