Tonight, 5/9/2011, will mark the last new episode of Stargate Universe. It'll also mark the end of the Stargate franchise on TV--no new shows or movies are in the works.
It makes me a bit sad. When Stargate SG-1 moved to Syfy (SciFi at that time) from Showtime I started watching --mostly to just sit and stare at Amanda Tapping but also because I got caught up in the story. I got the entire SG-1 run, all ten seasons, on DVD, and I've seen every episode, and listened to every commentary track. Yeah, I dug it.
Stargate Atlantis was next, and while it took me a little while I finally got into that one, too, and have all of those on DVD, as well.
I'm not quite as big a fan of Stargate Universe--the basic premise seems to be a little too complicated to work very well, to me--but the cast is great, and it is exceptionally well done, production-wise. Sort of amazing that a TV show can be shot with that sort of quality.
Still, though, I'm going to miss it, and the Stargate franchise. I've become attached to those characters and wish them well.
Showing posts with label stargate. Show all posts
Showing posts with label stargate. Show all posts
Monday, May 9, 2011
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Character studies: Daniel Jackson
For those of you who don't know, Daniel Jackson is the character created by James Spader in the Stargate movie and elaborated a bit by Michael Shanks in the TV series Stargate SG-1.
I'm a big fan of the show--the movie's cool, too, but I love the show, for a variety of reasons (besides just being able to stare at Amanda Tapping). One reason is the character of Daniel, who I find fascinating.
Daniel, as Shanks portrayed him, was the moral voice of the show. He believed the right thing to do remained the right thing to do even if it became expensive, troublesome, or inconvenient. And he never stopped expressing his convictions, even when everyone disagreed, and even when doing so put his life in danger. Granted, this sometimes made him a real pain-in-the-ass, but a necessary one, because he was usually right.
It would have been different if he insisted on one strict point-of-view--if he were, for example, Christian, and insisted that those ideals be enforced and embraced. That wasn't it, though--Daniel felt like people should be given a chance, even if doing so meant he or those he represents would be inconvenienced.
He was so stubborn and so outspoken that even the Goa'uld, who respected no-one and were just out for themselves, respected Daniel.
It's a terribly interesting character and I'm sort of riffing on that idea now, with some changes, of course. But check out Stargate SG-1--especially seasons 3-7 (even though he was out for most of season 5, I think it was). You'll really enjoy yourself, and you'll see how interesting characters can carry a show.
I'm a big fan of the show--the movie's cool, too, but I love the show, for a variety of reasons (besides just being able to stare at Amanda Tapping). One reason is the character of Daniel, who I find fascinating.
Daniel, as Shanks portrayed him, was the moral voice of the show. He believed the right thing to do remained the right thing to do even if it became expensive, troublesome, or inconvenient. And he never stopped expressing his convictions, even when everyone disagreed, and even when doing so put his life in danger. Granted, this sometimes made him a real pain-in-the-ass, but a necessary one, because he was usually right.
It would have been different if he insisted on one strict point-of-view--if he were, for example, Christian, and insisted that those ideals be enforced and embraced. That wasn't it, though--Daniel felt like people should be given a chance, even if doing so meant he or those he represents would be inconvenienced.
He was so stubborn and so outspoken that even the Goa'uld, who respected no-one and were just out for themselves, respected Daniel.
It's a terribly interesting character and I'm sort of riffing on that idea now, with some changes, of course. But check out Stargate SG-1--especially seasons 3-7 (even though he was out for most of season 5, I think it was). You'll really enjoy yourself, and you'll see how interesting characters can carry a show.
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