cast: Richard Dean Anderson, Amanda Tapping, Michael Shanks, Christopher Judge, Don S. Davis

Our rating: 4 out of 5

Rated: not rated (content warrants a PG)

reviewed by Charity Bishop
 

This season of one of the most popular sci-fi dramas of our time opened with the loss of one friend and closed with the loss of another. The SG team are being pursued by the Gou'ald system lord Apophis, but when they are intercepted, they discover there are no enemies left alive on board apart from the Replicators, an advanced computer technology whose sole purpose is the consumption of knowledge. A threat to the superior race of aliens known as the Asgard, the survival of the Replicators is an even more perilous situation than the ultimate triumph of the parasitic Gou'alds gaining ultimate dominion over the skies. The remaining members of SG-1, Colonel Jack O'Neill (Anderson), Major Samantha Carter (Tapping), and Dr. Daniel Jackson (Shanks) discover a means of temporarily defeating the Replicators, and in the midst of the ensuing wreckage is beamed out a message of survival from Teal'c (Judge).

They are horrified to discover he has been brainwashed into the service of Apophis and is once more First Prime to the false god determined to achieve ultimate command of the Gou'ald forces. Retuning him to the SG-1, an extensive attempt is made to force him to remember his previous actions against the system lords and his loyalty to the SGC. But the influence of Apophis and Teal'c's newfound hatred of his team members make it a precarious and potentially lethal mission. Throughout the ensuing episodes is a plot arc involving the origins of the Replicators, the mounting enmity within the system lords, and the peace treaty with the Asgard. It would not be the best season for a beginning to start into, because the mythology relies heavily on earlier seasons, reintroducing characters from the distant and recent past.

One thing I do love about this show is how almost every individual storyline is fully followed through at some point in the series (with a few minor exceptions). While aspects of this can be frustrating (if you are anything like me, you are going to groan every time Apophis manages to survive certain death) it also allows a sense of closure to certain plot lines and various characters. Not all of them have happy conclusions either -- this season showcases the death of one of my favorite races in a selfless attempt to save earth. It also rips your heart out and stomps on it in the second-to-last episode when a main character dies of severe radiation poisoning. But some of the missions are very good and impacting, from the team striving to free imprisoned Unas to the selflessness of all involved. Frequently, they put their own lives in danger to save other people -- and some of them are not very grateful.

Standard content is present in the form of strongly violent themes -- there are explosions, gunfire, and warfare in just about every episode. On occasion members of the team are captured and tortured for information. There is nothing too graphic or revolting about it and rarely anything gory, but we do see many men, aliens, and Jaffa warriors falling in battle. Magnificent explosions take out enemy ships. Language is moderate, since Jack is rather fond of "hell," and other mild profanities. A few minor abuses of deity transpire. There is no sensuality but some immodesty in various costumes for alien females. The themes of ancient false gods being Gou'ald system lords continues -- the parasites go by the names of Egyptian deities and form a loyal following among humans and other races that is showcased as a false religion. One episode in particular, "Red Sky," features a devout town on a planet who refuse to deny their faith in Thor and almost pay for it with their lives.

One episode also focuses on the act of "Ascension," in which a mortal ascends to a higher plane of existence and becomes supernaturally human (able to appear in human form, but also move around in a white light). While some audiences might find that this particular storyline overlaps views on Christianity and the afterlife, I was not particularly offended by it and the show takes great care not to involve any deities apart from those who have long lapsed outside the history books. There is an indication among the team that most of them have some awareness of Biblical knowledge but no straightforward belief system apart from common laws of morality.  There were a couple of episodes that did not enthrall me much, but overall it was a thought-provoking and ultimately impacting season that marked a significant change.