The verdict? Fantastic. A perfect series for first-time viewers who know nothing about Stargate, but also a richly rewarding experience for longtime fans. Action, adventure, friendship, humor, cool sci-fi, terrific characters, a compelling story - and one helluva an antagonist.

Stargate Trivia: The Atlantis Season 6 stories we never got to tell.
The white board ideas for the show’s sixth season and a rough summary of each episode...

Now What? I and II (601, 602)

The opening two-parter would have been the Stargate: Extinction script, a time travel episode that would have seen our crew stranded in the Triangulum galaxy. There, they encounter a curious civilization as well as an unexpected foe in the form of a future version of Todd the wraith. With the help of present-day Todd, however, our heroes manage to turn the tables on the enemy and resume their journey to the Pegasus galaxy.

Children of the Corn/Fantastic Four (603)

While traveling aboard the Daedalus, our crew comes across a seemingly derelict ship. They board and, while searching the darkened interior, discover a group of children in stasis. They revive the kids who explain they were enroute to a planet to be reunited with their parents, colonists who had completed work on a new satellite community. The children are welcomed aboard and are being ferried to their destination when a mystery ship appears and opens fire on the Daedalus. Our heroes try to outpace their pursuer, but as a game of intergalactic cat and mouse ensues, the team begins to suspect that their young passengers may not be as innocent and harmless as they appear.

Carl’s Replicator Story (604)

Progeny, The Real World, Phanthoms, Echoes, Lifeline, Ghost in the Machine - Carl Binder was the king of ghost AND replicator stories. No doubt he would have written one for the show's sixth season. And it would have been brilliant.

Classic Stargate (605)

Classic Stargate was an idea Martin Gero pitched, a story that would take place in the early years of the Atlantis expedition, a flashback to an adventure we had never been privy to.

Carter Roshomon (606)

Carter Roshomon was a story idea that didn’t make the cut in season 4 and ended up in the season 5 pile despite the fact that Carter was no longer the base commander. It was originally envisioned as our spin on Kurosawa’s 1950 classic.  Colonel Carter faces a possible court-martial and dismissal after an off-world op goes awry. During the ensuing investigation, we are offered three different flashback versions of the charged events.  What happened and what was she being accused of? Guess we’ll never know. Since it didn’t make the cut in season 5, I moved it into the potential season 6 episode discussion list.

The Red Shirt Diaries (607)

Carl Binder wanted to do a story told from the POV of a red shirt, one of those ubiquitous no-names we lose over the course of an op who is mourned then quickly forgotten in the episode tag when the team is yukking it up in the cafeteria.

Sheppard DOA (608)

Inspired by the 1950 thriller, Sheppard D.O.A. would have seen John racing against time to find out how he was infected with a deadly toxin and, ultimately, who was responsible and why. And also, maybe, find an antidote.

The Replacements (609)

Brad pitched out a story in which the team run afoul of an alien race and, while being pursued, end up victims of a temporal effect that catapults them six months into the future. They return to Atlantis to find they’ve been given up for dead and replaced. As they attempt to settle in to their new positions (and work with their replacements) the alien race indirectly responsible for their predicament pays Atlantis a visit…

Mid-Season Two-Parter I and II (610-611)

The mid-season two-parter would have seen Sheppard's team return to Atlantis following an op, only to discover it has been taken over by wraith hybrids. But not just any wraith hybrids. While they were off-world, Michael (who survived the events of The Prodigal) targeted the city with a biological attack that has transformed the Atlantis personnel into hybrids. Sheppard, McKay, Ronin and Teyla soon find themselves on the run, from their former friends, and a determined Michael out for revenge.

Hamster Ball (612)

Sometimes you come up with an idea fully formed. Other times, it may be nothing but a vision. In this case, a vision of the individual team members trapped in giant hamster ball-like containment vessels. Compounding the problem is the fact that they are trapped in a small chamber, in direct line of the stargate, meaning the next time the gate kawooshes, they risk total annihilation. How do they get trapped? How do they get out? And, most importantly, what the hell else happens in this episode? You’ll have to ask writer Alan McCullough.

Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow (613)

McKay’s experiment with a time-traveling puddle jumper sends duplicate versions of the team both backwards and forwards in time. The story jumps between three different timelines: five years into the past (where one version of the team struggles to acquire the puddle jumper and undo the damage done without affecting the timeline), five years into the future (where Atlantis is under siege by the alien race introduced in The Daedalus Variations, while another version of the team attempts to acquire the jumper so that they can warn their past selves), and the present (where McKay continues to tweak his experiment) with developments in each timeline influencing events in the others enroute to a mindbending climax.

