Beware of SPOILERS for “Air” in the report below.
New details have emerged on the background and supporting characters in the premiere episode of Stargate Universe, via a batch of new casting documents. They offer a lot of names, but also a little bit of new info on the story for “Air” and the set-up for the new series.
First, an update on the show’s main cast of characters: Lt. Jared Nash has been renamed “Scott,” according to writer and consulting producer Joseph Mallozzi (we assume his first name and rank remain the same). And Chloe Carpenter has been renamed Chloe Walker. Other main characters include Dr. David Rush (Robert Carlyle), Colonel Everett Young, Tamara Jon, Eli Hitchcock, and Ron “Psycho” Stasiak (story).
Several of these roles have been cast and announcements are pending, Mallozzi said recently on his blog.
Guest characters in the 3-hour premiere episode include:
Senator Walker. As reported last week, he is Chloe’s father and a distinguished U.S. Senator with some oversight of the Stargate program (story). The producers are looking for a star name for this role.
Camille Wray. Also in last week’s report, she is an accountant with the I.O.A. — the international organization with oversight of the Stargate program. After the base is attacked and everyone is evacuated through the Stargate to the Destiny, Wray is furious that they were not told that they were evacuating there instead of to Earth. Their supplies are extremely low — especially food. She is a potentially recurring character.
Curtis.
Darren Becker. An Airman, he works in the mess hall.
Philips. A scientist and part of Dr. Rush’s top secret project.
McDonald.
Henry. He reports to McDonald that the Destiny‘s life support systems activated automatically when they dialed the ship, but it’s not working right and they have only a few hours of breathable air left.
Brody. A team of scientists investigate a thick, black substance found on the ship, and Brody suggests that it may be residue from whatever the Ancients used to scrub CO2 from the air on board the Destiny.
Smith.
Franklin. A civilian scientist, he grows impatient with Rush’s orders and the lack of food on the ship.
Marion. A waitress, late 40s. She’s frustrated with her son Jack, who seems to be going nowhere in life. (Earth-based)
Jack. Marion’s son, who sleeps all day.
Palmer. A geologist.
Grearson. Also a scientist. He and Franklin are on a barren and inhospitable planet with Eli, looking for something. They have a handful of Stargate addresses, which they couldn’t dial from the Destiny but think they can dial using the planet’s Stargate. Eli isn’t eager to go against Dr. Rush’s orders, but the two men don’t care much about that.
White.
Pool.
Riley. A scientist / gate technician who attempts to dial a nine-symbol address on the Stargate (perhaps as part of the research program, before a connection with the Destiny is first established?).
Kim. Another scientist / gate technician.
Volker.
Some of these supporting characters may certainly become recurring, as with such Atlantis faces as Peter Grodin, Sergeant Bates, and Radek Zelenka. Others will no doubt be one-offs.
Just what is Rush’s secret project? From the scarce info we have seen so far, he is apparently trying to figure out how to make use of the Stargate’s ninth chevron (story). This project is probably taking place at a secret off-world base run by Earth, and our guess is that Colonel Young is the base’s commander. That would explain why the two men clash over who is in charge when they find themselves evacuated to the Destiny. Is it a military operation, or an extension of Rush’s project?
Chloe and Eli, meanwhile, have found an Ancient long-range communications device, the technology first introduced in the SG-1 ninth season episode “Avalon, Part 2” — used by Daniel and Vala to reach the Ori home galaxy with their minds. Their consciences assumed the bodies of two people who had recently been exposed to the technology. For Chloe and Eli, it connects them to people on Earth.
While the device could potentially be used for keeping in touch with Stargate Command, for now Eli and Chloe are using it seruptitiously to escape the confines of the ancient ship in deep space. But they find it to be a hollow experience. They reconnect with Chloe’s friends (in the guise of other people’s bodies) and learn what her friends really think of her. Chloe is stunned and saddened to discover that her friends only hung out with her because her father is a powerful U.S. Senator, revealing a vulnerable side to her character.
Stick with GateWorld for the latest info on the new series between now and its summer premiere! Just bookmark our growing Stargate Universe Launch Center.
umm, not sure what to make of this info.
Could be good, I don’t get a positive impression of any of the characters, from what you have published. I hope they don’t make it so dark and angsty that I don’t like anybody!
I kind of like my heroes.
Most of this sounds fairly promising but where do Marion and her son Jack fit into this? Any ideas?
I guess we’ve got some more details about why the episode is called “Air.” It all sounds very interesting to me. It seems like the civilian scientists are going to be more prominent in this series than in the others.
