Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Nemesis

So, what was your favorite Stargate SG-1 Season finale? A recent poll indicated those pesky Replicators to be a fan favorite as the ultimate enemy of SG-1.

And thus the Replicators' legacy began...


One of my choices would have to be Nemesis. This could easily be the template for what a brilliant season finale should offer. Nemesis is a brilliant closer to Season 3. Again, it is a credit to the work of writer/ director Robert Cooper and Martin Wood with their fine cast and strong effects team.

It is Jack-packed full of exciting material, builds big time on mythology and single-handedly takes SG-1 into new unknowns. This is the episode that officially introduced the enemy of the Asgard [and now Earth], the Replicators, to the Gate universe. Pure sci-fi at its best as the Replicator introduction brought forth a most worthy adversary that has reverberated throughout Stargate well into Stargate Atlantis today.

In truth, the nasty bugs were first referenced informally by Thor back in Season 3, Episode 3 [Fair Game], but are unveiled here in all their metallic splendor.

A weakened Thor has summoned the assistance of Jack O'Neill [Richard Dean Anderson] to battle the Replicators aboard his ship which is quickly being usurped of control and its precious Asgard technology into the collective Replicator intelligence. SG-1 is in full-on team and battle mode here waging all-out war with these mechanical munchers as they literally overrun Thor's ship. O'Neill receives the help of Teal'c and Carter as they attempt to keep the Replicators at bay, not die, abandon the Asgard ship just prior to Earth entry, save Thor, and stop the Replicators from landing on the planet and overruning Earth. Whew! All in a day's work folks! It's a nailbiter.



Nemesis is genre television perfection, but it's also just great storytelling. They definitely set a new standard and really took Stargate SG-1 into untapped sci-fi realms and elevated expectations.

There have been some solid season finales but this ranks as one of the top 5 for this show. It simply kicks ass!

Oh, and that cliffhanger...


You'll have to checkout Season 4 opener Small Victories to catch the rousing sequel. I will admit, the Replicators storyline is one of my personal favorites in science-fiction and maybe someday I'll take the time to draw up a fan collective of the the entire thread. Now if I could only find some sort of time dilation device to make that happen.

Nemesis: A

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