Wow! When I first started this blog, I was averaging about 50 hit’s a day. Slowly but surely, those numbers crept up to the point where, as of last week, I was averaging closer to 250. The greatest number of visits to this blog was a little under 600 but, after yesterday’s entry that record has been shattered. 1200 today and counting! Who’d have thought there were so many Hat Day supporters out there!
Well, as I mentioned in my last post, today is Hot and Spicy Food International Day. I encourage you all to celebrate by heading down to your favorite restaurant and ordering the spiciest thing on the menu. Or, if you’re eating at home, break out the spices or those hot sauces that have been sitting in your pantry collecting dust. I have quite the collection of hot sauces myself. So big a collection, in fact, that they take up the entire top shelf of my refrigerator, prompting my wife to place a moratorium on all further hot sauce purchases. I prefer the habanero-based sauces (the bottle of Kiss of Fire [Besos de Fuego] hot sauce I picked up in San Francisco ages ago being my absolute favorite) and, having presumably built up a resistance over the years, I am constantly disappointed with a lot of the so-called “spicy” offerings at some of the local eateries. Once, a chef sushi chef at a local restaurant got so fed up with me that he laced my order of spicy tuna with Blair’s After Death sauce. That shut me up – but only because it had actually rendered me physically incapable of speaking. It felt like someone had butted out in the back of my throat. Since then, I’ve learned to keep my grousing to myself. And the odd restaurant review.
Speaking of grousing, I couldn’t help but notice that certain remarks in yesterday’s blog have engendered a rising tide of frothing fan fury. Some accuse me of hating the fans, the forums, anyone holding a negative opinion of the shows. In their, dare I say it, lemming-like stampede rush to hysterical judgment, they failed to take one tiny thing into account: what I actually wrote. Even though the quote has found its way onto the various forums, no one has bothered to actually read it, caught up as they are in the intoxicating frenzy of mass berserker rage. To refresh your memories, I wrote: “I considered joining some online fan forum and joining the chorus blaming the producers for her sudden disappearance (…) but ultimately decided against it because I realized it would only make me sound like a shrill and ill-informed lemming.” To spell it out for you: individuals who point the finger and assign blame based on nothing more than their gut instinct are ignorant at best, cretins at worst. And those who chime in with them fare not much better. Sorry, nothing there about fans who are unhappy with the show or those who criticize the show or those who frequent forums or fans in general. Specifically, and quite clearly, I was referring to the self-anointed know-it-alls. That said, don’t let me stop any other fans who don’t fall into said group from feeling any less victimized. If you want to feel persecuted for no good reason, by all means go for it. After all, there’s nothing more satisfying than a good mob rage. (Ultimately, I’m sure this won’t change many minds. Joining together with like-minded individuals in a screaming chorus of blue murder is a heck of a lot easier than admitting you’ve made a mistake.)
Spoke to Jane today. A quickie congratulations to her and David. The London premiere of A Dog’s Breakfast sold out in 20 minutes. 20 minutes! Now that my script is finally out of the way, I’m finally going to check out Mars’s big screen debut. I can’t believe I knew him when he was just a regular dog coming over for horror movie night.
Since Fondy was still feeling under the weather, we decided to take-in tonight from Octopus Garden. We started with their spicy tuna sashimi (to commemorate this special day, natch) – fresh, melt-in-your-mouth tuna in a sweet but not-so-spicy sauce. Fondy had The Pavarotti – udon noodles with sun-dried tomatoes in a light garlic sauce – one of her favorite items on the regular menu. We also split two orders of their signature foie gras nigiri – what Martin Gero would refer to as delicious “meat candy”. Finally, the rolls: the Sunrise for her (an all veggie maki containing yam tempura, red pepper, and green beans) and the Mr. Beans for me (edamame, roasted green beans, green beans, okra tempura, leek, and avocado) – both excellent.
On to the mailbag:
Melantha writes: “As for the writing and producing side of things, does that spoil your enjoyment of the show at all?”
Answer: While I wouldn’t say it spoils my enjoyment of the show, I do admit that after reading the script multiple times and watching dailies, the director’s cut, the various producer’s cut, and the mixes, I’m never in that much of a rush to see the finished episode.
Desiree writes: “Did you get my package back in November???”
