Stargate SG-1 (TV Series) Divide and Conquer (2000) User Reviews

White Lies

[owlaurence · 8/10 · 10 May 2010]

A very clever episode. It starts out as an investigation to discover who might have been manipulated by the Goau'ld to become an assassin. But when the Tok'ra machine supposed to detect false memories blames O'Neill and Carter, everything becomes suspect.

Is Anise (the seriously under-dressed Tok'ra from Upgrades) really trying to help or does she have her own agenda? Is the Za'tarc detector another technological screwup? Are O'Neill and Carter really compromised? Could *we* all have missed something when we last watched "Upgrades"? Or was it already part of the lie?

So once again, a piece of alien technology that was supposed to help really makes the situation more confused as we start suspecting everybody. And ironically, it turns out that there IS a lie... only it's such an obvious one that we didn't even notice it. So once again, the episode stresses the fact that nothing can replace human intelligence and sensibility, which is always a nice point to make.

Of course, that is only one part of the story, and it turns out that the Goa'uld did have a plot prepared. A shocking, unpleasant one, as far as I'm concerned. (Is it me,or has the characters' death rate hit the ceiling recently?)

To finish, despite a few short action scenes, most of the episode is slow, devoted to introspection and reminiscence, but we still get some good scenes. Nevertheless, the focus is clearly on Carter and O'Neill, to such extent that I cannot even remember what Teal'c does in this episode. As usual, O'Neill gets the best moments, both the funny ones and the serious ones.

The Manchurian Candidate

[claudio_carvalho · 8/10 · 13 June 2016]

During a negotiation with a Tok'ra leader, one SG member tries to kill him. Anise finds that the man has been brainwashed as an assassin by a Goau'ld technology called Za'tarc. The SG-1 is submitted to a test by Anise and the detector accuses that Jack and Sam might have been programmed as assassins. The alternative to cure is experimental may kill them or cause brain damage. What will they do?

"Divide and Conquer" is an engaging episode of Stargate SG-1 that recalls the notorious "The Manchurian Candidate", when persons without suspicion where programmed as assassins. The show is well-resolved and the feelings of jack towards Sam is disclosed (or confirmed). My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "Divide and Conquer"

In my feels

[Calicodreamin · 8/10 · 15 February 2022]

This episode absolutely had me in my feels, my goodness, what a reveal. Great acting and cast chemistry. Storyline was well developed and had a solid twist.

The real background

[sbarjuan · 10/10 · 18 June 2021]

Revisiting Stargate SG1 for the third time in my life, I have to say that this one has one of the series "top moments" for me.

The rest of the story is good enough, but it's just noise. Stargate means to me a message of love and devotion to your friends. It's like a group of friends going for adventures that make you feel like you are part of it. I remember being a kid and feeling like I had to cross the stargate and go into the mission with them.

So even if the full SG1 story is great, the science behind it, the egyptian-goa'uld stories, there is all behind friendship... and love.

And in this group of friends, the love that Carter and O'Neill feel for each other, and also the love they feel for their country and for their "higher purpose" is just amazing.

The moment Jack recognises that he has more feelings for Sam than he should is so sweet that blurs the rest of the episode.

As "Cold Lazarus" was rated only 7,6, I can't understand why this one also has a low rating. For me this is one of the best episodes in SG1.

I loved the episode, as it goes straight to the heart to one of the most sincere moments in all the series. The rest is just noise.

Great episode

[planetpakua · 9/10 · 22 January 2023]

It was a good and interesting episode, despite lack of usual features, all taking place at SGC.

I was so sad Martouf had to die, he was one of my favourite characters. As others have said, they could have disabled both the lieutenant and Martouf without killing them.

I share Jack's feelings about the Tok'ra still not sure I fully trust them.

Revealing Jack's feelings for Carter at this time was interesting.

I wouldn't like to go in that machine, might reveal stuff I'd rather keep very private. I may be a za'tarc.

SG-1 needs more episodes with Schrodinger the cat and some goats. They rarely meet ordinary animals which seems odd.

One of the less good episodes

[misc-10779 · 4/10 · 25 January 2021]

Oh my god, the restraints are too weak. We need to not change anything about them and let possibly affected persons roam free while talking to them with open cards. We all know that won't trigger them, although it seems apparent.

Why did they not shoot Lt. Astor in the shoulder when she raised the gun in a known fashion to kill herself, or have a Zatniktel on hand to stun friendly personal before shooting to kill? Why did they not restrain the two potential suspects? Why did they not improve the restraints? Why was Martouf not tested? Why did they not physically overwhelm Martouf in the many many seconds where he was dazed? They just looked sympathetically.

You can overlook bloopers and embrace the deeper narrative but this is subpar for Stargate.

Similar to the episode "Upgrades", where Anise said she would take any precaution and did not even isolate her subjects on the first exposure, nor try to remove the object from her subject before exposing two more people. Every character present in that situation should have come to that thought.

Nice twists and all in the good old Stargate fashion but this episode totally took me out of the immersion. The characters' behavior was unbelievably dumb and naive in many instances.