Recently, I’ve been asked my thoughts on the immediate future of Stargate. Specifically, with the release of the Stargate: Origins web series (you can check it out here at StargateCommand) fans want to know: “Where do we go from here?”
Well, to be honest, my opinion hasn’t really changed since I wrote this blog entry back in 2013: Whither Stargate?
With the launch of its new streaming platform and this prequel digital series, MGM is essentially testing the market, checking to see if Stargate fans are still out there and hungry for content. The answer, it would seem, is yes and YES! And while this could very well signal the possibility of an additional web series or two, it’s more likely a step toward the production of an all-new Stargate series. Which then begs a few more questions: What kind of direction will this new series take? Who will be involved? And when will it drop?
I, like you, am an outsider. I have no idea what the studio has planned. That said, I have no doubt they are looking to produce a show that would be a perfect jumping-on point for first-time viewers unfamiliar with the franchise, yet possessed of the many elements that longtime fans will rally around. However, this may be easier said than done. A full reboot of the series. which on the surface seems like the easiest way to go, wipes out 17 seasons of Stargate television history and risks turning off a significant portion of the existing fanbase. In addition, I would argue that a true reboot would be very, VERY difficult to pull off. Over the course of those 17 years of Stargate history, mythology was crafted, rules established, and characters brought to life. Could an all-new, all-different Stargate avoid making even tangential use of any of these elements? If we go by Origins as an example, the answer would be no. Somewhere along the way, any new series – reboot, remake, or reimagining – will make use of these story-building elements whether subconsciously, deliberately, or as a result of some grand osmosis of creative conception which, let’s face it, is all one and the same. So if you’re going to end up there anyway (which, believe me, you will), why gamble such a valuable franchise when you can roll with a sure thing? Trust the ones who got you there – and by there, I mean an enormously successful, incredibly lucrative scifi television franchise that has spawned three shows and 340+ episodes.
I’m talking about two individuals intimately familiar with the entire canon, proven commodities who have demonstrated an ability to create scenarios, stories, and characters that resonate with audiences worldwide AND yielded massive profits for the studio. Storytellers. Moneymakers. Individuals capable of creating a fresh new series that makes use of the rules already in place but free of the burden of heavy backstory or mythology. No prior Stargate knowledge required! Just watch and enjoy! The beauty of such a scenario is that the rich canonical history can still exist but be rediscovered, piecemeal, through the eyes of our new characters. Viewers unfamiliar with the franchise will be getting in on the ground floor while fans who have been along for the ride since Russel and Spader traipsed through that off-world desert, can be rewarded with the occasional appearance of a notable enemy, ally, or a variation on a familiar tale. Walking that fine narrative line between past and present, strange and familiar, new fans and established fandom, would be a daunting challenge for any outsider. But I know just the guys who COULD pull it off. I am, of course, referring to Brad Wright and Robert C. Cooper.
Want a show that gets you the best of both worlds? Something unique and accessible yet sure to fire up the existing fanbase? Talk to Brad and Rob. Get them started on that new Stargate series. Yesterday.
It’s tough to argue with 17 seasons of scifi television.
Great things await!
From your keyboard to MGM’s ears….
Amen!
Careful joe, you can’t post stuff like this without making some of us cry. I see hope where there once was none.
As long as Syfy isn’t involved ….
I second that!
Amen!
Just out of curiosity, why
Whoop! Whoop! Can I get an amen? I agree!
I couldn’t agree more. When that abortive movie reboot trilogy was announced, my first reaction was why would they want to start over when they have a fully established fan base for the *original* version? It would mean trying to attract a whole new fan base and just hoping that the original would jump on board. So very risky.
Needless to say, I would trust Brad and Rob implicitly to handle any new entry with in a way that would be new and groundbreaking and yet well within the established canon.
I really hope it comes to pass.
I’d love more Stargate, but it’s got to be done right.
I still think a better idea would be to restart on a different planet. That way you still get all the familiar elements for the viewer, can still meet up with old faces along the way, but it’s new to the characters.
Whither Stargate :just read this and agreed.
