2014-07-12

It's been 10 years since the second Stargate series first aired, it was on July 16, 2004. It was a slightly different kind of Stargate but with a lot of similarities. The first Stargate series, SG1, started in 1997, it became quite successful, so successful the creators and MGM wanted a spin-off Series. That became Atlantis as everybody knows. Atlantis is set in a different galaxy, the Pegasus galaxy, with mainly new aliens, like the Wraith, a truly vicious alien race, not a race which became more docile as the years went by, like the Borg in Star Trek: Voyager.

Like it's predecessor, Atlantis became, for a large part, so successful because of the strong main cast. Joe Flanagan as John Sheppard, basically the hero type, David Hewlett as Rodney McKay, either you love him or you hate him, no in between possible. I love him. Rachel Luttrel as Teyla, Tori Higginson as Dr Elizabeth Weir, I really thought she did okay, did not want to see her go at the end of the third season. Rainbow Sun Francks as Aiden Ford, whom was replaced by Jason Momoa as Ronon Dex.

I have to say the character Aiden Ford did not really interest me, so for me, and I think a lot of fans with me, did not really mind Ford being replaced by Ronon Dex. Last one of course is doctor Carson Beckett, played by Paul McGillion. Later on of course Dr Elizabeth Weir first was replaced by Amanda Tapping's character Sam Carter and she was replaced by a former SG-1/SGA recurring character Richard Woolsey, played by Robert Picardo. Dr Carson Beckett was replaced by Dr. Jennifer Keller played by Jewel Staite.

Later on in the series a lot of recurring cast were added which also enriched the story in the same way it was the case with Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Characters like Michael (Connor Trineer), Zelenka (David Nykl), Colonel Steven Caldwell (Mitch Pileggi) Major Evan Lorne (Kavan Smith) and of coure Wraith Todd, played by Christopher Heyerdahl.

I have to admit, Stargate Atlantis, for me, was a TV Series which I had to get used to. When I first watched it, I liked it but at that time it wasn't in the same league as it's predecessor Stargate SG-1. Over time however this has changed, I've re-watched Atlantis a few times now and I can honestly say I now favour it over Stargate SG-1! Why do I like Stargate Atlantis so much, even more than SG-1. Well for one, the Wraith were much more interesting and frightening to me than the Goa'uld have ever been. I really like the camaraderie between McKay and Sheppard, McKay is annoyingly fantastic. Of course the cross-over episodes are also the icing on the cake.

What sucks of course is the fact that Atlantis never really got closure. MGM and the creators were planning on a movie or several movies while Stargate Universe was running. The economic crisis put a stop to those plans unfortunately. It has been five years since Atlantis was "cancelled", so little or no chance we will ever see a (TV) movie to wrap things up. Novels have been released and they do continue where the TV Series left of but I myself have not (yet) read any of them. Perhaps I will do so in the future.

Atlantis is one of my favourite TV Series of all time, will start re-watching it this year or in the beginning of 2015. For anyone who's never seen Atlantis, it's a really fun Series, with interesting characters and a lot exciting stories. It does not take itself so seriously but of course there are a lot of compelling stories, great drama, spaceships, everything a sci-fi fan desires. Although it does help but it's not really necessary to have seen Stargate SG-1 to be able to understand what is going on.

Source Screencaps: GateWorld.net