Fans of SG-1 and Atlantis may be excused for not realizing that SciFi intends to air the back halves of both shows this year. A recent ad that aired on NBC showcased the 2007 SciFi line-up – shows like Battlestar, Eureka, Dresden Files, Painkiller Jane. That is all.
Hmmm.
Which reminds me of a funny story from the Strange But True files. Years ago, I was working on a show, and one of the producers couldn’t understand why the network wasn’t doing more to promote the series. He picked up the phone and put the question to one of the execs who replied: “The problem is we need to give our marketing department something they can get excited about.” I kid you not. Apparently, their weekly paycheck wasn’t enough of a motivation. They needed a bigger buzz. Who knows how many years of service had immured them to the once simple delights of going to work and, well, working; the satisfaction of a job well-done (although, to be perfectly honest, we would have settled for “just plain done“). I suggested making a game of it, sending the entire marketing department on a scavenger hunt in which they would have to piece together the clues that would ultimately reveal the identity of the show that needed promoting. Or maybe some sort of arts and craft project involving colorful construction paper, silver tinsel, and those plastic rounded scissors kindergarteners use. Alas, my suggestions were roundly rejected. In the end, what our producer referred to as the network’s “volunteer marketing department” never did get keyed up enough to bother with the show and it was eventually cancelled. In retrospect, we really should have gone with the scavenger hunt.
Went into the office today and caught up with Brad, Robert, and a still very green Martin Gero who, despite his fragile constitution, managed to force down two slices of greasy pepperoni pizza before being overwhelmed by the nausea that forced him to head home early. We watched a Day 1 mix of Unending. A great season-ender (I’d say series ender but, really, that’s up to the fans. So long as they keep supporting the DVD’s, the longer we’ll keep telling stories) that offers some truly poignant moments and finally offers up some major satisfaction for members of “that” fan contingent. We also watched a Day 2 mix of Vengeance. Joel did a great job on the score. It is, without a doubt, the best monster movie we’ve ever done on Stargate.
Tonight, we had dinner at Octopus Garden, a tiny Japanese restaurant in Kits. We started with the spicy tuna sashimi, fresh albacore in a pleasant but not too spicy sauce served in a hollowed-out orange. I followed with a nice lobster miso soup while Fondy went with a mixed salad. My sushi followed: Isobe Age (a tempura seaweed roll with squid, green bean, and cod roe), and one of this evening’s specials, a flounder (hirame) sushi. While the flounder was incredibly fresh and delicate, with a sweet and subtle flavor, I wasn’t won over by the Isobe Age’s marriage of green bean and squid. Fondy’s spicy tuna roll was excellent however. She also had the Pavarotti – stir fried udon noodles with sundried tomatoes, garlic, and chicken. She everything but the chicken. We ended our meal with two sour gummy octopi that accompanied the bill.
Finally, congratulations to fellow Student Bodies alumnus Leonard Dick who penned tonight’s episode of House. Great script and a fine end to the David Morse arc. Hey, is it just me or does David Morse remind you SG-1’s Gary Jones?
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