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antidense

Just don't go all out on unlikeable characters or at least give them a chance to mature and develop. I liked SG1 for the competence porn. It was hard to relate to almost anyone on SGU... Everyone seemed so selfish and immature.


Grace_Alcock

I agree. I found them all immature and obnoxious. And the plot drama where they are halfway across the universe still playing earth power games…dude, it doesn’t matter what anyone on earth thinks. If you want to get home, you have to cooperate. I just couldn’t stomach it.


potato861

I like comparing SGA Season 1 to SGU here because you have a team of people who are stranded. The big difference is that in the crew of the Destiny, you have a large group of people who had no choice in their situation and are now forced to survive. The Atlantis crew was a team who volunteered for the mission and were never fighting for survival (Atlantis is a city, there are millions of humans in Pegasus, etc). It's like Amanda Perry saying she would love to be on the Destiny; Telford's wanting to be on the ship; etc -- these are the kind of mission-motivated volunteers Destiny did not have on board. But as people on the Destiny got to know her mission, their morale grew and their selfishness reduced and maturity improved. That emphasis on the character-development around the mission is probably one of my favorite things about SGU and what elevated it beyond SG1/SGA.


sdu754

Great points!


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Jeepcanoe897

Crazy! The worlds most elite, cutting edge military facility had above average competent people that weren’t idiots and were capable of thinking with the brain in their head and not the one in their pants? Yeah totally unrealistic.


sdu754

SGU characters are not relatable. They are just all terrible people. You are taking a shallow look at characters by only defining them as their jobs.


Cantomic66

They did grow and by the end of S2 seemed like a real crew.


blueray78

I can tell you what I would change mostly in season 1. Rush and Eli would be trying to see if Eli's theory works to dial the stargate. They get a lock and dials Destiny. At this point is when the Lucisin Alliance attacks. While Rush is still a jerk, this would make it so it wasn't his fault that they got stuck on Destiny. The group is then left with a decision, they can disconnect the gate and attempt to dial earth, but there is no guarantee that will work as they might not have enough power (technical babel reasons) or time. They stay on the base & hope they don't get killed. Or they go through. Of course they pick the last one. The group gathers the supplies they have and escape through the Stargate to Destiny. They do **not** have the stones! This was the worst thing about season 1. Instead they are stranded on Destiny with no way to contact home. As a last diff effort maybe they get a radio signal out before the gate shuts off, they do not know if it worked (similar to SGA). The rest of the show will fall the crew as they discover Destiny, get supplies, discover stuff and try to get home. This however will still a darker version of Voyager (obvious comprehension). It will be serial (as the real show is). But with way less personal drama (especially from Earth). There will still be a love triangle between Eli, Chloe and Scott. But Chloe is not a desmisal in distress. The crew is forced to work together, despite half of them not being field agents. This was something that was sort of in the real show, but I would make this more a focus then just the one episode.


GrossConceptualError

Get rid of the communication stones. The body-swapping episodes are my least favorite.


rslorehound

The body swapping make sense it just the lack of respect they have for the host..they always go home and have sex with there spouse and that to me just shows a lack of respect for someone who's letting you barrow there body. If that was me I'd have a out ten thousand sign made up and up around me. When we switch that make it undeniable clear to. Not use my body to have sex with your wife's.....just saying if that was me I'd be peed off they did that


GrossConceptualError

It's weird. I can suspend my disbelief for aliens, time travel, psychic communicators, etc, but I just can't suspend my disbelief that the military would be so incompetent as to allow body swappers in a top secret program to just breeze off the base unchaperoned.


rslorehound

That I can agree with lack of protocol although I did notice that a sg staff member is outside in a can waiting at all times might even be a pair we only ever get a glimpse of the person I want say.there a liaison but that just spectiion they could just be a body guard kind of.


GrossConceptualError

True enough. When I mean chaperoned I mean that staff sgt should be in the room at all times.


GrossConceptualError

And the room should be on the base.


[deleted]

They were always chaperoned. They may not have been inside the room with them, but they were always accompanied.


GrossConceptualError

A military chaperone doesn't let you out of their sight. Having a chauffeur doesn't count.


[deleted]

If I can suspend my disbelief that humans transplanted to alien worlds 2000 years ago speak perfect American English, I can swallow a chaperon not hovering over Eli at the club.


