Description

Kevin Sorbo (Hercules: The Legendary Journeys) returns as Captain Dylan Hunt, courageous commander of the most glorious starship in the universe – the Andromeda Ascendant. With an unlikely crew of renegades and aliens, Dylan journeys across the universe, battling evil wherever it is found. From an original concept by Star trek creator, Gene Roddenberry, Gene Roddenberry’s Andromeda features heroic stories, thundering action, and breathtaking special effects. A hit with TV audiences worldwide, the Gemini Award-winning and Saturn Award-nominated Gene Roddenberry’s Andromeda will thrill audiences of all ages! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Andromeda Season 3 Collection 2
This ia great DVD loved the interview with Kevin and the bloopers/outakes with Lisa, as well as all the other extras. Looking forward to seeeing the next DVD. I have collected Andromeda since it first came out on DVD and will continue to do so. Andromeda is so refreshing. The actors especially Kevin are great, as are the writers. The worlds they take us into are so believable and for an hour you get lost in their adventures. Andromeda is a must for any DVD collection. ... Read more

Amazon.com

You have to love a TV program whose titles alone manage to evoke the Oldand New Testaments ("The First Commandment" and "Cold Lazarus," respectively),Shakespeare ("Brief Candle"), Norse mythology ("Thor's Hammer"), and more--andthose are just four of the episodes contained on this, the second disc ofStargate SG-1's first season. Yet, while stories dealing with the natureof fear ("Thor's Hammer"), the value of enjoying life, no matter how short("Brief Candle"), and other weighty issues certainly offer the potential forpretension, these largely manage to steer clear of it. As usual, the creatorshave spent their money on special effects rather than a lot of elaborate sets orenormous action pieces; there's also a refreshing emphasis on the stories, withtheir elements of humor, suspense, drama, and emotional resonance. Each episodehas a menu for selecting the different scenes; DVD bonus features are limited tolanguage and subtitle choices, along with a very slight, self-serving cast andcrew featurette. --Sam Graham ... Read more

Reviews (22)

Do NOT have secon thoughts about it...
Just think about it, you ae looking at a 6 stargate spisoides DVD with two of the most espectacular episoides ever shown in TV. With an outstanding storyline, audio, video and acting, the Stargate Series are becoming the next TV cult. This DVD in particular contains the episoides THE BROCA DIVIDE, THE FIRST COMMANDMENT, COLD LAZARUS, THE NOX, BRIEF CANDLE and THOR'S HAMMER. All Stargate Fans know that THE NOX and THOR'S HAMMER are two classics on the Stargate Series (crucial for the future development of the series), and if you don't know the story, this is your chance to understand why Stargate is becomming the next Star Trek (but far more better). Stargate is not only a grate "sience fiction advnture", but it also has done its reserch. Mithology and sience convine with an explosive outcome. This MGM TV Serie, goes beyond the unspectable, with more quality than series such as MGM's The Outer Limits or Poltergist. I seriously advice that you see first the Stargate SG-1 Season 1, Vol. 1: Episodes 1-3 (1997) DVD, which includes the episoides CHILDREN OF THE GODS, THE ENEMY WITHIN and EMANCIPATION, for a complete understanding of the story. You may understand it anyway, but I promise you will enjoy it better.

A great DVD for a great show.
Stargate SG1 is a great Science Fiction Adventure series featuring a great cast led by Richard Dean Anderson. Michael Shanks is actually better in the role of Daniel Jackson than James Spader was in the original movie. The special effects in the series are all top notch, and the scripts are well written. Stargate SG1 is closer in spirit to the original Star Trek series of the 60's than any of the recent Star Trek shows (that's not comparing quality, just style - although SG1 holds up very well to them quality wise). That sense of adventure from the original Star Trek series is present in SG1, but SG1 just has more modern sensibilities. The episodes on the DVD Vol 2 are all good, with Brief Candle and Thor's Hammer as standouts. This DVD is well worth buying, and I highly recommend it, but you may also want to consider the Box Set of season 1. That's a great package. But you get great value with Vol 2 on its own as well (5 episodes on this disc). Either way - BUY IT! You will not regret it.

SG-1 Box sets
great show, great special effects, great stories, great actors!
my only GRIPE, being hearing impared is that there are no english subtitles for the hearing impared!!!This is a real bummer of an oversight as most dvd's have this feature and that is the reason most hearing impared people buy dvd's. please correct this deficency promply and if possible exchange the deficient sets for us. thanks for listening.

Richard Dean Anderson proves (repeatedly) that he can act
I think it is useful to remember that when you are looking at the first season of any series that the writing staff spends a lot of time getting everything set up in the pilot and then off of the various premises they have established they start spinning off stories. This means that everybody is writing episodes without having seen any, which explains why it takes a show a while to get going after a strong pilot. You will see that this is the case in the five episodes from Season 1 of "Stargate SG-1" that are collected here on Volume 2. The results are certainly not bad as they explore some ideas basic to the premise of the series, but this series really hits stride in the second half of this first season and finishes very strongly. The biggest common denominator for this set is that most of the episodes showcase the acting ability of Richard Dean Anderson, who gets to do a lot more than crack jokes in a sardonic manner. So just keep in mind that the pilot was good, that the best is yet to come, and that these are still enjoyable episodes and one of them is very good:

Episode 4, "Broco Divide" (Written by Jonathan Glassner, Aired August 15, 1997) has SG-1 visiting a planet when the people are divided into the "Touched" and the "Untouched." When the team returns home they discover that they have contracted the disease of the "Touched," which has General Hammond (Don S. Davis) and Doctor Frasier (Teryl Rothery) in a state of near panic. Although the problem of contagion is rarely as "real" consideration in these shows, this episode does deal with the problem and gives Jack O'Neill (Richard Dean Anderson) an opporunity to get primitive. 4 Stargates.

