A great start to the back half of season 4. Early world has the ratings for Be All My Sins Remember’d up almost 20% from the premiere, Adrift. I also hear that up to 60% of our audience is time-shifting the show to watch at a later date. Interesting.
Okay, I’d like to kick off the January Book of the Month Club discussion by weighing in on the first of the three selections I read: Ghost Story, by Peter Straub. Now, normally, I don’t read all that much horror literature, but I decided to include horror as a BOTM option: a) for blog visitors who may prefer it over scifi and fantasy, and b) after reading and being pleasantly surprised by some of Dan Simmons’ work in the field (ie. Song of Kali, The Terror, Summer of Night).
Ghost Story is considered by many a classic, one highly recommended by Stephen King no less and, overall, I was not disappointed. Straub is a wonderful writer who demonstrates a mastery of the macabre, crafting an effectively creepy tale that left this reader on edge through most of the book’s 500+ pages. No cheap scares or needlessly gratuitous scenes of violence. The horror is controlled and measured, inexorably building on the looming sense of terror bubbling just beneath the surface of the quaint town of Milburn. A lot of terrific scares throughout, my favorite being the scene in which the wheelchair-bound woman watches helplessly through her bedroom window as her long-dead brother makes a shocking return visit to his farm.
I loved Straub’s ability to build the tension by never rushing the narrative or giving away too much too soon, however, there were instances where I felt the pacing suffered. Also, as much as I loved the world he created, I sometimes found myself wondering whether he’d been a little too meticulous in introducing minor character who, while interesting, served little purpose beyond establishing the picturesque yet claustrophobic Northeastern community.
While the book is called Ghost Story, it really has nothing to do with ghosts – although you could argue that the members of the Chowder Society are, in effect, haunted by their past. The evil forces they battle are actually near-immortal shape-shifters that live to wreak havoc on this mortal world. All well and good, but by going from ghosts to shape-shifters, I felt Straub undermined a significant amount of what made Ghost Story so enjoyable. The members of the Chowder Society were struggling not only with the secret of what they had done, but the guilt that came with it. They murdered a woman and finally, decades later, they were being made to pay for their sins of the past. Great, but if the woman was an evil shape-shifter from the start, we let these men (not to mention the reader) off the hook and the story suddenly loses some of its depth, shifting away from a rich tale of supernatural vengeance to a more straight-forward tale of good vs. evil.
Also, even though we are told that Eva and her cohorts are shape-shifters, there are times when they seem to possess decidedly ghostly abilities. On the one hand, they can, as physical beings, influence their physical surroundings. On the other hand, there are instances in which they are able to pass through physical space unnoticed (ie. The scene at the university where, apparently, only Peter Barnes can see Gregory Benton approaching).
And, a couple of more questions while we‘re at it –
Why does it take Eva so long (50 years!) to exact her revenge? Why does it take her nearly a year to resume her quest for vengeance after killing Edward Wanderly (given that the subsequent victims are dispatched in fairly quick order)?
Why does the Chow Society contact Don? Is it because they’ve been having nightmares and the novel he has written just happens to deal with a supernatural predator? Is this mere coincidence?
What was the deal with Alma Mobley? Why does Don meet her so early? Why was she targeting Don when she could have been targeting the members of the Chowder Society?
Even though I was initially put off but what felt like a second, anti-climactic conclusion, in retrospect I appreciate Straub’s attempt to book-end the tale and pay off a very intriguing opening.
Overall, an enjoyably creepy read.
Back in the office today where I was greeted by many familiar faces – and a modest mountain of parcels (more on those goodies in tomorrow‘s blog). We spent the day discussing important matters like football, the holidays, and, oh yeah, the sets we’ll be needing for our first three episodes. I also received my hard-won prize money for winning this season’s NFL dark horse pool (Thank you, Cleveland).
Today’s pics: I settle back into the office settling; Alex Levine opts for a more laid-back approach, Brad, Rob and tech-geek Marty G., we called M.I.A. Binder to find out how he’s holding up in L.A., Rob Cooper makes his loyalties clear, Alex Levine presents me with my winnings.
Hi Joe,
This is just a thank you from my family to everyone at Stargate for keeping us all entertained. By All My Sins Remember’d was great!
Thanks
#1: BAMSR kicked some serious arse!
#2: Do you have any plans to revisit the Replicators at any time? I know that you have a new Elizabeth storyline, but the Replicators themselves, because I doubt that that was the last of them.
#3: I was thoroughly unimpressed by John’s reaction to Teyla’s pregnancy. Will there be another discussion between them about it in another episode?
Heya.
What is with the font change? Or is only on my computer that the text seems unusually large?
It’s good to see the gang getting back together after some well-deserved rest. Hopefully some of them will find their offices as they left them. Maybe a few have some carefully-placed surprises awaiting their return?
I didn’t get to read Straub last month, but your horror pics and reviews are beginning to draw me back to the genre. I read a lot of the “classic” King novels in junior high and highschool, but no horror since.
Your love of a good scare reminds me of something the actor Sam Neill said during the premiere of his movie “In the Mouth of Madness” (Carpenter). He basically was talking about how it’s physically/emotionally healthy to get a good scare every once and awhile.
Joe,
Not to take away from the brilliant dialog, and fabulous VFX as well as SFX – but I’ll bet I’m not the only one who looks forward to brilliant scores of Joel Goldsmith every week.
