Received an email from the lovely Tanja yesterday. She was our production coordinator for many, many years of the Stargate franchise and was in the offices the other day to coordinate the final wrap. Apparently, it was a very melancholy vibe as work began on de-rigging Stage 5 first. Stage 5, as you may or may not know, was home to Stargate: Universe’s Icarus base but, for many, many years before that, it held the standing sets for Stargate: SG-1: the SGC corridors, the infirmary, the control room, the briefing, Hammond’s office (later occupied by O’Neill, then Landry) and, of course, the gate room. Sad times indeed.
The news got me thinking about my many years on the franchise and the many great memories I took away. So, I was wondering: What were YOUR favorite memories of the franchise? Start thinking because, tomorrow, I’m going to tackle my first year on the franchise: SG’1 season four, and talk about some of MY favorite memories of that particular season.
In the here and now, meanwhile, work continues on Transporter: The Series as we get down to our next round of scripts. I was finally able to sit down and write the Tease of my second script (episode 5). I hope to make some major inroads this long weekend and aim to have half the script completed by mid next week before we head down to L.A. for the big casting to-do. Some very talented, very interesting people in the mix including a few familiar faces.
Today’s blog entry is dedicated to blog regular Airelle. Otanjobi omedeto!
Mailbag:
Taylor writes: “In relation to Stargate, what do you think the chances of MGM allowing the Scripts for the SG1, Atlantis, and perhaps SGU novelization would be?”
Answer: Unfortunately, I have no idea what MGM has planned for the future of Stargate and, specifically, the scripts for the SG-1 movie (Stargate: Revolution) and Atlantis movie (Stargate: Extinction). I would love to see them released in some for but, at the end of the day, it’s out of my hands. In the coming weeks, I’ll offer a little insight into the latter (since Carl and Brad were working on Revolution, I defer to them on providing details on the SG-1 movie), detailing the basic premise of the story and some of the interesting developments we had in store for the characters and, of course, the city of Atlantis itself.
Chance writes: ” If the sales of this are good, MGM would have to consider the possibility of making the Atlantis movie, which could lead to other movies for the other shows. Is this scenario plausible or is it just wishful thinking?”
Answer: As much as I hate to say it, that would just be wishful thinking. This chapter of the Stargate franchise (SG-1, Atlantis, and Universe) has apparently been closed and, if we see something in the (hopefully) not too distant future, I imagine it would be more something along the lines of a re-imagining of the brand.
jinx writes: “So where will the franchise go from here if they ever decide to resurrect it?”
Answer: No idea. That’s up to MGM.
dasNdanger writes: “Psst! Joey! You GOTTA ask Sparrow about the book she co-wrote. It tops anything you’ve ever done! AND it has pictures, too!”
Answer: Okay, I’m asking. Sparrow?
E writes: “Could you tell us what was the purple fruit about? There’s been two threads about it on GW, they’ve both been pulled because the discussion got very guttery and the third thread is barely surviving.”
Answer: That damn purple fruit. What the hell WAS it good for? We asked Rob this question (he wrote the script for Common Descent) and he simply shrugged and claimed he didn’t know. There was considerable speculation in the writers’ room, none of which can be repeated on this blog.
PBMom writes: ” How is Jelly feeling? Did the UTI clear up and is she back to her baseline?”
Answer: Jelly is doing much better, thanks. Still quite wobbly on those hind legs but otherwise in good spirits – especially when I carry her around.
cat4444 writes: “Hey, any chance we’ll find out anything more about the origin of the drones that keep attacking Destiny or was that something that would have been followed up in Season 3 had there been one?”
Answer: It may well have been a story we could have touched on in season 3. Although we never really sat down and discussed, the backstory for the drones I originally included in Resurgence – that was later cut for time – talked about the fact that they were a weapon created by one side in an interstellar conflict. It proved all too effective, wiping out the enemy, then turning on its creators and wiping them out as well. As for who these creators were – I guess we’ll never know.
dasNdanger writes: “Wait. Exactly how do you know what a Parisian brothel smells like…?”
Answer: Wouldn’t it just smell like a regular brother with the addition of absinthe and cheap cigarettes?
Randomness writes: “So what did you think of Eden of the East Joe? Especially the finale?”
Answer: I liked it, but didn’t love it. I preferred Ghost in the Machine: Standalone Complex.
Erik Ray writes: ” I wish they would do just one last movie. Even if it’s with SG-1, SGA, and SGU combined. I just really want a good ending. I think we deserve that much, don’t you??”
Answer: Hey, if it was up to me, you’d get both SG-1 and SGA movies AND a third season of SGU.
Mackaysfanforver writes: “However, Transporter is saving the day, it means that (I hope) you’ll be doing the same type of blog entries that you use to do here with Stargate !!! Please say you will.”
Answer: Yep. The plan is to continue offering spoiler-free behind-the-scenes peeks at the production process. With your help, we’ll hopefully get a nice big online buzz going in the lead-up to the series premiere.
steph writes: “Does your offer to talk about “Stargate: Extinction” mean that that movie is also definitely not being made?”
Answer: Sadly, that’s what it means although, as I said earlier, it certainly would be great to see the studio release the script for fan perusal somewhere down the line.
Boetjeuh writes: “Have you heard anyting about Echoes? that new ex-stargate project ? i’ve been looking on the web but without result.”
Answer: That’s because this project (created by some Stargate vets including super Visual Effects Supervisor Mark Savela) is in its infancy. Hopefully, you’ll hear a lot more about it in the coming months.
Boetjeuh also writes: “Do you have a suggestion for a good space based tv show?”
Answer: I suggest checking out the last three episodes of Stargate: Universe.
Tim Gaffney writes: “Quick question…how did the survivors of the “other” Destiny gate to any other planets? In Twin Destinies, Telford told everyone that they weren’t bringing anything but the “shirts on their backs” because of the force of a 9th Chevron arrival. So where did they get a remote? Eli did grab a kino off the console before he ran to the gate, did he have a remote with him as well?”
Answer: Yes, he certainly did otherwise there wouldn’t have been much point to bringing a kino. And he wasn’t the only one. In fact, there’s a line in the episode (or maybe the next one) in which Eli states he wasn’t the only one who snuck a kino.
