Tapping, Hewlett tease upcoming episodes

Actors Amanda Tapping and David Hewlett talk to TV Guide about upcoming crossover episodes in a new interview at TVGuide.com — starting with tonight’s U.S. premiere of “The Pegasus Project.”

Beware of minor spoilers for this and other upcoming SG-1 and Atlantis episodes in the report below, and at TVGuide.com.

In the tonight’s episode of Stargate SG-1 — the franchise’s first major crossover episode, including nearly the entire casts of both shows — the SG-1 team travels to the distant Pegasus Galaxy on board the Odyssey, in order to visit the city of Atlantis. There they hope to prevent the Ori from sending more ships to the Milky Way by dialing into the Supergate.

The major technological challenge requires two of humankind’s best and brightest — Tapping’s Samantha Carter and Hewlett’s Rodney McKay — to work together.

“It’s kind of a humbling experience for both of us because we’re reliant on each other to solve a problem that’s bigger than what either one of us can solve,” Hewlett told the magazine.

Tapping adds: “We have to combine our brain power and we kind of mess it up, so SG-1 has to come up with a new plan to destroy the Ori and the Supergate.”

The episode also provides for a crossover of super-baddies, the Ori and the Wraith — at least in passing. “We talk about them, which is the best and least expensive way to do it,” Tapping joked. “‘Look, out that window there! There’s the Ori!'”

After her first trip to the once lost city of the Ancients, don’t expect Sam Carter to stay away for long. “This [crossover] actually leads to another collaboration later on, with Carter coming back to Atlantis,” Hewlett revealed. “It’s kind of exciting. … Amanda is my favorite person to work with in this entire Stargate universe. It’s so much fun because you never know what’s going to happen — in a good way. That’s the highest compliment I can pay an actor.”

In the episode, “Sam is responsible for introducing another McKay into the Stargate universe,” Hewlett said.

He also hinted that the episode may include McKay’s sister, Jeannie, who Sam brings “into the fold.” (Actress Kate Hewlett — David’s real-life sister — plays the character, who will be introduced in the upcoming but earlier episode, “McKay and Mrs. Miller.”) “She was a scientist, but she’s now a housewife with kids, and she suddenly finds herself solving one of the biggest problems that McKay’s been trying to solve for years,” Hewlett said. “This season, for me, is about McKay having to deal with himself. It’s great.”

Tapping also offered a hint about at least one previously unknown Season Ten episode: “We’re doing a story where I get shot, and through my ‘dying,’ I have to try to fix a situation by explaining it to Michael [Shanks, “Daniel Jackson”]. … It’s bad.

“And apparently there’s an episode coming up where Carter ends up on her own in an alternate universe and proceeds to change the course of things in that universe.”

Visit TVGuide.com for the complete interview! “The Pegasus Project” premieres tonight, July 28, at 9 p.m. Eastern/Pacific on SCI FI Channel.

Learn more about the weeks ahead in GateWorld’s SG-1 Season Ten and Atlantis Season Three episode guides!

(Thanks to laura for the tip!)