Iris closes for good on decade-long sci-fi series
Virgil:
March 14th, 2007
The science fiction television series Stargate SG-1 began in 1997 as a spin-off from the feature film Stargate (1994), and since then has acquired a massive and loyal fanbase, several awards, and much critical acclaim. After 10 Seasons, the series aired its final episode yesterday. With 214 episodes, each roughly 43 minutes in length, Stargate SG-1 is the longest running US science fiction show in history, beating the famous series The X-Files by 12 episodes, and the biggest Star Trek show by 36.
In the story, an alien device shaped like a huge ring - a ‘Stargate’ - was discovered in Egypt, and years later found to be capable of creating a portal to other ‘Gates’ that had been scattered across the cosmos. This basic concept allowed the show to focus on a small team of explorers (’SG-1′) who could travel on foot. Indeed, the show focussed on humans, was based on Earth, was set in the present day, and included no unreal technology - setting it uniquely apart from other science fiction stories. The excitement lay in wondering what would lie on the other side of the Gate each episode.
In 2004, SG-1 in turn had its own spin-off, Stargate Atlantis. The show continues to be popular, and MGM, the production company behind Stargate, recently announced their intentions to create a third series as well as two movies that would continue this much-loved story. So whilst yesterday marked the end of one of the best and longest-running sci-fi stories out there, the gate isn’t closed quite yet.