Episode 5, "The First Commandment" (Written by Robert C. Cooper, Aired August 22, 19977) has SG-1 going off on a rescue mission for a pair of members from SG-9. The planet has sunlight that is practically lethal and has caused Captain Jonas Hanson (William Russ) to go insane. Hanson has declared himself a god and is working the natives to death in a quest for something he insists will save them all. This is one of those episodes where the idea is something that "Stargate SG-1" wants to get around to, but the fifth episode is a bit early to play this card. 3 Stargates.

Episode 6, "Brief Candle" (Story by Steven Barnes, Teleplay by Katharyn Powers, Aired September 19, 1997) is one of those episodes when our heroes show up in a paradise and discover the place is more of a hell. On this planet people live at an accelerated rate and live their lives in terms of days and not years. O'Neill becomes afflicted by the nanocytic virus that afflicts the local populace and begins to age rapidly. The question of why some aliens would think this was an ideal way for people to live becomes secondary to Anderson's performance. 4 Stargates.

Episode 7, "Cold Lazarus" (Written by Jeffery F. King, Aired August 29, 1977) is the best episode on this set. After O'Neill is injured touchign a blue crystal on a mission an alien comes through the Stargate impesonating the Colonel and goes to see his ex-wife (Harley Jane Kozak). This is one of those episodes where you wonder what is going on and the payoff to the mystery is worth the wait. 5 Stargates.

Episode 8, "Thor's Hammer" (Written by Katharyn Powers, Aired September 26, 1997) takes SG-1 to the planet Cimmeria (where Robert E. Howard's Conan the Barbarian hailed) where they encoutner a Viking-like culutre that worships Thor, god of thunder, and his big hammer. Meanwhile they meet a woman who once had a Goa'uld but it now free of the parasite, which might have some significance for Teal'c (Christopher Judge), who has an encounter with Unas, the first Goa'uld. This is an episode where the stuff about the Goa'uld is interesting but the Viking stuff is rather unnecessary. But, again, remember this is the first season and the idea that the people on the planets you can reach through the Stargate originally came from Earth thousands of years ago has all the writers picking their favorite ancient cultures. 4 Stargates.

You will notice that the airdates are out of order. I have no explanation for why this does not jive with the episode numbers presented here, but I will offer the observation that the obvious result is to put three solid acting performances by Richard Dean Anderson on this one DVD. Of course, this makes it seem like the whole point of "Stargate SG-1" is to see what they new makeup job they can make their star endure each week, but I can assure you that is not the dominant theme of the first season. I would rate this disc 4.5 stars if they would let me.

Good disc, but loses points for no extras
I won't go into a rehash of the series plot, but this disc sets up some of the later storylines. If you are a fan of the series, you need this disc. If you are just getting into the series, you need this disc.

The video quality is good, everthing looked sharp and clean when I was watching it. Likewise audio is good, but is you have a good setup you might be disappointed in only having a Dolby 2.0 audio track.

What disc fails at is in the extra's department. Having only a featurette on the disc just isn't enough anymore. Maybe a episode with a commentary track would be good, or a who's who of the universe. Something other than a long commerical for the series. One other thing that bothers me is the lack of subtitles. The only way to have them is to turn on closed captioning which is kind of annoying.

Equipment used:
Sony Playstation 2 DVD player
Phillips 21" televsion ... Read more

Amazon.com

"The Nox," considered a classic by Stargate SG-1 devotees, is the centerpiece of this, the third of five discs comprising Stargate SG-1's first season. It's not hard to see why; with its combination of theme (the futility of fighting), characters (including Apophis, the recurring Goa'uld villain, and the appealing, fairylike title race), and the usual special effects wizardry, "The Nox" has all the elements that make Stargate SG-1 a superior sci-fi/adventure show. But the other episodes included have merit as well, including "The Torment of Tantalus," about a young professor who went through the gate 50 years ago, and "Bloodlines," in which Teal'c, the former SG-1 adversary, reveals the existence of the family he left behind when he joined the good guys (the other episodes are "Fire and Water" and "Hathor"). Once again, the only disappointment is the DVD bonus features, here limited to a profile of SG-1 big shot General Hammond (played by Don Davis). --Sam Graham ... Read more

Reviews (7)

no problems for me
i did not have problems with the set it all worked fine also the episodes are great ones i highly recommend it.

A great series of personal episodes for the SG-1 crew
Volume 3 of Season 1 of "Stargate SG-1" offers up episodes 9-13 from the inaugural 1997-98 season, as the science fiction series starts to hit its stride. You will notice that one of the recurring themes in this episode is the quest of technology and/or knowledge from advanced civilizations and that several of the episodes have to do with the revelation of deep dark secrets:

Episode 9, "The Torment of Tantalus" (Written by Robert C. Cooper, Aired October 3, 1997) uncovers a story about the early days of the Stargate Project. Daniel Jackson (Michael Shanks) is going over all the old records about the Stargate when he discovers footage of someone going through the Stargate in 1945. Confronting Catherine Langford (Elizabeth Hoffman) about the incident, the SG-1 team learns that Ernest Littlefield, Catherine's fiancé, went through the Stargate and never returned. Using computer enhancements SG-1 is able to go re-dial the location and go there, with Catherine, to see if they can find out what happened to Ernest. What they find is Ernest (Keene Curtis), which is good news, and a broken Stargate that will prevent them from returning, which is bad news. Meanwhile, Ernest shows Dr. Jackson the marvelous wonders left by alien races. 4.5 Stargates.

