Hey now, don't you go knocking the flag scene! There was no reason we couldn't have had BOTH the gratuitous nekkid bits AND meaningful interaction. ;-)

I think that flag scene was indicative of how TPTB of this show just totally did not get it. I loved that scene. *g* I'm just saying... They're view of Daniel at that point was "beefcake for the ladies" or something, and maybe they were even pandering to the slashers a bit; I don't know. Either way, I would have traded it for even one better scene with a little substance--a welcome home for Daniel, some emotion expressed... I thought that whole sequence was pretty poorly done as far as that goes.

You're right that we *could* have had both, but we didn't. I felt the same way about the supposed UST between Jack and Sam and even the whole Jack & Daniel thing. I think the show *could* have had it all, J/S UST for the shippers, a few serious friendship scenes between Jack and Daniel (because I'd prefer that and it's all about me--I'm not the hugest fan of the silly banter), and lots of teaminess and friendship between all. Instead, they felt like they had to push one point of view and squash the others for reasons unknown to mankind. *g*