Stargate SG1, season 2

And...the series drops off a cliff (okay, it was down there already, but any hope that the weaknesses of season 1 were just "workin' the bugs out" are dashed by continued residence in the land of couldashouldabeen). The show asks us to take these characters for granted, without showing us why...why their bonds (or conflicts) are strong, why they are interesting people we should care about. The writers often write Dean Anderson's lines as though Kurt Russell is still playing the part. The portrayal of contemporary military life is so unrealistic as to be laughable. Christopher Judge's Teal'c is a fascinating performance written with all the depth of a puddle. Amanda Tapping's Sam isn't charismatic enough to overcome the material. Teryl Rothery, the SGC doc, is fine. If only THE LIFE OF BRIAN's Pilate could have met her - "WHY do you giggew when i mention my fwiend Tewyl Wothewy?" Poor Don Davis's unidimensionality is almost painful. And the less said about Michael Shanks' Daniel, the better - there's enough blame to cover both the stiff acting and tepid writing. The directors aren't blameless, either. There are many moments of acting over-indulgence, when the characters should have been more responsive to a tense situation instead of focusing on a good line delivery spoken into camera 3.
FOUR-STAR - none
NOTEWORTHY
-The Gamekeeper **
Come on down, Dwight Shulz (THE A-TEAM, STAR TREK)! Here's a crappy script for ya'!
-Secrets ***
Worthy of a marathon with the movie and series pilot, albeit not with a bullet. Daniel returns to Abydos, to tell Sha'uri's father Kasuf (the charming Eric Avari, from the movie) that they've failed to find his daughter. But she is there (played again by the luminous Vaitiare Bandiere), her goa'uld parasite dormant because she's been impregnated by Apophis. Back on Earth, Jack faces a reporter ready to expose the Stargate program.
-The Tok'ra ***
It took this long for the sci fi universe to come up with a race that rhymes with "okra"?? If all SG1 were as acceptable as this, we'd have a ten-season pleasant diversion on our hands. Strong DS9 resonances here, with a race of human/worm symbionts. It's fascinating how a different context provokes an entirely different attitude.
-Spirits ***
Earth's mining needs on a planet populated by native american descendants cause trouble with aliens posing as spirit benefactors. Jumpin' jehosaphat, somebody pinch me. An exceptionally-acted, exceptionally-written performance on SG1! Rodney A. Grant (DANCES WITH WOLVES) plays the native Tonane with sublimely innocent cheekiness, and a wisdom that avoids the condescension that even the most well-intended native american portrayals almost always fall prey to.
-Touchstone ***
Brisk, compelling. A stolen stargate is used for nefarious means. It's occasional episodes like this that prompt the masochist in me to think about season 3. Look for the charming, disarming performance of Tiffany Lyndall-Knight (the hybrid - BSG 03'). Who knew that there was a hottie under that goo?
-1969 ***
A concept that has disaster written all over it...accidentally send SG1 back in time thirty years. But instead of a cheesy groanfest, it's sincere and heart-warming. Aaron Pearl plays a young "lieutenant" Hammond. Amber Rothwell and Alex Zahara play helpful hippies on their way to Woodstock. Under interrogation, O'Neill confesses to being James T. Kirk. And Luke Skywalker.