Quade writes: “I got a stargate question for you, whatever happened to hermiod and Lindsey Novak?”
Answer: I believe Lindsey is presently working at Homeworld Command. As for Hermiod – some say he rejoined the Asgard before perishing with his race. Others – namely me – prefer to believe he’s living a rock star existence as a recluse in a ritzy California neighborhood, living off the lucrative advances on the romance novels he pens under the name Dolores Windgrove.
Greg writes: “What’d you think of HBO’s A Game of Thrones?”
Answer: Haven’t seen it yet. Soon. Soon.
oleslayer writes: “Will you publish what the endgame plan for SGU is?”
Answer: Since Brad and Robert were the ones who came up with the endgame, it’s only fair that I allow them to reveal it to you if and when they so desire.
Most of us have already figured out that the Sci-Fi/SyFY channel isn’t about sci-fi anymore:
http://www.redeyechicago.com/entertainment/tv/redeye-syfy-summer-2011-schedule-20110416,0,3351437.story
They really need to change the name from any type of Sci-Fi relation, to something more fitting. Like the Sucky Ghost UnReality Channel, or whatever.
Joe, for those people with interest in ‘Echoes’, a Facebook page has been set up that they can check out. It would be nice to get everyone’s support there.
In my younger, more ambitious days, I co-authored a medical textbook. More specifically an atlas, which is just a fancy way of saying a picture book. Are you ready for the title?
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(spoiler alert – not for younger and more sensitive readers – oh, wait – this is Joe’s blog – never mind) 🙂
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The Atlas of Sperm Morphology. :O
Here’s the link: http://openlibrary.org/books/OL2032205M/Atlas_of_sperm_morphology
Unfortunately, it is out of print.
*sigh* I don’t have my question ready yet….but I do have a favorite. I still love the SGA “Last Man Standing” At least I think that is what it’s called. I also loved “Vegas”.
I really am bad with names of the episodes. I don’t have a favorite SGU episode until I’ve seen them all.
@Sg1efc: Thanks for the link. It says there that Brian J Smith is starring in one of SyFy’s made for TV movies:
“The network also set a date for its original movie, “Red Faction: Origins.” The film starring Brian J. Smith, Kate Vernon and Robert Patrick will debut June 4. It’s one of five Saturday original movies set for this summer. “
Stage 5, as you may or may not know, was home to Stargate: Universe’s Icarus base but, for many, many years before that, it held the standing sets for Stargate: SG-1: the SGC corridors, the infirmary, the control room, the briefing, Hammond’s office (later occupied by O’Neill, then Landry) and, of course, the gate room. Sad times indeed.
guh, this gutted me.
i’m rewatching sg1 on hulu right now, so all of this is still *so* real and wonderful to me! 🙁
(((sg1)))
Answer: As much as I hate to say it, that would just be wishful thinking. This chapter of the Stargate franchise (SG-1, Atlantis, and Universe) has apparently been closed and, if we see something in the (hopefully) not too distant future, I imagine it would be more something along the lines of a re-imagining of the brand.
mistake times a billion!! they don’t need to re-imagine stargate, when there’s already fans for the things they’re blithely dumping. :/
i also haven’t given up my hope for the sam/jack confirmation, after *years* of waiting for it (since 1997 :p), but talk like this… time’s run out.
put the s/j confirmation in sgu, and i’ll wash your car for a year! :p
Just say a certain, wealthy fan would like to give MGM $100 million to make more Stargate, who exactly does this certain fan send the money to/contact?
favorite memories of the franchise:
Todd, Todd, Steve, Todd…and Common Ground…and more Todd. Dammit, I miss that pallid eyebrow-challenged bugman SO much! 🙁
@ Sparrowhawk – Are you gonna tell him, or should I? 😉
Answer: Wouldn’t it just smell like a regular brother with the addition of absinthe and cheap cigarettes?
Brother? Okay, now you’re just getting downright kinky. 😉
das
@ Sparrowhawk – So, now that you have shared your book, how’s about fessin’ up to where you got the samples from? 😉 Hmmmm…maybe you visited Joe’s ‘brother’??
das
I think my fav things about Stargate would be all the behind the scenes stuff. I loved the fact that all the production staff and cast have always been so open!!
I have enjoyed re-watching the seasons on DVD listening to the various commentaries.
The other great benefit was stumbling on to your blog years ago and following along with your journey!! Love that in Aug 2008 I made one small comment that others got behind and it flurished in to the book of the month club. You took that and ran with it and that gives me great pleasure!! The fact that you take time out of your day to chat with us has been a great surprise!
As a fan it’s hard to see something that you get emotionally invested end!! But it’s happened before Stargate, and it will happen again, such is life!!
Can’t wait to see what your favs are.
My favourite memories? Anything related to Sam and Jack 🙂 My favourite episode is the one that you and Paul wrote, Window of Opportunity. And, I think one of my favourite scenes is at the end of Threads, where the whole team is relaxing at Jack’s cabin, enjoying each other’s company, and Sam and Jack are finally fishing!
Please, can you invite Brad or Carl to your blog and tell us what Stargate: Revolution was about? Can they also share with us the romantic scene that they had in mind for Sam and Jack, and what the status of their relationship was in the movie? I’ll buy you a year’s worth of Mustachio’s veal and eggplant sandwiches if you can get them to reveal this info 😉
Also, many thanks for continuing to provide us with Stargate-related info. I am sad to see the end of the franchise, but I look forward to seeing your new Transporter series, and wish everyone else all the best.
I see that Atlantis is finally coming to blu-ray! I’ve been waiting for this forever! I’ve been making do with the dvd complete series, but my question is do you think that if the blu-rays sell well that MGM will consider making the Atlantis movie?
