Stargate Atlantis: Difference between revisions

Stargate Atlantis (often abbreviated as SGA) is an American-Canadian science fiction television program, part of the Stargate franchise owned by MGM. Developed by longtime SG-1 producers Brad Wright and Robert C. Cooper, it is a spin-off from the television series Stargate SG-1. It is filmed and produced in Canada.

Stargate Atlantis follows the adventures of a human expedition to the lost city of Atlantis in the Pegasus Galaxy. The Stargate has brought humanity into contact with other cultures, including new and powerful enemies: the Wraith, the Genii, and later the Asurans, all while trying to uncover the secrets the Ancients left behind.

Stargate Atlantis premiered on the US Sci Fi Channel on July 16, 2004 with "Rising", a movie-style two-part episode, that guest starred Richard Dean Anderson and Michael Shanks from Stargate SG-1. The series is currently broadcast in several countries around the world; in some places, such as Europe, Canada, Japan and Australia, the series is broadcast in HD. Season 4 premiered in the US on September 28, and in the UK on October 9, 2007. As of October 3, 2007 new episodes of "Stargate Atlantis" were aired in HD in the USA on the SCIFI Channel's new HD network, which was originally available only through DirecTV. As of December 11th, 2007 some Comcast customers began getting the network.

Stargate Atlantis was voted as the favorite sci-fi show during the 34th People's Choice Awards. It beat out shows such as Battlestar Galactica and Doctor Who for its winning spot.

When Stargate SG-1 producers, Brad Wright and Robert C. Cooper thought the series was going to end after season five, due to Showtime's announcement that they were canceling the show, they came up with the idea of making a new feature film. However, as the ratings on its new home at the Sci Fi Channel were quite good, the idea was pushed after season six and later, after season seven. Talk then began of a spin-off series and the producers were left with a serious dilemma, since the seventh season of Stargate SG-1 had been planned to lead up to the great discovery of the lost city of the Ancients, Atlantis. The Stargate SG-1 seventh season ending two part episode "Lost City," was supposed to be a bridge between Stargate SG-1 and a new spin-off, either a show or a movie, which was not planned to run at the same time as Stargate SG-1. Wright and Cooper rewrote the script as the two-part season seven finale, and moved the setting of the story. The city of Atlantis, originally planned to be on Earth under Antarctica in place of the SGC, was moved to the Pegasus Galaxy. The change was to prevent fans from wondering why Stargate Command would not come to help them, and also gave the producers the chance to start afresh and not be an identical copy of the original show.^[2]

The series received the green light on November 17, 2003 and started shooting in February 2004.^[2] It premiered on July 16 of the same year.

From the start, Wright and Cooper ruled out casting "star names", on the basis of the financial pressures they were already experiencing with "star names" on Stargate SG-1. The casting was made more complicated because Atlantis got the go-ahead in November, and had to compete with other networks during pilot season.^[2]

The character most difficult to cast was the then-called Dr. Ingram, an unexcitable scientist expert in the Stargate. As the first day of shooting drew nearer and they were unable to find the right actor, they came to realize they had brought in the wrong character. Longtime Stargate director Martin Wood and Brad Wright thought it should be Dr. Rodney McKay, who had already appeared in a guest role in three episodes of Stargate SG-1. Actor David Hewlett was contacted and arrived at the set the day after filming had started.^[2] Dr Ingram had already been written in to the pilot episode of the show and so the same script was used and the character's name simply changed to Dr McKay. Later scripts were written with Dr. McKay in mind.

Season 2 brought casting changes. The creators found themselves with a problem with the character of Lt. Aiden Ford (Rainbow Sun Francks), a first season regular that the producers, and the actor himself, felt had not worked as intended and was highly underused as a result. Unwilling to write him out, the writers came with an idea to make the character more important, but that downgraded him to recurring. To replace him, they created Ronon Dex as a sidekick for Lt. Col. John Sheppard, but finding an actor with the physical presence and the acting ability necessary was not easy until they saw Jason Momoa's tape.^[3] X-files veteran Mitch Pileggi was added to the cast in the recurring role of Col. Steven Caldwell.^[3] Paul McGillion's character, Dr. Carson Beckett, became a regular in season two.

