15 years ago today, something awesome happened.
15 years ago today, MacGyver got a haircut and went into space. 15 years ago today, James Spader got kicked out of the James Spader Club for being less like James Spader than Michael Shanks. 15 years ago today, Amanda Tapping decided it was time to prove to the world that she holds a PhD in Kick-Ass-Babery. 15 years ago today, being a huge, impassive, slightly gold guy became the most awesome thing you can be. 15 years ago today, we were introduced to Hammond of Texas, the man with treacle voice.
Stargate SG-1 premiered on the 27th of July 1997 on Showcase and it was amazing, despite having one of the longest opening credit sequences I have seen (although not as long as Twin Peaks. Twin Peakswins at that game).
I remember it well, being seven years old and watching Stargate. Truth be told all I can actually remember is sitting on our really weird brown rug in the family room watching the opening credits. It was many years later that I started to watch it again from the beginning and proudly declared myself a Stargate nerd.
Stargate SG-1 was the continuation of the 1994 film, but with changes. O’Neil (otherwise known as Colonel Grumpy Pants) was changed toO’Neill (2 Ls), who you may remember from such productions as MacGyver and…MacGyver. James Spader (as I have already mentioned) was out-Spadered by Michael Shanks and his 90s hair and new characters were added to fill the spaceof favourite alien (T’ealc), ridiculously smart and beautiful babe (CaptainCarter) and The Good King (General Hammond, he of the treacle voice and the remarkablebrow ridge).
It was a show of good ol’fashioned family sci-fi goodness. All the wholesome with just the right amount of snark, but with the true freedom that is only found in sci-fi that enables us wee humans to explore justwhat it means to be a member of our own special species.
After 10 seasons, 3ish plot arcs, 2 movies, 2 spin-offs (I’m counting Universe) and some videogames it was time to let it go in 2007. And although I hate getting past Hammond leaving (because I love Don S Davis) and O'Neill leaving (because life is nothing without hearing “for crying out loud”said with mild despair) in my re-watching and re-watching, it’s a good thing. It’s a good thing because I can go back and watch it all again, and pick up on the bits that I missed the last time (like how many Jaffa are wearing watches).
As much I hate people who say things life “it shaped me as a person” (and I may have to throw something at myself as a result), I’m going to say it. Stargate changed my perspective on a lot of things, it opened my mind and made me the out and proud nerd I am today. I am now an appreciator of a type of media I never would have liked without it and I now know a whole lot more about space because I’m curious and go and research things I see on TV (Nerd, I told you).
So if you haven’t found the joy and wonder of Stargate, go and watch a few episodes. If you don’t like it for the story, no matter, there’s always the eye candy and a game of Spot-the-DeLuise to keep you entertained.
Thanks Startgate.
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