Maybe as a DVD extra you could mention to someone that it would be fabulous to have an episode or 2 (or all) with MUSIC ONLY tracks – and maybe commentary by Joel (much the same way the first MATRIX movie was done).
Great season so far!!!!!! And thanks for the BOTM – great suggestions.
Hey Joe, I realized a while back that the actor that plays Merlin in SG1 has also appeared Atlantis. The first appearance of Merlin was in Atlantis in the season one episode “Before I Sleep” which coincides with season 8 of SG1 – before the Ori where ever introduced. Did you have a plan set for that specific actor to play Merlin in season 9 of SG1?
Darn…not going to read your review of “Ghost Story” yet because I’m STILL WAITING FOR IT IN THE MAIL!!.. Gah!! what happened to Amazon?
What’s happened with the postie? Did his kangaroo need refeeding or what??
Nice pics… nice calendar.. *sniff*
BAMSR was an amazing episode. It was most definitely worth the wait, that seemed like it would take years as soon as TMC was finished. Looking forward to the remainder of Season 4, and Season 5 (and any other Seasons of SGA that we are blessed with). Keep up the great work!
1. In BAMSR…when they said “do you see any trace replicator cells…” Does that mean that the people on the Aurora class vessel are maybe prehaps…Real Ancients? 2. Do you see any new Stargate SG-1 or Atlantis soundtracks coming out in the possible future….really like the Ori music and always wanted to know what type of music it is?????
Holy big font Batman!!
Congratulations on the high ratings! I thought something like this might happen. Everything seems to have come together just right for this episode. Not only did it rock, but the promos were also intriguing, the anticipation wide-spread due to the hints posted here on your blog, there is nary another show airing new episodes due to the strike, and of course, the break between episodes was very short. Hopefully this is a beginning of a much-needed climb in ratings!
Here are a few questions I’ve come up with:
1. If the writers of Canada were to strike, would you continue this blog?
2. I thought the Replicator Aurora class ships were kind of weaker than their Lantian cousins in BAMSR. They barely fired any drones and their shields seemed to have come down really fast. Do you agree? If so, is there an in-show reason for it (i.e. the reps were occupied with something yet to be seen)?
3. So I gather that your winter vacation is over then? Will you be back to work permanently starting today?
4. Any word on the main cast list for Season 5?
Thank you in advanced, Joe. I know I haven’t asked this many questions in a while, but today’s the first day of University and that got my brain clogs turning again.
Science geek chat-up lines McKay might use, if he ever had the chance that is.
What’s a nice girl doing in a superposition like this?
Your universe or mine?
How can I know a hundred digits of pi, but not the 11 digits of your phone number?
I’m attracted to you so strongly, scientists will have to develop a fifth fundamental force.
When you and me get together it’s like superposition of 2 waves in phase.
I don’t wish to brag, but in several parallel universes I invented the internet, warned the world about global warming, ran for president and won the Nobel peace prize.
Would there be any resistance if I asked to take you ohm?
All we need now is a Ronan and Sheppard chat-up lines!
I must confess I voted to read The Time Traveler’s Wife. I did read the first 92 pages then I was seduced by Old Man’s War.
So sorry but my only comment can be ‘Confusing’!
Where are my manners please thank Martin Gero for answering part of my question on BAMSR.
Pauline
Impressive ratings for BAMSR… but, wow… what an impressive episode! Everything about it was great – multiple colonels, the Wraith, space battles, hot Larrin banter, the ultra-sweet Fran bot, the evil RepliBlob, and especially Torri’s return as Weir (in sexy black leather no less)! Many thanks to everyone involved for such an amazing episode, and an amazing season that just keeps getting better! And congrats on your winnings – heh! Well deserved! =)
Quick question: can you sneak a few snapshots of upcoming sets as a teaser, or is that a legal no-no? Just had to ask. =)
Ok, greedy today, I know, but I got one more question, if you’ll indulge me, Joe:
5. You said that there was a good Rodney/Teyla scene in BAMSR (Link). I didn’t see those 2 interact at all, pretty much, so did it get cut? Or, did you mix up Rodney with Ronon?
I only managed to get a copy of Ghost Story a couple of days ago, so I haven’t quite finished it yet. But so far I do sort of agree about the minor character development. Although sometimes I don’t find it too bad that he develops them so well, it sort of captures the “town mentality” quite well.
Congratulations on the ratings, that’s great news (not that I’m too surprised mind you).
Hey Joe, I have a question about Continuum: How big a part does Jack have in the movie – less or more than 15 minutes?
Please thank Martin for his comments on BAMSR! It was quite the awesome episode!! I got to visit the set during the filming of the episode, and Martin took a few minutes to come over and chat with us, and told us then there would be a huge twist at the end, and boy, was he right!!! It does amaze me that not one word got out about the twist at the end – at least, none that I heard. I had actually forgotten that Martin had told us there would be a twist. You’d think that someone on the ‘net would have gotten wind of something! Well done on the secrecy!
A Cowboys fan in Vancouver?!? That’s almost as scary as a classic horror novel, IMO. Seriously, shouldn’t you guys be sitting around in Canucks jerseys (or the VP’s suit with team-logo tie for Joe), hoisting mugs of Labatt’s ( or cloudberry liqueur for Joe), chowing down on pemmican (au jus, for Joe), cross-checking each other every time you stand up, and singing falsetto to Celine Dion’s “Where Does My Heart Beat Now?” o_0 (alternatively, “Get Back to the Great White North” by the so-called McKenzie Brothers.)
