Entity

DVD, Stargate SG-1 S4 (Entity)

It could be called a fairly standard episode, and uses a standard sci-fi trope, probably as a money-saving measure, since it's all set in the base, with only some onscreen computer game graphics to show an alien world. They've dialled up one of the numbers in the Ancient's phone book, just to, you know, check it out. That's what they do. Although the opening is, that word again: standard, the mood in the control centre is adventurous. The team could be blase about another world, another gate connection, and another MALP being sent out, but they treat the experience with curiosity and that stops us, the audience, from being bored, or for the Stargate to be treated as routine technology. It helps when we see the MALP suddenly flying off, but the joy of the scene is rooted in the verbal tics and tocks back and forth between the characters, O'Neill especially on form and in a good mood this episode.

Once the MALP is no longer able to transmit visuals all the equipment goes haywire and the team have a new problem, that of a program or entity which takes over the base, or would have if it had had a chance to, but emergency power comes on and it's only later they discover the MALP room has become a 'nest' for the intelligence. Although the team are only creeping around in one of the base's warehouses rather than an alien planet, it's still got something about it because we know that something was being built in there. Up to that point I felt the story was quite refreshing as I was expecting people to be taken over from the title. It's been done before, it'll be done again, but this time they had avoided the obvious by using technology as the carrier, in a 'Matrix' sort of way - all hanging cables and screens with little keyboards in front.

I wouldn't say I was disappointed when the inevitable happened - Sam gets to be the one whose consciousness is invaded, and the story continues along in a nice way, referring to how much Sam means to Jack especially, and the hard decision of having to turn off her life support, the sensitive music adding a lot to these scenes. Using a synthesised voice worked well for the character of the entity, providing some otherworldliness and harshness to its persona. It also spoke of the smallness and captivity in the way it came out, so there could be some sympathy, even though it was just something sent to defend its planet.

It turns out that they had assumed Earth was attacking because radio waves were damaging to them, and Earth would have been in big trouble if it wasn't halted prematurely. It was aggressive, but only trying to preserve its planet, and ultimately makes a selfless act by releasing Sam's consciousness into the mainframe before Jack shoots her inhabited body. All so they wouldn't fulfil the threat to send more probes. This linchpin of the story could have been spelled out better - that the entity was sacrificing itself, and why it didn't just agree to leave Sam's body so Jack wouldn't have had to shoot to kill in the first place, but that would have meant less sad scenes. The script was a bit ill-thought out in places. However, it dealt with a more alien world in a suitable way and without breaking the budget, while also touching on the connection between O'Neill and Carter, using the standard plot pieces in a fairly good way and making for an above average episode. Sergeant Siler and Dr. Fraiser are more involved, naturally, as it was set on the base, and even Walter, the gate technician gets blown off his seat! I've only just noticed: when did Teal'c lose the tiny beard?!

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