Today we bid a fond see-ya-later to the wonderful Jamil Walker-Smith, SGU’s resident warrior – Sergeant Ronald Greer. It seems like just yesterday we were watching his F bomb-studded audition stream (THAT got our attention!), marveling at his incredible onscreen presence. His unique charm completely won us over (and him the part), then continued to wow us throughout the season.
Trust me, he is damn likable both on camera and off. I’ll miss his infectious laugh, his easy-going humor, his way of delivering a line with his trademark delightful quirkiness. He’s a guy who’s as smooth and comfortable sprawled out on a couch in the production office talking about his weekend plans as he is firing off rounds at invisible aliens or lowering a Good Samaritan down a storm drain in search of the keys he dropped. Always good for a laugh and a story, and always great for a performance that never fails to amaze.
Ladies and gentlemen, Jamil Walker Smith has left the building.
But he’ll be back.
More spinning today in the writers’ room and more headway made on those first ten episodes. We ended up discussing the details of episode 1 (Paul will be doing the honors on this one), talking about the what’s and wherefore’s and, most importantly, answering Brad’s burning question: “How the hell are we going to get out of this one?!”. Carl has requested Episode 5 while I’ve cast my lot with Episode 2. Brad’s idea falls in the four slot, so he’ll take that one, which means Rob will be jumping on 3. What fun! One more day of broadstroking stories and arcs and then we get to breaking. If all goes as planned, we’ll each have a story in hand by the end of next week, meaning we won’t have to come back to the office in December – except for Carl, of course, as fire regulations necessitate an Executive Producer be on premises at all times.
Today’s entry is dedicated to birthday gal Anne-Marie Sloan.
Another whopping mailbag:
Cherluvya writes: “Okay, so what am I doing wrong in asking questions?”
Answer: Not sure. Are you asking the right questions?
Laura writes: “Do you ever stop reading a book that is not intriguing to you and how long to you give a book before you give up on it?”
Answer: A book has 100 pages not to lose me. Notice I didn’t say “grab me”. I’m already on board. All I ask is that you don’t lose me. And, every so often, it does happen.
Ytimynona writes: “Do you speak any other languages?”
Answer: Some Japanese. Nihongo ga sukoshi hanasemasu.
Dasndanger writes: “It seems many of the complaints about the Chloe/Scott thing revolve around the speed with which the two came together. I do understand how some could feel that it was a bit rushed. The problem? A lack of verbal communication with the audience. A way to resolve the problem? It would have been very easy to include a short scene between Chloe and Eli where she confides in him that she is attracted to someone – and Eli, of course, would jump to the conclusion it’s him. This way the audience is prepared for the reveal when Scott takes Chloe’s hand…and it would have also made Eli’s hurt more profound.”
Answer: Sure, we could have done that. Or had either Chloe or Scott clearly state in one of their bonding scenes: “I’m really falling for you!”. Or had another character comment: “Looks like those two are getting together.” I’ve always been of the opinion that viewers don’t need to be spoon fed and are fully capable of connecting the dots. Show; don’t tell.
Dasndanger also writes: “…but when you have an audience that is used to being told everything, sometimes it takes a while for them to catch on that they have to watch carefully, because sometimes the story isn’t being told in just words, but in body language and facial expressions.”
Answer: Ah, there you have it.
Thornyrose writes: “There was the threat that wasn’t a threat(no way Destiny and its passengers were going to die, and given the characters aboard the shuttle no doubt they would make it back safely).”
Answer: But every time the Atlantis team went off-world, did you ever expect there was a good chance they wouldn’t be coming back?
Thornyrose also writes: “It’s peculiar that the same people who were so confident the ship knew what it was doing at one moment suddenly decided that the Ancient technology had failed and that the ship failed to calculate a relatively simple properly.”
Answer: I think you mean problem. Rush stated that he believed the power issues were a result of their sudden, intrusive presence. Also, while one could hypothesize that Destiny may be responding to the needs of its crew, it requires a big leap of faith to dismiss all evidence to the contrary and believe you’re in no danger – especially when you’re headed toward a star.
Thornyrose also writes: “How does a ship that generates a shield powerful enough to survive immersion into a star get battle damage? How does the ship convert the stellar energy, and how does the power compare to ZPMs? Why the difference in energy sources between Atlantis and Destiny?”
Answer: Flying into the heart of the star would have destroyed the ship. Instead, it more or less skimmed the surface. It also makes sense that the ship was designed to draw energy from a naturally occurring and convenient power source, like a sun, rather than a ZPM that could be eventually depleted.
Thornyrose also writes: “Wray has been undermined as a potential leader, having shown her instinct for self preservation overrides her concern for the whole.”
Answer: How so? She stated her case and then reacted when Young threatened to take her name out of the lottery.
Thornyrose also writes: “Why would Rush allow the shuttle to be loaded with supplies and leave if he knew Destiny was safe? Why would he come up with a solution to retrieve the shuttle if he wanted to be rid of the other occupants of the ship?”
Answer: All good questions. The likeliest response could be that he suspected, but had no way of knowing for certain, that the ship was designed to draw energy from the star. He planned for the worst but hoped for the best.
Thornyrose also writes: “I am hoping to see more developments in the characters, especially developments that make the characters more likable.”
Answer: Oodles of character development to come. Water, the next episode, does a wonderful job of exploring Scott, Young, and their relationship. There are also some terrific moments for Greer, T.J., Eli, and Rush.
Thornyrose also writes: “Any idea on when you’ll get official word on the show renewal?”
Answer: Could be as late as December.
Belouchi writes: “ 1. Is that Pyramid shaped building on the back of the Destiny crew and general quarters?
2. Will we ever know who or what put all those holes in the Destiny?
3. What do you think of the Audi S5…. hint hint”
Answer: 1. Not sure what you’re referring to. 2. Possibly. 3. Looks nice. Why, are you thinking of getting me one as a belated birthday gift?
EternalDensity writes: “Is Destiny millions of years old (necessary for it to be older than Atlantis, have the potentially oldest stargate, and be a millions of years long trip from Earth) or is it under a million years old (which seems to be indicated by a couple of lines of dialogue in SGU)?”
Answer: I’m going to say millions.
Arctic Goddess writes: “To Chloe, having sex with Scott may be a twisted kind of need to feel loved and protected. Which would be something she had gotten from dad and now she is trying to replace with Scott.”
Answer: Sure. Or she could have been infected by one of those alien sex parasites like in Cronenberg’s Shivers. Or Scott could have been hallucinating that she was James. Or, hell, they may have both been attracted to one another. Who knows.
Bailey writes: “All I can say is that John Sheppard was a gentleman and Lt. Scott is a horn-dog.”
Answer: Uh, yeah. Right.
Skontel writes: “You mention how different Louis Ferreira is in person from the character he plays. Would you say his is the biggest person-to-character difference, and if not, who is even further away in real life from the character they play on SGU?”
Answer: Louis, Bobby, Ming-Na and Jamil are VERY different from the characters they play. Alaina and Elyse are also quite different from T.J. and Elyse. On the other hand, David does have a bit of Eli’s adorable geek in him, and Brian is as sympathetic and noble in spirit as Scott.
Shawna Buchanan writes: “If he’s still religious, it annoys me to see him being so hypocritical without any acknowledgment of that fact.”
Answer: Some religious individuals are flawed – although the majority, of course, are perfect human beings beyond reproach who pay the church a yearly tithe amounting to 10% of their annual income.
Grace writes: “UCLA got a sneak peek of “Boondock Saints 2? tonight. Writer/director Troy Duffy and actors Sean Patrick Flanery, Norman Reedus, and Clifton Collins, Jr. attended the event. I spoke with Flanery afterwards and mentioned that I was a HUGE Stargate fan, loved him as Orlin, ecc. and he sung everyones praises. He seems to be a nice guy.”
Answer: He is a very nice guy.
Michele writes: “how did this darker tone for this spinoff come about? Also was wondering what was the most exciting part of creating season one and what was the hardest?”
Answer: These are questions that could be best answered by the show’s creators, Brad Wright and Robert Cooper (I’ll twist their arms and get them to do a Q&A before long). From what I understand, they felt that in order for the franchise to continue, rather than end with Atlantis, it needed to be revitalized and taken in a new direction. And SGU has done just that.
Erik writes: “Also, I don’t know if I would call Eli “immature” if he ignored Chloe. “Hurt” maybe, but I think that sometimes, to save oneself from too much hurt, distance can be the only solution.”
Answer: Sure. And that would be Eli’s decision to make. On the other hand, it’s kind of silly to expect Chloe to end her friendship with him.
gatelady writes: “In other words, Lt. Scott is not anywhere close to John Sheppard or Jack O’Neill as fan favs.”
Answer: Not yet.
Gatelady also writes: “Gateworld and Syfy forums both have polls for fav and least fav characters. Chloe is at the bottom, with Lt. Scott second from the bottom, at both sites.”
Answer: Well all the more reason for fans to get to know these characters and get past those first impressions. Hell, before the show even aired everyone HATED Greer. Suddenly, he’s on everyone’s favorite list and those people complaining about him earlier have suddenly developed a case of convenient amnesia.
Phil writes: “ What does that scene with Greer stripping down and (what appeared to be) meditating meant to symbolise? That he’s cleared his mind and bared his soul?”
