Gatecast 204 SG1 Ex Deus Machina

 Episodes  2 Responses »
Nov 232013
 

avatar2 A Jaffa is found dead in the middle of some woodland and when Gerak is questioned he is evasive and not to put too fine a point on it lies which along with the investigation into a missing CEO of a military contractor causes alarm bells to ring in the SGC. Since they know some members of the Trust were taken by a system lord and returned to Earth to provoke a world war they reason that elements are still active and have plans for Earth. This is confirmed when one particular system lord makes an appearance on television as the new head of the said company out lining his plans for the future and it becomes clear the Jaffa have been operating on Earth searching for Ba’al and have taken the missing CEO. Ba’al contacts the SGC and simply asks to be left alone but kinda ruins the mood by telling them of a bomb he has planted somewhere in America, leave him alone and he won’t destroy a city. As both the SGC and Gerak’s people converge on the location of Ba’al using Jaffa and the symbiote poison the Prometheus has located the device in Seattle and Sam is on site but with no possible way to defuse it the Asgard beaming technology is employed leaving not only a big hole in the ground but some major PR spin to be done. Teal’c returns to Dakara but Gerak turns the tables by offering up a captured Ba’al and then executing him in front of the council, his position is secure as the new leader and Teal’c returns to the SGC and then they reveal that Ba’al has been working on cloning technology and there could be more than one of him.

Smooth Operator

Smooth Operator

Ok I know cloning could be considered a little too obvious a solution for killing off a major character of recent seasons and still having him around but in the episodes to come it proves to be a damn good idea and works very well. Ex Deus Machina itself is a lot of fun, fast paced and entertaining with all the main characters used well and good use made of the recurring characters. We had some issues with the use of the beaming technology to remove an office block but while it may be possible on that scale it seemed to defy the logic of the show which had been set out.

Behind You...

Behind You…

Due to Alans ongoing education we had some scheduling issues so as Brad was ready and willing I recorded this show with him since with the christmas break in recording coming up I needed a couple more shows in the can. Last years use of bonus shows to keep a weekly release ongoing proved to be a good idea so we’ll do the same this year, not quite sure when these bonus shows will be released but I think you’ll enjoy them. Many thanks to Brad for once again earning yet another gold star and thanks to everyone that left feedback on Facebook, G+ and the main website, thanks as always to all the support on Twitter as well which is a treasure trove of Stargate passion. This weeks promo is for the excellent geeky podcast Nutty Bites and next week we’ll be back with Atlantis for the episode Instinct which marks the first appearance in the franchise for Jewel Staite.

Promo…

Links…

Mentions…

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

Episode 167 SG1 Covenant

 Episodes  No Responses »
Feb 232013
 

avatar2 A surprise announcement from the head of Colson Industries who claims to have proof of alien interference with mankind and various governments collusion to cover it up. This shocking press conference has the US state department and the SGC attempting to put out the fire but with Alec Colson having his own fleet of satellites and his companies access to relabelled recovered alien tech he is certainly in a position to see the big picture. The SGC may be willing to play nice but the Trust made up of former NID operatives and backers are more decisive shall we say and if an accident can’t be arranged then there are
other means to remove a threat.

Covenant is a very well cast episode, both Charles and Tom play their roles exceptionally
well as the idealist and the realist clashing over what they should do with information that
could change the world. It’s great to see both Daniel and Sam working together out in the
real world and a call back to the Prometheus episode with the reporter being used to
glue everything together.

On or Off the record?

On or Off the record?

Thor of course is always a pleasure more so because they really have got the puppets
interaction down pat even to simple reaction shots and close in work with the actors.
I’m seriously impressed with the SGC’s creation of the base on the new Alpha site, that
would have taken a lot of work or maybe they had access to some Tok’ra crystals but
it looked man made. In hindsight it looks a lot like the Icarus base from Stargate Universe.

Don't forget the door remote!

Don’t forget the door remote!

This weeks promo is from the Scifi Diner hosted by Scott and Miles, they talk about genre
tv and movies and gather countless excellent interviews from their many convention trips, well
worth a listen. Next week we return to Pegasus and meet for the first time the Genii in the
SGA epsiode “Underground” which stars Colm Meany and Erin Chambers.

We got some feedback from Colin our friend over at Trek News & Views as well as a little
bit of facebook feedback on last weeks episode but we always need more so if you fancy dropping
us a line then you can do so via Facebook, Google+, Twitter and this sites contact form. You can
also find us on Stitcher Internet Radio and on itunes.

