Last
December, the TV series "Stargate SG-1" made a little bit of history. After ten
years of struggle, cast changes and network shuffles, it became the longest
running American science fiction TV series, ever.
Let's
repeat that. Ever.
Longer than
any of the incarnations of "Star Trek." Same for "Babylon 5" or "Battlestar
Galactica." Ditto for "X-Files," "Twilight Zone," "Outer Limits," or any other
U.S. domestic series tripping the TV rift.
Of course,
anyone from the other side of the Atlantic can look at the incredible number of
years that "Doctor Who" has been televised and, maybe even righteously, up
their nose at "SG-1's" decade of existence. But even the seemingly unkillable
Doctor spent quite a bit of time travelling anywhere in dimensions and space
but on Earth's airwaves, too. Still, when you consider the number of
non-news/talk shows that have lasted longer than ten years anyway, the list is
surprisingly small, especially here in the U.S.
Considering
the history of the franchise, that's truly saying something. Especially when
the original
movie came out in 1994. No one, not a single person of even the slightest
media importance, probably would ever have figured "Stargate" would still be coming out with new
material to this day.
When the
original movie was introduced in 1994, it didn't do bad box office for the day
at $71 million (all figures from www.boxofficemojo.com)
domestically. That placed it as the 17th most attended film of the year. Not
too shabby when you look at the several hundred commercial releases of the
year.
Still, it
was the international box office that probably got the producers thinking. Over
the rest of the world the film raked in over $125 million, ranking it 13th.
Directed by Roland Emmerich ( "Independence Day") with a script co-written by
longtime partner-in-crime Dean Devlin, the film was initially considered a
sci-fi vehicle for the then pretty big star Kurt Russell as Colonel Jonathan
"Jack" O'Neil (but he'll always be Snake Plisskin). It also starred the
incredibly talented James Spader (now making waves on "Boston Legal") as Dr.
Daniel Jackson.
Most
importantly, the movie introduced the main plotline of the series, that there
are a series of alien and incredibly sophisticated devices eventually called
"stargates" planted throughout the universe by a race called the Ancients.
These Ancients originally hailed from Earth but, as we would learn over time,
eventually "ascend," leaving the universe to other aliens. Among them are the
Goa'uld, who once enslaved humanity and used them to seed a number of other
worlds throughout the galaxy.
The movie
covers the discovery of Earth's own Stargate in Giza, Egypt, in 1928 and the present-day formation of a team of explorers, led by O'Neill and Jackson to
see what they can see. In the process, they bring down the Goa'uld on
themselves, and barely manage to get out of it alive (of course).
The first incarnation of the TV
series, which started on Showtime in 1997, picks up the storyline a year
after the movie. For this series, Russell has been replaced by Richard Dean
Anderson (best remembered previously for his work on "MacGuyver"). Spader has
been replaced by Michael Shanks. Rounding out the TV team are Amanda Tapping as
Captain Samantha Carter and Christopher Judge as the alien Teal'c, who is part
of a race called the Jaffa.
Seasons One
through Four are generally referred to as the Goa'uld Arc, and concerns the
aftermath from the original movie. During this time, O'Neill and company,
generally referred to as SG-1, become the elite team in charge of keeping the
parasitic invaders from reclaiming our planet as their own.
This series
is important for introducing a number of other major elements to the series.
Among the other races introduced over this arc would be the Asgard, Furlings
and Nox, who were three of the four races who once dominated the galaxy after
the departure of the Ancients (the last being the Goa'uld). Each would have
their play in the arc.
Season
Three is also important for introducing the Replicators, who still plague the
Stargate universe today. These mechanical beings like doing two things: "eat"
all the metal and other matter they can get their little claws on and, two,
then use their findings to make more Replicators. If left unchecked, they will
cannibalize a world faster than a pack of mechanical cockroaches, and are just
as persistent and voracious. They will be a constant threat to Earth and
everyone else even into the new DVDs.
This arc
ends when SG-1 finally manage to muster enough support to defeat the Goa'uld
System Lord, Apophis.
Seasons
Five through Eight are considered the second major story arc, the Anubis arc.
Anubis is a Goa'uld who attempts to reclaim the power once held by Apophis.
More importantly, the concept of "ascension" is given a thorough examination
replete with Jackson eventually becoming ascended himself. This would mean that
Michael Shanks would not be seen much for the bulk of season Six. His
replacement on the team would be the character of Jonas Quinn (Corin Nemec).
Among the
other interesting developments in this arc is the discovery of the lost city of
Atlantis, which would create the show's
first spin-off. Another major character, the Goa'uld Baal, is also
introduced. More important, by the end of this arc it looks like all SG-1's
problems are resolved, but the network that is now airing the series, the Sci-Fi
Channel, has other intentions.
The last
two seasons of the series introduce a new villain, another ascended race called
The Ori. There are other major changes in the show, primarily in the cast. O'Neill is promoted to the rank of Major General, and is eventually reduced to guest
appearances by Anderson. Another stalwart of the team, the Stargate general
who's overseen everything for ages, General Hammond (Don Davis) is also
"promoted" and replaced by Major General Hank Laury (Beau Bridges). The
replacement for O'Neill is Lt. Colonel Cameron Mitchell (Ben Browder). Also
joining the team is an alien thief introduced seasons back named Vala Mal Doran
(Claudia Black). She made her first appearance in Season Eight, but would
become a regular from this point on. As it stands, the addition of Browder and
Black brought some new life to the team.
The best
way to describe the Ori is a science fiction nightmare built around religious
fanaticism. They recruit various humans to become their proselytizers,
spreading their concept of Origin. In return, the new recruits become Priors,
and are given a number of powers to back themselves up, among them the power to
destroy a "non-believer" on the spot.
Actually
from another galaxy, the Ori, as any good race of bad guys, see the Milky Way
as prime territory to spread their beliefs. As can also be expected, SG-1
stands in their way. As far as the TV show is concerned, this arc would not be
resolved on the small screen because of Sci-Fi Channel's sudden decision to
pull the plug on the series. As fans now know, it's now being handled in the
first of the new
direct-to-DVD releases, "Ark of Truth."
That
doesn't mean every plot thread has been answered though. As it stands, "Stargate
SG-1" is still an ongoing project. Another DVD movie, currently titled "Continuum"
is apparently slated for release this July. Another spin-off series, "Universe"
is also in the works and just might have characters from the original SG-1
series in it.
All one can
say is time will tell. After all, it's a darn big universe out there.
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