“Holy Smokes, that’s a lot of drinking chocolate!”remarked Paul as he checked out the alluring assortment sitting on my coffee table. The box of Holy Chocolate: Every sip blessed arrived this morning compliments of Anne Teldy who wrote to thank me for the cumbersome SG-1 watch I sent her for being around my one millionth visitor. Apparently, the girls in accounting were holding onto it but I sent office guy and two production assistants in to retrieve the package for me. Happily, the mission was a success (despite the fact that one of the production assistants is still MIA and office guy is nursing a shrapnel wound. Those accountants mean business!). Anne, in response to your request – Sure! But you’ll have to wait until the episode airs.
Speaking of waiting – Hey, PG15, I haven’t forgotten about you. Our publicist returns to the office in the coming weeks at which time I will be able to get my hands on that 10th season box set and send the complete SG-1 collection your way. I don’t exactly recall what you did to deserve it, but I’m sure it was something remarkable like inventing something really cool or saving a life (presumably mine).
We had the production meeting for Broken Ties this morning. It’s all systems go. We start shooting Monday at The Bridge while BamBam runs Jason and Mark Dacascos through the paces over at Norco. The tendril meeting was scheduled for tomorrow, then canceled after careful consideration.
I finished my rewrite on Whispers and it goes wide tomorrow. I haven’t seen everyone this excited about a script since the last one that came out(!). BamBam came by office this afternoon and he seemed quite excited at the prospect of auditioning some really unique walkers. I can’t wait.
Today’s mailbag:
SusantheTartanTurtle writes: “Is Carson getting his turtles back?”
Answer: The burning turtle issue will be addressed in Whispers.
JacobIsThere writes: “ Being a regular reader of your blog I’ve noticed that I’ve never read a response from you where you admit you were wrong to do X, Y, Z, or that the reader/poster was indeed right in bringing up something that occurred in an episode. Why is that?”
Answer: Uh, maybe because you haven’t been paying close enough attention?
DasNdanger writes: “The first off-world exploration lead to the total disruption of the balance that existed in the galaxy…affecting both human and Wraith alike. Right or wrong, the Wraith had a system that worked – it kept humans from overpopulating and exploiting their own planets…”
Answer: Sure, the wraith had a system that worked…for the wraith! They exploited every other race in the galaxy and, when a civilization attained a level of technology they deemed a threat to their dominance, the wraith swept in and wiped them out. Mass cullings as an answer to overpopulation? The wraith kept them from “exploiting their own planets”? I’m not sure I’m following your line of reasoning unless…Todd, is that you?!
Patricia Lee writes: “What happened to Peter DeLuise? Is he ever going to be coming back to direct anymore episodes of Atlantis?”
Answer: Peter is acting (you can catch him on Robson Arms). He will not be directing in season five.
How fabulous! I checked and there was no update. I grabbed a snack and hit refresh and was greeted by Holy Chocolate! That’s incredibly cute.
Thanks for the PD update. I’ll have to check that out, because right now I have no clue what Robson Arms is.
Wowser, that’s a gianormous piece of space cow jerky!
I have discovered a new form of misery: the EMG or Electromyography. @^%#%$#^%$#!!!! Not only do they stick electrodes on tender skin and send shocks along the nerves, they stick needles in ever more tender spots and listen to the racket of the nerves. IT HURTS! Did I mention it freaking hurts? Especially when the doctor bumps the button and inflicts repeated shocks when he thought the machine wasn’t on yet? “Um, that’s beginning to hurt.” “Oh, it’s on!” Sigh. Much cooler to read about than to actually have to have it inflicted on you! Ouch! I did mention it hurts, didn’t I? I can scarcely wait for the treatment plan to be revealed. I fear it will involve the rack, an iron maiden, red-hot pokers, and strange men in leather masks. Oh wait a minute, that was our last party.
I have some awesome news. I just took a job as an intern with a network that produces new media shows for the internet. I’ll be working on Pulp Secret, a show all about comics. I’ll even get to help interview the great Dan Didio at the DC offices pretty soon. I just wanted to know that you inspired me to get into the medium. Maybe I’ll even get a chance to interview some of you guys at Comic Con San Diego (yeah wishful thinking is one of many part-time hobbies).
Thanks for being awesome.
SusantheTartanTurtle writes: “Is Carson getting his turtles back?”
Answer: The burning turtle issue will be addressed in Whispers.
Well, I hope he’ll be surprised, seeing as how *this* Carson never had turtles. (Well, unless he had some as a child or something.) But anyway, I’m one of those who’s looking forward to this, silly as it may be. A couple times when I was bored, I actually wrote a little story and posted it on the ADB forum, about the turtles and their opinions of all this gallavanting-about-the-galaxy nonsense. Who knew turtles could do slapstick?
Hi….new reader and I just wanted to say thanks for the update on Peter DeLuise…I just watched The Defiant One today and wondered why I haven’t heard his name lately with association of Stargate. And todays pics have made me hit my own chocolate stash…thanks LOL.
I’d like to mention that I am determined more than ever to audition for a roll on SGA and succeed in getting it. Someday Mr. Mallozzi, you and I will meet and together we will create one of the best episodes of SGA ever.
Question: How do you get past writers block? (assuming you even get it…) Sorry if this question has already been answered in a previous post.
<3
Sam
FREEDOM!! From midterm exams that is.
Sorry for the late comment Joe, I tired your uncle’s spot on shirt trick and I don’t think it went over very well. They haven’t called me back regarding their hiring decision. Perhaps I need to do the pull my finger trick next time. If they don’t hire me will you? I’m sure you can fire some lowly office hand and replace him/her with me. You are pretty high up on the food chain. I work really hard, will do anything within the law, don’t mind being stuck in small spaces, will walk dogs in all types of weather, and will do anything that falls under the “other duties as needed” portion of the contract. Can you tell I’m desperate? 😉
Are there any special plans for the season finale tomorrow?
Also, please convey my congratulations to Fondy on completing her course. And I’m sure she won’t notice the Christmas tree and piles of dirty clothing when she gets home. Good luck with that.
-Katie
Mr. M wrote:
I do hope you like it. I found the chocolate flavor very dark. I personally prefer milk chocolate. I tried the two types the description said were the sweetest and lightest. The first one I made with 6 oz. of water as instructed and could barely handle it. The second one, I used half water and half milk and it was still too dark for me. I hope they suit your tastes better. Sorry about the mint one.
