"Actor: Don Jones"

• Stargate SG-1 :Series 8 - Vol. 39 | DVD | (28/03/2005) from £6.55   |  Saving you £13.44 (67.20%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Episodes comprise: Icon:Daniel attempts to aid a battle-ravaged society when the team's appearance sparks a war. Avatar:The SGC experiment with a virtual reality chair from the Gamekeeper's world (season 2) but Teal'c becomes trapped in a virtual loop against an undefeatable batch of Anubis drones. Affinity: Teal'c moves into an apartment off-base where he becomes involved in a neighbor's problems. Meanwhile Carter's boyfriend Peter Shanahan proposes and Carter tries to decide. Teal'c is then charged for murder and kidnapping. Daniel disappears while trying to prove Teal'c innocent. Covenant When a billionaire industrialist threatens to reveal the existence of alien life at a press conference SG-1 is asked to keep him quiet. Carter must decide just how far she will go to stop this threat to national security...

• Classic Horror - Vol. 2 | DVD | (09/01/2006) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £9.99

  Includes: 1. Carnival Of Souls 2. The Ape Man 3. Mesa Of Lost Women 4. Creature From The Haunted Sea 5. The Devil Bat 6. Vampire Bat 7. Dementia 13 8. Shock 9. Black Dragon For more information on individual films please refer to the individual products.

• Ah! My Goddess Flights Of Fancy Series 2 Part 1 | DVD | (17/05/2010) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Episodes 1 - 8 It's been almost a year since the Goddess Belldandy came to live with college student Keiichi Morisato and he's almost gotten up the nerve to kiss her. Unfortunately the encounter with the Lord of Terror damaged some of Yggdrasil's systems and the contract binding Belldandy and Keiichi is among the lost data. The lovebirds can only hope the information can be retrieved before the Almighty One orders Belldandy back to Heaven. Naturally Skuld and Urd try to help but it might be better if they didn't. Then with Christmas at hand Keiichi works himself to the bone to buy a present and the rivalry with Sayoko may have driven Belldandy to drink?! What happens when a Goddess is (literally) drunk with power? Find out what happens next in Ah! My Goddess Season Two.

• Stargate S.G -1: Season 3 (Vol. 12) | DVD | (21/05/2001) from £5.71   |  Saving you £15.54 (349.21%)   |  RRP £19.99

  The 1994 movie Stargate was originally intended as the start of a franchise, but creators Roland Emmerich and Dean Devlin were distracted celebrating their Independence Day. Episodic TV treatment was the natural next step. In the roles of Colonel Jack O'Neill and Dr Daniel Jackson respectively are Richard Dean Anderson and Michael Shanks. They're joined by Captain Samantha Carter (Amanda Tapping) and guilt-stricken former alien baddie Teal'c (Christopher Judge) to form the teacher's pet primary unit SG-1. With a seemingly endless network of Stargates found to exist on planets all across the known universe, their mission is to make first contact with as many friendly races as possible. Chasing their heels at almost every turn are the "overlord" Goa'uld--the ancient Egyptian Gods who are none too chummy after the events of the original film. The welcome notion of a continued plot thread sees offshoots that follow the reincarnation of Daniel's wife, Sam's father literally joining a renegade faction of the Goa'uld and Jack in an unending quest to out-sarcasm everyone. There's something of The Time Tunnel to the show's premise, but amid a dearth of derivative look-a-likes, Stargate has held its own with stories that put the science fiction back into TV sci-fi. --Paul Tonks On this DVD: the first two episodes of this volume spotlight O'Neill. "A Hundred Days" is the three months he spends stranded on planet Edora by the fire rain of a passing asteroid belt. Then in "Shades of Grey" he appears to suffer a total personality switch when he steals technology from the Tollan and is insubordinate in the extreme. Both these are terrific concepts but are scarcely enough story to have stretched across more than one episode. A little more teamwork is required to break "New Ground" on a planet fighting a war of ideology. Finally, the storyline concerning the Harcesis child from Volume 10 elicits a "Maternal Instinct" in Daniel after the discovery of mystical planet Kheb. But ultimately his agenda only brings them more trouble. As well a trailer for the next volume, the disc includes a nine-minute interview with Michael Shanks on his character of anthropologist Dr Daniel Jackson. He reveals his acting career was inspired by Richard Dean Anderson. There's also seven minutes with production designer Richard Hudolin explaining how the on-location Stargate takes an entire day to set up. --Paul Tonks

• McLintock | DVD | (11/08/2003) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £1.99

  George McLintock has to try and convince his wife that he has been faithful after a two year seperation with their fights the talk of the town. Matters are not helped by the extremely attractive cook Mrs Louise Warren he has hired at the ranch house... The film achieved a certain notoriety for the 'spanking' scene widely regarded as a cinematic first.

