6:00 a.m.: I wake up to discover that I am not in Paris trying to order one of those deliciously underdone baguettes with brie and butter, but lying in bed listening to a French weather forecast on my alarm clock radio. Time to get up.
6:30 a.m.: No brie, butter or baguettes in sight. Somewhat dismayed, I let the dogs out, feed them, have my morning cup of green tea, then head downstairs for my morning work-out.
6:30 a.m.: I have just completed my first set of 12 jump squats when I rise and, suddenly, have my peripheral vision go dark as little points of light appear in my line of sight and my knees turn to jelly. Cool! This, I consider, is what it must feel like to be hit by a wraith stunner! Fortunately, I am able to steady myself by grabbing hold of the treadmill and, so, do not hit the floor and lose consciousness. A couple of seconds of lightheadedness and I’m feeling much better. I make a mental note to slow down the speed of this particular exercise.
9:00 a.m.: While Paul is sequestered in his office doing a pass on Seer, I’m in the conference room for the Reunion concept meeting. 1st AD Gordie Mac runs us through the script while director Will Warring presides. As things move along, Bam Bam, our stunt coordinator, grows increasingly anxious about the casting as he has fight scenes to choreograph. Producer John Lenic informs us that all is good because Mark Dacascos has signed on to play the role of Tyre. Mark was terrific in Brotherhood of the Wolf (and his stint as the host of Iron Chef America – hmmm, wonder if he can get me on as a guest judge), and is apparently a very, very sweet guy according to Bam Bam who worked with him on The Crow. When the meeting eventually wraps up, Executive Producer John Smith sounds the alarm: “This episode is going to be big!”.
10:30 a.m.: Art Department meeting with Production Designer James Robbins, Supervising Art Director Tom Wells, and Art Director Melanie Cassidy. We discuss transporters, force fields, and cocoons.
11:15 p.m.: Costume Designer Val Halverson and Assistant Costume Designer Coreen Heaver come in for the costume meeting. We discuss BDU’s, dress blues, and broken down dusters. Apparently, Jason is quite the clotheshorse, always coming by with new ideas and purchases for his Ronon character. The latest is a pair of “battle pants” he’d like to sport in the sparring scene. Sure, why not.
12:00 p.m.: I return to my office to discover the fourth and fifth shipments have arrived from Vosges in Chicago and Wen Chocolates in Colorado. Chef Poole from Wen was also kind enough to include some extra goodies – among them candied ginger, chocolate cherries, Rachel Ann’s toffee, and coffee toffee. I make the decision to break into the toffees at lunch, much to everyone else’s delight. Alex declares them “the best he’s ever tasted”!
1:30 p.m.: Props meeting with Prop Master Evil Kenny Gibbs (Just plain Evil for short). We discuss stunners, P-90’s, and tablets.
2:30 p.m.: I return to my office for yet another surprise – this one unexpected. It’s a box of Bernard Callebaut chocolates from Arctic Goddess. I love Callebaut chocolates and used to pick them up all the time back when he had a shop on Granville street. After much deliberation, I summon up enough willpower NOT to open the box. I’ll save them for the chocolate soiree. Thanks, Patricia.
3:30 p.m.: I do a final re-read and pass on This Mortal Coil and hand it off to Alex Levine who will proof it and then put it out to the writing department.
4:00 p.m.: An excited Martin Gero rushes into my office to show off last year’s crew gift which, after much delay, has finally arrived: a Stargate watch with a handy iris to shield the time from prying eyes. After showing his watch off, he leaves. I have yet to receive mine and ponder the unfairness of it all.
4:30 p.m.: James and Tom pop in for an impromptu meeting with Paul and I, looking ahead to possible builds for the next few episodes. No major construction for The Seer, but we will marry some of the exterior scenes from this episode to the This Mortal Coil shoot. James and Tom also pitch out how they’d like to pull off the “horrific reveal” at script’s end. I love it!
5:30 p.m.: I drive home and catch Christina Aguilera’s new song, you know, the one that’s a remake of the Andrew Sisters’ Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy. What? They’re saying it’s not a remake but an original that just happens to sound almost exactly like the original. Oh.
6:30 p.m.: I work on the blog and finally get to your comments…
UberAmandaFan writes: “Will you be able to post any more concept art in the near or not so near future? Ships, technology, weapons, cities, costumes…whatever. I’m a sucker for that kind of stuff.”
Answer: Just for you. Check it out.
Vaberella writes: “What do you mean by the comment in bold? That it will actually air in July (as per usual)?”
Answer: No. That fans won’t have to wait another six months to see new episodes.
NowIWillDestroyAbydos writes: “ Will we see Col. Caldwell in Season 4? Do you watch Scrubs?”
Answer: Yes and I watched the first four seasons on DVD.
My Name is Scott writes: “1) Has any PTB postulated the idea of a Stargate expanded universe, much like Star Wars does? 2) Are you familiar with Star Trek: The Experience? If there were a Stargate: The Experience, I’d forego establishing a family and devote my life to it’s awesomeness.
Answers: 1) We’ve never really considered expanding the Stargate canon beyond the television series (and now the SG-1 movies) simply because we don’t want to have our hands tied creatively by decisions made outside of our sphere of influence. 2) There is (or will be) a similar experience in Germany.
Anonymous #1 writes: “Your position seems to be that if Atlantis can pull 1.4’s and the like after having the episodes be dessminated in many other media before airing on Scifi, then surely episodes that air first on Scifi must logically garner a higher rating. That’s a false assumption. In fact, it seems to be contradicted by the ratings for the first halves of SG-1 and Atlantis. When Scifi was the only place to see SG-1 and Atlantis, the ratings were in the same ballpark they are now.”