Answer: If it’s the package I’m thinking of, we did. How the heck did you get THAT past customs?
Anonymous writes: “Are you telling us that you, a foodie in the worst way, gorged yourself on a McDonald’s feast? I thought you were above such a diet?”
Answer: While I’m not above a good McDonald’s feast, the McMeal in question was my wife’s.
Anonymous writes: “So I was just wondering since your a food lover if you’ve ever had a traditional Irish stew.”
Answer: I have never had traditional Irish stew. If you’re thinking of sending some to us at The Bridge Studios, please consult Desiree for the address.
Anonymous writes: “Joe, in your professional opinion, do you think that the ratings might bounce back when the shows come back in the spring?”
Answer: That entirely depends on how well the show is promoted.
Gategipsy writes: “Joe, is that truly how you feel about people who are so passionate about a show that they join an online community to talk about it?”
Answer: Although I felt it was perfectly clear in my original post, I made it a point to repeat myself today. Furthermore, since you’re a moderator on Gateworld, you no doubt know that I have done more to support the various fan-generated sites than anyone on the show – taking the time to provide behind-the-scene exclusives, attending chats, dropping by to answer fan questions and debate certain aspects of the shows whenever possible. I have never had a problem with constructive criticism, but at the point where said criticism degenerates into personal attacks or blanket show-bashing, an open dialogue becomes pointless. I have made some good friends over the course of my time on the boards, but for every friend made there are fifty fans who presume you owe them something, anything from creative changes to in-depth explanations of the why’s and wherefore’s of production. Familiarity, in this case, breeds a sense of entitlement. And while I would love to give everyone the inside scoop on the reasons behind the decisions we make, the salaries and deal points of everyone involved in the show, and the details of a fellow-writer’s recent colonoscopy, realistically, it’s not going to happen.
I suppose I should thank you, in a backwards way. The backlash and ensuing “Shrill and Ill-Informed Lemming” thread on a certain major board provided an entire day of entertainment, uniting every faction of the fandom in its craziness. So, um… thanks?
/Proud Shrill and Ill-Informed Lemming
Hi Joe,
I have plenty of questions and concerns about recent Atlantis developments, but I’m sure you’re getting swamped with such posts so I’ll avoid that topic.
But here’s another important question – watched any good anime recently? I caught that not-so-sneaky reference to your obsession in “Sunday”. 😉
TOF
Familiary does, at times, breed a sense of entitlement. You know that very well. Then I must ask why you continue to do these on-line blogs and make statements like you did? I think there’s something to be said for keeping one’s distance (like various other executives on other shows) and this sense of entitlement won’t occur.
You also won’t tick off fans.
Think about it Joe.
It seems like it’s only been a few hours since I read your last post and here you have a new one.
I want to make a comment on the “Boston Legal” example you used to spin what you wanted to say to fandom. First, let me say, I got your point and am not going to address that, but you might find what I have to say as pertinent to SG as well.
I’ve watched Boston Legal every week since it began (on The Practice), each week, not all at once on DVD (although I did get both seasons for Christmas this year, yea). I don’t profess to know the ins and outs of who made what casting decision or why, but I can say as a viewer of the show week after week, I don’t even know who you are talking about. Obviously, the person who has disappeared didn’t make much of an impression on me or why I watch the show. Maybe this will change when I watch the DVD and now that I’m alerted to it and I’ll mourn the disappearance of whomever is gone, but frankly I haven’t noticed nor has it changed my enjoyment. And though I do know I’m only one person, maybe there were enough watchers like me, that ended up in the decision made.
However, I’m happy to hear that you are watching Boston Legal, for I often wished you guys would take a look at the strong buddy-buddy show it is and how the writers and actors are not afraid to express caring between the two guys. And how big of an appeal it is of the show. For, outside of “Quest, part 2” (which by the way is brilliant and one of the best hours of the series ever written), I have been missing for years the type of buddy-buddy interaction and caring that originally drew me to watch SG-1. I’ve stuck with watching the show throughout the whole ten years, but I’ve only bought the DVDs of the first few seasons… Yet, I begged for both seasons of Boston Legal … and bought the Paley Festival tribute to Boston Legal.
If the back end of SG-1 continues like The Quest-2, I may buy season 10 or beg for it for Christmas. I already know that I want Season 2 and 3 (especially 3) for SGA.
