Why "Quark" Loved His STARGATE Episode (Dial the Gate)

STARGATE SG-1 welcomed some terrific guest stars over its 10-year run, including several familiar faces from the Star Trek universe. The very first of those came early in the show's freshman year, when "Quark" actor Armin Shimerman appeared in the episode "The Nox." It, along with the species that Armin helped to introduce, would become a fan favorite.
"Dial the Gate" was thrilled to sit down with Armin Shimerman for a long overdue conversation about his character of Anteaus, the Nox, and how important the race became for Stargate's mythology. He also tells the story of how he got the part and ended up working alongside one of his close friends.
This clip is from Dial the Gate's full-length, 90-minute conversation with Armin. Watch the full interview here: • 160: Armin Shimerman, ...
RELATED ►
★ "The Nox" (SG-1 Season 1): www.gateworld.net/sg1/s1/the-...
★ Anteaus (Omnipedia): www.gateworld.net/wiki/Anteaus
★ Ohper (Omnipedia): www.gateworld.net/wiki/Ohper
★ The Nox (Omnipedia): www.gateworld.net/wiki/Nox
★ www.DialtheGate.com/
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"Stargate," "Stargate SG-1," and all related materials are owned by MGM Studios and MGM Television. The "Dial the Gate" theme is composed by Neal Acree.
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[@colinfew6570]

What a nice man. They pepper him him with honest nerd questions and he answers because he cares. Love you Quark.

[@jamielondon6436]

He's not Quark, though.

[@Tzunamii777]

@@jamielondon6436 Thats so Ferengist......

[@pauldavis9387]

One of my favorite lines in all of TV history. “The young do not always do as they are told.”

[@RockmanDash]

I really can't believe the Knox were just forgotten about. I really wanted to see more of them. I was an OG fan I watched the show on the orignal airdates.

[@AbrielMcPierce]

They are demi-god level entities. It would be very easy to abuse them in storytelling, and so I actually like how little we see them. It keeps them mysterious, and a fun rabbit out of the hat without getting old.

[@YaManImCool]

At least they got their own episode and made an appearance after that... what about the Furlings? We only ever saw them in the spoof episode.

[@ChrissieBear]

They're prominent in the tabletop rpg.

[@jamielondon6436]

@@AbrielMcPierce I interpreted them as being one step short of Ascencion, and a voluntary step at that. Even wrote an ~800k words fanfic story about them. :-D

[@brietzke99]

I know there was a comic book not sure if it was official or Canon but in it it shows a Nox become a host and attacks the SGC.

[@carbondated6151]

I loved the scene where Carter is looking at the youngest Nox and the read on her face says she think he's adorable, at which point O'Neil says "No Carter we can't take him home with us."

[@Scottlp2]

I wonder if that was scripted or one of RDAs improvs.

[@YaManImCool]

I can hear his voice telling me "The very young do not always do as they're told" whenever I see a kid do something stupid.

[@jamielondon6436]

Eternal words of wisdom.

[@LonestarEventPro]

My son got his autograph recently and he remembered that line.

[@xxxlonewolf49]

Such a great work he did as "quark", the chemistry between him an "odo" was amazing.

[@johncee853]

Would have really loved seen more from the Nox...especially after the Ori invasion. They could have been valuable allies! Who knows, maybe they will be...eventually! Also, love this dude! Quark was definitely one of the best characters on ds9!

[@sid2112]

Oh but they don't do violence.

[@johncee853]

@@sid2112 The quiet ones...are the ones to fear! But I get what you are saying.

[@sid2112]

@@johncee853 LOL the Nox just makes the entire galaxy invisible to the Ori, they spend a few years wandering around then go home.

[@johncee853]

@@sid2112 A boring galaxy but an alive one! And we don't have to preach to fairytale religions and imaginary gods!

[@sid2112]

@@johncee853 I mean, that's kinda different. The Ori and the Ancients were basically godlike. Evolved or created, those were gods by any metric our ancestors would care to use.

