I wrote “Will Stargate Universe stay true to Stargate as we know it?” a while back and in it I quoted Joseph Mallozzi as saying “there will still be plenty of opportunities for humor and the series will be firmly rooted in established Stargate mythology.” That humor is essential to my enjoyment of the series.

I love science fiction, but I have a pattern of abandoning shows that don’t show a lighthearted side often enough to keep the show from being a dark morass of emotion and anxiety (The Sarah Conner Chronicles, Deep Space Nine).

Battlestar Galactica is one of the few dramatic sci-fi series that has ever held my attention to the end, and likely the only reason I stayed with it was because of the overly long breaks and the knowledge that it had a set end date coming up at the end of season four.

Here are what I consider the most important parts about Stargate Universe from a recent interview with Michael Shanks posted by Sci Fi Wire. If you’re interested in more that just the bits about SGU, follow the link to read the entire interview.

…it’s obviously a very different show than the previous Stargates. There are some darker elements to it. It’s visually stunning. Great cast. And I really look forward not only to seeing it [completed, with finished visual effects], but also the audience’s reaction to it. It’s not your father’s Stargate. It’s a very different kind of show. “It won’t be quiet on the bulletin boards” is the best way to put it.

Followed by the news that Shanks has a cameo in the two-hour premiere in October on SCI FI.

It’s a cameo. It’s a popping in, popping out kind of thing. They’ve got a lot of cast that they definitely need to facilitate. Certainly the Stargate audience knows my character and Richard’s character and Amanda’s character and the others that show up very well. So they have to spend some time developing their world and fleshing out their characters. So I’m just a face.

He (Daniel Jackson) apparently won’t be back in season one of SGU, but I don’t see how that would work out anyway. If the ship does as all reports indicate, there’ll be no opportunity for beloved characters to appear in the series, unless they’re on Earth, while the new crew is not.

Do you think it would be a good idea to find a way to work in beloved characters from previous Stargate series into Stargate Universe?

His answer excited me.

Given the premise of the series, it will be darker and more serialized than SG-1 or Atlantis. That said, there will still be plenty of opportunities for humor and the series will be firmly rooted in established Stargate mythology. Yes, the series will focus on survival, but it will also focus on exploration and adventure – and, by extension, the occasional alien encounter as well.

I feel a huge amount of relief to know that the humor I so love the Stargate series for is still going to be around, even though they’ve attempted to update the series for a younger audience. I hate to tell them, but as a representative of the fans of Stargate, I’m not getting any younger but I am ready for something fresh and new, but which stays true to established Stargate mythology. Maybe they’ll stay away from the ascended beings for a while, though. That’s still one of my most hated plot directions Stargate SG-1 ever took.

Personally, I can already see the modernization attempts in the new font they’re using for the logo. Very clean, very cool, and I love it.

I do have hopes that Stargate Universe will stay true to Stargate as I know it, but I also can’t wait to see what new things the writers, producers, directors, and characters will bring to the show.

What hopes do you have?

Here it is, the much too dark trailer.

As an avid Stargate fan, I was disappointed to read this, because I already miss Stargate Atlantis. I guess I have no choice but to persevere and wait impatiently for more news. :-)

• Colonel Telford (Lou Diamond Phillips)
• Chloe Armstrong (Elyse Levesque)
• MSGT. Tamara Johansen (Alaina Huffman)
• Camile Wray (Ming-Na)

Here are a few clips from the announcement itself:

New York, NY – February 25, 2009 – SCI FI Channel has confirmed Lou Diamond Phillips, Ming-Na, Elyse Levesque and Alaina Huffman as cast members of the highly anticipated new original series SGU: Stargate Universe, which began production last week in Vancouver. They join the previously announced stars Robert Carlyle, Justin Louis, David Blue, Jamil Walker Smith and Brian J. Smith in the latest adventure of the Stargate franchise produced by MGM television.

…

Lou Diamond Phillips (Che, La Bamba) is Colonel Telford, a proud lifelong military man, who puts his faith in the chain of command. Stubbornly confident, he’s highly regarded by his superiors. He is the chosen leader of the ill-fated expedition.

