Stargate SG1, season 6

FOUR STAR
-Frozen
Part of this episode's brilliance is how it feels so different. Instead of grand action or some alien landscape, they spend the episode dealing with the most elemental humanity, in a storm-bound antarctic research station. A frozen humanoid (Ona Grauer), millions of years old, is thawed out. She regains consciousness, displaying stunning recuperative powers. She cannot speak, and soon members of the team are succumbing to a terrible sickness. Jonas talks with her, and she eventually indicates she can understand him. In only his fifth episode, Nemec nails a performance that is quite possibly the best yet by any SG1 lead. His empathy and humanity are profoundly touching. Equally as moving is the almost-mute performance of Grauer. Her character arc marks the first time in SG1 history my chest tightened with emotion. Her recuperative powers extend to others, but in her effort to heal everyone she expels what little life she has left, and dies before helping Jack. His only salvation comes in temporarily accepting a tok'ra symbiote.
NOTEWORTHY
-Redemption ***
A two-part season-opener that's one hell of a ride. Anubis tries to destroy Earth by sending a resonant energy pulse through the gate. They have two days to find a solution. Rodney McKay and Jonas Quinn (Corin Nemec) help Sam. It ends with a fantastic NASA adventure, in which just about everything goes realistically wrong, with Jack flying an experimental, overburdened spacecraft into the atmosphere, trying to open a hyperspace window in which to drop the stargate. Teal'c is off-world after the death of his wife, and leads an attack on Anubis' weapon, with his underage son. The world saved, Jack accepts Jonas into SG1. That part's a little contrived, but Nemec is pleasant enough. Also enjoy a lil' Aaron Douglas (BATTLESTAR GALACTICA) as a dethpicable jaffa.
-Descent ***
An abandoned goa'uld mother ship appears in orbit. SG1 discovers that Thor was able to trigger its self-destruct when Anubis accessed his brain during torture. Several assassin jaffa come out of suspension, the ship crashes into the ocean...all sorts of wonderful action on Jonas' first mission. And just like STAR TREK 3, they save Thor's consciousness! It's in a big leggo.
-Nightwalkers **
After five seasons, the first episode without Richard Dean. SG1 investigates a company that is experimenting with goa'ulds and genetics. Decent writing, but even with a flawed character, Anderson's absence makes for a hollow feeling.
-Abyss ***
Jack, whose symbiote has died, is captured by Ba'al. He is tortured, killed, and resuscitated repeatedly. Shanks guest stars, trying to get Jack to try to ascend with him. I wasn't missing Daniel, but...powerful. A top-five O'Neill entry.
-Shadow Play ***
Sci fi superstar Dean Stockwell!! An admirable little effort. Take a stock sci fi script, and toss in hidden schizophrenia.
-The Other Guys *
A couple of bumbling scientists being babysat by SG1 come to the rescue when the unit is captured. A game performance by John Billingsley (ENTERPRISE) wasted. Cheesily written. Embarrassingly acted. Amateurishly directed. The worst SG episode of all time.
-Prometheus & Unnatural Selection ***
Fun...with a lighter, more unbound feeling that STARGATE: ATLANTIS would lay claim to. A TV crew is allowed access to a starship the SGC is building, in exchange for their silence. Once aboard, they commandeer it and fly into space with the help of their goa'uld leader. Villain John de Lancie (STAR TREK) is possessed by the goa'uld, and killed (nice try, but his recurring character still can't quite rise above flaccidity). The asgard ask the low-tech Prometheus crew to attempt a rescue of their race, which is succumbing to the replicators. It's off to an alien planet we go, for our first encounter with the human-replicators, who will play a large part in SGA. A fun turn by George Wyner (SPACEBALLS), and an underused Tahmoh Penikett (BATTLESTAR GALACTICA).
-Paradise Lost ***
This one doesn't feel entirely "Stargate"...and that's a good thing. Maybourne's connivings lead to he and Jack being stranded on a lifeless moon. There's an empty, gritty, uncomfortable quality to this'n. Another O'Neill top five.
Disclosure *
For a while, this episode is as enjoyable as any clip show can be (he said left-handedly). The new footage that showcases the clips is enjoyable. General Hammond and Senator Kinsey (Ronny Cox, one of the few actors who can be counted on to rise above second-rate material) preside over a meeting wherein the U.S. reveals the existence of the stargate program to the ambassadors of the world's top military powers. Very few clip shows have the cajones to excuse the series' stars entirely, but this one nearly pulls it off. It all devolves into an enormous self-stroking of the SG1 penis...but still, you'll be laughing when it ends. The wrong kind, but laughter is laughter.
-Forsaken ***
Probably the most unobtrusive, unflashy entry on any "Best SG1 Episodes" list. The team discover a planet with a downed alien ship. They and the survivors come under attack. A shaky alliance is formed. The episode sparkles because of the absence of wasted or untrue moments. It's also dangerous, and a bit sexy. Jonas has had fine moments before, but never in such an integrated way. Stay, Corin Nemec, don't leave us!
-The Changeling ***
Certainly more enjoyable than that Jolie turd. Teal'c has visions of an alternate life in which he is a human firefighter. They turn out to be delusions he's experiencing on an alien planet, as he tries to keep himself and Bra'tac alive with only one symbiote. A fine entry, and it's lovely to see Christopher Judge (who wrote the episode) let his, um, hair down.
-Memento ***
On a space shakedown cruise of the Prometheus, the core goes critical and must be ejected. Their only hope is to short hop to a planet which is supposed to have a stargate. It does, but its inhabitants don't know it, as they've buried all relics and records of their barbaric past. The forces of xenophobia and paranoia clash with a progressive leader, well-played by Robert Foxworth (ENTERPRISE). Seamless.
-Full Circle ***
A decent season finale as the action returns to Abydos, where SG1 looks for an artifact Anubis needs while the natives fight a delaying action (and get creamed, but then all supposedly ascend...). Daniel breaks the "rules of the ascended", trying to help. Skaara dies (goodbye Alexis Cruz, the last link to the movie).