Beginning as a standalone film in 1994, Stargate spawned a slew of TV series and spin-off movies.
Since the franchise spans decades, there have been quite a few cast changes over the years.
We're here to let you in on the real reasons why these actors left the Stargate franchise.
In the original film, we all remember how Kurt Russell played Colonel Jack O'Neill,
while James Spader played Dr. Daniel Jackson.
"Forty-five seconds."
"He's leaving.
Turn it off."
"I'm trying to, I can't disarm it."
Though the iconic duo were perfect for their roles, neither of them went on to act in the
spin-off series SG-1 -- where O'Neill is played by MacGyver vet Richard Dean Anderson, and
Jackson is played by Michael Shanks.
What could have caused Russell and Spader to jump ship after the original film's success?
There isn't one definitive answer, but we can sum it up by saying it just wasn't in
the cards for them.
The original filmmakers had nothing to do with SG-1, so the series creators ended up
tweaking various aspects of the universe to better suit a sprawling series.
For example, the enemy alien Ra was supposedly part of an extinct alien species in the movie,
but the TV series completely contradicted that.
And besides this, it took three years after the release of the film for the series to
hit the airwaves.
By this time, Russell and Spader had moved on to other projects -- none of them in the
realm of television.
Unlike today, moving from film to TV in the nineties was seen as a demotion.
Possibly the biggest name on the show, Richard Dean Anderson took the role of Colonel Jack
O'Neill a few years after his long stint as problem solver extraordinaire MacGyver in
the late eighties and early nineties.
Due to this, he brought an endless parade of fans with him when he signed on to the
series in 1997.
He played the Colonel diligently for many years, but stepped down at the end of season
eight -- only appearing in select episodes of seasons nine and ten.
Subsequently, the writers were forced to change the trajectory of the show and introduce a
replacement leader for the SG-1 team, which would ultimately be the character of Cameron
Mitchell -- played by Ben Browder.
According to an interview with GateWorld, he said he quit the show in order to spend
more time with his daughter.
His only child, Wylie Quinn Anderson, was born in 1998, during the second season of
SG-1.
As the show progressed, he felt more and more guilty for forfeiting family time for the
many demands of his role.
By seasons six and seven, the producers had started to reduce his workload.
By season eight, he had become a minor character altogether, and only appeared occasionally
from that point forward.
Amanda Tapping played the highly intelligent Samantha Carter, who begins her arc as a military
cadet before eventually getting promoted.
“We don't know sir, but it branched out from very specific areas.
Network and language software, followed by system and application software."
She was a member of the cast for all ten seasons, and then reprised her role in the fourth season
of the spin-off series Stargate: Atlantis.
After that, she only showed up once in a while as a guest actor.
So where did she go?
According to an interview with SheKnows, she left the franchise to focus on her own show
for the Syfy Network, which was called Sanctuary.
In addition to starring in the series, she also produced and directed a few episodes.
After all, she had experience to call upon from her SG-1 days, having directed the episode
"Resurrection".
It's pretty likely that these forays into behind-the-camera work helped her develop
higher ambitions.
Michael Shanks played archeologist Dr. Daniel Jackson, who sort of served as the conscience
and cultural liaison of the SG-1.
"Nem, you have your answer.
Now let us go."
Though he ultimately remained for the entirety of the show, he did temporarily leave during
the sixth season.
He didn't get terribly specific about the reasons for his departure, but he has said
that his character wasn't being used to his full potential.
Shanks said in an interview with Cyberex:
"I had begun to think the show would work just as well without me, and that's when I
felt that I had to go."
This is understandable, since at the end of season five, Daniel Jackson had finished his
story arc with his wife, Sha'uri -- which was the whole reason his character even joined
SG-1 to begin with.
At the end of season five, Jackson "ascended", which is sort of like dying -- but not really.
The writers brought him back in season seven by having him "descend" back into the mortal
realm.
Altogether, Shanks didn't have any qualms with the writing team, and later insisted:
"I thought the writing staff was just great and did a marvelous job."
Corin Nemec initially played a minor character named Jonas Quinn, who was introduced in season
five.
In the following season, Quinn was revamped as Daniel Jackson's replacement -- since Michael
Shanks had left the show.
"Let's give it a shot."
An optimistic alien capable of learning at incredible speeds, Quinn was eager to prove
himself valuable to his people -- the alien race known as the Langarians.
Even more so, he wanted to prove himself to the SG-1, and was deeply afraid of failure.
Though most fans were likely miffed by the sudden departure of Dr. Jackson, Quinn quickly
found his way into everyone's hearts.
This success was short-lived, however, since Jackson made his return in season seven.
The result forced Jonas Quinn to become a minor character again, and he only appeared
as a guest a handful of times after that.
Nemec was surely a gentleman about his short tenure, and was just happy to have been on
the show at all.
In an interview with Kurt Manwaring, he said:
"Michael [Shanks] originated with that show, his return was very welcome.
