“I can’t leave him like this and I won’t.”
Daniel Jackson, S2, ‘The Fifth Race’

Stargate’s season 2, the most successful season of Stargate, the season of peaceful exploration, of the team as family, of strong drama, and inclusiveness and equality for all. For season 2, Stargate was the highest rated first-run show. Our characters cared for each other, fought for each other… In this episode Daniel refuses to leave Jack simply because Jack needs him. No wonder this is one of the most beloved episodes. Daniel is there for his friend, ensuring he isn’t alone and has the means to communicate. This is the true spirit of Stargate and why so many of us watch.

Daniel’s commitment to his team members is never in doubt. He literally is the emotional core of the show, his relationship personal with each of his team members. He is the hero, the heart and soul of Stargate SG-1, allowing the others to express with him feelings their team roles would otherwise prevent them. The chemistry of these four people, the strength of their bonds is what gave Stargate its magic. The friendship between Jack and Daniel was always at the heart of this dynamic, but it was an inclusive dynamic, drawing the other team members into it. No other dynamic works this way. We have ample proof of that.

“That’s it? What happened to working through the night? I’d do it for you!”
Daniel Jackson, S3, ‘Crystal Skull’

Stargate season 3, when ratings began to plummet after the airing of ‘A Hundred Days’ and the much loathed Laira, the launch of the Sam/Jack ship, the showcasing of one team member, separation of the team, marginalising Daniel. In one single episode, Shades of Grey, season 4 was signalled. TPTB attacked the very heart of the show, Jack and Daniel’s friendship, and Daniel himself. In this episode, when Daniel needs Jack, Jack walks away with a bad taste joke about radiation sickness. He won’t even admit to missing Daniel. For an audience who love Daniel, this was painful.

The show has never recovered for it continued in season 4, and viewers were driven away in droves, falling by 26%. The show was engineered in season 4 to drive a wedge of mistrust and conflict between Jack and Daniel and to reinvent itself with Jack and Sam at the core. A quarter of the audience rejected that outright and quit. Many more hung in hoping it would get better. How wrong we were to place our trust in TPTB. A crop of new writers came in without understanding the core dynamic of the show and the team, and the result is this. Michael Shanks is driven away, along with a significant proportion of the audience, and surely more to follow when news of his loss finally does make it to the general public.

“It’s not an easy thing just to say goodbye to a character who in many ways is the heart and soul of your series. Richard (Dean Anderson) is the name above the title but Michael Shanks’s Daniel character carried the morality of the show and that is something we will simply have to struggle to replace.”

Brad Wright, Cult Times, #74

“Actually, I thought that what I was doing on the show was becoming seemingly more confined. And having broached the subject with the powers that control these things, it became clear that the character wasn’t important enough to the overall process to warrant an upgrade.”

Michael Shanks, TV Zone #146

“This show taps into our society’s ongoing fascination with the idea that life exists elsewhere in the universe and the concept of alternate realities,” says Glassner. “The series will explore the premise that human beings were once transported from Earth to other planets and now live in varying stages of advancement, from primitive to highly-evolved. The SG-1 team will explore these places through the Stargate.”

Jonathan Glassner on the premiere of Stargate SG-1, 1997.

“Stargate is our ticket to experiencing other worlds. Through the adventures of SG-1 we will learn more about what it means to be human and how unlimited the future is. The show is intentionally complex, and presents mysteries that will be answered in subsequent episodes. It will also address some of the perplexing questions that were raised in the film.”

Brad Wright on the premiere of Stargate SG-1, 1997.

“We’re only limited by our imaginations, and if those dry up we may as well move on anyway.”

RDA, TV Zone Special #38

“The show was moving in a direction that seemed to hold less and less a place for my character,” explains Shanks. “There were a number of conspiracy plots developing and other Earth-based scenarios that were being done in order to flesh out the different aspects of dealing with the Stargate.”

Michael Shanks, TV Zone #146

“I went to the producers and said, ‘I’m worried. I’m concerned about the ramifications of the end of the love interest story and with the introduction of the Earth conspiracy staff with Maybourne and the NID.’” Speaking of the whole wheels-within-wheels plot Shanks says, “It wasn’t that I felt they weren’t interesting storylines. Those were very good episodes. The problem for me was that oftentimes because it’s a show about a military man in a military base surrounded by the inner workings of the military, Daniel, as a civilian was not included in the loop of those things. It’s logical he wouldn’t be included and I guess what I’m saying is I wanted a stronger effort made to include the character within those things. I could see how difficult it was becoming to create a valid role for Daniel and that ultimately became a needle in my side. The character wasn’t involved in those things when the episodes came up.”

Michael Shanks, Dreamwatch #88

“One of the many positive things that has been said about Stargate is that it’s based around the characters, all of whom are unique and constantly interact with one another.”

