TVSquad

The writers and producers of Syfy's Stargate Universe could've played it safe and got along just fine with their latest series.

After Roland Emmerich and Dean Devlin's 1994 feature film from MGM, the series' first TV adaption (SG1) arrived in 1997. When you throw in the follow-up series, Infinity and Atlantis, the Stargate franchise has run on TV in one form or another for more than 12 years.

When the time came to invent the next step in the franchise, show-runners Brad Wright and Robert C. Cooper could have trotted out more of the same and done perfectly well. Instead, they upped the ante -- bringing a bigger budget and updated production techniques to Stargate Universe.

MGM and Syfy welcomed journalists to Vancouver's Bridge Studios to explore the show's starship Destiny set and discover how this series cruises beyond its successful predecessors.

... At least that's what Stargate producer Robert C. Cooper is saying. Cooper has written scripts for another Stargate SG-1 DVD movie and the first Stargate Atlantis flick, but those projects are on the back burner for now. Cooper and MGM are focusing on the launch of Syfy's Stargate Universe before those movie scripts go into production. Oh, and the sh*tty economy isn't helping either.

"We're just waiting for the right opportunity. We want to be successful with it. The studio wants to be successful, and we really don't want to proceed with something in the wrong climate, which I think financially it is right now," Cooper told Sci Fi Wire.

I'm looking forward to Stargate Universe, but I'd love to see the franchise continue releasing DVD movies every few years. Stargate: The Ark of Truth and Stargate: Continuum were great and they sold well on DVD, but projected DVD sales for new projects aren't looking good these days.

Syfy will air a ten-hour Stargate SG-1 marathon on Sept. 25 in anticipation of the Oct. 2 premiere of Stargate Universe. Like I mentioned earlier at SciFi Squad, the network is asking fans to pick their ten favorite SG-1 eps for inclusion in the marathon.

I was never a big SG-1 fan, but I'll be popping in and out of the marathon to catch some of the series' more popular eps. Hopefully, Syfy will do fans a solid by capping off the marathon with Stargate Continuum, last year's excellent Stargate DVD movie.

There was a sitcom on for a short time in the 70s titled Lotsa Luck. It starred Dom Deluise as a single guy who lived with his overbearing mother. I remember it being the funniest thing in the world, but I was around 8 or 9 years old at the time so if I were to see it today I'm sure I'd realize that I was wrong. But I do know that I went around saying "lotsa luck!" to people for several months after the show premiered.

Deluise died last night in Los Angeles. He was 75.

There's been a lot of talk in the nerd world about the upcoming Stargate Universe, the second spinoff to Sci Fi's long-running Stargate: SG-1. Most of it has been pretty negative.

Some fans aren't too thrilled about this new approach to the Stargate franchise, which will reportedly feature more character-driven drama versus action-adventure romps, a darker tone, a few younger characters, and at least one gay character.

I don't get the skepticism. I'm really looking forward to the show. Actually, I can't wait to watch the franchise try to evolve from fun, lighthearted adventure to a dark sci-fi drama. I'm not saying it'll be any good – I'm just curious.

Months ago, consulting producer Joe Mallozzi compared SGU to Battlestar Galactica and Lost. Now, show creator Robert C. Cooper is saying SGU is somewhat inspired by another great sci-fi show – Joss Whedon's Firefly.

SyFy's Stargate Universe will kick off with help from two familiar faces this fall. Richard Dean Anderson and Michael Shanks will reprise their Stargate: SG-1 roles in the series premiere of Universe, which is billed as a darker, character driven sci-fi show.

Shanks' appearance will be a one-time cameo, according to consulting producer Joseph Mallozzi. Anderson, however, will make multiple guest appearances in Universe in addition to showing up in the two-hour premiere. The actor said he would make "slim appearances" in the first "half dozen" episodes or so.

Here are the new TV DVDs, in stores tomorrow.

I should be happy when there are a ton of new DVDs but nothing I want to buy, because I'll save some money. But this has been happening a lot lately. I mean, there must be something being released soon that I must own. I might have to get the Return of the Man From U.N.C.L.E. movie if it wasn't included in the complete series set I have.

Kinda amazed that My Two Dads has been released on DVD, though I shouldn't be because it seems like a lot of shows are making their way to DVD now. It makes me hopeful that other sitcoms from that era will be released too.

• 7th Heaven - Season 8
• Chowder - Vol. 2
• Doctor Who - The Androids of Tara, Key To Time, The Armageddon Factor, The Power of Kroll, The Pirate Planet, The Stones of Blood, and The Ribos Operation (all Special Editions)

Here are the new TV DVDs, in stores tomorrow.

