Or, maybe it’s just a science fiction show.
The most absorbing element of the first five seasons was the relationship between Jack and Daniel. Jack is a military man unafraid to leap into the unknown with guns blazing and an insubordinate wit flaring. Daniel is intent on understanding and befriending everyone. The two completely different viewpoints of these two characters provided excellent tension. That is also what allowed Stargate to explore the human side of sci-fi.
Stargate lost some luster when Richard Dean Anderson left, but the show carried on well despite the loss. The stories are still interesting and the team is still cohesive if not as adventurous. I was lured to Stargate because I love science fiction; I stayed with it because it questions humanity.
The last half of the final season of Stargate: SG-1 will air in April 2007. We will have to bid a farewell, of sorts to Daniel, T’ealc, Carter, Jack, Cam, and many others that have become familiar.
Then again, there are some movies planned. And there’s Stargate: Atlantis. Star Trek has lasted for forty years so Stargate isn’t dead yet, obviously. In fact, it may have another thirty years to go.
Article comments
1 - Iloz Zoc
Good summation on the show. It's great strength is the focus on characters first, plot second. Like the original Star Trek, it created engrossing relationships between the team members, and introduced interesting storylines (sometimes poking fun at itself). I feel Anderson's character was the driving force that made it all work so well. The dynamics of the show have gone off a bit without him. But I can't wait for the movies!
2 - Lisa McKay
Congratulations! This article has been selected for syndication to Advance.net, which is affiliated with newspapers around the United States.
3 - Gray Hunter
Well, that's just cool ...
A big thanks to Blogcritics!
4 - Ruvy in Jerusalem
Hmmm...
Funny how the originator of the Stargate idea, the makers of the movie "Stargate", were not mentioned at all in this review.
5 - Christopher Rose
Stargate, the final episode of which has just aired in Europe, has been a fantastic series, full of fabulous, inspirational ideas and awesome aliens.
Unfortunately the last episode was one of the most boring and implausible stories of the whole ten years. Talk about going out with a whimper rather than a bang!
6 - gorodnliu
I just want to say that one huge aspect of this shows success (which is undeniable at 10 years running and something like 200 episodes) is the whole sci-fi premise behind the series.
in the history of science fiction, there are implausable stories, and plausable stories. sometimes the most implausable stories become the most successful, because, despite the implausibility people like the idea.
this is the case with the various sci fi aspects of stories like 2001 (2010,2061,3001 included) the ring world series, dune, and other books and films.
stargate shares that same characteristic. i also think it has survived because it has borrowed and built upon other successful sci fi themes (like the idea of a group of beings existing as energy which definitely pre dates stargate to at least the 2001 novel).
with that being said, it is of course a huge testament to the actors and writers
someone had better hire those writers and give them freedom, so that they can continue to make gems like stargate