Full Alert (814)

[Redwall]

As I understand it, DefCon 2 means full readiness of military forces, and DefCon 1 means we are at war. I enjoyed the DefCon alerts, but there is no way we should have gone to DefCon 1.

Also, the location scenes were terrible. The scene outside the Trust's lodge and the scene driving through Russia looked exactly the same. That was just sad.

Other than that and a few military/weapon problems listed previously, I quite liked this episode. The whole Goa'uld-infiltrate-Trust thing was cliche, but the whole point of the NID/Trust enemies (we aren't doing enough to protect the earth, so they have to do it) was already so far gone I'm glad they're (hopefully) done with it altogether. And bring on more Kinsey.

[zats]

Whoo-hoo!!! I'm happy! Good ep all around.

What was good:
a. Premise. This Trust stuff is looking promising. Admittedly, they're not quite as fun to laugh at now that Maybourne's more or less out of the way, but still...
b. The Russians. Great bunch--it's nice to finally be able to see the human side. Usually they're just snivelling because Jack refuses to let them onto SG-1...or really grant them any real decency. Has someone told him that the Cold War's OVER? But anyway...it was good to see them as good guys.
c. Is it just me, or was the "undisclosed location" house the same as the one that Daniel was hiding out in during 'Icon'? Or am I completely off the mark?
d. RDA. Seemed to me like he'd been a little wonky lately, and it was refreshing to have the old Jack back. Facial expressions were hilarious--RDA plays those well.
e. Kinsey. Lovely to have him back, AND with a snake upstairs. I thought it couldn't get any better when he resigned...although I was really hoping that Hayes would just shoot him and be done with it. Same for Jack at the beginning of this one, actually.

What wasn't good:
a. Hmmm...I got nothing. Hurrah!

[BackStageJim]

Loved the truck Daniel and Sam were in, named after the director.

[American3.141592654]

I have never been so disappointed with an Sg1 epsiode in my life. I never liked Jack's character when he was with Russians. He has an ignorent, assanine temper about something that happened eons ago. What the heck is his problem?? This whole US/Russia superiority issue just sickens me to my gut, I'm sorry. The thing about Russia getting all its weapons ready for an attack on the US is completely crazy and unrealistic. In real life, it would be the other way around. I felt lost and embarrased by this episode and during a few of Jack's scenes, I was tempted to hide my face under the pillows in anguish and embarrasment.

Well, Jack seems to have problems with countries he's pulled operations either in or against. It's probably like how some Veterans from the UK or the US have difficulty being in the same room with an ex-Nazi soldier to this day. Lets see how you'd feel if your friends or family were killed by somebody and see if you could tollerate being in the same room with them. Forgiveness is all fine and good and idealistically it should be practiced but humans are humans and the writers are trying to portray human-beings not robots...


BTW, I'd like you to point out a real life situation where an alien symbiotic life form had taken over or was believed to have taken over the US government. I mean crazy religious wackos is one thing but aliens, now that's a bit of a stretch. It's not unrealistic that they would have a rather STRONG reaction to something this serious.

The Russian Captain, though mildly interesting, seemed to be overdoing her accent a bit, I'm not sure of it was real ...

Well, it wasn't completely overdone if she came from a particular region in Russia or even in some of the areas of Russia that were largely populated with ex-polish which seems to be partially indicated by the ending of her name... Thing is accents are funny.. They're regional and while an accent might be easy to pick up (like some key accents from Scotland which are as varied even within a stretch of a few kilometers from eachother, and yes not all Scots speak like Scotty from Star Trek) by some they are difficult to pick up by others and some accents sound much different. Some Russian accents sound like the gal and some Russians have accents that you can't even detect. It's personal, regional and quite varied... She may have been from a rural area originally and perhaps even poorly educated however she may have personally had a difficult time losing the accent for any number of reasons. Unless you're an expert on Russian accents you can't really say much about the accuracy of the accent or not and even very FEW Russians who were born there and lived there all their lives could consider themselves as experts on different accents used in speaking English. I know personally some Russians who had accents much like hers and were also quite well educated and for whatever reason couldn't lose the accent and I know some Russians who had pretty much no accent and while one of my friends I could sense the accent after learning he was from Russian it was so subtle I think that it was probably partially picked up because of my own preconceptions... You see your own mind is the strongest component to understanding, comprehending and finely interpretting spoken language.

