Shanks talks Daniel and Vala’s future

“Daniel Jackson” actor Michael Shanks shares his thoughts on his character’s stormy (and entertaining) relationship with Vala Mal Doran (Claudia Black) in a new interview with Zap2It. Since her introduction in Season Eight (“Prometheus Unbound”), the sexy and manipulative thief has made it her personal hobby to get under the archaeologist’s skin.

Vala’s zany antics and sexual innuendo have endeared her character to many Stargate fans — while others have little patience for the character.

Now, Black has signed on as a full-time cast member for the series’ tenth season, premiering this summer on The SCI FI Channel in the U.S. What is Daniel to do with Vala as an official member of SG-1?

“That can still work, but it needs to be toned down,” Shanks said, “otherwise it’s one of those things that doesn’t leave a lot of room for the other characters. It’s good to have two people who respect each other work together and still have those comedic moments. You can make sure they still exist, and the tension still exists, without being redundant.”

Shanks also discussed the new status of Stargate as a franchise that can continue on despite the loss of any one actor — such as leading man Richard Dean Anderson, who departed the show last season to spend time with his daughter.

In its nine-year history the show has lost four full-time cast members, added three, and gained one back: Shanks himself, who took a hiatus during the show’s sixth year. The addition of Black next season will mark yet another cast change for the series as it sets a record for the longest-running genre program in U.S. television history.

“The success of the spin-off solidified the idea that [Stargate] was a recognized brand name, and you didn’t necessarily need those big-name stars to head it up,” Shanks said. “This past year, getting new cast members, the numbers were about the same as before. With someone like myself or Christopher [Judge] or Amanda [Tapping], we’re like, ‘Does that mean we’re expendable, too?'”

Heaven forbid.

Read the complete story at Zap2It! The actor also talks about working with his wife (Lexa Doig, who plays SG-1‘s new chief medical officer), and running into an old friend on the set of CSI: Miami.

Stargate SG-1 resumes its ninth season with 10 all-new episodes this Friday, January 6, at 8 p.m. Eastern/Pacific.