Unendingly Cool

To begin with...season nine of `Stargate: Sg-1' really restored my faith in this series after what felt to me like some below-par seasons. I was never what you'd call a huge fan of this series, but that penultimate season with the introduction of new God-wannabe's and general galaxy troublemakers the Ori really did prove to me the huge talents at work behind the scenes of this fantastically gripping and intelligent sci-fi series. I hoped and willed the tenth and final season to be as impressive, but even though it isn't quite as intense and consistent, it's still a worthy conclusion to a hugely successful TV series.

Largely thanks to Vala (Claudia Black) who's as charming as she is side-splittingly, ingeniously, flirtatiously funny and who now becomes a credited member of the main cast, season ten gets off to a brilliant start (much better than season nine in fact) as the action picks up right where the previous season left-off with episode 1- `Flesh and Blood' (9/10) and doesn't decrease in pace for the next four episodes on the first disc, which explore the continued threat of the Ori and their ever-increasing capture and control of worlds unable to mount any effective resistance against such a seemingly omnipotent foe. Episode 3- `The Pegasus Project' (9/10) is also very gripping with a finale that's both surprising and tantalising. The familiar stand-alone episodes then take over until episodes 10- `The Quest, Part I' (8/10) and 11- `The Quest, Part II' (9/10) both of which work well in continuing SG-1's discovery & unravelling of Arthurian-inspired mysteries surrounding their search for a weapon capable of destroying their enemy. Episode 14- `The Shroud' (8/10) sees Daniel in a unique position to deal a crippling blow to the Ori, which is also solid.

There were a couple of things that disappointed me about this season however- the first was that there were a few too many stand-alone stories (episode-16 `Bad Guys' (6/10) being the prime example) that didn't contribute to the season's main story-arc. It just felt to me too late in the game to be visiting planets for the first time that weren't under control of, or had never even heard of super-villains the Ori. Secondly, the resistance mounted by the Jaffa and other factions in the galaxy (e.g. the Lucien Alliance) that chose not to join with Earth don't contrast well against the continued efforts of the SG-1 team. In past seasons the story arcs involving the Jaffa in particular (but also the Asgard and Tok'ra) have been just as well-developed and gripping as the story arcs following SG-1, but unfortunately only a couple of episodes concentrate on the Jaffa in this final season. Lastly, while episode 20- `Unending' (10/10) is undoubtedly a wonderful episode- with a story that's not just dramatic, but explores sides to the main characters never seen before, it ends the season with so much unresolved that it's difficult to appreciate this tenth season as it should be appreciated as the final outing of SG-1. Obviously a great deal has been withheld to be used in the TV movie `The Arc of Truth', which I am very much looking forward to and which will hopefully be released on DVD sometime next year, so I can't really complain!

An incredibly classy end to a show that has always provided unending enjoyment for viewers everywhere. My thanks to the cast & crew.

New Enemies, New Quests and a New Lease Of Life.

Since I have the other box sets I had to have this one. I hadn't seen all of the episodes including the finale. When I did see them all I was cheered up. Although some may say that Ben Browders replacement of Anderson was just a way to add a new and younger version of the O'Neill character I for one dont. He adds his own spin on SG-1's leader even going as far as to admit he is certainly now replacement for O'Neill.
Vala is by far the funniest character with her unusual look on life and not to mention the sarcastic yet expected jokes she and Mitchell have proved to be good gambles.

Another replacement is the General Landry bringing back the spirit of General Hammond and yet again some new ways of how to deal with Stargate Command. Critics would say that this show should have ended in the 7th season but with the new enemy 'the ori' we now learn more about the Ancients and how they lived.

In keeping with tradition, old myths are given a new spin with Camelot, Arthur and Merlin having a makeover this time. We also learnt that even the ascended are not safe and the realistic threat of disease is finally realised.

The box set designs have once again changed (I have no idea why they keep changing)and I was unfortunate to have a mis-print on the cover of my 3rd disc and the outer box with regards to episode line-ups. (3 episodes were in the wrong order yet correctly played on the disc).

I enjoyed this season and its good to learn more about those that played heavily in our own evolution. Sadly with the ever looming ending that would be the 10th season I rest in peace knowing that with the addition of season 9 to my collection was and is well worth the money I paid.

A shaky start but all in all quality stuff!

