Stargate - Where to start?

[Dubious Pie]

My various nerd-buddies have been saying how awesome Stargate is, but they never say where to start, and they can never agree when I ask. Anyone mind catapulting me in the right direction.

[The_Admiral]

The first movie then SG1

[Jallorn]

Start with the movie, it's not as good as the show, and you should watch it at some point, so it's best to start with the low and move up to the high.

It is good though, just not as good.

[PirateMonk]

What the other people said. You could just start with SG-1, but the first few episodes will make somewhat more sense if you see the movie first.

[thegurullamen]

Movie, then season 1 of SG1. Though you may want to skip "Emancipation", if you're not a fan of Author On Board or Anvilicious feminist points. It's the episode that almost put me off the show entirely but thankfully it's not indicative of the quality of the episodes that come after it.

[king.com]

Movie, then season 1 of SG1. Though you may want to skip "Emancipation", if you're not a fan of Author On Board or Anvilicious feminist points. It's the episode that almost put me off the show entirely but thankfully it's not indicative of the quality of the episodes that come after it.

Is that the Mongol one? If so...yea its one thats definitely skippable but in their defence, first season was an experiment to see which way the show goes, thankfully they chose to avoid the "a moral a day keeps the doctor away" route.

Go Movie, Sg-1 season 1-7, Stargate Atlantis at the same time as Sg-1 season 8-10 (lots of good crossover stuff happens so watching the two can inform you as to whats going on). Universe im going to say dont worry about at this stage.

[Grumman]

I'd say definitely watch the movie, the first 8 series of SG1 and the first few series of SGA. Anything after that is optional.

[Susano-wo]

the movie was amazing!

Can't comment too mcuh on the show...I've only seen smatterings here and there and the first ep. (though some things bug me, since I fell that they are, t best shoehorned into the established 'canon' of the movie)

[FoE]

Keep in mind there are some differences between the movie and Stargate-SG1. The mythology got fleshed out a bit for the series. For example, you might take away from the movie that Ra was an alien who appeared as a human, but the TV series establishes that his race are actually parasites placed in human hosts. Also, the Ra in the movie commands pitifully few Jaffa warriors in comparison to other System Lords in the series.

[Susano-wo]

Keep in mind there are some differences between the movie and Stargate-SG1. The mythology got fleshed out a bit bastardized for the series. For example, you might take away from the movie that Ra was an alien who appeared as a human, but the TV series establishes that his race are actually parasites placed in human hosts. Also, the Ra in the movie commands pitifully few Jaffa warriors in comparison to other System Lords in the series.

fixed it :P

[Platinum_Mongoose]

I jumped in with Universe when it appeared on Netflix Instant, and am currently enjoying season 2 as it airs. My interest in the franchise piqued, I started in on Atlantis, and the difference in production values is... startling, to say the least. The main Atlantis city set reeks of stock low-budget pulp sci-fi, whereas the Destiny sets in Universe are gorgeous Star-Wars-y, vaguely steampunk spaceship interiors. Atlantis is redeemed, however, by Dr. McKay's awesomeness. (It should probably just be called The Dr. McKay Show.)

[Prime32]

I jumped in with Universe when it appeared on Netflix Instant, and am currently enjoying season 2 as it airs. My interest in the franchise piqued, I started in on Atlantis, and the difference in production values is... startling, to say the least. The main Atlantis city set reeks of stock low-budget pulp sci-fi, whereas the Destiny sets in Universe are gorgeous Star-Wars-y, vaguely steampunk spaceship interiors. Atlantis is redeemed, however, by Dr. McKay's awesomeness. (It should probably just be called The Dr. McKay Show.)SG-1 is regarded as the best of them.

[AlterForm]

I jumped in with Universe when it appeared on Netflix Instant, and am currently enjoying season 2 as it airs. My interest in the franchise piqued, I started in on Atlantis, and the difference in production values is... startling, to say the least. The main Atlantis city set reeks of stock low-budget pulp sci-fi, whereas the Destiny sets in Universe are gorgeous Star-Wars-y, vaguely steampunk spaceship interiors. Atlantis is redeemed, however, by Dr. McKay's awesomeness. (It should probably just be called The Dr. McKay Show.)

