Scorched Earth

DVD, Stargate SG-1 S4 (Scorched Earth)

At first I thought this was going to be another 'away mission' to one of those slightly boring human-like races they like to use once in a while - rustic, low levels of technology, the Stargate team help them or get into trouble with them, and eventually a way is found to either get away or part amicably. The first season had a lot of these and, thankfully, there have been less over the seasons, but I wasn't far wrong from my initial impressions. Everything seemed to be moving like treacle and I just wanted them to get on with whatever plan they were going to come up with to stop the advance of the alien ship from terraforming the Ankaran's adoptive planet.

Things pick up a little when the team visit the mysterious vessel, and the set design was very nice indeed, all sparkling white futuristic decor, spare, but exuding great advancement. Brian Markinson adds 'Stargate' to his 'DS9' and 'Voyager' sci-fi roster, and though he played Lotan as a bland character, it was fitting for the fact he was a 'robot' in the form of the Ankarans (with their unique golden eyes). I was expecting some kind of compromise to be reached, but it wasn't a very intellectually stimulating episode so I just let the current drag me along. There were some scenes to enjoy, as Daniel introduces the 'newborn' to the way of life of the people in whose image he was made.

While Lotan doesn't exactly gain sympathy for the victims of his programmers plan, he does gain understanding thanks to Daniel pulling a Captain Kirk and getting him to see the logic of finding a better solution. The only dramatic entanglements come from O'Neill's plan to use a Naquita generator to try and blow up the ship, even while Jackson is trying to give him another alternative. If Jack was going to listen to anyone it would be Samantha Carter, but she doesn't really try too hard to convince him, so I felt she could have pushed a bit more, though it goes against the grain to question a superior officer, and a friend, like that. I shouldn't think Jack's decision to carry on with the plan even though Daniel was still aboard is going to cement their 'friendship' either, though things like this have happened before.

It makes a change to have a strong moral dilemma in the series, but it didn't make for strong storytelling, and even the lovely scenery can't make up for the lack of pace and the brightness of the weather with Ankarans wandering around as if everything was fine, continuing their daily tasks, did nothing to create a feeling of impending doom. Still, it ends happily, so no harm done.

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