• Donkey Kong Country - Bad Hair Day | DVD | (06/06/2005) from £17.94   |  Saving you £-7.95 (N/A%)   |  RRP £9.99

  A spin-off from the wildly successful Nintendo video game this groundbreaking animated series stars Donkey Kong a peace-loving hugely strong ape with a big heart (but a small brain) who lives with his friends in the jungle. They are plagued by the evil King Karro who wants to defeat Donkey Kong for he possesses the Crystal Coconut a mystical sphere that can perform great spells...

• Lovers Rock Gala Awards | DVD | (01/12/2009) from £12.37   |  Saving you £-0.38 (-3.20%)   |  RRP £11.99

  The UK's Biggest Ever Reggae Show Filmed Live @ the O2 Brixton Academy - July 2009Such a collection of artists has never been captured before on DVD. `Lover's Rock' has been played at music festivals, night clubs and households around the world for the last 30 years and is still popular today. The show hosted by Grammy Award Winner Jazzie B (OBE) features 16 of the top selling British Lovers Rock icons, including 38 of the biggest most popular love songs (running time: 2h 23m), made up from UK No 1 Pop Chart Hits and a number of world renowned hit songs.Featured Artists: Caron Wheeler, Sugar Minott, Trevor Walters, Winston Reedy, Susan Cadogan, Tradition, Sandra Cross, Michael Gordon, Paul Dawkins, Lorna Bennett, Errol Dunkley, Jimmy Lindsey, Vivian Jones, Dennis Bovell and Jean Adebambo.Featured Songs: `Back to Life', `Good Thing Going', `Stuck On You', `Paradise', `You Know How To Love Me', `Every Little Bit Of My Heart', `Breakfast In Bed', `Natural Woman', `Man In Me', `OK Fred', `Sugar Love', Plus many more...The biggest Reggae concert DVD to come out of the UK, this DVD will bring out the singer in you.

• George Clooney | DVD | (13/02/2006) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  A collection of great movies featuring the ruggedly suave George Clooney! The Peacemaker: (Dir. Mimi Leder 1997) When a train carrying atomic warheads mysteriously crashes in the former Soviet Union brilliant US nuclear specialist Dr. Julia Kelly discovers the accident is really part of a diabolical plot to cover up the theft of these weapons. Assigned to help her recover the explosives is crack Special Forces Colonel Thomas Devoe whose brash take-no-prisoners style clashes with Kelly's more diplomatic approach. Putting aside their personal differences - and their budding romance - together they race against time and as they track the last remaining warhead to the steps of the United Nations in this taut apocalyptic thriller from director Mimi Leder. Out Of Sight: (Dir. Steven Soderbergh 1998) Meet Jack Foley (George Clooney) the most successful bank robber in the country. On the day he busts out of jail he finds himself stealing something far more precious than money: Karen Sisco's (Jennifer Lopez) heart. She's smart sexy and unfortunately for Jack she's a Federal Marshal. Now they're willing to risk it all to find out if there's more between them than just the law... Intolerable Cruelty: (Dir. Joel Coen 2003) From the Coen brothers comes this witty sharp comedy about a man who wins in court and courts to win! Divorce attorney Miles Massey has got it all. Serial gold-digger Marilyn Rexroth wants it all. A hilarious battle of deceit and cunning ensues when Miles falls for Marilyn with each one trying to outsmart the other. Underhand tactics deceptions and an undeniable attraction escalate as Marilyn and Miles square off in this classic battle of the sexes...

• Stargate S.G -1: Season 2 (Vol. 2) | DVD | (20/03/2000) from £4.64   |  Saving you £15.35 (76.80%)   |  RRP £19.99