Joe, without wanting to get to serious, what do you think about how in today’s world, people can watch a show whenever they want and not depend on a tv schedule? Tivos, DVRs, DVDs, itunes, youtube and even the networks have the shows available. So if today I’m anywhere in the world and want to watch the ep of SG-1 that aired in the UK, it’s a piece of cake. Two, three years ago, people had to run home to watch their favorite show specially if they had forgotten to set up the VCR, so what to do? how can we keep our favorite shows alive and still accomodate to todays life? As somebody who is both a fan and a tv producer what is your take?
Ah, having fun playing with the crazies, are we? 😉
The sad fact is that SG fandom has always been this crazy. Actually, it probably hasn’t even half-fulfilled its true craziness potential.
Anyway, that’s just me, and I’m a well-known PTB sycophant, soooo…
(*quickhugs*)
How did I get THAT through customs? I’ll never tell. 🙂 I’m just glad it got to you. I was worried that something had happened to it. And yes I know that it wasn’t necessary but, well, I hope you read the letter. 🙂
And as for all the fans being in an uproar of sorts. Well, it’s been my experience that when you have a group of people that feel passionately about something, drama tends to follow closely. I still think you’re an amazing man with just an incredible talent for writing. So, like I told you once before, just remember that there are fans out here who think you’re wonderful and who are thankful for you taking time out of your schedule to contribute to the fandom online.
And here’s hoping sometime this year I can make it up to Vancouver. However, I have no clue as to good restaurant so here’s hoping I can find SOMEONE who’s culinary-minded to give me some ideas. *wink*
Thank you again for your presence online!! It’s good to hear from you again, sir.
Desiree
I’ve only been to this blog once or twice. To be honest, I never commented because I don’t really have anything substantial to add.
Though I gotta admit, I love the pics of the food. Spicy food… oh yum! I like spicy stuff – be it curries, Mexican dishes or various Malaysian stuff (as I am originally from there).
Regarding SGA/SG1 and whatever’s been going on (I have no clue but I can only hazard to guess), I stray away from forums and anything where there’s a large number of fans. I think people set out with good intentions but when there’s so many passionate people around, things always go wrong.
I gotta admit that I find much more enjoyment with watching shows when I don’t know of any “upcoming” developments or any drama behind the scenes. One of the things about Sunday that ticked me off was people revealing certain spoilers before hand. Sadly, I can’t turn off the internet once I know where to see things… though I try very hard to avoid anything.
There are people out there (like me) who watch a show, turn off the telly and go out to swim or drink beer at the pub. I’m a sci-fi geek and I love sci-fi shows and sci-fi books but I don’t feel the need to swamp the forums to express this nor do I resent others who do.
I watch SGA/SG1 with my little brother who is clueless about the community of fandom at large. He loves it but like a regular guy, there are some eps he doesn’t like and others he just loves. He doesn’t know about spoilers and he takes things as they are.
Hmm, I’m not exactly sure what I meant to say as I do honestly find communication by writing difficult (there is always room for ambiguity and misinterpretation…) but I guess I just wanted to say, “Hey, keep posting pics of food!”
I prefer the habanero-based sauces (the bottle of Kiss of Fire [Besos de Fuego] hot sauce
I love hot sauces too. My favorites would be Dave’s Gourmet Insanity Sauce and Trinidad Extra Hot Sauce.
Hmmm. As I’ve said much the same about the “the sky is falling” mentality, I do see your point. That being said I had the same problem with AT/Sam in S9 and S10. I see *now* that “we don’t know what to do with Sam in S10” likely meant ya’ll wanted her more on Atlantis. What I saw *then* was an abused character who was demoted (I still see (unconcious?) sexism there)from command, wall-papered, used to make the Mitchell the over-the-top-decorated-Lead-Male-Action-Hero-Who-MUST-Lead character look good by not even being bothered that the inexperienced noob is commanding a *highly* experienced team she lead before him because he’s such a Great!Guy!. Oy. I obviously still see quite a bit of that. Of course I read that comment after seeing much of S9 so had some idea what was in the wind. 🙁 It’s panned out so far. So the track record is there. The only reason I’m willing (so far) to give SGA a chance is because of Amanda going over. See, I don’t care for many of the characters. I liked Ford. And Beckett. Oops. Teyla – what we see anyway. The rest… ::yawn::. ::ducks rotten food:: Still, assuming the stories are good (read: more consistently better), I’ll watch. It’s been very hit or miss so far this year. And last. We’ll see.
