Stargate SG-1

Stargate SG-1 (often abbreviated as SG-1) is an American-Canadian science fiction television series, part of the Stargate franchise. Its story begins one year after the events of the 1994 science fiction film Stargate. It was produced in and around Vancouver, Canada.

In the Stargate science fiction universe, a network of ancient alien devices called Stargates connects the far reaches of several galaxies, including the Milky Way, Pegasus and Ori galaxies, opening the door for near-instantaneous interstellar travel. The Stargates often use a DHD or Dial-Home Device, almost always referred to as the "DHD" control consoles, to operate the dialing sequence of the various Stargates. Stargate SG-1 chronicles the exploits of SG-1, the "flagship team" of at least 25 teams who explore the galaxy and defend Earth against alien threats such as the Goa'uld, Replicators and later the Ori.

The series is currently broadcast in several countries around the world; in some places, such as Europe, North America, Japan, Latin America and Australia, the series is broadcast in HD.

In 2007, after completion of the series run, Stargate SG-1 was named as number 28 on TV Guide's list of "The 30 Top Cult Shows Ever".

Plot

Stargate SG-1 follows the present-day adventures of SG-1, a military team from Earth that, along with two dozen other SG teams, ventures to distant planets through an alien device known as a Stargate which is housed in a top-secret U.S. military base known as the Stargate Command (SGC) underneath Cheyenne Mountain. The mission of the SG teams is to explore the galaxy and search for technology and alliances with friendly advanced races for defense from the Goa'uld, a parasitic alien race which started taking humans as unwilling hosts thousands of years ago and transported them to other habitable planets across the galaxy. The series expands upon the Egyptian mythologies presented in the Stargate film, the Norse, Greeks and Romans, but also has contained one-episode stories. The Goa'uld serve as the primary antagonists during the first eight seasons. The Replicators, self-replicating mechanical bugs, are introduced as a recurring villain race in the third season. The Ori, who like the Ancients are Ascended Beings with extraordinary powers, are introduced in season 9 and pose a departure from the primary focus on Egyptian mythology into an exploration of the Arthurian mythology. Many well-known mythical locations such as Avalon, Camelot and Atlantis are found in later seasons.

Goa'uld arc

In the pilot episode, which takes places one year after the events of the original film, the Goa'uld System Lord Apophis (Peter Williams) makes a violent visit to Earth. When the Earth Stargate is revealed to be part of an enormous intergalactic network connecting countless planets, the SGC military base is brought back into action and SG teams are created to help defend Earth from the Goa'uld, who have interstellar pyramid-shaped warships and vast armies of modified humans known as Jaffa at their disposal. The First Prime of Apophis, a Jaffa named Teal'c (Christopher Judge), defects from his master in the pilot episode in the hope that the Earth humans can free his race from Goa'uld rule. He joins Col. Jack O'Neill (Richard Dean Anderson), Dr. Daniel Jackson (Michael Shanks), Cpt. Samantha Carter (Amanda Tapping) and becomes part of the SG-1 team. Maj. Gen. George Hammond (Don S. Davis) serves as the leader of the SGC.

Earth is exposed as a threat to Goa'uld power throughout the seasons and comes under attack multiple times. SG-1 and the SGC forge several alliances with other races in the galaxy, among them the Tok'ra, the Tollan, the Nox, the Asgard, and the remnants of an extinct advanced race that comes to be known as the Ancients, the original builders of the Stargates. Meanwhile, forces on Earth attempt to take control of the Stargate and other alien technology for their own ends, in particular rogue agents of the NID. Another alien threat arises in season 3 in the form of sentient machines called Replicators, who are on the verge of wiping out the Asgard, one of Earth's greatest allies. Season 4 of Stargate SG-1 ends with a major battle against Apophis.

