Lost City – a personal perspective, or why this was an unsatisfactory end to an unsatisfactory season.
By: Begonia
On Tuesday 9th march 2004 at 8:00 pm precisely I sat down to watch the second half of the final episode of Stargate SG1 Season 7. This time last year, I wrote a fairly scathing review about the Season 6 ender, Full Circle, and I was really hoping that this year would be different. But in reality it has been a good three years now since I sat down to watch a brand new episode with a sense of excitement and hope; a confidence that I would be entertained, stimulated, even intellectually challenged. In the last three years, more often than not, I have come away from a new episode with a creeping sense of disappointment, of let down – with the feeling that this could have been so much more but failed in some respect.
I’ve watched beautiful images on the screen, images that are often almost cinematic in quality – and remained unmoved by them. Because, as has been said many times before, in some cases by people more intimately connected with the production of this show than I will ever be…
"You can only fool an audience for a few minutes with special effects. It's the stories that make them stick around: Richard Dean Anderson, TV Guide July 26 2003
…and an earlier conversation recorded during the 4th season for a feature – ‘Stargate SG1 – Timeline to the future’ (a DVD special):
BW – ‘So it’s fair to ask, what is it about Stargate SG1 that makes it so popular and unique?
RDA – ‘well for one it feeds upon our fascination to explore the unknown and seek out life in other parts of the universe.’
BW – ‘What I love is, we’re not using spaceships to get there, we’re using the stargate’
RDA – ‘The human element is what’s important. It’s a great way to study ourselves, our society, all under the guise of science fiction’.
The more I think about it, the more I realise how very unsatisfied I am with this episode.
Let me count the ways…..
Villains.
Anubis was far far too easy to kill. And having gone to some pains to build him up as the big bad over the course of two years, they finish him off with a few glowing amoebas and an 'Oh Shit' moment... Even if certain rumours are to be believed that this episode does not in fact spell the end of Anubis, it was still anticlimactic. In short, a letdown. But then, I never really got the sense that he was a tremendous menace anyway. All season, the writers have been telling me about the terrible things he’s been doing out there among the system lords but have I actually seen any of it? Have the characters I care about personally experienced any of it? Nope. What happened to one of the most fundamental writers’ tenets of show, don’t tell?
Was ANYBODY actually surprised at the betrayal of the Jaffa? That was set up so clumsily and obviously I was just waiting for the other shoe to drop. It would have been MORE of a plot twist if he hadn't betrayed them. What real benefit did that entire five minute sequence bring to the plot? How did it further the story that was being told? Without this fight – excellent though it was for Bratac (one character that has remained consistent and a pleasure to watch) they would have had more time for other parts of the episode that felt rushed and too abrupt, and they wouldn't have had to use that ridiculous deus ex machina about Jack getting healing abilities. Didn't the programme makers learn their lesson with Super Sam and Super Jonas - now we've got to have Super Jack too? And what kind of sense does it make? We have been told that Jack’s brain is being overwritten by the data in the Ancient’s download – no mention has ever been made of his physiology adjusting to an Ancient’s pattern. Why would Jack have the healing abilities displayed by Iyana [Frozen, S6]. I hate to say it, but it actually makes more sense for Daniel to start manifesting physical abilities of this sort because he, at least, has a reason. He’s recently been poured into a brand new body by the Ancients themselves. They could have done anything with his physiology that they wanted – they could have put him back into an Ancient’s body, since that is the pattern they know best… but to suggest that Jack should suddenly manifest the healing abilities which as far as we know are peculiar to the Ancients’ physiology is frankly daft.
Wow, it was easy to dispatch those two supersoldiers wasn't it! It took, how long for them to stop being an insurmountable menace and become pointless cannon-fodder? They were introduced precisely half a season ago as the worst thing ever—just as five or six years ago the Jaffa were the worst thing ever. At least it took several years to diminish the threat of the Jaffa – we managed to find a way of rendering the new ‘supersoldiers’ impotent in six months. Guess they weren’t so super after all, huh?
Kinsey. One of the reasons he was so hateable was that he was a believable menace. Of course all self-serving, manipulating, power hungry baddies are craven cowards underneath. What else would they be? Well, let’s try intelligent. In this episode Kinsey was written as a fool and a buffoon who could not understand the realities of the situation he found himself in. Anyone who had managed to avoid a follow up assassination by the rogue NID and who had manipulated himself into the position of Vice President is NOT going to be so stupid as to throw a temper tantrum all over the SGC when the gate is activated and there is no prospect of dialling out. He is going to understand what is happening, not whine and bitch that he isn’t getting what he wants. No person who has managed to remain a threat to the members of SG1 for nearly the entire span of time that the team has been established is going to mouth off to the President in the middle of a crisis, simply out of spite because he hates the people who are the best prospect for saving the planet yet again! Of course not! Kinsey is smart enough to know that if Earth goes down, he will go down with it. He is smart enough to know that SG1 have saved the planet countless times before and that if they have a last minute plan it is entirely better to let them carry it out, remove the immediate threat and then go back to quietly removing their power later. Kinsey isn’t so stupid that his desire to remove SG1 blinds him to the bigger picture. He wants power. He has a sense of divine entitlement to power. He can’t achieve power if he gets enslaved or barbecued. In ‘normal’ situations SG1 may well stand in the way of him achieving such power, but in these special circumstances surely he is intelligent enough to know darn well that they are probably his only realistic prospect of long term survival. So what does he do? Loses his head, mouths off to the president of the United States, threatens the new leader of the SGC and flounces off. And in portraying him in this way, the writers have turned Kinsey from a credible threat into a cartoon who represents no menace or danger at all. He is just a buffoon who is easily discounted. He didn't advance the plot, he didn't do anything except distract from what was really going on. A waste of a good baddie, and a massive cliché…. Why did he need to be in the episode at all?
The ‘Cool’ effects.
Let’s examine the aerial battles. Beautiful special effects – beautiful. Pity the first clash between the two sides looked ‘exactly’ like the first clash between the Rebel Alliance and the Empire on Hoth in The Empire Strikes Back. What was it that Martin Wood and Michael Shanks said about homages during their audio commentary for the ‘Homecoming and Fallen’ DVDs?
Michael Shanks : - “One of the best things that our show does sometimes is it – instead of trying to mask the clichés and the rip offs and what not, it actually hangs a lantern on them and says we know, which is actually in a way, if you’re an audience member – don’t try and fool me, don’t insult my intelligence, actually point it out and then just get on with it.”
Uhuh, sorry guys. It works a couple of times. But so far in the last two seasons I have lost count of the number of ‘homages’ that have cropped up. It’s gone too far, way, way too far. It now looks like a creative team desperately searching around for inspiration because they can’t come up with anything original of their own.
The Prometheus and the move towards a ‘Star Trek’ Universe.
I’m not the only one who thinks this…
Michael Shanks: - “The other thing with space battles too – and someone will roast me for saying this – it’s so not really our show… it kind of becomes a little bit too almost Star Trek or even Star Wars. It’s not really where our strength lies.”
Martin Wood:- “Season 7 has spent a lot of time in space.”
Hammond is great, but he ain't no Jim Kirk and the Prometheus ain't no Enterprise! [for a start, it has got to be THE ugliest ship in space!] I find that in comparison with Star Trek shows (which do space battles really well) when Stargate tries to do space battles, it really isn't all that convincing. It really isn't their strong point, and its nothing to do with the special effects which they produce, some of which are eye popping - but after a lifetime of watching amazing effects that just isn't enough for me anymore. Looking at the really effective space battles in both film and television over the years, it seems to me that what tends to be missing in the Stargate SG1 renditions is a sense of personal jeopardy for the participants. An illustration of this would be the final few moments of FailSafe where one got no sense at all that anything momentous or dangerous was happening inside the cargo ship. One got no sense that the engines were in imminent danger of overloading, there was no sense of movement, no physical suggestion of mortal peril at all. It may be a terrible cliché to have tilting sets and exploding consoles the way that Star Trek and Star Wars do – but they are there for a reason, and that reason is dramatic and it makes sense because without it the scene is sterile and unexciting.
Even if these scenes were executed as well as in other series more geared towards them, the special effects alone are not enough because it is not what Stargate SG1 was ever about for me. It is not what attracted me to the show, and it is not what will keep me watching in the future – if anything does.
Here is a comment made by a chap called J Michael Straczynski. You might remember him; wrote a little thing called Babylon 5.