Yeah. Some are lemmings. Many are not and will calm down after they disect the interviews. Or not. 🙂 The natives are restless. It’s a long wait til April, then S4.
Favorite desert (at the moment): Chocolate cake with peanut butter cream icing. ::melts::
I am glad to hear (read) that you read forums to find out what the fans are saying. Personally, I think you should consider the passionate response from the fans a tribute to the show and to everyone who is a part of it. If the fans didn’t love the show and the characters, they would not react as intensely as they have to what has been going on with the characters you and others have written so well. The characters become special and precious to the fans. I think that creating such love and devotion in people, is a wonderful legacy that any writer would be proud of. I would, one day, hope to have such a base of genuine affection for something that I created as you have achieved. That is a rare gift.
Oh man Joe, it’s a mess down there; I think I’ve made about 100 posts in the last 2 days just clearing out fires and calming people down; but then again some of them crazies are just going to stay that way until they blow a vein or something.
I’ve probably said it before, but I just want to thank you again for coming online and interracting with us. Yes, we’re a bunch of whiners most of the time, but then…uh…well, there’s an upside there somewhere, probably…maybe.
The thing is, I thought what you did there was just some constructive criticism of fandom. Sounds familiar? And they say the writers can’t handle it; give me a break. The Fans[tm] are the biggest…ok, I’m gonna stop before I write something I regret.
I know a Vietnamese place in London that makes an exceptionally spicy Noac Maan. I think, perhaps, a trip is in order today.
Don’t let the crazies get you down.
I have to admit I was an angry fan a few days ago. Not because of the so-called disparition of this character in Boston Legal, but because of the arrival of another character 😉
Then I slept and when the next day came, I decided it was not worth it to get so riled up over a tv show. No offense but even if it’s something that brings me a lot of joy every week (and also allowed me to meet very dear friends), it’s only one hour a week in my life and there are so many more important things like… chocolate!
I, for one, thank you for all the time you took to interact with the fans. Could you please pass my congratulations to the staff and crew of SGA for Sunday? It was an excellent episode, even if it left me in tears.
Joe with regards to the stew dont think it would survive from ireland to canada..!!!
Watched Line in the Sand last night and Amanda was brilliant Im really lookin forward to her in Atlantis. I think when all the fuss dies down and we see her on screen it’ll be like she was always there
Irishchick x
I can’t believe that it only taken just over two months for the “slanging match” to start.
Joe, I thoroughly enjoy your writing style and your take on the mundaness of life. I was dissapointed when you told us you would not be continuing your blog on Gateword, as I especially enjoyed your tantalisingly teasing “non-spoilers”.
I was excited to find out that you had started another blog and was even happy that initially there was no mention of SG1 or Atlantis, but mostly about your and your wife’s gastronomic adventures.
Can you go back in time, and re-set your blog, taking out any reference to SG1 and Atlantis so all this nastiness will cease?
Looking forward to finding out what was in that jar!
Hi, Joe,
Sorry to say that, living in the home city of Tex-Mex, I missed International Spicy Food Day. Am enjoying, however, the ARCTIC BLAST you kindly sent to South Texas. Send more…but not right away!
Gilder
San Antonio, TX, USA
Being a fan (the kind that actually dresses up at conventions and does weird stuff like present celebrities with pineapples), and at the risk of behaving like an obsequious lemming I must comment. But before I do, I have to say, I really enjoyed ‘Sunday’.
Firstly, disappearing/killing/firing a background character from a show happens all the time. Redshirts are an example of this. You know they’re there to be body bag fillers so there’s no emotional connection, and where are the masses protesting the countless slaughter of Redshirts? However it take GUTS to dispose of a character that is well loved. Here in real-life no one is prepared for death, and sometimes the most well loved people are cut down in the prime of life no matter what potential they have or tasks they need to complete. Personally, as much as I love Carson, I can see why such a thing was done. Besides every other big change made on Atlantis has turned out surprisingly well and very enjoyable to watch, which is why I am a fan in the first place (well that and Joe Flanigan is really good looking, as is Paul McGillion), so hopefully this one will turn out as well.
