"Stargate: Atlantis" (2004) TV series 2004-2009

User Rating:

8.4/10   

Creators:

Robert C. Cooper
Brad Wright

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

Release Date:

16 July 2004 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Drama | Sci-Fi | Adventure

Tagline:

A new gate will open. A lost city will rise again.

Plot:

An international team of scientists and military personnel discover a Stargate network in the Pegasus Galaxy and come face-to-face with a new, powerful enemy, The Wraith.

Plot Keywords:

Scientist | Military | Galaxy | Spaceship | Made For Cable TV

Awards:

Nominated for 3 Primetime Emmys. Another 16 wins & 31 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Sun. July 12	2:00 AM	CW	Be All My Sins Remember'd	#4.11
Sun. July 19	2:00 AM	CW	Spoils of War	#4.12

Cast

Joe Flanigan	...	Lt. Colonel John Sheppard / ... (99 episodes, 2004-2009)
Rachel Luttrell	...	Teyla Emmagan (99 episodes, 2004-2009)
David Hewlett	...	Dr. Rodney McKay (99 episodes, 2004-2009)
Jason Momoa	...	Ronon Dex (78 episodes, 2005-2009)
Torri Higginson	...	Dr. Elizabeth Weir (63 episodes, 2004-2008)
Paul McGillion	...	Dr. Carson Beckett (62 episodes, 2004-2009)
David Nykl	...	Dr. Radek Zelenka (54 episodes, 2004-2009)
Chuck Campbell	...	Chuck the Technician / ... (44 episodes, 2005-2009)

Also Known As:

"La porte d'Atlantis" (Canada: French title) (dubbed version)
"Stargåte: Atlåntis" (USA) (alternative spelling)
"Stargate: Atlantis" (USA: Spanish title)

Runtime:

USA:45 min (100 Episodes)

Country:

Canada | USA

Language:

English | Czech

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Certification:

Singapore:PG | New Zealand:M (season 1 - 4) | Australia:PG (some episodes) | Argentina:13 | Australia:M (some episodes) | USA:TV-G | USA:TV-PG | Canada:14A

Filming Locations:

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Company:

Sony Pictures Television

Trivia:

In the season 5 episode 20 "Enemy At The Gate", Colonel Samantha Carter mentions she'll be taking over control of the Daedalus-class ship, The Phoenix, which has been renamed The General Hammond. This is in honour of 'Don S. Davis'' character who, similar to 'Davis' himself, is mentioned to have died of a heart attack.

Quotes:

Maj. Lorne: I was hoping Lt. Ford would recognize a friendly face and turn himself in.
Dr. Rodney McKay: You mean me?
Maj. Lorne: Well, you were friends, weren't you?
Dr. Rodney McKay: Oh yeah, when we weren't out on harrowing missions, we used to hang out together. I'd share my dreams of self-sustaining fusion, he would talk about how you could sever a man's torso with a P-90.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Sci Fi Lowdown: Behind the Stargate - Secrets Revealed (2005) (TV)

Darker, funnier, better

An international expedition lead by Dr. Elizabeth Weir is set of through the Stargate into the Pegasus galaxy. They discover a threat far beyond anything encountered before. A race that destroyed the Ancients, the most developed race known to man.

As a big SG-1 fan I had my doubts that this spin-off would succeed in being close to SG-1. To my great surprise I found Atlantis better in many ways.

First there is a great well written story. They use the new galaxy for all it's worth. The casting is great. A nice mix of civilians and military. I find the characters here better then SG-1. David Hewlett and David Nykl make a perfect couple as Dr. McKay and Dr. Zelenka. And season two newcomer Ronon Dex is also turning out to be good as the quiet more mysterious type.

Atlantis is a lot darker then SG-1. It's one of the more darker sci-fi of it's kind I've seen and it works. Specially since the mood is so well captured. The cinematographers does a great job at that. However, at the same time it's dark, the show manage to have humor. I like that. They don't overdo it. It's a nice mix. It gives the show a kind of looser feeling. A feeling of that they don't take them selves all too seriously. That it one of the things I really like about the Stargate series.

The directing is also very good. The fact that the same directors and creative crew members work or has worked on both series gives the series much of the same qualities and they manage to stay somewhat in the same style without the one being a copy of the other.

Stargate Atlantis features some of the best special effects you find on television. The plain CGI sequences is very well made and when they mix CGI and real footage you can hardly tell the difference. There are also some pretty nice fight scenes. These are very well coordinated and well executed. The Wraith makeup and makeup through out the show is also nice done. So are the costumes.

As spin-offs have a tendency to might not be as good as the original Atlantis is on many points better then the original. This is a show you should catch if you get the chance.