Good day to you intrepid sci-fi fans!

A lot has changed for me this last year. I had to step away from this blog due to family health issues. I appreciate your patience with me as I navigate a new chapter in life.

But I’m back. I’m back reviewing science fiction, and do I have a treat for you!
Stargate SG-1 Season Five is a turning point in the beloved franchise. We as fans are treated to top-notch writing and many payoffs. With those payoffs come many highs and lows, many character changes and many unforgettable story beats.
Without further ado:

Season Five begins where we last left off: fleeing Apophis and destroying a whole solar system to vanquish his army!

Our heroes find themselves transported to another galaxy on the other side of the universe! Apophis captures them and even manages to mind-control Teal’c, brainwashing him into becoming his First Prime again!

But, before our team is executed by the deranged Goa’uld they discover the mighty System Lord’s ship is overrun…by Replicators! The endless horde devours the ship and take it over. Our heroes are forced to come up with impossible solutions: rescue their friend-turned-enemy, and find a way back home before the Replicators destroy everyone.

Episode rating 4.4

”Threshold” is the second episode of the season and it neatly wraps up the story arc of “Enemies.”

SG-1 returns safely with Teal’c, but he is not himself. In fact, it is only through a timely visit from Bra’tac that Teal’c is prevented from causing serious damage to the SGC!
Apophis’ doom seemed all but certain, however his brainwashing has left Teal’c trapped as his loyal foot soldier to the death.
The SG-1 team must resort to drastic measures in order to get their old friend back. Can Bra’tac get through to him?

P.S.-I wholeheartedly welcome the deeper dive into Teal’c’s backstory!

Episode rating: 4.6

”The Fifth Man” is another exceptional character-driven episode.

Conflict arises when the team, sans O’Neill, barely return with their lives, fleeing Jaffa fire. They have prematurely returned from a mission frantically claiming they’ve left behind their fifth member, Lt Tyler.
Obviously, we haven’t heard of this character before…and neither have General Hammond or Dr Frazier! Our team’s sanity is put to the test. Like a bad omen Col. Simmons returns attempting to shut down the SGC, using their mental instability as pretext.

Episode rating: 4.6

One of the things I love most about this show is how the SG-1 team works as Greenpeace. In “Red Sky” our team arrives on a primitive planet where the locals worship the Asgard. Our heroes discover that their planet is in danger but the natives insist that if they must die it is the will of the gods and nothing that can be stopped.
Col. O’Neill attempts to persuade them using common sense and Dr. Jackson pleads with them through their own faith. Can the team get through to the locals and evacuate them from the coming crisis?

Episode rating: 4.6

Another thing I love about this show is its continuity. In this short story we learn Dr Fraiser’s adopted daughter, Cassandra, is ill and it is due to Nirrti. (Think back on how they met.) The team races to find a cure for this little alien girl who has now become SGC family. What ensues are gadgets, clues and clever alien weapons.

Perhaps this leather-clad Goa’uld assassin can be persuaded to show mercy, and perhaps the SGC can actually bargain with

Episode rating: 4.7

In the episode “The Tomb” our team is locked in a collapsing ziggurat with a Russian Stargate team. Unsurprisingly, the two teams fight and bicker. Not only must they work together to escape the crumbling structure, they must also watch for a Goa’uld symbiote intent on possessing anyone.

The tension in this episode is the standout for me. Thanks to the previous episodes which established the Russian and American teams’ aversion for each other the animosity is well-crafted.

Episode rating: 4.7

Our good friends, the Tollan, make a comeback. Their intelligent yet condescending leader, Omoch has died. The new Tollan leader approaches SG-1 with a shocking proposal: sharing their technology with Earth.
Following the death of Omoch, the greatest critic of earth and the SG-1 team, the Tollan council led by Senator Trevell offer their prized ion canons.
While O’Neill ponders whether Hell has frozen over or not the team investigate this change of heart and discover a frightening truth: the nigh invincible Tollan are facing the wrath of the Goa’uld, and this time it is they who are the ones needing saving.