– But then, I have to admit that I’d reeeeally miss Cookie Monster’s, Baron Destructo’s, and Joe’s football commentary. You sorta get used to things like ESPN’s SportsGuy standing up for all things Boston (but in a way that even Pats haters can laugh at), and Chris “Boomer” Berman shouting “HE..COULD..GO..ALL..THE..WAY!” after Randy Moss has just snagged a Tom Brady 60-yarder and run with it right into the Cowboys endzone – and Cookie predicting the loss of the Stealers, ’cause stealing no good.
*has an atypically emotional moment* Estrogen, what can ya do. Maybe go shoe-shopping, as long as I get back in time for the playoff game. – Anway, the pics really are fun to look at. You guys must have a great time, when you’re not hard at work. *bg*
I’d just like to say that the shirt you’re wearing in these pics is GREAT. So great, in fact, that it not only required all caps, but italics AND boldface.
I also strained my eyes trying to read the book titles on your shelf.
Seriously, though…what’s with the vast number of producer credits? This is very puzzling to me, and I’d like an answer. Pretty please? With a cherry on top?
Bonsoir Joseph,
Heu, est-ce que c’est mes lunettes qui sont de plus en plus puissantes ou les lettres de ton blog sont de plus en plus grosses ? Moi, en fait ça ne me dérange pas vraiment, mais je me dis que bientôt tu vas écire un mot par ligne si ça continue…En passant ici il pleut et je suis de plus en plus sur le bord de péter une coche et de m’acheter un billet d’avion pour l’Antartique, là au moin il y a encore de la neige. Quoi que…
Um… what have you done to your text? The large font is okay, but it seems rather… crowded.
You have probably already answered this before, but I am newer to the blog…well I’ve been reading it for about 8 months. It seems like you are more “professionally” dressed compared to your counterparts. Any particular reason for that?
Errrr, sorry if I got carried away with my previous comment. We’ve been having the mother of a storm for much of the day, with funnel-cloud sightings all too close to hubs’s workplace, earsplitting thunderclaps galore, intermittent power outages, and all the accessories that make you feel like you’re living the first chapter of a Gothic horror novel. (But no ghosts or shape-shifters, so that much is good.)
Just started registering for the spring semester at the local college and it is a real pain in the rump. Because I am still in high school, I have to run around campus and get signatures from a bunch of teachers, department heads, secretaries, and deans. Since most of the staff is on winter break, it is nearly impossible (and it is a long walk. I think I have walked across campus about 100 times today, so that is about 20 miles). It is worth it though (a great learning experience, advanced studies, bothering the older students when you know the answers and they do not, etc.).
What is the release date for Stargate: Continuum? Thanks.
Congrats on the ratings.
One question. Is Jack’s role in Continuum a ‘blink and you’ll miss him’ part or is it more than two seconds long? Thanks.
Loved, loved, LOVED BAMSR! I’m so glad you guys are finally back! :-X
Ahh the settling back in after the holidays. lol No matter how much you love your job, always that fun little adjustment. 😉 At least winning the pool helps. 😉
Question: Just in general, what’s your favorite thing about being a producer? Any particular part of your job you enjoy most? 🙂
At last, proof you folks are back at the office and at work. Nice job avoiding showing the shackles that hold at least the lesser staff to their desks; an oversight or simply lulling the help into a false sense of freedom? After all, its going to be a long enough hiatus for us viewers as it is, so its imperative the chain gang get back into full swing asap.
Didnt manage to pick up Ghost Story, so I’m glad you started with that review. Gives me an extra few hours to marshall my thoughts on the other two selections.
I’d like to echo the sentiments about Joel Goldsmith’s work on the show. Is there any chance of a second album being released? I love the one from Rising, but he’s done so much more since. Surely enough new material for at least one more cd… hard to believe we’ve only got 9 new episodes left. At least you provide a venue to track the next big fix of SGA in the upcoming months, not to mention the eagerly awaited SG1 movies.
That’s awesome news about BAMSR!!! 😀 Here’s another thanks to Marin for stopping by! (You know, I *thought* Todd looked different. I’m happy to know I’m not loosing it! XD)
What is “time-shifting”? I assume this is a Tivo thing, and not a TARDIS thing? 😉
I’ve got AniMonday on, and am catching my second ep of Noien. The animation in this ep is caomplteley different/I> from the ep prior! How odd! (I did not like the art style in the previous ep at all, but it seems “normal” now). I mean, I realise that the productions will often use more than one animation studio, but usually styles are little more consistent than this! Ah well. The story seems decent enough, but I’m not sure I’ll make the effort to watch more — I’m only half-watching as it is. … You know what? I wish that American stations that show anime would get really brave and show them with the OST and subtitles. The only shows I’ve come across where I like the dubbing as much as the OST are Utena, The Big O, and Inu-yasha …
@everyone ~ KEEP VOTING FOR SGA!!
http://www.tv.com/special_feature/best-of-2007/genre/index.html?page=6
(And for those of you who’ve been waiting for my Pink Raygun review of BAMSR — all three of you? 😉 — it’s fiiiinally up. XD Sorry for the delay — I didn’t get it in until about 230 AM Monday, and the editor didn’t get a chance to post it until a short while ago …)
Who is in charge of Atlantis when Weir/Carter, Sheppard, Ronon, Teyla and Rodney are off-world?
