Oh, sure. As a viewer, your mileage may vary. But, looking over the list of 100+ episodes of television on which I’ve been credited or co-credited as a writer, THESE were the ten I had the most fun writing…
Honorable Mentions…
The Ties That Bind/It’s Good To Be King (Stargate SG-1)
Yeah, it’s always the way. You decide to do a Top 10, put together a long list, start narrowing it down and, in the end, you’re always left with 12. So, rather than cast them aside, I include these two as Honorable Mentions, two scripts that were much fun to write but, to be honest, for one reason or another, didn’t fully deliver in the end.
#10
No one can truly appreciate the banality, frustrations, and sheer ridiculousness of producing television unless they actually work in the industry… OR watch a show in which it is mercilessly lampooned. Sci-fi handwavium, ruthless broadcasters, sexy female alien-obsessed executives – it’s all here.
#9
The only thing I love more than a good time travel episode is a good alternate reality episode, and this one was a blast delving into the colorful personalities of the badder versions of our bad guys.
#8
One of the things I loved about Stargate was the creative allowance it gave us to write humor. I always reflect back fondly on this episode as one of the first instances in which we were just let loose to script the story as we envisioned it — conspiracy kook, Teal’c on the motel massage bed, and all.
#7
I’ve always been fan of multi-story scripts, especially when those seemingly disparate tales neatly dovetail at episode’s end. Still, the highlight of this episode for me was Robert Picardo’s Woolsey, a character who had come such a long way since his introduction back on SG-1. He’d gone from pencil pushing jerk to principled ally and in this episode, his journey to redemption is fully completed thanks, in large part, to the terrific comedic timing of Bob Picardo who made Woolsey at turns vulnerable, sympathetic, and gosh darn lovable.
#6
What did I just say about those various moving pieces of the narrative ultimately falling into place? Yes, in the worlds of Hannibal Smith: “I love it when a plan comes together.” and the moment FIVE utters this episode’s title phrase, it DOES come together in fast and furious fashion.
#5
This delightfully bonkers episode will forever hold a special place in my heart as probably my favorite episode of Stargate for its humorously bizarre instances involving varied AU SG-1’s, a dark timeline team, and that scene with Cam (Ben Browder) in his underwear.
#4
This one kicks off with a shot at Syfy’s failure to promote the show (Mitchell: “They cancelled it? Really? I didn’t even know the new season had started.) and ends with Teal’c unwittingly attending a reading of The Vagina Monologues (I remain convinced that, at that point, the network had stopped vetting the scripts because I don’t see how else they would have let this one go). Fred Willard is a comic genius, Claudia Black gets to show off her expansive acting chops, and, oh yeah, more shots at Syfy –
#3
Yeah, you knew this one was going to be in the Top 3. The original pitch for this episode was quite dark, but Executive Producer Robert Cooper steered us toward a more comic take. After listening to his notes, I said: “But that’s Groundhog Day.” To which he replied: “Right.” And so, we went ahead and wrote the Stargate version of Groundhog Day – which ended up being one of the franchise’s most beloved episodes.
#2
By this point in the series’ run, I was in a writing groove pretty much wholly due to my wonderful cast. I knew that whatever I wrote for them, they would deliver – and boy did they ever. TWO’s heartfelt yearning for the quiet life, THREE’S suburban rogue, a reminder that our FIVE is still very much a kid, SIX’s bike mastery, and Android’s not-quite-know-it-all attitude – all combine for an episode that, more than any other, leaves me with bittersweet memories of a show ended way too soon.
#1
Was there ever any doubt? I wasn’t even working off an outline when I sat down to write this script but from the moment I started, I was on fire, blazing through a first draft with almost no interruption. I was in the zone and this one came together beautifully in all of a day (A record!). Whenever I watch the THREE/Android duet, I get downright wistful at the thought of where these two characters were headed had our audience been rewarded for tuning in.
Addendum – Since so many asked, 200 didn’t make the list because I was one of many writers who contributed to that one. Having said that, the segments I wrote WERE a lot of fun…
I watch way too much TV so I rarely rewatch beloved series, even though I have a ton of DVDs, Blurays, and yes, even VHS tapes. When I do, it’s usually favorite episodes and this list is a perfect list. I’m feeling a strange love/hate for you right now. But mostly basil.
“Ripple Effect”: The “return” of Janet Frasier and Martouf!
Ripple in Time I understand that Camerons switching clothes with Black Cameron was Ben and Andy Mikita’s ideas and almost didn’t make it on screen yet it really added to the humor given how nasty the Black team was to our guys. There was a great double swap there that added to the fun as well as Ben’s comic timing.
SG-1: 200 didn’t make the list?!
My contribution to 200 was limited.
One of my all time favorite SG-1 episodes was Citizen Joe – probably the best “re-use chunks of other episodes” episode ever. Normally, I hate when shows do that (I think “is the network so cheap…”) but for that episode I felt it was required… For Dark Matter, my favorite is All the time in the world, but the problem I have is ALL the episodes were so good… it’s tough when there are NO weak episodes…
The Ties that Bind episode reminded me of an M*A*S*H episode.
“Isn’t That a Paradox” was so much f**king fun, amongst many fun episodes. Damn I miss that show
It must feel good to look back at such exceptional work. 🙂
Whats that last image? Its like a stargate version of farscape haha. Looks awesome.
It’s a segment from Stargate’s 200th episode (“200”), a salute to one of my favorite sci-fi shows.
I’m actually re-watching Farscape right now. I’m half way though season 4. One hell of a show. Somehow I haven’t watched that episode of Stargate. I have no idea how! What a coincidence.
What a lovely stroll down memory lane, thank you!
I am way out of it, had surgery on Wednesday, constantly dozing off with my hands on the keyboard or touchscreen. Gah. A happy little blog is just what I needed this morning.
Feel better maggiemayday! I’m constantly dozing off with my hands on something (TV remote, phone) too and I haven’t had surgery! Least you have a good excuse. Get lots of rest.
Funniest moment was the Wizard of Oz bit with Teal’c as the Tinman! Just thinking about it cracks me up!!!!
I have seen all of SG1 multiple times. Have 69 episodes on my DVR and more added every day. By far the funniest was Window of Opportunity for me. I also have both movies on Blue Ray. Wish they never took the series off. Also have Atantis on DVR. Never like the last series was too weird.
I agree with your number one (Dark Matter) episode. Looking at that picture is funny enough!
I agree that Dark Matter ended WAY too soon.
That said, SG-1 will probably be my all time favorite in the Stargate franchise. “Window of Opportunity” will probably always be my favorite episode. I laughed out loud just seeing the still shot up there in your list… “in the middle of my back swing?!” Of course seeing Claudia Black as Vala was fantastic since I had only ever seen her before on Farscape.
Always loved Dark Matters.
Never understand the reasoning why some good shows get canceled and not others.
Dark Matters was a good show…
Some of my favourites here too! I’m such a sucker for the Groundhog Day episodes of shows and the AU take as in “Isn’t That a Paradox”. “Window of Opportunity” is a definite favourite of SG1 for me and “All the Time in the World” was an episode I was excited for before I saw it and remains a firm favourite now. Three/Android, I was rooting for more between them.
“In the middle of my BACKSTROKE?!!?”
Also, “It’s Good to be King” is one of my favorite episodes of all time. Mayboure is such an amazing character.
Eureka!
It’s my understanding that Andy Mikita and Ben Browder worked out the undressed original Cam and Black Cam on the set which caused some ripples in the writing room.
I love Ben’s ad lib to Teal’c in the episode Avalon that Bullets Bounce!! He got in trouble for that one too. But it was great for the story.