The Changeling

DVD, Stargate SG-1 S6 (The Changeling)

A reality-bending story from the mind of none other than Christopher Judge, and I think it was nice of him to bring back his buddy Michael Shanks to enhance the poignancy of it all. The story could easily have done without Daniel Jackson stopping by to lend moral support (he could do nothing more, as we've seen before when Jack was being tortured in 'Abyss'), but whenever he glides into a story his caring support makes it special (even more so here as I think this is the first time he's appeared to anyone other than Jack). The piano music that calls back to his death/ascension last season adds an emotive tone to a series usually lacking on that level, and though his appearances in this one are fleeting, they have good reason to be there as a guide in Teal'c's mental realm as he tries to reconcile a fictional life incorporating his SGC colleagues and Bra'tac in the Fire Service (of all things!), with his 'real' life with the SG-1 team, and visions of Apophis coming to haunt him and taunt him about a fear of death. But Teal'c has never been afraid to die, being a good warrior, so it makes sense that the real fear is about keeping Bra'tac alive.

It takes a long time before we get a 'real' moment in the episode, when the camera pans over the battleground slaughter of many Jaffa, as if voyaging into some historical painting - the story had more depth than the average episode, and that seemed to be reflected in all departments. I already commented on the affecting music, but the episode begins with an elaborate camera move as we're whisked through a hospital past all kinds of people and into an operating theatre where Apophis prepares to remove Teal'c's symbiote. There are other shots that show mastery of the visual art, such as the simple walk and talk between 'T' and Dr. Jackson in the grounds of the hospital where he's recovering from an operation to remove a kidney for 'Brae' (not to mention the actors having to perform such a long scene without cuts); or on the stairway walk and talk between General Hammond and Dr. Fraiser, using a well-known piece of set in a new and exciting way.

Being written by Judge it's no surprise it focuses on his character as central fulcrum of the story, but it was so well devised and so different, a true science fiction short story, that it makes me want to see more episodes written by him (I know he did a few). There are the usual little touches, such as Siler being one of the firemen who opens the shutter at the station, and Walter the radio dispatcher, so we're reminded of the world we're in, yet it's a completely skewed world. What if… 'Stargate' was actually a Fire & Rescue show? It was interesting to see what an American Fire Service looks like, though they seemed very slow in getting out the door! Not only do we get a heroic tale of mental resilience in the face of near death in a last-ditch effort to save a friend and mentor, we're also treated to a more naturalistic acting style from Judge who gets to be a normal human without the mascara or forehead symbol. He always does an excellent job as the alien warrior of few words that is Teal'c, but he's a revelation in the role of someone flitting between this recognisable personality and a casual-speaking, ordinary American Joe. We know that this isn't reality and there's going to have to be a reason for why he's dreaming this other life, and we're hoping it's going to be a legitimate one, not a halfhearted excuse to do something different, but the quality of the episode is such that you don't really mind if it ends well because you're too busy responding to this make-believe world, and Daniel, and then it turns out to be so important.

I think I guessed the solution to be Teal'c fighting to stay alive and seeing these visions as a way of staying resolute and resilient, as that's usually the reason for such alternate lives when presented in a dream-like way, as opposed to more action-oriented stories of alternate timelines and such, but I had seen it before, long ago, so maybe that had something to do with it, and I didn't predict that it was all a dream, even the SGC scenes. I'm pretty sure there is an episode in which Bra'tac really does die, so I was thinking it might be this one, though thankfully not, as he remains a powerful presence opposite Teal'c. Being critical I could point to the end where things fall back into the technobabble/lore of the series, talking about spare symbiotes from the Tok'ra and a meeting of Jaffa (the reason it all happened), but even that featured a cameo from Jacob to enjoy, and it leaves us uncertain about Teal'c's future - did he really lose his symbiote and now lives on Tretonin from the Pangarans, or was that just a possibility? If he has lost 'Junior,' as O'Neill says, that should be interesting. But a touching, mysterious and worthwhile episode, more than we've seen in a while this season.

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