Clark, Duane

Protector

When undercover cop Jack Valentine (Mario Van Peebles) fails to protect his mob witness, the witness's girlfriend, Alma (Zerha Leverman), becomes his only chance to save his badge. But sleeping with her turns out to be a bad idea, since luckless Jack once before slept with a witness and the conflict of interest led to her demise. So you know this new one is a goner, too. See, the title's ironic. Forget it, Jack... it's Chinatown. Solid performances all around from Van Peebles, Rae Dawn Chong, and Randy Quaid, in a too-obvious script. Yet the film tries for, and to a large extent achieves, prime-time cop-show production values à la Homicide, NYPD Blue, and Law & Order. Relative newcomer Leverman turns in a standout performance as the seductive witness and manages to invest her character at once with signs of a disturbing past and a hypnotic sensuality. Also known as Valentine's Day. --Jim Gay

Stargate SG-1 Season 2, Vol. 1

Concluding the cliffhanger from the end of Stargate SG-1's first season, "The Serpent's Lair" is a rollercoaster of wit, plot twists, and cutting-edge special effects as the SG-1 team resign themselves to a suicide mission. Then it's a case of ignorance of the law being no excuse in "Prisoners," as they wind up in a penal colony striking a deal with someone who will have a far-reaching influence on their future. In "In the Line of Duty," Sam is stalked by an assassin after a rescue mission. She saves someone in the most unique of ways--by taking over as host of their Goa'uld symbiont. This introduction of Jolinar is a key to much of the continuing story line. Dwight Schultz guest stars in "The Gamekeeper" in a garden that forces the team to puzzle their way out of reliving secrets of the past. But all is not what it seems. --Paul Tonks

Stargate SG-1 Season 2, Vol. 2

One of many romances for the supposedly grief-stricken Dr. Daniel Jackson puts SG-1 in jeopardy again. "Need" refers to several aspects of the plot, but someone should do something about Daniel's libido! A return to planet Cimmeria tests the team's battle savvy as "Thor's Chariot" links the Asgard race to the plot once more. The rather unfriendly message of "Message in a Bottle" is delivered to O'Neill in the form of a spear through his shoulder. This fantastic episode demonstrates every aspect of the show's appeal. In "Family," Teal'c's son Rya'c performs a role reversal on his father that puts the Goa'uld's motivations in question. Returning to the planet from the original Stargate movie, Daniel catches up with his lost wife in "Secrets." --Paul Tonks

EPISODE 5: "Need"On a mysterious planet, Jackson saves the life of a beautiful princess, but his heroics cause the SG-1 team to be taken prisoner. Jackson and the princess fall in love Â? but as he struggles to gain his comradesÂ' freedom, his romance could spell doom for them all.EPISODE 6: "ThorÂ's Chariot"The SG-1 team travels to the planet of Cimmeria to protect it from a massive GoaÂ'uld attack, but they are quickly outnumbered and overpowered. Can they solve an ancient Cimmerian riddle in time to save the planetÂ...and themselves? EPISODE 7: "Message in a Bottle"A seemingly harmless orb is brought back to the base through the Stargate, but the strange device infects OÂ'Neill with an alien organism. Now, the only chance to save him is to let the organism control him!EPISODE 8: "Family"SG-1 goes on a passionate mission to rescue TealÂ'cÂ's son, RyaÂ'c, from the evil grasp of Apophis. But when they finally reach RyaÂ'c, he doesnÂ't want to be saved Â? heÂ's been brainwashed into accepting Apophis as his god! Can TealÂ'c find a way to win back his son? EPISODE 9: "Secrets"The entire Stargate project is imperiled when a reporter threatens to expose the mysteries of the top-secret portal. OÂ'Neill attempts to stop him while the rest of the team tries to save JacksonÂ's wife, who has been impregnated with a GoaÂ'uld. Is this the end of Stargate?

Stargate SG-1 Season 1, Vol. 1: Episodes 1-3

The Showtime cable series Stargate SG-1 turns the premise of Stargate into a surprisingly viable formula, with former MacGyver star Richard Dean Anderson assuming Kurt Russell's role as Air Force hero Jack O'Neill. Michael Shanks inherits James Spader's role as archeologist Daniel Jackson, and the series' 1997 pilot, "Children of the Gods," reunites the adventurers when the Air Force's Stargate facility on Earth is attacked by sentries from Abydos, the distant planet on the other side of the space-warping Stargate. Faced with a new nemesis from Abydos, O'Neill and the fresh recruits of Unit SG-1 must return to the planet and close off the Stargate to prevent further attacks on Earth. It's a pretty standard adventure, with brief, gratuitous R-rated nudity not seen in the original cablecast, but Anderson's an appealing leader of the well-chosen cast (including Alexis Cruz, reprising his role from the film), and the show's production values are consistently high. Taking logical steps from Stargate, series developers Brad Wright and Jonathan Glassner have managed an admirable feat, creating a spin-off that doesn't feel like a rip-off.