Are all of the season 2 episodes of Universe still up on Netflix? I didn't bring a TV to college and can't be bothered to try to reserve/use the dorm's communal TV, so being able to watch episodes online whenever I want (as well as other shows, and in 720p, maybe? maybe?) would be worth 8 bucks a month, IMO, since Hulu pushed their streams of them back a full month. :smallannoyed:

[Jallorn]

I don't like SGU, and have stopped watching it. I feel it to be a little too much of a jump in style from the other series. The premise is sound, but the characters are all rather... angsty. That's just how I see it, however, and I have a friend who loves it. Just my two cents on the matter.

Actually, the only character I like tends to get bashed rather heavily by fans of the show.

[Creed]

The first movie then SG1

Yes. Even though the first movie is better than the entire series combined.
:smalltongue:
"...I'm never going to get paid...":smalltongue:

[Platinum_Mongoose]

SG-1 is regarded as the best of them.

I saw most of season 1, and did not care for it. I hear it gets better, though. I may try starting at whichever season overlaps with Atlantis.


Are all of the season 2 episodes of Universe still up on Netflix? I didn't bring a TV to college and can't be bothered to try to reserve/use the dorm's communal TV, so being able to watch episodes online whenever I want (as well as other shows, and in 720p, maybe? maybe?) would be worth 8 bucks a month, IMO, since Hulu pushed their streams of them back a full month. :smallannoyed:

Season 2 is still airing on tv. If you mean season "1.5," then yes, I believe it is still on Netflix.

[AlterForm]

Season 2 is still airing on tv. If you mean season "1.5," then yes, I believe it is still on Netflix.

Wow, did I read that wrong. Wishful thinking, maybe . . .

:smallsigh: Fine, I'll just wait until they all go up on Hulu. Have myself a little Stargate week when that happens.

[Calmar]

Also, the Ra in the movie commands pitifully few Jaffa warriors in comparison to other System Lords in the series.

I guess there's no such thing as a Jaffa in the movie. The dudes in the costumes are probably supposed to be the entirety of the Egyptian gods.

http://www.beahottie.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/jaffa-cakes.jpg

[Grumman]

I saw most of season 1, and did not care for it. I hear it gets better, though. I may try starting at whichever season overlaps with Atlantis.
Season Four has some of the best standalone episodes in the series. Watch Upgrades or Window of Opportunity, and you'll understand why we like the show.

[Prime32]

I saw most of season 1, and did not care for it. I hear it gets better, though. I may try starting at whichever season overlaps with Atlantis.The series ran for 10 years, so...
Yeah, they actually parody parts of season 1 later on.

And McKay debuts a good while before Atlantis. Dr. Weir shows up too, but she's played by a different actress.

Agreed that McCay is the best part of Atlantis, because after a while the other protagonists seem to be of the mindset "They're friendly, but they're vaguely associated with the enemy! Let's mindrape them, blow them up and pee on their graves!" (WTF writing staff)

[Lord of the Helms]

Watch the movie, and be done with it. I tried watching SG1 on and off for various seasons, but was generally steadily disappointed nad just kind of drifted out after they introduced the Replicators, and at some point Daniel became an "ascended" angel-like being or...something. Just didn't work for me.

The movie is a nice flick for what it's worth.

[Platinum_Mongoose]

The series ran for 10 years, so...


Ahem. Smallville. "Oh, come on. It's in its 10th season, they must be doing something riiiiiiOH GOD THE PAIN IT'S PAINFUL."

[Mordaenor]

Start with the movie, definitely. The difference for me between the movie and SG-1 is the series seemed to target a slightly more sci-fi (geekier, for lack of a better word) fan base. Its kind of the difference between Star Trek (SG-1) and Indiana Jones (Stargate Movie). And I know, someones going to object to that, but its the best way I can put it. Personally, I liked the movie best. I has also always bothered that Abydos (the planet in the movie) is apparently the only planet in the galaxy universe that they don't speak English, but I can't really fault the writers not wanting to spend every episode learning the local language. For the record, the writers of the Stargate Movie had ZERO involvment in the making of the series, which accounts I think for a lot of the differences. I like SGU, as long as I don't think of it as an SG1 spin-off. Honestly, in terms of film style and writing, it has way more in common with Battlestar Galactica.

