Rob has been directing Human, Brad has been prepping Sabotage, and Paul has been finishing up his first draft of Subversion, so the only producer who has actually had the time to read my scripts, episodes #19 and #20, is Carl. He dropped by my office today to offer his opinion. Yes, I agreed, the B story will require some rethinking and there are a few sequences that will need some tweaking but, happily, Carl found it exciting, well-paced and seemed quite intrigued by the ending. And, most importantly, he felt it worked well as two scripts. Hopefully, the others will feel the same.
Rob dropped my office after lunch while the production was making the move from the location to mess set, waved my first script and joked: “It’s so hard to know what’s going on without having read episode eighteen.” – a reference to Paul’s script, still being written. “Yeah, tell me about it,”I countered. “You think reading is confusing. Try writing the next script!” And, since he was there, I told him how much we’d enjoyed the previous day’s dailies. The film looks amazing. For his part, Rob had nothing but praise for the actors and, given their significant roles in this episode, Robert Caryle and guest star Michael Shanks in particular.
Also dropping by my office today was actor Luis Ferreira who was in the neighborhood and decided to stop in and say hi. And get the scoop on the last three episodes. Luis is a guy whose onscreen persona is in sharp contrast to the character he plays on Universe. Off the set, he’s incredibly gregarious – animated, affable, and very funny. In front of the camera, however, as Colonel Everett Young, he is a rock – cool and unflappable, a solid and steady leader. He’s a wonderful actor possessed of major talent and – I couldn’t help but notice after those first few days of production – an amazing voice. Young is the calm in the eye of the storm, the guy you want calling the shots when things get heated – and Luis is nothing short of perfect for the role. And, did I mention, he’s a hell of a nice guy?
- Luis on set with fellow actor Patrick Gilmore (Dr. Dale Volker).
- Luis does his Daniel Craig impression.
- Luis gives Stargate fans the thumbs up!
This afternoon, I had a conference call with Grey, Erika, and Craig to discuss this blog and ideas for cool SGU exclusives. Very exciting stuff.
I leave you with a recent stroll through Stage 5 that ended rather, uh, abruptly for Carl. Check it out.
But first…I’d like to dedicate today’s entry to Platschu. Thanks for the Hungarian cookbook.
And happy birthday!
- No sooner do we start our walk through Stage 5 than Carl takes a wrong turn and we end up lost.
- We hear some unsettling noises coming from the top of the staircase and send Carl to investigate. What we initially took to be the sound of a bugbear feeding on carrion turned out to be a teamster eating his lunch.
- You wouldn’t believe how many unionized spiders we had working overtime to complete this project.
- Yes, Carl, that was the exit. Nice going.
@Deni, No storms this weekend , here’s hopeing none next w/e either , my fingers and toes are crossed that he will make it to Chicago!! Did you try asking con. people or MS on twitter? Worth a try. good luck, sheryl
Hehe, Carl really needs to get a SAG card. – If he has grandkids, I’ll bet they ask all the time when Grandpa is coming to visit. My nephews pester my bro about that a lot, since our dad has always been a bit of a clown (the good kind) when not at work. Getting to be court jester especially at work — how cool is that?!
Again, enjoyed the closer look at an SGU actor, although the official SGU site spells his name Louis. Which does he prefer? And he looks, just like you said, like off-screen he’s about 180 degrees from the stoic-appearing Col. Young.
Eagerly anticipating awesome exclusives. . . .
That last picture is a hoot! Carl is crazy. That would have made a good caption contest picture. “I’ve fallen, and for some reason, I can’t get up.”
Great photo ops – thanks.
Carl should be in movies – he would have been excellent in one of those mystery science 3000 shows.
Someone posted the debut of SGU in the US on scifi on Oct 2 – can’t wait.
unionized spiders.
Poor Carl. He’s becoming Mr. Bill. Oh nooo!
Really hope Jelly is ok.
PG15 wrote: this character probably isn’t designed to represent all disabled people.
It’s true that individual characters are individuals, and yet they do not exist outside of our culture and its belief systems. When characters perpetuate harmful stereotypes, they reinforce those belief systems.
And yes, it’s problematic that we believe disabled people don’t have sex. It’s problematic because it affects how abled people interact with them, and it’s problematic because it can affect how they see themselves.
For the record, if disabled people didn’t have sex, I would not exist.
Nice photo essay! 😀
Michael Shanks is guest starring on SGU? Very excited to hear that. I love it when people from the other show(s) show up. I hope we get to see a lot of that.
I’m still confused…
😕
das
Carl has way too much fun on set doesn’t he? I love the last picture.
I am now following your pups on Twitter, as well as many of the Stargate actors (if it really is them. I don’t believe much of anything I read one the internet). Why? I don’t know. I said I wouldn’t join Twitter and yet I’m obsessed. I really do like it and love seeing all of the pictures of the pups. They are way too cute.
