- Directed by Martin Wood
- Story by Misha Rashovich
- Teleplay by Brad Wright
- December 9, 1998 (Sky One) / January 29, 1999 (Showtime)
- Created by Brad Wright and Jonathan Glassner
- Based on the 1994 film Stargate by Roland Emmerich and Dean Devlin
Episode Cast
- Colonel Jack O’Neill-Richard Dean Anderson
- Dr. Daniel Jackson-Michael Shanks
- Captain Samantha Carter-Amanda Tapping
- Teal’c-Christopher Judge
- Major General George Hammond-Don S. Davis
- AF Colonel Frank Cromwell-Marshall R. Teague
- Dr. Janet Fraiser-Teryl Rothery
- Lieutenant Graham Simmons-Tobias Mehler
- Major Paul Davis-Colin Cunningham
- Sgt. Siler-Dan Shea
- SF Guard-Biski Gugushe
- Major Boyd-Kurt Max Runte
- Watts-Jim Thorburn
Stargate Command accidentally opens the ‘gate to a planet near a black hole.
Stargate: SG1 was never afraid to explore the potential weirdness that could come from using a poorly understood piece of advanced ancient alien technology that was MacGyvered to work mostly right. Each episode was an adventure-of-the-week but had fun coming up with new ways to use one of the best props ever created for science-fiction (and visually improved for the purposes of the series).
All shows in the Stargate franchise are largely unique amongst science-fiction TV or film in that these are present day humans going from planet to planet and not those of some distant future. In the early days like in A Matter of Time they stumbled into problems. The plot centers on opening a gate to P3W-451 (unless inhabited a planet always had a designation like that) that has found itself in the orbit of a black hole. Oops!
It dives headlong into the weirdness possible with this alien technology that has been rigged to function. It also introduces bits that would be expanded upon such as the 30 minute window and stargates being able to draw power from black holes to bypass that particular limit.
Here when the Stargate links to the black hole planet what happens is that time dilation occurs ahead of the gravitational increase which is not how it works in real life and that gets pointed out by the characters. All events of the episode take place within a few hours to the characters at the base when in reality a much greater amount of time passes.
Fans will notice Daniel Jackson (Michael Shanks) is largely missing other than two or three sentences when he comes back from wherever he was for the end of the story. Truthfully this is one episode where the character could not contribute squat. There are no ancient writings to be deciphered. No hieroglyphics to be read. No aliens to be interacted with. This is all about fictional science and action. Prior to his death and resurrection Jackson could be a bit of deadweight in those stories.
This gets a little bit into O’Neill’s (Richard Dean Anderson) past and some time he was held in an Iraqi prison after being captured during a failed mission. When the SGC goes quiet because time is moving slower for them than it is for the outside world a Special Forces unit is sent in headed up by AF Colonel Frank Cromwell (Marshall ‘Road House‘ Teague) who left him behind believing him dead so naturally O’Neill carries a grudge.
Cromwell’s presence certainly stretches things out but he didn’t really do much for the plot making his sacrifice at the end feel empty though it was essentially an apology. Explanations and dialogue were traded between the two characters but then as now it came off as padding. That time should have been given to Hammond (Don S. Davis) or pairing O’Neill and Teal’c (Christopher Judge). With Cromwell’s death O’Neill’s pre-episode status quo was restored despite the seriousness of the incident.
While Teal’c is a delivery boy because he literally carries the resolution to the problem, Hammond does step out from behind his desk in a rare moment for the character. It was a treat to see him be more important to the story. He provides leaps in info so the problems can save the day faster.
O’Neill’s caring for his men was on full display as he struggled with the guilt over the death (or impending anyway) of Major Boyd (Kurt Max Runte) and his team. It is a rather horrific way to go in a science-fiction world. Not only does Boyd know he’s going to die but his death from our perspective will take a very long time. He is getting torn apart by a black hole!
SG1 would never have survived a season without the brilliance of Samantha Carter (Amanda Tapping) whose intellect worked with the rest of the cast of characters. She was as capable as the others and contributed what they logically could not. Here she explains the physics and with her understanding (and referencing events of a previous episode) determines the solution.
One of the nice things about Stargate: SG1 is that it often connected back to past episodes in one way or another. Nothing ever existed unto itself. Lore was built upon and events of a previous episode like here helped to provide a solution. Here the answer comes from the Season One episode Solitudes where O’Neill and Carter are trapped in an icy cave due to a power surge from the gate they entered.
The action of the episode is on the muted side with the drama and interesting parts coming from the characters working together to use their brains (and a bomb) to solve the crisis. Though this is all about the characters using their brains and coming up with an intelligent solution, it doesn’t shortchange the viewer on the fun and excitement. Best part for me as always is these are the heroes you want. Imperfect but at heart trying to do the right thing and able to step up to the task. They don’t have the answers immediately but they will find them.
A Matter of Time is an excellent episode that plays with the physics of the Stargate and introduces some new lore. All in all one of many highlights of the series.
Warren Watched A Movie 