[Kuma Kode]

The movie and then SG-1. As people have said, the movie and the first season are kinda rocky, but that's the standard grace period for a new show. The show goes through some changes over its 10 year history but they are generally worth going through.

Stargate Atlantis had 3 years of overlap with SG-1, but it was canceled on its fifth season due to high production costs, contrary to what another poster has indicated about a low-quality set. As that poster said, Dr. McKay really makes that show.

Stargate Universe is a good show, but as has been said, it shares more with Battlestar Galactica than it does the previous incarnations of Stargate. It's not quite as grimdark as BSG, though. So long as you go in knowing it's a character-focused drama rather than a sci-fi action adventure, you won't have too much trouble getting into it.

Because of tie-ins, that's also the order you should probably watch them, if you plan on getting into the franchise. Note that each series has a somewhat different feel, so if you don't like one, that doesn't necessarily mean you won't like the others.

[Prime32]

Ahem. Smallville. "Oh, come on. It's in its 10th season, they must be doing something riiiiiiOH GOD THE PAIN IT'S PAINFUL."Not what I meant, just that it had plenty of time to change.

[Syka]

Ya know, I've seen smatterings and never really got into SG-1. Boyfriend loves it, I'm just kinda "meh" about it. Watched part of the movie and enjoyed it, though. I'll watch episodes of Atlantis just for McKay (yay! I heart him) but not if something else I like is on.

SGU I watch every week, though. It's a totally different show than the other two SG series'. It's not I don't like Sci-Fi, but I like character driven sci-fi and SGU seems to hit that more (for me) than SG1 or SGA. It's also darker, a bit grittier, and I think most of the characters are actually pretty well characterized. I don't like pretty happy shiny shows, in general, and that's the feel I got off of the first two series' (I could be wrong, though).

Plus with SGU you don't have a bajillion episodes to wade through. :smallbiggrin:

Jallorn, you like Chloe? She's the only one I've heard pretty universally be hated. I've heard a few dislike Greer, but not like the Chloe-hate I see, lol.

[Prime32]

Plus with SGU you don't have a bajillion episodes to wade through. :smallbiggrin:I don't understand it when this is brought up as a point. If you like the show, then more episodes = more enjoyment. :smallconfused:

[The Big Dice]

I don't understand it when this is brought up as a point. If you like the show, then more episodes = more enjoyment. :smallconfused:

To a point, yes. But then you hit the wall. That point where you've watched so much of a show that you just don't care anymore and can't force yourself to watch any more. I usually get it after 3-5 seasons of constant viewing.

[Susano-wo]

There's also the inertia factor. Gee, I'd love to get into such and such, but to even get current, I'd have to watch 5plus seasons...its just so much time. I guess I'll post on forums instead :smallamused:

I never got the impression that the warriors in Stargate were other gods, but that would make sense. I had always just figured them to represent generic animal headed divine servants...I wonder if those existed in the mythology...I can't recal any angel analog in Egyptian myth...

[Prime32]

I never got the impression that the warriors in Stargate were other gods, but that would make sense. I had always just figured them to represent generic animal headed divine servants...I wonder if those existed in the mythology...I can't recal any angel analog in Egyptian myth...No, they weren't other gods. The plot of SG-1 kicks off when the other gods notice what happened to Ra.

Little-known fact: Originally their retaliation was going to be another movie. Called Independence Day... In the end the ties to Stargate were cut though.

[Susano-wo]

No, they weren't other gods. The plot of SG-1 kicks off when the other gods notice what happened to Ra.

Little-known fact: Originally their retaliation was going to be another movie. Called Independence Day... In the end the ties to Stargate were cut though.

SOrry, let me be clear. I was talking about the movie. hm, how to say this diplomatically...Im not saying anything against SG-1's story/continuity, but its kinda seperate when determining what actually happens in the movie.

IN other words, I wasn't pondering what the sgiverse says about it, just whether they were or weren't intended to represent the pantheon within the Movie

[Eldonauran]

I absolutely recommend starting with the movie and moving on to SG-1. I own the collector's boxset for Stargate SG-1 (yay for all 10 seasons in one HUGE box). I took me FOREVER to watch all of it.