Well, it was awfully thoughtful of Carl to put his glasses aside before having his skull crushed by a prop-rock-looking real rock; this thoughtfulness ensures that we will have a piece of him to remember him by; or, a piece of him that we can use to regenerate his crushed head by ways of voodoo magic. 😉
Hilarious! I do believe this is the second photo montage that resulted in Carl’s death. Thank you!
OMG DANIEL!! Wow, Joe, that’s huge news! Frankly, I was surprised that you were the first to break it. Usually Gateworld or MGM reveals the news, and then you talk about it. This is great!
And he has a significant role? Very cool.
I’m starting to get more and more interested in Col. Young’s character. At the beginning, I didn’t feel much towards his character description; he felt rather flat and unoriginal. Then, as I learned about the other characters’ quirks, I felt that Young might come off as too normal, and thus boring.
But, as I see more and more of Luis Ferreira, including on the promos, I think he may become one of my favorite characters. I’m always a fan of the “everyday man thrust into a position of hero” character, and Young seems to be exactly that, but with an added few decades of military experience and the accompanying qualities (i.e. honor, strength, confidence) to boot. So what I imagine now is a strong, confident, caring Colonel, ready to retire and kind of growing weary of his job, being thrown into a leadership position on the other side of the Universe, carring for the safety of people who are panicking, who are scared, and some of whom don’t even know how to fire a gun. Yet, he must present a brave front so that people will think they can depend on him, though deep down he is a tortured soul himself, similarly lost along with the others. The best thing about this is that, Luis Ferreira has the PERFECT look for this kind of character. He has the build of a military man, but his eyes has a special quality to them that says that he’s tired of it all.
I CAN’T WAIT!! 😀
On a final note, I just like to apologize if I offended anyone whom I didn’t intend to with that rant of mine on yesterday’s entry’s comments section. For the most part I meant what I said and my tone was exactly how I wanted, but my thoughts on the actual issue of disabled people are muddled at best, due to 1). having not read all of the spoilers and 2). having not much time to actually think about it all. I think I have a pretty good idea what I believe in, but in my “ranting-state” I may have said some sensationalistic things that I shouldn’t have. So, uh, there you go. Sorry.
Question:
Assuming your 2 scripts for episodes 19 and 20 remain 2 scripts, how will the naming go? Will they be (Name) Part 1 and (Name) Part 2, or 2 completely different names, i.e. Darkness and Light?
PS…
The ‘unionized spider’ picture looks like my house right now. Doesn’t matter that I dust and vacuum at least once a week, the spooky webs come right back. I don’t know where they are, but I must have a bazillion spiders in my house…lurking behind the furniture …watching me from the shadows… hiding in my shoes… 😯
*shudder*
Yeah, let’s change the subject. 😛
das
I.
Ooh, the Shanks is back? <3
II.
One of the many reasons I dislike Danile Craig is right this Face! Thnx Mr. Ferreira for reminding me!
III.
That 'little' Foto-Story shows us that you two still have too much free time!!! 😀 Love the last Pic most!
Poor Carl.
Thanks for the pics Joe.
Hey Joe,
Wow, at these moments I imagine you are quite glad to only have one series going. I didn’t realize until you started giving me a closer look inside the gate, that it was one creative team running SGA and SG-1. Miracle workers I guess, they were all great shows too.
Stress, is it constant or is this why you love food? lol
I cannot believe you guys are still using low tech stuff in Stargate, at least feature Honda’s Asimov robot in Stargate or the spray on plaster sold in pharmacy or at least feature the chinese made electric gun using ionized compress air to fire electricity without wires, unfortunate side effect anybody shot within a 5 feet radius is dead… and also not effective after 20 feet I think…
The chinese made electric guns are used in Malaysia to control riots of course they do kill a few protestors by mistake some time…
I wish Stargate to feature the latest technology whether it is weapon or whatever else like the invisible tank technology used by the British…
So please update Stargate technology instead of using the 1970s technology, the only unfortunate thing is that Asian technology now is faster and more uptodate than American technology…
Coucou Joseph!!!
Me revoila! Finit les jacuzzi, sauna,piscine chauffé, la plage et les restaurants de hautes gammes!!
Je suis de retour chez moi, mais je me souviendrais toujour de ces vacances!
Et vous , ça va bien?
Merci pour ces photos =)
Bisou! A bientôt!
Thanks for the pics Joe!…does Carl ever work?..LOLOLOLOLOL
And thank you so much for the Michael pic…I know very biased but then we all have our favourites…LOL
Sad news about the movies but then that is to be expected at the moment…just have a wait a little bit longer…
Kriss 🙂
Great to see Michael back on the Stargate set again….and I can’t wait to see him act with Robert Carlyle….two fabulously talented actors working together like that….fantastic stuff!…
Thank you…
Deeds x
I hope you don’t mind posting this. It’s Ken Burns new film about National Parks.
