Crystal Skull (321)

[I Am Not James Spader]

To bad they never go back to this. I got the feeling the aliens were doing a great and powerful Oz impression.

"And now we must wait for the giant ALIENS."

Such a priceless ep! I agree with Baron Of Hell, the "Omeyocan" or whatever they named them in the Stargate RPG thingy are downright epic.
Wish we had another ep with them and Daniel's grandpa!

I was just going to ask if Nick and these aliens will actually return.

Big mistake not returning to this. I guess I forgot that this is the way TV used to be whereas now connected storylines and recurring characters are the thing.

Also, Jack's ongoing cynicism in regards to the unexplainable is getting tiresome. I'm not suggesting he just accept everything but Jackson's comment about him being an "ass" is very apt. With all he has seen, are "giant aliens" that hard a concept. Still, if he was more open minded, then the funniest moments of the episode would be lost.

And how bad a grandson is Daniel? Leaving his grandfather in a mental hospital when he should have all this time that the odds are the old guy was right. The falling out and never talking about Nick before just doesn't quite work.

[I Am Not James Spader]

This is really a character building episode. Nick Ballard is basiclly a plot device to explore more of Daniel's background while Daniel's plot of being in another dimension is used to explore how he thinks. And while I am not against character development and the plot is entertaining enough I have to wonder haven't we had enough episode highlighting Daniel this season? It would seem better to show something about Teal'c for example. This compliant aside I like seeing Daniel interact with his grandfather and the Mist aliens (too bad this is another of SG1 forgotten plot arcs) and showing his teamates real feelings about Daniel. In particular Hammond's story to his granddaughters.

Funny thing is that just prior to watching the episode, I had been thinking that Hammond needed to be explored more - does he have a wife, grandchildren, etc.

Does this get expanded on at least? Or is it another thread that is abandoned.

[Seaboe Muffinchucker]

Depends on what you mean by expanded. His grandaughters are background characters and stay thus (I think we see them once in eight years), but we always know they're there.

There are other background characters like this, who are acknowledged but not talked about much or developed.

Seaboe

[kirsten187]

I love the scene in this episode when Hammond is on the phone to one of his granddaughters.

[hedwig]

Funny thing is that just prior to watching the episode, I had been thinking that Hammond needed to be explored more - does he have a wife, grandchildren, etc.

Does this get expanded on at least? Or is it another thread that is abandoned.

Hammond is a widower, with one or two children (girls) and two grandchildren (also girls). His wife apparently died before he was assigned to the SGC.

[hedwig]

I was just going to ask if Nick and these aliens will actually return.

Big mistake not returning to this. I guess I forgot that this is the way TV used to be whereas now connected storylines and recurring characters are the thing.

Also, Jack's ongoing cynicism in regards to the unexplainable is getting tiresome. I'm not suggesting he just accept everything but Jackson's comment about him being an "ass" is very apt. With all he has seen, are "giant aliens" that hard a concept. Still, if he was more open minded, then the funniest moments of the episode would be lost.

And how bad a grandson is Daniel? Leaving his grandfather in a mental hospital when he should have all this time that the odds are the old guy was right. The falling out and never talking about Nick before just doesn't quite work.

If you're interested, one of the Stargate novels goes into these aliens in more depth, and Daniel's grandfather is in it as well. It's called "City of the Gods" and is a pretty good story.

[kirsten187]

I think his granddaughters are called Tessa and Kayla. On the speed dial on Hammond's phone in his office they are number one with the US President being number 2

[garhkal]

I've known plenty of mil folk who had their kids as speed dial 1, wife as 2, and their commander as 3.

[hedwig]

And how bad a grandson is Daniel? Leaving his grandfather in a mental hospital when he should have all this time that the odds are the old guy was right. The falling out and never talking about Nick before just doesn't quite work.

I've always thought this, too. Seems an exceptionally long time for a person to be in a mental hospital (20 odd years) for something like that. And the hospital knew how to contact Daniel (if I remember correctly). It may have made things more interesting for Daniel to be on SG1 and having to be guardian for his grandfather and perhaps having him living in Colorado Springs.

[I Am Not James Spader]

Depends on what you mean by expanded. His grandaughters are background characters and stay thus (I think we see them once in eight years), but we always know they're there.

There are other background characters like this, who are acknowledged but not talked about much or developed.

Seaboe

I meant in terms of developing Hammond himself - show more of his life outside the SGC.

I love the scene in this episode when Hammond is on the phone to one of his granddaughters.

Me too.

Hammond is a widower, with one or two children (girls) and two grandchildren (also girls). His wife apparently died before he was assigned to the SGC.

I've love continuity, backstory and reusing minor characters so if the writers can give a role to Rodney's sister on the other side of the universe, it makes to get Hammond of the SGC once in a while to deal with a family issue or attend a birthday party.

[I Am Not James Spader]

If you're interested, one of the Stargate novels goes into these aliens in more depth, and Daniel's grandfather is in it as well. It's called "City of the Gods" and is a pretty good story.

A follow up to this episode or Daniel having flashbacks to his childhood?

[I Am Not James Spader]

I think his granddaughters are called Tessa and Kayla. On the speed dial on Hammond's phone in his office they are number one with the US President being number 2

Is that true? Love it.

[I Am Not James Spader]

I've known plenty of mil folk who had their kids as speed dial 1, wife as 2, and their commander as 3.

I've always thought this, too. Seems an exceptionally long time for a person to be in a mental hospital (20 odd years) for something like that. And the hospital knew how to contact Daniel (if I remember correctly). It may have made things more interesting for Daniel to be on SG1 and having to be guardian for his grandfather and perhaps having him living in Colorado Springs.

Yes, it would have been more believable if Nick had been living in a retirement home or by himself somewhere.

Sorry, but I don't care that it was "national security", I wouldn't leave a family member in a mental hospital when I know there is nothing wrong. This implies that Daniel is a jerk and embarrassed by his grandfather, which neither matches Daniel's personality or the relationship as it it is shown in the episode.

[Seaboe Muffinchucker]

I wouldn't leave a family member in a mental hospital when I know there is nothing wrong. This implies that Daniel is a jerk and embarrassed by his grandfather, which neither matches Daniel's personality or the relationship as it it is shown in the episode.

At what point does Daniel know there's nothing wrong with his Grandfather? Clear up until he himself gets sent out of phase, he does not believe his grandfather was transported by the skull.

I don't like the mental hospital, either. I think it should've been an assisted living community with a memory care unit. However, I have seen medicare patients housed in rather inappropriate facilities (not due to level of care or cleanliness) because those are the facilities that will take medicare (in one case, a forty year old was in an old-style nursing home with a lot of very elderly residents while she was recovering from limb amputation surgery).

Seaboe

[garhkal]

At what point does Daniel know there's nothing wrong with his Grandfather? Clear up until he himself gets sent out of phase, he does not believe his grandfather was transported by the skull.

Seaboe

Agreed. Up till that point he had no reason to NOT feel his grand dad was not mental.