[@cmowers9]

The Nox is one of my favorite episodes.

[@Frank_Nemo]

If you look behind Armin, you'll notice that the blinds are actually made from gold-pressed latinum.

[@datafoxy]

He has the lobes for business.

[@Pandaman94]

***Pressed but correct.

[@Frank_Nemo]

@@Pandaman94 Thanks, now corrected.

[@TheKingofkrypton]

Maybe Nog's Self Sealing Stem Bolts plan finally came through. Gift (and flex) for Dad.

[@MihzvolWuriar]

I don't think there were a better actor for Anteaus, and I really wish we could se him again, he would look at humanity and say something like "you've grown a little," ultimately saying that he's pleased, but humanity has yet not grown enough, the nox are great, I love them.

[@donwhitty]

Meet him and he is great. Remember watching ds9 with my nan and she loved Quark so I got her his autograph. The guy was very sweet.

[@Justin_80]

Quark and Nog's characters are some of my favorite in the Trek Universe.

[@randomunavailable]

Nog was one of the best written characters imo. Not saying Quark wasn't. Just giving credit where it's rarely given due.

[@benw9949]

The Box episode was one of the best in Stargate. We got a different viewpoint on things. Our heroes learned a lesson that they were not always quite right, and we got an ally and a great addition to the story-universe of Stargate. Armin and the other three Not actors did very well, memorable roles. -- I wish we had seen more of the Box! Not only the four, but others, and I wish we'd learned more. I think there's one other, later episode where Frieda (as the Box woman) reappears, maybe two.

[@GateWorldDotNet]

Yep, Lya was the only Nox to return -- in Season 1's "Enigma" (to rescue the Tollan refugees from Maybourne) and in Season 3's "Pretense" (Skaara & Klorel's trial).

[@riogrande5761]

I am a fan of both Star Gate and Star Trek DS9 and Quark was a great character who added a lot of interest and fun to the series.

[@normagoto6788]

I loved this episode. It has always been one of my favorites.

[@PaulReed]

I loved the Nox. Lya was given a few more appearances but nothing really went back to explore who the Nox were or their history. I'd have loved more but perhaps this is a case of less is more. Armin's voice is recognisable instantly and it's so nice to see he enjoyed what he did and the twist at the end.

[@jefferiestubeladd3261]

I was having a wonderfull time trying to figure out who the actor was, he was playing the 400+ years old fairy alien species " The Nox" sg1. I was blown away when it hit me. ❤

[@tstephens128]

Love Armin, great human! I am having Star Gate withdraws, we need another series... guess it's time to pick one to watch from start to finish again...if anyone has news of a new series, what is the ETA. Thanks Gateworld for sharing, this helps the creators know we need more!! 🙂🤗🖖

[@gloriathomas3245]

Armin is a fantastic actor and loved him in Buffy

[@UltrEgoVegeta]

Amazing actor love his work

[@Marekfriday]

Great, this makes me want to watch SG1 another time. I've been a fan for about 15 years, watched the show many times, but it's such a great story, that I come back to it quite regularly. Thanks.

[@corcaightowner8881]

Was one of my favorite episodes.

[@novoscorp7275]

That was awesome. 🙂

[@pauls3585]

This is a great interview. Thanks for sharing.

[@EpicConspiracy]

Good god. I’ve watched SG1 like 10 times and DS9 20 times and had no idea the same guy played Quark and the Knox guy 😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@basilmcdonnell9807]

If you can find it he's also a wonderful principal of the Sunnydale High School on the show Buffy The Vampire Slayer!

[@tomboard1]

It just dawned on me as I was watching this too. Long time fan of both series.

[@DeadlyPlatypus]

I love Armin in everything I've seen him in. He seems like a great friend on top of that. Quark is top 3 greatest written and acted Star Trek characters.

