List of Stargate audiobooks explained

This is a list of Stargate audiobooks produced by Big Finish Productions. The series of audiobooks began in April 2008 and concluded in December 2012, with 18 instalments released in total. The audiobooks are based around characters and story elements from the military science fiction television shows Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis, with SG-1 initially running from July 1997 until March 2007 and Atlantis running from July 2004 until January 2009. A number of the main and reoccurring cast members from both SG-1 and Atlantis feature in the partially dramatised audiobooks. Specifically written score and sound effects taken from the shows are used throughout.

The license for Big Finish to make any new, or sell their existing Stargate audiobooks expired in 2015 and as a result, copies were only available secondhand.[1] In July 2022, Big Finish announced that they would be re-releasing their audiobooks as digital downloads, with new artwork to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the Stargate television franchise.[2] [3]

Development and production

Big Finish Productions were first given the rights to release Stargate audiobooks by MGM in 2008, with the first series consisting of six productions which were released monthly from April to September 2008.[4] [5] Three of the productions were based around the characters and elements from Stargate SG-1 and three from Stargate Atlantis, with a cast member from the show reading the story and a second voice actor supporting.[6] A number of authors responsible for Stargate novels, including James Swallow and Sally Malcolm were chosen to write for the series, with Sharon Gosling, who had previously written for the Stargate Official Magazine writing and also serving as producer.[4] [6] Swallow described the productions as a "halfway-house between a traditional talking book and a full-cast audio play", with music, sound effects taken from the television shows and dialogue spoken in the character's voice.[6] Shanks recorded "Gift of the Gods" in London.[7] Many of the stories take place at different points in the Stargate timeline, with "Shell Game" taking place after the Stargate SG-1 episode "The Pegasus Project", whilst "Zero Point" takes place after the Stargate Atlantis episode "Reunion".[8] [9]

A second series was announced by Big Finish in January 2009 for monthly releases starting that May.[10] [11] In some cases, the actors were able to record their parts in the same studio, with Nicolas Briggs and Kavan Smith recording together in London, whilst Christopher Judge and Paul McGillion recorded their parts in Canada, with their scene partner Noel Clark and Neil Roberts recording separately sometime later.[12] [13] [14] [15]

A third series was first mentioned discussed by Big Finish in March 2010, however it wasn't officially announced until January 2012.[16] [17] For the third series, Big Finish noted there had been demand from fans for the audiobooks to feature a full cast of characters, although producer Paul Spagg joked that it could not be the full cast of SG-1 or Atlantis as it "might have bankrupted us before we’d started". The series would star Michael Shanks and Claudia Black, reprising their characters of Daniel Jackson and Vala Mal Doran with Spragg commenting "Their chemistry in both Stargate SG-1 and our series one audio Shell Game was fantastic, and it was a no-brainer to once more pair them up".[18] [19] Spragg and fellow producer Jason Haigh-Ellery were also able cast Cliff Simon, who portrays the Goa'uld System Lord Ba'al in SG-1 after the pair were introduced to Simon at a convention.[18] Script supervisor James Swallow assembled the writers room for the series, reenlisting Sally Malcolm and Sharon Gosling who had worked on the first two series, and bringing Peter J. Evans, Richard Dinnick and Steve Lyons onboard.[18] The series would consist of two trilogies of episodes, with the intention that the stories be self-contained with an over-aching story to each trilogy. Spragg noted they had originally considered the series being a six-part story but ultimately decided against it "as nothing had lasted longer than three episodes on TV".[18] Jason Haigh-Ellery directed Claudia Black and Cliff Simon's sessions in a studio in Los Angeles.[18] Michael Shanks's parts were recorded in his native home of Vancouver, Canada, with directions given by Lisa Bowerman over Skype from Big Finish's London studio.[18] Both part 1 and 2 are set during the events of season ten of Stargate SG-1.[20] [17] [21] For the second triolgy, Michael Shanks was asked to not only play his character of Daniel Jackson, but also Thor, who he also voiced throughout the run of the television series.[22] [23]

Cast and characters

Returning Stargate Cast and Reoccurring Actors

See main article: List of Stargate SG-1 characters.

