Finally - the Best Ever Daniel Episode!

[Madeleine]

These are the winners and runners-up of the polls we've had to find the Best Ever Daniel Episode:

Daniel & Friends: Abyss 46%, Changeling 14%

Angsty Daniel: Menace 21%, Heroes II 15%, Meridian, Secrets and There but for the Grace of God all on 14%

Loopy Daniel: Legacy 31%, Absolute Power 21%, Lifeboat 20%

Daniel the Scholar and Explorer: The First Ones 33%, Torment of Tantalus 28%

Daniel the Hero: Reckoning II 38%, Meridian 28%

Danny Whumping: Evolution II 35%, Prometheus Unbound 16%

Daniel Character Development: Forever in a Day 39%, Maternal Instinct 25%

Go forth and vote

[L-JADE]

The First Ones

It's an episode where we have a 'complete' Daniel in his element. Archaelogist, Linguist, Anthropologist and survival training that he get from his years in SG-1.

[lecha]

I voted "Lifeboat", his acting was amazing.

[emily_reich]

wow, this was a HARD vote

i was gonna go with lifeboat, but DANIEL is barely in it though i would say it's definately one of MS's best so i went with the changeling... first time i watched it, it was so moving, mostly cuz of daniel being there and helpin so gotta go with that one

[Aleca]

I voted for 'Lifeboat' ! I love that episode, and his acting was really, really great.

[the Fifth Race]

One of my favorite episodes period is what I would consider a 'Daniel episode' which did'nt make the list is 'Enemy Mine' where he had to negoitiate a treaty with the Unas living on a world to mine there naquadah with the help of his Unas friend Chaka.

[SimilarCadence]

I went with "Meridian" although, once again, it was a hard choice.

I think that out of all the episodes listed in this poll, this is the one where Daniel puts all his values, beliefs and personal philosophies on the line. I'm sure there were fleeting thoughts of the danger involved, but he saw the problem, knew that something had to be done to save all those lives and did the only thing he could do under the circumstances. He knew the radiation would kill him (and at that point, he wasn't looking at the possibility of ascension as an alternative to death), but he also felt that life-on-a-larger scale was precious and he opted for the greater good, making the ultimate sacrifice. (Hmmm.....watch out for falling cliches! )

This episode was also the beginning of Daniel's ascension adventures, so to me, it was the culmination of everything that he had been and believed throughout his life, yet also the springboard for everything he was to become. (...if that makes sense )

(In the book "Stepping Through the Stargate (Science, Archaeology and the Military in StarGate SG-1)" there's an essay by Kelley Walters that examines Daniel's life journey as a hero----it's called "I'm Not an Archetype But I Play One on TV". It covers Jack the Pragmatist, Sam the Scientist and Teal'c the Warrior, too. The whole book is a great read---I recommend it.....)

I just wanted to thank you, Madeleine, for these series of polls. It's been a lot of fun!

[.:Lemon:.]

No the last poll! I've enjoyed these

Okay I went for Lifeboat. I've only seen it once but I thought MS's acting was superb in it. This was a very tough choice as there are so many great Daniel episodes such as There But For The Grace Of God (One of my all time faves), Meridian, Heroes and Abyss. All fantastic Danny episodes in my opinion

[Madeleine]

I went for Redemption II. I do like the acting in Lifeboat, but personally I don't think it's much of a Daniel ep - Daniel's in two scenes. Redemption II was such a great ride.

But I'm already wobbling and thinking I should have gone with The First Ones. Like L-Jade said, it's quintessential Daniel.

[JackONeill]

I think MS' best episode in way of acting was Life Boat, he did an absolutely outstanding job in that episode.

But I'd have to say that my favourite Danny ep would have to be Absolute Power! That was a great episode for him.

[twiggy]

ack, i don't know, i don't know! but i voted for absolute power, because we got to see what daniel would be like if he had all the knowledge of the gouald.

[DJFavorite]

Shoot - missed the Daniel and Friends poll (stupid RL)...


Anyway, I voted for Meridian. It was tough. I love them all. And Meridian isn't even my favorite episode. But, as far as Daniel is concerned, I felt this was his "shining moment" (no pun intended). He took the ultimate risk. He lost, but won. (and I still cry every time I see the episode.)

[ApophisOfTheStargateRealm]

Prometheus Unbound

[MartoufMarty]

Menace!

Best. Episode. Ever!

I would have possibly voted for Lifeboat if it didn't have that quick five minute ending. The episode was GREAT until the last five minutes. I was disappointed at the quick solution

But Menace was great all the way through. You usually see Jack with the 'kids' but this time it was Daniel and he did a great job... I'm biased. I just love that episode lol.

Meridian was really good too, but... umm... Menace for me

Meridian is probably gonna win because it's got Daniel ALOT and angsty and... yeah, I'll go away now

[Katerine]

Difficult choice.

I finally voted Maternal Instinct, because that was both a great Daniel episode and a great episode in general. It showcases the quintessential "Daniel" - curious, open-minded, principled, stubborn, and dedicated. And it started (more or less) the terrific ascension storyline. And it had action, and great Daniel/Jack interaction, and a good moral, and it was well-done... an all-around great episode.

Meridian came close - it was probably a better episode overall, but I couldn't vote for it since Daniel was unconscious for so much of it...

Menace also came close, but I thought that Maternal Instinct showed more aspects of Daniel at once. Menace concentrated on "principled and stubborn." If that makes any sense...

Really good selection here!