Answer: Whatever the reasons for the slow start to both seasons (and, believe me, I can offer up a few), both shows rallied as the season progressed and did uptick prior to the six month hiatus that effectively cooled their momentum. With the back halves finally airing, we’re starting from scratch, and from an arguably even more difficult position (again the previous airings, the overall accessibility of the shows) yet still managed to put up some of the best series numbers on the network. Rather than trending backward (comparing this past week’s numbers to last year’s first half numbers and attempting to track a potential progression in reverse), I think it makes more sense to trend forward (comparing last year’s numbers with last week’s more hardwon numbers and looking ahead).
Anonymous #1 also writes: “Unless perhaps the prevalent belief is that the ratings for SG-1’s and Atlantis’ first halves were aberations? Sorry, but the ratings for Scifi’s other shows don’t really support that idea either.”
Answer: The suggestion being that the Stargates have seen a drop in ratings relative to other programming. If this is the case, then I would also argue that it is unfair to single out one show in particular and expect it to deliver performance numbers far and above the waning consensus.
Anonymous #1 also writes: “As to the point about repeats, you’re right. SG-1 has obviously been a strong performer in repeats. But I’m not sure if that translates over to Atlantis or not. I don’t have any ratings data on those to work from, but I do know that when Scifi attempted to replace SG-1 with Atlantis on Monday nights last year, it was a one week phenomenon that was quickly reversed. Yes, a 100 episode syndication package is inherently stronger than one for 80 episodes, but is there really that much to be gained from a show that is admittedly expensive to produce?””
Answer: Of course one could argue that a veritable library of some 110 episodes (five seasons worth when Stargate made the move to SciFi) would be in a better position to command stronger numbers than a 40 episode offering. Also, science fiction is expensive to produce (relatively speaking as many of the “less-expensive” comedies and procedurals actually end up costing much more when one factors in variables such as salaries, money that doesn’t show up “on screen” like, for instance, the money a scifi series will spend on visual effects) yet performs exceptionally well in syndication.
Anonymous #1 also writes: “Will the new content be that much more valuable than a rerun of an old episode?”
Again, as I stated in my previous post, the new content serves a dual purpose, hopefully garnering a strong first-run audience but also bolstering the repeats.
Anonymous #1 also writes: “As far as SG-1’s ratings climb goes, I think we both know just how unique of a property SG-1 was. After reaching a relatively small market on Showtime for five years, it was much more broadly shown on Scifi. It logically increased its viewer base as a result, and it continued to grow for a long time.”
Answer: I don’t know if you can label Stargate’s performance on SciFi over the past few years as logical. In fact, I would argue that it’s performance has been downright atypical of almost every show out there.
Finally, Anonymous #1 writes: “ I think that growth is accounted for by Scifi’s increased availability, and because seasons six, seven, and eight were some fantastic television. Atlantis can’t duplicate the circumstances that led to SG-1’s success.”
Answer: I disagree and would argue that the show continues to command a loyal and impressive following in spite of the obstacles it has faced. And, like SG-1’s sixth, seventh, and eighth seasons, Atlantis’s fourth season (and hopefully fifth and sixth) will prove equally fantastic television.
Mel writes: “Which of the writers determined Sheppard would take “War and Peace” with him to Atlantis to read?”
Answer: I did way back in season one. Don’t remember the episode though. It may have been Home.
Jason writes: “I was wonder your opinion of this article about the SciFi tag backlash.”
Answer: Personally, I find it a little silly. I mean, seriously – who are they kidding?
Firefly827347 writes: “I was wondering how many languages you speak?”
Answer: I’m conversational in English, French, and Italian, and can speak a little Japanese and Cantonese. To be perfectly honest, if languages came easy to me, I’d be fluent in five instead of the occasional one.
Anonymous #2 writes: “So, is it in any way possible that we’ll be getting maybe a little Jack O’neill in Ark of Truth?”
Answer: Sorry.
Anonymous #3 writes: “When there are lots and lots of scenes that can be edited out why edit out a scene that is really important to the events of the previous episode?”
Answer: Story logic takes priority when deciding what to cut. The episode was very long and we realized that we could actually lose the beginning and start the episode later without effecting the story of this particular episode.
Anonymous #4 writes: “…when I want something sweet, nothing is better than one of those Monster Apples from Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory.”
Answer: I make it a point never to mix fruit with my dessert.
Anonymous #5 writes: “Can you tell us how many more episodes the new group of Humans introduced in “Travelers” will appear in Season 4? After filming Travelers, do you think your casting of Jill Wagner as Larrin was a good choice?”
Answer: Jill is great as Larrin. Her group will put in at least one reappearance in the back of season four.
Joe,
I have a SG-1 question. Given that Ben Browder is in his 40s, why was it decided to make Cameron Mitchell so young (in his mid to late 30s)? Is it because Ben, himself, looks so young?
Is This Mortal Coil named after the book because it relates in some way? to the whole book? one of the stories? just the title?
Ack! The photos, they be x’s! Well, given that they are concept photos, I can’t wait to see them!
Speaking of concept photos, what is your favorite design (ship, building, etc.) in the Stargate universe so far?
What number episode is Doppelganger?
Also, is there any chance of seeing Sam the whale again?
Which episodes will Torri be in?
On the subject of ratings, how much do the networks rely on the ratings to determine a show’s “value”? With the advent of Tivo and DVRs and such (and people using them more and more) are the ratings figures really realistic? I know I for one rarely watch a program when it’s actually on, choosing to DVR the program and watch it another time. Are there any figures or estimates of how large an audience a show might have because of the “record and watch later” additions? I know with magazines they talk about the “pass-along” numbers and can sometimes use that to evaluate advertising rates/circulation numbers (albeit soft circulation numbers if they include those pass-alongs counted in). Just curious.
Will any of the characters in season 4 mention Carson Beckett before we see him? Maybe say thay miss him?
Ahh! The photos aren’t working on my browser… is it my browser or something on your end?
I’m surprised I got a reply the first go-around. I figured I’d have to be some sort of veteran. Guess it was a good question 😀
Those pictures not showing up or is it just me?