Hey Joe, I didn’t read “Ghost Story”, but I’ll be joining in your “Time Traveler’s Wife” discussion. My prediction: you didn’t like it. Too warm and fuzzy for you. 🙂
Has anyone here watched the sitcom “Big Bang Theory” on CBS? I caught it by accident tonight for the first time, and hearing the physicists talk about the Superman’s deceleration of Lois and the sine of the angle of the stairs warmed me to the core. Man, if you have any geek blood in you at all, it’s great!
Congrats on the ratings! One good (short-term) side effect of the strike is it will encourage people to try out new shows (see above). Let’s hope they make SGA a new habit!
Hey! I just noticed something! The Young People F***ing bottle is still there on your desk, there, on the 6th pic!
Hooray for continuity!
Ok, I’m gonna look a lot more closely at your pics. Let’s see…ha, I see a Broken Ties draft in the first pic…I think. I can definitely see Paul Mullie and Joseph Mallozzi written on that thing. For the 2nd pic, you need to change your calenders. It’s still on November. 3rd pic…I can see something like “Suspended Grill Height” on the sheet above the phone…definitely a set plan of some sort. Looks like a storyboard or concept drawing beside it. I can sort of make out some words in the padd paper beneath that, and on the yellow sheet I can see something about the episode Quarantine, since it’s airing on January 18th, as it says on the sheet. I also see Lawren’s name on the white sheet between the yellow sheet and the phone. Maybe it’s his stationary. 4th pic…nothing worth noting…er…I mean…boy, that was rude. Sorry.
Moving on, 5th pic…Martin Gero’s funny. 6th pic…oooo…hot chick statues on top of your shelf, one is catwomen, the other I don’t recognize.
Well, that was a good way to kill some time.
Wolfenm – I really enjoy your reviews, so I’m heading off soon to read it! They always make me chuckle! 🙂
Joe – GREAT news about the ratings. That’s just what I wanted to hear. It’s nice though that nobody can claim it’s because this character was in the episode, or wasn’t is the episode. It just got good ratings in its own right. About time too. Maybe it’s because it’s a better time of year? I mean SGA used to premiere the second half of the show in January and has never aired in the Fall before, and I think some folks have forgotten that.
Anyway, I’m really delighted. The timeshift thing is strange though. I always watch SGA as soon as I can. I’d NEVER delay watching it, but I guess peole do have real lives…
Anyway, congrats!
Hi Joe
Just started Red Sails under Red Skies, and I’m loving it. I wondered if you’d tried to make any of the meals described so well in The Lies of Locke Lamora? Maybe not the ones with alien ingredients. If so, how did they work?
Eccles
I read Ghost Story many many moons ago when the world was young….oh crap, I’m channeling again. I found it got bogged down and I admit to having trouble wanting to finish it, however, when Straub joined up with King for The Talisman and then again for its sequel The Black House I found myself wanting more which led me to Kings Gunslinger books (always did things ass about face!) I’m still quite happily trotting through David Gemmell at the moment but what do you think of Dean Koontz? His Christopher Snow novels Fear Nothing and Seize the Night are a cracking read and I recently enjoyed his Odd Thomas books, gotta love an afterlife Elvis.
Another author I read in school was James Herbert, although I think to be fair that his earlier work The Fog, The Dark, The Rats etc appealed more to a pubescent readership, (the clue was in the well thumbed sections involving sex-it was an all girls school, boys were kept in the school next door) however his Magic Cottage was a delightful change from the blood and gore of the others. I am currently sitting contemplating my next read and the Conan books have a certain “come hither” look to them.
Odd don’t you think how our reading tastes alter as we get older? I’ve tried to re-read a couple of books with a lengthy 20 odd year gap between reads and wondered what I was thinking the first time round.
Oh yes, and its Tuesday, ATLANTIS is on TONIGHT!!!whoo-hoo!
Congratulations about the ratings, that’s fantastic news! I’m not surprised to hear about people saving to watch it later on considering that it screens on a Friday night, but that they’re setting their recorders goes to show that viewers are going out of their way to watch.
Hi Joe
Thank you so much for the job you do. Stargate in all it incarnations has kept me entertained for years (and hopefully will do for years to come).
BAMSR is definitely one of the most epic episodes there’s ever been and I’m loving season 4 in so far.
I was laughing hysterically throughout the episode as more and more exciting things happened, and as for the twist at the end… man I totally didn’t see that one coming!
I can’t wait for ‘Spoils of war’ this Friday 😀
I cannot believe I have ambled along this long without realising that Alex Levine is a rather good looking chap – a better looking Michael Shanks, almost.
Is that a requirement when hiring production/behind-the-scenes staff as well as cast? (Not to look like Shanks, obviously, because most of you would fail…)
Hey! Think I’ll start out with some flattery since I think we all enjoy a little ego-stroking from time to time. “Be All My Sins Remember’d” was awesome! From the strength of the story-telling, to the sheer cool factor of all the factions uniting, up until the ending shot. Brilliant! I was beginning to lose faith there, but fortunately my faith has been restored. Oh, and Ellis pretty much ruled. Anyone who can call Rodney on his BS is okay in my book.
Now that I’ve flattered your ego (or Martin’s…but let’s ignore that fact), time for my completely random and unrelated question…I know you’re not responsible for Continuum, but I believe you said awhile back that you screened it. I heard that Claudia Black had only filmed for like a week…so are we going to get any quality screen time with Vala (or Qetesh)? Any chance for some juicy moments for her? Any note-worthy Daniel/Vala moments?
JOE, thank you and MARTIN for the BAMSR answers.
BAMSR is one of the best episodes of stargate, I really have enjoyed it!