Do we need a reboot ..No ! You can Start a new Branch like you did with SGU and SGA.As stated on Twitter about the Great Pyramid ..you can revisit all the SG series with a new Serie concept Pleasing old and new SGaters it’s the magic of Time traveling and SyFy.And who knows may be an encounters with Dark Matter Crew ;)A new SG team with a different Mission from a secret place and a different time Guarded by The Pyramid Keepers That make sure the chamber will never be uncovered …ahh my imagination start again :)))
We’re ready for it Joe ,Bring a Cool concept ,level up the Stories ,Dare to Push the stories to greather stuff
Cudaker says:
A new SG team with a different Mission from a secret place and a different time Guarded by The Pyramid Keepers
That make sure the chamber will never be uncovered …ahh my imagination start again :)))
Caroline Hjort says:
I think there should be a new serie about the children of the other members rescueing them.
JM says:
My first and probably best thought on this is go next gen style….not present day anymore, say 50/60/70 years in the future….
Yippers. I’m more than inclined to agree! I’m pretty sure that mad old traveling magic act, Cooper & Wright,
havent quite, just yet, discovered “everything” the stargate can do?
Could be a whole lotta fun dreaming up new SG portal capabilities and scenarios for series 4
Maybe? There can be a scenario in the new story where as the stargate was at some point hooked up to a deep learning independent AI program for
scientific research purposes and as a long term, inadvertant, consequence, the stargate now thinks for itself
and dials up whatever addresses it wants, whenever it wants, because the AI somehow managed to instill it with artificial intelligence of its own
and no one understands what it did, how it did it or how to undo it.
Thus, the SG base crew is forced to frequently deal with the result/consequence of the gate dialing itself up to all these strange places.
Many that arent even on anyones star map!
Oops. So terribly sorry General But the researchers in charge of the original AI neglected to mention to SG command that their AI had developed an awful habit
of randomly self replicating/creating offspring and had been acting kinda like a cat in heat of late,
hooking up with any Tom, Dick, Harry or Washing Machine that stumbled into its path!
*Maybe the stargate can now easily bring you to any dimension you want, without fail and at any precise point in time, spanning billions of years.
Need to ‘instantly’ reach a higher plane of existence without consequence whenever you want? No problemo. Just dial this address!
Need an evil twin to come help on a mission. They reside in xx alternate dimension at this gate address.
Your eveil twin a bit too psycho to be of use? Theres a slightly less evil twin residing at XX gate address.
Want to go explore a weird anti dimension wedged between two physical planes?
Yep. There’s an address for that too! ooooh! There’s some really cool supernatural ‘non’ creatures residing there! Check em out, ay!
*Maybe the gate can now *Render the traveler and any objects that go thru, invisible on command
via a simultaneous dialing of xx address from a remote gate.
Or remember on the Star Trek series how Dr Crusher could quickly transform the physical features of crew to look like whatever
race of beings they were visiting on a planet?
*Maybe the stargate could do that as you travel thru?
You will phyically resemble whatever civilization you just travelled to by the time you reach their world.
Anyone else got any fun imaginative ideas for Stargate capabilities we can add to this?
I’m so on board with your sentiments here about both a reboot and involving Brad and Robert. They’re the architects (along with so many others) in making the franchise so incredible. I’d love if there was a way to move the show forward, incorporating both new faces and past cast members from all three series, and really expand this world in a way that fits in our modern TV era. It would be amazing!
OH YES….please, bring it on! Will be getting snack supplies for the premieres.
Lots of snacks!! Maybe a few Heinekens in honor of Jack O’Neill…
It will be nearly impossible to surpass the original Stargate series as it had the perfect mix of seriousness with a sense of humor. It’s the only tv series I can say that I have re-watched all the way through and loved it even more the second time around.
I would love to see another Stargate but, yes, it would be nice to see it guided by the same hands has the original.
I just watched the first webisode of Stargate Origins and found the acting to be a little wooden. It honestly had more of a fan film vibe to it. A fan film with a budget that is.
Oh my Joe… This sounds so overly positive to my ears… Please don’t give me false hope, I’m getting all excited now!
I think there should be a new serie about the children of the other members rescueing them. It should begin with a big celebration or birthday where everyone from O’Neill to Sheppard to Rush and all of their families are. Then something happens to the original cast, they get kidnapped by anything from a tiny replicator Baal that survived somewhere to the Russians. And then the children (who are grown up), have to search for them trough the galaxies and through the Stargate. They could be led by Sam and Jacks kid, by Ryac or maybe by Teylas son Torren. It would be new, good for new wievers since you don’t have to know anything about the previous show, just a bunch of people saving their parents. It’s set later so there could be newer technology, and the fans would automatically love the characters since they loved their parents!
Yes I agree with you!.. I would go crazy if Stargate returns BUT the same people must have a hand in it for it to be great again.
