Rules of Engagement

DVD, Stargate SG-1 S3 (Rules of Engagement)

Apophis may be dead, but the actor that played him was still getting work - the guy appears again, albeit as a pre-recorded message, plus his death scene gets the big screen treatment in front of many former troops. I didn't appreciate the way things ended so easily and without showing us the resolution. All these young men that had been bred to battle, were excited and fulfilled by service to Apophis in the false hope of going into battle wouldn't have given up their 'games' so meekly and agreed to go home. They never looked like they were missing home, and indeed, were happy with the way things were. The main quality of the story was in the surprise opening as we're left wondering what is going on, but the surprise soon evaporates and things turn into a more run of the mill sequence of events.

The SG-1 team are responsible for suggesting it's time for the false SG troops to fight to the death, so they go back and stop it happening. That's all, really, and I found the early part where they were assumed to come from Apophis much more interesting as there's the element of whether or not their true identities will be uncovered - they gave the enemy enough prompts, constantly questioning behaviour, breaking rules, showing ignorance. I imagined Captain Nelson was going to see through this apparent test and mount a revolt, but instead he looks a bit perplexed at the end and accepts that it's over without any fight. Again, the greenery looks attractive in all its widescreen woodery and O'Neill gets off a good few fun lines. I wonder if Daniel has been lost a little bit in recent episodes, however, and Carter hasn't had a lot to do either. Still, it wasn't a bad episode, and I always prefer off-base activity to the confines of the concrete warehouse.

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