"The Serpent's Lair"
Season 2 opens with the continuation of Season 1's cliff-hanger--SG-1 trying to prevent a repeat of the alternate reality Daniel encountered in "Grace of God". And, I like how it opens. "Within the Serpent's Grasp" closed with the team looking out at Earth from one of the Goa'uld attack ships, the camera zoomed out of the scene, and now, Part 2 opens with the camera zooming back into the scene. I just thought that was a nice touch (one of many in this episode).
The team is joined by Bra'tac (his second appearance in the series). This episode also marks the return of Samuels for the third and last time until Season 8's final two-parter and is the first appearance of the Goa'uld shock grenades. Also, the establishment, in this Universe, of the Alpha Site.
In addition to lots of action aboard the Ha'taks, as well as at Stargate Command, there's a lot of nice character moments. The banter between O'Neill and Bra'tac, though it's nice that Bra'tac begins to respect O'Neill at the end. The bits between Hammond and Samuels, whose overconfidence in his modified nuclear warheads is nicely played. Teal'c seems to ease up a bit--in fact, it looks like he almost cracks a smile when Bra'tac explains his initial plan for thwarting the attack on Earth.
And, of course, there's the usual witty Stargate humor.
Bra'tac: "When the warships of your world arrive..."
Carter: "I'm sorry, did you just say the warships of our world?"
Bra'tac: "You do have such craft?"
Jackson: "Well, we do have a number of... (Jackson and O'Neill) of shuttles."
Bra'tac: "These shuttles... They are formidable craft?"
O'Neill: "Oh, yeah. Yeah, bad day."
And, at the end where Bra'tac identifies Hammond, recalling O'Neill's line in "Bloodlines" that he serves "Hammond, a very bald Hammond of Texas."
A great beginning for the show's second season.
