Tin Man (118)

[QuiGonJohn]

It sounded like Chris Judge was the voice of the alarm warning in the station, but I can't confirm that anywhere, not here or on IMDB. Anyone know for sure?

[PugGate]

They should've just put Harlan out of his misery. He was totally wacked

[Believer]

I thought Tin Man was another great, under appreciated episode. This episode could be viewed several ways. One, it was a quirky twist on the classic story of Pygmalion, where the King of Cyprus, carves and then falls in love with the statue of a woman, his perfect woman, and the Goddess of Love, Aphrodite, brings her to life. In our story, Harlan brings the SG-1 team "to life", he makes them "better", perfect, in his eyes, and in his own way, he loves them. He is Pygmalion. Unfortunately, as is usually the case, not all love stories have a happy ending, as this one definitely doesn't. When the deception is revealed to Jack and the rest of the team, the only one who really has a problem with it, is Jack, both of them. The "better" Jack views it as a cruel joke and most definitely blames Harlan. He is bitter and frustrated, and vents his emotions on the perfect person, the person he is, the 'real" Jack.

I thought it was a great episode, because it explored some of the inner feelings of Jack, the troubling idea of being immortal, with no place to go, the thought of endless days, doing the same thing. And all the time knowing, you are someone else and belong somewhere else. At the end, when the "real" Jack tells them to bury the Gate, I think we all knew the Gate wouldn't be buried and we would one day meet the "better" SG-1 team again.

OK, I'm beginning to feel like I'm writing a treatise. Sorry, sometimes I get carrried away.

Of course, you could view it as a trip to Oz, with Jack as the scarecrow, looking for a brain, Daniel, the cowardly lion, looking for some courage.....naw, on second thought, both Teal'c and Sam already have a heart, only Teal'C was looking for a way home, to freedom.

I'm finished. Aren't you happy?

[ApophisOfTheStargateRealm]

They should've just put Harlan out of his misery. He was totally wacked

lol i 2nd that

[zats]

I thought Tin Man was another great, under appreciated episode. This episode could be viewed several ways. One, it was a quirky twist on the classic story of Pygmalion, where the King of Cyprus, carves and then falls in love with the statue of a woman, his perfect woman, and the Goddess of Love, Aphrodite, brings her to life. In our story, Harlan brings the SG-1 team "to life", he makes them "better", perfect, in his eyes, and in his own way, he loves them. He is Pygmalion. Unfortunately, as is usually the case, not all love stories have a happy ending, as this one definitely doesn't. When the deception is revealed to Jack and the rest of the team, the only one who really has a problem with it, is Jack, both of them. The "better" Jack views it as a cruel joke and most definitely blames Harlan. He is bitter and frustrated, and vents his emotions on the perfect person, the person he is, the 'real" Jack.

Interesting point. What I don't think the myth ever explained (at least not in the version I read) was if Galatea was happy having been brought to life. I remember hearing somewhere that it'd be somewhat disturbing to be deliberately created as perfect, and this episode answered that question nicely: very disturbing. Would you want to be perfect?

Incidentally, 'disturbing' is an adjective that seems to come up a lot in relation to this ep. It has some heavy implications in various sciences, as well: robotics, AI, and genetic engineering, to name a few.

I'm finished. Aren't you happy?

Terribly.

[Atteria]

Interesting point. What I don't think the myth ever explained (at least not in the version I read) was if Galatea was happy having been brought to life. I remember hearing somewhere that it'd be somewhat disturbing to be deliberately created as perfect, and this episode answered that question nicely: very disturbing. Would you want to be perfect?

Incidentally, 'disturbing' is an adjective that seems to come up a lot in relation to this ep. It has some heavy implications in various sciences, as well: robotics, AI, and genetic engineering, to name a few.

Terribly.

From what I can recall about Pygmalion and his creation, Galatea was not happy. It was a doomed relationship, for the very reason you pointed out. Perfection, as an abstract ideal is beautiful, but as a reality, it leaves you with nothing to strive for, it leaves you empty, as Galatea was.

As for whether I would want to be perfect? In the abstract, wouldn't we all, but in reality, never. But I have nothing to fear, as my chances of achieving perfection are slim to nil.

I too believe Tinman was an under appreciated episode. It did bring up many other issues, if not directly, then by association, in particular, those you named. My primary emotion at the end of the episode was one of profound saddness.

[zats]

The 'nothing to strive for' business would explain why

Spoiler:

in 'Double Jeopardy' we discovered that the droids had been off galivanting. With nothing to work for, the only options would be to sit and twiddle your thumbs for eternity.

[Heru'urs_first_prime]

The 'nothing to strive for' business would explain why

Spoiler:

in 'Double Jeopardy' we discovered that the droids had been off galivanting. With nothing to work for, the only options would be to sit and twiddle your thumbs for eternity.

exactly

[Stricken]

Whoo great episode where would we be without Harlen!

[DigiFluid]

this episode really bored me. I found the whole thing annoying and tiring.

YES

[Samuel J. Tilden]

I too believe Tinman was an under appreciated episode. It did bring up many other issues, if not directly, then by association, in particular, those you named. My primary emotion at the end of the episode was one of profound saddness.

I'm reminded of an excellent STS9 episode called "Whispers" where Chief O'Brien is cloned. The episode is narrated by "O'Brien" who doesn't discover that he is actually a replicant programmed for an assassination mission until the real O'Brien shows up at the end of the show.

"Tin Man" was an insightful look at what it means to be human and the dilution of identity that can result from new technology and medicine. It's this kind of thoughtfulness that I've really missed over the years as Stargate has become less about ideas and more about explosions and one-liners. The moral dilemmas raised here and in other early episodes like "Holiday" and "Serpent's Song" may be "depressing" but the strength of Stargate is in the life-affirming moments that accompany even the most disturbing situations. Alas, we've been starved of "depressing" episodes for far too many years.

[Metarock Sam]

Tin Man is one of those slightly tear jerking episodes which makes it quite a good one ( although the sequel is without a doubt 1000000 times better).
This also had the message that nobodys perfect and perfection comes at a cost basically one of those eps that just plainly sets moral standards. BTW it was funny when the 2 Carters met and Harlan Rules!!!!

[walter_MacChevron]

I loved the SFX and emotion when Jack cut his arm and it was all robotic

[AGateFan]

COMTRIA!!!!!!

I love this ep.

"It is .... better".
I am sure Carter and Daniel could live happiley exploring that planet, assuming there is more then we see there but O'Neill and Teal'c would be bored out of their minds. Too bad the others died I think they could have been a great resource to some fancy tech.

[Pharaoh Atem]

i would freak out if i cut my arm like jack did and found out i wasn't human ..yikes

overall good epsiode liked the idea of teal'c not being himself. good wayt to mix that in with the whole robot thing