As for the information concerning the reduction of the role Dr Weir plays, I would like to say I dislike the character very much so. Not because she is badly written or acted, she’s not. Ms Higginson is an amazing actress and I think Dr Weir is a very well developed character. However as the leader of Atlantis she sucks. She’s made bad decision after bad decision, and I think it is logical for those in charge to fire her or put her to better use in some other capacity.
In summation, and tell me if I’m wrong, but isn’t eliciting emotions from the viewers the point? If we believe that all the characters are safe from harm where does all the suspense, the danger, and conflict go? Why tell a story at all?
On another note all together… what noise does a lemming make?
Just a note to say thank you – the forum response to your blog entry has been so fantastically funny, witty and creative that I have had the BEST day reading it, and remembering why I loved fandom in the first place 😀 No frothing tide, nor screaming blue murder in sight.
I’ll admit I was initially quite angry at your perceived slight, but of course in the grand scheme of things it’s completely irrelevant. Whether you meant it or not, as someone who’s profession is based on writing it seems a bit odd that you would use such ambiguous language….
While it may be true that a few fans have some unwarranted sense of entitlement, once again I feel like I have been unfairly tarred with the wrong brush. There are many decent and wonderful people who participate in fandom, just because you don’t know most of us as individuals doesn’t mean you should attribute us with the worst characteristics.
oh ouch Joe. You snipped my reply to you. My words were part of a slightly larger comment drawing an analogy between fans who are passionate of a TV show and those who are passionate fans of a sports team. Surely there’s little difference? Haven’t you ever randted pointlessly over a few beers with fellow team supporters a move made by the team managers that seemed incomprehensible to you? Those of us that are fans of a TV show do just the same thing, but online since it is rare to find lots of people in real life who are as passionate as you are (whereas sports fans tend to have a geographical link).
However, the point you make about degenerating into personal attacks is well made. Constructive criticism is the only basis for a really good conversation. I feel very strongly that negative personal remarks about real people – be they other posters, cast or crew – are just plain wrong.
Regarding the lemmings:
Fans can be very passionate about the things they care for…and very snarky. I think we learned that from McKay 😉 Now with the internet we’re just able to express our thoughts and feelings through this forums and to a lot more people. No one (at least no one I know) ever expected to be told everything or awaits an explanation for every teeny weeny decision made. It’s just the way things were thrown at the fans in such short time. Especially since it was obvious certain spoilers shouldn’t be out to the masses before Sunday aired…we may be shrill, we may be ill-informed, we may got your post wrong in some degree but we care about this show and we don’t want to loose it just because of some misunderstandings (prolly mostly created because of the internet).
What I meant to say, keep up the good work with Atlantis (yes I loved Sunday it will be one of my favorites, though I’m going to miss Carson terribly) and please don’t make Torri a Ford-like-recurring character (that’s our biggest fear). She’s an amazing actress and the character of Elizabeth means a lot to us!!!
My apologies – when I wrote the first comment I didn’t realise you had included my full post in your previous blog entry comments.
The comments I made about not making negative personal remarks stand – I wouldn’t want folks to get the wrong idea about GateWorld. I’m guessing that you were making general comments about all forums and boards there, not about GW in particular.
I remember getting my head bitten off before Sunday aired because my reaction to certain events was a non-reaction. IMO, there wasn’t anything to react to at the time.
I felt pressured into being passionate about something that we didn’t know how it was happening, when it was happening, but BY GOD, WE HAVE TO REACT IMMEDIATELY! Luckily, I’ve never been one to bow to peer pressure. This led to me not having many peers, but the moral high ground was mine. 😀
Hey Joe,
I am a big fan of both shows and just want to say that you deserve major credit for being involved in a show that has lasted longer than any other Sci-fi show ever has.
You do not deserve the BS you are getting from the fans, they should try writing a show and keeping it fresh and see how they do.
I would ask you two questions though, are you not at all worried that the introduction of Amanda and recurring nature of Torri’s character that you might blur the line between SG1 and Atlantis, which you all obviously spent time trying to differentiate and make a different product from SG1?
Second, I’d love an assurance from you that the time travel movie will be different from past examples, e.g. Moebius.
