And now for something completely different. Oh, I enjoyed this one. And not just for half-naked Ortiz wielding a sword, either.

Ok, we start with Ford out in the DVL suit for 30 hours again Wow, a rare moment of continuity – this is something that was used in the season 1 episode Abalon – with a similar effect on Ford. I'm amazed he ever goes in the thing. I still can't work out why they want someone to be wandering around on the seabed for 30 hours. Just as Dr Smith is commenting that he isn't the type to hallucinate, he sees a ghost. Gotta respect the classics of TV comedy (although, again, this reminded me of Abalon).

So, Ford discovers an artefact and it is revealed to be an ancient helmet, with a mummified head still inside. Back on the boat, Bridger tries on the helmet and gets a sting. The helmet is inscribed, so linguistics expert O'Neill is summoned to work on translating it. Almost straight away he translates one section that mentions Atlantis which gets everyone excited about having tangible proof that the lost continent exists, placing a great deal of trust in O'Neill's skills as a translator of a lost language (how exactly does it work that an expert in modern languages is also expert in dead languages?). However, Bridger is already acting oddly, having worn the helmet, and he starts behaving very autocratically and rudely.

O'Neill mentions that Ortiz knows a lot about mythology, which is a nice bit of info, and interesting that O'Neill knows this, as Ford apparently didn't: says something about crew interaction, who talks to who about what. Ford tells him that Ortiz is coordinating the excavation, which has apparently yielded some other artefacts, including a skeletal hand and a sword.

There's a very nice snippet of Ortiz using his WSKRS to tease Brody, who is out in the DVL – Brody complains about the WSKRS getting too close, protesting that Ortiz is throwing them at him like bean bags, so Ortiz promptly takes them to within inches just to prove his close control of them …until Brody threatens him with a security refresher course. It's nicely playful stuff, and a good character scene for both. I love scenes like this: Ortiz and Brody bounce well off each other on the occasions they get to interact. For all his good-humour, Brody tends to take himself quite seriously, and Ortiz, well, doesn't, which makes for an entertaining combination.

Ford is in charge of the bridge when he starts seeing things – a ghost of a warrior wearing the helmet, and a fire in the captain's chair. It's funny watching how the bridge crew react to his odd behaviour, but interestingly it is not another officer, but Ortiz who asks if he is all right – he may not be an officer, but he's been on this boat long enough to be able to take liberties. Also, he is a doer on a boat that has too many thinkers. He seems to be standing in for O'Neill on communications again. Ford asks Ortiz about his knowledge of mythology, Ortiz confirms that he's read everything there is on Atlantis, and is sent off to help O'Neill. It is unclear who is to run communications in the absence of them both, but I presume they can call in replacements from among the ranks of Random Extras. Or possibly they won't need to use communications again in this episode.

Bridger then comes on to the bridge acting even more belligerently than ever, while Ford is still spooked by the ghost and goes off to his quarters claiming to be unwell, Bridger berating him for weakness. Ford's reaction to his ghost is great, and very in character. It's then very funny to see Lucas' reaction to Bridger telling him he should be in uniform, but also a little unnerving to see the captain so out of character. Bridger is usually such an easy-going captain that seeing him cracking down for no real reason like this practically screams out that there is something seriously wrong. Brody comments to Lucas that he suspects both Bridger and Ford are unfit to command at present, and frets over who will take charge if they can't.

Lucas sensibly enquires who's going to tell them they can't. And I want to know why on earth doesn't Brody know the chain of command – surely there should be clear-cut procedures regarding who takes charge in this eventuality? Interesting that Brody is so uneasy about it: clearly he is uncomfortable with the idea of having the responsibility of having to make that decision. Maybe Ford isn't the only officer not really ready for the responsibility he craves.

Oh, and it's worth noting that in this episode Bridger states categorically that this is a last man bridge. This is an important fact to note for the occasions later in the episode when no senior officers seem to be on the bridge – the most senior person there is in charge, no matter who they are.

