SG-1: The Lost City, Part II
Mar. 19th, 2004 10:43 pmHere there be spoilers for The Lost City, Part II. They will be relatively short, since I'm tired, and unlike some people, I'm too lazy to write my post up ahead of time, even though I watched the episode last week. *g*
There was so much I loved about this episode, and a bit I hated, too. In short:
Love the President. Love him, love him, love him. He's snarky, he's smart, and he's all over Kinsey's preachy bullshit. The moments where he smacked Kinsey down were among the best in the episode for me. I would have paid actual money just to see that happen. He makes me pine for first/second season Bartlet. He even has his own Fitz! Well, definitely Fitz Lite. But still.
Love Weir. Love her, love her, love her. I don't at all mind the idea of seeing more of her next year. In fact, I'm rather looking forward to it.
The *REAL* OTP of Stargate: SG-1? Hammond/Sgt. Davis. Oh, come on. He goes wherever Hammond goes. There was no reason for him to be on Prometheus, except that his snuggle bear couldn't stand to be apart from him any longer. Loved Hammond getting to whoop it up as the action hero, though. You go, sir!
When did Daniel lose his Ancient language skills? Surely it hasn't been that long since Fallen/Homecoming? I mean, the writers can recreate banter scenes from The Fifth Race and resurrect 'ship that's been deader than dead since fourth season, but they can't remember that Daniel retained his Ancient language skills after his de-Ascension? I wanted him really talking to Jack in Ancient.
But that being said, I still loved the Jack/Daniel we got. The banter, the looks, that understated current between them that's been there all season, whenever they deign to appear on screen together. No, they didn't get the intense good-bye scene that the others got, but I honestly didn't feel that much of a lack. Their relationship is so present and real, contrasted with the Jack/Sam that has to be awkwardly wedged in our gullets and then shoved down our throats. I loved the scene where Daniel told him that he would have taken the download. Sure, a more sappy farewell would have been nice, but that's never been who they are.
In the realm of farewells, however, how much did I love the Jack/Teal'c face-cupping? Not as much as some did, I'm sure, but I did squeal. I don't see a sexual element to their relationship at all, but the love is so powerful and obvious. What a beautifully acted moment.
On a shallow side note, Jack healing Bra'tac? Seriously hot. Maybe that's my lifelong Aragorn fetish speaking, but guh.
After all this time, Anubis's destruction felt a little anti-climactic. But then, I felt the same way when Apophis finally bought it. *shrug* I'm glad Darth Anubis is gone, though. He doesn't rank high in my list of favorite Goa'uld villains -- somewhere above Hathor but below Heru'ur maybe.
And then, after a mostly positive episode experience, they ruined it for me in the last ten seconds. I don't really mean to put on my bitter slasher hat, but good heavens, I am so. damn. tired. of the Jack/Sam. It's to the point where I'm just so embarrassed for Sam, I cringe whenever she's onscreen. I want to like Sam, I try hard, but this season they've slowly drained a huge portion of my respect for her character. She should be more than a walking plot contrivance and handy female love object.
In my mind, Sam got over Jack halfway through 4th season and never looked back. She loves him as a commander and a friend, and he loves her the same way. I don't know what to do with the Sam they're showing us now, but I'm just happy I don't have to think about it until July.
And speaking of July, I caught the new sorta-trailer for Season 8 after the episode. I absolutely LOVE that they called Jack the "soul of SG-1." Yes. Yes, he is. Please try not to forget that over the hiatus.
There was so much I loved about this episode, and a bit I hated, too. In short:
Love the President. Love him, love him, love him. He's snarky, he's smart, and he's all over Kinsey's preachy bullshit. The moments where he smacked Kinsey down were among the best in the episode for me. I would have paid actual money just to see that happen. He makes me pine for first/second season Bartlet. He even has his own Fitz! Well, definitely Fitz Lite. But still.
