Stargate SG-1

<span class="SFPTagline"> From SCIFIPEDIA </span>

Stargate SG-1
cast photo
Original Run	July 27, 1997 to March 2007
No. of Episodes	214
Genre(s)	Space Opera
Creator(s)	Jonathan Glassner Brad Wright
Exec. Producer(s)	Brad Wright Jonathan Glassner Robert C. Cooper Joseph Mallozzi Paul Mullie Damian Kindler
Starring	Richard Dean Anderson Michael Shanks Amanda Tapping Christopher Judge Ben Browder Claudia Black Don S. Davis Beau Bridges Corin Nemec
Country of Origin	Canada United States
Original Channel	Showtime Seasons 1-5 Sci Fi Channel seasons 5-10

Stargate SG-1 is an original TV Series, produced for original broadcast on The Sci Fi Channel. The show was previously produced for Showtime and after its fifth season, it moved to the Sci Fi Channel. The series is based on the 1994 Dean Devlin/Roland Emmerich SF movie Stargate, which starred Kurt Russell as Colonel Jack O'Neill and James Spader as Dr. Daniel Jackson.

Overview

Now U.S. television's longest-running science fiction series: Stargate SG-1 the series featured the charismatic actor Richard Dean Anderson as Colonel Jack O'Neill, an Air Force officer who leads the SG-1 special forces team through the stargate, an alien artifact that provides a gateway to other planets. The role of Dr. Jackson was ably filled by Michael Shanks. Two additional key roles round out the lead cast, Amanda Tapping as Captain Samantha "Sam" Carter, and Christopher Judge as Teal'c, an alien Jaffa.

Over time, other major characters have disappeared or joined the show. The current roster includes Ben Browder as Lieutenant Colonel Cameron Mitchell, Claudia Black as Vala Mal Doran, and Beau Bridges as Major General Hank Landry. Gone but not forgotten are Teryl Rothery as Dr. Janet Fraiser, Don S. Davis as Lieutenant General George Hammond, and Corin Nemec as Jonas Quinn.

Along the way they encounter many evils and save our world countless times as well as saving other worlds. It is not like they win every battle, they don't. It is a great struggle to the very end.

The SCI FI Channel provides a comprehensive site for the show, with guides to the characters and the episodes, an image gallery, and a blog.

The SCI FI Channel launched the spinoff of this series, Stargate Atlantis, with a special two-hour telecast on July 16, 2004, introducing the Atlantis team, a group recruited for a unique mission: a one-way expedition to the Pegasus Galaxy.

After the airing of the series' 200th episode, On August 21, 2006, the SciFi Channel announced that Stargate SG-1 was cancelled. The series spinoff Stargate Atlantis was renewed for a fourth season.

Background

The series picked up where the movie left off with some distinct changes. The location of the stargate was changed from the Creek Mountain Facility in the film to the Cheyenne Mountain Complex in Colorado. The Stargate program was overseen by Major General George Hammond, instead of Major General West.

In the events of the film, the team of explorers killed the evil alien Ra and left Dr. Daniel Jackson behind on the planet Abydos. Colonel Jack O'Neill returned to Earth and retired, leading his superiors to believe his mission had been accomplished and Abydos and its stargate destroyed. The Stargate program was shut down.

In the pilot episode "Children Of The Gods" the soldiers guarding the gate were shocked when the gate was activated and several aliens came through and launched an attack. O'Neill, Charles Kawalsky, and Louis Ferretti were recalled to Stargate Command and questioned. When Major General Hammond threatened to send a nuclear weapon through the gate to Abydos, The three officers were forced to admit they had not destroyed the planet and Dr. Jackson was still alive.

With this new information and a new threat to Earth to consider, the Stargate Program was reopened. Colonel O'Neill, Charles Kawalsky, and Louis Ferretti along with astrophysicist and Air Force officer Captain Samantha Carter were sent back to Abydos to investigate the origin of the aliens. They reunited with Daniel and their old friends Skaara, Kasuf, and Daniel's wife Sha're.

