Stargate 8x12

[corilannam]

Thoughts a little late on this one, because I passed out last night before the opening credits on Atlantis.



So last week I didn't post anything about Gemini, mostly because I couldn't get up the gumption to say much more than "Sam stupid. Jack stupid.  Teal'c's Biceps pretty." 

I was a little worried about Prometheus Unbound after I saw a bunch of initial hating of it from parts of my flist, but then I watched it, and OMG how could I not love this episode?  It was like the anti-Gemini, and I really appreciate getting a bit of an antidote after sitting through that piece of... well, yeah.

But here!  Not a single shot of Sam Carter!  And unfortunately, also not a single shot of Teal'c's Biceps, which is shame because I think they only need one more episode before they get their own SAG card.

So no Sam and no Teal'c leaves us with... Jack and Daniel!  Ohh, that first scene was a balm to my soul for all the hurts season 8 has inflicted on me.  We had to rewind it at least 4 or 5 times before we could even go on with the rest of the episode.  Classic, classic Jack/Daniel -- in fine bickering form, just arguing for the sake of arguing because they both know that neither of them is going to budge an inch.  Dare I say... foreplay?

And then Hammond!  A big squee for General Hammond!  I was thinking during Gemini that a big part of the problem was that Jack seemed like he was still waiting for Hammond to come back and make all the hard general-ly decisions for him.  And this sort of confirmed that, but it was so cute that I didn't mind.  Poor Jack. Hammond showed up for five minutes and took away Daniel, Walter, and the comfy chair.

And I just love that Hammond pretty much wants to go on his own galactic road trip before retiring.  After 8 years of watching Jack have all the fun, who can blame him?

Homeworld Security.  Oy.  Hiccup Lady -- okay, sometimes funny, but mostly oy.  "Damn it to hell!"

I love that Hammond sends Daniel, of all people, to confront the intruder.  But it turned out to be a good choice, because check out those hair-trigger diving reflexes!  Nobody can get the hell out of the way like Daniel.

A corollary to that is his "oh shit not again" expression the instant before the zat blast hits him.

"It's kinda kill first and... no,  that's generally just about it.  Just the killing."   That's our Daniel, snark in the face of certain death.  For all their differences, he and Jack really do share a certain basic life philosophy.

"But you are very attractive."  "You're not my type, and I'm more than a little disturbed that I might be yours."  Somewhere between those two lines, I think I might have fallen off my chair laughing.

And hey look! It's Claudia Black!  And looking exceptionally hot in the tight black thing, even if Daniel doesn't really seem interested (his expression is really more like vague alarm while she's trying to seduce him).  This could mean that a) he's finally learned his lesson about dangerous alien babes who want his fine bod, or that b) he doesn't want Jack any more pissed at him when he gets home than he's already going to be, or that c) she's already been snaked and survived it, so she no longer qualifies as a potential Daniel Jackson romantic partner.

Action hero!Hammond!  Yay!  Who's your granddaddy? (Sorry.)

The catfight (because really, what else can I call it?) left me in stitches. CB and MS have great comedic chemistry.  My favorite moment was when Daniel comes crawling around the console, sees her, then turns around to crawl the other way.

"I kept my eyes closed the whole time."  "Sure you did."  And then the head squishing!  Whereupon I again nearly fell out of my chair.

I really like Vala's backstory (assuming any of it is true).  It's always cool to see the broader galactic political workings of the Goa'uld and Tok'ra.

"Name's Olo.  Hans Olo."  Well, of course it is.  But Daniel, Daniel, Daniel, *why* didn't you grab the naqada?  Don't you know what a great reconciliation present that would have made for your boyfriend when you get back to Earth?  Hans Olo would have taken the naqada.

"Daniel, whatever happens, I just want you to know -- *zat*"  Good boy!  Don't even let her get started with the platitudes.

So overall, I really just loved this episode.  Sure, it was silly and slapsticky, but it was exactly what I needed to get my SG love fired up again.  Wheee!