…it seems very clear that the element most emblematic of science fiction at its very best… is the sense of wonder. Ancient monuments that tower thousands of feet above you, mysterious secrets revealed at terrible price; great fleets of starships riding fire, passing overhead en route to distant suns; aliens whose thoughts are as akin to our own as the spider.
The sense of wonder. That is precisely the thing that attracted me to the once-unique format of Stargate SG1. In its early days, it possessed this in abundance. It was this sense of wonder about the show that set it apart from most other science fiction shows – just like Babylon 5, which at its best was a stunning distillation of the elements of mythology and legend which are capable of speaking to some instinct deep inside us.
In his article, written for a Babylon 5 companion book, Straczynski goes on to say…
Every day it becomes more apparent that the American culture is slowly dying. Not the American corporations, or the economy, or the institutions per se… the culture. The myths that form the underpinnings of our society. Every generation is like the street beggar in the Aladdin stories, calling out ‘New lamps for old.’ For centuries we have regularly traded in our old myths for new ones, reinvented and reinterpreted them. We listen for the voice that is ancient in us, and recast our core myths in more contemporary clothing, to better understand them and ourselves. Providing these myths is the responsibility and the obligation of the storyteller…… The myth-maker points to the past but speaks in the voice of future history; it is the collective voice of our ancestors, speaking through us, giving us a sense of continuity and destiny; it makes connections between those who have preceded us and those who will follow us. If those myths are absent, we are cut adrift in a sea of pointless entertainments intended primarily to divert us from our own lives.
The proliferation of soap operas and mindless reality TV shows over the last few decades really proves his point, I feel. The last thing I want to see Stargate SG1 become is another clone, another action-adventure show more about the guns and the battles and the cool explosions than this sense of wonder; this sense of something bigger and grander than ourselves, something we can connect into.
The uneven use of the characters.
The first twenty minutes of the second part was superb in may ways. Everyone had something to do which suited their various fields of expertise, everyone contributed to the momentum of the plotline, everyone interacted with everyone else and for those few minutes – it felt like Stargate all over again. So, what went wrong?
The fact that Jack did everything in the latter half of this episode while the others just stood around gawping at him, and occasionally making what they presumably hoped was an intelligent remark was just annoying - he didn't need them, any of them. He needed a taxi service and that was about it. Maybe it's great if you're the star of the show and you can suddenly develop encyclopaedic knowledge AND the ancient's healing ability like magic while everyone else just hovers in the back ground, and occasionally steps in to emote, but frankly, it makes for a poor story. It makes for chronic under-use of your other characters while the star of the show gets to be heroic and save the world again.
And yet again, I have to mention the fact, which the writers of the show seem determined to forget... that Daniel just got back from being an ascended Ancient! They were looking for a lost city of the Ancients...... surely the writers could have found a way for him to be more proactive and more, well, useful. Frankly, apart from translating a few words, most of which we already knew from Fifth Race, Daniel might as well not have been there at all. He demonstrated his usual ability to make intuitive leaps no one else can make when he worked out the significance of the crossword but really it wasn't that much of a contribution for an entire episode about the Ancients - to which he has more of a connection than anyone else! My wish that he had simply stayed ascended and kept out of all this grows stronger and stronger with every episode like this. If they can't build on one of the strongest character backgrounds they've developed over seven years, why bother at all? We have a character who spent a year as a cosmically powerful energy being in the company of other energy beings some of whom are millions of years old. Why is he back? Is it part of some grander scheme? Are these beings really as aloof and uncaring as they seem to simple human perspectives or are they actually concerned for the long term destiny of human-kind but have such a different point of view that humans simply perceive them as uncaring?
Now we are back to the ‘sense of wonder’ versus the ‘manifest destiny of humankind’. In the early seasons we had the sense of wonder, and the sense that humans were very small and very insignificant in the grand scheme of things. Then we found out that the Ancients were just very old humans who all got done by a plague virus. We found out the Asgaard used to be like humans and humanity might be their one chance of survival as a race. Fortunately we haven’t found out anything more about the Nox or the Furlings to diminish their status as older and wiser races – but our sense of wonder has been diminished – we’re just like them. We’ll be equal to them once we get big enough guns. Yeah, sure.
I think that's the problem. It's all just too darn easy these days. There is no real suspense, no real jeopardy. This show isn't prepared to take real chances with their ongoing storylines and because of that, there is no real tension, because you KNOW the good guys are going to find the lost city in time. They didn't in the end reveal the stargate to the people of earth and change the whole nature of the show - it was just another, oh, it's a meteor shower, and we dealt with it. You can take incredulity too far, methinks. No risk taking. No real changes. Keep the status quo.
The absolute worst thing about ‘Lost City’
There has recently been a thread on Our Stargate entitled ‘can one moment ruin an entire show?’. The almost unanimous consensus appears to be a resounding ‘yes’. For me, I know this to be true, and I find it tragic that, looking back on this double episode, this culmination of seven years of work by this cast and crew, what I will remember most is not the visual treat, the adventure or any of the other good points in this hour and a half of television, but the final fifteen seconds. A final fifteen seconds which managed to ruin an entire double episode for me to the point where I am seriously thinking of not bothering to tune in for the next season. Those final few moments which resurrected the Jack/Sam ‘ship’ which should have been killed off for good and all half a season ago (should in fact never have been allowed to become such an issue at all) and rammed it down our throats with all the subtlety of a rabid wolf. Those final few moments when a heart-broken Sam steps up and places her hand against the barrier separating her and Jack, who appears to be staring back at her. Those final few moments when Daniel and Teal’c faded away into the background yet again, relegated to the two sidekicks of the brave Colonel and his ‘girl’; the ‘all important’ relationship which has turned a team of four into a pairing of two plus two hangers on.
It could have been Teal'c, returning an earlier gesture of friendship and loyalty… but it wasn't.
It could have been Daniel, saying a goodbye or making a silent promise to find a way to get Jack out of this… but it wasn't.
Both of them were standing nearer to the booth than Sam was… before she stepped in front of them.
It could have been all three of them, together, demonstrating their solidarity as a team, but it wasn't. Yes, yet again we had to end on close up shots of Sammie's Doe eyes. In the same way that in Evolution, Daniel's storyline is eclipsed by Sam's storyline, and she gets the 'bonding moment' at the end and he doesn’t. And in Heroes, Sam gets the 'bonding moment' with Jack and Daniel doesn't. And in Chimera, Sam's romance completely overshadows what is supposed to be the main plot of Osiris looking for the Lost City in Daniel's head. For the last six months watching these shows I have been seeing Sam Sam Sam Sam Sam.
Worse, I have been watching Sam (a woman I once admired as a modern role model) almost completely defined by her femininity and her various relationships. And I must admit that after so much exposure to them this year I am getting heartily sick of the loving, lingering close-ups on those big blue eyes looking variously astounded, amazed, and sad. It's always the same expression for a start and the camera always stays on it for long enough to make it obvious that, as Peter DeLouise has said in more than one commentary, the directors think that 'she's the one to go to for the reaction shots'.
I really do think they've overplayed their hand this year, and it's been at the expense of the other characters – to an even greater extent than it was before. Potential storylines that I personally would have found far more interesting and stimulating have been rejected in favour of yet more space opera fare. Chris Judge normally has to write himself a decent part in an episode. Janet, the only other strong female role on the show, was summarily killed off. General Hammond will shortly be leaving the show. The guest stars, playing characters that aren’t even likely to return for more episodes, have had more airtime than ever before at the expense of the established characters (except for Sam). Daniel's character really has not developed at all since he came back. He's a placeholder now. They go to him for the exposition that they can't give Sam and they keep Michael Shanks (presumably) happy with the occasional 'big acting scene'. But I've learned absolutely nothing more about him this year than I knew at the moment he descended. I don't know what happened, if it was by choice, if it was a punishment, how he's been dealing with not knowing, how he might deal with finding out..... I don't know anything. And Teal'c. If you discount the episode he wrote himself, and a few excellent lines in Chimera, 50% of his entire dialogue has consisted of the word 'Indeed'. It's gone beyond a joke into serious self-parody.
A couple of other comments from ‘Timeline to the future’, recorded three years ago now….
Brad Wright: - Clearly a huge part of the appeal of Stargate SG1 is the action and the special effects of the show but I think all of that would be meaningless if it wasn’t for the strong ensemble cast that we have.
Amanda Tapping: - … So I talked to the writers about it……. Why can’t she just be a member of this team without constantly raising the flag that she’s a woman?
Brad Wright:- (on Sam Carter) When Jonathan and I were first conceiving her character, I was concerned, and arguably so, that we were creating a superwoman…. She was perfect. She had a lot of those attributes that make a character ring false if it’s not portrayed correctly.