I think the reason why dvd sells were down was because everyone already got the dvds, and some were waiting for blu-ray version to come out. Others like I will end up getting blu-ray version even though I already have the dvd version. That is my reasoning about the low dvd sales. I’m going to miss Stargate so much. :'(
Hi Joe,
Since you’re still taking Stargate questions…I thought I’d follow up on a mailbag question you answered in back in January:
So while watching some SG-1 episodes with my son, I started wondering what would happen if the 50-Cal that Stargate Command had in the gate-room was fired into an incoming wormhole (like when the replicators were pouring through the gate)? Wouldn’t stray bullets come flying back out of the gate, becoming the worst form of ricochet?
As for our favorite Stargate memories, it’s funny that you should mention Season 4. We just started re-watching season 4 because my son got two of his friends hooked on SG-1 and the topic of favorites popped up. I voted for “Window of Opportunity” (the whole thing was just fun, but I especially liked the “no consequences” bits), and my son David voted for “Upgrades” for the action sequences and the bar scene.
Looking forward to hearing about your favorite memories of Season 4.
Well Joe, I have so many favorite SG1 moments that I figure I’d better do them by season as you discuss them. And BTW, after writing this up, I’ll be digging out the S4 dvds for yet another review. 😉
Favorite SG1 S4 Moments
Small Victories – The O’Neill and Sam trying the “yellow ones”
Upgrades – The restaurant scene
Window of Opportunity – The whole dern thing (Fav ep of all time)
Point of No Return – The introduction of Marty, Murrey, and Magnets – not trying to be an alliterate, it just worked out that way. 🙂
The Curse – Daniel getting all geeky with Egyptian Artifacts again
The Serpent’s Venom – The whole “do we start counting at one or zero” bit
Double Jeopardy – Teal’c avenging his father – shades of Inigo Montoya without the repetitive self-introduction
Exodus – Sam at her best blowing up a sun to try and take out Apophis even though I understand that the only reason it didn’t work is because it would have shortened an entire arc to begin S5. I’m certain it worked in all the applicable alternate timelines.
Favorite Guest Stars in S4
Vanessa Angel
Musetta Vander
Marina Sirtis
Anna-Louise Plowman
Oh, and Thor and Willie Garson too I guess 😉
I can’t imagine how it feels for you to know the sets are being dismantled. I have only been on set for a few set tours and it is like a punch in the gut.
I don’t think that I could ever be a script writer for a series (assuming that I had the talent to, which I don’t). With a book or a movie you get a beginning, middle, and conclusion. Look how many series never got a conclusion. It seems like it could be creatively stifling to not know if you will ever be able to “finish” the story.
As a viewer I feel hesitant to invest my time in another series. It feel like getting back into the dating scene after a bad break up. I know I will still watch new shows, like the new one called Transporter or some such thing.
I know I said it before but here it comes again… thank for taking the time to write this blog.
Slam
I agree with Tim Hendrix. Please “Like” the “Echoes” Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Echoes/190553047656151
Glad Jelly is doing as well as can be expected. I can’t imagine carrying Maddie around (at 55 pounds).
Season 4 of SG-1: My favorite episodes (and there are quite a few):
Divide & Conquer (when Jack & Sam first admitted openly their feelings).
Window of Opportunity (especially loved when Jack kissed Sam. 2010 (because it showed the inherent dangers of accepting gifts without ever questioning them–reminds me of my vaccine issues).
Point of No Return (we are introduced to Martin who comes back later for 100 and 200 episodes).
Absolute Power: Showed Daniel as a douchebag. I’m sure it was fun to play that, too, from an actor’s point of view.
Prodigy: We are introduced to Cadet Hailey who has a huge attitude problem and Sam who wants to shape her into a future candidate for the program. I loved the mentoring going on between the two female characters and Cadet Hailey reminded me a lot of me when I was younger. Maybe even still a tad (rebellious).
Any likelihood of you guys casting some SG actors on your new show? I gotta be honest, I never saw the Transporter movies because they just didn’t interest me, and I’m pretty iffy on the show, but I happily watch shows I’d otherwise not watch if actors I like are in them.
Favorite Stargate moments? The return of Daniel Jackson (along with having Daniel back, it allowed me to like Jonas more), the arrival of SGA (which I could hardly believe when I saw the trailers for it; it seemed way too good to be true), and pretty much any time characters crossed from one show to the other for a visit.
Random question: Whatever happened with Kavanagh? He’s one of those characters who was somehow both irritating and highly amusing. (Although it didn’t hurt that he was pretty cute too.) I kept wanting to see him get smacked down, but not actually die or anything.
I take that they’re destroying the sets right now. That pretty well rules out any movie for the 3 series in the future
🙁
There was no attempt to even 3d scan the sets, for just incase they change their minds on future movies? That’s a pretty callous attitude towards a series that has been very good to the building of the scifi network.
Hmm, favourite memories of Stargate? The one that comes to mind first is spending an hour on the phone each week with one of my friends, watching SG1 together but not together 🙂 Ad breaks were time for dissecting what had gone before and speculating about what would be next!
As for favourite episodes? I’ll need to have a bit of a think, but I have to say I appreciated “200” a lot more after reading your behind-the-scenes stories and seeing all your pictures – I can now recognise a whole lot of those “extras”!
It’s very strange and sad to think that there will be no new Stargate for the first time since I was about 13! But I guess nothing is ever really truly dead in sci-fi, so I can still hope!
Looking forward to seeing Transporter, I’d better go watch those movies!
Jade 🙂
Hey Joe just had three questions for you then.
1. Many have asked if the scripts for the movies will ever see the light of day as books or just released online. Well does anyone know if MGM even knows the fans still want the scripts at least?
2. If they are taking down the sets, does that mean most of it all will be on that Propwerx auction? And I mean the Destiny sets and any other SG sets/props that have been in storage in case the movies were ever made?
3, And last… who gets the full gates? I cant see them rotting forgotten somewhere.
(sorry for my english, i’m french 🙂 )
There could be a way to continue the franchise. With Carl, and Brad Wright, you could write some novels with the stories of Stargate Revolution, Stargate Exctinction and the conclusion of Universe. I’m sure that fandemonium (which publishes Stargate novels) would be very happy to publish it (perhaps that they could directly publish the scripts ?)
Lots of us watched Stargate for years, and I believe that you can’t let us without any conclusion for the franchise.