You are just the sweetest man! Thank you so much! Your timing could not be better. I’ve been pretty down the last few days (health stuff) and I needed cheering up. Seeing that, not only were you not upset by my request, you’re actually going to honor it really lifted my spirits! As for waiting, I thought I had acknowledged knowing that would be the case in the letter, but obviously I didn’t.
Personally, I’m against burning turtles.
Oh, about that last picture: Space Cowhide?
Anne Teldy (Who wonders if Mr. M. has considered that the women in Accounting might not pinch his stuff if he stopped calling them “girls”?)
chevron 7 said …
Well that totally sucks. What kind of job were you going for? Library Officer, Librarian? If you need any advice I’d be happy to pass on some, I work in libraries and know what they often look for in applications.
Thanks! It was a library assistant job, and supposedly library experience wasn’t necessary, but I have 7 years bookstore experience, including inventory, so I thoyght hat would help. *sigh* Thing is, I’m in a very restrictive living situation, and this was pretty mucgh the only job of any kind that I could get to that didn’t require a car or public transportation (which we don’t have out here). So it was less about wanting to work at a library and more about desperately needing a job period, and mistakenly thinking that I’d be a shoo-in for a job in a tiny library (it’s a small suburban house) in a backwater town. XD Karma is probably punishing me for my McKay-like ego. So thanks anyway for the offer, but there’s not another library job for me to go for …
Answer: Sure, the wraith had a system that worked…for the wraith!
Exactly!
They exploited every other race in the galaxy and, when a civilization attained a level of technology they deemed a threat to their dominance, the wraith swept in and wiped them out. Mass cullings as an answer to overpopulation? The wraith kept them from “exploiting their own planets”?
Ah, yes…I believe you are beginning to understand. It is a very complex and ingenious arrangement, is it not? One that benefits Wraith and human alike. Just a little further…you’re almost there, my worshi…erm…Mr. Mallozzi…
I’m not sure I’m following your line of reasoning unless…Todd, is that you?!
*whistles innocently*
😉
Like I said somewhere…’right or WRONG’ – they had a system that worked. Guess everyone missed that part. And thanks so much for having a bit of fun with my ramblings! You paid me the highest compliment…I guess I’m more like Wraith than I realized. (Great. Now I’m hungry) 😛
Quick Wraithy question…Where do Wraith produce their webbing from (reference: the freshly cocooned lad in The Defiant One )? I’m guessing from their hand, because if it came out of their mouths they’d risk webbing up their own heads on a windy day. (ta-da! Instant turban!) Will we ever see a Wraith spinning this sort of silk/webbing – or is that just be TMI and best left to the imagination?
das
I was wondering when you were going to mention that.
And shame Joe, shame…shame that you don’t remember the great deed that I accomplished to save, not only your admittedly precious life, but indeed, all of mankind; even those who like the taste of turnip. Oh, and the stuff that I had to invent during that ordeal! Gather around, for I shall recount the tale.
It was a dark and stormy afternoon. I was watching my favorite Stargate episode, Irresponsible. I was just about to follow that up with Emancipation when the piece of flocking that I named “Jack” started talking. I immediately freaked out, because it was the piece of flocking named “McKay” that always talked to me, and provided me with encouraging thoughts when I am blue. “Jack” would normally just hum. But NO! He was talking, and I listened. Oh yes. I listened. Good.
He told me something I could not believe: the Stargate was real, and that the show is actually not real. It took me a while to get over that second fact. You see, Joe…I had been preparing a bomb shelter, for I know, thanks to your prophetic hints, that “A battle is waged on the defender’s home field”. Obviously, Earth will be attacked, again. Unfortunately, now that I found out that it was LIES, I had to torch it. Of course, the fact that the Stargate was real hit me only a few hours later. In my rage at my own stupidity of burning my only hide out in case of a Wraith attack, or an Ori attack, or a Replicator (because you can always have more replicators) attack, I willed myself to stop existing here…and start existing at the entrance to Cheyenne Mountain.
Yes, I can do that. It’s the power of flocking. Bet you wish you hadn’t given it to me, eh? Well, IT’S TOO LATE SUCKER.
Ahem…ok, moving on. So there I was, in front of Cheyenne Mountain. Only, it looked different from the show. Very different. In fact, it was a restaurant. Turns out, there was a restaurant called Cheyenne Mountain here in Vancouver. Obviously thinking that this was just part of the masterplan of my saving…something, I peeked inside. Of course, I saw you. Along with Martin Gero. And Bubba. And a carrot. I’ll admit, I was excited. I mean…Martin Gero! The guy who sang “All about me”! Come on! I was just trying to will into existence a pen and a piece of paper, to get his autograph, when suddenly you guys disappeared in an Asgard Beam. Except, the carrot remained. Thinking for a moment, I walked into the restaurant, which was situated right beside Fuel, by the way, in case you didn’t know, and picked up the carrot. It was bait, for I was beamed aboard the Daedalus a second after I took a bite out of it. The carrot, that is. Why would anyone bite the Daedalus?
I freaked. All I can think of was…this carrot tasted terrible. Then you said to me…oh, and you might not remember this. But really, it happened. I’m serious. I know I barely remembered it as well, until I sniffed “McKay” the flocking, and then all of this came into my mind…uh, I mean, came BACK into my head loud and clear, and sweet, and fragrant. Anyway, you told me that I was actually NOT the guy posting after the 250,000th guy visited, but rather, Davos (yes, he was real) revealed to you that I was going to save the world. But, I had no abilities whatsoever, so you sent me the magic flocking that not only gave me the ability to teleport and will into existence things, but also acted as a total babe magnet. Seriously, I get so much…uh…let’s finish the story.
So there I was, astounded by the atrocious taste of the carrot, and half-listening to whatever it was that you were talking about, when I decided to listen to you and throw away the carrot. You told me that Glastonbury was going to win the Hemlock, if I don’t get the Favokim in time. Then I decided to turn back time so I can actually listen to you from the beginning, because that made no sense. However, listening to it again made it make even less sense.
Oh yeah, and I can turn back time.