[@shawnrhyme5831]

My apologies to Armin. I own a copy of the entire Star Gate SG1 and Atlantis on DVD and I've seen the episode you've talked about at least a few times. And I never made the connection to Quark Deep Space 9. Thank you for the video. The Poet Shawn Rhymes 😊😊😊

[@common_c3nts]

I had no idea that was Quark. I watched stargate in the 1st airings as a kid. I was in 6th grade in 1997. I never really watch DS9 until like 2010 and loved it. I guess the Nox did not see any profit in working with Tau'ri. LOL. Stargate was awesome and every star trek in the 90s and early 2000s was awesome.

[@eledhwenmare2403]

Thank you for these interviews. As a fan I always hope that the episodes are as fun to do ( production issues aside ) as they are to watch.

[@Markyparky56]

I think, if the Nox had returned to the story later on, their ability to hide things would probably have been explained as some kind of phasing power similar to Merlin's device. Whether they did it psychically or through technology, I'd lean more towards it being an innate power similar to their healing ritual. Even if the Ancients weren't a concrete part of the story at this point, they were included in the Four Races and I think that could have gone on to influence the abilities the writers gave the unascended Ancients. Laia being able to open the stargate by waving her hand (and visually very differently to a usual kawoosh) may just be a lack of defined rules for wormholes at the time, but is a really cool power even ascended Ancients aren't shown doing (Maternal Instinct, Sanctuary, cone to mind). On the other hand, maybe it was all technology, since Future Cassandra opens the gate in a similar way with her device. Early Stargate was a real wild west of ideas that ended up retconned or forgotten. Like, the Tolan made their own stargate! No wonder they were written out, characters that powerful break power dynamics.

[@matturban9103]

I met him and got an autograph years ago. Nice man.

[@daleatkin8927]

I always viewed the Nox episode as a family on a camping trip that gets interrupted by “injured wildlife” (Apophis et al, and SG-1)

[@lijohnyoutube101]

That is one of my absolute face Stargate episodes seen it so many times and never realized one of the characters was played by the actor that played Quark!

[@paisteplayer1040]

Armin will always be Quark

[@trivialinsignific]

i love that dude ! thanks man !

[@onethreeify]

Loved this one!

[@shaunhall960]

Wow! Small world.

[@MyrddinREmrys]

This is just a wonderful chat/interview and insight into such a pivotal character in both shows, portrayed by such a talented artist. Really enjoyable. Thanks.!

[@Diana.DSWMinistries]

I love those guys!

[@brietzke99]

With the Nox being one of the four Great races I always felt that the City they revealed is their version of Atlantis they were right there at the stage ancients were before Ascension with having abilities and shifting more from a technological race to a more simpler one.

[@mrmarmellow563]

🥇HYPE❤

[@Greg87601]

He was a cool as Quark on Star Trek SD9.

[@necrosunderground]

It always bugged me that SG1 never really did more with the Nox. I mean, I get it, in a way: the Nox probably felt it best to stay out of Tau'ri affairs ("the very young do not always do as they are told," after all), but it would have been so wonderful to see them a bit more on the show. Both of Lya's appearances were so awesome (especially when she opened the gate for the Tollan to leave), but I just wish we could have gotten to know more about them. Especially given her acknowledgement that Daniel, at least, was picking up what the Nox were putting down.

[@JamesMadisonsSpiritAnimal]

The nox were absolutely one of the best episodes. That was my childhood watching sg1 with my mom! This was back when cable TV wasn't just good, it was telling though provoking stories that challenged your preconceived notions without being hateful, anglophobic, mysandric, or anti American. Truly some of the most clever and intelligent writers ever and it was before the smith-mundt act gave the CIA and FBI legal ability to begin pumping in domestic propaganda (like how the CEO of budwiser is a confirmed CIA agent. Or how the Twitter content manager was a CIA agent, they now have started to try to obscure it but only a year ago they proudly posted their CIA status totally unaware of how fascist and evil their takeover of media is)

[@simonupton-millard]

He has amazing stories he has been on the Delta Flyers podcast a few times

[@TrekCannon]

Ahhh SG1s version of the Organians. Love those guys. You know, the very young don't always do what they're told....a little something I picked up from the Organians 😂

[@owenwilson25]

I've really enjoyed Armin's performances in Charmed, Trek, and this Stargate episode; he's carried these characters very well. Didn't get that feeling with his Buffy character, the series did have some good episodes but if I recall correctly the production forced a lot of people to render cardboard characters.