Answer: That’s a great way of looking at it.
Joshua Meyers Extraordinary Teenager writes: “Wouldn’t you think Rodney or for that matter Daniel be a little more interested in the 9 chevron address in the database??”
Anwwer: Sure, but the project has been ongoing for a while and there’s no reason to believe they weren’t consulted.
duneknight writes: “i dont think eli or Scott had enough time to actually have real feelings for chloe. did you push this love triangle early on to grab as many viewers possible from the beginning? otherwise there was no need to introduce this relationship at this time.”
Answer: There was no need to make the corridor lights blue or put T.J.’s hair up rather than cut it short, but we did it anyway.
Rich G writes: “Young is one of my favorite characters. Authoritative, no-bullshit, straight-forward. He’s even been nice to Eli right from the get-go (saying it was time to eat after they’d been working for hours and hours in Air part I) instead of treating him like he’s just getting in the way.”
Answer: Yep, one of my favorite moments in the opener. That small exchange and the smile he throws Eli said so much about the character.
DemonHunter writes: “I haven’t watched any SGU episodes (no access to them yet) but it seems from reading the mailbag that the show is mainly just a bunch of stranded people having sex. Is that where most of the story lines come from?”
Answer: Pretty much. At the beginning of the season, we write all of the characters’ names down on little pieces of paper and put them in something we call “the sex hat”. Then, we reach in and pull out two names. This random pairing are earmarked to have sex in a given episode and, from this notion, we spin out a possible story.
Gen writes: “Think we can get a Q&A out of him, please please?”
Answer: Eventually.
Gilder writes: “As time goes on, I start to wonder if show creators Brad Wright and Robert Cooper included various shocks and surprises to distract us from more obvious plot developments.”
Answer: Be careful. They also do this thing when one of them crouches down behind you when you’re not looking so that the other can shove your over.
Matt writes: “Is the crew of the Destiny going to encounter any Jaffa, Ancients, Goa’uld, or any other familiar races out there?”
Answer: The Magic 8 Ball says Most Unlikely.
Abby writes: “Are we ever going to find out where Eli’s dad is?”
Answer: Hey, David Blue asked this very question yesterday. Suspicious…
Joesmom writes: “There is a huge difference between romance and sex. We just hope the writers realize this.”
Answer: Absolutely. It’s like the difference between a rose petal-strewn bed and the cold linoleum of a bathroom floor.
Brooke writes: “Women like guys who are sensitive and caring (like Scott shows after Chloe’s dad dies), but not guys who move pretty quickly from one girl to another.”
Answer: Right. You know who thinks this way? Sensitive and caring guys.
Michael writes: “I loved the cameo of Peter DeLuise, it was a nice nod to the SG-1 days. Will we see any over-sized wrenches?”
Answer: Alas, the big wrenches were a Martin Wood/Dan Shea thing and they are not working on SGU.
Michael also writes: “Since SGU is much more of a serial than its predecessors, will there be less guest villains and one or two reoccurring Big Bad?”
Answer: Oh, there may be a recurring big baddie or two.
Majorsal writes: “i like the tj and james female characters; anything for them?”
Answer: Yep. More goodly character stuff upcoming.
Genevieve writes: “I was wondering, will there be any lasting division or resentment between the lotto winners and the losers?”
Answer: No, for a couple of reasons. First and foremost is the fact that those chosen to get on the shuttle had no hand in the decision-making process. It was Colonel Young’s call and the selections were random. Secondly, those who ended up aboard the shuttle ended up in far more danger than those who stayed behind.
Genevieve also writes: “Does Chloe actually know that Eli feels more romantically towards her than she does towards him?”
Answer: That remains to be seen.
Rednor writes: “Well, I think Chloe is immature and opportunistic, and Scott is a horn-dog. I’m not buying any deep connection, and I doubt either is capable of such a thing. I know you keep “saying” it’s there, but I’m not “seeing” it.”
Answer: Surface impressions can be hard to break through. If you want to pass judgment on the characters because they don’t aspire to some romanticized notion you may have, then no amount of further development will change your mind. Not to make you paranoid but I guarantee that there are people in your life who have done much, much worse than have sex out of wedlock. And you just don’t know it. Who could it be? Who……..?
Maddog316 writes: “I smell 2nd season for SGU!”
Answer: That’s what I thought I was smelling too, but it turned out it was the chicken cutlets I made for dinner. They share a very similar scent.
Ooops. Totally forgot the Japanese! Not fluent though, so maybe I subconsciously disregarded it.
Jamil is seriously AWESOME!!! I wish he had a blog or a Twitter or a fan mail address or something so I could tell him that myself! Greer worried me at first, but the character grew on me in leaps and bounds after “Light.” Which I still haven’t reviewed here. ((I’m waiting to see it again online before I judge Rush… at first I thought pulling his name out of the lottery had to do with his whole life being completely devoted to Destiny. (Not selflessness.) But then Young asks him if her knew that the lottery was pointless anyways, and Rush doesn’t answer him. So now I’m wondering if Rush is as evil as I thought he was in the first three episodes. Sigh. Robert Carlyle is making me change my mind too many times with this… I want to hate him SOOOO bad but I don’t want to jump the gun.))
Haha a 2nd season smells like chicken. Does it taste like it as well? I thought it would be… sweeter.
Huh? I never hated Greer? I loved him from the beginning. I was ridiculed for it. Hearing ford v2.0 and Ronan v2.0 thrown at me. Then everyone had amnesia. Lol and the sex hat. Funny! Ok Mr. M, I don’t usually ask for your time but I beg of you, please watch this two min YouTube video. It’s called things you don’t say two your wife. It’s sooooo dang funny. And I’m sure, you as a married person will appreaciate it more than I do.
http://m.youtube.com/?client=mv-google#/watch?v=iK2OakMoW_c&client=mv-google
So what did you think of it?
Thanks so much,
Major D. Davis
I don’t really know what to say about your response to my comment re Scott/Shep but I really think Stargate has done a much better job in making O’Neill, Daniel and Sheppard sympathetic “romantic” type leads than Scott has been. At least so far.
I have a few questions and while most questions are all directed towards SG-U (Which rules BTW!) I’m still a bit curious about SG-1.
The Ori/Ancient Home Galaxy..does it have a name? How far away is it from the Milky Way? And do you guys ever plan to revisit it in a new SG-1 movie? I find it hard to believe that the original galaxy that may hold countless secrets about the origins of the Ancients would never be revisited in someway shape or form I mean the Supergate is still there..
And have you ever heard word that they may finally answer that question about humanity’s origin or creation and why exactly we are called the “Second Evolution” of the Ancients when we seem to be less evolved really…except the subconscious?
Jumping in here:
Thornyrose writes: “There was the threat that wasn’t a threat(no way Destiny and its passengers were going to die, and given the characters aboard the shuttle no doubt they would make it back safely).”
Answer: But every time the Atlantis team went off-world, did you ever expect there was a good chance they wouldn’t be coming back?
Not really, but I think the stories of both SG1 and SGA were more about what they experienced, what happened wherever they went, rather than ‘will they survive?’.
Good mailbag! Until I got to the chicken cutlet remark, then I felt a little whoopsie… I have the flu or a cold, and right now the symptoms are very unpleasant, annoying and inconvenient. The thought of food, no matter how tasty, is vile.
Watashi wa? S’koshi dake. Like I said, I learned bar Japanese.
How is Mom? Any updates? I worry.
Random stuff: big controversy in Utah right now over the Hot Mormon Muffins calendar… hot Mormon moms in pin-up poses with muffin recipes. Oh! The scandal! They’re showing their arms and legs! I ordered one for my hubby right away. And while I was at it, a Men on a Mission one for myself. Mmm, hot missionaries without their shirts on! How racy!
Thank you very much for addressing my questions; I had not expected any answers, though I’d hoped at least one of them would get your attention. Makes me glad I stayed up to wait for your blog post. (Ok, so K’Tesh demanded a late night walk, but the computer was still on).
I grant you that one did not expect our heroes from Atlantis to suffer too much death and destruction, though after season three I got very nervous about some of the recurring characters. Perhaps it was the fact that it’s so early in the season, but I just didn’t feel the castaways were in that much danger. Now, had they failed to retrieve the shuttle, that might have knocked some of the complacency from me. As it is, the shuttle scnes just felt contrived.
As far as Destiny and star-skimming, I wasn’t actually criticizing that aspect of the show. In fact, it was an incredibly neat solution to how to keep Destiny functioning for millenia. Though since the Ancients had expected to board the ship at some point, it seems they would have used a more familiar power source. I’m more curious if the solar power thing is an experimental feature for them, that was somehow abandoned by the Ancients.
As for Wray, she made her arguments, but to me at least there was a self serving logic to those points. By convincing Young to change his decision to handpicking all 17 positions, she stood to influence him to select her as one of those seventeen, increasing her chances of survival. When he not only rejected her view, but pushed back, she caved in a way that just barely allowed her to crawl out of the room with a scrap of dignity. She didn’t beg for her life, but she also made it clear that self preservation was a higher priority to her than the overall fate of the expedition. The only redeeming fact for her is that Young was the only one to witness this. But he is also the highest authority on the ship, and I can’t imagine him giving her some of that authority after her attempt to sway him. And please note that what I say about the character does not apply to the actress; as usual you folks have selected actors who are getting everything they can out of the scripts they are given. I am just getting a bit impatient to see them get some scripts to make their characters more sympathetic. So far Eli is the only really likable character, though I respect Young and truly admire Greer. And I’m hoping that somewhere down the line David Blue will have a chance to expand Eli’s character as the forming cliques and politics aboardship start pulling him between opposing forces.