I’m going to have to see it to understand it – I hope they don’t use the same Ancient Communications Device prop from Sg-1 and Atlantis though…I really hate that prop.
Cool! Big thank you to GW for all the new info! Sounds like an interesting group of characters!
My excitement for “Stargate: Universe” continues to grow with every single bit of info that comes through!
So the party girl and the slacker find an ancient communications device and instead of contacting the SGC they use it to spy on their friends? They gate to the ship and it automatically powers up like Atlantis and it has little life support just like Atlantis had little shields putting them in instant danger. Thats original. Also that black substance isn’t like that black fog from like episode 3 of Atlantis And the point of Marion and Jack? I’m guessing Jack atleast is one of the people the party girl and slacker take over for their juvenile spying games.… Read more »
wow some of this information seems very diffrent to any stargate before mainly about Chloe and Eli sounds that there showing their youth by making them irresponsible
3 hour Premiere????
Geez it would have been nice for Atlantis to have a 2 hour finale instead of craming everything into 1 hour episode and this new show gets 3 hours.
This kind of info is why I visit Gateworld way too many times a day.
Although they’ve attached a rather interesting new premise to it. I’m rather disappointed that its only season one and they’re already recycling old plots.
If I remember correct, that device that it took Daniel and Vala to use the body of those two people in another galaxy, also it works in opposite direction, those two people use the body of Daniel and Vala in Earth, so Chloe and Eli with their actions are exposing the bigger secrets, Stargate travel to a bunch of young people on Earth. Some case of Stargate Atlantis episode “Identity”. I do not know, so far is looking very similar to Galactica with all this info, lacking with what so far it makes special Stargate, team work, friendship. I really… Read more »
just like i say when my dog scratches her ears “OH DEAR”
I am interested to see how this show plays out! I hope it has more in common with the SGA episode “Vegas” (how it was shot etc) than the others as, I feel that the normal episodes of Atlantis were becoming formulaic! Which takes me to my next point/question, why the hate for SGU? There are people on this site bitching about how SGA is getting canned for Universe to exist. 1. Of course they don’t want two shows running at the same time, we are in a recession it would cost way to much for them to produce both… Read more »
Oh poor vulnerable Chloe finding out that *sniff sniff* nobody likes her for herself.
First episode and already they’re recycling plot devices. I just don’t get it. None of those people sound the least bit endearing, most of all two of the mains, Chloe and Eli.
Folks should realize that virtually all this information is derived from sides – incomplete script pieces that actors audition with – so take all of this with a grain of salt. There is no complete script for fans to read and derive the plot from.
Now its Stargate: Voyageractica? Base get wipes out and a group of survivors must find their way home… Plus the Teenager side of the Story with the emoionally disturbed Cloe….yay….. As O’neil said ” If you don’t make it… can I have your stereo? “
Actually I love it that I do not actually like the sound of any of the characters. Which is a good start, the two other shows, all the characters I liked and well it kinda got boring. All I love how they actually left the characters so much growing space unlike the other two series, where all the characters look like heroes from the beginning. Also I see the potential for background characters here to move pretty quickly to front, the lazy kid who does nothing with his life slowly learns what he wants to do and trains to do.… Read more »
Not very promising, I’d say. Spying on your friends in an emergency situation? Pretty pitiful.
I can’t wait for the casting announcements
In Atlantis it was science, teamwork, and girly drama. As i see it now, Universe will have a lot more of the latter. :(
They (TPTB) create a mishmash of characters for the public to attach to. There is enough “shiver wheep kuddle and happy ending” on TV, don’t emulate that. Most SG fans i know in person like the *science* fiction, and don’t give shit about another non-earth soap drama.
I was among optimists, now it seems like desperate houswifes meets lost.
Why do I suddenly miss good ol’ SG-1 action right now, without a drip of teenage drama?
I really hope that this show will surprise me, because right now I’m not feeling very hopeful. If it weren’t for Sanctuary, I don’t think I’d really care about having cable.
(I’m also wondering how Marion and Jack fit into this.)
first of all, Kudos to who ever put hammond up there on top. I was deeply saddened to hear about his real life passing on, and I love the way they fit that into the show and named a ship ( we never did get to see it tho -( ) the USS General Hammod. I LOVE the stargate series so far. SGA was my fav accept the last few eppisodes left a bitter taste. Ill be ready for a new show tho be it a star trek knock off or not. LOL still laughing at “soccer mom janeway” Lets… Read more »