[@charleswidmore5458]

Quark! Best character on the show.

[@idonotexist2619]

He's done Star Trek & Stargate SG1. I wonder if he'd consider (if offered) to do a part in Star Wars & complete the trifecta?

[@tomboard1]

Oh my gosh. It was just this moment that I realized the Nox are also Ferengi. I fully expect to be berated severely. This is really cool.

[@mtnbkr8480]

I thought I recognized that character from somewhere. That explains why Quarks character had such long shaggy hair, they had to cover up his big ears.

[@Shervin86]

No disrespect at all to modern/present day actors and movies, but I genuinely feel like we were blessed with an Era of beautiful TV during 90s and early 2000s, which stargate fell smackdown in the middle of! I mean look this man (and almost all SG personnel) remembering so clearly his 1 episode decades ago so clearly! I am starting to hope stargate NEVER gets a new show...

[@supreme84x]

I remember noticing the wilting when I watched it as a kid. I assumed it was on purpose to show they were getting annoyed or tired of all this drama being caused by the "very young".

[@jamieturnage9511]

hes was great as quark . i miss deep space 9

[@MarijnvdSterre]

Wonderful to hear his story about the Nox. I do disagree with them not having powers. A culture so ingrained in nature will not (in my opinion) have technology inside of their body. And how they opened the gate, removed firearms and heal seem to take some concentration. They do have far advanced technology as well, maybe/probably even technology that works in tandem with their mental powers.

[@karos009]

i also wondered how he interpreted the fact the Nox supposed to be one of the 4 ( now 5) race who protect the milky way. how they protect if they are pacifist? i suppose they can be very efficent spies.

[@Platschu]

I still would like to see a Nox centric spinoff. Maybe they could take care of their own galaxy with an own upraded stargate system. They abadonned their "gardens" (planets) where they studied evolution as peaceful experiments. The new heroes will re-discover many words as living museums from different time eras of Earth from the last 50-80 millions of years since the Nox rescued and relocated many animals and plants, The new heroes must find out what happened and why these guided lifeforms turned against each others without their Nox masters. Or if they want a Milky Way based spinoff then the writers could reveal how many worlds were hided by the Nox from the Goa'uld. And now some of those would turn up as life find its way. Stargate would be a cool plot telling device about biology related problems while they could be true to the peaceful nature of the Nox. Maybe the local stargate system or the transphased / shielded MW gates could disarm weapons so the stories could be focused on diplomacy instead of military firepower.

[@korenn9381]

Someone should explain to Armin Shimerman how to swap to his headset mic because it's clearly using a different external mic, probably the one on his laptop.

[@Christianos_Theophile]

Rule of Acquisition #286: The Very Young Do Not Always Do As They Are Told

[@fredhurst2528]

The Nox are the only sci-fi advanced society that I think makes sense. Most sci-fi advanced societies are pictured as ultra metropolitan with huge busy cities as though they are all gonna be a futuristic version of the major cities on Earth. Seems to me being advanced would mean being one with nature and technology in a way that combines the best of both, they would not destroy the natural enviroment of their planets to become mega-industrial as the need for that lifestyle would have been solved.

[@dawlben2247]

He was also Dr Nefarious from Ratchet & Clank.

[@Avery_Hikari]

Well, I am ashamed to admit that I had no idea it was the same actor. I'll quietly turn in my fan card now and shuffle away to a corner to die in embarrassment.

[@ydna]

anteaus is into the omox

[@jamielondon6436]

How important are the Nox? Well, to me personally, enough to write a little (~800k words) fanfic story about them. :-D

[@TheKingofkrypton]

I think that the Nox would happily walk around with muddy feet and legs.