All in all, what it boils down to is that I’m still watching. I’m overall liking what I see, but I’ve not fallen in love with Universe yet. Given the different nature of Universe from the other SG franchises, I’m prepared to wait for most of the season to unfold to see if Universe becomes the ‘ok cancel everything on Friday night because I can’t bear to miss an episode” show. But so far Universe hasn’t achieved that status with me yet. And for the final but, I do trust you and the writing bullpen based on past performances, so I look forward to a time I’ll be able to give you a review with no negative points. (Though as nit-picker who believes that nothing is perfect, I will always work to find some small thing to ensure that there is some room for improvement).
Anyways, thanks once more for the time you put into this blog and the kindness you show to your readers.
Ugh. I want to know what world so many of those mailbag people are living in. People have sex when they’re NOT in love. GASP! Shocking, I know.
Joe,
Thanks for the kind response. I agree with you about Chloe, I don’t think she really knew that Eli had a ‘thing’ for her, at least from what I’ve seen so far. So yeah, there would be no reason for her to distance herself from Eli unless, well, he distanced himself from her, which would probably set off some lights in her head that Eli does not want to currently set off.
I do greatly enjoy the character development that you guys are doing thus far. It seems like a great buildup for further seasons of the show, and also it kind of avoids the “bad guy of the week” formula that the SG franchise kind of fell into after a long while on the air (after 15 years of writing similar shows, I find it commendable that you all managed to keep your sanity!).
Ok, so one question here rather than all of the comments: will we be finding out a lot of information about the Ancient/Alteran timeline in SG-U? Or will they eventually fade into the background and new alien races pop up to take the forefront?
By the way, you should pop on over to the syfy forums once in awhile, there are many ardent supporters of the show over there, including myself. As always, keep up the great work and thanks for continuing to bring it to us!!!
-Erik
Ok. I have to address this Sheppard “gentleman” thing. Now, I’m not saying he was a cad or anything but Sheppard …sensitive? Really?
Most of the time when Sheppard was shown with a woman, he’d kind of just fallen into it unexpectedly. And it was always a one time thing. Sheppard’s a one night stand man. The man didn’t have a relationship for 5+ years.
So, in comparison to Scott, who I don’t have nearly as much time to go on… he’s young for one thing. What 25(?) year old guy isn’t about sex? I think Scott is in fact much more sensitive than most guys his age.
We have no idea what exactly the back story is between Scott and James but I’m assuming there’s not much. He’s actually had conversations with Chloe, which as Joe said, were meaningful and personal.
These people hating on Scott and Chloe need to remember that they thought they were going to die. Or at least she didn’t stand a high chance of surviving. They might not have jumped into bed together quite so fast had they not had that hanging over their heads.
But even if they did, they are young and not committed to anyone. This is so not a big deal!
Ok, think I’m done ranting now. 😉
I wasn’t going to jump into this fray of comments, but after reading the comments/mailbag for awhile I feel like some things need to be said.
1. Wahlyn is very correct in saying this.
2. Off of that, I believe that it is perfectly reasonable for people in a situation like those on the Destiny are in to react the way that they do. I know I would want to feel a connection with someone like Chloe and Scott do. I would also sure as hell want to make sure that things got done in an intelligent way like Wray does.
3. If people think that Sheppard was a chaste gentleman I refer them especially to season one of Atlantis. Specifically the episode Sanctuary. I think this may have been an episode where McKay called hime Captain Kirk, though I may be mistaken.
4. Hooking up with two people does make you a horn-dog. It makes you a perfectly normal twenty-something male.
5. Chloe is capable of making her own decisions. Just because someone likes her does not mean that she is not allowed to like another person. This also means that the other person is not allowed to like Chloe back. I mean, it’s not like Scott and Eli sat down to discuss this.
6. Universe is not SG-1 or Atlantis. Nor, do I think, it intends to be. It is supposed to be another facet of the franchise; not a carbon-copy of its predecessors. A fact that I, for one, like.
Basically, we’re not nearly far enough into this series to have the audacity to think that we know the ins and outs of all these characters. We have seen very little of what makes them who they are and causes them to act the way they do. Give it time; things aren’t supposed to be clear right away. If they were it would be a mini series, not an ongoing drama.
I will stop ranting now.
Jenny
THE MAGIC 8 BALL IS BAAAAACK!
We just don’t consult the Magic 8 ball enough when it comes to those important decisions in life. Chicken or fish? Should I take a coat or not? Do I avenge the death of my pet rabbit from when I was 10 by holding the culprits hostage in a cage for weeks and see how they like being made into stew? You know how it is.
Hope your Mum gets a diagnosis soon.
Humorous BOTM, sign me up. Need some laughs. I think I might be able to get around to this one (nice jinx by me) as I already have it in my e-list.
Take care.
Hey Joe
I was wondering if u can dedicate your posts on Nov.1 to my dad Rodger for his 62nd birthday and Nov. 3 to my Mom Toni for her 60th birthday please. They have been married for 36 years and counting.
Skyejag
Um, seriously, I don’t get all this “romantic” talk. If that’s what people want, they should go watch Lifetime. I like watching characters that behave like real people. I like even more that there’s mystery to the characters, and I don’t know everything about them within the first 2 or 3 episodes. It’s like reading a book. Why would I continue on with it if every detail was spoon fed to me in the first chapter?
The slow reveal of these characters has been fantastic and such a great change from the usual TV menu. I’m one of those who didn’t like Greer at first, and now he’s one of my favorite characters. This is what television should be! I want to try to figure out what’s going on, and then I want to be wrong so I have to keep thinking about it! And I like being a little confused at points so I have to go back and re-watch it and have an ah-ha moment (or at least an ah-ha guess).
I don’t know why everyone is so shocked about the whole Chloe/Scott thing, it was hinted at pretty clearly in Air pt 3, at least thats when I noticed it,
As for Rush, I’m willing to bet that he realized at the end of the whole ordeal that while Young had acted like he trusted him when they were all about to die, once everything was said and done he suddenly implies that Rush had lied to them. Besides they showed us when Rush saw that the ship was recharging, and he was clearly shocked, there was no way he knew it would do that, if he did, I’m wondering how they can justify that after including that scene. I am definetly not Rush’s biggest fan, but I think I’ll grow to like the character.
I love how all the characters have clear flaws, and I think it’s too early to draw a complete conclusion on each of them, and what theyre capable of, or not capable of.
Belouchi writes:
3. What do you think of the Audi S5…. hint hint”
Answer: 3. Looks nice. Why, are you thinking of getting me one as a belated birthday gift?
I was actually gonna offer you the keys to mine when you come over to Montreal, that way you dont have to rent a car…. and only if you promise to fill it up with super premium 94 octane.
cheers
Joe said:
“Answer: Be careful. They also do this thing when one of them crouches down behind you when you’re not looking so that the other can shove your over”
LOL!
They do that to YOU, maybe. :-p I’ll make a note to bring my cane and very ugly back brace when/if I visit Bridge.
Have I missed a comment or has it not occurred to all the complaining people that Lt. Scott and Chloe (in addition to already making a connection after Chloe’s father died) believed that they were about to die? And maybe that was also a factor — They were quite understandably seeking some physical comfort before the end?
Geez….
Although, I gotta say, I think the “sex hat” has potential. Can you keep it on standby for Season 2? 😉
– KB
Answer: “Ah, there you have it.”
Thanks, Joe. See? I’m not as dumb as I look. 🙂
Bailey writes: “All I can say is that John Sheppard was a gentleman…”
Uh, yeah. Right. Allow me to quote John Sheppard:
LARRIN (after a Wraithy suck n’ puke): “That was so strange, to have your whole life fading away and then to suddenly have it back again. It actually felt kinda good.
SHEPPARD: “Mmm, I know. Happened to me once, too. Long story.”
Sorry, but a REAL gentleman does not kiss and tell. 😉
Some additional thoughts about nothing in particular…
1. I think Scott and Chloe are the new McKay and Keller.
2. Why can’t I seem to call Scott by his first name??
3. I think folks are being extremely hard on both Scott and Chloe. Though some may not like the idea of these two being romantically involved, I think this issue is being blown WAY out of proportion. They had sex – gotta get over it. (Before anyone jumps on me about my issues with the sex scene in the premiere – remember, my issue was with how graphic it was, not with the fact that two people were intimately involved).
4. Scott shined in Air III. Maybe I was the only one, but I was very moved by Brian’s performance in that episode. Maybe we’ve just gotten used to smartasses in uniform when it comes to the Stargate franchise, but I find it kind of refreshing this time that the gun-toting guy seems (so far) to be the complete antithesis of Sheppard and O’Neill. (Same goes for Young in this regard – nice to see a compassionate leader that doesn’t hid his feelings behind a facade of snark.)