Episode 10, "Bloodlines" (Story by Mark Saraceni, Teleplay by Jeff King, Aired October 10, 1997) has Teal'c (Christopher Judge) revealing to his SG-1 teammates that he left a family behind on Chulak when he joined them. He kept the secret because he did not want them to doubt his loyalty. But now his son, Rya'c has reached the age at which he will be given his Goa'uld larva, and Teal'c wants to stop this from happening. General Hammond (Don S. Davis) allows SG-1 to go to Chulak, with the provision that they bring back a Goa'uld larva that can be studied. When they get to Chulac they discover that Teal'c's family has been declared outcasts and the news just keeps getting worse from there. Certainly a very personal story for Teal'c, it only heightens the sacrifice he made in betraying Apophis. 5 Stargates.

Episode 11, "Fire and Water" (Written by Brad Wright, Aired October 17, 1997) finds SG-1 returning from the planet Oannes almost immediately after leaving on a mission, but without Dr. Jackson, who was apparently consumed by flames. While Stargate has a funeral service for their friend, Jackson is being held captive by a creature called Nem, who is looking for information about his partner, who apparently lived in ancient Babylon. Daniel learns he and Nem have something important in common while the rest of the SG-1 team cannot shake the feeling that Jackson is not really dead. The only real problem with this episode is that it suffers in comparison to the rest of what is on this DVD. 4 Stargates.

Episode 12, "The Nox" (Written by Hart Hanson, Aired September 12, 1997) has the government really pushing the Stargate Project to show results in discovering and bringing back superior alien technology. Teal's suggests they visit a planet where the locals, the Fenri, have the power of invisibility. But when they arrive there they find the Goa'uld are there for the same reason, led by Apophis (Peter Williams) himself. Colonel O'Neill (Richard Dean Anderson) tries to ambush the Goa'ulds, but only succeeds in getting the SG-1 team killed. However, this does not prove to be a problem to the Nox, the strange creatures who also live there and whose leader Anteaus (Armin Shimerman), seems totally unconcerned by the threat of Apophis and his warriors. This is simply a classic episode, although I have to admit you would think O'Neill had watched enough "Star Trek" episodes to know that simple folk on alien planets are not always simple folk. 5 Stargates.

Episode 13, "Hathor" (Story by David Bennett Carren and J. Larry Carroll, Teleplay by Jonathan Glassner, Aired October 24, 1997) has everyone going back to their Egyptian mythology to recall that Ra had a wife named Hathor. In this episode she shows up in the flesh (Suanne Braun), discovered in a sarcophagus covered in Egyptian hieroglyphics found in a Mayan pyramid in Mexico. Making her way to the Stargate Project where she proceeds to quickly set herself up as a queen bee. While O'Neill, Jackson, Hammond and the other boys turn into dutiful and obedient worker bees and soldier bees, Captain Carter (Amanda Tapping) and Dr. Frasier (Teryl Rothery) have to come to the rescue the base from the evil seductress, aided by Teal'c. I really like the Girl Power aspects of this episode, which benefits from having a pretty good villainess. 5 Stargates.

These five episodes continue to prove that "Stargate SG-1" was one of the finest first seasons for a science fiction series in television history. The writers do a great job of taking the initial premises and key elements of the series and coming up with good plot lines to play out in each episode. By the time you get to Volume 3 from this first season you will be hooked big time (especially since Volume 4 is even better).

How do I get a replacement for Volume 3?
I have nothing but good things to say about Stargate SG-1. My gripe is the missing voice of Aphophis in the episode "The Nox". Can anyone out there tell me if there is a way to get a replacement for it? I can afford to replace it, but why should I have to pay for something that should have been right to start with.

Wouldn't even play
I love the series and would love to see these episodes again. Unfortunately the DVD wouldn't even play. I tried it in three different players and it didn't work in any of them. The only signal I got was a "no disc" signal after the disc supposedly got done loading. I have the other four DVDs from Season 1 and have problems with Vol. 5, also.

The best sampling from Year One
If you are not very familiar with Stargate SG-1, you may not want to splurge on the whole boxed set. If you just want to dip a toe in the water, this individual DVD is probably the best of the group. "The Nox" is considered a classic, but I always thought "Torment of Tantalus" had a good story and good guest actors. "Fire and Water" seemed a little hokey with the alien makeup, but repeat viewings have shown me that the character studies of the SG team are quite good. "Hathor" is an unconventional baddie who will recur in the future. It lets the doctor step out of her bedside manner role. "Bloodlines" not only provides good background for the Goa'uld culture; it lets Christopher Judge do more than arch an eyebrow.

You'll need to buy the boxed set to get the whole pilot-thru-cliffhanger experience (recommended!), but as a sampler, this one probably the best example of how the series makes good use of the stargate premise and lets the team members have real dimension. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Hollywood's film archives overflow with the carcasses of dismal movies based on lame '60s and '70s television shows, a syndrome that shows no sign of abating. But here's evidence that the reverse effect, turning a movie into a TV series, can have surprisingly positive results. Indeed, Stargate SG-1 is not only significantly better than the 1994 feature it's derived from, but arguably the best-made, most compelling sci-fi program on television.

The central conceit of the original Stargate--the existence of an artificially created "wormhole" through which one can travel to different worlds light years away from Earth--was an intriguing one. In seizing on the obvious possibilities for expanding on that premise, series executive producers-writers Jonathan Glassner and Brad Wright smartly retained some of the film's basic elements (its amalgam of myth and theoretical hokum, or the ongoing clash of wills between scientists and soldiers), while adding a variety of fresh ideas (including new characters, new locations, and a welcome dose of humor, much of it supplied by Richard Dean Anderson, MacGyver himself, who replaces Kurt Russell in the central role of Colonel Jack O'Neill). The result is a show with multidimensional heroes and villains and consistently compelling story lines (many of them introduced in the pilot and carried forward through subsequent episodes) balancing excellent special effects and production values.

