Affinity (807)

[Murcielago]

I just rewatched the episode today, andhere's a neat fact--Derek Hamilton (the boyfriend), also played Razor in Need For Speed Most Wanted.

[alecwmu]

WORST EPISODE EVER!!!

Everything from the old snoopy neighbor with the cat, to the "karate kid" montage, to the "it's not what you think" setup of Teal'c. Worse than Chimera. And they gave us no clue as to why Sam said yes in the end. I'm sad. If Sam and Jack get together in the end, will I care if I have to go through more of this? Ugh.

What's a Stargate?

DITTO!!!!

It was so pathetic that i prefer to read the forum while 'watching' the episode

[Insidious One]

I didn't think it was that bad.

SG-1 has always had some soft episodes from time to time. It helps us establish a closer rapport with what the characters by fleshing out their "other life".

That being said I did find it irritating that Teal'c just abandoned living outside the base, but I guess it was a way of having the storyline and then closing it. Mind you they could have fixed it better by having a remark made in a later Episode about Teal'c's apartment etc.

Interestingly a piece of trivia I came across a few days ago, it seems that Teal'c Neighbour played by Erica Durance (aka Lois Lanefrom Smallville) is the wife of David Palffy (aka Sokar/Anubis).

[VSS]

<snip>LOVED the scene with Jack and Sam in the lab. (Do I dare admit I cried? whoops) I read the first 5 or so pages of this thread before replying and so I saw other people have different interpretations of what Jack meant when he said, "Then I wouldn't be here." But I got the impression, particularly considering the subject they were discussing, that he meant he would have retired to be with her, if that is what she had wanted. Of course, she would never ask him to do that, and vise versa. So that is what I read into it.

This is what I absolutely love about Stargate. No doubt, it started out as a sci-fi show (and still is), but it's not just about aliens and traveling to other worlds anymore. The strong characters that have developed over the years, each with their own attitudes, behaviours, quirks and issues make for awesome viewing and it's the type of show that anyone can watch even if you're not particularly fond of sci-fi.

I think you're right on all counts. Although the meaning of Jack and Sam's "if things had been different," conversation isn't clear, what is clear is that it was about them. All you have to do is listen for the music to come up to figure that part out. That's the same shippy music that is played in some parts of Threads And if you listen to the commentaries, that's exactly what they say, too. It's not about Sarah, or Charlie or anyone else.

Also, I agree with your last paragraph, and that, ladies and gentlemen, is why Stargate ran for 10 years. Special effects and cool plots only go so far if one doesn't really care about the characters.

[DanielleG]

I was just watching Affinity and at the beginning Teal'c is out fighting those guys and I noticed he was not covering his head symbol (Sorry dont know what it's call) wouldnt people wonder what it was.

[DanielleG]

One more question, still watching the episode. How is it possible that Tealc no longer has his Symbiote and is still walking and talking? I thought it was part of his immune system and could not be removed.

[Melora]

I was just watching Affinity and at the beginning Teal'c is out fighting those guys and I noticed he was not covering his head symbol (Sorry dont know what it's call) wouldnt people wonder what it was.

Hi DanielleG,

There are a lot of inexplicable things in this episode. It is well-known for having a lot of plot holes and inconsistencies. But the two things that you mention can be explained.

In the episode Daniel and Teal'c discuss his tattoo:

DANIEL: Yeah, I’m not just talking about the tattoo, although I do see how that could be a problem.
TEAL’C: I often cover it to avoid stares in public but I tell those who have seen it that it is a tribal mark from my home land.

So people would wonder about it, but Teal'c has an explanation for those who are curious.

One more question, still watching the episode. How is it possible that Tealc no longer has his Symbiote and is still walking and talking? I thought it was part of his immune system and could not be removed.

Teal'c lost his symbiote in Season 6. The episode was called "Changeling." The Tok'ra developed a drug called tretonin to act in place of the symbiote and Teal'c has to take regular doses of tretonin to survive for the rest of his life. So in effect, the tretonin acts as his immune system in place of the symbiote.

Hope this helps.

[garhkal]

I would have loved to seen it being worn by that kid who idolized teal'c

[Ulkesh47]

I think Teal'c was especially nice to Krista because she reminded him of Shan'auc.

[hedwig]

DITTO!!!!