  The 1994 movie Stargate was originally intended as the start of a franchise, but creators Roland Emmerich and Dean Devlin were distracted celebrating their Independence Day. Episodic TV treatment was the natural next step. Since neither Kurt Russell nor James Spader would be able to commit, it gave the producers licence to tinker with the cast and the universe they'd explore. Replacing the roles of Colonel Jack O'Neill and Dr. Daniel Jackson respectively are Richard Dean Anderson and Michael Shanks. They're joined by Captain Samantha Carter (Amanda Tapping) and guilt-stricken former alien baddie Teal'c (Christopher Judge) to form the teacher's pet primary unit SG-1 With a seemingly endless network of Stargates found to exist on planets all across the known universe, their mission is to make first contact with as many friendly races as possible. Chasing their heels at almost every turn are the "overlord" pharaohnic Goa'uld--the ancient Egyptian Gods who are none too chummy after the events of the original film. The welcome notion of a continued plot thread sees offshoots that follow the reincarnation of Daniel's wife, Sam's father literally joining a renegade faction of the Goa'uld, and Jack in an unending quest to out-sarcasm everyone. There's something of The Time Tunnel to the show's premise, but amid a dearth of derivative look-a-likes, Stargate has held its own with stories that put the science fiction back into TV sci-fi. Concluding the cliff-hanger from the end of Season One, "The Serpent's Lair" is a rollercoaster of wit, plot twists, and cutting-edge special effects as the SG-1 team resign themselves to a suicide mission. Then it's a case of ignorance of the law being no excuse in "Prisoners", as the team winds up in a penal colony striking a deal with someone who will have far-reaching influence on their future. Sam is stalked by an assassin after a rescue mission all "In the Line of Duty". She saves someone in the most unique of ways--by taking over as host of their Goa'uld symbiont. This introduction of Jolinar is key to much of the continuing storyline. Dwight Schultz guest stars as "The Gamekeeper" in a garden that forces the team to puzzle their way out of re-living secrets of the past. But all is not what it seems. --Paul Tonks

• Stargate S.G -1: Season 4 (Vol. 15) | DVD | (24/09/2001) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  The 1994 film Stargate was originally intended as the start of a franchise, but creators Roland Emmerich and Dean Devlin were distracted when celebrating their Independence Day. Episodic TV treatment was the natural next step. In the roles of Colonel Jack O'Neill and Dr Daniel Jackson respectively are Richard Dean Anderson and Michael Shanks. They're joined by Captain Samantha Carter (Amanda Tapping) and guilt-stricken former alien baddie Teal'c (Christopher Judge) to form the teacher's-pet primary unit SG-1. With a seemingly endless network of Stargates found to exist on planets all across the known universe, their mission is to make first contact with as many friendly races as possible. Chasing their heels at almost every turn are the "overlord" Goa'uld--the ancient Egyptian Gods who are none too chummy after the events of the original film. The welcome notion of a continued plot thread sees offshoots that follow the reincarnation of Daniel's wife, Sam's father literally joining a renegade faction of the Goa'uld and Jack in an unending quest to out-sarcasm everyone. There's something of The Time Tunnel to the show's premise, but amid a dearth of derivative lookalikes, Stargate has held its own with stories that put the science fiction back into TV sci-fi. On this DVD: "Divide and Conquer" presents a disturbing theory that none of us may be who we think we are. Newly recurring guest star Vanessa Angel returns as Freya to reveal that "za'tarc" technology can programme a person to be an assassin without their knowledge. This episode becomes a claustrophobic showcase for the actors to display distrust for one another. "Window of Opportunity" is the now mandatory Groundhog Day scenario episode that all franchise series must attempt. Typically the SG-1 writers make more of the material than in other shows, with O'Neill and Teal'c growing to enjoy having 10 hours to live repeatedly. Ultimately, though, there's a lesson to be learned about the fruitlessness of trying to recapture the past. "Watergate" demonstrates the excellent continuity kept up by the show in revealing what happened to the original missing Dial Home Device--the Russians have it! Not only that, they have their own Stargate, a disturbing amount of information on the SG-1 team, a mysterious link to a water planet and a scientist who bears an uncanny resemblance to Deanna Troi from Star Trek: The Next Generation (Marina Sirtis). "The First Ones" is a warm variant on the Lion and the Mouse fable when Daniel establishes a relationship with a primitive alien creature. The planet is the original home world of the Goa'uld parasites, meaning that the SG Team's rescue mission turns into a dangerous period of paranoid suspicion. Who has been compromised and what does Chaka really want with Daniel? --Paul Tonks

• Stargate S.G -1: Season 3 (Vol. 11) | DVD | (23/04/2001) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £4.99