PBSNationalPark: National Parks: America’s Best Idea, coming to PBS September 27! Please help spread the word: “RT @PBSNationalPark Coming to PBS 9/27: Ken Burns’ new documentary, The National Parks – http://bit.ly/14tRDU”
PBS is requesting that folks follow on Twitter. It’s an absolutely beautiful and amazing documentary.
Aaah. Flashbacks to the rock-chucking scene in Wormhole Xtreme. Or was the ‘Carl Binder Memoral Theatre’ a wee bit prescient!
Hope Jelly feels better.
Some very funny pics there, especially the fun with prop rocks! And to the very first pic I say: nice jacket.
as for the unionized spiders, I initially misread that as un-ionized spiders!
The rock on Carl…too funny!
Gawd, I’m easy, but ROTFLMAO with that last picture 🙂
Hey, have we not heard from Trish in a while or am I just not paying attention?
Does that make me a bad person, because I laughed really hard about Carl’s – um, mishap? 😉
@ maggiemayday
Oh yeah, I had some fights with my cat and vet appointments, too. A Nightmare to get him into the carrier. One day he escaped from it while I was driving to the vet (I have no idea how he managed that!). I stopped, but there was no way I could shove him back into the carrier. So I said: “Fine, do whatever you want, I drive to the vet anyway”. Of course, I knew a free cat in the car can be dangerous while driving. But what happened? Suddenly I had the happiest cat in the world! He stayed at the passenger’s front seat, looked around, looked out of the window and everything was fine. I wish I had known before that apparently his only problem was being in the carrier! And I could so understand him. I wouldn’t want to be ‘arrested’, too. 😉
At the vet’s I was still afraid, he would just ran away. Nope, still the happy cat. I held him in my arms. Even in the waiting room, no problems. Although there were other animals including huge dogs. He sat on my lap and watched them without even blinking.
Of course, this ended the moment we actually went to the vet’s room. Then he was again all claws and teeth. I still find it amusing, that a huge tomcat suddenly behaved like a small kitten. And tried to crawl at my shoulder. Which was quite cute. Apart from the claws, that is. 😉
@for the love of Beckett
Another Con I’d really love to go to is Creation Con in Chicago in late August. The darling Pauly McGillion is scheduled to be there. So if anyone happens to be standing in line for an autographed picture, and you could give him a big hug and smooch from me, I’d be over the moon.
I’m going! Flying next Tuesday. 🙂 Of course, I can do that. Hey, this means I’ll get an extra hug from him. 😉
Anyone want the same for Joe Flanigan? *LOL*
Good luck with the Hungarian Cookbook 🙂
– a fan from Hungary
Hi Mr M!
OK…before anyone else gets in with this….
erm…
CARL ROCKS!
*boom boom*
Best to all
S’n’T
Joe, when you mentioned Michael Shanks, what episode were you referring to? Were you referring to the pilot, in which he’s making a cameo, or a different episode?
Those pictures are awesome!
Lol you should do a video skit with just Carl and see where it goes? Great pics!
Shanks is guesting in an episode of universe (other that the pilot cameo)?
I can’t express how ectastically happy that makes me! Thank you!!! I can’t wait!
Oh Carl. He will be missed. Can I please have his stereo?
Joe, I’m not usually one to jump in and judge a show that hasn’t aired yet, or even seek out spoilers. But for some reason today your blog took a few seconds to load, so I while I waited I flicked over to the next blog I read and found this:
http://www.afterellen.com/blwe/08-14-09
Seriously? Who wrote episode 16? I really hope that Sarah got some bad info, because the whole idea is just wrong in so many ways. The consent issues alone are enough to wig me out. Of course, I will wait and see how the episode goes because I know these spoilers and speculation can get out of hand. I am looking forward to the Camille character more than you can imagine. Please, for once can a gay character just be gay?
… ok just read some previous comments and found out that I’m behind on this, probably because I do avoid spoilers.
Joe,
I’m not sure if the news made its way to the left coast of CA yet, but my beloved Eagles have signed the dog murderer known as Michael Vick. Now I have to go and find myself another NFL team.
Steelers? Giants? Raiders? (I was a Raiders fan as a kid…until I realized that Al Davis is just plain crazy and the team is a whole bunch of suck.)
Thoughts?
Hi Joe,
it’s so funny what you said about Luis’ voice. I mean his voice is so perfect for the roles he takes(like in Shooter, 24, and SGU). I don’t really know how to explain it, he just has this thick joice that has some God given twist to it. He looks to be an amazing actor as well. Can’t wait to see him on SGU. Hmmmm
Stage 5 looks like a village set. Guess you had to make a new one since you gave up your effects stage to Defying Gravity(more like sex in space, just to sexual for my liking, though I might give it a try.)
Oh and I saw something on craig’s twitter about a new site for SGU!! And he was twittering while on the phone with you!!
