Brief Candle

DVD, Stargate SG-1 (Brief Candle)

It continues to betray it's 'Star Trek' influences. This time it's The Ageing Episode. Maybe it would have been better to age one of the other cast as Jack had already been through prosthetics before ('The Broca Divide'). It's hardly 'Distant Voices', 'The Inner Light', etc, but it's okay and the makeup's not bad, though it's never possible to make the thinness and shrunkenness of real age. As usual, the old look is always so difficult to achieve because obviously the prosthetics have to add something to a face, they can't take away. Anderson does a pretty good job, but older voices tend to go deeper rather than higher. I'm nitpicking of course.

Funny to see them using floppy disks in their computers! And the good old hall is redressed once again - like the 'Star Trek' planet caves, they use it a little too often, and can't disguise it's shape, unlike the caves which were easier to fill in for different planets. It seemed unlikely that the Argosians would throw off all their traditions and beliefs, handed down from their parents, because Jack tells them something, but there are some good moments to be had, such as the embarrassment over the cake, and Daniel knowing how to give birth.

As pretty as the visuals are, there isn't a great story attached, although the message of making the most of each day as if we only had 100 to live, is a good one, though I doubt Jack will remember the lesson for long! It wasn't explained why General Hammond changed his mind and let them go back through the Stargate to help Jack, nor how whatever they did would cure the 'disease'. And at first, why couldn't Jack go back if the disease was only spread through 'physical contact'? It seemed to miss a proper explanation of things.

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