  The 1994 movie Stargate was originally intended as the start of a franchise, but creators Roland Emmerich and Dean Devlin were distracted celebrating their Independence Day. Episodic TV treatment was the natural next step. In the roles of Colonel Jack O'Neill and Dr Daniel Jackson respectively are Richard Dean Anderson and Michael Shanks. They're joined by Captain Samantha Carter (Amanda Tapping) and guilt-stricken former alien baddie Teal'c (Christopher Judge) to form the teacher's pet primary unit SG-1 With a seemingly endless network of Stargates found to exist on planets all across the known universe, their mission is to make first contact with as many friendly races as possible. Chasing their heels at almost every turn are the "overlord" Goa'uld--the ancient Egyptian Gods who are none too chummy after the events of the original film. The welcome notion of a continued plot thread sees offshoots that follow the reincarnation of Daniel's wife, Sam's father joining a renegade faction of the Goa'uld, and Jack in an unending quest to out-sarcasm everyone. There's something of The Time Tunnel to the show's premise, but amid a dearth of derivative look-a-likes, Stargate has held its own with stories that put the science fiction back into TV sci-fi. --Paul TonksOn this DVD: Resolving the cliffhanger from Volume 10, "The Devil You Know" reveals an embarrassing secret that could allow the team to escape the clutches of Satanic Sokar. Then, when following up clues to find the Harcesis child "Forever in a Day", Teal'c is the only one to notice the SGC has been taken over by chameleonic aliens trying to establish a "Foothold" on Earth for invasion. The following "Pretense" is one of those sci-fi series staples as a character is put on trial to prove their guilt on behalf of another. "Urgo" is this volume's highlight, and expands the general sardonic humour with a little pathos for the guest appearance by Dom DeLuise. Lots of slapstick ensues. As well as trailers for the next volume, the disc includes a seven-minute interview with Don Davis on his character of General George Hammond. He talks about his own Captaincy in the army and an acting career that began with MacGuyver! There's also five minutes with costume designer Christine McQuarrie explaining what has to be done in just seven days. --Paul Tonks

• Stargate S.G -1: Season 5 (Vol. 20) | DVD | (22/04/2002) from £11.45   |  Saving you £11.53 (136.29%)   |  RRP £19.99

  The opening episodes of the fifth season of Stargate SG-1 had a lot of story left over from the nail-biting Season 4 cliffhanger, so this year had to open with a two-part conclusion. "Enemies" is aptly named because the team are faced with their biggest nemeses of all, Apophis and the Replicators, while stuck in another galaxy 120 years away from Earth. The biggest interpersonal problem facing them, however, is a switch in allegiance by Teal'c. Continuing into "Threshold", it takes the wisdom of his old master Bra'tac to perceive that all is not as it seems. But after so many attempts, can the enemies ever truly be vanquished? At long last, Sam gets a sympathetic and revealing spotlight. We get to see some of her home life and who she is away from the science lab. In her garage she has a 1940 Indian motorcycle, a 1961 vintage Volvo and a Harley. These aren't the only things she tinkers with in "Ascension", however. In a case of torn loyalties, she's confronted by an imaginary friend/lover (Young Indiana Jones himself, Sean Patrick Flanery). And then Jack seems to experience something very similar when the team gains a "Fifth Man". Both these episodes' storylines are threatened by the poisonous introduction of Colonel Simmons (John de Lancie, Star Trek's Q). --Paul Tonks

• Sex Pistols - Agents of Anarchy | DVD | (07/06/2010) from £15.99   |  Saving you £1.99 (15.31%)   |  RRP £14.99

  No one managed to destroy more... with less

• 4 Dogs Playing Poker | DVD | (14/05/2001) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £15.99

  An entry in the recent rash of crooks-falling-out cynical crime-comedy noirs, Four Dogs Playing Poker opens with a robbery at a wedding in Buenos Aires. Five friends pose as staff and guests to penetrate the secret collector's vault of lecherous father-of-the-bride George Lazenby and walk away with a valuable dancing-girl statue. Back in Los Angeles, the team are visited by their sponsor, hefty guest-star crook Forrest Whitaker, who tells them there's a question as to whether the statue is on the ship that's supposed to be smuggling it into the country. If it doesn't show up they'll have to cough up a million dollars between them or get killed. To underline the point and in the first of many "it-just-doesn't-make-sense" plot turns, Whitaker has his men shoot Tim Curry, organiser of the gang, in the leg and then, to show that trying to leave town is a bad idea, has him hung up dead in a meat locker with his feet chain sawed off (offscreen) by the comedy British double-act thugs. An unbelievably complicated scheme is hatched between the surviving four, two couples, whereby they each take out insurance policies that benefit the rest and pick cards and safety-deposit box-keys that identify one of them as the designated murderer and another as a victim. Naturally, suspicions simmer (one character, when asked if she distrusts her friends, replies "all my friends are thieves") and triple-crosses are hatched. The prolific Olivia Williams, in Lulu wig and American accent, emerges as the star, walking a knife-edge between imperilled heroine and cynical manipulator but she is ably supported by druggie, computer savvy Daniel London, hunky bartender Balthazar Getty and jittery insurance functionary Stacy Edwards. Familiar, if watchable. --Kim Newman

