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Stargate SG-1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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hen a series is in its prime, there's no denying the sense of momentum, of ease, that is evident onscreen. The 22 episodes that comprise Stargate SG-1's fourth season present a prime example of a show that's in its prime. It's also a perfect example of a series trying to refine its parameters after three previously successful years, as well as changes in the creative team.
With that in mind, season four is a great bridge between the Stargate that was and the Stargate that is to come. When done right, a series approaches changes in direction with a subtle hand; Stargate SG-1 does so with flair, so that it's not until after you've absorbed the full season that you get the sense of the overall shift in the broadening landscape of SG-1's enemies on- and off-world, and in the move toward metaphysical themes.
Overall, the quality of the fourth season's storytelling stands out as particularly evenhanded, with virtually no real dogs and several gems of stories, and a good mix of Goa'uld mythology and stand-alone episodes. And one thing that's particularly enjoyable with Stargate SG-1's writing is how the A and B storylines often intertwine; there's no impression of watching two distinct paths of action, as is commonly found on other ensemble series, like Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.
The year gets off to a bang, literally, with the season opener "Small Victories," which brings the battle against the Replicators—mechanical buglike creatures that paralyzed even the advanced Asgard—to Earth. In fact, many of the battles this year are closer to home: We see more about the political machinations of a secret organization linked to Senator Kinsey (Ronny Cox), Russia's rogue Stargate program, Daniel Jackson's exploration of cursed Egyptian artifacts, Maj. Carter's work with a brilliant young cadet, and two standout stories about Earth's blind trust of an advanced alien race, one set in 2010, the other set in the present on "The Other Side of the Stargate" (this episode stars Star Trek's Rene Auberjonois).
As always with the SG-1 team, there are plenty of moments of growth for each member of the team. And, of course, there's the series' patented humor, thanks to Richard Dean Anderson's ability to mix professional calm with pro-level zingers. For out-and-out comedy, though, nothing beats "Point of No Return," which guest stars Sex in the City's Willie Garson as a conspiracy theorist who knows about the Stargate.
Season four's box set includes some impressive extra content. Most notably, it is the first set to offer audio commentaries for every episode. Plus, there are two featurettes and one documentary about the series.
At last, a cavalcade of commentaries
As with previous seasons, the streamlined, minimalist design of the navigation menus on this five-disc set is appreciated—as are the summaries of each episode displayed on the individual disc cases.
What sets this box set apart from others we've seen in the genre is its inclusion of audio commentaries for all 22 episodes. The commentaries typically have multiple voices chiming in, and are predominantly narrated by directors, writers, special-effects gurus and directors of photography—making them most interesting to those interested in the technical minutiae of filmmaking and die-hard fans of the series. Sometimes I'd wish there were more background about the episode and where it fits into the scheme of the Stargate SG-1 tapestry, but overall I found the commentaries quite enriching.
There are also two new installments of the "Secret Files of the SGC" featurettes series: One on alien species, and one on enhanced visual effects. The 16-minute "Aliens" piece is particularly helpful to catch up with all of the different aliens encountered over the course of the season: the Goa'uld, the Tok'ra and the Asgard, among others.
The sole documentary, on disc five, is meaty: Billed as part one of three, the "Stargate SG-1: Timeline to the Future—Legacy of the Gate" bit runs 24 minutes and covers a lot of ground already seen in earlier box sets' documentaries. That's because, although timed to fit with the completion of season four, this documentary (hosted by Anderson and executive producer Brad Wright) originated from 2001 and refers to episodes from seasons one through four, rather than just focusing on the season at hand. While the info is interesting, I missed the lack of context specific to the season I just completed watching.
With each year on DVD, I find myself pulled in further to the Stargate saga—and this year is no exception. The stories are all solid, and with the inclusion of all of these audio commentaries, you get double the mileage out of watching these shows. I know I did. — Melissa
Also in this issue: Teacher's Pet and Syngenor DVD
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