Well, hoowee! I just checked my blog stats and discovered that my traffic has jumped by a whopping 40%. What gives? Strangely, nothing out of the ordinary in the referrers or incoming links. And then I noticed the 2800+ visitors who came to this blog via a search engine. And the search term used?
Stargate: Universe?
Nope.
Rosie the Riveter?
No, it only brought in a mere half dozen.
Julia Benson?
Correct! Julia, who plays the role of Second Lieutenant Vanessa James on Stargate: Universe, has obviously captured the attention of more than a few casual viewers. Great! She’s not only a wonderful actress, but a total sweetheart. And she’s apparently joined the ranks to the Twitterati, so if you want to get the latest updates on all-things Julia, head on over here: http://twitter.com/Julia_Benson
Hey, after Air I and II, we got the “Hey, why didn’t the kino push the buttons to seal the shuttle door?” questions and after Air III we got the “Hey, why didn’t the kino find and test for water?” questions, so I’m surprised that, after Darkness aired, we haven’t seen the expected “Hey, why didn’t the kino figure out the ship’s power issues?” questions. What gives?
My attempts to find a dog-sitter for over the Christmas holidays have come up empty. I thought our Production Coordinator Tanja had a lead the other day when she told me about a quiet, middle-aged woman who would have been perfect for the job. “She ‘s a bit of a spinster,”Tanja informed me. I asked her what she meant given that the poor woman was described as “middle-aged” (which, last time I checked, aint exactly spinster territory so far as I’m familiar with the term). “Oh,”she explained. “She’s middle-aged, a homebody, and her life revolves around dog.” Then, helpfully adding: “Sort of like you.” Which, I guess, makes me the male equivalent of a spinster (a spinsthim?). I haven’t given up hope and will continue looking but, as a last resort, I might have to board the gang at the local doggie hotel.
Hey, since someone asked, here are some publicity stills from Atlantis’s fifth season.
AND an extra-chunky mailbag:
Matt Boesch writes: “What Episodes are you guys on currently working and prepping for?”
Answer: We’re done prepping. We’re shooting Incursion I and II.
O6untouchable writes: “Just curious – is this another one of Ivon’s contributions to the franchise this year, or is it something that Brad and Rob cooked up?”
Answer: Those segments were shot by Andy Mikita as part of the opener.
Qsoaiein writes: “Do you know how the people that make Stargate decide how old a particular character is in the show? Like when they were born, because I’ve noticed it seems to differ from their actor’s age sometimes.”
Answer: No, we never assign an exact age or date of birth to the characters.
Joel413 writes: “The face shown in the sand, was that an ancient or was that the face of the priest that raised the Lt?”
Answer: That was the priest. See the video in yesterday’s entry.
MrsB writes: “ 1) Is anyone onboard the Destiny severely mentally unbalanced?
2)Will there be any surprising relationships formed this season?”
Answers: 1) Oh, the strain of being stranded so far from home will exact a psychological toll on many of the crewmembers.
2) I’m not sure what you would consider surprising.
Matt Tyler writes: “Also, where did you find Jamil? He’s absolutely amazing!”
Answer: That he is!
Sean writes: “Do you think the concept of the edge of the universe might eventually apply within the Stargate Universe series?”
Answer: It certainly sounds cool, but I don’t think there is an “edge of the universe”.
Hestia writes: “It’s a stupid question but we all are curious to know if SGU will have a song for it’s opening credit.”
Answer: Unfortunately, it won’t.
Jlgrand writes: “What is the best way to show my support for SGU?”
Answer: 1. Watch the show. 2. Tell everyone how much you’re enjoying the show.
Michael writes: “Can I ask who is the cg artist responsible for making the destiny ship for Stargate Universe and does he have a website.”
Answer: Production Designer James Robbins designed Destiny.
RandomQ’s writes: “Any indication yet as to whether or not during the SGU hiatus the SG1 & SGA movies will move into production?”
Answer: Alas, given that we’ve received no word about either movie by this point, it’s unlikely we’ll be shooting them in November.
Quade1 writes: “I’m watching Dragon’s Den right now on CBC, actually a pretty good show. you catch any episodes Joe?”
Answer: I don’t, but the guys at work do and enjoy it.
Brian writes: “…is it true; that if Extinction succeeds the SGA series will be picked back up?”
Answer: There is absolutely not truth to this. Even if the movie does well, it will definitely not result in the series being revived. It would, however, increase the likelihood of more movies.
Hitman writes: “Run a scandisk of the drive and see if it detects any faults.”
Answer: I did! And it did! And my laptop is functional once again. But I’m still getting a new one.
Littleravenhawk writes: “Matt Stover….like Matthew Stover…the best Star Wars author????”
Answer: The one and only. Check out the recent Q&A he did for us: http://josephmallozzi.com/2009/09/18/september-19-2009-author-matthew-woodring-stover-answers-your-questions/
Mel writes: “Everyone is talking highly of the ratings, however, they aren’t that good, are they?”
Answer: They’re actually very good, especially when you consider SGU’s winning the night in key demos. Of course you can compare the show’s number to other shows, but you can also bring up the fact that we’re airing Friday nights (the least watched night on television) and in the Fall where we’re up against network competition.
Jenny writes: “Also, I got so much GREAT footage up there last week and cannot wait to get started.”
Answer: It was nice chatting with you on set, however briefly. Ivon speaks very highly of you.
Ytimyona writes: “ Any word yet on whether we can look forward to actor commentaries on SGU???”
Answer: Yes! The actors have been in and out of the production offices these past few weeks working on their commentaries. Coming soon to DVD!
Scarym writes: “So what is your idea of the perfect birthday cake?”
Answer: I’m going to go with dark chocolate pistachio.
Kathode writes: “Okay, here’s a question for you: where in Vancouver can I find good cannoli?”
Answer: Hmmm. Good question. I’d check out some of the shops on Commercial Drive.
Ravenfur writes: “Do TV networks take into account their online viewers when they consider how popular a series is?”
Answer: They might, but advertisers generally don’t.
Tim Gaffney writes: “I know you want to get LDP into these episodes, but it strains credability that he is the one who always is there when Young returns to the Pentagon.”
Answer: That goes to Telford’s determination and desire to get on Destiny.
Tim Gaffney also writes: “And come on, I can maybe buy that Sen. Armstrongs wife was informed of the situation. She could have high clearance. But Young’s wife?”
Answer: Over the course the many years the Stargate program has been in operation, more and more people have been informed of its existence. In the interest of ensuring the psychological well-being of the Destiny crew, many civilians WILL receive clearance so that they can visit with their loved ones.
Tim Gaffney also writes: “And if Telford reports that Young should be removed from command, who would possibly replace him. Rush just had a mental breakdown, Scott would be the only other possibility and he is only a Lt.”
Answer: Scary, no? Let’s hope Young is able to stay cool under pressure.
Df2506 writes: “Young goes to visit his ex-wife?”
Answer: Why not? Given the technology at their disposal, why deny these people the opportunity to visit with loved ones, allow them at least a glimmer of comfort and open an otherwise bleak situation?
Montrealer writes: “Who is the ranking officer after Colonel Young?”
Answer: In the event Colonel Young is unable to fulfill his duties, Lieutenant Scott will step in.
Quade1 writes: “Do the actor’s have to visualize the Kino or do you guys have like a green ball hanging from a rope on a stick?”
Answer: The kino is usually CG and for tracking purposes it is usually a “ball on a stick”.
Joshua Meyers extraordinary teenager writes: “ Are there any moments ahead where Telford challenges Youngs command or something, or anyone challenges his command(this question is limited to people stranded back on earth only)??”
Answer: It certainly looks like that’s where things may be headed.
AceNZ writes: “will the crew ever be able to explore the full extent of Destiny?”
Answer: Exploring Destiny will be a priority in the coming months.
Kevin writes: “At the beginning of the episode when they’re in the mess hall. Everyone is casually sitting around and having a conversation…but in the back of the room…there’s a soldier in full gear…carrying his rife at the ready.”
Answer: Given that that’s where much of the food is stored, it makes sense that there would be guards posted to ensure nobody tries to help themselves.
HBMC writes: “Will the characters we saw be developed further in this way (not necessarily via Kino diaries).