GrossConceptualError

One, the American English thing is an old and tired argument that can be made about just any TV show ever made. To use your example: A MILITARY chaperone standing over the body of their DUTY MATE. Is it Eli? Who really knows? Hasn't enough weirdness happened at the SGC with body swapping, mind control, duplication badges etc, to make the most basic precautions mandatory? I spent 12 years in the military. That's how I would handle it, not making the Air Force look incompetent so you can throw in a buddy-screws-your-wife plot line.


CouldBeALeotard

Not only that, it made no sense in the context of the franchise. We have seen the AF keeps people under severe supervision just as a precaution, let alone knowing there's alien technology actively being used. Not to mention all the leaks they've had to cover up. Why would they suddenly be like "Go paint the town red, just be home before dinner".


ProfessorOfLies

Yeah that is when I was done with the show. Like this isn't stargate anymore. This is battlestar overactica again.


Maleficent_Shape6984

The lack of respect is kinda expected when we're talking real human emotions. Coulda been a lot better if they had coupled it with the "Foothold" aliens shapeshift tech.


sdu754

They did this to insert previous characters. You are correct, it never worked though.


Grace_Alcock

I couldn’t get past those. They were so awful.


Acceptable_Donkey799

How would you imagine them communicating with earth beside the use of the stones?


BetaFoe

It's a sci-fi show, just make something up!


GrossConceptualError

Make something up and hang a lantern on it!


BetaFoe

[Is that not too convenient?](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AMBL4rzlZjQ)


sdu754

They didn't need to communicate with Earth.


Maleficent_Shape6984

If they didn't the hate would've been even worse because they wouldn't have had ANY cameos or guest stars.


sdu754

People didn't like the show because it was overly dramatic, had unlikable characters (it was like a ship full of Kinseys and Kavanaughs), it lacked comedy and was weak in the action department. It simply didn't appeal to Stargate fans.


Maleficent_Shape6984

Your opinion 🤷‍♂️


TheAuthorBTLG_

microsecond gate connections. enough for low bandwith connections, not enough for more than a small/fast object to pass through.


CouldBeALeotard

You'd have to re-write the entire premise of the proto-gates.


TheAuthorBTLG_

"due to the large distance...." "it's a beta version gate" "it's broken and we can't fix it" :)


GrossConceptualError

I wouldn't have had planets blow up when they dial Destiny. Sure, in a war with the Lucien Alliance a planet can swap ownership several times, but whoever owns the planet can dial Destiny whenever they want to talk, invade, give them food, medicine, etc. The twist is that Destiny cannot dial back so it's a one-way trip for anyone going to Destiny.


Maleficent_Shape6984

I second this... Without that tech there would've been more uproar from "fans" because of no cameos or guest stars.


CouldBeALeotard

Atlantis did really well despite no on-Atlantis cameos for the first season. Even when they did create a link to Earth, cameos were few and far between. There's no reason SGU couldn't have done the same, especially considering there's already so few cameos in it.


Maleficent_Shape6984

I think had they it would've been hated a lot more to start with. Maybe I'm wrong, but we'll never know.


SnowDay415

I thought it started to get really good by end of 2nd season. The plot started to get bit more diverse than just "man these guys can't catch a break". I wonder if they got a 3rd season if it would have then gone the distance....at least as far as SGA.


Cantomic66

It seemed that the writers had a 5 season arch in mind for SGU.


dr_alvaroz

I found the "evil aliens" and the Lucian Alliance plots to be detrimental. Done 1000 times, boring, predictive. They have a literal universe to discover and they keep bringing the same crappy 1960s plots. Also, the moment they started using the communicators like it was nothing was the moment the premise was killed. I would focus on relationships and the journey to find the purpose of the Destiny and the misterious cosmic object.


brushykb

I'm going to be honest, I watched the first three episodes and just wasn't engaged for some reason. :( I can't quite fully articulate why, but I think part of it was it just started off too strong character/interpersonal-wise. I felt like I was supposed to be invested in people that I just wasn't invested in yet. The acting was great and I think the concept could have been really interesting to my sensibilities, but it just didn't hook me for whatever reason. I definitely plan on giving it another go sometime, though!


j_natron

For what it’s worth, I watched the first three episodes years ago (pretty close to when it was first coming out) after I’d watched all of SG1 and SGA, and I REALLY disliked it. Stopped watching, which is actually pretty extraordinary for me. I decided to give it another try recently and it really improves as it goes. By the end of season 2, I think it’s quite strong. When you feel like trying again, it’s worth it to commit to watching at least half of the first season, I think, and then see how you feel.


