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“It’s been crazy since we started shooting
season seven in February,
but that’s fine with me,” actor Michael Shanks says, who has played Dr.
Jackson
for the past five years on SG-1.
“I don’t regret my decision to leave the show when I did. But I also
think
I made the right decision to come back. It’s always wonderful to be
busy
with a schedule rather than waiting for a casting call. Sometimes it’s
going
to feel like it’s too crazy, but work is good. Time always flies when
you’re
busy. I like to be busy, so it’s turned out to be a good year for me.
I’m
very happy about that.
Shanks pauses for a moment and adds, “In a lot of ways, he’s [Daniel
Jackson]
more enthusiastic, but he’s also more stubborn, more of a soldier. He’s
more
confident and he knows he has a clear duty to his people. He’s had to
make
tough decisions, and those decisions led to his return. In an episode
called
‘Orpheus’, he realizes he’s come back to do something proactive, to
push
forward their cause, not just be the passive observer all the time. He
realizes
that his journey is not the end. It’s just the beginning.“
The relationship between Jackson and the headstrong Jack O’Neil (series
lead
Richard Dean Anderson) has taken off from the conflicting dynamic
established
in the film to become one of the most popular elements of the series.
“The Jack and Daniel relationship is at more of a crucible,” Shanks
says.
“Daniel is getting his memories back, and the love/hate relationship
creeps
back on them. There’s a lot more gentleness and appreciation for one
another.
Less bantering will happen this year between the two. They’ll be trying
to
put things back in proper perspective. They are like good brothers,
like
a father and a son, and you know, also like an old married couple. I
think
that it’s getting much tighter, stronger, and closer in every way than
before.”
According to the actor, star Richard Dean Anderson’s availability is a
major factor in the show’s production.
“He only works three days a week, so they are finding a way to spread
him
out over the episodes,” Shanks explains. “As a result, there’s a lot
more
interaction with the other cast members of the show, too. Usually the
characters
are satellites of the O’Neill character, but this year they’re having
to
spend a lot more time together to solve their problems. That gives the
other
characters a lot more independence and authority for themselves so that
leads
to more challenges. Also, you’re going to see more of Daniel’s
struggles.”
Read
the complete article at CFQ Magazine online and buy a copy of the
print magazine with it's seven page feature on Season Seven of Stargate
SG-1
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