Joseph Mallozzi's Weblog

To those who asked my opinion on the backlash to the backlash to Game of Thrones’ final season…

Hey, look what I came across online.  This awesome, highly detailed model of the Raza by Dark Matter fan Dennis St Pierre:

Beauty.  It looks to be space-ready.  Just make sure those FTL engines are charged.

Sweet ride, Dennis.

On #ThisDayInComics – 67 years ago, convicted murderer Steven Bogardus escaped custody, studied up on ropes, and assumed the persona of The Roper before eventually being snared by Green Arrow and Speedy back in Adventure Comics #176. #ThisDayInSupervillainHistory pic.twitter.com/wYDGcNhfQT

— Joseph Mallozzi (@BaronDestructo) May 21, 2019

So next week, I’m going to switch gears to concentrate on delivering the pilot script for my (hitherto) Untitled Awesome Project.  As mentioned in previous blog entries, it’s tonally and thematically similar to Dark Matter.  So much so that a crossover could be theoretically possible (provided the pieces fall into place – aka everyone plays ball) somewhere down the line.  It would be nice to check in with the Raza crew for an episode (or potential two-parter).  Have the new gang cross paths with the old gang.  Of course, there’s absolutely no guarantee they’ll play nicely together.

In fact, given their respective personalities – no chance.

Twitter has suspended the account of the lovable Japanese mascot, Chiitan:

https://soranews24.com/2019/05/16/free-chiitan-japanese-otter-mascot-starts-new-english-account-after-total-twitter-suspension/

Meanwhile, twitter also suspended the official twitter account of the Houston Rockets:

Oh, hey, anyone catch that Game of Thrones finale?  Was it just me or was there an unusual amount of walking in this episode?  I mean, I felt like fully one quarter of the 80 minute runtime was people walking.

Speaking of which – no way Greyworm lets Jon walk after what he did.  No way.

Also, this –

Nutella Burger?  Yes/No

This burger is dripping with Nutella 🤤 pic.twitter.com/ePK61TbZab

— FOOD INSIDER (@InsiderFood) May 18, 2019

Look out.  There’s a new sheriff in town.

Looking our Friday best.

Sakura Suji.

Wait!  Did I hear the treat bag?!  I’m awake!!!

Conked out.

Suji and Lulu enjoying their new purchase.  Lulu can’t get enough of that packaging!

I usually do Suji Sunday on this blog but today was truly Akemi Saturday.  Given my long production hours on weekdays (I’m usually out of the house by 7 a.m. and back at around 8 p.m.), and the assorted scriptwriting I have to do on the home front, I don’t get as much family time as I’d like.  But this weekend was different.  Having completed the script for the Utopia Falls season finale (outside of rewrites), and delivered my producer’s cut of episodes 3 and 4 (episodes 5-10 pending), I decided to dedicate the day to my gal.  And so, this morning, we woke up early, went to the farmer’s market, took the dogs out for a walk, enjoyed a leisurely lunch at home, and then, finally, after weeks of waiting, we checked out Oomomo, the Japanese dollar store in Mississauga.

Akemi had been absolutely dying to go and I figured “Why not?”.  I can just run dialogue in my head while she shops.

Holy Moly!  The excitement!

I, on the other hand, played it cool.

We were there for…well, I’m not sure how long.  But it felt like hours.

I suppose it’s better than poop flavored vanilla-shaped candy.

My second favorite flavor of candy.

My sole purchase was this pretty awesome robot pen.

Success!  Akemi ended up picking up many crucial supplies including (but not limited to): Mount Fuji-themed ceramic bowls, cartoon sheep floor mats, and cute animal kitchen sponges.

What a haul!

The happy couple.

I asked Akemi which she would have preferred: a spa day or going to Oomomo.  She looked at me like I was crazy: “Oomomo.  Of course!”

Of course.

I didn’t even realize today the production office was doing a John Wick: Chapter Three – Parabellum Garden Party High Tea until this morning.  The brainchild of Production Coordinator Naomi Ward (with the assistance of Assistant Production Coordinator Drew Cohoe and various production assistants), the event had it all!

Official garden gate entrance..

…complete with Keanu adornments.

Lunch John Wick-style: sandwiches, quiche, scones, and cookies.

And, of course, the Keanu Cake.

Naomi, Drew, Robbie, Sterling, and yours truly.

Cannot wait for June 21st’s Child’s Play Luncheon!

Being in production really makes you unavailable for pretty much anything else besides production.  But, with freedom fast approaching, I’m putting together a hit list of movies I need to catch up on before they leave the theaters.  I will go watch them in the order in which they are recommended by you…

Please rank them from #1-8.

Each one seeking happiness…

Here, have a climactic page from the Stargate: Extinction script…

Usually, I don’t enjoy attending screenings with screaming children in the audience – but I would have made an exception for THIS!