Take Lisa Park as an example – I think she’s adorable, and seems to be the kind’ve person who rambles a bit when given the chance. Is this present in her character further down the line, or just something done in this episode?”
Answer: We will develop our secondary cast of characters as well, in the episode and in the kino sequences that will be appearing online. Soon. And, yes, I’m a big fan of Jennifer Spence’s work as well. In the coming months, watch this blog for upcoming guest Q&A’s for the likes of Jennifer (Lisa Park), Patrick Gilmore (Dale Volker), Peter Kelamis (Adam Brody), Haig Sutherland (Sgt. Riley), Mark Burgess (Franklin), and Julia Benson (Lt. Vanessa James).
Aboleyn24 writes: “Why not have scientist that are experts on ancent tech swap with someone in board Destiny and try and solve some of these problems. They can’t expect Rush to do it all and its not like they don’t have access to capable people that might be able to assist them.”
Answer: Rush and Eli are certainly the best and brightest. Rush, in particular, would be in the best position to know what kind of help he would need. That said, the issue of using the stones in this regard will be addressed in an upcoming episode.
Just watched “Destiny”, again. Do. Not. Kill. Off. Lisa Park. Please? Although I found this episode really slow, and the kino annoying, she was hilariously annoyingly boring, and then there was the earthquake stuff. A teachable moment. Wear shoes after an earthquake.
I’m not totally hooked yet, but still intrigued. But for me, there is something missing that I can’t quite put my finger on. I know it’s still early in the season, and I really don’t quite know how to express this, other than to say that I’m not into the rhythm of the show.
With Atlantis (thanks for the great pics!), there was an undercurrent of the people, the place , the atmosphere, where I felt I understood what was going on pretty much from the first episode. I’m not feeling that yet with SGU, and maybe that’s the point of why it’s different. But I need to find a comfort zone, and so far I haven’t.
“She’s not only a wonderful actress, but a total sweetheart. ”
While I can’t dispute this, I actually laughed when I read this. It’s pretty amusing that anyone might actually believe this is the reason people are doing internet searches on Julia Benson. I guess the tight clothing, shower scenes, and boob close-ups have nothing to do with it?
Ah, finally reaching that important demographic Stargate showrunners are so desperate for, I suppose.
Random thoughts about SGU. I’m tired so I hope they’re coherent.
I liked the scene with Brody and Volker reporting to Col. Young who then turned to Eli. I think that it showed that the two men might be good scientists — probably are seeing as they’re in the Stargate program — but they are not idea men. Brody and Volker, once they understand an idea, can see it through but they don’t have that spark of creativity or ingenuity that Rush, Eli, McKay and Carter have.
I really dislike the use of the Stones for “family time”. It makes no sense. Mrs. Young, for example, wasn’t allowed to know her husband was base commander on Icarus but suddenly she’s allowed to know everything???? Unbelievable and inconsistent with the history of Stargate.
I’m hoping the women’s plotlines kick in soon. TJ is the only one so far with a story and a purpose. Chloe is annoying and useless. I hope to see some growth soon.
I really dislike Camile Wray. I didn’t want to but, so far, I haven’t seen anything to like. She was yelling and throwing a fit at Rush and treating him like dirt in the first episode (“We don’t want to settle in; we want to go back!”). Then in “Darkness”, she had the nerve to reprimand other people about how they treat Rush. I also dislike the way she assumes she has authority. Definitely not likable.
I feel like the Maytag Repairman of fans as I type this but I like Rush. Robert Carlyle is fantastic and the character is very interesting. I do hope the spoilers about a certain controversial situation is completely wrong because I might have to stop watching and I really want to know more about this character.
More another time.
Anne Teldy
Why not get the show to air on a non-Friday night? It might enable you to build your audience beyond what is already there and it’s not like ScyFy has all the other nights filled up.
Also I guess I am one of the online viewers, I don’t have a TV right now so it’s Hulu for me all the way. So add +1 to your ratings.
Hey Joe,
Puppies, puppies, puppies…so squishable. I wish I lived where you are. I would be there so quick.
Give them a pat for me. Loved the picture of them today.
Best to you Joe,
Cheryl 🙂
PS I better start coming up with at least one question. Darn.
Can Telford take over Young’s body indefinitely if he sees fit? I don’t know the military protocol for transgalactic possessions, especially since the two guys are the same rank.
I’m loving the show so far. To me, it seems to be far more grown-up than the other seasons, a bigger dilemma being addressed. I know Atlantis had the some of the same issues – being stuck a long way from home and having to sort things out – but on Destiny, they are alone and have no ready-made friends to help them. I think the difference is that Atlantis was a show I enjoyed the characters and stories and watched each episode. Universe I’m enjoying the characters, stories but I also want to know what happens next!
Hi Joe,
Happy belated birthday. Man, you post your blog entries late! I do want to share how happy I am to find this … resource (for the lack of a better word), as I see your blog. I think it’s wonderful that us fans can get this type of insight into the creative process that goes into the shows we follow.
It must take a lot of time to read people’s posts, and then go through the mailbag. As someone who just recently discovered your blog, I did read the FAQ that was your birthday present. While I can understand keeping the blog as a writing exercise, you don’t have to answer the questions people have about the shows. And yet you do. Again, very much appreciated.
I have to ask you, how fast do you read? I mean, to read the books you read, and all the posts people make here, plus your regular work … you either have a lot of assistants and a very short commute, or you can read very, very fast.
Some comments about the SGU, if you don’t mind. 🙂
Definitely different tone from the previous two series. I know you won’t spill any beans on the upcoming shows, and we can’t really affect the direction of the show, especially now that the first season is almost wrapped up. But can you at least tell me if this turns into some sort of pseudo-reality-TV, where the characters are constantly yelling at each other and figuratively stabbing each other in the back? ‘Cause if things are headed that way, I need to know. There are good knives on sale nearby, and I want to slice my wrists with the best hardware I can afford.
There are quite a few things to like on the show so far. For example, colonel Young’s situation. He is respected and fully in command at the Icarus base, but the moment he gets injured, his authority isn’t as solid as it used to be. Everyone still seems to respect him, but you get the feeling the vultures would pick at his flesh if they could. It’s a very nice subtlety so far. It also better demonstrates burden of command, in my opinion, than the other shows did.
I also like that Young claims Rush is “a lot of work,” and not something like “that man is not to be trusted.” Different from previous series as well, where one always got the feeling that the characters not only worked with each other, but also liked each other a lot. I mean, McKay blew up a solar system, and the other characters seemed to only feign annoyance with him. 🙂 Not so much here.
However, I do wish there were at least *two* characters that aren’t mostly hostile to each other on SGU. 🙂 OK, I’m exaggerating here, but it feels as if no one likes anyone else. I can appreciate the break from the previous series, but you would think that the people on the Icarus base were at least reasonably intelligent, and as such would realize that their chances of survival increase the more they learn to work together. I can only hope that becomes the case as the show progresses.
I’ve seen many questions here and had discussions with my friends who watch the show, about the third Air episode, and the two characters that dial to another planet. Your response seems to indicate that fans shouldn’t worry much about those two characters anymore, and I’m fine with that. However, I feel that there is a conflict in what you’ve said. You claim that the planet they went to must have been unable to sustain human life, yet before they stepped through the gate they said that the readings were “better than on the ‘sandy’ planet.” Faulty Kino readings?
Finally (someone please stop me from rambling on), given that SGU, and SG-1 and SGA before it are science fiction shows, how much actual scientific effort do writers put into it? To be more specific, are you guys at all concerned with the actual science, and do some checking to make sure that science that goes into it has some basis in reality? Or do the writers just imagine things and explain them in ways that “sound good.”
Once more, thank you for keeping the blog. I look forward to keeping up with your creative adventures.
The actors have been in and out of the production offices these past few weeks working on their commentaries. Coming soon to DVD!
Sweet! Sign me up for some SGU DVDs! I’ll even buy them the day they come out, before they go on sale! As a bargain shopper, that’s saying a lot coming from me. 😉
Hooray for Julia Benson!!!! And SGA stills!!!! Woohooo!!!
Somewhat trivial but bugs the heck out of me…
Why is there such a big gap in the chain of command? We go from Col. Young to 1st Lt. Scott…why didn’t anyone/rank in between land on the ship as well?