Season 3 changed the cast lineup again. Paul McGillion's Dr. Carson Beckett was killed in episode 17, "Sunday", (though only temporarily, it appears, as Joe Mallozzi stated on April 9, 2007 that he will be bringing Beckett back, alive and well, in a 2-part episode in season 4). Amanda Tapping crossed from Stargate SG-1 for 14 episodes in Season 4, as the leader for the expedition,^[4] while Torri Higginson will become a recurring character.^[5]

Each season of Stargate: Atlantis features 20 episodes, and in the United States they are broadcast in two series of 10 episodes. The first 10 episodes air from mid-July to September in the United States, ending in the cliffhanger of a two-parter episode. The second half airs first in Canada, from November to January, ending also with a cliffhanger. In the United States, the second half aired from January to March during seasons 1 and 2, but season 3 aired from April to June 2007.

Stargate: Atlantis episodes feature a self-contained story that also contributes to the larger storyline of the war against the Wraith and their search for the means to destroy their enemy. Each season has also featured a two-parter episode, and a few episodes that, while not technically two-parters, had continued directly the story of the previous episode (for example, season 3 "Progeny" and "The Real World").

Each show begins with a cold open, sometimes preceded with a recap of events relevant to the upcoming narrative. The opening credits feature an original theme by Joel Goldsmith. Though they were drastically cut at the start of season 2, the full credits were recovered after the mid-season parter.

The show blends different types of approaches to science-fiction, from action to comedy.

Stargate Atlantis is shot at Bridge studios in Vancouver and on location in several places in British Columbia. The Pemberton Glacier doubled for Antarctica during the opening flying sequence in series premiere "Rising".^[6] Lynn Valley Canyon was, for example, where the episode "Instinct" was filmed.^[7]

Stargate Atlantis inherited Blade Trinity's effects stage. The Blade Trinity production gave the set to Stargate Atlantis to save the high cost of dismantling the massive construct. The set has appeared several times. For example, the walkway Sheppard walks in "The Storm" is the topmost part of the Blade Trinity set.^[8][9]

Stargate Atlantis is set in the city of Atlantis, on a planet called "Lantea" in the Pegasus galaxy, built millions of years ago by the most advanced race of the Stargate universe: the Ancients. Five to ten million years ago, due to a plague in the Milky Way Galaxy, they were forced to flee to a planet in the Pegasus Galaxy and there they seeded life on hundreds of worlds as they had done in the Milky Way. After encountering a powerful enemy known as the Wraith and going to war with them for more than one hundred years, the Ancients ultimately lost and were forced to submerge their city into the ocean (in order to hide from the Wraith), which, in the Stargate universe, is the source of the Greek myth of the Lost City of Atlantis.

The city of Atlantis hosts much of the action in the series and is the source of much of the technology which the characters employ. While trying to uncover the secrets the city still holds from her new human inhabitants, the Atlantis expedition also use the Stargate to explore the Pegasus galaxy, looking for energy sources and other technology that the Ancients may have left behind and that may help them defeat the Wraith.

The events of Stargate Atlantis follow the cliffhanger Stargate SG-1 seventh season finale "Lost City", where SG-1 found an outpost made by the race known as the Ancients in Antarctica. After the events of Stargate SG-1 season eight premiere "New Order", the Stargate Command sends an international team to investigate the outpost. Soon, Dr. Jackson discovers the location of the greatest city created by the Ancients, Atlantis.

As of Season 4, the city of Atlantis has been moved by the expedition to a new planet, currently designated M35-117, to avoid destruction at the hands of the Asurans.

