Stargate Universe (Syfy)

Soon after solving an especially tough problem in a computer game, slacker/geek Eli Wallace (David Blue) is stunned to receive a visit from a mysterious military officer and an even more enigmatic scientist, Dr. Nicholas Rush (Robert Carlyle). The strangers are from the Stargate Program, a top-secret unit that's secretly been exploring the universe using ancient alien teleportation devices -- Stargates -- that can instantly zap people across the cosmos. Dr. Rush and his team recruit Wallace to join them (turns out his game solution was something they desperately needed); once at their base, he helps them program the Stargate to send them … somewhere. But when the base is attacked, their only option is to escape through the Stargate. As the gate closes, the group finds themselves stranded on an abandoned alien spaceship, billions of light-years from Earth. They must learn to work together to survive while exploring the mysteries of the far side of the universe.

STARGATE UNIVERSE is the second spin-off of long-running sci-fi series Stargate SG-1, which itself built on a universe originally envisioned in the 1994 feature film Stargate. The previous entries in the franchise have mapped out a complex and entertaining storyline, with several alien races, plenty of interplanetary conflict, and a complicated backstory about the mysterious Ancients who created the network of Stargates. By shifting the action to the farthest reaches of space, Stargate Universe (aka SGU) gets to keep the backstory while creating an entirely different setting.

The result is a thrilling space drama that will appeal to both existing fans and new viewers. The excitement comes from three sources. First, of course, are the unknown mysteries of this previously unexplored galaxy. Then there’s the challenge of learning to control the decrepit spaceship. And finally, there’s plenty of intrigue on board as the military team members butt heads with the civilians butt heads, and Dr. Rush seems to be pursuing his own agenda. It’s not the first series to use this lost-in-space theme (see Star Trek: Voyager), but it’s certainly one of the better ones.