If this five-disc, 20-episode, tenth season set really is the end of
Stargate SG-1--and considering the number of reprieves the show has already had and the rumors of various movie spin-offs, not to mention the fact that the final installment is entitled "Unending," who knows?--then the folks responsible for this durable sci-fi series can be proud that they finished it off in style, with a run of episodes that are for the most part highly entertaining, exciting, and fun, offering resolution if not complete closure. And if sharks were jumped, at least they were small ones. As was the case in Season 9, and to a large extent in Season 8 as well, original series star Richard Dean Anderson is little in evidence here. Portraying Lt. Col. Cameron Mitchell, Ben Browder, who came to
Stargate SG-1 from the underrated
Farscape, is now entrenched as leader of SG-1, the Stargate project's ace team in the field, joining series veterans Amanda Tapping, Christopher Judge, and Michael Shanks (as Samantha Carter, Teal'c, and Daniel Jackson, respectively). Most notably, fellow
Farscape alum Claudia Black has an ever-expanding role as Vala, whose cheeky wit and irreverence bring a consistent spark to the proceedings. The big, bad villains known as Ori are back as well. We still can't see them--they are, after all, "ascended beings," represented by the blind, monk-like Priors, who roam the universe intoning "Hallowed are the Ori" and ensuring that all will submit to their will (the element of scary religious fanaticism remains as relevant as ever). But the Ori are also still the most implacable, irresistible force our heroes have ever encountered; nothing less than the fate of the entire galaxy is at stake (again)! And now there's an added twist: the Ori have a frontwoman, if you will, whose powers make the Priors look like pikers. Known as Adria (or "the Orici" to believers), this beautiful young woman (played by Morena Baccarin) also happens to be the daughter of Vala, whom the Ori chose to bring their demon seed into the world; the uneasy (to say the least) Adria-Vala relationship provides many intriguing moments. On the minus side, the show tends to break its own rules (for instance, for a character who's supposed to be invincible, Adria often seems awfully, well, vincible), and the commingling of Arthurian legend, Greek, Roman, and Egyptian myth, magic, and other sources is occasionally over-the-top, even for this franchise. Some episodes are plot-heavy, bogged down by too many characters (past bad guys like the Goa'uld, and Ba'al reappear, as do several
Stargate Atlantis principals in one episode) or excessive techno-rap about time dilation fields, flux capacitors, and something called the Clava Thessara Infinitas (don't ask). Episodes in which the writers move away from the central Ori theme are less than stellar; "200" exists mostly as an opportunity to make fun of the TV business and is as irrelevant and silly as "Citizen Joe," the worst episode from Season 8. And finally, without revealing details, suffice to say that "Unending," which offers a possible fate for our heroes before totally pulling its punches, may frustrate some longtime adherents. By and large, though,
Stargate SG-1 has all the elements--humor, action, great effects, good story-telling and acting, characters you care about--to more than justify its ten-year run. It will be missed. Special features are again bountiful, including audio commentary on all episodes, various featurettes, and five "directors series" entries devoted to particular episodes.
--Sam Graham
| CATEGORY: | DVD |
| THEATRICAL RELEASE DATE: | 27 July, 1997 |
| MANUFACTURER: | MGM (Video & DVD) |
| MPAA RATING: | NR (Not Rated) |
| FEATURES: | AC-3, Box set, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, DVD-Video, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC |
| TYPE: | Horror / Sci-Fi / Fantasy, Movie, Science Fiction, TV Shows / TV Movie, Television |
| MEDIA: | DVD |
| MPN: | 108064 |
| # OF MEDIA: | 5 |
| UPC: | 027616080646 |
Customer Reviews of
Stargate SG-1 - Season 10
Stargate SG-1 Always buy this series, and am sorry that it is, as a weekly show, ending.Therefore it is good to be able to have the last season (I have all the others) as it is one of the best in the field - science fiction - apart from old faithful Star Trek. Always miss Richard Dean Anderson, that wry and handsome wit, but Shanks and Browder, let alone Claudia Black, what a terrific actor! more than make up for his loss. I always wish more of Amanda Tapping's abilities apart from sheer mathematics that she is forced by plot to come out with at least four or five times per episode could be utilized in more interesting directions, but she is the greatest also. Look forward to her in Stargate Atlantis.
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>Stargate SG-1 season 10 is a worthy product and has been added to my collection with great satisfaction.
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>Linda Sheean
Stargate SG-1
My husband and I enjoyed this last season of Stargate and hate to see it go.
A noble end to a great SF series
It's hard to believe that the science fiction channel cancelled Stargate in favor of shows like Who Wants to be a Super Hero, or the geeky Dr. Who. Stargate was one of the best SF series, ranking with Babylon 5, because of its humanity. People came first, after which the stories were dramatic, exciting, and always tied in to our best human values. They had great villains, excepting the Ori which took the series in too spiritual a direction. If you watch from year one to the end, the character development is incredible. Of course, when RDA left the series, it wasn't the same. The newcomers from Farscape weren't able to take his place -- which was obvious when the producers had to bring two characters, Cam and Vala, to replace one. The series ended well, although I do think that Daniel and Vala should not have gotten together. They were too much of a mismatch on a moral scale. However, it was all done well, and I will miss it. Occasional TV movies just aren't enough. I think now that the original Stargate is off the air, fans will realize how poor a spinoff is the Atlantis series. This DVD set was very high quality, as usual, with a crisp colorful picture and great sound. Very enjoyable.