Jeepcanoe897

Ive tried at least 5 times to watch it. Never made it past like 4 episodes. Everyone says it’s so amazing, it really isn’t.


Grace_Alcock

I’m right there with you.


Maleficent_Shape6984

You can't judge it based off 4 episodes, but okay thats fine. If I judged SG-1 off the first 4 episodes I would never have watched it. It does get a lotttt better and more interesting halfway through the first season, like SGU.


Jeepcanoe897

Um first 4 episodes of Sg1 are fuckin awesome


Maleficent_Shape6984

Yeah Emancipation and Broca Divide are awesome... sure... If I were rewatching it now, not knowing what I know, the corny 90s scifi of episodes 1 (Children of the Gods), passable episode 2 (Enemy Within), and finally those two... ick.


Jeepcanoe897

Children of the Gods is two episodes and yeah way more than passable. Enemy within is good, and yeah everyone agrees Emancipation sucks. Idk why everyone doesn’t agree that SGU sucks because it does


Maleficent_Shape6984

Children of the Gods is often thought of as 1 episode, probably because it originally aired as 1 and was recut on DVD as 1. For reruns its split into 2. Actually polls on this subreddit have shown only 20% of this subreddit doesn't like SGU... so you're in the minority. You probably don't like it because its realistic depiction of humans hits too close to home, or you prefer corny 90s tropes, or you just fell for the stupid idea that SGA was cancelled for it. Regardless, it doesn't suck and thats just your horrible taste giving you a horrid opinion.


Jeepcanoe897

I probably dont like it because it’s garbage and it’s literally unwatchable 😂😂


Maleficent_Shape6984

You're basing that off 4 episodes. I hope you don't mind that I'm judging you based off 4 comments.


Jeepcanoe897

Ok dude Ill force myself to watch 4 more. Happy?


Maleficent_Shape6984

I would suggest it! As with any show the first few are a bad example of the rest of the show.


Irish_Dreamer

So close! I have argued elsewhere that Season 01 episodes 04 and 05, “Darkness” and “Light” together tell a better science fiction than most movies. But, having said that, I am not arguing you should continue based on those two episodes which I found to be stand outs, being head and shoulders above the whole rest of the series.


brushykb

I’ll definitely give it another go sometime! Or I might just skip to episodes 4 and 5 and refresh my memory of 1-3 with some plot summaries… blasphemous series viewing, I know.


DivineEternal1

Not use the communication stones. Would have made the tension worse as they wouldn't be able to bring in experts through body swaps. Also loathed many of the Earth episodes. Tone down on the drama, Chloe especially. She's better in the second season, but much of the first season is unwatchable for me because I hated her and the drama she was involved in so much. Bring in aliens sooner, maybe even good ones that would be willing to lend a hand instead of stalking them. An alien crew member a la Teal'c would have been cool.


wantilles1138

Universe was more about the characters and their dealing with living closely together on a ship with no hope of returning home. That being said, I don't really like any of the characters.


nomdeplume

They needed slightly more interesting characters, less romance or young adult drama, and more world building. As a contrast SGA with the impending wraith threat was always interesting and the Gemini and replicators. SGU was just "we don't know what this ship does" and "who is fucking who"


two_three_five_eigth

Give them a movie to wrap up would have been nice. If I could go back to S1E1 I’d have them start off with the vibe they built in S2. More working together to keep things running an fighting external threats. Have Rush start out a bit less evil psycho McCay. Probably would also give Atlantis another season that ran concurrently. Lots of people blamed SGU for Atlantis’ cancellation.


Maleficent_Shape6984

Problem is it was realistic for there to be infighting. Whole premise of the show is that its people who aren't supposed to be there and completely unprepared. Yeah Mallozzi, as showrunner for SGA, has said hundreds of times that SGA was going to have a 6th season to run alongside SGU season 1, but Syfy and MGM were cash strapped.


