epth. Confidence. Flow. Those are just some of the adjectives that best capture the essence of Stargate SG-1's third season. From the outset, the series delved deeper into SG-l's characters and the tapestry of the show's off-world universe; in doing so, the series forged a strong basis for the season as a whole, and for seasons to come.
In the break between seasons two and three, the actors playing the lead characters seem to have truly settled into their roles. Col. Jack O'Neill's (Anderson) sharp wit is intact, as is his dedication to the SG-1 team and his pursuit of exploration via the Stargate. His barbs flow effortlessly, and as viewers, by the third season we've come to expect, and appreciate, O'Neill's corny and unorthodox sense of humor. While Teal'c (Judge) is clearly the physical strength of the unit, Carter (Tapping) is the undisputed brains, often coming up with the solution that bails the team out of a pinch. Meanwhile, Dr. Daniel Jackson (Shanks) solidifies his role as a linchpin for the SG-1 team, combining his historical know-how with his passion for
exploration.
From the aptly titled season opener, "Into the Fire" (in which O'Neill is captured by the Goa'uld Hathor and receives a symbiote) to the cliffhanger finale, "Nemesis" (the Asgard are in trouble due to mechanical bugs, dubbed Replicators), the writers do a great job of weaving threads of seasons past into the present—without making the show feel serialized to the point of alienating viewers. Former adversaries and allies resurface, such as Carter's father in the intense "Jolinar's Memories" and "The Devil You Know"; the Edoran woman who captured O'Neill's heart in "A Hundred Days"; the Tollan and the Nox (in "Pretense" and "Shades of Grey"); the rogue Jaffa Bra'tac (in "Maternal Instinct"); the Asgard and Thor (in "Fair Game" and "Nemesis"). Falling in between is "Foothold," a fun action piece in which the SG Command is infiltrated by aliens.
The writers also deftly put the characters into situations that help them evolve, as characters. For example, Daniel Jackson (Shanks) gets a showcase in "Legacy" and "Forever in a Day"; O'Neill develops emotionally in "Learning Curve" and "A Hundred Days."
Masterful episodes, but mediocre extras
The five-disc box set includes a separate case enclosure for each disc, a sturdy box in which to store the five discs, and three short featurettes, each 15 minutes or less in duration. Each disc's box includes a list of episodes contained therein, and a synopsis of the episode.
Like its predecessors, the design of the menu interface is blissfully simple; unlike other box sets, you needn't wait to get past lots of fanfare or commercials before jumping right into the episode selection list. The episodes are presented in 16:9 widescreen resolution, and 5.1-channel surround sound.
Of the three special features, the best is on disc one: a character profile dubbed "Secret Files of the SGC—Col. Jack O'Neill." Pieced together from interviews with writers, producers and fellow cast members, this profile is as irreverent as the good colonel is himself.
A bigger mish-mosh are the other Secret Files of the SGC: "The Stargate Universe" and "Personnel Files." While each contain interesting insights into the production of the show and its characters, respectively, the organization of these pieces leaves something to be desired. The content jumps around quite a bit, jumping between subjects in a not-so-seamless manner. More grievous: The clips used in examples aren't limited to the season at hand, so you might get a taste of an episode only to look at the set and realize which you don't have the episode for further viewing.
The gimmick of introducing the special features also meets with mixed success. At the outset of each special feature, Gen. Hammond (Davis) and Dr. Frasier (Rothery) appear in character; in each case, they concoct some "in-context" tale as to why you're there, in the SG command, viewing these so-called secret-file videos. Cute idea to stay in character, but unfortunately the actors don't quite pull it off—giving the blissfully short introductions and signoffs a more (bad) B-movie quality.
