November 3, 2011: Dark Matter Preview! Reminiscing SG-1′s Tenth Season!

DARK MATTER #1 (of 4)

Joseph Mallozzi (W), Paul Mullie (W), Garry Brown (A/Cover), and Ryan Hill (C). Edited by Patrick Thorpe for DARK HORSE COMICS

A derelict ship floats in space, its troubled crew awakened from stasis with now memories of who they are or how they got onboard. Their search for answers triggers the vessel's deadly security system: a relentless android bent on their destruction. Facing threats at every turn, they have to work together to survive a voyage charged with vengeance, redemption, betrayals and hidden secrets best left unknown.

ON SALE JANUARY 11, 2012

The two page sneak peek of our SF comic book series, Dark Matter, is out in the November issue of Previews. Head on down to your local comic shop to order!

Continuing my reminiscing on Stargate: SG-1′s tenth and final season…

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THE SHROUD (1014)

The original plan had been to have Daniel go darkside and play out his descent, turn, and ultimate redemption over the course of several episodes. In fact, in its original, multi-episode version, this story would have demonstrated a much, MUCH darker Daniel – but it was ultimately decided that making him too dark, regardless of the circumstances, would have damaged the characters so the decision was made to make his turn to the darkside a little more uncertain. I don't know. I've always wanted to explore the theme of redemption with these characters, push them to the line – and beyond – and then bring them back and have them suffer the consequences, because, in the end, its their emotional response to these consequences that creates drama and explores hitherto uncharted facets of their personalities.

The reveal of the pale, milk-eyed Daniel stands as one of the top ten Stargate tease outs ever. Hmmm. Now that I think of it, that could form the basis of a future top ten: My Top 10 Favorite Stargate Tease Outs! File that one away for a future blog entry.

Anyway, a terrific Daniel Jackson episode that sees the return of Jack O'Neill and one final, glorious in-series reunion between the two best friends.

There's a scene in the episode in which Woolsey (played by the marvelous Robert Picardo) is telekinetically lifted off the ground. Director Andy Mikita dribbled apple juice down Bob's pant leg to suggest Woolsey was so frightened, he'd actually peed himself. Alas, the urine didn't make the final cut. Hmmm. There's one of those lines you rarely see.

BOUNTY (1015)

The Stargate version of Grosse Pointe Blank sees Cameron Mitchell going back home for his high school reunion, unlikely date in tow (Vala, natch), and even unlikelier complication lurking in the shadows (an interstellar bounty hunter played with delightful swagger by Mike Dopud). This episode was alot of fun (one of my favorites of the show's tenth season) and it wasn't just the Cam and Vala fish-out-of-water scenes. Carter and her "hands on" demonstration at the conference and Daniel's run-in at the Museum of Antiquities all made for a fun and memorable episode. In the latter scenario, Daniel is quietly studying away when a sexy young lady (later revealed to be an alien) comes on to him. Daniel's is confoundingly uninterested suggesting he is either focused on his work, suspicious, or creeped out. Or, perhaps, those Jack/Daniel slashers had it right all along!

This episode marked what I believe was the second in a long line of guest spots actor Mike Dopud has done for us, first as a Russian soldier in SG-1′s Full Alert, then as Bounty Hunter Ventrell in this episode, then as Kiryk the runner in SGA's Tracker, then as the Lucian Alliance member Varro in Stargate: Universe and, most recently, in an episode of The Transporter. I've already told Mike that, if Dark Matter goes to series, I've already got a role in mind for him…

BAD GUYS (1016)

Oof. If Bounty was one of my favorite episodes to the show's final season, this one ranked down at the bottom. Daniel just felt out of character in this one. Still, the premise was interesting, a story that formed from an idea Brad once had for a tease: A museum tour on an alien world takes visitors by an ancient artifact, the Stargate, that suddenly comes alive, kawooshing, and introducing SG-1 to the shocked crowd. I recall sitting in on the auditions for this one and having one of the actors for the role of the museum curator delivering his lines with a French accent. What, exactly, an alien was doing with a French accent, I'm not sure. But, then again, I'm not exactly sure why all the aliens SG-1 encountered spoke English. Oh, right. It was the communication nanites that "infect" all gate travelers, allowing them to understood and be understood in any off-world language. Except goa'uld of course.

TALION (1017)

Ah, Damian and his affinity for cryptic titles (see Chimera and Ethon). For almost the entire duration of the production and post, I kept hearing "Italian" when someone said "Talion". Anyway, bizarre title aside, I thought this was pretty strong episode, a dark examination of the Teal'c character and one of those of those instances where the show was fairly on point in exploring a contemporary and controversial subject matter in a scifi context.

The final showdown between Teal'c and Arkad is mighty gruesome – but nowhere near as gruesome as the director's cut that was so gory it had us wondering whether we'd been overworking Director Andy Mikita.