Tapping, Amanda

Stargate: Continuum

Baal travels back in time and prevents the Stargate program from ever being started. SG-1 team must somehow restore history and once again save the galaxy from oppressive domination.

Stargate - The Ark of Truth

Fans disappointed by the demise of the Stargate SG-1 television series after ten fruitful seasons will delight in The Ark of Truth, the first full-length movie to follow in the show's wake. In fact, some will be more than pleased--they'll be relieved. For not only does the 102-minute film offer an opportunity to enjoy the same likable characters, reliable effects work, superior writing, and other elements that made the series so appealing, but after season upon season in which viewers were left wondering how everything turned out, The Ark finally brings at least one cliffhanger to a conclusion: the storyline involving the villains known as the Ori, who dominated SG-1's final two years. Our heroes (including Ben Browder as fearless leader Lt. Col. Cameron Mitchell, Amanda Tapping as the intrepid Lt. Col. Samantha Carter, Christopher Judge as the implacable alien Teal'c, Michael Shanks as the ever-resourceful Dr. Daniel Jackson, and Claudia Black as the irreverent Vala) have long known that the Ori are perhaps the most irresistible force they've ever encountered, in part because they are "ascended" beings who don't exist in recognizable physical form (their spaceships do, and they're huge). But now the team faces an even greater threat: the Ori have set their sights on good ol' Planet Earth. That's where the Ark comes in; if the good guys can just get their hands on it, they hope this ancient artifact will effectively put the big, bad Ori, their minions, and their entire religion (known as "Origin") out of business. Of course, it ain't easy. Both collectively and individually, the team will be severely tested, their task complicated not only by the Ori but by an arrogant, clueless government official whose meddling results in the return of the metallic, insect-like Replicators. There's little doubt about how it will all turn out--after all, there's at least one more movie already in the pipeline--but it's all about the ride, and despite a few flaws (as was sometimes the case with the series, the script leans a bit too hard on exposition and techno babble), this one is lots of fun. Bonus features include commentary by writer-director Robert Cooper and others, a lengthy "making of," and a helpful "prelude" to bring the uninitiated up to speed. --Sam Graham

Blasting off where the Sci-Fi Channelâ??s longest running show, Stargate SG-1, left off, this thrilling feature thrusts the Stargate team â?" Daniel Jackson (Michael Shanks), Vala (Claudia Black), Tealâ??c (Christopher Judge), Sam (Amanda Tapping) and Cam (Ben Browder) â?" into their biggest challenge yet. In search of an Ancient artifact they hope can defeat the oppressive Ori, the team not only learns that the Ori are set to launch a final assault on Earth, but a double-crossing I.O. operative is aboard the Odyssey! Also starring Beau Bridges, this pulse-pounder is loaded with enough suspense, humor and action to fill a galaxy!

Stargate Atlantis - The Complete Fourth Season

Stargate SG-1 - Season 10

If this five-disc, 20-episode, tenth season set really is the end of Stargate SG-1--and considering the number of reprieves the show has already had and the rumors of various movie spin-offs, not to mention the fact that the final installment is entitled "Unending," who knows?--then the folks responsible for this durable sci-fi series can be proud that they finished it off in style, with a run of episodes that are for the most part highly entertaining, exciting, and fun, offering resolution if not complete closure. And if sharks were jumped, at least they were small ones. As was the case in Season 9, and to a large extent in Season 8 as well, original series star Richard Dean Anderson is little in evidence here. Portraying Lt. Col. Cameron Mitchell, Ben Browder, who came to Stargate SG-1 from the underrated Farscape, is now entrenched as leader of SG-1, the Stargate project's ace team in the field, joining series veterans Amanda Tapping, Christopher Judge, and Michael Shanks (as Samantha Carter, Teal'c, and Daniel Jackson, respectively). Most notably, fellow Farscape alum Claudia Black has an ever-expanding role as Vala, whose cheeky wit and irreverence bring a consistent spark to the proceedings. The big, bad villains known as Ori are back as well. We still can't see them--they are, after all, "ascended beings," represented by the blind, monk-like Priors, who roam the universe intoning "Hallowed are the Ori" and ensuring that all will submit to their will (the element of scary religious fanaticism remains as relevant as ever). But the Ori are also still the most implacable, irresistible force our heroes have ever encountered; nothing less than the fate of the entire galaxy is at stake (again)! And now there's an added twist: the Ori have a frontwoman, if you will, whose powers make the Priors look like pikers. Known as Adria (or "the Orici" to believers), this beautiful young woman (played by Morena Baccarin) also happens to be the daughter of Vala, whom the Ori chose to bring their demon seed into the world; the uneasy (to say the least) Adria-Vala relationship provides many intriguing moments. On the minus side, the show tends to break its own rules (for instance, for a character who's supposed to be invincible, Adria often seems awfully, well, vincible), and the commingling of Arthurian legend, Greek, Roman, and Egyptian myth, magic, and other sources is occasionally over-the-top, even for this franchise. Some episodes are plot-heavy, bogged down by too many characters (past bad guys like the Goa'uld, and Ba'al reappear, as do several Stargate Atlantis principals in one episode) or excessive techno-rap about time dilation fields, flux capacitors, and something called the Clava Thessara Infinitas (don't ask). Episodes in which the writers move away from the central Ori theme are less than stellar; "200" exists mostly as an opportunity to make fun of the TV business and is as irrelevant and silly as "Citizen Joe," the worst episode from Season 8. And finally, without revealing details, suffice to say that "Unending," which offers a possible fate for our heroes before totally pulling its punches, may frustrate some longtime adherents. By and large, though, Stargate SG-1 has all the elements--humor, action, great effects, good story-telling and acting, characters you care about--to more than justify its ten-year run. It will be missed. Special features are again bountiful, including audio commentary on all episodes, various featurettes, and five "directors series" entries devoted to particular episodes. --Sam Graham

