Back when Stargate was heading into it’s tenth season, I was feeling very good about its chances for a pick-up. And I wasn’t the only one. I remember standing on set one day while we were shooting The Quest II, chatting with actor Chris Judge (Teal’c) as the faux snow fluttered down around us (and stuck to the bottom of my shoes, never to be properly removed). Chris was talking about the logic of a season 11 pick-up. Well, he was talking about the logic of a season 11 pick-up while trying to convince me to buy a Bentley Azure. Anyway, his argument made perfect sense. Atlantis would, no doubt, go another season and, since the double-production benefited both shows immensely, it stood to reason that SG-1 would get another season as well. I believed it. After five years of having my doubts upended by a late season announcement of a surprise pick-up, I’d gone into SG-1’s tenth season with a certain amount of confidence. How fitting then that that confidence would be upended by a late season announcement announcing the show’s cancellation.
We got the news just prior to SG-1’s 200th episode party. It was a grand affair – probably the franchise’s best party – and not even the news that the show would NOT be back for another year could sour the mood. Well, in all fairness, it didn’t sour the mood because no one at the party heard the announcement. The acoustics in the room were terrible and even so, no one was really listening to the speeches. At one point, I turned to my writing partner, Paul, standing beside me and asked: “Did he just announce the cancellation?”. Paul shrugged, and said: “Have another cup of chocolate, buddy.”, referring to the liquid chocolate from the fountain that, technically I suppose, was only for dipping but I’d been sipping all night.
Anyway, we’d been cancelled and, eventually, the news spread. There was another season of Atlantis to look forward to, but this was small consolation to the cast and crew of SG-1 who had worked hard for many years (ten to be precise). At the time, all but the season (series) finale had yet to be written. And so, I suppose it was only fitting that Robert C. Cooper, would write the final episode, the appropriately titled Unending that concluded the series but left the door open for more adventures to come.
Looking back on the show’s tenth and final season, I have to say it was my favorite (or maybe a close second to SG-1’s ninth season).
FLESH AND BLOOD (1001)
Picking up where we left off the previous season, Robert Cooper managed to juggle all of the various storylines and characters in an episode at turns humorous, poignant, thrilling, and shocking, paving the way for the introduction of the season’s new Big Bad: Adria, daughter of the Ori (not “oreo” as one actress who auditioned for the role pronounced it). Prior to her reaching adulthood (the ultimate Adria played by the beautiful Morena Baccarin), we glimpsed our villainess in three stages of development: the ages of 4, 7, and 12. Seven year old Adria was played by Jodelle Ferland who returned to the franchise in Atlantis’s fourth season as the spoiled princess Harmony in one of my favorite SGA episodes. A lot of stuff going on in this episode and director Will Waring did a terrific job on what I believe was his first big season premiere.
On another note/production, here are some more of the terrific production personnel I’ll miss as I head westward…
I thought there would be an eleventh season pick-up too. 🙁 But, I did like several of the episdoes. Oh, and that chocolate fountain sounds wonderful. I just had something chocolate myself—an Oreo creme brownie. Has anyone ever had one?? Hubby thought I deserved it after several of my writing notebooks (containing short stories I had written over the last two years) disappeared between CA and here. Yes, the United States Postal Service managed to destroy one of the boxes I had had shipped here. ***shakes her head*** And they want more money. Hmm–methinks that is not a good idea.
*sigh*
das
Joe, you’re luck that Tara didn’t find a way to do you in – calling her Lemur Eyes and all!
*peeks in again*
Yup. *sigh*
das
I couldn’t believe it when I heard SG1 was cancelled–I was really looking forward to season 11. I did love Flesh and Blood, especially the relationship between Vala and Adria. That’s one of the things I was hoping to see develop even more in Season 11.
Hubby says Tara looks like the Doctor’s Amy Pond (Karen Gillan), and I agree:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v54/dasNdanger/tarapond.jpg
🙂
das
Joe can’t you take them all with you? 🙁
A word of caution to Joe. Don’t look back too much man.
It’s not good, and in particular if you are in a dark phase. Stargate is done and in the past, behind. Don’t write the word cancelled too many time.
Forward, look forward! Even little things but forward. Orpheus wasn’t just a myth but also a mental discipline story.
Although some authors and artists produced some of their best work in depression, I would like to avoid this to one of my favorite writers ever. At least be aware of it: looking back too much when in depression is not something constructive. Please don’t write too much of Stargate OR write of the FUTURE of Stargate.