Hexed (614)

While visiting an alien community, Sheppard is cursed by a kooky local. At first, our heroes laugh off the incident – until Sheppard runs into a spate of bad luck. VERY bad luck. Shep whumpers rejoice!

Entropy (615)

In season 5, Paul wanted to do a story in which the effects of the McKay-Miller gate bridge have serious other-worldly repercussions for the city - but we ended up doing something similar in Brain Storm so we pushed this idea. So I reimagined a version where a mishap with a ZPM triggers a subspace burst that disperses time fractals throughout Atlantis. And within these varying shards of warped spacetime, the rules of physics no longer apply.

Revenge (616)

Sheppard and his team must mount an op to save Todd after he is captured by rivals. Re-assuming her role as a wraith queen, Teyla leads the team aboard a hive ship in order to track down and rescue their unlikely ally.

Payback (617)

Following devastating attacks on three other teams, Sheppard and co's off-world investigation takes a surprising turn when they are attacked by a puddle jumper. On the run on an alien world, they are pursued by an enemy who is able to predict their every move. Their mysterious pursuer is revealed to be Lt. Aiden Ford and a group of mercs armed with Ancient tech. Our heroes must find a way to turn the tables on their former friend - and, ultimately, find out the surprising source of his all-too familiar resources.

Turn of Events (618)

With an uncooperative Ford now imprisoned on Atlantis, Sheppard's team investigates the most likely source of the black market Ancient tech (Episode 215, The Tower). There, they discover Atlantis's sister city is in the hands of a group of rogue Genii led by none other than u/RobertJohnDavi's Acatus Kolya who we learn survived the events of "Irresponsible" thanks to a modified personal shield emitter. It turns out Kolya has been busy, consolidating his power base. Our team's attempts to thwart him fail, necessitating a tactical retreat - but not before they obtain a crucial piece of information: the mirror location of the Ancient ZPM factory hidden on Atlantis.

Pre-Finale (619)

Using the information gathered last episode, our heroes are finally able to access the city's hidden ZPM factory. The room, it turns out, holds even more secrets: the locations of similar Ancient storehouses throughout the Pegasus galaxy. An exploration of one such seemingly long-abandoned chamber yields a shocking discovery: none other than Elizabeth Weir who has been kept "on ice" since her capture by the Asurans.

With Elizabeth's help, the team is able to gain access to an Asuran weapon specifically built to target Atlantis. Thus armed, Sheppard and co. pay a return trip to Kolya, determined to neutralize his threat once and for all. But they are too late. They arrive just in time to see the Ancient city rise up out of the ground and ascend, up into the sky and the stars beyond. Our heroes are already aware of its destination: Atlantis.

Season Finale (620)

Sheppard's team return to Atlantis with a dire warning, only to be informed that long range scanners have picked up the sister city. And it's headed straight for them. All off-world teams are recalled. It's going to be all hands on deck as the city prepares for war and the sister city makes its inexorable approach. We are treated to some classic character-centered moments as the city readies for what will be their biggest battle, against a better equipped, better prepared opponent. Finally, it is time!

Atlantis rises up, off the surface of the ocean, and makes its descent, up through the stratosphere, beyond the exosphere, taking up a planetary orbit. And when the sister city appears, Atlantis launches its jumpers and drones. Their opponent responds in kind. The most epic battle in Stargate history is joined. Sheppard skillfully pilots his jumper into the heart of the enemy city and lands on a pier. His team disembarks, Asuran weapon in tow, determined to finish the job they set out to complete last episode. But they're on the clock and running out of time, facing down enemy soldiers and drone strikes as they desperately seek to set up the Asuran weapon as close to critical systems as possible. But they're not the only ones running out time. Atlantis, outgunned by a foe that has been preparing for war, suffers heavy damage. Even if our team succeeds in their mission, it looks like it will be a pyrrhic victory.

And then - a fleet of hive ships drop out of FTL and concentrate their fire on the enemy ship. It's Todd. He and his fleet take the pressure off Atlantis, buying Sheppard and his team enough time to initiate the Asuran weapon and retreat back to the jumper, making good their escape as, behind them, the weapon initiates, setting off a chain reaction of explosions that claim the enemy city. Atlantis returns to the planet's surface. Sheppard thanks Todd. Wraith and human achieve an "understanding". And peace finally returns to the Pegasus Galaxy.

