Five Favorite SG-1 Character Eps (Classic Team)

[fignewton]

Okay, so choosing my five favorite eps over the course of eight seasons (sorry, Mitchell and Vala) is nigh well impossible. So I’m stealing aurora_novarum’s idea and picking out the five best eps per character. These are the ones that I think best highlight what I love about the members of SG-1. (I should clarify that while many of these are among my favorites, some of them aren’t. But I think they’re the episodes that best characterize our beloved team. I adore Forever In a Day beyond reason, for example, but it doesn’t define Daniel, so it’s not included on the list.) And hey, if you think there’s an ep that fits my criteria better than the ones on my list, let me know!

Daniel:

Torment of Tantalus. Doing the right thing by bringing in Katherine and advocating the rescue of Ernest; love of knowledge, from (probably) staying up all night watching the 1940s videos to “meaning of life stuff” to his actual intention to stay behind on Heliopolis.

TBFTGOG. A bleak look at what the SGC without Daniel would be like. That, and his amazing ability to talk even a Jack and Sam who don’t even know him into attempting the near-impossible.

Serpent’s Song. The same man who threatened to kill Apophis if he didn’t tell him where to find Sha’re was willing to ignore the face of the creature that stole and raped his wife in order to offer comfort and last rites to the host.

Maternal Instinct. Ready to love Apophis’ son because he’s also Sha’re’s child. Mind open to the universe. Trusted by Jack, by Bra’tac, by Teal’c. And in the end, ready to give up the quest, because he recognizes it’s the right thing to do.

The First Ones. Anthropologist. Archeologist. “Don’t say ka until you’ve tried it.” Understanding and connecting with Chaka and making it through alive.

Jack:

COTG. Cool and controlled, even when out-bluffed by Hammond. Handles crises, gets his people back home, projects confidence and trustworthiness in spades enough to convince Teal’c to change sides. Creates SG-1 out of duct tape and hope.

Window of Opportunity. We got every aspect of Jack in this one – the frustration of a man-in-action who can’t fix the problem, the little kid inside him who relishes the opportunity to break loose (even if that involves golf and pottery, for some odd reason), and the anguish of the man who lost his son and talks Malakai down from disaster.

The Fifth Man. Calm and collected under desperate circumstances. Black ops training coming into play as he defends their position. And utterly unflappable, in the end, when he accepts “Tyler,” despite deception, as one of the people that he won’t leave behind.

Abyss. Such an amazing character study for the dichotomy that is Jack O’Neill. “THAT’S WHERE YOU’RE WRONG!”

Lost City. Sacrificing himself for the good of his team and the planet. Keeps going, despite Kinsey and Hammond’s forced resignation as head of the SGC. Sense of humor in the face of impending death, and teamy goodness abounds (even if I would’ve liked another scene with Daniel!).

Teal’c:

Cor-Ai. Confrontation with his past, and acceptance. Honor. Recognition from his teammates, and the discovery of how all of them – even Daniel – will defend him to the best of their abilities.

Threshold. Partly for the great backstory, but mostly for that minute-long montage that ended with, “I choose freedom.” That’s our Teal’c.

Changeling. Proof positive that Teal’c is sooooo deep. Amazing psychological study of his fears and desires and determination.

Orpheus. Teal’c never lost his mojo, did he?

Avatar. While it’s too violent for my tastes, a marvelous character study for Teal’c, and Teal’c and Daniel friendship is always fantastic in my book. (Points at Orpheus while we’re at it.)

Sam:

Singularity. Strong and forceful and compassionate and wonderful, all wrapped up in a single episode. Throw in some fantastic Sam and Daniel moments for the win.

A Matter of Time. Competent, intelligent, respected. Expert in her own field, and who cares about the science we need to hand-wave?

Jolinar’s Memories/The Devil You Know. Courageous and walking open-eyed into the worst possible scenarios to rescue her father. Willing to endure – literally relive – memories of torture. Defiant, encouraging, wonderfully Sam.

Foothold. Sam-in-command! “Maybourne, you’re an idiot every day of the week. Why couldn’t you have taken just one day off?” Hee!

Death Knell. There’s the lovely beginning with Dad, of course, because Jacob’s personality has had a huge impact in shaping Sam. But it’s Sam the determined, the resourceful, the never-give-up woman who manages to survive the worst.

Team:

(Interestingly, three of my favorite team episodes seem to mostly involve Jack in mortal peril. The other two involve Daniel in mortal peril. Does this say something about me?)

Solitudes. While the team is separated for the entire episode, every single one of them is just wonderful here. Jack has his stoicism and his leadership and his encouragement of Sam. Sam has her desperation and her determination and her pain and her heart-breaking effort to pretend to be Sara for Jack’s sake. Daniel has his loyalty and his determination to find his friends and his oxygen-deprived leaps of intuition to save his teammates’ lives. Teal’c is a bulwark – supporting Daniel, searching for Jack and Sam. And don’t forget that George is marvelous, too.

The Serpent’s Lair. They are so outnumbered and outgunned and they manage to win anyway. Bra’tac! “Hammond of Texas”! “Go, just go! I’ll stay and watch your back.” “We saved it, sir.”

Fifth Race. I have so much love for this ep. Not only for its teamy goodness, but its mythology and deep connection to Earth history and our first real introduction to the Asgard (not just Thor).

Message in a Bottle. Wondertwins working through the night, two nights in a row – first for thirst of knowledge, then to save Jack. Undomesticated Equines. Need I say more?

Reckoning. The team completely separated, but working seamlessly together towards a single goal. Love, especially, the two montages that flash from one teammate to another – when Daniel freezes the Replicators, and when Daniel is stabbed and dies.

It’s no surprise to me that nearly all of these are concentrated within the first three seasons of the show. I do love my early SG-1. :)

Comments

[moonshayde.livejournal.com]

OMG, you make me love SG-1 all over again *cries*

[sg-fignewton.livejournal.com]

Oh, they are just too loveable for words, aren't they? And don't cry! They're happy memories, I hope! :)

Write more fic. It's cathartic...

[aurora-novarum.livejournal.com]

Avatar! Moonshayde and I were talking about eps and when she mentioned that one I did a headsmack I forgot to include it on my list. It's one of my favorite Teal'cs! (maybe I should go back and change my list, heh).

Interestingly, three of my favorite team episodes seem to mostly involve Jack in mortal peril. The other two involve Daniel in mortal peril. Does this say something about me?)

*Whistles innocently*

[princessofg.livejournal.com]

woot!

i so want to do this. great idea indeed.

[sg-fignewton.livejournal.com]

I love Avatar for the revelation that Teal'c thought, back at the beginning, that they really, really couldn't win... and yet he kept going anyway. That's our Teal'c! :)

Does this say something about me?)

*Whistles innocently*

Yes, well. :) nomadicwriter has a fabulous Daniel icon on this note: "Ah, mortal peril. There's nothing like it."

[sg-fignewton.livejournal.com]

Hey! I'm pretty sure you're one of the first ones to start the ball rolling with this meme! aurora_novarum just expanded it for each character because it was impossible to stick to only five. :)