Canada’s HypaSpace program on Space Channel aired a nice segment on the cast and crew’s reaction to SG-1 not being renewed by Sci Fi for an 11th season. Interviewed are Michael Shanks, Chris Judge, Ben Browder, Claudia Black, and Peter DeLuise. Interspersed with the interviews are scenes from filming a Season 10 episode that are quite amusing. BenBrowderPortal.com has the video up for downloading (it’s 32MB) — download Hypaspace video here.
HypaSpace host:
And speaking of sucking, it really sucked this week for Stargate SG-1 fans when the SciFi Channel announced that there wouldn’t be an eleventh season, and that the episodes currently shooting in Vancouver would be the last. Our HypaSpace crew were on the set this week for the 10th Anniversary celebration and talked to the cast and crew about the decision to pull the plug.
Michael Shanks [Daniel Jackson]
We found out a little bit earlier than the public did, obviously, that the show had been cancelled, and it’s hard to be really terribly upset. You know, cancelled is a really weird word, it’s not – we haven’t been cancelled, that kinda means ‘pull the plug and go home’. This this means we’re not getting renewed and it’s been one of those things that’s been on everybody’s mind for years and years and it’s…the fact it’s reality is just something we have to deal with, and I think we’ve really had a wonderful run, so it’s hard to be terribly sad and upset about it.”
Chris Judge [Teal’c]
What recent announcement? Ohhh, that one? You mean the one that has the internet? You mean the announcement that has the internet all a-buzz. You know it. I believe that the ending of our relationship with the SciFi Network, I think is just that. It’s the ending of doing original episodes for SciFi. We are fortunate that we do have a person at the studio – Charlie Cohen – who is a very innovative thinker, a progressive thinker, so between he, Brad [Wright] and Rob [Cooper] I am confident that they have other machinations of SG-1 in the works, and the Stargate franchise as a whole. So just because our relationship has ended with SciFi, that’s not necessarily the end for SG-1 and I know it’s not the end of the Stargate franchise. So, you know, don’t fret, you may be forced to watch us for more years to come.
Claudia Black [Vala Mal Doran]
I’m not surprised, I think personally that ten years is an extraordinary achievement. I don’t know how the writers, apart from bringing in new characters, I don’t know how you can continue to tell new stories in the same environment with the same people. People’s lives don’t change unless you go through a massive sea change, so I think as a show it would have had to have undergone some kind of major change eventually, and maybe it was occurring with me and Ben and Beau arriving on the show. And it always comes down to economics. I understand. I’ve been down that road before. I was on another little show called Farscape and it’s, you know, 90% business, 10% show.
Ben Browder [Cameron Mitchell]
The immediate thing is, when a show is cancelled, is the disappointment, the fact that you’re not going to be seeing these people you’ve enjoyed being with for all those years. You’re not going to see them on a daily basis, and you have to go out and look for work and… But, you know, given the fact that SG-1 went for ten years and is record-setting in that regard, I think you have to walk away when you’ve been cancelled with great dignity and say “we had a great run”. All the people who did this had a great run. So with class, dignity and grace, you take your bow. All good things come to an end and… this is one of them.
Peter DeLuise [Writer, director, producer, actor]
I’ve directed about sixty episodes, or so… I think maybe even slightly more than that. I’ve kind of lost track. But, I’ve learned so much about directing and visual effects, and diplomacy, and writing and producing that I really do feel blessed. I feel like I’ve been paid to learn, and some of the people that have been on the show since the beginning, even more than me, they have this decade of memories and friendships that they’ve made. I’m pretty sure that all the people I hang on the weekends with are all of the people I hang out with week days, which is strange because I don’t really have a life outside Stargate, so now that it’s coming to a close, I don’t know what I’m going to do with myself. I sound really depressing.
Claudia Black [Vala Mal Doran]
I would like to say to the fans of the show that were it not for you the show would not have gone for ten years. And I know right now that you’re probably sad to hear that Season Ten will be, at this stage, the last season. You should be really proud that you’ve been part of it, and a major reason why you’ve had this show for so long.
Chris Judge [Teal’c]
I really would like to thank the fans for, in all sincerity, for ten years of a wonderful, outrageous, rabid support and with the announcement that I’m sure you all heard very recently, that outpouring of love and support continues, and it’s not taken for granted. It’s taken very seriously, it’s taken to heart, and we feed on it, and it strengthens us and I truly, truly, truly would like to say thank you.