I love Stargate and was so excited when season 8 arrived as a Christmas present. the feature length opener was great but after that it all seemed to go downhill a little. The plots were shaky, predictable and the dialogue hackneyed, (with the odd exception, Avatar was a great episode!) I was VERY UPSET and quite disappointed.

HOWEVER!!!!

Do not fear! For the episode"Promethius Unbound" came to my rescue. After the formulaic blandness of some of the other episodes this was just an absolute gust of fresh air! Exciting, hilarious and question provoking it now rates as one of my favourite episodes to date!

The dynamic of the show feels different with O'Neill featuring less but the show still works SPOILER (tho O'Neill in command of the base is questiionable!!!) END OF SPOILER


Therefore to conclude, I would recommend this but I would warn buyers that while the first few episodes may leave you a little disappointed, hang on cause it gets better!

Excellent - but lacking

Let me begin by saying I am a BIG fan of the show, and you should DEFINITELY buy this, regardless of if your new to the show, or not. This sci-fi series is a brilliant alternative for those not wanting the same old Star Trek style sci-fi.

The Good.
Brilliant series.
Brilliant show.
Good Packaging.

The Bad.
Picture quality is VERY grainy sometimes, although I suspect this was due to the first series having a low budget, and not a reflection on the transfer to DVD.

No extra features like Behind the scenes.

9.5/10

Even better than Series 1

Other reviewers have said most of what needs to be said. I have just watched all 7 series again and this is among the best.
The team are in great form and O'Neill (thats with 2 Ls!!) is better than ever.

Excellent!

This is easily one of the best seasons of Stargate SG-1. It sees the return of Danny Boy in the opening two-parter. A fun episode follows with a young boy claiming to be Jack O'neill. Season 7 also contains the fantastic episode 'Orpheous' in which SG-1 lead a rescue on a Goa'uld slave camp, freeing Bra'tac and Teal'c's son, Rya'c. This is one of the best episodes in the season. Michael Shanks (Dr Daniel Jackson) has some excellent acting in the episode'Lifeboat'. He is a very skilled actor. 'Evolution' is the second two-parter in season 7, and a brilliant one at that! We're introduced to Anubis' new foot soldiers; the Drones. 'Heros', the next two-parter, is very emotional as a main character is killed in action. The last two-parter, 'Lost City', which i suppose could be counted as a movie because of the scale, is FANTASTIC!!!

Marmite for fans.

So, Season 6 arrives and Daniel Jackson, Stargate’s oft-sneezing Archaeologist, is Brown Bread.
( Cue hysterical sobbing from females earthwide...)

As Jonas Quinn, Corin Nemec had the literal and metaphorically thankless task of filling a dead man’s shoes. Or possibly an ascended man’s sandals, but we won’t quibble...
And Like Marmite, you either loved him or hated him, poor lamb.

Having been an SG-1 fan since its beginning, I was sad the Daniel/Jonas debate seemed to eclipse what was for me, one of SG-1’s stronger series’.

Throughout Season 6, the scriptwriters certainly hiked up the quality of the guest stars:-
David Hewlett’s wondrous creation Rodney MacKay makes a welcome return in the opening two parter, ’Redemption’.
Happily for his fans, MacKay is now whingeing away on Atlantis - but at this juncture in Season 6, the scriptwriters were playing ’guess Daniel’s replacement’ and MacKay made a supremely entertaining red herring.

Meanwhile, Jonas drinks a lot of Tea and eats more fruit than is probably healthy, as lots of anxious boffins stare anxiously at PC screens and attempt (anxiously) to defeat Anubis. Booo!

Jonas is also equipped with a photographic memory. (Must be all that fruit) This makes him aware of all SG-1’s past missions Therefore preventing cast members re-explaining storylines for the sake of the new guy. Hooray!

Fruit guzzling aside, there are some little gems contained in this season:

’The Changeling’ is penned by Teal’c’s alter ego Christopher Judge and niftily provides Michael Shanks a"surprise" cameo as - gasp! - a Doctor!
Teal’c ("T") gets to snog a human girl! Double gasp! And we get to see Apophis again. (Yay!)
This episode also sees the back of ’Junior’- Teal’c’s symbiote. Thus allowing Teal’c thenceforth to take"Tritonin" and Christopher Judge to finally grow his hair.

’Cure’ and ’Allegiance’ are also strong episodes, due largely to the calibre of guest stars.

