Redial the Gate: TBFTGOG

[fignewton]

My love for this episode is largely incoherent, but can probably be summed up as follows:

Oh, Daniel.

I came across a discussion in another LJ not too long ago - it might have been merryish - in which she marveled at how panicky and disbelieving and incredulous Daniel et al were about the idea of alternate dimensions. By the time we hit S3, it's par for the course; by S9, alternate realties are met with a shrug and a yawn.

But Daniel in this episode doesn't stop flailing, and it's so much fun to watch. I think he used more gestures in this one episode than he did in the rest of S1 together, particularly in that first scene with Catherine, which is one of my favorite bits. My absolute favorite scene, of course, is when Daniel talks General!Jack into going to Teal'c, appealing through that connection that apparently is cross-dimensional. The friendship between Jack and Daniel was one of the first real draws to SG-1 for me, and I doubt that will ever change.

This episode leads into the four-part arc that takes us into S2, and it's all so good. I really love this ep to pieces.

I adore the way I can watch for the umpteenth time and discover new little bits and pieces. In this case, I noticed two things:

When Catherine and Daniel are first discussing the idea that the odd device he picked up might control the mirror, she asks him, "You got everything from the lab on P3R-233?" Daniel answers, "Yes - well, except the gun and the grenade." And later, when Sam goes to pick up the controller and gets ambushed by the Jaffa - there she is, with a grenade. Heh. That's where she got it from.

When they try to dial the first time, before Sam sets up the accelerated dialling program, "Chevron Two, encoded" is actually the point of origin. Oops.

And a few things I've always wondered:

"Oh, I really hate it when this happens." Huh? What? Are we supposed to believe that SG-1 makes a habit of walking through the Stargate without Daniel? Or is Daniel actually saying, "Oh, I really hate it when something screwy happens"?

How in the world are we supposed to explain the reversal between Jack's rank and Hammond's?

Why couldn't Daniel flee to the Beta Site with the other refugees and make his way to P3R-233 from there? In the end, it was a moot point, but why was it necessary to ask the SGA to make the sacrifice?

My default icon is from this ep. Oh, Daniel, we really do love you. :)

Comments

[6beforelunch.livejournal.com]

"Oh, I really hate it when this happens." Huh? What? Are we supposed to believe that SG-1 makes a habit of walking through the Stargate without Daniel? Or is Daniel actually saying, "Oh, I really hate it when something screwy happens"?

I've wondered about that myself. Maybe it's more of a "I hate it when I get separated from my team"?

[sg-fignewton.livejournal.com]

Yes, that would make sense, but the wording is so bizarre, isn't it?

I'm trying to think - other than F&W, has Daniel ever been separated from the others?

I love the segue from the close-up of the DHD to the wormhole effect to poor Daniel getting all those rifles right in his face. :)

[6beforelunch.livejournal.com]

but the wording is so bizarre, isn't it?

Yeah, it is. Maybe it was a callback to F&W, though. That's another one where Daniel was left behind on a planet. (Not that Daniel was left behind in TBFTGOG exactly, but from his point of view at that point, he was.)

I love the segue from the close-up of the DHD to the wormhole effect to poor Daniel getting all those rifles right in his face. :)

Yeah, that's great. It's a really well done episode all around. I think the arc from TBFTGOG to Serpent's Lair is some of the best in terms of quality that SG1 ever did. They aren't my favorite from a strictly fannish standpoint (I do love them, but overall I'm partial to the later seasons), but they're some of the most well done episodes that they ever made.

[sg-fignewton.livejournal.com]

I do love the first three seasons most, and this four-part arc is one of my absolute favorites.

::hugs early SG-1::

[tejas.livejournal.com]

Oh, yes! I *love* this episode! Such fun watching Daniel dealing with all the weirdness thrown at him.

And yes, my only real gripe is why he didn't just go with the refugees and gate back to the planet from there.

[sg-fignewton.livejournal.com]

And he deals with it so incoherently, too! :)

Maybe he was afraid they wouldn't let him leave and risk the secret of the base's location, I don't know. And in the end, of course, it was moot, since no one else made it to the Gate. But the sheer amazing drama of the appeal was kinda unnecessary, wasn't it?