5. Though I didn’t read about the character prior to the show’s airing (I avoided all spoilers, as far as it was possible), I must admit to being surprised by Greer. Why? Because of the few things I did hear about a ‘stereotypical black character’ (mostly here). Those comments did have me expecting the worst, and how glad I am now that they were so far from the truth! Greer is proving to be an exceptional character – really looking forward to seeing more of him.
6. Eli is a geek. Geeks often don’t have good social skills. They talk too much, say inappropriate things, have trouble relating to other people – especially in groups. It seems to me that Eli is like this – am I right in seeing it that way, Joe, that he has purposely been written as socially awkward?
That’s all for now.
Have a good one, Joe!
das
Today was my last day of extra work on season 1 of SGU. I feel blessed to have been one of the few to have been on the Destiny all year. Justin Louis would give Amanda Tapping a run for her money in the on set comedian department. My sides are still sore from all the laughing the other day. Today however…woah! Intense stuff with Jamil. He’s an animal on action, and then jolly ol’ Santa after cut. Brian is a man who wears his heart on his sleeve. It was always good times working with the Smith & Smith team. I have to say that not once this year did I have a negative experience with any of the actors on SGU. ALL YEAR!! That is unheard of. I’ve worked on shows where there’s problems 10 minutes into the day. You’ve got a great cast. Thanks for everything.
Thanks for the great replies Joe, and for the luverly sarcasm at times 😀
Hey Joe,
I can’t believe so many people had problems with the Chloe/Eli/Scott thing. The end of Air, Part 3 was all I needed to know those two were attracted to each other, and the way Eli fawned over Chloe throughout Darkness had me saying “sucks to be Eli” because she’s obviously interested in Scott.
Maybe it was unintentional, but I also took the slow pan out at the end of Air, 3 to mean that the conversation continued without us (as well as to show the neat alien ship departing).
Reading your blog told me not to trust the character wrap sheets and while everyone was up in arms over that, I thought I’d give you guys the benefit of the doubt. Greer has been my favourite character from the get-go. I was wondering though, does he still have the nickname “Psycho” or was that dropped?
Also, I haven’t said this yet, so I’d like to commend you guys on continuity. I asked a few weeks ago why Greer’s uniform was covered in blood on the left side while on the desert planet. I rewatched Air, Part 1 and got my answer. Will they ever be able to change (or wash) their clothes? And how hard is it to keep an eye on continuity, like the sunburns, when there really wasn’t much of that with the two previous series?
Cheers,
-J
Second photo shows Jamil has good military posture. From IMDb, I see he’s been a working actor since childhood. Does he have any military background — family members, ROTC, etc. ?
Joe,
Have you ever read “Berserker” by Fred Saberhagen?
Dave
Hahaha! Snarky Joe responses to the mailbag, I love it!
Sex hat – I always wondered how those soap opera writers came up with ideas….
Loved the shuttle model – any chance of getting pics of the Destiny model? I’m assuming there is one, or is it all CGI?
Pats to all the pooches.
Lisa
Hey Joe,
Thank you for telling me that I am not asking the “right questions”. hmmmmm I’ll have to figure that one out. At some point I will read back through the blogs and figure out exactly what I said that were the “wrong questions”.
Either way, today I am upset that Brian J. Smith is leaving twitter for awhile. Thank you for doing the Q&A. Hopefully when he comes back for Season 2 he will do another.
Best to you Joe,
Cheryl 🙂
Coucou Joseph! ça va bien? Moi oui, aujourd’hui je vais faire les magasins =)!
Merci pour ces photos, j’ai peur du personnage de Jamil dans sgu, il est si imprévisible moi je préfére quand les gens sont zen^^!
Merci pour ces Q/A ….ahahaha la saison 2 à eu odeur d’Escalopes de poulet ^^…humm moi je dirait plutôt un odeur de choucroute (bah quoi c’est mon plat préféré?^^!)
Bonne journée!
Gros bisou!
Do you get sick of people having a go at the show and telling you how it should be done (eg the whole Chloe/Matt sex thing)? I think the shows awesome and I love how it’s been made dark and different, it really works…
Wow, according to most of the readers of the blog questioning the Chloe/Scott thing, I must qualify as a whore too. I knew a guy for a few weeks, had sex with him, and now we’ve been married for 7 years. That’s horrible, isn’t it, Joe?
Keep up the great work on the show. I’m not understanding everything yet (but when do you ever on a show), but I’m very happy with how things are playing out. I look forward to new episodes and hopefully many more seasons.
“how many “Off-world” Episodes will be seeing in Season 1?
Thanks for the Birthday shout-out!!! The day started out nice, and then ended up cold and rainy, just like was on this day 35 years ago lol!!!
I will keep everything crossed that we get a second season and beyond. Love the show and would hate for it to end prematurely.
As for faves amongest the cast. I would say Col. Young is my fave. But everyone is special in their own way. And can’t say that I like anyone any less than anyone else!!!
“All good questions. The likeliest response could be that he suspected, but had no way of knowing for certain, that the ship was designed to draw energy from the star. He planned for the worst but hoped for the best.”
Well, the things Rush said to Young in that ending scene probably implied to all of the characters that he did, in fact, know what was going to happen. You’d think he would try to convince them that he didn’t, or that he simply suspected but couldn’t have known for sure, for the sake of repairing his own image. Maybe he doesn’t care? Maybe he wants everyone to look up to his genius? I don’t know.
It was a bit odd having Rush come across as such a good guy for most of the episode then seeing him return to the mysterious, seemingly hidden-agenda-driven guy from the first few episodes. It appears that it is the nature of the character, and I like that.
I’m glad that others have said what I’ve been thinking. Though I’d like to assert that there are plenty of 20 something females that love sex as much as some 20 something males. Trust me I know plenty. I certiainly think that Lt. Scott is a good guy. He is sensitive and caring. A pure “horn-dog” isn’t going to sit and talk about your personal issues nor his he going to share his own personal issues. I know people who are like that, who live by the mantra of “I’m not getting married, I’m not having kids, I want to get with whoever I want when I want.”
Though I do feel that I can’t judge Lt. Scott yet, after all I’ve seen less than a week of his life so far. It’s just an incomplete picture. Also, as someone who went to Catholic school (though not Catholic himself) I can attest that religion is only a part of someone’s life. In my senior year there were people who had already become fathers. Does there premarital sex make them less religious or hypocritical… I doubt I’m qualified to answer that. But in my opinion religion give us an ideal to strive to, and perhaps in Lt. Scott’s case he’s fallen short at times. He like Chloe and Lt. James et alia… are only human.
As for Eli, the story isn’t over. He may decide that he’s not going to pursue her further or that he’ll keep her as a friend only. Personally I think that if you’re into someone you should make an attempt no matter what, after all the other guy could be JFK, but it’s not about the other guy it’s about yourself and the girl/woman. Also, I see no reason not to be friends with someone in whom you’re interested. Though it’s not the easiest of paths. Who knows, there may be a story down the line where Eli becomes a more attractive person… life is dynamic after all. I can’t wait to see what the writers come up with in the coming episodes. Just as long as it’s not a all out fight for the woman or something like that… tooo Jerry Springer-ish.
I have a question, to take advantage of your culinary expertise Joe. Are there wine/chocolate pairings?
I want to give some chocolate for my girlfriend’s birthday and was wondering if there’s an appropriate wine I should give her too.
And the chocolate I’m thinking of is:
60% cacao dark chocolate with a hint of vanilla from Ghirardelli…. and 60% Cacao dark chocolate infused with deep-roasted espresso beans… she likes dark chocolate.
Thank you for all the mailbag, it’s very interesting to read 😀
Can’t wait for the next episode…if there would be an chance i would like to see the whole season xD.
I’ve read that you’ll have a discussion with mgm and syfy about the second season soon. Will the SG1 and SGA movie also be discussed there? (Sry can’t hold me back, want to know what you have written for us ;))
Something I also want to ask, are we going to see more of TJ?
Before I forgot, sorry for the mistyping in my last question, and thank you very much for answering it.
Best regards
Thornyrose also writes: “Wray has been undermined as a potential leader, having shown her instinct for self preservation overrides her concern for the whole.”
Answer: How so? She stated her case and then reacted when Young threatened to take her name out of the lottery.
While I don’t know what Thornyrose meant, I would say it as “Wray was undermined as a potential leader TO THOSE WATCHING AND YOUNG …..” Of course those who didn’t see it wouldn’t know she disappeared like a puff of smoke in a strong wind when faced with some pushback from Young.
How so? She didn’t believe in her OWN point of view enough to fight for it. Why didn’t she counter his threat with one of her own? Young pointed out to her that he didn’t want it to be seen as him picking the people he “liked”. Rush made the point that she should have when he questioned Young about the possibility of a dictatorship emerging. A civilian and military partnership would have gone along way to making the chance of a coup against Young less likely. She – originally – would have been the logical person to lead the civilian group if she was able to earn the respect of the civilian contingent and IF she could convince Young that she had the respect of those people.
And, within her OWN point of view, should have Wray gone? The 17 people on the shuttle were looking at minimal survival scenario. What was Wray qualified to do toward making the survival more likely? She specifically mentioned age and gender as I recall. What point was she trying to make in doing so? Did she have a point in doing so?