Promo…

Links…

Mentions…

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

Episode 150 Resurrection

 Episodes  No Responses »
Sep 222012
 

 A frantic call to the authorities has the NID and SGC investigating a run down factory unit which houses a secret research facility and oh yes around 30 dead bodies all killed it seems by a young woman housed in what amounts to a secure cage in the building. The sole surviving scientist a truly scummy individual plays silly buggers with NID agent Barrett and Sam Carter who are interrogating him about the woman and the cache of Egyptian artefacts which were believe to be sourced from the ill gotten gains of the Nazi regime.
Things take a turn for the worse when a device with the symbols of Ra is discovered and identified as a large scale explosive device and combined with indications that the Sekhmet symbiote was also part of the cache points to a wild and whacky DNA splicing experiment to create a human/goa’uld hybrid with access to the genetic memory. The young woman Anna has no memory of the bloodshed despite video evidence showing her cold bloodly shooting some scientists and Daniel believes her body does indeed house two souls, one an innocent human the other a millenia old symbiote.
Dr Keffler attempts to barter for his freedom until Daniel discovers what he had been doing behind the backs of his now dead colleagues and the sponsoring NID but the clock is still ticking on the bomb and the only way to disarm it is to bring out Sekhmet.

Finally Friends with Meditation

Resurrection is the one and only episode of Stargate that Amanda Tapping directed although she did go on to direct a number of episodes of Sanctuary. The episode was written by Michael Shanks and was the final episode produced in the seventh season adding more pressure to the cast and crew to get the episode done before production shut down. Two things are missing, the first is Richard Dean Anderson who had already packed his bags and returned home, the perks of being a producer I guess and of course the Stargate itself:)

Where’s Jack?

The episode was alas not that memorable to me, I couldn’t place it by name and it took a good 10 minutes plus before the plot was retrived from long term memory storage in my brain but there was excellent set piece shots created by Amanda from the initial ultra long crane/steady cam shot to the quite magnificent shots and lighting of Anna’s cage in the huge empty warehouse.

It was good to see Agent Barrett back again and there is even a little flirtation although Sam does inform him she has a fella even though we haven’t seen much of Pete recently and some obvious ramping up of the Jack/Sam dynamic. Teal’c and Dr Bill have some laughs which are used to lighten what is a rather dark episode dealing with genetic manipulation and murder not to mention trying to defuse a bomb which could take out Orange County.

This weeks promo is from Trek News & Views and next week we will be covering the 20th episode of the season “Inaugreation” in which the new President is given the top top secret briefing and Kinsey makes his move. Keep the feedback coming via any means that takes your fancy and we are due to record our season 7 wrap up show but could do with a guest host to spice the conversation up a little, if you are interested let us know soon and we’ll try to sort out a time that works for everyone.

Promo…

Links…

Review…

Poll…

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

Episode 149 Heroes Part 2

 Episodes  No Responses »
Sep 152012
 

 Stargate Command is still in shock over the events that occured on P3X-666 and even though SG team members, scientists and other personnel have been lost before both by accident and in combat this time one so close to the heart of the SGC has rocked the foundations. The cost in life is also being used by the NID through Woolsey to make their move against Hammonds Command. Emmett is still digging and looking for the truth behind the events offworld and he learns there was a death and one witness indicates O’Neill was brought back unmoving on a litter with Carter visible shaken. Daniel he learns has a recording of the events and through both reasoned argument and impassioned pleas gains access to the footage but is then as shocked as most viewers would be with the events as they play out. Ultimately the documentary is produced and presented to Hammond who complements Emmett on a job well done, it may never see the light of day but chronicles a time when the SGC suffered but pulled together through bonds of family, duty and loyalty.

A solemn as the unmarked grave

The second episode in the Heroes two parter is far slower paced relying just as much on speeches and one on one dialogue to tell it’s story as the first part revolved around some good location set pieces. What really adds the icing to the wonderful dialogue is one the best battle sequences filmed for the show shown after the events which transpired in the first episode. All the cast excel but Saul easily stakes his claim as the most impressive guest performance on the show and is the key element to this story working, everyone else works around his characters actions and motivations. It was certainly a ballsy move by Rob C Cooper to write this epsiode and also from other producers and the studio to allow the two parter to be made, the result is some of the finest Stargate ever made.

