The Torment of Tantalus (110)

[SG3Marine]

Sorry, I meant politics of the series This episode did not have that. Just Daniel

lol, I gotcha.

[Starmover]

I loved this episode. At the beginning it looked as if the old black and white footage was edited pretty good from 5 or 6 different cameras. I also love the Catherine Langford Character. She should of been as important to SG1, as what Elizabeth Weir was to Atlantis. I would've liked to see her as a continuing character at SGC, with Hammond still in charge of course! It was cool seeing Catherine arm in arm with Daniel and Jack, I'm glad they let her go through the gate. So far this is my favorite quote from Jack...

O'NEILL: Oh Ernest is showing his new toy.
CARTER: Really? What?
O'NEILL: A fancy light show that maybe the key to our existence, or something like that.

lol, it's like it's no big deal to him. Key to our existence? Ok, take some notes and pictures, let's complete our mission and move on.
Another great line was, I'm obviously no scientist, but couldn't we do that Ben Franklin thing? That sentence shows why he's in charge.
Teal'c also cracked me up when Jack said "we know what we have. What do we need?" Then Teal'c says "We have the stargate, we need the dial home device".
So good episode, one of my top five favorites for the first season

[NowIWillDestroyAbydos]

This was the first good SG-1 episode. Forgot Paul was in it, years before he was Beckett.

I realized most of the early good SG-1 episodes (from Season 1 to 3 focused on the Stargate, just like this one.

Tomorrow, we meet Bra'tac for the first time. And that chick from Eureka also appears.

[Nindif]

I'm also quite surprised that Sam didn't become at least a little bit geeky over the whole "meeting chamber" where the molecules were shown in the hologram thingy (so technical, I know!) Being a scientist, you'd think Sam would have been intrigued like Daniel was. Then again, her focus was mainly on getting the gate to open again.

I loved how through the years, Ernest used Catherine as a reference/companion in all of his notes as if she were there and interacting with him. That was quite a believable scenario.

I am sure that given different circumstances, Sam would have geeked out over the repository as well. But to be fair, Daniel is the linguist and it is his field of expertise, so the focus should be on him.

I LOVE the archival footage, the flashbacks to Ernest and catherine are beatifully done and - without going overboard - sets a really nice tone and backstory between the two for the episode. Very nicely done. I really like the sugar cube transition.

I watched the ep with my girlfirend (Non-Stargate fan) and she really enjoyed this episode. It has a bit of everything and establishes an intriging mythology for the rest of the series'.

Easily in top 3 for first season, possibly #1.

[juggernaut975]

Without a doubt, my favorite episode from Season 1. I'm pretty certain that there's a lot of fans who share that sentiment so I won't add my two cents in its praise....instead, I'll expand on another aspect of the episode that I found fascinating.

This is a Twilight Zone episode.

If we imagine the set up in grainy, black and white, if we can imagine Rod Sterling with the voice over as we're introduced to Ernest, Catherine and her father.

A young man, an eager scientist, is unlocking the secrets of this 'Heaven's Door' all the while brushing aside the warnings of the elder Langford who warns him....'A door to heaven could mean that you forfeit your own life Ernest...'

Undeterred he presses on, never thinking to tell the love of his life, Catherine, about what he plans to do once he opens the door.....

As he steps through he takes one last look back, a hesitation perhaps, a last thought of caution? If there were any doubts it doesn't show because with a turn of his heel he steps through into the unknown.

When he arrives he realizes that he is alone and that, because of a broken DHD, he is unable to return home.

Ernest Littlefield stepped further than any man when he risked opening Heaven's Door, but the knowledge he gained, the curiosity he sated was a prize he could not share with anyone else. There are some that say if you listen closely enough when you look out across the night sky you can hear Ernest's cries, a plea that will never be answered and will be the last human voice Ernest hears, his own, echo and reverberate throughout....The Twilight Zone....


This premise is just sobering as hell. When Littlefield realizes that Daniel and the rest of SG1 is real, the withering sob of relief that he's able to produce is heart wrenching.

Five decades he's spent utterly alone. Would I take that chance if offered an opportunity like he had back in 1945? Would I step through the gate to see what was on the other side?

I'd be tempted as hell but I could not even begin to imagine what that experience would be like. As fantastic as this episode is it's one that always leaves me drained afterward because it stirs up those sorts of questions.

[Noxbait]

Another great line was, I'm obviously no scientist, but couldn't we do that Ben Franklin thing? That sentence shows why he's in charge.

I love when he says things like that. It really shows that he is not at all an idiot, but likes to say smart things in dumb ways. He couldn't be a great Black Ops Colonel in the USAF if he was an idiot. I love that he jokes around a lot, but I really can see the serious (dark, even) side of him almost all the time. Great post!

[Lieutenant Sparrow]

This is one of SG-1's sweeter eps. I remember watching it with my girlfriend years ago and she enjoyed it.

