SG1: The Fifth Man

[Ghilz]

http://sfdebris.com/videos/stargate/sg1s5e4.php

Slight note, the episode does have some MINOR continuity note. The chemical the reol create is used in "Summit" and "Company of Thieves"

[FaxModem1]

Also thing to note, this is one of the few episodes where SG1 wears camouflage BDUs as opposed to their usual plain green ones. Most of the time, they treat camouflage as if it'd give them syphillis, but for some reason, they wear it in this episode. I think it was done to try and convince the audience that they may be from an alternate dimension.

[ChiggyvonRichthofen]

I agree with Chuck that this episode is rather slight, but I like it. It's a more action-oriented episode than usual, and there's certainly no real surprises in the story.

I take slight issue with the way that Stargate treats anyone who dares to question the heroes. Realistically, the oversight committees, NID, and various thorns-in-side have plenty of strong points to make about the way SG-1 conducts their business. Many times the points a guy like Kinsey or Simmons makes could be taken straight from Gateworld. In-universe, without the conceit of episodic television and "the heroes never lose", the number of times SG-1 skirts the edge of disaster for the SGC or the entire planet is extremely troubling. Truth be told, I wouldn't want these people to be returning to work right after alien possessions, disobeying orders, switching sides, and whatever other hijinks regularly occur.

The common strategy is to make the NID guy so unlikable (or at best a "love to hate" figure) that you just have to go against him even if he's technically right.

[Madner Kami]

This thread is kind of in the wrong forum, but in expectance of this getting moved to where it belongs:

Looks like a Wraith with Dreadlocks

Hm, actually I have a different thing coming to my mind there. This guy looks eerily like Tal Rasha from Diablo II.

[Mindworm]

This thread is kind of in the wrong forum, but in expectance of this getting moved to where it belongs:

Looks like a Wraith with Dreadlocks

Hm, actually I have a different thing coming to my mind there. This guy looks eerily like Tal Rasha from Diablo II.

Now that you say it, I think you're right.

[Morgaine]

I agree with Chuck that this episode is rather slight, but I like it. It's a more action-oriented episode than usual, and there's certainly no real surprises in the story.

I take slight issue with the way that Stargate treats anyone who dares to question the heroes. Realistically, the oversight committees, NID, and various thorns-in-side have plenty of strong points to make about the way SG-1 conducts their business. Many times the points a guy like Kinsey or Simmons makes could be taken straight from Gateworld. In-universe, without the conceit of episodic television and "the heroes never lose", the number of times SG-1 skirts the edge of disaster for the SGC or the entire planet is extremely troubling. Truth be told, I wouldn't want these people to be returning to work right after alien possessions, disobeying orders, switching sides, and whatever other hijinks regularly occur.

The common strategy is to make the NID guy so unlikable (or at best a "love to hate" figure) that you just have to go against him even if he's technically right.

Heh, that goes for entire races in the SG universe too. The Tollan, the Asgard, the Asurans.
Any race who dares question, oppose or be uncooperative with the magnificent Taur'i are presented as arrogant, condescending, flat out evil for no reason and/or eventually killed off and be presented as being deserving of being killed off.

This also applies a bit to the Aschen. The only Earth-ally race to dare question the policy of becoming a space hegemony without informing 99% of the population and refusing to remain the SGC's little secret friend of course turn out to be cartoon supervillains.

[Ghilz]

I agree with Chuck that this episode is rather slight, but I like it. It's a more action-oriented episode than usual, and there's certainly no real surprises in the story.

I take slight issue with the way that Stargate treats anyone who dares to question the heroes. Realistically, the oversight committees, NID, and various thorns-in-side have plenty of strong points to make about the way SG-1 conducts their business. Many times the points a guy like Kinsey or Simmons makes could be taken straight from Gateworld. In-universe, without the conceit of episodic television and "the heroes never lose", the number of times SG-1 skirts the edge of disaster for the SGC or the entire planet is extremely troubling. Truth be told, I wouldn't want these people to be returning to work right after alien possessions, disobeying orders, switching sides, and whatever other hijinks regularly occur.

