Stargate Universe focuses on a group of scientists, soldiers, and other people who, when their base is attacked, retreat through a Stargate. They are then stranded on the other side of the universe, and experience adventure on an alien ship called “Destiny.”
SGU creator Brad Wright explained to the Television Critics Association that they wanted to make a show based on the Stargate franchise, however they were determined that it had its own personality and was unique.
A Different Style of Stargate Series
“Other than Stargate, which is very much still at the core of our show, a whole lot of other stuff is very different from the old series. It's actually something we're very, very proud of and very excited to still be doing in what is basically our 16th season of Stargate,” Wright said.
Co-Creator Robert Cooper added, “I think that when we were conceiving the series, we definitely felt that, in some ways, [Stargate] Atlantis and SG1 had gotten a little too self-referential and a little bit too far into their own mythologies, and we really wanted to make a show that, for a number of reasons, is broader and more accessible to audiences not just of science fiction.
“We felt that we had told a lot of Stargate stories, 300 or so episodes, and we had to come up with a way to make it fresh,” Cooper exclaimed with enthusiasm. “And the best way to do that is to tell stories through new characters' eyes and really emphasize their perspectives …It's contemporary. We have the characters who are from our world, and our show doesn't just take place on a spaceship. It takes place on earth, and we're hoping that, by focusing a little bit less on the science-fiction aspects of the series and a little more on those characters, that we can have audiences who wouldn't normally embrace a science-fiction show embrace our show.”
Lou Diamond Phillips Stars in SGU
Actor Lou Diamond Phillips, who plays Colonel David Telford in the series, is excited to be part of the popular franchise. “I certainly owe a great debt gratitude to Rob (Cooper) and to Brad (Wright) and to Richard Dean Anderson for having created a franchise that is as iconic as the Stargate franchise.” By the way, Richard Dean Anderson reprises his character of Lieutenant General Jack O’Neill in several episodes of SGU. Amanda Tapping, Michael Shanks, and Gary Jones also appear in some episodes of this newest Stargate series.
“When I was first approached [to do this show] Lou Diamond Phillips said, “Robert Carlyle (who plays Dr. Nicholas Rush) was already attached, and so suddenly that, to me, raised the bar and I felt like I knew the kind of show these guys wanted to make. I've gotten to the point in my career where I really love working with wonderful actors, looking at things as a life experience as well, hence that show and [I] really wanted to work with Robert. Ming-Na (who plays Camile Wray) and I have known each other for a number of years, and so it was a wonderful surprise to have her on board this. And in looking at the material, and to be quite honest, not being as familiar with the Stargate franchise that came before, it was an opportunity to do something that I thought was going to be exciting television, that had an audience that was hungry for more and to be a part of something that is comfort food, I think, to the American public.”
Stargate Fans are Dedicated
Ming-Na is gearing up for the experience of being a legend to the sci-fi fans. Stargate fans and Star Trek fans are known for their dedication and being hard-core. Two weeks before this TCA event, the cast was at Comic-Con. “That was our first taste of the fans,” she admitted, “and it was tremendous. It was just such a great experience.” She said, “I just felt like a rock-and-roll star when I walked out.”
Brad Wright admitted, “We want, definitely, our Stargate fan base to join us, and I believe that they will be rewarded. They will see Stargate very much as part of the show. But the mainstream audience out there is who we would like, too.”
Wright made it clear that to understand SGU, viewers do not have to know anything about the previous Stargate series’. “We honestly think that any new person to Stargate Universe could tune in and watch the show and find out, in the course of the first two hours, what a Stargate is and how it works through the introduction of Eli, David [Blue's] character, to the program. His introduction is almost the new audience's introduction. It works very well that way.”
And Lou Diamond Phillips agreed. “I think, like any genre-based show, whether it be your cop shows, lawyer shows, medical shows, whatever, you have this setting that not everyone is familiar with, and yet [viewers] get involved with the characters.”
Stargate Universe airs Fridays at 9 PM ET on Syfy.
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