The Best of John Sheppard
This Friday marks the U.S. premiere of the final episode of Stargate Atlantis. We’re celebrating five years of the show with a count-down of our five favorite episodes featuring Lt. Colonel John Sheppard! Come back tomorrow for our favorite five Teyla episodes, and more for other characters every day this week.
Atlantis’s leading man was a tough role to cast back in early 2004. The producers wanted an actor who could pull off the action, bravado, and humor that Jack O’Neill brought to the show’s predecessor, yet still make this new character his own man. They finally found their man in Joe Flanigan, then a 37-year-old actor from Los Angeles who had studied history at the University of Colorado before turning to acting.
In a bout of good timing, today is Joe’s birthday. He shares it with fellow Atlantis actor Paul McGillion (“Carson Beckett”).
Without further ado, here are our top five episodes featuring John Sheppard! Post a comment below to let us know which episodes make your list.
5. PHANTOMS
(Season Three, Episode 9)
After years of fan requests that we get to learn more about John’s back-story, the writers finally delivered with this third season episode. The team travels to a forested world and comes under the influence of a mind-altering Wraith device. We see flashbacks to a mission in Sheppard’s past, during which he acted against orders to try and rescue a friend from the deserts of Afghantistan, and was shot down. Sheppard begins to relive this incident in the present — opening fire on his friends, believing they are the enemy.
While not a particularly memorable episode in its own right, this one earns a spot on our Top 5 list because it filled in a vital piece of John’s history, an incident that has helped shape him into the man he is.
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vegas should not be in there and what about remnants?
gavatarman | January 5 @ 4:12 pmWait… i just thought of this… Are the events that McKay talks about in Vegas the same events we see in Phantom??
darsfog | January 5 @ 4:28 pmHappy Birthday Joe!!!!
Sylvia | January 5 @ 4:30 pmAnd Paul too.
My new favorite Shep ep is Vegas, but I also love Common Ground, Doppelganger, Outcast, Remnants, The Eye if I had to only pick 5.
So many others too, he is the reason I have loved Atlantis for these 5 years!
The Vegas epp was one of his best acting.
vector | January 5 @ 4:33 pmVegas was awesome, and Common Ground is one my favourite episodes. The Eye was great and Phantoms was good too. Not sure about Doppleganger though, I found it a bit boring
Jedi_Master_Bra'tac | January 5 @ 5:22 pmThis is a nice idea although as team leader I think you should have saved Sheppard for last. I’m betting you give that honor to McKay. Oh well.
If I had to pick I think I would have chosen the same five episodes. Doppelganger may not have been a favorite of mine but at least it allowed us a peek into Sheppard’s head and we learn a bit more about his character. The same goes for the other episodes.
Vegas was absolutely superb.
jasong | January 5 @ 5:40 pmI liked all the above mentioned, but would have added Remnants to the mix instead of the Eye. I think it just said alot about the guilt that Shep carries around in that he pictured himself subject to that kind of abuse.
ladyblu | January 5 @ 5:55 pmVegas ROCKS!!!!!!!!!!
Trak90 | January 5 @ 6:24 pmCommon Ground makes my number one list and Phantoms would be my number two. The others wouldn’t be on my list. Hated Vegas. Dopplegangor wasn’t bad but not a favourite and didnt like the The Eye at all.
blackhawlk | January 5 @ 6:28 pmOthers that would have made my list would be 38 minutes, Conversion and Infection.
Rising parts 1 and 2 and common grounda re up there but i love all of them really!
carrollwoman | January 5 @ 6:38 pmOh yeah 38 minutes was good!
carrollwoman | January 5 @ 6:40 pmI just hope that the SGA movie will be good….
DeathHeart | January 5 @ 7:03 pmhappy birthday Joe
Excellent choices. Couldn’t agree more.
Rose | January 5 @ 7:38 pmdarsfog-
no, it was diffrent, that is the sole reason he is not with atlantis, because that was diffrent.
gavatarman | January 5 @ 7:39 pmHe was so cute in Phantoms. “I’m sorry for shooting everybody!” Congrats for making it into all 100 episodes of the series…can’t wait to see him in the movies. BTW, am I wrong, or has he never taken his shirt off in the show? I think I would have remembered it if he did.
sammykewlguy | January 5 @ 8:37 pmGood Choices. I have not seen Vegas yet as a friend hopping the pond later this month went into a pact to watch the last three epi’s together so we can cry on each others shoulders. I would have added Outcast And The Shrine <yes I know it’s a McKay epi but still showed what John wouldn’t do to keep his friends close and protected. Very emotional. Hope it gets number one for McKay epi’s :D.
Kara Sheppard | January 5 @ 8:38 pmOne of my favorite John Sheppard episodes is The Defiant One. I prefer that one over Doppelganger. Vegas was superb! Happy Birthday to Joe and Paul! :)
Morjana | January 5 @ 10:08 pmOk I am a little torn about Vegas. It was cool and all and really showed that John Sheppard could be a great detective any day. But I thought it was a waste of an Atlantis episode - like the one about Vala’s father. Why would you waste one of your last episodes on a CSI type story?
I am sure the producers and writers have their reasons, but I really missed Ronan and Teyla in this episode.
TVDIVA | January 5 @ 10:36 pmOk I should have said like the SG-1 episode about Vala’s father in the last season. :)
TVDIVA | January 5 @ 10:37 pmAll picks are great but I really enjoyed Last Man.
sweetred194 | January 6 @ 12:15 amVegas, Last Man, and Search & Rescue are my favorites……
@sammykewlguy
sakurablue13 | January 6 @ 12:52 amhe did in The Lost Tribe
and 38 Minutes, though not completely off… =p
Happy Birthday Joe and Paul!
Favourite John Sheppard episodes? I’d agree with Common Ground, The Eye and Doppelganger but my top five would also include The Last Man (being the last human alive has to be worth something!) and Conversion (Sheppard with scary Wraith abilities is definitely a winner - but only if it comes with a cure!).
Of course there’s also The Defiant One (”Oh, you weren’t around for the end of the war. Your side lost.”) Quarantine (that climb was cool!), Outcast (”I’ve never been to Somalia”), The Shrine (I know this is a McKay one but the whole friendship scene was fantastic “Well, I’m not listening!”) and finally Remnants (the whole tortured soul angle was awesomely done).
How about a top ten instead?!
ShaViva | January 6 @ 1:05 amOooooo how about best quotes?!?
“I’m not taking a bath with you Rodney!” wasone of my personal faves. As well as “Yes Rodney I shot you and i said i was sorry” “You shot me too!” “I’m sorry for shooting everybody!!”
I’m going to miss this show thank god for dvd’s remotes, good Canadian beer and junkfood.
Oh and this has probably been asked and answered fifty million times already but why is Sci Fi not giving Atlantis the fanfare farewell SG1 recieved or at least a leave a thank you section would have been considerate dare I say even nice. Oops my inner Rodney tried to break thru. This is what happens when theres to much caffiened involved and not enough sleep to deal.
Kara Sheppard | January 6 @ 1:20 amOne last thing then i shut up for the night…
Happy Birthday Joe and Paul!!!
Kara Sheppard | January 6 @ 1:21 amI really, really loved Vegas. It was a unique feel to SGA and John was at his best. My wife kept on asking, “Are you sure this is Atlantis? This looks like a new CSI.” (she’s a fan of CSI) Gatta admit, it wad confusing at first, but in the end all questions were answered (sorta kinda).
But yea, I would name that one number one in my book…but thats just me.
blistna | January 6 @ 2:20 am