The Scourge (917)

[mother-goose]

Shen: Your Chinese is supposed to be quite good.
Daniel: Not as good as your English.
Shen: Of course. What about him?
Daniel: We are still teaching him.
Cam: Go to hell.

Courtesy of Athenaktt on http://tv.groups.yahoo.com/group/SG1_Transcripts/

ahhhh wondered why they looked so surprised lol

[kazzyk]

SG-1 takes on crazed meatloaf! Dumb--so very dumb

[scarimor]

I just got the impression she really understood how scrwd they were, and no one else did. Unlike Mckay however instead of freaking out while trying to find the solution she held it in while trying to find a solution and was probably annoyed by all the interruptions to her train of thought by a bunch of little kids who had no clue about the seriousness of the situation.

Yes, she was quiet and determined and kept her head... even when one of her charges had a tantrum in the cave she kept a lid on it (and on him).

Also, I still want to know when Woolsey will get his medal for saving SG-1's collective azes by crying and stomping his feet and insisting that they be the ones to escort them to the surface.

Good ol' Woolsey, I really liked him in this ep. He has developed into a more rounded character during his last appearances and I'm enjoying that (I like Picardo). And he did make the right call - standing up to the base commander to get what was best for his group. It was also a cool touch when he made the tantrummy chap stop harrassing Carter so she could saves their butts.

[Deejay435]

Hmm, except if I was her, I'd be extremely annoyed with this guy, no matter what I knew about his credentials, just plopping himself down by me when I was giving off I want some time alone signals. I think it's just as bad to force someone to interact with you when they want to be alone. The least he could have done was take the time to ask if she minded if he sat there. She probably would have said yes, just to be polite, and then he could have sat down. I just found it annoying, and I don't really like finding Daniel annoying.

Well yes, I do think it was kind of rude. But Daniel can get kind of focused when he's gone all "diplomatic mission' guy. I don't think he means to be rude. Though, admittedly, foisting oneself on the person with whom you're trying to bridge a diplomatic tie doesn't seem quite the right way to go. But Daniel is good at reading people, I think he knew she wouldn't take offense.

She didn't come off to me as wanting to die. Just as someone who wasn't going to sugarcoat things to make people feel better.

That's how I saw it too. Not to mention being the only person in the cave that had a real grasp of the true peril of their situation. Hell of a burden to be carrying, especially with some idiot telling her she should be thinking about his 'needs'.

[entil2001]

I found the premise behind this episode to be interesting, especially in terms of how it adds to the methods of the Priory of the Ori. Considering how they’ve used genetically engineered viruses to punish worlds that defy Origin, it makes sense that they would have some other genetically engineered tricks up their sleeve.

Conceptually, I like the bugs. I like that they spread quickly and eradicate a world’s food supply, and then rapidly attack the weakened and helpless population. It has a certain brutal elegance to it, taking Biblical-style plagues and rendering them unto reality. The fact that the bugs even look like scarabs is conceptually fitting.

I’m also pleased that the IOA is getting involved, and that they are becoming as much of a hassle as earlier episodes in the season promised they would be. Once the genie was out of the proverbial bottle, it was just a matter of time before the Stargate Program came under excessive scrutiny. And when it comes in the form of Tamlyn Tomita, well, that’s all the better!

Unfortunately, the episode itself didn’t quite live up to its potential. I was a little disappointed to learn that the IOA representatives were ultimately rather positive in their assessment of the program. Frankly, as annoying as it can be, it’s better when the SGC is under political siege, and Woolsey is a nice link between the latter days of the NID and the current IOA criticisms.

The biggest problem, however, was the eventual treatment of the bug infestation on the planet. It was fine when the bugs were overwhelming the Gamma Site, but once the action turned to the planet itself, it became clear that budgetary restrictions were getting in the way. I can only assume that it cost too much to have the bugs in every scene where they would have worked, but there had to be a better solution than having the cast shoot at the ground.

The writers did what they could with those limitations, but it led to a number of inconsistencies. I was especially impressed when the carnivorous bugs completely ignored Mitchell and Teal’c, even though they were exposed and inches away. And then there’s the fact that sometimes the bugs tracked them underfoot and ate them, tracked them and didn’t eat them, ignored them during miles of hiking, etc. Even taking situational logic into account, it was awfully convenient plotting.

This is one of those episodes, at least for me, which would have been failed utterly without the connections to the overarching plot elements of the season. If it wasn’t for the implications of more success for the Ori and trouble with the IOA (though less than I was hoping for), this would have been a lot more disappointing.

[Jonzey]

The writers did what they could with those limitations, but it led to a number of inconsistencies. I was especially impressed when the carnivorous bugs completely ignored Mitchell and Teal’c, even though they were exposed and inches away. And then there’s the fact that sometimes the bugs tracked them underfoot and ate them, tracked them and didn’t eat them, ignored them during miles of hiking, etc. Even taking situational logic into account, it was awfully convenient plotting.

The bugs used some kind of echo or vibrational sensing, meaning if they were standing still or walking slowly, the bugs wouldn't be able to sense them as easily (they wouldn't be able to tell the difference between a stationary human being and a tree).

[nccjones]

I think what is taking a lot away from the show for me is that so much of it seems forced between the characters and out of place, the opening teaser (which was not just forced but lame), the Teal'c/Mitchell scene, the end re: movie night - puhleeze, . . . . oh forget it it's not worth my time.

