The Scourge (917)

[AndyStargateUK]

This was a good episode.

And before anyone says but it's just a copy of other plots lets not forget the fantastic Battlestar Gallatica we watch now is a copy of the 1978 version (reimaging is the loose term used for copying in this case), and there was a 1980 version so todays BSG is really a copy of a copy. Does any one mind? No. So why should people really mind about this episode, it's a good stand alown episode. We get to see the team build some more ties and Woolsey level out a bit more rather than being totally hostile to the SGC.

Good bits
The look on the Chinese diplomats face and the rest of the SG1 team when they find Mitchell can understand what Daniel and the Chinese diplomat has just said.
The way the French guy calls R75 'a space bug' and the scientist repeats it with an ovious distaste of the term space bug.
Carrying on the French guy then procedes to tap the containment glass further annoying the scientist.
Teal'c wishing he had stayed with the tour while Mitchell and Jackson argue over politics.
Teal'c emptying the canteen of corndogs by taking out the plate they are displayed on for people to take individual servings, also it seems he has put on one salad leaf to try and look healthy as the shot focuses on him.
Daniel just barging in onto the Chinese diplomat.
The conversation between Daniel and the Chinese diplomat about how China feels about the Stargate programme.
Dr Lee and Landry where Landry shows no interest in why Dr Lee doesn't like bugs.
The talk of the Chinese governments 'plan of action' , sounds interesting , especially since the diplomat has said she will talk to Daniel when they are back on Earth.
While Teal'c and Mitchell are talking and Teal'c says he wants to watch Old School when he gets back.
The French guy having a major stress out at Sam, she handles it well , also she deals with Woolsey well too.
The way Mitchell says , so 'you got framed for murder, you can't let one bad experiance put you off' to Teal'c in order to try and get him to have another chance at getting an apartment and Teal'c rebuffing the offer.
The fact that Woolsey mellows out after experiancing what SG1 and the SGC go through, and the way Sam handles him is well done too.
The starship troppers reference at the end, it shows even the writers are willing to poke fun at themselves with a bit of humour and link it in to one of the guests on the show.

Questions raised.
So it seems the bug is of Prior creation , what else are they planning to do in the future now they can't use a virus to target, it seems they can no longer directly threaten human life so are threating food supplies etc.
Do the Chinese really intend to challenge the US for control of the Stargate programme. At the end we are told the Chinese diplomat is on indefinite leave, but that doesn't stop her meeting with Dr Jackson, perhaps she is a spy who is meant to try and form a relationship with him, or have the Chinese found some technology in China to help them obtain some sort of influence.
Daniel didn't tell anyone else about what the Chinese diplomat at the end in the breifing , he also disagreed with Mitchell over the gate treaty, does he sympathise with the Chinese situation?
The Priors seem to be getting ready for something big to happen according to the beginning of the show, are they trying to open another supergate perhaps or is something else big going to happen perhaps?

Neutral points.
Two episodes out of twenty is more than enough times for SG1 to be rescued just in time by the Oddessy.

Bad points.
Why did Landry assume SG1 would be dead with everyone else, surely before releasing a neurotoxin you would try and check the planet for any one left behind, especially your top team.
Wouldn't Daniel think to tell Landry about the Chinese threat however unlikely it be, or maybe there is something more to this?

As for the bug thing being used before in other tv/films see my opening thoughts.


Lets not forget the real reason for the low amount spent on CGI for the bugs , the SG writers and everyone else involved are oviously saving the pennys for some upcoming special CGI probably , it happens in all fixed budget shows, one or two get the low cost treatment / action takes place in only one or two fixed locations in order to save money to blow it all on a **** star episode. Not long till we find out what they spent all the money on I guess.

[Albion]

Surprisingly enough - I liked this. Mitchell didn't irritate me. Well...not often. I even laughed at his jokes. I enjoyed the humour, the banter, the team, the fact that it wasn't pretending to be anything other than a good offworld romp in the best tradition of the show. I even warmed to Landry, for once.

It wasn't an A class episode when laid beside most of the past eight years' crop, but it didn't suck either.

My brain wasn't engaged at all, it was fairly lightweight hokum - but, hey, who cares? And for the first time all season I got the sense that SG1 were in actual, physical danger, which was definitely another bonus.

