Stargate SG-1: Within the Serpent's Grasp

After last week's waste of time, the final episode (Within the Serpent's Grasp) is actually pretty cool. Aside from the fact that it's a cliffhanger. Don't you hate it when a season ends in the middle of what is essentially a double-length episode? I hate that. It's obviously not the same when you're watching it years later and can just keep going, but when it's first broadcast it means you come into the new season having to try to remember what the hell's going on.

Stargate SG-1: Politics

After such a good run of episodes it all comes grinding to a halt in episode 21 (Politics), which is a clip show. The biggest problem with this episode is that there's actually some plot development setting up the finale so you can't just skip it entirely, but you are going to want to watch it with the remote in hand so you can fast forward all the stuff you've already seen.

Stargate SG-1: There But for the Grace of God

Episode 20 (There But for the Grace of God) continues the run of good episodes. It's one of those concepts that every sci-fi show gets to eventually, but it's pretty much always fun and usually serves a worthwhile purpose - and this is no exception.

Stargate SG-1: Tin Man

Well, look at that, it's another good episode! Tin Man (episode 19) is a neat little mystery the first time you watch it and still holds up on repeat viewings as well. It's another case of them establishing some cool aliens that they never really do anything with - they do come back again once, but it really seems like everyone on Earth should be a lot more excited about all this.

Stargate SG-1: Solitudes

Finally! At long last - and it took longer than I remembered - this show actually gets good. Really good actually. Solitudes (episode 18) is one of my favourite episodes of the entire series and even holds up compared with the best of a lot of other shows. Certainly it's enough to remind me why I loved this show.

Stargate SG-1: Enigma

Enigma (episode 17) mostly pretty dull. I can basically tell you the entire plot in one sentence: SG-1 find some technologically advanced humans who won't share their knowledge. That's pretty much all that happens.

Stargate SG-1: Cor-ai

Cor-ai (episode 16) is a Teal'c episode and it's... not bad? There are some annoying things about it, but as far as season one goes it's pretty average.

Stargate SG-1: Singularity

Episode 15 (Singularity) is a bit of a mixed bag. Rather like the last episode, there are some really good ideas in there, but the execution is lacking. We do get a bit of character development and setup for later episodes though.

Stargate SG-1: Hathor

Episode 14 (Hathor) is real dumb, but also pretty essential. There are some great ideas here, but the execution is just, well, dumb.

Stargate SG-1: Fire and Water

Episode 13 (Fire and Water) is not good. Even Bloodlines was better. It's slow, not much happens, and if you skipped it you'd miss nothing. Skip it is my advice.

Stargate SG-1: Bloodlines

Episode 12 (Bloodlines) is a Teal'c episode. You won't know this if you're watching for the first time, of course, but that invariably means it's going to be shit. I don't dislike Teal'c himself mind you, as a character he's fine. It's just that episodes focused on him tend to be bad. He's definitely more of a supporting character. This episode does introduce an important character who'll be showing up a lot more later though.

Stargate SG-1: The Torment of Tantalus

The Torment of Tantalus (episode 11) does push the plot forward a little bit, but it's also kind of a slow, anticlimactic episode, so it's a bit of a mixed bag. Mainly it just feels too long. There's a good story there, but it just doesn't feel like enough for a full episode.

Stargate SG-1: Thor's Hammer

I've been pretty critical of the last few episodes, but I actually have some positive stuff to say about Thor's Hammer (episode ten). The main plot doesn't exactly move forward but some interesting pieces are put in place and it's a neat episode.

Stargate SG-1: Brief Candle

Brief Candle (episode nine) is the second in a row that feels like it should have been a Star Trek episode. There's a little bit to tie it to the ongoing plot, but only in a tangential way, and as we approach the halfway point of season one it feels like we haven't really made any progress since the show began.

Stargate SG-1: The Nox

The Nox (episode eight) is a weird one, but it only becomes apparent how weird it is later on. On its own, this episode doesn't seem particularly significant. There are a couple of reasons to pay attention, but mostly it seems unconnected and meaningless. But later on we'll learn that it actually had much greater significance. Sort of.

Stargate SG-1: Cold Lazarus

Episode seven, Cold Lazarus, seems to exist for one simple reason: to fill anyone who didn't see the movie in on Jack's backstory. There's a little bit more to it to keep it interesting for those who already know, but it doesn't tie in to the Goa'uld or have any real repercussions going forward.

Stargate SG-1: The First Commandment

I could pretty much summarise The First Commandment (episode six) in six words: Apocalypse Now on a TV budget. Why does this exist? Were Robert C. Cooper and Dennis Berry just really big fans of the movie? If so, you'd think they'd be less keen to do a shitty rip-off of it. It's a mystery.

Stargate SG-1: The Broca Divide

Before I get into the plot of episode 5 (The Broca Divide) I just want to address a little point they make at the start of the episode about the gate addresses. The last symbol represents the point of origin. How does the destination take six symbols and the origin only one? Maybe there's some mathsy answer to this but it makes no sense to me. Anyway...

Stargate SG-1: Emancipation

Emancipation is episode 4, and it's bad. It's real bad.

Stargate SG-1: The Enemy Within

Episode three (counting the first, double-length episode as two) is The Enemy Within. A few important things get established this episode, the first being the "iris", the metal shield they put over the Stargate to prevent the Goa'uld from just walking into their base any time they feel like it. There's some technobabble explanation, but that's not really important, it's just a door.