It seems the pictures on your latest entry isn’t showing up on the page and the pictures links doesnt show the picture as well. I think you may have accidently made a error on it.
In addition to Christina Aguilera, who else do you listen to?
Speaking of the radio… Lately, I’ve been hearing Stargate Atlantis commercials on the station I listen to here in the US. So someone/something is trying to promote SGA. I hope it helps!
Even if it doesn’t bring in new viewers, it’s a good way to notify fans who don’t already know that new episodes are airing now.
Joe,
1. I was wondering if you can tell us the exact size of atlantis ( radius of the city and height for central tower). I dedicated some of my spare time to a website giving technical details on ships and space faring vehicules in the Stargate Saga.
2. Will we see Atlantis on the move in later eppys in season 4, kind of like Progeny and First Strike, Adrift.
3. Am I right to assume that Zpms are not going to be consequential to Atlantis in season 4 as they were in the past seasons.
thanks
Chalk and Talk
Joe,
What’s you favorite episode (and Character) of Scrubs (you can name more than one)?
And do you think Christopher Meloni (L&O: SVU) should make a return to Scrubs in Season 7, I loved him as Dr. Norris in “My White Whale”?
Hi Joe, I have a question. As a project with school, we have to create an adaptation of Romeo & Juliet (an example is that a group set up the story with the Matrix). Any ideas on how the Romeo and Juliet story can be adapted? (We’re allowed to rip off – i mean pay homage – to stories already created). Actually, somebody suggested trying to do the story like “Iron Chef!” Thanks for your time – can’t wait to this friday’s episodes!
Actually I can’t see the pictures you posted but I’m guessing that perhaps the fault is at my end!
All this talk of the SG movies and SGA has me really excited as I’m looking forward to everything.
Here’s a question for you if you get here:
Q: Do ya reckon we’ll see anymore stick fights in S4? Possibly with John Sheppard and Teyla/Ronon, or even better, maybe Rodney gets an attempt to learn?
or if non stargate related…
Have you ever gone by a day without the consumption of anything chocolate related? You seem to be very knowledgeable in all things chocolaty and I’m almost tempted to send you dark Tim Tams but I’m sure you’ve already eaten the varieties 😀
Thank you.
So the big Sam episode still has to film. This is what I’m worried about. I don’t see how you can keep Amanda on Atlantis and have her have an equitable role in Ark of Truth and Continuum. She’s already been so marginalized these past two years with the Ori being all about Vala and Daniel that I can’t help but believe that her part in the movies (especially the first one) is going to suffer. She’ll be too busy working on The Seer and the big midseason two-parter to be available for SG-1. Any words to allay my fears?
Oh, and your concept drawings aren’t showing up, sweet though they may be.
Stacy D
Dear Joe,
1. Hypothetically, if Teal’c and Ronon were to fight one on one, on whom would you put your money on to win.
2. Will we get see McKay getting slapped or something of that nature by Carter in season 4.
3. By the end of season 4 will the asurans or wraith be dealt with. I mean this whom will we deal a striking blow to if not decisive. In season 1 and 2 it was the wraith, season 3 the asurans….
thanks for answering my queries and I wish a great week… talk to you after exams
Your montreal fan
Eh, it may take me a minute to get going, Joe. I’m still a bit dizzy from all the spinning going on. The one thing I’ll agree on is the tacit implication that ratings for the next few episodes will give a better perspective than comparing them to last year’s weak numbers. Are you expecting an upward trend? Or do you think the ratings are most likely to go down, as season premiers and finales generally provide the highest ratings?
As to my singling out SG-1/Atlantis relative to other Scifi shows, that’s only being brought up because right now, I think that those MGM shows are the only Scifi original series NOT being produced by NBC Universal. NBC Universal’s stated future goals include eliminating non-NBC Universal produced programming thereby hopefully strengthening the weakened network. Hence, it seems possible, perhaps even likely, that SG-1 and Atlantis need be held to a higher standard/be more profitable in order to justify their continued production. That is, if Dresden Files, Eureka, and Painkiller Jane all can pull the same 1.3-1.6 ratings that the Stargate shows seem to pull, then those shows probably seem more attractive to Scifi. All the money that is made from those seemingly cheaper produced shows goes back to NBC Universal. Basically, it just seems that with the majority of the Stargates’ profits going to MGM, the shows need to pull higher ratings in order to match the cost/profit ratios of Scifi’s other shows. That doesn’t even mention that the Stargates generally skew older demographically than Scifi’s other shows. And advertisers are willing to pay more for that coveted younger demo.
Just because SG-1’s ratings for seasons six, seven, and eight were atypical doesn’t mean that it wasn’t logical. I’ll have to disagree with you regarding the prospects for season four of Atlantis. It’s just my personal opinion, but I think that both SG-1 and Atlantis have been declining in quality for the last couple of years. Whether there’s a direct correlation to the lower ratings or not is debateable, but it’s not unlikely. Honestly, I think the market is simply oversaturated. There’s too much of the same stuff being put out over and over for too long. Atlantis isn’t really any different from SG-1, and seasons nine and ten couldn’t live up to the extreme highs of SG-1’s natural conclusion in seasons seven and eight. I doubt you’ll agree with me on that one, but there it is.
And frankly, to bring it back to the ratings here, I’m not convinced that SG-1 hasn’t been providing the bulwark of Scifi Friday’s viewers since it came to the network in season six. There’s a very convincing argument to be made that SG-1’s core audience drew viewers to the network, and then they stayed for Atlantis and BSG. Those other two shows brought in some viewers, but it was SG-1 that brought people to the network. Once the lead-in show began to falter in season nine, so did Atlantis and BSG.
Yanan
PS
Major bummer about Jack O’neill not being in the first movie. Was it really not doable?
Mark Dacascos!? Are you kidding me? That’s fantastic news. Any other guest stars that will blow our minds besides Dacascos and Wagner? And can you tell us who they are?
