I actually liked this episode. I didn't find things as wrong with it as most others did. Rothman, while kinda silly, still seemed somewhat believable. He was nervous. Really nervous. He has just been called in by the military. He friend is missing. They are counting on him. He's just been told a slab of crystal is a teleportation device, there's a big scary guy with a tattoo on his forehead staring down at him, people are yelling, and the airman is telling him he's going to get fired.
Poor guy.
There wasn't as much humour in this one as I thought there was going to be (although I did giggle when O'Neill fell out of bed. I knew he was going to fall - he *had* to - but the timing was just so great that I laughed all the same). The only thing I really didn't like about this episode (as most people mentioned) is summed up perfectly by Daniel. "Wait, that's it? What happened to working through the night? I'd do it for you...." I'm sure we all let out a little moan of sympathy for poor Danny (I did!). I'm not sure why the writers did that (not the line, which I thought was very appropriate, but had them all be pretty passive on Daniel's disappearance). Possibly because they were still recovering from the radiation sickness (were they?). But then Carter was doing some work on the skull, so I don't think that's it. Another reason could be because they didn't really know *what* to do. But still. So that part was a little strange. But I think it was just so we would feel sorry for Daniel. Michael Shanks was GREAT in this episode. I loved the whole scene while he was sitting on top of the equipment in the Gate Room (while everyone else was talking about his grandfather, and commenting on contacting him). I also liked his expression after he found out he could see him and said "Why didn't you say anything?".
Overall: Not a bad episode. It seems the writers have been making up for Daniel’s lack of involvement in the third season. Yay.