Anubis arc

After Apophis's defeat in the season 5 premiere, the half-Ascended System Lord Anubis (David Palffy) becomes the new main villain. Anubis has much knowledge of the Ancients and their technology. Daniel Jackson sacrifices his life to prevent disaster on another planet and ascends to a higher plane of existence with help of an ascended Ancient named Oma Desala. The human alien Jonas Quinn (Corin Nemec) fills Daniel's place in season six, but he returns to his homeworld early in season 7 when Daniel de-ascends after abusing his ascended powers to stop Anubis from destroying the planet Abydos in the season 6 finale. Throughout season 7, Anubis consolidates his power by wiping out his fellow System Lords with his advanced technology and genetically created army of almost invincible Kull Warriors, while Daniel and the SGC search for the Lost City of the Ancients where powerful technology capable of defeating Anubis is believed to be located. Instead of finding the Lost City, SG-1 discovers an Ancient Outpost in Antarctica, O'Neill is able to use its weapon in the season 7 finale and annihilate Anubis' entire fleet.

At the beginning of season 8, O'Neill is promoted to Brigadier General and becomes the new leader of the SGC, leaving SG-1 a three-man team. While the System Lord Ba'al (Cliff Simon) subsumes much of Anubis's power, it is revealed that Anubis was not killed at the end of season 7 and secretly regains control of his forces through Ba'al (Cliff Simon). Meanwhile, human-form Replicators begin to conquer the System Lords, but SG-1 finds an Ancient weapon and adjusts it to destroy all Replicators throughout the galaxy. Oma Desala, who is revealed to be responsible for Anubis' original ascension, engages Anubis in an eternal stalemated battle on the Ascended plane so that he can no longer act on the mortal plane. By the end of season 8, the System Lords have been decimated, the Replicators annihilated, and the Jaffa have won their freedom.

Ori arc

In season 9, Jack O'Neill is promoted to the rank of Major General and leaves the SGC to replace Retired Lieutenant General Hammond as the new Commander for Department of Homeworld Security. Major General Hank Landry (Beau Bridges) becomes the new base commander, and Lt. Col. Cameron Mitchell (Ben Browder) joins the SGC as the commanding officer of SG-1. An accidental visit to a distant galaxy by Daniel Jackson and Vala Mal Doran (Claudia Black) draws the attention of the Ori to the existence of sentient life in the Milky Way. While the Ori send advanced beings named Priors to the Milky Way to spread a religion that unknowingly augments the power of the Ori, Ba'al rebuilds his power from Earth, and the Goa'uld infiltrate The Trust. Vala is accidently transported to the Ori galaxy through a Supergate, where she later finds herself pregnant. At the end of season 9, the Ori begin their evangelical crusade with four Ori battlecruisers and effortlessly wipe out the combined fleet of Earth and allied races and factions.

In season 10, Vala gives birth to Adria (Morena Baccarin), a rapidly maturing girl and the leader of Ori. Vala joins SG-1 in the search for an anti-ascended-being weapon (the Sangraal) of Merlin, a formerly Ascended Ancient and founder of the Arthurian legends, while Ba'al and his clones attempt to find and use the weapon for their own purposes. When SG-1 finds Merlin in stasis, his consciousness is transferred into Daniel. Before the Sangraal can be completed, Adria captures Daniel and makes him a Prior for her own purposes. Daniel later returns to his former self, the completed Sangraal is sent to the Ori galaxy, and Adria ascends. Stargate SG-1 was not renewed for an eleventh season, and the direct-to-DVD film Stargate: The Ark of Truth wraps up the unresolved Ori arc. Further direct-to-DVD films tell more stand-alone stories.

