Ep 7. Watergate

SG1 goes on a routine mission to gather some naquadah, which is scarce on Earth but is abundant on a planet they regularly visit. When they arrive, they find that the planet's stargate is submerged in water and the room surrounding it is flooded. SG1 team eagerly dives in and explores the site, trying to figure out where the water is coming from. They soon learn that the water must have come from the planet's ocean, which has mysteriously drained away.

As they continue to investigate, they discover that the water is looking like it's being siphoned away by an opening on the ocean floor. Jonas and Carter descend the ocean floor and explore the opening. They quickly learn that the opening is wide enough for personnel to pass. Jonas and Carter enter the opening for inspection and found out the cause of the drainage is due to a previously undiscovered but massive industrial complex, with powerful suction systems, powered by naquadah, that has been diverting the ocean water into another planet to sustain life.

Meanwhile, SG1 tries to persuade the authorities from Earth, including the President, of the gravity of the situation as the siphoning could have dangerous effects on Earth. But soon SG1 learns that the industrial complex belongs to a private corporation, not the government. When the corporation's chief executive officer denies all of the allegations, SG1 must find a way to convince the CEO and stop the siphoning before Earth's oceans are depleted and dry.

Once again, the Stargate team faces a difficult challenge as they have to negotiate the geopolitical landscape of the Earth as well as the ethical considerations that come with being interplanetary explorers. The rather simple mission of gathering naquadah becomes a complicated one with far-ranging implications not just for Earth but for the entire galaxy.

Overall, "Watergate" is another fantastic episode in the Stargate SG1 series that reminds us of the series' penchant for adventure, exploration, and ethical challenges. The pacing is perfect, the characters are well-developed, and the science fiction aspects are well-researched and well-executed. It also touches upon water conservation and environmentalism in a subtle yet effective way, making it a socially relevant episode decades after it first aired.