Amanda Tapping Officially Joins 'Atlantis'

Confirming something actress Amanda Tapping said last November, Lt. Col. Samantha Carter is going to make good use of that ZPM by making her way to "Stargate: Atlantis" for the show's fourth season.

SciFi Wire is reporting that Tapping will appear in 14 of the show's 20 episodes in the season, pulling a Michael Dorn (Dorn, as you may recall, made a jump over to "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" midway through that series to help give that show a ratings boost). The new season, which is expected to premiere later this summer, will also introduce a new villain race, some new cast members, and even some character losses.

Rumors have been running rampant that Tapping is going to replace Torri Higginson, who plays Dr. Elizabeth Weir, who reportedly is going to move into recurring status. It is unclear if the official move of Tapping to the show will actually cause Higginson to have a status change, or if the two characters will work together.

Also joining "Atlantis" for a handful of episodes in Season 4 is Jewel Staite, best known for her work in "Firefly" and its film "Serenity," also will reprise her role as Dr. Keller on the show.

Tapping spent 10 years on "Stargate SG-1" which ends its 10-year run this spring on the SciFi Channel. She previously told convention goers in England last year that she had yet another year on her contract, and likely would fill it out by going over to "Atlantis." She has made some previous guest appearances on the show.

Claudia Black, who also will be wrapping up her days on "SG-1," will be expanding her horizons as well, according to Zap2it. She'll make a guest appearance on "The Dresden Files," which is the Sunday lead-in show to "Battlestar Galactica." Her episode, "The Other Dick," is expected to air March 25.

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