Netflix has done sci-fi fans a solid. The streaming giant has added 10 seasons’ worth of episodes from this beloved series, one lauded as one of the greatest and most fully realized stories of all time. The show ran from 1997 to 2007, and while it was technically a reboot of the original movie that kicked off the franchise, it fully stands on its own two feet, becoming more than a cult classic in its decade-long run.
Stargate SG-1 is a name known throughout the genre. The series, which is set after the events of the movie Stargate, centers on a team of explorers, which is made up of both soldiers and scientists, who travel through an ancient portal that leads to other planets, known as a Stargate. Using the technology to explore new worlds, the group does all they can to forge ties with friendly civilizations, all while protecting Earth from hostile forces that may threaten it. While the series didn’t quite land with critics, fans are still diehard in their love for it, even 20 years after it finished airing.
What Makes Stargate SG-1 Special?
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Most critics felt that the performances in the spinoff series didn’t hold a candle to those in the film. “It’s hard to imagine who could effectively replace the complex Mr. [James] Spader in one of his best roles, but in any case, his absence tips the story’s balance between thoughtfulness and violence in the wrong direction,” said Will Joyner. But fans of the show are having none of that, going so far as to say that it’s obvious most critics only watched the first one or two episodes, coming out with a half-baked notion of what the series really was. “Stargate SG-1 is unequivocally one of the best sci-fi series ever created. While it takes a bit of time to get started, by the time you reach Season 1 Episode 8, you’ll begin to see the show’s direction,” says one fan.
SG-1 takes the ideas originally introduced in Stargate and fully fleshes them out, creating a rich lore and a world that is easy to get entirely lost in, expanding everything that those who enjoyed the movie came to love about it. Not only that, but there’s something that feels wholly original about SG-1 in a way that you can’t always get with other sci-fi productions; the series maintains a level of humanity that tends to get lost the deeper you go into the genre. Within the world of SG-1, everything has a purpose, but that doesn’t stop it from being a wildly entertaining and heartfelt series. “You can’t miss this amazing odyssey that gives you different things than you can get from Star Trek or Star Wars,” said another fan.
Are you looking forward to catching all 10 seasons of Stargate SG-1 on Netflix? Let us know your favorite moment from the series in the comments. And don’t forget to check out the ComicBook forum to see what other sci-fi fans are saying.