How can there be so many DVDs released in one day and there not be one that I want to buy? I never got into Stargate, I don't want to own Dallas on DVD, ditto Reba, and I refuse to buy Walker Texas Ranger because a.) it's not very good, and b.) it replaced a show that I really loved in the early 90s. I enjoyed Benny Hill, but I don't know if I enjoyed it enough to own it. So it looks like I'm going to save some money this week.

Yeah, right. Like I won't find something to buy that was released a while ago.

• Alvin & The Chipmunks - The Chipettes
• Ben 10 Alien Force - Season 1, Vol. 2
• The Benny Hill Show - Best of the Early Years
• Captain and the Kings - Miniseries
• Dallas - Season 10
• House of Payne - Vol. 3

Robert Carlyle is a fine actor with an impressive resume (The Full Monty, 28 Weeks Later, 24: Redemption to name a few), but he'll always be the hard-drinking, C-word screaming, Ewan McGregor-slapping Begbie from Trainspotting to me. Which is why it comes as a surprise that he's been cast as the lead in the next Stargate series, Stargate Universe.

Carlyle will play Dr. David Rush, leader of a group of scientists and civilians trapped on a ship traveling through space. Word is that Dr. Rush, charged with finding a way to return his crew home, might not be the nice guy everyone thinks he is.

Here are the new TV DVDs, in stores tomorrow.

• Avatar: The Last Airbender - Book 3, Vol. 4
• Beverly Hills, 90210 - Season 5
• Centennial - Complete Mini-Series
• Dark Shadows - The Beginning, Vol. 5
• Freakazoid - Season 1
• Girlfriends - Season 4
• The Hills - Season 3
• Inu Yasha - Season 5
• Law and Order: SVU - Season 7
• Masters of Horror - Season 2 (Collectible Skull Set)
• Naruto The Movie 2 - Legend of the Stone of Gelel
• Robin of Sherwood - Complete Collection
• Stargate SG-1 - Continuum
• Tiny Toon Adventures - Season 1, Vol. 1
• Two Fat Ladies - Two Fat Ladies
• Witchblade - Complete Series
• The Wizards of Waverly Place - Wizard School

A roundup of TV people from in front of the camera and behind the scenes who have passed away.

• Don S. Davis: The veteran actor appeared on numerous TV shows over the past 25 years, including Stargate SG-1 (he played Major General George Hammond), Twin Peaks, The X-Files, The Dead Zone, Psych, Highlander, Supernatural, Flash Gordon, The West Wing, NCIS, The Chris Isaak Show, Profit, M.A.N.T.I.S., MacGyver (also serving as Dana Elcar's body double), L.A. Law, Joanie Loves Chachi, and many others. He also appeared in dozens of movies, including A League of Their Own, Con Air, Miracle, The 6th Day, Hook, The Fan, and Best In Show. He died this week at age 65.

In case you didn't know it, Bruce Campbell is my new BFF. Ever since my visit to the set, I have a new appreciation for the man. So, it pains me to report that Bruce recently was filming in Miami when he came up lame.

While chatting with Maureen Ryan of the Chicago Tribune, creator Matt Nix was talking about the new season of Burn Notice -- more on that below -- when he casually mentioned Bruce Campbell was hurt on the set. "He actually just pulled his hamstring doing a stunt, I just got a call, he's on the way to the hospital."

So let's say you had an extra $900 lying around and you really loved science fiction shows. What DVDs would you buy?

Amazon is making your decision a little bit easier for you. They have a special bundle for sale, nine different FOX/MGM shows at 49% off. OK, it's still a little pricey at $900 (you could probably put that money toward your rent), but look at what you get: the Buffy, The Vampire Slayer Collector's Set, The Angel Collector's Set, The X-Files Ultimate Collection, all ten Stargate: SG-1 seasons and all three Stargate Atlantis seasons, all four seasons of The Pretender (plus the movies), all three seasons of Roswell, both seasons of Dark Angel, and Firefly: The Complete Series. Holy crap!

• At 8, ABC has Seven Nights That Changed New Orleans, followed by new episodes of National Bingo Night and 20/20.
• PBS has a new NOW at 8, then a new Washington Week and a new Bill Moyers Journal.
• The CW has a new Smackdown! at 8.
• Also at 8: Sci-Fi has the series finale of Stargate SG-1, then new episodes of Stargate Atlantis and Painkiller Jane. (Check back for our live Stargate SG-1 series finale chat before the show!)
  
• At 9, FOX has a new Standoff.
• Discovery has a new Man vs. Wild at 9.
• There's a new Wife, Mom, Bounty Hunter at 9 on WE.
• At 10, Sundance Channel has Morvern Caller.

Check your local TV listings for more.

(S10E16) After a week of hellish home buying, Bad Guys was a welcome episode of SG-1. I didn't take the plot very seriously - and neither did the entire cast. Most of the performances were a bit over the top - from the hysterical screaming woman to the hero wannabe security guard. Despite being completely unrelated to the current story line, the writers did make some effort to tie things in.