Also… I was watching Behind the Mythology the other night and noticed that you pronounced Ori and Adria differently than the characters in the television show pronounced the words. This just a quirk of yours or is there some debate among the production staff on the pronounciation? Alternately, I might be imagining it in which case I should really find better things to spend my hallucinations on. No offense. 🙂
Props meeting with Prop Master Evil Kenny Gibbs (Just plain Evil for short)…
I know I asked this once before, but seriously, why is he “Evil”?
Also, have you and Paul found your jobs are still pretty much the same in the day to day this season comparing working on two shows to “show running” one, or does some of the minutae involved in the new position surprise you?
What does a show runner do anyway?
I picture you guys “running” all over the set saying things like Martin Lloyd in X-Treme. “Paint the kiwis red!” “Go with green!” “Bigger!” (hey, you guys put the image in our heads).
Joe,
1. How can 1.4-1.5 ratings be so good, when S7’s lowest rating in syndication was “RESURRECTION” 1.6 (no RDA) ?
2. Are there any plans for having RDA on Atlantis ?
3. What kind of ratings Season 4 must get in order for us to have a Season 5 (1.7?) ?
“I have a SG-1 question. Given that Ben Browder is in his 40s, why was it decided to make Cameron Mitchell so young (in his mid to late 30s)? Is it because Ben, himself, looks so young?”
No. It’s actually because Scifi loves Ben. And he looks EXACTLY like Michael Shanks. That way it’d be just like making Shanks the lead, only not really.
So enlighten me. I’ve looked and searched and come up empty. Where, precisely, is the humor in Scrubs? Really, it not funny. It not. Futurama, The Simpsons, Fawlty Towers, Python, Kids In the Hall, Blackadder, Red Dwarf….all funny. Scrubs? Not so much. In fact, not at all.
Hello Mr. Mallozzi,
I am really enjoying seasons 9/3. I was just wondering if season 4 was going to be more serialized than previous seasons or more episodic in nature.
Thanks for taking the time to answer all of these questions. I enjoy reading your blog.
Brandon Hall
Hi Joe:
You are welcome. I’m glad you love those chocolates as much as I do.
I would love to see Matt Frewer on Atlantis some day. He is an exceptional talent.
Have a great day,
Patricia
Interesting information about ratings, today. There are days when I wish I was a Neilsen “family” simply so I could say I was doing something to keep good shows on the air instead of feeling helpless. At the moment, though, I’m just grateful that the Stargate franchise doesn’t air on NBC, given the recent…changes in their programming.
On another topic, lately you’ve mentioned Sheppard whump in 4th season. While I’m very excited for this (who isn’t?), I’ve noticed listening to the commentaries that the crew seems to be big on torturing poor David Hewlett and giving us viewers great McKay whump, which I love, if possible, more than Sheppard whump. Long story short…I’m curious what new horrible and potentially embarrassing scenes McKay will get come 4th season. Will he ever have to suffer a citrus (or the equivalent thereof in the Pegasus Galaxy) reaction?
I can’t see the photos in the post…. Is it just me or what?… =/
Well, well, well that’s enough of a schedule to pull my hair out but a productive day can be a good thing.
So did you catch House last night, he wasn’t his usual snarky self that I enjoy, granted there were some moments but overall it was lacking. Any opinions?
Oh PalmerEldritch isn’t imagining it unless that makes two of us. Although the only word I noticed pronounced differently was “Ori”. Which leads me to wonder as there are several SEVERAL!!!! different ways to pronouce Goa’uld is that going to be the same with Ori?? Yeah okay there aren’t as many possibilities with Ori, hmmmm and Wraith is far too hard to change. The only other time I remember a discussion about pronounciations besides the ones I listed was the Aschen, thanks to audio commentary of course. Wow did I ramble or what?
-JJ
I hear ya on Aguilera’s “Candyman”. I played BWBB enough times in jazz band as a youngster to recognize a rip-off when I hear one.
This is a question for all:
Do you know of a satellite TV service that offers the Sci-Fi channel in HD? I want to see SGA in all its HD glory, but no provider that I can find offers more than a handful of channels, and Sci-Fi is not one of them.
Never mixing fruit with your desert? Hmm… I can’t argue with that I guess! It doesn’t taste HEALTHY if that’s what you’re scared of 😛
And OUCH on all of those people cutting down Atlantis’ ratings! I’m sure we all have our own opinions, but seeing as you’re the TV producer here and the closest the rest of us get to the world of television is WATCHING IT, I would choose not to argue with you 😛 Because, seriously, I really have no idea what the hell goes on or how it works… do those sort of comments ever piss you off? I put myself through college making monster apples, but if you choose not to like them, it’s not going to hurt my feelings. However, if you just waltzed into the store and went on a tirade about how the way I made my stupid moster apples was all wrong and then tried to tell me how to do it, I would be seriously pissed. Bad analogy, I know… but it was the best I could come up with!
Wow, you’ve answered two of my questions in a row! You rock.
And thanks for the pictures! Could you tell us who’s in all of them?
~Philippa
Anonymous said…
“I have a SG-1 question. Given that Ben Browder is in his 40s, why was it decided to make Cameron Mitchell so young (in his mid to late 30s)? Is it because Ben, himself, looks so young?”
———–
No. It’s actually because Scifi loves Ben. And he looks EXACTLY like Michael Shanks. That way it’d be just like making Shanks the lead, only not really.
Nah, it’s actually because if they used his real age, an A-grader like Mitchell would be a full Colonel, his leadership wouldn’t be unclear to some as certain other military personnel would be having to SIR him and not use his 1st name all the time. Couldn’t have that, could we?
I am so IN LOVE with that watch. I can see how the unfairness set in.
An I was personally hoping that one of Ronon’s friends that he is reunited with would be female…ah, well.
