48 Hours

DVD, Stargate SG-1 S5 (48 Hours)

If you hadn't been keeping up to date with all the goings-on in 'Stargate'-land you'd probably have a hard time keeping up with this as it's all about the many plot threads that have been a-weaving this season, and well woven they are here. The episode begins in fine style full of spectacle that was so impressive much of it was used in the new credits sequence in future seasons. The effects really are quite tremendous with death gliders whipping by overhead (and still as terrible at aiming their blasts as ever), and an even bigger ship crashing, to the destruction of itself and a Stargate. As thrilling as the opening was it was somewhat lessened by inappropriately jaunty music. Sometimes the music on the series can be so affecting and well-judged, other times it sounds like a carnival band. I can't deny it has its own style, but for this and other action sequences it doesn't always work.

The problem with the teaser is that Tanith is killed off with so little ceremony. If we'd been part of the events on that planet and seen, rather than been told about what happened there, it would have made Teal'c's revenge more satisfying. As it is we have to depend on an excellently acted moment at the very end of the story when Teal'c returns, showing a small gleam of emotion over what he's just experienced, but after the ins and outs of the episode it's almost forgotten and doesn't provide the conclusion that was needed for such an important personal conflict. Personal conflicts are rife throughout the episode with every story having its hero and villain. The episode appears to go down the route of a techie problem episode, with Carter having to work out a solution in an imposed time limit, and it is very techie, but it also delves into the Russian/American treaty of the Stargate programme. I thought Colonel O'Neill was going to be reduced to a minor supporting role as worried friend that has neither technical knowledge or diplomatic skills, but even he plays an important role in the story and Teal'c's rescue.

Mayborn makes a surprise return, but perhaps the episode is too quick to give answers and resolve plots. I thought the captive Goa'uld storyline would run and run, as would Colonel Simmons' involvement, but both are captured and in a most satisfying conclusion, the Colonel is arrested at Hammond's order. I doubt he'll stay arrested for long however, he's too powerful. Mayborn continues to love popping up smugly to help his self-appointed friend O'Neill, who in a very funny initial meeting, just wants to take his head off. They could have dodged round that large vehicle all day, it was so comical to watch! It was kind of a relief to have Jack know that Mayborn wasn't the one who shot him in 'Desperate Measures,' and that Simmons was the real villain, but can we really trust Mayborn? This time Jack didn't even try to keep him on a leash, but it's interesting that he was becoming more like the man he loves to hate by threatening the Goa'uld.

Jack's mission to an NID 'safe house' to get the necessary information on how to get Teal'c's pattern out of the 'gate (it shut down prematurely when Teal'c disobeyed orders to stay behind and take out Tanith's ship, which then destroyed the 'gate), made him important to the story, but how did this Goa'uld know what to do and why was Simmons asking him such a question? Is that all Simmons had planned for the guy - to sit around in a cage and answer any questions that might come up so he could blackmail people into doing what he wanted as he did to Hammond? "I have the info you need, but you've got to give me the Goa'uld hand weapon." The situation does give rise to interesting questions about Sam's work on the Stargate, and I'd never considered the lack of a Dial Home Device (DHD), might be a liability to safety. Her interactions with the civilian Dr. McKay (who probably would have gotten on better with Dr. Jackson who would be on the same level), were entertaining as we so rarely see Carter's intelligence and procedures questioned. I may be wrong about this as I've never seen the spinoff series 'Stargate Atlantis,' but I think he became a main character on that.

I can understand why he would become a fully-fledged character as he was good fun to watch and came in at an interesting angle: a civilian who's studied the 'gate technology in detail (though he must have done it from a distance or we'd have met him sooner), has strong views on it and is clearly a very intelligent man, but also the slight social ticks you'd expect from a genius. Not massively, but the thing with the lemon, and the way he talked to Carter, stood out. There were a few good moments like that and some well written dialogue, and I imagine we'll see Dr. McKay again. Daniel and Major Davis' diplomatic efforts in Moscow (stock footage of the exterior I assume), were interesting to watch for different reasons. The whole issue of the US controlling the fate of Earth and the technology gleaned from their exclusive missions does make them seem rather selfish so it was good to have that point of view taken by Daniel who isn't a military man. He sees things from the Russian perspective and seemed to get on better with the Russian General than Davis who hotly refused any kind of compromise as if they were enemies. It remains to be seen how the Russians will be compensated for the loss of their DHD which was destroyed in the rescue of Teal'c, but I think it would be quite fair for them to have a Russian team at the SGC, just as there should be teams from every major nation. It's only fair!

It's amazing that Jackson and the Russian General showed no signs of jet lag, because all this happened over forty-eight hours (the name of the episode), yet Daniel's been there and back and shows no sign of fatigue at all! What worked well with this episode is how all the characters (bar Teal'c, but no change there), were used equally and effectively to reach the solution, even Siler and Walter were there; Davis, Mayborn, they've built up quite a nice little basket of recurring characters to play with. On original viewing I didn't think much of this episode, probably because it has so much continuity links and I didn't have quite the same connection to all the backstory as I do now, having watched from the beginning. Now I see that they pulled off something that never became slow or too talky, despite the nature of it being about a guy stuck inside technology and everyone has to put their heads together and get him out. Each person's strengths were used and that made it work.

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