How do you Jump the Shark in Space?

So we're watching the season premier of Stargate SG-1 Friday night, and I said, "This reminds me of a storyline they did on this episode of Star Trek TNG."

Scott's reply? "Isn't this a sign they've Jumped the Shark?"

I'm not sure. I think that Stargate does crappy season premiers - mostly because they build this catastrophic, enormous season finales that are hard to resolve when the new season begins. I remember at the beginning of last season thinking that this was it. The show was finally done. But the season turned out okay - maybe not their finest season, but certainly no worse than the year of Jonas Quinn.

But.

As this season approaches its 200th episode - I have to ask - how much more is there to do in this show?

First, the whole stargate thing, while a continuation of the movie plotline, was in fact, clever and original.

The original baddies are gross, scary, and mean.

Then came the replicators. And if you have ever seen a little-known Tom Selleck flick called Runaway, you know what these creepy things are and that you don't want them around. Again, the idea was already out there.

Now we've got these supernatural religious zealots and their offspring ala Deanna Troi's alien-baby. Again, been there and done that.

Usually, it's easy to overlook or to accept because they spin it in a way that is true to the show.

And Stargate has been a phenomenal success, which is in no small part due to their creativity and innovation. It's a show I generally enjoy watching. But more and more I find myself saying, That was fair. That was okay. That was a waste of an hour.

I wonder too, when the show finally does go off the air if they will find a creative out or go some cheesy cartoon route of having all the bad guys band together to battle the good guys over the fate of the universe.

So I sit here, apprehensively awaiting this week's episode and thinking to myself, if we see one sign of Henry Winkler or water-skis, I'm out.