I started watching Atlantis but kind of tappered off. Which reminds me to finish that up.

Not too much of a fan of Universe at this point. The pure, shallowly veiled power plays amoungst certain people and the general politics of the show are wearing me down. I hate that kind of drama. Got to the point that I refused to watch the last 3 episodes of season 1 until season 2 came out. Disgusting. However, one a good note, I am like Ronald Greer more and more as season 2 progresses.

[101jir]

I don't know anything about the movie or SG-1, I jumped in on Star Gate Atlantis. I am up to season 1 Poisoning the Well. I will go out on a limb, even though I don't know what SG-1 and the movie are like, and say it is OK to start with SGA and later watch SG-1 and the movie as prequels. I had no problem with following SGA, although others in my family did. The aliens, except for the Wraith, are very much human, so don't expect to many wierd creatures. This is the first time I found out how the whole thing got started, and I might see the movie sometime.
On the talk about Mackay, he reminds me A LOT of Scotty on the origanal Star Trek. Correct me if I am wrong, but he appears to be based almost entirely off of Scotty, except with some significant improvments.

[FoE]

People think the movie is better than the TV series? Really?

I've seen the movie a couple of times as a teen and an adult and it's really just "okay." It's memorable because of the whole "aliens as Egyptian gods" thing, which hadn't really been done before, but it's kind of underwhelming as an action movie.

The series is far more enjoyable. Sure, there are a few bad episodes and it should have stopped at the end of Season 8, but on the whole Stargate's a great show.

[Jallorn]

Ya know, I've seen smatterings and never really got into SG-1. Boyfriend loves it, I'm just kinda "meh" about it. Watched part of the movie and enjoyed it, though. I'll watch episodes of Atlantis just for McKay (yay! I heart him) but not if something else I like is on.

SGU I watch every week, though. It's a totally different show than the other two SG series'. It's not I don't like Sci-Fi, but I like character driven sci-fi and SGU seems to hit that more (for me) than SG1 or SGA. It's also darker, a bit grittier, and I think most of the characters are actually pretty well characterized. I don't like pretty happy shiny shows, in general, and that's the feel I got off of the first two series' (I could be wrong, though).

Plus with SGU you don't have a bajillion episodes to wade through. :smallbiggrin:

Jallorn, you like Chloe? She's the only one I've heard pretty universally be hated. I've heard a few dislike Greer, but not like the Chloe-hate I see, lol.

No, I dislike Chloe too. I like... oh, what's his name... the ascended fanboy.

To expand on why I dislike SGU, it not only feels like it's not SG, it also doesn't feel terribly realistic to me. I just don't believe most of the characters' motivations.

[Hunter Noventa]

I guess there's no such thing as a Jaffa in the movie. The dudes in the costumes are probably supposed to be the entirety of the Egyptian gods.

http://www.beahottie.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/jaffa-cakes.jpg

Jaffa, CAKE!

My girlfriend and I laugh at those int eh store all the time. But I agree, start with the movie, then move to SG-1

[Syka]

No, I dislike Chloe too. I like... oh, what's his name... the ascended fanboy.

To expand on why I dislike SGU, it not only feels like it's not SG, it also doesn't feel terribly realistic to me. I just don't believe most of the characters' motivations.

OK, yeah. Makes sense. I'm more neutral about Eli. Sometimes I like him, most the time he's just kinda of there (see below).


Not too much of a fan of Universe at this point. The pure, shallowly veiled power plays amoungst certain people and the general politics of the show are wearing me down. I hate that kind of drama. Got to the point that I refused to watch the last 3 episodes of season 1 until season 2 came out. Disgusting. However, one a good note, I am like Ronald Greer more and more as season 2 progresses.

Despite the character's humble beginnings in the series, I think Greer is easily the most complicated character on the show. He's a military man through and through, but he's so much more. We've seen him evolve from just being brusque to joking with the crew and being less 'on duty military'. At the same time, he's simple. You know his motivations, and he acts consistently. Despite getting more of the other character's backgrounds, Greer is the one who seems the most real to me.

Most of the other characters I'm so-so on, except Chloe and James. Chloe I hate with a passion, James looks like she could be a wonderful character if they let her develop past the UST with Scott.