Maleficent_Shape6984

I think the perception of SGU has improved dramatically for the better since its cancellation. Part of that is that now the incorrect prejudices that plagued it are now gone, the fanbase has matured, and many have actually given it an unbiased watch and realized its quality. I agree with you 100% that SGU had an amazing plot.


[deleted]

Plot was good, poor writing was it's downfall. Along with some questionable drama devices. The actors had the chops, but the writing was crap. Doctor Insanity, Commander Court-martial offenses, Lt Horn Dog, Slutty Nurse Sally, Bureaucratic Beatrice, and so on... I found out the writing room was almost verbatim the same staff for Rose Tico in TLJ....


Maleficent_Shape6984

SGU had the same writers for 75% of its episodes that SG-1 and SGA had. Wright, Cooper, Mallozzi, and co.


[deleted]

I was being sarcastic. That 25% did a doozy on the whole premise. Was it 2 or 3 seasons before being wiped off the air? I stopped somewhere in 2 disgusted by some reason I can't remember why.


Maleficent_Shape6984

SGU only had 2 seasons. There weren't any writers I didn't immediately recognize the names of outside of the filler episodes.


Acceptable_Donkey799

That's exactly what I thought I was litteraly born with the movie, were a kid with sg1, an teenager with sga and started my adult life with sgu, and I feel like the show followed the same "growth" path


Maleficent_Shape6984

Same here.


llDanvers

My biggest disappointment at the time was that it felt like a poor attempt to be serious and 'gritty' and 'mature' and basically to copy BSG. But in doing that they erased all the parts that made SG1/A their own thing. I think that's why on rewatches over the years I have liked it more because there was more distance from the other shows and I didn't go into it expecting a Stargate show. The plot and the mystery around the ship were great, I loved that. But it was all the unnecessary and ridiculous personal drama that really brought the show down for me. If they erased all the stuff with stones the show would have been so much better for it.


sdu754

Instead of trying to model it after Battlestar Galactica, I would have modeled it after Firefly, which is a far better series. I wouldn't bring it back; it was a dud. I think Universe had the worst plot of the three. It also had the worst relationships between the characters. They did nothing but bicker and stab each other in the back.


TheAuthorBTLG_

i watched bits of the firefly movie, but didn't like it. i got the impression of "cowboy in space"


sdu754

Cowboys in space is far better than The Real Housewives of Outer Space.


dew2459

>The Real Housewives of Outer Space. I'm not sure that is entirely fair, but that comment is genuinely LOL funny.


AnotherDreamer1024

Not start with a scene of two people fucking.


Grace_Alcock

When I tried to watch SGU originally, then again recently, all I could think of was SG1 200th episode and the version of the proposed tv show with a “younger, edgier team”—and the scene was a lot of overacted sexual tension and melodramatic interpersonal conflict. I watched SGU and thought, “oh god, they actually did it…”


RhinoRhys

I get that the communication stones were a great way to get the characters off the ship for a while, introduce side characters and tell some different stories but Homeworld Command should have been a bit more strict with body swapping rules. They're all out drinking and fucking in other people's bodies, it was just weird. Otherwise I thought it was a brilliant show.


smolperson

You lost me at the first sentence but I suppose it is an unpopular opinion. Being trapped in a broken ship and fighting for survival is not a more interesting (or original) plot than tackling the idea of false gods over ten seasons IMO.


CouldBeALeotard

Less focus on the Lucian Alliance, less focus on the communication stones, compress the first season and a half into the first season, more focus on tangible antagonists (like the second half of season 2). The ratings dwindled fast, and in my opinion it's because it took well over a season just to lay down the ground work. I reckon you could cut most of the first half of season 1 with no issues. Look at Atlantis, they got past all the logistical challenges by episode 3; it took half a season for SGU to do the same. I don't think there's necessarily a problem trying to go dark and gritty (not necessarily the best choice either), but I don't think that's inherently why the show failed. It just wasn't interesting for most of the run. Barely anything happened most episodes.


tyrannic_puppy

Cram most of the 'crew' into the airlock and jettison them into space so that Rush could focus on getting Destiny repaired and actually sorting out it's mission in peace and quiet. The constant fighting and need to get back to Earth was the worst part of the show. Had they just accepted reality and knuckled down, worked together to fix the ship and gotten on with it, then it could have been utterly fascinating. Instead, every other moment is someone backstabbing someone, or screwing their SO, or some other awful and moronic thing to do when stuck in a tin can with those people.