…

Elyse Levesque (Smallville, Men in Trees) stars as Chloe Armstrong, the daughter and aid of a U.S. Senator. Politically savvy, but with a wild side, she is considering following in her father’s footsteps, until she finds herself trapped on the ship. As tensions rise, her character will be tested and her place among the group revealed.

…

Alaina Huffman (Smallville, Painkiller Jane) portrays MSGT. Tamara Johansen. Unable to afford medical school, the Air Force was the best option for the strong-willed field medic. Faced with the mounting pressure and a lack of in-depth experience, she will be forced to rise to the extraordinary occasion of needing to treat the seriously wounded.

…

Ming-Na (ER,Vanished) is Camile Wray, a human resources executive with the international oversight committee that governs the Stargate program. Now the highest ranking member of that division left stranded on the ship, she carries herself with a misguided sense of superiority over the other military and civilian survivors.

The character descriptions in this press release also seem to have been tweaked somewhat from the previous press release, so I’ll be updating the character pages with any new information!

Video link: Stargate Universe teaser

Also, one interesting note is the difference in the name of the character played by Robert Carlyle. In a previous press release about Stargate Universe from MGM, Carlyle’s character role was listed as Dr. David Rush. It’s neat to watch this evolution as the series enters production.

From SCI FI Wire (links are mine):

SCI FI Channel announced the casting of Justin Louis, David Blue, Brian J. Smith and Jamil Walker Smith in its upcoming original series Stargate Universe. The four join Robert Carlyle, who will play Dr. Nicholas Rush in the latest adventure in the Stargate franchise, which is produced by MGM television.

Production will begin in Vancouver, Canada, in February with an eye toward a fall premiere.

The relevant parts of the official SCI FI Channel press release:

JUSTIN LOUIS, DAVID BLUE, BRIAN J. SMITH AND JAMIL WALKER SMITH CAST IN SCI FI’S ‘STARGATE UNIVERSE’

New York, NY    January 16, 2009    SCI FI Channel has announced Justin Louis, David Blue, Brian J. Smith and Jamil Walker Smith will join the cast of the highly anticipated new original series Stargate Universe. The four will enlist alongside Robert Carlyle (Dr. Nicholas Rush) in the latest adventure in the Stargate franchise produced by MGM television. Production will begin in Vancouver in February 2009 with an eye toward a fall ‘09 premiere.

Edgier and younger in tone than the two previous series, SGU follows a band of soldiers, scientists and civilians, who must fend for themselves as they are forced through a Stargate when their hidden base comes under attack. The desperate survivors emerge aboard an ancient ship, which is locked on an unknown course and unable to return to Earth.

Justin Louis (Hidden Hills, The Fighting Fitzgeralds) will portray Colonel Everett Young, an experienced Stargate team leader. Married, with years of tough decisions under his belt, life has taught him never to take anything for granted. He stays on top of his team so they stay alive.

David Blue (Ugly Betty, Moonlight) stars as Eli Wallace, a total slacker, who just happens to be an utter genius with anything he puts his mind to – mathematics, computers, video games. A lack of confidence has left him with an acerbic sense of humor.

Brian J. Smith (The War Boys, Hate Crime) is Lt. Matthew Scott, a junior member of the Stargate team. Green and rough around the edges, he is thrust into the role of leader well before he’s ready for the responsibility and must learn to command, earn respect through action, and manage the diverse personalities aboard the ship.

Jamil Walker Smith (Waynehead, Sister, Sister) will portray Sr. Sgt. Ronald Greer, a Marine with a temper you don’t want to mess with. His past is mysterious but it’s clear something dark formed the hard shell around him.

Brad Wright and Robert Cooper, of Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis, will serve as executive producers and writers on the new series.

Stargate Universe will debut as a two-hour movie event on SCI FI and will be distributed by MGM Worldwide Television Distribution.