The final Season comes to DVD! In season 10, Vala, a former Goa'uld host turned freedom-fighter, joins SG-1 in their battle to defend the galaxy from the holy war of the Ori. Meanwhile, relations between the Jaffa and Earth continue to be strained. It all comes to a sizzling end on the finale.

Stargate SG-1 - Season 9 Boxed Set (Thinpak)

Stargate SG-1 soldiers on with this five-disc, 20-episode set from the sturdy franchise's ninth season (2005-06), incorporating numerous changes while continuing to distinguish itself as one of the television's best sci-fi shows. Longtime star Richard Dean Anderson makes only brief cameos these days, after seven seasons as Lieutenant Colonel and one as Brigadier General Jack O'Neill. Stalwarts Amanda Tapping, Christopher Judge, and Michael Shanks (as Samantha Carter, Teal'c, and Daniel Jackson, respectively), are still on hand, but with Season 9, Ben Browder (known to many genre fans for his lead role in the excellent Farscape series) takes over as leader of SG-1, the Stargate project's ace team in the field. As Lt. Col. Cameron Mitchell, Browder effectively projects the same kind of cocky irreverence that was Anderson's trademark, but he has a ways to go before he fully equals the latter's appeal. More engaging is fellow Farscape alum Claudia Black as Vala (Daniel Jackson's one-time love interest and a vixen, thief, and liar who becomes an integral part of the team during the several episodes in which she appears), while Beau Bridges is capable but uninspiring as Major General Hank Landry, who runs the show back on Earth.

Then there are the bad guys. With longtime nemeses the Goa'uld having essentially been eliminated, we now have the Ori, whose agenda of domination through religion provides the season's principal story arc. They're certainly a timely addition. With their "Book of Origin," rejection of free will, and goal of subduing all heretics and "unbelievers," the Ori resemble extreme fundamentalists of various stripes; on the other hand, when the U.S. military talks about crusades and "ridding the galaxy of evildoers," parallels to the Bush administration's war on terror are obvious and unavoidable. Problem is, while we know that the Ori are relentless, devious, and bloated with the pride that always attaches itself to false gods, we can't actually see them. They have semi-human apostles, called Priors, who spread "enlightenment" and bad mojo (not to mention plagues of carnivorous bugs) all over the universe. They have mighty ships that that leave the good guys in dire straits in the climactic battle that ends the season (typically, little is resolved, leaving viewers to salivate for Season 10). But the Ori themselves are kin to the all-knowing Ancients, who exist not in recognizable physical form but as energy; unlike previous villains, from the Goa'uld to the Replicators to Stargate Atlantis' Wraith, when it comes to the Ori, there's no there there. Meanwhile, the writers' replacement of the ancient Egyptian iconography used in earlier seasons with various aspects of Arthurian legend (Merlin, Knights of the Round Table, sword in the stone) is sometimes cool, sometimes merely hokey.

As always, Stargate SG-1's production values and effects remain first-rate, even as the stories become more character-driven and less dependent on spectacular action sequences. The DVD transfers are excellent. Special features are similar to previous box sets: audio commentary on all episodes, featurettes focusing on sets, props, and special effects, and five "directors series" entries devoted to particular episodes. --Sam Graham

The Stargate is an intergalactic gateway, developed by an ancient civilization, that links other planets from other solar systems to ours. The U.S. Air Force assembles a Stargate team for interstellar peace-keeping missions. Boasting incredible special effects sequences, rapid-fire pacing and awesome scenes of alien warfare, STARGATE SG-1™ is your gateway to pulse-pounding, sci-fi action!