And read the mini spoilers for Doppleganger on Gateworld today…sounds completely cool…Cold Lazarus has been a fav of mine…
And I saw the superfan promos on youtube…they were HILARIOUS!!!! Is there a reason we did not see them on SciFi???
Just a quick question:
With the Asgard’s fate in Unending, so what does that mean for Daedalus’ Asgard!
Anyway, cool watch! As for your mother’s headaches, drinking water frequently (but not obsessively frequently) is definately helpful. Hopefully it’s nothing too bad.
The clue of carson’s return is in “Tao Of Rodney” or in another episode ?
“This Mortal Coil” is the mid-season. Can you tell us title of the second part ?
Hi Joe!
Thanks for the pictures, but how can a 10 chevron gate with SG-1 symbols on an Atlantis season 4 art department package? :S I hope the CGI crew will stop making 8 chevron space gate either (look at the Asuran satellite weapon’s stargate or the gate from Inferno or Midway Station).
Doppelganger will be a team episode next to the fact that Sheppard will be in everyone’s scenes like Beckett in Sunday? Are the blue chrystals the new powerful race? Are the blue, red, yellow, green chrytals made from the killed lifeform in the Goa’uld and Tok’Ra technology?
Joe,
just wanted to say that i despite the fact i’m not actually a big Carter fan, i’m looking forward to seeing her in Atlantis. One of my favourite thing about Atlantis in respect to SG1, is that its not afraid to shake things up and try a new angle. I absolutely loved SG1 and i think one of the best thing that happened to it was season 9 (the old formula was cool but worn, and ben browder and claudia black are just awesome).
As sad as i am to see, Weir go – Carter will be interesting to see (particulary due to the fact that she outranks sheppard in the military and Mckay in the science arena…. its going to be cool to see what happens there).
Now if you haven’t fallen asleep thru my rambling yet, i have a quick question:
Is the question of “trust” between Mckay and Sheppard going to come up in season 4, because that just COMPLETELY changed their relationship/friendship and its an interesting aspect of the sga dynamic that i personally am interested to see played out further.
Cheers,
Rez
The characters seemed to get banged up pretty good over the course of the seasons. Who would you say is going to be spending the most time in the infirmary season four? And don’t say Keller!
Oh my gawd. There are dark Tim Tams in the world? Must track these down.
Whatever was unhappy about the pictures seems to have been fixed as I can see them this morning.
Thanks for the play-by-play of your day. It’s interesting to me how a show unfolds. But I’m a little confused about one thing. Are the departments coming to you as a producer? Or as the writer of the episode? (Apologies. Can’t remember if you said you wrote this episode.)
Joe, Joe, Joe! Once again you build us (er, OK, me) up only to let me down in tragic fashion! I was SO excited about the watches! (yes I am that sad…) First off I couldn’t figure out why Martin was so “excited” about a watch, and then I noticed the “12” looked suspiciously PoO-ish (a word I intend to never use again), and then I saw the awesomeness that is the iris opening to expose the Stargatey-goodness *gape* I’m completely bummed I can’t have one – it suits my geekiness to a t! (subtle so that I don’t reveal my horrible sci fi geekiness to normal people, but fun enough so that those in the know understand me – I have earrings like that). If an extra one turns up, I’ll give it a good home 😀
A slightly random question – is mail addressed to former cast (in this case Don Davis) sent to the Bridge passed on? I caught up with Don here in New Zealand, and he said he was going on a safari to check out the sights as inspiration for his paintings. I would like to pass on to him some of of my favourite photographs of some of the places he may or may not have got to. Not because I have the conceit to imagine they might be useful, but because I adore sharing my country, and I hope they spark fond remembrances of his visit.
Sorry it’s not a particularly plot-line based question – but I figure many other people ask those, I don’t need to.
Hi Joe
I want to congratulate you on both the SG1 and the STA series. Much credit has to go to the writers who have consistently provided us with great stories and wonderful visuals for over 10 years. The StarGate series has been and is one of the best programs on T.V. For me it has provided good stories ,great character development and of course good humor which is icing on the cake.. You are all exceptional..
Re the Doppelganger issue.. are you bringing Carson back in a non corporeal form?
Take Care
Dori
Your work meetings sure sound like a hell of a lot more fun than mine! “Fight scenes … transporters, force fields, and cocoons … BDU’s, dress blues, and broken down dusters … stunners, P-90’s, and tablets” Oh My!
Which part of the post-writing pre-filming process (costumes, props, SFX etc) do you enjoy being involved in the most?
Thanks for your answer to my previous question about civvies. I do love the uniforms (and the mention of dress blues in your post makes me happy – unless the occasion is similar to the last time we saw them!), but I like to see the characters in their casual gear as it’s so rare.
Cheers!
Hi Joe:
I just wanted to say I loved the Profiles on David and Paul that were in the Season Two SGA Box Set. They were excellent and you guys were so funny! I was just wondering if more were being planned for the next set? I would love to see one on Joe Flanigan!:)
Also, could you give us another hint on what episode the “How Carson Returns Clue” appears in…does it air before “Sunday” or after?
Thanks!
PS: I love the watch totally awesome! 🙂
Hi! Two questions:
Does Rodney listen to Celine Dion?
What’s your favorite colour?
Thanks
what is tabula rasa about because i havent heard much about it?
Hey, sounds like they’re keeping you all quite busy. I love the watch! Whoever made that gets at least 20 points on the Universal Score Board. Now all we need is a waffle maker that creates Stargate-shaped waffles ;D.
Can you give us a hint about what the good Doctor’s first episode back will be? Pwetty please :D?
In, I think, the second picture: What’s in the container with the yellow lid? I’m guessing it’s yours because there’s water instead of coffee next to it :P.
Will Atlantis ever get its own Wormhole X-treme show? Like, Wormhole X-treme: Mount Olympus?