Carmen Argenziano as Tok’ra leader Jacob Carter and Tony Amendola as Jaffa head honcho Bratak, are always great value. In ’Allegiance’ Bratak gets to go all Henry V about the nature of trust in battle, as the Tok’ra and Jaffa try not to kill eachother while stuck on a ’safe’ planet.(Why don’t they just play Sudoku like normal people?)
’Jeremiah’ actor Peter Stebbings plays the commanding Tok’ra warrior Malek. Easily as charismatic as the late lamented Martouf and thankfully, turns up in the next episode.

In ’Cure’ Jonas gets to flash his winning smile at a pretty laydee, but sadly she is terminally ill. Aww!
At least she has the good manners not to peg out before helping our intrepid team locate Tok’ra Queen Aegaea. Missing Presumed killed by those pesky Goa’uld.
Unfortunately the Tok’ra find their Queen pickled in brine in a large tank and somewhat unable to reclaim the Throne.
Anguished looks from Malek and brave acts of self-sacrifice ensue. Lovely.

’Paradise Lost’ is another corker and finds O’Neill and his sort-of Nemesis, Maybourne trapped on the moon of a planet. Naturally, it’s left to Super-Sam to crunch the exponentials, While Jack and Maybourne (the wonderful Tom McBeath) go fishing, then native, then mental, in that order. Great script, great one-liners, great chemistry. More please.

’The Other Guys’ is an affectionate ’Geek-fest’ in the vein of ’Wormhole X-treme!’ Both fun and funny.

’Nightwalkers’ invokes the 60’s sci-fi of ’The Invaders’and is genuinely creepy.

In short, Season 6 has a bit of everything: Ba’al, Anubis, Apophis, Nerti and Yu (not You) all turn up to the party.
We make new Tok’ra friends. O’Neill rides a snow bike in Antartica and Jonas gets his DNA tampered with. Heck, Daniel even shows up 3 times! (More if you count his work as Asgard voiceover artist)

Which brings us - as the final episode title rightly predicts - ’Full Circle.’ (Clever these scriptwriters aren’t they?)
Neatly allowing Michael Shanks to un-ascend Daniel Jackson in time to discover the lost city of Atlantis, give Rodney MacKay a regular job on the spin-off series, take his tool set back from Jonas and set up season 7 by possibly defeating Anubis. Whattaguy!

Meantime, the much-maligned Jonas gets a one-way ticket to Planet P45. Bless him.

Who’d be an intergalactic space warrior, eh?

SG1 Just Keeps Getting Better

After the amazing Season 2, many SG-1 fans were left thinking 'Can it get better than this?' In short, the answer is a very definite yes.
The humour in this season starts to become more prominant than in the previous ones, though it does not distract the viewer from appreciating that SG-1 are a space travelling, evil-guy-destroying team.
In this season, we get our first look at the replicators, and the Asgard return for more interplanetary antics. This season also has some outstanding episodes, where it's clear that everyone involved gave 100%; most noticably the 2-parter in the middle of the season, and the season finale.
Included on the DVDs, for the first time, are extra features, such as interviews with the producers and cast. Whilst limited, they provide, for many people, a first glimpse into the behind-the-scenes action.
This season simply has to be owned.

Brill!

I don’t really like all that sci-fi stuff but Stargate is the exception. It has got to be the best programme ever. I only started watching at the beginning of Season 9 and loved it. I have all of the DVDs that are out and I can’t wait for Season 8. Season 4 has got to be the best stargate season ever as it has a mixture of Goa’uld and replicators so its not only about one main threat.

I love linking stories

This is season 5, and it is a bit different from season 1-4. The reason for this is that this season links various previous episodes together. I happen to love this, I love it when old characters are returned to us, and that seemingly unimportant episode that you watched a few years ago suddenly becomes oh so important.
However, from reading the reviews on here I see that this isnt everyones cup of tea. So, for me I give it 5 stars because I would like to see much much more of this sort of thing, the story lines are strong, they dont let the previous seasons stories down whilst extending them.
Just so you really get the picture, you can go about 5 or 6 episodes in a row with the words"previously on Stargate SG1" although they are all continued from different episodes/seasons.

Great end To a Great Show

in my opinion this is one of the strongest seasons of SG-1 not only is it the most action packed (counterstrike the quest), the funniest (200), the most character driven (flesh and blood) but it also the last which is surprisingly a good thing because it not only allows the sister show atlantis to get more noteriety but also for sg-1 to move up and up and up is the only way this great franchise can go!

