Please allow me to make the case for why I believe you should give the Stargate TV series a chance.
Why:
- consistent characters
- strong continuity
- constant world-building
- more real science than Star Trek
- zero-tolerance policy for mysticism
- mature balance of serious and funny
- respect for audience
- Stargate (1994, Roland Emmerich)
- Stargate: SG-1 (10 seasons, 1997-2007, Showtime then SyFy)
- Stargate: Atlantis (5 seasons, 2004-2009)
- Stargate: Universe (2 seasons, 2009-2011)
Don't panic. If you don't like the first season, you can stop. If you do - congrats! You've got plenty of good times ahead.
Yes, it's Roland Emmerich - but it's not formulaic schlock like the rest of his films. It's not great, but it's visually interesting and introduces the premise, which is brilliant in multiple ways.
The Stargate
A sci-fi storyteller's wet dream - a beautiful, iconic prop that provides plausible transportation for your protaganists to a wonderous new place each episode. Obviously, the TV series will capitalize on this better than the film does.
The Antagonist
A species of snake-like parasites with genetic memeory, advanced technology, near-immortality, and personalities akin to classic deities. They're ammoral, addicted to power, vain, arrogant, and see all other creatures as sources of adoration and labor. They survive by invading a host body and controlling it, then enslaving all around them while warring with each other.
The Premise
These creatures (inhabiting human hosts) were the actual gods referenced in Earth mythology. In the film, for example, they encounter the creature who actually posed as Ra in ancient Egypt.
The Theme
That gods are not real, that mere power is not worthy of worship, that all things are explainable with science.
Should You Watch
It's less than two hours, it's interesting, it gives you the basic info, and it's got Kurt Russel. However, you can skip it if you prefer, and still understand SG-1 from the beginning.
First of all, this is the most pro-science fictional TV series I can think of. No matter what crazy shit happens, they all agree "there has to be a scientific explanation for it, and we're gonna figure it out, dammit". They also try to use and reference real science as often as possible, though obviously they stretch way beyond that in other to support wormholes, FTL, and all kinds of star-trek-level sci-fi shit.
Fun Fact: The actress who plays the science member, Amanda Tapping, spent time looking up and trying to understand the real science relevant to a particular episode script before filming so she would sound more convincing.
The Setting
Takes place in present-day (1997 at the time), one year after the events of the movie. The protoganists are a four-person US Air Force team:
- Colonel Jack O'Neill (Kurt Russel's character in the film) — played by Richard Dean Anderson; the leader
- Major Samantha Carter — played by Amanda Tapping; the science person (specialty: theoretical astrophysics)
- Dr Daniel Jackson (James Spader's character in the film) — played by Michael Shanks; the civilian anthrologist
- ? (pilot episode spoiler)
Series Attributes
Yes, I know you haven't seen Buffy. That's fine. However, I can't help but compare the two.
Aside from starting the same year, they're both notable to me for their consistent characters, strong continuity, continuous world-building, sense of humor, and ability to fluently move between tones from one scene or shot to the next. It's almost as if a less-quippy cousin of Joss Whedon was the showrunner. Much like in Whedon's shows, it's clear that the cast and crew care about what they're making, and respect their audience - there's lots of subtle or quick humor.
The Theme: The elimination of slavery and false gods everywhere.
The Sci-Fi-Ness: OMG, so much sci-fi-ness. Wormholes, alien cultures, alien biology, FTL, dimensions, clones, self-replicating robots, time travel, on-screen depictions of altered time and altered gravities, event horizons, stellar manipulations, astrophyics left and right YOU HAVE TO SEE THIS SHOW! (All handled seriously and with fun - not silly like Dr Who.)
The First Season: Like with ST:TNG, it's all over the place in quality. Unlike ST:TNG, the show has continuity and world-building from the first episode, which compensates for the early episodic uneveness.
If you like SG-1, you'll probably try the rest eventually - and if not, it doesn't matter - so I'll be brief.
Atlantis: Season 1 runs in parallel with SG-1 Season 8, and continues that way through season three, then continues for two more after SG-1 has ended. It maintains the same tone and quality as SG-1, though you may like it more or less based on the different setting and characters. Final episode works as a series finale, though I think they were hoping to do more.
Universe: Started after both SG-1 and Atlantis had finished. Very different tone and setting from the previous two, but still very interesting and worthwhile in it's own way. Unfortunately, it ends on a cliffhanger. (Get over it.)
TV Movies: There are a couple of SG-1 TV movies. They're on par with the quality of the episodes. Watch them if you love the series.
To help you evaluate the degree to which our tastes match (which affects the relevance of my suggestions), here's a quick summary:
- I love Babylon 5, Buffy, Farscape, Firefly, and Stargate.
- I grew up with ST:TNG and loved it when I was younger, though I don't care much for the rest of it, except DS-9 (watched recently, thought it was interesting compared to the others) and TOS (which I never made an effort to watch).
- I can't stand Dr Who, saw through Lost after watching a commercial for the pilot, and think JJ Abrams is the worst thing to ever happen to sci-fi story structure.
- I hate everything Roland Emerich has ever done except the Stargate movie - which I don't love.
- Never got into comic books, am not emotionally invested in any modern superhero properties. (Yes, Captain America is kind of interesting, and obviously Iron Man is fun.)