Nitpicks - making the pain in the ass French was a cheap shot. And plotwise, it was a bit of a copy of Prodigy. But it had enough freshness about it that I didn't mind that half as much as I thought I might. Or the Mummy overtones, either. They got away with it, I think. The bugs were cool and I liked the way it was set up with the meatloaf.

The other thing which bugged me (no pun intended) was what I predicted long ago. That having ships and Asgard transporters would reduce any dramatic tension and make solving problems offworld way too easy for the team. I'd have liked to have seen a more inventive way of rescuing them.

But all in all - was almost like old times. Not quite. But almost. And one of the few episodes I've enjoyed this year.

Albion

[DEM]

I hate to beat a dead horse (really, I'm the most non-violent person!), but I'm still not thinking that those members of SG-1 outside of Teal'c regularly carried zats.

No, Carter routinely carries a zat. Don't let that thigh holster fool you: She normally wears one that is specially designed to hold a zat, not a Tauri handgun.

In Endgame Carter and Daniel had zats -- drawn and ready for action -- when they busted into that rogue NID warehouse. Carter wore a zat in Covenant, Good to be King, and Reckoning.

Even Fifth outfitted Replicarter with a zat (see the simulation within a simulation in Gemini)!

The only ep in S8 -- episodes 8-17 -- in which Carter went on a mission armed but without a zat was Full Alert. I didn't look at screencaps for Threads and Moebius because... just no. I can't go back any further right now; I don't have time.

I remember thinking any number of times that zats would be better than guns because you could stun a person instead of kill them and, really wouldn't that be better because the Tau'ri were more considerate of taking a life than the Jaffa? Yet there they were, episode after episode blasting away with their projectile weapons.

I would guess that's because: 1) the middle of a pitched battle in which you are outnumbered (as SG-1 often is) is generally not the time to plan to engage in proselytizing, 2) zats are slower weapons than submachine guns.

Replicators--good old projectile weapons (forgive me for not knowing the names of them--conversant with military firearms I am not).

Replicators could only be stopped by projectile weapons.

Note that just because Carter uses her P90, that doesn't mean she isn't also carrying a zat. See Reckoning, for instance.

I'm not sure why they would make a point of taking them on this mission anyway.

Because.Carter and Teal'c Normally Carry Them. I understand that you don't believe that, but that's the answer you're going to continue to get from people who do believe/know it.

Why would they?

Look at it this way: Why would they carry guns on a tour at all?

[warmbeachbrat]

Okay--thanks for the info!

[warmbeachbrat]

no the asgard dont have personal weapons, they have personal cloaks but not weapons...
why didnt they use grenades...?!

Hmmm--good question! I wonder if it wouldn't be focused enough to destroy many of the bugs. They did use C4, but only as a warning system, not as a way of destroying them.

(and thanks for the answer re: the Asgard)

[LoveYouBaby]

I thought this episode was interesting.

FINALLY! A CHINESE - I thought Stargate will never feature them ever again!

Anyway, this episode was cool in that it's like one disaster after another (the French delegate, lol they do like their individualistic nature), poor guys, lol - interesting protocol, this CR91, but all life would be extinguished, and thus all ecosystems would be wiped out, as it's a neural toxin and will affect all fauna life, without any means of sustainability on that planet, flora will slowly die and that planet of the former site of the Gamma Site will be a wasteland.

How could SGC do that? But the ramification of not doing anything is equally as bad too I guess.

This ep worth an 8.5 IMO.

It certainly was like "Starship Troopers" and it would be interesting for the Stargate Program to fall under China's jurisdiction. It'll add a cool twist to the series.

[Chaka's_Mum]

Surprisingly enough - I liked this. Mitchell didn't irritate me. Well...not often. I even laughed at his jokes. I enjoyed the humour, the banter, the team, the fact that it wasn't pretending to be anything other than a good offworld romp in the best tradition of the show. I even warmed to Landry, for once.

It wasn't an A class episode when laid beside most of the past eight years' crop, but it didn't suck either.

My brain wasn't engaged at all, it was fairly lightweight hokum - but, hey, who cares? And for the first time all season I got the sense that SG1 were in actual, physical danger, which was definitely another bonus.

Nitpicks - making the pain in the ass French was a cheap shot. And plotwise, it was a bit of a copy of Prodigy. But it had enough freshness about it that I didn't mind that half as much as I thought I might. Or the Mummy overtones, either. They got away with it, I think. The bugs were cool and I liked the way it was set up with the meatloaf.

