CHILDREN OF THE GODS
Okay so as a fan of the movie I wanted to see what they did to it. I’ll be honest I was pessimistically looking forward to the premier of this series, due to a few really spin offs from movie to TV series. And I wanted to have a few laughs at the expense of Richard Dean Anderson. I mean did not like the MacGyver character wasn’t realistic to me even if he was a genius, how much can you really do with a pocketknife and duck tape. So what happens, I get taught a lesson in being quick to judge.
The Plot
First aliens kidnap a female guard of the Stargate. We find out that Colonel Jack O'Neill is retired after the Abydos mission. He re-activates himself to save Daniel and the other Abydos people. We are then introduced to Captain Dr Samantha Carter, who basically takes over Brown’s role as the team's scientist. Fretti and Kalwasky are back to help round out the team and tie it more to the movie. Daniel, Sha'uri and Skaara are re-introduced to the views as well as the team that goes to Abydos. Daniel shows Sam, Jack and Charlie, his find, a map to the Stargate System. Sha'uri and Skaara are kidnapped by a god and his guards. Daniel is told he must return to earth. He tells the locals to close the Stargate for a year when he will come back with Sha'uri and Skaara.
After spending some time on earth where Jack and Daniel catch up on each other's lives. General Hammond tells the team he has formed nine SG teams, the project also has the backing of the president. The General doesn’t want Daniel to go on missions, as he is important to the project, nut relents and allows him to join SG-1. SG-1 and 2 head to Chul'ack, where Sha'uri is now a Goa'uld. Later the same fate befalls Skaara. SG-1 and 2 go back with a pile of refuges and Teal'c a Jaffa guard and Kalwasky with a Goa'uld in him.
Gripes
1) The fact that the DHD, and thus the Stargate on Chu'lack (later all) seem to have the same symbols as earth bar point of origin. By doing this they have taken away from the movie in which Daniel Jackson had to try and find the address for earth. This is a permeant gripe. In the movie they made a point that the chevrons are from star constellations, the move in the series makes it seem as though it is just a code. Last time I looked at a book for astronomy (more to the point astrology), each universe has it’s own constellation or perception of one. I mean what was there to take out two minutes and have Sam mention that the map also had the return address. A quick and non-messy solution to the problem.
The plot has essential elements for the continuation of the pilot movie into a series.
1) The Stargate map. Well if you are going to other worlds a map would be very handy, and makes the view interested in where they will go next.
2) Baddies. With Ra dead they need a new baddy Apothsis is the character, though it was interesting in that Sha'uri and Skaara are added to the list.
3) New characters. The new characters are needed to expand the series universe beyond that of the movie.
4) This is was not essential and not really needed. But the taking out of Sha'uri and Skaara in a way it has a three fold effect on the series. First it gives Daniel a reason to stick with SG-1 and the SGC. It also removes the possibility of showing him with a personal life and frees up the character considerably. It also gives Daniel a stronger stake in the Stargate project as well. Though I think it would have been just as interesting to have left the characters in the series.
Favourite Scene or Nice touches.
Favourite scene would be Sam and Daniel dealing with the revelation they can make the Stargate systems go to other places. Jack and Teal'c helping the others, "for this you can stay at my place." But my all time favourite scene is Daniel pleading to be a Goa'uld host. Michael Shanks shows Daniel with determination to be with his wife and also the sorrow with a touch of courage, the others are just as brilliant in their reaction to Daniel's problem. I haven’t seen a scene that good for a while and it is that reason that made me stick with the series. Though I wonder what would have happen if it had been Daniel not Skaara that had been taken.
Acting
Acting was above par, considering it is a pilot and a lot of the actors especially the regulars are just getting a feel for their characters. I love seeing some of my favourite Vancouver actors on the series, though it being filmed there could have something to do with it.
Besides Mr Richard Dean Anderson we have a few actors from the X-Files among other series. Don S. Davis and Robert Wisden (or Pusher as I lovingly call him). Both having appeared in two of my five all time favourites from the X-Files. As for the other actors, I have seen Amanda Tapping in the X-Files as the hooker that Skinner is accused of killing, and I had seen her in a Danielle Steel movie. Christopher Judge has had roles in a couple of movies that I have seen "Bird on a Wire" and "Cadence" which I own as a Charlie Sheen Fan. As for Michael Shanks I have never seen him in anything that I remember him from. I know nearly every review says this and it doesn’t do justice to the work of Michael Shanks, but dam it if he and James Spader couldn’t play brothers in looks, something I wouldn’t mind seeing. Michael Shanks also uses an acting style very similar to Spader’s. But let's get into how they did in this episode.
Michael Shanks actually gets some interesting ranges of moods. His surprise and joy at the return of Jack and the others from the movie. Later he plays Daniel’s child like wonder and joy at the finds he made be it the Stargate map or the locals of Chu'lack. But it’s his anguish over the lose of Sha'uri that leads to the heart wrenching scene in the jail in which he begs to be taken to be a Goa’uld host. This scene is made the better by not only Michael Shanks facial and vocal reactions, but also the facial features of the others. Sam and Jack with their sympathy and Teal'c with the little shake of the head which says no that Jack catches. Richard Dean Anderson, is good actually better than good as Colonel O'Neill who isn’t one of my favourite characters. He makes the character his, with the O'Neill one liners like Kurt Russell, but he plays him with a more human side. His scenes talking to Skaara and Daniel Jackson are some of the best I have seen for a while in relation to character development. However he did have scenes I wanted to take a bat to him and other I could have given him a hug for his kindness. Amanda Tapping gets what could become an interesting role in that her dilemma is to weigh up her views as a military personal and as a scientist. It’s nice to have an intelligent female character that can look after herself. I love the way she came out with the MacGyver crack. Tapping plays her with Daniel’s child like wonder when a new toy arrives and Jack’s military sense in moving into action when called to do so. Christopher Judge gets very little compared to others, but his eyes portrays his feelings with respect to what he has to do and wants to do. Don S. Davis is so believable as General Hammond, but then his previous roles as military people could have helped. Davis is quiet a flexible actor, he makes the General a friendly and social person, without making him seem comical or weak as the leader of the SGC. It’s quiet a change and refreshing especially after General West. Though he doesn’t get much of a role Robert Wisden is great and I hope that he stays with the show. He plays the slimy Major Samuels, with such conviction to the role. He is a by the book man who wants the Stargate to stay closed, but for all his faults he dose want the SG teams to succeed. Peter Williams is Apothsis the evil baddy who causes all the troubles for the SG teams. Williams is believable as the Goa'uld who believes he is a god and therefore can do what he wants. Jay Acovone and Brent Stait, give believable renditions of Kalwasky and Fretti. Acovone was really good as Kalwasky another favourite character from the movie. His scenes with O'Neill and Fretti are enjoyable. Though I must say the ending is jippy as you know he is going to die in the next episode because they can't afford to have a curer for Goa'uld possession this earlier in the series.
Writer
The writers Jonathan Glassner and Brad Wright capture the necessary elements to have watchers tune in each week. Beside my gripe I would say it was a well thought out plot. It had all the elements to make a very strong series. It had lighthearted moments as well as the heave anguish scenes. There was knowledge of the characters from the movie. And they have developed the new characters from the start you have a grasp of who they are and what they are like.
8.5 Jaffa Guards out of 10 Gods
"For this you can stay at my place." Jack to Teal'c