What Stargate Fans Think Of The Show Being Rebooted
We asked Stargate fans on Reddit whether or not there should be a reboot, and the fans did not hold back.
With the recent talk that there is a new Stargate series in the works, fans have a lot to say about what they would want in a new series. To get their opinions, GIANT FREAKIN ROBOT posted on Reddit’s Stargate fan group to ask if a reboot is something the show needs, or if it should be left alone. The answers were split. A recent article posted by GFR asserted that, if there is a Stargate reboot, it should take the Disney route and start completely over.
The idea is that a Stargate reboot would be a hard sell for new fans because so much has happened in the franchise over the years. The fear is that only fans who have been with it since the beginning and have seen the film and all the episodes of the series would be able to really follow it. Those just tuning in for the first time would feel overwhelmed by the amount of material they would have to watch and the amount of catching up they would have to do, and let’s just be honest, the show’s plot gets complicated.
Serious Stargate fans, however, don’t agree. A user named knitingTARDIStarG8er, for instance, says that the better way to create a Stargate reboot would be to make a show that is new, but that connects to the old franchise. This, they say, is the way to keep the original show’s fans happy while attracting new fans.
“Here’s the thing. Fans like smart shows. You don’t need to dumb it down. Good shows are smart shows that treat the audience like they have a functioning brain and can follow a plot.”
– knitingTARDIStarG8er
They even give some examples of how this was done well by other shows: “Look to Doctor Who in 2005. All of the new Star Wars shows, filling in new stories that connect to the OG. Hard reboot? NO! Making it accessible to new fans? Yes.”
They go on to say that it isn’t necessary to start from scratch because fans don’t need things “dumbed down.” Plus, they add, “When you’re a new fan and discover there’s over 10 SEASONS worth of backstory to immerse yourself into??? That’s just the best thing ever!!”
Visible_Regular_4178 points out that only someone who hasn’t watched much Stargate would imply that the show is too complicated for anyone to jump into now. “The galaxy was ruled by an evil Empire and earth helped get rid of them and one of the four most powerful races in the universe was so impressed they decided to reward earth with some technology. That’s all new fans need to know,” they explained succinctly.
They also said what most people think about the Stargate reboot and any other new reboot: it could work, but it will almost definitely alienate the original fans if it isn’t done right. And one way to do it wrong is to start completely over for the sake of new audiences while neglecting the fans who loved the original show.
“Personally I’d like to go to another galaxy and focus on something other than the Ancients or Asgard because I want the sense of exploration and grandeur back.”
– Visible_Regular_4178
Oldmudmagic emphasizes this point further: “Thing is, the number of new viewers will never outweigh the number of old fans.” So, in their view a Stargate reboot should be a show for those who already love Stargate, not just a show meant to capture the attention of people who have never heard of it before.
Many Reddit users answered the question “Does Stargate need to be rebooted?” with a simple “No.” While some, like VampireFrown, made it clear that they “will not even attempt to watch a hard reboot.” In other words, if the Stargate reboot is a true reboot in every sense of the word, it will not be seeing many old fans tuning in.
“It’s a f*****g terrible idea, and it’s the best way to ensure that the new series will be dead on arrival.”
– VampireFrown
GooseGonnaGoose makes a comparison with Star Trek: Picard. They said that, while they would like to see, not a true Stargate reboot, but a continuation of the original story, they would still not want to watch it if it had the original actors in it.
“As much as I like season 3 of Picard,” they wrote, “the crew has lost a lot of their magic with age. Patrick Stewart is way too old to be playing Picard and it’s more sad than anything watching someone I thought was so amazing stumble around his lines and not reach any of the highs his character was known for.”
“Just thinking about Richard Dean Anderson coming back makes me sad AF considering how worn out he looks in every single panel and interview he does.”
– GooseGonnaGoose
This kind of audience reaction makes it hard to judge whether a Stargate reboot is really necessary or not. Since it is also being created by Amazon, who created the disastrous Lord of the Rings spin-off Rings of Power, it is kind of hard for some fans to summon much enthusiasm for it.
One user seemed to sum up a lot of fan sentiment by saying…
“I’d say the biggest thing most fans want is continuity. That’s the most important thing. But that can only happen if the universe and all of the canon that has come before, is adhered to.”
– Njoeyz1
Most Stargate fans seem to agree that any potential reboot should not be a hard reboot: the story should relate to the one that has already started in the previous series and film. Doing anything else risks alienating a huge portion of a new Stargate show’s potential audience.