So, I decided to scan the Universe with my mind to find out the truth. Turns out, the British (“Glastonbury”) was stealing the Stargate (code name: Hemlock) right at that moment, and they will use it to spread Britishness to all corners of the world somehow. Bubba had a major problem with that, which meant you had a major problem with that. It was up to me to stop them. Oh, and Favokim? Yeah, it’s nothing.
The British were crafty. They had flocking of their own, disguised as those wigs that their judges wear sometimes. They had all the powers that I had, but they were missing one important thing: knowledge of the Stargate universe. Oh, they just thought it looked pretty, but I knew what a Stargate could do. And so, using my mind, I dialed P3X-451, picking a Gate Address that I knew I had heard on the show the most often.
Accidentally, I had dialed the blackhole planet, dooming Earth. The British, because they were flaky, were sucked into the wormhole immediately. I sweat bullets, literally, because the flocking made it possible. What was I going to do? And then, Joe, you said those words that made me realize what I must do to save the world: “What are ya…a shrill lemming?”
“No.” I said. “I am going to save the world, whether you like it or not.” It was an Oscar moment, no doubt. But, the blackhole was strong, and snarky. I knew the only option I had was to crash the Daedalus straight into it, and so I did that. Even though we all died (along with many in the immediate area of the Stargate) in the process, we saved Earth and its population of humans. And since we’re all humans as well, I technically saved all of our lives, including yours, even though you died.
Alright, I’ll admit it…I’m obviously lying. I didn’t actually invent anything, as you can see by now.
Then, we got cloned, and you decided to award me the complete SG1 series on DVD as prize for saving the Earth.
It’s just that simple, and heroic, and AWESOME.
—
Ok, no offense to any British people. They were honestly the first group of people that I conjured up as I wrote this; I pretty much made things up as I went along (obviously). Just to be clear.
And I await those DVDs with baited breath. 🙂
Hmm. Maggiemayday can I get an invite to your next party? got m’own leather mask and everything and these really fancy things called pilliwinks, which reminds me I must get them cleaned up from the last party, they were the main attraction.
Unfortunately I hit my own chocolate stash before I went to bed and for the next day or so chocolate isn’t featuring too highly on my things to do list but may appear momentarily on my things to barf list.
SusantheTartanTurtle writes: “Is Carson getting his turtles back?”
Answer: The burning turtle issue will be addressed in Whispers.
The burning turtles issue? You may be a master villain but burning turtles?
Susan
Iron Chef Guy, Ronon and a fight scene! Awesome! That just made my night (or what’s left of it before I go to bed in, oh, 10 minutes).
SGA Friday is upon us! The season finale! I’m both excited and depressed. Gosh, you guys are good.
Will The Daedalus Variations feature some lovely piano solos? I think it would almost have to!
I have to say that I miss the commentaries that Peter did for the DVDs though i may be in the majority in that opinion. Plus, Peter did name one of my favorite characters, Lorne.
I do have a question about the background characters like the soldiers, are they stand-ins like Chuck Campbell or are they just extras?
Cheers!
Hi Joe,
I just watched Martin Gero’s announcement for the Stargate Atlantis Superfan Contest on youtube. At the end it says “Season 5 – Coming in July 2008”. So, can I assume that it’s now confirmed Atlantis is returning in the summer? I mean the video looks quite official … please say “yes”!
I really look forward to that dinner on April 3rd … unfortunately we only get a table at a later schedule. Hopefully you and Martin still will be there at 8.30 pm, won’t you?
And thank you so much for keeping us in the loop. This is very important for me and I think for everyone else, particularly in the next months … without Atlantis *sighs* …
Hi, Joe!
“The Last Man” is the #1 show on TV Guide Online’s TV Hot List:
http://www.tvguide.com/tv-hotlist
Morjana
Umm the last pic looks like he got hit by a large piece of bbq chicken skin…
mmmmmm chocolate drink! *reaches for the milo*
Peter was on the last episode of Supernatural. It was fun to see him. And I can’t wait to see that big fight scene Bam Bam must have cooked up for Marc and Jason.
Answer: Peter is acting (you can catch him on Robson Arms). He will not be directing in season five.
Indeed – he popped up on Supernatural the other week and I admit I had a silly Stargate fangirl moment and pointed and shouted, “Look! It’s Peter DeLuise!!” 😀
My husband has learnt to just ignore these moments now..
Hi!
First off: Greetings from Europe 🙂 Love your blog and have been reading it for a while. Must say I’m always happy when you post new pics from behind the scenes – nice to see you guys at work and having fun 🙂 After reading the last mailbags I thought I had to ask this – is Martin Wood going to do some episodes next season? You didn’t mention him when you where talking about the directors of next season and I was a bit sad not reading his name – must confess he is my favorite director ^^
Wow, I’m with the girls in accounting. Keep the chocolate! So Mr.M, I have a question. With Mark Dacascos on set next week, any chance of you guest judging on his show? As a gourmand, I would think a shot as a guest judge would appeal to you. Maybe you could even get the coveted “Battle Chocolate” stint!
Well, you gotta like a company that also provides Weight Watchers Points with their advertising.
Those of you in Weight Watchers, the Amaretto is only 1 Point!!
We need to space out our sugar shipments. We might end up causing mass diabetes in the production office. 🙂
And congrats to Peter for heading back to a full-time acting gig. I’ll miss watching for his mug to show up in episodes.
HI again Mr M!
Greetings once more from Tipperary, as we are beginning the prep. for the Expedition to Vancouver. Am reading Douglas Coupland’s City of Glass… Very interesting and funny.
Have a lot of catch up to do on your blog as was laid low by illness, but am back to form once more. And again, for pure divilment I ask…..Is it too late to start a “Save Major Anne Teldy” Campaign??
Yours (in cheekiness)
Shirt’n’Tie
PS Caught Kindred Part 2 from my sick-bed….Awesome. Am looking forward to the last couple of eps!!!
I haven’t seen everyone this excited about a script since the last one that came out(!).
*snort*
*chuckles* Not much can get between me and good chocolate either. Hope the shrapnel wounds heal up. 😉 *shakes head*
Hey, whatever happened to Rodney’s cat (catlover that I am)? Did the neighbor move out of state and take the cat with her? Poor kitty…
Sure, the wraith had a system that worked…for the wraith! They exploited every other race in the galaxy and, when a civilization attained a level of technology they deemed a threat to their dominance, the wraith swept in and wiped them out. Mass cullings as an answer to overpopulation? The wraith kept them from “exploiting their own planets”?
