Robert Picardo has made an indelible mark as a successful character actor in Hollywood for the last 30+ years, starring as such beloved characters as Dr. Dick Richard on China Beach, Coach Cutlip on The Wonder Years, The Doctor on Star Trek: Voyager and most recently as hard-ass Richard Woolsey on Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis. Now that Atlantis is airing its finale Friday, Picardo talked with TVGuide.com about his time on the show, whether he'll be in the upcoming Atlantis TV movie, and his new gig on Chuck.
TVGuide.com: How you feel about the show ending?
Robert Picardo: Well, there were a lot of disappointed fans. I've met a lot of them at personal appearances, and I did a Christmas charity event and got a lot of sad eyes coming up to me. There was a certain amount of sadness that I saw in the regular fans, but I assured them that we would be making a television movie for Sci Fi channel. So, there will be more to come.
TVGuide.com: Do you know whether you get to be a part of that movie?
Picardo: I've been told so, yes. And, I'll still be the commander of the Atlantis expedition.
TVGuide.com: Speaking of fans, and being the commander, did you get some eggs thrown at you after taking over for Amanda Tapping (Col. Samantha Carter)?
Picardo: Oh yeah...
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David Hewlett has played the arrogant and often irritating Rodney McKay on Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis since 2002. As the series comes to an end Friday (9 pm/ET, Sci Fi), David reminisced with TVGuide.com about his adventures playing the obnoxious McKay, what is was like smooching pal and cast mate Jewel Staite (Dr. Jennifer Keller) and the possibility of appearing in the upcoming Stargate movie.
TVGuide.com: I spoke to your costar Jewel Staite—
David Hewlett: She's a liar. Everything she says, absolute lies! Don't believe a word of it!
TVGuide.com: Good to know because she said kissing you [on the show] was kind of torturous because you're more like a brother.
Hewlett: (Laughs) OK, that's kind of true! We're kind of like Statler and Waldorf from The Muppet Show. You know, the two old guys in the top balcony? That's basically Jewel and I on set. Basically the ones standing there cutting up everybody on set and saying how stupid our jobs, our lives and the world is. And, we take great glee in that and usually end up cracking each other up and hopefully the people around us as well. But all the sudden [the producers] said, "You guys are in a relationship." And we were like, "What?!" The best way, honestly, to do a romantic scene in anything is...
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Stargate fans, rejoice! Sci Fi has just announced plans to order a third iteration in the hit franchise, beginning with a two-hour movie. Stargate: Universe will premiere early next year and then slide into a regular hourly slot in the summer. This is welcome news for long-time fans – the show has been on in some form since 1997 – since Stargate Atlantis was not picked up for another season, says The Hollywood Reporter .Universe will introduce a team of explorers who find an ancient unmanned ship called the Destiny. For some reason, they cannot return to Earth, so the crew must fend for themselves aboard the ship. Sounds familiar, right Battlestar Galactica fans?The head of Sci Fi, Dave Howe, is hoping to bring a newer, younger audience to the franchise especially due to the fact that Star Trek: Enterprise repeats are faring well, and BSG will be signing off in 2009. He says, "There's an opportunity to keep the space opera as part of our programming strategy." The series ...
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Don Sinclair Davis, an Army vet turned character actor best known to TV fans for his roles as Stargate SG-1's General George Hammond and Twin Peaks' Major Garland Briggs, died on Sunday of a heart attack. He was 65. A family friend tells the Vancouver Sun that Davis — who called Gibsons, British Columbia, home — had dealt with heart problems for years, and suffered from diabetes. Davis leaves behind his wife of five years, Ruby, and a son from a previous marriage. — Matt Mitovich
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