This review HAS spoilers in it. There's not much that needs to be said that hasn't already. Both episodes are relatively enjoyable, but each have a horrendous that you'd never ever see coming, and only expect from a TV show like game of thrones. And unfortunately do a great deal to not only ruin both pilot episodes, but for me it also somewhat tarnishes the reputation original movie (Kurt Russel) as well. The title of this review may seem shocking, and that's because these episode are.
Make sure the kids are well hidden for this one, because I'm not joking when I say that, in each episode, a woman is kidnapped and thrown into some sort of a harem holding bay of other women. Then, at the end of each episode, one of those women is selected, stunned with some sort of lazer hand device (thank goodness this small part wasn't too violent) stripped completely naked by male guards, (at least in the first episode the camera work is somewhat careful, but the second time, forget it, its all on display...), in front of the new snake god human male villain, and its implied that they are being selected to be 'implanted' with some worm like creature. To me... it kind of looks like rape, but make of it what you will. To put the cherry on top, the first woman (who was from earth) when her entire team of incompetent colleagues were, for whatever reason, unable to defend her from her sociopath kidnappers), she very unfortunately isn't reached in time by the well-to-do but severely delayed SG1 team, before the new son of a bitch evil as all hell villain (who would actually be the series villain for years to come), murders her using that same lazer hand device, in cold blood as she lay naked on a table, as I guess she's no longer any use for him and he couldn't be bothered returning her. The premise of this episode was for the SG1 team to reunite and rescue her. But that was all quite arguably an epic fail, and the whole thing seems like a bit of a farce to be honest. Although this plot device would become the basis for the rest of the TV series. In other words, her sacrifice became the TV shows gain. It would've been nice if they did rescue her, but the writers had other things in mind. There really is no reason in hindsight why she needed to die, but the more than likely all misogynistic male writing team was high on something when they designed this fate for her.
Of course, in the second episode, its actually Daniel Jackson's beloved wife sha're who is put through this same gruesome, gratuitous and terrifying procedure. Poor Daniel Jackson! I couldn't think of anything worse that could happen to a man to be honest, to have his wife stolen then raped by a worm under the supervision of some over-powered dirt-bag, but anyhow, fortunately for her shes not murdered (at least not at the end of this episode) though unfortunately that worm drives itself right into her back, again naked on the table being held down by male guards, while she makes blood curdling screams. Forget what you saw in the movie, sha're now belongs to a new man. Again, the SG1 team don't save her, this time however its not due to lack of time or resources, but because they just don't care enough as its not one of their own now. Even though she doesn't die in this episode, shes basically thrown in the bin like the first woman.
Why the writers chose to go so ALL OUT on these episodes is so well beyond me even as I write this as a 31 year old, but I can only imagine, ratings ratings ratings. You would see nothing even remotely close to this for the rest of the entire SG1 series. Its okay to be a little shocking and present something new, but this went a bit far in my honest opinion.
If that's your thing, fair enough. But you can imagine my confusion originally watching this when it premiered on national television as a 12 year old (to be fair, I only saw that first episode where while gratuitous, wasn't as bad as that second), just keen to get in on some sci-fi action. Boys really shouldn't be exposed to this kind of thing. Back then and even now, I still can't decide whether or not I was watching some sort of snuff porn horror movie, or a sci-fi one. Even know its kind of difficult to watch, and I only do so out of a perverted sense of curiosity, but for some reason I can't help but feel somewhat guilty like Im doing something wrong. Less stuff like this on TV, I believe, would've gone a long way to helping to curb the male on female assault and harassment epidemic that's been plaguing our society.
What I've said here might very well procure negative reactions, but I don't care. If the producers went out of their way to remove as much of this gratuitous porn from the re-release, it goes a long way to show that they must've regretted it to some extent later on (they even cut some of the sexual swearing from this episode as well). Hey Im just calling a spade a spade, but nonetheless SG1 would go on to be, actually kind of an enjoyable show, with the benefit of hindsight, they did get rid of anything that was even remotely related to sex or nudity, but as a young lad, I must confess that I was somewhat frightened and confused about these scenes and remained that way for a while. Thanks for reading and best of luck.
