The 1994 movie Stargate was originally intended as the start of a franchise, but creators Roland Emmerich and Dean Devlin were distracted with Independence Day. Episodic TV treatment was the natural next step. Replacing th... more »e roles of Colonel Jack O'Neill (Kurt Russell) and Dr. Daniel Jackson (James Spader) are, respectively, Richard Dean Anderson and Michael Shanks. They're joined by Captain Samantha Carter (Amanda Tapping) and former alien baddie Teal'c (Christopher Judge) to form the primary unit SG-1. With a seemingly endless network of Stargates found to exist on planets all across the known universe, their mission is to make first contact with as many friendly races as possible. Chasing their heels at almost every turn are the "overlord" pharaonic Goa'uld--the ancient Egyptian gods from the original film. The welcome notion of a continued plot thread sees offshoots that follow the reincarnation of Daniel's wife, Sam's father literally joining a renegade faction of the Goa'uld, and Jack in an unending quest to out-sarcasm everyone. Amid a plethora of derivative look-alikes, Stargate SG-1 has held its own with stories that put the science fiction back into TV sci-fi. Among the second season's 22 episodes, "The Serpent's Lair" concludes the cliffhanger from the end of the first season in a rollercoaster of wit, plot twists, and cutting-edge special effects as the SG-1 team resign themselves to a suicide mission. In the two-parter "The Tok'ra," Sam's estranged father is dying of cancer, but her obligations sway her toward saving a member of the Goa'uld renegade Tok'ra who is also dying. In "Show and Tell," the central story arc takes a dramatic turn when a child arrives to warn that some survivors of a Goa'uld attack are determined to eliminate anyone who might host their enemy--which means Earth as a whole. There's great fun to be had in "1969," with a time-travel plot that loops many aspects of the show's story lines together, and the cliffhanger finale, "Out of Mind," has Jack experience an Aliens-style awakening 79 years into his future. --Paul Tonks« less
Tamara E. (DrTammyCraftyMath) from DOVER, PA Reviewed on 8/17/2020...
Love Stargate SG-1. I watched it when it first aired, then wound up only having a few channels at the new house. Finally got Comet, they showed it regularly, but now don't have comet, so got the series. My husband & kids love it too. Well done rarely boring. The only set of episodes I didn't particularly like were the Ori (I think around season 10), that set may have been it's downfall...
K. K. (GAMER) Reviewed on 6/14/2020...
Great Sci-Fi Alien entertainment and continuation from the Stargate Movie!
Movie Reviews
Finally...
Grant Ferley | Winnipeg, MB Canada | 06/02/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"SG-1 is crazy good, and Season 2 was arguably the best season so far. As with many TV adaptations, the sophomore year is when a series tends to truly expand its horizons from the original, and this is certainly true with Stargate SG-1. Season Two lays the groundwork for many of the key storylines of the series, so it is a must for any viewer. I've been awaiting this since the first box set, especially with the Region 2 DVD's being up to Season Four.I cannot stress to anyone enough who has not watched the TV series that it is superb. If you would have asked me over a year ago about SG-1, I would have dismissed it easily as a cheesy Made-In-Canada (don't fret, I'm Canadian) Sci-Fi series. True, a lot of that would have been from my bias from the movie, and that it starred Patty and Selma's hero MacGyver ;-), but after only seeing a few shows, I became quickly hooked. I was blown away by the unbelievable chemistry of the cast, the great story writing, and the quality of the special effects. We truly need more advocates for the series, as good TV is often hard to find. I'm about to preorder my copy now..."
A must have for all Stargate fans
qu0s | NSW, Australia | 06/03/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Although it has taken a long time for them to be released, these DVD's have definitely been worth the wait. Stargate SG-1 is one of the best sci-fi shows that has been around in years, taking an original and interesting premise (originally introduced in the Stargate movie, although expanded and changed a little) and weaving it into a detailed and complex storyline that continues to entertain.
The second season sees Stargate SG-1 really come into it's own, finding it's feet after a mostly hit-and-miss first year. Among other things, we see the introduction of some new characters (both good and bad) this season, which adds a whole new dimension to the show and sets up some brilliant story arcs. The mythology behind the Stargate is explored a little deeper as well, allowing for some interesting discoveries and character development.
Featuring such memorable episodes as The Serpent's Lair, A Matter Of Time, Holiday, 1969 and The Fifth Race, this is a collection that I will be re-watching and enjoying for a long time to come."
One of the best si-fi shows out there
Marky Mark | North Haberbrook Farm Road, WA | 05/14/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"For those of you (me) who missed it the first time around (on the si-fi channel), this series is a must have, it expands on the shoddy movie and takes the genera of science fiction to unprecedented levels of excellence. I just bought season one, and am drooling to have the other 11. :-) Cast your vote now so that those wonderful -cough- we've waited long enough -cough- MGM folks will realize their error and make this happen!"
A very happy day for SG-1 fans in the states!
Danny | Rock Springs, Wyoming United States | 10/03/2002
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Stargate SG-1 is one of the best sci-fi series ever created, perhaps even one of the best TV series *Period*. Yes I know it's a bold statement, but it has merit. Season 2 is where the series really starts to take off, and lay ground work for some of the series key storylines. (Thor's Chariot, The Tok'ra, The Fifth Race, etc.) Argueably one of the best seasons, Season 2 packs a startling number of high quality episodes into one short 22 episode season. Quality: 4
Almost all of the episodes are high quality, must see episodes, and those that are not are at the very least decent.Video: 3 1/2
Picture quality is great, Wide Screen, very little distortion.Sound: 4
Boasting Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround sound, these DVDs sound great. Crisp and life-like, the sound is superb.Packaging: 5
The Box Set comes with a very attractive and useable case, each DVD is seperatly boxed with all of the information you need on the episodes, and more.Special Features: 3
Perhaps the DVD's biggest weakness, is lack of special features. If Special features are what your in it for, this may not be the box set for you. All DVDs come with Promotional trailers, and 3 of 5 DVDs come with a special featurette on a cast member or Producer.Overall: A Solid 4
Lack of Special features keep this Box set from getting a perfect 5, other than that this set is very very good, and I reccomend it to ANY SG-1 fan, new or veteran to the series.I can't wait for season 3!!"
Finally, we get some answers!
qu0s | 06/24/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Stargate SG-1 has been among the highest rated and most viewed sci-fi shows on televison. On Showtime, on Sci-fi, or on some local channel like FOX, millions of viewers have tuned in each week to follow the adventures of sci-fi greatest heros. They're not great because they have advanced technology or they're futuristic. They're great, because they are ordinary and they exist now, and deal with today's problems. This is a convention that sci-fi fans have not seen properly utilized in a long time. In Stargate SG-1, the environments, the conflicts, are as new and exciting to the characters as they are to the audience. This fact, combined with great story telling, numerous extensive story arcs, and an awesome cast, provides for a powerful and original series.However, for people like me, who were unfortunate enough to get hooked on the series pretty late after the premier date (try a season and a half too late) many questions remain unanswered, especially on the several-episode-long story arcs. That's why owning these early seasons is so great. In a show where one episode like 'The Fifth Race' can make a huge difference in the rest of the series, being able to go back on my own time and see any missed episodes is the greatest thing since sliced bread and recording VCRs.Anyway, Season One may have introduced the characters, but Season Two is where most of the extended plot lines begin, such as the Tocrah. If you're like me and you missed a few, okay a lot, of the old episodes, this DVD pack is the ultimate place to catch up. And if you've never seen an episode, well then, I say buy the packs, sit back and enjoy the ride. I promise you won't regret it."