(in french 😉 ) Bonne chance pour la suite de votre carrière, j’espère que la série dérivée du Transporteur aura beaucoup de succès.
Damnit, Joe, get back there! We need photos!!!
🙁
@Escyos I do like the thought of that but unless you are that certain wealthy stargate fan I doubt this will happen.
If it does I’d be very thankful to that fan… as are millions of other people I would imagine… and not only in America ^^
Joe, one of my favorite moments I recall right now is from the pilot of SGA, just before the title comes up. You know where Daniel Jackson explains to McKay and Weir the way to get to Atlantis.
Daniel: “What we’re looking for may be further away than we ever imagined, but it’s not out of reach.”
Rodney: “Atlantis?”
Daniel: “Atlantis. I think we can go there.”
With the music starting up and cutting over to the Stargate Atlantis title. I dunno but I loved this one ^^
Right now I am very, very disappointed of MGM, because they didn’t give their fans the ending they deserve for being loyal to them for 15 years, watching their shows and buying the DVDs. After all that they just leave us hanging in the air. That does hurt the franchise and leaves a very bitter taste, making it hard to trust any new Stargate show (please DON’T reimagine it!) to ever have a proper ending again.
Same is true for SyFy but given their behavior in the recent years I didn’t expect much respect for their fans anyway. I did expect MGM to do better though.
Coucou Joseph !!! ça va bien?
Waou, quelles souvenirs? mais il y’en a tellement!
…le plus marquant pour moi ça a été les deux premiers épisodes de la saison 1 de sga!! ça à étais une révélation pour moi, avant je regarder sg1 régulièrement mais je n’étais pas non plus fan à 100% mais quand j’ai vu les 1er épisodes de sga je me suis dit “Waou, cette serie est géniale!!”. Le summum a été quand j’ai vu un wraith pour la 1er fois, j’étais terrifiées mais en même temps totalement captivées par ces extraterrestres étranges..jamais aucune serie ne m’avait un tel effet!! Cela m’a permis de voir SG1 autrement et depuis j’aime les 2 franchises autant l’une que l’autre!
Bisou!
=)!
I guess I could wait until today’s entry to know for sure :), but I’ll go ahead and ask–are you talking about any and all memories of the franchise in general or just episodes from the specfic seasons? I ask because I’ve got a cool convention story from the one convention that hubby and I got to go to six years ago.
Oh, and taking the sets down. I’ll echo a pp and say that one gutted me to. I guess the next couple of weeks will be the “saying goodbye weeks”. (Younger son’s gymnastics academy will be closing next week, and I am sure I will boohoo just as much as I will when SGU ends.)
Hope you have a great day!!
Favorite memories! I’m in the middle of breakfast, but now you’ve got me flipping through SG1 episodes, particularly season 4. I have the entire DVD set, but it’s been a while since I’ve seen several of these.
For me, the episode from the 4th season that jumps out immediately is Window of Opportunity. I’ve always enjoyed the humor of SG1, but I think this episode might be the first one where I spent a lot of time laughing right out loud. Richard Dean Anderson is great in this one, as we get a glimpse of what Jack O’Neill might do if he had plenty of time (and there were no repercussions).
If Window airs on TV and I happen to catch it, I’ll still sit down and watch it, even though I’ve got the DVD.
Which are your favorites from Season 4, Joe?
Assuming the fans were able to convince MGM that there is a market out there for an SGU novel continuation/resolution, do you believe Brad would be willing to take part helping craft the story how he imagined it? That’s not to say he would write it, but perhaps share notes with the author tasked with writing it? I realise he might not want to hand ‘his baby’ so to speak over to someone else, but it would be a massive thankyou to the fan who stayed with it if he did, and signed off on it! Also I realise any answer will probably be guesswork on your part and you can’t speak for him, so maybe you could nudge him in the direction if this idea 😉
Joe, thanks for all the effort you’ve put into keeping us loyal minions updated and in the loop over the years. While the demise of Stargate saddens me I look forward to spending time with you and tea every morning as the next chapter of your life unfolds.
On the Stargate: Extinction front, would we have seen irrefutable and unambiguous proof that Jack and Sam’s relationship has moved forward into a committed romantic one? The clue was definitely there when he called her “Sam” in Incursion. Even though I looked and re-looked I couldn’t find a wedding ring on Jack’s hand. Did I miss it or was it elsewhere, perhaps on his dogtags?
You should try TTouch on Jelly’s legs. A friend of mine has done a course on TTouch and swears it helps all animals.
check out http://www.ttouch.com/ for more information.
I have recommended another friend of mine use it on her dog who is having problems remembering he has front legs and to pick them up when he walks! http://paddockspoultrybraininjuredmum.blogspot.com/2011/04/neanderthal-dog.html
“Sparrow_hawk
@Sg1efc: Thanks for the link.”
You are welcome, glad you liked it. 🙂
There is only one logical use for the not so tasty purple fruit. Obviously, it can be ground up to create makeup, so the ladies of Destiny can look gorgeous while they roam the universe. As for Sparrrow_Hawk’s book, oh my gods. How many pages did that text run??
Totally bummed out about the destruction of the sets. Knew it was coming but still..and screw “remaking” SG. Wasn’t impressed at the redoing of the ST franchise(well, ok, it’s wasn’t too bad except for the ridiculous Kirk, the horribly cheesy storyline, utter dependence on luck and coincidence…I take it back. Though most of the actors did a capable job of what they were given, that movie sucked). I cannot bear to think of the SG franchise being dragged to the same level. Though the glimmer of hope will be in who is brought in to revive the franchise, if and when.
On a happier note, my coworkers are definitely more curious about your new enterprise than they were with Stargate. While they enjoyed some of the latter episodes, they never truly latched onto the show. With Transporter, they’re already asking when will it come on. I expect that it will become regular viewing when our work schedule permits. So, please keep up the great work on giving us the behind the scenes views.
Thanks for posting, and it would be fantastic if some like say Akemi could get a pic of you holding/carrying Jelly. cuteness factor would be in the 6 figure range. Hmm, is there a cuteness factor scale anywhere out there? Maybe we should invent one…(any other readers here got any ideas?)
