Now that Season 9 is over, has your opinion changed?

[aizjanika]

I think Vala changes after the events of The Powers that Be. I don't think its as much of a "whoo I'm suddenly a good guy! I'm suddenly a hero!" as it is "I learned something today... all these people dying, all these people I used, and I can't do anything to stop it. Even if I die, I'm going to try!" and right there when she fires on the Prior I think she's commited herself against the Ori and those actions lead to her very heroic actions in Beachhead.

I didn't see her actions in Beachhead as heroic. *g* It's true that she probably learned some lessons through her association with Daniel and the others and through her experiences, but I don't see how that erases what she did before. If I stole a loaf of bread from the store and then performed CPR on someone and saved his life, I've still stolen the loaf of bread. One thing has nothing to do with the other. She still did what she did and that's a sticking point for me.

She's also had a lifetime of doing whatever she did before. I find it difficult to believe that she's going to just change that easily and quickly.

Overall, the second half of season 9 caused me to be less hopeful about season 10 than I would have been otherwise, but I did like the last few episodes except Crusade. *g*

[Formerhost]

Overall, the second half of season 9 caused me to be less hopeful about season 10 than I would have been otherwise, but I did like the last few episodes except Crusade. *g*

Character study kind of episodes are definitely much more difficult to watch than just action episodes... Both RCC and CB did brilliant job in it, IMO. But of course, this kind of episodes are not for everybody...

[Pharaoh Atem]

i really enjoyed season 9 at first like everyone it was like WTF

but it came full circle in beachead so it was ok after that then came Ethon ripple effect cursade and camolot great epsiode like the old days

[uknesvuinng]

Before the season, I had hopes for it to turn out interesting, especially with a renewed focus on philosophy and religion. But now that I've seen it, I hate it. It was cliche'd and chock full of deus ex machina. There weren't stories anymore, just contrived plot devices strung together. TPTB have finally crushed all that was SG-1. With the exception of the team, they brought that back, sorta. The team is held together by their need to save Mitchell from his immature and hotheaded antics.

S9 crushed my image of Stargate. It's time to pretend it never happened. I imagine S10 will result in much of the same.

[Egraine]

I thought it was uneven, but I liked it. Vala was over the top, but I love Claudia's protrayal of her. Mitchell...I do wish they would figure out who they want him to be. It can't be easy to set out to write a character and have your brief be: MUST be different from O'Neill. I like how the team is melding together. T'ealc is being given more to do finally. Good raphor between Jackson and Mitchell. Landry is really growing into his position.

Looking forward to July.

[the fifth man]

Still the best show on tv, IMHO!!

[aizjanika]

Character study kind of episodes are definitely much more difficult to watch than just action episodes... Both RCC and CB did brilliant job in it, IMO. But of course, this kind of episodes are not for everybody...

Hee. I love character study episodes. I don't care for action at all and really don't pay that much attention to it, really--especially space battles. I just didn't care for that episode because I felt it wasn't that relevant, I didn't really care about all those characters, and also because I just wanted Vala to get to the point. *g* Landry bugged me when he kept saying he had to leave, then Vala said, "But you have to hear this..." and he didn't say, "Just tell me what I need to know then."

[warmbeachbrat]

I didn't see her actions in Beachhead as heroic. *g* It's true that she probably learned some lessons through her association with Daniel and the others and through her experiences, but I don't see how that erases what she did before. If I stole a loaf of bread from the store and then performed CPR on someone and saved his life, I've still stolen the loaf of bread. One thing has nothing to do with the other. She still did what she did and that's a sticking point for me.

She's also had a lifetime of doing whatever she did before. I find it difficult to believe that she's going to just change that easily and quickly.

I'm afraid I have to disagree. Of course Vala's actions in Beachhead do not erase what's come before, but they are not divorced from each other, either. If you've stolen a loaf of bread and saved someone's life through CPR, they absolutely have something to do with each other. You've committed both actions. Everyone does good and bad in their lives, but there's not some cosmic balance scale out there. Redemption is possible, desirable even, and it starts with a turning around. In The Powers That Be, I believe that Vala has begun to make that turn and in Beachhead, she continues, and by Crusade she is still making babysteps on that path. I don't believe her changes were made easily or quickly, but that's just my perceptions. The next steps in her journey will be interesting to see.

Let me give an example. Oskar Schindler was not all that wonderful a man, some accounts paint him as an opportunistic businessman who was an alcoholic and womanizer. But his actions during the Holocaust saved the lives of over 1000 Jews. No one is perfect, but perhaps their actions should be looked at as a whole, rather than broken down into individual parts, at least when it comes to developing a character.

Drat! I'm explaining this rather badly--so sorry.

