Ex Deus Machina (907)

[Publius]

What a disappointment after such great episode that started this season!
This episode was completely boring, IMHO.

The only good parts were Teal'c having more lines and more acting...and Ba'al.
Ba'al is such a good villain, so funny and so fascinating to watch.

I miss Vala.

Actually think this was the BEST episode of the year. Baal is an excellent villain, and I look forward to him being FAR more interesting than the very boring Ori.

The only redeming thing about the previous 6 episodes was the Vala-Daniel schtick. While I did like that schtick, it really wasn't enough to save those episodes from being very poor. This is not to say that this episode was particularly great, but when you stack 'average' next to 'poor' it looks pretty good.

I can't believe I am saying it, but if this Ori thing is what we have to look forward to for the next N years of SG-1, I ALMOST hope the series would end gracefully.

[Gaterelle]

Actually think this was the BEST episode of the year. Baal is an excellent villain, and I look forward to him being FAR more interesting than the very boring Ori.

The only redeming thing about the previous 6 episodes was the Vala-Daniel schtick. While I did like that schtick, it really wasn't enough to save those episodes from being very poor. This is not to say that this episode was particularly great, but when you stack 'average' next to 'poor' it looks pretty good.

I can't believe I am saying it, but if this Ori thing is what we have to look forward to for the next N years of SG-1, I ALMOST hope the series would end gracefully.

Well, since I love the Ori plot, I'm not going to argue with you.
I agree that Baal is great but the rest of the plot this episode was just boring, to me.

[Avatar28]

Overall interesting episode. I totally flipped when the transported the building. I mean, granted, it wasn't an especially BIG building but still, a whole building! Somehow I never considered the transporters could possibly transport anything that large. Go Asgard!

I have to agree that I wondered how they're going to cover it up. Buildings just don't disappear like that but it will probably be quickly relegated to the same status as, for instance, the claims that 9/11 was actually done by our gov't and/or that they're covering up stuff about it.

Baal on earth...I have to say, moving in with your biggest enemy it's, well, dare I say it, ballsy. Someone had said something early on about the accomodations but, really, it seems to me that in many ways our society is more comfortable than the goa'uld's. Certainly it seems that most of our technology is more pervasive than what we've seen of most other planets.

[sclairef99]

I'll give my two thumbs up to this episode. Poor Barrett. LOL. "Not exactly" is music to my Shipper ears!! Thanks, JM!!

Baal clones? Wonder which one is in charge? Only one babe for all those clones? Anyway, I hope to get more info on the cloning "thing".

I agree that in a post 9/11 world a "disappearing" or "exploding" building would not be a small bit of news. Living around alot of chemical plants, everytime there is a leak the first thing said on the new is "this doesn't seem to be a terror attack".

I didn't like the "patch" scene. It seemed like Sam was agreeing to be under Mitchell's command. I still believe Sam should command SG-1. I don't like that he calls her "Sam". Does anyone know what Sam calls Cam?

"Not Exactly" was also music to my shipper ears!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I liked Baal being a threat, didn't buy the building beaming...but a good fix never the less.

I did like the patch scene, as Mitchel offically got the band back together. As I saw it, he asked Sam for permission, unlike the way he just ripped and replaced Daniel's. It was a nod of authority, sort of . However, I'm w/you, why in the heck does he get to call her Sam? Though thankfully he doesn't call her just plain Carter - that was reserved for her CO of higher rank. But I can't recall that Carter has addressed anyone outside of Janet by first name, w/no rank, who carried a miliatary rank. Ah....perhaps they are trying to keep the competing ranks out of the scene....though it still is uncomfortable to me to see them so familiar...(no, I'm not being a paranoid shipper) it just sounds funny!

Anyway, good ep!

S

[KatG]

"Not Exactly" was also music to my shipper ears!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I liked Baal being a threat, didn't buy the building beaming...but a good fix never the less.

