Stargate SG1 has now finished its run after 10 seasons making it the longest running American science fiction show ever. The first series picked up a year after the end of the film with a goa’uld incursion at Stargate command. Following the incident on Abydos that caused Daniel Jackson to bury the Abydos gate and remain behind, the Stargate has been mothballed. The incursion through the gate by Apophis and the kidnap of the personnel on guard lead to the reopening of the stargate program and the persuasion out of retirement of Colonel Jack O’Neill. Played by Kurt Russell in the film the role is taken on by Richard Dean Anderson who brings a certain humour to the role that was missing in the film. After confirming that the Abydos gate has been uncovered after the agreed year, O’Neill makes contact with Daniel Jackson and following the kidnap of his wife Sha're, by the same goa’uld forces that rebirthed the Stargate program, he agrees to return to Earth now played brilliantly by Michael Shanks, and join with O’Neill in finding out what is going on. They are joined by airforce brainiac and scientist Lt. Samantha Carter. During their infiltration and attempted rescue of the humans destined to become hosts to goa’uld symbionts they meet T’ealc, first prime (kind of head priest) to Apophis. T’ealc sees something in O’Neill and realises that he may be the one he has been waiting for, someone who can help to liberate his people, the Jaffa from the rule of the false gods that are the goa’uld. Teal’c joins SG1 and we have the team that will battle the goa’uld and explore the galaxy for the next 5 fun and action filled seasons.

The end of season 5 saw the death and ascension of Daniel Jackson. He was replaced by Jonas Quinn a human from another planet that was developing naqueda as a weapon. Although Daniel appeared in couple of episodes of season 6, helping both Jack and T’ealc in times of need and near death it was to be season 7 before he re-ascended as human and retook his rightful place in SG1. Now that the gang was back together the war against the goa’uld was stepped up a notch. In season 8 with the promotion of General Hammond, O’Neil was put in charge of Stargate Command and promoted to general, this season was much more Earth based than previously with the goa’uld bringing the fight to Earth, although we did meet the character of Vala Mal Doran who was to become a regular in season 9. Season 8 ended with the death, ascension and re-ascension for a second time of Daniel Jackson and the defeat partly through this of the goa’uld.

In Season 9 it was all change, Jack O’Neill left Stargate command for a more senior position, Sam Carter took a position (although only temporarily) at area 51 and Teal'c returned Chulak to aid in the creation of the new Jaffa nation. SG1 was taken over by Colonel Cameron Mitchell played by Ben Browder of Farscape fame. Before long Daniel and Cam were joined by Vala Mal Doran played by Claudia Black also of Farscape and a new threat to the galaxy was found in the form of the Ori, ascended beings from another galaxy that demand that all life bend to their will or be destroyed, Teal'c returned to SG1 because of the threat to the Jaffa and Sam was never one to pass up an opportunity at being the first to get her hands on ancient technology. Half way through the season we see the apparent demise of Valla but she reappears in time to warn of an impending invasion into this galaxy through a supergate of a fleet of Ori ships. The twist being that she is on one of them and about to give birth to an Ori child. With the whole team apparently dead or missing at the end of season 9, season 10 was in doubt, but the SCI-FI channel announced there would be one final season. Season 10 saw Vala give birth to the child that would lead the Ori invasion of our galaxy. Within days the child was fully grown and being portrayed by Morena Baccarin of Firefly. Season 10 followed the struggle to develop a weapon to combat the Ori, but it only destroyed the Ori not their human followers, who continued the invasion and that was where it was left.

I’m pleased to say that there was no rushed conclusion to the series a la ST:Voyager, but the story was left as SG1 continue to battle the forces that try to take over our galaxy. This also leaves the way open for some promised TV movies the first two of which are scheduled for release in 2008.