“Stargate Universe”, which premiered Friday night on Syfy, offers a refreshing new take on the popular family oriented military styled action franchise, “Stargate.” “Stargate Universe” or “SGU” updates special effects and incorporates camcorder style shots, which contribute to the new series feeling more realistic and grittier than its predecessors. The soft-focus effects of “SG1” and “Stargate Atlantis” have been replaced with crisp detailed effects ready for any high definition viewer.
“SGU” succeeds, at least in this first episode, in achieving its creative team’s stated goal of incorporating well-established “Stargate” mythology without relying on it too much. The premiere episode, “Air,” mines familiar “Stargate” themes of adventure and exploration, while focusing mainly on the socio-political strife among the main characters. “Air,” sets up an interesting situation. A team of explorers locate a stargate that was configured to dial nine chevrons or instead of the usual eight. The explorers want to know where the nine-chevron address leads. When their peacetime mission suddenly transforms into an emergency evacuation, the team must decide whether to head back to Earth or risk their lives, and the lives of innocent civilians, to complete the mission.
What makes “SGU” immediately engaging is that the storyline unfolds quickly. Early on, viewers learn enough about most of the characters to decide fairly rapidly whom they relate to and whom they like or dislike. But not all characters are easy to read, and that ‘hook’ will compel me to tune in again
I have to be honest … I thought the SG-U premier was the WORST episode of any Stargate program I have ever seen. The writing was immature, the dialogue unrealistic, the characters more suited to a soap opera, and the gratuitous sex scene completely out of place (again, more suited to the soaps).
It was as if this episode were written by committee (of not very talented writers). There were a few (a very few) moments where things looked promising (the opening scenes with “General O’Neil” were vintage Stargate humor. The general idea of the series is intriguing and could have formed the basis for a truly spectacular premier. But this drivel will go down as a most forgettable beginning to what I hope will prove to be a far better series that what has been displayed by this bomb.
Unanswered is the gnawing question: with so much talent from both the preceding series, why would whoever is in charge of this “mission” put together THIS crew?
Well, there is one positive note. The series can only get better.
You pretty much nailed it, Bob. The thing that kept people coming back to the SG shows was the witty writing that didn’t take itself too seriously. So far this one looks to be a sad cross between Battlestar Galactica and Lost In Space. It needs to find its way back to the Stargate Universe in a hurry.
Wow. I must not be as discerning. I actually loved every minute of the show and I’m hating that it’ll be a week or more between episodes.
I will definitely admit that a few scenes and lines caused me to grit my teeth, and I’m already on the “Kill Doctor Smith” bandwagon against Dr. Rush, but I like what happened, I love the problems they’re faced with, and I truly enjoy the fact that these AREN’T the best, brightest, and most experienced crew.
They’re scientists, administrative staff, and a few soldiers who weren’t prepared for this kind of event. I was expecting something like the (abysmal) ST: Voyager. And I feel that Universe is delivering something far greater.
They react to problems with common-man solutions, the ‘tech’ staff (of which I seriously hope they introduce some more support people) aren’t confident super-geniuses, there’s a lot of anger and fear causing people to make bad decisions or stop others from solving the problem right away.
I’m loving it. It’s not SG-1, it’s not Atlantis, but I think it’ll be a great show in a new & different style.
Gentlemen, Gentlemen, Gentlemen—-I could have written a better script on the back of a napkin—-Yes, I am a Stargate afficionato, and I own the complete Stargates series for both SG1 and Atlantis, and now you have to spoil it all by producing a copy cat series that is a combination of Star Trek Voyager and Battlestar Galactica—-please, please, please, turn the Space Ship around before its too late. I agree with Bob Webster above, it’s hardly a family oriented series with the unnecessary sex scene inserted in the SGU series premiere.