I had actually had an idea myself sometime prior to Origins being announced which I too, funnily enough, had named “Stargate Origins”. I’m a complete nobody really in terms of the TV universe so I wouldn’t have a clue how to get anything done about it but if you, in your busy life, ever have time to lend an ear, I would love to share it. I just have a brief outline of the idea and it’d be up to those who know the ins and outs of everything Stargate, ie Brad, Rob and yourself, to expand on that but my idea builds on the existing television franchise without erasing what’s already happened but also without leaning on it for support.
I get MGM are testing the waters but they really needed something perfect to do that and they’re totally wide of the mark. If you go to a restaurant and get a sample platter, that food needs to be perfect if it’s going to convince the customer that they want more. Origins isn’t perfect. It’s not even close. It’s bad. It’s like going to a Gordon Ramsey restaurant and being served food from McDonalds.
I do hope it happens sooner, rather than later. I would also like to see them open it up to some new writers. Maybe hold a competition so fans could create an episode or two.
“Talk to Brad and Rob. Get them started on that new Stargate series. Yesterday.”
Is this a cryptic announcement of something is happening right now behind the curtains, or just a campaign?
Couldn’t ask for better than Brad and Rob. Not holding my breath though. Isn’t Brad kinda busy with Travelers?
Well said, sir! I’m in complete agreement. And where did you get those great Gate images? I’m viewing them on my phone, but they look like cgi (?)
https://www.shipbrook.net/jeff/raytrace/index.html
Jeff Lee on that web page says they’re generated on a raytracer program, so CGI. I’m gonna assume that’s where Joe got those gate images.
I would love to see more Stargate, but let’s let Brad do another season (or four) of Travelers first.
Stargate should be rebooted with these characters!! – Jack” O’Neill clone made by Asgard!! As we know younger copy of Jack” O’Neill decided to study science!! It would be interseting to see this combination of scientist Samantha Carter and soldier Jack” O’Neill in one person!! Next main character in new Stargate should be Cassandra – the sole survivor from the planet Hanka!! Teal’c son – Rya’c of Chulak could be part of new Stargate as well!! Some Tok’ra or Tollan character could be part of new team of Stargate as well!! New story should be conitnuing with exploring new regions of Milky Way galaxi where in some region still danger and enemies are still hidding and plannig attack and conquere Earth and its allies!! For example – some small region of our gallaxi still can be under control of remnants enemies like bad Asgard,Goa’uld or Ori!! Also in the new Stargate there should be the Furlings and the Nox more involved!! Obvieusli Ancients with they mysteries,technology wich they left after they ascendent into higer dimension!! Continuing threat from the Wraith vampiric rase of the Pegasus Galaxy.. And plus secret of Atlantis city which most of city is still locked and unexplored!! I would be happy to see the new Starget to be created this way!! What do you think??
My first and probably best thought on this is go next gen style….not present day anymore, say 50/60/70 years in the future….when a new threat emerges…..and would still be possible to eventually work in some kind of resolution to Atlantis and Universe….you can’t just leave Eli hanging like that! Although I know it’s a big problem now as the sets no longer exist…..but if Atlantis is still on Earth it would be logical to be using that as a main base of operations? Nor would you need to rebuild ALL the sets for Destiny….
I like your thinking!!
That would be a challenging project! However, it seems the networks love reboots these days. So you don’t they think a reboot like Star Trek’s alternative time line would work? Or maybe taking it in another direction and with another branch…
personally, i hate the abramms alternative timeline version 🙁 there’s certainly no need to wipe out decades of hard work for sure….love parallel universe versions but surely they best kept as shorter stories within the overall framework?
Is it streaming or regular TV?
Yes. In New York, it’s airing on El Ray Network Tues thru Friday at 12 and 1pm. Stargate Atlantis follows from 2 to 4 pm.
The odds of MGM bringing back Brad and Rob are slim to none. In MGM’s eyes they muffed the punt with SGU (in my eyes SGU was just as good as SG-1 and SGA, but half the fanbase wanted more of the same old Stargate). MGM may bring them in as consultants, maybe writers, but I don’t see them picking up where they left off.
personally, in a lot of ways, I thought SGU was best yet….if only they could have added Rodney McKay to it then it wd have been perfect…
This couldn’t have been worded any better. Take the existing knowledge, mythology, story line progression and RUN with it! I can think of another long standing, enthralling tv series that introduces “new” audience members to this world through the eyes of a “companion”. This seems to be working pretty well for them. Us “old” fans seem to be sticking around too.