In the second season, "The Serpent's Lair" concludes the cliffhanger from the end of the first season in a rollercoaster of wit, plot twists, and cutting-edge special effects as the SG-1 team resign themselves to a suicide mission. In the two-parter "The Tok'ra," Sam's estranged father is dying of cancer, but her obligations sway her toward saving a member of the Goa'uld renegade Tok'ra who is also dying. In "Show and Tell," the central story arc takes a dramatic turn when a child arrives to warn that some survivors of a Goa'uld attack are determined to eliminate anyone who might host their enemy--which means Earth as a whole.

To resolve the season 2 cliffhanger, General Hammond rounds up every conceivable ally to rescue the SG-1 team from Hathor's clutches and gets a much-needed field trip in the process. In subsequent episodes in season 3, Daniel Jackson is intrigued by the planet Orban's scientific advances over only a few years. In a two-part cliffhanger, Sam must attempt to rescue her father, face Satan himself on a prison moon, and resurrect "Jolinar's Memories" from the Goa'uld she was briefly possessed by, then "The Devil You Know" reveals an embarrassing secret that could allow the team to escape the clutches of Satanic Sokar.

It wasn't until the beginning of the fourth season that fans knew to take the Replicator threat seriously. The spidery nasties had only seemed like one of many new enemies introduced in previous years. But when the one seemingly omnipotent backbone of the galaxy was asking Earth for help, clearly we were in real trouble! In fact, the team's list of enemies expanded and got far more complicated. There were quite a few Earth-based stories in the year, but not all the new enemies were originally local. Willie Garson comically guest-starred as Martin, a geekily suspicious guy with too much knowledge of the Stargate. More sinister was an old flame of Daniel's turning into something far more painful than an old wound (thanks to an ancient Egyptian curse). Thankfully, the writers hadn't forgotten the importance of one-off storylines too.

It now seems clear that season 5 will be remembered as the one in which something went awry with Daniel Jackson. Lots of behind-the-scenes rumors fueled the idea of cast tension, but whatever the problem, his sudden departure from the show was obviously through a quickly contrived scenario. Most shows go through a run-around, skin-of-their-teeth period awaiting renewal, and it certainly seems to have affected storylines this year. For example, a next generation of younger SG teams is introduced. The most unfortunate aspect, however, was that every single story was dependent on a part of the greater interwoven warring-species threads. Some of the one-off tales were terrific in and of themselves, but it was as if the writers fell into the trap of having to refer to as much backstory as possible, perhaps to ensure loose ends could be easily wrapped up? Ultimately none of this mattered since the show went on for quite a while.

The biggest change for the sixth season was its move to the Sci-Fi Channel. Financial rescue or genre haven from cancellation? With the addition of Daniel Jackson's replacement, Jonas Quinn, the new show dynamic (hinted at by the new title theme) meant far more convolutedly involved story arcs and less individual focus. One of very few solo spotlights came from Christopher Judge writing his own show, when "The Changeling" saw Teal'c act out a life as a fireman. There'd be several cameos through the year, culminating in a finale that relied on how much attention you'd been paying to that all-important back-story.

A gradual shift in overall style, character homecomings and departures, and evolving on- and off-screen roles for the major players are among the attractions of the seventh season. Perhaps most noticeable is the reduced role of star Richard Dean Anderson, who opted to limit his number of trips to Vancouver, where Stargate SG-1 is filmed. But that's not a bad thing. The show's ability to poke fun at itself has always been a strong suit, and while Anderson still brings a welcome sense of humor to his portrayal of wiseacre and loose cannon Col. Jack O'Neill, his act is getting a little smug by now. What's more, the other principal cast members have taken up the slack, both behind and in front of the camera: The seventh season also finds the series somewhat more earthbound than in the past; indeed, there are episodes in which the Stargate (the "wormhole" our heroes use to travel to different worlds) doesn't appear at all. On balance, the stories are more personal, and more political--especially the final two, with the newly elected U.S. President (William Devane) struggling to decide the fate of the Stargate program (and, of course, the fate of the entire known universe as well!). And then there's the ultimate villain, Anubis, who makes perennial nemeses the Goa'uld (of which Anubis is one... sort of) look tame. --Sam Graham and Paul Tonks ... Read more

Amazon.com

"One False Step" gives the SG-1 team a guilt trip for accidentally infecting a race with a disease. Then in "Show and Tell" the central story arc takes a dramatic turn when a child arrives to warn that some survivors of a Goa'uld attack are determined to eliminate anyone who might host their enemy--which means Earth as a whole. Episodes 21 and 22 finish season 2: there's great fun to be had in "1969" and a time-travel plot that loops many aspects of the show's story lines together. The cliffhanger finale, "Out of Mind," has Colonel O'Neill experience an Aliens-style awakening 79 years into his future. What the hell happened? And why is he being asked so many questions about Earth's defenses? --Paul Tonks ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A humorous review
I really just bought this DVD for the one episode, 1969, where Teal'c gets hair and they meet hippies. Fun times. But there's a hidden gem in here: "One False Step" is a real cracker-upper. Those aliens look like teletubbies!! watch for it and you'll see what I mean. The early episodes of this show are so fun to make fun of! Here's another question to giggle over: why do they never leave Canada? Ever considered it? Announcer: "Meanwhile, back in northern canada, our crew was facing some mighty opposition..." ... Read more

