Production

Brad Wright and Jonathan Glassner had worked together on the Metro–Goldwyn–Mayer (MGM) television series The Outer Limits since 1995. Wright saw a wide range of possible science fiction storylines in the original Stargate (1994) film that could take place in the present day.^[3] Meanwhile, Glassner was interested in the feature film's theme that Ancient Egypt had been partially or completely built by aliens.^[3] Upon hearing of MGM's plan to create a television spin-off series of the film, Wright and Glassner independently and unbeknownst to each other approached MGM and proposed their concept for the television series. MGM president John Symes greenlit the project on the condition that Wright and Glassner worked together as executive producers of the new show.^[3] The show was eventually given the name Stargate SG-1 after Wright flightily agreed to Symes's pitch question if the team should be called "SG-1". MGM released posters titled Stargate SG-1 within the next week without the knowledge of Wright and Glassner.^[4]

John Symes approached Michael Greenburg and Richard Dean Anderson of MacGyver fame.^[3] Although Anderson was never a real fan of the science fiction genre, he believed the original concept of a "Stargate" was a good vehicle for a series.^[5] Anderson agreed to become involved with the project if his character Jack O'Neill was allowed significantly more comedic leeway than Kurt Russell's character in the feature film. He also requested Stargate SG-1 to be more of an ensemble show, so that he would not be carrying the plot alone as on MacGyver.^[6] The American subscription channel Showtime made a two-season commitment for 44 episodes in 1996.^[3] Principal photography began in Vancouver in February 1997.^[7]

"The First Commandment" was the first Stargate SG-1 episode written by Robert C. Cooper, who would later become an executive producer and co-creator of the spin-off series Stargate Atlantis. Paul McGillion, who played young Ernest Littlefield in "Torment of Tantalus", would go on to play the recurring and later main character Dr. Carson Beckett in Stargate Atlantis. The outside scenes of "Solitudes" were filmed at Pemberton Icefield.^[8] The rest of the episode was filmed in the studio, which was filled with fake snow and ice and kept at a low temperature.

Production design

Lead production designer Richard Hudolin flew to Los Angeles, 1996 to gather material from Stargate for reference and found the original film prop stored outside in the Californian desert. Although the prop had severely disintegrated, he could take a detailed mould for Stargate SG-1 production to build its own prop. The new Stargate was engineered to turn, lock the chevrons, and be computer-controlled to dial specific gate addresses. A portable Stargate prop was built for on-location shoots and required six workers and one full day to set up.^[3][9] Since visual effects are sometimes faster and cheaper,^[9] a computer-generated Stargate was occasionally used in on-location shoots in later seasons.^[10]

The design of the Stargate Command (SGC) base was supposed to match the real Cheyenne Mountain complex as much as possible.^[9] The set had to be twice as high for shooting as the 22 feet tall Stargate prop,^[11] but one of Hudolin's original plans of a three-level SGC set was rejected in favor of a two-level set.^[9] The gateroom was the biggest room on set and could be redesigned for other scenes.^[10] Two multi-purpose rooms were frequently redecorated into the infirmary, Daniel's lab, the cafeteria or the gym.^[9][12] The SGC set and all other sets from the pilot episode were constructed within six weeks in January and February 1997, incorporating some original set pieces from the feature film.^[9]

Cast and characters

The initial season had five main characters getting star billing. Richard Dean Anderson portrayed formerly suicidal United States Air Force Colonel Jack O'Neill. Michael Shanks played the American Egyptologist Daniel Jackson. Both O'Neill and Jackson appeared in the 1994 film Stargate. Amanda Tapping played astrophysicist and United States Air Force captain Samantha "Sam" Carter. Christopher Judge portrayed Teal'c, a Jaffa from Chulak and former First Prime of Apophis. Don S. Davis played George Hammond, the new leader of the Stargate program, taking over after General W.O. West. Numerous supporting characters have been given expansive and recurring appearances in the progressive storyline, including: Teryl Rothery as Janet Fraiser, Gary Jones as Chevron Guy (later identified as Walter Harriman), Jay Acovone as Charles Kawalsky (portrayed by John Diehl in the 1994 feature film), Tom McBeath as Harry Maybourne, and Ronny Cox as Robert Kinsey, among others.

Cultural references

During the production of "Solitudes", a joke was played on Richard Dean Anderson. Whilst filming, when O'Neill asks how Carter is getting along with unearthing the Stargate's DHD, Carter starts ranting at O'Neill for being completely "MacUseless" even though he spent seven years on MacGyver, referring to Richard Dean Anderson's role in both shows. The prank was organized by Tapping in cooperation with the director.^[8] Similarly, in the first episode, "Children of the Gods" Carter speaks of "MacGyvering" the Stargate into operation while O'Neill rolls his eyes. The 2009 DVD version of this episode does not contain the MacGyver reference.^[22] "Politics" contains a scene that references uploading a virus to an alien mothership, alluding that the solution to the movie Independence Day will not work in this situation.^[23] "Within the Serpent's Grasp" contains the only scene produced especially for Showtime, not shown on the syndicated versions. When seeing a floating metal ball, Teal'c explains "It is a Goa'uld long-range visual communication device, somewhat like your television, only much further advanced." In the Showtime version, O'Neill says "Think it gets Showtime?" While this scene remains in the DVD versions of the episode, syndication runs have O'Neill instead saying, "Hmm....Goa'uld TV..." (in a manner similar to that of Homer Simpson)^[24]