My favorite thing about Stargate was the Daniel and Jack relationship.. and no not as a slash!
I just loved their interactions….I think, even though they were so different, they learned from each other…
My favorite was probably “The Other Side” in Season 4 and the guest appearances by Shanks in Season 6. But there are so many….
And then of course there is the commentary for Prodigy, where you and Paul sing the Stargate lyrics – Love that!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqDE8kocoTI
I am a big fan of the Deluise episodes..wonder what he is doing now?
and of McKay….and Loren…and Beckett…..
To begin the walk down memory lane, my favorite Season 4 episode: Window of Opportunity.
It had science, humor, an actual plot… what more could you ask?
@das: No comment.
Woke up with a brutal headache but took a handful of pills, and drinking a bottle of caffeine. Now I’m good to go. (AND a little hyper)
I suppose my favorite moments of Stargate are: the camaraderie among the characters, the humor in the face of disaster and the unexpected twists. I’m going to miss the TV franchise but I’m getting used to having my favorite shows canceled. My demographic profile is, apparently, not worth catering to by the TV bigwigs. I can’t see myself EVER watching Ghost hunters, yuck!
I’m excited because I found Stargate books on Sony’s eBook store! I downloaded Homecoming ! I’ve been going through books like candy lately but I think I am going hold the new book back for a while to savor…..
Das: you sound like a kid with a big juicy secret. Give it up before you blow! 😀
I’m glad that Jelly is doing Ok. The vet has another idea for my 26lb cat to lose weight. She wants to try him on MD (prescription diet). Very expensive stuff but “Harry” is having physical problems because of his weight. Cutting back his food isn’t helping. Grrr, dumb cat!
Joe,
I would have thought that at least an SG1 movie would have been made since it was the most popular of the three series.
Best bit of Stargate?…
Jack O’Neill and Daniel Jackson…for me, greatest double act on TV ever…in ALL 3 series of Stargate, SG-1, SGA and SGU, showing teamwork and friendship (both with occasional snark and plenty of humour!) that began from their very first adventure through the Stargate together..
And special thanks to both Richard Dean Anderson and Michael Shanks for making it so with their wonderful acting….
With special mention to Abyss for illustrating my last point….
Can you talk about the decisions made going in to the second season, please? I hadn’t been a fan before, I was brought into this whole thing by SGU and was completely arrested and absorbed by the first run. Yet while the second has been very exciting, I’ve felt that it’s not had the consistent undertow the first did for me. I know that’s not the consensus and I’m not criticising, I’m solely questioning: I’ve thought a lot about the show and now you can say more of what its ultimate directions were, I’d be grateful to hear your thinking.
Specifically, did you want to move the show more toward the feel of the previous series? I don’t know SG-1 and SGA well but I’ve read online comments from fans of those saying that SGU ought to be like them and latterly how it is better for having gone that way. I suspect some of the people saying SGU has improved are really saying they’ve got used to it, but right before Intervention aired here in the UK I did read some more specific things. Can’t find them now, I’m afraid, but the gist was that the characters were now more heroic and that the people on Destiny were getting on together better.
Of course they would get on better after all they’ve gone through. And something I engaged with was the way these ordinary people had to step up, or rather try to step up, to overwhelming situations. Yet those two comments bothered me: I think by heroic I was taking people to mean the characters would be more the square-jawed heroes of SG-1 and A. And them getting on better felt like it was going to lessen another thing I thought you did supremely well: the ravishingly powerful politics. There may be nothing better for me in drama than two characters having thoroughly opposing views and them *both* being right. It’s so rare to see because I think it’s so hard to do but you pulled it off again and again with Rush and Young.
When I got to actually see the second season episodes (I’m never sure how far behind we are in the UK) I think I have seen some of that type of heroism but I have definitely seen enough of them getting on better that when they don’t, it feels a little jarring. That great moment when Rush begins a speech with “My friends…” and gets the grumbling laugh, that was tremendous yet I think it would’ve punched more if it had been in the first run.
Maybe I’m just a sucker for the getting-us-home emphasis of the first season and I did know you couldn’t sustain that for very long without the characters starting to seem whiney instead of human. So going in to the second season, I was also looking to see how you’d shift gears and what you’d settle on for the main thrust of what I hoped would be a long run. I don’t think Destiny’s mission did it for me: I’m intrigued and interested, certainly, but for all its cosmic significance, it didn’t feel solid enough. Destiny has been flying for a really long time; it seemed unreasonable to assume that it would happen to get where it’s going within the lifetime of the series, the characters or even humanity.
Is this something that I’d appreciate more if I had been a Stargate viewer before? This fifty-million-year voyage so far also makes me not feel the Lucien Alliance’s great need to capture the Destiny now. I’m confused too by the repeated references to how if Earth can make a new Icarus base and gate out to Destiny, that this would somehow only be a one-way thing. I understand Destiny not being able to dial Earth, but every Stargate I’ve seen has been two-way so while I’m sure there must be a reason that I just haven’t recognised, it’s felt like a contrivance to deny the characters a route home. A necessary contrivance, but still forced.
What did you think in particular of the story that bridged the two seasons, please? I thought the last two in season one were nothing short of incredible: such a rich, exciting, challenging ride. But the conclusion didn’t work so well for me. I read you saying here somewhere that it had always been planned that Kiva would die but as very good as she was, did she perhaps overshadow her colleagues too much? I didn’t feel Varro and the rest came into their own so they felt like less of a threat to me. The stakes felt radically reduced somehow, which meant the eventual victory didn’t feel as hard-won as it should. It felt as if the characters thought it was hard-won, their reactions were at the level I’d have expected coming out of the two-part opener, yet because I didn’t feel it with them, it brought me out of the story.
Just one last question in what I’m sorry is a long message. I was similarly brought out of the story by the reveal of the bridge: the first time we see it, it seemed to me to be played as if it were the first time Rush found it. Now, that can’t be so: he went straight there, he knew exactly how to get in. And I liked him not telling anyone else, yet something in the scene just played wrong to me. Off-kilter, somehow. Am I alone in that?