The plot and pacing of this episode are exceptional. I’m impressed once more with the show runner’s use of continuity with various characters and plot threads. My one gripe with this episode? The ending is RUSHED and major events all happen offscreen. (Groan)

Episode rating: 4.7

”Desperate Measures” is the eleventh episode of Season Five. This mid-season episode sets it’s intrigue squarely takes place on Earth.
Mysterious men in black kidnap Major Carter and O’Neill is forced to work with the shady traitor, Colonel Maybourne. When he’s not trying to strangle Maybourne the two trade some of the best banter and quips in the series.
Also noteworthy is the return of the scheming and hatable Colonel Simmons. This time his schemes involve a Goa’uld symbiote and torture.

Episode rating: 4.5

”Wormhole X-Treme” is a break from the trend of delivering action-packed episodes filled with shooting and rescuing the SG-1 team.
Why is that? Because Martin Lloyd is back! Our lovable superstitious and awkward conspiracy buff is now a big shot screenwriter for a trashy sci-fi tv show. When our heroes question him they learn his memories are once again erased, and it is his echo of SG-1 memories that have inspired “Wormhole X-Treme.” Despite their desire to leave Lloyd to his devices, the advent of his people in a huge spaceship forces them to recruit his help once more.
I love how this episode blends the story of SG-1 with a Hollywood spoof of itself. It forces us as fans to acknowledge how goofy and outlandish Stargate is. Plus, the writers are having fun!

Episode rating: 4.8

The pace changes back to more character-driven plot within the SGC.
The recruits of the future, Lt. Elliot, Lt. Hailey, Lt. Satterfield, and Lt. Grogan are young upstarts hoping to graduate to an SGC off world team. This whole episode tells their story of overcoming training tests and their interactions with mentors and doubters within SGC.
Even these are side characters I really connected with their journey and even got to see the SG-1 team in a different light. Very creative writing, boys!

Episode rating: 4.7

”48 Hours” Is a masterpiece of writing. The writers really outdo themselves here juggling several plot threads and trying together so much continuity and plot development. As an aspiring writer…I can only hope to write a series so good with such standout episodes like this one.
Okay. Enough geeking out…for now…The story begins with Teal’c trapped mid-portal through the Stargate. Some advocate leaving him to die in the ether because there is much needed work done and salvaging his energy is a nigh impossibility.
Thankfully, General Hammond and SG-1 don’t abandon their own even in the face of a scientific impossibility. They enlist the help of the Russian government, Colonel Maybourne, a rogue Goa’uld and a disgustingly, diabolical, hatable…Doctor McKay.

All of this sacrifice for a friend.
I love it.

Episode rating: 4.9

Our heroes begin another stealth mission in “Summit.”
The Tok’ra, particularly Selmak/Jacob, request Daniel Jackson’s aid as an undercover mole to learn the plans of the Goa’uld coalition. In another stroke of continuity genius the writers reintroduce us to the hallucinogenic compound produced by “Lt. Tyler” in the previous season.
The hallucinogen allows Jackson to go undetected in plain sight. His mission is to murder all the tyrants at once but his conscience presents itself an obstacle when an old friend shows up to the villains’ conference.

Episode rating: 4.5

”Last Stand” follows the drama of the previous episode with Daniel Jackson escaping the summit empty handed.
Meanwhile the Tok’ra headquarters on Ravenna is bombarded to rubble. In the fray many Tok’ra are killed, Lt. Elliot is fatally wounded but barely saved by the symbiote Lantash who bonds with the boy.
With advancing armies of Jaffa and limited options the young recruit agrees to a plan that involves sacrificing himself for the good of his team.
This was utter horsecrap. We just saw Lt. Elliot’s journey begin…and Lantash was just reintroduced.
Such…bull.

Episode rating: 4.3

With a plot straight out of Armageddon, the seventeenth episode treats us to another natural-disaster-plot.
A huge asteroid is headed for Earth and neither the Asgard nor the Tok’ra can help them. Facing extermination, General Hammond heroically orders the evacuation of the base and stays behind.
Meanwhile our heroes put their wits and resources together to land on the heavy space rock and blow it up. But,…maybe that’s not such a good idea.

