The One Part Of Stargate SG-1 Michael Shanks Found Frustrating

It is impossible to envision the "Stargate" franchise without Dr. Daniel Jackson, the brilliant archeologist who made intergalactic travel through Stargates possible. In Roland Emmerich's "Stargate," James Spader played Jackson as an explorer with tender curiosity, the kind of person brave enough to do the right thing in the face of evil. This endearing bravery is also an integral part of Jackson's character in "Stargate SG-1" and parts of "Stargate Atlantis," brought to life by Michael Shanks. Although Shanks initially mimicked some of Spader's acting quirks to make his version of Jackson feel grounded, his incredibly ranged performance gradually helped etch the portrait of an increasingly complex protagonist. After all, Shanks' Jackson takes many forms in the "Stargate" shows, from doppelgangers in alternate realities to manipulated vessels for antagonistic beings. In each iteration, Shanks' dynamic performance shines bright.

Things, however, were not always rosy on the set of "Stargate SG-1." Rumors about creative differences began to circulate when Shanks exited the show in season 5 after his character was brutally killed off in a shocking turn of events. However, the actor returned a year later, becoming a series regular from season 7 onwards. Shanks did open up about his temporary departure years later, stating that the writers had a very different idea about Jackson's arc than he did. Although Shanks' decision to leave was his own, he had severely underestimated his characters' popularity and how irreplaceable Jackson was as a member of the Stargate SG-1 crew. Given how strongly franchise fans felt about Daniel Jackson's absence, Shanks' return felt inevitable, and "SG-1" is better because of it.

That said, even the most fulfilling acting experiences can be marked with frustrations, which Shanks shared in an interview with Gateworld. Here's what he had to say about it.

When "Stargate SG-1" was greenlit, no one had a crystal clear idea about the franchise's future. Emmerich's 1994 film wasn't a commercial hit, and plans for a trilogy fell through. Showrunners Brad Wright and Jonathan Glassner had based the premise on Emmerich's "Stargate," but it was up to them to flesh out a world that could be sustained over more than one season. And flesh out they did, but the focus would often shift to the fantastical, larger-than-life plot during script rewrites, which reduced or erased subtle character dynamics integral to the premise. In the Gateworld interview linked above, Shanks expressed his frustration about big plot developments often overshadowing character depth or progression in "Stargate SG-1:"

"On 'SG-1', it [emphasis on character dynamics] was something our writers always discussed. We would get a script draft, and there would be a scene where two characters are bonding about something. And then the next draft would come out and that would be gone. And we would go, 'Why was that gone?' and we'd hear 'We can't fit it in because we have to get to such and such by Act Two and such and such by Act three.'"

Shanks brings up "Stargate Universe" as a contrast, stating that the show "got closest" to championing a story that prioritizes character dynamics without overreliance on loud, dramatic story beats. The actor also spoke about the CTV supernatural medical drama "Saving Hope" — in which he played Dr. Charles Harris — and why the show works because of its focus on interpersonal relationships:

"It's much more about the relationships and the characters than most of the shows that I've shot before. That's the one thing, I've noticed prominently, with both the audience's reception of it and the making of it. That when we don't get our characters and our relationships right, those scenes just don't work [...] The scenes you crave when you are doing an action-adventure show. You crave to do scenes like that."

This makes sense, as "Saving Hope" is much more grounded than anything in the "Stargate" universe and needs to rely on these human relationships to evoke sympathy or raise the stakes. Although shows like "SG-1" can mask some of its undercooked character moments with big space explosions, these missed opportunities do seem more apparent with each passing season.