Joe, it must be somewhat distressing to read comments about how much RDA means to the whole Stargate franchise. After all, he hasn’t had a substantial presence on the show in quite a while. (In fact, the amount of screen time he had in The Return part 2 was surprising. His action-hero sequence was a real treat!).. Anyway, my question: Are any of the producers, actors, directors, who are put off whenever they are reminded of fan’s desire to have RDA back on any level? Do they (you?) feel as though the absence of RDA has had a negative impact on the show on a permanent basis?
As a huge RDA fan myself, any time RDA agrees to any participation in Atlantis/SG1-movies its major good news. Its not that we dislike new characters, its just that Jack meant so much to so many. Do you think there is ever the chance that RDA could get involved with the 3rd series, become a regular on Atlantis, or be the star of a future SG1 movie?
One final question; Will we ever find out, for real, if Sam and Jack ever get the chance at a real relationship? My first thoughts when I heard that Sam was coming to Atlantis was “I guess Sam and Jack are not a couple in the Stargate universe.”
Hi Joe,
If I send you a box of Jacques Torres chocolates, will that be a big enough bribe to bring Carson back for more than 2-3 episodes?
And if this is doable, do you like the trendy flavors (the spicy Wicked, the green tea, the chai tea, etc.,) or are you a chocolate purist?
Just wondering. Thanks for bringing him back at all, actually.
Thanks for answering my question about the editing of “Line In The Sand”. Some fans thought that possibly “The Road Not Taken” was suppose to air before LITS. In fact there was a thread on G.W. discussing this back when it aired. I understand how hard it is when you only have so much time to tell a story and usually it doesn’t bother me. The problem for me was the difference in Vala’s character from her last scene in “The Quest Part 2” to her first scene in LITS. If they were stand alone episodes it wouldn’t matter but the episodes are part of a four episode arc. However, I know that you are probably already aware of how some fans felt or Alex wouldn’t have mentioned it on his blog before the episode airs in the U.S.
I’d still like to know if Shanks was able to make it back for filming for the beginning of the movie. The script sides (yes I know that is a very small amount of the movie) was all Vala,Tomin and Mitchell with a side of Teal’c. Since I am a fan of the original team and now what some fans refer to as the Big Three, could you just take a second and assure us that Shanks is on set filming with Amanda and CJ and the rest of the cast.
Thanks
hello.
yesterday you told us that in the second part of season 4 we will see something that came from the legacy the asgard left behind.
that made me also wonder will the legacy of them all there knowleadge left to the humans be the new bases of human technological development.will we see the steps of the technology evolution in atlantis and/or the third series.
will we also see something like the EMH from star trek voyager but the a asgard.
and how many enemy’s will atlantis have.
thanks for the possible answers.
and good luck with the show and great future stories.
Hey Joe been a fan for 4 yrs straight
Some questions;
1. Do you know the time span between Atlantis and SG-1??
2. NOAS- Nightmare On Atlantis Street… Does that by any chance relate to Doppelganger??
3. Will we see the Nox in or mentioned in an Atlantis episode??
Great blog!
I’ve watched Epiphany tonight and was wondering… this new story idea Joe’s come up with, does it have any role for Torri in it? It would be great to see Elizabeth in his episode.
And is Joe’s episode a second half of the season episode?
I know you’ve confirmed that Torri will be in four episodes in the first ten, but how many is she likely to get overall in season four? Is four all we can hope for, or is there a chance she’ll get more? If so, how many are likely? Her fans would love to see her in the entire second half, as well as season five, as a regular.
As much as I love Sheppard, losing Weir and Beckett is enough to make me tune out. I’m planning to watch their episodes, but as far as the rest of the season goes, my interest is pretty limited.
And yes, I’m admitting I watch for certain characters. Just as some watch for fight scenes, some watch for whumping and some watch in the hopes of getting a glimpse of Joe’s boxers (You know there are boxer shots all over GW!)
I don’t see anything wrong with watching for any of those specific reasons, in case anyone of the usual suspects wants to have a moan about me watching for characters/character interaction.
Everyone finds something different appealling. For me it’s three specific characters (Weir, Beckett, and Sheppard in that order), and the loss of one, let alone two of them would have made the show less appealling for me. I know a lot of others who feel the same.
So again, I guess the question is this: is it likely that Torri and Paul will get more than the episodes they’re down to do so far? I know you guys in Vancouver love Amanda and wanted to include her in the series, but really, including her and keeping the two of them would have done a lot more for ratings and popularity than losing two popular characters and bringing her in.
I am grateful that you show us how is a “concept meeting” I think it is the real moment of a birth episode.
How much time dedicates the Art Department for to make their work?
The concept art it is very good.
How many concept artists are working now for Stargate (SG1, SGA and Stargate Universe)?
The “gatewatch” is it in sale or it is a prop for some episode? It is very cool!
How much time dedicates the props artists for to make a prop?
It would be wonderful to see how is the props work or props department.
Excuse me, for so many questions… Thank you very much!
will we learn where ronan got his gun from?
Hey, will we be seeing more ancients in season 4? thanks
Hey joe, just wondering will there be more on Sheppard and Teyla’s relationship or will it be similar to O’Neill and Carter’s?
Thanks.
Hi Joe,
it’s great that RDA won’t be in The Ark of Truth, at least I’ll be fully enjoying this one 🙂
That watch is just too cool. You’re so lucky. The iris in the middle reminds me of His Shadow’s iris in Lexx (sorry, having a geek moment here).
Regarding your little “spell” after exercise, have you considered having your blood sugar checked? I ask, knowing your addiction to all things chocolate (which, alas, I share and cannot indulge).
Hi joe!
Do you read all comments you get? Can you tell us what do you think about working with both Claudia Black and Ben Browder?
Could you take a photo of Claudia for me?
=)
It’s interesting to see the different POVs on changes made to the show. One fan hates that Carter is coming over, another loves the idea… some hate Vala, some love her… what a diverse group we are! And how difficult it would be to make all of us happy, all the time!