I also forgot Beckett was in it.

[Jae'a]

My LiveJournal post

When Sam tries to fix the broken DHD, I thought "Are you MacGyvering it again?"

[hlndncr]

I love this episode. It's one of my favorite of all Stargate.

One reason is all the great guest performances, Elizabeth Hoffman, Keene Curtic, Paul McGillion *hugs*, Nancy McClure! Then there's the old film footage and the flashbacks which were so well executed and woven into the story. And finally, fabulous, thought provoking adventure with great team interaction.

I do think I would have liked to see Sam play with the device more. Rightly, she was working hard on fixing the DHD and getting them home. But I'm sure she felt bad she didn't really get to play with the other neat doohickey.

I also think Daniel struggles for years to truly understand Ernest's assertion that there's no point in knowing the secrets of the universe if you can't share.

Spoiler:

I think Daniel only completely learns this lesson after his ascession when he essentially does have the knowledge and power of the universe in his hands and yet he can't save his best friend.

[Krisz]

This episode shows why this show rocks!!

Learning more and more tantalizing bits and pieces that leave you wanting to find out more. The awe and wonder, finding great mysteries and unraveling them.

Excited and obsessed Daniel, I just love the wide eyed wonder of the early years Daniel. Also, the not so 'clueless' Jack, I love how Stargate always had the scientists mulling furiously over problems and Jack steps in with a simple effective view to solving it. "......that Ben Franklin, thing." Go Jack!!!

[hlndncr]

Yeah I love that Jack's the smart one!

Spoiler:

One of my favorite moments is in Redemption when Jack asks why Sam isn't with the other eggheads. And Sam gets him back a few minutes later by asking if he has any ideas because he usually sees things at their simplest. His plan? Cake of course! OK, so maybe that wasn't one of his save the day ideas, but he did later save the day. So I forgive him.

*hugs Jack*

[Noxbait]

I also think Daniel struggles for years to truly understand Ernest's assertion that there's no point in knowing the secrets of the universe if you can't share.

Spoiler:

I think Daniel only completely learns this lesson after his ascession when he essentially does have the knowledge and power of the universe in his hands and yet he can't save his best friend.

OOOh!!! Such a good point you make (there in the secret spoiler spot)! I never thought of that, but I think you have an excellent point. Makes total sense to me.

I love this episode for all the reasons you mentioned. One of my top favs too!

[shelsfc]

LOVE this ep! Definitely one of the best of S1, if not of the whole series. and of course, the world os SG's first introduction to the legend that is Paul McGillion Man, how different the world of SG cons would be without that man...

I'm also quite surprised that Sam didn't become at least a little bit geeky over the whole "meeting chamber" where the molecules were shown in the hologram thingy (so technical, I know!) Being a scientist, you'd think Sam would have been intrigued like Daniel was. Then again, her focus was mainly on getting the gate to open again.

The thing that annoys me a bit - and thankfully they do tone it down as the series goes on - is Daniel's blatant disregard for his own life & well-being in order to study the new technology. In this case, his insistence to stay longer not only jeopardized his life, but Jack's as well. Daniel knew Jack well enough by then to know Jack's motto of "leave no man behind" and that Jack wouldn't leave until Daniel was with him.

For me that was very much an insight into Daniel at that time. He kinda lost that sense of wonder and passion for this sort of stuff a bit as the years went on - naturally, for the situation he was in. But here, at the start, the thirst for knowledge seemed to drive him as much as the desire to find Sha're. He sort of loses himself in it. But he became more practical about it as the series went on.

I also think Daniel struggles for years to truly understand Ernest's assertion that there's no point in knowing the secrets of the universe if you can't share.

Spoiler:

I think Daniel only completely learns this lesson after his ascession when he essentially does have the knowledge and power of the universe in his hands and yet he can't save his best friend.

I'd never thought of it like that before, that's a really good point!

[Krisz]

LOVE this ep! Definitely one of the best of S1, if not of the whole series. and of course, the world os SG's first introduction to the legend that is Paul McGillion Man, how different the world of SG cons would be without that man...



For me that was very much an insight into Daniel at that time. He kinda lost that sense of wonder and passion for this sort of stuff a bit as the years went on - naturally, for the situation he was in. But here, at the start, the thirst for knowledge seemed to drive him as much as the desire to find Sha're. He sort of loses himself in it. But he became more practical about it as the series went on.



I'd never thought of it like that before, that's a really good point!

He really is a lovely guy! Totally agree with you about how much fun the man is at cons. He's got some great stories. I'll share some of them from the notes I took of some of his appearances when the rewatch gets to SGA.

[shelsfc]

He really is a lovely guy! Totally agree with you about how much fun the man is at cons. He's got some great stories. I'll share some of them from the notes I took of some of his appearances when the rewatch gets to SGA.

'Did you get a gig on the Star Trek??'