ActorCharacterAppearances
Series 1Series 2Series 3
Stargate characters from the television shows123456123456123456
Dr. Daniel Jacksoncolspan="6"
Teal'ccolspan="9"
Vala Mal Dorancolspan="6"
Dr. Elizabeth Weircolspan="16"
Dr. Carson Beckettcolspan="8"
Ba'alcolspan="3"
Dr. Janet Fraisercolspan="9"
Dr. Radek Zelenkacolspan="6"
Gary JonesWalter Harrimancolspan="7"
Kavan SmithEvan Lornecolspan="13"
Original characters
John SchwabJohn Huntercolspan="3"
Paul HyuYincolspan="1"
Andrew CollinsKetocolspan="6"
Stephen HoganOlsoncolspan="1"
Susan FranklynRixcolspan="4"
Andrew WhippZoder

Guests

Series 1

Series 2

Releases

Series 1 (2008)

Series 2 (2009)

Series 3 (2012)

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Stargate's Original Audio Dramas Are Coming Back . Gateworld . 19 July 2022.
  2. Web site: Stargate Audio Adventures Are Back! . Big Finish . 20 July 2022.
  3. Web site: Big Finish Announces Return of Stargate SG-1 and Atlantis Audio . The Companion . 20 July 2022 . 25 July 2022 . 20 July 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220720085335/https://www.thecompanion.app/2022/07/20/big-finishes-teases-return-of-stargate-sg-1-and-stargate-atlantis-audios/ . dead .
  4. Web site: THE GATE IS STILL OPEN, THE MISSIONS CONTINUE . Big Finish . https://web.archive.org/web/20080401085853/http://www.bigfinish.com:80/news/ . 1 April 2008 . 25 February 2008.
  5. Web site: Stargate: The Audio Adventures . Stargate . MGM . https://web.archive.org/web/20110523111452/http://stargate.mgm.com/view/news/611/index.html . 23 May 2011 . 29 February 2008.
  6. Web site: Stargate audio books coming this spring . Gateworld . 1 February 2008.
  7. Malcolm . Sally . Storied Success . Shaun Farrell . Gateworld . 29 January 2009.
  8. Web site: Swallow . James . Shell Game . jswallow.com.
  9. Web site: Swallow . James . ZERO POINT . jswallow.com.
  10. Web site: Big Finish Launches Second Season in May . Stargate SG-1 Solutions . 14 January 2009.
  11. Web site: First Prime, Impressions audio books now available . Gateworld . 7 July 2009.
  12. Briggs . Nicolas. March 2009 . A Dalek in Atlantis . 1 . Vortex . . 4.
  13. Clark . Noel. May 2009 . Noel Clark . 3 . Vortex . . 4.
  14. Roberts . Neil. August 2009 . Q&A Neil Roberts . 6 . Vortex . . 8.
  15. Web site: Swallow . James . FIRST PRIME . jswallow.com.
  16. Web site: Swallow . James . Stargate audio dramas series 3 . LiveJournal . 25 March 2010.
  17. Web site: STARGATE SERIES 3 NOW AVAILABLE TO ORDER . Big Finish . https://web.archive.org/web/20120127051513/http://www.bigfinish.com/news/Stargate-Series-3-Now-Available-to-Order . 27 January 2012 . 23 January 2012.
  18. Spragg. Paul . May 2012 . Reopening the Gate . 39 . Vortex . . 4–7.
  19. Web site: Big Finish announces new series of Stargate audio dramas . Gateworld . 25 February 2012.
  20. Web site: Big Finish debuts third series of Stargate audio books . Gateworld . 12 July 2012.
  21. Web site: STARGATE SG-1: SERIES THREE - PART TWO OUT NOW . Big Finish . https://web.archive.org/web/20130120053355/http://www.bigfinish.com/news/v/stargate-sg-1-series-three---part-two-out-now . 20 January 2013 . 21 December 2021.
  22. Spragg . Paul. December 2012 . A Little Bit Thor . 46 . Vortex . . 14–15.
  23. Web site: Swallow . James . HALF LIFE . jswallow.com. 12 March 2019 .