Episode of the Week: Thirty Eight Minutes To Live

OCTOBER IS PUDDLE JUMPER MONTH!

The team finds themselves in mortal danger when their Puddle Jumper ship becomes lodged in the Stargate.

Our rewatch of favorite moments in Stargate history continues! Each month we’ll pick a theme, and feature a key episode every week. Join us by watching the episode this week, and then head to GateWorld Forum (or posting below) to talk about it!

Gate Ship One …

• The Jumper (named by John Sheppard) is technology developed by the Ancients in the Pegasus Galaxy — a ship designed to fit through a Stargate.
• The ships are security-locked so they cannot be stolen by the enemy (or a local out for a joy ride): the pilot must have the Ancient gene for the controls to respond.
• Puddle Jumpers also allowed the Lanteans to construct Stargates located in space.
• The versatile little ships have a rear compartment for storage or extra passengers, and is equipped with small drone weapons.
• There’s even one instance of a Jumper being discovered in the Milky Way Galaxy, evidently by a Lantean scientist who had resettled from Atlantis.

“Thirty Eight Minutes” Facts:

• “Thirty Eight Minutes” is the sort of Stargate story that was only possible on the new show. Having Stargates located in space, and a ship that can navigate them, stretched the writers’ story-telling in new directions — while drawing on established mythology, like the gate’s 38-minute ticking clock. It had been established back in SG-1‘s second season that a wormhole can only be maintained for that long before the gate shuts down automatically.
• This episode was directed by Mario Azzopardi, who had also directed Stargate SG-1‘s pilot episode seven years earlier. He’d go on to direct three more hours in SGA‘s first season.
• After showcasing Major Sheppard’s heroics in the 2-hour pilot, this early episode sidelined the team leader and allowed Lt. Ford (Rainbow Sun Francks) to play the hero. It’s Ford who puts his life on the line and finally kicks the Jumper through the gate.
• The new series’ fourth hour introduced a few new characters, including Dr. Kavanagh (Ben Cotton). It’s also the very first episode for David Nykl‘s Radek Zelenka, who would appear as a supporting player in more than half of SGA‘s episodes.
• The episode introduces the iratus bug, which would be much more than a pest to take Sheppard out of action. The bugs share a genetic history with the Wraith, and would allow Dr. Beckett to create that fateful retrovirus that played a major role in subsequent seasons.

“Thirty Eight Minutes” on GateWorld:

• Episode Guide
• Episode Review
• Episode Transcript
• Photo Gallery
• Screencap Gallery
• Discussion Forum

• Atlantis Season One Podcast
• Interview with Joe Flanigan (2004)
• Interview with Torri Higginson (2004)
• Interview with David Hewlett (2004)
• Interview with Rachel Luttrell (2004)
• Interview with Rainbow Sun Francks (2005)

Download “Thirty Eight Minutes” now from Amazon or iTunes!

Rewatch “Thirty Eight Minutes” this week! Then post your comments below, or head over to the “Thirty Eight Minutes” discussion thread and see what people were saying back in the day. What are your favorite moments?

Every month we’re featuring a new theme from Stargate’s 17 seasons. Watch the weekly episode with us join in the fun!