Look at it this way: The Wraith were the dominant species in their galaxy. Humans were like cows. The Atlantis expedition sent what amounted to exceedingly clever, armed cows into the galaxy. The Atlantean cows discovered that Their Kind was being exploited and decided to do something about it. Thus, the balance of power is shifting away from the Wraith and more towards the allegorical cows.
Imagine if real armed cows came to our galaxy! Boy would they be pissed off. What if they succeeded in liberating all the cows and then moved on to the pigs and other creatures we like to eat?
Anyway, I’m not going to step into the middle of the humans-ruined-the-Pegasus-Galaxy thing. I’m just clarifying and making cow jokes.
PS: Pigs are as intelligent as dogs, I’m told.
Even if this Carson wasn’t actually the one taking care of the turtles, he’ll technically have all the memories of having taken care of them, right? So I think those turtles may be all right under his care.
Hey Joe,
I think you probably know this, but Peter DeLuise is also directing episodes of TV adaptation Douglas Coupland’s book jPod. It is on CBC on Fridays and isn’t bad. Check it out.
*gasp* Bambam stopped by and you didn’t take pictures? 😉
I started a group for him on Facebook so any new pics of him you have would be greatly appreciated so that I can add them!
hey, would it be possible for season 5 to have the SGA team find an aurora and use it on full power, as opposed to:
-getting destroyed because it was used when it wasnt repaired completely
-dissapearing in the void between galaxys
-being blow to bits to prevent the wraith from getting it
-annother race getting it[would be nice to see even more of that one btw. name it perhaps?]
we lost 4 auroras. maybe keep the last?[i dont mind its drone bays being depeleted. just stick a few asgard beam weapons and some of their pulsed energy weapons to it]
annother question:
do auroras have any weapon system besides drones? they seem so vulnerable when their drones are used up…
and the asurans: did their auroras use pulse weapons, or just drones?
apart from that: im seeing forward to s5, and the last man, search and rescue, and all other eppys
Bonjour Joseph,
Tu sais quoi ??? Il NEIGE IL NEIGE !!! Ouf, encore deux autres tempêtes qui sont prévus pour cette fin de semaine, je crois que si ça continue je ne pourrai plus sortir de chez moi… Bof, en même temps c’est la semaine de relâche, alors aussi bien en profiter pour jouer dans la neige et écrire un peu bien au chaud dans la maison. Je suis ceeeertaine que tu te demandais comment je vais ? Puisque ça fait un petit bout que je n’ai pas écrit. Alors, merci de t’en préoccuper, je vais très bien. Je ne suis pas aller à Montréal finalement, trop de neige !!
Passe une bonne journée
Morgia 🙂
Joe wrote: BamBam came by office this afternoon and he seemed quite excited at the prospect of auditioning some really unique walkers. I can’t wait.
What are walkers?
I’ve been racking my brains trying to place the guy I keep seeing at my station, sure he was an actor, wondering in which show I’d seen him. Finally it dawned on me – I’m 90% certain it’s the guy who played Davos in The Seer. Which was a little weird seeing a guy from a US show hanging around my wee London station 😉
Joe, those pics are great especially on my excellent new flat screen monitor that my boss got me. : ) : )Everything is so clear and crisp. For awhile I thought it was my eyes but now it appears it was the old crap of a monitor that I had.
In Celebration I have a question, if you could decide the airing schedule for Atlantis would you choose:
A: the way it was before – summer premiere.
B: the way it was this season.
C: come up with an exciting new scheduling idea – please elaborate.
Thanks.
Hi Joe!
Yes, that giant space jerky looks quite ferocious! I hope you guys have a strong cage for it!
When you say “burning turtle” you don’t mean that literally, right Joe? Huh? Right? Cuz turtles are nice and cute and they don’t like fire at all, eh? Fire bad. Turtle good. 🙂
I like the ep title, Whispers. Very visual…for an aural word. Mmmmm….whispering into [insert thunkee]’s ear. *happy sigh*
Uh…er…where was I?
Oh yeah! dasNdanger is really Todd?! I’ve been talking to the coolest Wraith (besides Michael!) in the Pegasus Galaxy?! Damn, that’s kinda cool. 🙂
Enjoy your yummy chocolates, Joe…and stay away from accounting!!
eddy
Hi Joe. This is the first time I have posted anything on your blog. First thing, I am enjoying season four. Now the questions.
#1 Will we be seeing anymore Wraith centric stories in season five? I or, more precisely fans would like to see stories on their hive based lives or, their hierarchy within the hive?
#2 Will we be seeing more of Todd? I like the way his character has been developing which, give us another perspective on Wraith personality that does not include “GRR I am going to eat you human!” I like his subtle shades of gray and, the fact he will keep us guesting what his next move will be. We need more Wraith characters like him since the Wraith are integral part of the story arc from the beginning.
LS
hey Joe hows life treating ya?
do you watch kyle xy? i was surpised the other day to see that peter deluise was the director of a few of the epps, now i know why i like that show so much. Got a touch of stargate, cant get any better then that.
barb
When are the Pugs going to guest star on the show. They could pass for an E.T. The French Bulldog can play the Queen… how’d the tatt come out by the way? I didn’t notice it overtly in the photos the other day.
Oh Shiningwit, the World is invited to ALL my parties. You just have to figure out which mailing group I send the invites out on. Buwahahaha. Pilliwinks? Now I have to go google that. Should I be afraid?
Mmm, now I’m craving jerky dipped in chocolate. Srsly.
YUM!!! Chocolate!!!!
Joe, Has Marty G. picked a name yet for his mid-season 2-parter or is he still deciding?
Can’t wait for tonights episode.
danielfanforever
Hi Joe! *waves*
Being the Shep whumper I am, I have to ask. Since the extreme Shep-whump ep for S5 has been put on hold, are there maybe any other eps in S5 that contain at least a little bit of Shep whump that you can tell so far?
Thanks 🙂 Looking forward to The Last Man tonight!
Jenn
Just a thought I had…
Michael said to Teyla that everything he did was all to capture her and that he had great plans for the child…IF I assume that included taking her people( as part of his plan to capture her)…which was done BEFORE Teyla knew she was pregnant, but Michael obviously knew she was pregnant…could I then also assume that Michael indeed had something to do with her getting pregnant?
