Previous: 1.01–1.02 "Children of the Gods"

I tend to rush past "The Enemy Within" during rewatches. It's a base episode, there's still a lot of universe set up, and, quite honestly, Daniel doesn't have much screen time. But this rewatch is about me really stopping and watching SG-1 again like it's the first time, and I have to say I'm glad I stopped to take it in.

Jay Acovone's performance is amazing, especially considering he has to give much of it while strapped to a (ridiculous) bed. Kawalsky is barely in SG-1 and yet it's this performance that cements him in the hearts of fans and why he shows up again seven years later. The episode is almost entirely about Kawalsky and Jack, establishing the depth of their friendship and setting Jack up for the moment when he has to let Kawalsky go.

Because this episode centers around Kawalsky slowly losing his body to the Goa'uld symbiote, we also learn a lot about how the Goa'uld work, specifically that something of the host must survive. It's a moment that turns the climax of the episode from bittersweet to oh-shit, because—despite Jack's proclamation that "my friend died on the table"—Kawalsky was still in there, even if he wasn't in control. This complicates every Goa'uld encounter in that every Goa'uld villain is also potentially a victim. It's easy to forget that SG-1 is, over and over, a story about victims reclaiming agency and being released from their pain.


A few last notes of significance:

• Teal'c's interrogation by Kennedy sets up the conflict at the end of the season, with Teal'c explaining how Goa'uld invasions work, and Jack piping in that they're "not that much of a nuisance just yet."


• This is one of the few episodes in which the "gate room" is actually called the "embarkation room," thus setting up that joke for "2010."


• The rotating bed they strap Kawalsky to is ridiculous and could have ruined these highly emotional scenes of Kawalsky receiving his death sentence, but seriously, these actors are such professionals knocking the emotional gravitas out of the park.


• The writers don't have Teal'c's voice down yet and there's a few clunkers in there like Teal'c saying "O'Neill" instead of "you."


• Jack touches basically everyone in this episode except for Daniel. What the hell.

Quote of the Week:

Jack: Permission to barge in, sir?

Episode Stats
Planetary Tally: at the end of the episode, SG-1 is seen gating to P3A-575; also mentioned is P3A-577, which presumably is SG-2's assignment
(note: the dialogue is inconsistent and calls it both "P3A-575" and "P3-575," the stargate map clearly shows "P3-575" but um, I'm going with the naming convention more consistent with the other nine years)
Series Total: 3

In Fashion: everyone wears green BDUs on base except for Teal'c who wears a blue jumpsuit we never see again; when they gear up, everyone wears green BDUs with flak helmets*
*When I say "everyone wears flak helmets," I mean everyone but Jack. Outside of CotG Jack almost never wears a helmet.

With All Due Respect: Jack shows Hammond some respect concerning Teal'c's allegiance, and Kennedy respects Hammond while arguing against performing the surgery to remove the Goa'uld from Kawalsky
Series Total: 7


Next up: 1.04 Emancipation