I did like the patch scene, as Mitchel offically got the band back together. As I saw it, he asked Sam for permission, unlike the way he just ripped and replaced Daniel's. It was a nod of authority, sort of . However, I'm w/you, why in the heck does he get to call her Sam? Though thankfully he doesn't call her just plain Carter - that was reserved for her CO of higher rank. But I can't recall that Carter has addressed anyone outside of Janet by first name, w/no rank, who carried a miliatary rank. Ah....perhaps they are trying to keep the competing ranks out of the scene....though it still is uncomfortable to me to see them so familiar...(no, I'm not being a paranoid shipper) it just sounds funny!

Anyway, good ep!

S

Jack could have called her Sam if he'd wanted to. She also could have called him Jack outside of work. I always took it that "Carter" and "Sir" helped them keep from ignoring the regs in regard to their relationship. Also, as you said, Jack was a superior officer.

Sam and Cam (just love that) on the other hand are of equal ranks, and I got the idea from Avalon that they were good friends. So I don't really see a problem with them calling each other by their first names.

[SierraGulf1]

I did like the patch scene, as Mitchel offically got the band back together. As I saw it, he asked Sam for permission, unlike the way he just ripped and replaced Daniel's. It was a nod of authority, sort of . However, I'm w/you, why in the heck does he get to call her Sam? Though thankfully he doesn't call her just plain Carter - that was reserved for her CO of higher rank. But I can't recall that Carter has addressed anyone outside of Janet by first name, w/no rank, who carried a miliatary rank. Ah....perhaps they are trying to keep the competing ranks out of the scene....though it still is uncomfortable to me to see them so familiar...(no, I'm not being a paranoid shipper) it just sounds funny!

For the record, Sam calls Cam "Mitchell" as seen in the ads for Babylon. So I suppose he could call her Carter if he wanted to. I guess it just depends on the person.

[sclairef99]

Jack could have called her Sam if he'd wanted to. She also could have called him Jack outside of work. I always took it that "Carter" and "Sir" helped them keep from ignoring the regs in regard to their relationship. Also, as you said, Jack was a superior officer.

Sam and Cam (just love that) on the other hand are of equal ranks, and I got the idea from Avalon that they were good friends. So I don't really see a problem with them calling each other by their first names.

I don't really see it as a problem...just a bit weird sounding after all the years of military formality.... I agree w/the Carter/Sir as a way to avoid ignoring regs....

Thanks!
S

[KatG]

I don't really see it as a problem...just a bit weird sounding after all the years of military formality.... I agree w/the Carter/Sir as a way to avoid ignoring regs....

Thanks!
S

You're welcome. I agree it is a little odd and different from what we're used to, but I kind of like it.

[GhostPoet]

"Not Exactly" was also music to my shipper ears!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I liked Baal being a threat, didn't buy the building beaming...but a good fix never the less.

I did like the patch scene, as Mitchel offically got the band back together. As I saw it, he asked Sam for permission, unlike the way he just ripped and replaced Daniel's. It was a nod of authority, sort of . However, I'm w/you, why in the heck does he get to call her Sam? Though thankfully he doesn't call her just plain Carter - that was reserved for her CO of higher rank. But I can't recall that Carter has addressed anyone outside of Janet by first name, w/no rank, who carried a miliatary rank. Ah....perhaps they are trying to keep the competing ranks out of the scene....though it still is uncomfortable to me to see them so familiar...(no, I'm not being a paranoid shipper) it just sounds funny!

Anyway, good ep!

S

I could have sworn I heard Jacks "theme" music when she was saying "not exactly"

[Publius]

David, if this government wants something "covered up", trust me, you'll never even hear a peep about it.

I think you badly overestimate the government's ability (especially in the Stargate Universe) to keep a secret. Even their most secretive aircraft projects usually get exposed earlier than they want them to be. Area 51 itself is the most publicly famous 'secret' in the world.

Let's look at how many people support/know about the Stargate program. Start with the SGC itself which at any given point in time probably has hundreds of folks working there at least from mechanics and guards and people like Walter in the control room to the SG-teams to the scientists and medical staff and other support staff like a cleaning crew.

