This post contains spoilers for "Stargat Atlantis".

Doctor Rodney McKay (David Hewlett) is an integral part of the Starghat franchise. Scientist joining the Stargat program in Stargat SG-1, McKay plays a more pronounced role in All five seasons of Stargat Atlantis, that follows a brand new research mission that surrounds the lost city of the same name. In case you need a quick refresher of McKay, I got you: he was stationed on area 51 before his involvement in the Stargat command and helped the SG-1 crew on several points with his brilliant scientific expertise. After Atlantis was discovered in the Pegasus galaxy (along with the frightening Vrite regime), McKay was appointed in the mission, during which he gathered broad knowledge of the ancient as the chief scientific advisor of the crew.

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A certain episode of Stargat Atlantis Season 3 gives us more insight into McKay's life beyond his professional relationships. Titled "McKay and Mrs Miller", the episode introduces us to his sister, Annina Miller (Kate Hydille), who is also a gifted scientist who is trying to come up with a solution to the energy problem with zero point (mathematical theory that can bridge two realities). After submitting her formula to scientific peers, the Stargat command is soon approached, but Miller understands their offer as the exploitation of her theoretical work. The only person who has a chance to convince her is her brother, so McKay and Miller's argument speaks it until he finds himself on the expedition spacecraft, Daidalus.

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It is no coincidence that the actors playing McKay and Miller share the same surname as David and Kate Hyvette are brothers and sisters in real life. This is really amazing casting, making McKay and Miller's family dynamics in the show feel more authentic, especially when they argue over their mutual complaints. How did this perfect casting happen?

In the episode of season 1 "Hoteces Zone", the story takes a dark twist when scientists from the Atlantis expedition begin to hallucinate and descend dead after researching the planet after the planet's storm. McKay concludes that it can be followed, but continues to try to expose the sudden crisis, which turns out to be the work of nani (microscopic machines that can enter the bodies, just like organic microorganisms). During this critical moment, McKay mentions his sister, though she is not explicitly named in the episode. It turns out, the script for this episode initially intended McKay to return the brother to Earth, but David Hillet demanded a change in the exceptional chance that the producers would throw their sister Kate in a row.

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According to GateScreenwriter and co-producer of Stargate Atlantis, Martin Gero, agreed, and Kate was eventually called for Miller after Gero saw her playing in the play. "Boyfriend, she has a lot of Hewlett-isomes!" Is how Gero apparently reacted to her performance on stage. Well, at least this is how David Hewlett told the story, explaining that the dynamics of the brother-sister seemed to be more fun to explore in case the Atlantis writers decided to use the basic team of the show over their contributions to the mission. Fortunately, the show eventually did just that, providing us with the dynamics of brothers and sisters that perfectly illustrate the simultaneous synergy and conflict that comes with closely collaborating with the family.

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Kate and David Hewlett's geysome interview also revealed that the latter It wasn't supposed to return to Stargat Atlantis as McKay But as a brand new character named Dr. Benjamin Ingram. "There is no chance of playing McKay and then appearing as a different character a year later," explained David Hillet. This logic prevailed, leading to a complete prescribing Ingram character in Starghat fans in McKay, they know and want. The show is also better for that, too, as the return of the celebrity has helped to strengthen the relationship between SG-1 and Atlantis, though they focus on completely different aspects of the larger Stargat universe.