It was so pathetic that i prefer to read the forum while 'watching' the episode

I wouldn't call it "pathetic", but I do agree that there were numerous plotholes(?) and unanswered questions. And to this day I find it really hard to watch it ... so I don't. It's one of the few that I just refuse to watch again - unless I just fast forward through the scenes that I don't want to see ... hm, which is almost all of them.

[Iawen]

I am rewatching this episode right now, but only because I'm rewatching the entire show, LOL. I don't hate it, I think there are other episodes that are worse, but I also think it could definitely have been better. For most of it, it's just a Teal'c-in-our-world episode which could have been fun but I find more pointless and boring. It doesn't really add anything to his character or any storyline of the show.

This episode presents the only good thing I find about Pete: he seems to actually be a good, smart cop. But we also have in this episode what I hate the most about Sam/Pete: in the episodes he's in, we get scenes with them where I'd rather see stuff with the scenes. Plus, I really hate that after Daniel was kidnapped and zatted, Carter would make out with Pete while still at the scene.

And why would the Trust leave Daniel behind when going up to the ship when they said he was the only person who could translate that particular dialect of goa'uld? Wouldn't they think there was a possibility they'd still need him? And if not, why would they simply leave him behind with all the information they'd left him with and just zat him?

[DSG1]

They never did explain the part with Daniel and what they were looking for.

[Khentkawes]

I am rewatching this episode right now, but only because I'm rewatching the entire show, LOL. I don't hate it, I think there are other episodes that are worse, but I also think it could definitely have been better. For most of it, it's just a Teal'c-in-our-world episode which could have been fun but I find more pointless and boring. It doesn't really add anything to his character or any storyline of the show.

This episode presents the only good thing I find about Pete: he seems to actually be a good, smart cop. But we also have in this episode what I hate the most about Sam/Pete: in the episodes he's in, we get scenes with them where I'd rather see stuff with the scenes. Plus, I really hate that after Daniel was kidnapped and zatted, Carter would make out with Pete while still at the scene.

And why would the Trust leave Daniel behind when going up to the ship when they said he was the only person who could translate that particular dialect of goa'uld? Wouldn't they think there was a possibility they'd still need him? And if not, why would they simply leave him behind with all the information they'd left him with and just zat him?

I just caught part of this episode on TV the other day, and I couldn't even watch the whole thing.

I agree that Pete shows himself to be a good, smart cop here. Can't agree that that that's the only good thing about him, because I actually like Pete.

Spoiler:

I think that anyone who puts up with the kind of treatment Sam gave him in Threads is way nicer than I could ever be.

I know, that's GW heresy. But it's okay, I've already been to confession.

I agree there are a lot of problems in this episode. I've never understood why Daniel believed the message that said they would know if he contacted anyone. Couldn't he have found a subtle way to inform someone of what was going on?
I hadn't considered why the Trust left Daniel behind, but it's a good point. That might have been a mistake on their part.

Basically, I've always thought this episode was sort of typical of the problems I see in season 8. They can't seem to balance their characters well (so they usually focus on one or two of them at a time, which eliminates the "team" dynamic to some extent), and the plot just doesn't seem to be going anywhere.

They never did explain the part with Daniel and what they were looking for.

I thought the same thing when I first saw it. But they left it purposely open-ended, and they explain why the Trust needed Daniel's translation several episodes later, in Endgame.

[Iawen]

I agree that Pete shows himself to be a good, smart cop here. Can't agree that that that's the only good thing about him, because I actually like Pete.

Spoiler:

I think that anyone who puts up with the kind of treatment Sam gave him in Threads is way nicer than I could ever be.

I know, that's GW heresy. But it's okay, I've already been to confession.

You're right--Sam doesn't treat him very well in Threads. Glad that relationship ended.

[Jumper_One]

Babancat writes: “You wrote and directed ‘Affinity’, an angsty episode in terms of the Sam/Jack ship. Whenever we discuss this episode the hot topic is, what did Jack mean by his answer ‘I wouldn’t be here’ when Sam shows him the ring and asks him ‘What about you?’. Shippers have come up with lots of thoughts but I’d like to know your thinking when you wrote and directed the episode. Thanks.”

PDL: This was the intention. We knew the audience would read what they wanted into this line, and that’s the way I like it.

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