Solitudes (117)

[Petra]

First several seasons? How so?

[SF_and_Coffee]

The whole Jack/Sam 'ship thing, with relation to whether or not Jack was completely over Sara and if not, then when he got to that point. Jack calling Sara's name late-ish in Season 1, coupled with the earlier events from "Cold Lazarus" indicate there was still a connection. Meanwhile, Sam opting to play the role of 'Sara' for her possibly-dying CO is touching, whether or not you're a shipper or think there was anything between Sam and Jack at that point. If you are a shipper, then it's even more so in some ways. And personally, I feel that the idea of Jack still not having had complete closure on Sara by the 17th episode speaks to his still having feelings for her. That lends either color or complication (or perhaps just extra dimensions) to him in terms of any ship between him and Sam, and for the non-shippers, it forms the basis for thinking that he might still love his ex-wife.
It's not hard to think of these elements as all carrying forward through at least Seasons 2 and 3, or at least it isn't for me. I've even been on both sides of the 'ship divide (I used to be a Sam/Jack 'shipper, and now I'm not) and it affected me no matter which camp I happened to be in at the time.

[ekolint48]

Very well said SF. I am not a S/J shipper and I believe that Jack did still have feelings for his ex-wife up to this point. NOt just because of my feelings toward the ship but also how the two's relationship had been developing thus far in the show. All of Sam and O'Neill's interactions in S1 were those of two people figuring each other out becoming friends, and of course their stations as military officers. From memory the S/J ship didn't really start taking shape until about early season 3 in the episode ''Upgrades. I can't remember if there were other signals in episodes during season 2, which is when I think it logically could have started progressing in that non-platonic direction, but none come to mind at the moment.

[muziqaz]

Very nice episode, very well played by both Jack and Sam. really enjoyed todays rewatch even though I have watched this episode just few weeks ago.
And some goofs, in 1st scenes when unscheduled offworld activation is announced, Walter says it is SG1 IDC, and a second later you can here the gate engaging. How they managed to send an IDC if the gate hasn't been opened yet on earth?

One more thing, 1st gate which was buried centuries ago in egypt and later found and used by SGC. Now when it was buried and could not have been engaged, shouldn't offworld people(Goa'uld) dialing earth connect to the gate in antarctica? It has a DHD. And we know that gate with dhd takes over if it is used. Now there was nothing wrong with antarctica gate. It was perfectly functioning, except that Sam tried to dial home. So When RA or other system lord dialed earth they should have connected to antarctica and knowing goa'uld they don't really stop if there is a possibility that on earth there are now millions of possible hosts for goa'uld.
By frozen serpent guard we can assume that goa'uld tried sending scouts to the planet, but why stop? Maybe it was under water or partly frozen, thus scouts wouldn't be able to come back because in the water.
Or am I missing something?

[fems]

Maybe the gate/DHD wasn't working when it was frozen in a lump of ice? And when Sam dug it out the gate became functional again? While it was frozen it didn't have enough energy unless the off-world gate was hit with an energy blast (like in this ep)?

*grasping at straws*

[muziqaz]

we know that gates can be connected without the dhd or broken dhd. That is you can dial to the planet with the gate which does not have a dhd or has broken dhd. So frozen dhd wouldn't be a problem here I think

[lookupwardsnshare]

One of my top ten favorite episodes. It was brilliantly shot and directed by Martin Wood. Several great shots off the gate--ending scenes at the SGC and beginning the next scene on the gate in Antartica, and vice a versa.

RDA and AT did great. Alot of great scenes between JAck n Sam. Loved the scene towards the end when Sam answers to Jack's "Sara". It was very endearing since in the beginning we learn that it was the thought of Sara that helped Jack get thru his mishap in the Iran/Iraq borders. Sam was just trying to comfort him in their situation. "It was an honor serving with you too Col"

Yay for Siler. He had some lines in this one!