AND it’s good to read news about Weir agian, the fact of have her in the next season is amazing.
I know you can’t tell us nothing about the next season, but what about:
An evil Replicator Weir trying to destroy Atlantis and the good replicator Weir we have seen in TMC working with the team.
I think will be great if you explode more the moral question about if the repli-weir is as the real weir or not. It is too interesting!!!
So how long do these book discussions go on for? Checked the letter box, nothing, only kangaroo prints on the ground to indicate the postie’s been. Checked Amazon and great… my book could even arrive in February….
Ok.. how about someone type the entire book here in Smokin’ Joe Mallozzi’s blog for me so I can participate…?
*chirping crickets*
Ok, well be like that then.. 😛
@PG-15 ~ I recognise her — it’s Emma Frost, the ex-White Queen of the Hellfire Club! (She’s from X-Men, if you’re not familiar.) … I hate that outfit on her! XD (No offense, Joe …) And I wish she’d stayed with Sean Cassidy and left Scott & Jean alone ….
As Elizabeth and her troupe survived, can we assume that there is the possibility that other Replicator type lifeforms still exist? For instance, could Oberoth still be out there?
Thanks
Glad to see you and the others in such fine form ,Joe ,and congrats on the winnings ! 😀
Ok .*gulp*
My first ever question ,so please don’t hand me over to the Cookie Monster’s pals or Baron Destructo’s minions if this has been asked already …I’d search through old episode transcripts, but I’ve left my glasses at work under timelock security.Can’t get back in till 6pm.:(
( Folk don’t VR thwack dolts who *should* be wearing their glasses ,right ? )
When the SGC Gateroom guys contact the city of Atlantis’ Control Room ,and vice versa,do they use a designation ,such as “Sierra Golf Atlantis ?”
OR..do they just open a direct channel, then say “This is Atlantis /Daedalus/Stargate Command ” or whatever their location is ?
Thank you for any enlightenment you have time to offer. 😀
*Fumbles way back to GW*
( You have *no* idea how long it took me to type all this out !)
Hurray for the great ratings!
About the time-shifting numbers – is it assumed that everyone who dvr’s the episode is watching it at another time? I record it so I’ll have it to watch again, but I do indeed watch it the first time around. (Yes, there is the replay that one could record, but having had recording fail randomly over the years, one has to record the first showing and use the replay as a fallback).
Am I seeing things correctly- did Martin G perhaps get a new iPhone for Christmas? Also, are the directors and others back too or is it just you guys for now?
pg15 says: …4th pic…nothing worth noting…
But there is something worth noticing – there’s an official companion guide to Atlantis on the desk! And some rather plan-ish items on white paper – and if only I could read that handwritten note…!!!
Ah, Mr M, you do like to tease us, don’t you?!
pg15, you are a dead man!!! I just spent godonlyknowshowmuch time trying to make out details in the photos, something I would not have done had you never mentioned it.
Anne Teldy (who now knows Mr. M’s extension)
Around our house the shows that get DVR’d like yours are the ones we want to watch over and over and more importantly, we don’t want to waste time waiting to see what happens around commercials. Other shows of interest we watch at their original time slot. We DVR our absolute favorites.
Congrats on BAMSR! and thanks to Marty G for yesterday’s answers. I’m bummed I didn’t get to ask any questions, but because of a new baby, we’re part of those 60% time-shifters.
Anyway, loved the colonels greeting scene and the space porn was unbelievable – right up there with the battle over Antarctica. And I am so impressed that you got so many character moments in too.
One small question – does Atlantis still have the wraith prisoner? Obviously they don’t need him to work on the Replicator shut-down code anymore, and while I doubt they gave him any opportunity to figure out where Atlantis is, he’s still spent quite some time there, as well as the SGC. Did he transfer to one of the Wraith hive-ships before the battle? Or has he been biding his time in his cell in Atlantis through all this?
BTW Joe, you are one heck of a spiffy dresser!
BAMSR was really really great, Congratulations to everyone involved!!
I hate to be the one to say it, hoped somebody else would come up with it, but FRAN reminded me very much of the BUFFYBOT!
Finally got my copy of TPB today, but I´m a slow reader, so any idea what the book-choices for March may be???
Only Peter Straub i´ve ever read (besides his collaborations with King) was The Hellfire Club, and I hated that one so much, I desided it would also be my last.
Ok, back to reading-and looking forward to Fryday!
T
Joe
I love Stargate Atlantis and have watched it since the beginning. I, as you know,especially love Carson but also love all the other characters.
I know that I am slow – but:
I have never really noticed the music.
**I only recently found out that Teyla/Rachel wore a wig.
**I still don’t know where the toilets are in the city.
**I am not sure where the toilets are in Atlantis.
**I don’t understand why there are no ugly people on Atlantis.
**Why do all the aliens speak with an American/Canadian accent?
**Why are there no boats in a city on water?
**Why are there no pets – cats/dogs?
**Why only one TV room for the whole group?
**Do they have baths or showers or both? Do they have fancy WCs?
Ever thought of having your own talk show – like this but you can chat to us face-to-face.
Susan
Hey Joe! Thanks for all the blogging. BAMSR was great. Please answer the producer question several people have asked. I am also curious and it just MAY help me answer a trivia game at some point in my life…
Pauline – 11 digit phone numbers? Ouch. Here I complain b/c we now have so many area codes we’re up to 9. Where are you from?