Which is a rubbish and nebulous way to end but my inability to be more specific is really why I’m asking you these things. I said I was arrested by SGU: it was more than that, I was invigorated by it. Enthused, excited – and grateful to the guy who told me it was nothing like SG-1 and so twisted my arm into watching it.
Very sorry that it’s gone. Glad you’re on The Transporter, though: it sounds fun and I’ll certainly tune in.
William
And obviously my name is CAROL not Csrol…excuse spelling, am in the dark typing on my laptop so as not to wake my sleeping husband up too early by letting the glorious Vancouver Island sunshine in and disturbing him on his restful vacation!!..
Happy Easter from Victoria!….couldn’t think of a prettier place to celebrate it!!
OK this is weird?…are we allowed only one comment a time?….did my praise of the best part of Stargate being Jack O’Neill and Daniel Jackson disappear?…..how strange?
Oh well, if it did here it is again…
Best part of Stargate?
Jack O’Neill and Daniel Jackson….for me, the greatest double act on TV….their teamwork and friendship (both with added snark sometimes, and humour lots of times) throughout 3 series of Stargate, SG-1, SGA, SGU, made it for me…
And also big thanks to Richard Dean Anderson and Michael Shanks for making it so with their fantastic acting!….
Abyss deserving a special mention to illustrate my last point…
Thank you Jack and Daniel!…
Carol xx
@thornyrose: 123 pages.
@Joe: Like das said, for SGA, it’s the Wraith, most especially Todd. And of all the Todd episodes: Common Ground is the winner. But I also enjoyed McKay and Todd working side by side in the computer lab, though I can’t remember the name of the episode.
Hey Joseph
Its a sad day hearing they’re finally closing up shop. Thank you for all the wonderful episodes and memories that this franchise has brought to me and my family.
Looking forward to watching your new series!
Ryan
I was watching the Ark of Truth recently, and have another question about SGA and SG-1.
There were 1-2 episodes in SGA when The Wraith were headed to earth. The fans of both series thought it was possible to see the Wraith take on the Ori at one point.
Was there any serious consideration by the producers or writers of doing a mini-arc of the wraith taking on the ori?
It just so happens that your first season with the franchise is my all time favorite. You can’t beat a good “ship” episode either, and there were many. The best for me being WoO. The look on Jack’s face at the end when he’s eating his oatmeal says it all.
SG-1 just had chemistry. That’s it in a nut shell. Of course it takes great writing to do that but the actors have to have it too. They made you feel like you were part of the stories. They loved, laughed, cried, sacraficed and suffered together. And you could feel it as well. Sometimes it was just a look or a turn of the head or a touch. But it pulled you in and went to the very core of your soul. Jack (Rick), Sam (Amanda), Daniel (Michael), and Teal’c (Christopher) were a TEAM. And that TEAM will never be duplicated in quite the same way.
Another question: In the Ark of Truth, was the victor of the battle in the end (when both because pure energy) between Morgan and Adria decided?
Was the battle on-going, or did they kill each in the movie?
Was the set for the Icarus base still set up? I figured that would have been struck a long time ago, since any new Icarus-type base would have to look different from the plot, anyway.
William Gallagher:
It’s been long established, before SGU, that dialing into a Stargate is much different than dialing out of a Stargate. The gate that does the initial dial needs to provide the power, and the bigger the distance the more power that is needed. (The Milky Way gates can reach 100,000 light years without much problem, while the gates we see on SGU are much more limited, being older models.)
It’s been hinted on other shows that the receiving gate could provide the power if the dialing gate could only make the initial connection. So maybe Destiny could dial Langara from inside a star, fly out, use the communication stones to check that the gate works, and then send some people home. I guess that will only be speculation now. 🙁
Naquadriah planets aren’t the only option for crossing galaxies. Blackholes can power gates to reach great distances. I don’t know how many galaxies, but presumably the seed ships have been dropping Stargates in all the galaxies along Destiny‘s path, so given sufficient knowledge of its location, Earth ought to be able to dial out to such a gate. It would probably be a one-way trip until that camp can build up their own F-304 and use a blackhole to build a bridge back. I have no idea how many of these hops would be needed to catch up to Destiny.
Oddly I didn’t start watching SG1 until season 4… had caught a few, didn’t care for it. Then it hit me. Bought and watched the first 3 seasons in record time to catch up. There are scenes that are gut wrenching, scenes that still make me laugh, but am not sure if there is one special memory or the whole thing.
I am not “gutted” the series is over. I realized last year how unreal some folks lives are revolving around the series of an actor … making vacations all planned around conventions and/or actors appearances. I am a fan, a loyal fan. But it is a tv show, not my life. I am sad and disappointed it is over, but I am gutted when the child of a friend dies or a friend develops and dies from cancer. I don’t get the emotional investment as if a tv show is life and death. I don’t get people attacking you and others as if you personally killed their family over SGA being canceled.
You did one hell of a job, but honestly, your commitment to this blog and your followers impresses me as much as anything. And in case either of use disappear, please know I am grateful for the energy and time you put in here and the quality of the work you do. So maybe the most lasting impact isn’t the series, but learning so much about the process… and the parts of your life you share… here in this blog. And best of all, fracking SyFy can’t cancel this. 🙂
Damn meant “or and actor” not of.
Note to self, proof read before hitting send..
“if either of US” not “use”
Pour sauver la franchise Stargate, pour pourrier crée une 4ème série Stargate.
Moi j’ai des idée, et vu le moment, je pense que toute les nouvelle idées sont la bienvenue pour sauver Stargate.
@ Sparrowhawk – I believe the ep of which you speak where Todd and McKay are working in the lab is Be All My Sins Remember’d, though Todd also worked with McKay in The Seer and Miller’s Crossing…I think. Sometimes the eps blur together on me. The Seer is when Todd came to Atlantis…I think mostly so he could pull his handshake gag on them…, Miller’s Crossing is when Todd became a bit peckish and fainted like a girly-man, and Be All My Sins Remember’d is where we catch Todd checkin’ out McKay’s bum in the lab (I swear he did!).
