There is very little to redeem this episode of Stargate (part 1 or 2). There was some humor in it, which is the only reason I gave it a 4 out of 10. When Alternate Jack O'neill's on his fishing boat and in the end when there is a fish in his no fish pond. Oh I will also mention the return of the "gateship" joke.
That being said, the rest of this story was horrible. As the previous review stated, the return of certain characters did not really add to the story and was mostly gratuitous. There were some major holes in this story. With their previous time travel experience, General Hammond wisely let the team go through with their mission, knowing they would be sent back in time. This was to preserve the time line. Yet in this episode, they would have us believe that SG-1 would not need to do anything once they had the ZPM. This makes no sense, if they decide not to return, then them going in the past never happened and thus they would not have the ZPM. They would have to return in order to preserve the time-line of them receiving the ZPM. I suppose they could explain this and say that it is 3 separate alternate realities. This would of course mean that the original team would have disappeared in their time line (The one we have been following for the 8 seasons). Which also means that we are now watching the alternate-alternate time line of them having the ZPM. Meaning SGU and Atlantis from that point was not the original. (I know confusing, time line plots usually are) I suppose I have an issue wanting to think that we are now watching an alternate-alternate reality. When Daniel visited the alternate reality through the mirror, they made it a point to emphasize the importance of the ORIGINAL time-line we were following. The original time-line if continued would have SG-1 having gone missing with the time-machine puddle-jumper. Thus it would have changed everything that happens after with season 9-10, SGA and SGU. The only way you can make it believable would have been NOT to kill off the original Teal'c, Samantha and Jack. Had their alternates meet them and perhaps THEY would have been killed in helping the original team perform the revolt, keep the gate and let them use the damaged jumper to return to their time WITH the ZPM (Burying it to find with the gate would also have irreparably altered the time-line). This would have made a lot more sense. They would not need to have the part about them not needing to do anything.
Now with all Sci-fi's we must be willing to suspend belief. However I just do not believe they put any effort in writing this story. Especially for a season finale. The previous reviewer is correct yet again in that Threads would have been a better season finale. There is an abundance of possibilities I left out and no matter how you look at it, the time-line would have been irreparable. I do not see Samantha Carter EVER going along with this.
I also had a problem with the Alternate Jack O'Neill. He spoke with a much more pronounced Minnesotan (spelling) accent as the alternate. Even with the Canadian "Eh". This was completely lost once he was back in Stargate command. At least Samantha Carter tried to hold up to her Alternate's geeky walk when the alternates went back in time.
It's almost better to imagine this episode NEVER happening. Kind of like Highlander II The Quickening. I fully enjoy the Stargate Franchise, but even good shows have their bad episodes. It was unfortunate this was a two parter for a season Finale. I was never happy with it.
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