My, how time does change things…
I think that some of the choices that the writers and other show runners have made, dramatically, this year have been execrable, and I must admit that it has caused me to move more and more towards the 'anti-ship' side of things. Since Grace, there has been a big purple elephant in the room and I can't ignore it. I wish I could, but it's there and I see it and every now and then it waves its trunk and flaps its ears at me.
In the last fifteen seconds of Lost City Part II it was rearing up on its hind legs and trumpeting loudly.
Over-reaction? Possibly. It may be a reaction to the shows increasing tendency to intercut two barely related plotlines – something that very rarely happened in those early seasons which I remember so fondly. Perhaps it is just this change in presentational style which has coloured my perceptions of the quality of the show. Perhaps I just don’t get on with it as well as I did a single linear narrative.
I watched Maternal Instinct again this morning. I must have seen it fifty times in the last five years. I still sat entranced, was emotionally moved by it, loved the characterisations and the flow of the plot and the feel of the story. Nothing - NOTHING I have seen in the last two seasons (with the possible exceptions of Changeling, Orpheus and oddly, Inauguration) have stood up to comparison with an episode like this one. Which is why I continue to be negative about the present show. I don't see why we should accept less when we know just what sheer quality they can produce or could produce if only they had the motivation.
I am a Daniel Jackson fan. I have always been a Daniel Jackson fan. That was never all I was, but I never apologized (and never will) for loving the Daniel character.
I was an SG1 fan first and foremost. I bought into the team as family concept and the ideal that four diverse people, one of whom happened to be a woman, could be fast and loyal friends without any other encumbrances. I believed that, I wrote over 100 stories about it, I loved it.
Until they killed the team I knew, showing bare shadows of what I once believed the team was all about. Until they decided having the team member who just happened to be a woman fall in love with one of our family members who was also her boss was a good idea. Until they drove the wedge of sexual love into the mix of comraderie and devotion that once defined the team. Until that wedge became a sledgehammer that divided the team into the haves (special love not on the same level as the others) and the have nots (the other members of the team who clearly still feel the same way, but are diminished for the sake of the 'special' relationship). Until that wedge became a dirty little secret that can never be spoken aloud but lingers like the odor of ten day old mastadge dung, causing our once nearly perfect heroes to reek of dishonesty and indiscretion.
They can't put the secret back in the box. They did it once after D&C, but they let it back out again too many times. The team is dead, long live Daniel Jackson.
I am a Daniel fan. That's all I am, thanks to PTB. I am the embodiment of that self-fulfilling appelation uttered by Brad Wright a few years ago. I am the Daniel fan you made me, PTB. And, except for the deepening regret for the team we've lost, I'm not one bit sorry to say so.
Are you a Daniel Jackson fan without guilt? Join us on Our Stargate and sound off.
By: Celtic Angel
The following are just my thoughts on Meridian and the journey of Daniel's ascension. These are just my opinions, of course, but as I look around at various discussions I find my thoughts very similar to other fans in some respects, and completely different in others. Major ER spoilers concerning Mark Green, Luca, and Carter also included here.
_________________________________________________________________
Never in the history of Stargate has there been an episode more controversial than Meridian. Setting aside the politics of whether or not the episode should have ever happened, or whether or not SG-1 is whole without Daniel Jackson, many of us still feel the need to examine our young hero’s farewell, time as an ascended being, and his return to his corporeal form. How did such an adventurous, somewhat successful journey become such a controversial, unsatisfying disappointment to those who love him most?
It nearly goes without saying that most fans would feel that Daniel should have never left in the first place. A farewell scene for Daniel Jackson should have never been written. But it did happen, and that part of Daniel’s journey seemed to be quite successful in hindsight. As viewers we know that Daniel had been through a lot in his fairly short life, and it is conceivable that he reached a point where he just really didn’t understand his purpose anymore. He felt like a failure, which is incredibly devastating for someone who has such an enormous capacity for empathy and a need to help mankind.
When Daniel is fatally injured Oma DeSala offers him a chance to survive and do something more with his life. He’s reluctant because he’s not sure he deserves ascension. He truly does not see what he has done to gain this opportunity. Oma allows him to ascend regardless as a means of saving him. We learn in Abyss that he is really enjoying his ethereal life style. He is still fascinated by the discovery of this new existence and by the universe itself. But it is also in Abyss that Daniel begins to learn the downside of his ascension. He can no longer help people. From this point on, he questions what kind of a higher being could stand by and allow these things to happen. Each time he is not allowed to intercede as his friends are suffering he becomes more uncertain that this new path is right for him. Finally, as a result of his effort to save Abydos he is cast out of his higher existence as an Ascended or Ancient, his memories erased, and eventually is returned to his friends, where he learns there really is no place like home. His life is important, and what he was doing on earth did matter on both a personal and a universal scale. One would assume that if the Ancients—Oma DeSala in particular—felt Daniel was this vital to the universe that they would invest this time in such a valuable lesson—we can expect greater deeds from Daniel in the future.
Quite a grand adventure indeed—an amazing journey of self-discovery and universal exploration—the stage of the classic hero’s journey, in which a supernatural guide shows him his potential. So what happened? For me the problem has always been in the execution. To begin with if Daniel needed this sort of life lesson, and apparently it was very beneficial, then why did he have to leave the series to learn this? Daniel’s journey has always been one of discovery and learning and this could have been just another stage in that journey. The ideas were all there; they just weren’t fully realized. What could have served as a potential storyline to boost Daniel’s moral, may have done the same for Michael Shanks, who was feeling a bit too much like wallpaper by the end of season five.
But Daniel did leave and examining the execution even closer there is a huge problem in Meridian from the beginning. There was no need to introduce a new character and take away from valuable story time for the departing character. The Stargate writers would have been far better off following the example of another top rated series ER. The night before Meridian aired for the first time in the US we were given Dr. Mark Green’s final performance. The entire episode was dedicated exclusively to the character, centering only on he, his wife and daughters, and the quality of his life. No additional cast members were present, and his death was poignant. I was reminded of this after watching recent episode of the medical drama that once again dealt with a cast member leaving.
We were told Luca was dead, and we are given a beautiful episode dedicated to his last days, and his commitment to his work, his God, and how he, a very scarred and tortured character, finds himself and his faith in a higher being, before he was to die. We see his friend—and for those who watch the show we know it's been an up and down friendship—also find himself, as Carter who has quite nearly grown up on the show, seeks the truth of Luca's death and goes on a mission to bring his body home. Then there is a complete turnaround with a surprising twist, as the farewell is actually Carter's and Luca survives. But we see two characters, who were often at odds, heal themselves, renew their commitment to life, and their dedication to their friendship. We get a farewell hug, and even a platonic kiss. And they were the only ER characters in the entire episode.
Their friendship had never been as intense as that between Jack and Daniel. And darn if I wasn't left wanting to see them together again.
Meridian should have been dedicated to Daniel’s life. And though I myself would have liked to see a more emotional scene between Jack and Daniel, I accept that they really didn’t need to talk about their true feelings for each other. They did say what needed to be said, though I could think of plenty of things we as an audience would like to hear from them for ourselves. Comparing Jack and Daniel’s final scenes to those of Luca and Carter, we actually have the actors together far more, and say much more to each other in Stargate than the ER doctors did, yet “The Lost” seemed even more poignant than “Meridian.”
The key was again in the execution. ER chose to concentrate on Luca and Carter’s journey of self-discovery, while torturing us with which character is actually going to leave the series. Luca reaffirms his devastating life so he can return to the states, Carter finds himself in the Congo—the spoiled rich kid decides to devote his life to the needs of others. An incredibly defining episode for both men. Several months later, Carter returns in another brilliant episode demonstrating his experiences. His character is now a transformed man who's released his burdens, fallen in love and is expecting a child.
Meridian tried too hard to sell us a new character, when we should have been given more of Daniel and a celebration of what he had done with his life. Flashbacks could have been utilized complementing some of the more emotional aspects. We are tempted with an absolutely beautiful scene where Jack sits with Daniel as he lay dying; the devastation and the loss clear on his face. But rather than hear Jack’s thoughts, use flashbacks, or possibly even see “flashbacks” filmed specifically for this episode, as in Threshold, the poignant moment is interrupted by Jonas and Hammond. I’ll indulge myself and say that had I written Meridian, Jack’s defense of Daniel’s reputation, as wonderful as that was, would have waited until the next episode. Anything to deal with anyone else but Jack and Daniel, and possibly Sam and Teal’c would have waited.