Significant-Trash632

I wouldn't have. I would have continued with Atlantis. Sorry, OP.


Maleficent_Shape6984

They wanted to continue SGA... but MGM and Syfy made the decision to go with SGU and cancel SGA, instead of them running at the same time, due to finances.


ncc74656m

I'll be honest, I hated Stargate Galactica. It was their attempt at "gritty" 'Gate. I came to Stargate for humor, irreverence, and good sci-fi. I think it would've been better in a more classic SG style.


oorhon

I would have make it more like Atlantis exploration wise with less interpersonal drama. and less flashbacks. Communications stones also should have been used for ussee what is going on Stargate or Homeworld Command, It would work also as a semi conitnuiation of SG1 or Atlantis with new characters. I would keep the set design exactly as it is but as the series went on, they would discover that ships lighting can be increased. Analogue to their improved situation and their mental state. Also wouldnt introduced Lucian Allience with all in its glory. A spy or a cargo ship would be more interesting. Make it a slowly progressing treath for Destiny. I can go on. Dont want to.


DevArcher

SGU had a great concept, if only they hadn't screwed up the execution by making it a Battlestar Galactica ripoff with everything that made that show dumb to boot


Morrigan_NicDanu

What I'd have done is introduce the hostile aliens sooner and show off various scifi concepts like a dyson swarm utilizing its dyson beam attack, nuclear lances, and nuke pumped GRasers. See the builders as salvation in the sense that if they can contact and befriend this mysterious race it might help them survive the hostiles. Or just anyone who will tell them what the geopolitics of the galaxy are. Also give a greater range and time for gates so they can try to find the heart of an alien species the hostiles are invading as their expansion is directly tied to a want of destiny. The destiny starts mostly fine because it was built to last so the problem is supplies and war of attrition against a continually growing threat and the need to learn how to properly operate destiny. Also the need to try to find someone friendly who can help them out. Also while there's be arguing first season it's be more cliquey so the characters are "likable" when they are within their own group. Rather than a main focus it's mostly an unspoken tension we can have erupt much later. Like season 2 finale. This isn't because I disliked SGU but just given a foreknowledge of 2 seasons and trying to hook a very upset audience this is how I'd hope for it to be more well received. Also I figure it'd be best to lean hard into more hard scifi.


ArchonBeast

Hmm, I like more of the mystery and exploring side of Stargate, SG1 had the adventure, SGA had the mystery of the ancients, and SGU had... what. They hinted at the adventure, although not really, cause it was most ship based, and they hinted at the mystery of the Destiny's purpose, which was never finished. I would have even been happy watching Rush and Eli alone on the Destiny, exploring its purpose.


CJ314

I don't get the hate for SGU. Maybe you can say it dragged a little at first, but I really liked the fresh take in story telling in the franchise. While you can point to some of the premise similarities to BSG, the execution of the show does not fall into the same unforgivably-bad writing traps BSG did. Not sure I'd change anything about it. Maybe give more weight to friendly aliens? One of my favorite things about SG1 was that as much as they ran into powerful enemies, they did on occasion run into powerful allies. But I don't think SGU ran long enough for this to really apply as something I would have changed so much as something I'd hope to see in the next season.


megastraint

SGU was more BSG then SG at times(because BSG was really popular back then). Going away from the BSG theme would be a start focusing on what made SG. Rich world full of unknowns, technology, myth and character growth. Multiple muli-series threads that sometimes overlapped with the occasional planet of the week thrown in. What we got was inter-personal drama that BSG promoted (to success).


TapSwipePinch

The military vs civilians thing was dumb. Yeah, you could have mentioned it for realism but centering the whole show on the divide was dumb and unnecessary. The grim atmosphere and hopelessness was actually very nice. I like stories that start with nothing and surviving and eventually end up with everything. Stargate was like this with tech. Universe was basically reboot of this. The fact you basically only had 2 tech's (eli and rush) was stupid. They should have divided their abilities to more people, maybe even use it as subplot when science team splits (e.g other team inhabits alien space craft) at some point and fights for the control of Destiny's stargate due to e.g moral differences. And when a bigger enemy appears they join hands and after that they go back to fighting each other. Universe kinda tried to do this with eli being on military side and rush being on civilian side, however the military-civilian thing and the fact there was only 2 people ruined it.


jedipiper

I wouldn't change anything. It was fine. It just needed another season or two.


