From GATEWORLD: Third series is Stargate Universe The working title of the third Stargate television series has been unveiled! The series currently exists in the form of a one-page treatment of the story and characters, with the title Stargate Universe, executive producer Robert C. Cooper told GateWorld exclusively. The new series has been conceived to be "a completely separate, third entity," Cooper said in an interview -- "much more so than Atlantis was. Atlantis was much more of a spin-off series of SG-1 and was sort of born out of SG-1." Like many of the producers ideas, Cooper said, the idea for Stargate Universe was originally conceived as a stand-alone movie. "When we originally were sitting around talking about this we were trying to come up with ideas for a Stargate feature -- not an SG-1 feature or an Atlantis feature, but a feature that would fit into the Stargate franchise that we feel we have created," Cooper said. "We were thinking, 'How do we create a third arm to the franchise that is very connective and that fans will feel is born out of the material that has come before, but at the same time is very much something that stands alone?' "When it became clear that a third series was a more realistic possibility at this point from the studio's standpoint, we figured out how to tweak that idea and give it a little more legs than it would have had as a one-off story. We always, in the back of our minds even in coming up with that concept, felt that it could launch a third series. ... But now that idea has become the core idea for the new show." Stargate Universe will not be set in a different era, Cooper confirmed, neither as a prequel nor in the far future of the Stargate program. "I'm not a big fan of prequels," he said. "I don't think that really works, and I don't really understand people who do think that works. One of the things that we love about Stargate is that is us -- it's our military, it's our scientists, it's our people -- and we're going out into the galaxy and the universe to discover all the wonders that are out there, and dealing with our own limitations versus things that are far more advanced than us. "That's identifiable. It's what we deal with every day, in terms of medicine and science and astrophysics. We're just babies in all that. And we would always want to maintain that in anything that is Stargate-related." In spite of being quite distinct in identity from SG-1 and Atlantis, the new series will be unmistakably Stargate. "It certainly plays into the mythology that has been pre-established," Cooper said. "But it doesn't directly relate to anything that has been in either series." Cooper and executive producer Brad Wright plan to turn more attention to the new show's pilot script after wrapping principal photography on the two Stargate SG-1 movies, Stargate: The Ark of Truth and Stargate: Continuum this June. Stay with GateWorld for the very latest developments! http://www.gateworld.net/news/2007/03/third_series_is_istargate_univer.shtml
That could be a good thing or it could be a bad thing. When it seems like they are ripping off plots from Trek wholesale, it's a bad thing. But really, there's a lot of different things they could do with it. The characters don't always have to include a tough-as-nails, jokey military guy, his super-brilliant scientist ally, and his bad-ass alien ally. They could have a series that more deeply explores the non-human aliens they've created or new ones that they invent.
I don't really mind the plot rehashes. A lot of stuff Trek did wasn't even original. I think it's just become too much spaceships and technobabble. They talk about keeping the shows contemporary but the only thing that really does that is all the pop culture references. Remove those and it could be 100 years in the future.
I've missed this entire phenomena, after enjoying the original movie. So is this series any good? And what about Atlantis?
Hot chicks: Teyla + mostly guest stars (i.e. "Sanctuary" SG-A S1E14, that Tok'ra chick (Vanessa Angel or something? ) etc ) Explosions: Ever since, say, season 5 or so. Cool jokes: O'Neil. Sheppard.
They both have their moments, but if you're looking for excuses to be a bitchy little fanboy, you're guaranteed to find them. It's shallow, popcorn entertainment, and can be enjoyed if viewed as such.
I thought someone had some information recently about a new StarGate series that was going to feature characters (and presumably alien races as well) that had been killed off and destroyed in the other two series? Of course, in the SG franchise, death is common though seldom permanent.
As long as it sucks much less than Atlantis, I'll watch. And SG-1 was starting to pick back up again when it got the axe. I would rather have more of that thank you very much.
If you were a fan of the original movie but haven't seen any of the series, the SG-1 pilot "Children Of The Gods" is still the best way to get introduced into the tv Stargate universe. The first few seasons had a few stinkers, but by and large took the good parts of the movie and combined them with the feel of the original Star Trek with good cast dynamics, a sense of wonder at the exploration, and a nice dose of tongue in cheek humour. Some people will try and suggest the funnier episodes as a way to get introduced to the series, but they work best once you know the characters and have the series darker episodes in memory for contrast.
