In the 1990s, sci-fi reigned supreme on network television and one of the most popular franchises to emerge from the decade was undoubtedly Stargate. Beginning with a titular movie directed by Roland Emmerich in 1994, over the next two decades there would be plenty more to come from this unique world.
Since 1994, there have been many seasons of Stargate as well as spin-off series set in the same universe. Whether you’re a longtime fan or someone checking out the franchise for the first time, you’ll need to know the best watch order if you want to get the most out of your viewing experience.
Here’s everything you need to know about binging Stargate in its entirety.
Stargate watch order
Stargate is easy enough to watch since the majority of the series takes place in chronological order. That being said, there are some places where films and other Stargate productions fit in before or between episodes. Here’s your guide to the best order in which to check out everything Stargate has to offer.
Stargate (movie)
It all started with the 1994 sci-fi film Stargate starring Kurt Russell. The movie tells the story of how the Stargate was discovered in modern-day Egypt. After passing through the gateway, the team ends up stuck on a foreign planet, and the only way back is to convince the people to overthrow their leader, Ra. The film is set in the same universe as the series, making it a great way to dive into the action; however, some things do change in between releases, so bear in mind that not everything will come together perfectly.
Stargate SG-1 (seasons one through seven)
Stargate SG-1 ran from 1997 until 2007 and provided a decade’s worth of content for fans to enjoy. The show kicks off after the events of the film and finds the team being instructed to explore planets and protect the earth. Watching all 10 seasons of the Stargate SG-1 series will be paramount, but once you complete season seven, you’ll want to add in another series alongside SG-1 to make sure you’re getting the whole story as intended.
Stargate SG-1 (seasons eight through 10) / Stargate: Atlantis (seasons one through three)
Once you finish Stargate SG-1 season seven, you can continue straight on through season eight or alternatively start Stargate: Atlantis, another series set within the main universe of the show. Before you move on, you’ll need to check out both of these releases, which you can do in order of preference. As you work through these seasons, you’ll need to go one for one working all the way through the rest of SG-1 until you complete season three of Atlantis.
Stargate: The Ark of Truth (movie)
Taking place after the events of Stargate SG-1 but before season four of Stargate: Atlantis, Stargate: The Ark of Truth finds the team seeking out a weapon to help them take down the Ori, which happens to be located in the Ori’s home galaxy, making things much more complicated. Once you check out the film, you’ll want to head back into Stargate: Atlantis to continue binging the Stargate series.
Stargate: Atlantis (seasons four and five) / Stargate: Continuum (movie)
You’ll want to binge through season four of Stargate: Atlantis next, but once you get to season five, you’ll want to pay close attention to how you continue. Watch episode one of Stargate: Atlantis season five, then move on to the movie Stargate: Continuum. This is the right place for where the movie is set chronologically, so watching it here is the best way to follow the story. Once you’ve seen the film, head back into Stargate: Atlantis and finish season five, the final season of the series.
Stargate Universe (seasons one and two)
Stargate Universe is the next series set in the franchise following the conclusion of Stargate: Atlantis. With new characters, this story tells the tale of a team of humans exploring the galaxy on the spaceship Destiny. This series is one of the more unique entries in the franchise and carries a familiar yet different tone to those before it. This is also the final televised series that was released to date in the Stargate franchise.
Stargate Origins (web series)
This is a prequel series, so if you’re already familiar with the characters and simply rewatching the entire franchise, then check this out first before the initial movie. Stargate Origins was released as a web series consisting of 10 episodes and first launched in Feb. 2018. It can still be found in its entirely online.
Stargate: Atlantis is currently available to stream on Hulu while Stargate: SG-1 can be found on Netflix.
