Stargate This Week: Daniel Jackson is under ‘The Shroud’

Syfy has taken a couple of weeks off from its regular weeknight rotation of Stargate SG-1 and Atlantis — but this week, they’re back!  Each week this summer we’ll pick one episode to highlight from that week’s broadcast schedule. We’ll point out a few things you might not know, and share some points of interest you might not have caught the last time around.  Enjoy a little classic Stargate all over again!

THIS WEEK:

Stargate SG-1:
The Shroud
Tuesday at 6 p.m. (5 Central)

Daniel Jackson has been taken prisoner by the leader of the Ori forces, the manipulative and uncompromising Adria (guest star Morena Baccarin). The stakes have never been higher.  Can Daniel complete Merlin’s weapon — capable of destroying ascended beings?  And if he does, will Earth use it against the Ori … or will Adria turn it on the Ancients?  In “The Shroud” SG-1 finds their friend, but learn he has been turned to an Ori-preaching Prior — though he claims to be his old self.  Can we trust him that he’s really still working for our best interests?

Did You Know?
• The writers of Stargate SG-1 took advantage of Michael Shanks’s two episodes off (for the birth of his child) by writing the character out (and into the hands of Adria) in “The Quest, Part 2.”  When Shanks returned, we would learn that his character had been through a startling transformation since we saw him last.

• Script coordinator Alex Levine tells a funny story: ““There’s a scene where Michael as a Prior lifts Woolsey off the ground telekinetically, so they did a cool gag. They poured apple juice down Robert Picardo’s pant leg to make it look like he’d peed himself because he was so scared. Alas, that didn’t make in the final cut because of those ‘assassins’ (Andy’s word for [The Powers That Be] and their editing decisions) but apparently it would have been pretty cool.”

• The episode ends with a giant unanswered question (we’ll hold off telling you just what, in case you haven’t seen the episode yet).  Don’t expect the answer if you are watching the rest of Season Ten.  The result of the plan would be hinted at in the episode “Dominion,” but not definitively answered until the DVD movie Stargate:The Ark of Truth.

Learn more about “The Shroud” and the start of Stargate Atlantis in our episode guide. We couldn’t find Syfy’s original teaser spot, so enjoy this (spoiler-rich) fan-made video that sums up the entire episode:

ALSO ON SYFY THIS WEEK:

Poisoning the Well. One of the best of Atlantis‘s first season told a fascinating tale of ethics in the Pegasus Galaxy’s fight against the oppressive Wraith. It also turned the spotlight on Dr. Carson Beckett, a supporting player who quickly became a fan favorite and, eventually, made Paul McGillion a full-time member of the cast. Airs Friday at 5 p.m. (4 Central).

There are no episodes airing Monday, but the shows return to their 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. time slots on Tuesday. Atlantis is early in Season One; SG-1 is pushing toward the end of Season Ten.

And if you haven’t seen Stargate: Continuum, set your DVR for 3 a.m. (2 Central) on Friday night (Saturday morning)! This is one of our favorite Stargate stories of all-time, and not to be missed. In U.S. syndication, your local station will air a repeat of Atlantis‘s clips episode “Inquisition” this weekend. Check local listings for the time and channel.

Check out Syfy’s full Stargate schedule for July!