Star Trek vs Stargate: Star Wars Isn't The Only Competitor
The Gate Will Open Up Your Sci-Fi Galaxy
Used to be that rambunctious fans - the troublemaking kind, you know the dandy, randy type - delighted in pitting the glorious sci-fi universe crafted by Gene Roddenberry (Star Trek) against that far away galaxy fashioned by George Lucas (Star Wars). Lightsabers charged? Phasers on stun? Let’s go geek brawl!
These little nerdy deathmatches basically end in draws. And that’s fitting. Afterall, my philosophy - much the same as the great majority of fans - is why wield your lightsaber against a phaser? The Force against Vulcan logic? Why star crash and clash when you can enjoy both science fiction fueled franchises?
All that wasted time and energy strutting around like preening peacocks proclaiming Trek is better than Wars. Captain Kirk charms as more roguishly heroic than Han Solo or loquacious C3PO speaks more languages than the chatty Lt. Commander Data. Puhleeeeeze. Sing me a new cosmic tune!
And on the sidelines, patiently waiting for its wormhole activation, sits the Stargate.
The Gate Is Open
The enigmatic Gate first opened back in 1994 as a feature film starring Kurt Russell as Colonel Jack O’Neill, James Spader playing bookish translator Daniel Jackson and Jaye Davidson electrifying audiences as the evil alien posing as an Egyptian God, Ra.
I should really clarify that: the Stargate universe dramatizes the ancient alien theory, most popularized by the book, Chariots of The Gods, published in 1968. These days the History Channel TV show, Ancient Aliens, carries on the Erich Von Daniken legacy. The theory is extraterrestrial beings visited Earth in ancient times, thereby gifting us with tech or even utilizing genetic manipulation of our human race to achieve greater intelligence or necessary skills to do the aliens bidding.
So, essentially, Ra was never a “valid god”, he’s not divine; he and the rest of his deceptive alien clan (Goa'uld) have been scamming humans for eons.
The core technology of SG1 is the wonderous Gate. This is an enormous portal which can convey people and objects to other galaxies and planets. Think of the Gate as the Starship Enterprise - only a helluva lot faster. A wormhole is the key. The Gate harnesses vast amounts of energy to establish stable wormholes - thereby ferrying exploratory teams to thousands of worlds in the blink of an eye.
StarGate proved to be a big hit movie, but instead of pumping out more feature installments, a TV show was produced, Stargate: SG1. Starring Richard Dean Anderson, Amanda Tapping, Michael Shanks and Christopher Judge, it debuted in 1997 and ran for nine seasons. The SG1 unit travels to planets to help the natives understand they are being fooled by alien con men, E.T. flim-flam men if you will.
Following its mega success, two more shows were produced, Stargate: Atlantis came out and finally, Stargate: Universe. SG: Atlantis has the distinction of launching the career of superstar (Aquaman) Jason Momoa. Several TV films were produced and even an animated series as well.
The Gate Needs Reopening
Trek now travels at high warp in revival mode. New shows such as Star Trek: Discovery, Picard and the forthcoming, Strange New Worlds, stream on Paramount +. There’s even new animated treks - Prodigy and Lower Decks. Creator Gene Roddenberry’s space opera legacy lives long and prospers, indeed. Over at Disney +, The Mandalorian and the upcoming Obi-Wan Kenobi show, billed as a rollicking space western.
The Gate can’t be left out of this sci-fi renaissance. Talk about a new Stargate is all over the place lately. Ever since Amazon purchased MGM, its properties are being considered for revival. Brad Wright, a co-creator of Stargate: SG1, is already pitching a new Gate show to bring back some old favorite characters.
Much like Star Trek, Stargate relies on strong, well developed characters being challenged in complex, memorable stories. After a tragic accident, O’Neil’s character needs to come to grips with living his life again. Chris Judge’s character - perhaps the most interesting and wide ranging arc in the show - faces the chilling prospect that the ‘gods’ he serves are no more than opportunistic lying frauds.
If you’ve never watched any of the various Stargates, treat yourself to one of the strongest and most well produced sci-fi franchises in entertainment history. It may not be Star Trek - go tell that to The Orville - but the rewards to Trekkers are many. Remember: you really can watch both and not feel guilty about betraying the other.
I loved the SG movie, but I thought it felt a little forced how they fleshed it out for the show. I watched it, but not regularly.