Oh and one question.
Is Dale Volker a scientist or a medical doctor?
Thanks so much,
Major D. Davis
The pictures are just too funny. If and when bonus clips are done for SGU, you should really see about having Carl be the subject of one of the pieces.
Mananaged to cover my 1000 miles in about 16 hours. only to find the American Legion has invaded Fargo. Fortunately there were three hotel rooms left in the city, and I got the next to last of them. Now on to Winnipeg, and then a flight to the fabled Fuel. Now as long as that pesky asteroid will not hit Earth, or the “big one” rock the pacific coast, or those volcanos erupt around the ring of fire, or cow flatulence reaches a critical level and asphixiate mankind, it will be a great week…Thanks as always for the laughs for the day
YEAH! Michael Shanks! Another reason to watch some SGU.
Those pictures rock! (got beat)
Kudos to the Hungarian cookbook, you’ll love the hot stuff
Re Vick to Eagles. Its punishment in itself to send him to the city with the most vicious fans (as a native I can say that), try not to kill him…
DD
I love the pics of Carl!!! May he rest in peace.
Haha I love those pictures!! you all have way to much fun at work! I need a job upgrade!
1. I miss Todd. 🙁 (Serves me right for watching a batch of youtube vids last night.)
2. I’m not confused anymore – I read the bit about Sabotage. Meh. Will have to see how it plays out – no use getting your knickers in a bunch when we don’t know the character’s particular situation. For instance – it may not be a matter of being unable to physically experience intimacy, as much as her personal decision not to experience intimacy (for whatever reason – such as self-consciousness, fear of the ‘unknown’, absorption in work, etc). No need to have a fit before the episode airs.
And now I’m mad at myself for reading a spoiler. 😡
3. Shared the Wraith with the fellas on Moorcock’s Miscellany (ergo, watching all the Wraithy vids last night) – one said that Wraith look like ‘Mutant Elrics with Stormbringer built into their hands’…
AND now I’m wondering if there were any stolen ideas in the creation of my favorite life-sucking aliens. Doesn’t really matter…I love ’em all! And, if not for the Wraith, I doubt I would have ever discovered Elric. Dang, still loving this guy, poor lamb that he is… 🙂
das
And 4…
@ JimFromJersey – I am not really happy about this Vick thing, and I don’t even like football!
Yes, the man paid the price for his crime. Time to move on…and I am usually all for the whole ‘second chance’ thing.
However…there is a certain cruelty and brutality that is associated with his crime. That makes me uncomfortable, makes it hard for me to trust the person underneath. My recent comments about the fictional Elric play a part here. In him, I like to see his deep-seated cruelty because it gives him an edge…makes him unpredictable and dangerous. But that’s NOT something I want in real people. No, not at all. And with Philly’s bad rep (the gun violence, the rude sports fans, the urban blight, the roving street mobs of late, the Schuylkill…), we don’t need another ‘joke’…and that’s what this will become, I fear. As if that TO debacle wasn’t enough, now the team’s totally gone to the dogs.
SEE??! It’s starting already, and I’m doing it! 😡
However, I DO hope Vick has changed – that he learned a lesson from a stupid mistake made in his youth, and will now grow into a respectable man. Maybe…maybe this is his chance to do so…
Aaaand…I’ve got myself thinking and now I really don’t know how I feel about it. 😛 I’ll get back to you on this one…
das
Re THE SHANKS, I knew it, I knew it, I knew it! 🙂 🙂 🙂 That guy will make me watch anything…
Hi again Mr M
OK OK I know I know, but you know I can’t resist captions….even if there is no prize!
Caption for last photo:
*
*
*
*
*
Carl insists on re-enacting his audition for
Wiley E. Coyote
in the failed Disney Live Action Remake of
“RoadRunner – The Movie”
*
*
*
*
Couldn’t resist!
And finally:
*whispering soft female voice-over:
They’re the wrong rocks….in the wrong place…They’re not supposed to be here….
SGU…..eh….Rocks!
Shirt’n’Tie
I would like to apologize for my knee jerk reaction in the other post. It was immature and probably did more harm than good. Especially the second post – that was unnecessary, even if I was hurt and angry. I’m still hurt and angry but after reading PG15’s comment I see that I failed to do anything to show why I am upset by the situation.
There seems to be a feeling that because it’s fiction stereotypes don’t matter. There also seems to be a feeling that because some people think it’s stupid to believe the stereotypes that we don’t need to worry about them – or something like the I’m not sure of the exact reasoning here.
Here’s the problem from my point of view – there ARE people who believe the stereotypes and as stupid as you might think it is, those stereotypes do in fact cause problems for minorities. Especially because there aren’t enough positive examples to counterbalance the bad. This isn’t just about this one episode or Stargate as a franchise but all TV shows and other forms of entertainment. It’s an on going problem that minorities have to deal with all the time. You may think it’s just fiction so it doesn’t matter, but the problem those stereotypes exist in real life as well and they are something minorities have to put up with every day of their lives.