One of the more touching scenes for me was the almost childlike manner Daniel used to share all the bad things that were going to happen to him with Jack. The horrible truth tumbled out as though he wanted to explain something exciting. Usually we only see Daniel breakdown or worry over others. He remains almost stoic in regards to himself, yet he desperately needed to voice his fear, and he knew that telling Jack was going to help in some small way. Daniel is an incredibly strong character, but he and Jack have a way of sharing and supporting each other because they are secure in their belief of each other's empathy and love. Throughout this episode Jack offers Daniel his strength by not falling apart. He knows Daniel’s fear and pain. Daniel knows he understands and knows that Jack would do anything possible for him, and even tries to convince Jack that he shouldn’t, because he believes he is no different than anyone else. The look on Jack’s face speaks volumes, and Daniel hears him loud and clear. He is more important to Jack, and if Jack gets the opportunity he will use whatever alien technology he can to save Daniel.
When Jack tells Daniel he’s been a tremendous pain in the ass, there’s an unspoken understanding, a long-term affection, behind that statement. Daniel knows and enjoys the fact that he’s a pain in Jack’s life. Because despite what a pain he has been, Jack continued to accept, love, and protect Daniel unconditionally—as Daniel has Jack—because he was worth it. Their feelings for each other have always been strong, and have never needed to be voiced. Their relationship is both tacit and tactile, the spoken word having little meaning between two men who communicated almost telepathically. Jack did want to make sure that Daniel knew he admired and respected him, but his love was never in question.
The scene at the end where Daniel leaves is very difficult. Jack is a bit taken off guard. He’s not sure that Daniel standing there looking so desperate could possibly be real. He tests the waters with his quiet, almost fatherly, “Daniel, did you want something?” He questions whether Daniel is giving up, he sees the desperation and the need Daniel has to move on, and he bravely lets him go. And again, in an almost fatherly manner, he watches Daniel as he leaves, his eyes misty, a brave smile—until Daniel is gone—and then his heart breaks, and Jack O’Neill closes himself off for good. All the fear, all the worry, the pain he tried to hide from overwhelms him. Everything Daniel saved him from in the past is thrown back in his face. He just shuts down, and Daniel will be the last person he ever lets into his life.
Revelations gives us Jack O’Neill who is very closed off from everyone and alone in his grief. He refuses to talk to Carter because he could not bear to. It would not take much to completely undo his sanity and stoicism, and right now he is quite content in his grief because that is all he had left. There is no Daniel and no Skaara to bring him around again. And even if there were they would not have stood a chance. Daniel and Skaara were able to get through to Jack the first time because they had no idea they were doing it. They caught Jack off guard as they innocently stumbled into his path and then dared to care about him. They got to Jack through the gaping hole in his heart because they needed his help and his protection as much as he needed to give it and prove to himself that he was still capable of offering it. This time Jack would not make that mistake. Jack’s grief, his withdrawal into himself through season six, was truly in character with Jack O'Neil of the orginal movie, but unfortunately for some it made him appear too callous and unconcerned. I would not have accepted a Jack who acted any other way.
With Abyss we finally see Jack come around a bit. Once he meets Daniel again, and he can accept that his friend is all right and not just an illusion, he is able to get his act together somewhat. There is still a big hole in his heart, but at least he knows Daniel is okay; he is just continuing on his own path and finding out who he is and what he can do for mankind. Jack may not agree with Daniel’s career choice, but the important thing is, Daniel is happy for the moment. They clash again over Daniel’s chosen path when they meet in Full Circle. Jack pushes Daniel to interfere, because he knows Daniel better than anyone else, and he knows Daniel won’t be able to live with himself if he doesn’t help. He was right, but I wanted to see a Jack that worried over what happened to Daniel after Full Circle. I as a viewer really needed to see how the loss of both Daniel and Skaara affected the man who saves our universe on a regular basis. It wasn’t enough for me to remember the anguish Jack felt four years earlier when he was forced to choose between Daniel and Skaara, only to turn around and sacrifice Daniel. I wanted to see him actually deal with the buried grief of continually losing someone so close to him.
Again, execution problems are coming into play throughout Daniel’s ascension. We as the audience should have been able to witness more of his conflict and dilemma as well. We should have seen what happened to him when the Ancients intervened. We should have seen discussions between he and Oma. It would have been wonderful to see Daniel come to the realization that he wanted to return to his life and do what he could. It may have played out like It’s a Wonderful Life, but since Stargate is in the business of homage….
Even though none of this happened it would have still been nice to have had Fallen as a two hour special in it’s own right. Once again the ball is dropped on Daniel’s journey. And actually it would have been even more appropriate to see them help him remember and come to the conclusion that he belonged with Jack and his team, saving the universe. All of this could have been handled with a series of clips from earlier shows and a few heart to heart conversations. I wanted to see Jack convince Daniel that his life had been worth returning to and that he was a decent human being he was proud to call his friend.
Daniel went through the most phenomenal period of growth and exploration in his entire life. An absolutely incredible journey—and we only saw tiny glimpses. Time that could have been spent showing us what he did, how he felt, and how his friends helped him reclaim his life—time that should have been devoted to the character whose journey has driven the Stargate saga—was used to blow things up, chase after the single worst villain in sci-fi history, and give a fonder farewell to the controversial character whose introduction robbed the audience of a more appropriate departure for Daniel a year earlier.
Stargate started as a high quality, character driven show that captured our imaginations with its stories of our tragically scarred heroes’ journeys and the magnificent universe we live in. It was full of possibilities and wonder. It dealt with levels of human emotion and story lines that were Emmy quality. The actors weren’t afraid to really show they could act, and certainly had no fear of physical contact and overt platonic love for each other. Somewhere between the third and fourth season, things started to change. The characters grew more distant; there was less physical contact and obvious caring, that quite honestly made it hard to always remember these people were friends. Oh, it would show up occasionally, but it has never regained the level it once did. Sometimes the series is just left lacking and the audience going—hey, a hug wouldn’t have been inappropriate there.
There have been a variety of suggestions thrown about as to what happened particularly between the characters of Jack and Daniel. Some blame the forced relationship between Jack and Sam for driving a wedge between their friendship. It would appear that the new producers in season four wanted to take the emphasis off of Daniel and place it with Sam, while substituting character driven storytelling with explosions and mindless action. Others blame the actors themselves. They worry that the slash fiction phenomena has affected the two main actors ability to give us the close portrayal they once did for fear of being seen in a more than platonic or family situation. It’s an age-old genre, but the Internet has brought it to the forefront. Some fans are concerned with Jack and Sam being so close because it is clearly against military regulations. The Air Force appears to have some influence in Stargate, which has proven to be great publicity for their branch of service. Could the strict military regulations, fraternization rules, or even the “Don’t ask, Don’t tell” rule also have had an influence on the Jack and Daniel relationship? Not only might the military be opposed to Jack and Sam, but Jack and Daniel as well. Is the forced and unrequited ship of season seven a clear message that "feelings" should be suppressed, processed and tossed away? Is the distancing of Jack and Daniel's obvious affection and familial relationship an effort to prove an Air Force Colonel must not fraternize or get to close to his men, either as friends or lovers? But such thoughts lead us into areas of useless speculation that we as viewers should never have to approach.
Regardless of where the deficiencies lie, whether they are with the producers who come from a shoot ‘em up animation background and prefer to write for Sam, whom they don’t seem to understand; the actors’ personal concerns; or the military guidelines, I think all fans would agree that we just don’t care. We just want Stargate back the way it used to be. Forget the personal choices, forget whatever reasons caused any character dynamics to be lessened or strengthened, and give us back a Jack who’s not afraid to hold a teammate, or hug a friend, and a Daniel who will be hugged. This is fiction, folks. Nobody’s going to care about the reality or worries behind screen unless it interferes with what we get onscreen. And it has interfered.
There does seem to be a little improvement this season with Martin Wood and Peter DeLuise now also donning producer hats, be we have a long way to go, until we have Jack and Daniel hugging again, Daniel’s story given full consideration rather than time wasted on blowing things up or sharing it with a departing character, or the team working more closely together. I have hope that once the production staff understands how to work around a schedule as tight as RDA’s that we will see even more progress, but that remains only a loosely founded hope.
So was ascension a good thing for Daniel Jackson? It certainly gave him a chance to discover his value as a human being. Hopefully it helped him understand what he had already done for the universe. We know he now feels as though he belongs. Too bad we didn’t get to see more of his incredible journey.
