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[ShadowMaat]

I could be wrong, it just feels like Jack has said it in every ep this season...

[pettygrew]

In case anyone didn't recognize him, the actor who played Dr. Carmichael played the father in Learning Curve.

I now understand why Daniel hasn't been goa'uld before. His eyes are too small which doesn't appear too well when they flash.

Earlier someone commented how Jack-like Daniel's dialogue was in the infirmary. I thought the same thing when Daniel zat Teal'c and said "Sorry Buddy." I don't think I've ever heard Daniel call Teal'c buddy before. Jack does lots of time.

I did think when Daniel found the micro chip in Sam's office was a little too convenient.

[kiwigater]

I could be wrong, it just feels like Jack has said it in every ep this season...

You should stop reading my mind..... it's starting to scare me
Except this week is was "It's what we do" rather than "I do" .
I'm thinking of a number between 1 and 100.....

[Ugly Pig]

Last week was the fifth episode of the season, both for SG-1 and for Atlantis. I don't know if anyone has fully realized this yet, but this means we're already halfway through to the dreaded mid-season break! The horror! And now, with the sixth episode over and done with, it's even closer. Pretty soon, I'm gonna have nightmares. Speaking of nightmares, here's

PIGGY'S USELESS OPINION
of 'Avatar'

Wow... A sequel to 'The Gamekeeper'. I knew it would have the VR chairs in it and everything, but this didn't just refer to that episode - it was a true sequel in that it told the same type of story, but in a different setting. Where 'The Gamekeeper' had scenarios to be tried over and over again taken from Daniel's and Jack's minds, this time Teal'c similarly has to overcome the challenge of a repeated virtual scenario in which the rules are constantly changed.

It's common for Stargate SG-1 to recycle music from previous episodes. I find it very appropriate that this one recycled music from 'The Gamekeeper'. For instance: Towards the end, as Teal'c slumps to the ground realizing how hopeless the situation is and we rapidly "flash" through several rounds of the game, we hear the music originally used for the scene(s) in 'Gamekeeper' where Jack's old buddy dies in his arms. Of course, this music has been reused before (not in the last couple of seasons, though, I think) in completely unrelated episodes so I'm not sure if the reference was deliberate, but it was a nice touch anyway.

Anyhow - how 'bout those game graphics, huh? Wonder why they'd go through the trouble of creating actual computer game-like footage when we, the audience, would surely accept live-action footage without blinking? I suspect it is actual computer game footage. As we all know, an SG-1 game is in development, and don't I remember someone (Martin Wood, perhaps?) saying it would be somewhat based on this episode?

Hey, wait... I didn't even say if I liked the episode yet, did I. Well, being the SG-1 junkie that I am, how could I not? It won't be found in my personal Top Ten or anything, but it was decent enough. Which is why it pains me to have to point out a... PLOT HOLE! (GASP!!)

Yes, it's true... I noticed a plot hole, and I noticed it after my first viewing (which I usually don't, so it must have been pretty obvious. I wonder how many people have mentioned it already... I'll have to go back and check once I've posted this). Here goes: Appearantly, the chair was able to read Teal'c's mind in order to make the game more challenging. Well... Back in 'Gamekeeper', the Keeper told SG-1 that his VR system couldn't read his or Sam's minds. In Teal'c's case because of his symbiote, and in Sam's case because of her previous blending with Jolinar. One could argue that Teal'c would no longer be immune since he lost Junior, but then what about the data the residents had on file from six years ago? How'd they get that back then?

Ah, well. I'm sure there's some brilliant apologetic mind around here who will be able to come up with a semi-believable explanation. Until then, here's a quote of my favorite line of the episode:

"Carter, all I heard was 'Matrix', and I found those films quite confusing." - Jack

[Major Fischer]

Now mind you I haven't read anyone's responses before posting mine, so if I'm repeating points I'm sorry.

I hated this episode. Rather, hate's a strong term, it wasn't my cup of tea. It seemed like a rather pointless excercise in random combat with no real goal. The 'virtual reality' screen Carter and company were watching was ... annoying, but most of all I kept thinking that military officers would not refer to a valuable training aid as "a game". The repeated use of the term bugged the heck out of me.

