Skaara (Alexis Cruz) returns! He escapes and reaches the Tollan who are going to hold him for triad, allowing the council to decide whether Skaara or his Goa’uld to claim his body.

Pretense was written by Katharyn Powers and it debuted on 21 January, 2000.

The Tollan, represented by Narim (Garwin Sanford) reach out to Earth, specifically SG-1 to represent Skaara in the trial. O’Neill (Richard Dean Anderson) and Daniel (Michael Shanks) will speak for them.

Representing the Goa’uld interests is the system lord, Zipacna (Kevin Durand) who may be indulging the trial long enough for the Goa’uld to establish a foothold on the Tollan world by disrupting the planet’s defense systems. Teal’c (Christopher Judge) and Carter (Amanda Tapping) follow Goa’uld and jaffa to figure out what is going on.

And in the trial, Lya (Frida Betrani) of the Nox serves as the neutral deciding party alongside the Tollan moderator, Travell (Marie Stillin).

Will the Goa’uld make their move against the Tollan? Will SG-1 be able to help save them?

This is a great episode, one that really dives into to past episodes, and brings back characters to tie up storylines from previous seasons. And it works. The universe and its characters have been established and episodes like this really make continuity payoff.

And by the end of the episode, the Goa’uld are vanquished again, Skaara finds his freedom. Will that be the last time we see him? I liked seeing the Nox, and the Tollan. Kevin Durand is always a delight to see, and I love when he pops up anywhere.

Peter DeLuise directs his father Dom DeLuise in Urgo. Written by Tor Alexander Valenza this episode was first broadcast on 28 January, 2000.

When SG-1 goes to explore a new planet, they return ten hours later (though instantaneously for them) and find themselves accompanied by an alien’s version of their remote probe, as a hologram that only they can see and here… Urgo (DeLuise).

He begins to drive the team crazy with his insistence on doing fun things, trying all of the food, and wanting to get out of the SGC. How much more will the team take?

Not much at all, as they find a way to get in touch with the alien who sent the probe out with them in the first place. Unaware that the probe had become sentient, and was interacting with the team, Togar (also DeLuise) agrees to remove the probe from their minds.

But Urgo now fears for his death. If he’s sentient can SG-1 let him be killed? Or can they come up with a new option that will release them from Urgo, but still let him exist?

It’s goofy and fun, and yet still has a solid story to it. I do like that the characters can be fun, but the story itself could be serious. They definitely know how to walk the line with this series.