Skypig Said: Look at it this way: The Wraith were the dominant species in their galaxy. Humans were like cows. The Atlantis expedition sent what amounted to exceedingly clever, armed cows into the galaxy. The Atlantean cows discovered that Their Kind was being exploited and decided to do something about it. Thus, the balance of power is shifting away from the Wraith and more towards the allegorical cows.
Imagine if real armed cows came to our galaxy! Boy would they be pissed off. What if they succeeded in liberating all the cows and then moved on to the pigs and other creatures we like to eat?
And what would happen if the cows then took over the planet – the galaxy? Already ‘experts’ are blaming cows for global warming (and Far Side jokes). Too many cows and earth will become a dried-up, barren desert…hmmmmm….
Earth turned into a desert by cows…Now Atlantis turned into a desert…could there be a connection??! 😉
Yes! We need the Wraith to keep the balance!! 😀
AV eddy Said: Oh yeah! dasNdanger is really Todd?! I’ve been talking to the coolest Wraith (besides Michael!) in the Pegasus Galaxy?! Damn, that’s kinda cool.
😀
Let’s just say that Todd and I are of like mind. I’m sympathetic to his situation (and the Wraith’s in general), and want to see him succeed more than anything. I love him in that edgy gray area, and since I’m bracing myself for the moment he turns, it would be so sweet (and a real surprise) to see him do just the opposite. But with the way the Lanteans treated him, keeping him a prisoner with no hope of freedom or food (until that convenient fainting spell he had. 😉 God, I love him… ) …well…I wouldn’t blame the guy for turning on them. Still, I’d love to see the opposite, just because it’s not what I expect…and I think there’s enough room and development for this character to turn him into someone truly special, and not just another (ho-hum) disposable villain.
A few other things: I mentioned before, but I’d love to see pets introduced into Atlantis. Rodney with his cat would be a pleasure to see, as well as seeing a others with pets as well. I believe I suggested a weasel for Sheppard, and I stand by that.
I just found out that Robert Davi (Kolya) visits my favorite local restaurant. He was just there recently, too. No worries, if I ever run into him, I will NOT make him pay for what he did to me…erm…TODD. *shifty eyes* whew.
Chocolate. How did I miss all the chocolate talk?! (oh, yeah…right – obsessing about you-know-who 😛 ) I’m a dark, DARK chocolate kinda gal – dark chocolate (70% or better) with chili peppers is to DIE for!! A little dark chocolate with hot peppers, and a good red wine (I prefer [red] zinfandel…but a nice oaky cab works well, too)…and suddenly all is well with the world…no matter how bad the day has been.
Damn. I’m hungry again. AND thirsty… 😛
das
On March 6, 2008 at 9:42 pm dasNdanger Said:
Answer: Sure, the wraith had a system that worked…for the wraith!
Exactly!
I’m not so sure that it worked. It may have worked before the war with the Ancients started, but during the war the Wraith had to increase their number enormously and all those Wraith had to feed.
The balance between predators and prey is a very fragile one: Too many predators and the population of the prey will collapse (what leads to starvation of most of the predators till the balance is restored).
I think that exactly that happened during the war. Too many humans had been culled to feed the enormous mass of warriors for too long and after the war ended the Wraith were forced to sleep to avoid starvation.( Humans don’t reproduce very quickly, because they have a very long childhood and often die of illness or by accident.). It makes no sense to me that the stasis of the Wraith is part of their normal behaviour, because they could never have reached that status of a high technology society when they are sleeping most of their lifetime.
I think they have been forced to sleep because there was not enough food for all of them and after every culling they had to wait until the population of there food has increased again.
So the situation of the Wraith at the time the Lanteans arrived was not the normal way the Wraith lived once. Sooner or later they would have gotten problems anyway. The arrival of the Lanteans had just accelerated that process.
Hey Jo’, thank you for pictures of this week.
I was just thinking if the opening credits will change for 5th season ? ( Not “add” or “delete” actors’ name but new scene from season 4 ou 5 ).
Are the chocolates still alive or all eaten or stolen by the others ( actors, writers, producers etc…) ?^^
Hmmm, Maybe “burning turtle” means.. That when they reach a certain age they breath fire!!
bwhaaa
Uh oh. I think we fans need to impose a quarantine on PG15’s flocking again. And, um, as a precaution, we might want to bring a nice, comfy, SUNG jacket for him too… one that ties in the back.
And Joe, do you think maybe you could replace that evil poofy stuff with something a little safer. Perhaps PG15 would trade with you for a condemned naquadah generator? Yessir. That that would definitely be safer for him…
Drat. I evidently can’t punctuate today. Sorry.
Let me get this straight…
Major Anne Teldy is going to be killed by space cows, right?
Yet according to Skypig (and the Wraith)the humans in the Pegasus Galaxy are actually cows, and the most dangerous cows of all are the heavily armed Atlantis contingent.
Uh-oh.
Do you know what this means?
Major Anne is going to be ‘offed’ by someone on Atlantis!
Oh no.
I’m with Shirt ‘n’ Tie – Save Major Anne!
@The Skypig
I know some pigs that are more clever than most people!
I guess I’m just not a people person after all 😉
PG15, you really need to put that flocking away, (maybe area 51 could hold it for you)and get a life, while you’re at it if there’s a spare one I seem to have misplaced mine:)
I’ve concluded that we all have far too much time on our hands and we all know what THAT means don’t we?;)
I read the news regarding Joe Flanigan’s loss. I know a lot of people wanted to send their thoughts and prayers to his family.
…while I’m still thinking about blog prizes…
Anne Teldy, how’re you feeling hon? Have you had any problems with your new watch? It hasn’t tried to take off your hand has it? Please, please be careful until you’ve discovered it’s true powers. (Hopefully they’re good ones, but since we know that Mr.M has some unspecified connection to the Dreaded Baron Destructo, I would would recommend treating any gifts from his direction with a bit of suspicion.)
ptarmigan
Psst…Noir – you’re supposed to be on my side… 😉
Actually, I do see what you’re saying. So, perfect solution: let the unmasked higher Wraith feed on those big cloned goons, reduce their numbers dramatically – and VOILA! Balance is restored!