Theater Accidentally Shows Horror Trailers and Beginning of ‘La Llorona’ Instead of ‘Detective Pikachu’ https://t.co/PkpMG1CiTl

— Bloody Disgusting (@BDisgusting) May 13, 2019

I suppose this is the equivalent of asking me to play bladder pipe…

Teenagers trying to make phone call on ancient apparatus pic.twitter.com/sbOyK0JGhn

— Lukas Stefanko (@LukasStefanko) May 8, 2019

I am Lawful Plotter with Neutral Plotting tendencies.

And you?

Please, weigh in with your #DearMeTenYearsAgo words of wisdom.

Happy Birthday to Art Director Kelly Diamond.  We celebrated this morning with home baked scones, bread, a selection of cheese, and matcha cake.

Bad news for our First A.D.’s Derek Filiatrault and Grant Boyle.  One (or both of them) are going to have to go to make room for our new Assistant Director.

She is!  It says so right there on the t-shirt.  I also got one that says “PRODUCER”, so maybe we shouldn’t put too much stock in these things.

Loved the first season of Fleabag.  Halfway through Killing Eve and enjoying it as well.

Thinking of dropping another page from that Stargate: Extinction script tomorrow.  But it’s pretty spoilery (for those planning a trip to an alternate timeline where the movie actually got made).  It involves a McKay, two Todds, and a very rattled ship.

Hanging with dad.

Shouting at bubbles while Lulu chills.

Fresh produce.

What’re YOU looking at?

And finally, another installment in my Conversations with Suji series…

Once again the weekend is upon us.    And, with a first draft of the series finale delivered, and our final double concept meeting on tap for this Monday, I can finally rest easy.  Ish.  There’s still a little over six weeks of production left.  And about four months of post. And, in the not too distant future, the revised pitch for that major comic book adaptation, that new ship-based space opera comic book series, the pitch for that small town supernatural show, development on the horror series, and, chiefest of all, the script for the (formerly) Untitled Awesome Project.

In a perfect world, I wrap up production on this in January, have a month off, and then roll into another writers’ room (for one of the aforementioned projects) in August, maybe September.

The past few weeks have been altogether exhausting.  I’ve spent waaaaay to much time reading off my laptop.  As a result, I’m having recurring headaches and my eyesight is definitely suffering.  I’ve found myself pulling out the reading glasses more often just to give my eyes a rest.  I’ve also been nursing an unusually sore right arm going on three weeks now – I’m guessing the result of banging it against a table but Akemi suspects I may have pulled a muscle or tendon.  Can you pull a tendon?  Is that what you do to tendons?

Anyway, I’m sure I’ll be 100% once I’ve had time to rest and fully recuperate.  In early July.  In the meantime, there’s this –

Oh damn.  It’s my dealer, Alan, with about 5 ounces of the good stuff: whole dried yellow Scotch Bonnets, red and yellow Habaneros, and Carolina Reapers.

Akemi’s recent batch of bourbon cookies.  We refined the original recipe.  It called for a measly one tablespoon of bourbon, but our batch delivers a cup’s worth!

Cheese Boats –

Cheeseboats are shaped like boats because of their origin around the Black Sea pic.twitter.com/asRcQTvmH1

— INSIDER (@thisisinsider) May 9, 2019

Yes/No?

Hard to believe that eight years ago was the last time a new episode of Stargate aired.  On May 9, 2011 Stargate: Universe’s “Gauntlet” closed out an incredible unbroken 364 episode, two movie, 17 season, 14 year run.   Back when my former writing partner and I joined the franchise for SG-1’s fourth season, we assumed we were jumping aboard near ride’s end.  We were told the show would go one more year before ending with its fifth and final season.  Oh, how wrong they were.

Of course, in t.v., things have a way of changing.  Usually for the worst but, occasionally for the better.  Much better.  We got another season.  Then another season after that.  And then one more.  And another one.  And another.  And one more.  Then five seasons of Atlantis.  And two of Universe.  Why?  Well, credit the cast and crew and writers but, mostly, credit the fans who kept us going and, who made clear during last year’s tweetstorm,  that they’re still around and hankering for an all-new series.  As I’ve often said, it’s not a matter of if and but when.  It doesn’t make sense for MGM to sit on this valuable franchise for too long, and I’m sure they just want to make sure they’re going to do it right.  And by right, I mean offering a new series that can serve as a jumping on point for new viewers while rewarding longtime fans protective of the franchise, its characters, and canon.  Yes, I know, it would seem the way to go is obvious, so I’m going to assume they’ll figure it out sooner than later and reward long-suffering Stargate fans with their equivalent of a Star Trek Picard revival series rather than, say, that 2001 Planet of the Apes reboot.

Man, nothing hurts a franchise like an ill-advised reboot.  Am I right?