On Abydos, Daniel showed them a wall of symbols he believed were addresses of stargates on other worlds. Captain Carter was reluctant to believe the Stargate could go to other places but Daniel suggested she'd failed to account for planetary shift in her initial calculations which would throw off the gate's ability to make a connection. Daniel's discovery opened up the entire galaxy to explore. It also increased their awareness of the true scope of the threat to Earth.

While they were making their discoveries, Daniel's wife and brother-in-law as well as several other Abydonians were forcibly taken through the Stargate by the same aliens who attacked Earth. Determined to find them, Daniel returned to Earth and successfully convinced Major General Hammond to let him join the newly-formed SG-1.

The lead SG team, SG-1 was commanded by Col. Jack O'Neill with Capt. Samantha Carter second in command, and Daniel Jackson as civilian cultural liaison, Teal'c later joined the team as the other non-military member of SG-1. Several SG-teams were formed to explore the galaxy in hopes of finding the technology to protect Earth from their enemy, the goa'uld.

SG-1

The original members of SG-1 were Colonel Jack O'Neill, Captain Samantha Carter, Dr. Daniel Jackson, and the Jaffa Teal'c. For eight seasons they explored the galaxy and fought the goa'uld. They made many allies along the way and a few new enemies.

In the show's sixth season, Michael Shanks left the cast and his character Daniel underwent a transformation into an ascended being. His place on SG-1 was eventually filled by Jonas Quinn, a human from the planet Langara. Shanks returned in the show's seventh season and Corin Nemec left the show.

In season eight, Richard Dean Anderson took on a diminished role. His character was promoted to Brigadier General and Lieurtenant Colonel Carter took command of SG-1. The show took on a new direction in its ninth season and Ben Browder joined the cast as Lt. Colonel Cameron Mitchell. After the events of season eight, SG-1 had been disbanded and Mitchell, who'd been promised a spot on SG-1, was left without a team to command. He managed to lure Daniel, Tealc, and Sam back to his team just in time to face an overwhelming new threat in The Ori. The show's tenth season brought yet another new face to SG-1. Claudia Black reprised her role as Vala Mal Doran and became an official member of the team.

Changes from the film

In the movie, Abydos is located in Kaliem galaxy on the other side of the known universe. In the series it is the closest habitable planet with a Stargate, to Earth.
In the movie Ra is a humanoid alien similar to the Roswell greys. In the series he is a member of the parasitic race known as the goa'uld, a wormlike creature that takes over the human body.
Dr.Catherine Langford is younger in the series than she is in the film. In the series she is stated to be twenty-one in 1945 which would make her only four years old when the stargate was discovered. In the film she was a few years older than that in 1928 when the stargate was found.

Episode Guide

Season 1

The first episode introduced the goa'uld Apophis as a major enemy and a whole new galaxy of worlds to be discovered. The main focus was on exploration and the hope of finding new technology. Season 1 established most planets as being populated by humans taken from Earth by the goa'uld. SG-1 came across planets with cultures familiar to those in Earth history: Mongolian, Minoan, and Norse. They also came across advanced technologies and cultures including The Nox, the Tollan and the Altairans.

Season 2

In the show's second season, SG-1 saves Earth from Apophis and finds allies in the Tok'ra and the Asgard. Daniel finds his wife Sha're only to lose her once more to the goa'uld inside her. It was revealed that the Ancients were the builders of the Stargates and more was revealed about its operation. The stargate took SG-1 back to the past, into the future and almost destroyed the SGC and Earth when a connection was made to a planet being destroyed by a black hole. Apophis returned seeking sanctuary from his enemy Sokar only to die at the SGC.

Season 3

Season three introduced the goa'uld system lords. A stronger focus was placed on the goa'uld and fighting them made up the greater part of the season. Members of SG-1 also faced several painful moments. Daniel lost his wife Sha're, when Teal'c killed her to save his life and Carter was forced to confront Jolinar's painful memories in order to rescue her father from Sokar. There were a few triumphs however. Skaara was freed from the goa'uld Klorel and the SGC gained naquadah reactor technology from the Orbanians. Sokar was destroyed, Seth thwarted and an NID operation to steal technology from their allies discovered and disbanded. The Replicators, an enemy even the Asgard could not destroy, were introduced.