Cast

Original main cast

• Richard Dean Anderson as Jack O'Neill, a United States Air Force Colonel who led the original mission through the Stargate in Stargate (where he was played by Kurt Russell). He is the leader of the SG-1 team in the first seven seasons, and takes charge of Stargate Command after his promotion to Brigadier General at the beginning of season 8. Reassigned to Washington, D.C. at the beginning of season 9, he is promoted to Major General and recurs in seasons 9 and 10 of Stargate SG-1. He also appears in Stargate: Continuum and in seasons 1 and 3 of Stargate Atlantis.
• Michael Shanks as Dr. Daniel Jackson, a brilliant Egyptologist whose farfetched theories about pyramids led to his participation in the original mission through the Stargate in Stargate (where he was played by James Spader). He joins the SG-1 team in the search of his kidnapped wife (she dies in season 3) and remains part of SG-1 until his ascension at the end of season 5. Following his de-ascension, he rejoins SG-1 at the beginning of season 7 and stays a member until the end of season 10. He also appears in both direct-to-DVD films and in seasons 1 and 5 of Stargate Atlantis.
• Amanda Tapping as Samantha "Sam" Carter, an astrophysicist and United States Air Force Captain who joins SG-1 under the command of Col. O'Neill. Following her promotion to Major in season 3, she is promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel early in season 8 and assumes command of SG-1. She assists Lt. Col. Cameron Mitchell in seasons 9 and 10. After her appearance in Stargate: The Ark of Truth, she is promoted to a "full bird" Colonel and becomes the new commander of the Atlantis expedition in season 4 of Stargate Atlantis before joining SG-1 again for Stargate: Continuum. She appears in all seasons of Stargate Atlantis.
• Christopher Judge as Teal'c, a Jaffa alien who defects from being the First Prime of the Goa'uld Apophis and joins SG-1 in the hope to lead his race into freedom. Despite succeeding in this goal at the end of season 8, he remains a member of SG-1 until the end of season 10 and also appears in both direct-to-DVD films as well as season 4 of Stargate Atlantis.
• Don S. Davis as George Hammond, a United States Air Force Major General (later Lieutenant General) who commands Stargate Command in the first seven seasons. Besides recurring in seasons 8 through 10 of Stargate SG-1, he appears in season 1 of Stargate Atlantis and in Stargate: Continuum.

Additional main cast

• Corin Nemec as Jonas Quinn, an alien who leaves his homeplanet Langara at the end of season 5 after witnessing Daniel Jackson's lethal sacrifice and the following gleeful reaction of his planet's leaders. He is a fast learner and fills Daniel's empty spot on SG-1 in season 6. Following Daniel's return, Jonas returns to his planet and remains a recurring character in season 7.
• Ben Browder as Cameron "Cam" Mitchell, a United States Air Force Lieutenant Colonel who is assigned as the new commanding officer of SG-1 at the beginning of season 9 and struggles to reunite its former members under his command. Assisted by Carter (who is of equal rank), he remains in command of SG-1 until the end of season 10, and appears in both direct-to-DVD films. He is promoted to the rank of full-bird Colonel in Stargate: Continuum.
• Beau Bridges as Henry "Hank" Landry, a United States Air Force Major General and the commander of Stargate Command in seasons 9 and 10. He appears in both direct-to-DVD films and is a recurring character in Stargate Atlantis.
• Claudia Black as Vala Mal Doran, a sexy con artist from an unnamed planet and a former human host to the Goa'uld Qetesh. Her first appearance in season 8's "Prometheus Unbound" is followed by a recurring role in season 9, where she and Daniel unintentionally set off the new Ori threat. She joins SG-1 after giving birth to the new leader of the Ori at the beginning of season 10, and appears in both direct-to-DVD films.

Production

Developed for television by Jonathan Glassner and Brad Wright as a television spin-off of the science fiction film Stargate, Stargate SG-1 was produced by MGM and filmed at Bridge Studios in Vancouver, Canada. While watching the original film, Wright saw a wide range of possible scifi storylines that could take place in present-day, which was uncommon enough to intrigue Wright. According to one critic, Stargate SG-1 is designed to have no nationality, which may appeal to viewers all over the world.