Dang…why hasn’t Todd thought of this yet? Somebody really needs to sit him down and explain this all to him before Ronon shoots him in the head.
Waitastinkin’minute….
If the Wraith don’t age and live indefinitely…if they have endless years…then wouldn’t they be able to feed off of each other like – forever – with just a giant hickey left on their chest to show for it?
Hmmmmm??
das
I just read in Alex Levine’s blog that BW’s episode 6 of season 5 is a McKay episode. I know episode 9 is a Teyla episode and episode 3(?) Broken Ties, is a Ronon centric one. So, I was wondering which episode in the first half of season 5 is Sheppard centric?
I too was saddened to hear of Joe F’s loss. My thoughts go to him and his family at this time.
I was sad to hear about Joe F’s loss..
Such sad news.. these things are never easy..
My thoughts go out to him and his family.
@dasNdanger
Send him over to me and I will explain my ideas to him. But – please – make sure that he is not hungry, otherwise it will be a very short discussion…
@Kristen and Linzi
What loss? 😯
SO excited just got an e-mail from amazon.com saying that my very own copy of Ark Of Truth has shipped… YIPPIE….
I have not heard any news about Joe Flanigan’s loss…anyone mind filling me in???
Eva K Said:
Even if this Carson wasn’t actually the one taking care of the turtles, he’ll technically have all the memories of having taken care of them, right? So I think those turtles may be all right under his care.
But clone Carson was cloned around ‘Misbegotten’ before ‘The Return’ and the turtles that the original Carson bought and therefore won’t have memories of them ‘cos he was Michael’s prisoner at the time.
Leesa Perrie
Answer: The burning turtle issue will be addressed in Whispers.
Personally, I’m against burning turtles
Boom tsh!!!
Well done. That line’s gotta be used in the episode!
I’m not so sure that it worked. It may have worked before the war with the Ancients started, but during the war the Wraith had to increase their number enormously and all those Wraith had to feed. [snip] I think they have been forced to sleep because there was not enough food for all of them and after every culling they had to wait until the population of there food has increased again.
So the situation of the Wraith at the time the Lanteans arrived was not the normal way the Wraith lived once. Sooner or later they would have gotten problems anyway. The arrival of the Lanteans had just accelerated that process.
I’ve always wondered what the Wraith were like before the Ancients arrived. As you mentioned, the Wraith hibernate for long periods that seemed to be a result of their population bloom from cloning.
And I wondered why the Ancients went to war with the Wraiths in the first place? I like to think it wasn’t all that simple. I have a couple of speculative ideas that run from the Wraith being genetically engineered weapons (the Ancients are lying liars that lie!), to Wraiths being a displaced indigenous race of the Ascension plane, to the Ancients fearing the Wraith’s power to their own. Etc.
Here’s my favorite theory in relation to this discussion: The Ancients, when they first discovered the Wraiths, found the Wraith need to feed distasteful. The Wraiths at the time had lots of humans and human worshippers, so they took a tithe of life. That way, they don’t kill and the human population grows. In return the Wraiths extend the human lifespans, protect them, and managed galaxy affairs. (When you have a long lived species, it means the turnover of leadership hands don’t change as much, especially in relation to human lifespans.) So the Ancients, being very self-righteous, tried to change the Wraiths. And so the war happened and the system of coexistance broke. Now, in the present, everyone is still dealing with the consequence of the Ancient’s disruption of the PG.
I suppose the Ancients get the “last laugh” though. Doesn’t matter if it’s the Ancients fault or not. Whatever the case might have been or may be, unless the Wraith remain as a major power, the Wraith are a doomed race. Even if they tried to coexist now, the Wraith will always have to fear for their safety. The humans will hate and fear them. And then there’s always the possibility of enslavement. (Gift of Life, anyone?)
It’s why I root for Todd and an alliance between SGA and the Wraith. I want them to work together on that long, hard road towards mutual, beneficial coexistance.
So what do you all think?
*waves*
I know i’ve been remiss, RL isn’t playing nice. Just dropped by to say i’m looking forward to the BTS pics and fingers and toes crossed that The Last Man tonight will knock our socks off. How’s Lulu doing now, is she much better?
Is it this weekend that Fondy is due back home? Better get that hoover out Joe! 😛
While i’m here, just wanted to pass on some hugs to Joe F and his family for his and their loss. I know what it’s like to lose your Dad. So be gentle with him Mr M, as I know you can be. 😀
*hugs*
The loss people are mentioning is the passing of Joe Flanigan’s father (I have not seen confirmation of it yet…only heard about it at Gateworld).
@ Noir – I’ll send Todd over, if you can figure out a way to resurrect Steve for me… 😉 (well…his hair, at least…and that arrogant little pout of his)
Ugh – middle of a nor’easter – if my satellite or power cuts out tonight I am gonna be SO pissed!!! It’ll serve me right after all my ‘more Todd’ whining, if I end up missing more Todd… 😛
4 hours…and counting….
das
Hey Joe, could you pass this note onto Alex Levine?
In his blog today on “Last Man,” he mentions “IATSI 891.” Just needs to fix that to IATSE 😉
Thx 🙂
And did you see David Hewlett’s interview in which he refers to Season 5 as “Season 5: A Season in Bed,” due to whatever happens in “The Seed”?
Please give Joe Flanigan and his family my deepest sympathy in his loss. Sending lots of hugs.
Hi, Joe.
Just read Alex Levine’s blog at SciFi Channel:
http://blog.scifi.com/stargate/
Season Five is to premiere in July! (But you knew that…)
Sweet!
Morjana
Sorry for so many posts again… 😛
Panna Cotta Said: It’s why I root for Todd and an alliance between SGA and the Wraith. I want them to work together on that long, hard road towards mutual, beneficial coexistance.
So what do you all think?
I think your idea is wonderful…but then again, I’m a bit partial. 😉
It seems the more challenging route to take. First, writers would have to be careful not to neuter the Wraith, they’d have to maintain their edge, their threat and their danger. And it would have to be a believable scenario. Still, to find a way for humans and Wraith to coexist – at arm’s length – (and with ALL the ups and downs along the way) is a more exciting concept than…”BAM! Yer all dead! Bring in a new enemy!” Yes – we want to see the humans succeed, but there’s a lot of us who would also like to see the Wraith do okay, too. (I also wouldn’t mind a new enemy or two, but not as a replacement for Wraith.)