Richard Dean Anderson, TV Zone Special #42

“It would be fun to explore some different cultures with ancient earth-based roots.”

Joseph Mallozzi in an exclusive chat with the Sam/Jack Horsewomen, 16 December 2001

“Stargate had become a programme about a military group in a military institution surrounded by all the various aspects and organizations that people in the military might have to deal with. As the sole civilian of the team, other than Teal’c, there wasn’t much for Daniel to do. For example, in the fifth season we seemed to revisit many of the same planets we had been to in the fourth year. Being an anthropologist/archeologist, Daniel goes to other worlds to meet new races and study new cultures. Instead, we were dealing with old situations and becoming further entrenched in past conflicts. As a result, the archeological and cultural interests of my character had to take a backseat.”

Michael Shanks, TV Zone #146

“Stargate SG-1 stars Richard Dean Anderson as Air Force Colonel Jack O’Neill. The series, which debuted on Showtime in June 1997, centers on the Stargate, an ancient portal that allows instantaneous travel across the galaxy. O’Neill and Egyptologist Daniel Jackson (Michael Shanks) explore the uncharted regions of the universe — searching for clues to save the Earth from destruction.”

Sci-Fi Wire, Posted 14/08/01, last updated 18/12/01

“I think my naivety on the whole issue when I first started on the show was that I’d watched the original Stargate movie and saw where Daniel Jackson went in that. Then, when I was offered the character, especially after reading the pilot, where Daniel has a heavy part, I assumed that it was going to be more a type of ‘buddy’ show. I knew the other characters would be involved as well, but I thought that the Daniel/Jack relationship would be the central focus. That’s why I signed on to do it. Plus I liked the character and only saw his development based on the original blueprint. I couldn’t and still don’t see it from any other point of view.”

Michael Shanks, Dreamwatch #88

“Daniel Jackson is dying — he’s going away, but you know what? It’s our sixth season of Stargate SG-1 and as in all good things there’s an evolution, hopefully, creatively and personnel-wise and we’ve reached the point where something had to change. Something bigger had to happen — at least from my perspective, knowing I will definitely be leaving the show after year six.”

“To be quite honest, Michael leaving is a product of the respective parties making decisions based on what their projected needs are going to be in the long term. Michael indicated that he wanted to move on, which is quite a natural reaction after five long years of the rigors of this show. He is also an actor who’s young and has a lot to do with his career. I think he knew that going in and what we’ve done is address the issue. It is a massive, big, big change but I support his decision wholeheartedly.”

Richard Dean Anderson, Cult Times #75

Although Shanks made the decision to pack up and leave rather than see the character’s potential whittled down, he admits to doing so with a very heavy heart. “I’ll tell you something, and that is the current situation is very strange for me. It would be one thing if Stargate was finished and there were no more episodes but we — Richard, Amanda Tapping, Christopher Judge, the writers, crew, all of us — started something and built it into something special. I don’t think too many of the actors (with the exception of Rick, who is also executive producer) were so involved in the reverence towards the building of the franchise as I was in terms of input and trying to make it a better show. I have a lot invested in it professionally and personally in terms of watching its development; of being really proud of it when it hit and being really disappointed when it missed. It’s actually a tremendous brain fart for me to consider that the show is carrying on and I’m not part of it.”

“In trepidation about what happens next, Shanks shrugs, ‘When you think of it, I’m leaving my family. I’m 30 years old and have been part of Stargate for a sixth of my life. And it really is that long because I spent almost all of my waking hours with the guys on that set. We’re on our natural ‘downtime’ at the moment, so it still really hasn’t sunk in yet that when they resume filming in February I won’t be there.”

Michael Shanks, Dreamwatch #88

O’Neill nods and leaves. Cut to the SGC corridors as O’Neill walks down the hallway, pulling on his jacket. He starts to round a bend, but hesitates, spotting something up ahead. Daniel is leaning against the wall, staring into space. O’Neill approaches him.

O’NEILL: Hey.

Daniel nods. There’s a moment of silence.

DANIEL: They don’t know what to do with me… and I don’t know what to do with myself.

O’Neill punches him lightly on the shoulder.

O’NEILL: Come on. Let’s get out of here.

He turns and heads for the exit, pausing at the turn. Daniel hesitates, then follows him out.

O’NEILL: Daniel, for crying out loud, you’ve had one beer. You’re a cheaper date than my wife was.
DANIEL: Yes, when am I going to meet your wife?
O’NEILL: Oh, probably, uh, never. (pause) After I came back from Abydos the first time, she’d already left.
DANIEL: I’m sorry.
O’NEILL: Yeah, so was I. I think in her heart she forgave me for what happened to our kid, she just… couldn’t forget.
DANIEL: And what about you?
O’NEILL: I’m the opposite. I’ll never forgive myself. But sometimes I can forget. Sometimes.

