Peter DeLuise, who has directed dozens of episodes of SCI FI Channel’s original series Stargate SG-1, told SCI FI Wire that he wrote an early episode of the upcoming eighth season, "Affinity," which he also helmed. "’Affinity’ has to do ... with the fact that both Carter [Amanda Tapping] and Teal’c [Christopher Judge] feel like they’re entitled to a private life," DeLuise said in an interview during a break in shooting last May near Vancouver, B.C. "They want a sense of belonging. They want to have intimacy in their lives. And they don’t. [But] it’s not just about saving the world week after week."

In the episode, the eighth on the production schedule, the two characters reveal seldom-seen sides, DeLuise said. "In Teal’c’s case, he gets an apartment outside the base, and he wants to be free to eat gelato and do tai chi in the park, right? And in Carter’s case, she wants to ... have the right to have a relationship, because she’s been denied that for a long time because of her relationship with O’Neill [Richard Dean Anderson], which has been very safe. ... So we’ve got two storylines, where Teal’c and Carter are both actively pursuing a private life, and ... problems ensue, as they say."

The episode is in keeping with the tone of the new season, DeLuise added. "Season eight is ... more introspective," he said. "It’s much more cerebral, and it has a lot to do with, in my mind, the specialness of the characters."

For DeLuise-who was a regular cast member in the 1993 SF TV series SeaQuest DSV-Stargate SG-1 is also a family affair. His brother David DeLuise has a recurring role as Carter’s love interest, Denver cop Pete Shanahan. Another brother, Michael (who also co-starred in SeaQuest), appeared in SG-1’s 100th anniversary episode, "Wormhole X-Treme!" (in which Peter also appeared as himself). And Peter’s father, the famed actor and comedian Dom DeLuise, appeared in in a dual role in the season three episode "Urgo," which Peter directed. "My mom’s the only one who hasn’t been on the show yet," Peter said. Stargate SG-1 kicks off its eighth season with a two-hour premiere at 9 p.m. ET/PT July 9.