Stargate SG-1 Season 7 (Thinpak)

A gradual shift in overall style, character homecomings and departures, and evolving on- and off-screen roles for the major players are among the attractions of the seventh season of Stargate SG-1. Spread out over five discs, these 21 episodes are ample indication that changes notwithstanding--and admittedly, not all of them are for the better--the series remains arguably the best-made, most compelling sci-fi program on television.

Perhaps most noticeable is the reduced role of star Richard Dean Anderson, who opted to limit his number of trips to Vancouver, where Stargate SG-1 is filmed. But that's not a bad thing. The show's ability to poke fun at itself has always been a strong suit, and while Anderson still brings a welcome sense of humor to his portrayal of wiseacre and loose cannon Col. Jack O'Neill, his act is getting a little smug by now. What's more, the other principal cast members have taken up the slack, both behind and in front of the camera: Michael Shanks (Daniel Jackson, who rejoins the cast in episode 1) wrote one episode and co-wrote another; Christopher Judge (Teal'c) wrote one as well; Amanda Tapping (Lt. Col. Samatha Carter) directed episode 19, "Resurrection"; and even Corin Nemec (Jonas Quinn, who appears in just a few episodes) contributed one story.

The seventh season also finds the series somewhat more earthbound than in the past; indeed, there are episodes in which the Stargate (the "wormhole" our heroes use to travel to different worlds) doesn't appear at all. On balance, the stories are more personal, and more political--especially the final two, with the newly elected U.S. President (William Devane) struggling to decide the fate of the Stargate program (and, of course, the fate of the entire known universe as well!). And then there's the ultimate villain, Anubis, who makes perennial nemeses the Goa'uld (of which Anubis is one... sort of) look tame. He's a combination of Star Wars' Darth Vader and evil Emperor, but hey, at least these guys borrow from the best.

Stargate SG-1's production values remain first-rate. The bonus DVD features are also much better than they once were, with audio commentary (mainly by directors and writers) for every episode, as well as director profiles and "Beyond the Gate" featurettes focusing on individual characters. --Sam Graham

Stargate SG-1 Season 8 (Thinpak)

The beat goes on for Stargate SG-1 in this five-disc set containing all 20 episodes from the show's eighth season. If that beat is now a bit more faint than in previous years, that's not particularly surprising when a franchise has been around this long; what's more, if Season 8 has some fairly odd aspects to it ("Threads," which appears to have been planned as the final episode of the entire series, is followed by two more in this set alone… not to mention an unexpected renewal that led to an all-new Season 9), that too isn't exactly unusual in the wacky world of series television.

Some significant changes are apparent in Season 8. Jack O'Neill (series star Richard Dean Anderson) has been promoted to Brigadier General and is now top dog (as he puts it, the guy who "spent my whole life stickin' it to the man" now is the man). The existence of the stargate, an artificially created "wormhole" through which one can instantly travel to different worlds light years away from Earth, is no longer a well-guarded secret. And Stargate Command itself now exists primarily to "develop new weapons and technologies to defend the planet" from our various alien antagonists--principally the "Replicators," relentless little bug-machines poised to take over not only Earth but the entire galaxy.

The rest of the SG-1 core cast (Amanda Tapping, Christopher Judge, and Michael Shanks) is intact. But whereas Anderson, who has steadily reduced his role in the show, wasn't much missed in Season 7, one wishes there were more of him this time around; O'Neill's general insouciance and aversion to techno-speak are a welcome antidote to the kind of sci-fi gobbledygook (discussions about "a time dilation field on the planet Hala" and such) that now threatens to take precedence over the action and fine special effects that distinguished earlier seasons. Most of all, while there are still all manner of villains (Anubis, Ba'al, the ever-present Goa'uld) to contend with, as well as a few good guys (the Asgard, the rebel Jaffa) to help our heroes fight the good fight, Stargate SG-1's writers and creators may be running out of steam. Hence we get an episode like the very peculiar "Citizen Joe," featuring Dan Castellaneta as an average guy who sees "visions" (i.e., clips from past episodes) of the SG-1 team in action and becomes obsessed with proving that the whole stargate project really exists; an uneasy combination of self-parody and self-congratulation, this episode, while not unamusing, sticks out like a sore thumb.