One of my favorite lines from BAMSR was when Caldwell said, “I remember when the Cold War ended and we started doing joint missions with the Russians. I thought that was strange!”
That gave me chills, because it gave me hope that we would – perhaps – see more of that sort of cautious cooperation between humans and Wraith. Maybe not too soon – but eventually.
das
Hi Joe!
I read on Gateworld that Carter gets demoted in Continuum after she returns from Atlantis?? Is this possibly true? Please set the record straight! 🙁
Eliza
I finally found the info about Joe’s dad…my thoughts and prayers go to the family.
I am new to posting here
…I do have a few questions:
1) Has it been announced when season 5 will begin in the US?
(My husband & I are currently awaiting the final episode of Season 4…we are looking forward to it but do not want to wait for the next to begin…hopefully the DVD of 4 will be out soon)
2) Any date for DVD release?
3) Joe M…did you do any of the commentaries on season 4 DVDs? Or can you share who did some of them?
DonnaRedRockMom
“Juliana Said:
Hmmm, Maybe “burning turtle” means.. That when they reach a certain age they breath fire!!
bwhaaa”
YES!! I have discovered the Truth behind Joe’s too-casual-so-it-must-really-mean-something statement about the “burning turtle issue.”
GAMERA!!! He’s coming to Pegasus in Season 5! WooHoo!!!!
eddy
Demoted? What? That doesn’t make any sense. I wouldn’t believe it if I were you. And Joe has already told us that Sam is a Full Colonel in both movies. Ignore the haters and enjoy the movies.
Have you read The Shape Shifter? Has anyone for that matter? I’m making a new book order and that one peeked my intrest, but I wanted some input before I bought it.
Hello everyone! Long time reader and “lurker”, first time poster.
Allow me to present another facet of dasNdanger’s “wraith as victims of conquest” argument: I think the argument has less of a historical slant and more of a biological one. The wraith are a mutation, right? They aren’t “reacting” to anything, especially not colonization. The iratus bug (hope I spelled that right)eventually evolved into the more humanoid “Wraith” and assumed the role of the dominant species in Pegasus. Therefore, the natural hierarachy/food web was been disrupted, and the Atlantis Expedition hopes to “harness” nature and return the equilibrium. I’m sure anyone who’s read “Jurassic Park” can probably go off problems with that approach.
I’ve got a M.A. in history, so I’m sure if I really wanted to, I could make some argument with a historical propensity, and babble about issues of historiography in wraith/human interactions since we are only presented the human side of the history (Lantean/Atlantis expedition), which is all well and good, but then I’d be projecting my bias onto evidence and what we are presented.
As for the request for more examination of individual wraith, can we, as humans, primarily individualistic, truly understand the wraith (a “hive minded” population) correctly? All of the wraith we “know” (Michael, Todd, and Steve) we have come to know outside of the hive, not within the hive. Can you understand a bee? Even if you could learn a bee’s “language” and “culture”, you can never understand the bee since you have a different biological makeup and imperative. I know that you mentioned that the wraith do not view humans as more than food, but I think you are missing the inability of a wraith to perhaps be “understandable” to us. Watch the plea of McKay to Todd in “Miller’s Crossing”, McKay has to resort to the concept of sustanence (sp?) and freedom in order to gain Todd’s help since Todd refuses to, or may not understand, the concept of family/individual relationships.
I may be just babbling, but I think your argument is worth debate.
I was also going to ask about Martin Wood, but someone else beat me to it. So instead I will waste your blog comment space on a comment to commenter “maggiemayday” and say that I’m probably the only person I know who has had an EMG test and didn’t find it painful. Ok, that’s not completely true, it was somewhat painful at the end. But for most of it I found no pain plus I got the biggest kick (pun possibly intended) on how the currents made various limbs jerk.
End of babble.
Yes. I too was just informed of Joe F’s. loss. Please send our thought,prayers,and condolences to him and his family. Thank you.
Joe,
Can you ask Mr. Wright when Continuum will be available for pre-order on Amazon?
Thanks ever so much!
Patricia Lee
And I await those DVDs with baited breath
PG15…you got a sardine in your mouth? A small rodent?
hahahha
psst it’s “bated breath”.. hee hee
SusantheTartanTurtle writes: “Is Carson getting his turtles back?”
Answer:: The burning turtle issue will be addressed in Whispers.
Shawna Said: :
Well, I hope he’ll be surprised, seeing as how *this* Carson never had turtles.
That’s right Shawna! Since Clone Carson only has Carson’s memories up to Misbegotten, think of all the things he has missed:
1. He never met Lucius in Irresistible or Irresponsible.
2. He didn’t save Ronon at the end of Sateda.
3. He never met the Replicators as he wasn’t there for Progeny. (so why didn’t he seem surprised when McKay told him the Replicators killed Elizabeth?)
4. He never met McKay’s sister or Rod in McKay & Mrs.Miller.
5. He never experienced the planet w/the mind altering device in Phantoms.
6. He was never kicked out of Atlantis in The Return pt 1 and he didn’t help rescue O’Neill or Woolsey in The Return pt 2.
7. He didn’t experience the whales in Echoes.
8. He didn’t see Rodney turn into a super genius and wasn’t lifted in the air by Rodney or experience almost losing Rodney.
9.He didn’t experience Rodney backing out of their fishing date, everyone else he invited saying no, and he didn’t die in Sunday.
These are just some of the things he missed. I kinda wondered why he wasn’t surprised at how brave Rodney was when they went out on the missions. Rodney kept pushing Carson back toward safety and covered him. That should be a new side to Rodney that he hasn’t seen in the past.
Kimberly
WARNING: TLM SPOILERS…..
….
…..
…..
Mr. Mallozzi – I was ready to hate this episode because I knew it would show me the end of the characters…especially my favorite.
However, I must say – if EVER a perfect ending for two characters was written, it was this. I have wanted SO very much to see Todd and Ronon fight as a team, and I got my wish (of course, now I want more… 😉 Great dialogue in that scene, too). And for them to go out the way they did, fighting together side by side, and then…that smile Ronon gave Todd…I swear, it was brilliant. Not the end Ronon envisioned for himself, dying with a Wraith fighting at his side. Kudos. I thought Sam’s scene was great, but this…this was the most beautiful thing I’ve seen all season. Made me tear up even more than Ronon’s goodbye to Carson.