If anything were to happen to Col. Young (who is not looking so good) would you really trust a mission of this importance to a 1st Lt.? =)
Why was Ming-Na only Credited as a Main Cast Member in the two hour pilot but in air part 3 she was credited as a Guest Star?
Regarding that last question… It did occur to me while watching Air III, why don’t they just have, say, McKay and Carter use the stones to switch places with some of those people on the ship who are sitting around doing nothing? Okay, granted, McKay and Carter are probably busy with other things, but if they can add a couple more really smart and experienced people to the team occasionally, like when they’re trying to figure out the trickier problems, why don’t they? Okay, yes, from a storytelling point of view, that would weaken the SGU characters, but from a practical standpoint, one wonders why O’Neill or the others in charge don’t at least toss the idea around.
@Zac – Oh, I’m sure I’m not seeing Rush “as intended.” I do, however, think I am seeing him how he is portrayed. I don’t think he’s trying to serve other people at all – I think that the only person he cares about is himself. Every now and then, when he realizes he’s gone a little too far, he backs up a bit, but it’s not because he cares. If people blame him for their plight, it’s because he’s responsible for them being there. He didn’t save them, he placed them in jeopardy and he violated orders to do it.
As for the power problems and him warning people, he failed to talk to the most important person about them, Young. Also, how can anyone take him seriously? He lies when it suits himself, so he has zero credibility with people.
He is hoarding information and rejecting the help of people who could help. It strains credulity to think that he was the only person on Icarus base with knowledge about the Ancients and their tech.
BTW, I actually don’t disbelieve that he’d pass out, but I think that TJ (and Rush himself) excusing his truly reprehensible behavior on caffeine and nicotine withdrawal is really lame; he was an obnoxious pig before, and he was one while withdrawing from caffeine and nicotine. Bring on the very tiny violins.
@Rose – I did like the scenes where Young was meeting with people – although I find little about this show “realistic,” I did find Young’s leadership both realistic and a sign of a decent commander.
@Rose and @ Debra –
I also have to agree with both your comments about the role of women in this show. Truth is, I’m reeling from the insulting way women are portrayed in this show – I never expected anything like this out of Stargate, and I don’t expect this anywhere in 2009 outside of the CW and Spike networks. The scenes with Chloe and James were outright exploitive. I’m sure that young males like it fine to have James’ attributes so obviously displayed, and it’s clear that there is plenty of sniggering going on about Eli seeing Chloe naked. The “oh, I’m so scared Eli please stay with me” crap made my skin crawl. Even worse was to have Eli and Riley trying to catch James with the kino; that was just plain creepy. That’s sexual harassment. At best, these two are behaving like teenage boys salivating over a babe.
And Wray! We were led to believe that she was a truly substantive character. Ok, let’s see: in the first four hours, she has a handful of pointless lines, and her most significant concerns to date are HR issues? This is all while there has been plenty of time for numerous flashbacks and fantasies by Mathew Scott.
I find it mind-boggling that Wray is discussing HR issues with Young like whether or not TJ can be recalled to duty! Hello! Where the hell else is she going to go? They’re on a ship billions of light years from anywhere else she can go! HR issues? That’s what she cares about! Instead, if she’s concerned with the people, she and Young should be discussing who can do what, compiling lists of abilities and skills and talking to people about that. Yes, there are issues involved there, particularly issues of freedom of choice, but to raise it as a reenlistment issue? To discuss these things as “HR issues?” These things should be discussed as survival issues.
I think that most people in those circumstances would do what is necessary, and that would be using their skills to be part of the solution to survival.
THAT would be realism.
Two things about SGU shock me more than anything: (1) That this show really is going in the direction that it is after 15 years of excellence in character development and story-telling, and (2) that *anyone* can stand it. I have no problem with being in the minority opinion-wise about this show; certainly, I have been before. However, I can usually see the point of the other side. I can’t with this – this episode was nearly unwatchable to me because it was so deadly boring, and when it wasn’t boring, it was insulting.
That anyone thinks the behavior of these people realistic I find mind-boggling. That anyone finds the treatment of women in this show acceptable I find mind-boggling.
@Shadowstep – Re Rush not being a teacher – he can’t be the only one who was on Icarus base with knowledge of ancient tech, and it’s been established that he’s not the only one with science expertise. He won’t let anyone work with him or learn anything substantive about the ship. He wasn’t even communicating with Young about what he was doing. He waits until power levels are really low before he even communicates to ANYONE that there is a problem, and then he starts yelling at the young dweebs. Not productive. And if he has to be a teacher, that’s what he has to be or they will all die.
By keeping everything to himself, he’s jeopardizing all of them. If people are sabotaging things out of ignorance, Mr. Self-important needs to convey that to the guy in command a whole lot sooner, like before it happens, like as soon as he realizes it’s a risk.
And re what I said about “flying into the sun,” yes, I got it. I was being sarcastic. It’s incredibly obvious to me – and clearly to you as well – that the ship knows what it is doing and that it is going to the sun in order to refuel. As I said, I may be wrong about that, but it certainly seems to be the case. My point is that this is another area that there is no drama here, no sense of jeopardy.
What is happening here is a very tiny plot devoid of drama stringing the “character moments” together. It’s a shame that I find these “characters” so unrealistic and obnoxious. Obviously there are those who find the drama in these “characters.”
Again on the realism point: if this were real, those people would NOT be sitting around yapping, they wouldn’t be recording their images, thoughts and feelings to a camera that will never be seen by anyone on earth, they wouldn’t be chasing after the girls to see them naked, they wouldn’t be wasting water and power. They would ALL be doing their best to stay alive today and to figure out how to still be alive tomorrow. They would be working on the problems they face. Chloe would be shot for taking a shower – even with “mist” – when they have a finite water supply.
Think about any time you have ever heard of how people pull together in times of emergency or natural disaster. They don’t act like the people on this show. You might find one or two behaving badly, but this is a ship full of idiots who should know better.
Even if a situation doesn’t involve a natural disaster, there are times when people have to work together to meet a common goal, and they do it! As one small, unimportant example, while thinking about SGU, I was thinking about my office and my company. Every now and then (4-5 times a year) we have to kick into gear and get something out on the street in a very short timeframe. It doesn’t involve life or death, except of course in the employment and competitive corporation sense, but at those times, we ALL kick it up, and we pitch in wherever we are needed. Even if something isn’t strictly speaking our jobs, we find a way to help. Sometimes that means that co-workers are teaching other co-workers their jobs. We all try to meet a common goal, and we have to meet it in a very short time. I can tell you, we don’t lounge around oogling each other, playing emotional games or contemplating our navels. We move. We get the job done. We work very long hours, sometimes all night long. We get it done without whining about it, too.
If that’s just getting something done in a very short time frame that doesn’t involve our lives, what do I think real people would do in a situation where what is at stake involves lives? It’s not what the people on Destiny are doing.
It seems fairly clear to me at this point that I am well and truly outside the demographic that Stargate means to appeal to. I’m pretty sad about that, and I may give this show a couple more weeks. But I don’t think that it’s going to change.
Mary
I couldn’t help but be reminded of the Aurora when Destiny went dark and that combined with Rush’s blatant dismissal of Volker (and anyone else) caused me to think that the Destiny crew could really use Rodney. He’s pretty good at fixing broken things and I’m sure he can out-argue Rush any day. 😀
That being said, I of course enjoy these characters on their own. I love how all the non senior management crew turn to Eli. And I love Eli and Chloe’s developing relationship. They’re very sweet and still bright-eyed about it all, even in the wake of her father’s death. Additionally, I really enjoyed Young in this latest ep. He’s a good commander, strong, but sympathetic. Interesting to see his interaction with who I am guessing is his ex-wife.
The kino scenes were great! It was a nice introduction to the characters, very personal versus something that might feel more plot-driven.
Thanks for the pics!
Coucou Joseph! Vous allez bien?
Moi super!
si on chercher Anais33 stargate on tombe sur votre blog^^…en même temp c’est asser évident.
Merci pour ces réponses aux question c”est interessant.
Moi aussi j’ai une question:
A partir de quel épisode allons nous voir un nouveaux peuple (autre que le vent de l’épisode 3) ?
Car je commence à m’impatienté sur ce point.
Passez une bonne journée!
Bisou!
