"Children of the Gods (Part 1 & 2)" is the pilot episode of the military science fiction television series Stargate SG-1. It was written by producers Jonathan Glassner and Brad Wright, the pilot was directed by Mario Azzopardi. The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) rated it PG after getting edited into film format in 2009. Earlier in 1997, the original was released and was rated (by the MPAA) as R for a scene of nudity.

"Children of the Gods" is about the start and re-establishment of the Stargate program after what happened in Stargate (1994) film. The story follows three central characters from the film and two new. The episode starts off with Apophis attacking the Stargate Command (SGC) and the surviving soldiers from the attack believing him to be Ra from the film.

Variety reviewer Tony Scott criticized that "superficial characters wander through their roles without stirring a modicum of conviction". He mocked that the wooden acting, "pedestrian writing, pulp-mag plotting, shopworn characters, hackneyed dialogue [...] and Mario Azzopardi's broad direction will all undoubtedly delight billions and billions". He predicted that the series is "essentially for young people", and that "if no one else, the kiddies are probably watching" as long as the producers stop blatantly showcasing naked young women. Will Joyner from The New York Times considered Stargate SG-1 as a "challenging, if derivative, mix" that is "more than a Stargate [feature film] fan might expect but certainly less than one would hope for". His opinion about the main cast was mixed, and he found it disturbing that SG-1 used shock tactics to make up for its lower television budget. He would not recommend the show for children because of the horror-like "grotesque physical attributes in the new villains" and the "gratuitous use of sexual implication and nudity". The episode got a Nielsen Rating, 3.3 / 3.4, -4.

The episode's original airing on Showtime featured full frontal nudity during the scene showing the possession of Sha're (Vaitiare Bandera) by Amonet. This has never been repeated, and future airings in the United States have had the nudity cut out for syndication. The DVD version, however, retains this scene. This episode is the only one in the series to be rated by the MPAA (it is rated R), while in the UK the episode is rated 18 by the BBFC. It is rated M in Australia, recommended for (but not restricted to) viewers 15 and older. All other SG-1 episodes have generally been rated PG, or 15, at most.

Executive producer Brad Wright has revealed that the Stargate SG-1 pilot episode ("Children of the Gods") is being re-cut into a Stargate SG-1 direct-to-DVD movie with brand new visual effects and scenes not previously included in the television version. The beginning will be slightly altered, a new scene will be added, and the nudity scene will be taken out, although the final movie will be roughly 7 minutes shorter than the original episode. Joel Goldsmith will re-score the music. It will be released on DVD on July 21, 2009 in 16:9 widescreen format, and may also be aired on television. Wright stated:

"There is new material, but most of the new material is visual effects or scenes that have been cut. It is tighter. It is significantly tighter. ... The editing pattern is different, and therefore the performances are different. It's a different movie."

(from Wikipedia)

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