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I used to watch Stargate SG-1 when it first aired on TV. I caught the entire first season, but it jumped around the schedule on Canadian TV and I dropped it off my "must view" list. It's unfortunate because it's an excellent show with a great premise. I was finally able to catch the second part of the first seasons finale with this set.
Based on the summer movie starring James Spader and Kurt Russel, "Stargate SG-1" follows the adventures of the SG-1 team as they explore worlds on the other side of the gate. The show matured a lot in the second season as the actors found their characters and the writers improve the storyline with the introduction of the Tok'ra. I thought it was a little odd that the season finale ended with what amounts to a clip show (there was more to it than that, but it was still a clip show).
Video
These discs contain episodes in anamorphic widescreen 1.78:1. The show looks great in widescreen... for the most part. The colors are excellent, but the picture suffers from major grain. I haven't seen this much grain on a DVD since I watched the first season of "Sex & The City". All the episodes suffer from this and it's rather distracting. At least there aren't dust specs or other film problems, but the grain is enough to drag this set down. Without it, this would have been a beautifully looking set. MGM also bothered me by not setting chapter marks after the show opening. I'll chalk that up to a lack of experience when it comes to releasing TV product. There are also layer changes found on each disc which are usually avoided on TV products. I think they should take note at what other studios are doing with TV product and improve upon what they release. The TV on DVD consumers are a fickle bunch, but we know how it should be done. Audio
An average Dolby Digital 5.1 track can be found on the season season release. I wish there had beenmore use of surround effects, but some highlights can be found in "Serpent's Song" with the gunfire fight and the plane in "One False Step". The sound used for the Stargate "trip" is also rather cool. Extras - How we rate extras
Profile - Richard Hulodin, Production Design (7:14)
A promotional piece on production design.
Promotional Trailers
Each episode has a promotional trailer that lasts (0:46). These are "next time" type promotional pieces used by stations to advertise upcoming episodes and can be found on each of the 5 discs.
Michael Shanks - Profile on Dr. Jackson (9:30)
Another piece used to promote the series. Michael Shanks discusses his character as we watch clips from various episodes.
Christopher Judge - Profile on Teal'c (10:29)
It's a little odd to hear Christopher Judge speak like a normal person. Judge speaks about his character's background and his work on the show. I dislike the promotional voice that can be found in this piece and the others. Summary
I just can't get past the grain found on this release. I think it hurts what would have been a decent release. MGM realy needs to look at how they release TV product on DVD, from the number of episodes squeezed on a disc to the chapter marks and layer changes. I think only the die-hard fans will be able to buy this set and be happy with the purchase. |
