Stargate SG-1 Review - 1969

[Mabus]

Yeah, the episode fells more like a high concept bottle episode to be honest. It's not bad, it's just not as good as it could have been.

As for the whole early installment weirdness with they arriving back to the Cheyenne mountain instead of the warehouse where the Gate was in 1969, I think it's because the Gate was sealed in that box so the wormhole couldn't have activated there (unlike in Continuum where it was only placed and not sealed, evident by the fact that it opened in 1939 without a problem), and as it's revealed in "Red Sky", wormholes can be forced to open without a Stargate in other places and rematerialize the travelers there. So maybe some fragment of present temporarily rematerialized in 1969 before the timeline corrected itself. Which I think could also explain the whole stable time loop thing that doesn't appear later: in fact there were multiple incursions of possible futures that were erased after the timeline corrected itself, where the SG1 tool the long way to learn the about the next solar flares, which is how young Hammond got the original date, only those events were erased so they don't appear anymore. This would give the appearance of a stable time loop, when in reality it was just the outcome of multiple past events that were eventually erased when the timeline was restored.

[clearspira]

Am I the only one who thinks that if they made this episode today the fact that Teal'c is black would have been made a big deal out of?
This is one of the things that ages this series quite a bit. The only time Teal'c being black mattered was in the episode with Nazi Odo. Its kind of refreshing actually.

[Captain Crimson]

Am I the only one who thinks that if they made this episode today the fact that Teal'c is black would have been made a big deal out of?
This is one of the things that ages this series quite a bit. The only time Teal'c being black mattered was in the episode with Nazi Odo. Its kind of refreshing actually.

... I never really considered it. Chalk up another mark to 1969 for subtlety.

Because I'm pretty sure black reboot Superman will do exactly what Teal'c has avoided here.

H, as you remarked, only time it WAS relevant was on the Third Reich planet with Odo as the tin-pot dictator. Can't wait till Mr. Chuck gets to that one!

[Scififan]

I liked it enough, not every episode has to have some great meaning.

[Captain Crimson]

I liked it enough, not every episode has to have some great meaning.

Most underrated comment ever.

[Ghilz]

The funny thing is how much this episode is followed up on. Not only the time travel ends up being used several more times in the franchise (and in one of the movies), but also the fact that Teal'c learned to drive in this episode actually comes up a few times.

I really do hope, if they bring in a new SG TV show that's meant to be a continuation of the SG mythos, not a reboot, as Mr. Wright keeps teasing, that they DO NOT KILL CASSANDRA. She is VITAL to getting SG-1 back home when they reappear in 2089 after they stepped through the Gate from 1969. I'd prefer to keep the stable time loop explanation, TBH. And it's really, really simple - just don't have her appear at all. If she dies, that's gonna open up a whole list of plot holes that need resolution - like maybe she told somebody else and they were ready and waiting, or that Carter told several people as a backup. Will they address that? I don't know.

Wouldn't worry to much, by season 6 the show's stance seems to mostly forget Cassandra even exists. Like I dont think she's mentioned in the episode where her adoptive mom died, and she's off key mentioned once after that in season 9.

Killing her would require them remembering she exists.

[clearspira]

I do not want a Stargate reboot and I doubt the fans do too. I smell another Star Trek Discovery coming where the original fanbase is basically told to stuff it and make way for the new era. I am not enthused by the continued rumours that Emmerich will be involved as it may also be a ''fuck you, this is TRUE Stargate'' deal - although if it is established from the beginning to be an alternate timeline like Abrams Trek then I do not see why the two cannot coexist.

And it'll make me sad. The Stargate fanbase has been mostly free of the BS that plagued Trek, Wars and Dr Who in recent years. In many ways it is the last of the unsullied big science fiction franchises.

And you know what the beauty of the Stargate is? You can set this show anywhere thanks to the magic of wormholes. Lets have a new galaxy, new aliens, new teams. The show would be a hit.

[FlynnTaggart]

I know they would utterly ruin it but I think a SG series focused on the clone of O'Neill would be pretty neat. The guy had all the experiences and memories of the original in a younger form and I can't see him sitting around on Earth chasing college babes (mostly because I bet it would feel weird as heck, mentally their dad's age). He'd want to join the Air Force eventually and I doubt the AF would deny him considering what an asset he'd be. Him technically being a returned character would allow it to explore older topics or themes of the franchise without having to bring back the aging actor to play him.

But I fully acknowledge it would probably come out terrible. Either be a CW level teen/young adult drama with a bunch of beautiful people whining how their lives are so hard because they are beautiful or it would be SG Universe 2.0 where its younger and hipper like the 200 episode parodied.