It’s Tuesday here! So only a couple more days til Atlantis is back on! Woo hoo. And did anyone catch Women’s Murder Club w/Joe F Friday night?
Awesome news on the BAMRS ratings! Well-deserved. I can’t wait to see the next Teyla/Sheppard discussion. Surely they can’t leave things as they are between them for too long…
Ghost Story – I agree with your comments. When I first picked up the book and looked at the copyright date (1979) I was afraid the style would be difficult to read. I was right. Authors in the time period tended to do much more description and detail. The text is very dense, with a single paragraph sometimes running well over a full page. Little white space.
I can live with this (I’m a good skimmer 🙂 ) but I found some of Straub’s mechanics cumbersome. By the middle of the book, I had decided he was the king of colons, semi-colons, M-dashes and parentheses…making for some very loooonngggg sentences that tended toward difficult to decipher.
Still, I did enjoy the story. He pushed my limits on how long I would read without having SOME clue what the heck was going on, but in the end, I was very glad I stuck it out.
I was surprised at how un-scary the story was. When I first picked it up, I was home alone for a few days and had second thoughts after reading all the forward quotes stating it was the scariest book ever. I still remember a bad experience after reading what I believe to be the scariest book ever — Amityville Horror — while home alone. It wasn’t pretty. We’re talking every light in the house on all night long for two night. But still, I dove in, and found that the story was so abstract…there was so much distance between the bad events and the “current time” of the reader that it wasn’t frightening to me.
Straub did a great job weaving together a complex story with lots of characters. I really like Ricky Hawthorne, and I would never have imagined myself connecting with a 70 year old male lawyer protagonist!
Anyway…good read. On to the reviews for Time Traveler’s Wife!
WB
Hey Joe,
Much to my disappointment last night The Movie Network changed the broadcast time for Atlantis!! My son and I missed it. From what I have been able to glean possibly the best episode of the year so far!! Now I will have to wait for the rebroadcast this weekend to see it!!
I guess that puts me into the 60% time shift category. So what do you think about the move to a 7PM ET time slot on Monday for the show here in Canada?
Lance
wams352 said:
11 digit phone numbers? Ouch. Here I complain b/c we now have so many area codes we’re up to 9. Where are you from?
Well the area code for the Pegasus Galaxy alone would be…wow alt least…two digits. Then of course you’ve got you’re Atlantis code, there’s an extra digit…oh and the geek code number…that’s (takes shoes and socks off to count) eleven digits.
Mobile phone numbers and most land lines are eleven digits with area codes here in the UK.
pg15. I am bringing all my skills as an interpreter of Doctors handwriting to deciphering the note in picture four. With any luck should crack it by Christmas 2009
Pauline
Yeah on the ratings!!! Yeah for BAMSR!!! Not sure what will happen with the People’s Choice Awards tonight, but I’m taping it and crossing fingers and everything else that will cross and GOOD LUCK SGA!!!
Oh and pg15 what’s this about a bottle of people you know whating on the desk of Mr. M’s..???
Hey Joe!
Like the font change for the blog, makes it easier to read! I eagerly await “Spoils of War”, this season has just been amazing! Cudos to you and the staff for a job well done!
Ever thought of coming to Toronto for any conventions?
– Enzo Aquarius
Congratulations on the ratings going up. IMO very well deserved.
I have a question Joe. I have a feeling that you probably can’t answer it, but thought that I’d try anyway. Now that you guys are back in the office, can you tell us yet whether the cast (Joe, Amanda, Rachel, Jason and David) are signed on for season 5? I just listed the regulars, but I’m also curious about the recurring cast as well.
In the past, whether it was SG1 or Atlantis, it seems like the fans always knew before now. I guess with the impending SGA strike and the current WGA strike…. maybe I’m just worring more than I should.
Leesa Perrie wrote:
If you are referring to the greenish page from a steno notebook, that’s a fan letter written sometime after the airing of “Reunion” (I can’t make out the date very well)and (I think) mentioning Amanda Tapping. MY IE7 has a magnification thingy on the far right side, over the date on the taskbar. I used it and….uhm…. 😳 I sorta…uhm..turnedmylaptoponitsside so I could read it better. 😳
What I’d really like to know is how long it took Mr. M to arrange everything on the desk so that it would drive us insane?
😡 pg15, you are most definitely a dead man! 😡
Anne Teldy
Salut Joseph =)
Wahou!!! Quel homme!!! Rohh vous êtes trop beau. C’est incroyable a chaque foix que je voix une photo de vous je suis euphorique durant 10 minute et je pousse des petites cris..,étrange, non? Mais c’est parce que je vous ♥♥♥ 🙂
Ahh Sa fait plaisir de vous revoir tous réuni. Je suis sur que notre petite équipe adoré va encors nous inviter des épisodes encors plus génial cette année.
Maintenant que vous allez commencer a crée de nouveaux épisodes, je ne vous direz qu’une chose:
UN FRANCAIS SUR ATLANTIS!!!
Et oui, je sais, je suis tétu^^!
•Super votre nouvelle écriture.
Je suis happy que l’épisode “Be All My Sins Remember’d” a autant etait aprécier. Moi je l’ai vraiment adoré.
Question:
1) Quand son vos prochaine vacance?
2)Apart le Football quels sports aimez vous?
Voila!! merci, gros gros kiss, je vous adore! a demain. Bonne nuit =)et Merci
Susan,
you are the best ! I think the points you raise are very interesting:
«**I only recently found out that Teyla/Rachel wore a wig. (yep, that its weird why she wore a wig?)
