Ex Deus Machina (907)

[SlightlyManiacalGater]

I'm not a big fan of NID/Trust/conspiracy stories, so this one started out with a strike against it for me.

I loved the Teal'c parts; CJ was wonderful and showed a tremendous range from anger and determination to resignation and acceptance. But make no mistake about it - Teal'c has not given up this fight even if he's lost this round. I like the way the Jaffa arc has played out slowly through the season.

I'm not a big Baal fan, so the eye candy didn't do much for me. In fact, while I do appreciate eye candy, in general it's not enough to carry an episode for me, no matter who is the sweet thing in question.

Why did that woman in the diner confide in Daniel? That didn't make sense to me.

I liked that they're finally SG1 again, but I did feel that the patch scene didn't belong in a mostly Earth-bound episode. They should have put on their SG1 patches and then all gone thru the gate together. As it was, it seemed like someone said, look we're seven episodes into the season, let's make it official even if this isn't the most appropriate episode to do it.

I'm starting to like Mitchell and I'm glad he's been introduced slowly. I'm ready to actually care about the character in the next episode.

How can someone be "not exactly" single? Is Carter so incapable of commitment that she can't determine her status? What a cold fish. But I must say she's looking more professional this season and less like a Felgar's fantasy chick.

There were a few cute lines: Beats flying coach, Kiss on tour. But not enough to save the episode.

Overall, this was an ep that had nothing for me. I miss Vala. I miss Dr. Lee. I even missed the Priors. I miss the epic feel of the first part of the season.

[MediaSavant]

The down side:

While I like Ba'al. . .a little goes a long way. As it stands now, Ba'al could die every week and we would still have. . .Ba'al. Yawn.

Mitchell. . .PLEASE!! TPTB hired a very good actor for this part. .GIVE HIM SOMETHING TO DO!!!

We "beam up" a huge building in the middle of a city and no one notices? Gas explosion? Yeah right. That was just plain BAD folks.

Grade: C (which is better than BSG's episode, which was riddled with more holes than swiss cheese). SGA was best tonight.

I'm about where you are. All science fiction requires a bit of suspension of disbelief, but this one strained it to the max. The cloning and the beaming of the building were a bit too much to chew.

I get annoyed when shows pull the "he might not be dead" card. It reminds me how on daytime soaps they never find the body. I guess they did that with Vala last week, too.

I'm increasingly annoyed by the writers' inability to figure out what to do with Mitchell. (Yes, I know next week will be different)

[Giantevilhead]

I highly doubt that any of the Baals shown in the episode was the real one, he's a Goa'uld, he could have jumped to a new host any time he wanted, it would have been the smart thing to do, no one would recognize him with a new host. For all we know, that woman was the real Baal. At the very least he wouldn't be in his original host since that host is at least a couple hundred years old and would need a sarcophagus to survive.

[akimbo]

I enjoyed the episode a lot. Even though they were split in half, they felt more like a team to me.

The big nitpick for me was the disappearing building. It's not that the disappearing building was out of the realm of the show's reality, just that there wasn't more of a fuss about people not seeing/reacting to it being gone. Perhaps that was cut for time, but it was definitely a convenient "deus ex machina" moment.

I enjoyed Teal'c getting to do some business and think Garak is a powermongering so and so (just like I'm supposed to). Loved Cam backing off when Teal'c told him he couldn't address the council. I'm getting good vibes from Cam and Teal'c together (which is good news for Teal'c being more involved in things).

I loved the patch scene. Though I'm not exactly sure if Daniel gave his consent "on the spot" or not since Cam just slapped the patch on him. (Was that "silence is consent"?) Sam and Teal'c appeared to give him the thumbs up right there (and their exchanges were very well done). I enjoyed the look between Sam and Daniel when it was over, they looked as though they've jumped on the Mitchell bandwagon with both feet at that moment. Just this scene made the ep for me.

The scene with Agent Barrett and Sam was good as well. Not too shippy but gave a nod to the shippers with someone who could legitimately ask about Sam's personal relationships for the audience (and he's so cute being rejected). I would expect that Daniel and Teal'c would already know what's up with Sam and Mitchell wouldn't ask even if he wanted to.

Loved seeing Ba'al, but the Ba'al clones felt a bit silly to me (and also a deus ex machina moment). I'll try to reserve judgement until I see how it plays out.