Teal'c ... what can I say. We know you've got muscles, big boy, so stop fluanting 'em. Flexing during missions can get you shot.

Ok, this is a really goofy gripe. He's getting a bit older and he's got to keep a much higher regimen to keep in that kind of shape so he has to flex but thing is I think you're noticing it more cause of some kind of latent attraction to Christopher Judge and while this is understandable he is a rather strapping lad (while a bit older) I don't think that it's a good reason to think that the character isn't any good anymore. Besides Airborn in WWII would have to flex their muscles when they hit the ground during a parachute landing to keep from getting hurt and midevil warriors would flex their muscles all the time as well when in the middle of combat. It's called adrenaline plus stress. I for one find myself flexing my muscles when I'm under stress as well and it's entirely unconscious.

Kinsey. The ---hole as usual. I was kind of glad that he got blown up (or did he?) but that didin't save the cheesieness of the rest of the episode. I get sick of patriotic sentimentalist writing quickly. The thing I most disliked about this episode was it was unrealistic. Why would Russia attack the US just beause they think we're compromised? They could establish a quarantine or prevent foreigners from entering thier country until the threat was over. It was farfetched.

Yes, totally unrealistic. I mean if a super power on the planet was taken over by a hostile enemy with intentions to destroy my country and entire way of life and even possibly enslave my population I'd definitely slap them with an embargo and give them a stern talking to.... Look, this is ludacris that one can know exactly what would happen in this situation but the odds are pretty good that they wouldn't be trying a sit in or singing kum-ba-yah or making s'mores.... They'd blow them the heck up in any way they could and nukes are as good as anything else...

StarGate, help me out here, please, I'm begging you ....

Yes, stargate is really going to help you. it's exactly the kind of help you need to.

[Jolinarsam]

I thought the ep was ok, but when the credits came I was wondering where the next ten minutes of the episode were. It didn't seem to have any real resolution.

I think it's kind of funny how there are a bunch of goa'uld in old men's bodies walking around. They usually go for the young attractive hosts. But I guess sometimes you have to make sacrifices to take over the world.

I liked the Russian girl. She seemed to have some of the same spunk as Vala, without the craziness. Which Daniel seemed to like.

One thing I thought was a little weird was that the Prometheus crew seemed more hesitant than they should have been to blow up the alkesh, like they didn't want to lose their precious toy even though they knew there were a bunch of goa'uld on board.

[Osiris-RA]

Well, Jack seems to have problems with countries he's pulled operations either in or against. It's probably like how some Veterans from the UK or the US have difficulty being in the same room with an ex-Nazi soldier to this day. Lets see how you'd feel if your friends or family were killed by somebody and see if you could tollerate being in the same room with them. Forgiveness is all fine and good and idealistically it should be practiced but humans are humans and the writers are trying to portray human-beings not robots...


BTW, I'd like you to point out a real life situation where an alien symbiotic life form had taken over or was believed to have taken over the US government. I mean crazy religious wackos is one thing but aliens, now that's a bit of a stretch. It's not unrealistic that they would have a rather STRONG reaction to something this serious.

I seem to have touched a nerve.

Full Alert has proved one thing. There can never be too much politics when it comes to Sci Fi.

Jack is the true charicature of the American soldier. It's hard to tell with him sometimes. He doesn't like to see people hurt, yet he thinks everything should be done the Earth way - which hasn't helped anybody so far. I agree that his character feels like a human being - not one I particularly like but a human being. I like him better than McGyver, anyway.

You see your own mind is the strongest component to understanding, comprehending and finely interpretting spoken language.

I bet that mulitlingual understanding has helped us out in those pesky Arab countries, hasn't it?

Ok, this is a really goofy gripe. He's getting a bit older and he's got to keep a much higher regimen to keep in that kind of shape so he has to flex but thing is I think you're noticing it more cause of some kind of latent attraction to Christopher Judge and while this is understandable he is a rather strapping lad (while a bit older) I don't think that it's a good reason to think that the character isn't any good anymore. Besides Airborn in WWII would have to flex their muscles when they hit the ground during a parachute landing to keep from getting hurt and midevil warriors would flex their muscles all the time as well when in the middle of combat. It's called adrenaline plus stress. I for one find myself flexing my muscles when I'm under stress as well and it's entirely unconscious.

OKay, if it's a goofy gripe, why are you responding?