Sit back and be amazed.

I really don’t think much more needs to be said, the events in the story have been experienced for the first time by every fan of Stargate SG1 each of which have had their own reactions to the story. Heroes Parts 1 & 2 are a truly magnificent piece of science fiction entertainment and were nominated for a Hugo award but it had some serious competion that year with the Lost pilot, Angel’s “Smile Time” and the winner being BSG’s “33”.

Many thanks to Dan for his voicemail and don’t forget to vote in the season 7 poll.

Promo…

Links…

Mentions…

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

Episode 123 Smoke and Mirrors

 Episodes  No Responses »
Mar 102012
 

 Senator Kinsey is the target for assassination and the shooter is identified as Jack O’Neill a trained sniper and who bares a well known grudge against the politician, there is also the small fact of video footage of the Colonel in the vicinity. Jack is put under arrest and it’s upto the rest of SG1 with input from the NID to investigate and discover how and why the Senator was targeted and it’s not as obvious a reason as we may have expected.

ICU

Smoke and Mirrors is an interesting episode which brings to head a number of plot elements and sheds light on some of the manoeuvring which has been going on behind the scenes which have been the root of the spate of NID rogue actions. The actual reasoning behind these events does come as a surprise given how we’ve had to deal with the political aspect of the SGC and elected officials but it does make a lot of sense, that’s important to sell the show as something beyond simple scifi.

One thing this episode does have is quite a bit of humour as once again Jonas and Teal’c buddy up and go investigating, the two characters work well together and while you wouldn’t think it would work it does. The combination of Sam with Agent Barrett also comes across well leading to the character being used again as the main NID middle man and the mechanism to make this story work is a call back to Foothold, that method of story telling is a favourite of ours.

Friends Forever

Promo…

Links…

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

Episode 114 Nightwalkers

 Episodes  No Responses »
Jan 072012
 

  A desperate call for help has Sam leading an investigation into the death of Dr Richard Flemming a former employee of Immunitech a concern with links to Adrian Conrad and may have had access to Goa’uld research. Finding evidence of a conspiracy a more indepth look into the town reveals some strange behaviour by the inhabitants and a startling discovery and double cross.

Studying, Jack is notably absent.

Nightwalkers is an unusal SG1 episode, it’s style is different to the bulk of the series and it’s also the first episode Richard Dean Anderson does not appear in which may have been the impetus to try something new. The direction and photography is reminiscent of the X-Files and includes homages to a number of offbeat shows and noir features and boasts some nice costuming and a strong guest cast.

This can’t be good, pretend we’re not in.

The episode does offer up a fine supporting cast and ultimately it is rewarding even though it’s not high on any viewer popularity list but it starts the ball rolling on one of the pivotal events of the series which we will be covering at the appropriate time.

Promo…

Links…

 

 

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

Episode 107 The Sentinel

 Episodes  No Responses »
Oct 292011
 

  The fall out from the NID clandestine off world missions continues with the failure of the Latona planetary defence system after it was compromised by NID personnel. The SGC pull two members of the NID from death row who were part of the original mission and for co-operating their sentences are reduced to life in imprisonment. The SGC has to engage Jaffa forces surrounding the gate and once on planet Jack along with members of SG3 visit the leader of the Latonan people while Sam, Daniel, Teal’c and the NID people head towards The Sentinel and attempt to fix the weapon before the Goa’uld escalate their invasion of the planet.

HOT hot hot hot hot!

The Sentinel is another standalone episode in the fifth season but has a lot more depth that you would think by weaving in the NID off world missions which we may have considered to be done and dusted after Shades Of Grey. Christina Cox makes her second guest appearance in SG1 but not her last for the franchise as a whole and that’s always a bonus. The big guest star for this episode is the late great Henry Gibson, the guy has a style and look that is unique and allowed him to do both out and out comedy and a lot more subtle comedy and drama.

Beautifully lit scene

Promo…

Links…

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

Episode 99 Wormhole X-Treme!

 Episodes  No Responses »
Sep 032011
 

  Wormhole X-Treme! is a television show in production which tells the story of 4 intrepid explorers who travel through a circular device which houses a wormhole, show creator is one Martin Lloyd aka Marty who the SGC met a year or so back and discovered he was an alien along with others of his race living on the Earth. The SGC are willing to let this show be made as a double bluff, it automatically debunks many potential claims that the Stargate program is real but then a ship is tracked moving in the solar system and identified as being Martin’s mothership so Jack goes undercover at the tv studio to make contact.