Brody goes to the wardroom where O'Neill and Ortiz are studying, and tells them he doesn't think either Bridger or Ford are fit to command at present. Why is he telling these two? They are both junior to him; Ortiz isn't even an officer. Maybe he just wanted someone else to worry about it as well as him? Just who is next in the chain of command, after Ford? If Brody thinks his seniors are unfit to command, who should he be going to about his concerns? And having said that much, he just walks out again. Clearly he didn't expect either of them to help relieve his concerns, he just wanted to say it out loud.

This leads into a lovely long scene with O'Neill and Ortiz working together on the translation. Well, okay, O'Neill is translating; Ortiz is mostly just fiddling with the helmet, but his knowledge of Greek mythology gives O'Neill a vital clue to help translate a tricky passage. Also, take note: O'Neill is dressed properly; Ortiz is much more casual having unzipped his uniform to the waist, showing the white t-shirt below, and oh, it looks good, especially when he stands up so you can see the coveralls hanging down. This is not just me being shallow - it is an important point in terms of characterisation of the two: O'Neill being very proper (for all that he has his feet up on the desk), and Ortiz far more laid-back.

At this point, Ortiz tries the helmet on, gets a sting, and grumbles about it, while O'Neill just laughs. But then O'Neill's translation mentions a curse on the helmet for the first time – it's kind of poignant when Ortiz protests 'you didn't say there was a curse', just moments before the curse that nearly kills him takes effect. O'Neill gets back to work, while Ortiz picks up the sword and plays with it – but the curse has hit, and he flips, using the sword to smash the table O'Neill is sitting at, before laying out a security man on his way out of the room.

In his quarters, meanwhile, Ford is still tormented by his 'ghost', believing he is going insane (which would be a very scary prospect for someone as rigidly controlled as him), so Brody goes to meet the Secretary General McGath and a Professor Ernst off the launch. They have come to examine the artefacts, but the crazed Bridger refused to go and greet them, leaving that duty to Brody – who confides in McGath about the aberrant behaviour of his seniors. Then Ortiz runs into Piccolo in the corridor. Piccolo makes a wise crack about the sword ('what's that, a Cuban kitchen knife?'), only for Ortiz to charge at him, and chase him through the corridors, past Brody and co, who give chase.

On the sea deck, Lucas is very sensibly explaining Bridger's odd behaviour to Dr Smith (well, who else should he go to about it – she has made it her business up till now to act as ship's counsellor), but she is quite patronising in her dismissal of his concerns. Then Piccolo dashes in, and dives into the moonpool. Ortiz follows and brandishes the sword to keep everyone at bay, before vanishing into another section and locking the doors behind him. Brody puts out a security alert for his men to find and detain Ortiz, but from the bridge on an in-ship comm. relay (someone up there must be running communications after all), Bridger countermands that with a 'shoot on sight' order, which shocks everyone.

And how interesting would it have been if some fool security guard had actually followed this order and shot Ortiz? It raises an interesting point about whose commands security follows under these circumstances – Brody or the captain. I mean, most of the crew won't have seen the Captain's previous odd behaviour or heard Brody's concerns – would they think he had a valid reason for this order, or would they question it? Smith has to admit that Lucas was right. McGath recommends that Smith relieve Bridger of command, so that it won't go on his permanent record. She is unwilling to do so despite the evidence that he is dangerously unbalanced. But after dithering she finally agrees.

It's interesting that Bridger and Ortiz react differently to the curse: Bridger becomes very belligerent, confrontational and autocratic in his role as captain, and verbally rips into everyone in quite an unnerving contrast to his usual behaviour; Ortiz just goes on a rampage with the sword. He manages to frighten Piccolo, and okay he did hit the security man, but on the whole he seems to fight the effects of the curse (at least, that's how I read it) far more than Bridger, who just gives into it and goes along with it, allowing his behaviour to deteriorate and affect other people. Ortiz seems more aware that there is something wrong and goes out of his way to avoid everyone, going into hiding in the depths of the ship. He is also very quiet – I don't think he says a word after getting 'infected'.