Episode One, "The Enemy Within," continues the SG-1 pilot, with the discovery that officer Kawalsky (Jay Acavone) is now the enslaved host of a Goa'uld larvae--a snakelike parasite from Abydos that has seized control of Kawalski's nervous system. Only an elaborate surgical procedure can save Kawalski's life, and the SG-1 loyalty of Teal'c (Christopher Judge)--a former enemy from Abydos who is also a Goa'uld host--is put to the test.

Episode Two, "Emancipation," guest-stars Soon-Tek Oh as the leader of the Shavadai, a Mongolian-like tribe on the planet Simarka, where the SG-1 Unit has arrived via the Stargate to begin their first expedition. The Shavadai view women as subservient and submissive, so the presence of SG-1 Captain Samantha Carter (Amanda Tapping) causes an instant--and, for Carter, potentially deadly--uproar. This episode offers an enjoyable balance of humor and suspense, and establishes Tapping as a witty sparring partner for Anderson. --Jeff Shannon

Episode #8.1: New Order Part 1 - When Carter and TealÂ'c fly to the Asgard world of Hala in hopes of finding a way to revive OÂ'Neill, they are attacked by Replicators, who take Carter prisoner. Meanwhile, Dr. Weir and Daniel Jackson attempt to negotiate a treaty with GoaÂ'uld System Lords who wish to unite against a common enemy. Episode #8.2: New Order Part 2 - The GoaÂ'uld send a mothership to Earth, demanding that it prove its superior defenses. As Dr. Weir applies her most expert diplomatic tactics, Daniel and the still unconscious body of Colonel O'Neill are unexpectedly beamed aboard ThorÂ's ship, where Thor tries to access the knowledge of the Ancients. Episode #8.3: Lock Down - When Jackson contracts a mysterious illness from a Russian colonel, OÂ'Neill is convinced that a contagion has infected the base and orders a lockdown. But when Jackson reveals that he was actually possessed by Anubis, who is now loose on the base, OÂ'Neill must discover the identity of the new host! Episode #8.4: Zero Hour - OÂ'Neill finds his plate full with a visit from the president and negotiations between two warring tribes from the planet Amra. But when SG-1 is captured by a GoaÂ'uld System Lord and heÂ's forced to choose between the safety of the team and the fate of an entire planet, OÂ'Neill begins to question his competency!

Stargate SG-1 Season 1, Vol. 4: Episodes 14-18

Scattered through the five episodes contained on this fourth DVD from Stargate SG-1's first season are echoes of such science fiction classics as The Terminator (the cyborgs in "Tin Man"), Aliens (Carter's maternal instincts in "Singularity"), and Planet of the Apes (the story twist in "Solitudes"), along with such popular themes as cloning ("Tin Man" again) and the might-makes-right preoccupation of the military ("Enigma"). So the show is derivative. Stargate SG-1 still does a better job than most of creating engaging stories--such as "Cor-ai," which deals with issues of retribution and forgiveness when Teal'c (Christopher Judge) is put on trial for his actions when he was still a Goa'uld henchman. And let's face it: the effect of going into and through the gate itself never gets old. What is lacking are superior DVD bonus materials; here they include a featurette spotlighting Carter (Amanda Tapping) and an overview of the show that provides more promo than the promised behind-the-scenes insights. --Sam Graham

Episode #8.13: ItÂ's Good to Be King - Hoping to warn Harry Maybourne of GoaÂ'uld attacks, SG-1 arrives at his last known whereabouts to find that he has been appointed king of a primitive peopleÂ...and that he believes he possesses writings by a time-traveling Ancient predicting these events. The team is skepticalÂ...until they discover what appears to be a time machine. Episode #8.14: Full Alert - When OÂ'Neill finds the door to his home forced open and former Vice President Robert Kinsey waiting for him inside, his first instinct is to call the police. But he changes his mind Â? and allies himself with his Kinsey Â? when he learns that the rogue organization known as The Trust plan to ally themselves with the Russian government! Episode #8.18: Citizen Joe - At a tag sale, civilian Joe Spencer comes across a small stone that gives him visions of SG-1 in action. Delighted, he shares the stories with anyone who will listen. But when he inadvertently learns that SG-1 really exists, his excitement turns into obsession. As he slowly alienates everyone around him, Joe resolves to expose the truth about SG-1, no matter the cost! Episode #8.15: Reckoning Part 1 - TealÂ'c and Bratac believe the time is right to lead their people in an uprising against their GoaÂ'uld masters. However, their plan suffers a setback when an army of Replicators begins to systematically take control of GoaÂ'uld ships and Jackson is taken prisoner. Meanwhile, OÂ'Neill consults with an old alien ally about the decimation of the GoaÂ'uld by another, more powerful enemy.