How about some refreshing ideas like meeting the “Ferlings” identified in the SG-1 series, but never encountered—-maybe they had to move to another Galaxy to escape annilation by the same forces who forced the evacuation—lets hear some more about them and maybe the hostiles who attacked the planet in the SGU opening—-And insert a little more realism in the characters and not be so ridiculous to suggest that a genius video game player is going to walk right inn and solve linguistic and mathmetical obstacles that the characters face before the ships air runs out…..or as the Chief Scientist stated “the ship knows what we need…..” and that’s why it stopped at the planet to pick up supplies—-if this was true then why didn’t the ship seal off the air leak instead of the Senator, who had to die doing it????
OK, OK, OK, I’ll stop and give the next show another chance, however if the first show is an indication of how good the series is going to be, I won’t be collecting it—-also drop the camcorder shots ideas and need to get grittier—-and I’d suggest continuing the earlier Stargate show format of a complete show using the Stargate with a complete mission every show with a smaller team of people not a Startrek Voyager gaggle of people trapped in another universe—-that’s been done before and it didn’t last for very long.
So in summary, go back to the drawing board put your thinking caps on, and give us an exciting NEW series to comment on, and not another StarTrek Voyager or Battlestar Galactica.
Thanks for the opportunity,
Starburster
Wow! SGU’s first episode was really cool. Sure, it has elements of Star Trek and BSG, but I think that’s a good thing. SG-1 and Atlantis were both too PG. SGU raises the bar to appeal to adults and teens who like more complex character development. Don’t get me wrong; I like SG1 and Atlantis. But they were scripted for sheltered 7th-graders IMO. I watch them when I want something light to zone out to. You can’t zone out with SGU because the characters aren’t watered down versions of people with complex motives.
Why do people keep citing the sex scene? It’s a sex scene! Get over it! Seriously, do they blush when someone says ‘butt’? What’s worse is they stop watching the show then and there and then come online and pour their vinegar all over the place.
So it’s dark, gritty and edgy. Big deal. If you wanna go watch Teletubbies, go right ahead, but don’t ruin SGU for the rest of us.
For those who say they’re such diehard fans of SG and BSG but hate SGU, a question. What other sci-fi show will you watch if SGU fails? Virtuality?! That one has a sex scene in the pilot too btw. Shiver and hide.
The problem I, like most people, had with the sex scene wasn’t that it was sex. The problem was that it was thrown in just to get more “mature” viewers to watch. There was no development of plot or character in having that sex scene, no point at all.
As for ‘dark, gritty and edgy’, try ‘annoyingly dramatic, pointless and boring’. Watching a bunch of nobodys argue with each other over nothing instead of DOING something is not what Stargate was. And don’t even get me started on the dozen or so plot holes, or that God awful “new” camera work where it feels like a drunk 12-year-old is holding the damn thing.
SGU is going to fail, and fail hard, unless it does a complete 180 and gets back to what the fans want. I watched SG-1 and SGA because that’s what I liked. If people didn’t like it, then there wouldn’t have been Stargate shows on the air for the last 12 years. Don’t mess with what works.
I was looking forward to a more intelligent production, a departure if you will from the previous series, that would take Star Gate to a new level delivering thought provoking stories and awesome effects – yet maintaining the “I can share this with my family” atmosphere. A dream that has been dashed by the children producing this show that feel it is a badge of honor to have slipped in a couple having sex on national television and getting away with it. You can dismiss this concern as just some old prude or you can come to realize that this type of behavior has sent many a “new” show to the dump because decent people that never voice their objections simply quit watching scared to death of what might be presented next that will have to be explained to their children. No matter how good the effects, it’s just not worth the risk … Rick Anderson said in one of his interviews that all he had to do was present a program full of good Christian-Judeo values to explain the franchises success. It’s a shame the new series and its producers and directors have taken no stock in these values. A mistake, dare I say of biblical proportions. And you’ll be scratching your heads wondering “why did everyone quit watching our show.” It’s pretty bad when a dad has to tell his children they can’t watch their favorite show because the people making it have lost their way. As for me – thanks but no thanks – you can keep it.