I don’t know what else I can say here. And it’s probably too late to undo the damage I caused but I hope someone gets something out of this.
Did I miss something or has Justin Louis changed his name now?
lol. Vous avez l’air de bien vous amusés au boulot, j’aimerais bien travailler avec vous un jour.
Est ce que Carl va bien?
Il parait que vous faite des bruits bizarres en imitant les furlings, c’est vrai? On peut avoir une démonstration?
Hey Joe,
Stitch here… Us prop and costumers are going crazy with the new SGU uniforms already! Please thank you costume dept for all the curve balls they threw at us once again! LOL
We are having so much trouble trying to figure out what model Motorola Radio the SGU cast is carrying around. Anyway you could give us a hint if it is a GP328 or what model they are?
It be very much appreciated! From your loyal fans at http://www.scifihero.net =)
PS. Please tell Brian Smith to stop wearing $600.00 watches on the set, they are killing my costume funds!
Das: one of my former BIL’s said that a gecko will take care of those spider webs in a house. He said that some geckos can fight off a cat and eat a houseful full of spiders. I’ve been trying to talk my hubby into letting me get one but it creeps him out thinking of a lizard climbing the walls.
I say let Vick play football again and require him to contribute to animal shelters. The mindset of people who fight animals don’t usually change their view. It’s a culture thing here in the south. Sick but unfortunately true. I’m guessing most of Vick’s family/friends think he is wrongfully persecuted. “it’s just a dog”. I saw a lot of that attitude growing up in the south and working in vet clinics here.
Thank you, Mr. M. for your blog. We’ve been going through funeral arrangements here for my MIL. I’m thinking my Asperger’s cousin’s idea of a funeral seems much more logical than all the fanfare we usually have.
Oh yes, that cookbook looks great, too. Please let us know what recipes you make from this book. Perhaps you could share?
Tam
Michael in another episode of SGU, SWEET!!!
Luis sounds like a totally funny guy off camera (hence the blog you wrote awhile back about him and I believe it was David being totally funny on set). And Colonel Young tends to remind me of Agent John Pollack the character that Luis played on 1-800-Missing. He was unflappable. One man I would have wanted in my corner!!!
@silver_comet: See you there! I’m in on Friday morning. Just look for the gorgeous brunette having lunch with THE SHANKS 😉 Wait, is Lexa going? Ok, if she is, the OTHER brunette…
@for the love of Beckett: Ok, ok, it’s a dirty job but someone’s gotta do it. I’ll volunteer.
@JimfromJersey: Well, I’d say the Broncos, but they fired Shannahan, so I’m pissed off at them, as well. Regarding Vick, the way I feel is that if he hadn’t been caught, he’d still be doing it. It’s unbelievable to me that any team would hire him, but then again, the press is eating up. I guess I’m a bit more cynical than some and really try to take the “paid his debt” road, but when it comes to animal cruelty, it just doesn’t work for me.
@Jen: I can understand where you’re coming from to a certain degree. What I don’t understand is the bashing of Stargate. I don’t remember when rape was a joke anywhere in SG1 or Atlantis, so refresh my memory? If you hate the show and its alleged treatment of minorities so much, what are you doing watching, let alone participating here? If something bugs me that much, I simply stay away. There will always be idiots that believe anything you throw at them (Ghost Hunters), but it’s your informed and educated choices that will, in the end, make a difference.
Hi Joe, how’s Jelly doing?
@ Tammy Dixon – Thanks for the advice. I like lizards – wouldn’t mind having one (I used to help take care of our school’s iguana, along with the two boas they had). A gecko is nothing in comparison. However…I would not trust my kitties not to try their furry best to do the critter in. If I could only train them to dust under the furniture for me…but, alas, they’re all a bit prissy and don’t like to get dirty. I don’t have kitty cats, I have sissy cats!
About Vick. Yeah, I’ve been listening to him, trying to figure out how sincere he is – is he remorseful for what he did, or only for getting caught and serving time for it. There is a big difference. I think part of his agreement is that he has to take an active part in helping animals…so we’ll see how that goes.
Onto more personal news…I tried a nasal wash for the very first time today. Now my eyes hurt…lol. Doctor says I have to do this twice a day, forever, or else my sinuses will close up and I’ll have a worse problem then I did last year. I really haven’t been congested at all, so I suppose this is a good time to start with this new routine. I had bought a neti pot back in the winter, but was afraid to try it; this nasal rinse bottle is much easier and, I imagine, a lot less messy. People swear by these things, as did my new, and VERY nice, doctor: http://www.capemaycountyherald.com/files/image_mp/Dr.%20Syed.jpg
Cute, isn’t he? 🙂
das
Just on this ranting between Jen and PG15, if anyone’s out of line, it’s PG15.
