Stargate SG-1: How a Legend Was Created
SCIENCE FICTION
This opened the door for the introduction of Norse, Japanese, and even Babylonian gods, blending sci-fi with ancient astronaut theories.
Science fiction has seen many iconic franchises come and go: Star Wars, Star Trek, Babylon 5—each with its own unique journey. This article focuses on Stargate, a series that has earned a special place in sci-fi history.
Stargate's television journey began in 1997 with Stargate SG-1, a show built on the 1994 movie Stargate. The creators, Brad Wright and Jonathan Glassner, deserve recognition not only for launching the series but also for creating something that has retained a dedicated fanbase for over 20 years. SG-1's inception was made possible through a deal between Showtime and MGM. The Stargate movie had been a box office success, so much so that director Roland Emmerich and partner Dean Devlin planned to expand the story with two new films. These films aimed to delve into the origins of various Earth myths, offering alternative realities to create a vast fictional mythology. However, MGM envisioned Stargate's future in television, shelving the film plans.
Wright and Glassner were tasked with developing a show set about a year after the events of the Stargate movie. They were to bring back the characters Jack O'Neill (played by Richard Dean Anderson) and Dr. Daniel Jackson (played by Michael Shanks). The two characters would form part of a special "SG" team, alongside tech genius Samantha Carter (Amanda Tapping) and the mysterious alien warrior Teal'c (Christopher Judge). Throughout SG-1, the team would use the Stargate to travel to other worlds and face interstellar threats, such as the Goa'uld, parasitic aliens that could take control of human hosts.
Ironically, SG-1 would incorporate many elements from Emmerich and Devlin’s unmade trilogy. The Goa'uld would form a council called the System Lords, taking on the names of gods from various mythologies like Apophis and Ba'al. The alien Ra, who had been the villain in the original Stargate film, would also be revealed as a member of the Goa'uld, thus bridging the film and the series. Wright and Glassner expanded the concept by connecting the Stargate to multiple worlds, allowing for a natural inclusion of mythological elements. This opened the door for the introduction of Norse, Japanese, and even Babylonian gods, blending sci-fi with ancient astronaut theories. It also gave the show a platform to explore religious themes, particularly how belief systems can lead to destructive actions.
One of the strengths of SG-1 was the chemistry between the cast, especially Anderson and Shanks. Both actors stepped into roles previously played by Kurt Russell and James Spader, yet brought their own touch to the characters. Anderson added a more sarcastic, relatable quality to O'Neill, frequently highlighting the character's disdain for bureaucracy. Shanks, in turn, portrayed Jackson as intelligent and compassionate, often providing the solutions to the team's challenges. Another key aspect of the show was its ability to balance dark and light tones. The strong bond between the SG-1 team was evident both on and off-screen. Anderson, for instance, pushed for O'Neill to be more cynical, while Judge wanted Teal'c to display more patience.
Stargate SG-1 ran for ten seasons, undergoing changes along the way. Shanks and Anderson appeared less frequently in later seasons, and in its sixth season, the show moved from Showtime to SyFy Channel. Despite the changes, SG-1 earned high praise from critics and helped solidify Showtime's presence in the sci-fi genre, alongside Battlestar Galactica. SG-1's success paved the way for new Stargate projects, including two feature films: The Ark of Truth and Stargate Continuum. These films provided a cinematic conclusion to SG-1’s storyline. The Ark of Truth wrapped up the team's conflict with the alien race known as the Ori, while Continuum focused on fixing a timeline disrupted by Ba’al. Both films heightened the stakes, delivering a truly epic scale.
Following SG-1, new series emerged: Stargate Atlantis, Stargate Universe, and Stargate Origins. Atlantis premiered between SG-1's seventh and eighth seasons, following a multinational team in search of the lost city of Atlantis, while battling vampiric aliens known as the Wraith. Universe focused on a group of scientists and military personnel stranded on an ancient ship, Destiny, in a distant galaxy. They were forced to find a way back to Earth after their base was attacked. Origins, meanwhile, followed Catherine Langford (played by Ellie Gall), as she sought to rescue her father from the Nazis on the planet Abydos, as seen in the original Stargate film.
All these series continued to expand the Stargate universe, though only Atlantis came close to matching SG-1 in terms of fan engagement and character development. Familiar SG-1 characters also made appearances in both Atlantis and Universe. Even years after SG-1 ended, its fanbase remains active. With MGM's acquisition by Amazon, Stargate fans are hopeful for a new series. This enduring love speaks to the solid foundation SG-1 built, creating one of the most captivating universes in sci-fi history.