I thought I was the only one who was feeling this way. The movie night was OTT to me. But I liked Teal'c's response to Mitchell when he said "what are friends for?" I thought it was a great shut up line to Mitchell.

Mitchell really made me angry again in the beginning when he and Daniel were arguing in the hall and he pretty much told Daniel that his idea's were wrong because he is "always right".

[nccjones]

If you knew that Mitchell getting eaten by the bugs would guarantee Jack returning in his spot, would you wish that upon him? Something I just thought of, and sadly, yes I would wish it.

Heck...I just wish he was eaten by the bugs - Jack or no Jack.

[Uber]

Heck...I just wish he was eaten by the bugs - Jack or no Jack.

Oh I don't want him eaten by bugs...that's a ghastly way to die...but since he seems so determined to go out in a blaze of impetuous, heroic glory, I say give him what he wants.

[nccjones]

That last scene of them defending the research tent threw me off because even though Carter had been inside most of the time and was not shooting near as much as Daniel, Teal'c and Mitchell her gun just happened to run out of ammo at the same exact time as the others so they all had to use their sidearms (and how convenient that this time around they all had handguns as opposed to the zats that the Carter and Teal'c usually have in every episode I can remember since they found the Zats, at least until this one). Plot devices, lazy writing, lack of continuity, convenience, it really doesn't matter anymore because, in addition to the big messes there are, it is clear to me that TPTB are missing something this season.

That's too funny! I caught that too. I was like, wait, she should still have ammo because her gun was with her all the time, yet she started shooting with her 9 mm the same time the rest did.

I have to add though, I really enjoyed AT's moments in this episode. Many are saying that her realistic view is a castoff of Jack but I don't believe so. I was just watching the episode where she and Jack are stuck in Antartica and it was she who was constantly being the realist about their situation and the fact that Earth would have no way finding them through the gate. I always felt that Carter was the realist due to her scientific background.

Daniel and Shen. I didn't see any ship. A possibility yes, but not obvious ship. I saw him as having an intellectual interest in her and the fact he realized that she was important to future relations between the Chinese and American governments.

Woolsey was amazing! I love Robert Picardo. I hated how his character was an a** the last time, so I'm glad he was redeemed in at least a small way this time.

Overall, not a bad episode after a second viewing. But I just hate how "I'm" letting Mitchell ruin it for me.

[Dani347]

I never noticed the fact that Sam would still have had ammo. Of course, those things fly right over my head. Maybe she was shooting her gun at the French guy's feet when the scene was on the others outside

As for Daniel, I stil found that scene annoying. And, his bright eyed, bushy-tailed abrupt demeanor just seemed off to me, and not the way I expect him to approach a person. And, I could be projecting, because I hate being forced to have a conversation with someone when I'm doing something -even someone I like- but I thought I saw a hint of, "Okay, this yahoo isn't going anywhere, so I might as well make the best of it and talk to him. I'd be much more open to talk to him later since I'd rather take my notes now, but since he's not leaving me the choice, and I don't want to be rude, I'll join in." I've had lots of conversations with people when I'd rather be reading or writing(and when I had the book or notebook open in front of me, and they ignored that, which I find horribly rude -which is another thing I didn't like about Daniel here) and I was very polite and tried to be engaging, but it didn't mean I wasn't annoyed.

[Jonzey]

I never noticed the fact that Sam would still have had ammo. Of course, those things fly right over my head. Maybe she was shooting her gun at the French guy's feet when the scene was on the others outside

I just assumed that Carter would have given any extra ammo she had to the guys outside at some point (like before they got to the outpost). I mean, if she's working on the machine inside and the others are continually firing at the ground, it just makes sense. So all she had was the mag that was already in the gun.

[ShardsofGlass]

It didn't bother me when Daniel went to talk to the scientist at lunch. Actually, she was being anti-social sitting off by herself while the rest of the group was eating. The purpose of the visit was, I'm sure, not just to tour the facilities, but to get a chance to talk to SG-1. Otherwise, why make such a big deal out of them being the ones to take them around.

When you go on a work-related trip like that, you're expected to eat with the rest of the group and build relations with them. So when you go off by yourself, I think it's fair game for someone to sit down and talk with you. Plus Daniel and she established a rapport right at the beginning, and I could see how Daniel would be very curious to talk to her some more. I liked the scene.

[Dani347]

Daniel just reminded me of all the people who started up a conversation with me, when I had my nose in a book, or when I went to lunch at work, carrying a book or a notebook, and then started in on an involved conversation. What, did they think the book was for show? A security blanket? Even worse would be when people started up a conversation then, when they knew that I would be more receptive to talk to them later. I always want to carry a sign, "Respect the Reader!" or "Writer" depending. And, considering that all we know is at that moment she wanted to be by herself, I don't think it was particularly anti-social. It could be that she felt she should take the lull in things to get her notes down. Or, maybe she just didn't like eating with other people, but after lunch she would have been fine. Or, heck, tptb wrote it, so she was probably fine and didn't even give it a fleeting thought. But, Daniel sure annoyed me in that scene. And, I really don't like being annoyed with him.

[Giantevilhead]

The bugs were stupid. What were the Ori trying to accomplish with the bugs? With the virus, the people suffer over time and become more likely to capitulate. With the bugs, the people don't even have time to starve before the bugs eat them.