Stargate Atlantis - "Duet" (TV Episode Review #7)

What happens when two people get trapped in the same body?  Shenanigans, awkward moments, and hilarity ensue.  Such is the case with poor Dr. Rodney McKay, who gets the mind and voice of Lt. Laura Cadman, a U.S. Marine, literally trapped inside his head after a beaming incident with a Wraith glider and a rescue mission gone awry.

Stargate SG-1 - "Window of Opportunity" (TV Episode Review #6)

“Window of Opportunity” may have absolutely nothing to do with the main storyline of Stargate SG-1, but it is regarded as one of the best episodes of the series.  It is just about Stargate Command getting caught up in a Groundhog Day time loop scenario, with Jack and Teal’c being the only ones aware of what is going on.  How could such an episode rank as one of the show’s finest?  Perhaps because it’s smartly written and perfectly edited, with a high-quality standalone story that resonates on multiple levels.

Stargate Atlantis - "Trinity" (TV Episode Review #5)

“Trinity” is an episode about hubris.  It centers on Rodney McKay and Ronon Dex (in one of the earliest episodes with the classic lineup) as they let their arrogances get to their heads.  First, there is Rodney’s arrogance in believing he is smarter than the Ancients after the Atlantis team discovers an Ancient superweapon.  In addition, Ronon shows his own persistence, preferring his own ends over the grander scheme of things, when accompanying Teyla on a peaceful trading mission.

Stargate Atlantis - "Rising" (TV Episode Review #4)

As the pilot of Stargate Atlantis, “Rising” was the culmination of the buildup from the SG-1 episodes “Lost City” and “New Order”, themselves the culmination of numerous plot threads surrounding the Ancients.  If this pilot had failed, then it—and all the SG-1 story arcs that preceded it—would have been all for nothing.  As such, it is so satisfying that Stargate Atlantis managed to find its own ground in its first episode.

Stargate SG-1 - "Jolinar's Memories" / "The Devil You Know" (TV Episode Review #3)

In the Season 3 two-parter “Jolinar’s Memories” / “The Devil You Know”, General Jacob Carter, father of Major Samantha Carter and host to Tok’ra councilor Selmak, is captured by Sokar, the System Lord who has taken the role of Satan.   Jacob has been taken to Netu—a moon that looks like Hell—and SG-1 teams up with the Tok’ra agent Martouf to rescue him.  Oh, and by the way, Sokar is raising a gigantic army to conquer all the other System Lords and then the galaxy.  Good luck!

Stargate SG-1 - "Thor's Chariot" (TV Episode Review #2)

“Thor’s Chariot” sees SG-1 return to the planet Cimmeria, the Nordic planet from Season 1’s “Thor’s Hammer”, and it is a vital keystone in the show’s continuity.  For one, it introduces a new Goa’uld System Lord: Heru-Ur, the son of Ra and impersonator of the Egyptian god Horus.  Moreover, this marks the debut of Thor, the Asgard God of Thunder and an important ally of Stargate Command.

Stargate SG-1 - "Children of the Gods" (TV Episode Review #1)

It is often said that most TV shows need to “take time” to get good.  Some of them have a good start (e.g. Farscape), but others might awkwardly struggle to come to life at first (e.g. Star Trek: The Next Generation, The Walking Dead).  Stargate SG-1 is a rare exception to this rule.  The series’ pilot episode, “Children of the Gods”, premiered on Showtime on July 27, 1997 and is a true gold standard of TV pilots.