Season 4

Season four brought a stronger relationship with the Asgard and the Tok'ra. Russia opened its own Stargate program and called on the SGC for help. There were more episodes centered on Earth and the goa'uld were less prominent than they were in season three. SG-1 continued to explore but their discoveries and interactions did not prove as beneficial as in the past. The Aschen and the Unas made their first appearance. The ascended being Orlin visited Earth and it was discovered there were many ascended beings who were once human.

Season 5

Apophis returned for a final time and brainwashed Teal'c. He was finally conquered but a new and far more powerful goa'uld took his place, Anubis. Season five returned to several old stories, bringing back the Aschen, Unas and Tollan. An older Cassandra makes an appearance as does Martin Lloyd. The origin of the replicators is uncovered and a new friend is found in Jonas Quinn. Daniel Jackson, on the verge of death, ascends to a new plane of existence with the help of the ascended being Oma Desala. The Jaffa rebellion grows and the SGC trains new recruits.

Season 6

Jonas Quinn joined SG-1 and the naquadria he brought aided in the design of the first earth-built space ships based on alien designs. The very first living Ancient, Ayiana was introduced and brought with her a deadly disease. Jack became host to a Tok'ra symbiote and a much tortured prisoner of the goa'uld Baal. the Stargate program and the existence of Earth's first battle cruiser, The Prometheus, was revealed to international governments and Senator Kinsey tried to gain control of the SGC. Daniel returned as an ascended being in the finale to defend Abydos against Anubis.

Season 7

Daniel is unable to prevent Abydos' destruction and is cast out by the Ascended beings. He returns to SG-1. The Jaffa rebellion grows stronger while Anubis consolidates power. Anubis develops the unstoppable Kull Warriors and is revealed to be partially ascended. The search for the Lost City begins in earnest and Jack risks his life to gain the knowledge necessary to stop Anubis. A new president, Henry Hayes is elected with Robert Kinsey as his VP. Amidst political machinations, Hammond loses control of the SGC to a civilian Dr. Elizabeth Weir just as Earth faces imminent destruction. In the season finale an Ancient outpost is discovered in Antarctica and Anubis' fleet is destroyed when Jack uses the Ancient weapons found there.

Season 8

With Anubis gone, Baal grew more powerful as did the Replicators who took on human form. There are more stand alone episodes as compared to season seven and the goa'uld are once again less prominent. As the season drew to a close, Anubis returned with a plan to destroy the galaxy and the Replicators seemed on the verge of defeat but grew even more powerful due to missteps made by Carter. The Replicators took on the goa'uld weakening the System Lords. Replicator Carter accessed the knowledge hidden in Daniel's subconscious and killed him. Daniel once again stood on the verge of ascension and learned how Anubis became an ascended being. Jaffa freedom was within grasp for the first time and they took on the goa'uld at the planet Dakara. In a dramatic climax, Anubis was subdued by Oma Desala, the replicators were defeated using an Ancient Weapon at Dakara, the system lords' empire collapsed and the Jaffa won their freedom. Daniel Jackson was deascended, this time with his memory intact.

Season 9

With the goa'uld defeated the series took on a new direction. SG-1 was disbanded with Carter working at Area 51, Teal'c advising the Jaffa High Council, and Daniel preparing to visit Atlantis. The SGC also had a new commanding officer in General Hank Landry and a new doctor in Landry’s daughter Dr. Carolyn Lam. Cameron Mitchell, a newcomer to the SGC became the leader of SG-1. Mitchell eventually reconstituted SG-1 when Baal was discovered to be on Earth gaining power. The Trust was infiltrated by the goa'uld. Vala Mal Doran visited the SGC and, along with Daniel, discovered Ancient history and sparked the interest of the evil ascended beings from a distant galaxy known as The Ori. The Ori immediately set their sights on dominating the Milky Way for their worship and SG-1 began the search for the Holy Grail, a weapon designed by Merlin to disable ascended beings.