The American subscription channel Showtime made a two-season, 44-episode commitment for the series in 1996. Richard Dean Anderson, who starred in ABC's MacGyver from 1985 to 1992, said he was drawn to the role of Jack O'Neill by the opportunity to stretch, using Showtime's freer parameters of language and content. Anderson had worked with John Symes, president of MGM during his Macguyver days. Symes asked Anderson to become involved with the project, and after Anderson had watched the original movie a few times, he decided that it was the perfect vehicle for a series. Although Anderson was never a real fan of the sci-fi genre, he was open to try anything once. Production began in Vancouver in February 1997.

The first episode was broadcast on July 27, 1997 on Showtime at the 8 p.m.slot in the US. MGM made a deal with FOX in 1998 so that all 22 Fox stations would rerun the first 44 episodes over a two-year span after the debut on Showtime. Episodes aired in syndication approximately one year after their original broadcast on Showtime. Showtime ordered another two seasons of 22 episodes each in July 1998.

Showtime produced and aired the show's first five seasons. Beginning with season six, it was produced and aired by the Sci Fi Channel. A spin-off series, Stargate Atlantis, began airing in 2004. The two shows ran in tandem for three years, with occasionally interconnected plots and simultaneous story timelines.

The show's producers place many in-jokes related to the Vancouver area, including a country named Kelowna on an alien planet known as Langara. Also many Vancouver area landmarks have been used in the production including the campus of Simon Fraser University as the setting of an alien civilization's capitol. The show uses special effects developed by Rainmaker Digital Effects.

With its 202nd episode, "Company of Thieves", Stargate SG-1 surpassed The X-Files as the longest-running North American science fiction series on television. Doctor Who fans dispute its listing in the 2007 Guinness World Records as the "longest-running science fiction show (consecutive)", as 694 episodes of the British show were produced and shown consecutively between 1963 and 1989.

On August 21, 2006, the Sci Fi Channel confirmed that Stargate SG-1 was not being renewed for an 11th season. Mark Stern, executive VP of original programming for the Sci Fi Channel, stated that the decision was not based on ratings, and that production staff was given enough time to tie up all the loose ends and to create a good ending for the show. Stern also announced SciFi's plans to use some SG-1 members on the still-continuing spin-off Stargate Atlantis. The SG-1 producers and rights-holder MGM expressed a desire to continue SG-1 through another outlet in the form of a movie, mini-series, or an eleventh season on some other network, as far as the contract with the Sci Fi Channel allowed it. The last day of shooting for season ten was on October 5, 2006. The final episode "Unending" was first broadcast by Sky1 in the UK on March 13, 2007, and was later aired by the Sci Fi Channel in the United States on June 22, 2007.

In September 2006, an IGN report cited an unnamed cast member that instead of an eleventh season, there would be a series of SG-1 TV movies. In December 2006, GateWorld reported the production of two films: the first film, Stargate: The Ark of Truth, wrapped up the Ori storyline, while the second film, Stargate: Continuum, was a time travel story taking the SG-1 team to the past. Both films were relased in 2008.

A third Direct-to-DVD movie is to be filmed in 2009.

Themes and allusions

Episodes frequently open with SG-1 exploring a new planet for potential technology and allies. Upon discovery of civilized settlements Daniel Jackson, the archaeologist and historian, often takes further interest in anthropology, alien society, culture, and even moral issues encountered. The philosophical and sociological differences between cultures are explored through SG-1's journeys.

Human curiosity is often depicted as a double edged sword, and major events—including the introduction of new villains—often result from this.

A recurring motif is the way in which human characters from Earth speak in naturalistic, everyday language, while most characters from other planets use a more eloquent, archaic variant of English. This is also present in Stargate Atlantis and is typically played for humor, especially when characters such as Teal'c attempt to use human slang terms. There are, however, exceptions to this rule such as Jonas Quinn, Vala Mal Doran, and Ronon Dex (from Stargate Atlantis).