Great set, makeup and continunity.

n Ah, a second gate.....

Loved this ep!!!

[Lieutenant Sparrow]

Not a bad ep. Not boring at least. You can tell that Jack and Sam would have really bonded over the incident.

And yay at the second gate

[KayLyne]

Solitudes is one of my favorite season 1 episodes.

I really enjoyed the military vs civilian split that they did with Daniel/Teal'c making it back while Sam/Jack didn't.

It was great to see the Sam/Jack dynamic with two soldiers struggling to survive when faced with impossible odds. First, there's Sam splinting Jack's leg. Then she continues to find a way out. He helps in what little way he can, both with chopping ice on the DHD and making her soup, while imploring her to take a much needed break to eat and keep up her strength as well as warm up.

Then it's their military training coming to the forefront as he tells her to leave him and go for help, with him finally having to "order" her to go while she reluctantly follows that order, even though she didn't want to abandon him.

It was great to see Sam fail, yet succeed at the same time. She failed to get the gate open, yet succeeded by trying long enough that it gave Daniel a clue with the "busy signal" of having the chevrons glow & vibrations in the gate room when she tried dialing that final time. However, after watching this episode so many times, I often wonder what would have happened if Sam would have been the one with the broken leg and Jack would have had to be the one to find a way out with only limited help from Sam. Would he have been able to do it? We know he tries to dumb-down his intelligence, but I'd have loved to have seen him working with technology & trying to fix the DHD. What would his reaction have been when getting out of the crevasse and seeing them surrounded by nothing but snow & ice? Would he have also given up at that point like Sam did, and go back down to die next to her? I would safely assume the answer to that would be a "yes".

Seeing Sam go sliding down the ice wall always makes me wince, knowing that AT was becoming bruised & battered each time - and not having a stunt double.

As for Daniel & Teal'c, it's great to see their struggle as well. Teal'c, the warrior, wanting to immediately go back and search for them, but can do nothing but sit & wait for repairs to be made to the gate, and having the rescue mission scrubbed when the MALP was fired on. Daniel, meanwhile, uses his only available resource - his limited knowledge of the gate system - to find the eventual solution.

The final piece of the puzzle for this episode was a bit more insight into General Hammond's character. We see him as fairly strict military - sending the MALP, scrubbing the rescue, etc - but also giving him a more human side in leading the rescue to Antarctica.

Oh, and we can't forget about Siler discussing the workings of the Stargate with Daniel, Teal'c & Hammond!


The greatest part of this one, however, was the AT/RDA MacGyver prank outtake. The greatest scene that was actually in the show was Daniel asking Teal'c what happened when you dial your own phone #, then immediately said "Wrong person to ask".

[muziqaz]

<...>

The greatest part of this one, however, was the AT/RDA MacGyver prank outtake. The greatest scene that was actually in the show was Daniel asking Teal'c what happened when you dial your own phone #, then immediately said "Wrong person to ask".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRkexJ-MBCQ super

[dtheories]

The Daniel/Teal'c phone dialing lines are some of the best ever. And seeing Daniel get so excited after his limited 'gate understanding leads to the discovery of a second 'gate was fun. Daniel's Amazing!

I'm awed and annoyed by Carter in this ep. I don't know if she won any awards, but she sure should have for the physicality of this ep, if nothing else. All the climbing, slipping and sliding on real hard, cold ice. Didn't appreciate her first thought being 'Daniel must have dialed wrong,' though and her singleminded focus on the DHD probably caused them to have to stick around longer when she didn't try dialing other addresses. Still, she was obviously overwhelmed by the thought of Jack injured and being his only means to survival, so I'm willing to cut her a little slack. ;-}

Learning more of Jack's history was important as was watching the 'gate explode. Especially enjoyed the editing in the control room scene early in the ep where Walter is calling out the chevron's encoded while the 'gate's spinning and locking and conversation is being batted around among Hammond, Teal'c and Daniel about whether Jack or Sam might give up Iris codes. Could cut the anxiety with a knife!