**I still don’t know where the toilets are in the city.
**I am not sure where the toilets are in Atlantis.
**I don’t understand why there are no ugly people on Atlantis.
**Why do all the aliens speak with an American/Canadian accent? (ouais, peut-être que des fois y parlent en français avec un accent québécois ou antillais !)
**Why are there no boats in a city on water?» (excellent question !!!!)
So, what do you say about that Joseph ? Hein !?
1)Will Todd’s ultimate goal be revealed soon?
2)Once Carson is discovered alive, will what he has to say be even more surprising than his actual existence?
Nice pics, looks like good clean fun and camarederie … but I am heartbroken. No art on the walls save for the lone and lonely calendar of the lovely handsome pugs? I realize you make art for a living, but no paintings, prints or photos? No classic movie posters? No pin-ups of Hot Alien Babes? No grafitti left by crazed fans who broke in over the holidays? (Scratch that last … )
Was there a wall not captured for our rapturous view?
No art, how very, very sad. I could cry. I should inflict some Wayward Art on you, that’d be a lesson learned. Something from the newly hatched “Godzilla Enhances Any Art” 2008 collection perhaps. Be afraid, be very afraid.
Hey, Mr. M!
😯 I just noticed the tiny bit of chest showing in Picture #1. 😀
Anne Teldy
wolfenm Says:
@PG-15 ~ I recognise her — it’s Emma Frost, the ex-White Queen of the Hellfire Club! (She’s from X-Men, if you’re not familiar.)
Thanks!
anneteldy Says:
pg15, you are a dead man!!! I just spent godonlyknowshowmuch time trying to make out details in the photos, something I would not have done had you never mentioned it.
Bwahahahahahahah!! Just one more piece of homework for the Joseph Mallozzi School of Evil completed! Next, I shall attempt to waste someone else’s time AND cause them to loose their keys!
Anne Teldy (who now knows Mr. M’s extension)
Ohhh…do share. 😉
On a side note, how do you make that “quote” thing that makes the post you’re quoting to have larger indents at the sides than your actual post?
One minute to go – got my cup of tea and all settled ready for BAMSR – it has a lot to live up to.
Holy fanfic plot bunnies Batman, that was awesome! surpassed expectations. I shall watch the fansites closely for all the Au fic this one generates. I’m looking forward to see where you are going with Weir. BTW to me FRAN had more than a hint of Elizabeth about her, mannerisms and aura and such, a sweet little tangent to meander down.
Hi Joe.
The patches management always interests me on Atlantis.
Is there a large box of Atlantis patches and you just pick up a patch, put it on your jacket while in Atlantis and then put it back in the box when you go off world, or are the Atlantians responsible for their own patches?
What happens if you forget and go off world with your patch. Any disciplinary action?
Hi
could you dedicate your blog to all the people voting for Stargate atlantis on TV. com and maybe post this link, so that anyone who isn’t already voting can do. We are nearly up to 3.5 million votes! But all our fingurs hurt from repetative double clicking :o(
http://www.tv.com/special_feature/best-of-2007/genre/index.html?page=6
THANKS!!!!
PS ATLANTIS IS THE BEST SHOW EVER!!!!!!
Please answer this question. What part of Scotland is Beckett from? Thanks.
My sister keeps asking me questions about Stargate Atlantis and she always manages to ask the questions that I don’t know the answer to. On top of that, she”ll only believe some of the stuff that I made up (apparently mice-like creatures are the things that clean-up around Atlantis 😉
I suppose I should vote for the BOTM before time expires, eh?
In the sci-fi category I vote for Fast Forward. Normally I’m not a short story type of gal, but I thought I’d give this a try. Plus, it’s in at my local library.
My library’s catalog also claimed that Bright of the Sky was in as well, but it wasn’t on the shelf. I wonder if it’s lost in the depths of the library shelves forever…(stupid people who don’t know how to properly re-shelve books)…
Grats on the ratings! I am one of the 60% who timeshift, my DVR has spoiled me more than i care to admit.
Q) Are the statuettes in the background of your picture yours or do they belong to the collective of writers?
Oh thank god anneteldy I thought I was the only lunatic in the asylum that tried to read that note.
Which by the way I also think Joe planted to test are powers of impertinently, inquiring, inquisitorialness…okay we were snooping!
Thanks for the tip on the ojimajig on the bottom right above the time, never knew I had one of them. Now I can magnify everything!!!
Pauline
Were the actors informed of Ark of Truth being leaked? If so, how did they react?
Hi Joe thanks for posting Martin’s Q&A, and thanks Martin for doing it! Very cool!
Great to hear about the ratings, that episode deserved it- and as for DVR I do it also, as well as watch live as much as I can.
DD
I just wanted to say thanks for telling me before about the Ronon & Teyla moment in BAMS’R it was sweet and us R&T shippers are squeeing still Hand Holding squeee. I am glad that Ronon wasn’t a jealous jerk like Sheppard was and Shep was a Frelling Jerk. I actually got to watch live at a friends house and she went to bed early and she has DVR so I watched that part several times. I read somewhere that you see Ronon & Teyla as brother and sister why they have awesome chemistry and it isn’t sibling like. I think Ronon carries a torch for her and the looks he was giving Shep during that tirade spoke volumes. Why you and the rest of the writers don’t see their chemistry is beyond me every scene Shep and Teyla have had that were supposed to shippy were IMHO forced and awkward. I also want to say I think Weir is real Weir and she is not evil. Congrats to Martin he found Sam there was impostor in the first half that looked like Sam she has been found now loved her part the entire ep.
