Stargate SG-1 suffered a little in its switch to the Sci-Fi Channel. The loss of Michael Shanks was very deeply felt. Jonas wasn’t really a bad character, but it took me a while to get used to him. The guest appearances of Daniel Jackson helped a bit with a couple of pretty good episodes. I felt there might have been too many Earthbound episodes in an obvious effort to curtail the budget. Through most of this season, Anderson had been talking about spending more time back in L.A. with his family. (The show is shot in…Canada.) We all know two more seasons would emerge. Still, this is one of the best science fiction series ever.
Synopsis
Col. Jack O’ Neal (Anderson) heads the group. Alien Jonas Quinn (Nemec) fills the void left by the departure of Jackson. Maj. Samantha Carter (Tapping) is a scientist with the Air Force who specializes in the physics of the thing. The team is rounded out by Teal’C (Christopher Judge), an alien with an enemy parasite inside of him.
Audio
Once again the Dolby Digital 5.1 track blows away most TV productions. Mix aggressiveness varies from episode to episode. In all episodes the dialogue is always crystal clear. The brilliant score always leaves me humming after each viewing. Highs and lows often reach impressive levels.
Video
Stargate SG-1 is once again presented in the HDTV standard wide screen aspect ratio of 1.78:1. Colors are always solid and quite often dynamic. A few episodes exhibit a great amount of grain. It appears that dark interiors show this minor flaw most. Blacks are otherwise very deep and true.
Special Features
Again MGM has upped the ante on bonus materials. EVERY EPISODE in Season Six has a commentary. This time Don S. Davis joins Christopher Judge in the commentary list. About half of the episodes now carry a short 3-5 minute “Director’s Diary” that can be found on the same disc as its companion episode. The first three discs carry quite a few of these gems, but you’ll find less and less in the final discs.
Final Thoughts
I still can’t seem to stop watching this show. Even with some of the slight flaws and the absence of Shanks, the writing and cast chemistry continues to shine. There’s no question the sixth season was a new kind of “finding its legs” period. The fans seem to be vehemently mixed about Jonas Quinn. All good shows must evolve if they are to have any longevity. Consider this season as growing pains. Perhaps the biggest disappointment of all is that “We can’t call it Enterprise”.
Special Features List
- Audio commentary on each episode
- SG-1 Directors Series featurettes on each disc
