This was really interesting, in that it showed just how far Daniel is willing to go for answers, even if it meant not seeing Sha'uri again. The re-introduction of Catherine was great, though I do have a small gripe about it. This episode helps to expand the idea that other aliens developed the Stargate system. This move also pulls the series away from the movie and more into the realm of the last novel in the fiction series written by Bill Cray.

The Plot

Daniel starts watching a tape of research done in 1945 in which they succeed in opening the gate. He leaves the SGC to talk to Catherine, missing out on a medical test and de-briefing. Catherine tells him about her time during the test and that her fiancé Earnest died. Daniel then tells her he's actually alive on another planet. When they go to the SGC Daniel says they should go as Earnest was a hero and Sam points out that the address is not on the Goa'uld map of the Stargate system. SG-1 goes and finds proof of other aliens and their language. But they have trouble with the DHD. Though they come up with a solution to the problem Daniel is forced to give up the find of a lifetime to return home.

1) In the pilot Daniel and Sam both say they tried numerous combinations. But what appears their first try works for the 45 team. I suppose it gives me hope to win Gold Lotto, since I think the odds are more in favour with the win than finding a gate combination that works by fluke.

2) If Earnest was so clever to work out that the machine used the symbols as destinations, why not use the one on the cartouche.

3) Some of the possible character development of Earnest was wiped by the statement from Catherine, "you remind me of him," in reference to Daniel. So Earnest becomes Daniel in about 50 years time.

First points in realism with having Earnest naked, when they first come through. Think about it would you really want to wear the same thing for 50 years, for that matter would you really want to wear anything, there is after all nobody around. I also like that the chemical elements were used as the language of choice, very logical as it is as Daniel said the basic building blocks of everybody and everything.

Michael Shanks dose a brilliant job in this episode. He plays Daniel with a child like wonder and joy when he gets his hands on his new toy. I like the way he wants to protect his toy from the bullies. Richard Dean Anderson dose a fantastic job at showing how much of a friend Daniel is to him without breaking Jack's facade of the "military" man. Amanda Tapping and Christopher Judge give good support in their roles, as this episode tended to deal with the movie characters. Elizabeth Hoffman and Keene Curtis as Catherine and Earnest are scene-stealers in some cases and give a convincing rendition of the couple separated by his need to know.

The writer Robert C. Cooper has done a very plausible and realistic episode except the one major gripe of the flukiness of that combination working, though I easily put that to the back of my mind while I watch the story unfolded. He gives a nice mix in the relationships between the group, in that Catherine knows not only Daniel and Jack, but also Sam, who was the heading the science team in researching the gate till Daniel cracked the code. This also is a nice scene in that it also shows that he has also seen previous episodes and thus makes the reference to information given in "Children of the Gods." I like writers that know the show, what they are writing, and are not afraid to use that knowledge, it adds to the enjoyment of the show by not having any continuity gripes and the other problems can faded into the background for the hour.

"You got to go that one step further." Jack to Daniel