Best episode to start with of SG-1.
- Thread starter TheQman
- Start date
I'd say watch with the 1994 movie and then start on SG-1 with the pilot episode. I'm too big a believer in starting at the beginning and watching everything in order.
Start from the beginning. You don't need to watch the movie, I didn't, before starting the show.
You can jump in most anywhere. The movie will give the basic outline of "Stargate" the pilot episode fills in the blanks on how they went from the movie to visiting multiple worlds in the series context. With the pilot you begin to see the Colonel and team we know in the series and not the bad ass from the movie
Children of the Gods if nothing else, the very first episode of SG-1.
I highly recommend the movie though for some background before CoTG. Then the second episode Enemy Within, from that, you should determine if you want to stick with the series based on that premise. Ignore the third episode, Emancipation, horrible intro to the series.
I highly recommend the movie though for some background before CoTG. Then the second episode Enemy Within, from that, you should determine if you want to stick with the series based on that premise. Ignore the third episode, Emancipation, horrible intro to the series.
And there's one where you get another Jack. How lucky you are!
Start from the beginning. It's the only decent way to get all the information needed.
SG-1's first 5 seasons or so include a number of slowly progressing story arcs, so it is well worth watching them in order. Although season 1 has some truly impressive clunkers (episode #3, Emancipation, remains my least favourite of the entire run) there are some pivotal episodes in there, and some very good ones too. Torment of Tantalus in particular becomes instrumental to the series' arc.
Since the original topic has received pretty much unanimous answers, I'll pose a related, slightly more difficult question. Which episode would you use to introduce someone to Stargate as a representative sample of the show? Two-parters and the pilot are out, since most episodes are only an hour. "Previously on Stargate SG-1" openings are discouraged but not deal-breakers because a lot of episodes do have them.
Maybe The Fifth Race if they're into mythos type stuff, its interesting sci-fi, well acted, and introduces a major alien in the Asgard. Or, to start a bit earlier, Torment of Tantalus which teases the mythology without revealing much and has an interesting but fairly straightforward framing story, or The Nox which imho is a wonderful little story which is largely self contained and also shows the series' main bad guy.
I agree on Window of Opportunity if they're more likely to respond to comedic elements without it being a farcical episode like Urgo.
I agree on Window of Opportunity if they're more likely to respond to comedic elements without it being a farcical episode like Urgo.
IMO, Season 1 is pretty bad compared to the rest of the series. My tendency is to start with the movie & "Children of the Gods," then skip ahead to the last 3 episodes of Season 1-- "There But for the Grace of God," "Politics," & "Within the Serpent's Grasp."
I'm interested in Season 1 but mostly only as it relates to the better, later episodes of the series. The show doesn't really find its footing until Season 2. Then it hits a sustained peak during Seasons 3-6. Seasons 7 & 8 have some good arc stuff but also a lot of filler. Seasons 9 & 10 are a completely different (though still very good) show.
If I wanted to get someone hooked on the show? Hmmm...
My first answer: Show them "Within the Serpent's Grasp." Yes, it's part of a 2-parter. But if they're not begging to see "The Serpent's Lair" after that, something's wrong.
My 2nd answer: "1969" is just a heck of a lot of fun.
For some good, representative stand-alones, I'd suggest "The Other Side," "Scorched Earth," & "The First Ones." I think the best introduction to the overall tone of the series at its best comes from some of the episodes that really get into Daniel Jackson's humanist side.
Daniel Jackson tends to be the best gateway character into the series, IMO. Col. O'Neill has some great moments but I don't think he ever got the really solid, juicy episodes than Daniel often did. Samantha Carter is a fine character but often gets too technobabble-y. Teal'c is probably my favorite character but I think you have to really become invested in the cast & the mythology before you can truly appreciate Teal'c. (Once you do appreciate Teal'c, do not hesitate to pop in the "Exodus"/"Enemies"/"Threshold" arc.)
I'm interested in Season 1 but mostly only as it relates to the better, later episodes of the series. The show doesn't really find its footing until Season 2. Then it hits a sustained peak during Seasons 3-6. Seasons 7 & 8 have some good arc stuff but also a lot of filler. Seasons 9 & 10 are a completely different (though still very good) show.
If I wanted to get someone hooked on the show? Hmmm...
My first answer: Show them "Within the Serpent's Grasp." Yes, it's part of a 2-parter. But if they're not begging to see "The Serpent's Lair" after that, something's wrong.
My 2nd answer: "1969" is just a heck of a lot of fun.
For some good, representative stand-alones, I'd suggest "The Other Side," "Scorched Earth," & "The First Ones." I think the best introduction to the overall tone of the series at its best comes from some of the episodes that really get into Daniel Jackson's humanist side.
Daniel Jackson tends to be the best gateway character into the series, IMO. Col. O'Neill has some great moments but I don't think he ever got the really solid, juicy episodes than Daniel often did. Samantha Carter is a fine character but often gets too technobabble-y. Teal'c is probably my favorite character but I think you have to really become invested in the cast & the mythology before you can truly appreciate Teal'c. (Once you do appreciate Teal'c, do not hesitate to pop in the "Exodus"/"Enemies"/"Threshold" arc.)
Probably my favorite episode of the whole series, right there. The golfing bits alone are just freakin' priceless.
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