And don't tell me you haven't noticed he's wearing nothing but muscle shirts nowadays. Carter has them even, it's turning into the battle of the buff and it's kind of silly.

What do muscle shirts have to do with Airborn teams and paramilitary tactics?

Yes, totally unrealistic. I mean if a super power on the planet was taken over by a hostile enemy with intentions to destroy my country and entire way of life and even possibly enslave my population I'd definitely slap them with an embargo and give them a stern talking to.... Look, this is ludacris that one can know exactly what would happen in this situation but the odds are pretty good that they wouldn't be trying a sit in or singing kum-ba-yah or making s'mores.... They'd blow them the heck up in any way they could and nukes are as good as anything else...

Ahh ... the American opinion, I suppose?

...And one more thing, did I offend somebody?

[DownFallAngel]

Dear SG-1,
I don't know if you know this, but there is such a thing as too many twists. Now, I've missed the previous three episodes, and I finally was able to catch this one. I sat, I watched, I was disgusted.

There were to many twists. If you had introduced another double cross, another 'ooo' he might be the enemy, I would have gotten up, and walked out of the room.

Please don't attempt another episode like this again. It's not that I didn't understand it, it was that I just didn't like it as opposed to other episodes you have produced. Mixing sci-fi and espinoge is not a good combination. Please stay away from such a combination in the future.

- Steven

P.S.: I hope you keep Kinsey dead. Also, MikitaProductions was on the side of the van. I guess that ranks up there with 'Introductory Latin by J. Mazolli'.

Worst episode this season. WORST!

[SmartFox]

All I'm saying is, Russia wouldn't go and launch an attack on the US just because they think we might be compromised. The normal response is to stay as far away from the problem as possible. Set up a quarantine, don't let anyone in your country until the problem is figured out.

I disagree with taht. Neither us nor Russia could take out the other in a first strike but could do considerable damage. If all the top members of the American government were Goa'ulds then they could easily attack. Plus it was sorta of a domino effect. They went up a level so we did so they went up another level etc...

The part i disliked the most was how easy it was for Kinsey to escape. Its like they have no security personell on the ship. There was no one at all at the rings. SPOLIERS S8 Promethus Unbound

Spoiler:

Its the exact same as when Vala took over the whole ship in PU

[LordAnubis]

I seem to have touched a nerve.

Full Alert has proved one thing. There can never be too much politics when it comes to Sci Fi.

Jack is the true charicature of the American soldier. It's hard to tell with him sometimes. He doesn't like to see people hurt, yet he thinks everything should be done the Earth way - which hasn't helped anybody so far. I agree that his character feels like a human being - not one I particularly like but a human being. I like him better than McGyver, anyway.



I bet that mulitlingual understanding has helped us out in those pesky Arab countries, hasn't it?



OKay, if it's a goofy gripe, why are you responding?

And don't tell me you haven't noticed he's wearing nothing but muscle shirts nowadays. Carter has them even, it's turning into the battle of the buff and it's kind of silly.

What do muscle shirts have to do with Airborn teams and paramilitary tactics?



Ahh ... the American opinion, I suppose?

...And one more thing, did I offend somebody?

It appears you may have ruffled his feathers, lass. I shared some your sentiments, but overall, it was a good episode. Just hold on: a few more weeks and the good stuff will hit the fan!

[Buzz Lightyear]

So PREDICTABLE...I knew right away that that was a gou'ld when the guy turned the case around. And it was obvious the Russian Miltary was a gou'ld 3/4th through the way through the show.

What? Only 3/4 of the way through the episode? You mean you didn't have it all figured out right from the start? FYI, the symbiote-in-a-box was a gimme. And Sam did figure out about the Russian goa'uld approximately 3/4 of the way through the episode.

[Buzz Lightyear]

I have never been so disappointed with an Sg1 epsiode in my life. I never liked Jack's character when he was with Russians. He has an ignorent, assanine temper about something that happened eons ago. What the heck is his problem?? This whole US/Russia superiority issue just sickens me to my gut, I'm sorry. The thing about Russia getting all its weapons ready for an attack on the US is completely crazy and unrealistic. In real life, it would be the other way around. I felt lost and embarrased by this episode and during a few of Jack's scenes, I was tempted to hide my face under the pillows in anguish and embarrasment.

Did we even watch the same episode?