Yes, real people behave as Wray did in those circumstances. Some of those real people get appointed to positions of authority. Doesn’s mean that the people they supervise regard them as a “leader”. In my experience, they most often don’t.
“Answer: Absolutely. It’s like the difference between a rose petal-strewn bed and the cold linoleum of a bathroom floor.”
Careful with the rose petals, Romeo. When I was 13 a girl in my class didn’t get anything for Valentines, so I slipped some rose petals into her locker so she would feel included. After lunch I heard her crying to her friend “and some arsehole ripped up a rose and stuffed it in my locker.” Turns out dead rose bits can be taken two ways.
Mmmm… cold linoleum. Been there. Goes with pizza and beer.
It sounds like Scott didn’t get much of “THE TALK” when he was a kid. I sat my 14 year old down and told him he should assume every intimate encounter will produce a child. Yes, it’s an exaggeration but I wanted him to have it in his head for the future. A brief, meaningless encounter COULD result in a tie for twenty years or so!
Drawing from my family and my in-laws-I gave him lots of examples of bad planning!
You mentioned before, I believe, that the issue of contraception will be addressed. Can’t wait to find out how you are going to introduce that issue! Will you have the character, T. J. be preggers on the show, like the actress is in real life? Could be interesting. Where would they find nappies?
Das: the oddest place I got carded was at the LIBRARY! It’s been years ago and I’ve forgotten why but my hubby was quit amused.
T
I don’t like Greer as a character (he’s yet to really show his stuff for me yet), but i do like Jamil for the way how he portrays him and that genuinely aggressive stance he gives to the character. Especially to that Greer/Rush scene in Air and that no-warning punch in Light.
Does that make sense? I don’t like the character but i do like how the actor plays the character?
Referring back to Earth, is there anything you can tell us about Janelle Monae’s appearance?
Hi Joe,
I don’t know if you have high enough clearance to answer this question but here goes:
I was watching Darkness tonight with my folks and I wondered, is the use of the communication stones addictive? Seemed like Telford & Young are quite eager to use them. Am I reading too much into it?
I have to say my Mum soooo doesn’t get the stones, I’ve had to explain it a couple of times. But we were both impressed with Mark Savela’s VFX of Telford’s reflection in the car window with Young standing there. Superb!
Cheers, Chev
Hi Joe,
1. When you wrote your first script for SG-1 were you a fan of the show first, or was it just a job opportunity for you and Paul?
2. If there is a 2nd season will Marty Gero be contributing a script, or is he officially done?
We’re up to two feet of snow here in Denver as of yesterday morning, the kids’ school is closed and I can’t get in to work. Pray for my sanity!
What’s with all this bitching about the tryst between Scott & Chloe? You people have never known anyone to just bang because they felt like it? Get outside once and a while for Christ sakes.
Happy to have discovered your blog. I’ve been dying to express my opiniions to someone who might care. Love SGU. Episode 5 is definitely my favorite so far. I really like the developments surrounding the Col. Young character . He clearly consolidates his authority in an unambiguous way that should keep Rush from attempting another power grab in the near term (at least without Telford’s assistance). He also demonstrates that he is a fair-minded individual not swayed by either appeals to his ego or criticisms of his leadership.
I also enjoyed the continued revealing of Greer’s character, which in this episode showed him to be a key enforcer of Col. Young’s authority. The kino entry also reveals a personal philosophy that adds to the depth of the character. I’ve read various reviews that initially characterized Greer as some kind of brute (I take exception to that characterization on various levels). I think this episode clearly shows a very complex and deeply misunderstood individual with a personal code of honor. Showing that Col. Young understands and appreciates Greer is a nice touch. What a meaty role for Jamil.
Eli is the heart (and comedic relief) of the show. I don’t think there should be an episode in which Eli doesn’t take center stage for some time. He makes me laugh in the middle of impending doom (“why am I watching this on tv?”).
I’m almost a little sad that you guys have wrapped on season one because I was hoping to persuade you that the Eli/Chloe thing is potentially much more interesting than the Matt/Chloe thing. Don’t get me wrong. It’s hard not to root for Captain Marvel, but from these first few episodes it seems like (since high school) Matt has a hard time keeping it in his pants. It would add another layer of complexity to his character (and the show) if that were his Achilles’ heel (which drives him and Chloe apart). Matt did not resolve things with Lt. James before starting up with Chloe. James’ last comment to Scott was “not now”. It seems to me that the honorable thing to do when faced with another love interest would be to hold off on the physical stuff given that there is an individual in proximity who will be affected (I understand that imminent death is a mitigating factor). I’m hoping that James will not take this lightly.
I must say that despite my preference for Eli/Chloe, it’s much closer to reality that Chloe would go for Matt given her daddy issues and his alpha male status in a nakedly darwinian environment. However, I hope that as Chloe finds her place in the order of things, Eli becomes a more compelling alternative. At the very least, Chloe gives Eli a reason to strive to become more than he is (one of the reasons that the Eli flashback in this episode worked so well for me).
My criticism of this episode is that the solar powered stuff was fairly obvious, and despite your explanation that they had to approach it as a life or death scenario, it seems that someone (Rush/Eli) should have broached this possibility, only to be told that it was a possibility they couldn’t afford to entertain.
That said, you guys are off to an auspicious start. I was a fan of SG1 but hated SGA. You have brought me back to the franchise with SGU. Keep up the good work.
In the rest of SGU’s first season, will we see anything that was …interestingly named by Mr. Cooper? I remember in one of the commentaries for SG-1, you said that you were trying to keep him from naming anything else after the Furling debacle. Just wondering if you’d succeeded.
Peace!
Connie
I’m really having a difficult time understanding the criticisms of the Chloe/Scott/Wallace triangle. I just can’t believe you’re taking heat for actually addressing adult themes from an adult POV instead of addressing adult themes from the POV of a dysfunctional teenage male. The ‘gross is-funny’, ‘sex is dirty’ ‘stupid is smart’ schtick has been the entertainment norm for too long. Of course, I ticked past the half-century mark a long time ago and my target demographic gets ads for Depends and Viagra (so I know I’m out of touch) but I’ve been in Eli’s position and I’ve been in Scott’s position. Those two relationships resulted from very different pressures and circumstances in my life. One resulted in a friendship that has endured to this day and the other I still regret. Impulse, emotion and the instinct for survival seem to be the driving forces aboard Destiny. Not a big surprise that stuff is going to happen.
I’ve been a fan of the Stargate franchise from the beginning and have absolutely no problem with the direction that Universe has taken. I admire your ability to tell a story within the limiting ‘hour’ format of prime time TV and still hold the interest of the audience from one week to the next. It seems, in my opinion, that the criticism of SGU is a result of the rabid devotion of fans to SG1 and SGA and not of any true flaws with the direction the franchise has taken. My advice, take an amnesia pill and enjoy SGU.
Joe,
It seems to me that YOU are taking the brunt of complaints regarding the intimate relationship shared by Chloe and Scott. I think you have handled the concerns (and whines) with grace and humor. Personally, I am finding the fans reactions and your responses VERY entertaining. Did you and the other writers/producers ever think/wonder (before this episode aired) that the scene would get a big response like this from the fans? Also, please tell Rob and Brad that *I* said you deserve some kind of hazard pay for addressing the concerns repeatedly.
Do you and your buddies ever look back at SGU/SGA and wish you had written in a couple of intimate scenes? Perhaps, the fans are just shocked to (finally) be getting some sex along with their Stargate.
As for me, I love the direction this series has taken. I would never have thought it possible that I could be so quickly swept up by a spin-off of SG1, and yet you did it with SGA. And now, you’ve done it again. Kudos to everyone involved.
So, while you’re spinning Season 2 stories, here’s another question you guys should be asking yourself: “How the hell are we going to include a storyline with Eli, McKay and the communication stones when McKay is still stuck in suspended animation on that balcony at the end of SGA season 5?”
Of course, the easiest solution would be to just schedule production of the SGA movie for early next year and then write a Eli/McKay storyline that would air at the backend of SGU Season 2. See? Easy. I just solved one of your story logistics issues, and I’m not even charging you for it. So, just pass that idea on to Brad, Robert, MGM and SYFY. I’m sure they’ll kick themselves for not thinking of it themselves, but, hey, that’s okay. They’ve got a lot on their minds.
“At the beginning of the season, we write all of the characters’ names down on little pieces of paper and put them in something we call “the sex hat”. Then, we reach in and pull out two names. This random pairing are earmarked to have sex in a given episode and, from this notion, we spin out a possible story.”
Wow, no wonder you’re always so busy. I didn’t realize you were writing for Torchwood too! 😉
On the general topic of nerd!rage, I really don’t understand how people can still operate under the misconception that a series should be perfect and perfectly understandable within two or three episodes of premiering. Every show needs a little while to settle in, even in an established franchise like Stargate. There’s a whole new cast playing new characters in a new situation. Personally, I think that works really well for SGU since the characters themselves are a bit adrift.
With any new series I try to give it at least two episodes to be moderately interesting, and then five or six to really pull me in. If it can be done faster (e.g. Firefly, SG-1, and Pushing Daisies), that’s great. If it takes the full six or even longer for things with a slow burn (e.g. Fringe and Lost), that’s okay too. I’m expecting that SGU will fall somewhere in between like Atlantis did for me.* It’s good so far, just hasn’t quite become a must-watch except out of trust in the franchise.