______________
Discuss your thoughts on this editorial at Our Stargate Forum.
Where Has the Jack and Daniel Friendship Disappeared To?
By: Dani347
Once upon a time, there was a show called Stargate SG1. On this show, a team of 4 people explored the universe and protected earth from the evil Goa’uld. The team consisted of Colonel Jack O’Neill, Captain (now Major) Samantha Carter, Dr. Daniel Jackson, and Teal’c. Besides being a team, these people were friends. You could even call them family. The dynamic among all 4 of them was special, and you could find distinctions between pairings of the team as well. Jack and Teal’c: fellow warriors, brothers in arms. Jack and Sam: A CO and his 2IC, two people who dedicated their lives to the military. Daniel and Teal’c: A friendship that was interesting and poignant perhaps because it happened despite there being reasons for them to be bitter enemies. Daniel and Sam: A playful relationship, with a sharing of intellectual wonder.
And, then, there was Jack and Daniel. For many, certainly me, this was the relationship that was an essential part of the show. First, these were the only two characters who were in the original Stargate movie. But you didn’t need to see the movie to appreciate the something special between the Jack and Daniel on the show. I've only recently seen the movie. Jack and Daniel couldn’t have been more different, but they had the most satisfying friendship of two men that I’ve seen on television in a long time. You could define it in many ways. Sometimes Jack acted fatherly, protecting his younger friend. In The Fifth Race, Daniel got to take over duties as the one to ‘protect’ Jack. Many times, there was an older brother/little brother feel to their friendship. The banter, the sense that they could annoy the hell out of each other, and yet still care for each other. There were serious fights between them. And, most satisfying, maybe because it’s so rare on television between two men, there were signs of deep, abiding love. I don’t mean this in a romantic/sexual way. These were two friends who weren’t afraid to show they loved each other. Many people bring up the storage room scene in Need, and for good reason. Daniel’s defenses were down, he was sobbing. It could have been easy to show Jack standing uncomfortably, too macho to do anything. Or, they could have had him awkwardly pat Daniel on the back. Instead, he held Daniel, rocked him, stroked the back of his head.
Unfortunately, this special relationship between these men, who have gone through so much together seems to be gone completely now. I won’t go into the rifts before Season 7. I had thought that with the return of Michael Shanks as Daniel, any problems from before could be forgotten and we could start as strong or stronger. The first episodes of the season weren’t up to par with the glory days of their friendship, but they gave me a sense of hope. I knew they had to compensate for Richard Dean Anderson cutting back his hours. I knew we wouldn’t have time for much interaction between Jack and Daniel. And, yet, they gave us lovely banter between them in Enemy Mine. Jack was only in the episode in the beginning, and yet, I think of it as a great friendship episode for them. Lifeboat also showed Jack being concerned for Daniel, opting to wait with him as he was playing unwilling host two 12 souls, even though there was nothing he could do; even though he was separated by a window.
Move ahead to Evolution 2. This episode is one that will go down as one of the most disappointing for me in Stargate history. It ranks up there with the last episode of Quantum Leap or the episode where Sam Seaborn left The West Wing. I still feel the anger, the disappointment, just thinking of these episodes. I feel the same emotions thinking about Evolution 2. In part 1, Daniel and Dr. Lee were captured and held hostage in South America.
I waited with excitement for part 2. Surely Jack would come in with canons blazing to rescue them. And, if there were any justice, we’d see him comfort his friend. Apparently, there is no justice in the Stargate world. Sure, he rescued them. But there was no comfort. And, what was probably most infuriating was that there should have been. I’m always up for scenes of friendship between Jack and Daniel, but I don’t feel that one is essential in every episode. But, in Evolution 2, Daniel was in shock. Only seconds before, one of his captors had threatened to skin him alive. When Jack got to him, he could barely recognize Jack. This was a time where there should have been a scene where Jack asked if Daniel was okay. Where he gave Daniel a hug. Instead, it was written so that Jack barely had time to jar Daniel out of his shock before they were in imminent danger. And, after that was over, the scene cut immediately to Sam, Teal’c, and Jacob. The moment was gone. It might have been salvaged later by showing Jack visiting Daniel in the infirmary as he recuperated. Instead, they allow all that to "happen off screen." There is no final moment between the two of them.
Evolution 2 signaled the end of the Jack and Daniel friendship. Now, their fans get excited if they’re simply in the same scene together. If they touch briefly, this is cause for celebration, as if it were on the level of the hug in Need. Why? Because any such moments are now so rare. I have to say that I don’t feel that I should be grateful for things that should be a natural part of episodes, especially when this is the full extent of the Jack and Daniel dynamic.
Heroes 2 was another example where I felt there should have been a moment between Jack and Daniel as they grieved over the death of Janet Fraser. Not only wasn’t there one, but there was no scene between Daniel and any of his teammates. It’s been theorized that Daniel chose isolation, because he wanted to grieve alone. Why couldn’t they still have shown Jack asking about Daniel, knowing that he was with Janet at the moment of her death? Why not have Daniel check on his wounded friend? It would have been so easy to have Jack try to talk to him and have Daniel brush him off and spend the rest of time by himself. Or, show them standing together at the end of the episode? Exactly how much did they have to drum in Daniel’s need to be alone, especially when we saw him check on another wounded soldier?
One reason people have speculated on as to why the friendship seems to have vanished is to emphasize the ‘ship between Jack and Sam. It’s hard not to buy into that theory when, in Evolution 2, although there was no time to show Jack comforting his distraught friend, there was time to give him a scene alone with Sam at the end of the episode. There was also the episode Death Knell, where Jack rescued Sam, and we got to see him offer comfort to his distraught teammate. My question is, why was it ok to show that, but not to show a scene like that for Daniel in a similar situation. There are also other reasons that delve into how TPTB feel about the actors. I can’t speak for them, although I also can’t help seeing conspiracies everywhere.
I should say that although I’m a definite anti-Jack and Sam shipper, I don’t begrudge all signs of caring between them. Skipping over the whole ship argument, I object when these signs happen, and Jack/Daniel fans are left wanting. I also don’t need to see Jack and Daniel weeping on each others shoulders in every episode. Jack would certainly laugh at that notion. But it is upsetting when there is nothing close to what should have been in Evolution 2. Or Heroes 2. It’s upsetting when seeing them talk to each other is considered banter. I also know that this isn’t the Jack and Daniel show. But, in the early seasons of the show, especially Season 2, there was no lack of moments between Jack and Daniel, going through the range of their relationship. And, there was also no lack of the team. There was no need to sacrifice one for other. There shouldn’t be now.
Stopping the Jack/Daniel friendship in its tracks has done more than just deprive fans of one of the most compelling relationships on television. It has affected my enjoyment of the show overall. When I see Jack and Sam showing they care, not only am I wondering if I’m supposed to see ship, but I can’t help but feel that the chances of a similar scene between Jack and Daniel are less than slim to none. Whether this is fair or not, it makes me resent Sam and Jack. When I see Jack and Teal’c show affection, this means I can’t blame it all on the ship. I have to start believing there no matter what, TPTB just don’t want there to be a friendship between Jack and Daniel. And, it’s a shame.
**** Discuss this editorial at Our Stargate.
By: Carole
"No man is an island, entire of itself. Every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main." (John Donne)
In the case of Jack, Daniel, Sam and Teal'c, their "main" is SG1, the SGC, the USAF, Earth. The strengths of each enhance the ability of the whole; the weaknesses of each are negated by the others' strengths. This element of complementarity is highlighted especially well in episodes such as Solitudes. Jack, although injured, remains very much the leader, motivating Sam to continue her quest to save them from the ice. Sam, frustrated with her inability to get the DHD working, nevertheless perseveres, trying everything she can to ensure their safety. And Daniel is dogged in his determination to find his missing friends, refusing to give up even after Hammond has stood down the search teams. Supported in his search by the stoic Teal'c, Daniel's brilliant mind makes the connection between an earth tremor and the workings of the Antarctic gate. Working together, the team produces an episode which is full of dramatic tension, emotion, character development - and a neat twist.
Compare this to, say, the ponderous Grace, in which Sam is injured and alone. While Daniel is again the one determined to find his friend, desperately exploring possible ways to help her, Jack apparently doesn't care enough even to listen to him. Similarly with Teal'c, who is brushed off curtly when he tries to talk to Jack. In this story, this is no longer a team of four people brought together over a common purpose, but four individuals— Sam focusing on her love-life; Daniel the scientist searching for answers; Jack acting out-of-character, out-of-sorts and out-of-order; Teal'c being… Teal'c, very decorative.
