TV episodes review
US airdate 2 October 2009 (episodes 1 & 2); 9 October 2009 (episode 3)
UK airdate 6 October 2009 (episode 1 & 2); 13 October 2009 (episode 3) (Sky 1)

A large group of people emerges from a stargate, falling over each other in the rush to escape from whatever is pursuing them. Medic Tamara Johansen struggles to deal with the injured, including the commander Everett Young. His 1st Lieutenant Matthew Scott takes control, attempting to manage the situation and reassure the politicians and civilians, including a representative of the stargate oversight committee, a US senator and his daughter, and a young computer geek. And rising above it all is scientist Nicholas Rush who appears to be relishing the crisis and has ideas of his own for taking charge. And discovering that they are aboard an abandoned and damaged ancient ship several billion light years from Earth is the least of their problems…

Thus the new series in the Stargate franchises opens with a bang. The first two parts of the opening story (shown as a double length episode) proceed to tell the backstory and scene setting for the show via flashbacks.

While this is now a staple narrative structure of genre television, here it seems anything but forced. The characters’ stories and events that led to the escape unfold at a super-fast pace that engages and intrigues This is a ‘down and dirty’ version of Stargate, with more than a hint or two of sex and violence. It suggests the series might well be a whole new, grown up Stargate – and while Battlestar Galactica is undoubtedly an influence, this is no bad thing.

What is most refreshing in terms of a Stargate series is that the characters here are so raw; they are conflicted, duplicitous, arrogant, antagonistic, unsure of themselves, like fish out of water and even confused. One character who at first seems a walking stereotype suddenly becomes self-sacrificing; there’s an antagonism between two opposing characters that seems unlikely to be resolved easily; and another character is clearly delineated as a ‘bad guy’ but offers skills that can benefit the group.

It only serves to whet the appetite and raise expectations further. The third part of the story certainly provides evidence for this. The first planet they get to visit is very unlike the usual Stargate planets, and the characters appear even more well-rounded as they continue to act in their own best interests even as they come together to solve a problem.

Overall, this gets far enough away from the Stargate style to reinvigorate the franchise, though it has to be acknowledged that this might take some getting used to by fans. There is little exposition here, taking knowledge of the Stargate universe for granted; appearances by Carter, Jackson and O’Neill, the use of communication stones, references to the Lucian Alliance and so forth are presented without fuss.

This is obviously written for the fan audience, but it’s easily accessible for everyone. It may take a bit longer for the characters and settings to bed in fully, but overall this is all neatly worked together, is exciting stuff, and makes for a great start to the show. Brigid Cherry

VERDICT: 9/10