Carry on the great work,
Best Wishes,
Chris
Natch! Looks like I’m a day late (and a dollar short?), as far as the “Hot and Spicy Food International Day” is concerned.
No matter. You can spice up your life any day of the year. The Possessed Chef recommends… (well, click on the link, will ya?)
I don’t understand what everyone is so upset about. ‘Lemmings’ was a great game back in the day.
But I wonder; could Dr. Mallozzi from ‘Sunday’ be none other than the Joseph Mallozzi? You know, the guy who wrote ‘Latin for the Novice’?
I must also admit that I was an angry fan yesterday, and the day before, because the announcement of my favourite character becoming recurrent is a shock.
You know, when people get passionate about something, they tend to forget that they are actually talking about human people, interacting with people like them. So I would say that I understand the reactions… However I didn’t know that your comment about Boston Logel (a show I never watched, sorry) was taken as an insult to the fans.
It actually had the reverse effect on me : I got a little passionate after the announcement, but reading your note made me think, and… Well, that’s right, it’s just a show, and no matter how much we love it, let’s remember that it’s for fun. Entertainement. No need to stress about it, it’s not real life . (as if real life wasn’t complicated enough…)
Wow, I just spit my coffee at my monitor reading gategypsy’s defense of GateWorld. I wonder how many hundreds of attacks on “TPTB” are made there per day, including accusing them of being sexist, arrogant, incompetent… you name it!
So I think she’s implying that writers and producers aren’t in fact “persons” and therefore can’t be affected by “negative personal remarks”. Or maybe because you’re paid to obsess about Stargate, you’re fair game. Very interesting.
Y’know, if you cat eat pictures of food, I’d probably be obese and dead by now.
As for the SGA thing? Whatever happens, happens. It just kinda backs up the longheld belief that people are stupid.
Oh, and if you would be so kind as to post your thoughts on ADB, that would be great – looking forward to seeing it when it screens in London.
O.K. for some reason (maybe lack of sleep) I stupidly posted a comment on, Oh, I don’t know, Jan. 10th or something that was meant to be on this post. Anyway, Joe, I must say that your blog has tantalized my taste buds, so much so that I can’t read it until after eating something first! Keep it up!
Secondly, I am an avid SGA fan, but feel this all can all be summed up in two words: “That’s Showbiz” (cheated with the contraction…OK three words).
Hello,
Someone said here that fans of Stargate Atlantis care a lot for their show, that the news about Dr Weir becoming a recurring shouldn’t have been revealed now” I really feel the same, I love Atlantis even more than SG1, Elizabeth is my favorite character, and if she has to be recurring for a scenaristic reason, I will accept it. But as Ford became recurring and then has totally disappeared, I fear that the same fate will happen to Weir !!
I just hope she will come back in the main cast for season 5 !!
Cindy
PS : Thank you for what you’re doing for this show, I love the episodes you’re writing (with one little exception)
so…
am I ignornat, a creting or a Lemming?
And then on GateWorld the:
Pro Joseph Mallozzi blog thread
http://forum.gateworld.net/showthread.php?t=39637
Your comments gave me a great chuckle – keep it up mate.
Hey, Joe. I know this is going to seem like a sort of random comment, but I have a few questions on writing that I’d like to ask you. How long – on average – would you say it takes to completely spin/break an episode, and after that, to write it? How much description do you usually write into your episodes, and how much do you leave to the director/VFX people? Do you use ‘cut to:’ in your writing, or do you just go from one scene to the next without that?
As you know GW has always been extremely particular in its sensitivity to the actors, TPTB, and others involved in the production of Stargate. Personal attacks are just not on, nor are derrogatory comments. I think this is why the lemmings comment struck so many hard – the courtesy didn’t seem to work both ways. Yes, if you read *carefully* the interpretation is not name-calling of fans by a respected writer/producer. However, a great many folks have had a lot of fun today declaring themselves shrill, ill-informed lemmings in opposition to Joe’s comments.
This sort of frothing at the mouth fan uproar is the best free advertising/promotion a show could possibly get, isn’t it?
Lemmings (the more ill-informed, the better) seem to be serving a purpose after all – other than providing countless hours of entertainment to the snow-bound who enjoy mocking the overreaction of “true” fans.
You even rated an entry in journalfen’s Fandom_Wank community! Way to go!
