Thought of the Day for TPTB
The X-Factor by Bree
What did Stargate have that other shows don’t?
And why do they want to get rid of it so badly?
In these last few days before Abyss aired, I was thinking about what season 6 of Stargate SG-1 is missing. Besides the glaringly obvious. And I’ve come to the conclusion that I’m just as troubled by what the show has gained as by what it has lost.
Most of us in the States saw the ads the Scifi Channel ran for its Stargate/Farscape night before the season premieres. Jazzy special effects! Big explosions! Two shows about two wise-cracking, testosterone-leaking muscle men who like to shoot things! I once wrote a paper on these kind of backwards marketing strategies in a film class of mine: you reel in a mainstream audience by promising entertainment of the lowest common denominator (i.e. explosions, hot chicks, big honkin’ space guns), then you surprise them with something deeper and more intelligent than they expected. Of course, it works better with films than television, because the audience doesn’t have to make that commitment to come back every week. And it’s a theory that apparently only applies to Farscape (you know, that show we were on our way to watch when the door hit us in the ass?). Stargate no longer bothers to back up its newfound “coolness” with the depth we came to expect from it. To call that a shame is the world’s biggest understatement.
And where did Stargate get this “coolness,” anyway? It’s better than that. Farscape certainly has its cool factor, but its intelligence, complexity, and devotion to the innovative and bizarre have probably cost it true ratings success. Other more popular shows, like Stargate’s apparent idol, the X-Files, Buffy and Angel, Andromeda, Witchblade, and even non-scifi shows like Alias or 24, all have a sort of modern, slick, jaded feel to them. The characters are aloof, gorgeous, and witty. They often wear sexy outfits, slink through dark alleys, and spout clever one-liners. They’re the epitome of cool. It’s the current feel of modern, hour-long action/dramas, and I’m not saying it’s bad . . . those shows are all wonderful, some of them downright brilliant, and I’m a big fan of more than a couple. But Stargate is not one of those shows.
Since I first found out about Daniel, I’ve heard more than a few people say, regretfully, “Stargate had the potential to be as successful a franchise as Star Trek.” I’d like to explore that idea. Star Trek, in its many incarnations, has established a following of mammoth proportions, bigger than any other scifi show--any other television show, actually--in history. Yet a whole lot of people, to this day, regard it as a stereotypically geeky hobby. The public perception of a Trekkie as someone with glasses and acne who dresses up in funny outfits and still buys Star Trek toys and gadgets well into middle-age has been around for quite a while (I don’t mean to offend Trekkies, I love Star Trek, and I know fans of any show come in all shapes, sizes, and types). Nobody watched Star Trek because it was “cool.” We watched because it was phenomenal and revolutionary.
Stargate SG-1 followed in that tradition. Maybe it wasn’t as grand or ambitious, but it had the feel of Star Trek, and so much more. There was the same philosophy behind it, that same noble way of depicting the human race and our place in the universe. Stargate was once able to explore issues of history, war, religion, and the nature of civilization as often as SG-1 explored new worlds. Sure, that sounds a little lofty for a show about walking through big glowing puddles and battling parasitic snake aliens, but it never passed judgment on itself. It didn’t have to be cool.
I think that’s one reason why Wormhole X-treme rubbed so many of us the wrong way. Other shows are campy and farcical almost as a rule--they’re constantly winking at the audience, asking us not to take them seriously. Stargate had its farcical episodes, but for the most part, no matter how silly or out-there the plots were, they maintained a certain level of earnest, heart-on-their-sleeve sincerity. Seeing them mocking themselves kind of hurts. It’s like hearing your kid put himself down. You’re the mom who loves him just the way he is, but he just wants to be like the other kids . . . he just wants to be cool.
Another thing that bears mentioning is the one area where I think Stargate actually went further than Star Trek and further than any science fiction show: its heart. You know, the thing they had to cut out to make room for their cool new image. The team of four that this show focused on were essentially misfits, and the story of their friendship was one of people who had lost their purpose in the world coming together for one common purpose. The essence of SG-1 lies in those little moments of pure, childlike, unabashed emotion. It’s all about the goofy grins, the awe-struck stares, and the clasping of shoulders. Smiling hello or nodding farewell, with eyes brimming with tears. I can think of thousands of little moments like that, and I know each of us have our own favorites, those displays of friendship, camaraderie, and trust that made the characters worth watching and worth loving.
Little by little, these emotions have been mutated, manipulated, and eventually stripped away. Divided and conquered, if you’ll pardon the pun ( yep, now the shippers will think I blame them for everything . . . oh well, I couldn’t help myself). The heart of SG-1 made its last few gasps for breath in Meridian and Revelations, but losing Daniel was the surest, swiftest way to cut it out for good.
And what do we have left? Aloof, gorgeous, witty characters that I don’t even recognize anymore. A word or two about Nightwalkers . . .
I didn’t hate this episode. I struggled to even have an opinion. I literally felt nothing! It wasn’t bad, it was kind of slick in places. But I felt so detached from it, I could have been watching some other show. I know I’m not alone on that one.
I have to say that I love Sam. Yes, her grand transformation into SuperSam the SceneStealer bugs me too, but I’ll always have a special spot in my heart for that character (maybe not as big as Daniel’s spot, but roomy enough). In a post-Buffy and Xena world, I think Sam, in her truest form, is the kind of character we sorely need. A strong female role model that doesn’t feel the need to wear a sign that says “I’m a Strong Female Role Model.” But now they’ve got her in leather pants, spouting snappy one-liners, and translating Goa’uld almost by magic. Which she doesn’t need to learn to do, since she is blessed with the services of Jonas, who knows all about ancient languages, good food, local news and weather, and what to do in a small town at night. He’s like the human internet, this guy.
I actually feel bad for Jonas, and I’ll tell you why. I can see him bearing the brunt of a lot of the pocket protector jokes that Michael Shanks, and the rest of us, thought Daniel was too good for. Initially, I thought he was merely supposed to be a clone of Daniel, but now I think he is meant to be a clone of the kind of Daniel TPTB really wanted. They finally have a geek they can make fun of. The way they’re still making fun of us.
I think the saddest thing about Nightwalkers was that it was almost a parody of everything from the X-Files on down the list. You’d think it would be pretty hard for a show about glowing puddles and snake aliens to lose its uniqueness, but it’s sure trying its hardest. Yet I think even that would not be so bad if I were able to really feel anything for what’s left of the team. But in season 6, the characters are as detached as the audience, and it’s impossible to dig beneath the surface( pardon the pun again). They’re going through the motions. The show is so cool now, it’s gotten colder than that woman they dug up in Antarctica.
My only hope for Abyss is that Daniel shows up as his true self, as comforting as an old blanket that can wrap itself around the show. Maybe, for a moment at least, he can warm its frozen heart.
By Bree
20th July 2002
Stargate SG-1 and its characters are the property of Stargate (II) Productions, SCI FI Channel, Showtime/Viacom, MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Productions. All blog entries represent the opinion of the poster. All editorials represent the opinion of the author. All linked content represents the opinion of the linked site's webmaster. Copyright on all articles/editorials/blog entries belongs to the original author. Offer void where prohibited. Please remain seated while the aircraft is in motion. Warning: Coffee will be hot. A moose once bit my sister.