I think that, in general, I just don't really care much for episodes where they are flying around in ships. When I first saw Beachhead (and I watched it at least three times--probably more--that first week *g*), it seemed to me to be about a bunch of ships shooting at other ships and sometimes shooting at a bubble on a planet. Who cares? *g* (I also really didn't like Ethon when I first saw it, but changed my mind later.)

This, however, I have to agree with you--I don't like space battles overmuch, either (but I loved Beachhead). I'm one of the few who liked the first part of Camelot better than the second part. It's far too easy for me to get confused as to which ships are good and which ships are bad and who's left standing at the end. Oh well, perhaps I should learn to pay more attention.

[dec55]

Knowing that Lexa was going to be on the show renewed my utter support for this series.. As Lam, I think she really is a excellent choice for the show. Though she is due to have her 2nd baby with Michael Shanks this year, I look forward to
see her come back as Dr. Lam. I hope they explore her more and bring her
character out more. Lexa really impressed me in Andromeda, which in it's first
2 seasons was an a incredible ratings grabber for a syndicated show.
I know she will be busy with her kids, but I am sure Lexa will really shine when she comes back. The new cast is outstanding, and being a SG1 fan since the movie...I found Season 9 one of the best ever.

[Trek_Girl42]

I discovered Stargate last summer, before that I had only seen one episode and hadn't been that impressed (maybe because I spent the whole time being utterly confused by everything that went on to the point where I wanted to bash my head in but that would have made my headache decidedly worse.....), however, come November I'd seen fourty(maybe more) odd episodes and was really exicted for the new season with some trepidation- I was just getting to know the characters and this was going to be completly different.....

But I loved the season from start to finish- not a single episode had me yawning (yes, I liked Crusade, it was the perfect build-up to Camelot.....and I spent all of the past week very excited for the finale). I love the characters, the team is great, Mitchell is still being developed and I'm glad that they haven't rushed it out because then what is there left? I think it's a great mix to get to watch favourite faces and new faces at the same time, it mixes it up, and from season eight (which I enjoyed, but it was obvious that things were winding down, even for a first time viewer) I could see that was what was needed.

There were great episodes, unexpected moments (the Promethius in Ethon- I was looking forward to the episode, I think I was one of the small handful of people that liked Icon.....and what happened in Ethon was a shocker that had me on the edge of my seat). All in all, it's been a great season, and after Crusade.....well, I recorded it and kept re-winding the last five minutes.....and got up this morning and watched those last moments again.....Great ending to a great season and I can't wait until.....November.....*sigh*

So here's to many more!

[MarshAngel]

Before the season, I had hopes for it to turn out interesting, especially with a renewed focus on philosophy and religion. But now that I've seen it, I hate it.

I don't hate it (seems a strong term) but I don't much care for it as a whole either. I didn't enter into the this season with any expectations or preconceived notions and as a result I am surprised by my disappointment. I thought I'd be more in the middle about it or even like it a bit. The few things I did like, Ethon, Beachhead, weren't enough to makeup for the things I didn't.

Usually at this point, when the season just ended I'd be annoyed that the next season wasn't closer. Normally I can't wait for the next season but now there is little anticipation. When it comes it comes.

It was cliche'd and chock full of deus ex machina. There weren't stories anymore, just contrived plot devices strung together. TPTB have finally crushed all that was SG-1. With the exception of the team, they brought that back, sorta. The team is held together by their need to save Mitchell from his immature and hotheaded antics.

That pretty much sums up my major problems very well. There were a lot of cliches and at times, in order to play out the contrived plot some of the characters were forced to do things that they wouldn't usually, or shouldn't logically.

What I am surprised by is how much I dislike Mitchell. I really didn't form an opinion on him until midseason and that quickly went downhill.

I was OK with Vala before. I'm still ok with her. Right now I like her more than I do Mitchell.

For much of this season I felt like Sam was sidelined and not because of her absence. I guess (and I wasn't aware of expecting this before) I expected that with Jack gone, she'd be the center of the team, the one holding it all together. Instead Mitchell's always off in one direction, Tealc's off in another and if Daniel has something important to do neither Teal'c nor Sam can be involved. If Sam & Cam are such great friends and the leaders, then their dynamic should be the glue but nothing seems to be working to make them a team.

S9 crushed my image of Stargate. It's time to pretend it never happened. I imagine S10 will result in much of the same.

I'll still watch season 10 but I don't think I'll be giddy with anticipation about it.

[Deejay435]

My opinion of Season 9 has changed-it's actually deteriorated.

I watched all of Seasons 1-7, and much of season 8, between March of last year, and June. So although I liked Jack very much in the early seasons, watching seasons 6-8 so closely together really made me notice how little Jack was really there toward the end. So though I liked him, and miss him, missing him didn't really start in season 9 for me.

I was happy enough with BB coming on in Season 9. I was looking forward to seeing him incorporated into the show.