PG (can I call you PG?), Joe is perfectly capable of defending himself. He doesn’t need you to be defending his honour. I’ve seen him say some quite cutting things before, and if he felt the need to do so, he would.
Perhaps you should get off your high horse, realise you’re not part of the production team and therefore not entitled to get all offended and defensive, and let Joe deal with it.
Telling someone they’re immature and attacking them is out of line. You are not Joe. As far as we know, you’re not related to him or otherwise connected to him. Leave him to fight his own battles, for crying out loud, and show other people a little bit of respect.
@Deni, What did you know? i don’t understand. @shanks, and SILVER COMET is also going to con in chicago , you guys can “HANGOUT” yea i know you have a full schedule!! I wonder who else is going? Anyone else want to fess up , who’s going to con in CHIGACO? 7 days and counting, bye, sheryl .
Man, Carl did a helluva job selling the weight of that thing.
Oh my God! You’ve killed Carl! You bastards!
I say, hang Vick from the same tree he hung dogs from. Electrocute him then throw him into his backyard swimming pool to drown. Put him into a “fight to the death” ring. Vick is a despicable human being. I don’t have a big enough vocabulary to describe what I really think of him. He is not mentally ill, just someone who hates animals and likes to torture them for the “sport” of it. He now says he wants to be the “best ambassador to the NFL and community.” If so, get out of the sport!! He is a disgrace to football and the human race. Surely there are other qualified football players out there? I was born and raised in the south, and all the people I know love, cherish, and take excellent care of their animals, except those delusional from mental illness. Vick claimed that he was just misguided and stupid. He has blood on his hands he will never be able to wash off. And shame on the Philidelphia Eagles for supporting him!
@candi
Yeah, unfortunately he has, I like Justin Louis much better than Louis(or Luis) Ferreira.
@Jen
People getting any kind of information from fiction is problematic. Information that’s not flat-out wrong will probably be oversimplified in order to move a story forward more quickly or embellished for drama’s sake (the news does it, too). It is unfortunate that perpetuated stereotypes cause problems for people other than the ones who choose incomplete sources of information.
Here’s an example. You know that hackneyed plot where the character with Tourette’s is magically cured because they went through some adventure and realized it was all in their head? That causes way more problems for people with Tourette’s than it does for the people who thought they were learning something about self-determination from that plot.
Just because a boss or teacher saw some scene where Tourette’s went away long enough to cut the blue wire (plausible, but not for everyone and never permanently) doesn’t mean someone with Tourette’s can sit still during a presentation if they want to badly enough.
At least Novak hiccuped one more time in Prometheus Unbound (not Tourette’s, but would’ve been the same plot without the last hiccup).
@ Jen: Wow, uh…I so did not expect that kind of response. I thought you’d totally kick my Internet ass. Alright then. One thing is clear: you are a way better person than I am. I would like to apologize if my comments further antagonized you; I think I was pretty kneejerk (or just jerky) in my response as well.
It is absolutely not too late to undo the damage you caused (not that I think you caused any damage at all, mind you), and I thank you for your current post. This, combined with multisemi‘s great response has my brain spinning.
At the core of it, there are two things that TPTB must do right, or they will fail horribly: avoid stereotypes, and make sure the fallout of these events are not portrayed lightly. I hope they know what they’re doing.
I’m talking to you, Joe. Make us proud.
Emily said:
Well, I’m usually fine with people calling me PG, but in your case, I suggest you call me Dr. PG15 Esquire, Zombie Crusher, The First.
I’m well aware of Joe’s snarking capabilities. That is irrelevant. This comments page has served as a thread of opinions related and unrelated to Joe for a very long time; I saw a post that annoyed me, and I responded to it. The end. You can read that as defending Joe, but then you’d be very, very, very wrong.
Did…did you just tell me what I can and can’t get offended by? OH MY GOD HILARITY. Ok, I’m gonna give you a second chance to say what you really mean, because that first chance was obviously wasted on Orwellian bullshit.
Respect is earned, sweetness. And hey, speaking of which,
“Perhaps you should get off your high horse, realise you’re not part of the [discussion between me and Jen] and therefore not entitled to get all offended and defensive, and let [me] deal with it.”
RE: Carl.
I say we invent a new cocktail, and call it the Carltini, on the rocks.
Now…what should the ingredients be?
Hmmmm…something sour, something sweet…any ideas?
das
@Deni I’m not Jen, but I can tell you that Atlantis’s “Irresistible” did indeed play rape for laughs. Lucius’s “wives” had sex with him only because they were under the influence of a drug he purposefully exposed them to.
How is that not rape?
Hey Das! I am quite sure how I feel about it. Anyone who would participate in the wholesale torture and murder of dogs for sport does not deserve a second chance IMHO. What I do think he deserves is certainly not fit to print in this particular forum.