Season 1 began airing in the United States on July 16, 2004. The Atlantis expedition, led by Dr. Weir, arrives to the city of the Ancients and quickly find themselves in a dire situation that forces them to seek new friends, the Athosians, but that also lands them with a powerful new enemy: the Wraith. Cut off from Earth, the expedition must survive in a new galaxy, while deciphering the Ancients' technology and finding a way to destroy the Wraith. Major Sheppard puts together a team consisting of himself, Dr. McKay, Lt. Ford and the Athosian leader Teyla, who serves as Atlantis first contact team. In one of their first missions, they make another enemy in the Genii, a human militaristic civilization with a 1950s level of technology. After they learn of several more revelations about the Wraith, Atlantis prepares to evacuate. But right before they can, a contingent from earth arrives with a way to help defend the city against the impending attack from the Wraith until their latest battleship can arrive. The season closes with a cliffhanger, as the Wraith continue their siege of the city.

Season 2 began airing in the United States on July 15, 2005 and it picked up just where season 1 ended. The Atlantis expedition successfully avoids being culled by the Wraith by making them believe Atlantis has been destroyed, and recover semi-regular contact with Earth thanks to the Daedalus and the new ZPM. Sheppard is promoted to Lt. Colonel and former Runner Ronon Dex replaces Lt. Ford, now MIA.

The central plot of this second season is the development of Dr. Beckett's retrovirus, which can, theoretically, turn a Wraith into a human. While an incomplete version makes a young Wraith girl lose all her humanity and almost turns Sheppard into an Iratus bug, a more developed version is tested in a living Wraith, "Michael", with mixed results. Michael's wraith faction proposes an alliance with Atlantis, but they betray the team. The season closes again with a cliffhanger - The Wraith on their way to Earth.

Season 3 premiered in the United States on July 14, 2006, picking up just where season 2 ended. Having stopped the Wraith from reaching Earth and having achieved another failure with the Wraith retrovirus, the expedition faces its third year in the Pegasus galaxy with the Wraith still a threat and a new powerful enemy bent on destroying the expedition and Atlantis: the Asurans. The situation becomes complicated when an experiment gone awry drains their only ZPM, leaving them without a power source for the city's shields. Soon thereafter, they find a lost Ancient vessel and subsequently lose the city of Atlantis when the crew of the Ancient ship reclaims it. The SGC sends General O'Neill and Richard Woolsey to try and negotiate an agreement between Earth and the Ancients to allow the expedition back in Atlantis. O'Neill and Woolsey dial Earth and inform them that the Asurans (self-replicating nanobots) are taking over the city. They kill off the Ancient crew who reclaimed the city after 10,000 years. The main members of the Atlantis expedition on Earth disobey the orders and go back to the city, rescue it, and destroy all the Asurans. The season finale starts off with Earth launching a first strike against the Asurans who are building an armada to attack Earth. The Asurans counterattack by attacking Atlantis by means of a powerful beam weapon fired through a satellite housing a Stargate. As the last resort, the Atlantis team fires up the city's stardrive and escapes into space. The finale ends when the hyperdrive malfunctions, leaving the city flying through uncharted space with a day's worth of energy left in their sole ZPM and Dr Weir critically injured.

