What happened to Daniel in Season Six? Why did Michael Shanks leave the show?
Actor Michael Shanks chose not to renew his contract at the end of the show’s fifth season. There is a wealth of published articles and interviews on the subject. The short of it is that Shanks was not happy with the direction that his character had taken in Seasons Four and Five, and that his unique talents as an archeologist were not being utilized (there were more Earth-based conspiracy stories, and fewer explorations of ancient cultures on other planets). Shanks has stated that he approached the producers about it, but was not met with a willingness to accommodate his request. For reasons that fans will no doubt speculate on until the sun goes nova, Shanks returned as a full-time cast member for Season Seven. He also made three guest appearances in Season Six: “Abyss,” “The Changeling,” and “Full Circle,” and provides the voice of Thor in “Prometheus,” “Unnatural Selection,” and “Disclosure.
Actor Michael Shanks chose not to renew his contract at the end of the show’s fifth season. There is a wealth of published articles and interviews on the subject. The short of it is that Shanks was not happy with the direction that his character had taken in Seasons Four and Five, and that his unique talents as an archeologist were not being utilized (there were more Earth-based conspiracy stories, and fewer explorations of ancient cultures on other planets). Shanks has stated that he approached the producers about it, but was not met with a willingness to accommodate his request. For reasons that fans will no doubt speculate on until the sun goes nova, Shanks returned as a full-time cast member for Season Seven.
