Stargate: SG-1 10.5: "Uninvited"
Written by Damien Kindler
Directed by Will Waring
Coming off of an episode covering one of the less popular plot threads for the series, namely the Ba’al clone saga, the writers could have continued the downward slide. After all, this was clearly promoted as a stand-alone episode, and in recent seasons, the stand-alones have been of varying quality. So I was a little surprised when this turned out to be a continuity-driven transitional episode with a focus on character relationships. Who saw that coming?
The plot itself is an interesting follow-up on the Sodan technology from the ninth season. Much of the time, alien technology is utilized without much concern, and so it’s always fun to see it come back and bite the SGC where it counts. They should point this one out to the NID and anyone else who wants to grab alien technology as soon as it’s found. (Then again, SGC protocols are horribly underwhelming when it comes to protecting the planet!)
From my point of view, the plot was just a nice way to touch on past continuity while musing over the psychological issues of the SG-1 personnel. Take, as an example, the interaction between Sam and Vala. Vala is still trying to prove her worth, and in the process, she tries the patience of everyone within earshot. Sam, however, is the least likely to appreciate Vala and her point of view, and this episode gives her a reason to respect Vala’s contributions, if only a little.
Frankly, this is the benefit of having Daniel “out in the field” for a couple episodes. When Daniel is around, the writers tend to have Vala right at his side, as though they were joined at the hip. With Daniel out of the picture, the writers are forced to explore how the team dynamic has changed with Vala tagging along on the missions. Her interaction with Teal’c is priceless!
One interaction that was less obvious, but equally intriguing, was the relationship between Mitchell and Landry. I liked the idea of gathering at O’Neill’s cabin, if only because it reminds the audience that O’Neill is still out there, alive and well, if off-screen. Landry is right: the team needs downtime, and that also means supporting each other on an emotional and psychological level. Mitchell’s lack of confidence is an interesting twist, because it’s not apparent in other episodes, yet it makes perfect sense.
Landry’s issues are a bit harder to work out, but that’s more a symptom of thin characterization than anything else. It’s hard to know how to interpret his heart-to-heart with Mitchell when there’s very little to go on from earlier episodes. Landry is basically a mixture of O’Neill and Hammond, dedicated to defending the SGC politically and giving clear direction while tossing in one-liners where possible. In this episode, we see a little more of the pressure on his shoulders, which is not really surprising, but still nice to see in a different context.
It would have been easier to toss in a stand-alone episode with little or no connection to the season arc, but the writers took a more challenging approach. The result is a solid transitional episode, not unlike the episodes of “Buffy” or “Angel” that explored consequences while ensuring that the main plot was referenced. The “Stargate” franchise has struggled with that kind of storytelling in the past, so this was a pleasant surprise.
(As a sidenote: I also have a podcast associated with my various reviews called “Dispatches from Tuzenor”. Recent episodes cover the “Stargate SG-1”, so it might be something of interest. Go to http://entil2001.libsyn.com if you want to listen!)
Writing: 2/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 1/4
Final Rating: 7/10
Directed by Will Waring
Coming off of an episode covering one of the less popular plot threads for the series, namely the Ba’al clone saga, the writers could have continued the downward slide. After all, this was clearly promoted as a stand-alone episode, and in recent seasons, the stand-alones have been of varying quality. So I was a little surprised when this turned out to be a continuity-driven transitional episode with a focus on character relationships. Who saw that coming?
The plot itself is an interesting follow-up on the Sodan technology from the ninth season. Much of the time, alien technology is utilized without much concern, and so it’s always fun to see it come back and bite the SGC where it counts. They should point this one out to the NID and anyone else who wants to grab alien technology as soon as it’s found. (Then again, SGC protocols are horribly underwhelming when it comes to protecting the planet!)
From my point of view, the plot was just a nice way to touch on past continuity while musing over the psychological issues of the SG-1 personnel. Take, as an example, the interaction between Sam and Vala. Vala is still trying to prove her worth, and in the process, she tries the patience of everyone within earshot. Sam, however, is the least likely to appreciate Vala and her point of view, and this episode gives her a reason to respect Vala’s contributions, if only a little.
Frankly, this is the benefit of having Daniel “out in the field” for a couple episodes. When Daniel is around, the writers tend to have Vala right at his side, as though they were joined at the hip. With Daniel out of the picture, the writers are forced to explore how the team dynamic has changed with Vala tagging along on the missions. Her interaction with Teal’c is priceless!
One interaction that was less obvious, but equally intriguing, was the relationship between Mitchell and Landry. I liked the idea of gathering at O’Neill’s cabin, if only because it reminds the audience that O’Neill is still out there, alive and well, if off-screen. Landry is right: the team needs downtime, and that also means supporting each other on an emotional and psychological level. Mitchell’s lack of confidence is an interesting twist, because it’s not apparent in other episodes, yet it makes perfect sense.
Landry’s issues are a bit harder to work out, but that’s more a symptom of thin characterization than anything else. It’s hard to know how to interpret his heart-to-heart with Mitchell when there’s very little to go on from earlier episodes. Landry is basically a mixture of O’Neill and Hammond, dedicated to defending the SGC politically and giving clear direction while tossing in one-liners where possible. In this episode, we see a little more of the pressure on his shoulders, which is not really surprising, but still nice to see in a different context.
It would have been easier to toss in a stand-alone episode with little or no connection to the season arc, but the writers took a more challenging approach. The result is a solid transitional episode, not unlike the episodes of “Buffy” or “Angel” that explored consequences while ensuring that the main plot was referenced. The “Stargate” franchise has struggled with that kind of storytelling in the past, so this was a pleasant surprise.
(As a sidenote: I also have a podcast associated with my various reviews called “Dispatches from Tuzenor”. Recent episodes cover the “Stargate SG-1”, so it might be something of interest. Go to http://entil2001.libsyn.com if you want to listen!)
Writing: 2/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 1/4
Final Rating: 7/10
posted by John Keegan | 14:50
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