Classics: SG1 7:6 - Lifeboat

Overall Rating: 4.0

It's.
So.
BORING!

Plot Synopsis:

The Stargate Wiki has the very limited plot details here.

The Skinny:

So, let's see here.  It's an episode about a whole civilization in cryogenic stasis with their minds stored on a computer (that's some fancy tech...they evidently have conquered Heisenberg's uncertainty principle, interstellar travel, neuroscience and cryogenics!!).  We are tortured by their computer to save lives.  We save those lives and we offer assistance.  And we get NOTHING in return for our efforts.  Not only that, but we don't even get to see the final resettlement, find a conclusion to the emotional turmoil they tried to cram into this otherwise ghostly void script, or figure out how that energy wave was made that started this scenario in the first place.  They set up a huge technical dilemma (thousands of lives to save, not enough power to do the work...and how to hook up a human brain to a computer to get alien personalities out of it?) was...a Naquadah generator?  REALLY?!?!

Please...someone tell me just what the hell was the point of this episode?  What did we learn about our characters?  What running plots does it advance?  What fascinating social or ethical dilemma does it explore; and. if you can think of any such dilemma, how exactly does the script provide exploratory value to said dilemma?  Why should the audience CARE?  About ANY of this!

*sigh*  I recognize that Stargate needed to produce 22 episodes a year on a sometimes shoestring budget, and that there wasn't a ton of time to crank out scripts and produce episodes, but this feels like little or no creative effort was put into it at all.  I don't like having my time wasted and I like laziness on the part of well-to-do Hollywood (or...Canadian) execs even less.  Get off your butts and do something cool and interesting or don't do it at all.  UGH.

Writing: 0.0

The personal melodrama was rather purple considering it's unfinished and lacking in context or continuity.  The rest of the plot was LAZY with a side of pointless.  There is no redeeming value to this script from a creative standpoint.

Acting: 6.0

PAR

Message: 6.0

NONE