Just let the close things and people fill your space. Take care of your future wife (uuhuuhu!! 😉 ) and that brave little mending dog of yours.
Take care man
@SiSi
I would offer my right arm to have the closure SGU movie.
I showed the episode to my wife (she loves Gilmore and Kelamis). She laughed her ass off when Brody got frozen by Rush. And then she was shocked to see all the actors entering stasis one by one.
Wow she broke a small tear. “that’s it, the end like that ??? OMG and they’ll drift forever ?” So whenever I see funny pictures like that, I cheer and I have a good laugh.
https://twitpic.com/67mmi4
And I have a hard time that seeing all that SGU family always connected on twitter. Someone at scyfy or MGM will have the balls to get them all together and fix the god story. It doesn’t take a tremendous set to do that, but 1st the actors and I think they would ultimately be willing to do something.
Bed time for me now.
take care all.
*joins Das in sighing*
Hi Joe! Seasons 9 and 10 are my favorites, as well. So many great episodes, but “The Quest” (both parts) has always been in my top 10. I also loved “Unending”, but the old people makeup was terribly distracting! Oooh, wait, “Memento Mori”, “The Road Not Taken” and “The Shroud”, wow… I can only imagine what could have been if you’d gotten an 11th season! Unfortunately!
The cancellation was really not surprising. After all, isn’t the fifth season the magic number where the network can syndicate the show and make money, but also want to cut their losses as the show gets more and more expensive from there? And yes, I realize we are talking season ten, but technically, the first four or five seasons belonged to Showtime and not MGM, so the same formula applies.
Or, an I wrong?
Patricia
Now you’ve gone and made me sad. Plus I need to watch SG-1 again. and I was hoping to sleep tonight, too.
Blast.
TPTB logic is not like our Earth logic.
Don’t remind us of Stargate! I still haven’t fully digested the cancellation of SGA and SGU and you rmind me of SG1? Hurts…
I also couldn’t believe it when SGA and SGU were cancelled. Still not happy about any of those cancellations, but at least we have hundreds of great episodes to watch over and over. . .
Very glad to have the SG-1 reminiscing continue. Keep ’em coming please!
Thanks for your continued reminiscences. They warm my heart. A little sad, too, but I have everything on DVD, so can watch to my heart’s content. Blessings to you as you rearrange your life. I know all will turn out as it should.
Thanks for the continuous posting. Your dedication to the craft of writing is obvious. We out here enjoy living our lives vicariously through yours. Yours can be so much more glamorous!
Have a great Wednesday!
Patty O
Thank you for the SG1 retrospective thus far. I enjoy seeing what you have to say about them, background info and all.
Tell ya what I’ll be missing…
Joey K.
*sigh*
In other news, working from home today. Let’s see if I actually get anything done. 😛
das
I’m with WM. I still think all three shows had much to give. At least the Ori storyline was wrapped up, and Atlantis wasn’t left with a cliffhanger. What happened to SGU was a real kick in the teeth though! Still, we have the memories…
The cancellation of SG-1 marked the ending for “SyFy” for me. SyFy should be called the “paranormal channel” now. Ghost Whisperer, Ancient Aliens, Ghost Hunters and even Warehouse 13 or Alphas. It’s just a bunch of paranormal shows!
I enjoyed Jodelle Ferland’s performance in SGA. The whole show was hilarious! Whatever happened to the painting? Do you have it hanging in your office?
Lisa R: I can’t stand the P. O. either but I would hate for snail mail to be abolished. I live in a small town and not every bill can be paid by computer. Yes, they can be very inefficient. For example, I’ve learned not to put a hold my mail. The delivery person put the wrong mail in EVERY mailbox down my street because of the “Hold” I placed. I thought I would save the neighbor the trouble of picking up my mail but instead it was ….., chaos. Anyway, several neighbors “volunteered” to pick up my mail next time we go on vacation 🙄 .
Das: Well done, huh? 😀
I read your comment about medications. I wish I didn’t have to take so many medications. It’s those pesky migraines and allergies that cause most of my problems. I could take a Dilaudid or Codeine and it wouldn’t touch my migraines. Most pain killers won’t touch my migraines! However, Aleve and Imitrex make it possible for me to function!
What do you think C. H. meant about J.F.?