Ronon always makes me cry for some reason. 😛
Thank you very, very much.
….
Now – BRING ‘EM BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
😀
das
Hmmm, The Last Man was very interesting! The Ronan/Todd scene was awesome!
What a tear jerker with the last episode of the season. You, the rest of the producers and writers absolutely suck. (…in a good way, mind you… but much hate for making us all wait for months for a real conclusion… lol)
The episode was kind of a recycling of old episode plots but also providing a great congeniality…
Great work and can’t wait for season 5!
GREAT season finale!!!! wonderful character studies! but i really don’t want to wait till next season for the conclusion. really.
so…any way you might see your way to letting us have an “early bird” screening of next season’s opener? just asking…
*shakes fist*
Curse you and your cliffhanger season finale’s CRUSE YOU!!!!!!!
Other then that, great finale.
I just watched The Last Man (spoilers ahead), and it was amazing. I thought you guys had really outdone yourselves on The Kindred II and was wondering if the season finale could seem like anything more than a fizzle after that final Carson scene, but TLM was wonderful; I was literally on the edge of tears for half the episode. The deaths of Carter and Ronon (even Todd) and Rodney’s obsession with fixing things were just so quintessentially *them*.
Anyway, thanks for the episode, and thanks for a great season!
Manda Said:
Hello everyone! Long time reader and “lurker”, first time poster.
Hello!! I really enjoyed your comments! I especially liked your observations here:
As for the request for more examination of individual wraith, can we, as humans, primarily individualistic, truly understand the wraith (a “hive minded” population) correctly? All of the wraith we “know” (Michael, Todd, and Steve) we have come to know outside of the hive, not within the hive. Can you understand a bee? Even if you could learn a bee’s “language” and “culture”, you can never understand the bee since you have a different biological makeup and imperative. I know that you mentioned that the wraith do not view humans as more than food, but I think you are missing the inability of a wraith to perhaps be “understandable” to us. Watch the plea of McKay to Todd in “Miller’s Crossing”, McKay has to resort to the concept of sustanence (sp?) and freedom in order to gain Todd’s help since Todd refuses to, or may not understand, the concept of family/individual relationships.
I may be just babbling, but I think your argument is worth debate.
I love that scene between Rodney and Todd, but wasn’t exactly sure WHY, until now. This is really more than a cultural divide – it’s a species divide. Of course Todd ‘may not understand the concept of family/individual relationships’ – most likely it’s a foreign concept to Wraith. Wraith are not ‘human’, so we cannot expect them to have the same social structure and morality as we do. Maybe that’s why I like them so much, because I think of them more as animals/insects, and sympathize with them the same way I sympathize with any animal who is misunderstood by humans (the killing of sharks out of sheer ignorance is a perfect example of this). I feel pity for animals because – whereas humans often have a choice – animals behave on instinct, and their survival often depends on the mercy – or lack thereof – of humans. If only Lanteans tried a bit harder to understand Wraith, instead of trying to change them or kill them – well…things could be quite different for both all the way round. (I do think Todd is trying to understand humans…and would like to believe that the Lanteans are trying to do the same.)
Katja Said:
Hmmm, The Last Man was very interesting! The Ronan/Todd scene was awesome!
The scene with Ronon and Todd was so damn good – actually better than seeing Teal’c and Ronon fighting side by side. I mean – here are two guys who hate each other, and NO Sheppard to tell either one to stand down. But, on their own, they decide to work together…I mean, that had to take a LOT on Ronon’s part…a hellava lot. To put his hatred aside for that brief moment…just – wow. I would like to think that in that last moment, he both saw the irony of the situation, and – for the first time in his life – admired a Wraith who was not so unlike himself. That little smile just slays me…
It was golden…absolutely golden. It will be hard to top that moment – ever. If TPTB ever decide to kill off either of these characters again, it can never match this.
But that scene also makes me want to see more Todd & Ronon action next season. It was SO good – both of them on the same side, kicking ass – just totally sweet! I’ve wanted to see more Wraith hand-to-hand fighting (because the constant use of guns is a bit boring)…but now I want to see MORE Ronon/Todd team-ups…damn, they could really do a number on the Genii… 😀
Dang it, now I’m totally spoiled…not sure anything they do next season can top the thrill of that scene…
Yup. The bar has been raised.
das
On March 7, 2008 at 6:01 pm Amber Hooker Said:
Have you read The Shape Shifter? Has anyone for that matter? I’m making a new book order and that one peeked my intrest, but I wanted some input before I bought it.
Are you talking about Shape Shifter by Tony Hillerman?
…I am reading it right now….well not right now as I am actually writing on the computer right now
…if this is the book you are referring to yes read it by all means…and read all his other ones by Hillerman as well
…I am a bit prejudice as they are set in the part of the country I am from and I love reading books set in “my part” of the USA
Take care,
DonnaRedRockMom
So, they had Michael kill Teyla? As well as billions of humans. Wonderful!
Do you know what my favorite SGA episode was? It was “The Rising.” Robert Patrick and Torri Higginson brought the kind of edge to the SG franchise that was missing in the original. Of course, Patrick’s character (Col. Sumner) was only a footnote in the entire series but as other, more complex characters were introduced, my first impressions never wavered.
Then “Michael” premiered and that edge was brought back into the seam of the show. He wasn’t the hero, continually rushing to the aid of those less fortunate. He wasn’t, in the beginning, so completely gone that all humanity had been erased. He was a character who continually displayed the level of emotional conflict not usually displayed on SGA. And I liked him. I understood him; and he gave me another way to view one of SGA’s heroine’s, Teyla.
But that was destroyed when Teyla’s body was found in McKay’s flashback and I’m forced to let go. I tell you, I saw so many possibilities with this one. None of which appeared on screen.
Then again, what did I expect? Like the football jocks and cheerleaders of our old school days, the heroes are more popular and ultimately, always win.
Shrug.
Alright, I give in. I’ve got to know. Will Michael succeed in creating a female hybrid Wraith (preferably a cloned and altered version of Teyla)?
And if Michael is knocked off, will he have another spare “Michael” clone to take his place?
Peter was always acting (up) he can do that AND direct 😉