If you check out my LJ, you'll see that my feelings echo yours. Maybe not all the details as I don't know your details yet, but let's just say I think we both got the same thing out of the episode.

That amazes me because I don't care much for Vala.

Not surprisingly, some circles were not very pleased...

Yanno, I was watching and thinking, "I bet Kerri is liking this." This was exactly the Vala we were hoping, praying to see next season. Now that we know they can write her well, I hope they do.

Gee, you don't say? Shocked. Shocked I am. :)

I've sworn off some places after my vent the other day, but I just had to go check fan reaction for this one. I couldn't resists even though I knew exactly what i would find.

Mind you, I had some issues with some writing and directorial decisions. (I would have not liked to see Vala's fate after communications broke off--I think that would have been a great cliffhanger--and some parts were slow, but I looked at this not as a regular Stargate episode. I saw it more as exposition/lead-in material.) This was not just a set up for the finale, but also the writers way of softening Vala and giving us some character growth so that she can ease into next season as a regular.

As a Daniel fan, I don't need for every episode to feature him overly. I don't have an issue with less of him as long as it's done well. And it was. I have the same attitude for all of the characters.

Now, let's keep hoping for more of this Vala and a more balanced Daniel. :)

Oh, and best line ever? When Teal'c thought of Darth Vader when everyone else was thinking the Bible ;)

I would have not liked to see Vala's fate after communications broke off--I think that would have been a great cliffhanger

Yanno, that would have added to the tension. I'll agree on that point. Wish They'd left us mor ein the dark as to Vala's fate.

--and some parts were slow, but I looked at this not as a regular Stargate episode. I saw it more as exposition/lead-in material.

I think that I was typing virtually the same thing over at your LJ while you were typing this. lol!

As a Daniel fan, I don't need for every episode to feature him overly.

I feel very strongly that Season 9 has been a good one for Daniel screentime. I don't mind his absence in this light and in light of the fact that this wasn't a storyline that begged for his linguist/archaeologist/anthropologist skill set.

As for Teal'c, I'm beginning that this may, in fact, be the best season ever for him. I laughed so hard I missed the next few lines when he came up with Darth Vader. I heart Teal'c!

Damn it, I just started S3. But I will catch up, oh yes.

I know you won't believe me when I say that you're in the best part of Stargate. For that reason alone, I'd prefer to be in your position. I tend to find the early seasons of shows more satisfying than later seasons. Classic Stargate (Season 1-4, parts of 5) are the very best and I've stuck with the series over some rocky and unpleasant ground for several seasons on the strength of those early episodes.

By the way, I'll start marking my posts as having spoilers so you can decide whether to be spoiled by reading my Season 9 reactions. I think knowing that far ahead in the series could really suck some of the enjoyment out of where you are and that would be a damned shame because you're at the pinnacle of the golden years and the best of the slashiness, until season 9 starts, is at your door.

I can hardly wait to hear your reactions to Seasons 3 and 4. I love getting the reaction from someone who isn't tainted by the fandom bullshit while watching. It's like a real experiment with a control subject and everything.

Well... to be honest, I've started a couple fandoms later and I usually like knowing what episodes to avoid. :)

For example, Babylon 5 has been off for years, and i still havne't watching Section Gray 21324.25235 or whatever it was is missing - nor have I watched Chimera. :)

Sel

But yes, I thought Vala was.... PLEASANT... this episode. I like Vala but too often she sucks all the air out of the room. Plus I was delighted to see that thye didn't stick her in black leather so the fan boys could ooogle her pregnancy enhanced breasts. :P

Helena

Oh, if anyone wants to know my opinion of what to watch or not, I'm never shy about saying whether an episode sucked and ought to be skipped. *g* Were I in darksylvia's shoes, I'd prefer to make up my own mind so I try to respect that. I know that my opinion is also wrapped up in lots of things I think I know about behind the scenes events so my biases color my opinions at times.

Wait - do I understand correctly that you haven't seen the SG-1 episode, Chimera?!? Um, do you have any idea the Daniel beefcakage you've missed?!? For that alone, I'd watch it again. And yes, I internally squeed like the dorky fangirl that I am when our tour in Vancouver took us by Daniel's house from that episode. I think the neighbors have no idea what to make of it all.

Claudia Black looks good pregnant. It appears to agree with her. She's one of those lucky women who only seem to gain where the baby is rather than getting softened all over. Vala was far more enjoyable and, for the first time ever, I felt the menace of the Ori. Yup, I liked this episode.

No great loss to have missed Babylon 5's "Grey 17 Is Missing" as it was probably one of the worst episodes, by far. JMS himself said it was experimental and that sometimes experiments fail. It was a pretty bad one, all right, though I wish I'd missed the one where Jack the Ripper comes to torture John and DeLenn. Between silly premise and torture, I wasn't well impressed.

Isn't that always the thing? The first few seasons are the best and then you start getting episodes where your intelligence gets in the way of enjoying what could loosely be termed as 'the plot'. But yeah, I'll catch up to you eventually. And the posts talking about S9 so far have been so incomprehensible that I don't feel like I've been spoiled. But I only skimmed anyway :D