Loved the photos, covet the watch, can’t wait for new eps!
I do have a question. Given that Sam is going to be in a time dilation field or something in the last SG1 ep, and off saving the galaxy in the movies, as far as the timeline goes, how will she also be in the Pegasus Galaxy? It seems like she would need to be in two places at once. Busy girl, our Sam.
dear John
I’m french so sorry for my bad english! I just wanna know why doctor Weir become a regular? you know she’s just like Carson, Mckay, Sheppard, Teyla and Ronon, she’s the soul of Atlantis. Have we got any chances to save her like Carson?? maybe she’ll come back like main character to the middle of the fourth season?? Or in the 5th season if there are a 5th season, but I’m not worried for Atlantis, it’s a great show!! Thanks for your answer!
“Anonymous said…
Hey joe, just wondering will there be more on Sheppard and Teyla’s relationship or will it be similar to O’Neill and Carter’s?
Thanks.
April 19, 2007 8:47:00 AM PDT “
Pfft! You’re kidding, right? RDA and AT have something on screen that’s sadly lacking between JF and RL. It’s a little thing called chemistry.
Joe does his best work with David Hewlett and Torri Higginson. Rachel’s at her best with Jason Momoa and the poor departed Paul McGillion.
The two of them in a scene together put me to sleep if they interact… Hell, I’d rather Shep turned gay and went for Rodney than was ‘shipped with Teyla.
Leave her for Ronon. At least they look like they like each other!
Hi Joe,
First, I congratulate you on your recent script as you bravely send it on it’s way.
Second; I want to thank you for the recent ‘battery by chocolate’. I, too have a fondness for the darkside and unusual combinations. (Says the person with a tin of Dagoba Organic, Xocolatl and lives in the land of Moonstruck.)
On to your most recent post:
I didn’t have any difficulties others reporting with seeing the photos. I don’t know if that’s because any problems were already taken care of or, that they weren’t an issue for my browser.
Thank you for the photos, too. We don’t get to see the people behind the show that often.
Looks like you had a full day. How long to those concept sessions usually last?
And, where did you get that time machine? (To travel from 10:30 a.m. to 11:15 p.m. and then on to Noon?
Lughtigern@clueserver.org
Joe…
At the risk of sounding like a pathetic squeeing fangurl…DUDE you rock. Those pictures are SWEET…thank you!
A couple of hopefully quick questions…
1. What is a Blue Draft and who are the characters on the cover art of the script? Is it generic art or episode-specific?
2. I’m still learning your terminology…what does “doing a pass” mean? I had thought it meant proof-reading…but in a subsequent sentence in your blog, you say you “do a pass” and then give it to someone else to proof.
3. Will fans be able to buy those cool watches eventually? If so, will there be a feminine version available? I have dainty wrists. 😉
4. RE: The first concept drawing under the watches…would I be too far off in assuming that what is depicted is in some way related to the iratus bug?
5. Can I have some chocolate? (sorry…I couldn’t resist)
Thank you again for showing us those fantastic pictures! Please pass on to your talented crew that I (and of course many other fans here) really appreciate their artistry.
Take care!
Mary Beth 🙂
Ask Martin Gero what I can trade for the watch.
Chocolate, sweeties, gold, diamonds…heroin?
What does he want, damnit?!
I love seeing the concept art, thanks for the pics. Is most of it done with the computer, or is some of it still done with traditional mediums?
Hi Joe:
Where were the watches made? Martin’s watch is fabulous. Maybe we should all check E-Bay for the next month and see if any show up there.
Since you are the boss, I imagine you don’t get any overt comments, but with all of your picture taken, has anybody found a reason to be passive aggressive to you to get even? You know, like salt in your coffee, switching the men’s room and women’s room signs around…
Does the SGA team (writers, producers, directors, etc)have a mascot? How about a slogan? A theme song? What’s the most popular snack in the break room?
Sorry, it’s the middle of the afternoon and I’ve been reading federal legislation all day – getting a little loopy here!
Cheers!
SMB_BOOKS
Dear Mr. Mallozzi,
Did you name the lantean ship in the episode Travellers? If so, what is it.
I was wondering if it would be possible to include details on the time line in the beginning of each episode of Season 4. For example, in Adrift, October 5, 2007, and This Mortal Coil, March 13, 2008. This will be helpful for avid SGA fans such as myself to know how much time has passed between episodes.
thank you
your moroccan fan
P.S Your invitation to Morocco is of course open for as long as you like, our family owns the hotel and the travel agency… take your time
Teenage Space Vampires arrived from Netflix today. We’ll be watching Martin Wood’s little gem tomorrow night after Stargate, probably with plenty of wine. I suspect it might be a good way to watch it.
Do your dogs like car rides? Spock and Radar ride with me every morning and afternoon taking GeekBoy to and from school. Spock insists on riding in the front seat or he whines in my ear the whole time.
Dear Joe,
Why doesn’t Carl Binder make a follow up to Condemned. That was an awesome eppy and the ending was very similar to “to be continued” type although it wasn’t. What ever outcome regarding the Olesians fate, it should be a very open ended arc to elaborate on. One can also elaborate on the fate on the prisoners in the alpha site, maybe they can repay Sheppard for his act of kindness.
I was also wondering if, according to your personal knowledge of the “Pegasus Galaxy” and its stories that you and your staff concoct, is there a chance to discover another city ship like the three discovered so far in: The tower, Progeny, or Atlantis. You know two is better than one especially when you are bombarded with ennemies.
Thanks a lot my friend and I advise you to try Jeff de bruges dark chocolate, here is the site: http://www.jeff-de-bruges.com.au/
Benny
Joseph Mallozzi,
Don’t you think its high time to bring the furlings into the fold in season 4. At least one episode to quench our curiosity thirst. I just wanna see how they look like thats all. Thanks..