Looking at episodes where the team work together - such as Torment of Tantalus, Fifth Race, The Nox, In the Serpent's Grasp/Serpent's Lair— they are a force to be reckoned with. They are not superhuman, but humans with extraordinary talents and abilities who care about their mission and about each other, and tell their tales with charm, appeal and humour. These characteristics seem to have been largely lost in the later episodes, with explosions, SFX and crassness in their place.
The team is still there; they do occasionally peek through. But I am hoping that in S8 they will be front and centre, that the stories will be character-driven, that our team will grow and become even greater than the sum of its parts— just as they used to be.
"We're Only Limited By Our Imaginations" by Celtic Angel (originally posted June 13, 2002)
Since the airing of Meridian, I've been tempted to comment on the lack of imagination and creativity Stargate SG-1 is currently suffering. The lack of creativity that convinced a young talented actor his services were no longer needed. Lack of time and energy prevented me from posting earlier but after finally getting to watch a taped interview this morning with Richard Dean Anderson on Regis and Kelly, I decided I could keep quiet no longer. Warning: this little editorial spoils everything so those who've done their best to stay unspoiled should leave now.
What follows below are my thoughts alone. I've been influenced by no one. I have a very active mind of my own, thank you. I'm forty years old, I work in a history related field, and have several sons in the highly sought after demographic- all of whom were brushing away tears at the end of Meridian. When you've brought tough guy teens to tears over the loss of a favorite character you should know you've screwed up big time. When you've brought the mother who lines their pockets with money to even more tears, you should really re-think your position. CA- June 9, 2002
Wise words from a wise man. The other producers and writers of Stargate SG-1, might have done well to heed those words of wisdom. In an interview on Regis and Kelly, this last Friday, Anderson patiently tried to explain the concept of SG-1 to host Regis Philbin. He spoke of the unlimited possibilities of worlds and civilizations that could be explored, summing it up by emphatically stating, "We're only limited by our imaginations." Herein lies the key to the frustration of many Stargate viewers. Or at least this one.
First let me step forward to qualify myself as a fan. It seems that some of Stargate's producers are under the impression that only the "Daniel/Michael" fans are upset by the recent changes. That couldn't be further from the truth. If I had to qualify myself as a fan of any of the actors in the series it would be Richard Dean Anderson. I first became a "fan" of his as far back as Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, but that doesn't mean that I've watched everything he's ever been in. I've been very busy for the last eighteen years, working, raising children, playing around with writing, etc. When I had time I watched MacGyver and enjoyed it. My mother watched it faithfully so I occasionally caught episodes with her or my children.
I didn't start watching Stargate until the fourth season, even though family and friends talked wonderfully about it from its very beginning. In other words, I don't make time to watch a program unless I'm completely hooked on it. The promise of a handsome man is little motivation to draw me to a television program or movie. They are a dime a dozen on TV. One who can act stands a far better shot. Anderson qualified. I knew nothing of Michael Shanks, other than someone mentioning he had made an appearance in the one Highlander episode I couldn't stand and had never watched more than once.
My children had outgrown the long running successful TGIF programming and I was looking for something more mentally stimulating than a sitcom on Friday night- one of the few times I have to watch television. I had finally gotten over my Highlander induced fear of getting hooked on another series, after the horrible let down it had become so I gave Stargate a try. It took me awhile to catch onto everything, as the fourth season was light on cast relationships, etc., but with the help of internet web pages and borrowed tapes I caught up pretty quickly. I was addicted.
What I became hooked on was the team- SG-1 and their unlimited possibilities as they stepped through the gate each week, never knowing what they were going to encounter. Being a student of history and anthropology with a secret childhood desire to be an astronaut, this show was the perfect concept for me. It satisfied all my personal interests as well as the other qualifications that bond me to a program. A great cast, wonderful complex characters who care deeply for each other and for the most part an original concept. I loved the "team as family" feel of the show.
The character of Jack O'Neill was wonderfully flawed, tragically scarred, full of repressed emotion, that occasionally, boils over. He had a big gaping hole in his heart from the death of his son. He had an unfulfilled need to protect and nourish those around him. He gets that opportunity when he befriends a young genius who is equally tragic.
Like O'Neill, Daniel Jackson's life was also the stuff of literary heroes. Orphaned at the age of eight, rejected by his grandfather, fostered out, apparently years ahead of everyone else in his academic studies, his life would have been very isolated and lonely. He stays behind on Abydos believing he has finally found a new family and the love of his life. Within a year his world is torn apart when his wife and brother-in-law are kidnapped to become Goa'uld hosts. O'Neill drags him back to earth and volunteers to help him find his family when he agrees to lead SG-1 and defends Daniel's right to join his team.
The relationship that develops between the two characters is almost instantaneous though they appear to be the last to realize it. O'Neill indulges an almost fatherly or much older brother patience for Daniel the younger man thrives on. Daniel does his best to fit in a military unit, but his presence is more like the boss's kid who comes to work everyday over summer break. He follows orders but not with the same motivations as his military counterparts. He does it to continue to be allowed to stay on the team and out of respect for O'Neill. But he has the freedom to argue when there is no immediate need for action, and the sense to know that his requests will be granted if possible.
Theirs is a beautiful friendship, forged through common tragedies and goals. They help each other through difficult times and establish one of the strongest bonds ever seen between television characters. Various list group discussions and fan fiction stories had viewers commenting on the literary interpretation of the character development. Jack O'Neill the guilt-ridden father who blames himself for his son's death befriending orphaned Daniel- aptly named Jack- son. They are supported by their fellow teammates who seem to understand and encourage their relationship. Other viewers saw them as brothers, best friends- and depending on personal preferences- lovers.
Over the seasons their relationship evolves like any family relationship would. Daniel grows up, he suffers more tragedy, eventually becoming very much like his mentor and CO. He hides pain with sarcasm. He becomes more independent. He circumvents O'Neill's authority when he feels the need, in one instance nearly leading to his unavoidable death at Jack's hands. Jack's attitude toward Daniel had been slowly shifting from indulgent pride to that of a loving parent who grits his teeth every time they clash. And clash they do. Like many family members they agree on nothing. They are fundamentally opposed on every issue. Finally by the fifth season Daniel has enough experience to begin to understand O'Neill, and the Colonel begins to accept his young archaeologist is no longer a naive youth in need of a babysitter. In Beast of Burden we see that O'Neill realizes Daniel needs to make his own mistakes and lets him. Daniel willingly accepts Jack's help and advice and has lost most signs of impetuous behavior.
The common goal, the hero's journey Daniel embarked on began when the young archaeologist unlocked the Stargate. At that time Daniel helped O'Neill see that life was still worth living after his son's death. They were separated for a year as Daniel lived with his new family on Abydos and uncovered even more secrets of the Stargate. The return of the Goa'uld and the knowledge that many more false gods still existed brought these two back together to continue on a path of exploration and a desperate search for loved ones. Every week viewers were treated with new planets and new worlds, ranging from primitive to advanced civilizations. We were allowed to experience the journey, to discover the new worlds. Like Daniel we gaped with wide-eyed wonder and appreciation, and let, O'Neill, Carter, and Teal'c deal with the military concerns.
But Daniel's life wasn't without cares or concern. The whole purpose of his journey was to find his wife and brother-in-law. O'Neill had a personal interest in finding Skaara, who with Daniel, had helped him recover from his own tragedy. Eventually, Sha'uri dies, and Skaara is freed from his Goa'uld. Daniel is devastated by his wife's death, but his friends continue to support him and once again agree to accompany him in a search for the Harcesis child- his late wife's baby fathered by Apophis. Daniel eventually finds the child whom he leaves in the hands of a far greater protector- Oma De Sala.
It is at this point that the new writers and new production staff begin to regard Daniel's journey as being over. It is at this point we see that imagination has truly been limited. Rather than realize that Daniel has even more motivation than ever to continue his ultimate journey- that journey is swept under the rug. Rather than increase his desire to fight the forces of the evil Goa'uld, the writers once again send the Harcesis child to tell Daniel it is time he chooses a new path. His journey is over. This is in the fourth season, a full year before Michael Shanks takes the hint and accepts that his character has indeed been written out. I remember that episode and thinking how sad. He'll be gone soon. I think like Michael we fans also saw the inevitable, we just assumed that Michael had been involved in the decision making. Some even thought he wanted to be written out- maybe even with the option to direct more after the fantastic job he did with Double Jeopardy. Little did we know that he was also asking why?
