The third series in the Stargate TV franchise was cancelled due to faltering ratings in its second season: fans didn't appreciate the darker mood, which was in part influenced by Battlestar Galactica, while most Galactica followers simply didn't tune in. Yet Stargate Universe boasted a small but passionate following for its old-school sci-fi tales imbued with volatile human drama. SG-U's premise finds a group of officers, soldiers, scientists, and civilians transported across the galaxy and winding up on an ancient spaceship seven billion light years from home. Mixing elements of practical survival (securing food, water, air, and other necessities) with space-age technology, the series focuses on characters involved in a power struggle, as military protocol clashes with civilian concerns. Case in point is arrogant genius Dr. Nicholas Rush (Robert Carlyle), a physicist who values science over people and keeps secrets from mission commander Col. Everett Young (Louis Ferreira), who is not necessarily well-suited for the mission. The cancellation came before the producers had a chance to wrap up the storyline, so the culmination here finds the humans still lost in the stars, but even though it ends on a note of mystery, the Stargate franchise remains one of the most engaging and creative sci-fi endeavors of the past decade. Compiling all 20 episodes from the 2010–11 season, DVD extras include episode commentaries, cast and crew interviews, and behind-the-scenes featurettes. Recommended. (S. Axmaker)
Stargate Universe: SG-U—The Complete Final Season
MGM, 5 discs, 880 min., not rated, DVD: $49.99 September 26, 2011
Stargate Universe: SG-U—The Complete Final Season
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