Then realize that those people aren't static. There are more than just enough to staff the place in an 8 hours shift, the SGC is staffed (to some extent) 24/7. Also there is a certain level of turnover as people quit/retire/wash out/get injured/transfer. Those people all still know the secret, and with the stress level and injuries the SGC would generate, even the argument that it is a choice assignment doesn't negate this factor.

Then add in the NID staff, the Pentagon, the congressional and presidential staff that knows, the support folks for the Prometheus and her sister ship as well as the engineers and scientists of Area 51.

Now add on that all these people have loved ones that they aren't SUPPOSED to tell, but some would, or could get drunk in a bar and blab, or could exchange the info for money or prestige. They could leak the info on the basis of simply disagreeing that it should be kept secret.

Now also remember that Russia, China, France, and Britain AT THE MINIMUM have been briefed and they had the same problems of keeping it under wraps. It is reasonable to assume that a GREAT many more nations also might know especially Canada, Japan, South Korea, and probably most of Western Europe that constitutes our best friends.

This is before you factor in clever journalists like the lady who got held hostage when the Prometheus was being taped, or the guy who got run over in Season 1 or 2 after meeting with O'Neill. Remember that the Trust also knows...or knew before they became hosts.

Now also consider the spectacular events that have happened that would be hard to cover for, the building vanishing being the most difficult to explain. Numerous ships have crashed/descended upon earth. The entire cast of a film crew saw Martin's ship arriving and taped it in Wormhole Extreme!. There was a air battle fought over Antarctica two years ago. All those X-302s that the air force fought with have pilots and maintenance crews who know something is up.

The Stargate program is the most poorly kept secret in history. Even with a vast armada of 'men in black' working around the clock to tamp down all the leaks that should be happening it would be impossible for a free society to do.

Certainly the show itself has sought to explain how each incident was covered up and has hinted that some nasty methods are used when people try to go public, but there are just TO MANY points of failure. Where are the mass graves of people who tried to leak the information?

Certainly the disbelief factor is working in your favor when you try to cover something like this up because it is an extraordinary claim, and extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. But there's just to many people who know and I have long felt that one of the MOST unbelievable things in the show is that the gate is still secret. I was very disapointed last year when they ALMOST had to go public, and then chickened out at the end.

[LMichelle]

I'm still missing Vala.

This ep was all about the fashion. Daniel brings out the leather jacket for us fangirls. It needs to get an on-screen credit, doesn't it?

Not only did Ba'al come to Earth, but he picked up a copy of GQ and went shopping for some smoking hot suits. Ba'al in pinstripes. Who'd a thunk it?

Sam's still got the messy hair. It must be from having sex with Jack. Try as they may, the costumers still can't hide Amanda's pregnnacy boobs, can they?

Wasn't expecting that ending. Ba'al clones. However when you put someone in a tank top and shorts behind a bar, the threat factor goes down significantly, doesn't it?

[jjcabelinho]

finaly.. a good episode... I dont know if the fact that I was so high made a difference.. but this episode finaly broght back that feeling of something new. Let's see what is going to happend in the second fase of season 9... hopefully SG-1 will be bakc in the game, since season 7 - we real fans - are just wachting the show hoping for a change.. and it did.. thanks!

[cafine_us]

I actually kind of like that the SGC is still a secret. I think it gives the show a sense that everything could actually be happening right now, sort of like how Wormhole Xtreme was unintentionally based on a real program and real people.

[sclairef99]

I could have sworn I heard Jacks "theme" music when she was saying "not exactly"

Yep! I heard it too!

S

[Fruit-Loops]

I quite enjoyed this episode to tell you the truth. I think there were so many good aspects to it that i would watch it again and again. Loved the Ba'al team they had going there.

Great to see Sam back and i loved the 'not exactly' line. Ah, there is hope yet.

All in all, great to watch, 8/10.