DVD Review: Stargate SG-1: Children of the Gods Final Cut
When I first saw this pilot episode on the season one dvd years ago I realized how poor so many things were. Ranging from sound quality to weird and impractical fallacies that didn’t fit the later continuity of the show. I just ignored it though thinking of it as just 1997 and that it was a different time.
Now I have finally seen the version of the maiden SG-1 episode that the series deserves. Co-creator Brad Wright was able to revisit the series he created almost 12 years ago and write some wrongs to create a new version that fans will love and newly interested viewers will get the experience they would expect of a long-running 10 season show. In this “Final Cut” we have a nicely trimmed and condensed series of basic scenes that used to be wordy and long. The action is a lot tighter. Perhaps one of the biggest differences is the re-scoring by Joel Goldsmith, instead of the original pilot which contained a re-hashed version of the original score from David Arnold from the Stargate feature film. Another thing Wright did was go to his VFX artists and get a nice handful of new action shots and improved special effects. Most specifically a new rendition of the Abydos pyramid specifically for the film instead of the b-roll from the movie. There is also a re-recording of Teal’c's voice in many parts due to his weird accent and elements of cold weather giving him a freezing head with the shivers.
One other thing that is a major difference is the removal of the graphic nudity in the original that was insisted upon. Showtime wanted that in the series to give it that adult boost but Brad Wright never liked the idea. I am glad its gone because it kind of cheapened the episode and the series a little bit and always seemed out of place. There is also some improvements regarding Carter’s introduction to the team. No longer is there that cringe-inducing comment about her reproductive organs being on the inside, nor does she say she can “McGuyver” anything. There is also a continuity error that has been removed regarding being able to step back through the Stargate once entering (Apophis’ entrance at the beginning of the film was so stupid as he steps through while the gate is active to our side. He then while the event horizon is still open steps back through which was something that deemed impossible by the show’s writers in subsequent episodes).
Ultimately this is a great purchase for those who have not seen the series at all they can start with this episode and see it how it was meant to be seen. This is also for the fans who want to relive the movie that started it all for the franchise that has lasted 12 years, 10 seasons of SG-1 and 5 seasons of its spin-off Atlantis and now a completely new series gracing us this fall on SyFy with SGU.
Total Score – Buy – fans
Other score – Rent for non-fans
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