The Adventurous Sci-Fi Series Everyone Should Binge On Hulu
Sci-fi heads who grew up during the '90s are sure to recognize the Stargate series. Beginning with the 1994 film Stargate, the movie ended up being the precursor to what would become a massive interstellar franchise consisting of various shows, spin-offs, and video games. While there is a ton of Stargate media for fans to consume, Stargate Atlantis is currently ripe for a binge session.
The series began in 2004, serving as a spin-off from the mainline Stargate SG-1 television show. Continuing from the events that occurred in the final episode of Stargate SG-1's seventh season, this series in particular focuses on a cast consisting of new and old faces alike discovering the lost city of Atlantis. The season finale of the previous series introduced audiences to Dr. Elizabeth Weir (Jessica Steen in SG-1, Torri Higginson in Atlantis), who would move on to be one of the main characters in Stargate Atlantis. This character is the leader of the expedition force that is sent to explore Atlantis, but it doesn't come without its challenges. For fans who are looking to satisfy a nostalgia itch, Stargate Atlantis couldn't be a more solid choice, but newer viewers might be a little lost without context.
Stargate Atlantis is a thrilling watch, but it may require some prior knowledge of the series
As a spin-off, Stargate Atlantis is going to make some references to its sister series, Stargate SG-1. And while this new series does have its own plot and set of characters, there's a certain amount of prior knowledge that might be required for viewing. For this series in particular, it's recommended for new viewers to watch this show, as well as the other entries in the Stargate franchise, in a particular order. Of course this isn't a hard or fast rule, but it's highly recommended since events in the spin-off also occur at the same time as the main series. For viewers who want to really contextualize their experience and dive into the deep world-building elements the series brings to the table, bingeing Stargate SG-1 prior to Stargate Atlantis is going to be the best move.
However, viewers who want to skip ahead to Stargate Atlantis are still in for a treat. After being sent to explore Atlantis, Dr. Elizabeth Weird and her team run into a new antagonist alien race called the Wraith who threaten their lives. With no way of contacting base, the entire team is forced to decipher all of the technology left behind by the Ancients, the race who resided in Atlantis, in order to stop their new enemy. The show consists of 100 episodes across 5 seasons, meaning that viewers should be ready to dedicate a solid amount of time should they decide to tackle this spin-off. For those who are interested in giving the show a chance, Stargate Atlantis is currently available for viewing on Hulu.