[@jamieturnage9511]

how come they never done a episode of the furlings on stargate

[@davidrobertson5700]

Hi Armin, please do audiobooks. Start today please Signed Dave

[@jyndev4570]

From my perspective, the Nox could afford to be pacifistic because they were already immensely powerful. In that respect they're a bit hypocritical. I wonder though if Anubis had not been checked by the Tauri and ultimately by Oma Desala (who ascended him in the first place) would the Nox still have been able to maintain their pacifist neutrality? I get the feeling he would have seen through cloaking technology.

[@jb888888888]

What are you talking about? I didn't see Richard Benjamin anywhere.

[@tomboard1]

I also want to add that because of Armin's character, Quark, I have found the Ferengi to be a more interesting and compelling species than Klingons.

[@arnaudgerard1971]

You know, we buy groceries, we eat, we sleep. What do you think, the Knox do :)

[@ralphpal]

Actually how hard would it to know they had a hidden world . Unless they take away the gravity that would show up on scanners

[@petike555]

The reason why the Nox were important to the series is because they were wise and conscious spiritual beings.

[@alexiachimciuc3199]

Ah yes the forest gerbils with their floating city 😂 in one of the most kitsch sci-fi shows ever.

[@tomwhone9804]

The Nox = Space hippies

[@richNfit4life]

I’d say the Nox were a spiritually advanced race as well as technically advanced. Their ability to restore life to a non-functioning body was an ability developed as a result of their spiritual evolutionary progress. In this case, technology was not needed. They are a race of people who value very highly living close to nature. That’s why their planet is pure and clean of pollution and other issues that industrial development leaves behind. Of course, not everyone there is at the same level of expressing spiritual gifts. So, the city in the clouds is a good place to live if someone prefers a comfy apartment to a hut in the forest. This is just what I imagine how the Nox live. I have no idea about what is considered canon regarding the Nox.

[@Kafj302]

I am like number 913

[@truthisfree7297]

Stargate SG1 was a nice show that failed to ever really challenge the viewer or take advantage of opportunities. The Nox are an example, as are the Reetou (probably one of the most interesting potential enemies). Instead we get tons of replicant episodes which are nothing but endless gunfire and earth-based "political intrigue" shows. On top of that, there are more of those annoying "recycled" footage episodes than any show I can remember. And as if that weren't enough, they rushed many threads to overly quick conclusions (like suddenly having ships that can show up at earth in like hours, when it was already established how vast the distances were). I really liked the cast and the concept but what a lost opportunity this show was to explore the galaxy from the perspective of a modern day society.

[@DpacOP]

Did you mean his or this?

[@GateWorldDotNet]

"His"

[@DpacOP]

@@GateWorldDotNet thank you my brain couldn’t comprehend it

[@danphillips8530]

At the risk of being the most uninformed fan of Quark ever, Is Armin gay? He'd be out of my league but it's worth a dream.

[@GateWorldDotNet]

Armin has been married, to Kitty Swink, since 1981

[@danphillips8530]

@@GateWorldDotNet that only makes me more of a fan, what a dude

[@DavidLS1]

So Stargate employed a fluffer.

[@neondharma]

i cant understand anything he is saying

[@SardonicALLY]

Try headphones, I got every word.

[@ChrissieBear]

I understood everything watching on my phone.

[@lucthin6245]

Turn the CC feature on the video.

[@bobmorr2892]

All the Stargate series were terrible unwatchable. I couldn't even make it through one episode let alone the whole season except for Stargate Universe.

[@nickdumas2495]

It is totally fine if you prefer sci-fi soap opera to sci-fi action adventure.

[@davidoldham1946]

My favorite scene with the Nox is when Lya rescued the Tollan from Stargate command.

[@kageotoshi]

I hated how they used them for 3ep..Nox needed more diplomatic mission ep..