The USAF cooperates closely with the producers of the program. Two successive Chiefs of Staff of the USAF, Generals Michael E. Ryan and John P. Jumper, have appeared in the show, playing themselves. Ryan appeared in the episode "Prodigy" because of his fascination with science fiction, especially space exploration. Jumper made a cameo appearance in "Lost City", the episode that was originally slated to be the show's last. The Air Force Association recognized Richard Dean Anderson at its 57th annual dinner on September 14, 2004 for his work as actor and executive producer of the show, and "for the show's continuous positive depiction of the Air Force". Many of the extras portraying US Air Force personnel are in fact real US Air Force personnel.

The series frequently references other television and film productions such as Star Wars, Star Trek, Farscape, and The Wizard of Oz. In "Children of the Gods", the pilot episode of the series, Samantha Carter comments on how it took "fifteen years and three supercomputers to MacGyver a system for the gate on Earth," alluding to Anderson's well-known portrayal of the television character MacGyver. Col. O'Neill references The Simpsons throughout the show as both his and Richard Dean Anderson's favorite television series. In the season eight episode, "Citizen Joe", Dan Castellaneta, the voice of Homer Simpson, made a guest appearance as Joe Spencer. In turn, Richard Dean Anderson later made a guest appearance on The Simpsons in episode 17 of the seventeenth season Kiss Kiss, Bang Bangalore as himself. Also in season 8, in the episode "Moebius", the O'Neill in the alternate timeline has a boat called Homer, written in a Simpsons style.

Reception

In 1998, the second season of Stargate SG-1 was the most widely watched program on the Showtime network, outperforming every of their theatrical movies, although it received almost no media mention outside hard-core science fiction circles. It ranked second behind the Pamela Anderson vehicle V.I.P. as new syndicated hour-long programs.

In 1999, Stargate SG-1 received household ratings of 2.3, 2.7 3.1 and 3.3. In August 1999, a survey designed to rank the popularity of cable TV programs placed SG-1 on rank 34, followed by Nickelodeon's Little Bear and Rugrats (both 35), and HBO's The Sopranos (36). Although MGM had a net loss of US$40.2 million in the third-quarter of 1999, cash flow from television rose 58% to $9.8 million, largely as a result of increased product in worldwide syndication, principally Stargate SG-1 and the other MGM production The Outer Limits.

In 2004, TV Guide suggested that the popularity of SG-1 may be exceeding that of the Star Trek franchise. Testifying to its vigor, Stargate SG-1 broke Nielsen Ratings records for the U.S. Sci-Fi Channel throughout its eighth season. Although Richard Dean Anderson departed as a regular after season eight, he made guest appearances in several episodes of seasons nine and ten of SG-1 and season three of Stargate Atlantis.

Merchandise and media

The Stargate SG-1 story and surrounding mythos has spawned many subsidiary productions, only some of which are considered canon, with the occasional exceptions.

Television shows

• Stargate Atlantis
• Stargate Infinity (Animated, 1 season, non-canon)
• Stargate Universe (Preproduction)

Direct-to-DVD Movies

• Stargate: The Ark of Truth — March 11, 2008 (DVD premiere)
• :SG-1 travels to the Ori home galaxy to find a device called the Ark of Truth that will end the war once and for all, yet the Ori have their own plans. This movie marks the end of the Ori arc. Filming started April 15, 2007.
• Stargate: Continuum — July 29, 2008 (DVD premiere)
• :Ba'al travels back in time and keeps the Stargate from reaching the United States. This eliminates the Stargate Program and restores the Goa'uld to power with Vala as his queen and Teal'c as his First Prime. Richard Dean Anderson returned to star in the movie alongside his former cast mates. This movie was the second to be made after the series wrapped production. Some scenes were filmed in late March 2007; official filming started May 22, 2007.
• Third Stargate SG-1 DVD Movie — Considered for filming in early 2009
• :Brad Wright stated this film would center on the Jack O'Neill character, and it is Wright's goal to reunite as many of the SG-1 cast as possible, depending on the cost of the film and actor availability. Wright has already started work by late July 2008. In October 2008 it was announced that Stargate Atlantis Executive Producer Carl Binder would be co-writing the movie with Wright. Amanda Tapping has stated that she will be appearing in the third SG-1 movie and the first Atlantis movie, with both to film at the same time, in late spring or early summer of 2009.

