Should i continue watching SG1?

RolandIRL

i'm currently starting season 3 of SG1, but i'm finding it hard to continue on with it. it's all just so "planet of the week" style and everything from the previous week is forgotten.

"oh we had a black hole almost come through the stargate, but it's gone now so forget about it"

there's very little in way of character development and there's no build-up to the season finales. it just happens in the last episode and then it's resolved in the premiere with no impact on the rest of the season.

should i just stop watching it or does it get better? is the format for the rest of SG1 series all "planet of the week" stuff?

ixoy

It is much more episodic in nature alright but that, for many, is one of its charms. It allows it to be lighter in tone because the characters don't have to focus on the constant pressues of dealing with a buildup of events.

I will disagree on previous episodes being of no importance. For example the very black hole you mentioned is referred to repeatedly throughout the show and technologies are developed from the device, etc. that they find. There are also some plot arcs - milder it's true - but you've got the harceisis in the early shows or the ongoing fights against the System Lords, replicators, etc.

However, if you watch Season 3 and still don't like it then maybe it's not for you as Season 3 is a good one.

RolandIRL

i just think that it takes ages for a story arc to develop. if i was watching week by week, instead of all in one go, i'd have forgotten about a lot of the older episodes. it's not until the middle of season 2 that we see daniel's wife, first sight since the first episode of season 1.

i'm not really a fan of episodic series, like fringe. you could place most of the episodes in any order. SG1 is just so lighter as you say. nobody of importance dies. some guy had a crush on Sam in "message in a bottle" but up until where i've seen, there's no mention of that developing. i'd like some stuff to develop somewhere rather than just being contained within an episode.

i've only come aboard because of SG Universe. maybe it's because SGU is more serious that i'm finding SG1 a bit boring. it just takes so long for a arc to develop instead of being resolved per series. i know that SGU hasn't really a overall villian and the Lucian Alliance was only really introduced in the last 2/3 episodes, kinda like how the Goa'uld threat only develops close to the end of the season but SGU was more about survival than fighting the baddies

i'll probably continue with it but i'm hoping it improves. i'm probably ranting a bit but i was just wondering did anyone else feel the same. but SG1 must have been doing something right if it got 10 seasons and two spinoffs.

_Kaiser_

As ixoy says, SG1 is a lot more episodic in nature than (especially) SGU but you're only 2 seasons in at the minute.

Star Trek TNG and DS9 only really started getting going in season 3 (and DS9 developed some great story/character arcs in the end), and similarly SG1 started to introduce more humor and familiarity between the characters - up until then it was a show that took itself a bit too seriously.

** Spoilers ahead - continue at own risk **

Also you have the Anubis arc to look forward to which I really enjoyed thinking back on it, the replicators, the conclusion of the Apophis arc, and the fantastic "Window of Opportunity" episode of season 4 which has some really funny moments

Stick with it.. it only gets better from here

Flying Abruptly

whiteman19 wrote: »

i've only come aboard because of SG Universe.

I was kinda the same - I saw SGA first and absolutely loved it, but was alwasy a little lost regarding some of the technological understanding (like details on how the gate worked) and the history (Ancients, ascension, etc.) so I went back and watched all SG1 - and I loved all of them too. the first 2 seasons might not have been as strong as the following ones alright, but when the main story develops further it gets really good.

meeting the Asgard, fighting Anubis, Ba'al

Really worth sticking with it! I can definitely say SG is my favorite of all the other Sci-Fi stuff out there because I think its so much more realisitic, and easier to relate to; maybe not everyones definition of sci-fi but it makes me think 'yeah that could actually happen' or 'thats believable'.

johnnysmack

stick with it, it'll be worth it in the end

KaiserGunner

Yeah i'd definitely recommend that you stick with it. I have the whole ten series on boxset and watch episodes again and again from time to time. Its a great show and definitely starts to get better from the third series.

Overheal

Honestly, I got all my SG1 from Sky 1, probably saw it in reruns in no particular order, loved it, and every once in whenever - didnt seem to matter to me THAT much - caught a brand new episode. Excellent!

I watched back when Hulu released all 10 series for a while leading up to the SGU premiere: have to agree, its hard to watch in extended sittings. Its really something you'd watch a couple of and take a break on. Episodic-style storytelling is taxing on the brain.

Its still a great serious, full of wit and charm, just dont OD on it.

RolandIRL

well i'm taking a break from it now while True Blood and Hung are on

watching too much of it in one go probably as Overheal said. i can see the amount of scenes that are just repeated over and over again. the same clip for the stargate opening - :mad: just so much of it recycled.
stopped at the middle of season 3 but i'll watch it when TB is over

Overheal

oh no doubt; you'll spot the same death glider, gate splash, that ****ing wormhole, etc. etc.

Its unavoidable to a point; its how TV works. But its meant to be dosed weekly try watching a gundam anime in a sitting: you will be sick from the amount of recycled footage.

Flying Abruptly

Overheal wrote: »

oh no doubt; you'll spot the same death glider, gate splash, that ****ing wormhole, etc. etc.

I always liked the wormhole bit, I think it would be weird to see them step through the gate and then step out again straight away in the next scene, acts as a good way of representing the time and distance that it takes to go travel. Each to their own I suppose

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eP-YGHNzuLI

RolandIRL

Flying Abruptly wrote: »

I always liked the wormhole bit, I think it would be weird to see them step through the gate and then step out again straight away in the next scene, acts as a good way of representing the time and distance that it takes to go travel. Each to their own I suppose
<youtube vid>

well i'm still on the old wormhole version from the movie :P

Overheal, when you do watch them all in one go, you do see the repeated scenes over and over again. i watched back on a few episodes of SGU, and i keep the bit where Destiny exists FTL repeated :rolleyes: same with loads of other shows but i think it's more evident in space/sci-fi shows where it's expensive to produce new scenes. the FTL jumps in BSG are repeated but that's a class show so i can forget about them

Flying Abruptly

whiteman19 wrote: »

i watched back on a few episodes of SGU, and i keep the bit where Destiny exists FTL repeated :rolleyes:

I'm with you on this alright, having just re-watched all SGU aswell, the intro really annoys me - especially the bit at the very staart where its just Rushs voice saying 'Destiny'

RolandIRL

i just skip that bit. i don't need an episode catch-up every episode. besides it kinda tells you what's coming up in the episode (eg with Franklin)

Myrddin

I'm a very recent Stargate fan. Seen the film a few years ago & really enjoyed it. Then when Sky were advertising SGU, I decided now was about time to get into the episodic stuff. SGU I think is really really good, and I've seen the whole first season, and looking forward to more.

With that now on a break, I've decided to get my hands on SG-1 and start where it all began (tv wise). Have to say I never knew it was a continuation of the film after all these years, so that was a pleasant surprise. I keep seeing the characters as their movie actors though

The pilot was good as were the following few shows (I wasn't expecting much from a 90's early series opener), but I watched "Cold Lazarus" last night and wow that was a powerful episode I thought.

I'm aware the show doesn't get into its stride until post S3 (what series doesn't), but so far so good