Oh, and I liked Brightman better than the Dr. Dude... didn't catch his name. Not that I have an attachment to Brightman, but I had less of one to this guy.

[Ugly Pig]

Stuff I forgot to mention!
- Teal'c has played video games? Heh heh. I don't know why, but I'm actually not surprised.
- The Goa'uld eye glowing is back! Yay!!
- Goa'uld Siler! Cool!
- Virtual Daniel and Sam not knowing they were virtual! Cool!
- Another new doctor?
- Dr. Lee is almost becoming a regular character now...
- Chevron Guy is officially referred to as "Sgt. Harriman" for the first time...
- Jack/Sam/Daniel: "I'll do it!" Funny. But I wonder how they decided on Daniel?
- Broken-down Teal'c. We don't see that too often.

[acdj31]

Who else thought the CG Daniel had wierd eyebrows?

I thought his hair looked funny. Like he forgot to comb it or something.

[Liv]

- Jack/Sam/Daniel: "I'll do it!" Funny. But I wonder how they decided on Daniel?
- Broken-down Teal'c. We don't see that too often.

Oh, I agree, the "I´ll do it!"-scene was just lovely. And funny. I thought the reason that Daniel was chosen, was because he didn´t have much experience in 'combat mode', at least not in a strictly tactical way. He couldn´t mess things up too much by overanalyzing the situation.

And ditto agreement on the Teal'c breakdown scene, I thought that was beautiful and very sad, at the same time. The music highlighted his desperation and defeat, I thought.

[Ugly Pig]

The music highlighted his desperation and defeat, I thought.

Much like the same music highlighted Jack's repeated defeat in 'The Gamekeeper', yes?

[Liv]

Much like the same music highlighted Jack's repeated defeat in 'The Gamekeeper', yes?

Yes.

... maybe.

It fit the scene, okay?

[acdj31]

I loved this ep. The show reminds me of “Window of Opportunity” which I also loved. I liked it how Teal’c give up. It is showing how he is becoming more human. Especially in next week’s ep.

I like the scene in the infirmary where Teal’c is talking and Sam and Daniel look at each. And then Teal’c says “I am fine”, the look on his face is funny.

Daniel and Stiler goa’ulds, I would have never thought of that.

[Replicarter]

After last weeks episode, many thought about season 7 went in to my head, and i envisioned S8 turning out like crap, but I really enjoyed this episode, and really liked how they fitted in to many jokes/references, like The Matrix, doom and most of the things Ugly Pig said. Was it just me or did they get the glowing eye thing wrong? it looked very yellow and fake, anyway, I’m not a nitpicker

[Major Fischer]

Which is why it pains me to have to point out a... PLOT HOLE! (GASP!!)

Yes, it's true... I noticed a plot hole, and I noticed it after my first viewing (which I usually don't, so it must have been pretty obvious. I wonder how many people have mentioned it already... I'll have to go back and check once I've posted this). Here goes: Appearantly, the chair was able to read Teal'c's mind in order to make the game more challenging. Well... Back in 'Gamekeeper', the Keeper told SG-1 that his VR system couldn't read his or Sam's minds. In Teal'c's case because of his symbiote, and in Sam's case because of her previous blending with Jolinar. One could argue that Teal'c would no longer be immune since he lost Junior, but then what about the data the residents had on file from six years ago? How'd they get that back then?

That was my logic when i was trying to sort out the plot hole, but I couldn't figure out why it would have the mental imprint on file from six years ago... or why Sam thought she could have gone into help him.

As much as I liked the "I'll go," scene, I can't see Sam forgetting it. In fact they could have done a fair bit with Sam feeling guilty that she couldn't go in and help...

[Ugly Pig]

That was my logic when i was trying to sort out the plot hole, but I couldn't figure out why it would have the mental imprint on file from six years ago... or why Sam thought she could have gone into help him.

Waitaminute... Sam should have been the one to go help him! If the chair can't read her mind, there's no risk of the game learning anything from her to make it more difficult!

Bah, why did I have to notice this? Curse my brilliant brain!

[Replicarter]

Ok, I hate plot holes, so I’ll just make something up, in Gamekeeper, he could access Teal'cs mind, but the Symbiote encrypted the information or something like that, so the Keeper had the information but couldn’t use it, I’m happy now