Weekly Geeks #5
This week's theme is "other forms of story-telling." Other meaning not books.
I have this grand delusion that I'm going to craft the perfect post that reveals just how perfectly obsessed I am with Stargate SG-1. My post won't be perfect, I know, but I hope it makes sense. The obsession? Not worried about that coming across at all.
2010: The Start of It All.
I'm a night owl. It's true, it's always been true. I "discovered" Stargate SG-1 when it aired in syndication on Saturday nights. I don't remember if it started at 11 something or 12 something (which would technically have made it Sunday morning but whatever.) The very very first episode I saw was from season four. It was entitled "2010." The one sentence summary, "Ten years into the future, the former members of SG-1 must send a message into the past to prevent the extinction of the human race." I knew nothing of the team, knew nothing about the show really. I just saw that it had one very cute guy--Daniel Jackson (Michael Shanks) and that it had the undercurrent of romance. Okay, I didn't know for absolute sure about the romance. But Sam and Jack? Every scene they were in just sparkled. I felt that something had to be there. But perhaps even more important for me at that exact time, the episode focused on time. Though the people weren't time traveling, they were trying to send back a message in time. Plus in this episode, there is a dystopia. Add in the fact that there is a great theme song, and I was head over heels in love. I made a point to watch it every week from that point on. So I finished the rest of season four and began on season five.
"You, too???!!!"
At some point in the midst of season five, I discovered something life-changing. Dad was watching Stargate too! He was watching it on Saturday afternoons. At that point, I didn't know it came on during the day. And he was always asleep by the time I was watching it at night. But one day, it all came together and clicked. We didn't watch it together--not at that point in time--but this was a life-changing discovery all the same. In the fall of 2003, Dad needed neck surgery. He'd gotten hurt at work, and was going to required lots of recuperation time at home before he'd be physically able to go back to work. (He wouldn't start back until January or February 2004). One of the first things we did was go to Best Buy to buy all five seasons of Stargate on DVD. They were running one of their awesome sales where the more seasons you bought, the more you saved. This would be the first time I saw the first three seasons. (I had eventually caught up on all the season four episodes in reruns.) It might have been less than ideal for him--pain wise--but we spent hours and hours and hours and hours and hours watching Stargate together.
Stargate OCD style
There is a ritual in our house. One that is tested and proven extremely satisfying. It might seem a bit much to outsiders, but it works for me. (I think I'm more of a fan than Dad is when it comes to this ritual. But he goes along with me.) What is it? Well, it's the again-again factor. To prepare for season six's release, you must watch all of Stargate seasons one through five. To prepare for season seven's release, you must watch all of Stargate seasons one through six. To prepare for season eight's release, you must watch all of Stargate seasons one through seven. To prepare for season nine's release, you must watch all of Stargate seasons one through eight. To prepare for season ten's release, you must watch all of Stargate seasons one through nine. That's where we're at this moment. Though we've "owned" season ten for months and months and months, we didn't open until last night. Why all the repeated viewing? Well, besides the fact that it's the best show ever...I've found that it only gets better the more you watch it. It doesn't lose anything by repeated viewings. It's not something I've ever gotten tired of or bored with. Almost all episodes (give or take two or three or four) are just as wonderful, just as magical as the first time. Some, in fact, improve. They grow on you.
So why Stargate?
There are many reasons why I think Stargate is the best show ever ever. Some of them seem more logical than others. Is a great theme song really a good enough reason to watch a show? Well, maybe not the best reason. But it's a good hook. (Funny side story. I converted my brother-in-law and sister to Stargate a few years ago. They live in an apartment building. Anyway, Joel likes to again-again Stargate too. Though maybe not as insanely often as I do. But one of his neighbors thought Joel was playing a horn instrument. That the music was Joel practicing. Which is just funny. :) Anyway, it's a great song. And it becomes addictive. Especially if you sing it.) The science fiction of it--the premise, the story, the plot. It's complex. It's cohesive. All legitimately valid reasons to watch the show. To be proud of the show. But for me, it's all about the characters. Jack O'Neill. Samantha "Sam" Carter. Daniel Jackson. Teal'c. General Hammond. Bra'Tac. Rya'c. Jacob Carter/Selmak. Janet Fraiser. Thor. Not to mention all the bad guys that you can love-to-hate. Stargate SG-1 for me is all about the relationships. How characters interact with one another. It's because of the love, the trust, the friendship, that the show is so enduring. Jack's sarcasm, his wit, his ability to kick butt. The ever-cuteness of Daniel. It's so many things--both the writing and the acting--that make this THE BEST show ever.
The Magic That Is--Sam and Jack
From the very moment these two meet, magic begins to happen. Really. The pairing of Sam and Jack makes this show work. It's the undercurrent of so many episodes.
Then there's The Stargate Cantina, surely that's a reason, right?
© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews
