New to Stargate, have a question

[Chin]

Hello, I am a long time scifi fan and have just started to watch Stargate SG-1 on DVD for the first time (I know, what took me so long). I have watched the Pilot episode and episode 1, and I have enjoyed them. I have read that the first season of Stargate is not very good until the final episodes, then the series gets bettter from there. My question is can I safely skip some episodes in season 1 that are not very good without it affecting my knowledge of the story line for later episodes? Or is best to watch each episode? Thanks.

[SaberBlade]

Don't skip...

Children of the Gods
The Enemy Within
Cold Lazarus (important O'Neill episode)
The Nox
Thor's Hammer
Torment of Tantalus
Bloodlines
Hathor
Singularity
Cor-Ai (important Teal'c episode)
Enigma
Solitudes
Tin Man
There But For The Grace of God
Politics
Within The Serpents Grasp

Most of these episodes directly involve the main story, or involve stuff that will become important later on in the series.

However, I listed 16 and the first season only has 21 episodes, so you may as well just watch them all. The first season of a show is usually about laying the foundation, and that's what SG1 went through. Some episodes are weak and forgettable to others in the first season but the show does get better and better, so you should suffer through them to really enjoy the better ones to come.

[The Mighty 6 platoon]

It's best to watch each episode, almost all will be referenced at some point or another. Many are good, or interesting. Really the only episode which is nigh on unwatchable is Emancipation, though even then some people have said that they find that ep ok. Best thing to do is to watch all the episodes and decide for yourself.

There is, in my opinion, a rise in quality both in the middle of the season, and at the end. But if you enjoyed Children of the God’s and The Enemy Within, it’s probably safe to say you will enjoy much of the rest of the first season as well.

[Snowman37]

Hello, I am a long time scifi fan and have just started to watch Stargate SG-1 on DVD for the first time (I know, what took me so long). I have watched the Pilot episode and episode 1, and I have enjoyed them. I have read that the first season of Stargate is not very good until the final episodes, then the series gets bettter from there. My question is can I safely skip some episodes in season 1 that are not very good without it affecting my knowledge of the story line for later episodes? Or is best to watch each episode? Thanks.

Why would you skip episodes? I've seen all of the first season episodes, and I can't think of anything so cheesy that it's worth skipping. Just sit back and let yourself be entertained.

[Chin]

Thanks for all of your replies. I think the next episode is Emancipation and and since both Mighty 6 Platoon and SaberBlade are in agreement that it does not need to be watched, maybe I'll skip that and watch the rest.

Snowman, I just don't like getting bogged down with bad episodes that will be irrelevent to to the overall story, especially if it is the first season of a series that is still tryng to find it's way. A lot of shows have poor or boring episodes in their first season that I don't mind missing.

Thanks everyone for your replies.

[SF_and_Coffee]

Emancipation is actually not bad at all, certainly not bad enough that you should skip it or anything. I'd say watch it; it's only about 40 minutes on DVD, after all.

Besides, Carter gets to kick some ass toward the end, which is reason enough to watch it.

[blueray]

i won't skip episodes since they were all pretty good. but you are going to yeah emancipation would be it (though parts are good) and first commandment (i didn't really like that episode).

[TinyGiraffe]

I'm also relatively new to Stargate, and I watched the whole thing via Netflix (sooo great that they're all up there!)...the only eps that I really had a problem sitting through were the ones that were towards the end of the seasons when they do recaps....I mean I understand the point of doing that way, but it kind of seems like a cop out in terms of creating a good/new/fresh episode. Just had to share my two cents on that one...

[SF_and_Coffee]

Well, the recaps are helpful in bringing the story up to date for people who had missed episodes here and there. Remember, the early seasons were made before people could just go and grab them on Netflix or Hulu, and since season finales are generally set up to bring about the culmination of story arcs that have been building over the entire season (and sometimes, are cliff-hangers as well), it does make sense to do recaps. It isn't really a cop-out, it's more of a device to bring the viewer up to date. If there weren't long story arcs, this wouldn't be necessary, but when there are, you kind of have to recap things before you tie up loose ends, or else your viewers are left scratching their heads and saying, "Huh? What was that all about?"

[P-90_177]

Additionally the first seasons recap story has some of the best drama in the whole series in my view. I do so love the moment when Jack and Kinsey start yelling at eachother.
"Let me tell you something! This time there really are Barbarians! They're called Goulds! And this time they really are at the gate, THAT ONE!"

[SaberBlade]

Additionally the first seasons recap story has some of the best drama in the whole series in my view. I do so love the moment when Jack and Kinsey start yelling at eachother.
"Let me tell you something! This time there really are Barbarians! They're called Goulds! And this time they really are at the gate, THAT ONE!"

I think the season one clip show was perhaps the best clip show that I have ever seen. It did just as much to further the story (especially in later seasons) as it did to explain what had happened.

[Lucycat]

Also, at least when they aired on Sci-Fi channel, there would be very long breaks, sometimes several months between new episodes, so the re-caps helped remind you of stuff that happened in the earlier episodes.

Also, if you actually have the DVDs, then I suggest you watch all the episode and decide for yourself. I didn't mind Emancipation. The best seasons are to come, notably season 3 & 4 (IMO). Enjoy!

[Chin]

I watched bits and pieces of Emancipation to get the general idea, and I'm watchng the rest of the episodes. I've watched the first 5 episodes and I'm looking forward to watching the rest of the series. I've ordered the first 5 seasons as the prices are good on Amazon, and I've read the series takes a different direction in the 6th season, so I'll see how the first 5 go before ordering more.

At the risk of getting off topic, how do you guys rank Stargate compared to other scifi/space series, such as Battlestar Galactica (the newer on), Babylon 5, Farscape, and Deep Space 9 (in my opinion the best Star Trek series)

[magictrick]

At the risk of getting off topic, how do you guys rank Stargate compared to other scifi/space series, such as Battlestar Galactica (the newer on), Babylon 5, Farscape, and Deep Space 9 (in my opinion the best Star Trek series)

1) SG-1
2) Farscape
3) BSG

SG-1 and Farscape are interchangeable as a couple SG-1 seasons weren't the best whereas all Farscape seasons were well done. Can't rank the other 2 as I haven't watched

I can only think of a few episodes that I would say you could skip, and none of those are in season 1.

[blueray]

I watched bits and pieces of Emancipation to get the general idea, and I'm watchng the rest of the episodes. I've watched the first 5 episodes and I'm looking forward to watching the rest of the series. I've ordered the first 5 seasons as the prices are good on Amazon, and I've read the series takes a different direction in the 6th season, so I'll see how the first 5 go before ordering more.

it does change in season 6, but still is really good. 9 and 10 are the seasons that a lot of people don't like (though i personally liked them).