Season 4 premiered in the US on September 28, 2007,^[10] and in the UK on October 9, 2007. The writers have stated that season 4 will take the series in a new direction. The future appears bleak with the incapacitation of Weir and multiple injuries among the senior members of the expedition. With the city damaged, running out of power and drifting in space, cut off from Earth, the Atlantis expedition has to rely on their own resourcefulness to save Atlantis, and by extension themselves, from death and destruction. Colonel Samantha Carter joins as a regular and acts as the expedition leader.^[11] She did appear in the episode "Lifeline" after helping to find and land Atlantis on its new home planet, however it is stated that she has been ordered back to the SGC at this point. In episode 3 however, under the IOA's orders, Carter returns to Atlantis as the new leader of the expedition. GateWorld reported on April 10, 2007 that Carson Beckett will return from the dead for at least three episodes of Season 4.^[12] Since then, that number has been reduced to two episodes, the third having been shelved for future consideration.^{[citation needed]} Acastus Kolya was scheduled to be in season 4, but according to the producers, "unfortunately, the episode in question had to be put on ice and possibly pushed to Season Five," (Joseph Mallozzi).^[13] Christopher Judge who portrays the character of Teal'c from Stargate SG-1 will be featured in two episodes during the course of the season. According to Joseph Mallozzi, the season will have some "light" moments, but on the whole the fourth season will be darker than its predecessors.

The SciFi Channel announced that Stargate Atlantis has been renewed for a fifth season, which began production in February 2008.^[14] Actors Joe Flanigan, Rachel Luttrell, Jason Momoa and David Hewlett have been confirmed to be returning for the fifth season, reprising their roles as Lt. Col. John Sheppard, Teyla Emmagan, Ronon Dex and Dr. Rodney McKay respectively. Due to the SciFi Channel's acquisition of the Sanctuary web-series, Amanda Tapping (Col. Samantha Carter) will not be a regular cast member in Season 5, but will return as a special guest star for "...several episodes."^[14] Actress Jewel Staite (Dr. Jennifer Keller) will be returning and has been promoted to series regular.^[15] The season will feature two new characters, Captain Alicia Vega (to be played by Leela Savasta) and Dr. Allison Porter. Captain Alicia Vega, who will be a new member of the Atlantis expedition's military contingent, will be introduced in the season opener "Search and Rescue" and Dr. Allison Porter will be introduced in episode 4 "Whispers". Although no official announcement has been given as of yet, it is however expected both characters will be of recurring status.^[16][17] Robert Picardo (Richard Woolsey) will join the show as a regular cast member and become the new commander of the Atlantis Expedition.^[18] The season will also see Paul McGillion (Dr. Carson Beckett) return for five episodes and Michael Shanks (Dr. Daniel Jackson) appear in at least two episodes.^[15] Despite earlier plans to have Torri Higginson (Dr. Elizabeth Weir) return for the season, Higginson will not be returning for the fifth season. According to executive producer Joseph Mallozzi, the actress has turned down an offer to guest star in the fifth season.^[19] During the course of the season a new race will be introduced and the show will celebrate the milestone of 100 episodes.^[14]

Stargate Atlantis employs an ensemble cast to portray the members of the multinational Atlantis expedition, their friends and enemies. Also, since season 2, some characters from sister series Stargate SG-1 appear in guest roles.

Regular characters:

Recurring characters:

Apart from the Terran (Tau'ri), humans from Earth who came to the Pegasus galaxy in search of the mythical city of Atlantis, where they now reside, the Pegasus galaxy is inhabited by several human civilizations. These civilizations are the result of the Ancients seeding several planets with human life upon their arrival in the Pegasus galaxy. Most of these planet's civilizations are pre-industrial, but a few have developed more advanced technology.

A formerly advanced turned pre-industrial civilization, the Athosians were the first Pegasus natives the Atlantis expedition encountered, just after arriving to Pegasus.^[20] Their planet was culled shortly thereafter, and they moved to Atlantis' mainland. Their leader, Teyla, stayed in Atlantis and became a member of Major Sheppard's team.

In one of the team's first missions, they meet the Genii, an advanced, militaristic culture with a technology level similar to mid-20th century Earth, that hide under the mask of simple, Amish-like farmers.^[21] They were at odds with the Atlantis expedition up until the "Coup D'etat", when they arrived at an uneasy truce.

Stargate Atlantis also features a number of non-human races. The most important are the two main enemies of the Ancients: the Wraith and the Asurans, though an Asgard and a Goa'uld (main races in sister series Stargate SG-1) are also featured.