DVD releases

Stargate SG-1 was first released on DVD in some European nations in volumes of four (sometimes three or two) episodes each, beginning with "The Best of Season 1" as Volume 1 on January 14, 2000 in the United Kingdom. Season 2, beginning with Volume 2, was composed of six volumes, as would all releases of later seasons except Season 10 (five discs). Later in 2002, MGM Home Entertainment (Europe) released complete Season box-sets, as well as continuing with the volume releases. The Season 2 and Season 8 box sets have some episodes in an order different to their originally airing order. British complete Season box-sets are generally released half a year after the release of volumes. According to Gord Lacey at tvshowsondvd.com the release of Stargate SG-1 Season 9 was being held up due to the fact that MGM is changing its home distribution company from Sony to Fox.

In the United States (Region 1), Seasons 1 through 8 were originally released in boxsets that contained five discs in amaray cases. On April 3, 2006, Sony Home Entertainment (US) announced that they would be re-releasing Seasons 1 - 8 of Stargate SG-1 in a reduced boxset size like that of Season 1 of Stargate Atlantis. The box set releases in Region 4 followed the box art and amaray case style of the Region 1 releases. MGM announced in July 2007 that a complete series set for Stargate SG-1 is in the works to be released on October 9. The set includes all 50 discs from the 10 seasons of Stargate SG-1, plus 4 bonus discs filled with content not part of the original sets. The set includes all of SCI FI Channel's annual behind-the-scenes specials, never-before-seen video diaries and installments of the SG-1 Directors Series, new featurettes produced specifically for this release, and more. The Complete Series of Stargate SG-1 was released in Region 2 format on December 3, 2007.

Games and toys

• Stargate SG-1 Roleplaying Game
• Stargate Trading Card Game
• Stargate Worlds (MMORPG)
• Stargate SG-1: The Alliance (video game; production cancelled as of February 2006)
• Hasbro originally released a series of action figures and playsets for the movie. In 2005 Diamond Select with Jean St Jean Studios launched series of toys. Wave's 1 (Jack O'Neill, Daniel Jackson, and Serpent Guard) and Wave 2's (Thor, Samantha Carter, & Teal'c) are needed to complete the gate that came with toys. Note that either the Black Op's Jack O'Neill, Col. O'Neill, or General O'Neill's sections of the gate will work, as is the case with Wave 2's Teal'c, Black Op's Teal'c or Preview Exclusive Serpent Guard Teal'c section of the gate.

Print media

Several novels have been published based in Stargate SG-1. From 1999 to 2001, ROC published four novels written by Ashley McConnell. In 2004, UK-based Fandemonium Press started a new series of licensed tie-in novels based on Stargate SG-1. Due to a (now expired) conflict with ROC's license, these books were available in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa and the UK, but unavailable in the US until 2006.

The official Stargate Magazine, produced by Titan Publishing, began publishing short stories written by Fandemonium authors in their 8th issue. The stories alternate between both SG-1 and Atlantis.

A series of comics has also been published by Avatar Press.

Original Audio Series

In February 2008, British company Big Finish Productions (known for its original Doctor Who audio adventures) announced that it had secured the rights to produce new audio adventures for both Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis. "Shell Game" features the vocal talents of Claudia Black who is joined on the project by Michael Shanks. The audio story takes place after the season ten episode Pegasus Project and explores what happens to Vala when an incident in her shady past lands her in prison. So far, six titles have been announced. Further adventures are planned, using more members of the Stargate cast.

References

External links

• Stargate SG-1, the official MGM website
• SciFi Channel’s Stargate website
• GateWorld, news website