But the season has really fallen down for me in a number of areas:

1) Mitchell. His characterization has been so uneven. I've said this a number of times, but I really felt like I was getting whiplash from watching the change his character in Collateral Damage. And it only got worse from there. I liked the Mitchell that was introduced in Avalon. I liked the 'by the book' military guy in awe of his place on SG1. He would have been an interesting contrast from the 'regulations are just guidelines' attitude of Jack. It would have made for interesting interaction with the rest of the team. But after Collateral Damage I was wondering where that Mitchell had gone. And in Stronghold I began to actively dislike him. That didn't change for the rest of the season. I found him irresponsible, grandstanding, and foolish in his actions. And his humor always seemed so off-like his jokes were written to appeal to the lowest common denominator.

2) Vala. I didn't have high expectations for this character, as I really didn't like her in PU-and didn't see how they could realistically bring her in as anything but an antagonist. Her behavior to me was deplorable-and I thought it was unrealistic how the other characters accepted her and her complete lack of morals. I thought she was played very OTT, and her constant sexual innuendo gave me a headache from rolling my eyes so much. And I felt the focus on Vala-Daniel hurt the show in two ways. First, it was such a waste of Daniel's character because there was nothing for him to do but react to Vala. Constantly. And second because I felt that Mitchell really got lost in the whole "Vala/Daniel comedy hour" and I think this is where Mitchell began to go wrong. He was so much an 'also ran' in the Vala episodes, that I felt the writers felt they needed to force some character development on him in the latter half of the season, and that resulted, for me, in ruining his character.

3) The lack of team cohesiveness. This seemed to get worse, for me, as the season moved on. If I didn't know these people had known each other for years, I would never have believed it watching season 9. Not only did the original three team members have little to no time with each other, it seemed the writers did all they could to have Mitchell outside of this group in every way possible, making his inclusion as a member of the team much more difficult to feel, as a viewer.

4) The Ships Or, more precisly, the ships showing up in the nick of time to rescue SG1 with beaming technology. The plots used to rely on SG1's ingenuity, boldness, daringness, their ability to think on their feet, and their 'wacky' plans to get themselves out of trouble. Now they rely on the Asgard beam.

5) Sam I really felt that Sam was poorly used this season. She was so often relegated to exposition girl. I was sorely dissapointed by TFH-Sam was no more than Orlin's babysitter in those episodes. Lam, who is a secondary character, had more development than she did, and that's just wrong, imo.

There were some episodes I liked: Ex Deus Machina, Prototype, Ethon, Ripple Effect and Arthur's Mantle. Others I found extremely boring: TFH 1&2, Crusade, Babylon. And others I disliked very much: The Ties That Bind, Collateral Damage, Stronghold, and Crusade gets mention in this category too.

[majorsal]

Character study kind of episodes are definitely much more difficult to watch than just action episodes... Both RCC and CB did brilliant job in it, IMO. But of course, this kind of episodes are not for everybody...

oh, i LOVE character episodes, it just depends what which character is being highlighted (for me).




sally

[the fifth man]

I just watched "Babylon" again this past evening. That ep just reaffirmed how much I've enjoyed season 9 overall. I really believe great things still lie ahead for this show.

[generaloneill]

i liked all the episodes of season 9 i never thought it was rubbish though i was sad to see o'neill leave the last thing he said before he left was funny

JACKSON: Hey. Wow. What the ... hell are you doin' here?

(Cut to Jack O'Neill in Class A's, looking across the desk.)

O'NEILL: Nice to see you, too!

JACKSON: No, no, sorry! I just wasn't expecting to see you. (Rises and walks around the desk to Jack.)

O'NEILL: Yeah, well ... I was in the neighborhood ... and I've got a little surprise for Mitchell. (smiles)

JACKSON: Oh. Yeah. He really loved the last one, the fact you didn't tell him we were all moving on to different positions ...

O'NEILL: Yeah. Sorry you missed Daedalus.

JACKSON: No, you're not.

O'NEILL: You're right. I'm not. ... Listen, I just had a briefing with Landry about ... your stuff, and ...

JACKSON: Yeaaaah ...

O'NEILL: Sounds like it could be a problem?

JACKSON: Well, we've been up against some pretty bad guys before.

O'NEILL: Yeah, not so pretty ... Overdressed, yes.

JACKSON: In some tough situations ...

O'NEILL: That we always won ...

JACKSON: Yeah, but didn't you feel that was because we had someone ... lookin' out for us? I don't think I would say this to anyone else, but for the first time, I'm scared.

O'NEILL: I'm hungry.

JACKSON: Me too.

O'NEILL: Well ... (tilts his head toward the door and presumably the commissary. They leave.)

that scene was my favourite of the episode origin. overall season 9 has been very entertaining and i'm sure season 10 will be as well.