Sweet Ride

This of course is the 100th episode of Stargate SG1 hence spoofing themselves in truly a cheesy manner and for the longest time I really wasn’t over impressed with this celebration of all things Stargate but truth be told I’ve taken a lot more from it this time around. The antics on set with the 4 actors playing parodies of SG1 along with all the cameos from the production staff and yes the basic story which concludes the Martin Lloyd story arc (for now).

Anyhow not only do we get all the in-jokes and spot the crew games but the filming using the real studios and back lots adds much to the flavour of the episode and again building on previous characters/stories tends to work more often than not. We also get an expansion of the NID in relation to how they co-exist with the SGC, lots of interesting stuff to come there with Agent Barrett.

Mind the Dead Bodies

Is Wormhole X-Treme! a fitting celebration of the 100th episode of Stargate? Well yes it is but maybe the blend of the spoof and the main story wasn’t as neat as it could have been and maybe that was why I wasn’t keen on this episode for so many years but it does pay off if you commit fully to getting every reference and homage out of it.

Thanks to Adriana and Thomas for joining us for this cast, it was a lot of fun.

Emote to the tennis ball people!

Promo…

Links…

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

Episode 90 Ascension

 Episodes  No Responses »
Jul 022011
 

Investigating an alien world with a devastated civilisation SG1 explore a city and find evidence of Ancient writings and maybe even technology. Sam mysteriously collapses and is told to take some time off and only then does she meet the mysterious figure who seems to be capable of some strange things or is he a figment of her stressed imagination. Either way the SGC investigate and that draws in the NID who as always take it one step further and maybe ultimately make all the wrong decisions.

Ascension is a solid Sam episode in which we get to see her home (believed to have been her Dads before he went Tok’ra) as well as her vintage motor underlining Sam’s status as far more than a career soldier. We also get a lot of background to the actions and motivations of the Ancients which are very different to what we have previously experienced via Oma Desala but set the basis for stories to come from both aspects. A new NID presence in the form of Simmons (John de Lancie) spells trouble as it’s obvious he is slicker and more devious than those we have met before, a reasonable face on the shadow organisation.

The secondary plot points tend to revolve around humorous aspects with Teal’c and Jack especially the Star Wars and Pizza scene:)

Promo…

Links…

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

Episode 61 Shades Of Grey

 Episodes  No Responses »
Nov 062010
 

Jack goes off the deep end and steals some Tollan technology after diplomatic discussions fail to provide the Earth with more advanced technology. Faced with alienating the Tollan the device is returned and Jack is allowed to save face (and jail time) by resigning but after a week he is already bored and then gets an interesting offer.

Shades Of Grey follows on from the events in Pretense and as before the Tollan are reluctant to provide advanced technologies to other races in fear of the use they will be put to even if by default they are not military hardware. They have a valid point but events which first began back in Touchstone as Earth humans are operating behind the backs of the SGC and maybe the results they get are not worth risking the goodwill of worlds the SGC (well SG1) have encountered. A third episode is even touched on as Jack requests retirement to the planet Edora (100 Days) which in context makes a lot of sense for the character.

Shades Of Grey is not the beginning of the political or third party faction arc which runs throughout most of the mid series season but it is significant as we see a well organised and effective group exploiting the work of the SGC. This situation will expand greatly over the next few seasons and thankfully the series never gets itself to embedded with the hard drama, they always keep it accessible for fans while adding a new angle to the show.

Not quite SG1

Promo…

Links…

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

Episode 35 Touchstone

 Episodes  No Responses »
Apr 242010
 

A return visit to Madrona to investigate some weather control technology reveals a world ravaged by extreme weather due to a device being stolen by humans who looked like members of the SGC. SG1 promise to find the Touchstone and they discover the second gate stored at Area51 is not all that it seems and in the shadows of corporate America and the political dark allies there are forces at play which could undermine the work of Stargate Command.

Touchstone is quite a pivotal episode as it lays the seeds of the shadow conspiracy and the NID involvement at certain levels. We see the very definite attitudes taken by the SGC in dealing with other races when compared to this mysterious operation and the fall out is covered in later episodes.

Serious respect to the cinematographer and set designers/artists for creating Madrona, it was a beautiful piece of work from the stunning lightning flashes to the sun shining on the new day.

Promos

Thanks to Gateworld

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS