Out of Mind

DVD, Stargate SG-1 S2 (Out of Mind)

The dreaded clips show strikes! Why do we have to endure these things? To be fair there isn't as great a reliance on the clips as there would be in later episodes, they're just there to fill in a bit of time, and I was hoping the clips were chosen intelligently as a primer, so that at least a reminder of the details would be useful in some way. The beginning suitably draws us in, playing on the fact that the previous episode was a visit to the past, so why shouldn't this be a trip to the future. It was all so plausible, and because we want them to be in 2077 it's easier to believe it. But it would be unlikely that they'd be trapped in the future right after the trip back in time, and the illusion is only kept up for a while.

Hathor was the least successful enemy they came across so her reappearance at the centre of the plot isn't encouraging. I suppose the reminder of the main facts that have been uncovered was helpful in a ticking the box kind of way, but most scenes are just filler - the long conversation between Hammond and Teal'c when he decides to leave, as affecting as it is that he's had to abandon SG Command, is an example of playing for time, making this a lot less satisfying an episode than the previous one, especially with the cliffhanger ending, but at least it wasn't the end of the season, so hopefully any money saved will go towards a strong final two episodes.

Except that I've just realised that it was indeed the season ender, and the last two episodes on the DVD are Season 1 stories! Why? Ending a season with a clips episode is the worst thing they could do, it must be that they simply ran out of money. The season on the whole has been an improvement over the first season, the characters have been further defined, as has the mythology of the series. One enemy has been defeated, but others have been introduced, and I can't complain, but really, they should have saved a bit of money for a decent send-off. Still, what can you expect, it's not 'Star Trek' (although saying that 'The Next Generation' ended its second season with a clips episode, so maybe there are parallels after all?).

**