Season 10

The Ori begin their crusade in earnest, building a Supergate to transport their massive ships to the Milky Way. Vala gives birth to a daughter, Adria, altered by the Ori to mature quickly, carry their knowledge, and lead their army. SG-1 continues their search for the sangraal and learn they cannot count on any help from the Ascended Ancients. They discover and awaken Merlin who merges his consciousness with Daniel's to complete the weapon but not before he comes under attack by Adria. Daniel takes extreme measures to ultimately deliver the finished weapon to the Ori galaxy but even with the Ori destroyed the team must face more Ori vessels and their followers unaware of the death of their gods. The Tau'ri officially become the fifth race, heir to the knowledge and legacy of the Asgard who endow them with all their technology before succumbing to their fate. Faced with imminent destruction SG-1 lives out their lives on the Odyssey' in a time dilation field before Carter finds a way to reverse time and save them, allowing them to return home with the Asgard legacy, to fight another day.

Stargate Series

In addition to the Stargate movie and SG-1, the franchise expanded into a short lived animated series called Stargate Infinity. the show was canceled after one season. Stargate Atlantis premiered in 2004 and has been renewed for a fourth season.

A Gateworld interview with Robert C. Cooper revealed the working title and general idea behind a third Stargate series, Stargate Universe. Ideas for the series are still in its early stages but Cooper revealed the series will be far less connected to SG-1 than Atlantis was but will not be a prequel or set in the future. The series is also said to reveal the purpose of the ninth chevron, the use of which has preoccupied the thoughts of many fans. Cooper hopes the series will go into production after the filming of the movies ends.

Stargate Specials

Celebrating Stargate SG-1's final season, the cast and crew put together an hour-long show dedicated to the series' mythology. Stargate: Behind the Mythology can be seen on YouTube, separated into six parts.

Movies

Following the series' cancellation and the completion of its tenth and final season, two direct to DVD movies, Stargate: The Ark of Truth and Stargate: Continuum, produced by Robert C. Cooper, were filmed to wrap up the plots left incomplete in the series finale. The first movie is slated went into production in April, 2007 and was released on March 11, 2008.

Stargate: The Ark of Truth

See main article Stargate: The Ark of Truth

Picking up the loose ends of Season 10, Stargate: The Ark of Truth completes the story of the Ori. SG-1 travels to the Ori galaxy guided by Daniel Jackson's visions. The team is seeking an Ancient artifact, left behind millions of years ago when the Alterans left their home galaxy and the fanatical Ori behind. The device, was designed to convince Ori believers of the truth regarding the Ori but was never used due to ethical objections. The team must fight betrayal from within and overcome incredible odds to reveal the truth, end the invasion of their home galaxy and undermine the Ori power base.

Stargate: Continuum

See main article Stargate: Continuum

Baal travels back in time to prevent the Stargate program from ever forming. SG-1 must go back in time to stop him.

Stargate Universe

Stargate created a rich lexicon of cultures and alien races. It also created many memorable recurring characters and fascinating alien technologies. Prominent races include the Tok'ra, Jaffa, Goa'uld, and Asgard.

Stargate SG-1 Novels

For a full listing see: List of Stargate books

Several novels have been written based on Stargate SG-1

From New American Library written by Ashley McConnell:

From Fandemonium Press:

Stargate SG-1: Trial by Fire by Sabine C. Bauer
Stargate SG-1: Survival of the Fittest by Sabine C. Bauer
Stargate SG-1: Siren Song by Jaimie Duncan

Games

Stargate SG-1 Roleplaying Game
Stargate Adventure (video game)
Stargate SG-1: The Alliance (video game; cancelled)
Stargate Worlds (MMORPG)

Trivia

Samantha Carter had the distinction of appearing in the most episodes until the actress went on maternity leave in series' ninth season. Teal'c now holds that record.