The First Ones

DVD, Stargate SG-1 S4 (The First Ones)

It was a sad episode to see Dr. Rothman, the Reg Barclay of Stargate, killed off, but I must put my hands up and claim that I suspected he might turn out to be a Goa'uld, as unlikely as that may seem. I guess they meant he was always a Goa'uld during the mission on the planet, rather than since we've known him, which wasn't long, but with larvae swimming around in the river it's much more sensible to assume it was on this planet that he became one. He wasn't in many episodes, but he was good fun, being in awe of the 'hero' characters and forever stumbling with everything. He was much more assertive when we see him in this episode, so it's safe to glean from that that he wasn't himself at any point in the episode.

The story won points for its lush location shooting, but that's a given and it was the less common cocktail of strong scenes that made it better than the standard episode - there is humour, as always, but there was also a real sense of danger in Dr. Jackson's interaction with the primitive Unas, whether it was the excellent design and implications of the creature, or the environment it inhabited. The creature looks like it could really do Daniel some harm with those vicious teeth and huge claws (though I'd love to know how it tied the knot in his rope binding!). The scenes in the river when Daniel swims across to escape, unaware of the Goa'uld below the surface, actually brings some proper suspense to the series which sometimes it doesn't achieve. Teal'c gets to look cool again by staff-zapping a larvae that leaps from the water, without even turning round, and his insistence that all the SG members tie themselves up brings great chill to the danger of possible infiltration.

Being away from technology always helps, as nothing can sell a primitive, forest landscape better than a primitive forest landscape. The natural reality smoothly enhances the look and feel of the episode but most importantly, the Unas are finally given a worthwhile story that plays to their strengths after the previous two made them seem simply monsters. We get to see their caveman culture, learn some of their guttural language and they are some of the most alien, but believable lifeforms we've seen on the series. Any seeming mistakes are cleared up in the story - I felt the Unas looked a bit on the small side compared with the ones we've seen before, but it's a juvenile example of the species, and we do get a full-size version at the end. Also, I questioned Teal'c's decision to tie up the SG team and leave them prey to anything, and my fears seemed confirmed when Hawkins easily snaps his bonds, but it was all a ploy to unmask the Goa'uld, so I enjoyed the intelligent writing, that shows they understand the characters and style of the series enough to have fun with it, and us.

Previous adventures made me ambivalent to the Unas, but the new information about them, as well as adding to the series, also managed to create a good-looking, adventurous story, and even started me hoping we'd see more of them. Season 4 is shaping up well so far.

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