Dr Smith goes to see Ford in her capacity as 'unofficial ship's counsellor' and convinces him that he isn't going crazy in spite of his seeing things – in fact, she just tells him that the ghosts he is seeing are real, likening his seeing things no one else can see to her hearing things no one else can hear. She also has a rare moment of great insight when she suggests to Ford that he is afraid to lead. I keep saying this: for all his stated desire to be in charge, he never convinces me that deep down he is ready to command.

But anyway, he is convinced enough by her argument to go and relieve Bridger of duty – just in time to prevent Piccolo striking back when the captain deliberately provokes and then strikes him. This after thoroughly confusing the entire bridge crew by making them all swap stations in a wonderful game of non-musical chairs. The captain is dragged from the bridge kicking and shouting in a very undignified manner – a good, powerful scene, demonstrating visually how badly this is affecting everyone. Piccolo is distraught; Ford distressed.

In medbay, Smith has to sedate Bridger to stop him ranting. There is no mention of whether or not another ship-wide call is put out to stop anyone from shooting Ortiz on sight as ordered by the captain, but one has to presume that they would do this, just in case. Or maybe they wouldn't think of it? Maybe Ortiz is already very lucky that security are so sloppy and have been unable to find him? Or did he hide that well? (He hides pretty well in Dreamweaver too so maybe this is another of his special skills).

Ernst finally gets to see the helmet, and debunks all suggestions that it could be from Atlantis, until Lucas discredits him (in a rather clunky scene) and recommends bringing in another expert, Obatu – who looks eerily similar to Ford's ghost. It seems that Lucas has now taken Ortiz' place as O'Neill's assistant on this project. I can't see mythology being one of Lucas' areas of expertise, but I suppose that his scientific brain could be useful.

Meanwhile, there is a quite fantastic scene of Ortiz, who has now lost his t-shirt and is naked to the waist (rather gratuitously, although I suppose running around waving a sword is hot work, and the effect is great). He wields his sword like an expert but as there is no one in the room to scare he is basically just playing with it. He then runs off on hearing Brody approach, and hides again. Unlike the confrontational captain, he really doesn't seem to want to be anywhere near other people.

Brody checks out the hyperbaric chamber where the mummified head has been secured. It is empty. He leaves, and Ortiz climbs out from beneath the wire mesh floor. Just what is the point of having floors that people can hide under, anyway? I recall Lucas doing this in season one. The head freaks Ortiz out in his current unbalanced condition, so he smashes the window with the sword, and Brody rushes back in just in time to see him clutching at his head and staggering – it is very realistic acting, too; he looks genuinely confused and in pain. He then drops the sword and collapses, upon which Brody rushes to his side to feel for a pulse.

As staggering coincidence would have it, Obatu turns out to be a direct descendant of the warrior who owned the helmet, whose father was the last king of Atlantis. He conducts a ritual to defuse the restless spirit of his ancestor (Ford's ghost). But then the curse on the helmet comes to light, with O'Neill revealing that both Bridger and Ortiz wore the helmet (only O'Neill had seen both trying it on, which was why no one else had made the connection), and Obatu states that the two will probably die (cue shock face from everyone).

Ford instantly contacts Smith for a status report, at the very moment that she is dealing with a crisis. She tells him that she needs an emergency evac because Ortiz has gone into 'coronary seizure'. There is a nice medbay scene of Ortiz flat-lining and being shocked – and wow, we actually see Smith performing her function as a doctor as opposed to playing at ship's counsellor, and we also get to see some other members of the medical team, proving that they exist.

It is unclear why Ortiz is in worse condition than Bridger when he was 'infected' much later. I wondered if it might be because he seemed more resistant, or because he rushed about so much until he collapsed, whereas Bridger was more sedentary and then got sedated, thus slowing the deterioration. Anyway, the soonest they can get an evac team is in an hour, because for no adequately explored reason Ford has taken them back to the middle of the Atlantic, and Smith doesn't think Ortiz will last that long. Presumably Bridger will also deteriorate swiftly. To make matters worse, Obatu tells them that the only cure for the curse is to walk through Atlantis and resist the temptation to steal its treasures.

