I agree, she was an excellent character. I feel for Cassandra, her whole world was devastated and all but her survives. She's then used as a living bomb. Cassandra finally gets a new adopted mother only to lose her to the Gould. What upsets me most is how happy Dr Janet Fraser seemed to be as a mother.
It's a great 2 parter as it has real consequences, you feel as a viewer the pain for her loss and the others characters too. I have always felt that her arch to death in this... really is a perfect study on how to really engage an audience. It never fails to emote for me some 20 years later.
I enjoy the realism, hate to lose quality characters/actors, but it makes the show more believable. GoT did this well, or the books. Just when you start to like a character, they get killed. That way you truly never know how an episode might end.
I never watched GoT, I think I will after seeing your comment. I completely agree with you, it does add realism to the show. I have always felt that good sci-fi needs a dose of realism like losing Fraser... to keep it relatively grounded.
I think if everyone looks at it a different way, they'll find a joy about the episode. It was a glorious tribute. You have to take into consideration that everyone thought that was going to be the final season. Janet, while important, was really just a recurring role. For a show that really didn't put her in all that much, they honored that character. Everyone thought the show was over. Everyone was losing their jobs. The powers that be not only gave that character completion, but they did so in one of the most moving episodes ever. They could have used up the final episodes focusing on the main cast or a storyline, but they made it about her in such an impactful and memorable way.
Watch it and focus on the joy of how she was so beloved.
Daniel says it best in another episode.
You don't go running to your allies for every fallen soldier. Her life was no more valuable than anyone else's. Hammond mentions in that same episode that getting their hands on one could cost many lives.
I always liked how that technology always seemed out of reach and they never managed to get a working one. Not sure what happened to the one on Cronos ship though when they stole it.
True but there’s no outside the box thinking in Stargate. They’ve had a lot of chances that ships and technology, but there’s no thought we should take this back. They just leave everything.
I just watched it two days ago, and my jaw dropped. Honestly, the entire death reveal was done without any fanfare. It was brutal and realistic, in a way. Now I am watching season 8, and with Hammond gone, Jack becoming a side character, I feel the show is falling apart. Seems like the death of Janet is the death of a beloved setting.
It didn't feel like this when Daniel died and Jonas came in. He was a good fit (sadly, also gone).
The show resets itself at season 9 basically. Seriously, they intended originally to change the name but that wasn’t a popular idea at the network (IIRC). They get some new characters and a new direction.
Dr. Janet Fraiser deserved better. That said, she was saving a life when she got shot, so she had the closest thing to a "warrior's death" a medic could get.
Still, very sad.
Atlantis has an episode like that.
The Atlantis one hurt more IMO.
Although they were both rough.
Atlantis Spoilers:
When Rodney is talking to him overlooking the ocean it was just too much. It didn’t help that he was more of a main character than Fraser.
They also warned you about Fraser from basically the start. They even made you worried it would be Jack. The Atlantis episode seemed bad, but 99/100 times on that show that would have ended fine. It wasn’t even a season finally. It was less expected.
Season 7, IIRC was supposed to be the final season.
So they went all out on everything. I get why, but I still hate it and cannot watch either of those episodes even years later.
Seen it thrice and I ow just skip it as its just too much. A real tear jerker.
It just show how much Dr Fraiser was integral to the whole series bit we all seem to take her for granted.
My wife got me a signed headshot of Teryl Rothery for Christmas. Doc Frasier was always one of my favorite characters. (Beckett and McKay, too)
Unbeknownst to my wife at the time of purchase was that it was signed “To my fellow Canadians!”
We are not Canadian, but it still got framed and hung on the wall, and now it’s just a great memory.
One of SG1s best written episodes. It gets me every single time.
Yeah, the character didn't deserve it, but that's the whole point. That's why it keeps hitting so hard every single damn time
I too only watched Stargate for the first time a few years ago. Me and my husband (who had seen them all and was introducing me to them) would binge several episodes at a time on DVD. After Janet’s death I literally required a grieving period. My husband would be like “do you want to watch some Stargate?” And I would say we have to watch something else still. Finally we did finish all the seasons of SG1 but I was always so upset whenever a doctor came on that wasn’t Janet.
I remember watching this episode when it first aired and been actually fucking gutted. But I will say that as a adult in my thirties, knowing as many military people as I do, most of them who are fans of this show cite that is being one of the best and most realistic episodes.
ShE DiDnT DeSerVE bUT iTs wAr!
Why do people parrot this dumb crap? They thought the show was canceled so they killed off a character for funnzies not to ShOw HaRsH ReAlitiEs
I agree, she was an excellent character. I feel for Cassandra, her whole world was devastated and all but her survives. She's then used as a living bomb. Cassandra finally gets a new adopted mother only to lose her to the Gould. What upsets me most is how happy Dr Janet Fraser seemed to be as a mother. It's a great 2 parter as it has real consequences, you feel as a viewer the pain for her loss and the others characters too. I have always felt that her arch to death in this... really is a perfect study on how to really engage an audience. It never fails to emote for me some 20 years later.
I enjoy the realism, hate to lose quality characters/actors, but it makes the show more believable. GoT did this well, or the books. Just when you start to like a character, they get killed. That way you truly never know how an episode might end.
