By Jamie Ruby

http://scifivision.com

The Stargate phenomena first started on film in 1994 and then on television in 1997 with Stargate SG-1, and in 2002 was picked up by Syfy (formally Sci Fi) who made it their own and the series continued for a total of ten seasons, as well as some post series movies .  The show focused on a team of a soldier, an astrophysicist, a civilian scientist, and an alien, who used a Stargate to travel to planets outside our own solar system. Towards the end of the original series, the scientists of Stargate discovered a use for the eighth chevron on the gate – to travel to Atlantis in the Pegasus Galaxy.  Thus became the spin off of Stargate: Atlantis.  For years the ninth Chevron was not mentioned, until now.  If activated the ninth chevron could take them far beyond that of the Pegasus Galaxy.  Stargate Universe was born.

The show opens with General Jack O’Neill (Richard Dean Anderson) knocking on Eli Wallace’s door.  Eli has inadvertently solved a puzzle others were unable to, that was buried in the online fantasy game Prometheus.  Eli’s world is turned upside-down when he is suddenly beamed onto the ship the Hammond.

Once on the ship Eli learns more about the Stargate program through instructional videos by none other than Daniel Jackson (Michael Shanks).  He meets a variety of people, some scientists, some soldiers, some simply civilians like himself.  He finds out he has been recruited by the scientist, Dr. Nicholas Rush (Robert Carlyle), the head of the Icarus program, who has been trying to solve the problem of activating the ninth chevron.  The puzzle that Eli solved is a key component to finding his answer.

Some other important characters introduced are Colonel Everett Young (Louis Ferreira), one of the leaders, although the role is taken over for awhile by First Lieutenant Matthew Scott (Brian J. Smith) when he is incapacitated.  The medic onboard is First Lieutenant Tamara Johansen (Alaina Huffman).  The new crew is also joined by Colonel Telford (Lou Diamond Phillips) who was the chosen member to lead the Icarus team through the ninth chevron gate address.  Also onboard are U.S. Senator Alan Armstrong (Christopher McDonald), who heads the International Oversight Committee (IOA) and his daughter and aide Chloe Armstrong (Elyse Levesque).  There is another member of the IOA onboard as well – Camile Wray (Ming-Na).  Another character of note is Master Sergeant Ronald Greer (Jamil Walker Smith), who was previously locked up from a court martial but was released by Colonel Young.

Arriving at the Icarus base they get to the Stargate where they work on the problem and eventually get the last chevron engaged.  Soon they are attacked by the Lucian Alliance (and get some help from Colonel Samantha Carter (Amanda Tapping)) and have little choice but to go through the gate without really knowing what is on the other side.

The ninth chevron takes them far beyond what they had imagined, way past the Pegasus galaxy, several billion light-years from home.  The gate takes them to an Ancient ship known as the Destiny.  However, the ship needs repairs, and unable to dial back to earth they are left stranded there and running out of air fast.

With a new cast and storyline it also seems the show has been reinvented.  The new series focuses a lot more on the human aspect of the show and on relationships then the others did. 

The sets have also changed – this time the chevrons spin around the gate rather than part of the gate itself spinning (or moving lights in Atlantis).  There is also some cool new Ancient technology this time around.  The sets and effects are beautiful as you would expect coming from this kind of show.

The show contains both emotion and action, and a great ensemble cast, making for an intense television pilot.  You can tell right away that there is something unique about this series that makes it stand apart from the previous two.  You don’t have to have seen the previous Stargates to understand or enjoy the show.  The series looks very promising and is a good choice of addition to the Friday night Syfy lineup.