Shanks in 16 of 20 episodes next season

Stargate SG-1 co-star Michael Shanks (“Daniel Jackson”) will appear in 16 of Season Ten’s 20 episodes, he told Michael Shanks Online.

The actor will take off a couple of weeks in late March when his third child is born — a joyous event that will also no doubt take wife Lexa Doig (“Carolyn Lam”) away from Stargate for a time. Shanks will also take off a couple of weeks in the summer to spend time with his family.

“I’m contracted for 16 episodes this season,” Shanks said. “I’ll probably be out of the fourth and fifth episodes and two others later on.”

The episodes could play in to what executive producer Joseph Mallozzi called “a potentially very controversial Daniel arc” that the writing staff was kicking around. It has also been confirmed that Daniel will finally make his long-desired trip to the lost city of Atlantis, though it is not yet confirmed whether this will occur in an SG-1 episode or an Atlantis episode.

Read the full interview at Michael Shanks Online. The actor also talks about his family, his religious views, and the changes that Stargate SG-1 has seen over the years.

(Thanks to Monica, Dana Jeanne, and Denise for the tip!)