Jack and Daniel, S1 premiere, Children of the Gods

Jack is playing street hockey by himself. He has the net between two cars, and is just shooting the puck into the net. He is mad and is hitting the balls for all it’s worth until the net flies over. Jack then takes his stick and holds it like a baseball bat and slams it into a car window.

JACK: “Can you get this damn car out of here!”
Hammond who is outside talking to Sam, looks up and walks fast to where Jack is.
HAMMOND: “What’s on your mind, Colonel?”
JACK: “Retirement, actually.”
HAMMOND: “You don’t mean that.”
JACK: “I think I do.”

Jack and Daniel, S1, ‘Fire and Water’

O’NEILL: Daniel… Dammit!
DANIEL: I’m dead anyway. Just get outta here!
O’NEILL: I am not leaving you here, Daniel.
DANIEL: Get outta here! You’re just gonna blow up with the other ship anyway! What difference does it make? Go! Just go! I’ll stay and watch your back.
After a long pause, Jack leaves.

Jack moves over to hug Daniel.
O’NEILL: “Spacemonkey! Yeah!”

Jack and Daniel, S2, ‘The Serpent’s Lair’

O’NEILL: DANIEL! God… What are you going to do, DANIEL? Do you want to kill me? Oh God, look at you. I know what this is. I know what it’s like. You can get through it…
DANIEL: No…
DANIEL breaks down crying, and O’NEILL pulls him into a hug.

Jack and Daniel, ‘Need’

DANIEL: “So this whole friendship thing we’ve been working on for the past few years?”

O’NEILL: Daniel? That stuff I was talking about at my house?
DANIEL: Mmm.
O’NEILL: The place was bugged. I had to keep up the act.
DANIEL: Uh… it’s… uh… I understand.
O’NEILL: The whole friendship thing… the foundations… it’s all solid. You don’t need to worry about…
DANIEL: no — no — I…
O’NEILL: I do appreciate you were the one to come see if I was okay. That… that means something.

Jack and Daniel, S3, ‘Shades of Grey’

O’NEILL: What kind of dumb-ass question is that? My friend is laying there on his deathbed. I’m fine.
FRAISER: We’re working on the problem Sir.
O’NEILL: I don’t want excuses.

Jack and Daniel, S4, ‘The Light’

DANIEL: I don’t suppose you wanna talk about what happened on Vorash?
O’NEILL: Not really.
DANIEL: Didn’t think so.
O’NEILL: We were ambushed. At the rings. Teal’c took one in the back. I should have seen it coming.

Jack and Daniel, S5, ‘Enemies’

“O’Neill has looked to Daniel for the greatest camaraderie and certainly he and I have had a lot of fun with the banter for which we’ve become famous. As actors we do have fun in the little snippets of scenes that Michael and I have been able to play with. He’s very quick and I enjoy that. But for O’Neill it will have to be life as normal without him. Life goes on.”

Asked if we might see O’Neill in tears as Daniel makes his final exit, Anderson shakes his head. “I don’t think so! In fact, in the script we’re shooting right now there’s a reference where Carter brings up Daniel’s departure and O’Neill is very pragmatic about it. That’s not to say there won’t be moments of reflection or of sentiment, but O’Neill is a soldier. He’s been through this. He’s been through this stuff with his kid, which is the most emotionally wrenching. With Daniel, it’s a comrade in arms that’s gone down.”

Richard Dean Anderson, Cult Times #75

“There were a number of agendas that had to be solved,” says the actor. “Not only did they need to finish off Daniel’s journey if you will, but they also had to introduce a new character. With so many things going on it really wasn’t clear why Daniel was being written out in this fashion. I thought there was a bit of a chickening out with how it all happened. The big problem, I think, was they were so intent on saying to the audience, ‘Daniel’s not dead!’ This was mainly for the benefit of the same viewers who apparently got so upset last season when Martouf [JR Bourne] was killed off in Divide and Conquer. The powers that be wanted to quell any backlash that might take place with the fans concerning Daniel’s departure. What they ended up doing lessened the impact of his leaving. They didn’t give the viewers a chance to grieve the ‘passing’ of the character.

“Of course, the dual story line involving the new character didn’t help either. Having said that, I understood why it had to be done, and in all honesty unless I can think of an alternative way of handling something I usually keep my mouth shut and don’t gripe. So I didn’t really protest and just figured, ‘OK, fine’. I knew it was the end of the road. I didn’t mind the story. I just wished there was a better way that it could’ve been done, but that’s neither here nor there at the end of the day.”

Michael Shanks, TV Zone #146