During Friday's excellent Battlestar Galactica series finale, SciFi aired a preview for Stargate Universe, the new Stargate show starring Robert Carlyle and Lou Diamond Phillips.
SGU follows a group of scientists and civilians trapped on an Ancient ship, The Destiny, which forces them to travel throughout the far reaches of space. Along the way, the group struggles to survive and unlock the "secrets" of the ship's Stargate.
For months, SGU producers have been promising that the show will be a lot darker in tone than its predecessors, Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis. Consulting producer Joe Mallozzi even compared the show to Battlestar and Lost, calling it an arc-driven sci-fi show. Judging by this preview, SGU's look and subject matter will definitely be a lot darker than the previous Stargate shows, but I'm wondering how far they'll push it. SG-1 and Atlantis were a lot of fun, but they never approached the darkness and mature themes of Battlestar Galactica or the serial storytelling technique of Lost. How dark can Stargate get, and how dark should it get?
I'm looking forward to SGU, but Stargate has always been sort of a guilty pleasure for me. I'm not sure if I'm ready for a "serious" Stargate show possibly influenced by the "go darker" trend brought on by the success of shows like Battlestar and movies like The Dark Knight. What do you think?
SGU is expected to premiere this fall on SciFi (Syfy?).
The TV Squad Podcast: Vik Sahay of Chuck, Oprah talk, brutal timeslots, and more!
TV Squad Ten: Top Ten ESPN shows from worst to first
Andy Richter: The TV Squad Interview
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
3-23-2009 @ 4:05PM
Wisconsin_Cheesehead said...
Until the stargate appeared, I thought I was watching a badly butchered preview for "28 Weeks Later"...
Reply
3-23-2009 @ 3:35PM
chuck said...
i strongly dislike both Robert Carlyle and Lou Diamond Phillips, so this is probably time for me to say goodbye to the stargate universe. oh well..
Reply
3-23-2009 @ 3:42PM
Benjy said...
Does SciFi (sorry... SyFy!) have no shame????
Clearly SG:U is the lovechild of Stargate and BSG!
I suppose it was only a matter of time before they took their Stargate property and made it dark like the departing BSG. Ironic considering that, according to the BSG special last week, most of the battles BSG had with the network were over the dark tone of the show. Now, Sci... uh, SyFy... can't wait to get another dark show on the air.
Reply
3-23-2009 @ 4:14PM
Jimmy said...
Let's be honest. There's dark and then there's BSG. I loved the bleak darkness of BSG, but really could there have been any other way to go with a series about a rag-tag fleet of survivors escaping a holocaust? While I'm sure Syfy wants to recapture some of what BSG gave them (good luck there -- they'll may never get that again) it doesn't mean they want something bleak and depressing. Nor do I think the premise of SGU lends itself to that type of storytelling. I for one will be there watching when SGU premieres.
3-24-2009 @ 9:06AM
dailyWAV said...
Nah, it's not the lovechild of BSG and SG1/SGA; it's the lovechild of SG1/SGA and ST: Voyager. Is it too early to say they've jumped the pangalactic shark?
3-23-2009 @ 3:58PM
Jake said...
I am excited about the notion that this will be a self-contained show, so I don't have to worry actually watching is and the possibility of anyone from SG-1 and Atlantis showing up and therefore missing story from those shows.
Reply
3-23-2009 @ 9:40PM
Mary said...
I gave up on Stargate when Atlantis was canceled. I lived through the frustration on ST: Voyager and their inability to get home. I don't want to do that again. So I am angry that Atlantis was canceled, don't like the premise and if I wanted darkness I could read the paper.
Reply
3-23-2009 @ 4:08PM
Jimmy said...
Well, I'm all for giving the SGU a chance. What we saw wasn't enough to form an opinion for or against the series, but going a little darker would not necessary be a bad thing. My only concern is the loss of the trademark Stargate humor. Part of what made the Stargate series good television, more so with SG-1 than Atlantis, is the humor. Even in the middle of epic battles the writers always found time to fit in some funny moments. If they can go a little darker and still find those humourous moments I say good for them.
Reply
3-23-2009 @ 7:07PM
Wraithfodder said...
I'm on the fence on this one. It was dark, the shaky camerawork and screaming made me think "oh no, not Cloverfield again." Honestly, it reminded me of a dark, panic-ridden "RIsing" (SGA pilot), but is probably more of SciFi (er, SyFy) telling them - we're losing BSG and we want you to make the SG version of BSG...
Reply
3-23-2009 @ 6:52PM
SGU fan said...
look at this:
its cool!!!!
Reply
3-23-2009 @ 7:04PM
Mark said...
Why does this sound too much like Star Trek Voyager to me?
Reply
3-23-2009 @ 8:48PM
tozmervo said...
I had the same thought about Voyager. The "Lost in Space" aspect is not a promising one. You know, unless they evolve into lizards or something - that's a winning episode right there.
3-23-2009 @ 10:57PM
Creep said...
With Robert Carlyle and Lou Diamond Phillips in the cast, I might actually give Stargate a chance. The few episodes I've seen of the existing series was way too campy for my tastes. If this new series really does have a darker more serious tone along with good writing, I'm game.
Reply
3-23-2009 @ 11:35PM
CJ said...
Thank God Lou Diamond Phillips joined the cast. Someone familiar!
I'm still saying "Who?" to Robert Carlyle. Everyone else I don't recognize. I know, Trainspotting... Not my kind of movie. I like sci-fi. Or SyFy. Whatever...
I don't mind that it's dark... I DON'T want to reminded what a screwup the last two years of Stargate SG-1 was, I was never into SG:A. Too many cast changes, too many crossover characters, way too much Rodney McCay.
Reply
3-23-2009 @ 11:38PM
KarDee said...
I never judge a show before I see a few episodes, so I'll keep an open mind and tune in.
Reply
3-23-2009 @ 11:57PM
Sylvia k said...
I thought the preview trailer was good, but I have no intention of watching Universe after how the prior show, Atlantis was cancelled. I have no desire to support this franchise after the way they killed the show I love.
So even if it is a show I might otherwise have liked, I won't be watching.
Reply
3-24-2009 @ 12:01AM
Eludium-Q36 said...
Regardless of the amateur, petty critics here EVERYONE will watch Stargate: Universe on SciFi because it builds on the second most successful sci-fi space-based tv franchise ever! It will be different, it will be talked about, and it will be watched -- by -- everyone.
Reply
3-24-2009 @ 7:39AM
StillBash said...
Wow that was a commercial?
Looks absolutely boring.
Reply
3-24-2009 @ 9:07AM
Ian said...
The Promo Video was shot mostly in the DARK like BSG and gave no real hint of the real "color" for this program. The only aspect of BSG I hated was it was shotr w/o lighting so much and the audio jumped from too loud to too quiet at times. I hope that this new series develops it's own style.
Reply
3-24-2009 @ 1:33PM
Alicia R. said...
All of TPTB of SG1 and SGA are involved with SGU. Come on... you'll get your humor. Just not a joke a min. Cameron Mitchell.
It reminds me of gritty SGA. Which is never a bad thing.
And those of you that are crying in your milk about Atlantis... Listen, if everyone was watching it, then there would have been a Season 6.
Have a little faith in the franchise. I am sure we are in for one helluva ride.
Reply