The Stargate franchise is one I have heard of for many years, but I don't recall ever really seeing it on television growing up. Often that area of science-fiction that is placed alongside the likes of Star Trek and other low budget sci-fi series that ultimately share the same general science-fiction roots: the political sphere of intergalactic humanity, the personal struggles of ship workers and the many stories and lessons they manage to learn from exploring new places, each with different lifeforms (that all somehow speak English, of course). I actually have quite a soft spot for such shows, they're cheap in almost every capacity, but highly enjoyable to watch, easy to relax to, and still have their own unique themes that make them interesting. Not entirely serious in the themes, not overly pushing any agenda. But just enough to give you some drama between the characters, that even spans into the realm of character development.
Star Trek is highly known for this, and really what made it famous. So it's no surprise that Stargate follows in that direction, taking inspiration from the low cost of production, and the science-fiction fanbase that always wants more. Truthfully, I haven't really seen much of the Stargate franchise at all, I know it originally aired in the 90s, but I am yet to start from there. Something I'm probably failing with, but to again refer to Star Trek, my introduction to that certainly wasn't from the very start either, instead it was with the ever-popular The Next Generation series, which served almost as a gateway into the rest of the franchise, having hooked me in. I feel this is the same thing that is happening with Stargate: Atlantis. And so far, I'm really digging it.
This post won't contain any spoilers, so don't worry. This is a first impressions post and I'm too early into the show to know any major events that could be ruined by mentioning.
Stargate: Atlantis
Despite the first Stargate series airing in 1994, it seems the franchise was actually kickstarted with a film in the same year. The film initiated the typical conspiracy idea that Ancient Egypt held mysterious clues to the universe, in which their hieroglyphics actually contained information that activates a, well, Stargate. This of course gives humanity deep access to worlds beyond Earth. In this regard it seems a little more deeper on the science-fiction, a bit more hard. And with a plot that seems to differentiate it from the likes of the Star Trek franchise. Stargate: Atlantis takes place a lot later than the film, instead focusing on a smaller, more specific time period long after the discovery. With military influence leading Stargate missions, they're tasked with the challenges that are faced when confronted with enemies, not necessarily friendly interactions.
The show stated to air in 2004, and it's pretty clear that it has that earlier 2000s appeal. Mostly evident in the visual effects and the set design, as filmmaking moved away from the realm of 35mm film productions for television and adapted to the easier, cheaper technology of digital cameras. Sometimes I don't really like how this looks, the earlier digital side of things is quite ugly when it comes to lighting and set design, making things really look fake and cheap. But for a show like Stargate, you sort of accept and expect it. Knowing that the set design and visuals are never meant to be anything impressive, instead focusing on the ability to construct a universe and fill it with interesting, diverse characters.
For a military focused show, this can seem a bit like a struggle, perhaps a bit too serious. Though I haven't really felt that with the show so far, the characters seem interesting and varied enough. And the more alien aspects of the character design are quite impressive, certainly with more attention than the set designs. To give you a general idea of what to expect from Stargate: Atlantis, this is a show that was produced by the network Sci-Fi, though these days everyone knows them as the infamous Syfy channel, which was once home to the cheapest science-fiction productions imaginable. But for the year of 2004, Stargate: Atlantis really shines above all else that the channel threw out.
The main drama from this series seems to be with a threat known as the Wraith, of course this is all new to me and perhaps where I should've started watching from another point, but it doesn't seem like I'm missing out too much from here. This force seems to be something that is threatening civilisations and causing genocides, leading to the necessary intervention from the human military as a means to protect Atlantis. There's definitely quite a lot to take in, but that's where the strong world building shines, with plenty of depth. Typical science-fiction fun! Immersive, engaging, and a whole lot you can miss and will want to read up on later.
Sometimes the acting and camera angles seem a bit cheesy, I actually kinda like it for this. Even in the moments where the drama seems more serious, it is still very much lighthearted, far from super serious and still with some humour. It often feels a little theatrical in a way, as if the actors were pulled from stage plays without experience for television. This was actually often the case for a lot of television in that era, where the "real" actors worked on huge blockbuster titles, and the little stage actors would try their hands at a breakthrough with the smaller side of television production; certainly with less budgets than we see in television production today.
A plus to this is that the actors are new. You likely haven't seen them elsewhere before. With this, you have nothing to previously attach them to, and see them as the characters they're performing as. Even if sometimes it is a little funny when it shouldn't be. And despite all the cheap sides to it, the show still ensures it utilises real locations when it can, using special effects sparingly, not relying on it when it isn't needed. Real locations to pursue the idea of the team moving around. Encountering different areas and challenges.
I'm pretty curious as to where the show will continue going, and how the idea of the Stargate continues to unfold. Especially in the other series of which I now feel I absolutely have to check out. I'm glad that this isn't clearly heavily influenced by other science-fiction franchises; it still has its similarities, but it certainly stands on its own two feet. To be honest, part of me always kept the show afar, not really thinking I'd ever enjoy it. That perhaps it was too much even for me. Well, I was definitely wrong. Stargate has a new fan!
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