Amazon.com

Scattered through the five episodes contained on this fourth DVD from Stargate SG-1's first season are echoes of such science fiction classics as The Terminator (the cyborgs in "Tin Man"), Aliens (Carter's maternal instincts in "Singularity"), and Planet of the Apes (the story twist in "Solitudes"), along with such popular themes as cloning ("Tin Man" again) and the might-makes-right preoccupation of the military ("Enigma"). So the show is derivative. Stargate SG-1 still does a better job than most of creating engaging stories--such as "Cor-ai," which deals with issues of retribution and forgiveness when Teal'c (Christopher Judge) is put on trial for his actions when he was still a Goa'uld henchman. And let's face it: the effect of going into and through the gate itself never gets old. What is lacking are superior DVD bonus materials; here they include a featurette spotlighting Carter (Amanda Tapping) and an overview of the show that provides more promo than the promised behind-the-scenes insights. --Sam Graham ... Read more

Reviews (3)

The apex of the first season of "Stargate SG-1"
Volume 4 is the best single DVD out for Season 1 of "Stargate SG-1," which you will discover in due course after you have gone through the pilot movie and the episodes on the previous three discs. When the series begins its 8th season next year it will become the second longest running science fiction television series in the history of the universe (people keep guessing "Star Trek: The Next Generation" is number one but the answer is "The X-Files"), and such longevity is not a surprise given how great a first season they put together:

Episode 14, "Cor-ai" (Written by Tom J. Astle, Aired January 23, 1998) finds O'Neill (Richard Dean Anderson) and the SG-1 team traveling to P3X1279, which Teal'c (Christopher Judge) announces is Chartago, one of the favorite worlds from which the Goa'ulds like to gather human hosts for their larvae. Unfortunately, one of the locals, Hanno (David McNally) recognizes Teal'c as the Jaffa who killed his father. For this crime Teal'c stands trial. O'Neill and Carter try to defend their friend, but Teal'c freely admits to having killed Hanno's father and seems resigned to his fate. The outcome is rather predictable, but the key conflict here ends up being not between Hanno and Teal'c but between Teal'c and O'Neill. 4 Stargates.

Episode 15, "Singularity (Written by Robert C. Cooper, Aired October 31, 1997) has the SG-1 team traveling to P8X987 where another SG team had been getting ready to observe a black hole. But when they get there a strange disease has killed everyone on the planet except for a little girl named Cassandra (Katie Stuart ). Carter (Amanda Tapping) brings Cassandra back to Earth and the two quickly establish a strong bond. That is why Carter is upset when they learn that Cassandra's chest pains are caused by a metallic device growing around the child's heart. The device was planted by the Goa'uld to destroy the Stargate on Earth and as the bomb counts down to detonation Carter has to make some tough choices. This is a gut wrenching episode that gives Tapping a chance to shine as her character's emotions and intellect come colliding together over a frightened little girl. The resolution of this episode does justice to both. 5 Stargates.

Episode 16, "Enigma" (Written by Katharyn Powers, Aired January 30, 1998) sends SG-1 to Tollan, a planet with an erupting volcano and dead bodies all around its Stargate. The team rescues the few survivors they can find but back on Earth the Tollans are not at all grateful. Omoc (Tobin Bell), their leader, dismisses Earth as a primitive society and wants to be sent to a suitably advanced world. He also refuses to say anything about his people's advanced technology, which is a constant source of pressure from above on General Hammond (Don S. Davis). It seems that once upon a time the Tollan shared their technology with a planet like Earth, which then destroyed itself. SG-1 has encountered relatively few advanced races on its trips to date, so dealing with the Tollan is a welcomed change of pace and underscore the pressures from up high that will set up the cliffhanger to the first season. "Enigma" offers up another satisfactory resolution and shows that the story editors are paying attention to what has been going on. 4.5 Stargates.

Episode 17, "Tin Man" (Written by Jeff King, Aired February 13, 1998) begins with the members of SG-1 being dropped by an electrical charge as soon as they arrive on PX3989. They wake up to find Harlan (Jay Brazeau), a strange little fellow who claims to be 11,000 years old and is the only one of his people left in this giant underground lab. SG-1 returns home, over Harlan's objections, and are stunned when Dr. Frasier (Teryl Rother) finds they are all machines. O'Neill finds this particularly hard to swallow because he still thinks he is himself. To make things worse, they have to return to Harlan's world before they run out of power or end up dead. Back on PX3989 they discover that Harlan is also an android (or robot or whatever) and that he has done this to help him take care of the lab and to ease his loneliness. This is another episode where I am impressed by Richard Dean Anderson, who brings some nice nuances to O'Neill as a robot (or android) that thinks he is human. The final scene on this one is a hoot. 4.5 Stargates.

Episode 18, "Solitudes" (Written by Brad Wright, Aired February 6, 1998) finds the Stargate malfunctioning when SG-1 is retreating from a shootout on a hostile planet. Daniel Jackson and Teal'c make it back home, but O'Neill and Carter end up in an icy cavern on an unknown planet. O'Neill has suffered a broken leg and punctured lung, which means it is up to Carter to find and repair the Stargate so they can get back to Stargate Command, where Dr. Jackson is trying to narrow the odds on where rescue teams should look to find their comrades. Another classic episode with Tapping and Anderson working off each other all alone somewhere out there. 5 Stargates.

The common denominator on these episodes is that with the exception of the first one they all over very impressive resolutions to the dilemmas confronting our band of adventurers. I especially liked the twist on the last one. If Volume 2 showcased the acting talents of Richard Dean Anderson, then Amanda Tapping is the one who has the two standout performances in this quintet (and we still have the cliffhanger for the first season left to go).