Rather than return to his hero's journey, rather than concentrate on the mission to destroy the evil aliens who nearly control the universe, the concentration turned earthward to conspiracy thrillers. Their contact with outer space primarily is to introduce a scantly clad alien. Imaginations stifled and suddenly the idea of exploration and the hero's journey are cast aside for a new path. One that sadly keeps Daniel on the sideline. There is no place for an archaeologist in a military conspiracy. Again a lack of imagination. Why not include him? Why wasn't he right there with Jack, searching for Sam? Why leave him behind? Sam is his big sister. Daniel and Mayborne already have a history- why exclude him?
Misdirected imagination?
Perhaps the better question would be why revert to military conspiracies and scantly clad aliens? Why not continue Daniel's hero's journey? Certainly Daniel would never be the hardened warrior killing all Goa'uld and asking no questions later, but he would have been the type to work with the Tok'ra, the Tollans, and the Asgard, for peace. He would have worked with his fellow under utilized character Teal'c to find a way to rid the Jaffa of their dependence on Goa'uld symbiotes. He would have continued to search for the Ancients and unlock the secrets of the universe- that meaning of life stuff he was so keen on. His hero's journey was far from over. It was just beginning. There was a vast universe out there waiting to be unlocked and explored. Yet apparently it was time for Daniel (and Michael) to choose a new path. For some unknown reason one not to be traveled with the rest of his team week after week.
So Michael decided to leave. Understandable since he doesn't strike me as the lazy type. He wanted to work. He didn't want a higher salary. He made no outrageous demands. He- like many fans- wanted to see the show return to it's original format. He wanted Jack and Daniel's friendship to be as visible as it once was. He wanted to continue to explore the universe and continue on his journey. He wanted the same things that the viewers originally came to the show for.
Credit is to be given to at least one writer who decided the only way Daniel would ever leave his team would be through death. Credit should also be given for recognizing that Daniel was more than worthy of Ascension. If Daniel were to leave at least he wouldn't be sacrificing the Stargate program to go off on some dig or be killed off all together. And what a brilliant reward for all his dedication to discovering the universe. Daniel gets to learn even more secrets and mysteries. Think of the opportunities to learn of the Ancients and possibly even creation. Think of the ways he could help Jack, Sam and Teal'c as they continue their goal to defeat the Goa'uld. Like Luke Skywalker, Daniel was off on a journey to learn the forces of the universe.
A spark of imagination! Quickly doused in favor of bringing in a new character played by another fair-haired actor the exact same age. A new puppy to replace the one who was tired of being fenced in and ran into the street. An underdeveloped, unlikable character who is having trouble being salvaged by the fine young actor brave enough to step into the role and see what he can pull off. A character designed to bring a fresh perspective to the show. A return of the innocence and wonder that Daniel brought on that first journey to Abydos.
I never realized Daniel lost his wonder. That is why he was so loved. No matter what he went through, what tragedies he endured, how badly he was injured, how many times he was knocked down again, our Daniel, bounced back with wide eyes and an unbridled need to explore and help Jack defeat the bad guys. Indeed, among internet friends, his theme song was often touted as being Tubthumping by Chumbawumba. His sense of exploration and adventure was professed as the cause of Jack's gray hair.
Like Jack seems to feel in the sixth season opener, Daniel didn't need a replacement. There was no need to bring in another actor of similar looks and age. There was certainly no need to have him absorb all of Daniel's knowledge in three months thus making him the perfect replacement. Daniel must have had one hell of a life insurance policy. Don't worry, if you wreck this one, we'll get you another. So they've tried out nine duplicates who just didn't cut it and now they'll go for the one with Daniel's programs downloaded. And just in case his fans complain, we'll parade a bunch of handsome young men around the set. After all it's only the MS fans who are complaining. Give them some more eye candy and they'll quit.
Again, no imagination.
Michael is admired as an actor, and though his good looks are appreciated, the audience thinks more of him than that. He's proven himself as a very skilled actor, particularly in challenging episodes like Need, Holiday, and Legacy. It's not just the Michael Shanks fans who are complaining. It's the Jack fans, the team fans. Daniel was not replaceable. You can't replace the impact he had on Jack. You can't replace yet another hole in Jack's heart left by the absence of such a close friend. They were the only family the other had. You can't replace Sam's little brother- their sibling rivalry. You can't replace Teal'c's need to protect Daniel and make up for the pain he caused him. Or perhaps you can. Now that Daniel is gone, Teal'c is finally returning to Ry'ac and becoming more involved in the Jaffa Rebellion. Which is wonderful, but why wait until Daniel was gone to replace his inner conflict with the story line between he and his son?
Old, unimaginative tricks being utilized to replace not only Daniel Jackson but the Stargate we fell in love with. Even in his death and subsequent ascension, an entire new dimension of the universe was opened to explore. Even in the attempt to send him off alone on his new path a thousand sparks of imagination are handed to the writers yet all those ideas, all those mysterious wonderful secrets will be explored in an estimated one to three scripts. One to three scripts will cover eternity?
But I'm assuming that the writers are still interested in space exploration and the mysteries of the universe. It would seem that the events of season five would indicate otherwise. We saw the apparent destruction of a great number of the Tok'ra, the Tollans, and the early warning signs of the demise of the Asgard. Now that Anubis will be taking control of the system lords, a couple of well placed chemical bombs could do away with the enemy. Then the show will be neatly wrapped up and ready for a spin off, right? Maybe- but why?
Why not stop systematically doing away with all the elements of the Stargate mythology and start exploring them? Why not let us see Daniel more often on this leg of his hero's journey? Let's watch Teal'c evolve into the ultimate Jaffa leader and lead his men into rebellion. Why not play all of this out over a series of feature films, that will keep our team united? Whether Daniel descends in the series or in the movies his knowledge obtained from his time with Oma De'Sala should help in the war with the Goa'uld. And even if Daniel never descends let's see him back on the team- or at least working with them. Once he learns the tricks of the trade and has control over his powers he could pretty much hang out where he wants. I can't imagine him not wanting to be with Jack and the team protecting Earth and Abydos- not by any stretch of the imagination.
I'll continue to watch Stargate SG-1 for a few more weeks. I want to see how it plays out. I want to see more of Teal'c, Bra'tac, and Ry'ac. I want to see them continue their journey and eventually succeed. I want to see their victory while munching popcorn in a movie theater. I want to see Daniel help them. I want to see Jack and Daniel together again in Abyss. I want to see their relationship continue. I want them together at the end when they finally defeat the Goa'uld. I want to see Sam and Jacob and the Tok'ra survive. I want to see Nareem and Joe leading rebellions on their respective planets of oppression.
I want Thor!
I don't want that much.
I want the original concept of Stargate back.
I want the unlimited imagination Daniel unlocked with the Stargate.
**** original editorial with photos can be found here ****
Warning: This editorial contains Stargate season 7, Buffy, and Angel 100th episode spoilers. I also quote Joss Whedon cussing.
In traditional series television, the format leads to a certain lack of suspense. We're not that worried that Captain Kirk is going to die--he's the series lead and has a contract, for crying out loud! "Edgy writing" is used in many series to re-inject suspense. If a show is edgy, it shows that it has a willingness to kill characters. If the cynical members of the audience are asking each other, "Have you heard anything about the state of [actor's name]'s contract?" the show has successfully created suspense.
Some shows that I would characterize as being edgy include: Stargate SG-1, Buffy, Angel, Farscape, Babylon 5. (Yes, that is an illustrious list!) It's a very effective writing technique. But can it go too far?
I killed Tara. Some of you may have been hurt by that. It very unlikely it was more painful to you than it was to me. I couldn't even discuss it in story meetings without getting upset, physically. Which is why I knew it was the right thing to do. Because stories, as I have so often said, are not about what we WANT.Joss Whedon on the Bronze, May 22, 2002
Joss Whedon is the creator of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, and Firefly. Speaking as someone who was very upset by Tara's death, that quote angers me, but anger isn't the only reason why I'm asking if edginess can go too far. I think Whedon has a point that in art sometimes one has to be cruel to be kind. No, the point I'm trying to make is that if the writing is so edgy that the standard answer to any writing problem is to kill someone, is it still suspenseful? Or is it, "Ho hum, guess they needed to punch up the fourth act!" This reaction is even more disturbing to an audience member that is actively upset. "*sob!* So Cordelia died to punch up the ratings on your 100th episode?"
