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

[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).