“Heroes” (Parts 1 and 2) has been nominated for the prestigious Hugo Award in the “Best Dramatic Presentation – Short Form” category. Nominations and voting are all by popular ballot of the members of the World Science Fiction Society. A Hugo Award given in a particular year is for work that appeared in the previous calendar year.
The Hugo Award is named after Hugo Gernsback, the founder of the pioneering science fiction magazine Amazing Stories. The first award in the “Best Dramatic Presentation – Short Form” was given in 2003. The winners will be announced at a ceremony on August 7, 2005, in Glasgow as part of Interaction, the 63rd World Science Fiction Convention.
“Heroes” was written by Robert C. Cooper and directed by Andy Mikita. It tells the story from the viewpoint of a journalist, Emmett Bregman, hired by the President of the United States to profile the men and women of Stargate Command. Although Bregman knows that his documentary may never be viewed by the public in his lifetime, he pursues the assignment with tenacity. While conducting the interviews and living on the base, he becomes personally involved with the lives of those who are on the front line of a war most of the world does not know about. Eventually, his own personal experience shapes the final product after he watches a video recording made by Dr. Daniel Jackson out in the field as he assisted Dr. Janet Fraiser render medical attention to a wounded Airman Wells of SG-13. Dr. Fraiser gives Daniel permission to record Wells as he gives his final farewell to his pregnant wife, thinking that he was about to die. As other SG units hold back the attacking Jaffa, Fraiser and Daniel give aid, hope, and comfort to the young man, trusting that the line will hold. Unfortunately, the line doesn’t hold and Daniel inadvertantly records the instantaneous and brutal death of Dr. Fraiser as she is hit with the deadly force of a staff weapon blast. Bregman’s life and view were forever changed from this event, as well as the lives of those who knew and loved Janet. But, life goes on, and the lives protected by Stargate Command continue, as the birth of Wells’ baby daughter testifies. In Dr. Fraiser’s honor, Airman Wells, whose life was saved by Janet, names his daughter after her.
From light-hearted humor to tear-jerking drama, these 88 minutes of television have been considered some of the best of Stargate SG-1 and of science fiction.
Worldcon 2005 Press Release: 2005 Hugo Award Shortlist Announced
Hugo Award Homepage
StargateWiki Episode Guides for “Heroes Part 1” and “Heroes Part 2”