S1 is ripe with the cheese, but I like it anyway. The wacky headgear on the Land of the Light people and Principle Snyder in drag crack me up instead of making me cringe. Not much can salvage "Emancipation" though. Well, OK, I liked the rancid yak butter exchange. The latter half of S1 is actually pretty damn good.

The only other episodes I found unwatchable in the entire run of the show came from S7--namely "Space Race" and "Avenger 2.0" (oy). I watched "The Other Guys" (the first ep with Felger) couple of days ago, and was actually surprised at its non-awfulness. No episode with Jack spitting out, "You ended your sentence with a preposition! You bastard!" while writhing on the ground could be that bad.

Do you think Jack's IQ was lower in S7 because RDA didn't have enough time available for them to write him both Jack-funny and Jack-smart? I thought they wrote him very clumsily in the first half of the season -- he was never bringing the anything.

Now the humour's back, and it's something, but it's not all of Jack.

Oh, yeah, I still love it. Cheese and all. There are actually some beautifully done interactions, too, I think. Hell, I just teared up at the Blue Crystal ep, and I'm not ashamed (I guess that's S1; I'm just assuming they're doing this in season order again). Emancipation? I actually liked Daniel's reaction to Sam in the blue dress-thing. The music, though. I'm glad they got a better handle on that.

ETA: And the "First commandment ..." "Thou shalt have no other god before me?" Jack/Sam exchange from the Apocalypse Now ep. Love. That. (Ha! The ep is called First Commandment. I need to learn titles)

I love the blue crystal ep (Cold Lazarus?).

Yes, that's it - Cold Lazarus. I am no good with most Stargate ep titles.

Do you think Jack's IQ was lower in S7 because RDA didn't have enough time available for them to write him both Jack-funny and Jack-smart?

Yeah, that's a part of it, I think. I thought the S7 opening two parter where Daniel returned was particularly egregious in terms of Stupid!Jack. It almost turned me off the character, which is saying a lot given how much I love Jack. Plus, RDA has contributed to it to a degree--in interviews and clips, he had said that he deliberately made Jack sound dumber than he was, because... ehh, I forget why. Some stupid reason. I think that RDA is such a goof and a charismatic personality, he slacks off/coasts on his juice when not taken firmly in hand and written tightly. The first half of S7 with his erratic schedule probably allowed this to get out of hand.

I liked Jack in S7 A LOT better since the Evolution two-parter. I'm not sure what his schedule will be like in S8, which frankly worries me a bit. Much as I like everyone on the team, Jack, for me, is the glue that holds them together.

I love the blue crystal ep (Cold Lazarus?).

Yeap, the blue crystal ep is Cold Lazarus. Good episode. Still, if we're talking season 1, I like Tin Man and Solitudes better.

Tin Man and Solitudes were good enough that I forgot they were season 1.

Broca Divide -- I keep thinking I could watch it again for stoic suffering Jack, but I veer away at the last minute.

Wait -- There But For The Grace Of God is good too, as is Singularity.

Dammit. I'm too slow (I had to check out an ep guide). I'd just sound like a mimic, so I'll jsimply say that the only ones I really, really don't care for are Emancipation, Brief Candle, the First Commandment, and Hathor; even all of those have moments. Fire and Water was not my fave, but it does have Daniel coming out of the ocean, and god help me, but that's just niiiiice. Plus, all the angsty guilt they all have ... yeah, I'd still watch it again.

Hathor makes me laugh hard.

I like Broca Divide. OK, I admit, the make-up and the costume are horrible, but it introduced Janet and she kicked ass! (Sniff.) And the end, where Jack ribs Sam about the tank-top. Funny.

I also like Brief Candle (uhm, yeah, I may be a bit too easy on the show), 'cause of the X-Files connection. Plus, RDA is a lot better at playing a decrepit old man than David Duchovny. Old!Jack and Dr. Bambi are actually pretty sweet together near the end there. Hathor has the priceless "women behind the bar movie" line, and Fire and Water has angsty!Jack smashing Hammond's car, plus a Jack-hug (which gives any episode an automatic letter upgrade.)

First Commandment--OK, that was pretty bad. Still, it's got the first of Carter's boyfriends to croak--that's a milestone, right there.