Stargate SG-1 (season 8) - Release and Reception

Release and Reception

"New Order" and "Moebius (Part 2)" both earned a 2.4 Nielsen rating, a new record high for the show during its run on cable, which has since been equalled but never beaten. It also became the most-watched regular series episode ever for the Sci Fi Channel and the highest-rated episode in the history of Stargate SG-1, drawing 3.22 million viewers. The episode "Threads" originally aired as a 63-minute piece on the Sci Fi Channel, but an edited 45-minute version exists for syndication. The 45-minute versions is missing several scenes, including Daniel speaking with Ancient and O'Neill waking up with Kerry. TV Zone's Jan Vincent-Rudzki called "Lockdown" "an interesting episode, although it dips in the middle." Vincent-Rudzki saw O'Neill's portrayal as the new leader making "the Goa'uld threat a laugh" and "an amazing change from the events from the series' early days" if even O'Neill does not take this race seriously. Fans regarded "Reckoning", the climax of plots including the Goa'uld, the Replicators, and the Jaffa Rebellion, as two of the most popular episodes of the series.

In 2005, the second part of the season opener "New Order" was nominated for a Gemini Award in the category "Best Visual Effects". "Reckoning (Part 2)" was nominated for both an Emmy Award in the category "Outstanding Special Visual Effects for a Series" and a Leo Award in the category "Best Visual Effects". Peter DeLuise was nominated for a Leo Award in the category "Dramatic Series: Best Screenwriting" for "Affinity", while Christine Mooney was honored with a Leo Award in the category "Dramatic Series – Best Costume Design" for the season finale "Moebius (Part 2)". For the episode "Threads", actress Amanda Tapping won a Leo Award in the category "Dramatic Series: Best Lead Performance – Female", and Michael Shanks was nominated in the Leo category "Dramatic Series: Best Lead Performance – Male". The episode "It's Good To Be King" led to three Leo Award nominations: Jim Menard in the category "Dramatic Series: Best Cinematography", Christine Mooney for "Dramatic Series: Best Costume Design", and Tom McBeath in the category "Dramatic Series: Best Supporting Performance – Male".

Season eight was released to DVD in Europe and Australia. The episodes "Gemini" and "Prometheus Unbound" switched sides, and "Citizen Joe" was placed after "Reckoning"/"Threads". Contrary to the Region 1 DVD, the Region 2 did not offer commentaries for "It's Good to be King" and "Citizen Joe". When the season was initially released on DVD in Region 1, the release temporarily contained the shortened 45-minute version of "Threads" until Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) gave in due to complaints. The slimline re-release contains the full 63-minute episode. Neither region has commentaries for "Threads". The release of season nine was held up because of MGM's switch in partners for home distribution, from Sony to Fox.