Episode rating: 4.4

”The Warrior” shows us that even the Jaffa can get caught up in a fad.
What fad? The burly warriors get swept up in the emotion roused by the young charismatic Kitano. He advocates fighting to the death and risking all even for the total chance of failure.
Colonel O’Neill, being protective of Teal’c, openly challenges the Jaffa warrior but is soundly dismissed by his Jaffa allies, even Teal’c. Can the Jaffa see past the hype or will they all march to a glorious yet pointless death?

Episode rating: 4.5

If the last episode didn’t give you enough interpersonal drama within the team this one will deliver it to ya!
“Menace” explores a problem from different points of view and begs the viewer to ask the question: ‘who is right?’
SG-1 discovers an extremely childlike android on a desolate planet covered by ruins of a mighty civilization long gone. The android, Reece, isn’t all she seems and the team (especially O’Neill) see the danger she poses. However, Dr. Jackson, having found a way to negotiate with her insists on finding a diplomatic way to make her cooperate.
The drama is on another level here.

Episode rating: 4.8

”The Sentinel” explores continuity in another aspect. Here, our heroes seek to undo damage that previous infiltrating NID scumbags caused to a frightfully naive world.
Latona is ripe for conquest and one can’t help but feel for the naive saps while also fear the Goa’ulds power and cruelty firsthand.

Episode rating: 4.6

This is perhaps one of the most memorable episodes of this entire series. It is odd then, that “Meridian” doesn’t close the season.
Let’s dive in.
The episode begins with Dr. Jackson rushing to medical for radiation poisoning. We, as the viewers, are forced to wait patiently as the team recounts the events that led up to this tragedy.
SG-1 was exploring the Earth-like planet, Langara. The locals, though embroiled in civil war, were showing off a powerful substance to our team when a horrible accident endangered the planet. Daniel Jackson rushed to contain the breach and saved lives, absorbing lethal radiation in the process.
Colonel O’Neill, incensed that the locals blame Jackson for the accident, fights for the truth to be told. Thankfully, local scientist, Jonas Quinn, agrees to tell the truth. Meanwhile Daniel Jackson discusses the possibility of ascension with the Ascended Oma Dessala.

Episode rating: 4.8

“Revelations” closes out a memorable season filled with strong character development and impressive continuity.
This episode delivers us the story of the Asgard trying to rescue their own and fight the now more powerful Goa’uld. Anubis, the head Goa’uld reveals himself and begins a deadly plot to completely obliterate the friendly aliens.
SG-1, still devastated by loss and despair must work together to save their allies and outsmart the most powerful enemy they’ve ever faced.

Episode rating: 4.7

Season Five was a blast to watch. I loved the various stories, the impressive continuity and the dynamic acting.

Some stories like “The Fifth Man” and “Revelations” left me wondering where they would go next; the genuine mystery and intrigue had me hooked. Whereas episodes like “Threshhold”, “The Last Stand” and “Meridian” were tugging (downright yankin’) at my heartstrings. How do you kill off characters like that and expect us as the audience to say goodbye so casually only for the story to trundle on??

The amount of detail and interconnected plot development in this season amazes me. It makes time for the development of a new alien in “The Fifth Man” and then pays it off in “Summit” while reintroducing characters from previous seasons: Lord Yu, Osiris. Teal’c takes us through his backstory in a more comprehensive manner in “Threshold”; causing us to see him grow through his doubt in Apophis and his faith in his loyal mentor, Bra’tac. In the episode “48 Hours” as well as in “Sentinel” we see how greedy ambitious humans can cause damage to the greater universe through its meddling.

This season lends itself to a lot of continuity and character growth. I loved the action, the comedy, the philosophical questions and most of all I loved the characters.

If you haven’t watched Stargate SG-1 Season Five yet I highly recommend you do!

Thanks for reading.