Bonus features include audio commentary (mostly by the various directors) on 19 of the 20 episodes, along with photo galleries and one featurette per disc. --Sam Graham

Stargate SG-1 Season 5 (Thinpak)

It now seems clear that season 5 of Stargate SG-1 will be remembered as the one in which something went awry with Daniel Jackson. Lots of behind-the-scenes rumors fueled the idea of cast tension, but whatever the problem, his sudden departure from the show was obviously through a quickly contrived scenario. In retrospect, there must have been a problem for some while before the weird penultimate episode ("Meridian"). Michael Shanks looks frequently bored in his rare moments of individual screen time as he infiltrates a Goa'uld meeting and even when making friends with a creature everyone else wants dead. In fact, there's only one point when everyone really seems to be having fun, and that's in the spoof 100th episode "Wormhole X-treme!"

Most shows go through a run-around, skin-of-their-teeth period awaiting renewal, and it certainly seems to have affected storylines this year. For example, a next generation of younger SG teams is introduced. Replacements? The most unfortunate aspect of things, however, was that not a single episode managed to stand alone on its own merits. Every single story was dependent on a part of the greater interwoven warring-species threads. Some of the one-off tales were terrific in and of themselves, but it was as if the writers fell into the trap of having to refer to as much backstory as possible, perhaps to ensure loose ends could be easily wrapped up? Ultimately none of this mattered since the show went on for quite a while. --Paul Tonks

Stargate SG-1 Season 4 (Thinpak)

It wasn't until the beginning of Stargate SG-1's fourth season that fans knew to take the Replicator threat seriously. The spidery nasties had only seemed like one of many new enemies introduced in previous years. But when the one seemingly omnipotent backbone of the galaxy was asking Earth for help, clearly we were in real trouble! In fact, the team's list of enemies expanded and got far more complicated this year. Proving without a shadow of a doubt that this is science fiction, the Russians reveal they have their own Stargate program and ask the Americans for help. This twist allows for exploration of all the political machinations occurring behind the scenes of the SG-C, all of which appear to stem from the embittered Senator Kinsey (Ronny Cox).

There were quite a few Earth-based stories in the year, but not all the new enemies were originally local. Willie Garson comically guest-starred as Martin, a geekily suspicious guy with too much knowledge of the Stargate. More sinister was an old flame of Daniel's turning into something far more painful than an old wound (thanks to an ancient Egyptian curse). Thankfully, the writers hadn't forgotten the importance of one-off storylines too. In "Upgrades" the team learns a lesson in abuse of power. In "The Other Side" (featuring DS9's Rene Auberjonois) they learn about blind trust. In "Scorched Earth" a dangerous claim for a planet's ownership means they learn to value Daniel's contribution to the group dynamic. If only this last lesson were learned better, season 5 might not have ended up as muddled as it did. --Paul Tonks

Stargate SG-1 Season 3 (Thinpak)

To resolve the season 2 cliffhanger, General Hammond rounds up every conceivable ally to rescue the SG-1 team from Hathor's clutches and gets a much-needed field trip in the process. "Into the Fire " is actually a weak opening for the new year, but does boast some impressive visuals as Hammond and Brat'ac pilot a shuttle through an open Stargate (euphemistically called "threading the needle"). In subsequent episodes, Daniel Jackson is intrigued by the planet Orban's scientific advances over only a few years. An exchange of knowledge is agreed and the precise "Learning Curve" of their children is revealed. Still recalling the original movie, O'Neill is concerned for the siblings because of the loss of his son. In "Demons" some serious lambasting of organized religion occurs in a storyline concerning a medieval Christian village that's being terrorized by a giant Goa'uld servant creature. This episode both brings to light and questions each of the principal characters' beliefs.

"Forever in a Day" begins an important storyline about Daniel's wife Sha're's stolen child who is a "Harcesis," an illegal breeding between Goa'uld hosts. Then an earlier thread is picked up in "Past and Present" on planet Vyus whose people all suffer amnesia. Their leader Ke'ra (played by Megan Leitch who's portrayed Mulder's missing sister in The X-Files) is a link to the earlier "Prisoners" episode and the dangerous "destroyer of worlds". In a two-part cliffhanger, Sam must attempt to rescue her father, face Satan himself on a prison moon, and resurrect "Jolinar's Memories" from the Goa'uld she was briefly possessed by, then "The Devil You Know" reveals an embarrassing secret that could allow the team to escape the clutches of Satanic Sokar. "Pretense" is one of those sci-fi series staples as a character is put on trial to prove their guilt on behalf of another. "Urgo" expands the general sardonic humor with a little pathos for the guest appearance by Dom DeLuise. Lots of slapstick ensues.

"A Hundred Days" is the three months O'Neill spends stranded on planet Edora by the fire rain of a passing asteroid belt. Then in "Shades of Grey" he appears to suffer a total personality switch when he steals technology from the Tollan and is insubordinate in the extreme. Both these are terrific concepts but are scarcely enough story to have stretched across more than one episode. --Paul Tonks