And next week, Maybourne!  Finally!



And now I have to go watch Atlantis, which I understand has been converting people to the McShep left and right all over the place.  I think I'm a little scared.

Comments

[fanofall.livejournal.com]

This was the first episode of this show I've ever intentionally watched all the way through (I have a girlcrush on Claudia Black), and I really really enjoyed it. Is it this good all the time?

[marzilla.livejournal.com]

Claudia is most crushworthy, to be sure. :-)

And, well, it's not this good all the time, but it is a lot of the time, and it's good much more often than it's not. I love it!

[noelql.livejournal.com]

And now I have to go watch Atlantis, which I understand has been converting people to the McShep left and right all over the place.  I think I'm a little scared.

Hee-hee! Go watch and learn the love that is McShep. It converted destina. *eg*

Maybe I'll pop in to check on you again later. Heh, heh, heh.

You will be assimilated...

Then I can point you to all the pretty fic and vids!

[marzilla.livejournal.com]

I watched. I remain sadly un-McShepped. Sorry. :-(

I love their banter, I really do. I just don't see anything at all sexual in it. There hasn't been any kind of spark moment for me.

Besides, how can I think of anything else when Ford is so adorably charging to the rescue of his Major (yet again)?? *g*

[widget285.livejournal.com]

Hans Olo would have taken the naqada.

/nods

He so would have. Clearly Daniel needs to work on that if he wants to really make a go of his new career as intergalactic mercenary.

[rohandove.livejournal.com]

Han would have shot them both, walked up, taken the naqada, and flown off with the ship.

Because, well it's Han :D

[sithdragn.livejournal.com]

Han would have shot them both

Hans would have shot FIRST, too. ;)

[rohandove.livejournal.com]

heh

So true!

[marzilla.livejournal.com]

I think Daniel would do his best work sidling up to people in hives of wretched scum and villainy and persuading them to part with their hard-stolen credits. He should probably leave the field stuff to Jack.

[rohandove.livejournal.com]

"But you are very attractive." "You're not my type, and I'm more than a little disturbed that I might be yours." Somewhere between those two lines, I think I might have fallen off my chair laughing.

You aren't alone! I loved that scene, I was rolling. :D

And next week, Maybourne! Finally!


I know, and Wayne Brady! I don't know if you saw RDA on Wayne, but you could really tell that he likes SG-1. It's good to see him.

[marzilla.livejournal.com]

Yes, I loved that interview! And I'm looking forward to seeing Wayne on SG, even if it's going to be very distracting. *g*

[sithdragn.livejournal.com]

Okay, I rewatched the ep this morning and I like it much more.

These two scenes...
The catfight (because really, what else can I call it?) left me in stitches. CB and MS have great comedic chemistry. My favorite moment was when Daniel comes crawling around the console, sees her, then turns around to crawl the other way.
and
"Daniel, whatever happens, I just want you to know -- *zat*" Good boy! Don't even let her get started with the platitudes.
...really struck me this morning because there's so much truth to them. Besides being great Daniel moments, they're more realistic and smarter than ballisticly charging one's foe or listening to their dastardly plan. Besides the nansy fighting (how had I missed the hair pulling? *cackle*), he's smarter than he seems in a pinch.

Your three qualifications for a Daniel turning down the babe cracked. me. up

[marzilla.livejournal.com]

Daniel's very smart in a pinch. Well, most of the time, anyway. It's when you give him time to overthink things that it all tends to go haywire. *g* But the nansy fighting was still the best thing ever.

[katie-m.livejournal.com]

Nobody can get the hell out of the way like Daniel.

I guess he's learned something over the past eight years...

[marzilla.livejournal.com]

It's nice to know something has sunk in, other than the zat blasts.

[bthebuff.livejournal.com]

Excellent icon. :)

[marzilla.livejournal.com]

Thanks! It's courtesy of the talented tzikeh as part of her gay pants icon oeuvre.