Hey Joe,
Is SGU going to keep up with the Kino cam diaries. I found it quite tedious in ‘Darkness’. Though, I do like what I have seen so far. The best character I’ve seen so far would be Elyse’s Chloe, I hope she gets a more active role as the season progresses.
Second, Is there any indication of a rough price for the DVD sets yet? Given that they are half season sets, do you think they will be a bit lower than SG1/SGA when they were first released?
Help! Totally off-topic! Any suggestions for insomnia? Took OTC sleep aid over an hour ago, still hasn’t kicked in, dagnabbit.
I know, looking at iPhone screen isn’t helping. Trning off and trying again. G’nite/g’mornng.
Hi Joe,
Thank you for your response to my previous question about SGU and the “edge of the universe”. 🙂
I’m a strong supporter of anything-Stargate, I own all of the shows/movies on DVD, have marathons with friends, and am spreading good word of SGU to both sci-fi geeks and “non-sci-fi-geeks”. 😉 And family as well. It appears some of my family is now officially addicted to Stargate. We have been discussing various subjects about SGU, thoroughly enjoying the excitement in the show already – and we’ve only seen a few episodes so far! It’s like the show is getting better with each new episode.
Anyway, I’ve enjoyed speaking with my parents (we live in different states) about SGU. My mother had a question about the alien lifeform in “Air (part 3)”. (I asked this in reply to one of your previous entries on here, though it is completely understandable passing it by. Thought I’d try again.) 😉
Here’s my paraphrase of my mom’s question:
Is it possible or likely that the vortex (wind/sand) alien life form – from “Air (part 3)” – is not from the desert world at all but, rather, while in its natural state as “Air” (or wind) actually resided aboard the Destiny and traveled – undetected – through the stargate with the 7 individuals who stepped through to the desert world; and, that the same Air-based life form was helping Lt. Scott possibly so that it could return to the Destiny (undetected) with them, where they would fix the air on the ship, also rescuing the life form?
(That question may very well be the longest run-on question ever, bad paraphrasing on my behalf.) 🙂
Have a wonderful day!
Sean
P.S.- the 2nd part of the question was my addition to my mother’s question 😉 (where the alien lifeform would travel back aboard the Destiny). After giving it some thought, if the lifeform was “air” of some kind, it’d make sense for it to travel back onto the ship if there was a purpose beyond what it could gain from remaining on the desert world.
Annnnnnyway, the 1st part of the question is probably more important.
I’ll condense it:
Is it possible the alien in “Air (part 3)” was and air-based lifeform that was on the Destiny and took the stargate to the desert world along with the people?
Take care, 🙂
Sean
First time I comment here, and yes, I’m getting caught red-handed… I was doing a google search on the lovely Julia Benson…
You’re kind of right on the money @ cheche
First off I’d like to say thanks for sticking with the Stargate series and moving onward to Universe. My first presumptions of SGU were harsh and conservation, and I can’t deny my views on this new series are any lighter since watching the first 4 episodes. Hopefully after getting the opportunity to see episode 5, Light, I will have a change of heart. As for now, I am not feeling this series. It just doesn’t have the Stargate touch. It’s overly dramatic and dragging. It kind of feels like someone took the production cast of every and any Stargate episode and told them not to come back. The show does contain vocab used by past series but it just doesn’t carry the personality and presence that SG-1 or Atlantis which had energy, charisma, and action. This show is dark; impersonal. Where’s the enemies? Where’s the friendly character building? Where’s the adventure?
I’ve only watched 4 episodes and I am already sick of seeing the inside of that ship as much as the characters in the show. Please, please bring something into this show that makes me feel like I could believe at any moment I could be in that situation besides a random ex-MIT student; not that I’m an ex-MIT student. I honestly feel without him bringing some sense of humor into the show I might feel as drained as the characters. Oh and another thing. In the situation of story, I don’t understand why can’t someone from the past series come in contact with the Young and instruct him ways to fix the ship or better yet, let them switch with young. Now I understand that there is probably some sort of contract issues in the real world that doesn’t allow you to bring them on the show as much as you’d like. I apologize if I am being a bit critical but I’d like to see this show make it because I am without my favorite SG-1 and just as I started to finally bound with SGA, they canned that show too. Honestly…
In spite of all my ranting, I’ll be watching episode 5 and maybe even more. I hope the work is going well and my opinions helped in some shape or form. Continue bringing great shows to the viewers.
Thanks again.
OK, I’m back on-board. Darkness what interesting, engaging and most importantly entertaining from start to finish, let’s hope the rest of the season maintains this standard 🙂
Cool! Thanks for the explanation. Loving the show so far.
Here’s where I am going fuzzy… the Ancient language looks like it predated general Lantean language(reference: the book that says the ancients came long time ago from somewhere far far away)?
And I would like to have it established whether or not Col. Young, Rush and the Destiny crew have met the SGA or SG-1 cast. And who would or should i assume has met who in Air?
I need the questions about Young’s backstory answered too. How long has he been with the SGC? What happened to Cheyenne Mountain? Alpha sites? Atlantis?
Gawd love those pugkids!!
I like the fact that SGU is so different to SGA. It’s darker, a bit sexier, I HATE one character (the one played by Jamil) but I’m liking that because it’s great to have emotions about a character. I’d prefer to feel for a character rather than be indifferent and not care what happens to him/her.
What a bonus that Rob Carlyle is with the cast. He is just awesome.
The SFX – brilliant.
I do miss SGA though… Hope to see a movie sooner or later.
I have a question. The Ancients blasted off in Atlantis from an Ancient outpost that uses the gene technology several million years ago on their way to Pegasus, and didn’t return until around 10,000 years ago. If this is true, how can the Destiny have been launched from Earth ‘the better part of a million years ago’, and how can it also pre-date the gene technology? This seems to be a continuity error between the timelines establish in SG-1, Atlantis and SG:U.
“Ravenfur writes: “Do TV networks take into account their online viewers when they consider how popular a series is?” Answer: They might, but advertisers generally don’t.”
Well, haven’t these advertizers realized we actually can zap their ads on TV while (at least in the way most Canadian broadcasters work on the web) there’s no way out of watching their 15 seconds message? I myself developped a sense of timing that brings me back on my previous channel 2 seconds before the pause ends. While with these 15 seconds messages you can’t pause, there’s pretty much nothing you can usefully do in such a short running time. If a bathroom break is needed, it’s only the show that can be paused for you to go on with your personal business.
I believed once that them add agencies had to keep up with the new medias in order to stay in business while force is to witness that they are a step behind everyone.
Jean
There was a discussion about water on darkness. Water can be split to produce oxygen but it can also be used for power generation.
Is destiny’s power generation solar based which heats up water to produce a convection current which in turn produces hydroelectricity?
or does it have something to do with the hubs?
One more question how many shuttles did the destiny originally have? 3? because at the end of Air part 3 there was a gap where it looked like one was parked.
cheers
Voila les points négatifs de sgu en ce moment aprés 4 épisodes.
• Tout va trop lentement et on s’attarde trop sur les personnages.
Si je regarde cette serie c’est que j’aime stargate mais pour l’instant c’est celle qui me plais le moin par rapport à sg1 et sgu pour l”instant ce qui me manque c’est: L’aventure, le voyage à travers la porte, la découverte de nouveaux peuple et de techonolgie
J’aime aussi quand il y’a des relations amoureuses mais pas trop car sinon ça gache tout.
C’est vrai que sgu parait plus réaliste car les personnages paraissent plus humain et que le temp s’accoule plus lentement mais bon ont à la vrai vie pour cela en générale les fan de Science Fiction cherchent à s’évader du monde réel mais là on reste prisionner du caractére et des déboires des personnes ainsi que de ce maudit vaisseaux.
….mise à part cela tout va bien lol.=P
@Joe – You asked ” … so I’m surprised that, after Darkness aired, we haven’t seen the expected “Hey, why didn’t the kino figure out the ship’s power issues?” questions. What gives?”
Well, from what I remember Eli saying and showing us viewers, the Kino is supposed to be a control-operated flying camera/communication device that can also serve as a MALP.
So, when the first opportunity for it to be controlled to fly into a room to potentially push a button(s) arose, and the destiny crew didn’t use it in lieu of someone sacrificing himself, people asked questions.