Hated, hated, hated that Skiffy blew the fourth act twist in the preview (and that I didn't turn off the preview fast enough last week). Why do they do these things to us?

Can't wait until Babylon. Looks like the team will be split again (this time 3 and 1), but at least Mitchell will get to do some heavy lifting for the plot.

ETA: Thumbs up to Martin Wood, as usual. He always seems to keep us moving as much as possible. (I really miss Martin directing SG-1). Thanks for doing more "walk and talk" exposition as opposed to always using "briefing room boredom". (I love that Daniel talks faster during exposition, it gives us more time for other things.) Now if we could do the exposition as we're doing something besides walking, I'd be in heaven.

[shockwave]

not a bad ep, but nowhere near as great as the previous ones
highlights:
-scene with the guy playing patience, and the jaffa storming in
-patch scene
-the ending with all the Baals

[SierraGulf1]

Once again, my computer froze upon clicking the reply button, causing me to lose paragraphs of episode evaluation. However, instead of shortening it like I did with Beachhead, I think I'll just rewrite it with a bit more precaution. On that note...

SierraGulf1's Evaluation of 9.07: "Ex Deus Machina"

If old school Stargate SG-1 is the days of exploring a new planet each week with different cultures and the Goa'uld, and new school Stargate is the battle against the Ori, Ex Deus Machina was middle school Stargate, involving the Earthly activities of the NID/Trust that we've been seeing in some of the middle seasons of Stargate.

I'm normally not crazy about Earth-based episodes, but the mere idea of Ba'al and a bunch of Jaffa on Earth intrigued me. I've been looking forward to this episode for months since the plot was spoiled, hoping I wouldn't be disappointed...

...And I was not disappointed.

It seems many people liked this episode except for certain "stretches" TPTB made. As someone said, I can let the building thing go because the area was evacuated, and even if a few people saw the flash of light, most likely nobody would listen to their claims. Perhaps this is all building up to something. Perhaps the season finale's cliffhanger will be the revelation of the Stargate program, where all of these events add up to them having to go public. But I'm getting off topic, this is about Ex Deus Machina.

I hate Sci-fi channel. The bomb being the building would have been an interesting twist if I hadn't heard it from the ad about ten times this week. Argh. Curse them, and curse their rediculous Pteradactyl movie too.

Now, if I may, response to characters and development in this episode:

Mitchell still didn't get to do much, but he got to do a bit. I would have liked to hear his address to the council. Despite his limited role, judging from Beachhead he seems to be a powerful speaker. I like that he finally played a role in the solving of the problem, though I thought of beaming up the building before him. Oh well, the episode was called Ex Deus Machina, after all. Here's to a Mitchell-driven episode next week! Huzzah!

Carter seems to be settling in nicely, doing her usual snooping around as she does when the rogue NID/Trust are lurking about causing problems. Carter had a nice catch figuring out the building was the bomb, but she would have figured it out a lot sooner if she just turned on Sci-fi channel once or twice this week. Her hair was more tamed this time, I think she looks great, and is still in tip top acting form. I like seeing her work with Barrett and not pining over Jack, and she was how I like her in Ex Deus. If she's with Jack now as the line implies, good for her, but I think the "Not quite" line was just perfect, and needs no further explanation. Ever.

Daniel had little to do, the episode was very Daniel-lite. That's okay, though, as the first six episodes gave us plenty of Daniel interacting with Vala. Perhaps he's just taking it easy now. Vala has definitely had an effect on him. Jack, Oma, Vala, and Anubis are all big players in the change of Daniel's character over the years from wide eyed annoying-but-enthusiastic-and-likeable archaeologist to badass sarcastic archaeologist who can use a gun. I like how he has changed and still maintains a good morality and still sees the good in people. He was talking fast again, but I've grown used to it.

Teal'c, Teal'c, Teal'c. He's got quite a bit to deal with. This episode is a perfect example as to why Teal'c is my favorite character in the show. Christopher Judge is a great actor. Teal'c knows his stuff, and is a great political speaker. This is the Teal'c episode I've been waiting for, and I'm glad to see that he's starting to lighten up now that the team is back together. You've got to feel for Teal'c, going through all of that just to be denied by a bunch of corrupt power-hungry politicians and their blind followers. While I enjoyed both, I found Teal'c and Mitchell's plot more interesting than the situation on Earth with Carter, Daniel, and Barrett. More Teal'c, please.