Hi Joe !
Just want to tell you that you’re doing a great job. I also totally dig people who aren’t afraid to give the finger to all the whinging pricks.If you can’t handle the heat…Ah yeah same with the grammar nazis . Anyways the blog is cool I didn’t even know it existed a month ago. Cheers.
As a fan of both shows who participates in the Gateworld forums: not all of us are crazy. Though it sometimes seems otherwise ;).
Still, it could be worse–we’re not half as bad as HP fans!
You do realize that if all fans were lemmings, they’d sit back on their butts, eat junk food and stare mindlessly at the TV and do nothing else? Well, that is, if you go by the ill-conceived definition of a lemming. Darn Disney Studios for perpetuating that stupid myth.
In a conflict with fans, it’s almost inevitable that the creator comes off poorly because of the power imbalance.
Your attention is also validation.
Mr. Mallozzi,
Please forgive me for misspelling your last name in my previous post. You have my humblest apology.
Also, all of those lovely pictures of spicey food remind me of the down side of living out here on the coast, away from it all: no good Thai or Indian restaraunts! :-/
Brightest Blessings to you and yours,
Sûlien
Hi Joe. I’m afraid this is another lemming related comment, and it’s quite long, so I don’t expect it to be posted, but I don’t care so long as you read it.
I just want to start by saying that I have always enjoyed your blogs, although since I’m not the most eloquent person (as I’m sure you can tell) I generally don’t comment unless I feel very stongly about something.
Maybe I’m misunderstanding what you’re saying, and I sincerely hope I am. But you appear to be making sweeping generalisations about everyone who is not happy about things that are happening in the show. That even people who are not ‘self-anointed know-it-alls’ are wrong to be vocal in their disappointment and apprehension about the show.
I’d like to think that as fans, our opinions of Stargate do matter to the ‘powers that be’. Well this is mine.
I’m really very concerned about the changes in SGA…so many new characters, the loss of Beckett and possibly Weir. (sorry, but your track record for formally regular characters ‘recurring’ isn’t great.) Bringing in Sam Carter for 14 episodes seems like (IMHO) a huge mistake – her presence would seem to undermine both Sheppard and McKay, and the character of McKay really suffers when Sam is around. Please note that is just my opinion, based on how I view the show. I love Sam, Amanda Tapping is a fantastic actress, and I would love to see them on SGA every now and again. But 14 episodes really seems like far too much. Like a lot of people, I absolutely love Atlantis the way it is. I’m genuinely upset that the show I love is going to be changed to the point that it will be a different show (and it will be.)I will watch S4 of course, to see what I think of it, and I do hope I like it, because goodness knows there’s enough rubbish on telly that I dislike without Stargate joining it.
I’m not going to apologise for being apprehensive about it. I’m not going to apologise for being (very) unhappy that one of my favourite characters, and yet another good character has been killed off. Nor am I going to apologise for voicing those opinions, or for the fact that a lot of people feel the same way. Maybe it wasn’t intended this way, but the comments you made felt very much like a personal attack on us, which was a bit of a nasty shock coming from a ‘PTB’ that I’ve always liked and had a lot of respect for (and no, I’m not just saying that)and who has always seemed very sensitive to fan opinion, whether or not you agreed with us.
I certainly don’t feel that you owe me anything, however when we don’t know why these decisions are made, then of course we are going to speculate!
I understand that you can’t tell us every little detail of what goes on behind the scenes, and why decisions are made, but you have to understand that we all have our opinions, and we are going to share them & wonder why what we see as bad decisions were made and you insulting us for it is not helping.
I loved Lemmings, always wanted to blow thw little critter up…oh wait, we aren’t talking about the game? Curses!
Really tho’ Im a fan of both shows, the storylines fluctuate from “OMG that rocks!” to “err…huh? Okay if you say so”
Character development, replacements and even deaths are vital to a shows growth. It takes time and testing to find a winning combination. Just when you think you have the combo right, a better plan comes to mind. Causing established fans, once comfy in their paradigms to sit up and re-evaluate what they believe. Remaining static would be, in the long run, just as irritating to the fanbase. If you know the story will forever have a happy ending for the entire cast, where is the adventure?
May as well sit home and watch paint dry, or better yet watch my cat chase my dog.