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
 

Having defeated the replicators, the occupants of Stargate Command assume that they have some vacation time coming. Colonel Jack O'Neill (Anderson) is even attempting to recruit the others into a fishing trip, but his hopes are short-lived when they receive world that a Russian submarine has been invaded by replicators, who have slaughtered everyone on board. The Russians demand to know what is happening and as they cannot very well inform them of extra-terrestrial invasion or the Stargate Program, SG-1 is summoned to find a solution. With the brainy Dr. Daniel Jackson (Shanks) in league, Jack and Teal'c (Judge) attempt to figure out how to sink the sub and destroy the enemy without sacrificing their lives in the process. The other member of their team, Major Samantha Carter (Tapping), has been recruited into space to assist the alien race known as the Asgard in discerning a means of preventing their home world from being overrun by replicators.

With time running out and only a few solutions left, Sam must convince the Asgard to risk everything -- their most advanced ship -- in order to destroy a large portion of the replicators once and for all. But that is just the first in a series of adventures through space, forming friends and discovering allies and now and again encountering the worse things the galaxy has to offer. Ongoing is their determination to find advanced technology in assisting them in defeating Earth's greatest adversary, a race of predatory aliens known as the Goa'uld, while maintaining trade relations with promising planets. Their continued alliance with the Tok'Ra is soon threatened by dangerous alien technology that brings out the worst in Jack, Sam, and Daniel, and a dangerous mission to a Goa'uld planet may be their last...

There is always a point in time when a series hits its stride and most viewers agree that this is one of SG-1's strongest seasons, not only character wise but plot-wise. The actors have settled into their roles with ease and some of the subtler nuances come out in their performances. By now we know them all so well that we can anticipate their responses, and it makes us smile when we are right. There are a variety of interesting premises and experimentations with different worlds this time around. Most notable is that this season also contains one of the all-time favorite episodes, "Window of Opportunity," in which Jack and Teal'c are stuck in a time loop. Once they discover that their actions have potentially no consequences, the fun really begins, from golfing through the Stargate to ... well, something that made me laugh outright. But it's not all fun and games -- tears flowed in "Divide & Conquer," in which I was forced to say farewell to a much-loved character.

I would be lying if I didn't admit this is my favorite season of SG-1. I loved it so much I bought it after only having seen eight episodes. The reason is that it is not only one of the better installments of the ten-year saga but also that it came as close as it could to satisfying the romantic in me. Jack and Sam have finally admitted their fondness for one another, and it is depicted in a bunch of minor ways. It never goes anywhere because of their military background but nevertheless brings a sweetness to particular episodes. Like all other seasons, there is a good deal of violence -- alien shootouts, occasional casualties, and implied deaths. Teal'c is tortured by having the infant Goa'uld he carries squeezed almost to death. There is no sexual content, but one of the Tok'Ra propositions Jack, who is entranced for a minute before asking her to leave.

Many of the episodes were fantastic, from Daniel being kidnapped by an ancient creature whom he manages to befriend, to Sam being taken over by a robotic adversary. Then there are the doubles that pop up on occasion, replicas of the characters that, ironically enough, immediately start arguing with themselves. There's even an episode that digs a little bit at sci-fi groupies (you know, the kind who really do believe in aliens!). It may or may not be your cup of tea, but if you love alien technology and exploration blended with some Egyptian mythology, this show is for you.