While off world, Doctor Keller is kidnapped. A group of Wraith turn up and prevent the planet's stargate from being used. Doctor McKay and Ronon are alone and must track Keller and her kidnapper - who is a Wraith runner like Ronon once was...

Tracker sees the start of the Ronon/McKay battle for the heart of Keller. There's also some subtle humour in the form of McKay revealing he used to be an Eager Beaver and still owns the Scouting for Beavers manual. How do they get away with it?

This also gives the writers a chance to pit Ronon against an equal - although, sadly, this feels like a missed opportunity.

Carl Binder (executive producer) and William Waring (director) provide an audio commentary for this episode.

7

 

Doctor Daniel Jackson arrives at Atlantis in order to find a hidden laboratory, which he believes his somewhere in the city. But when they discover it it triggers a beacon that results in a deadly alien race heading to Atlantis. Meanwhile an Atlantis team meets with Todd to discuss the implementation of the Wraith gene therapy...

First Contact is the first of a two-part story which sees Michael Shanks guest star as Daniel Jackson. We also get our first glance at what appears to be a ruthless new enemy who want to destroy the Wraith, and don't care what the consequences may be for the Stargate network.

The laboratory that Jackson and McKay discover holds the key to stopping the Wraith - a device that will destroy any Wraith ship (and only Wraith ships) as they enter hyperspace. But there's a slight drawback when the device is used.

Martin Gero (executive producer) and Andy Mikita (director / producer) provide this episode's audio commentary.

9

 

With Jackson and McKay held hostage aboard an alien vessel, forced to work against their will, the race is on to save them - not only from their captors, but also from Todd who wants to stop them destroying any more Wraith ships...

The Lost Tribe concludes this two-part story. I was impressed with the real jeopardy that unfolds at the end of this episode. Without spoiling things the writers set things up so that one of the main characters may or may not bowed out of the show here. Whether they do or not is for you to discover yourself.

Martin Gero (executive producer) and Andy Mikita (director / producer) provide their second audio commentary for this disc.

8

 

Doctor Beckett has been treating a group of survivors from the planet Balara who survived the Hoffan plague and are now living on another planet as refugees. When the Wraith turn up hunting for the Balara survivors, the planet's leaders have to decide whether to turn them over or risk the Wraith killing everyone on their planet...

Outsiders sees Paul McGillion return as Carson Beckett. This episode has some neat twists and turns as the Wraith split the leaders of a world on whether to hand over their visitors or to defend them - when this will surely lead to annihilation.

Alan McCullough (supervising producer) and William Waring (director) provide this episode's audio commentary.

7

 

Extras include the aforementioned audio commentaries; Mission Directive: "Tracker" with William Waring and Carl Binder (12 min, 26 sec behind the scenes on Tracker. Highlights include a look at the traps in this episode, and how Jason Momoa (Ronon) wanted to do the swinging log stunt for real); Dr. Jackson Goes to Atlantis (6 min, 13 sec a look at Michael Shanks's appearance on the show); Building a Humanoid with James Robbins and Martin Gero (7 min, 21 sec look at designing the costume for a new (?) alien); and Photo and Production Design Galleries.

Pete Boomer