MGM has also finally posted the Stargate Universe casting news release to their website. JUSTIN LOUIS, DAVID BLUE, BRIAN J. SMITH AND JAMIL WALKER SMITH CAST IN SCI FI’S ‘STARGATE UNIVERSE’

So, where are the women?

We walked through Stage 4, the Destiny standing set, and it’s looking mighty impressive. And big! Over on Stage 5, it was a bittersweet stroll through what was once the SGC control room and briefing room.

Brad and Rob put out the revised Air two part opener. Paul has apparently finished his outline. I’m motoring along, hitting the sixteen page mark of the first part of the mid-season two-parter. I’ll be writing from home tomorrow as Brad and Rob are in meetings all day tomorrow as prep begins on Air I, II and III.

Of course, I take this to mean Destiny is the name of the ship the Stargate Universe characters are going to be trapped on, and I also take it to mean that the series opener is going to be a three-parter. I would assume the first two parts will be shown as a single 2-hour premier and the third part will be the first of the regular weekly installments. I could be wrong, but I doubt it since that’s the usual way of things on the Scifi Channel.

We couldn’t be more excited to set Robert Carlyle for Stargate Universe. He brings a depth, intelligence, and complexity to his roles, which will fit perfectly with the fresh, new reinvention of this franchise,” said Mark Stern, Executive Vice President, Original Programming for SCI FI & Co-Head Original Content, Universal Cable Productions.

The press release also gives some limited information about the role Carlyle will fill (Dr. David Rush). Emphasis mine. :-)

SGU follows a band of soldiers, scientists and civilians, who must fend for themselves as they are forced through a Stargate when their hidden base comes under attack. The desperate survivors emerge aboard an ancient ship missing in the far reaches of space. As they fight to survive, Dr. Rush (Carlyle) works to unlock the mysteries of the ship and return the group home, but evidence of his ulterior motives soon arises.

And there might be even more news soon, since “additional casting is currently underway.”

Have you watched Robert Carlyle in any other television or movie roles? What do you think about him as the lead on Stargate Universe? Let me know in the comments.

Interesting bits include the following!

“Universe will continue the Stargate legacy of vibrant storylines and compelling adventures, but will re-invent the format in a whole new way.”

This is particularly scary, because hey, I happen to like Stargate just the way it is. It makes me nervous when anyone starts talking about re-inventing something I love.

Wright and Cooper said: “In ‘Universe,’ we plan to keep those elements that have made the franchise a success, such as adventure and humour, while breaking new ground in the relationships between mostly young and desperate explorers, thrust together and far from home. Above all, we believe the Stargate itself remains an enduring icon with infinite potential as a jumping off point for telling stories.”

All I can say is please don’t give me a space opera. Although I enjoy Battlestar Galactica, the relationships between the characters wears me out when I watch. I need a regular dose of the more adventure-focused Stargate shows just to keep myself from getting bogged down by all those messy relationships.

The next bit was my favorite, because it gives a hint of what I might expect when Stargate Universe premieres.

After unlocking the mystery of the Stargate’s ninth chevron, a team of explorers travels to an unmanned starship called the Destiny, launched by The Ancients at the height of their civilization as a grand experiment set in motion, but never completed.

What starts as a simple reconnaissance turns into a never ending mission, as the Stargate Universe crew discovers the ship is unable to return to Earth, and they must now fend for themselves aboard the Destiny.

The crew will travel to the far reaches of the universe, connecting with each of the previously launched Stargates, thus fulfilling the Destiny’s original mission. Challenges will arise though as the ship comes into range of Stargates placed centuries ahead of the Destiny and the crew is unable to control the ship’s navigational schedule. If someone is left behind, there is no way to go back for them, adding to the drama of encountering new races, enemies and adventures.

Finally, the details, such as when Stargate Universe will debut and how.

Stargate Universe will debut as a two-hour movie event on SCI FI. Following its premiere, Universe will assume a regular hourly slot in Summer 2009.

Not that I didn’t expect a 2-hour premiere, but it’s nice to have it confirmed. :-)

Read the press release