Carter and Teal’c go in search of the Asgard to try and save Colonel O’Neill, but discover that the Asgard’s enemy has returned with a vengeance. The System Lords seek an alliance with Earth against a common enemy.

“New Order” Facts:

• “New Order” marks the first time that Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis aired simultaneously, which would last for three years. The two-part eighth season opener aired on a single night, followed the next week by the 2-hour premiere of Atlantis.
• This episode also brought the debut of actress Torri Higginson, who takes over the role of Dr. Elizabeth Weir from Jessica Steen (“Lost City”). She would be a regular fixture in the franchise for three years. But she’d appear in just one other episode of SG-1: the tenth season crossover “The Pegasus Project.”
• Steve Bacic debuts as the slimy Goa’uld System Lord Camulus — but it’s not his first role on the show. Years earlier he was Major Coburn, the leader of SG-2.
• Actress Kira Clavell was cast quickly as the Japanese goddess Amaterasu, since she had just recently auditioned for the Atlantis role of Teyla Emmagan.
• Despite the fact that she was left in charge of Stargate Command at the end of the seventh season, Dr. Weir was actually not originally scripted to be in this episode. None other than Richard Woolsey (Robert Picardo) was originally going to be in charge when the new season opened. (Read more in GateWorld’s exclusive behind-the-scenes look from Joseph Mallozzi!)
• The big change introduced for Teal’c this season is … hair! It was a concession to actor Christopher Judge after seven long years. Though it was never explained why Teal’c decided to grow his hair — he was religiously opposed to it back in “Holiday” — it does make sense that he would choose to forsake the religious ritual the longer he was away from Apophis and the influence of Jaffa culture.

“New Order” on GateWorld:

• Episode Guide (Part 1 – Part 2)
• Episode Review (Part 1 – Part 2)
• Episode Transcript (Part 1 – Part 2)
• Photo Gallery (Part 1 – Part 2)
• Screencap Gallery (Part 1 – Part 2)
• Discussion Thread (Part 1 – Part 2)
• “In the Making” by Joseph Mallozzi
• Season Eight Podcast
• Interview with Torri Higginson (2004)
• Interview with Patrick Currie (2005)
• Interview with Christopher Judge (2004)

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Rewatch “New Order” (Parts 1 and 2) this week! Then post your comments below, or head over to the “New Order” discussion threads and see what people were saying back in the day. What are your favorite moments?

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