(S04E04) Last week, Rich commented on the previews for this episode and asked where have we seen that before? It's a fair point, because the dream device is something that has been used again and again in the sci-fi/fantasy/horror genres. I'm OK with that though. Much like episodes where we get to see two characters both narrate previous events from their own point of view, what I like about dream episodes is that they often give us a chance to see characters in a way that we wouldn't normally see them. We got a bit of that here with the evil Shepard.

Of course, the dreams weren't the only part of the episode that felt familiar. Carter made reference to when O'Neill was knocked unconscious by an energy being that took on his appearance. That's from the season one Stargate episode "Cold Lazarus." In an interview with Gateworld, writer/director/producer Robert C. Cooper called it an homage. That's a good way to put it, as you can see if you go back and look at the scene where O'Neill touches the crystal. That video is after the jump.