I noticed how the individual parts of the team really required each other to work smoothly, too: even if they can work things out individually, Daniel and Sam really need each other's talents and knowledge to be most effective.

Good stuff.

[Petra]

The whole Jack/Sam 'ship thing, with relation to whether or not Jack was completely over Sara and if not, then when he got to that point. Jack calling Sara's name late-ish in Season 1, coupled with the earlier events from "Cold Lazarus" indicate there was still a connection. Meanwhile, Sam opting to play the role of 'Sara' for her possibly-dying CO is touching, whether or not you're a shipper or think there was anything between Sam and Jack at that point. If you are a shipper, then it's even more so in some ways. And personally, I feel that the idea of Jack still not having had complete closure on Sara by the 17th episode speaks to his still having feelings for her. That lends either color or complication (or perhaps just extra dimensions) to him in terms of any ship between him and Sam, and for the non-shippers, it forms the basis for thinking that he might still love his ex-wife.
It's not hard to think of these elements as all carrying forward through at least Seasons 2 and 3, or at least it isn't for me. I've even been on both sides of the 'ship divide (I used to be a Sam/Jack 'shipper, and now I'm not) and it affected me no matter which camp I happened to be in at the time.

Honestly, I find your answer a little baffling. I would hazard a guess that you've had a misfortune of dealing with some ultra-fanatic, scary S/J shippers.

I know that 'Sara hatred' is popular among *some* S/J fanfic writers (coincidentally, these are not regarded as very good) and there used to be a few posters like that, years ago, when I first discovered SG fandom. But believe me, I haven't met a single S/J shipper who'd deny Jack and Sara still had feelings for each other in season 1 for years now.

Personally I can't see how it even can be denied, when throughout season 1 Jack is portrayed as still caring and thinking about her (Cold Lazarus, Brief Candle, Solitudes - right up to Within the Serpent's Grasp). That's only natural, you can't just shrug off good 10 years of marriage (at least 10, I'm guessing here). But you know what? People move on. And that's what I personally see Jack doing from season 2 onwards. Regardless of your opinion of Sam/Jack ship, it can't be denied that Sara is never mentioned/seen/heard of again with the one exception of 2 lines in The Lost City, when Jack clearly says he doesn't want to talk about her. In all those years though he was portrayed as being attracted to, and having flings with other women. So the reason for my original question and my bafflement now is, how can anyone claim that Jack was in love with Sara for several seasons, when there's not a shred of proof to support it and plenty of suggestions otherwise?

Unless I totally missed your meaning; it happens too.

[Krisz]

One of my favourite episodes. The situation Sam and Jack land in with Jack's injury turns the tables on the person ctaking charge of getting them out of the situation. Sam has to take it all on board even though she has doubts, egged on by Jack in the time he had before his injury took its toll on him. Sam steps up and keeps going until all options are exhausted.

Daniel's perseverance and reasoning are fun to watch too as he gets closer to finding the answer to what happened to Sam and Jack.

Finding the second gate, and that it was on Earth the whole time was a great revelation, loved this when I first watched this. It added to the expectation of finding out how it got there in the first place and wanting to find out who the gate builders were.

[Starscape91]

I enjoyed this episode especially the Jack and Sam moments. What bothered me was when Sam couldn't dial home why didn't she try a different address?

[Skydiver]

that's always been one of the biggest plot holes...and something sam has been torn apart for over the years.

I think....a combo of cold and exhaustion. coupled with her tendency to get tunnel vision when she's trying to solve a problem. And there is also the fact that, up to this point, every other planet they've been to (19 or so), none of them had any sort of advanced medical technology. She knew that Jack needed advanced help and likely didn't think beyond 'get him home'....and the final factor I think is the thought of a single planet having 2 stargates was just totally unknown. so the idea of being home all the time never occurred to her.