Now, this cure is nicely impossible, since Atlantis no longer exists. Except of course that seaQuest is fortunate enough to have a telepathic doctor, while Obatu has a perfect image of Atlantis in his imagination, passed down through generations. Now, I'm sorry, but racial memory and oral tradition are not a good enough explanation for Obatu to know so much about the mythical continent, but then the whole plot is ridiculous, so best to just suspend disbelief and go with it. Apparently Obatu's suggestion is enough to cure the curse, and solves the problem of having to find the exact location of the lost continent in the eight minutes or so they have left of the episode. So, Smith acts as a conduit, proving that her telepathic gifts can be useful.

While the sedated Bridger is in a normal bed in medbay, Ortiz is in some kind of chamber, which I presume is for intensive care patients, despite the lack of obvious medical equipment or monitors – given that he isn't expected to last the hour I would have expected some kind of respirator at least to be in evidence. And he is still gratuitously half naked. Maybe Smith liked the view. Either that or medbay doesn't have any surgical gowns or other kind of garments for patients, who just have to be ill in their uniforms. Neither patient seems to be actually connected to any kind of monitors, despite Ortiz' recent brush with death – if the props department could have mustered some medical equipment, it would have reinforced the urgency of it all.

For the 'ritual', or whatever it is, Smith holds Ortiz' hand, while Obatu holds Bridger's hand, and he and Smith hold each other's hand. In the vision, first Bridger and then Ortiz walk into a treasure chamber, look at the treasure, and walk away from it. It's lucky they are so pure hearted, which no one seems to doubt when they agree to the plan; Ortiz does pick some jewels up to look at, but then puts them down again to wander off. They both wake up; Bridger is able to talk and ask what's going on (his dialogue here is just dire, very poor scripting), while Ortiz (being weaker having technically just died) merely peers blearily at them all before going back to sleep.
On another note, I couldn't help wondering why Ford felt compelled to grasp Bridger's foot on seeing him awake; seems an odd reaction.

But back to the story. Before ending the vision, Obatu and Smith also get to wander into the chamber and he (as a representative of the 'Atlantian royal family') gives her a ruby from the treasure. Later, we see that she really has it, despite it coming from the vision – very odd, and left unexplained. Rack that one up to 'magic'?

Oh yes, before the vision thing, Ernst was caught stealing the helmet and got locked up, having been frightened by the unexplained 'ghost fire' that Ford had previously seen. Since he didn't believe in Atlantis, I have no idea why he wanted the helmet, but the fact that is was supposedly solid gold might give a clue.

Next thing, Bridger is recovering in his quarters, but enough time has passed for them to have lobbied the authorities to allow Obatu to keep the artefacts. Not much time seems to have passed, though, as Obatu is still on the boat, so that was a very quick process. Maybe having Secretary General McGath on board helped expedite matters. Obatu gives the sword to Ford, telling him that he must have had Atlantian ancestors also, and Bridger works out that there really is a hidden map on the helmet. Now way back before getting cursed, Ortiz, who we don't get to see recovering, had first had this idea. But it is Bridger who figures out how Obatu just might be able to interpret the map and possibly find the site of the lost continent. This concept is never revisited, although if they were going to discover the lost continent that would be a story in itself - no need for ghosts. Just the pure archaeology and implications of the find would be enough.

I really liked this episode in spite of the bizarre ghost-and-curse-plot, and not just because of the gratuitous half-naked Ortiz moments (although those were just lovely and well worth seeing). To be completely honest, I think a large part of the appeal is the relative absence of Lonnie, Dagwood and Piccolo, and the reduced role of Lucas (who for once doesn't get to save the day).

In spite of the very bizarre storyline and dodgy plot, it is well written (on the whole), well acted, and well produced. We see a lot of Ford, O'Neill and Ortiz in this, and it is all good. Great stuff. However, I can't help feeling that they could have run with a 'discovery of ancient artefacts' story in a more scientific manner without having to resort to the Evil Curse spook factor.