You can see the whole collection here -- http://www.thechicagoloop.net/tzikeh/pants/

[butterfly.livejournal.com]

But Daniel, Daniel, Daniel, *why* didn't you grab the naqada?

Weapons' grade naqahdah is really heavy (Upgrades). He could only carry it when enhanced by an old armband. So that bit made sense.

Question: Is it wrong of me to be amused that a Sam episode has to explain where Daniel is and why he's not around and a Daniel episode doesn't have to do the same for Sam?

[marzilla.livejournal.com]

No, it's not wrong of you at all. I didn't question it for an instant. Maybe he trapped her in the same elevator. *g*

[iamrosalita.livejournal.com]

Nobody can get the hell out of the way like Daniel.

This made me laugh hysterically.

[marzilla.livejournal.com]

Everyone has to have their niche, and Daniel's found his. *g*

[castalianspring.livejournal.com]

I'm glad this has aired in the US and people are finally talking about it! God, I loved this ep. The head-squishing bit made me pull something laughing. Really, Daniel is so five years old sometimes. *snicker*

Ignore the scary people with their McShep. And wait until next week for Hot Zone, wherein the Beckett/McKay love takes center stage once again ;)

[marzilla.livejournal.com]

Yay! Beckett/McKay is *much* more appealing to me. Maybe I should haul out the downloaded eps I never watched.

And yes, Daniel is five, and so cute. *g*

[jenlev.livejournal.com]

i adored this episode, and keep rewatching it. i'm having trouble getting past that initial scene with jack and daniel...i just keep rewinding right there. oh, the look on their faces when hammond leaves the room.

i love your review, and the reasons you list for daniel not really being interested in nala make perfect sense. *veg*

ps. "Nobody can get the hell out of the way like Daniel." bwahaha! perfect. ;)

[marzilla.livejournal.com]

I know, it takes me forever to get past the Jack/Daniel scene. It's just so perfect! I do love when Hammond leaves, and they're both just standing there like they can't believe that actually just happened. *g*

[jenlev.livejournal.com]

jack did a wonderful job of fitting many paragraphs of discussion into the look he gave daniel. who responded in kind. great moment; incredible chemistry. *g*

[kalyw.livejournal.com]

i haven't gotten to watch the episode yet, but thanks to you and des i've gone from being nervous about it to looking forward to it. :)

i did see about two seconds of it - when CB hits the console and the communications comes on line and daniel just gives her this WTF?!? look - i nearly fell off the chair laughing.

but... j/d!!! and no sam!! *cheers* *ahem* O:)

now as long as we're not overwhelmed with the daniel/vala het fic! *g* or worse... some warped attempt at canon if she does come back next season. (they certainly work at pimping jack/sam, after all... *shudder*)

and i can't be the only one who finds it amusing that daniel's hans olo and jack was luke skywalker in 1969... and han/luke is like the mainstay slash pair of SW:TOS. i mean, hell, even their silly aliases are a slash pair! ;)

[marzilla.livejournal.com]

As a Daniel fan, you will certainly love this episode. *g* And frankly, I wouldn't mind seeing some Daniel/Vala het. After all, if Jack's sleeping with women, Daniel should get to, too. And they had great chemistry. *g*

And no, you're not the only one to find that very amusing. Even if Han/Luke is very icky. *g*

[kalyw.livejournal.com]

i'm looking forward to all the daniel and the j/d. :) and i should get to finally see it, later today.

however - i'm so sick of all things relationship and love life on this show i don't want any of it. especially not for daniel. (unless hell were to freeze and jack and daniel were to shag like bunnies. then i guess i could deal with it. *bg* what? i'm baised! *g*) i want stargate, not as the gate turns! ;)

and han/luke is just... i dunno, doesn't do much for me seeing as how they yell "brotherly" to me instead. but i'll appreciate the slashiness of it that others see to apply it to jack and daniel. *g*