4 Actors Who HATED Working On Stargate

3. Michael Shanks

Stargate Michael Shanks
Tony Shek via Wiki Commons

The second Daniel Jackson to feature on this short list - it makes one wonder if there was something in playing this character that got the actor's back up? But with Michael Shanks, his is thankfully a tale with a happy ending. His 'dark' time on the show came during the fifth season, leading to his departure for the show's sixth.

For a long time, there were rumours of 'creative differences', which in Hollywood slang is often just a term for 'fired'. But that was not the case here. Shanks did elect to leave on his own, as he felt that for the fifth season in particular, Jackson was being relegated into the background. While the show was of course an ensemble piece, he felt as though there was simply no point to his being there.

He was unable to reach a satisfactory deal with the producers and so his character was memorably (and heartbreakingly) written out in the series' penultimate episode, allowing room for Corin Nemic to take his place as newcomer Jonas Quinn.

However, he did return for several cameos throughout season six. This also kept him in contact with the producers and the lines of communication stayed open. Thanks to this, they were able to work on a storyline that suited all parties.

It was bad news for Corin Nemic though who, after one short season, was written out of the show to make way for Shanks' return.

Contributor
Contributor

Seán is the host and head writer/presenter for TrekCulture, as well as a writer/presenter on WhoCulture and WhatCulture Horror. He has authored two novels, dozens of short stories, and hundreds of articles for WhatCulture. He holds a Master of Arts in Creative Writing from University College Dublin. As part of his work with TrekCulture, Seán has been invited to participate in collaborations with Roddenberry Entertainment, as well as contributing to several Star Trek community projects. An avid fan of Star Trek, Doctor Who, and the horror genre at large, Seán's expertise has helped develop these channels to the successes they are today. As host of the Ups & Downs series on TrekCulture, Seán has become internationally recognised for his positive yet critically informed approach to reviewing every episode of modern Star Trek, ensuring he is one of the go-to voices in the Trek community. Favourite Quote to describe himself: "I'm serious about what I do, just not always about the way that I do it"