When we gathered to discuss stories for Stargate: Universe’s second season, we went in with the goal of giving each of our main players at least one spotlight episode and some sort of arc or issue. And so, over the course of those first few days, we put all our characters’ names up on the board and, underneath each one, jotted down an idea or two – either a personal issue, a character trait, a relationship or an external threat that could serve as the springboard to a story idea. In the case of the Greer character, we had jotted down “Superman complex”. Here was a soldier’s soldier, a guy willing to lay down his life for the cause – cool, composed, dedicated, and courageous. The kind of guy you want to have your back – or, preferably, your front depending on what you happen to be facing. And yet, the kind of guy who leaves you wondering: “Yeah, he’s beyond brave. But isn’t beyond brave just one step short of crazy?”. Maybe. Maybe not. Of course, there is one way to find out, and that’s by placing our Greer in a situation in which his safety net stripped away. What if it wasn’t business as usual? What if something happened that caused him to question himself? What if, instead of responding instinctively and rushing headlong into the breech, he actually stopped to think about it? To question himself and his mortality?
So that was the germ of a notion that eventually became the heart of this week’s episode “The Hunt” although the idea for the story came much earlier and had nothing to do with Greer. After watching Alaina’s brilliant delivery of T.J.’s “This is war and that’s what we do” speech in “Divided”, I knew I wanted to see that side of Lieutenant Johansen. Not the sympathetic caregiver but the soldier, the trained professional who could pull it together and survive at all costs, possessed of a strength so great she would carry others along if she had to. I wanted to place T.J. in a situation where she was cut off, isolated, facing a threat head-on and relying on her smarts and stalwartness.
Eventually, those idea came together to form the core of this episode. Story A was going to deal with Greer and that Superman Complex. Story B was going to deal with T.J. and her inner-strength. But those who are familiar with my work know I love juggling storylines, so it should come as no surprise that an A and B story weren’t enough. And so, this episode contains multiple sub-stories, from the discovery of a hitherto locked-down section of Destiny that will have implications for our crew later on down the line, to Eli’s relationship with Rush and how very much like a father-son relationship it truly is (It’s no accident that Paul coined one of the bridge dialogue’s “Rush’s Darth Vader speech”), to a potential burgeoning ship-board romance (any Parker shipper out there?).
And finally, speaking of potential burgeoning ship-board romances, there is one couple I’ve been actively campaigning for over the course of the show’s second season. And, by campaigning, I mean pushing the ship in my episodes while badgering the other writers to, at the very least, hinting at it in theirs (or, at the very least, not doing anything to undermine it). I’ve always liked the Varro character and, from the moment we introduced him in late season one, I’ve worked at fashioning a character who possessed an inner strength and nobility, a certain pragmatism that set him apart from his fellow Alliance soldiers. From the get-go (“Incursion”), he appeals to T.J., tells her that, in essence, they’re all on board and in this together – a thought he echoes in “The Hunt” when he is brought in to assist in tracking down the missing Lt. Johansen. Like I said, I like these two together. Some may (and have disagree), but I think he’s a far better match for T.J. than Young ever was (or ever could be). So it would be interesting to put both men in a situation where they must work together to save someone they care about deeply…
Anyway, a lot of things going on in this episode and, back when I was trying to nail down the core of the story, it was Exec. Producer Brad Wright who came up with the idea that brought it all together. I’d been wracking my brain, trying to come up with the off-world threat that set things in motion and Brad suggested “the beast”. And, with that, the final piece of the puzzle locked into place and the rest of the story came together.
Speaking of coming together, the progression of the beast from concept to finished product was a fascinating process to watch. Kudos to James Robbins for developing the initial concept, then giving it life in ensuing design and sculpts, before passing it on to Mark Savela and our brilliant VFX team who gave it life.
As you can see, the initial concept for the creature was far more reptilian. There was concern, however, that the ossified plating would prove challenging for the animators, so we opted for a more feline look, first testing out a compromise, then going full feline – which I thought was going too far. I wasn’t a fan of the fur and liked the sleekness of the hairless hide because it showed off the creature’s musculature. The ensuing sculpts only served to solidify my opinion…
- James Robbins at work.
A few more tweaks to the ears and eyes…
And we’re in business!
Well, actually a long way from actually in business. Needless to say, the actors had to use their imaginations when it came time to shoot the scenes because the creature wouldn’t be making an appearance until much later in the post-production process.
On the day, Jamil and Brian ran through their characters’ initial encounter with the beast…
More behind-the-scene pics of the episode tomorrow – time permitted.
Little update on the super-secret comic book project. As some of you may (or may not) know, Paul and I are finishing up the opening four issue arc of an SF-based comic book series set to launch in early 2012. It was originally a t.v. pilot that I always thought would make a terrific comic book and when the opportunity arose to take it in that direction, we jumped on the chance. We’re teaming with a major publisher and the plan is to establish the series in print and then try to set it up at a network. Anyway, after checking out a slew of very talented artists, we’ve short-listed a couple of promising candidates who would, in our opinion, be the best stylistic fit for the project. Hopefully we’ll be able to close the deal in the coming weeks.
Speaking of comic books – I need some trade paperback recommendations. To give you a sense of what I’m looking for, these are the ongoing series I am currently picking up (in TPB format): Scalped, The Walking Dead, Chew, Sweet Tooth, and Secret Six. I am about to add Uncanny X-Force based on blog regular Das’s recommendation. So what else should I absolutely, positively, be reading?
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