Is there anyway in season 5 you could give Ronon & Teyla a kiss on screen make it an AU you did write Ripple Effect after all. If you don’t do the Auto Commentary for This Mortal Coil it is a crime considering all the talking about it on your blog how emotional you were about it.
A couple of Continuum questions do Daniel & Vala have any kind of interaction with each other. Any info would be appreciated the reason the D&V shippers want to know is because some of us didn’t like how Brad wrote D&V in Beachhead it was too snippy but he did redeem himself with Pegasus Project loved D&V in that ep. As a Vala fan does Vala have any scenes with Jack? They got nothing in 200 or The Shroud and it is something that I want to see.
I have Blog/fandom question Did you make cat like noises when people were getting into spats when you were on Blog spot and were you eating chocolate dipped popcorn while approving the comments :p
Soon-to-be-Dead-Man pg15 wrote:
Look carefully at the picture of the phone.
I guess you won’t buy the answer “magical powers” or “my feminine charms”?
Oh, very well. The HTML code is [BLOCKQUOTE] text [/BLOCKQUOTE]. Be sure to change the symbols [ to or it might not work.
Anne Teldy who is so glad Pauline came clean too.
How does Martin have an iphone? Did he buy it in the states?
Here’s something I’ve wondered about (and I’m sure others have too, unless it’s been answered already, so forgive my ignorance) :
Why have they never found either a “recharging” station for the ZPMs or the means to manufacture them?
The Ancients had to make them somehow, and that was either on Atlantis or some offworld place or spacestation. At the very least I would think that information would be in the database. If this is something y’all have planned of for a future episode, I look forward to it. If you’re not going to ever have something like that show up, I can live with that. The discovery of a place that might have been one in the past, however, (and is now destroyed) would go a long way in squashing that wondering for the time being 😉
I am kind of surprised that the Replicators didn’t know how to make them, either. Or maybe they did…
In BAMSR, Teyla says to Sheppard “I tried to tell you” (regarding her pregnancy). I’ve been trying to remember a scene where Teyla made an attempt to tell Shep, but I’m coming up blank. Did a scene get cut somewhere?
Thanks. 🙂
Joe, thanks for the news about Elizabeth.
So, she will be in the next season?????
I like her uniform in BAMSR, but I hope in the next season will be a good Elizabeth replicator too (please!!!)
I can imagin a fight among them two, amazing!!!
About the book, my father read it and tell me it was good, so I´m going to read my first english book!!!
Bye!
Hi Joe, just a quick question:
Do you like the wine??
Hallo,
I have been a huge Stargate SG1 fan but only just recently got into Atlantis as well and I have few comments and questions to ask:
1) I always felt that Dr Weir was a bit dry and didn’t care much when she was written off the show, on the other hand I loved the character of Samantha Carter and I am really glad she is taking over. I’m a baffled though why the are writers trying to make her like Weir? Weir was a diplomat while Carter is a genius scientist who can even take on Rodney, so why waste her little screen-time portraying her like a Weir-duplicate? We have always been teased about who is smarter she or Rodney, why not have them interact a little on scientific level? Carter was more spunky…
2) I’m sure you’ve been asked before but any chance Carson Beckett might return to the show? I am not a fan of Dr Keller. Although I have nothing against Jewel S – who I loved in Firefly – she has not made any substantial contribution to the show. I find her dull while Paul McG had made the character his. Keller is expendable as far as I’m concerned. She, as a character has nothing unique to offer. Beckett was… Beckett. We love him, we want him back.
3) Teyla’s pregnancy – disappointed it wasn’t Ronon’s. Just watching my season 1, 2 & 3 marathon to catch up, I found hundreds of scenes where they shoe genuine affection and care for one another. Plus the scene from BAMSR when he walked her to the infirmary was so sweet….
I know you have hundreds of questions and cannot answer all but here’s hoping….
Thanks
londongirl
Nope, and thanks!
Oh forgot to ask:
4) Any chance we might be getting some more Sheppard-Larrin interaction? I would love to see them together. Not sure it would be good for Sheppard’s health but it would definitely be funny. lol
londongirl
shameless namedropping alert:
Cowboys QB Tony Romo and Jessica Simpson were shopping in my store yesterday evening. So, you can tell Rob that the QB of his favorite team buys books and coffee, but apparently he doesn’t tip my cafe staff. Go figure.
Unfortunately, I had already gone home for the day, so they both missed the pleasure of meeting me. Perhaps next time.
Joe
Great picture of you in the last shot. Do have a calendar with your pugs as the pictures? I know you have read some of Terry Pratchetts books. What would be your favorite of his.. Thanks
DOri
So what’s your favorite episode of those remaining? I’m psyched about them all but for some reason I really am excited about Trio.
And wams352 I caught a few scenes from Women’s Murder Club Friday night. I’ve recorded it but haven’t had the chance to watch the whole thing. The scene where Lindsey showed Joe F’s character all the pictures… the look on his face was some really, really good acting.
WOOHOO!!!
Congrats on the People’s Choice Award! What an honor for the entire SGA team. You so deserved the win.
I tried to vote yesterday nothing happened so I thought it had finally finished just checked and SGA position has dropped its still on, the swines that are TV.com so if you have not voted or would like to do so again its at http://www.tv.com/special_feature/best-of-2007/genre/index.html?page=6