And, when the first opportunity to use it as a MALP to run a scan of the earth to look for the element/mineral arose, and the destiny crew didn’t use it in lieu of aimlessly searching in groups, people asked questions.
But, no one on the show ever said that it had the capability to scan the ships systems, which is a different function, and wouldn’t make sense from what Dr. Rush said. The Rush character said that he couldn’t access any of the core systems of the ship, like power. This (to me) would mean that the system that the Kino is tied into must be peripheral, otherwise Eli would not have been able to access it and use them. Therefore, the Kinos cannot run a diagnostic on a system that they are not tied into or cannot access.
And, even if a Kino could run a system diagnostic on the ship, no one ever said that it was capable of problem solving, which is also a separate function (to me.)
I don’t think anyone expects the Kinos to do everything, only the things that they were explained/shown as being able to do. However, this is just my take on things. I am only speaking for myself. Others may chime in and give you their own reasons.
Love your dogs though! They must give you lots of love and bring tons of joy to your life. Good luck on finding a great dog-sitter.
The Atlantis Pictures were nice. (Maybe we will see Joe, Rachel, David, and Paul in the future…)
Peace & Love,
j
Doggie pictures, Atlantis pictures, and a nice mailbag. Perfect cure for a cold, dreary, rainy week. Sorry to hear about the doggie setting difficulties you’re encountering. Wish we readers could help, but perhaps a doggie hotel won’t be too tough on the dogs. Especially if they offer spa services…
I’m going to make a few comments on the show so far, and of Darkness in particular. I’ll try to keep the spoiler meter down, but those who are avoiding said spoilers might want to skip the rest of the post.
What I’m really liking about the show. I am loving the group dynamics. The appearance of a faction who distrusts the leadership is a natural development, though it’s disturbing to see military personnel falling into this group. I would have expected the military to have more trouble bonding with the civilian, looking at that group as potential troublemakers and a burden they have to look after. It’s more intriguing in that the leadership is so far unaware of this development,and that Eli has placed himself in an untenable position by trying to remain unaligned.
I like the Young/Telford friction. This is an issue that’s going to have to be addressed fairly quickly. Young already has enough problems without having to deal with having his orders reversed, or his priorities changed when he’s on Earth. The personal background moments for his character didn’t work so well for me, though I appreciated the insight to his character.
I loved the Rush kino moment, which is the only one that I liked at all. Too Letters from Pegasus-ish. If there was a real interest in recording their thoughts, why not dedicate one set of stones to allow the characters to relay messages home? And I think that we get more out of seeing the characters through interactions with others.
I’m liking the fact that Rush has not been able to get into the main systems, in that that is a clue as to what’s been happening on Destiny prior to the arrival of the humans. Dittos for the power situation. And I’m expecting some issues to be resolved about Destiny’s power source/sources soon. We know that ZPMs can last a few thousand years with steady drainage. But it seems unlikely that Destiny was provided with enough ZPMS to last so long. At the same time, it seems even if Destiny is capable of scooping and processing hydrogen, or absorbing solar power, that those sources can provide the power needed for hyperspace travel and all the other functions an intact ship of its nature would do.
I’m liking the hints that the computer aboard Destiny may be more than the usual hunk of hardware. I may be reading too much into things, but it seems to me that there is a possibility that the computer may be an AI. Even if it’s not, there is going to be issues of who or what have messed with it and how that is going to affect its function once Rush/Eli/whoever does manage to gain access.
So far I’m liking the characters. I like how Rush refuses to open up, how Young applies steady pressure to try and keep him in line(and to give Volker some backbone to stand up for himself). Love Greer. Like Chloe and Eli.Rush is wonderful, and a break from Carter and McKay, who ultimately get along with those they work with closely. I do hope you wait a few seasons before taking any edge off his character.
Not liking so much. The kinos, or at least their use as recording devices. I just don’t get Eli’s fascination with the idea of recording everyone, as at this point he has no reason to expect anyone to find the ship, much less that particular kino.
Not liking so much that the bulk of the exiles seem to be doing nothing. I realize that without power they can’t do much exploring. But Idle hands and all. Given Young’s leadership style so far, I’d have expected him to be finding ways to keep these people busy. Cataloguing skill sets, and setting up tutoring sessions would be one thing I’d see. Especially since they have only one medic, first aid courses would seem to be a must. Any mechanical skills would also be vital. Since they are looking at the possibility of being stranded on a planet, knowing what people can do is a must. Once they know the skills, their explorations can focus on finding things that will allow those skills to be optimised.
Dang. This post is longer than I’d planned on. Call it quits for now. Thanks for goodies filled post and for your patience and perseverence in maintaining this blog.
Happy (very >.<") belated Birthday!
I'd choose the chocolat cake without pistachio (I like pistachios but I'd rather not want them in my cake ;)).
After Air3 and Darkness I'm really a fan of Rush – I'm still wondering if he might have apologized had TJ not given him the withdrawel excuse…
but in some scenes Robert Carlyle looks awfully thin – maybe you should force him to visit FUEL 😉
so far, TJ is the only female character I care to see more about
the others didn't manage to get my interest – yet – but I hope with more episodes to come I might appreciate them at least a little
though I'm having no problems with the male characters (Scott, Eli, Young, Telford, the scientists all at least get an "okay" up to an "hmm… there could be very interesting things to come")
but Telford seems really like a damn lucky guy sitting down exactly at the time the stones are used… (still, it's better than seeing him sitting there the whole time again – now we know at least that he sometimes leaves the stones 😉 )
First – you said you don’t state how old the characters are… but they did in the last episode? Which oddly, I noticed as being kind of weird for the Stargate universe.
Second – I don’t get why Friday nights are the least watched nights of TV. I watch four shows and three of them air Fridays. (Dollhouse, Sanctuary and of course SGU) The outlier being How I Met Your Mother.
Third – I really look forward to the spotlights on the recurring cast. Excellent! They’re growing on me quickly.
I know some people have said that they aren’t sure about the show because they can’t quite find the underlying current. That’s exactly why I love it so far. I’m sure it will find its current with time, and that will be great. Following it along the journey to that is just awesome. I’m really glad you guys took this route to Destiny, rather than the solid team formation used to find Atlantis. I was slightly afraid it’d end up being Atlantis: Part Two.
Getting closer to Tokoyo time, are you packed yet? How many suitcases, and I really hope you have a wonderful time and have lots to share with us. Fridays episode was not too bad, I can certainly understand the coffee withdrawal, but don’t they have chocolate, that might help ease them thru it. Eli is still funny, the roving kino, ah yeah..bad boy! Give that guy something to do with his time. oh yes, he was doing something. and poor Riley got the blame. Carlyle really puts himself in to his character, very convincing. thanks Robert its working. Any more info on the comic or the short story?
Have a great day!
Jason Momoa as Drogo, awesome bit of casting there. Congrats to him!
“Answer: Rush and Eli are certainly the best and brightest. Rush, in particular, would be in the best position to know what kind of help he would need. That said, the issue of using the stones in this regard will be addressed in an upcoming episode.”
Question: Why isn’t McKay there (not physically, but via the Stones)? Only possible reason I can think of, is that Atlantis’ not on Earth.
Also: Would it not make more sense that the Hammond was rushed into service because they had no ships to protect Earth, and Atlantis was away (not on Earth)? Or they just needed something to transport people and supplies to Icarus?
“Darkness” was very good. Not loving the stones but the story is interesting. Carlyle was fantastic!
If you go with a boarding facility-tour it first. Since, one of the girls has health issues, I would try a place with an onsite vet.
Pet sitters are catching on here. You could try calling the vet and seeing they could recommend someone. Techs don’t get paid much, so you might find one that will do sitting on the side.
I’m glad your computer is up and hope the search for a new one goes well.
Deni: your dog sitter story was hilarious! Did you get your son-in-law to dog sit anymore? It’s always distrubing to see someone in seizures. I hope Elway’s test come back with good news.
Tam
Completely off topic, but I thought this would definitely interest you:
In Japan restaurants are increasingly showing off their menus by putting fake versions of their dishes into their windows. The BBC did a nice little video report on that here:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8310560.stm
@ Deni – Holy Hannah that’s just wrong!!! I’d be furious too.
Hopefully things go better this time. Can’t wait to meet y’all, we’re gonna have a blast.
Telford may want to take over command for himself through the stones.