Though long gone from this plane of existence, the influence of the Ancients (or Alterans) is felt deeply in the Stargate universe, for both good and bad. A highly technologically advanced race that once existed on Earth and other planets throughout the Milky Way Galaxy, the Ancients were the builders of the Stargates. Many million years ago, the Ancients travelled from Earth to a planet in the Pegasus Galaxy using their space faring city Atlantis. In Pegasus, after a long period of colonisation, they encountered an enemy, the Wraith (who had mutated as a result of some Ancients being attacked by a parasitic bug) who despite their inferior technology overwhelmed the Ancients with their strength of numbers. Besieged in Atlantis, the remaining Ancients submerged the city to prevent its technology from being exploited by the Wraith, before retreating to Earth, passing on not only the legend of Atlantis but also the gene that will be known as ATA gene to the humans of Earth.^[20]

A hive-based species that once drove the Ancients out of the Pegasus galaxy, the Wraith are the primary antagonists of the Atlantis expedition. They feed off the life force of humans following a regular feeding cycle. That cycle, however, was upset when Major John Sheppard accidentally awoke all the Wraith from hibernation about 50 years ahead of schedule. Having learned of a new feeding ground, Earth, the Wraith's main purpose is to find the way there through Atlantis.^[20]

First appearing in the episode "Progeny", the Asurans (which are similar to the Milky-Way Replicators) are another powerful enemy of the Atlanteans (although created by the Lanteans as weapons). They are artificial life forms that evolved from an Ancient experiment to create powerful and aggressive nanites to attack the Wraith on a cellular level.^[22] However, the microscopic creatures came together to form increasingly larger and more complex organisms, eventually imitating their creators to become human in appearance. When the Ancients realized their experiment had gotten out of hand, they attacked this new race with their fleet of warships and nearly wiped them out. The Atlantis expedition became their enemies when they learned that the humans from Earth were descendants of the Ancients and living in Atlantis.

In late 2005, Fandemonium Press, which also publishes Stargate SG-1 books, launched a new series of books based on Stargate Atlantis. These books are available in all English-speaking countries and through online bookstores.

The official Stargate Magazine, produced by Titan Publishing, began publishing short stories written by Fandemonium authors in their 8th issue. The stories alternate between both SG-1 and Atlantis.

Stargate Atlantis Official Companions are published by Titan Books.

• Stargate Atlantis: The Official Companion Season 1 by Sharon Gosling.
• Stargate Atlantis: The Official Companion Season 2 by Sharon Gosling.
• Stargate Atlantis: The Official Companion Season 3 by Sharon Gosling.

In 2006, Avatar Press launched a series of comics based on Stargate Atlantis. Set in season 1, Wraithfall features story by Stewart Moore and art by Mauricio Melo. In this story, the Atlantis team meets the Karrans, a race that has made a bizarre deal with the Wraith.

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Stargate Atlantis features a symphonic orchestra soundtrack composed by Joel Goldsmith. Goldsmith's first task for the series was to compose the main title song, which was nominated for the Outstanding Main Title Theme Music Emmy award in 2005. When composing the music, Goldsmith went for a more pastoral, European and Americana approach, while keeping the adventurous, symphonic approach the producers wanted.^[23] Goldsmith's score for season 2 episode "Grace Under Pressure" was nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Music Composition For A Series (Dramatic Underscore) in 2006.^[24]

On November 22, 2005, Varèse Sarabande Records released the Stargate Atlantis Original Television Soundtrack CD. It contains 16 tracks, all from the series pilot "Rising", with a total running time of 42:18.

Wikiquote has quotations related to Stargate Atlantis.

Official sites

• MGM: Stargate Atlantis
• SCI FI: Stargate Atlantis

Miscellaneous sites

• Stargate Atlantis at IMDb
• Stargate Atlantis episode guide at GateWorld
• Template:Tv.com show