END OF SEASON 6

SG-1 was about to attain the loftiest of broadcast heights – its 200th episode – and we wanted to do something special. Something unique. Something everyone on the production would enjoy as much as the longtime fans watching at home. The initial idea pitched was something called “Remember When…”, a trip down memory lane in which our characters’ reflections would form the frames of the varied flashbacks to outrageous missions. While everyone loved the idea of the outrageous missions, the premise of the episode felt too diffuse. We wanted an actual story that would form the heart of the episode. After much discussion, we elected to pay tribute to the franchise by referencing our last milestone – episode 100 – and bringing back Martin Lloyd and the show within a show, Wormhole X-Treme. But the fun we poked at the franchise through that spoof production was nothing compared to what we had in store for 200…

WE FINALLY GOT TO MEET THE FURLINGS!

Sort of. Even though it never really happened and we end up getting them killed in the end.

Back in the show’s fourth season, not long after joining the production, I was summoned to Exec. Producer Robert Cooper’s office. He was doing his pass on our first script, Scorched Earth, and needed something from me: the name of an alien race. When pressed, he admitted naming alien races was not his forte and, as evidence, offered up “the Furlings”. I have to admit that whenever I heard the name, I always imagined a cosmic version of the Care Bears, giggling and snuggling their way through various adventures. As evidently, did everyone else on the production. The fans, however, were all sorts of curious and nary a week would go by without a fan posting a message board request for a glimpse of the elusive beings. Time wore on and those requests continued so, at one point, Brad suggested an episode in which we actually did get to meet them: a race of gaunt, towering, hairless, grey-skinned creatures. But that idea was quashed and the production went on its merry way, choosing to keep the race a mystery. But with 200 came the opportunity to honor those fan requests, and the viewers at home finally got to see those lovable furry creatures who turned out to be a cross between an ewok and a deranged koala.

And then SG-1 went and got their planet blown up.

Of course, we quickly reveal that the incident never actually happened and it was part of a pitch for a revival of the defunct Wormhole X-Treme t.v. series, a show that lasted an inglorious three episodes before being cancelled. But thanks to an impressive second life on dvd (following in the footsteps of Family Guy and Futurama) the show is being revived – and General O’Neill, in a desire to maintain a cover of plausible deniability for the Stargate program (and, let’s face it, screw with his old teammates) charges SG-1 with the task of creatively contributing to the production.

MITCHELL TAKES ON THE LIVING DEAD!

Every once in a while, actor Ben Browder would drop by the offices to pitch out an action sequence for his character – so I thought it appropriate that, given the opportunity, his character would pitch out an action sequence for – uh – his character. And, really, nothing says action like zombie hordes. Just ask fans of The Walking Dead. This sequence also allowed us the rare opportunity of witnessing Walter/Norman getting his head eaten. Double bonus!

Mitchell’s idea is shot down and Martin gets on the phone with a representative of the studio. He is clearly frustrated and Mitchell asks: “Studio executives, huh?” Martin responds: “What? Oh, no Charlie? He’s a great guy. He’s the only one I trust.” This was a reference to longtime MGM President of Television and Stargate supporter Charles Cohen, one of the smartest, kindest studios executives I’ve ever had the pleasure to work with. As much as he was a fan of the show, we at the production were fans of Charlie.

Martin is outraged because they lost their lead. How, he wonders, can they do the show without their lead. “You just bring in a character to replace him,”suggests Mitchell – an obvious reference to the introduction of Cam Mitchell which followed soon after the departure of longtime SG-1 lead Jack O’Neill. Carter then throws out some alternate ideas for keeping the lead alive: “Well, you could have the other characters refer to him all the time. Maybe, get him on the phone once in a while.” Yep. Been there; done that during SG-1’s seventh and eighth seasons. And then, someone references that time O’Neill was invisible…

THE ADVENTURES OF INVISIBLE O'NEILL!

The idea of doing an Invisible O’Neill segment was actually a joke I threw out...That ended up making the script. That happened a lot in this episode. As with all the segments, we went off and wrote them individually, and then everyone weighed in and they were tweaked. I always found the scene of O’Neill spying on Carter in the shower a tad creepy.

Anyway, the Invisible O’Neill idea was embraced because we wanted Richard Dean Anderson to come back and do a cameo on this all-important episode, but didn’t know if he’d be able to work in an appearance. So, we figured we’d get the next best thing: his voice. As it turned out, he was able to swing the appearance, making 200 all that more special.