Though of course disappointed, I was still happy for Michael.
Being an actor on a great show like Stargate is the best life ever."
Don S. Davis played the leader of Stargate Command, General George Hammond.
His character managed the multiple teams that traveled through the Stargate, including the
SG-1.
Despite his elite status, he was nonetheless a benevolent leader who didn't let bureaucrats
sabotage the program.
He fully supported his personnel and believed in never leaving soldiers behind.
Davis played Hammond for eight straight seasons before health problems forced him to reexamine
his priorities.
So, for seasons nine and ten, he was only a guest actor.
In season nine, he was promoted and thus left Stargate command.
Hank Landry - played by Beau Bridges - stepped in to replace him.
Fans hated to see him go, but it was in no way a hard thing to understand.
Health always takes precedence.
Davis reprised his role in Stargate: Continuum.
However, this was sadly his last appearance, as he passed away from a heart attack in 2008.
In the Stargate universe, the writers gave him the same fate - in which he passed away
off-screen.
To commemorate him, the franchise named a spaceship after him -- the U.S.S. Hammond.
Rainbow Sun Francks played Lieutenant Aiden Ford -- one of the main characters of the
spinoff series Stargate: Atlantis.
He was an expert in explosives and a guy who was willing to put his life on the line to
save his teammates, which he demonstrates on a few occasions.
"Hey man, this isn't supposed to be fun."
But Ford would be the first major loss of Stargate: Atlantis.
He was replaced after one season by Ronon Dex, played by Jason Momoa, and became a minor
character in season two.
The reasons for this are not crystal clear, but it has been speculated that the writers
simply wanted to mix things up and keep things interesting.
Ford just happened to be the first victim.
He explained in an interview with GateWorld:
"I think [...] they want to make sure that a hit show has lots of twists and lots of
this and that.
Something had to happen, and I just happened to be the one."
In his eyes, his character didn't get the development that he had hoped for in season
one, and perhaps another season would've given his character the time to prove himself as
a mainstay.
Regardless, he holds no grudges.
Torri Higginson, who played Dr. Elizabeth Weir, is another casualty of Stargate: Atlantis.
During the transition from season three to season four, Stargate SG-1 had finally ended
its ten-season run -- which meant it would no longer be a lead-in to Stargate: Atlantis.
Because of this, the writers again felt the need to freshen things up by shifting characters
around.
Weir was the leader of the Atlantis expedition, and along the way, she proved to be an exceptional
manager and negotiator.
"You must understand our situation.
If you can't stop Oberoth..."
"I said I would do everything in my power."
Sadly, in season four, Weir sustained severe injuries and could no longer lead the Atlantis
team.
This was the show's way of relegating her to a minor character, and she eventually faded
from the show altogether.
Another unfortunate casualty of Stargate: Atlantis was Dr. Carson Beckett -- played
by Paul McGillion.
He was the chief medical officer, and one of the more compassionate and thoughtful characters.
"It was definitely human."
"I don't know, maybe it was a nosebleed."
"Is that supposed to be a joke, Colonel?"
Beckett was a fan favorite, and he played his part well for multiple seasons.
Much to everyone's dismay, though, he died unexpectedly in an explosion near the end
of season three.
He did sort of return in season four and five, but only as a clone and in a much more minor
role.
It was McGillion's belief that this sudden end is yet another example of the writers
and producers feeling the need to shock the audience and always keep them on the edge
of their seats.
It's sad, but at least, in a roundabout way, they complimented McGillion.
They wanted to kill off a beloved character -- for shock value -- and that's exactly what
they did.
The effect rippled throughout the show's fanbase.
Teryl Rothery was technically a guest star, but nonetheless felt like a main character.
It probably helped that she appeared in over 70 episodes.
Rothery played Dr. Janet Fraiser, the gentle physician who healed SG-1 of the wounds they
suffered off-world.
"The MRI was negative.
The DNA screen matches what we have on file."
While Fraiser usually remained at Stargate Command on Earth, she would sometimes leave
the base and work in the field as a medic for soldiers who were wounded during firefights.
As a result, she was occasionally in harm's way, and in season seven of SG-1, she was
shot and killed.
It was quite a shock for Stargate fans -- who had been warned via a teaser trailer that
an important character was going to die.
Though it was hinted that it might be Jack O'Neill, it turned out to be Fraiser.
Rothery got to show up one last time on the season nine episode "Ripple Effect", where
she appeared as a version of Fraiser from a parallel universe.
It was reported that the show's executives pressured writers to kill off a character.
Co-star Don S. Davis was frustrated by the decision to kill off Frasier, and called the
higher-up responsible:
"Some stupid bean counter."
According to Davis, the decision was made because the show had moved from Showtime to
the Syfy Channel, and the new network wanted something major to happen to hook viewers.
Ultimately, that something turned out to be Fraiser's untimely death.
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