Landry didn't get to do much, but I hear Beau wasn't around much for the filming of this episode. I'm still impressed by Landry's role last week, so I can live without him for now.

Lam has been gone for two weeks... Wheeee!! I'm afraid she'll be back though.

Barrett was his usual self. Without realizing it, I've really grown to like the guy. I see he has an interest in Sam, the sly devil.

Ba'al was excellent. I believe that there was no better way to go with the character of Ba'al. Cliff Simon has a naturally sinister voice, or was that just his acting talent coming in to play. I'm glad to see that Ba'al is still ticking. I liked the clone's little speech to the Jaffa before he was killed about them dying slaves. Perhaps this is foreshadowing? The clone bit seemed a bit odd at first, but as I think about it, it's not too bad of an idea. As long as they don't go on a Ba'al slaying mission in which they just take out Ba'als left and right, although a Matrix-like scene in which hundreds of Ba'als attack SG-1 and they fight them off with some crazy kung-fu would get a chuckle out of me. Can't wait for his (er, their) return.

Lastly, I saved the patch scene for last. This scene was well filmed, well directed, and well acted by Ben, Amanda, Michael, and Chris. I half expected Mitchell to go "Now that's what I'm talkin' about" when they all agreed. It paid off having SG-1 split up for six episodes to see that one scene of reunion. Now we can head full throttle into the remaining thirteen episodes of SG-1. An up to date ranking of the episodes:

1) Ex Deus Machina
2) The Powers That Be
3) Avalon Part 2
4) Beachhead
5) Origin
6) The Ties That Bind
7) Avalon Part 1

Bring on Conversion and Babylon. This season is simply amazing for me.

[puddlejumper747]

Comments:
1) Being a local Virginia resident, living so close to where earlier parts of the episode took place....that was pretty cool. Jaffa Soldiers came to Virginia!!! Baal came to Virginia!!! SG-1 came to Virginia!!!
2) Teal'c told us that Baal had been sighted in another part of the galaxy as recent as a few days ago....so the four versions remaining on Earth aren't the only ones! The real Baal might not even be on Earth!
3) Beaming up an entire building....amazing. I honestly wasn't sure that would be possible. I was afraid it might be too big or overload the Asgard tech or something else crazy like that. I'm very glad I was wrong.

Questions:
1) Do all of the Baal human clones have cloned symbiotes living within them also?
2) The first time they thought they had Baal, but then pulled back because he was "really" broadcasting live on television at the exact same time....was that actually a clone version of Baal getting into the car?
3) Whatever happened to the Goa'uld/human guy from Earth that Gerak was torturing? Was he killed after they finished torturing him? Did I miss something in the episode that answered that for us?

[Gargen]

Questions:
1) Do all of the Baal human clones have cloned symbiotes living within them also?

yes or else they would be free humans and would try to get out of there because baal is the symbiote, So yes they do.

2) The first time they thought they had Baal, but then pulled back because he was "really" broadcasting live on television at the exact same time....was that actually a clone version of Baal getting into the car?

Yea i thikn that was supposed to set us up for the end

3) Whatever happened to the Goa'uld/human guy from Earth that Gerak was torturing? Was he killed after they finished torturing him? Did I miss something in the episode that answered that for us?

They probally did the same thing to him after he revealed the information about baal

[warmbeachbrat]

The only thing I got frustrated with was the cover story for blowing up the building. An entire building vanishes in the middle of downtown! I mean, who is actually going to believe the gas line deal? Maybe this will come up in a later ep.

Actually, the gas line explosion wouldn't be that unlikely a cover story. Most of the power generation in Washington State is hydro-electric. There are some gas-lines, but not near as much as in other states, so it's unique enough to cause comment. Several years ago, there was a gas line explosion in Bellingham and a couple of children were killed and it was a huge deal. I could see them capitalizing on that incident and diverting attention by using a gas explosion in this case.

Other small points:

What if the blond woman is Ba'al's lotar? We know he had a woman lotar before--maybe that's his thing?

Notice how only one of the clones said anything in that final scene? Are the other ones mute or stupid or just lazy? And what about the drinks? I vaguely remember something about symbiotes and alcohol--can anyone refresh my memory?

Gerak--good grief! Can he sound any more like William Shatner?!