• Stargate S.G -1: Season 2 (Vol.7) | DVD | (28/08/2000) from £5.71   |  Saving you £2.27 (83.46%)   |  RRP £4.99

  The 1994 movie Stargate was originally intended as the start of a franchise, but creators Roland Emmerich and Dean Devlin were distracted celebrating their Independence Day. Episodic TV treatment was the natural next step. Since neither Kurt Russell nor James Spader would be able to commit, it gave the producers licence to tinker with the cast and the universe they'd explore. Replacing the roles of Colonel Jack O'Neill and Dr. Daniel Jackson respectively are Richard Dean Anderson and Michael Shanks. They're joined by Captain Samantha Carter (Amanda Tapping) and guilt-stricken former alien baddie Teal'c (Christopher Judge) to form the teacher's pet primary unit SG-1 With a seemingly endless network of Stargates found to exist on planets all across the known universe, their mission is to make first contact with as many friendly races as possible. Chasing their heels at almost every turn are the "overlord" pharaohnic Goa'uld--the ancient Egyptian Gods who are none too chummy after the events of the original film. The welcome notion of a continued plot thread sees offshoots that follow the reincarnation of Daniel's wife, Sam's father literally joining a renegade faction of the Goa'uld, and Jack in an unending quest to out-sarcasm everyone. There's something of The Time Tunnel to the show's premise, but amid a dearth of derivative look-a-likes, Stargate has held its own with stories that put the science fiction back into TV sci-fi. The first two episodes here (nos. 9 & 13) do not follow the previous Volume 6 chronologically. "Thor's Hammer" ought to be seen before Vol. 3, since this visit to Cimmeria presents an earlier chapter in Teal'c's problems at home and is the introduction to the Gate-building Asgard race. "Hathor" is likewise an essential early instalment by introducing the siren-like goddess who will continue to put Earth's men under her spell. Episodes 21 and 22 jump forward to finish Season Two: there's great fun to be had in "1969" and a time-travel plot that loops many aspects of the show's storylines together. The cliff-hanger finale, "Out of Mind", has O'Neill experience an Aliens-style awakening 79 years into his future. What the Hell happened? And why is he being asked so many questions about Earth's defences? --Paul Tonks

• Stargate S.G -1: Season 5 (Vol. 25) | DVD | (23/09/2002) from £5.97   |  Saving you £-0.98 (N/A%)   |  RRP £4.99

  Stargate SG-1 is the TV spin-off from the 1994 big-screen movie. In the roles of Colonel Jack O'Neill and Dr Daniel Jackson respectively are Richard Dean Anderson and Michael Shanks. They are joined by Captain Samantha Carter (Amanda Tapping) and guilt-stricken former alien baddie Teal'c (Christopher Judge) to form the primary unit SG-1. With a seemingly endless network of Stargates found to exist on planets all across the known universe, their mission is to make first contact with as many friendly races as possible. Episodes on this disc: "Meridian", "Revelations".It's Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan all over again as Daniel Jackson decides the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, sacrificing himself for the greater good in "Meridian". The departure of Michael Shanks is both sudden and suspicious. His Season 6 replacement--Corin Nemec as Jonas Quinn--is quickly established too. So much intrigue will leave regular viewers puzzled, especially since this is only the penultimate cliffhanger to the year. "Revelations" are aplenty at the end of year five. Earth's seemingly all-powerful allies the Asgard show yet more chinks in their armour. The SG-1 teams' grief over Daniel is remarkably short-lived. And behind the scenes a change of US broadcast channels could mean anything might happen between now and next year. Is this the beginning of the end? --Paul Tonks

• Kidnapped | DVD | (20/10/2003) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £12.99

  When young David Balfour arrives at his uncle's bleak Scottish house to claim his inheritance his relative first tries to murder him and then has him shipped off to be sold as a slave in the colonies. Fortunately for David he strikes up a friendship with Alan Breck (Michael Caine) and together they manage to escape. On arriving back in Scotland they set out for Edinburgh dodging the ruthless Redcoats to claim David's rightful inheritance...