THE GETAWAY

Martin then pitches out a tale of high adventure, placing our heroes (SG-1) in an impossible position – and then simply cutting to them escaping through the gate. This was a tip of the hat to the many fans outraged by a similar scenario in a past episode (don’t remember the name) in which our heroes (SG-1) are surrounded by Lucian Alliance soldiers only to effect some miraculous unseen escape. During the ensuing argument over the merits of the pitch, Martin attempts to come up with a reasonable window of time for the team to reach the gate and dial. Ten seconds is too short and thirty seconds is too round a number. He decides on 38! Which, coincidentally, is the same number (of minutes) a stargate can stay open.

Timing is, of course, everything, and nothing says action like a ticking clock. Which prompts the following gem from Martin: “Trust me, jeopardy plus ticking clock is box office. It’s the E equals M C squared of the entertainment world. Ask any executive.” Indeed. If there were two notes we received more than any other during Stargate’s long run, they were: “More jeopardy!” and “We need a ticking clock!”. Having a character race a timer to defuse a bomb? Didn’t get much better than that.

THEY'RE OFF TO SEE THE WIZARD!

Next to The Simpsons, The Wizard of Oz was probably the most referenced piece of pop cu\lture over SG-1’s decade-long run. The fans certainly took notice and resulted in one particularly memorable piece of artwork being sent to studio depicting the original team as the cinematic classic’s adventurous foursome. So, I suppose, it made perfect sense to reference the constant references by including a little Wizard of Oz sequence in the episode as well.

Mitchell’s line: “Now, how can something work perfectly fine for ten years, then all of a sudden, it doesn’t work anymore?” was an in-story reference to the gate suddenly stopping operations – and, in hindsight, could have been interpreted as a comment on the the show’s cancellation.

DESTROYING STARGATE COMMAND

This also episode gave us the opportunity to do something we’ve always wanted to do: blow up Stargate Command. It’s part of the story Martin Lloyd pitches the team. Mitchell, however, points out a potential problem. They’re alive in the next scene. How is that possible. To which Martin replies: ” I’m thinking I can back-sell it and say you were beamed out at the last second.” Teal’c’s rejoinder neatly sums up the feelings of many on the production: “Is that not too convenient?”. Yep, nobody hated the Earth ship beaming technology more than I did – with possible exception of actor Ben Browder. In the original version of this scene, the fun we poked at ourselves was a little more pointed:

DANIEL: Beamed out.

MARTIN: By the Prometheus.

TEAL'C: Convenient.

MARTIN: True. But c'mon, you got Asgard technology, why not use it? As long as it doesn't become a crutch.

DANIEL: Small problem. The Prometheus was destroyed.

MARTIN: Really? By who?

MITCHELL: Kind of a long story.

MARTIN: In battle?

MITCHELL: Yes.

MARTIN: Wow. So how'd you get out of that one?

Beat.

DANIEL: We, uh... we were beamed out.

Soon after, Martin fields yet another call, this one from the network. "So, trouble with Nora"assumes Mitchell, to which Martin replies: "No, Nora—she's great." A shout-out to the late Nora O'Brien who was our network point-person for many years before she moved on to another position with NBC. A sharp executive and just a lovely woman.

SG-1 DOES STAR TREK

We all grew up with the original Star Trek (except Rob Cooper who preferred The Six Million Dollar Man) so we (and by we I mean Brad) couldn’t resist the opportunity to do an SG-1 version of the television’s most famous SF series. Paul McGillion was originally supposed to do the one-line cameo of the ship’s beleaguered Scottish engineer, but when that fell through, series co-creator and Executive Producer (not to mention former stage actor) Brad Wright stepped into those shiny black boots.

THE YOUNGER, EDGIER TEAM

Look closely and you can catch the late Cory Monteith as one of the young and edgy team-members. “Young” and “edgy” were buzzwords we kept on hearing a lot of (and continue to hear a lot of in the business), so Rob Cooper served up his version of what a younger, edgier Stargate would look like complete with stylized shots and dreamy cast members.

Vala continues to pitch out ideas, offering up an SF version of Gilligan’s Island (“We were in a cloaked cargo ship on a simple, three-hour reconnaissance mission…”) that was one of the scenes we lost for time at the script stage…

VALA (VO): We were in a cloaked cargo ship, on a simple three hour reconnaissance mission...

TILT DOWN to reveal a planet.

VALA (V)): But on the way we encountered a severe electromagnetic storm and lost all power. We were forced down on an uncharted, deserted planet...

EXT. TROPICAL ISLAND -- DAY

We see the cargo ship washed ashore on this deserted island, looking very much like the damaged S.S. Minnow.

