Redial the Gate: Message in a Bottle
Tomorrow, redial_the_gate does Message in a Bottle.
Have I mentioned before that Season Two is positively crammed with absolutely fantastic episodes?
Here's the short version:
TEAM!
Janet!
Hammond!
Wonder Twins!
Undomesticated equines!
Jack and Teal'c friendship!
TEAM.
This is one of the best team episodes of SG-1. Here's some of what makes me squee, and some thinky questions:
An archeologist in a space suit! Now that's not part of the regular college course!
"Booby?"
Such great responses from each character in turn at the beginning: Teal'c speculates on the possibility of it being a trap. Jack wants a threat assessmet. Sam gets lost in the wonder of the science. Daniel thinks it's a "message in a bottle." Interestingly enough, they're all right. :) And then, when they come back to the SGC, Jack orders a security level check, Sam orders a scientific analysis, and Daniel orders a complete scanning of the script. It's fun to see them all in positions of authority, each in their own field, and - as Redbyrd points out in her delightful episode tag with her original character - it's seriously marvelous to see competent people and support teams, other than SG-1, working at the SGC.
Wonder twins for the win! Daniel casually teasing Sam, and "Oops... hey, the artifact!" Such a subtle segue there. Oh, I love them. :) And Daniel arguing for more time with Hammond, and Sam, who knows how to deal with the chain of command, smoothly adding, "But we'll take it."
"Oh, it can't be morning!" Love them working through the night out of sheer love for knowledge, and playing questions off one another - language and mathematics - and having fun at being confronted by what, at the time, is still an innocent puzzle.
"Good morning, campers! ... When we get back, you can visit." And then crisis, and Sam's desperate yell, "Get out of there!" Such fantastic acting from RDA as Jack spends the rest of the ep pinned to the wall. Those tears of pain meant something.
How much of that teeth-gritted order to "Shoot it! Shoot it!" was Jack speaking, and how much was the thingies from the orb?
I love the courage of the team, facing up to what they've done. Daniel telling Hammond, "I wanted it to be something wonderful," and Hammond telling him that a disaster would have to happen sooner or later. Sam trying to be chipper for Hammond, then honestly admitting that she didn't know if they could beat it. Respect that she's earned for her knowledge, as Hammond accepts her recommendations. Even more respect for her when she has the courage to reverse her previous recommendations, when she's faced with new data, and advise him to take the completely opposite tack.
Hammond standing with his people in the Gateroom at the end? The man rocks. No other word for it.
Janet Janet Janet. Calmly injecting her CO, who accepts it and only afterwards asks what he's given her. Her determination to help Graham, and her compressed fury when Hammond denies her request. Her calm manner with Jack, with Sam.
Again, Sam and Daniel leading the research teams - doing what needs to be done, when they want to be right there in the Gateroom with Teal'c to support Jack. The seamless way they finish each other's sentences, and the strong group that works with them. Great stuff.
Oxygen-deprived Daniel, in all the senses of the word - they've lowered the oxygen levels, and he's been up for two nights running - and he once again has the leap of insight. "Not once have we stopped to listen!" It's one of my absolute favorite Daniel quirks, really.
TEAL'C AND JACK. Wonderful wonderful wonderful stuff. "Undomesticated equines," and gently wiping Jack's forehead. Staying with him all the time, and doing whatever he can. Demanding that Siler work faster, then stepping out of the way when he realizes that looming won't help.
And then the decision to let Jack "die," and the conversation, which is fascinating on so many levels. I noticed, this time around, that the orb thingies - which are clearly channeling Jack's mannerisms, as they start off with "Good morning, campers" - refer to Hammond as "Hammond," and Daniel as "Daniel," and Jack as "O'Neill." Is that how Jack thinks of himself, as "O'Neill"? What does that say about him?
And then another Daniel leap to the idea of the primordial planet, and c'mon, writers, couldn't you have stopped the countdown at seven seconds, or four? The final second is just a tad cliche. :)
But wheeeee! group hug on the ramp! The four of them staggering off together, still holding up Jack!
::happy, happy sigh::
This is my Stargate SG-1. And I love it. :)