Stargate SG-1 - "Nemesis" (TV Episode Review #17)

Notably, “Nemesis” is the only Stargate SG-1 season finale, from any of its first eight seasons, where the Goa’uld—the original archenemies of SG-1—are not the antagonists.  This is because Season 3’s central storyline was already resolved in the episode “Maternal Instinct”.  Instead, this episode marks the first appearance of SG-1’s second most recurring enemy, the Replicators, who have infested Thor’s mothership and set it on a course towards Earth.  Col. Jack O’Neill, and later Teal’c and Major Samantha Carter, are beamed onboard to deal with the infestation.

The Replicators, the archenemies of the Asgard race, are actually quite threatening in their debut.  They are like giant robo-termites, except they harvest metals and advanced electronic technology.  Often grouping up in colonies, when they swarm, they are unstoppable.  These aspects are what makes them such a major threat to the Asgard, who utilize such advanced tech.  Case in point: Thor is injured from the infestation, and this signifies how dangerous the Replicators really are.  In addition, being resistant to energy weapons, such as Teal’c’s zat, is a subtle way of highlighting how they can potentially overpower the Goa’uld in a future encounter.  The Replicators were hyped up as being “the enemy of the Asgard” who are “worse than the Goa’uld” earlier in the season, and here they live up to that.

With a new antagonist as threatening as the Replicators, the stakes are always high, making for a perfect balance of action and suspense.  Every shoot-em-up scene where Jack and Teal’c are mowing down the Replicators has a fast-paced whiplash momentum to it.  As for Sam, this is all problem-solving galore.  She has to do a lot of behind-the-scenes strategizing, coming up with new plans to deal with the threat.  However, the Replicators are always naturally one step ahead of SG-1, meaning she is constantly rethinking her plans when the bugs get in the way.

“Nemesis” sported some of the strongest visual effects of any Stargate SG-1 episode up to that time.  The shiny metallic appearance and composition of the Replicators has aged surprisingly well after 19 years, especially for early 2000s CGI.  Moreover, the shots of Thor’s mothership in space are simply breathtaking.  The holographic interface, which serves as a sort of monitor for SG-1 to look at, blends seamlessly with the practical set of the Asgard mothership.  Granted, the 3D graphics of the starship maps on the same interface look like, well, late 1990s/early 2000s graphics.

Right up to the end, “Nemesis” is a very fun and often suspenseful episode, and quite unique for a season finale.  Instead of being the conclusion of a season-long story arc, it kicks off a new storyline.  The episode ends on a semi-cliffhanger that is rather climactic enough to leave you wanting to start watching Season 4 right away.