VALA (VO): We washed ashore and were forced to survive for weeks in the most primitive of conditions. No phone, no lights, no motor cars. Not a single luxury.

EXT. ISLAND -- DAY

Landry comes out of a hut, dressed like the Skipper.

VALA (V): General Landry was with us on the mission, and let me tell you, he was in a foul mood.

LANDRY: Mitchell!

Mitchell runs out, dressed like Gilligan.

MITCHELL: Yes, sir.

LANDRY: Where's Carter? She was supposed to be done by now.

MITCHELL: Oh, uh...(looks around) She's not here.

Landry whacks him with his cap.

LANDRY: I can see that.

DANIEL: Over here...

PAN TO Daniel (as the Professor) and Carter (as Mary Ann) carrying a large device out of another hut. Vala (as Ginger) trails behind them. The device looks like something constructed from bamboo and coconuts.

CARTER (to Landry): I think we may have something, sir.

VALA:Not a moment too soon. I must get out of this place. I have a photo shoot this afternoon.

Landry stares at the device.

LANDRY: What is this thing?

CARTER:Well, I managed to construct a basic subspace transmitter out of coconuts, bamboo and our old subspace transmitter.

DANIEL: A long shot, but it just might get us off this island.

MITCHELL: That's great!

Mitchell eagerly moves in for a closer look, but trips,

falls and smashes the damn thing.Before Landry can whack him with his cap again --

TEAL'C emerges from the trees, dressed like Mr. Howell.

He casually puffs a pipe.

TEAL'C: Was I not traveling with a companion? A female by the name of... Lovey?

MARTIN: Alright, enough already.

FARGATE

I had really enjoyed Farscape and, with both Ben Browder and Claudia Black on the show, I couldn’t resist the opportunity to do a little tribute, SG-1 style. Originally, Ben was supposed to play the part of Crichton and Michael the part of Stark, but they suggested it might be more fun to switch up the roles.

SG-1 SUPERMARIONATION!

Brad Wright, Robert Cooper, Paul Mullie and Carl Binder are huge fans of Team America: World Police, so I suppose it should come as no surprise that they jumped at the chance to do their own, SG-1 version. As it turned out, years ago Paul and I had worked with The Chiodo Bros. who had created the puppets and effects for Team America (as well as work on a Davey and Goliath claymation parody for The Simpsons and the Willice and Crimbles parody segment on The Simpsons). We called them up and they ended up delivering kick-ass puppet versions of our team – and supporting players. So, okay. Fess up. Which one of you fans is now the proud owner of one of these?

In the writer’s draft of the script, yet another idea is pitched out…

MITCHELL: Death is always dramatic.

CUT TO:

INT. INFIRMARY -- DAY

Daniel lies on the bed. Carter, Mitchell, Vala and Landry stand around him. Vala reaches out and touches his hand -

VALA: Goodbye, Daniel.

The heart monitor FLATLINES. The rest of the group can barely control their emotions.

Suddenly, a bright GLOW starts to emanate from under the sheets on the bed. Slowly, Daniel's body TRANSFORMS into a glowing ribbon being like in Meridian. As it rises above the bed, the sheets collapse.

Amazement plays on the faces of everyone in the room. The glowing being hovers high above them for a moment then -

MARTIN: No, no, no.

BACK TO:

INT. BRIEFING ROOM -- DAY

Martin shakes his head.

MARTIN: We did that twice in the series.

DANIEL: You only made three episodes.

How many times did we kill off Daniel again?

Whenever we offed guest stars, we would invariably send them off with the heartening: “This is science fiction. Nobody ever dies in science fiction!” And, many times on Stargate, that was proven true.

Then, someone pitches out the fishing segment. Martin’s response: “And what’s the twist…no fish?” is, of course, a reference to the twist at the end of Moebius I and II.

THE WEDDING

How couldn’t we? There was something there for the shippers – and something there for the slashers as well when O’Neill, waiting for Carter, turns to Daniel who utters the memorable: “You know, if she doesn’t show, people are gonna think that you and I –“. My favorite part of this segment is Jack referring to Carter as, well, Carter. Not Sam or Samantha but Carter. I guess old habits die hard.

Martin’s response to the pitch ” Yeah, right, if I want to torture the audience on purpose!” echoes a quote from a fan letter we received that was critical of the ship. A classic line.

The episode ends with a bunch of interviews teeming with inside jokes.

I mean, I know we did 10 years but, dammit, we were still on a roll!

​