Speaking of Todd, here are my favorite moments (it’s really hard not to include everything from Common Ground 😛 ):
1. In Common Ground, Todd’s speech to Sheppard before Sheppard realizes his cellmate is Wraith, and also when he ‘points’ the gun at Shep as he’s examining it during their escape. 😆
2. Wind-swept Todd’s return in The Seer. 🙂
3. Peckish Todd in Miller’s Crossing…poor, starving thing. 🙁
4. The shuttle scenes in Be All My Sins Remember’d, especially when Penny!Todd wakes Sheppard first…heh. Smart fella. 🙂
5. Spoils of War when Todd pulls out his ZPM and caresses it… 😉
6. In The Kindred, Todd had some good lines, including ‘there can be only one’ and the ‘tasty meal’ bit, but my favorite moment is when they give Todd the tablet and he just lights up like a kid in a candy store. 🙂
7. In The Last Man the entire scene between Ronon and Todd. That was the true highlight of S4.
8. Almost too many to name in The Queen, including fruit farmer jokes, Todd prancing around Atlantis like he owns the place, and his lessons on Wraith etiquette. However, I think the highlight for me was when we got to see Todd’s Wraithier side when he killed the queen. Didn’t see it coming.
9. Todd’s little talk with Keller in First Contact…”But then what would we do? Who would we be?” *sniffle*
10. Suck-o-Woolsey in The Lost Tribe! One of the greatest scenes, ever! 😆
11. Infection has many great Todd moments, too, but I think my favorite is when he attacks Sheppard. That’s who Todd is at his very core, and that’s what I love about him. Make nice-nice with the humans all he likes, but deep inside he’s still Wraith. *heart*
12. Todd’s glass cage scene in Vegas, of course!
13. All that sexual tension in Enemy at the Gate whenever talk turned to Jumpsuit Todd’s ‘ZPMs’… 😉
Now, my top-5 favorite non-Todd Wraith moments are:
1. Wraith introduction in The Rising as the male Wraith advances down the corridor towards the cell. I still say that the Wraith should have remained as menacing and mysterious as they were in that moment.
2. Steve. Every second of his screen time was pure gold, from his pout, to his words, to his unhappy face when he couldn’t feed. Though I love Todd to bits, Steve will always be the quintessential to me.
3. Vegas Wraith. Badass and nippleless, ‘Spike’ felt like a return to the long-lost Wraith of S1. He wasn’t a joke. He wasn’t a weenie. And he sure as hell wasn’t listening to Lady Gaga!
4.
Joe Mallozzi…erm…I mean, the foodie Wraith in Condemned. 😀 I know he’s still out there somewhere, too… 😉5. Edward Sleazyhands in The Hive. In my mind he’s the ONLY Wraith who would ever consider meddling with his human herd in unspeakable ways.
Honorable mentions: The aloof Wraith scientist in Allies trying (not very successfully) to hid his aggravation, Michael’s realization that he’s really Wraith, Sateda‘s UberWraith, and Mr. Suck-n-Puke in Broken Ties. Such a lovely, manipulative thing. I’m still not happy at all about what YOU did to him, Joey…not happy at all. You really must make it up to me one day.
😉
das
Joe, can you ask your inside sources why it’s been more than 30 days, and there’s no new SGU episode posted on Hulu? Muchas gracias!
Hello,
Too bad to hear that this is the last of stargate for now. For many years have i watched this. And now all gone.
Normally i dont post but this is a special occasion.
My favourite episode is when O’neil and Teal’c are trapped in a time loop and then do all kinds of fun stuff. Like playing golf trough the stargate.
I deffinatly will watch the last episode !!
my fave stargate memories?…
……..
there’s sooo many, it would take a novel! :p
edited version, though –
sam carter. sam/jack ship. sg1 team. the stargate. the sgc. traveling to other planets. fighting the bad guys and winning. space ships. space battles… i really could go on and on. :p
Season 4… I haven’t found one particular scene or episode because I think I just couldn’t pick one.
To answer your question, there’s a story to it. I started watching SG-1 when the fourth season premiered and that was the same year when I began learning English. I’ve acquired most of the bases from the SG-1 team 🙂 A decade later, I am a proud English teacher suggesting her students to watch the franchise too. So my favourite memory is the knowledge of a language.
Long time reader. Love the blog! If you like reading about Zombies there is a great ongoing Story about a mans life living in a zombie infested world. Located here http://adriansundeaddiary.com/
I will be excited to see what the SG gang will produce in years to come; already we can enjoy Jason Momoa on Game of Thrones and Conan, and there are a steady stream of SG actors on my tv nightly it seems; yesterday is was Christina Cox on Mentalist, Alaina will be on MTV hosting, Jill Wagner is on ABCs Wipeout, Neil Jackson aka the Worlds Coolest Wraith is on Upstairs Downstairs, there’s more but I can’t remember them all. And the writers are producers are coming out with great shows as well like Riese and Transporter just to name two.
I hope you guys will do some annual reunions; it’s a huge family of SG alums.
Are you hosting your chocolate party this year? Sounds like a great way to keep those reunions going.
In LA try Twist restaurant at the Rennaisance Hollywood and Highland; the hotel is a fun place to stay, close to everything. The Pig ‘n Whistle pub is just down the street and has tasty barbecue with big servings, very tasty.
http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/5/73235/restaurant/Hollywood/Pig-n-Whistle-LA
Hello Joe,
I’m not really sure what my favorite part of Stargate has been – there have been so many! I remember my first episode, Season 6’s Memento. (I was a huge Star Wars fan then, so perhaps a ship based episode was a good intro for me – and after watching the original movie, that gate raising scene was even more beautiful!). And then I kept watching and watching as much as I could before the season 7 premiere. I’ve been a fan ever since. I was so excited when I heard news of Atlantis, and the same with Universe. There are many poignant moments in Stargate history, but my favorite moments were when we got to glimpse the cast and crew behind the scenes, through tv specials, features (thanks, Ivon!) and your blog. It was wonderful seeing the family atmosphere behind the scenes. I only regret that I was never able to make it up to Vancouver while the sets were still standing to go on one of the set tours during the conventions. At least we have the DVDs and the memories!