I never watched GoT, I think I will after seeing your comment. I completely agree with you, it does add realism to the show. I have always felt that good sci-fi needs a dose of realism like losing Fraser... to keep it relatively grounded.
I think if everyone looks at it a different way, they'll find a joy about the episode. It was a glorious tribute. You have to take into consideration that everyone thought that was going to be the final season. Janet, while important, was really just a recurring role. For a show that really didn't put her in all that much, they honored that character. Everyone thought the show was over. Everyone was losing their jobs. The powers that be not only gave that character completion, but they did so in one of the most moving episodes ever. They could have used up the final episodes focusing on the main cast or a storyline, but they made it about her in such an impactful and memorable way. Watch it and focus on the joy of how she was so beloved.
Everytime i rewatch this episode i'm stuck with sadness afterwards. Where is a sarcophagus when you need one?
Daniel says it best in another episode. You don't go running to your allies for every fallen soldier. Her life was no more valuable than anyone else's. Hammond mentions in that same episode that getting their hands on one could cost many lives. I always liked how that technology always seemed out of reach and they never managed to get a working one. Not sure what happened to the one on Cronos ship though when they stole it.
Ship got infected with replicators they had to flee in a small cargo ship.
Eh they could have taken it off long before those episodes
True but there’s no outside the box thinking in Stargate. They’ve had a lot of chances that ships and technology, but there’s no thought we should take this back. They just leave everything.
I just watched it two days ago, and my jaw dropped. Honestly, the entire death reveal was done without any fanfare. It was brutal and realistic, in a way. Now I am watching season 8, and with Hammond gone, Jack becoming a side character, I feel the show is falling apart. Seems like the death of Janet is the death of a beloved setting. It didn't feel like this when Daniel died and Jonas came in. He was a good fit (sadly, also gone).
The show resets itself at season 9 basically. Seriously, they intended originally to change the name but that wasn’t a popular idea at the network (IIRC). They get some new characters and a new direction.
Yeah, they should've killed Daniel instead... oh, wait.
Don't worry, he'll get better.
Adam Baldwin and his hilarious team are great, but after knowing what's coming, I only feel sadness. Wish we got more of them.
It never stops hurting. Every rewatch, it's like knife to the heart.
 😭
Dr. Janet Fraiser deserved better. That said, she was saving a life when she got shot, so she had the closest thing to a "warrior's death" a medic could get. Still, very sad. Atlantis has an episode like that.
Cry every time on 'that' Atlantis episode...
He gets better. In a way.
The Atlantis one hurt more IMO. Although they were both rough. Atlantis Spoilers: When Rodney is talking to him overlooking the ocean it was just too much. It didn’t help that he was more of a main character than Fraser. They also warned you about Fraser from basically the start. They even made you worried it would be Jack. The Atlantis episode seemed bad, but 99/100 times on that show that would have ended fine. It wasn’t even a season finally. It was less expected.
Season 7, IIRC was supposed to be the final season. So they went all out on everything. I get why, but I still hate it and cannot watch either of those episodes even years later.
They weren't sure they'd get season 8 so it seemed like a good idea at the time
Seen it thrice and I ow just skip it as its just too much. A real tear jerker. It just show how much Dr Fraiser was integral to the whole series bit we all seem to take her for granted.
My wife got me a signed headshot of Teryl Rothery for Christmas. Doc Frasier was always one of my favorite characters. (Beckett and McKay, too) Unbeknownst to my wife at the time of purchase was that it was signed “To my fellow Canadians!” We are not Canadian, but it still got framed and hung on the wall, and now it’s just a great memory.
I love the idea of hanging a portrait saying “To my fellow Canadians” on my wall as a non Canadian.
One of SG1s best written episodes. It gets me every single time. Yeah, the character didn't deserve it, but that's the whole point. That's why it keeps hitting so hard every single damn time
She deserved better... Yes. That is the point.
I too only watched Stargate for the first time a few years ago. Me and my husband (who had seen them all and was introducing me to them) would binge several episodes at a time on DVD. After Janet’s death I literally required a grieving period. My husband would be like “do you want to watch some Stargate?” And I would say we have to watch something else still. Finally we did finish all the seasons of SG1 but I was always so upset whenever a doctor came on that wasn’t Janet.
One of the hardest episodes for me to watch.
On the positive side, it must feel good as an actor to have your character's death be such a powerful moment for the fans.
Fair or unfair, that was an INCREDIBLE episode. Damn fine all around. And I tear up every damn time.
My condolences. 😔
I know. It's so sad
I'm probably one of the few fans who really wasn't bothered by it.
I remember watching this episode when it first aired and been actually fucking gutted. But I will say that as a adult in my thirties, knowing as many military people as I do, most of them who are fans of this show cite that is being one of the best and most realistic episodes.
i was just mentioning how i get choked up by that episode every time. do you recall the psych episode later that she and major davis are in? 😀
I usually skip those episodes.
ShE DiDnT DeSerVE bUT iTs wAr! Why do people parrot this dumb crap? They thought the show was canceled so they killed off a character for funnzies not to ShOw HaRsH ReAlitiEs