[tejas.livejournal.com]

Oh, my, yes! And showing his connection to *that* Jack was incredible, even with just my gen goggles on. :-) It was definitely the friendship between Jack and Daniel that drew me in first.

[sg-fignewton.livejournal.com]

And the way he appeals to him - "If you don't want to help me, I understand - it's your lives, and your world."

Incredibly happy sigh.

And while we're at it? Even AU Teal'c and General Jack had a strong connection. Sadly, it wasn't enough to overcome the deaths of Ry'ac and Drey'auc, but gaaah - it was like SG-1 was there, but wasn't.

Love this ep, I really do. :)

[pepper-field.livejournal.com]

How in the world are we supposed to explain the reversal between Jack's rank and Hammond's?

Well, Jack seems a little more serious in this AU (although that could be be because the apocalypse is occurring). Perhaps he stuck with his career, and worked a little harder to make General a little earlier. They also don't explain what happened after Charlie died, and how he got through it. As for Hammond... it's not unknown for Colonels to be his age, right? I'm more than a little hazy on things military, but prior to watching Stargate, the title 'Colonel' for me conjured up someone older than Jack. In real life, they're only 8 years apart in age, and on the show, when they're not in military mode, they seem fairly contemporary. See for instance Chain Reaction, when they're talking at Hammond's house. Okay, the show seems to imply that Hammond is older (what with the grandkids and all) - but the rank reversal felt okay to me.

Ah, love this ep. That reminds me, I must post the transcript from the rewatch.

[sg-fignewton.livejournal.com]

Your icon is made of win. :)

General!Jack is harder than our Jack, probably because he never had a Daniel to slap him upside the head.

I don't have a problem with Jack making general, and I guess I don't have a problem with Hammond as a colonel. It's just... both at once. I need some kind of cause and effect, that's all.

And, yes! Do post the transcript! They're always fun to read. :)

[surreallis.livejournal.com]

This has always been a rather mediocre ep for me, but ah well. It's not like I think it's bad, it just wasn't quite as interesting to me. :)

I think the rank thing can be fairly easily explained. Obviously General!Jack was much more focused on his career. We definitely got the impression that he had much less of a sense of humor than our Jack, so if he never left the military during his family crisis and instead he focused on the Air Force (Plus all the deployment points he likely racked up) he could have made General faster. And if George has been languishing in more of a bureaucratic job over the years, he might be behind. Although, I would have almost liked to see George as the top enlisted man under Jack rather than as an officer. He could have been the gruff, loyal 'Chief'!

[sg-fignewton.livejournal.com]

B-b-but you're a "stupid cute OTP" fan! And this was the first real hint of Sam/Jack! How can you not like it? :)

Now that I think of it, though - all it would take was for Mrs. George to come down with cancer a little earlier. A long leave of absence from duty, maybe? And George never gets the chance to make general.

[surreallis.livejournal.com]

lol! I know! But while the characters themselves interested me (especially General!Jack, omg!), I wasn't really all that into the ship thing between them. She was a civilian and he was military and thus it was perfectly okay. No forbidden attractions. Way to ruin a ship for me! :P

Good point! Maybe George took the leave instead of Jack, and I'm not sure we ever learned what George's specialty was. We knew Jack was a pilot, but what was George's AFSC? Hmm. As a general rule, I think infantry and battle-oriented specialties promote faster.

[pepper-field.livejournal.com]

She was a civilian and he was military and thus it was perfectly okay. No forbidden attractions.

Plus, they don't kiss! It always has me growling things at the TV. He's going off to probably die, dammit! And you're engaged! It's not against regulations! What better excuse?!

(I must post the chat transcript. The Jack/Daniel shipper POV is So Totally Different to mine. We had a little we-know-not-to-take-this-stuff-seriously ship war over that scene. *g*)

[sg-fignewton.livejournal.com]

No forbidden attractions. Way to ruin a ship for me! :P

LOL! And I can only accept Sam/Jack when the forbidden aspect is taken away - my one and only rec that includes Sam/Jack is Kellifer's, and it's our Sam and Jack when they're stuck in Ancient Egypt.

[sg-fignewton.livejournal.com]

Playing catch-up from all the fun you people had last night, and I noticed you suggested this: As a general rule, I think infantry and battle-oriented specialties promote faster.