Heineken
OMG! How can you dream of eating brie? I know it’d be the last thing on my mind for a breakfast. At least you have great tastes. And you speak french! Me loves you, don’t tell your wife though j/k. How’s Fondy by the way?
Hi Joe (me again, sorry…) I was just wondering whether we will get to hear Major Lorne being referred to as “Evan” at any point in S4?
Any chance of a behind-the-scenes pic of Kavan in the near future? *looks hopeful* 🙂
If you want, I can send you a couple of baguettes and some brie, but i can’t guarantee that they would be edible when you’d receive them.
I am able to steady myself by grabbing hold of the treadmill and, so, do not hit the floor and lose consciousness.
You are lucky, you know. It’s painful when you wake up from this fog to find that you have a big hard bump on your head.
Anonymous/Yanan wrote:
I’ll have to disagree with you regarding the prospects for season four of Atlantis. It’s just my personal opinion, but I think that both SG-1 and Atlantis have been declining in quality for the last couple of years.
And at last you’ve revealed that all your posts about ratings are simply to rationalize the reasons for them until they line up with your opinion of the show’s quality from one season to another. Which is exactly what every fan does and has done since the dawn of Nielsen. So please don’t accuse Joe of spinning, while you go on with a pretense of deep ratings knowledge just to serve your view of the shows.
And I don’t think Joe or any of us are unaware that NBC makes more money from its own shows so that they might not be under the same ratings pressure. Shocker!
Joe,
do you know by chance what the name is of Claudia Black’s son? We know that Amanda’s little girl is Olivia, Michael’s – Mia and Samuel, Chris’ youngest – Chloe…
Firstly can I say Mr M, that you are a man of your word as indicated in your post on 28th Feb 😉
Secondly I have only one word…well maybe 3. 😀
Evil Shep… *squeee*
Thirdly, those Stargate watches are the coolest thing i’ve seen. Any chance the designer could market them to a wider audience? I’m sure he would be flooded with orders 😀
Thanking you so kindly Mr M, you’re a very wise and kind man. And for once after reading the DG spoilers i’m at a loss for words, you’ve finally silenced me. 😮 Well for today anyway :o)
Hell, I’d rather Shep turned gay and went for Rodney than was ‘shipped with Teyla.
There’s a shocker of a response.
But if we’re going to weigh in on anonymous’s harmless question about possible character interaction in season four …
RDA and AT have something on screen that’s sadly lacking between JF and RL. It’s a little thing called chemistry.
… I see chemistry between Sheppard and Teyla in buckets and hope the answer is yes, and more yes.
Of course we fans know it’s all filters and interpretation– the things we like and don’t like, what flips the switch, and what makes us say things like, “Hell, I’d rather Shep turned gay …”
Yowza.
For what little it’s worth, “I’d” rather not see RDA on Atlantis. I’m fed up with Jack. He was great on SG-1 for the first five seasons, season six worked well with his slightly reduced schedule but with seven and eight I think people were just waiting for his couple of scenes in each ep. The only great ep I remember from those two seasons was Fragile Balance, because it was still “Jack” and that’s what we all wanted. (That kid was channelling RDA lol!) It was so off-putting, that I stopped watching, which is a real shame because I’ve just decided to give season nine another go and those Ori are really creeping me out! There’s a real sense of danger again and I wish I’d been a part of it first time around. Jack’s a General now and it’s irriatating that he rarely seems to act it. The show has finally been allowed to move on from him and I can now see that it became much stronger for it. So, I’ll be the minority vote and say save your money and spend it on (other) quality guest actors like Robert Davi (Robert Davi!!! How DID you do that?) the SFX, or even the catering.
And I’m sure there are at least 2 previous blog entries where you told us you did have a dessert containing fruit. You also sounded like you were slightly in shock about how much you enjoyed them which is why I remember 😉
JohnManzione said…
“One final question; Will we ever find out, for real, if Sam and Jack ever get the chance at a real relationship? My first thoughts when I heard that Sam was coming to Atlantis was ‘I guess Sam and Jack are not a couple in the Stargate universe.’ ”
yes, joe, that would be a *great* question to answer. of course, it MUST be answered in that they hooked up together. 😉 😀 😀
aaaaand, if you just happen to be in the mood, you could always do the POSITIVE resolution on atlantis.
{this commercial brought to you by a begging s/j fan. thank you. goodbye. that’s all.}
sally 😀
No question from me today, just expressions of delight, gratitutde, jealousy and excitement. I am utterly delighted with and most grateful for the spoilers from Mr. C and your generous self on GW and here. Any and all are appreciated.
Looking at the photos and reading the descriptions of the chocolates for your soiree make me, an admitted chocolate snob, quite jealous. (I think I need to go get a couple of my homemade truffles to console myself.)
I am quite excited about Echoes tomorrow night, as I am for the rest of the season. I have seen them all, but will be glued to the one-eyed monster nonetheless!
My thanks for a great show in SGA, and an old favorite, SG1!
Shep/Teyla? Ugh. That’s like Grissom/Sara on CSI with all its icky father/daughter feel. But for some weird reason, writers just want to put older men with those trophy girls all the time, realistic or not. It gets pretty tiring, especially when the trophy girls are boring as bricks. It would be nice to see men and women in the same age and intelligence bracket get together, or better yet, no soap opera at all.
Hi Joe, I’m in the UK and I just wanted to say, having already seen the 2nd halves of both SGA & SG1, WOW! Honestly, some of the best TV I’ve seen ever (and as I’m the same age as Star Trek, Ive seen a lot!)
When writing “Echoes”, did anyone suggest that Beckett run on screen and yell “Colonel! There be whales here!” Or was that just me?
Well Star Wars has all this canons and yet Lucas only goes with the movieverse ones each and every time so even if you guys were to allow such an expanded universe it would not infringe upon what you create for TV, DVDs or even the big screen if you ever choose to go that way…