Stargate: SG-1 Memories - New Order I and II

Casting my mind back to the start of SG-1’s eighth season, I remember going into that year fairly convinced that it would be the show’s last (yet again). And, in many ways, it was because SG-1’s ninth and tenth season were a notable departure from those first eight. This was Richard Dean Anderson’s last season as a regular, the final season in which the show’s long established villains – the goa’uld – would threaten Stargate Command and, in sum, the end of “classic Stargate” (although there are those who have long held this designation should only applly to the show’s first three seasons). This was the year we wrapped up the big loose ends and we did so with a mind to ending the series and launching a new SGC-centered spin-off tentatively titled Stargate Command. Needless to say, things didn’t exactly go as planned. Not exactly. But, for the most part, they did and we ended up concluding the original team run in immensely satisfying fashion.

This also marked the first year we transitioned from a 22 to a 20 episode season. It meant two less episodes – but only as far as SG-1 was concerned because this was also the year we launched Stargate: Atlantis. In all, we produced 40 episodes of television that year!

NEW ORDER I (801)

Finally, after years of behind the scenes begging and badgering, actor Chris Judge got his wish – and Teal’c got hair. Brad had long-resisted Chris’s requests but finally broke down since it seemed this was going to be it, the show’s final season. I didn’t think it was such a big deal, especially considering Teal’c had undergone other notable changes over the course of the series run. Remember that gold tinge his skin possessed, making him look like he was a professional dancer working an all-night rave? Given the fact that certain scenes from this show’s first four episodes were shot out of sequence, Teal’c’s hair is somewhat inconsistent – but I’m sure Chris will tell you it was a small price to pay for not having to shave his head every morning.

With Brad and Robert looking ahead to Stargate: Atlantis, a late change was made to the script’s first draft. Initially, Richard Woolsey was supposed to take over at Stargate Command but the decision was made to have Elizabeth Weir step into the role instead.

NEW ORDER II (802)

The part of the human form replicator that comes out of stasis aboard the Daniel Jackson was played by SGA stunt coordinator (and, presently, Arrow stunt coordinator and director) James “Bam Bam” Bamford.

The episode’s final reveal, that Fifth had created a replicator version of Carter, wasn’t part of the story we broke and was included at the draft stage when Robert Cooper was struck by his usual insidiously evil inspiration.