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As Season six of Stargate: SG-1 is about to be released
in the UK on video and DVD sci-fi-online looks at
what we can expect from the series now that the whole show's
dynamics have changed...
The
sixth season of Stargate SG-1 continues to deal with
many of the ideas, plots and dramas that have been developed
over the last five years - as well as being an excellent point
to join the adventure as new member Jonas Quinn (Corin Nemec)
joins the existing team (Richard Dean Anderson as Colonel
Jack O'Neill, Amanda Tapping as Major Samantha Carter, Christopher
Judge as Teal'c) and learns the ways of the SGC (Stargate
Command).
Near
the end of Season Five, original SG-1 team-member Dr. Daniel
Jackson (actor Michael Shanks) received a lethal dose of radiation
when he defused a bomb on the planet of Kelowna - the world
where Jonas was a scientist. At the point of death, Jackson
was offered the chance to 'ascend' to another plane of existence
and Quinn was banished to Earth by his leaders. As season
six begins, the search for a replacement member commences
and the team is initially reluctant to even accept Jonas as
a candidate. Early episodes of season six deal with his efforts
to prove himself to everyone as well as setting up a new threat
to Earth that SG-1 must uncover.
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Brad
Wright, the show's executive producer and prolific writer,
said: "The two-parter Revelations (which opens the
sixth season) is all about whether Jonas is going to be allowed
to be on SG-1. All through episode three he's trying to prove
himself and he's continuously trying to earn respect. We're
not simply saying 'Daniel Jackson's gone, here's the
new guy!' That would be stupid. We'll be honouring the character.
That was the reason that I wanted Daniel to die in the next-to-last
episode of season five. That way, we could see the grief that
the team would experience. A huge part of Revelations
was about that grief."
Not
that the team will be able to spend time moping around. New
challenges will come thick and fast - not just for the characters,
but for the actors themselves...
Descent
(Episode 6.3) deals with the team being trapped on a sinking
spaceship. It was not just spectacular to watch, but also
to make. For the first time ever, it was decided to build
a set for a TV episode that could be totally submerged in
water. The set may have been a façade, but the very cold and
deep water was all too real. However it did give incoming
actor Corin Nemec and Brad Wright a real challenge...
"Brad
phoned me and said 'So... welcome aboard... can you swim?'"
- Corin Nemec.
"Once
or twice a year I like to do things we've never done before,"
Wright explains." I don't know any show that's taken a whole
portion of their set and submerged it. Our special effects
team built a hydraulic rig as big as a set and then built
a set within the steel frame, so it could be lowered. We heated
the water to 98 degrees. The water comes up and up... it must
have been terrifying, even though it was open at one side.
Corin actually did a shot and held his breath while swimming
and acting out the scene. While we were watching dailies,
I tried to hold my breath as long. I barely made it sitting
on the couch. It was over 140 seconds! But hey, that day was
easy. The day when he had to be soaking wet all day... he
had to be hosed down before every shot!"
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Executive
producer Michael Greenberg explains that having Richard Dean
Anderson (who previously starred as the hugely popular adventurer
MacGyver) being involved behind-the-scenes as well
as starring is a key reason for the show's impact.
Season
six will also have some familiar faces reappearing to cause
trouble for SG-1. It will also have some renowned guest-stars.
Watch out for Star Trek: TNG's John De Lancie reprising
his role as Colonel Simmons in Prometheus; Enterprise's
John Billingsley as a hapless scientist trying to save SG-1
in The Other Guys; The X-Files' Bruce Harwood in Frozen
and Quantum Leap's Dean Stockwell as Jonas' mentor
in Shadowplay. Fans of Daniel Jackson will also be
pleased to know that Michael Shanks reprises the role in a
special episode, Abyss, early in the season.
Essential
Background Information
| SGC
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Stargate
Command, the military post set to deal with the use of
the Stargate. Located in a top-level secret facility several
hundred feet under the NORAD military base in Colorado.
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| Goa'ld
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An
alien race of aliens that have conquered many worlds with
their military might and their ability to take control
of others' bodies by the insertion of their alien symbiote
that can ultimately subdue the body and mind of the recipient.
Though they have exploited the Stargate, they were not
the ones who built them. |
| The
Tok'ra - |
An
off-shoot of the Goa'uld who also exist as symbiotes.
However they believe in sharing their existence rather
than dominating. Though decimated in number, they continue
to work against the Goa'uld. However, their methods have
sometimes proven somewhat morally dubious as well. |
| The
Asgard - |
During
their travels, SG1 discovered that many of the Norse legends
were, in fact, based on events connected to an extraterrestrial
race known as The Asgard. Their real appearance is akin
to the traditional 'little grey men' but their stature
belies their considerable power. Their representative
'Thor' has helped (and been helped by) SG-1 on a number
of occasions. |
| Replicators
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A
mechanical spider-like race whose reproductive ability
and hunger for all metals has made them a menace to even
The Asgard. |
| The
Ancients - |
Little
is known about the race that appears to have built the
network of portals that we refer to as Stargates. They
existed millions of years ago and evidence suggests the
race were on Earth at that time - though the Stargates
were actually brought to Earth by the Goa'uld. |
| Anubis
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An
alien, possibly a Goa'uld, who is acquiring a vast array
of superior weaponry and is systematically wiping out
his enemies and rivals. But from where is he gaining this
crucial advantage. During season six, SG-1 will attempt
to find the answer. |
With
thanks to Darren at MGM press office.
Season
six of Stargate: SG-1 is being released on DVD (£19.99
each) and video (£12.99 each) from 31 March 2003.
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