The common strategy is to make the NID guy so unlikable (or at best a "love to hate" figure) that you just have to go against him even if he's technically right.

Heh, that goes for entire races in the SG universe too. The Tollan, the Asgard, the Asurans.
Any race who dares question, oppose or be uncooperative with the magnificent Taur'i are presented as arrogant, condescending, flat out evil for no reason and/or eventually killed off and be presented as being deserving of being killed off.

This also applies a bit to the Aschen. The only Earth-ally race to dare question the policy of becoming a space hegemony without informing 99% of the population and refusing to remain the SGC's little secret friend of course turn out to be cartoon supervillains.

The Asgard are never presented that way. If anything, their death is more presented as them chosing to go on their own terms. They are never portrayed really negatively. Heck, the Asgard in fact are THE most cooperative race, since they help the Tau'ri build their capital ships.

Plus, the Asurans are outright genocidal villains, not "uncooperative". The Tollans are uncooperative

[Morgaine]

accidental double post

[Morgaine]

I agree with Chuck that this episode is rather slight, but I like it. It's a more action-oriented episode than usual, and there's certainly no real surprises in the story.

I take slight issue with the way that Stargate treats anyone who dares to question the heroes. Realistically, the oversight committees, NID, and various thorns-in-side have plenty of strong points to make about the way SG-1 conducts their business. Many times the points a guy like Kinsey or Simmons makes could be taken straight from Gateworld. In-universe, without the conceit of episodic television and "the heroes never lose", the number of times SG-1 skirts the edge of disaster for the SGC or the entire planet is extremely troubling. Truth be told, I wouldn't want these people to be returning to work right after alien possessions, disobeying orders, switching sides, and whatever other hijinks regularly occur.

The common strategy is to make the NID guy so unlikable (or at best a "love to hate" figure) that you just have to go against him even if he's technically right.

Heh, that goes for entire races in the SG universe too. The Tollan, the Asgard, the Asurans.
Any race who dares question, oppose or be uncooperative with the magnificent Taur'i are presented as arrogant, condescending, flat out evil for no reason and/or eventually killed off and be presented as being deserving of being killed off.

This also applies a bit to the Aschen. The only Earth-ally race to dare question the policy of becoming a space hegemony without informing 99% of the population and refusing to remain the SGC's little secret friend of course turn out to be cartoon supervillains.

The Asgard are never presented that way. If anything, their death is more presented as them chosing to go on their own terms. They are never portrayed really negatively. Heck, the Asgard in fact are THE most cooperative race, since they help the Tau'ri build their capital ships.

But why would they choose death? They weren't outright dying, not yet. It was all presented like they deserved death so they could move aside for the Tauri.
Asgard who are uncooperative or feel the Taur'i aren't worth helping are constantly portrayed negatively. Even Thor is presented as an incompetent damsel in distress in constant need of rescue and help from humans, and is eventualyl reduced to helping the SGC keep their little secret intact from the general populace while again any alien who thinks the SGC and their little international oversight committee shouldn't keep all the space pie to themselves is evil.

Plus, the Asurans are outright genocidal villains, not "uncooperative". The Tollans are uncooperative

And who made them genocidal villains? Or right, McKay. And frankly I find it hard to hate the Asurans for being genocidal when the heroes' answer to stop them was total genocide.
Besides I'm not saying any of these races were innocent (aside from the Tollan and Asgard) but they're written in such a way to make them despicable unlikable assholes deserving of the horrible fates they eventually get, just like Kinsey and Simmons (though ironically Mayborne was worse than both of them and kinda got off alright in the end).

[Wolf359]

One slight nitpick with the review; Chuck said that the Reoal chemical doesn't affect the Jaffa. Well, it did what it was meant to on Teal'c, so I don't see a reason why it wouldn't on the other Jaffa. But that does beg the question of how, if Jaffa are affected like humans, how would they be able to find these Reoal? Wouldn't the Reoal keep taking on the images of other Jaffa that they trusted/believed to be allies? I doubt the Reoal can take on the image of an existing person (or Tyler may as well has become Bra'tac or something to ensure his protection) but looking like any random Jaffa should have got him out of there fairly easily. All those Jaffa probably don't know each other personally.