Tam Dixon: I know. I was just aggravated that six months worth of work is now floating somewhere between CA and AL. And several of my older son’s homeschool things disappeared too. We are waiting on one more box, and I am really really hoping it shows up with everything intact because it contains his textbooks for this school year. Yes, I did have it insured, but I have no idea how long it will take to get the money back. Boo! hiss! Sorry about your issues with the PO. That would have aggravated me too.
Heh heh. For some (likely younger) people, “Hallowed are the Oreo” might just ring true. 🙂
@Tam Dixon – What did CH mean about JF? Weeeeell…Joe is awful prettylike. 😉
RE: The Post Office. I love sending letters when I have the time, and I love getting real mail. I do not take e-mail seriously and usually delete messages as soon as I read them. But I have a couple big boxes of cards and letters. I can’t imagine them shutting the PO since it’s a HUGE assumption that ‘everyone’ uses the internet to communicate and do business. My in-laws, for instance, refuse to own a computer, so they rely on the post office to pay bills, to receive bills, and to send letters. And it’s not just older people – I do know some younger people who don’t pay bills and bank through the internet. I won’t because I’ve had too many virus and hijacking attacks, so I don’t trust doing banking or bill paying on line.
I think I’m just going to make it a goal to write more letters. A couple weeks ago I sent out a few thank you cards to friends who had helped spruce up the grounds of our house of worship. Everyone has come up to me to thank me for the thank yous!
A card or a letter means so much more than a cold, impersonal e-mail. (Granted, there are some on-line greeting cards that are quite nice – I’ve even used them – but even so, nothing means more than taking the time and effort to write out a note and post it.)
das
Hi Joe,
You haven’t done a mailbag in a while. Is there one coming soon? I posted some questions a couple weeks ago and would be interested in your answers.
What is Brad Wright up to these days?
Have you heard of/tried Taza Chocolate yet?
Thanks,
Nick
You might want to pick up a replacement for Manning as it’s rumored that he’s had another neck surgery and will miss the season.
Also wanted to reiterate my request for any info you could share regarding to Merlin mistaking the SG1 team for his knights of the round table. Were there any plans or discussions of possibly fleshing that out in any way in a theoretical season 11? Even a simple “Yes, the idea was floated” would at least tell me there was something to it.
Nice trip down memory lane, thanks.
Another thing I’ll miss…did you ever post any pictures of Chris Vance? I don’t recall any. Do you have any? Was he camera shy, or just really suspicious of you?
I started the day with a migraine – the third in 4 days – and followed it up with a 10.5 hour work day.
But after a sushi dinner and a little sake and…
*sigh*
…I’m feeling a bit better now.
Okay, Joe, whatever you do back in Vancouver, try to make sure it comes with some nice scenery.
Handmade is the new black.
dasndanger: Agree with you completely re handwritten/handmade cards & letters, and re online banking. Re P.O. – in this corner of the world, P.O. is booming due to online shopping & parcels posted because of it.
Sparrow_hawk: As a fellow migraine sufferer, you have my heartfelt sympathy, & a jaunty salute for working on regardless.
Is there anything us viewers can do to get SGA back on the air? There are hundreds of thousands of us who want it back… Isn’t there a way to get us all together and petition to get it back?
@Amanda
I know, I wish we could get it back too. I suggest joining http://www.facebook.com/SaveSGU If we can bring back SGU in some way, then there will be hope for the whole SG franchise, including those SG-1 and Atlantis movies that were supposed to be made. And this is not just an idle facebook page – the people there are actually working on ways to bring back Stargate. Check out the “notes” section and read “The Next Step: Celebrity Letter.” Most importantly, help spread the word! You can also follow them on Twitter: http://twitter.com/SaveSGU
Thank you. I went to the links and signed the petition and have done some other things as well. Thank you for the advice. I really hope it helps.
Damn i’d like to see the eleventh season… Or SG: Revolution, just something, which has something to do w/h SG-1… From 2006, when i wake up, i go to my computer and search news, about Stargate… If there is any chance to start SG series again… Damn, make eleventh season or Revolution, before it will be late and Richard Dean Anderson, or any of important SG-1 actors, will not be able to play again, just like Don S. Davis (R.I.P.). OMG I’M SURE, that the fans could even DONATE producing of SG-1… There are a lot of fans, which are really sad of all these cancelling (SG-1, SG movies and SGU…), please…
Thanks Amanda! I also really hope that it helps…
And yeah, it would be so great if we could at least get those movies that we were promised – SG: Revolution; SG: Extinction; something to wrap up SGU… or even something that combines all three…
I would happily help to crowd-fund another Stargate Movie.