I get so annoyed with Stargate because it has so many things to offer and yet it is always slightly second rate. The characters are great. The concept is awesome. The possibilities are endless. I feel like it derailed somewhere in the third season and never lived up to its potential. There have been some really great episodes. My favorites are:

The one about relativity. The one where Jack's brain is taken over by the Ancient's device. The one with the little Cirque de Soleil people.

(for some reason my brain cannot access episode names at the moment.)

The one about relativity.

Hmm, "A Matter Of Time"? Is this the one where the Stargate is open to a black hole and the time in the base is slowed down relative to the rest of the earth? I adore this episode, for its wicked cool concept, for the pseudo-physics that sounds fairly plausible to my untrained ears, and the backstroy on Jack.

The one with the little Cirque de Soleil people.

It took me a while to realize that you must mean "Nox", the one with Principal Snyder as a peace loving alien. Circque de Soleil People. Hee!

On my part, I bring a different set of expectation to viewing Stargate than I do to the Jossverse shows. I know the characterizations are not as rich, and emotional continuity on the show can be shoddy (the plotty continuity, on the other hand, is excellent), but I enjoy it anyway. I like the comaraderie, the snark, and occasional episodes in which the show does seem to touch on some of the weightier themes of the genre, such as definition of humanity and predestination and so forth. Plus, most of the times, the characters are so lovable, I don't mind the wonky plotting and lame villains and the cheese. I mean, I mock it a lot, but it's always with affection, not vitriol. There's just something about the show--it's just so dang good-natured, I can't get too worked up about its flaws. It's the damnedest thing, because I'm usually pretty critical of most of what I watch.

SG is good for the plotty continuity, and they're willingness to allow for grayness in characters. We just got the episode where the Tok'ra found their queen, and then had to face the fact that they'd originally had no problem with her being used for medical experiments, and secondly that she was dying.

I just wrote up this really long post about what i do and don't like about Stargate and then - poof - my connection dropped. God is laughing.

The highlights:

• Not the Nox - but yes they too are Cirque de Soleil but I hadn't realized it. The other Chalky-White-Cirque de Soleil people.

There was more but I don't have the energy.

Though I gotta say that near the end I was starting to feel pretty sorry for the documentarian.

Me too. Actually, I started feeling sorry for him pretty early on. I mean, he was legitimately jerky for much of it, but General Hammond started out pretty hostile before there was much of any reason to be.

Parts were really annoying. Parts were really funny. So while I don't so much respect the episode, I did really enjoy it. It works out, I guess.

he was legitimately jerky for much of it, but General Hammond started out pretty hostile before there was much of any reason to be.

Usually (in TV land) when a character garners that kind of hostility from the principals, they're pro-actively an asshole. SR's character just doesn't come across like that. Hammond just doesn't want somebody poking a camera around his hill and disrupting everybodys routines.

I like to believe the previews for part two are deliberately misleading. Yeh, there's the shot of Jack getting shot and all the follow-up. But the ceramic armor plating was planted earlier on and it's my guess that's what saves his life. Doc. Frasier on the other hand meets somebody who seems genuinely interested in her and then gets called away off-world? Might as well pull a red shirt over her and call her Ensign Frasier.

Adam Baldwin? Is a gawd.

they have spent the last four or so episodes bringing some closure to that question.

If "they" is Sam, then yes. If "they" is the creators, then I remain unconvinced. Sam decided to try and get over him. Jack's dealing with it.

That's all I'm sure of.

Doc. Frasier on the other hand meets somebody who seems genuinely interested in her and then gets called away off-world? Might as well pull a red shirt over her and call her Ensign Frasier.

I agree, and it's destined to be a grevious crime to us, the SGC, and to the Documentarian Guy. Documentarian Guy dropped all his bluster and arrogance when he was listening to Doctor Frasier. It was evident in the actor's face and the character's change of tone and priorities. He was still snarky to the film crew, but his attention was now on Frasier. And who could blame him.

Speaking of the film crew, I give kudos to the actors and director for their last scene. It was evident that their military instincts picked up that what was going on was *not good.* You could see it in their faces and posture as they lowered their equipment, just like they picked it up from the sudden appearance of Serious!Jack.

Awww. That would make me sad. But, I guess that losing anyone that will "affect SG-1 forever" or whatever the promo said is going to be sad making. Yeah, and I'm pretty much not too worried about Jack. Or Sam, Daniel, or Teal'c for that matter. Then again, I'm unspoiled and naive, so what the hell do I know? You'd think ME would've broken me of my naiveté WRT character deaths. And yet ... NSM.

So sad that I missed the crime-show discussion way up-thread(We're not, you say) SA's tag makes me smile. SVU is like Smallville in a badness-but-can't-stay-away-way. Could Detective Benson be on the same deserted road with Lana, please? Her mom's dead too, and she Never Knew Her Dad, The Disgusting Rapist. They could have cry-face contests...I almost want her and Elliot to have The Sex so he could say "You know, Liv...Who's your daddy isn't supposed to be literal."