Overall Rating: 4.5
GREAT acting partially overshadows a DISMAL script/plot concept. Gate does fluff better than most sci-fi, but this episode is kind of painful despite the skillful acting of the regulars.
Plot Synopsis:
SG-1 finds a lab full of interesting but unintelligible artifacts and technology - and a strange man who claims to be Daniel Jackson as soon as his name is uttered. While attempting to get some information from this man named Ma'chello about his devices, Daniel takes hold of one of them (at Ma'chello's urging) and their minds are switched. They head back to Earth, where the deception is quickly realized. Unfortunately, when Jack and Teal'c go back to Ma'chello's lab to retrieve the swapping device, they inadvertently swap minds as well and Teal'c's body (with Jack in it) gets an infection that must be cured through Kelno'reem.
Meanwhile, Ma'chello (in Daniel's body) feasts with a homeless man named Fred and explains his life struggle against the Goa'uld and his desire to lay down his arms and only have fun. He is soon hunted down by police and returned to the base, but he reveals that his machine cannot switch minds in two directions...only one-way switching is allowed. Sam, thus, orchestrates a whole exchange of transfers...a bit of musical chairs of the mind...to get everyone's mind back in the right place. With some effort, everyone gets put back in the right places and Ma'chello dies, leaving us no knowledge of his encoded lab notes.
Writing: 3.0
Some of the dialog - intended to get laughs or at least make the viewer smile - is clumsily written and downright awkward. Making matters worse, the plot is freakin' BORING. LOL The whole body-swapping concept is done to death and then done some more throughout sci-fi, and this is among the least interesting ways in which I've seen it done. Old crazy guy wants a break from his fading life so he can go smell the roses and eat ice cream? Really? That was your brilliant story idea?
Acting: 8.0
I've never gotten to use a really high number in my ratings on a really bad episode before...this is kinda cool! :) The thing that saves this episode's viewers from total despair is the phenomenal character acting of each of the regulars. At one point or another, they all end up in different bodies; therefore, each of the actors in the main cast has to play someone else. If they had not done this in such screamingly funny and accurate detail, the show would have ranked as one of Stargate's worst ever. The only negative on the acting front is...oddly...Michael Shanks' portrayal of Ma'chello (in his old-man form, not in his body-swapped Daniel Jackson-looking form). He seems strikingly awkward and mannered in his second roll.
Message: 2.5
Once again...I don't believe technology can alter a person's neurological pattern and move it from one body to another. That wouldn't be bad enough to move this episode into "ew" territory (even with the super-scientific medical explanation of boo-hockey...LOL), but...I'm sorry...no...it is not OK to steal someone's life and body just because you're tired of running from the bad guys and about to die. All of the attempts made in this episode to make us feel sorry for him just...annoy me. I don't have a brilliant retort for it all...I'm reacting on instinct with this one. :) Also...Ma'chello's philosophy is basically epicurean, which I find exceedingly annoying and dangerous. Pleasure is good, hard work is bad, and hey...why can't we all just have FUN! *headdesk* That's not whimsical jolly goodness, that's just immature.
No highlights this week...the script is too bizarre to make it worth my while.
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