Regarding the Other Review

You are correct in the spelling of"General" no disagreements there. However, at the end of Season 7 was the Finale of the Ancient weapon fired with the help in defense of the X-303 and X-302. Jack is not General there and is put in Stasis... Unless of course you meant after series 8 (Series 9)

disk 40

As with the above reviews, all THREE episodes were very good, but what a swizz on losing out on four episodes. I had expected the third one to be feature length, but no. So, one does buy to continue the collection, but one does get a raw deal - same price but less for your money.

Brilliant Final Season!

As my title says Brilliant Final Season!......The struggle against the Ori continues with a brilliant special guest apperence from the atlantis team!

Brilliant plots and stroy lines alike within this exciting and thrilling final sesaon...

But alas there is always spikes on every rose! The final episode is unimaginative and lacking in swarae with have come to expect from SG1 over the last 10 years! It doesn't answer any of the main burning questions and if they do, it makes no sense and you are left feeling dissapointing and scratching your head!! Thats why I have given this a 4 star rating!

So wrong

The last couple of episodes to this series are quite annoying but funny. You pretty much hate the characters (especially the accents) Its not a bad story line though.
The team go back in time and mess up the timeline but have film edthemselves and left the Camcorda where it’ll be found with the time ship so if the timeline has been severly altered, people would know once they found the camcorda.
Dr Jackson has never joined star gate, T’ is still ’Evil’, Sam (is soooo annoying) never joined the airforce - couldn’t figure out how they’d changed that - and good old O’Neil fishes alot and takes people out in his boat.
Its a good giggle and does distract you from the fact that O’Neils character is being fased out. Star Gate without O’ Neil, - Shake of head -
All in all not a bad buy if you are looking for a non serious end to the series and you can pick holes in the timeline plot!! Joy all round

brill

At first season 9 is a bit boring, then when you get into it it becomes as good as all the previous seasons.
Daniel Jackson, Samantha Carter, Cameron Mitchell and Teal'c are explorers who visit other planets to learn about cultures, procure alien technology and fight evil enemies. In this volume, the storyline of the Ori carries on as they force cultures to abandon their current belief systems and worship them. If they don't, they are destroyed. Even the occasional viewer of Stargate has got to buy this disc as it is one of the best of the season.

Uncertain

Where has Stargate gone?

The opening of this - the actors, characters, plots, etc... it wasn't bad. I can't say I hate the cast or the characters because I don't and over the first four episodes, they did grow on me. The two characters in Stargate history I've really hated have been Felger and Vala, so I wasn't impressed to see her return. However, she was a vast improvement on the horrifically bad Series 8 episode she appeared in.

It would help if the Linguist (who in Series 5 proved he had understanding of Welsh) could actually have learned how to pronounce the Welsh name he mentioned correctly this time around. And I'm afraid I did say that if Excalibur put in an appearance I'd never watch Stargate again. Fortunately, the stupidity that is the American obsession with the Mallory verion of Camelot (hardly historically accurate and Daniel should have known that) seemed to be nothing more than a plot-device to get to the real point of series 9.

Which is the Ori.

So far, the Ori are looking good. If it doesn't go over the top, or the humour doesn't get too childish, they do have the potential to be a very good twist on an old theme we've seen in Stargate since Series 2 - the whole Ancient arc.

And I like the twist of seeing Daniel now defending the Ancient attitudes and policies, as if he's finally accepted and understood the point of them in the face of what the Ori stand for, do and believe. If the Ancients are capable of producing anything even vaguely analagous to the Ori Priors, then Daniel is that figure, and it's good to see the way he's being used against the Ori because of this.

For now, I'll reserve judgement on this series. If you're long-time fans of Stargate who got into the series because you'd seen the original film in the cinema, you'll already be adaptable to change (you'd have to be to have put up with Stargate this long and like the series and film alike). However, you'll also notice this is far, far from the Stargate it used to be.

It's still the best Sci-Fi out there, which is both a good thing and a bad thing. It shows the quality of the show-that-used-to-be for it to still impress but it also shows how far the standards have dropped since the height of the show in Series 1-3.

Part of me still feels the series should have quit after Series 7, but as long as the Ori arc lives up to its early promise, there is definitely a place for Series 9 in the Stargate collection. That part of me, however, feels sad that I look towards the rest of the series with uncertainty rather than excitement.

Give the series a chance, but don't be surprised if your attitude is as ambivalent as mine has been.