Another must see for late comers
All of these episodes are winners & are great viewing. In addition, three of the episodes on this DVD contain background stories of characters who have shown up in more recent seasons. With 5 episodes on this DVD you can't go wrong buying it! Lots of good viewing for the money.
1. Cor-ai - Teal'c on trial for war crimes. An interesting plot & good story line.
2. Singularity - the background story of Cassandra, the girl who shows up in season 6 as a telepathic teenager.
3. Enigma - introduction of the Tollan people & Nareen, who figure prominently into later episodes.
4. Tin Man - Harlan, a lonely sole survivor of an alien race transfers the SG-1 team into androids. Harlan & the androids also show up in a later season.
5. Solitudes - Carter & O'Neill are trapped inside an "ice planet" when the gate malfunctions during their return to Earth. "Cool" ending, (pun intended), and an enjoyable episode. Also introduces some possibilities for other stories that haven't been explored yet.
Featurette on Capt. Carter was typical "bonus material." No real insights or new information. Behind the Scenes Feature was some better. Don't buy it for the bonus material, buy it for the shows.

Great Cast & show
This has been a great series cant wait for the rest of the seasons to come out. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Postal Inspectors or FBI?
This is an interesting movie that covers a law enforcement agency that I knew very little about. Lou Gossett is excellent here as the seasoned veteran saddled with the still wet behind the ears Johnathan Silverman. It also touches on a very real danger of the times, with letter bombs and terrorism. Though well acted, it cannot help but become a little campy. In my mind that is not a detriment as it reminds me a lot of the better done cop tv shows. It aslso lets the film be watched on multiple levels much like Dragnet (the tv series not the movie). The sequel is even better, delving into the frightening realm of identity fraud.

bits of this/that make a fantastic movie
First off, I'll admit that I bought this movie because my favorite actor plays the villain, but that's not why I keep watching it. Inspectors does an amazing job of pulling together all sorts of differing elements to make it so much more than just a mystery or an action flick. There is real depth and realism with the two leads being shown as actually having personal lives. There's also a bit of comedy to offset the crime scenes and despicable actions of the bad guys. The movie isn't very graphically violent. It hasn't been rated, but I would say that since the language isn't gratuitous and the movie doesn't have a front row seat to the effects of mail bombs on human anatomy, I'd let a 15 year old watch it with me. It's an outstanding movie with great re-viewing potential.

Finally! Postal Inspectors get noticed!
I am a Postal Inspector wannabe and was excited when this movie came out. To say the least, I was not disappointed. Both Silverman and Gossett do a great job. The USPIS doesn't get much publicity but they do here in a true-to-life story.

An excellent story about two cool Feds chasing a mail bomber
This story about Postal Inspectors (one of the most elite and professional Federal Law Enforcement agencies, the United States Postal Inspection Service) chasing a mail bomber is based on a true incident. This story line was interesting, the lead actors were excellent, the direction and photography were top notch, and this movie makes you want to see and hear more about the Postal Inspectors. There was enough of the "personal" side of the the two lead Inspectors to make this better than the usual "cop" movie from that standpoint as well. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Roy Dupuis-World class Actor- Best series I've seen...
If you love the spy dramas and the intensity and talent of a James Dean type film actor, but in a television series, buy this gem of a series, you won't regret it. Roy Dupuis is that rare diamond like a James Dean... but add an utterly unique and captivating masculine expression of strength, tempered by an inner humility that is beauty in motion.Then add an almost yogic-like equanimity about this actor that kills (the bad guys), without hatred, that loves without speaking, that "is" so subtly... you can't miss him.He is not acting, he is "being" in a way I have never seen done before.Roy Dupuis is able to bring to the screen something that commands you to see a certain nobility, an innocence, and an unspoken goodness, if you will, while managing to surive the loss and oppression that are inherent in being an operative at Section One (especially if you are Michael, the character he plays). Section One being the most covert anti-terrorist group on the planet.In a reality that is as intense as any I've seen in a television series, where life and death hang in the balance moment by moment, he remains utterly untouchable in his perfection, for eyes that have eyes to see... I don't know how else to say it.This is far beyond a sexual charisma, though that is there, but he is way beyond that. This man is an extraordinary talent that I have yet to see the likes of... This actor has an almost spiritual charisma that trancends any peformance by an actor that I have ever seen.And the series is the best I've ever seen, mainly due to his presence.It keeps you riveted to one great episode after another.Peta Wilson is his perfect compliment as Nikita-- together they make this series happen.In my life I have never been so affected by an actor: American, or European and the series, as I said, is the best I've seen in my life.The undercurrent of tension in his sublimated love for Nikita (that is death to them if revealed), is intensely beautiful to watch played out by this duo.Roy Dupuis, I am thankful you have graced the planet while I am alive to see your work.Roy Dupuis is able to tap somethingclose to perfection in this character.Now I can't wait to see the rest of this man's body of work.Bravo!

One of the best shows ever!
I bought season 1 and it is quite possibly the best show ever (besides Buffy).They need to release season 2 now I'm dying to see what happens!!

Where to get it

You don't have to buy it used at some outrageous price.Go to Tower.com. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

confusion
I think it is amazing the amazon can't seem to get this right. Is it collections? Is it 2.1, 2.2, etc? I took a tip from other reviews and went to bestbuy and got what I want. It was more expensive, but my time is a premium to me. All I wanted was order. Good luck finding it here.

