It's fair to say that the pilot episode for the _Stargate_ TV show was nothing special, and doesn't really capture the adventure, sci-fi creativity or comedy that the show would become known for. The script doesn't do the characters much justice and the performances are kind of stilted. Michael Shanks does a spot on impression of James Spader and the only returning actor from the original film is Alexis Cruz as Skaara.

So I'm really glad that this "final cut" version of the pilot was made, because it improves things. The overall pacing is tightened up and a lot of silly dialogue is removed or altered (including some horribly sexist stuff). The unnecessary nudity is excised completely, allowing this to fit with the more family friendly nature of the rest of the show. There are updates to some visual effects and the soundtrack music is changed. And most of the film uses alternate takes and better line readings which result in more natural acting.

It's still difficult to recommend this as the beginning of one of my favourite TV franchises. There's a cheapness to the whole thing - those snake head serpent guards are terrible, especially compared to how cool their movie counterparts looked. The new bad guy isn't intimidating in the least and the tone is a bit too varied.

But the concepts here are great. I love the expansion of the mythology as we learn of a vast network of stargates across the galaxy. Similarly, the introduction of the Goa'uld and Jaffa works well with a nice creepy factor. And the main characters are wonderful even if they're not developed well at this point. Richard Dean Anderson lightens the mood in Kurt Russel's role and Amanda Tapping is the coolest, smartest most kickass astrophysicist/air force captain while also being just plain fun.

The one thing I really miss here is the removal of the little twist at the end with Kawalkski which was pretty much the best thing in the original pilot, and really drew me in to keep watching.

_Stargate SG-1_ is MUCH better than this pilot movie would have you believe, but I think nostalgia always helps for me. I was into this show from the very start and even collected it on VHS back when it became available. Maybe time to start a full rewatch?