Volume 36 Review

[SGCStarGater]

Well Volume 36 is due to be released on dvd shortly in the UK, so here's a quick review in case you're still not sure

whether you want it or not

Heroes Part 1

And so begins the first part in a two part episode, combining the very best that StarGate SG-1 has to offer.

Synopsis:

The inital premise involves a TV crew documenting SGC operations to show "the whole world," to mark the fact that the

StarGate has now seen a total of 1,000 journeys. While Hammon feels threatend by his presence, he agrees to cooperate to

the orders received from the President to the very letter.
Mr Bosworth, the lead TV crew member immediately begins interviews, starting with Major Samantha Carter, who appears

extremely enthusiastic aswel as nervous. This is immediately followed by some fantastic comedy as Bosworth talks with

Daniel Jackson, whose bleeper goes off, causing Daniel to run madly down the corridor to his office. Upon arriving there he

remarks he did it only to see whether Bosworth would chase him. Next up is the interview with Teal'C and much more comedy

as Teal'C stares down Bosworth, not saying a word, and finally commenting he was requested to be there by General Hammond,

and that he wasn't requested to speak. Colonel O'Neill however, is loathe to being interviewed, and avoids Bosworth at

every opportunity.
Meanwhile in the Control Room, Carter shows Bosworth around however when he wants to see the gate move, he is ushered out

when SG-13 arrive on scene to make an offworld departure. At their destination, they discover some old ruins, apparently

made by the Ancients. A little later they are attacked by a flying tripod-like device which transmits a message to the

Goa'uld revealing their location before being blown apart. As Hammond recalls SG-13, they are ambushed by a number of

Goa'uld and request reinforcements. SG-1, 5 and 7, Frasier and the medical team are sent to their aid...

Comments:

This is a fantastic episode, coming very close to being one of the funniest ever seen as a result of the quirky and

contradictory comments that pass between Bosworth and those he interviews. Some dramatic action on the offworld planet

ensures we are kept on our toes, not to mention a side to Dr Frasier we very rarely see....


Heroes Part 2

Synopsis:

And so Heroes Part 2 continues straight off with Bosworth being denied access to the gate room as SG-1 depart. On the

planet, the SG forces battle the Goa'uld. O'Neill spies a Goa'uld in hiding and moves forward to intercept, getting blasted

in the process - what follows is an extremely dramatic slow motion moment as O'Neill falls to the ground and Carter running

to his side. All casualties are subsequently returned to base, including the fallen O'Neill. Quite notably, Bosworth is

again denied access.
Bosworth later confronts an angry and upset Carter who turns him away. Bosworth then learns that there was one fatality

among the casualties brought back. This can mean only one thing. Shortly after, Hammond confronts Carter over the fatality,

and makes a beautiful and heartfelt speech. Meanwhile Bosworth is prying Daniel for information and receives a short

recording from a video camera that Daniel made revealing it was not in fact O'Neill who was killed, but someone as equally

as important...
In another tender moment, Carter speaks to O'Neill about how she thought he was nearly killed, ending in a much anticipated

hug between them.
The episode concludes with the memorial service and Bosworth's eventual interview with O'Neill after releasing a beta video

documentary much to the approval of Hammond conveying the sentimentality of the past 24 hours.

Comments:

Heroes Part 2 is a highly sensational and emotional episode: if your prone to tears, be sure you have your hankies at the

ready. The music; action and timing of the action sequences is mind blowing, as well as the fantastic twist as we find out

it wasn't O'Neill who was killed, but someone else. The speech Hammond makes to Carter is incredibly heartfelt and this

just goes to show how human all these characters are, which I feel is terrific. Similarly, the Carter-O'Neill moment was

splendid and well worth the seven year wait. Speaking of humanity, Teal'C is also up there with everyone else and helps

Carter with the speech at the memorial service. If you are ever going to watch an episode of StarGate, make sure you watch

this first!


Resurrection

Synopsis:

This episode is based in Los Angeles where a women named Anna kills 32 rogue NID who were involved in a sleeper cell.

Although she denies killing anyone, camera evidence is clear. The only other survivor is a Dr Keffler who remains extremely

evasive.
Being kept in a cage, Daniel talks to her, and eventually Anna breaks the silence, saying Dr Keffler "made" her. This leads

to an investigation revealing Dr Keffler has given Anna Goa'uld DNA after many sessions involving a great deal of pain as

means of experimentation. Unfortunately, there was one unseen side effect, and that is the distinct and seperate Goa'uld

personality Anna now has.
Daniel performs a meditation session with Anna, and eventually the Goa'uld personality surfaces: Anna sets fire to the cage

and escapes in search of Dr Keffler for revenge. Meanwhile, Keffler overcomes his guard and attempts to escape as the

alarms sound, and a hunt begins for Anna.
The episode finishes as the SG team find Anna on the floor weeping as the dead body of Dr Keffler lies a meter away.

Comments:

It should be noted from the onset that this episode was written by Michael Shanks AND directed by Amanda Tapping. With the

ongoing Exectuive Producer being Richard Dean Anderson too, this episode truly is one by the cast. With being an episode

that does not include one second of base footage, it goes to show just how well the series can run without the main objects

ie. the StarGate. Suspense and intrigue form a great part of this episode as we try to unravel the mystery surrounding Anna

and Dr Keffler. As always, we can count on irony being ever-present! If you're in a dark mood, this episode will cheer you

right up, not to mention the sense of poetic justice (and surprisingly - the sympathy) we feel towards both sides at the

end.


Inauguration

Synopsis: The new President is elected to Office. Senator Kinsey is the new Vice President. The Chairman of the Joint

Chiefs arrives to bring the new President up to speed on the StarGate program. Woolsey makes another appearance from the

NID to help Kinsey try and persuade the new President to replace key SGC personnel, such as General Hammond so that Kinsey

can ultimately control it.
A case begins in front of the President, with Woolsey presenting evidence while we are shown clips from pervious episodes.

The President is unconvinced and they take a break during which Kinsey approaches the President and is quickly taken down a

peg when he gets out of line.
Later on, Woolsey approaches Kinsey and Kinsey comments that the President will see things his way one way or the other.

And if he doesn't, something may happen to him. Similarly, the Joint Chief approaches the President and does his best to

defend the StarGate program.
As the sky darkens, the Joint Chief and Woolsey meet in an almost pitch black room where Woolsey reveals what Kinsey said

to him, and the fact that he may be involved in a group of people who may assassinate the President. Determined to find

evidence, Woolsey pays a visit to General Hammon and retrieves a copy of a floppy disk that will incriminate Kinsey.

Returning it to the President, he already suspects Kinsey of rogue NID activities. The episode concludes as Woolsey places

the disk on the President's desk and leaves.

Comments:

Another highly invigorating episode! Not once do we see a member of the regular SG-1 cast (with the exception of General

Hammon). And not once for a moment does the episode lapse in it's regular high quality. What we see is the performance of

some very highly acclaimed actors such as Robert Picardo, as they all strive to prove their argument is the correct one to

the President. This episode paves the way significantly for the two part series finalé which is just around the corner. Not

one to be missed!