I think Brad & Rob need to be dusting off their keyboards….
Enjoying the new web series. Would also enjoy anything new. Just got directv-now and it has Paramount network. Now put something on it worth watching MGM.
Talk to Brad and Rob, but what about Chris Judge? He said he’s been talking to MGM about a project titled Return of the Jaffa. If it’s about Jaffa and Chris is involved, I would bet on it.
Yes exactly, that’s clearly the only way to go, in this brave new world of Netflix they should be tripping over themselves to do this.
Agree 100%!!
I built the first Starions. I have some great ideas about some information from real occurrences. WilliamKelley0705@gmail.com
Some mash-up stories about the worlds out Right maybe the temple of Nebuchanezzar or Taylor Swift perhaps some Rattelsnakes …
I thoroughly agree! I am a mother of two who watched ALL the Stargate franchises. I recently busted out my dvd collection of Atlantis (playing off the Jason Momoa angle) and showed my 18 year old daughter and 15 year old son what fun television use to be about. (And, also where Aquaman got his start!) They loved it!! And, to be honest, I had forgotten just how great the humor of Joe Flanigan and David Hewlett really was. So, bring on another franchise and maybe some old, familiar faces. But don’t, I repeat DON’T go eliminating all the great stories that created this wonderful universe. I am a kid of the 80’s. I have seen my entire tv and cinema viewing redone to death! Take it from a show like “Stranger Things”, sometimes that ‘throwback’ pays off!!
Amen
Well said Mr. Joseph Mallozzi. Bring back Stargate. What we need is a new Stargate Netflix-MGM series that will be appealing to both old fans and new ones. Also, please don’t do prequels or reboots. Just a new series that continues after SGU, giving answers to cliffhangers and moving to the future of stargate travel.
Don’t mess with what works. Bring back the original cast plus writers -directors-and producers. They may have had new ideas for the excellent show that we loved to watch every week. May the force be with them who has the power to bring back a very good show. Who else can have the same chemistry on the show.
Please bring Stargate back. Absolutely love the series & the movie!!
yeah, and bring back Dark Skies to while you’re at it….although that probably needs rebooting/ restating/ remaking now with the time that has passed 🙁
Wouldn’t that be great if Wright and Cooper would asked to create a new series. This would start a trend where we don’t throw all the history out the window for a new group looking to make their mark. Couldn’t their mark be to not fix something that isn’t broken.
I totally agree with you. I wish they would have kept stargate Atlantis going there were so many ways it could have gone.
I miss them both
Agreed SGA had so much potential and the cast was fantastic.
Perfect analysis, Couldn’t have said it better if I tried.
Is there not room for a third playmaker? Perhaps a bit of room for a Mallozzi? 🙂
The stargate series and the original movie with russel are the best everything I’ve ever seen on a television screen so they should make something so awesome and intriguing that people who are unfamiliar will want to without any doubt go back and watch the series to catch themselves up.
I think having a new Stargate series with old canon is a great idea. I think Gen O’Neill should command and I am talking Amanda Tapping should play that role. It would be a nice way to bridge the past with the present
If we’re talking about a new series: I’d love to see something like Stargate Horizon (a fanbased storyline, that’s written in the style of a screenplay). It’s about a parallel network of stargates that leads into a different part of our galaxy, completely independent from our own network. It’s close enough by spaceship to combine the storylines, to stay familiar with known protagonists and far enough to open up a whole new universe of mysteries and stories, with new opponents and villains, new aliens, new highways to other galaxies if necessary.
If they stick to the original series mantra, it will do very well . I am a big fan..
Where it can go off the rails is if they make it politically correct .
Remember how they built the series and stick with it .
Stargate was , is , and will always be far more entertaining than Star Trek .
Although I am a Trek fan .