Gilder: Everyone is different. Like mine, your insomina could be hormonal. Dr. suggested herbal hormonal supplements. That seemed to help some.
One dr. put me on Zoloft to ease my anixety. Didn’t work because I reacted to Zoloft like it was speed. Weird reaction, racing heart, anxiety and NO sleep. I lost five pounds on it though. So it wasn’t a total loss 😀 .
I found that exercise was the best cure for my insomnia.
I wish you much luck on a good nights sleep!
Tam
Joe, thank you so much for answering my question!
Thank you Joe for bringing back the SGA BTS pics – I hope they stay – it does brighten the day to bring back those great memories of a wonderful show.
Thanks again for the pics
Thx for the pics, the costume details visible are awesome!
“It seems fairly clear to me at this point that I am well and truly outside the demographic that Stargate means to appeal to. I’m pretty sad about that, and I may give this show a couple more weeks. But I don’t think that it’s going to change.
Mary”
While I just copied your last paragraph, Mary, I pretty much agreed with your whole post.
EVERYONE on the ship is not where they are supposed to be. They have already apologized to TJ so many times for it that I have reached the point that I don’t care “why” she is still there. The real reason can’t possibly live up to the expectation – and that’s the best case scenario.
While I do like Young’s character and leadership, I have to question what he was doing before this detour. You could understand “why” he is having so much trouble getting people to do their jobs if he was trying to draw together a completely fragmented crew. However, with exceptions, he should have been in command of these people already. He should know them and they should know him.
It’s tough to be concerned about a group’s survival when the group themselves doesn’t appear to be all that concerned.
I have the feeling that I am watching “X-Files” – the last seasons – at the moment and that is NOT a good indicator.
@otros ojos wrote on Octobre 17th:
@otros ojos I made no comments or remarks about civilian administrators, just a observation about the perceived pecking order in SGU.
Personally, don’t even think of the gender of a superior matters. Only that they are competent. Both in the military and civilian life.
I like the Weir character. IMO the TPTB let the Weir character in Atlantis linger after the expedition became a de facto Military post in the series. Weir should have been relief by a Military officer around season 3 since the duties and responsibilities of the Atlantis leadership was drastically different from the start of the series.
Do any of us that have digital cable boxes with DVR’s help the show’s actual ratings by watching / watching live or does it only count if you have a nielsen box?
Thanks for the reply, I’m sure everybody will be sorry to know that.
I love the second picture!
ANOTHER GREAT SHOW! Thank you for answering my question, Mr. M.
Hi Joe, “long time listener first time caller” blah blah. Loving the show so far!
Anyway, my question to you is: can Destiny dial eight-chevron addresses? We’ve established that it only drops out of FTL when someone’s attempting to dial in, dial out or the ship’s detected a Stargate within range (for which a seven-chevron address is acquired and used). We’ve also established that there’s a nine-chevron address (presumably back to Earth) in the database and that Rush will throw a fit about power requirements if anyone attempts to dial it. Power issues (and Rush’s apparent committal to stay on that ship at any cost) aside, is it possible for the Destiny team to ‘backtrack’ along Destiny’s flight-path, for instance to re-dial that Desert Planet if they run out of lime again?
Joe,
First, I have to say that I think I will be leaving the Stargate series soon. SGU lacks the quality of SG-1 and SGA. And given that most of the season is completed filming, I think there is little hope for a course correction.
First, for the most part, the Stargate franchise has had quality women characters (Carter, Teyla, Weir), with some exceptions (Lara, or whatever her name was in SGA–fail). In SGU, it feels that the women were written by, and being shot by, adolescent males. Where are the mature, intelligent leaders we have come to expect? Chloe continues to be an embarrassment. James is just . . . wrong. And will we continue to the see the women military in wife beater t-shirts? TJ has potential, but the one-note refrain of “poor TJ, she shouldn’t be here” is tiresome. None of them should be there.
I’m guessing there are no longer military advisors on the show. Stargate did such a great job of honoring the military in “Heroes.” What happened? Those values no longer seem to apply in this world. I just can’t see a military advisor being crazy about the military is being depicted.
There is also a shift in the way dialogue is written and acted from the previous two series. Every conversation seems stilted and awkward. These are, for the most part, people who have worked together for months. Yet there seem to be little in the way of personal attachments (outside of the sex obviously). No one seems to know any one else. They all act like they’ve just met. Outside of Eli and Chloe, they were all assigned to the base. They all have history. But you would never know it by watching this. Every conversation is excrutiatingly painful.
I know we’re being told that is still a recognizable Stargate, but the most important elements are missing. The team element, with personal attachments built on respect and true and abiding friendship, is at the core of Stargate, and there is none of that here. I’m missing characters and relationships to care about. I’m tired of the juvenile whining, the lack of real leadership, and dearth of interesting and engaging characters. Where did they go?
I think there is a vast difference between being told I should care about this show and being actually given characters and situations to care about.
I’m still waiting, but I won’t wait too much longer. I’ll be glad when new movies are made. Oh, and I love the Dr. Jackson video library on all things Stargate. So far, this is the best thing to come out of SGU.
Hi Joe!
I just heard that A Game of Thrones is being made as a pilot for HBO, and that Jason Momoa has been cast as Drogo. Any thoughts?
My thoughts, Yay! (I know, real deep :))
Colonel Young had the best lines this week:
“That man is a lot of work.”
“Recipes, Becker. For the love of God, recipes.”
My brother has watched episodes of the Stargate series (serieses?) from time to time because his son is a fan. He said that now HE is hooked on SGU, because “it’s not really scifi.” Excellent work!
I really like that Young doesn’t like Rush but gets it that he DOES know what he’s doing.
@Rose – good points all. You’re right; the thing about TJ really is getting old. Her tour was supposedly over 2 weeks before all this happened. Well, so how come she wasn’t on the Hammond on her way back to Earth before the attack came down? My suspicion is that her reasons are going to be “shocking” in a “Very Special Stargate” kind of way, but I am at the point where I don’t care. Sad thing is, she’s the best of the female characters.
You said, “While I do like Young’s character and leadership, I have to question what he was doing before this detour. You could understand “why” he is having so much trouble getting people to do their jobs if he was trying to draw together a completely fragmented crew. However, with exceptions, he should have been in command of these people already. He should know them and they should know him.”
I’d have to agree – the puzzle here is why he hadn’t already pulled them together. Except for people who were temporary guests at Icarus, the rest of the people were supposed to be part of the Icarus team. They were familiar enough with each other that they can’t stand Rush – so it’s not like they’re all new to each other like Eli is. They’ve been together some period of time. So they should both know him and each other.
I could chalk a lot up to his injuries, but if he’s a good enough commander, more should be getting done per his orders while he is resting.
Knowing what we have learned of Stargate Command in the last many years, I can’t believe that anyone would be sent to a post off of Earth without being forced to undergo some kind of training. Eli and the Senator and Chloe are perhaps exceptions, but anyone who was going to stay there should be trained. Training should include basic survival, what to do when under attack, what to do when you have to evacuate, and so forth. I could almost guarantee that training wouldn’t cover “how to sexually harass your co-workers when you’re on an alien ship fighting for survival.”
The first thing would be treating the wounded and inventorying supplies to figure out what you have and what you need. Somewhere on the list would be dividing up tasks, and figuring out where there are supply and knowledge gaps and working to fill them. It’s already been established that you can tell the ship what you need and it can help find it.
Another point that hasn’t been addressed: if power systems have failed everywhere on the ship, why is the kino system working and why do they have gravity? To me, the answer is simple: the ship knows what it is doing even if the fools on it don’t know anything, including how to survive. Or worse, no one thought of it or they figured we wouldn’t notice while we were busy watching James’ uh, form.
There’s a lot of tv I don’t watch because I find it idiotic in the extreme. The list includes most tv that is designed to attract people under 30. I find the characters vapid and shallow, the dialogue unbelievably stupid, and the camera technique and directing banal (not to mention hard to watch with almost 56 year old eyes). I tried to watch “Vampire Diaries” because of my life-long obsession with vampire fiction (although the godawful Twilight stuff makes me shudder), but I gave it up after two episodes. It was the usual inane nonsense that for some reason is popular in a CW sort of way.
I think perhaps I feel like my grandparents must have when I got bored with what they liked and vice versa, and maybe that is as it should be.