My favorite moments were on SGA, I loved Sheppard particularly well, and the entire Team of Shep, McKay, Ronon and Teyla were just wonderful. I loved the supporting characters so much and the beautiful city of Atlantis.
And of course the Wraith, Todd being my favorite.
My favorite episodes were Vegas, The Shrine (Beer on The Pier!), Doppelganger and Common Ground. Runners up Tabula Rasa and Remnants.
I got a lot of enjoyment out of SG1 also. I did like Jonas and wish he’d have made a return appearance or two.
Thanks for the memories, Joe!
@das: Good times, good times…
You hit some real highlights there. Spike from Vegas was a really memorable; and all of the music that went with his scenes was perfect!
As for SGU, I haven’t digested the episodes enough to really have selected a favorite. But I love everything with Rush: Robert Carlyle is just so wonderful.
Mailbag: Joe, finally to Vegas next week. Any non-gourmet recommendations? We’re not gourmands like you, though I’m looking forward to fancy desserts.
Hi Joe,
My favorite Stargate moments?
All of them.
Thank you.
SBS
(okay…I confess…not a huge fan of 200…but what can I say–would have loved it if, at the end, Sam had awakened to find it all a very weird dream–just before Jack told her to go back to sleep…but since no one asked for my input at the time…ah well)
😉
SBS
Did Brad ever try pitching stargate universe to the science channel? I noticed the other day there getting into science fiction with there reruns of firefly!
How many scripts for SGU season 3 were written before everyone left for end-of-season hiatus (never to return)? It would be interesting to get to see those posted on Gate World (or ANYWHERE) so we could at least see how the cliffhanger was going to have played out.
I run a Yahoo discussion group called “I Love SGU.” http://tv.groups.yahoo.com/group/I_Love_SGU/
Today, one of our members made this comment:
“I think they threw us a MAJOR hint as to the whole storyline from SG1 until now. These new people, this new planet of humans, called US “the Ancients.” That is how they saw us, as the Ancients, and with advance technology. I think that is who the real Ancients were – a future version of us, who populated the Universe by time travel seeding us.
I truly think that is a major hint of what Rush would find when he finally get to where ever the mission is taking him.”
What do you think of that idea? Is he close?
Thank you. 🙂 Back scratches to all your doggies from me.
“This chapter of the Stargate franchise (SG-1, Atlantis, and Universe) has apparently been closed and, if we see something in the (hopefully) not too distant future, I imagine it would be more something along the lines of a re-imagining of the brand.”
Or possibly “Stargate: The Ancients”,
I mean all that lore, the fight with the Ori. And Replicant issues, annoying SG time travelers appearing at Atlantis, and so on.
The Ancients story span across millennia, a lot of the old SG-1/Atlantis/Universe stuff could be revisited or elaborated upon. (like those drone fighters, how all those came about).
And such an “Ancients” series would naturally culminate to it’s end sometime at their ascendance.
Unless whoever makes it feel they can go a little metaphysical and do Ori/Ancient/Goa’uld/Whoever else struggles in the ascended realm as well, but I think popularity would drop quickly at that stage.
You listening MGM? “Stargate: The Ancients”, so much Stargate lore to draw upon.
The big exodus from Earth, the plague, Atlantis getting built, what’s the deal with the Pyramids, etc. Was Jesus an Ancients scientist actually named Gesus? (ok I just made that last one up)
Stargate: The Ancients have Potential enough for 3-5 seasons in my opinion.
ike said by Yaozu and Camile Wray: ‘Maahn sih yuh yi’..
stargate has been my faith.. i love this science fiction.. it is so similar to real life, its technology, its facts are so close to us which make it the perfect science fiction. the first series, SG1 to be clear, is simply amazing.. the asgard, the ori, wonderful races.. Atlantis could not be less than its predecessor.. the city engineering work is divine, despite its size it can float on water like a leaf, its technology is superlative. i wonder if one day we will be able to reach the level of the ancient.. the ships, oh god! i love that ships i want have a ride on them.. when i heard about a continuation of the stargate franchise i could not believe to it.. despite there are faster-than-light engines, less efficient than hyperdrive ones, the new ship is great, I have no word to describe it.. now the series is come to the end of the second season but the cancellation of the third one cuts all the facts born in ‘Common Descent’ and ‘Epilogue’.. the discovery of TJ’s disease cannot be cutted by this way.. I think it isn’t fair, I think Destiny must achieve its mission and TJ must find out a cure, doesn’t matter how.. if the cancellation is a suspension due to the new stargate atlantis movie, Extinction, I agree, but if it isn’t so I‘m opposed.. stargate universe must continue, if a movie that will close the series will be produced it won’t be enough, there are too many unanswered issues..
may this comment can do something to change the decision about the cancellation of this franchise and ‘May all things go according to the wishes of those who hear it’ and my wishes are the continuation of the these series..
i may have made some mistake in my words and this only because english isn’t my native language but i think the idea I wanted to express will be understood in any case.
oh god, i’ve forgot to write the ‘L’ at the beginning of my comment.. can anyone correct my mistake in my first comment and delete this one?
I’ve been really enjoying SGU and was very disappointed to hear it had been cancelled. From what I gather this happened because no US network would run it. While watching the latest episode of equally excellent Doctor Who a thought occurred to me…
The BBC clearly do quite well from Doctor Who (apparently they get around 250 million viewers per episode!), and it seems they’ve been searching for a more adult sci-fi show to counter point it. I’m not sure how much of this made it across the pond to the US, but first they tried (with limited success) to extend the Doctor Who franchise with the very dark (and I think very good) Torchwood, then they went down a comedy route with the not very good Hyperdrive.
Given this, perhaps they’d be interested in picking up SGU?
Pleae forgive my naievete on whe the heck is happening but the last I heard there were SG1 and SGA! movies being considered or perhaps a one big crossover movie with RDA playing the main PART. It going to be an O’Neill movie which would have played great I believe. Was that idea scrapped? Please throw us a bone hear. MGM’s 2nd highest grsossing franchise after BOND and they’re going to can it? Throw us a bone here Joe, we’re dying. Thanks,
Phil
A fan of all 3 series.