*I am an unabashed Daniel Jackson fangirl. Nobody on SGA or SGU has claimed my heart as quickly or fiercely as he. Your mileage may vary.
“Light” the best episode at this time. Good dialogues, very good acting ( we knew that Destiny should survives so more difficult to make characters truthfull)
I like a show when everything is not explained in details but the Scott/Chloe thing let me with bizar feelings. I can understand that it happens but I feel that the speed with which the two came together was a bit rushed ; it was like “un cheveu sur la soupe” .
Et je soupçonne que l’équipe des effets spéciaux montrent les vaisseaux en vol en s’inspirant de la série Firefly. Les mouvements apparents de la caméra qui nous font parfois perdre de vue le vaisseau (comme si on avait de la difficulté à le suivre en vol) rend les scènes très vivantes; excellent.
@ Tammy Dixon – I’ll see your carded at the library, and raise you getting carded at the quickie mart for whipped cream.
Yup. A few years back, hubby – about 35 at the time – was carded at Wawa (convenience store) for whipped cream. When he laughed at the request, the woman put on her serious face, and said, “I’m serious, young man – this isn’t funny. Don’t come back in unless you have ID!”
Now – my husband looks young for his age, but at the time he certainly didn’t look younger than 18!
And yes, in Jersey, you get carded when buying whipped cream. 😛
das
Is there only one Stargate-dropping ship ahead of Destiny, or were other ships also launched before Destiny? Also, do any of those *possible* ships have supplies including the dropped, and is the Stargate-dropping Ship still active?
Well, I try to give every new show I watch at least five episodes to grab me. I believe so strongly in the Stargate franchise that I will give SGU eight episodes.
I’m trying to care about these characters, really I am. It would be nice if any of them, in addition to the amiable geeky guy, were likeable, or at least entertaining to dislike, rather than making me want to slap them upside the head.
I knew I would have to have patience when the group stepped through the gate at the end of the pilot and my reaction was “so what” rather than “What’s next?”
I can see how these episodes would be terrific fun to write and to act – all that dialogue, all these complex relationships. Very soap-opera – or, space-opera. And there’s nothing wrong with a good space-opera.
I truly hope it will eventually become just as much fun to watch as it is to write and act in. There are still a few eps to go, and I’m always hopeful!
Hi Joe,
How goes the SGU/SyFy’s plan for world domination through stealth marketing? 😛
In all seriousness I have a question that might a little “Galaxy Quest-ish”, but someone else brought up the fact to me that the Daedalus can get from the Milky Way to Pegasus in 4 days with a ZPM and 18 days without a ZPM. So, essentially a ship can cover 3 million light years in the span of 4-18 days? Please tell me that’s not right.
If that’s true, assuming the Rush estimate of the distance from earth to Destiny of several billion light years (we’ll call it 3 billion just to ballpark it operationally for easy math) it would take the Daedalus anywhere from almost 11 years (absurd, only 11 years) if they continually ran a ZPM. (To Pegasus it is 3 million light years, we’ll call it 3 Billion to Destiny) to 49.3 years without a ZPM at all. It wouldn’t happen in the time frame of this show, but it makes it feel like the Universe is becoming far too easy to traverse.
Of course this 1) assumes that they are ~3 Billion Light Years away and 2) that it takes 4-18 days to travel 3 million light years.
So my final question is doesn’t it seem like the asgard/ancient hyperdrive tech is a bit overpowered?
I have to start by saying how much I love the change of pace of this serie compared to the rest of the franchise. Also, I think your are really brave in awsering the questions of the fans. It shows a certain transparency and a lot of your wit.
Now, to talk about this love making flame war. Even if some people don’t like the ”linking” arks I hope you keep those coming. It will keep me guessing who’s next in the hat….! Seriously, i like that it is something that seemed so taboo in the other series and will be a more natural thing in this serie. Let’s be honest, we all knew the past characters had relationships and love interest but it would not have helped the stories a bit to see O’neil have sex with that white house girl or Teyla concive her baby. Not really!! But in this serie I’m sure it will come to be an important part of the story line that will at one point keep the people interested and maybe bring more people to the table.
And I can’t wait to see some bad guy or something to devide or unite the destiny’s new crew.
Oh! My questions are:
1. The ship is doing a lot of things on it’s own. I have a feeling that there might be a presence on board that has helped them. Care to elaborate!!!
2. Would a nice Vin nouveau be more the smell of a new season?
Joey – quick question…
When did you start reading Wolverine? When it split into Weapon X and Dark Wolverine, or before? Dark Wolverine started with issue #75 – did you read anything before that – the Old Man Logan arc?
das
Thank you for your mature and well thought out answer about whether or not stargate is still a family show. Unfortunately it didn’t answer my question but it did give me some insight into whether the writers take these issues seriously.
Joe Mallozzi – (I know I spelled your name right, but is today still Thursday?) – LOL re. comment about Carl having to hang around due to fire regulations. I hope his double won’t be wearing a plaid suit, though my guess would be that delivery people have learned to expect just about anything at The Bridge or other Vancouver studios. — I’m going to assume that you answered my question re. item currently in limbo, unless you respond with something like, “What question?”
Another great mailbag. I really love everyone’s thought-provoking questions — and, of course, your well-considered, funny, and definitely thought-provoking answers. I’m *so* glad no one on producer/writer team is into connecting the dots for viewers — I’ve had to do this for myself as concerns keeping up with what’s happening with the soul-switching stones. Love every minute, am set up to be notified when DVD’s are available so I can catch everything I missed the first time. I also can’t wait to see Ivon B.’s awesome special features and further exploration of KINO.
Connecting the dots (especially in one’s own weaker areas, intellectually) is a superb mental exercise, and one that, ideally, people would be taught to do from a very early age. Studies are clear that such mental exercise is a wonderful aid for helping fend off Alzheimer’s. On younger end of spectrum, in maintaining alertness while at work/school — benefits start at day one (and probably in utero), as the parents here can attest — and, very importantly, helping one to feel more energized for exercise — whether cardio, resistance, or “nocturnal exercise” (unbeatable combo of both, plus extras), to borrow Tammy Dixon’s funny and well-used term. —
Awkward paraphrase of line from classic Stevie Wonder song, but by now I realize that “I was born to love (Stargate)…. Build my whole world around (it) [well, not exactly, but p. damn close]…. Hey, hey, hey-ey-ey.”
After having seen Light, the character of Ronald Greer is now one of my new best friends — both for the symbolic pre-death spiritual and physical “cleansing ritual” (tears on my part as well as his), and for doing what he had to do in smacking a fellow soldier upside the head to avert chaos and complete undermining of Young’s authority on the Destiny, its shuttle, and over off-ship expeditions. Many kudos to Jamil Walker Smith for his excellent portrayal of Greer, and for being such a great guy once the director calls, “Cut!” — As with all cast/crew, hope to see ya later, Jamil — and hope you enjoy the hiatus, whatever other irons may be in the fire.
I know that questions about Atlantis aren’t particularly important at the moment, but I’ve been wondering something lately. In the early days, the Wraith used their mental powers to create mist-like illusions and terrify their prey, making it easier for them to capture; also, the Queens seemed to savor bellowing ‘kneel’ in an echoing voice, which implied that they could manipulate humans easily. Now, we see Michael manipulating Teyla in ‘Michael’, he and his cohorts summoning Wraith ships in ‘Misbegotten’, and Teyla being manipulated in ‘Submergence’…but that’s about it as far as I can remember. So did you and the other writers forget to use the mist and the manipulation, or did you just decide that it was difficult to factor into the stories?
When I heard that Robert Carlyle was going to be in SGU I was glad (he is a fellow Scot) but didn’t really envisage him fitting into the Stargate Universe. We are talking about the man who was Hamish Macbeth!!
But he is great in the part of Rush – a very complicated man that you can love and loathe at the same time.
Chloe/Scott – if I were in the same position as Chloe I think that I would want to spend my remaining time alive in a similar manner. Let’s face it half of the ‘crew’ could have been involved in similar time wasting.
Greer/Jamil – don’t care why he took his clothes off, but it was a beautiful sight for my tired old eyes.
How is your mum/mom? I hope that she is not feeling too unwell and that she gets some diagnosis (and treatment) as soon as possible.
And the puppies (and Fondy) – are they all well? It is ages since you posted a pic of any of them.
When are you off to Japan – do you have a dog-sitter yet?
Susan
Uhmm… I’m still a little fuzzy for who of the characters is who, but uhm yeah anyway, I didn’t notice anything weird about the speed for character developments on board, really.
What none of you people have ever made love on any of the first three dates?
@das:
Scott shined in Air III. Maybe I was the only one, but I was very moved by Brian’s performance in that episode.
I was also very moved. Brian did such a great job in both flashback and current-action scenes, whatever issue was getting the focus. I loved everything from the first-quarter action to the “Hail Mary” prodigious leap from the desert world through the puddle. In particular, I appreciate the fine nuances that set up the audience for understanding that Scott can be a very flawed human being: devoutly religious, specifically Catholic (though no Christian is exempt), he is in fact derelict in practicing his faith — and I loved Joe’s comment that this is in marked contrast to anyone else who has faith of whatever creed, that the rest of us are 100% perfect. *coughs* I have less than zero expectations of being nominated for sainthood — and my no longer being Catholic has nothing to do with that. *w*
Shawna Buchanan writes: “If he’s still religious, it annoys me to see him being so hypocritical without any acknowledgment of that fact.”