• Torque / Swordfish / Passenger 57 | DVD | (17/10/2005) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £18.99

  Swordfish: Log on. Hack in. Go anywhere. Steal everything. John Travolta stars as Gabriel Shear a sinister mastermind with an elite criminal crew who are desperately trying to access information locked inside a complicated computer system that contains government secrets and if they can hack it a $9 billion payday... Torque: Ford (Martin Henderson) a motorcycle-riding outlaw who wants to clear his name of drug and murder charges. The cops are after him as ar

• Stargate S.G -1: Season 5 (Vol. 24) | DVD | (26/08/2002) from £6.54   |  Saving you £-1.55 (-31.10%)   |  RRP £4.99

  Stargate SG-1 is the TV spin-off from the 1994 big-screen movie. In the roles of Colonel Jack O'Neill and Dr Daniel Jackson respectively are Richard Dean Anderson and Michael Shanks. They're joined by Captain Samantha Carter (Amanda Tapping) and guilt-stricken former alien baddie Teal'c (Christopher Judge) to form the primary unit SG-1. With a seemingly endless network of Stargates found to exist on planets all across the known universe, their mission is to make first contact with as many friendly races as possible. Episodes on this DVD: "Fail Safe", "The Warrior", "Menace" and "Sentinel". Before now, this show has managed to skirt around the edges of the technological implausibility that plagued the latter Star Trek incarnations. But in "Fail Safe", Sam's surreal solution to the problem of an asteroid on collision course with Earth has to be seen to be disbelieved. Teal'c and his old master Bra'tac have always wanted an inspiring leader to assist in making the other Jaffa realise their mistaken allegiances. Kytano (Rick Worthy) sure looks like "The Warrior" for whom they've been waiting. But everyone's patience and beliefs are put to the test when Jack questions what he sees as a situation that's too good to be true. The discovery of a Data-like android poses all sorts of questions for the SGC, especially as the dormant machine is the only thing left of a desolated world. Dr Jackson persuades everyone to turn it on, and boy do they regret it! Reese (Danielle Nicolet) turns out to have the mental maturity of a child, and a stroppy one at that. Worse, she's responsible for the greatest "Menace" the galaxy has ever known. Former crimes by the sinister NID have to be rectified on a doomed world. Led by the timid Marul (a fantastic turn by Henry Gibson), the planet believes in the mystical protection of "The Sentinel". Regrettably two turncoat agents destroyed that protection and it's up to the team to put something in its place. --Paul Tonks

• Stargate S.G -1: Season 2 (Vol. 5) | DVD | (26/06/2000) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  The 1994 movie Stargate was originally intended as the start of a franchise, but creators Roland Emmerich and Dean Devlin were distracted celebrating their Independence Day. Episodic TV treatment was the natural next step. Since neither Kurt Russell nor James Spader would be able to commit, it gave the producers licence to tinker with the cast and the universe they'd explore. Replacing the roles of Colonel Jack O'Neill and Dr. Daniel Jackson respectively are Richard Dean Anderson and Michael Shanks. They're joined by Captain Samantha Carter (Amanda Tapping) and guilt-stricken former alien baddie Teal'c (Christopher Judge) to form the teacher's pet primary unit SG-1 With a seemingly endless network of Stargates found to exist on planets all across the known universe, their mission is to make first contact with as many friendly races as possible. Chasing their heels at almost every turn are the "overlord" pharaohnic Goa'uld--the ancient Egyptian Gods who are none too chummy after the events of the original film. The welcome notion of a continued plot thread sees offshoots that follow the reincarnation of Daniel's wife, Sam's father literally joining a renegade faction of the Goa'uld, and Jack in an unending quest to out-sarcasm everyone. There's something of The Time Tunnel to the show's premise, but amid a dearth of derivative look-a-likes, Stargate has held its own with stories that put the science fiction back into TV sci-fi. A satisfying conclusion to the previous episode's cliff-hanger is reached in "The Tok'ra (Part II)". There may only be preliminary goodwill established between Earth and the rebels, but the dangling thread bodes well. On planet Madrona, the team are accused of stealing a "Touchstone" that controls its climate. The revelation of who really stole it causes ripples in the pond back on Earth. Prepare for a science lesson (one of the series' strengths) in "A Matter of Time" as the gang ponders how to resist a black hole's pull. The last episode in the volume carries a voice from the past through O'Neill's lips as the "Fifth Race" demands to be heard. --Paul Tonks