I also can’t stand reality tv shows or the really awful talking to the camera confessional routine. This stuff is all mind-numbing to me, completely mind-numbingly stupid. I don’t understand the attraction. The ONLY reality show that I have watched on a regular basis and enjoyed is America’s Got Talent. They DON’T do the camera confessionals. I have family members who are into Survivor, and to enable family conversation at those mandatory holidays, I watched that a bit. All I took away from that is shock that vapid people sharing their innermost mundane and trivial thought processes and confessions had become entertainment in America.
I am afraid that is how I am beginning to see SGU.
I know what you mean when you say that you have the feeling that you’re watching the last seasons of X-Files – I had friends who were still with X-Files at that point, and they were continuing to watch out of loyalty. I myself gave up on X-Files when they went the horror route; I can’t handle horror (except for vampire fiction, much of which isn’t really horror).
For me, the feeling is that I am watching Enterprise. I have loved Star Trek since 1966. I embraced TNG, DS9 and Voyager (although I certainly had issues when it became Star Trek: 7 of 9 has great boobs). I even did a Pocket Star Trek book that was published ten years ago.
Despite my love of Star Trek, Enterprise was too much for me when sexual exploitation and re-writing Star Trek history became the name of the game. I really tried to watch it, but when the Vulcans became clear bad guys over the monastery, that was it for me. I thought that Jolene Blalock was the best of the cast, but her costuming made me clench my teeth. A friend pulled me back in for the fourth season, but the magic was gone.
I didn’t even see the new movie – I was out of the country when it opened in May, and I was super-busy with work when I got back. By the time I surfaced, it was out of the theaters. Once upon a time I would have been devastated, or I would have found a way to see that film, no matter how hard I was working. But now, I can wait. The magic of Star Trek isn’t there for me anymore, even with Nimoy in the cast. I’ll catch it on dvd.
I think I want to give up on SGU before the magic of Stargate is gone for me. I’ve become a bit whiny, and that annoys me, so I had better stop.
Mary
@ crazymom1 – Thanks for mentioning that ‘for the love of God, recipes’ line. It was a favorite of mine, too. Why? Well, because one of my concerns about the show (yeah, yeah, yeah…I said I wouldn’t bring it up until I had a few more eps under my belt. Well. I lied.) is that Eli will be the only one with light and/or humorous lines. That will get old really fast, too…you have to mix up the humor a bit for it to be believable. Some of the funniest things I’ve ever heard said are by people in stressful, even life-threatening, situations, so it’s hard for me to believe that in this crew of 70+, only one person can laugh about the whole thing.
Still, overall I am enjoying the show…just not obsessively so.
das
Apparently Jason Momoa has been confirmed by HBO for the role of Khal Drogo in Game of Thrones. Congratulations to him, because he is perfect for that role.
I can’t tell you how much I’m anticipating that show, not least because of all the terrific actors they’ve cast.
Crazymom1 and Das: I agree with bot of you about the recipe line. That was a good one. I also liked hearing young come to the conclusion that Eli was more productive than the “pros” trying to find more power. To me it shows that he can think independantly and not be a drone.
My black belt test is being set up for …. Friday the 13th!
Wish me lots of luck, please!!!!!
Tam
Ooophs, sorry I meant both, not bot. Anyway, going now to practice throws on my hubby. He is sooo great!
Tam
“Quade1 writes: “Do the actor’s have to visualize the Kino or do you guys have like a green ball hanging from a rope on a stick?”
Answer: The kino is usually CG and for tracking purposes it is usually a “ball on a stick”.”
I love it! McKay and Sheppard’s “MALP on a stick”!
Patricia
They could use people like Dr. Jackson and Dr. McKay to swap bodies with the communication stones!
I have been enjoying the new Stargate Universe, which is new for me since I have never enjoyed any Stargate episode before, but one thing keeps bothering me. There aren’t really any women of the show on the same (intellectual) footing as the male actors. In this last episode, Darkness, there were 2 scientists sent to help Dr. Rush with the ship’s power issues, both men. I saw a woman talking to the Kino about tidally locked planets, but that seemed to be the extent of her involvement. It seems like the intellectual powers on the show (Dr. Rush, Eli, the other two scientists) are all men.
Also, in the command structure of the survivors, there doesn’t seem to be a woman in any position of power. Wray seems to be some sort of liason between Young and the civilians, TJ is a paramedic, Chloe was her father’s secretary. There don’t even seem to be any women on equal power footing as say Lt. Scott or the other male soldiers under Commander Young. TJ might have the same rank, but she’s relegated to playing nurse to the survivors and Young. The one other female soldier (James) we’ve been introduced to was having sex with Lt. Scott in the first episode, and now seems to be played for laughs because of her large breasts. The women of the show seemed to be thrust into traditionally female roles. The communicator, the nurse, the secretary, the busty hot girl. I read the character bio for Wray, and it seems like she should be taking a more active role, but last episode, she didn’t even have one line that I can remember, and this episode she was discussing TJ’s role on the ship as though TJ would have any other option but to carry on with her duties, as though Wray is not aware of the actual situation on board Destiny.
So although I like the show, I’m waiting for strong, intelligent women who show leadership, and don’t just play backup to the male cast, or add emotional notes here and there so that female viewers feel a connection. That’s one comparison to BSG I would like to see SGU live up to. So far, I’ve been disappointed.
Joe, I was actually trying to figure out if that was his ex-wife or his ex-girlfriend with that question. Wasn’t sure. lol.
I can understand why Young went to visit her. I’m just not a fan of the stones aspect of the show though. Well, expect for the O’Neil appearances (and the great cameo by Peter Deluise). Thats cool. Otherwise, I find the ‘visits home’ a bit too soapy & unrealistic. Not unrealistic that they’d want to see their loved ones, but unrealistic in the way that the exchanges are played (Chloe’s mom being waaaay too emotional & the Young/wife exchange being soapy). They just do not fit in with the rest of the show.
I think the sequences really stand-out (in a bad way) and take away from the whole ‘they can’t get home’ aspect of the show. It would be a lot cooler, imo, if the stones were broken & we only got flashbacks to tell us about the characters more. I felt like Scott’s flashback with the peacher who raised him was better executed than Young or Chloe’s visits home.
Other than that aspect of the show, I’m enjoying Universe a lot. Eli is the coolest chacter imo. I also like Chloe, Scott, and Young too. Oh and I wouldn’t say I like Rush, but I think he’s a very interesting character! Plus, all of the main stories (getting the air back, losing power) have been great
and character interactions aboard the ship have been excellent imo.
Universe is off to a great start so far. Can’t wait to see more of it.
DF2506
Joe, the writers (Wright & Cooper?) are ruining SGU. You have a visually stunning looking show. You have superb photography. You have a top knotch experienced crew. You have a proven special effects group. You have a very talented cast. You have the greatest music composer around. You have a rich history in the Stargate series to pull from. So why are Wright and Cooper (namely) ruining it?
The writing is questionable. And it is all about the characters. Why is David Blue (my favorite) being written as a 15 year old. How old is David? He is no kid anymore and does not look like a kid, yet he is peeping at women in the shower, and he is being treated like a young nerd. His character needs to be taken more seriously as an asset and his knowledge and intelligence be put to greater use.
Why are the writers suddenly interjecting so much sexual overtones into this series? Please hire one (or two) female writers! I remember you said “they don’t get it”. The way you are writing the female characters are insulting to some of your female viewers and apparantly you don’t get it. Are all the male writers of SGU having an identity crisis or a mid life crisis? Was there something wrong with being able to watch your show with your entire family? Four episodes in and we have had a graphic sex scene, a nude woman taking a shower while a man watches, and your cameras fixated on a woman’s very large breasts. What’s next? A bare butt shot? Eli blowing air up Chloe’s dress for another peep? A wet t-shirt for Lt. James? How many more sexual intercourse scenes are up and coming?
So far my favorite characters are Eli, Rush and Young. No women. I can’t even name one except for Chloe, but that is because she is always doing a lot of nothing in front of the camera. Oh and now I know who Lt. James is thanks to her big “this is for all the boys out there” camera shot. You are not doing your show any good with this type of writing and you’re certainly not doing these serious actresses any good either.