Confusion still rules
After spending more time than I would like to admit, on trying to figure out what combination of Andromeda Season 2 Volumes and or Collections I would have to order to end up with a complete Season 2, I stumbled upon the customer reviews for Season 2 Collection 4. I was amazed that people were having the same problem over 6 months ago. What is amazing is that Amazon has yet to fix the problem. I guess I'll give up like they did and buy this at Best Buy.

We want to know the EPISODE NUMBERS!
A couple of the reviews below pointed out why I didn't buy this from Amazon. I don't know what I'm getting. I know the EPISODE sequence of the show. I know what I don't have...I DON'T know that this collection will give me EP
The Dance of the Mayflies
In Heaven Now are Three
The Fair Unknown
Immaculate Perception
The Knight, Death and the Devil
And if I don't KNOW that I'm going to get it from Amazon I'm not buying from them.

I'll buy mine elsewhere
If Amazon isn't going to correct this problem then I'll purchase mine elsewhere.

Andromeda: Season 2, Collection 4
This is not so much a review as an explanation of the "error" described in the prior review posted by another customer. There is not really an "error" on the part of the manufacturer, but rather confusion in the way our partners at Amazon.com have chosen to list the products.

I have tried to explain this "problem" to Amazon's customer service group before, but failed to get the point across.

The Andromeda series is being offered up in two separate DVD "formats", if you will... One being in "volumes" which contain two episodes on a single DVD and the other being "collections" containing four or five episodes on two DVD's.

Amazon has mis-matched these and the listing for "collection" number four shows the cover art for "volume" four - this is why the episodes don't match.

Since I could not get Amazon Customer Service to acknowledge the problem and tell me which was the collection and which was the volume, I just bought the title at my local Best Buy.

It turned out the collections were cheaper at BB and with no shipping charges. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

As if You'll Be Able to Stop Here
In a recent effort to get casual fans interested in their TV products on DVD, Fox has released two episode starter sets of several of their shows.Reasonably priced, they tempt the viewer to buy the first season and even provide a coupon for the purchase price of the sampler off the price of the complete first season if offered.The casual fan has little to loose.

Here, Fox is offering the first two episodes of season 1 of 24, the most addicting thrill ride on TV today.Just as the Bauer family is about to call it a night, Jack gets a phone call that sends him into work.CTU has a credible threat on Presidential candidate Senator David Palmer.Meanwhile, daughter Kim sneaks out for a night with friends and Teri goes off after her.And Senator Palmer is facing a potential blackmail crisis of his own.

This show did take a few episodes of fully suck me in, but the trouble with this set is it most likely will.If you are a marginal fan of the show, having two episodes just isn't going to cut it.You'll need to have the complete first season to have all of what happens next.And, of course, you'll enjoy every minute of it.

This is brilliant marketing on Fox's part.You'll be buying the complete set before you can say cliffhanger.That coupon is going to come in very handy. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

More headaches fro the Goa'uld for Jack and the SG-1 team
At the end of Season 2 of "Stargate SG-1," Hathor (Suanne Braun) was holding out a parasite to the human members of SG-1 and wondering which one of them was going to be the new host for this Goa'uld. Volume 1 of Season 3 resolves that cliffhanger and then gets the SG-1 gang back to the normal Stargate range of problems:

Episode 1, "Into the Fire" (Written by Brad Wright, Aired June 25, 1999) finds things getting worse for SG-1 as Hathor decides Jack O'Neill (Richard Dean Anderson) should be the host. Meanwhile there two ongoing efforts to rescue SG-1. The first is on Earth with General Hammond (Don S. Davis) and Colonel Makepeace (Steve Makaj, while the other is on Chulak, where Teal'c (Christopher Judge) has joined forces with Bra'tac (Tony Amendola). Obviously the idea is to get the show back to "normal" by the end of this season premier episode, and while this was an interesting cliffhanger, it pales in comparison to what we had a season earlier. Solid but not specatular. Four Stargates.

Episode 2, "Seth" (Written by Jonathan Glassner, Aired July 2, 1999) has Jacob Carter (Carmen Argenziano), Sam's father and Earth's liaison to the Tok'ra, visiting SGC to report that the Goa'uld Seth (Robert Duncan) has been hiding out on Earth ever since the Stargate was buried in Egypt several thousands years back. Apparently Seth has managed to keep on being worshipped as a god having formed the Cult of Seth. Meanwhile, Jacob has some unresolved issues with his son. The idea of a Gao'uld doing a cult is a good one, but over thousand of years he has never tried to go global? I do not think so, Jack. 4 Stargates.

Episode 3, "Fair Game" (Written by Robert C. Cooper, Aired July 9, 1999) starts off with Carter (Amanda Tapping) finally being promoted to Major and O'Neill being whisked away in mid-sentence by the Asgard. It seems the Gao'uld thinks that killing Hathor makes Earth a threat, so the System Lords want to pay a visit. However, the Asgard want to mediate a non-aggression treaty between the humans and the System Lords to that Earth is one of the planets protected by the Asgard (and you thought intergalatic treaties were confusing in the "Star Trek" universe). The negotiations are compounded by the fact that apparently some System Lords are more trustworthy than others. I am not sure what the point is in trying to suggest the Gao'uld are not the bad guys of the series, so this one comes with a grain of salt. 4 Stargates.

Episode 4, "Legacy" (Written by Tor Alexander Valenza, Aired July 16, 2003) is where Daniel (Michael Shanks) goes insane and SG-1 has to deal with Ma'chello's anti-Goa'uld technology. Of course, Daniel is not really insane and there is a tangible threat to Earth behind what is happening. This is the best episode in Volume 1, mainly on the basis of Shanks' performance and the way in which the truth slowly emerges. We know he cannot really be insane, but figuring out what is really going on is difficult. 5 Stargates.

