Posted by Jonathan Klotz | Published
Stargate SG-1 is back on Netflix, and there’s never been a better time to binge on the best sci-fi series of all time. It’s always a good time to hear the adventures of Stargate Command (SGC), which has aged like fine wine since the series first aired in 1997.
Compared to Star Wars and Star Trek, the series doesn’t have decades of hype and has had to build a fan base while creating its own sci-fi universe. It quickly established itself with colorful characters, embraced the light-hearted side of sci-fi, and slowly revealed a vast universe so rich in mystery and excitement that three series and three decades later, it feels like there’s more to explore.
The SGC Team Is Among The Best Sci-Fi
When Roland Emmerich’s The Stargate film that premiered in 1994, no one could have imagined that it would lay the foundation for a 30-year sci-fi franchise, and no one could have guessed that Richard Dean Anderson would surpass his fame as MacGyver, playing Colonel Jack O’Neill, the leader of the SGC field. The mega-sized pilot episode “Children of the Gods” was an original Showtime movie, and no one cared who Michael Shanks, Amanda Tapping, or Christopher Judge were at the time; it was MacGyver in Space that pulled in those first 4 million viewers. After a few episodes, fans realized that Stargate SG-1 it would be a collective series, and every member of the group had something to add.
Michael Shanks takes on the role of Dr. Daniel Jackson, played by James Spader in the movie, and knocks it out of the park, from a young guy, sadly unprepared to be part of the military, to unlocking the secrets of the universe. Amanda Tapping’s Samantha Carter is both an astrologer and an accomplished pilot. As Stargate SG-1 continues, he gets to show both sides of his diverse skill set and he never comes across a piece of technology or scientific theory that he can’t talk about, but if he wasn’t your favorite character during Season 1, don’t worry, he will be later.
Rounding out the main cast is Christopher Judge, who is now the voice of Kratos at Sony’s God of Warlike Teal’c, an anonymous member of the group, he is a Jaffa, a host of Goa’uld parasites, on a mission to save his people. It’s silly to say he’s the “Worf” of the SGC, but that’s how it starts. Like other actors, he has nowhere to end. Everyone gets to grow and develop over the course of 10 seasons, where the only constant is the Stargate itself, bringing them to new worlds, new adventures, and new cultures.
Stargate Remembers Sci-Fi Fun
A large part of the Stargate SG-1’s the first beauty is that after the pilot of the movie level, the budget was cut so that the whole alien world looks more like Vancouver. A few episodes in, and you won’t care about the production budget because the aliens of the Stargate universe are allowed to be real aliens, and a week’s journey usually results in another piece of the great cosmic puzzle to focus on.
For example, the Asgardians, as the name implies, were Norse gods, as the Goa’uld were Egyptian, and they also symbolize the “Greys” of the outside world. There are many “forehead aliens” to be found, but Stargate isn’t afraid to get weird.
All in all, as the war against the Goa’uld heats up and the robotic Replicators arrive to harass the SGC, Stargate SG-1 it does not lose its sense of humor. Different episodes include Teal’c taking out a man with an avocado, O’Neil golfing through a Stargate, and Carter entering a space race, and that’s not including the side characters you’d love to hate. Star Trek Voyager Robert Picardo brings to life Richard Woolsey, an officer in Hell, and Star Trek: The Next Generation’s Ronny Cox (who played Captain Jellico in “Chain of Command”) is Senator Kinsey, a man you will hate more than a guy named Baal.
Stargate SG-1 never got the respect it deserved, despite kicking off a franchise that continues today with a new entry on the way, thanks to Amazon. Even without a sequel or DVD movies, the series is one of the best sci-fi shows on Netflix. If you’ve been longing for the days of fun sci-fi with colorful characters allowed to grow and change over time as they explore a universe full of possibilities, this is a must-watch.
