SG-1 Had FOUR Different Endings | Stargate Secrets

STARGATE SG-1 ran for ten years plus two movies, which is a pretty remarkable feat of television production. So how do you get a show to go 214 episodes? A bit of luck and a lot of talent, no doubt. But Stargate also benefited from some strategic moves behind the scenes, as well as a willingness to recast and reinvent itself along the way.

But it wasn’t always clear to the Powers That Be that the show was coming back for another season, and a renewal from the network was rarely a certainty. Starting with SG-1 Season 5, most years the writers had to plan for the likelihood that the show would be ending. So on several occasions they wrote a season ender that could also serve as a suitable SERIES finale.

Here we’re looking at four times during STARGATE SG-1's production that a finale was written to end the show ... and how even the actual final episode couldn’t keep the team down!

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Chapters:

0:00 - Introduction
1:13 - Ending #1: Showtime
2:48 - Ending #2: Abydos Is Destroyed
5:10 - Ending #3: Fishing
7:57 - Ending #4: Unending
10:13 - Two Movies, Two More Endings
13:18 - Wrap-up

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Song: Pistachios
Artist: Kia

"Stargate," "Stargate SG-1," and all related materials are owned by MGM Studios and MGM Television.

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[TheScavv]

It's really incredible that the entire show has such a coherent story considering how many times they intended to "end" it

[lycos]

i love SG1's ending exactly because it doesn't feel like an ending, it feels like SG1 is still out there going on mission and exploring the universe

[CallmeKenneth-tbzb]

SG1 was the only show that spanned the entire Golden Decade of Sci Fi, starting at the beginning and its finale effectively marking the end of the era. It's also a show that defined that era of Sci Fi, one that never took itself too seriously whilst still providing some of the most gripping drama there was in Sci Fi. For me it's one of the best shows ever made.

[MurderMostFowl]

My wife never watched the series when it originally aired, but we watched it together a couple of years back and when Daniel “died”/ascended, she teared up and asked me “is he really gone?” And I said yes and she genuinely got choked up about it. I think the studio was quite aware of Michael Shanks’ magnetic personality but even I was a little shocked how hard she took it! Lol ( when I later confessed that he comes back, she promptly reached over and threw something at me )

[Deanlson]

I enjoyed how SG1 show writers didn't take themselves too seriously making parodies of their own show with puppets and "Wormhole Xtreme!"

[lisacarter]

My favorite episode was the one they kept reliving. Teal'c and O'Neal was going insane until Daniel said something like "I don't know, depends on how you look at it. If I could go back and live the same day with no consequences?" Teal'c and O'Neal look at each other and back out while Daniel was still talking and then hilarity ensues. 😂

[zarpof]

Continuum, for me was the best send off. Why? It was a fun adventure, like a stand alone long high quality episode. It embodied SG1 completely. A tribute to itself. Once final episode, bigger, grander, and just as entertaining as ever. They didn't have to go sentimental, they just went for thought provoking entertainment. As SG1 always has done.

[OpenGateSchool]

I miss this series more than any other scifi. RIP Cliff Simon

[grndiesel]

Stargate SG1: The little show that could.
What stays with me is just how good the show got over its run, but never took itself too seriously. They even had filler episodes that poked fun at the whole premise of the show. It was also rather optimistic, considering what fiction writing is like in most fantasy an sci-fi shows that came later.

[SylvesterAshcroft]

Daniel Jackson's ascension was a really sad ending, but the death of Anubis was also a pretty incredible ending to the series! :D

[nathanhale]

I loved how Richard Dean Anderson brought a bunch of his friends from his MacGyver days to co-star with him in Sg1. Christopher Judge who played Tealc was a troubled youth, Michael Shanks who played Daniel Jackson played his son, Don S. Davis played two different parts and so on. I wonder how he managed to pull it off?

[AeneasGemini]

Considering the short form storytelling (and less episodic storytelling) that we're seeing nowadays, Stargate is likely one of the last great shows to hit the 200 episode mark 😥

[voshadxgathic]

To this day, Amanda Tapping remains my celebrity crush. Stargate introduced me to her, and Sanctuary was an amazing show for her to make afterwards.

[TotinosPizzaRollz]

I read that Sam's ending comment in Continuum about the "moonbase" was referencing SGA's plan to do a DVD movie about Atlantis being stationed on the Moon after it's trip to Earth in SGA's finale. It was going to be called 'Stargate Atlantis: Extinction'.

[morallybankrupt]

I miss this show so much. I was so invested when it came out.

[davidmoore]

The endings were great for the most part. They kept the show fresh by tying up the major plot points and letting them move on, something a lot of long running series could learn from.

[imthepantyraider]

Unending did it for me. The final scene in the gate room actually brings tears of joy everytime i see it.

[Noone-jnjp]

This is my favorite show and the best of sci fi. I remember watching it in syndication as a kid, it came on late. The first ep I ever seen was when the bounty hunter had SG-1 trapped in a cave and told Danial "you figured out how the stargate works, the price on your head is much higher’’.

[Saintious]

This show guided me through decades of my life. I get a certain feeling of loss when I start thinking about the ending to this and the spin-offs. Hats off to the cast and crew.

[steveNCB]

Thanks for this detailed roundup - I didn’t have a clear idea before, on how the two movies fitted in. As we speak, I am retired now AND getting to watch the final SG1 season for the first time. Long story, but about 5 years ago here in the UK, I set my PVR to record the final series as usual. Life, family and personal events got in the way though, so it wasn’t until this year that I started to watch them, as I say, for the very first time. The bonus, is that for whatever reason and unknown to me, my PVR went on to record the entire Atlantis series as well, which the TV company ran immediately after SG1 ended. Had no idea that had happened, so I will also get to watch that series for the first time as well! Great show, great cast and happy memories. 👌