The Fifth Man (504)

[Dave2]

I guess we can wonder why Tyler the Reole didn't disguise himself with memory in relation to the Jaffa to protect himself. It looks like this guy Simmons is taknig over from Maybourne as the bad inside guy. Too bad we never hear of the Reole again.

[liminoid]

SG1 encounter an alien called Yippee-Kay-ayay (of get along little doggie fame). He has no powerful offensive capabilities, but possesses the amazing defensive maneuver of being able to take on seemingly any (or only humanoid?) physical appearance as well as planting false memories of his alter ego so as to avoid detection. He does this by means of a powdery chemical substance of unexplained potency. Why he doesn't choose to dupe the Jaffa directly is not raised in this episode, but presumably he tried that tactic and perhaps that was what allowed his initial escape to take place (by posing as a Jaffa pilot he could have gained control of the ship and then intentionally crashed it. Of course he would have to learn to fly a ship in the interim. Perhaps Jaffa leave UFO flight manuals lying around their onboard prison cells). Anyhoo, he chooses to impersonate a fifth SG1 member, one very recognizable to the members of SG1. Why it's Na'onak! No, it's Captain Nelson! Chaka? Uh, Tyler, it's Tyler this time guys. Welcome back Dion Johnstone, record holder for most one-off SG1 guest star appearances. Here's the full list:
Rules of Engagement (19 August 1999) - Captain Nelson
Jolinar's Memories (22 October 1999) - Na'onak
The Devil You Know (29 October 1999) - Na'onak (credit only)
Foothold (5 November 1999) - Alien #2
The First Ones (18 August 2000) - Chaka
The Fifth Man (20 July 2001) - Lt. Tyler
Beast of Burden (10 August 2001) - Chaka
Metamorphosis (15 January 2003) - Wodan
Forsaken (29 January 2003) - Captain Warrick Trevor

Sadly, his species' chose a remote corner of their galaxy to escape Goa'uld persecution. The producers never quite figured out where it was, and they were not to be heard from again.

Grade: Dion-amite

[bookwormjules]

Overall an okay episode the Reole were an interesting race, to bad it was a one shot with them. Simmons makes another appearance, I always wanted that guy to get on the wrong side of a kawosh - he wasn't even a bad guy you love to hate, just a dipwad.

I did find it surprising Carter was willing to defy order from Hammond to back after Jack. She doesn't like to leave men behind, but when Hammond tells her to stand down, she normally doesn't get as aggressive about it as she was - seemed more Jack like when they first came through the gate. Guess he's rubbing off on her.

[Dave2]

Indeed, it is strange that in Summit they had access to the memory disguise product of the Reole bodies without explaining where the Tok'ra got it from. In Fifth Man there was no indication that the Tok'ra knew the Reole. Plus, why couldn't Tyler have disguised himself as a Jaffa?!

[fems]

Indeed, it is strange that in Summit they had access to the memory disguise product of the Reole bodies without explaining where the Tok'ra got it from. In Fifth Man there was no indication that the Tok'ra knew the Reole. Plus, why couldn't Tyler have disguised himself as a Jaffa?!

Tok'ra/Tau'ri-alliance; they share tech and in this case they obviously shared the stuff with them. The stuff is spread through close proximity, and dissipates fairly quickly; do you really think he would risk his neck by going up to those Jaffa in the hopes he has enough time to use the stuff on all of them before they capture/kill him? Obviously befriending (and fooling) SG-1 was the best option here.

[Dave2]

So you mean that the residue on Teal'c uniform was reproduced or enhanced for a device to be used on the goa'uld meeting?

I didn't know that the Reole himself could only affect a single person at a time. I thought he used it as a "cloaking device".......

Tok'ra/Tau'ri-alliance; they share tech and in this case they obviously shared the stuff with them. The stuff is spread through close proximity, and dissipates fairly quickly; do you really think he would risk his neck by going up to those Jaffa in the hopes he has enough time to use the stuff on all of them before they capture/kill him? Obviously befriending (and fooling) SG-1 was the best option here.

[fems]

Janet Fraiser clearly says so in The Fifth Man and Jacob Carter explains it in Summit.

[NowIWillDestroyAbydos]

Pretty average episode for Season 5.

So Teal'c now has a Big Honkin Gun, which will be used again in 48 Hours.

The Commentary:

• The episode came as request to use the existing sets and/or location shooting
• Joe and Paul pitched this episode (which they we're working on for a while) to Brad in the hallway
• James and Visual Effects people were looking do an alien like the one we saw in the episode

Tomorrow, a planet whose sky is red, and the Asgard return.

[Matt G]

At this point I was living at a South Bank University Hall of Residence in central London. I had a TV in my flat but it did not have Sky so I needed to rely on my folks to tape SG1 eps on VHS(and later eps from shows like Dark Angel, Alias and Odessy 5).

Anyway...I saw this up a few days after it's UK premiere...

1. Again, I'd heard roughly how this one was going to go so Hammond's reaction was pretty predictable.

2. Liked the idea of our guys originally thinking they were in an alternate reality.

3. Simmons! This was when this guy really did start seeming like a bleep, and when I started thinking that Jerry Doyle could have been a better guy to play him.

4. Jack was certainly in an interesting mess and the two of them vs 15 Jaffa, tricky.

5. "Administrations change"

Spoiler:

Not quite!

Very cool ep.

[Krisz]

Entertaining enough episode. The Reole was an interesting looking alien, pretty cool CGI of it running from the Jaffa and when the Jaffa jumps it.

Of course we couldn't have things be that easy and have the alien fooling the Jaffa into thinking it was one of them. We would not have seen Jack in action as he valiantly sees off a bunch of Jaffa all by himself! My hero!

[Lieutenant Sparrow]

The Reole always reminds me of the alien from Atlantis. The one the Aussie chick played.

Jack kicked butt. Looked a lot more than 15 Jaffa if you ask me.

[Jae'a]

My LiveJournal post

[jelgate]

This is fun episode that it is a shame we never see the Reeloe again. I liked the insight into a race I can not recall doing in another science fiction show. I am sure I am wrong but I can not recall an alien species. I also like the interaction between Jack and "Tyler" even after he found out who Tyler was. I felt like it provided good insight into Tyler's reasons for secrecy. Its certainly understandable given the Reeloe's persecutation in the past. But at the same time its great seeing "Tyler" realize not everyone the same.

In addition on the base I once again like seeing SG1 being harassed by Simmons. Like I said in a previous review he was quite the villian for SG1. I like how he thrawts with SG1 to meet his own agenda. It seems like he took the advantage of the situation to serve the rogue's NID's goals. If thier is a nitpick I have a hard time buying Hammond would allow Jack stranded on the planet for so long regardless of chemical influence

[Gate_Builder]

This episode was ok, but not one of my favorites. We get introduced to a new race, and then never see them again. It's too bad we couldn't become allies with them and go on some covert operations.
What I didn't like about this episode was just technical: I wasn't crazy about the CGI effect to show the Reeole (sp?) I think the effect could have been done better, and didn't like the overall design of the creature that much either, it looked to me like a brown skeleton with dredlocks?

[Girlbot]

I wish we would have encountered this race again in another ep.
Wondered if they could have become friends with the Nox.