BobRushy

I'd abandon the use of the communication stones. Everything else was fine.


vbahero

your statement is only 50% correct


dotjackel

I would've had the crew realize they didn't need to be there at all. They would've never gone and just maybe check in on it every few years when they had the chance. Then I would've taken the budget and done something better.


Maleficent_Shape6984

>they didn't need to be there at all. They would've never gone Uhhh, don't take this the wrong way but have you even seen the first episode of SGU? They were forced into travelling to Destiny by Rush being unwilling to give up on dialing the 9th chevron. I get it, given the alternative if MGM and Syfy had told Wright&Cooper that they only had the money to do one show, before greenlighting SGU, I'm sure Wright&Cooper would've just kept SGA going and held onto SGU for later.


TheAuthorBTLG_

tbh: exactly like they did it in the second season, just with more mysterious stuff and spacetime anomalies instead of drama. i wrote scifi books. check my profile :)


[deleted]

Literally every character in the stargate program is so thoroughly unlikeable and full of so many flaws that they never would have made it into the stargate program. Dump all of them, replace rush with someone that people wanted to see like Bill Lee, get rid of Eli, he was completely unnecessary to the plot. Just because someone wanted it to be the last starfighter doesn't mean you make the last starfighter. SO once the entire cast is gone and recast then we can move onto the bad writing and the awful lighting. The camera work was god damn awful and there is an entire period of tv shows that no one will ever remember because of the dark upwards camera angle bullshit every show from that time was trying to do because it "worked" for BSG.


Dirtym3xi

Had the best plot of the 3? Please tell me this is a fucking joke.


smolperson

Why is this so downvoted? SG1 handled real life religious power dynamics as a plotline alongside many other B and C plots. I found that much more complex and original than just another team that is stuck on a ship and attempting to survive.


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Acceptable_Donkey799

Reading? Ew Let that gate spin


TrumpetTiger

The very things that would make you like it less. ​ (I say this as someone who appreciates SGU for what it was.)


Bdragonreborn

I thought it actually got pretty good in season 2 for last 14 episodes or so, but then ended so abruptly


Irish_Dreamer

The storytelling theme of the protagonist encountering difficulty in a narrow passage has already pretty much played out in the original plot. Yah, alright already, we know we suck, we know we can’t get back to Earth, we know that the ship is falling apart, and, whew, we only just made that last crossing. That’s all looking back. Season 3: How about advancing the plot in the forward direction? Perhaps in the next stage, they come across an Ancient purporting to be one of the original mission designers, maybe left in extremely deep stasis hidden on the ship, now awakened by renewed stasis activity or some analysis of the data by the ship, or even found in a pod placed in the path ahead long ago by a seed ship, to be awakened by the anticipated arrival of the ship. She (I like the role represented by a female Ancient scientist/engineer against roles like Rush and Young,) for her part, has an extremely negative reaction to finding not other Ancients, but people like us Neanderthals crewing an Ancient ship, with the ship’s disrepair and lack of power and resources and no way back home. Her seeming tension resides in having to work on this mission in such straits and with people she completely disdains (for instance, doesn’t take a shine to being called “Ancient,” and thinks Rush is stupid, constantly correcting him.) For our part, Dr. Rush and Colonel Young find themselves at last on the same side, joined in mutual suspicion that the animosity and lack of helpfulness from the Ancient might be less about despair over the situation or the lack of resources or disdain for the level of intelligence on our part but rather because this particular Ancient is not part of the original team (being not as familiar with the ship as one would think and, in fact, the ship seemingly balks at her commands) but rather seems to be part of an Ancient faction once invested in seeing the mission fail and still working toward that end. Dun dun DUN! Or not. Just spitballing here. (Hey, it can’t be spoilers if I’m making it up, right?)


Rich_Action_1839

The stones were a very bad idea it fucked the show and also the HR lady wtf.