I would love a new chapter in this story and miss it when I don’t see it
I was an Only Stagate SG1 Fan I grew up watching the show I didn’t even care watching the others cause the people/actors they I really loved wasn’t on the other shows I mean a few was but the one they would’ve probably made me at least turn it on would had been if Anderson was on the others… And to tell the truth wasn’t all that into the space ships made me think of Star Trek HATED that damn show,but anyways most likely now you aren’t gonna get the same cast all of us FAN’S loved before cause there older now and doing different things and to get me into it would have to be Jack/Anderson and I just don’t see that happening with his health problems going on and his age.. So just leave this in the past where it needs to be it had a great great REALLY great 8 years when Anderson was mostly on.. And well I haven’t seen the last few seasons cause I have heard Anderson left til the season 10 or so to take care of his child and I just love him to death…
This is a new one; wheres the iris
I just finished a screenplay but it only turned out to be 52:25
Its called how to make other people’s money her’s
Why not continue the trend of the prequel? There is already a well established mythos surrounding the 4 Races that has only been developed through small bits of translated tablets and hearsay on the various shows. This could open up an attractive story line for fans (by that I mean me, and I hope others 😀 ) that respects the 17 years of the franchise while representing a fairly fresh take on the universe. Imagine the events surrounding the formation of the alliance of the 4 races? Why did they form an alliance in the first place, was there some unspoken common enemy or did they really just collaborate for pursuit of knowledge? Will we finally get to learn more about the Furlings…
Yea bring back Stargate Atlantis….
The SG1 series nailed it , the right story , the right people , at the right time. A reboot is risky but with the right vision and writing it could work very well. On the other hand , some sort of continuation of the original is very likely to disappoint. That time has passed. The cast we all loved and enjoyed has moved on. The story of the gate has been covered well from the ancient past to the future , its done. I want to see stargate back , but it wont be like it was , its time for a different perspective , a reimagination.
Stargate is Richard Dean Anderson. It fell short and was only tolerable after he was no longer there. Stargate is synonymous with him and his crew. They clicked and made sense; which can’t be said of Stargate since – especially Atlantis. It would take some incredibly talented writers, and cast, to pull something new off that was worth the watch. Lord, I loved the original Stargate!
I like it .. go on…
I like it .. go on…
As long as incorporates SG1 and SGA without the IOA it would be fantastic.
Yes for the love of God….DO IT !!!! If I hit the lottery I would put all my winnings into finishing Stargate :Universe !!!!!!!
Bring back the orginal sgu, sga and sg-1
Es gibt noch soviel Potenzial, wie wäre es alle Serien später in eine Staffel SG World zusammen zu bringen.
Eine 4. Stargate Serie ohne Bezug zum bisherigen Franchise würde ich mir zwar anschauen, ergibt für mich aber erst Sinn wenn man bei SG-1, SGA und SGU kein Potential mehr sieht … natürlich ist es schwer einen großen Teil des Casts wieder zusammen zu bekommen, aber dann kommen einfach neue Akteure dazu, … von Navy Cis, Hawaii Five O oder oder oder …
Man kann soviel daraus machen … Marketing … Spielzeug, SG-Kollektion usw. – es braucht Leute mit Ideen und Willen
Was SGO angeht, der erste Eindruck ist gelungen, zwar kein Vergleich zum Franchise aber besser wie nichts !
Erschreckend nur, wie es sich wieder öffnete !
Still miss Stargate Universe the most. Ended too soon.
I agree with you, but at least it had an ending episode that was okay to end on (and the previous one where we see the other versions of themselves and how they evolved.
really? they were just left hanging, in freezers mostly ‘cept for Eli…..:-( and what the hell did the Colonel have in his bag….? still left in suspenders….least Atlantis had an ‘ending’ of sorts, even if it was a bit naff…
No, it wasn’t ideal, but in the back of my mind they are just sleeping and could be woken. I think most of the actors are available right now. I loved this show. It had a different feel than SG-1 and Atlantis which I loved also. It’s like loving your children. You love them all, but you love special things about each of them.
Signing up for Stargate Command was blissfully easy!
Reboots often backfire. They should stick to what works. There is a built-in fanbase BEGGING for the continuing adventures under the original creators of the series. And I’m sure they would pay for it because I would. I’d drop some of my Directv premium channels if my budget was tight just to see Stargate and cuddle up with an old friend that has taken so many of us through some very difficult times in our lives and also joyous times in our lives.
Really its very simple. If this could be pulled off why not go back to the basics? We could very well see it still in the present sense with either Mitchell or Sam Carter installed as the SGC CO, Jack of course would be retired but could still play a part. From there were introduce a new SG1 and possibly even combine the new show with Atlantis as part of it. Get back out exploring and of course there would be new enemies found, we could even bring back the Goa’uld which is quite feasible to do.
At some point I’m still hoping for some kind of resolution to Universe…I can’t believe it got cancelled so soon! 🙁 Can’t leave Eli hanging like that….and although they did change the recipe somewhat it was still a very compelling series…..and any version with Rodney in it goona be good right…?