You said you want to hear what everyone thinks even though nothing can be done this year. How can you possibly make any adjustments for next year if half of your audience loves everything and other parts of your audience hates certain things? Seems to me, as long as you are getting a happy ‘thumbs up’ from a large portion of your viewers, the second season will be just a continuation of the same formula.
RandomQ’s writes: “Any indication yet as to whether or not during the SGU hiatus the SG1 & SGA movies will move into production?”
Answer: Alas, given that we’ve received no word about either movie by this point, it’s unlikely we’ll be shooting them in November.
well, this sucks. (not aimed at you, joe)
i know what to do! take the money you’d use for another season of sgu and use it on the two movies the fans have been waiting for! yes, i’ve solved your problem! 😉
on an sgu note: seeing as julia benson is so popular now, move her up in the cast as a regular AND do some more steamy scott/james ship! 😀
one more thing before i go…
SAM/JACK FOREVER!!! 🙁
@kabra, who is orange ave music,sounded pretty good.
@deni, omg,spit take on the dog (son-in-law) story. wasn’t ready for it, thanks, funny.
@narelle, really terrific q&a for mr M. inf, spot on, a lot of hard work, thanks, I enjoyed it.
Joe. loved the doggie pictures, very cute.thanks
Hi Joe,
Mark the transplanted Aussie here. With your doggy dilemma – do you need someone to look after the dogs at your place for a few weeks, or someone who can look after them in their own home?
Unfortunately the lease on the place I’m renting specified ‘no pets’ when we moved in, so looking after them here is not an option. But if you just need a dogsitter at your place I’d be happy to help. Can’t think of anything better than spending Christmas holidays with the cutest pugs in Vancouver! Let me know if nothing else turns up.
I had goosebumps watching Darkness the other night – great episode! It felt so epic, yet there were so many little moments that put a smile on my face – I really enjoyed the kino sequences too. I’ve never anticipated the next episode of a Stargate series as much as I have been with SGU.
Hope you are having fun on the season finale 🙂
Mark
@Cheche, Mary, Ponytail, Rednor, – I agree with your posts. I am trying to ride this season out, but I am not sure that this will happen for me either. One thing that concerns me is that the direction that this show is going in will probably be the direction that it continues to go in for the women and minority characters.
I don’t think that TPTB listen to the fans if they can help it. The fans didn’t want Carson Beckett kicked off of Atlantis, and it still happened. The fans didn’t want Atlantis cancelled, and it happened. The fans want the SG-1 and Atlantis movies, and we are not sure if/when they will be filmed.
I am sure that there were/are reasons for these things that I choose not to question. They just are what they are. I want to be positive, so I will still wish SGU good luck.
Peace & Love,
j
As an aside – Here’s another thing that bothers me. I watched a PBS produced documentary in America called “Carrier.” It is a 10-hour documentary that follows every facet of an air-craft carrier in the ocean over the course of several months: The leadership, the cleaning crew, the maintenance people, religion on the ship, the kitchen staff, waste, laundry, the pilots, long-distance relationships – you name it.
And, from what I saw, no one nationality or race was fully responsible for any one area of that carrier. I notice that all of the mess-hall/kitchen staff are African-American/Canadian.
And before anyone says they just happen to be the kitchen people that made it on to the destiny, this was true (from what I can remember) in the first episode when everyone was still on the Icarist base. It strikes me as weird and unrealistic. I think this may say more about what the writers think about the capability of minorities as opposed to what would really be the case in military staffing. I also feel this way about the Wray character (Ming-na) asking less than intelligent HR questions (in my opinion.)
These are just my opinions though. I am not trying to be mean or harsh, just honest.
Peace & Love,
j
Thanks for the Atlantis pics.
Not to be confusing – I meant to say that I notice that on SGU I notice that all of the kitchen staff are African-American or African-Canadian.
@Littleravenhawk: Stover best SW author? Nah! That title will always go to the master: Timothy Zahn!
Okay – last correction: Icarus.
Sorry, but I gotta admit SGU left me cold this week. As I’ve said before, the only thing that’s kept me watching up ’til now is the plot — not the characters at all.
But Ep. 4? No plot! At all! Like Seinfeld, only without the humor. (And what’s the point of that?)
Thus…
@Gilder: Just rewatch Darkness for a quick cure to your insomnia. You’ll be out in no time.
I’ll probably watch next week, but I have to say, I’m not hotly anticipating it, the way I did with SG-1 and Atlantis. As Mary pointed out, it seems pretty clear the ship knows what it’s doing and the supposed “crash into the sun” thing is just the ship’s way of charging up on power. If that indeed is how this plot point resolves itself, I’m going to be rather disappointed. Firstly, because it’s predictable. But more importantly, because it would be yet another problem overcome not by any ingenuity or skill on the part of the characters, but by some bit of deus ex machina. (The alien on the desert planet leading Scott to the limestone was another example of this).
As for cannoli in Vancouver, alas! I was hoping you’d have some secret knowledge of a place other than Commercial Dr. Someone else recommended Fratelli’s on Commercial, but I was unimpressed with their cannoli. (No ricotta! Soggy shells!) According to the peeps at Fratelli’s, they specialize in Northern Italian pastries, while cannoli is a Southern Italian confection. (Learned something new that day.) Oh, well. The quest continues…
Kathode
*sigh*
I wish I could look after your pugkids. I used to work at a dog refuge and loved it. Walked two Borzois, one either side. They pushed into me either side for some reason almost as if they were trying to push me around .
I won.
Gotta ask. Will something about Rush be revealed later on (like some mental condition).. right now I just wonder if he’s not suffering from physical and emotional exhaustion – or maybe something else lies within we will discover later?
Who’s Vanessa James again? Is she the one with the closeups? 🙂
“we haven’t seen the expected “Hey, why didn’t the kino figure out the ship’s power issues?” questions. What gives?”
Because that would imply the Kino has an autonomous artificial intelligence, which nobody has postulated, whereas the other questions were logical extensions of what one would assume such a tool would be able to and the clever people using it would have thought of.
“many civilians WILL receive clearance so that they can visit with their loved ones.”
Will any of civilians realize this is a supremely selfish thing to do and refrain from doing it?
@mary
“And if he has to be a teacher, that’s what he has to be or they will all die. ”
1. Its not given they’ll die.
2. He probably will teach *when there is time*
@ Ponytail Wright and Cooper are the creators and exec producers of SGU, as well as writer and directors. I don’t think they’ll be fired any time soon.
You (Ponytail) said, “You said you want to hear what everyone thinks even though nothing can be done this year. How can you possibly make any adjustments for next year if half of your audience loves everything and other parts of your audience hates certain things? Seems to me, as long as you are getting a happy ‘thumbs up’ from a large portion of your viewers, the second season will be just a continuation of the same formula.”
So if half or a “large portion” of the viewers like the show and tell Joe that they like it, that is wrong because the show won’t be changed to reflect what the other half (small portion?) wants to see? Are fans supposed to look over the comments and even if they have positive views they should say something negative to balance things out so possibly things they like will be changed? I’m confused.
eddy
yeah, SGU angst… dark and dirty ship, we have another problem” the ship knows what to do, we only have twelve hours, youaregonnabeleftbehind, no one listens, no one talks, what an amazing vtenforward, that is where they should all live. Isn’t there a map? What about the power sucking leech pod? wouldn’t the recycled air smell reallybad? The are pooping in an empty room somewhere, hope it isn’t important. They are eating powdered eggs. They all must have diarrhea all the time.
WHy no military structure? Why do the civilians all like Hillary Clinton?
Where are the Asgard…surely they know about this ship and can track it. WHo blew u p Icarus? Looked like Jaffa ships. WHy so stupid people, what are they the white supremists vs the sexists verse the brain nerds? WTF kind of stoopid spin off show? It would have been better with just a small group, not a bunch of LOST extras that will randomly be replaced by real actors with subplots You think the ship would notice humans have arrived (which was its intended purpose) and light it up, read their minds and give them a link back through the seeded stargates. dumb. I thought it might be cool, dvr it each week and wait…wait… they are crying, they are depressed, (except Eli and Rush) The Head administrator thinks she has some power, but no survival skills. What are we gonna do with the Senator’s body? Eat it for variety.
I also like the angry psycho with a gun. He may end it all for them soon. Rush is dying of cancer. What next, a rape scene?