The other thing which bugged me (no pun intended) was what I predicted long ago. That having ships and Asgard transporters would reduce any dramatic tension and make solving problems offworld way too easy for the team. I'd have liked to have seen a more inventive way of rescuing them.

But all in all - was almost like old times. Not quite. But almost. And one of the few episodes I've enjoyed this year.

Albion

Same as what Albion said - especially that bit about the Odyssey. Could someone evacuate the crew and blow the wretched thing up, please? It so takes away all the panache of a whizz-bang SG-1 Escape-From-Mortal-Danger-In-The-Nick-Of-Time when all it needs is someone to press a button from orbit to save the day.

Mind you, at least they knew she was coming this time around and actually had to signal her to stop themselves being neuro-toxinned to death before they could be beamed to safety - and the only way to get the signal out got the bugs excited. I suppose they get away with it this time. Just this once, mind!

[scarimor]

... They did use C4, but only as a warning system, not as a way of destroying them.

That was C4? The explosions look a bit wimpy for C4 to me, given the size of the packs... any explosives experts here who can correct me?

[Pamplemousse of France]

I just saw "The Scourge". I think it is the worst episode of the entire show. Full of clichés: the Chinese representative is nice and attractive to show the growing importance of China in the world, the English one is colourless and odourless like a good allie of the US, and the French one is grumpy and coward.
The story is pathetic, and the end is predictable, the Asgard beaming system is a threat to a good end.
2/20 not more.
The only thing I hope is that the "Chinese representative-Daniel" story will continue and bring us to an interesting thing in the next seasons.

[AndyStargateUK]

That was C4? The explosions look a bit wimpy for C4 to me, given the size of the packs... any explosives experts here who can correct me?

It's a good point, when they used the C4 I thought if that's how powerful it is , despite them using at least six large blocks I wondered what the point of it was, I thought that amount of C4 should have been much more powerful.

[LoveYouBaby]

I just saw "The Scourge". I think it is the worst episode of the entire show. Full of clichés: the Chinese representative is nice and attractive to show the growing importance of China in the world, the English one is colourless and odourless like a good allie of the US, and the French one is grumpy and coward.
The story is pathetic, and the end is predictable, the Asgard beaming system is a threat to a good end.
2/20 not more.
The only thing I hope is that the "Chinese representative-Daniel" story will continue and bring us to an interesting thing in the next seasons.

It sucked cos it seem like the French were treated badly. I don't think it was intentional, the French has always been individualistic, proud people! But in the eyes of the US (and the Government), well... they had to bash the French somehow.

[Uber]

It sucked cos it seem like the French were treated badly. I don't think it was intentional, the French has always been individualistic, proud people! But in the eyes of the US (and the Government), well... they had to bash the French somehow.

Hey there...hi there...ho there...

I'm an American...I love France (got to go there in 1989) and I have French friends too. So I'm not sure you want to make such a sweeping generalization about the US.

[AndyStargateUK]

It sucked cos it seem like the French were treated badly. I don't think it was intentional, the French has always been individualistic, proud people! But in the eyes of the US (and the Government), well... they had to bash the French somehow.

It was funny when he termed the insect saying 'so it's a space bug', the look of annoyance on the scientist was good.
From an English point of view the idea that confronted on a planet full of flesh eating bugs the English diplomat would just stand around in the cave and barely do anything unlike the others seemed a bit odd, they should have given a few of the French guys lines to the English diplomat so as to not make it look like the French guy is the only whinny one amongst them.

France is a nice place to visit as well.

[ChillinTheMost]

Put me in the "Loved It" category for this episode.

I loved all the interaction with Mitchell: Mitchell with Daniel, Mitchell with Teal'c, Mitchell with Sam. Good stuff.

There may have been some inconsistencies with the bugs and I wondered why the team just stood there when they ran out of ammunition at the end instead of running inside the building and gaining at least a few seconds more in the hopes of being beamed up, but, it was so much fun, I really don't care.

Anyway, I loved the episode for the interaction. Sorry some others aren't enjoying the season as much as I am!

[LoveYouBaby]

Hey there...hi there...ho there...

I'm an American...I love France (got to go there in 1989) and I have French friends too. So I'm not sure you want to make such a sweeping generalization about the US.

Of course!

Socially-speaking, France love American tourists, that's true!

But politically-speaking, American ideals conflict with the interests of the French, like look at McDonald's or Disneyland. The French don't like being told where to go, what to do. They are renowned and brilliantly famous for being opinionated!