Stargate SG-1 was a very popular science fiction television show that ran for 10 years, from 1997 all the way up until 2007. It had a core cast of just four people, and it also had some of the most interesting storylines and plot twists that you could ever hope to find in any program, regardless of the subject matter. The television show itself was something that came to fruition because of a popular movie, also called Stargate. By the time it was all said and done, there would be two more movies to come on the heels of Stargate SG-1, as well as another series, Stargate Atlantis. One of the actors that was in the show, Michael Shanks, genuinely made his mark on fans for all the right reasons. However, some people have started to ask what became of him after the show ended, as he seemed to be far less visible in the public eye.
Shanks’ Role in the Show
Many fans would argue that Shanks had one of the more interesting roles in the entire series. His character, Daniel Jackson, did not have a military background like the other three core cast members. In fact, Shanks played an archaeologist who specialized in all things relating to aliens. His character believed that aliens had built the pyramids and he spoke more than 30 different languages with relative ease. As it turns out, he became part of the team because his wife had been infected by a parasite of an alien origin. His character hoped that by joining the team and learning more about these aliens, that he could one day rescue her and bring her back to him. As a result, and he became one of the most dynamic characters in the show, not only because he didn’t have the hardcore military demeanor of the other three main characters, but also because his entire reason for being there was because of love. It was almost like watching Romeo and Juliet with a futuristic twist. It made fans fall in love with his character almost immediately. Over the course of the 10 years that he played Jackson, fans also fell in love with him as an actor.
After the Show Ended
When the show ended, Shanks didn’t have any trouble finding additional work. As a matter of fact, he ended up with either guest starring roles or recurring roles in other television shows such as Burn Notice, Eureka and 24. He also came on board with a recurring role in a medical drama called Saving Hope. Despite this fact, fans seemed to miss his presence in Stargate SG-1. Perhaps it was because he wasn’t quite the presence on viewers’ television screens with these newer roles, at least not until Saving Hope came along.
Fans Love His Sense of Humor
One of the reasons that he has managed to stay so busy since Stargate SG-1 ended is because he has a sense of humor that resonates with both fans and co-workers alike. There is no doubt that he has a serious side, one that can fully be on display whenever it needs to be. However, he also enjoys the prospect of kidding around, especially when doing so can effectively break the tension that often occurs on a busy set. One only has to take a look at his website in order to understand his unique sense of humor. This is also a quality that has endeared him to his fans over the years, as they realized that he doesn’t just play dynamic characters on television, but is quite dynamic when it comes to his own personality. If anything, this quality has only served to make him more popular, thereby making him more in demand. As a result, he has continued to be quite busy in his career.
Current Work
More recently, he has enjoyed recurring roles on newer television series such as Altered Carbon and Project Blue Book. He is also currently filming a short film called Never Forget. Although a great deal isn’t known about this project yet, it is believed that it will come out either later this year or sometime next year. For now, fans can delve into his comprehensive filmography in order to see him in Stargate SG-1 and his myriad other projects, along with watching him in his newer endeavors as well.
Staying Busy
There is no doubt that the busy actor, who is now 66 years of age, enjoys what he does for a living. He continues to stay busy because it’s something that he loves to do. Fortunately, it doesn’t look like he plans on slowing down anytime soon. This is something that most fans will likely be very glad to hear, especially those that have been following his career ever since he played Daniel Jackson back in the 1990s. One thing is certain, he is always looking for new and interesting projects that put a bit of a twist on things. As such, no two projects that he works on are ever quite the same. This gives fans plenty of variety when they are searching for something to watch that will hold their interest.
Back when the very first Stargate film was in production, few people would have ever guessed that it would become so popular that it would eventually cultivate a fan following that would last for decades. Even now, years after the last spin-off, Stargate Atlantis, has been off the air, fans of the series are still clamoring for more. Many of those fans became followers of the series because of the work that Michael Shanks did in Stargate SG-1 with his character Daniel Jackson. Even today, it is among one of his best-known roles, and is also largely responsible for the reason that he has such a large fan following himself. While his current projects may be nothing like his role in Stargate SG-1, fans that started following him back then are still excited to see where his career will take him next.
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