Be it a continuation or reboot it just needs some good writing and I dunno if that would happen. Like clearspira not enthused about Emmerich being involved as while I enjoyed the Stargate movie its not why I feel in love with the franchise. Not sure whether the series creators returning would help considering they made SG Universe which like it or not was going to be divisive much like Picard and STD as it was considered "darker and edgier" with more focus on character drama not to mention I recall one of the producers blaming fans when it failed rather then owning up to why it failed.

I dunno, part of me wants a new SG show but part of me kinda would fine with it staying deader then my social life.

[Captain Crimson]

I do not want a Stargate reboot and I doubt the fans do too. I smell another Star Trek Discovery coming where the original fanbase is basically told to stuff it and make way for the new era. I am not enthused by the continued rumours that Emmerich will be involved as it may also be a ''fuck you, this is TRUE Stargate'' deal - although if it is established from the beginning to be an alternate timeline like Abrams Trek then I do not see why the two cannot coexist.

And it'll make me sad. The Stargate fanbase has been mostly free of the BS that plagued Trek, Wars and Dr Who in recent years. In many ways it is the last of the unsullied big science fiction franchises.

And you know what the beauty of the Stargate is? You can set this show anywhere thanks to the magic of wormholes. Lets have a new galaxy, new aliens, new teams. The show would be a hit.

Yeah, it's funny, since SG is one of the few SF shows to escape it and the fandom remains mostly pleasant. I've had nothing but positive interactions with them, even when I disagree, because we can at least debate the plot and character and gush over what we love. Bringing in tons of "younger fans" would change that. And not new fans willing to learn, mind you, they're okay, so much as outsiders and those who use the internet to try to act like lifelong fans, whether creative or customer, and the attempt to market to the mainstream. And that's all the studios want or know how to do these days, sadly...

I think a reboot is the only thing that would help. Take NuBSG. At least that was completely isolated from all that came prior. If BSG ever resumes, it will be multiverse.

The sad part here is that unlike ST and SW, SG has never tried to beat you over the head with its activist past, because it wasn't ever about activism. ST was made during sixties unrest for a younger crowd, back when that was a lot harder than today, and so they were more fan-centric. I'll give Mr. Roddenberry credit that for whatever else his other flaws, he did want to tap into what the fandom wanted back in the '60s. And SW, well, we all know Mr. Lucas was deeply unhappy with the Vietnam War and consequently set out to make a movie for the younger crowd about it.

SG never had that. Yes, you had early comments like Carter's "reproductive organs" line, but it's a position the show eventually shifted past, and I don't think it's really that bad. Nowadays, that single line would be justification to go woke - except, you know, the same two-parter had a woman brought before a tyrant and stripped naked, full nude view, before being implanted by a mind-controlling parasite. Yeah, SJWs are completely off-base to use that to insist we should go more leftist.

I think we need greater emphasis on fan projects, more freedom from the studios for fan projects, as they are a last bastion of hope in an endless sea of dreck, but I get the impression many vain executives just don't want to be outshone by them. But, what can you do?

[CaptainCalvinCat]

I like episodes like this. I find it kinda fun to watch established characters in weird situations outside their comfort zone, and time travel is automatically that. Though I agree, some kind of resolution for the hippies would have been nice. I feel like time travel stories need to have characters like this wrapped into the main plot in some way. Maybe one of them could have worked on the DHD replacement systems or something, characters like that are made for that kind of thing.

THIS!

The only thing, that really irked me, was the weird reaction, Jack and Sam had, when Michael said "I don't want to kill anyone."
Jack downright snaps at him, Carter yelling "Sir, that's something he has to decide for himself!"
Who is this Michael-dude and why is Jack reacting the way, he reacts?
Besides that it's a totally fine episode, I'd go so far and say it's recommended. Not required, but - recommended.

Concerning the later discussion: Dudes, just relax.
As long as Stargate has humour in it, it's gonna be a fine Stargate-Show. I don't care, if the policital message is "heavy handed" - I didn't care with the Hathor-Episode, I don't care about the "reproductive organs"-line, I don't care, that the "Emancipation"-Episode allegedly is bad: I like them.
These episodes - the ten years of Stargate - were my teenage-to-young-adult-years and I honestly like them.
to me, there is not one single bad episode in the bunch, even something like the "Talion"-Episode, which deals with Teal'C going on a revenge-killing-spree, incapacitating his team in the process, is something, which I don't hate.
Why? because even these episodes had their moments of levity, where you could laugh with or about the characters.
Stargate Atlantis did the same thing.

the only Stargate-iteration, I honestly despise is Stargate: Universe, since the humour has gone missing.

And I can forgive lots of stupidity, as long as you can smile along - which is why I don't have a problem with the Whedon-Cut of Justice League, but with the alleged "better" Snyder-Cut, which is your typical Snyder-Movie, taking itself way too seriously.