I’m hosting an Eagles jersey burning tomorrow. My American Pit Bull Terrier Brandi will be the guest of honor…and I’ll be posting a video to YouTube. I’ll post the link.
Have a great weekend!
Correction: Maybe Novak didn’t hiccup again. The adventure cure is a more plausible resolution to a simple nervous habit so Kindler can slide on that one.
@Deni The episode that springs to mind first when reading Jen’s comment is SGA’s Irresistible, in which the bumbling Lucius uses a drug on the women in his village to acquire himself a whole lot of wives. One assumes, and indeed Lucius infers at one point, that he has sex with those wives.
Haha, isn’t it so funny how a guy who was less then popular with his people stumbles across a drug that enables him to sleep with who ever he wants to. Even funnier, his wives? They were the ones who turned him down before he started using the drug:
Of course, they were just simple village women, and I’m sure that Lucius didn’t rape them. I mean, they could have said no whenever they wanted, right? Oh, wait…
Joe, watching sga rerun and “DUET” is on again. I have seen this MANY times, and it still cracks me up!! DH does a wonderful job, and it is so well written … And that KISS WOW!! This epi always makes me smile and laugh. I MISS SGA and SG1!!! Deni@ , 7 days and counting!!
@iamza: My mistake. So, first it was consensual and then someone gets offended? Look, I’m not going to nitpick this thing to death, but in the end, Lucius got what he deserved (which, even though a bit silly, was more than many rapists get). That doesn’t say to me that the writer(s) are taking rape as a joke, but simply portraying the character as the pig he was. I think if we’re going to want our tv shows pasteurized and homogenized to where nobody is a bad guy, nobody gets offended and nobody feels anything, then why bother with any of it? Portraying allergies is offensive? What next? Looking for something to complain about in a tv show isn’t my idea of doing something about a problem; it’s complacency and laziness with a brave mask.
Check this out, very cool 🙂
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32391095/ns/technology_and_science-space/>1=43001
@ multisemi – I wondered about Irresistible. The episode wasn’t overly offensive to me at first, but maybe because I was thinking more along the lines of Star Trek’s I, Mudd. But once I started reading the discussions about it, then it dawned on me that these women were drugged to do Lucius’ bidding, which is about the same as using the date rape drug on the gal you met down at the local, then dragging her off to the back of your van. I really don’t think the male creators get this…sorry, but I don’t.
Think of it this way – Lucius, using a drug, took away their free will and self-determination. He mentally/chemically enslaved them, then used them for his own self-gratification. You can’t say they did this willingly, since their will had been taken away from them. It was pure sexual manipulation of another person while under the influence of a mind-altering substance. It would be like…well, like if Joe and Carl woke up in bed together, the one realizing that the other had plied him with drink and drugs the night before, just to satisfy his carnal desires. Once he sobers up, doncha think he’s going to feel used and abused after something like that?
@ JimFromJersey – Yeah…I am really torn. Me and my ‘give ’em a chance’ mentality wants to think the best – I WANT to think that he was a stupid young man that learned a very hard lesson, and is very remorseful for what he has done. More than that, I want him to HATE what he was and what he did as that person. Problem is, I can’t read his heart – I can’t really know if he’s a changed man, or the same one but just pretending.
Still…I have major issues with people who abuse animals. There is a control/domination issue here – one that often leads a man to take it to the next level – beat the dog, beat the wife, beat the kids…and worse. I just don’t know what this guy will turn out to be.
I’m glad I’m not a diehard Eagles fan because I’d have to make an immediate decision about where I stand with this. As it is, I can wait and see how things play out without it ruining football season. However, I have been known to hold men accountable for their actions, even if they are considered innocent by most. Kobe, for instance – I can’t look at that rapist and not want to punch him in the mouth. I suppose you could say he’s my ‘Lucius’ – and I’ll never believe that he didn’t force himself on that girl after she told him to stop. I was in a similar situation once, but I was fortunate enough that the guy finally took me serious. Still, even with my dignity and virtue intact, I was totally shaken for days, especially since he was no stranger. Scared the crap out of me, too…and taught me NEVER to trust a man to understand that no really does mean NO!
Wow. Not really sure why I went there. I guess I could delete that, but I won’t…I think it’s relevant to the Irresistible discussion. If – when of sound mind and body – you would not wish to couple with a particular guy, why does it make it okay for him to take advantage of you when you are under the influence, and then turn around and justify it with the old ‘she was asking for it’ excuse? Lucius used a drug to break the natural will of those women and used them for his own pleasure, then had the balls to suggest that they were willing participants. This wasn’t even brain-washing, this was something much worse!
Really, when you think about it – Wraith are demonized for turning humans into worshippers against their will, even getting their hands lopped off in the process! But Lucius? He got a slap on the wrist and a second episode!
Ugh. I suddenly really hate this guy. 😛
das
Don’t kill Carl, dammit. He’s the reason I’m still here!
