Syfy's 'Stargate Universe' confusing, but good

Brian J. Smith, left, Robert Carlyle and David Blue star in "Stargate Universe."

By: Casey Gillis | The Burg
Published: October 01, 2009

Syfy’s “Stargate Universe” will likely confuse you.

But once you get through the dense mythology and complicated plots, it’s an intriguing show with fully developed characters and the potential for some good, long-term storylines.

I’m not at all familiar with the “Stargate” franchise — it was first introduced in a 1994 Kurt Russell film of the same name and was followed by two other TV series, “Stargate SG-1” and “Stargate Atlantis” — so I did a little research.

A stargate is, apparently, a device that allows people to time travel between two locations.

The device itself, which was built by an alien race, is a large ring with nine super-conductors, or “chevrons,” and 39 symbols that represent star constellations; operators match the chevrons up with the symbols to open wormholes and dial coordinates for distant planets and galaxies (thank you, Wikipedia).

In this incarnation of the story, a group of civilians, scientists and military personnel become stranded on an ancient alien spacecraft, with no idea where it’s headed and no way to return home to Earth.

The pilot, which premieres at 9 p.m. Friday, opens as the group arrives on the ship, via a stargate, and then flashes back, “Lost”-style, to tell us how they all ended up there.

Scottish actor Robert Carlyle, whom you’ll recognize from “The Full Monty,” leads the cast as Dr. Nicholas Rush, a somewhat shady scientist responsible for the group’s current predicament.

The episode’s first flashback focuses on Eli Wallace (David Blue, “Ugly Betty”), a schlubby computer geek who breaks a top-secret code Rush embedded into an online video game.

Now Rush and Gen. Jack O’Neill (Richard Dean Anderson, reprising a role he originated in “SG-1”) need Eli’s help and, if I say much more, it’ll give away some secrets that are revealed during the two-hour premiere.

I will say that you’ll definitely like Eli — Blue is a gifted comedian and brings the laughs as a true everyman trapped in an other-worldly situation.

Other cast members include Lou Diamond Phillips (“La Bamba”), Ming-Na (“ER”), Alaina Huffman (“Smallville”) and the very cute Brian J. Smith, who I’ve never seen before but am totally crushing on now.

In the end all that confusion is worth it.