Stargate Rewatch: Children of the Gods, The Enemy Within, and Emancipation

[holdouttrout]

That's right, people. I'm watching it from the beginning, and I'm not going to skip a single ep. No, not even that one. NOT EVEN FAMILY TIES.

So there.

I can hear some of you groaning that I will obviously have nothing interesting in my journal for the next forever. Obviously you paid attention during the Sanctuary rewatch. *g* Thankfully, that's what lj-cut is for.



Children of the Gods

I watched the original version, mostly because I like torturing myself with the reproductive organs speech. I can't help myself--it sets up two jokes later on!

Mostly I noticed how many things didn't quite make sense with the rest of the series--like Apophis having some kind of hand-held DHD or something, anyway. Or having to figure out how to dial Earth. I'm still not sure how to reconcile all of the gate-related stuff in this early season with later episodes/seasons. *employs handwave powers* Or all the bits about the goa'ulds choosing hosts.

One thing I noticed was how many times they did the conflicted-Teal'c look. I hadn't realized how much time they spent making sure that we were sympathetic to him before he switched sides. It's impressive that it works--I even got the impression that he picked out the blonde from Earth and Sha're because he thought they might be chosen and thus, not killed. Maybe.

I love that annienau08 pointed out that Teal'c surrenders his staff weapon to Sam when he comes through the gate. Good stuff, there. Sam just about to go through the gate for the first time is one of my favorites, too, as is Jack gently shoving her through. Scientists. *g*

The Enemy Within

More goa'uld stuff that doesn't quite jive with what comes later. Kawalsky really should have stuck around longer. What a way to go. I can't quite imagine the Stargate that hit its stride later in first season killing off a character quite that quickly, or quite that way--it was hopeless from the beginning.

Jack's hard edge really shows in this ep, too. His "My friend died on the table." Ouch.

One of the things I really liked was that Teal'c wasn't angry about being treated as a prisoner. He understood that he didn't automatically get a pass. He was willing to do what was needed to earn their trust and to help in any way he could--which admittedly wasn't much.

I also liked the beginnings of the familiar give and take between Sam and Jack when Sam's explaining the iris, and the scenes between Daniel and Sam when they're talking about Sha're and how something of the host must survive, since Kawalsky knew how to set the auto-destruct.

Emancipation

I was really bugged this time by the three guys not bothering to stand up for Sam as a member of their team--I really think that later on they would have said something like "Hey, dudes. This woman is one of us. Take her or leave us by the gate." Or… something. Wouldn't they?

Sam's headpiece was cracking me up--more because she didn't take it off when escaping than anything else.

I do like that Jack doesn't even suggest Sam not fight the guy--and even though he's ready to bail her out, it's more a preventative measure than it is real doubt in her abilities.

That being said, some of Sam's lines are cringe-worthy. The one about something being in her teeth--augh. Hate it. And what the hell kind of Sam is along for the ride after getting kidnapped by a young guy who clearly doesn't really know what he's doing???

Still, I do like that Sam takes responsibility for the ripples her actions caused, and that it works out and no one dies.

And Teal'c and I will always have Oprah.

Comments

[pepper]

Hoorah for rewatches! :D

I even got the impression that he picked out the blonde from Earth and Sha're because he thought they might be chosen and thus, not killed.

Yeah, I've noticed that. I do think they did that on purpose, because in an episode... soon?, Teal'c talks about being First Prime in order to keep a bit of a lid on Apophis. The blonde and Sha're seemed like strong possible hosts, compared to the others (why the Goa'uld seemingly need someone with a bit more backbone is beyond me, but hey-ho).

I was really bugged this time by the three guys not bothering to stand up for Sam as a member of their team

Yes. Early days, *handwave*handwave*, but still. I can buy Daniel's reasoning of "Oh, anthropologists do this all the time", but I think Jack should have told them where to shove it. It's not a different country, it's a different planet, and they don't know the possible dangers. He's not usually concerned about fitting in seamlessly with the local culture, and the idea that he let it happen because it was funny or something is... dumb.

But yes to Jack letting her fight the dude. I was fully expecting a "Hey, pick on somebody your own size!", and I'm really glad they didn't do that.

[holdouttrout]

Maybe the goa'uld just get bored of pretty, willing hosts? Or perhaps it's another way to show dominance, but that doesn't make much sense unless you parade around the hosts' home planet(s) a lot. Hmm.

He's not usually concerned about fitting in seamlessly with the local culture

This. I'm going to chalk it up to brain freeze and assume Sam... got her point across later. *nods*

(Also, I forgot to mention this, but in The Enemy Within, during their briefing, right when they sit back down, Jack totally reaches over and... pats Sam's arm, and it's SO RANDOM. I can't figure out the motivation for it at all. It's not shippy in the slightest, and yet... *flails*)

[pepper]

assume Sam... got her point across later.

Oh yes. Perhaps with arm wrestling, the forfeit being that he had to listen to her presentation on women in the military. With PowerPoint slides. :D

Jack totally reaches over and... pats Sam's arm, and it's SO RANDOM

Ooh. *makes note to rewatch* I like the random touches. RDA is such a touchy-feely actor.

[holdouttrout]

I'm sure I've never caught that one before, and I was so surprised that I had to watch it again--twice--to make sure of what I thought I saw.

I'm actually really amused at the idea of Sam giving an actual PowerPoint presentation on women in the military. Heh.

[sg-fignewton.livejournal.com]

NOT EVEN FAMILY TIES.

