What Wraith Queen Actress Andee Frizzell Wanted To See On Stargate Atlantis

"Stargate Atlantis" didn't last as long as "Stargate SG-1," the original show from which it was spun, but it did manage a full five seasons between 2004 and 2009. Still, when "Atlantis" was canceled by the Sci-Fi channel, fans were let down. The show simply didn't have a chance to wrap things up in a satisfying way, and a planned "Stargate Atlantis" film was not ultimately abandoned too. Unfortunately, there was simply no getting around the fact that escalating budgets and a global recession made any sort of "Atlantis" continuation an impossibility.

The Sci-Fi channel sort of made things worse by cancelling "Atlantis" and green-lighting a new show, "Stargate Universe," which only lasted two seasons in the end. As such, fans were dismayed to say the least. But it wasn't just "Atlantis" adherents that wanted more from their favorite show. One actor, who played six different versions of the show's Wraith Queens throughout the first four seasons, wanted to see her characters' backstories and lore expanded beyond what was shown in the series itself. Alas, it remains yet another never-realized element of "Stargate Atlantis." 

"Stargate SG-1" had two actors who became known for their recurring appearances as different aliens. Alex Zahara and Dion Johnstone portrayed an impressive number of intergalactic species throughout the show's run, with Zahara playing a total of nine different characters in the show and even taking over for Johnstone when he became unavailable. When it comes to "Stargate Atlantis," Andee Frizzell is very much the Alex Zahara of the series. The actor played six different Wraith Queens across four seasons, including the Keeper in the pilot and the white-haired Queen in "The Hive." Since each of these characters was covered in makeup and prosthetics, many fans remained oblivious to the fact that they'd seen the same woman multiple times, but it also meant that the queens all had a faint physical similarity tying them together. 

For Frizzell, it seems six appearances just wasn't enough, however. The actor spoke to GateWorld about her time on the show and revealed what she wanted to see from "Atlantis" had the show gone beyond its fifth season. "I don't think the race was explored in its totality," she said, adding:

"What I would have liked to have explored is the commonalities — [the Wraith Queens] had human DNA — the commonalities of them exploring that about themselves. I thought it would be very interesting to explore them as they explored themselves, as they evolved."

In "Stargate Atlantis," the Wraith were a humanoid hive-based species that stole the life force of other beings. The various queens played by Frizzell certainly presented the opportunity for more exploration of the various sub-groups within the Wraith. Lamentably, however, it seems neither fans nor Frizzell will never get to see such a thing play out.