Answer: Some religious individuals are flawed – although the majority, of course, are perfect human beings beyond reproach who pay the church a yearly tithe amounting to 10% of their annual income.
Now, I didn’t suggest that. There’s nothing wrong with having a flawed character, but some small acknowledgment that what he’s doing is either bothering him (in that ‘I know I shouldn’t, but I keep doing it anyway’) or… I don’t know. To be honest, I’m just so tired of how sex has to weasel its way into every story these days. Yes, I know a lot of people would disagree with me. Yes, I know that’s mostly just my personal feelings on the issue and doesn’t mean anything’s objectively ‘wrong’ with the story, but all I was sharing was my own reactions anyway. But it wouldn’t bother me so much if the sex was coming from someone with no reason not to go around having it. Though I still say it seems odd that he’d be so cavalier about the thing that, as far as we can tell thus far, caused a major crisis point in his past. In the way he kept having flashbacks and seeing the priest in the sand, it sure seemed like he still feels guilty for failing the priest, so it’s odd to me that he’d act the way he does.
I did not, however, see what other people seem to be seeing in Chloe or Eli. It never occurred to me while watching it that she might be trying to “sleep her way onto the shuttle”, given that she flat out said she shouldn’t be on it (or at least that she shouldn’t be specifically chosen). I wouldn’t really be surprised if it never occurred to her that Eli might have feelings for her. A lot of times pretty girls simply don’t see more average guys as romantic candidates, so it doesn’t occur to them that the guy might see them that way. I don’t think she was being cruel to Eli or intentionally messing with Eli. But I did feel bad for Eli at the end, when she cluelessly ran back to her boyfriend (or whatever Scott is to her now), leaving him standing there. For his sake, I hope Eli gets over whatever brief infatuation he picked up. It’s only been a couple days, so it shouldn’t be hard.
The sex hat, however, is a great idea. But I think a few other shows beat you to that one. Not to mention about a couple thousand fanfic authors.
(final comment, promise)
@anyone who still wants to degrade Lt. Matthew Scott as merely an oversexed hypocrite:
— And this goes for Chloe Armstrong as well, or any other character you want to write off as a loss. — Please note that while “daddy’s girl” can be very apt for describing Chloe, the relationship goes both ways. Those of us who are/were our own daddy’s or even grandfather’s girl know that we can be very strong when least expected, and that we can powerfully influence our fathers — to the good, one hopes.
Whatever your spiritual beliefs (or lack thereof), if you really want to a) improve your SGU viewing experience, and b) quite frankly, to be a better fan: You’d do well to spend even a little time reading the apostle Paul’s letters in the New Testament. (The New International Version and English Standard Version are probably the most accessible versions for those of us who aren’t biblical scholars. Both are available online, easily reached via Google.)
Some of the epistles are quite brief. Paul’s Letter to the Galatians, and the letter to the Ephesians, neither is difficult to read; and both have quite a bit to say to believers and non-believers alike about how life is best lived — with a focus on not passing judgement unless you want equal judgement passed on your own weaknesses and moral failures — just as expressed in the Lord’s Prayer, as heard in part during the episode “Light.”
@das & @Tammy
I can’t compete with whipped cream but I was asked for ID to buy smokes at a Sunoco a couple of years ago, when I was 50. Everyone in that gas station laughed except the girl behind the till…
Elminster
I don’t have a romanticized vision of much of anything, and my world is populated by people of all ilks and stripes. What I ask for in fiction (literature, tv, film, theatre) is that characters be authentic; that writers resist taking short cuts in character development; that the drama, tension, excitement comes from the characters in their situation, not from the situation itself.
I’m finding the authenticity lacking in most of these characters. It is so easy to create stereotypes or characters whose motivations are so diffuse that they have no center. I think a lot of people here are telling you these characers are not ringing true for them. It’s not so much about what they do, but who they are. But we have to talk about what they do as aspect of their characters. I don’t care if they are good, bad, ambiguous, or whatever.
But if so many people are saying that they find certain characters to be shallow or self-centered or immature, you need to listen to how they are being received, especially if it’s not how they are intended. The disconnect isn’t entirely with the audience.
The Stargate world, to this point, has been populated with very smart, very disciplined, very interesting people. They have not all been perfect. But their passion and dedication has grounded them in a real place that the viewer can connect to. They had their own personal integrity. I can’t find the center in these new characters, and I don’t know if they are interesting enough for the effort that it takes. And I enjoy the effort, if the payoff is worth it. But I haven’t met many in this world that leave me wanting to know more. It’s just not enough to say that this is how these people are behaving in this situation, and that they are being realistic in their emotions/behaviors. They don’t seem to rise above anything base.
Just make it really great, and I’m along for the ride. It’s not great. The audience can’t fill in the gaps if the gaps are in execution.
Das: Why would any state require ID to purchase Whipped Cream?
Elminster: Did you say Thank you? 😉
Tam
JimFromJersey
HA!
I have a feeling if a poll was taken of regular folk, there’d be less rose strewn beds and more linoleum floors featuring in people’s lives 😉
Mr M
Was wondering if the Destiny is organic in the same way like the Wraith Hives and ships so that worn out parts gets replaced over time.
Oh, Joe…the sex hat answer just slays me. Funny, funny man.
I haven’t been around in a while, but I did want to drop in and say how much I’m loving SGU — which is to say, I’m loving it a lot. The only thing about it that’s even remotely weak/unenjoyable to me is Chloe. It just seems like she spends most of her time hanging on Scott or Eli. I’d like to see her DOING something.
But then, her father DID just die and she herself pointed out that at the moment she feels kind of useless, so there’s some leeway on that one for now. I trust that she’ll be finding some way to contribute, eventually.
I wonder…
…whether Chloe would be better accepted if she appeared to be slightly older. Ms. Levesque could still play high school or college students.
…whether an actor who is a misanthropic (anti-social) loner can successfully portray a sympathetic, caring character. We often hear that gregarious actors play unsympathetic characters well and enjoy playing the opposite of their true nature.
…whether Joe, do you know of any situations where an actor auditioned well but could not deliver in production?
I wonder…
…whether re-phrasing the last question will help. 🙂
……whether Joe knows of any situations where an actor auditioned well but could not deliver in production? Not necessarily on SG productions; names should be changed to protect the innocent. 😉
Okay, another question. Is there a set amount of time between each episode or does the amount vary depending on the episode? Also, I heard the season spans less than a year, can you say about how much time it does span?
BTW, great job on this show. I am a huge fan of the first two shows and to be honest, I was’t sure about SGU until I watched the pilot. The characters are superb and the plot keeps you on the edge of your seat. This is fast becoming my favorite Stargate series. =)
Das said:
“And yes, in Jersey, you get carded when buying whipped cream.”
hmmm…wonder why? We didn’t do that at the Hopewell, NJ, Somerset Farms Store in…ahem…the late 70’s.
Tomorrow is Friday. I’m so excited. Joe posts early on Friday.
Joe
Mmmaaahhhhgggg SGU Chicken Cutlets, half the fat and twice the protien. Lol Looking forward to tomorrow’s episode “Water”. My dog(Kipper) and I look forward to seeing how that issue gets resolved!
Hey Joe, I’m a long time SG-1 and Atlantis fan. So far i’m digging SGU as well.
My only question is, When do we get to see a good ol’ fashion firefight on an alien planet?
I apologize for beating the dead horse, but since its almost Halloween…
1) On Stargate Atlantis, Season Five, “The Daedalus Variations”, was the new alien race that boarded the Daedalus supposed to be based on the idea of what if that reality’s Atlantis pissed off another alien race whereas whatever choice our Atlantis team made, it allowed them to avoid this outcome of having a new enemy?
2) Since we saw the Lucian Alliance in the opening of SGU’s “Air”, is there a chance we might see these aliens in deep space where the Destiny is? Or were they just one shot villains and will become the fans’ new ‘Furling’?
Hi, Joe
Gotta say, lovin’ SGU so far, and Jamil’s ‘speech’ in LIGHT was so far his BEST performance.
1) Can you give us a list of which actors will be doing audio commentaries for the split season(?) DVD?
2) Still no word on the SG-1/SGA movies?
3) How many episodes will feature off-world travel?
4) Why was Ming-Na’s name, after AIR (1 & 2) bumped to Guest Starring?
5) Which of the actors on the show had you seen/heard of the most?
6) If you had to pick one episode from season 1 as a fave, which would it be?
@ deni – u r the 3rd person I know who has actually heard of Orange Ave. These guys are HOT. We saw them a few weekends ago in Sebastian. Derek the lead,he, lost sooooo much weight, he wasn’t that heavy to begin with, he looks great. They really are talented. – We may have to plan our lunch around them and make it a sleep over in Orlando.