Ba'al--Hmmm, what do you suppose his larger plan is? Hopefully, tptb will address that sometime this season.


Just a few things that make you go: hmmmm.

[akimbo]

8) Cincinnati Bengals stink and may have influenced my opinions of this ep.

My hubby (one of the few Bengal's fans living in Browns Town) commiserates with you. From the very first play from scrimmage it was not good...not good.

[Jonzey]

Notice how only one of the clones said anything in that final scene? Are the other ones mute or stupid or just lazy? And what about the drinks? I vaguely remember something about symbiotes and alcohol--can anyone refresh my memory?

If I was a writer I would have written that last scene differently: like so...

Baal: I'm going to bed. We have a long day ahead of us. G'night Baals!
Baals (all together): G'NIGHT BAAL!!

[IMForeman]

About the cloning thing: I really didn't have a problem with it, and I'll tell you why.

Baal has joined the Goa'uld infaltrated "Trust." The Trust are made up of very powerful members of high tech and financial groups. We know that some technology companies have been given Asgard cloning technology to play with, as last year one of them grew a full grown, but mentally blank Asgard. If Baal found he had access to that technology, then he could very well have cloned himself and his symbiote. We know that Asgard cloning makes a fully grown body very quickly.

And I also have no problem with Baal and the Jaffa arriving on Earth undetected. A cloaked cargo ship could easily arrive on Earth without us knowing about it. Earth is a very big place, and Cargo ships are very small in comparison. Add a cloak into that mix and neither arrival is at all strange to me.

-IMF

[jyh]

The big nitpick for me was the disappearing building. It's not that the disappearing building was out of the realm of the show's reality, just that there wasn't more of a fuss about people not seeing/reacting to it being gone. Perhaps that was cut for time, but it was definitely a convenient "deus ex machina" moment.

I agree. This whole scene took place smack in the middle of a workday (12:30 or 1:30, I forget exactly), but there was no reaction or mention of hundreds of people on their lunch hour reacting to a building disappearing or being lifted up or whatever it was. But ditto the comment on deus ex maching. Definition of which is:

1. In Greek and Roman drama, a god lowered by stage machinery to resolve a plot or extricate the protagonist from a difficult situation.
2. An unexpected, artificial, or improbable character, device, or event introduced suddenly in a work of fiction or drama to resolve a situation or untangle a plot.
3. A person or event that provides a sudden and unexpected solution to a difficulty.


In addition to sudden and unexpected, I think they forgot the word "convenient."

[IMForeman]

I agree. This whole scene took place smack in the middle of a workday (12:30 or 1:30, I forget exactly), but there was no reaction or mention of hundreds of people on their lunch hour reacting to a building disappearing or being lifted up or whatever it was. But ditto the comment on deus ex maching. Definition of which is:

1. In Greek and Roman drama, a god lowered by stage machinery to resolve a plot or extricate the protagonist from a difficult situation.
2. An unexpected, artificial, or improbable character, device, or event introduced suddenly in a work of fiction or drama to resolve a situation or untangle a plot.
3. A person or event that provides a sudden and unexpected solution to a difficulty.


In addition to sudden and unexpected, I think they forgot the word "convenient."

First, I could have sworn they said the area had been evacuated. Second, it was so not a Deus ex machina. For it to be a Deus ex Machina, it would have required for absolutely no setup to have been made on the beaming technology at all. If they had never mentioned Asgard beams, or that Prometheus had them, and they went "Oh, yeah! We've got this beaming technology we've never before mentioned or used! We'll beam it up!" That would have been a Deus Ex Machina. If Superman showed up it would have been a Deus Ex Machina. Using something that was established not only in the series, but actually used in that very same episode prior to the end makes it not a Deus Ex Machina. It might be a convienient way to resolve the plot, and therefore a plot contrivance, but not every plot contrivance is a Deus Ex Machina.

I honestly think the phrase Deus Ex Machina has been thrown around way too often in Sci-fi fandom this year.

-IMF

[girlgater]

Well, I liked last night's episode. I enjoyed seeing the team join together and also the Ba'al storyline. (He's my favorite goa'uld). In addition, the conflict between the Jaffa and Earth set up future potential issues. Being a shipper, I loved the hint that Sam gave in terms of her availability. To me it's obvious that she and Jack have taken their relationship farther, but it's ok that they're letting Carter be Carter.