One question: Who writes the summary of a character that they are sending to casting? I noticed, and not just on your show, that the descriptions tend to be a little misleading, and sometimes so stereotypical. I know that casting directors are really good at their jobs, but sometimes these descriptions that escape onto the internet are never what ends up on screen.
I missed all the comments from yesterday, Joe. Looks like it’s spilled onto other sites, such as LiveJournal, about the episode of SGU. Now people are blaming you for the Atlantis movie not being made. You using mind control on someone now? I know that you have no say so in the matter whatsoever. I know you’d rather see you writing up there on screen.
@Deni – So, first it was consensual and then someone gets offended?
What? It never was – the woman were drugged, they had no choice! And if he got what he deserved he’d be dead, not showing up in another episode where the cast members actually HELP him.
I think if we’re going to want our tv shows pasteurized and homogenized to where nobody is a bad guy, nobody gets offended and nobody feels anything, then why bother with any of it?
It’s entirely possible to write a show without resorting to offensive stereotypes and still be a good show that takes risks.
Portraying allergies is offensive?
Acting as though allergies aren’t real and serious is offensive. People have died because people didn’t believe that someone was really deathly allergic to something. Admittedly THAT one is a bad example because of the fact that Rodney is probably supposed to be a hypochondriac but still it creates a possibility that people might think that anyone who says they are deathly allergic to something is really just a hypochondriac. Not to mention the fact that hypochondria is an anxiety disorder which shouldn’t be used for comic relief either.
Again it goes back to the comment I made before – there aren’t enough GOOD portrayals of these issues to counter act the bad.
@PG15 – I admit I expected a different response from you as well.
I thank you for your current post. This, combined with multisemi’s great response has my brain spinning.
That’s something at lest and I hope what was posted on Gateworld doesn’t change your new understanding of the issues at hand. The very fact that the story was written and thought to be good enough to move forward with (even considering re-writes) was and still is offensive and hurtful.
Also, Brad still doesn’t seem to be addressing the issues of consent, and I don’t quite by the fact that it was an early draft – yes that’s an assumption but there’s really no way to know either way. Yes the episode might changed from what was released but how do we know when it was changed?
Also the “disabilities as a plot device” thing connects to what I said about stereotypes and how there aren’t enough good portrayals to balanced out the bad. And the fact that the whole episode is built around the fact that the character is disabled. It would be different if the disabled character was there all alone.
@Deni: Wait, so not finding Irresistible or Lucius humourous at all, and thinking the treatment of rape in said show was less than stellar, suddenly means I want my TV shows pasteurized and homogenized?
Also, I have no idea what you mean by: “So, first it was consensual and then someone gets offended?”
I’ve only posted a few times here before but, personally, I think everyone maybe making a mountain out of a mole hill of this or assuming the worst. Yes, its controversial and a touchy subject (TV and movies would be very boring if they weren’t, IMO), and its has alot of people (rightly) apprehensive/irate, but do we even know the context of what is to happen? Perhaps Eleanor comes to her senses and realizes what she (or both parties, really) is doing is wrong. It may turn to be an amazing episode if done properly, and for all intents and purposes, that seems like what they are intending to do, juding from what BW said.
lulz at the Carl pics, he is hi-lar!
Hey Joe
I’ve just read Sarah’s update, after she read Brad and Robert’s statement. She also spoke to a spokesperson from the show.
http://www.afterellen.com/blog/sarahwarn/stargate-universe-responds-to-controversy
When I first read about the controversy last night, I decided to keep an open mind and wait for the episode. That’s still my attitude. I’ve been spoiled way more than I wanted to be, but after the first spoilers I’m glad I have some context.
Jen said:
You mean Brad Wright’s post? I’m afraid that post changed quite a few things. Now, the issues are real, important issues to be sure, but I’m not so sure how they might apply to this episode. If BW’s words are to be trusted (I have no reason to not trust him at this point), then both the character description and the sides are no longer accurate. Furthermore, we have no context, and no other information. We don’t know what the rest of the episode is like.
At this point, with Brad Wright peeking in at our discussions on Gateworld and our comments here being read by Joe, I have confidence that they at least know what our concerns are, namely the wish to avoid stereotyping and to address the consequences in the right way. What they do with this knowledge is up to them. I still think whatever judgement we pass on them and this story should wait until the episode airs.
@PG15 – We’re going to have to agree to disagree at this point.
i dont know anything about the quadriplegic episode, so do i have to know coz it sounds interesting.
I think that’s the first photo (Official cast photo or otherwise) that I’ve actually seen Luis Ferreira smile in. For some reason, in every other photo I’ve seen of him he looks like he’s depressed and about to cry.
My deepest condolences to Mr Binder’s family.
So who gets his office and parking spot?
Hello Joe!
Thanks for the greeting. I was not able to see your entry earlier, because I was on holiday in England, so I had a very long birthday celebration. 🙂
Ákos