I found Jack's relationship with Colonel Chekhov very comfortable and cooperative. During their conversations, they're both basically relaying their respective governments attitudes and reactions. And it was through Jack's discussion with the Russian president that the situation was finally resolved. So where exactly was Jack displaying his "ignorent, assanine temper"?

Why would Russia attack the US just beause they think we're compromised? They could establish a quarantine or prevent foreigners from entering thier country until the threat was over. It was farfetched.

Under normal circumstances, Russia wouldn't so readily target the U.S. (as was explained in one of Jack and Chekhov's conversations), but in case you forgot, it was the Goa'ulded Russian general Kiselev who was doing all the military maneuvering, not the Russian president.

[Jolinarsam]

And don't tell me you haven't noticed he's wearing nothing but muscle shirts nowadays. Carter has them even, it's turning into the battle of the buff and it's kind of silly.

When they first showed her reflection in the van, I saw the lower cut shirt and wondered what she was wearing. I almost thought it was that horrible low cut blouse she had on in Felger's dream. Thankfully it wasn't, but it was coming closer to it. Maybe it wasn't that big of a difference but it was noticable to me.

[Buzz Lightyear]

Please don't attempt another episode like this again. It's not that I didn't understand it, it was that I just didn't like it as opposed to other episodes you have produced. Mixing sci-fi and espinoge is not a good combination. Please stay away from such a combination in the future.

Espionage refers to the act of spying and using covert activities to obtain secret information. I believe SG-1 has been involved in quite a lot of espionage throughout the course of the series, though usually against the Goa'uld.

Perhaps you're referring to Earth-bound politics? In which case, I should remind you that science fiction and politics are not mutually exclusive. There have been plentiful sci-fi stories anchored in politics both in the literary world and in television and film. Of course, you're entitled to your opinion that Stargate SG-1 hasn't produced very good political storylines, though I beg to differ.

I actually felt "Full Alert" was one of the best Earth politics-based eps they've made. Lest we forget, there were also the alien politics-based episodes like all the ones pitting the Tok'Ra against the Jaffa. Or the ones with the Tollan and the Nox. Or even the eps featuring the Unas.

I guess what I'm saying is, bring on more espionage! Bring on more politics! Just make it good writing and good storylines.

[Erik Bloodaxe]

As an aspiring film major, I agree it was filmed better, the diologue was pretty good but the plot was weak to me. It ended too slanted off. So the Russians call off the attack, so what? They didn't have to attack in the first place. In tactics, national defense acts should have been taken. If the enemy can't reach you, you're fine, no need to attack.
Of course, Goa'uld might not see it that way, huh?

Um... you're kidding, right? If they believe the American government has been goa'ulded, they're certainly not safe because of distance, not w/ the firepower we have. And in the Stargate Universe, we have even more firepower (the Prometheus, for one), so it makes perfect sense that the Russians would be at a significant level of alert, and the fact that the head of military decisions had also been goa'ulded managed to amplify the situation to quite a considerable degree as well.

-Bloodaxe

[Cinephilic TV Addict]

Okay, for the whole believability thing - I do not think the show did enough to make me feel an imminent threat from the Russians, but the fact is that it is overall believable (if we have snakes in our gov't, then they would get ready their forces). It was one of the best political episodes, although it was predictable (c'mon - everyone knew that Kinsey was gou'aulded right when the trust showed him the box thing and then they all vanished).

What was a little bad about the episode was just small things -

Carter telling Kinsey how to act normal being wired - they would have had that whole conversation elsewhere beforehand and I don't think Carter is the expert on that too. Kinsey probably knew more than she did.

The convience of certain plot twists - Carter saying they can detect the ship through small anamolies, the Russian general having several keys ties (which is believable) but the way in which they brought them up was too convinient.

Of course, the ending could have been much better. And plus, why would Jack have final say over the US military? It would be the President, not Jack that would decide to deploy troops.

Why did the troops try to kill Daniel and Kinsey? They would have held them for further interrogation.

So, for people who didn't like it because of believability, just ask yourself this - did not Citizen Kane have a mediorce plot, did not Casablanca's plot seem all too convenient, The Last Laugh's storyline pretty dull? And yet these are all great movies (of all time, for that matter). I'm not saying this episode is that great in any sense, but it was done well cinematically, acting-wise, and writing-rise. This supports its plot, making it acceptable, and that makes it one of the few episodes this season that did that.