There’s definitely more room for a different kind of Stargete. There’s no point in creating a new series if all we’re going to get is more of the same. There are more religions out there than Judeo-Christian ones, and there are plenty of people who are not religious. Why shouldn’t SGU appear to a broader audience? If anything, SGU is more like the original movie than SG1 and SGA, which makes SGU way more interesting!
As for the sex scene making SGU not suitable for kids, I didn’t mind it at all. I watch TV with my kids so that I can discuss what they’re seeing and to make sure they’re not walking away with the wrong ideas. I would hope that all families are doing the same.
Whether the sex scene was gratuitous depends entirely on whether the two characters’ relationship will be explored later in the show. Col. Telford was featured only briefly. Does that mean his scene was gratuitous? No. It just means we will find out what happened to him later in the series.
You guys should lighten up. There’s enough Stargate for everyone!
I happen to have a entireley different spin to put on this situation. for mr R. Strong, take a step back and analize your comments. If your children are old enough to watch a program that has bloody burned bodies and warefare with alien races, wht do I ask seems to be wrong with one of the most natural things god gave us the ability to do. Sex may be a thing that all parrents dont want their children to know about but I think thats most of the problem today. More parents should be more intrested in teacing thir children the consaquenses of pre marital sex and educate not pull a shroud over their eyes. Clearly if children are young enough to see war and blood and chared bodies from episodes of stargate and stargate atlantis then whts the problem with sex. if sex and naked bodies are the issue then wht do you have to say about the other.
No you are not a prude. You are simply wrong. The pilot of SG1 showed exposed female breasts. The second episode showed a terrifying mental takeover of a human being. The third episode Broca Divide showed an actual *rape* which the SG1 team refused to intervene to stop and a near sex scene. It goes on and on. If anything the sex scene in SGU was mild compared to actual showing of breasts and other episodes in SG1.
I understand where you are coming from; SGU is darker and abandons the type of show the SG franchise has become known for. Your reasoning however is flawed. You draw from RDA and perhaps other quotes like Teal’C saying that Jesus could not have been a System Lord. However this must be viewed from the perspective that MGM would never threaten their key demographic by depicting Christianity in a bad light. So what did they do? They chose not to depict it at all. In fact, Merlin, the Ancients, the Egyptians — the only rational conclusion depicts *pagan* religion (sometimes positively sometimes negatively). Christianity is shown only in passing, and of course never directly in order not to anger their main viewership. It puzzles me that Christian viewers see this non-depiction of Christianity as some strong affirmation by Stargate of Christian values when it is clearly a calculated business decision.
There are many legitimate concerns about SGU that “family values” need not even be mentioned. Yes SG1 was a family show but certainly not the puritan sexless safe for minors show you make it out to be. Samuel Jackson didn’t take his kids to Star Wars and SG certainly has as much violence and as confusing a plot with many twists as Star Wars. The sarcastic, blunt, deadpan humor of SG1 doesn’t remind me of Christian humility but ironically more of sarcastic, blunt, deadpan atheists like George Carlin.
This is the DARK AND DEPRESSING SHOW that the trailers made it out to be, the sex scene was totally out of line and uncalled for, after seeing the premere I know I will never watch again. It is not wothry of the name stargate to be attached to it.
Sg1 & Atlantis worked because it was fun light hearted adventure, that appealed to the entire family.
I am 51 and watched the whole thing, I have young friends, gate fans (20-22) I talked with one who turned it off after the sex scene, one didnt even finish watching the first run! Said too depressing and no need for the sex scene!
Aside from the sex and depressing atmosphere of the show, the constant jumpimg back and forth was confusing, so I decided to watch the second feed, the plot then made more sense, but still no reason for the sex in the show, unless the goal is for the producers to provide prime time porno in time, which is not needed. The second time thru was just as depressing, I will not be watching anymore, we dont need this trash on tv.
If MGM & SyFy want this gate fan back they need to go back to the roots with a good show, family orented! The last show I watched on SYFY was Atlantis, I havent watched there channel since they axed it, untill friday night, and will not need to watch there channel again, as I have all the shows they air of interest to me on DVD!