Mark Watches ‘Stargate SG-1’: Window of Opportunity

MORE TIME TRAVEL. AND IT WAS EVEN BETTER THAN THE LAST TIME. Oh my god.

The file for “Window of Opportunity” is located here, and you can find all Mark Watches videos in my Dropbox folder. Thanks to Danyela for commissioning this episode because holy shit, have you seen “Window of Opportunity”?????

  • Yes. Yes.
  • Okay, I needed to see the pilot and “1969” at the very least before this one, and I’m sure there are plenty of other moments along the way that would have given this episode context. (There’s mention of O’Neill being a “genius” at some time in the past? I assume that happened in a previous episode.) “Window of Opportunity” is largely a oneshot, a self-contained episode full of awesome.
  • It’s Groundhog Day. It’s The Twilight Zone‘s “Shadow Play.” It’s The X-Files episode “Monday.” And yet, it’s neither of these. The writers are able to admit (in the text!!!) that this is not 100% original, and yet they’re still giving us a unique take on the concept.
  • Mainly, THE TIME LOOP HAPPENS AD NAUSEUM FOR AT LEAST THREE MONTHS WORTH OF TIME. Oh my god OH MY GOD, I HAVE NEVER SEEN THIS DONE BEFORE. Because of this, the writers find a way to acknowledge the logistical difficulty that O’Neill and Teal’c face. They have to memorize an extremely difficult and lengthy inscription, and THAT TAKES TAME. Then we see this acted out. Honestly, it’s so fucking satisfying to watch!
  • But really, it’s Jack O’Neill and Teal’c who knock this goddamn episode out of the park. Like, I haven’t even seen that much of Stargate SG-1 at all! And I already knew that Jackson and Carter were the science people on this show. In “Window of Opportunity,” the two characters who are the least interested in the minutia of science and translation are now forced to do those very two jobs. They have to experience what their team’s lives are like, and it enrages them. Perhaps this will give them a new understanding of them!
  • And as disturbing as some elements of this story are, this is hilarious. I loved that Teal’c and O’Neill eventually just gave up. They knew what they were doing had no effect on the future, so they took advantage of it. Juggling! Biking in the corridors! GOLFING INTO THE STARGATE. (How had that never happened????) Shoving the dude who keeps opening a door into your face! Kissing Carter! (OMG, how many fics did that spawn?)
  • This was an ambitious episode, especially considering the fact that we saw so many loops. 20? 30? The writers and actors never let it seem stale or boring! Sure, it was frustrating, but that’s because the show conveyed Teal’c and O’Neill’s frustration so well.
  • And then at the end, we find out the solution to this all is far less complicated than we anticipated. Clearly, Malakai had some reason for keeping the time loop running. Once again, it’s O’Neill’s emotional past that comes back to have relevance in the story. He knows the pain that Malakai feels after having lost his wife. But he also knows that there’s no point in pursuing one last chance with someone you lost because you have to lose them all over again.
  • Where are these emotions coming from? Where???
  • Holy shit, what a great episode. Apparently, fandom adores it, too. FOR GOOD REASON. I imagine it was a whole lot more satisfying after three seasons of the show, too!

Thanks, y’all! You’re welcome to commission more Stargate SG-1 from me if you like!

About Mark Oshiro

Perpetually unprepared since '09.
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