Stargate SG-1 Season 3, Vol. 3

EPISODE 10: "Forever in a Day"During a rescue of captured Abydonians, Jackson finds his missing wife, Sha're. But instead of greeting him, she attacks him Â? leading to her death at the hands of Teal'c. Distraught over her death and angry at Teal'c, Jackson quits Stargate Command.EPISODE 11: "Past and Present"SG-1 encounters an entire planet suffering from amnesia. The planet's leader, a woman named Ke'ra, returns to Earth with SG-1 to find a cure. But even as Ke'ra and Jackson develop a mutual attraction, SG-1 suspects she may not be who she appears to be.EPISODE 12: "Jolinar's Memories"Carter's father has been captured on a moon transformed into a literal hell. As no one has ever escaped from hell except for Jolinar, Tok'ra technology is used to access Jolinar's memories from Carter's mindÂ...but not before an old foe shows up to foil the rescue mission! EPISODE 13: "The Devil You Know"During an attempt to rescue Carter's father, SG-1 is caught by one of hell's denizens, determined to use the information they possess to overthrow the Goa'uld lord Sokar. Using Tok'ra technology, the team is forced to relive painful memoriesÂ...but how much torture can they take?

Stargate SG-1 Season 1, Vol. 5: Episodes 19-21

This fifth and final DVD from Stargate SG-1's first season contains three episodes that, unlike the rest of the show, are intended to be viewed in sequence. In the first, "There but for the Grace of God," Dr. Daniel Jackson (Michael Shanks, a dead ringer for James Spader, who played the role in the feature film) finds himself in a parallel reality in which the dreaded Goa'ulds are attacking Earth. In the second episode, "Politics," the SG-1 team goes head-to-head with a sardonic, ignorant senator bent on closing the gate down; numerous flashbacks from earlier shows are included. "Within the Serpent's Grasp," the season finale, has the Goa'ulds actually on their way to Earth, with our heroes the only ones capable of stopping them. But be warned: this episode is a cliffhanger as well, so those who missed the second season when it aired will just have to wait until it's released on DVD, too. However, we're guessing everything turned out OK. --Sam Graham

Episode #8.16: Reckoning Part 2 - GoaÂ'uld system lord Baal reveals to OÂ'Neill that he has been taking orders from Anubis, long thought to be dead. In the face of a losing battle with the Replicators, Anubis seeks a powerful weapon that could destroy all life in the galaxy. Afraid of the consequences of such an event, Baal pleads with OÂ'Neill to persuade TealÂ'c and the rebel Jaffa to destroy the temple where the weapon is buried. Episode #8.17: Threads - With a climactic battle behind them, the team turns towards personal matters. But unbeknownst to them, Anubis prepares one final attempt to take power! Meanwhile, Jackson awakens in a way station between the living world and the world of beings that have Â"ascended.Â" When he learns of AnubisÂ' campaign, will he ascend himselfÂ...or try to find a way back to save his friends? Episode #8.19: Moebius Part 1 - Jackson receives documents that point to the location of a ZPM in ancient Egypt. Hoping that the energy source could be used to power EarthÂ's defenses and open a wormhole to Atlantis, SG-1 uses an Ancient time machine to travel back to 3000 BC. But after the team locates the ZPM, Egyptians discover the time machine, and SG-1 must find a way to retake it without altering the timeline! Episode #8.20: Moebius Part 2 - SG-1Â's attempt to recover a ZPM from 3000 BC has altered the timeline, leading to a present in which the Stargate was never discovered! The alternate-reality Carter and Jackson convince a reluctant OÂ'Neill to take them on their first mission through the Stargate. But when the team is captured by TealÂ'c, once again the First Prime of Apophis, can they convince him to join their side?

