Tuesday, 10 March 2015

Evolution


DVD, Stargate SG-1 S7 (Evolution)

I'm in two minds about this one. It brings us a tough new alien foe, an unstoppable foot soldier that, in some ways, is more like this series' Borg than the Replicants, even if that older race was more similar in concept to the famous Trek villains. But it also throws so many names, planets and situations around, mainly in discussion, that I had a hard time keeping up with everything. There were also big logic problems, some, admittedly, solved during the episode: the biggest thing for me is that the warrior is too easy to defeat and capture. I should qualify this by saying that that's what it appeared to be at first, until we find out it wasn't defeated by Teal'c and Bra'tac, actually dying of heart failure, as it's an over-powered and over-gunned host to the Goa'uld, working for the insidious Anubis. That opening sequence when we see the warrior pair confronted with an enemy beyond their combined and considerable force, leaping aside like scared rabbits, was about the only truly great moment in the episode. But it still looked like Teal'c was able to shoot the creature down, even if he wasn't in fact responsible. So our initial impression of a gigantic, implacable foe becomes one of, firstly, an eminently stoppable one, and secondly, an incredibly flawed creation. Hardly Borg-level fear factor. We see another of these creatures unwisely run right through an area full of claymores, C4, and perfect cover for soldiers with projectile weapons, even waltzing right through an energy shield - so although 'unstoppable,' it's also of low intelligence. But then it doesn't need much, nor does it need to worry about tactics: it's pretty much a foot-bound drone sent to kill and destroy, it's physiological excesses counteracted by a Goa'uld symbiote inside that tries to keep it alive long enough to carry out its carnage until it wears itself out. Not a bad idea, but even so, SG-1 are still able to capture it alive and interrogate it! Like the Borg, you think projectile weapons are going to be more effective than the energy-based variety, but it's not really so.

Leaving aside the illogic of showing us this terrible new force for evil, and then taking it down too many pegs well before the episode's got going, the creature looks pretty good - the hulking form, stomping through the dusty wasteland is a striking image, the sense of size and weight well represented through slowing the camera down. But it's the internal design that most fascinates: like Darth Vader, its helmet can be levered off to reveal the organic creature below, and an ugly, and strangely vacant visage it has. This would be because it's not an actor, but a puppet, or so I would think, the mouth moving more mechanically, and the skin translucent and rubbery as if its exertions have begun to pull it apart. But it remains somewhat disappointing that it has 'none of the Goa'uld personality' as someone says, meaning (fortunately), none of the cartoon arrogance or over the top moustache-twirling villainy, but also none of the hatred and malevolence. It may as well have been a robot for all the terror it induces, especially after it's such an easy capture. Not to say it wasn't an ingenious solution: 'beam it up' into a ship and then vent the atmosphere from the cargo bay until it slips into unconsciousness. But if such strategies can work, it shows it's just a grunt, not something to be taken too seriously except in respect of the exceptional mobile firepower it features.

The creature itself wasn't the only problem I had with the story's structure: it was far too easy for O'Neill to convince the prison guard to let them go free. Would he really be swayed by people saying his 'god' and master will sacrifice all his servants' lives to save his own, and that this creature is a threat to all his people? And with that this guard lets them all out! You'd think he'd either have more respect for his own way of life, and ignore them, show his loyalty and end up getting killed with the rest, or display doubts about his master and run off to save himself, ignoring the prisoners he has no reason to care about. It's not like they apply blinding logic or deep, emotive verbal pressure on him: O'Neill does his usual half-comedic routine (I enjoyed the Vulcan hand gesture when talking to Ramius, though), Teal'c snarls out insults about his master, and Bra'tac says he'll be hiding in a corner, or something. But the worst crime of the episode is in Doctors Jackson and Lee Indiana Jones-ing it up in Honduras to locate a fabled fountain of youth at an unknown temple because… why? It just sort of came up in conversation that there was once this super version of a Sarcophagus that could be used to animate matter, since this 'super soldier' wasn't alive until it was formed. Daniel remembers some legend his Grandfather had about the fountain of youth, he puts two and two together and within a short time they've found a temple no one else knew existed, popped down inside and found the exact flagstone under which this mythical device resides!

There's suspension of disbelief, and there's suspension of disbelief - this requires super soldier energy levels of suspension of disbelief (even if Dr. Lee is amusing, out-Jackson-ing Jackson with his uncertainty and minor irritations). What I can give the episode credit for is showing its presumably expanded budget - this is a two-parter, and it shows. There are more extras, plenty of sets, and an especially good sequence where Jackson literally becomes Indiana Jones, pulling the device out and activating a massive cave-in of gushing water - he should have had a little bag of pebbles handy to replace it with… We also get Bra'tac, and Jacob, but, and this may be in preparation for part two, there's just so much detail and backstory to keep track of. I got the main things: Anubis built these creatures, likely to mop up resistance of the System Lords; they were flawed, but deadly; Daniel knows where a weapon to fight them is; he goes off and gets it. But how did they know one of the warriors was going to go to that planet where they laid an ambush? And why does real life intrude, with the docs getting kidnapped by mercenaries, which is a bizarre side story, seemingly there to keep Jackson out of it for a bit, and add to the cliffhanger. I'm not surprised he had a role to play as the story was co-credited to Michael Shanks, emulating Christopher Judge. It's just farfetched they need a particular device to fight this new menace, and Jackson has a sudden memory of this legend, and finds it without difficulty. Why was the temple never found before, why didn't he look for it before, and why wasn't it plundered? I'm glad that I finally got to the start of these mighty warriors, as they did stick in my head from first viewing, but I hope part two improves on the story sense.

**

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