After a ten years' run, Stargate SG-1 has come to an end. I was a relative latecomer (thanks jalara for getting me started) but I enjoyed the show very much. I liked the character development, the continuity and consistency (heaven for a survivor of the Braga years on VOY and ENT), the technobabble and the action/adventure.

As for the finale,

Let me say from the outset that I felt and still feel that the perfect way to end the show was at the end of season eight, with "Moebius." We came full-circle, tied everything up in the most satisfying of ways, including character arcs. I would have been happy with just Atlantis to continue our adventures in the Stargate Universe (or Pegasus Galaxy, as the case may be). The fact that Richard Dean Anderson was not going to be part of the cast anymore also influenced me. But, I did like Cameron Mitchell, and thought they retconned him in quite nicely. He wasn't a Jack clone, he wasn't a Sheppard clone, he had enough characteristics in common with them along with his own unique traits to make him an interesting and likeable character. Ditto with Landry.

What I did not like was Vala. I've expressed this before so I'll just recap by saying I don't like "outrageous" characters that we're supposed to love simply because they're "outrageous", and I resent being told I automatically love a character without them earning it first. To the writers' credit, I found Vala bearable by the end, when she was part of the team and doing something useful, but when there were eps in which she carried the emotional weight of the storyline, well, it just didn't work for me.

I also didn't like the whole Ori plotline. Memo to writers of successful shows: call it a day and hang up your whiteboards before you get to the point of repeating yourselves. The Ori were evil Ancients, a recast of the Goualds, heavy on the midieval mindset and bleakness. You gotta say one thing about the Goauld, they were evil but they were anything but colorless. And they were not one-dimensional like the Ori and their Priors and even Vala's daughter.

Then there's the question of SG-1 being on the job, still. Tealc should have long since gone off to help build, and govern, the Free Jaffa Nation. Wasn't this what he'd been working toward for so long? Why was he still on Earth? Daniel should have gone off to Atlantis (in fact, this would be a more logical character-transfer than Carter). Yet they remained.

Now that I've got that off my chest, I want to say that I enjoyed "Endless" and think it's as good a series finale as they could have produced at this point in time. Stargate has had other season enders that could have done nicely as finales for the series--season 5 and the mass Ascension of Abydos comes to mind. With what they had to work with, this was pretty good. Granted they didn't solve/end the Ori thread, but then again, I already said I don't really care much about or for that plot anyway. (And this way we have a built-in straight-to-DVD movie coming up). The writers managed to bring in a lot of old stuff--the Asgard, time dilation, tech to fight off a threatening enemy, Daniel's mention of his wife, the Fifth Race. We saw Bratac in an earlier ep (and thank you for not killing him off), plus the Tokra, so all present and accounted for. All but Jack O'Neill. Too bad they couldn't bring him back for the finale; his presence was sorely missed. He should have had an emotional farewell with Thor, along with Carter. He could easily have been in command of this mission on the Odyssey in Landry's place, but I guess they couldn't come to terms with the actor. (At least he'll be in the DVD movies, right?) This reminded me of the way Terry Farrel wasn't seen or mentioned in the DS9 finale, which also made it feel like an important part of what made the show so beloved and special was missing.

I thought the way the characters lived out their lives on board they Odyssey was handled well. Not surprised that Daniel and Vala got together (and shallow of me as it was, I enjoyed Daniel's scene of telling her off and dissecting her personality and character flaws with cold precision). It didn't come from out of the blue. And may I say how glad I was that they didn't have Mitchell and Carter hooking up? Granted there was the obligatory reset button at the end, but I was sneakily relieved they didn't go that route. I guess I'm still hoping for a Jack/Sam resolution (another thing "Moebius" got right).

I'm looking forward to seeing Carter on Atlantis. Sorry to see Weir go, but I have to admit that I never quite warmed to Elizabeth--there were eps I liked her in just fine, but others in which she didn't add much for me, and still others that I absolutely disliked. I guess that having Carter run Atlantis means she won't be competing with McKay for the job of resident science and technobabble genius. But she has that aspect to bring to the table, along with military presence and experience, both of which Weir was sadly lacking in. I still think Daniel should move over there, or at least come by and visit. Here's wishing Tealc some happiness at long last among his people (and his son, who we haven't seen since his wedding), and here's hoping Mitchell ends up running Stargate Command one day as well.

Thanks, Stargate, for many hours of viewing pleasure. We'll miss you.

As to what is keeping me (and my sons, who I've long since infected with my enthusiasm) occupied these days? We're watching DS9, from the beginning. And I'm falling in love once more.