Although she is not the focus of any of these episodes, Sam Carter is showing some interesting abilities off of the Goa'uld protein marker left by Jolinar of Malkshur. These are all solid episodes but none of them qualify as "Stargate SG-1" classics and the best of Season 3 is yet to come. ... Read more

Amazon.com

This fifth and final DVD from Stargate SG-1's first season contains three episodes that, unlike the rest of the show, are intended to be viewed in sequence. In the first, "There but for the Grace of God," Dr. Daniel Jackson (Michael Shanks, a dead ringer for James Spader, who played the role in the feature film) finds himself in a parallel reality in which the dreaded Goa'ulds are attacking Earth. In the second episode, "Politics," the SG-1 team goes head-to-head with a sardonic, ignorant senator bent on closing the gate down; numerous flashbacks from earlier shows are included. "Within the Serpent's Grasp," the season finale, has the Goa'ulds actually on their way to Earth, with our heroes the only ones capable of stopping them. But be warned: this episode is a cliffhanger as well, so those who missed the second season when it aired will just have to wait until it's released on DVD, too. However, we're guessing everything turned out OK. --Sam Graham ... Read more

Reviews (3)

"Stargate SG-1" ends Season 1 with a great cliffhanger
I suppose you could complain that there are only three episodes on Volume 5 of the "Stargate SG-1" Season 1 DVD collection, but that seems a minor matter given we are talking about the final three episodes from the best first season of a dramatic science fiction series ever (as in way better than "Star Trek: The Next Generation," better than "Farscape" and "Star Trek: Voyager," and even slightly better than season one of "The X-Files"). Besides, there is a thematic unity to this trio of episodes:

Episode 19, "There But For the Grace of God" (Story by David Kemper, Teleplay by Robert C. Cooper, Aired February 20, 1998) has Daniel Jackson (Michael Shanks) stepping through the looking glass he finds in an alien Stargate complex on P3R233. When he returns through the Stargate he finds himself in an alternative reality on an Earth where the Goa'uld have killed millions and are about to take Stargate Command. This is a world where Jack O'Neill (Richard Dean Anderson) is the general and George Hammond (Don S. Davis) the Colonel at Cheyenne Mountain. But Dr. Jackson is able to convince Elizabeth Hoffman (Catherine Langford) that he is speaking the truth and as the base is attacked by Teal'c (Christopher Judge), who is still the head Jaffa of Apophis it is clear it is too late to save this Earth. But there happens to be another one out there to which the Goa'ulds are also on their way. This episode gives you all of the fun elements you expect to find in an alternative reality program (Samantha Carter with long hair), but it also provides the first half of the equation for the first season's cliffhanger. 5 Stargates.

Episode 20, "Politics" (Written by Brad Wright, Aired February 27, 1998) has Senator Kinsey (Ronny Cox) showing up with Lt. Colonel Samuels (Robert Wisden) in toe, ready to bring his righteous legislative fury down on the heads of Stargate Command. Dr. Jackson warns that the Goa'ulds are on their way, but the Senator only wants to talk about how wasteful and dangerous (in that order) the Stargate program has been. This is one way of reviewing the highpoints of the first season and we all know that Ronny Cox can play a powerful jerk as well as anyone (remember him on "St. Elsewhere"?). Yes, the ending is rather predictable, but clearly the point is to set in place the season finale. 4 Stargates.

Episode 21, "Within the Serpent's Grasp" (Story by James Crocker, Teleplay by Jonathan Glassner, Aired March 6, 1998) ends the first season with a pretty good cliffhanger. The bad news is that Stargate has been ordered shut down, but even worse a pair of Goa'uld ships are on their way to Earth. SG-1 intends to go down fighting and goes through the Stargate on a final, unauthorized mission to the location that they think is the point of origin for the attack. But they are in for a major rude awakening and O'Neill in particular is going to be stunned by what they find. I really do not want to spoil the rest of the fun for you. Is this as great a cliffhanger as "The Best of Both Worlds, Part I"? No, but nothing is so that is a moot point. The only problem is that "SG-1" is going to have a hard time topping this one (or maybe not; these writers are pretty good). 5 Stargates.

True, there are minimal DVD extras in this series, even on this volume where there are only the three episodes and plenty of space. But the good news is that Season 2 of "Stargate SG-1" is available so you do not have to wait a long time to find out what happens next. This series is going to become the second longest running science fiction television series of all time, behind "The X-Files," when it starts its eighth season. However, that is not all that surprising when you see how the solid premise for this series was developed during this great first season.

AWESOME! This DVD ROCKS!
If you can only have 1 DVD from the first season, THIS IS IT! Don't let the low number of episodes on the disk fool you, this DVD is well worth buying. The 3 episodes are not only meant to be viewed in order but they are also carry a very intertwined and on going story line.
Episode #19, There But For The Grace of God, is about Daniel's trip to an alternate universe where he gets a glimpse of a possible future for his universe. It is helpful if you had seen the previous episode, Torment of Tantulus, but not required. Very action packed episode.
Episode #20, Politics, takes up literally where #19 leaves off, with the SG-1 team cleaning up from the previous mission. An evil budget cutting senator is out to get the Stargate program and the team must justify it's existance in a hearing. Ends as a To Be Continued.
Episode #21, Within the Serpent's Grasp, is the season finale and begins with the SG-1 team AWOL in an attempt to thwart the Goa'uld attack against Earth and justify the existance of the Stargate program. Another "To Be" episode that leaves you hanging and wanting more.

Finally
I love this show. It took them long enough to put this out though. ... Read more