Love Weir. Love her, love her, love her. I don't at all mind the idea of seeing more of her next year. In fact, I'm rather looking forward to it.
The *REAL* OTP of Stargate: SG-1? Hammond/Sgt. Davis. Oh, come on. He goes wherever Hammond goes. There was no reason for him to be on Prometheus, except that his snuggle bear couldn't stand to be apart from him any longer. Loved Hammond getting to whoop it up as the action hero, though. You go, sir!
When did Daniel lose his Ancient language skills? Surely it hasn't been that long since Fallen/Homecoming? I mean, the writers can recreate banter scenes from The Fifth Race and resurrect 'ship that's been deader than dead since fourth season, but they can't remember that Daniel retained his Ancient language skills after his de-Ascension? I wanted him really talking to Jack in Ancient.
But that being said, I still loved the Jack/Daniel we got. The banter, the looks, that understated current between them that's been there all season, whenever they deign to appear on screen together. No, they didn't get the intense good-bye scene that the others got, but I honestly didn't feel that much of a lack. Their relationship is so present and real, contrasted with the Jack/Sam that has to be awkwardly wedged in our gullets and then shoved down our throats. I loved the scene where Daniel told him that he would have taken the download. Sure, a more sappy farewell would have been nice, but that's never been who they are.
In the realm of farewells, however, how much did I love the Jack/Teal'c face-cupping? Not as much as some did, I'm sure, but I did squeal. I don't see a sexual element to their relationship at all, but the love is so powerful and obvious. What a beautifully acted moment.
On a shallow side note, Jack healing Bra'tac? Seriously hot. Maybe that's my lifelong Aragorn fetish speaking, but guh.
After all this time, Anubis's destruction felt a little anti-climactic. But then, I felt the same way when Apophis finally bought it. *shrug* I'm glad Darth Anubis is gone, though. He doesn't rank high in my list of favorite Goa'uld villains -- somewhere above Hathor but below Heru'ur maybe.
And then, after a mostly positive episode experience, they ruined it for me in the last ten seconds. I don't really mean to put on my bitter slasher hat, but good heavens, I am so. damn. tired. of the Jack/Sam. It's to the point where I'm just so embarrassed for Sam, I cringe whenever she's onscreen. I want to like Sam, I try hard, but this season they've slowly drained a huge portion of my respect for her character. She should be more than a walking plot contrivance and handy female love object.
In my mind, Sam got over Jack halfway through 4th season and never looked back. She loves him as a commander and a friend, and he loves her the same way. I don't know what to do with the Sam they're showing us now, but I'm just happy I don't have to think about it until July.
And speaking of July, I caught the new sorta-trailer for Season 8 after the episode. I absolutely LOVE that they called Jack the "soul of SG-1." Yes. Yes, he is. Please try not to forget that over the hiatus.
no subject
Date: 2004-03-19 08:25 pm (UTC)I didn't want a sappy farewell. *shudder* I just wanted a scene where Jack's body language and posture weren't 'closed', and where his tone with Daniel wasn't grumpy, and where there was some, you know. Actual emotion between them. Because that *is* who they are. Or were. Ugh.
And PS!
Date: 2004-03-19 08:45 pm (UTC)Re: And PS!
Date: 2004-03-19 09:01 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-03-19 09:01 pm (UTC)But in all honesty, despite my longing to see a moment between Jack and Daniel with the power that the moment between Jack and Teal'c had, I would rather see nothing than have them totally screw it up. I would rather have to live with what we got than have to listen to another "I may have come to respect you. A little." speech. When they get it right these days, it's usually by accident -- especially if you're right and RDA and/or MS are growing uncomfortable with the slashers (who can blame them?)
no subject
Date: 2004-03-19 09:04 pm (UTC)LOL! We have *no* common ground on this. I found that scene to be the most beautiful, in-character moment I could ever imagine for them. I *loved* that scene. *g*
no subject
Date: 2004-03-19 09:10 pm (UTC)The same will probably be true of this episode, I suspect. *g*
no subject
Date: 2004-03-19 08:42 pm (UTC)Oh, I'm so glad that wasn't just me.