You masochist, you. :)

That scene when Teal'c surrenders his staff weapon to Sam is one of my favorites from the pilot, and it KILLED me that it didn't make it into the Director's Cut.

I know that Kawalsky had to die because they only had the actor for those two eps, but... it feels right, even though I loved the character and wanted more of him. Because MAN were they stumbling in the dark at that point. So pointless deaths did have a point, so to speak.

I'm looking forward to your rewatches!

[holdouttrout.livejournal.com]

Heh. Family Ties is just about my least favorite, most rage-inducing episode of the whole series, because it doesn't make ANY sense with what we already knew about Vala. Which wasn't even a whole lot! AUGH. Still, I like the beginning and ending bits, so it's not complete torture. *g*

I wonder why that scene didn't make it? It's a great moment.

I do think you're right--pointless deaths weren't pointless at the time, but it would have been fun to see Kawalsky some more--though we do get alternate/hallucinatory versions of him, so it's not all bad. :-)

[holdouttrout.livejournal.com]

I do appreciate he comes back as alternate versions of himself down the line, because he and Jack do have a very fun, snarky friendship. *g*

[gabolange.livejournal.com]

I think Teal'c and all of us will always have Oprah. But, wow, I'm impressed that you're doing a true rewatch, reproductive organs and all . . . and I'm looking forward to your commentary a whole lot!

[holdouttrout.livejournal.com]

I've been wanting to do a real rewatch on my own--redial is actually too slow for me to keep up, if that makes any sense at all!

And commentary is fun because it helps me remember things I wouldn't otherwise notice.

[grav-ity.livejournal.com]

I'm watching it from the beginning, and I'm not going to skip a single ep.

You are a stronger person than I. ;)

Oh, Stargate. *pets it*

[holdouttrout.livejournal.com]

Hee! There are quite a few eps I BARELY remember at all, so if I start skipping any, I know I'll miss some good things.

And some really, really bad ones. *g*

[jennickels.livejournal.com]

I've done this a couple times. I actually got all the way through mid-season 5 last time before life got in the way. My DVDs are still sitting on my desk waiting for me to continue watching or put them away.

I've also watched through every episode with the commentaries on (obviously only the seasons they have commentaries for). I was actually thinking of restarting from season 1 again. Man, I must be more bored than I thought.

[holdouttrout.livejournal.com]

Last time I tried a rewatch I got to about season 4.5 and then lost momentum... not to mention some of those rewatches weren't very attentive and thus, not entirely helpful. *g*

[archersangel.livejournal.com]

I've also watched through every episode with the commentaries on....

they didn't start doing those until season 3, right?

[jennickels.livejournal.com]

season 3 or 4. I think the first season didn't have every episode but after that they did one for almost every episode. They're pretty funny and you get a lot of insight into how they film shows.

[a-loquita.livejournal.com]

Aww, baby!SG-1 *pets them*

[holdouttrout.livejournal.com]

They're quite adorable, really. :-)

[phdelicious.livejournal.com]

You know what was really disconcerting for me... going from early on in an SG1 rewatch to a new episode of Sanctuary - specifically the one earlier this year which introduced Jeckyll/Hyde and Helen was a total HBIC. Yeah, odd.

Anyways - the other thing I like about Emancipation is that you get Jack's 'woah she's not just a woman, she's a hot woman' type reaction to the outfit. I know ppl like to skip it but for me it's a part of the foundation of the ship.

[holdouttrout.livejournal.com]

Hee! Yes, that has been a little bit of an odd move going the other way, too. *g* Helen to early!Sam = disconcerting.

[rdamel.livejournal.com]

Good for you! I actually like a lot of s.1, though I know others do not. Have fun!

Melissa M.

[holdouttrout.livejournal.com]

I like parts of all of the episodes in season 1--early SG-1 is adorable. :-)

[rdamel.livejournal.com]

P.S. I would definitely draw the line at Family Ties, though I might watch the beginning with Vala and Sam back from their shopping trip again--that's the only part of that ep that I let myself remember, frankly.

I was OK with watching s. 9 and 10 as they aired, but I'm a Team and Jack fan, and my team is not the one without Jack, so I rarely if ever rewatch either of those seasons. And I don't pay a lot of attention to s. 8, either.

[holdouttrout.livejournal.com]

I dunno. I kinda like the ending for Family Ties, too, although my own personal feeling is that Teal'c started to enjoy himself just before intermission. *g*

[rdamel.livejournal.com]

I'd forgotten that Teal'c's taking in That Play was from that episode--now I know what you mean about the ending. As I said, I did my best to forget most of this episode, with good reason!

[callista1159.livejournal.com]

heehee, have fun rewatching!

I'm watching it from the beginning, and I'm not going to skip a single ep.

I've rewatched a couple of times. I figure that watching them on 32 speed (as fast as my DVD player can go!) still counts, as you can go back to normal speed for any interesting scenes.

Enjoy the many many hairstyles of the early seasons ;)

[holdouttrout.livejournal.com]

It's ALL about the hair! ;-)

[archersangel.livejournal.com]

i did a re-watch not long, but skipped some. (you have to pay me, at least 4 digits each, to watch some of those)


i din't get why the killed kawalsky only to have him come back in nearly every alternate universe/timeline episode. what was the point of having him if he was just going to get bumped off in the second episode? ferretti got dropped like a hot potato after a short time too.

[holdouttrout.livejournal.com]

I think he was always scheduled to die, and then the tone of the show softened a lot, and he was a good character to bring back because he was familiar. *shrugs*