"Within the Serpent's Grasp" is the first season finale of the science fiction television series Stargate SG-1. The episode continues on from the events of "There But for the Grace of God" and "Politics" and concludes in the season 2 opening episode "The Serpent's Lair". Written by James Crocker, showrunner Jonathan Glassner adapted the story into a teleplay, with David Warry-Smith directing. The episode first aired on March 6, 1998 on Showtime in the United States and on August 26, 1998 on Sky One in the United Kingdom. Joel Goldsmith scored the episode. A suite of the music featured in the episode was featured on the 2001 soundtrack album The Best Of Stargate SG-1 Season 1.
Alexis Cruz returned for the first time since the opening episode, "Children of the Gods" as Skaara who is possessed by the Goa'uld Klorel. Cruz noted that he found it challenging to make Klorel as different to Skaara as possible. Brent Stait also returned for the first time since the pilot, reprising his role as Major Louis Ferretti for his final onscreen appearance. Peter Williams reprises his role as the Goa'uld System Lord Apophis.
The episode was filmed entirely in the Stargate Command set on Stage 5 of The Bridge Studios and on a new Goa'uld mothership set. This marks the first time the interior of a Goa'uld Ha'tak mothership is featured onscreen. Production designer Richard Hudolin oversaw the design, with new sets built specifically for the episode and its conclusion in season 2's "The Serpent's Lair".
Two different versions of the scene involving a Goa'uld communication device were filmed and aired. In the original which aired on Showtime, O'Neill quips "Think it gets Showtime?". Syndicated, other airings and releases instead used O'Neill saying "Mmmmm … Goa'uld TV" in the manner of Simpsons character Homer.
John Gajdecki oversaw some of the visual effects, including a virtual Glider Bay set extension to the Goa'uld Ha'tak. The Glider Bay was created using a combination of practical models, such as the Goa'uld Death Gliders fighter craft, visual effects and live action photography. In order to place the Goa'uld Jaffa foot soldiers onto the various catwalks, the actors were placed on tall scaffolding against greenscreen to be correctly composited into the shot. Gajdecki's team also constructed differently sized versions of the Goa'uld mothership in order to achieve the required shots. "Within the Serpent's Grasp" and previous episode "Politics" were first released on VHS on February 1, 2000. The following month, this episode was one of four episodes featured on the first Stargate SG-1 DVD release, Stargate SG-1 – Best of Series 1, released on March 20, 2000.
Starburst, whilst critical of previous episode "Politics", they positively received the finale. The reviewer called it "an exhilarating end of season cliff-hanger", noting that "it boasts massive sets, some gob-smacking moments and a fine crisis of conscience".
Writing for Cult Times, Jonathan Wright believed that the first season had suffered from unfavourable comparisons to the original 1994 film, which he called "dull" and that it was an "unwritten rule that any new Science Fiction series is utter pants until Season Two begins and everyone decides they really liked the show all along". He went on to write "Don't expect the story to be resolved – it's cliffhanger time – but do expect to see a series which is getting better and better".
In a retrospective 2015 rewatch of the first season Stargate SG-1, Tor.com writer Keith R.A. DeCandido believed "Within the Serpent's Grasp to be the best episode of the season, calling it a "tense adventure". He highlighted Richard Dean Anderson's performance as Jack O'Neill, appreciating that by the end of the season he had moved even farther from Kurt Russell's "chain-smoking hardass" depiction in the 1994 film, to a "cynical-but-compassionate leader".
"Within the Serpent's Grasp" was nominated for a Gemini Award in the category "Best Visual Effects".