10 Things You Learn Rewatching Stargate SG-1

Throughout seasons 6 and 7 of SG-1, Richard Dean Anderson let it be known that he wanted to spend more time with his family and the producers reduced his workload. There were several episodes that didn't feature Jack O'Neill at all and at the conclusion of season 7, he was placed in suspended animation at the Antarctic Outpost.

Now, the end of season 7 was meant to be the conclusion of the entire series, with a new show called Stargate Atlantis taking its place. Atlantis would have been discovered beneath Antarctica and our friendly familiar faces would have simply moved the SGC over to here. Instead, while Atlantis was confirmed, SG-1 was also renewed and the decision was made to shift Atlantis over to a different galaxy so as to give the two shows their own breathing room.

Because of this, Richard Dean Anderson was asked to stay on, but he wanted to do far less. Given that Don S. Davis was retiring for the sake of his health, it seemed natural that Jack could take over his role as the base commander, thus meaning that he wasn't in the field all that much. Unfortunately the show went massively downhill, the team had been established as having a four-person dynamic for years and having Jack potter around the base for a while just felt... tiring.

The very next season introduced a new general and a new team leader (ish) with Hank Landry (Beau Bridges) and Cam Mitchell (Ben Browder) and they worked out just fine.

The writers should have known to write Jack out and then bring him back just as guest appearances, which he clearly loved doing in the last two seasons of SG-1 and a few times in Atlantis.