Maybe it's just me--I'm willing to admit that up front. Maybe I'm the only one who's had her fill of death for the time being. On the other hand, stories about the Village of the Happy People (to use J. Michael Straczyski's term) are dull. Exactly how cruel does a writer need to be to keep an audience watching?
Buffy and Angel fans seem to be more critical than ever this season. Does that affect you?
It always affects me. At the same time, I need to give them what they need, not what they want. They need to have their hearts broken. They need to see change. They hated Oz, and then they hated that he left. These things are inevitable. If people are freaking out, I'm good. If people are going, "Hmmm...well, that was fine," I'm fucked.Watch with Wanda interview with Joss Whedon, May 3, 2002
Whedon is one end of the edgy spectrum. On the other hand, as soon as the audience perceives a pattern, it's not suspenseful any more. For example:
I'm not talking about "Heroes" here because I haven't seen it (I'm averting my eyes, la la la la I can't hear you!), and "Meridian" doesn't count because that was an administrivia-defined episode--contractual obligations making their way into the Gateverse. So let's look at some character deaths in Stargate that I think were gratuitous:
I don't see much pattern in those. On the other hand, they lack Whedon's flair for milking it for all it's worth. Whedon makes us grieve over several episodes. I particularly would have liked to have seen Daniel grieve for his friend Rothman. And Martouf had a lot of screentime before that point to have such a "hit by a bus" ending. Lt. Elliot I found quite manipulative and overblown, with the sad music and the slightly slowed cinematography as he made his brave sacrifice. Frankly, I think it's a proportion problem. After the amount of screentime the Martouf storyline had, he deserved more--hence Lt. Elliot and Lantash, an attempt to make up for a past mistake. And there was a point in seasons 4 and 5 where I wondered who would die this week. That's not particularly suspenseful.
Hmm, is that my concluding argument? "Whedon's meaner than Cooper and Wright, but he kills with more style and panache!" I'm not sure I have any answers for you here, guys. If I did, I'd probably have your jobs. On the other hand, can I really be wrong about my own perceptions? My perception, right or wrong, is that the character-killing trend is getting a bit out of hand, and is more effective when used sparingly and has on-screen consequences. Take that as you will.
Disclaimers: This is an editorial and as such, this editorial may be offensive, but keep those flying tomatoes at bay. Also, this editorial may contain S7 spoilers.
Written By: BadVoyage
There seems to be a growing “strong unfavorable opinion” of the character Sam Carter in Season 7. These opinions range from strong jaded dislike to staunch defense of the character. I dare not speak for anyone else (because I do not want to be hit by flying tomatoes), but let me tell you about my feelings towards Sam.
I used to like her, a lot, and now I have just about had more than enough of the character. After losing a few nights of sleep mulling it over, I realized that like many fans, I did not dislike the character per se. The character had a very interesting history and could have been built upon further. However, the PTB chose to ignore her history, made Sam into this Super-Scientist, and focused more-than-enough-screen-time-to-last-a-lifetime on her love life. I asked myself, what happened? It was as if I was watching an alternate Sam! Therefore, I decided to reason this out to see if it made sense to me.
When Sam first appeared in “Children of the Gods,” I saw a strong-willed, independent, no-nonsense Air Force Captain, who could provide interesting dynamics and be a foil for Jack’s flippant attitude. When Sam introduced herself to Daniel, I saw the facet of a very intelligent scientist, who was both fascinated and inquisitive about the technology beyond the ken of the limited knowledge of 20th century science. The encounter with Cassie showed me an ordinary woman full of maternal instincts and love. The episode “Solitudes” showed me a fallible human being who could not solve a puzzle for the life of her, and who showed compassion and comfort for her near-death boss and teammate. The advent of the Tok’ra, the possession by Jolinar, and meeting her dad, Jacob, brought more quality aspects to the character. I was fascinated, enthralled, and most of the time, expectant of how Sam would come out of the next situation she found herself in, what would happen to her next.
All in all, Sam Carter was very well written. Everything that happened to her brought more depth to the character, more facets to the human being who is Sam Carter. From one episode to the next, there were times when she had a stroke of brilliance and discovered a solution; other times she was frustrated and thoroughly defeated, seemingly blaming her human-ness and limited knowledge. There were even hints of moments of self-confidence issues and determination to learn more.
The writers created a very interesting character, full of potentials, filled with aspects of character to expose, explore, and grow. Many of those dimensions came out in Seasons 1 through 3. Perhaps inadvertently, perhaps deliberate fantastic writing.
In Season 4, the character began a downward spiral of character degradation. In the beginning, the changes were not as noticeable because they were usually counter-balanced by the abundant presence of her other teammates. The chemistry of her teammates helped mask the badly written characteristics of Sam. However, in one episode after another, the character continued to gravitate toward a one-dimensional, uninteresting, and over-the-top character that I couldn’t connect with, culminating in my adamant voicing of displeasure with the character.
Season 7 brought about a Sam that is completely unrecognizable to me. Not all the characteristics that made Sam great in the previous seasons were present in Season 7. The super-scientist Sam came out in full-force. She had complete understanding of the Gao’uld crystal technology. In Lifeboat, she did not even blink an eye as she went to fix the aliens’ cryogenic system. In Chimera, she developed a device to block an Asgard-enhanced Gao’uld transport beam. In Revisions, she was able to interface her laptop to an alien advanced computer system. In Grace, she was able to pull the knowledge out of a hat to shift the Prometheus out of the Third Dimension by using the sub light engines to create some bubble thingy (whatever!).
It’s turned out that there’s no technology she can’t handle, no circumstances that can make her stumble. So then, what’s left to fascinate her, to challenge her? Any attempt to show Sam being in a place of peril, or about to face an insurmountable task is negated by the fact she can and will come out of it unscathed. It takes away her fallibility, her vulnerability, and the fascination at solving a puzzle. What it’s left me with is an uninteresting, incredulous, and blatantly artificial character that I can’t connect with.
In Grace, there were many opportunities to explore Sam’s psyche that could have brought the character to new heights of character growth. Sam was injured and left alone in space. She was attacked by an unknown hostile alien spaceship. Then she was trapped in a nebula. As she frantically worked on trying to save herself and the Prometheus, supposedly not knowing whether she would survive or not, she began to reflect on how loveless her life has been. She felt she needed someone to love, someone who would love her. She revealed to herself that she unconsciously placed her heart with Jack, whom she knew she could not afford to love.
She completely lost my respect when she deigned to contemplate giving up her career on the off chance she could be with Jack. The Stargate program was her dream come true. The military was the life to which she’d dedicated herself. She was willing to forgo everything she worked so hard to achieve for the love of one man?
This was not the Sam that I knew and loved! What happened? I asked myself. Why did the PTB write the character this way? Wasn’t there anything else that Sam felt sad about leaving behind? What about her love for Cassie? What about her renewed relationship with her Dad? What about her friends? What about any feelings of inadequacy that she might have? Would this event perhaps have brought out the insecurity that she had all along, that led her to constantly excel and always try to learn more? Was this experience the scariest in her life, the nadir of bad experiences? None of those dimensions of her character were exposed and explored. She was consumed by the lack of her love life, and of course, being the Super-Scientist, there was never a doubt she wouldn’t make it out alive. I gave the writers the benefit of a doubt with this episode and it came out very disappointing.
I’ve found that I’m not alone in my disappointment. However, although many fans and I may be complaining about Sam, closer examination would reveal that it’s the way the character has been written that we’re complaining about, that we’re disappointed in how the character has evolved. At the same time, many of us are lamenting the loss of the S1-S3 character.
Perhaps if Sam were badly written from the get-go, then there might not be as many complaints, as much disappointment, as there appears to be now. To the staunch defenders of the Sam character: Hark! We love the character too, and that is why we complain. We cannot be complacent and let the writers drive the character to the ground. I sincerely hope the writers pay heed and bring back the Sam of old, then build upon the different aspects of the character. Let her love life be AN aspect of the growth, not the sole aspect. Let the character encounter circumstances that would humble her so she can learn humility, be fallible, be a human being, and be a fascinated scientist again.
If the writers will write Sam that way again, then I will look forward to being enthralled, fascinated, and enthused about the character.
Stargate SG-1 and its characters are the property of Stargate (II) Productions, SCI FI Channel, Showtime/Viacom, MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Productions. All blog entries represent the opinion of the poster. All editorials represent the opinion of the author. All linked content represents the opinion of the linked site's webmaster. Copyright on all articles/editorials/blog entries belongs to the original author. Offer void where prohibited. Please remain seated while the aircraft is in motion. Warning: Coffee will be hot. A moose once bit my sister.