@Tammy
I did say Thank you or God Bless You or somesuch and that’s what got everyone laughing. But she kept staring at me, so I said “you’re kidding, right?” she said “no” and that it was some sort of store policy. It took me right by surprise, I was holding a credit card to pay for the gas I had just got and the smokes I had asked for which had on it “Member since ’89”. I looked around and sure enough there was a sign saying that they wanted to see an “Age of Majority Card” for cigarette purchases. I said “I don’t have one of those cards as I was 25 when they came out, what if my 25 year old daughter comes in and vouches for me.” She said my drivers license would do. It was a long time before I went back into a Sunoco again.
Elminster
So, Because you guys are already planning the 1st 10 episodes of a 2nd season of SGU, Does that mean you guys know something we don’t?
Or has it become as obvious to you as it is to us that a 2nd season of SGU is pretty much a given by now?
Maddog316: How is the new dog working out?
T
@otros ojos – I agree with your comment on daddy’s girls, as I am one myself. We all see things from a different (sometimes very different) perspective, and so we individually come to our own conclusions. Sometimes this causes a clash in opinion, and sometimes it does not. I still believe that we are all entitled to our own views and the ability to express them.
I appreciate your suggestions for Biblical texts to read/refer to. I take your suggestions as kind gestures towards both religious and non-religious people alike. I would add the book of Matthew to your list. To me, it deals with something that we all want, need, and should give: Love.
Thanks for your post,
j
Joe, I can’t find my original post suggesting a pet for Teal’c, but I think a raccadillo might be a good “ship pet” for SGU S2. 🙂
@OtrosOjos
Thank you for the fine example of not practicing what you preach. 🙂
@Rednor
Well stated.
@ Tammy – Carding for whipped cream to help curb huffing. In many stores, whipped cream is kept ‘behind the counter’ – you have to ask for it, like condoms…lol. It’s because kids would come in and huff all the nitrous oxide out of the cans, leaving behind the cream and none of the ‘whip’.
@ Gilder – I have a whole new impression of you now…
@ Narelle – Let’s just say if people knew all of our dirty little secrets, no one would ever set foot in our house without a UV light…
Was that TMI?? 😛
das
Just noticed something on a promo shot for the upcoming SG:U episode “Water”. The environmental/space suits that are seen, are surprisingly similar to the ones that the “Lost Tribe” Asgard wear in the great Atlantis two-parter. Is this an indication of how long ago those Asgard broke away from their original civilization?
I do hope that those Asgard make an appearance in the Extinction script.
Cheers!
“Hell, before the show even aired everyone HATED Greer.”
Not me, never read anything about. I only hated him when I saw him *g*
“Suddenly, he’s on everyone’s favorite list”
Not mine. Though he acted surprisingly noble in Light.
” and those people complaining about him earlier have suddenly developed a case of convenient amnesia.”
Do you keep a bible of all things said on your blog, and the individual developments the posters go through, so that you might later catch them in a slice of humanity and snicker at them? 🙂
““Is the crew of the Destiny going to encounter any Jaffa, Ancients, Goa’uld, or any other familiar races out there?”
Answer: The Magic 8 Ball says Most Unlikely.”
What about the Kazon? 😉
I’ve noticed many people stating “this is not Stargate” and wonder to myself why it wasn’t simply named “Destiny?”
It could have went like this:
All new Syfy original series “Destiny”
Based on the Syfy original series Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis.
Rather than having Stargate in the name. Some people are downright irate about this!
I just read a bunch of the mail/replies from your last couple of posts and I just wanted to reply myself so that you have a least *one* more positive comment. 😛
I was hesitant coming into SGU because of some character bios that, of course, didn’t reveal even half of the whole characters or their presence or dynamics on-screen. Despite my extreme bias, it took me all of ten minutes of the pilot to hook me and I don’t expect to be shaken off any time soon.
I love the serial angle, I love the more realistic feel of the character reactions. I love each individual character from boy-next-door Scott to misunderstood/looks-kind-of-evil Rush and everyone in between. I actually appreciated the Scott/Chloe development though I will admit the transition was surprisingly different (but that’s what the show is about!). I don’t think Chloe is a slut or Scott is a horn dog, I take them as the people they are in the context they’re thrown in. Every day for them so far has been possibly the last of their lives, her father just died and he’s had a closer brush with death than most. Not to mention they both know and understand each other’s pain in regards to the loss of a parent. They connected. Seems pretty natural to me. And I don’t think Eli is made of mulch and will disintegrate because of this, especially not since he’d known her all of 2-3 days (I believe) by this point, so all he had was a nice sized crush, not a full-on romantic head dive of a love.
Greer…Greer is just pure awesomeness to me although I *staunchly* disliked him from his first few scenes where he just seemed to be an unbelievable psycho. Once we got past those, however, he turned out to be just so surprising and hilariously freaky (in my opinion) at every turn. Even just his facial expressions make my day. And his naked-waiting scene in “Light” was definitely one of the moments that made me pause and rewind just to process the “lol wut?” going on amidst the doom-laced solitary goodbyes. Epic awesomeness.
I think the only thing I can think of that’s been lacking for me has been some TJ backstory (and Greer and Ming-Na and Rush while we’re at it :P), but especially the TJ/Young backstory that’s been hinted at since the pilot. Of course, I realize this is a serial and I have every faith that what I’m looking for is coming eventually 😛
So there you have it, for all the douches out there who’ll have their complaints on things that make perfectly logical or emotional sense, you can know that there’s one (and many many many others I know) that appreciates it all. Also, your replies to a lot of the sex/Chloe/Horn Dog stuff? That’s some Greer-level awesome right there.
Gab
Hi Joe:
I hate to belabour a point, and this is my last comment about the Chloe/Scott thing. But what about safety precautions? I’m sure nobody was thinking, “Geez, this could be it for me. I may never get home. I might be shagging some chic. Better bring some condoms.” I recall a long time ago (many years) that people complained about the lack of reality in TV. People would have sex and nobody ever got pregnant or picked up STD’s unless the story called for it. While we are at it, when the women run out of cosmetics, are they going to start looking like women without cosmetics? You DID say that Cooper and Wright were looking for realism…
Patricia
“Not to make you paranoid but I guarantee that there are people in your life who have done much, much worse than have sex out of wedlock. ”
Yeah – but she didn’t have to see it 😉
@Wahlyn
I wan’t to know what blog you have been reading.
@Jenny R.
“Hooking up with two people does make you a horn-dog. It makes you a perfectly normal twenty-something male.”
That presupposes that the avertage twenty-something male isn’t a horn-dog.
“Basically, we’re not nearly far enough into this series to have the audacity to think that we know the ins and outs of all these characters.”
What I fear is the audacity of soap – “who will sleep with whom! All new SGU!”
@dasNdanger
“Sorry, but a REAL gentleman does not kiss and tell. ”
So you are saying he’s a real gentleman because he didn’t tell? 🙂
@Juralas
“I can’t believe so many people had problems with the Chloe/Eli/Scott thing. The end of Air, Part 3 was all I needed to know those two were attracted to each other,”
Yeah, well some of us were asleep by then 😉
@Gab – I agree, totally fantastic show from the getgo.
I don’t know but jeez, did you get this much negative feedback when you started Atlantis, Joe? I think some people have way too much time on their hands to be writing bitchy letters, over and over again. Maybe it’s just me, but if I found the show not to my liking I’d simply disappear…
Elminster
@JimFromJersey
“What’s with all this bitching about the tryst between Scott & Chloe? ”
Waste of time.
“Get outside once and a while for Christ sakes.”
Whilst those scenes are on you mean? Now there’s a thought!
@hendrixtl
“I just can’t believe you’re taking heat for actually addressing adult themes from an adult POV”
Some of us think its neither.
@Shadow Step
This one. Not sure where you got confused, but just thought I’d clear it up. 😉
Also, you so do not get dasNdanger. Wasn’t even talking about kissing per say. If you would have read the comment, it was wraith feedings that is the “kissing and telling” das was talking about.
And finally, if you don’t like the show, do what normal people do. Stop. Watching.
I love how we sci fi fans are perfectly fine with people finding themselves on a ship billions of light years away with the ability to communicate via another person’s body by means of little stones, and when it comes to [enter Martin Gero flick here], it’s completely ridiculous.
@Wahlyn
“Not sure where you got confused,”
Because I haven’t seen anyone get shocked as you claimed.
“And finally, if you don’t like the show, do what normal people do. Stop. Watching.”
If you don’t like my posts, stop reading them.
@Robin
“I really don’t understand how people can still operate under the misconception that a series should be perfect ”
Perhaps because its not a misconception.
Gotta love it! 🙂
For all those demanding that only “good fans” watch the show, has it occurred to you that the ratings people don’t care if people love it or hate it?
If you continue to demand “purity” in watching, then you darn well better be out recruiting brand-new viewers to make up for the ones you want to quit.
You may need to anyway. Last week’s scenes between Scott and Chloe made recaulking my bathtub look more entertaining. They keep it up and I might actually get my bathroom renovation done. 🙂
@Narelle Right on!
@Shadow Step Then by all means, please stop wasting your time. Don’t forget to stop back in a few years and let us know how you’re getting on.
I’ve been a fan of Jamil’s work for years but I didn’t really know it…when you’re a kid you don’t really care who voices your favourite cartoon characters! But Hey Arnold was and still is my favourite cartoon and when I realised Jamil had been on Hey Arnold, and was now going to be on Stargate, I was overjoyed!! 😀