no subject
Date: 2004-03-19 09:02 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-03-19 09:12 pm (UTC)*blinks* I haven't watched the show in ages, but oh, how I would have loved to see that. Mmmhmm. And yeppers - *stepping out of my closet* - I'm one of the rare breed known as a Jack/Teal'c shipper. *g*
I loved your recap. :)
no subject
Date: 2004-03-20 11:15 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-03-20 05:52 am (UTC)I let out an involuntary little gasp over that. It was the most intimate thing we've seen from Jack in so long. It was gorgeous. *happy sigh*
no subject
Date: 2004-03-20 06:46 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-03-20 11:20 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-03-20 06:56 am (UTC)Personally, I think the most effective villains from a purely story telling POV are those with some kind of personal connection to the heroes. That's why Apophis was such a good villain, even if his warddrobe sucked, and why Hathor and Chronus and Nirrti and Osiris are so much more interesting and resonant than Anubis. Anubis was this vague, nebulous entity who just wanted to rule the universe because...well, just because. He never seemed threatening or interesting or remotely three dimensional. Its hard to feel menaced when you find yourself yawning at the villain. Just my two cents worth.
It's to the point where I'm just so embarrassed for Sam, I cringe whenever she's onscreen. I want to like Sam, I try hard, but this season they've slowly drained a huge portion of my respect for her character. She should be more than a walking plot contrivance and handy female love object.
/nods
I agree completely. I love Sam, or at least used to love her, and I weep that TPTB have decimated what was once a strong independant character in order to fulfill their sterotypical interpretation of what a woman in love is supposed to be. This Sam is embarrassing to watch.
no subject
Date: 2004-03-22 07:59 am (UTC)So true! Anubis's greatest entertainment value was in trying to decide which other genre villains he most resembled. No personality, no grudges, no fashion sense to speak of -- as a Goa'uld, Anubis is really quite pathetic.
And it's all tell and no show. We never see him, we just hear once in a while that he's blown up another System Lord. Bor-ing!
no subject
Date: 2004-03-24 04:14 pm (UTC)/nods
That's a big part of the problem. Anubis never does much of anything exept to stand around and pose and snarl. Oh and kill the occasional red shirt Jaffa. Give me Osiris any day. Hell, even the Replicators had more personality than Anubis Palpatine.
no subject
Date: 2004-03-20 08:53 am (UTC)I too wondered about that. I can imagine the writers goings, "Continuity? We don't need no stikin' continuity!"
I wanted him really talking to Jack in Ancient.
And they could have had sex and said dirty things to each other in Ancient. ;) A "missing scene" snippet would fit nicely in this episode.
In the realm of farewells, however, how much did I love the Jack/Teal'c face-cupping?
That was beautiful. My belief in the Teal'c/Jack pairing is strong. Mmmmm. Oh yeah.
no subject
Date: 2004-03-22 08:00 am (UTC)Mmm! I'm sure there will be plenty of those, and I look forward to them greatly. *g*
no subject
Date: 2004-03-20 09:53 am (UTC)Yes! Yes! Yes! The objectifying of Sam really pushes my buttons on the women in the workforce/military issue and in art.
no subject
Date: 2004-03-22 08:16 am (UTC)It makes me really sad that Sam often lacks the depth of personality of the other major characters. She has such huge potential, but they've never quite known what to do with her, other than make her Ms. Fix-It or a potential prize for O'Neill. I've wondered for a while if it's the lack of women in their production staff that's to blame or if it's just impossible to sustain a good female genre character these days.
*trying really hard not to think about Scully*
no subject
Date: 2004-03-22 05:07 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-06-06 11:07 pm (UTC)Yes, yes, yes! George/Walter
Now why do people keep telling me this is squicky?