Make sure the kids are well hidden for this one, because I'm not joking when I say that, in each episode, a woman is kidnapped and thrown into some sort of a harem holding bay of other women. Then, at the end of each episode, one of those women is selected, stunned with some sort of lazer hand device (thank goodness this small part wasn't too violent) stripped completely naked by male guards, (at least in the first episode the camera work is somewhat careful, but the second time, forget it, its all on display...), in front of the new snake god human male villain, and its implied that they are being selected to be 'implanted' with some worm like creature. To me... it kind of looks like rape, but make of it what you will. To put the cherry on top, the first woman (who was from earth) when her entire team of incompetent colleagues were, for whatever reason, unable to defend her from her sociopath kidnappers), she very unfortunately isn't reached in time by the well-to-do but severely delayed SG1 team, before the new son of a bitch evil as all hell villain (who would actually be the series villain for years to come), murders her using that same lazer hand device, in cold blood as she lay naked on a table, as I guess she's no longer any use for him and he couldn't be bothered returning her. The premise of this episode was for the SG1 team to reunite and rescue her. But that was all quite arguably an epic fail, and the whole thing seems like a bit of a farce to be honest. Although this plot device would become the basis for the rest of the TV series. In other words, her sacrifice became the TV shows gain. It would've been nice if they did rescue her, but the writers had other things in mind. There really is no reason in hindsight why she needed to die, but the more than likely all misogynistic male writing team was high on something when they designed this fate for her.
Of course, in the second episode, its actually Daniel Jackson's beloved wife sha're who is put through this same gruesome, gratuitous and terrifying procedure. Poor Daniel Jackson! I couldn't think of anything worse that could happen to a man to be honest, to have his wife stolen then raped by a worm under the supervision of some over-powered dirt-bag, but anyhow, fortunately for her shes not murdered (at least not at the end of this episode) though unfortunately that worm drives itself right into her back, again naked on the table being held down by male guards, while she makes blood curdling screams. Forget what you saw in the movie, sha're now belongs to a new man. Again, the SG1 team don't save her, this time however its not due to lack of time or resources, but because they just don't care enough as its not one of their own now. Even though she doesn't die in this episode, shes basically thrown in the bin like the first woman.
Why the writers chose to go so ALL OUT on these episodes is so well beyond me even as I write this as a 31 year old, but I can only imagine, ratings ratings ratings. You would see nothing even remotely close to this for the rest of the entire SG1 series. Its okay to be a little shocking and present something new, but this went a bit far in my honest opinion.
If that's your thing, fair enough. But you can imagine my confusion originally watching this when it premiered on national television as a 12 year old (to be fair, I only saw that first episode where while gratuitous, wasn't as bad as that second), just keen to get in on some sci-fi action. Boys really shouldn't be exposed to this kind of thing. Back then and even now, I still can't decide whether or not I was watching some sort of snuff porn horror movie, or a sci-fi one. Even know its kind of difficult to watch, and I only do so out of a perverted sense of curiosity, but for some reason I can't help but feel somewhat guilty like Im doing something wrong. Less stuff like this on TV, I believe, would've gone a long way to helping to curb the male on female assault and harassment epidemic that's been plaguing our society.
What I've said here might very well procure negative reactions, but I don't care. If the producers went out of their way to remove as much of this gratuitous porn from the re-release, it goes a long way to show that they must've regretted it to some extent later on (they even cut some of the sexual swearing from this episode as well). Hey Im just calling a spade a spade, but nonetheless SG1 would go on to be, actually kind of an enjoyable show, with the benefit of hindsight, they did get rid of anything that was even remotely related to sex or nudity, but as a young lad, I must confess that I was somewhat frightened and confused about these scenes and remained that way for a while. Thanks for reading and best of luck.