Christopher Judge Knows Why Stargate SG-1 Fans Love Teal'C

When Roland Emmerich made 1994's "Stargate," there was no indication the film would spawn a surprisingly expansive sci-fi universe — especially one that was mainly depicted on the small screen. "Stargate" was initially supposed to kick off a trilogy of movies, but after plans for subsequent installments fell through, the property was taken to TV, with "Stargate SG-1" debuting on Showtime as a continuation of the story begun by Emmerich.

Instead of Kurt Russell and James Spader in the lead roles, however, "SG-1" had "MacGyver" actor Richard Dean Anderson taking on Russell's role of Colonel Jack O'Neill, leader of the titular squad, and Canadian actor Michael Shank playing Daniel Jackson, the role initially handled by Spader. The pair were joined by Amanda Tapper, who portrayed Colonel Samantha Carter, and Christopher Judge, who played Jaffa warrior Teal'c. While Showtime were no doubt relying on Anderson and his fame to help make the show a success, it was Teal'c who quickly became a fan-favorite character.

In the very first episode of "Stargate SG-1," Teal'c joins the titular crew.The Jaffa were enslaved by the series' villains, the Goa'uld, and forced to host Goa'uld symbiotes in pouches on their bodies. Teal'c, however, is quickly convinced by Jack O'Neill that the Goa'uld are not the godly creatures they pretend to be, and joins him and the Stargate team in their fight against the treacherous alien race. It's a good thing he did, too, because Teal'c was a big part of why "SG-1" became popular enough to run for a full 10 seasons. Judge himself, meanwhile, has some interesting insights into why his character became so integral to the show's success.

Christopher Judge was an important part of "Stargate SG-1" in more ways than one. On top of playing a fan-favorite character, he additionally penned three episodes, including an "SG-1" installment that he originally envisioned as a more comedic episode. He was also integral to his own character's continued popularity, writing an episode that put Teal'c front and center, thereby proving that the Jaffa warrior was just as worthy of prominent storylines as any of the other main characters on the show.

But there was clearly more to the character's enduring appeal. During a 2006 interview with IGN, Judge was asked what it was about Teal'c that viewers loved so much. "I don't know," he admitted, "because originally I'm not sure how heavily Teal'c was supposed to be involved from the beginning, but fortunately he was a very popular character just right out of the gate." Expanding on his recollection of Teal'c's rise to popularity, Judge explained:

"I think what has kept him around is his continued evolution and you kind of have to change from year to year, whereas most of the other characters, you know, they come from Earth, so their perspectives will always be an Earth perspective, and I play the only character who does have a perspective that is outside the Earth-based perspective."

Indeed, Teal'c was the only member of the central cast that wasn't human, and thereby had a certain uniqueness built into his character. He was also clearly the most visually striking member of the cast, with his golden forehead tattoo quickly becoming synonymous with "SG-1" as a whole. Whatever it was that appealed to viewers, Teal'c is easily one of the most enduringly popular characters in not just "SG-1" but the entire "Stargate" franchise as a whole. It's no wonder Judge wound up reprising his role in two episodes of the "Stargate Atlantis" sequel series and a pair of direct-to-DVD movies ("The Ark of Truth" and "Continuum").