Stargate SG-1 Season 3, Vol. 2

Stargate SG-1 Season 2, Vol. 3

Episode #10: BaneA giant flying insect has bitten Teal c and is reconfiguring his DNA. Soon his body will transform into a cocoon and give birth to hundreds of insect aliens. Can the SG-1 team capture one of the bugs extract the venom and save Teal c before it s too late?(Mouse-type):Written by Robert C. Cooper Directed by David Warry-SmithEpisode # 11: The Tok ra (Part One)Captain Carter unwillingly becomes the host to a dying Tok ra a member of the resistance whose noble goal is to overthrow the evil Goa uld empire. Now she sees through the Tok ra s eyes but can her visions help the SG-1 team save the Tok ra?(Mouse-type):Written by Jonathan Glassner Directed by Brad TurnerEpisode #12: The Tok ra (Part Two)The Tok ra are desperate for hosts to house their spirits so they can continue fighting the Goa uld. Carter s father who is dying of cancer has nothing to lose by volunteering his body. But will he die during the transference or does fate have something else in store?(Mouse-type):Written by Jonathan Glassner Directed by Brad TurnerEpisode #13: SpiritsSG-11 vanishes while negotiating the mining rights of a valuable mineral on a planet inhabited by a tribe known as the Salish. Can the SG-1 team find their lost colleagues without angering the planet s mystical spirits or will they become their next victims?(Mouse-type):Written by Tor Alexander Valenza Directed by Martin WoodEpisode #14: TouchstoneA powerful climate-controlling touchstone is stolen from planet Madrona causing the weather to rapidly deteriorate. And when the SG-1 team is accused of the theft O Neill must pursue the real thief and rescue the missing stone before all of Madrona perishes.(Mouse-type):Written by Sam Egan Directed by Brad TurnerFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: SCI-FI/FANTASY Rating: NR UPC: 027616879554 Manufacturer No: 1003836

Teal'c gets stung by a giant insect in "Bane," and Colonel Jack O'Neill is crippled in "Spirits." The best episodes are the two parts of "The Tok'ra." Captain Samantha Carter's estranged father is dying of cancer, but her obligations sway her toward saving a member of the Goa'uld renegade Tok'ra who is also dying. Although the resolution may seem apparent a mile off, the series takes one of many brave steps in not chickening out at the last moment. There may only be preliminary goodwill established between Earth and the rebels, but the dangling thread bodes well. In "Touchstone" the team is accused of stealing a gem from the planet Madrona that controls its climate. The revelation of who really stole it causes ripples in the pond back on Earth. --Paul Tonks

Stargate SG-1 Season 1, Vol. 3: Episodes 9-13

"The Nox," considered a classic by Stargate SG-1 devotees, is the centerpiece of this, the third of five discs comprising Stargate SG-1's first season. It's not hard to see why; with its combination of theme (the futility of fighting), characters (including Apophis, the recurring Goa'uld villain, and the appealing, fairylike title race), and the usual special effects wizardry, "The Nox" has all the elements that make Stargate SG-1 a superior sci-fi/adventure show. But the other episodes included have merit as well, including "The Torment of Tantalus," about a young professor who went through the gate 50 years ago, and "Bloodlines," in which Teal'c, the former SG-1 adversary, reveals the existence of the family he left behind when he joined the good guys (the other episodes are "Fire and Water" and "Hathor"). Once again, the only disappointment is the DVD bonus features, here limited to a profile of SG-1 big shot General Hammond (played by Don Davis). --Sam Graham

Episode #8.9: Sacrifices - During a meeting with IshtaÂ's rebel Jaffa faction on planet Haktyl, TealÂ'c receives some distressing news: his son, Ryac, intends to marry one of IshtaÂ's warriors. Refusing to give his blessing to the marriage puts TealÂ'c at odds with IshtaÂ...even as they are ambushed by enemy forces! Episode #8.10: Endgame - When the Stargate disappears in a flash of light, Carter and JacksonÂ's investigation leads them to an industrial warehouse storing VX rockets and vials filled with what appears to be nerve gas. Meanwhile, TealÂ'c discovers the mass deaths of Jaffa, spread across four planets. Could this horrifying event be connected to the gas? Episode #8.12: Gemini - The team receives a message from a Replicator that looks exactly like Carter. Created by another Replicator called Fifth, Replicator Carter was meant to serve by FifthÂ's side. However, possessing CarterÂ's personality, she resisted Fifth, and escaped. Now on the run, she informs SG-1 that Fifth and his entire armada are headed their way, and that she wishes to be destroyed! Episode #8.11: Prometheus Unbound - Jackson embarks on a mission to search for the lost Atlantis team aboard the starship Prometheus. But when an unseen Super Soldier boards the Prometheus and incapacitates the crew, only Daniel is able to escape. And if he is to save the Prometheus, he must now face the Super Soldier alone!