But Codger, when we were discussing Sam's backstory, specifically stated that there was some kind of act passed - in the 80s? - that ensures that promotion tracks are the same across all specialties.

Awards and medals, now - those would be different. You just know that Jack has a drawerful somewhere in the house. :)

[aelfgyfu_mead]

I love this one too; it's one of the all-time best! Yes, part of it is that everything's new (except Daniel getting left behind, which I took as a general comment on his whole life, as well as his habit of wandering off). Daniel is so very earnest and sympathetic that he even wins over General Jack!

I love Katherine and Sam in this episode, too. And as a confirmed gen'er, I say this is where the whole Sam and Jack thing starts: once they hear that they're engaged in another reality, they can never get it out of their heads. It never really fits them, but they keep remembering it (especially after "Point of View," with a second Sam engaged to another Jack!).

Of course, shippers have their own spin on this one, I know.

[sg-fignewton.livejournal.com]

except Daniel getting left behind, which I took as a general comment on his whole life, as well as his habit of wandering off

Interesting - Random thought the same thing. :) And yes, I like that: a wry observation on his part. "Oh, great. Story of my life."

Katherine and Sam were just fantastic, weren't they? And my gen glasses read the same as yours. :) The thought never occurred to them until then, but once the idea was planted in their head, it became a niggling feeling that never quite went away.

[pepper-field.livejournal.com]

The thought never occurred to them until then

*sooooooooooo wants to mention Broca Divide*

*is in danger of forfeiting Multishipper Pass*

;)

[sg-fignewton.livejournal.com]

I admit this seriously astonishes me. Sam/Jack shippers really look at Broca Divide as the start of ship? Really?

Huh. I used that very example in canon vs fanon to point out that behavior under the influence can't define normal characterization, because "no one would suggest that Sam and Jack were acting like themselves." That may not be a direct quote, but I can look up what I wrote if you're really interested.

(No one suggests that Daniel secretly liked Melosha and raw meat, do they?)

[katie-m.livejournal.com]

Why couldn't Daniel flee to the Beta Site with the other refugees and make his way to P3R-233 from there? In the end, it was a moot point, but why was it necessary to ask the SGA to make the sacrifice?

THANK you. That never made any sense to me.

[sg-fignewton.livejournal.com]

Yes, exactly! It's so unlike Daniel not to think of this, with his sideways mind. I suppose we can try and blame it on stress, but surely someone should have made the connection.

[caladria.livejournal.com]

Aww - I always think of Daniel's flailing as the sheer loss of anyone to rely on. He should be able to - wants to be able to, and tries to - rely on "his" team, but they're not. They're someone else, and he's getting The Distrustful Eye off Jack and its been nearly two years since he's seen that. And part of the reason, I think, that Jack does fall in with Daniel is that despite the words, Daniel never really stops acting like he's been through hell with Jack. And he's Daniel. He's all the things that draws our Jack to him.

Maybe 1969 Hammond was inspired by his wacky prisoners, learnt a few things and consequently rose up the ranks faster than the average bear? And I know everyone's making sense, but I've always quite like the idea that because General Jack was a bit more serious, he pissed off a few less people and consequently rose up that extra rank.

[sg-fignewton.livejournal.com]

That's a fascinating take, because my personal opinion is that Daniel hasn't quite learned how to be a real team player yet. How to work seamlessly with the team, yes. How to count on his teammates, instead of thinking he has to survive on hs own? Not so much.

But at the same time, hoo boy - getting that hostile vibe from Jack, and Catherine not recognizing him, and Sam being polite instead of his Wonder Twin. Yow.

Daniel never really stops acting like he's been through hell with Jack.

Oh, I love that. YES.

General Jack was a bit more serious

Ha! Yes, I'll take that theory. Very nice. :)

[caladria.livejournal.com]

I always get the feeling that he's just about getting there by that point - just about relying on them and turning to someone else before he even tries and saying/implying "what do you think?". And its probably more disconcerting just having found that and having it swept away. And not just Jack being hostile to Daniel - Jack's making all these decisions that Daniel hates (bombing innocents on Chulak) and the worst bit? Our Jack would do the same. And I can't remember a time when our Jack did in season one (he nearly did in the film, but he didn't).