A few more BTS photos from the archives…

Behind the scenes on Episode 210, “Going Out Fighting” (and, evidently, singing and dancing as well).  We shot this episode at Brampton City Hall with its gorgeous floral wall art lobby.  My old friend and former Stargate cohort, Peter DeLuise, directed this story that, in its infancy way back when I was first developing the series, was originally envisioned as one of multiple narratives that would have run through the two-parter series finale, complete with far, far more downbeat ending.  Pictured: Anthony Lemke, Roger Cross, Peter DeLuise, and Jonas Chernick.

Melanie Orr’s Direction of the near touching scene

Behind the scenes on Episode 310, “Built, Not Born” as director Melanie Orr oversees a near-touching moment between Dr. Irena Shaw (Zoie Palmer) and Rebecca (Melissa O’Neil).  The research facility and Shaw’s secret lab were constructed on our second stage that housed the Marauder and, had the series gone a fourth year, played host to an alien ship set.

Redemption and Return To the Light

Behind the scenes on Episode 312, “My Final Gift To You” – director Bruce McDonald and actor Alex Mallari Jr. enjoy some downtime between set-ups.  At the heart of the show was the theme of redemption and the exploration of how dark someone could go before being drawn back to the light.  In the original, much sadder version of the FOUR/Ryo Ishida storyline, TWO casts the deciding vote and takes Ryo for a walk across the extraordinary landscape of an alien world.  As they discuss their lives, the mistakes they’ve made, Ryo spots something in the distance – incredibly, his stepbrother Hiro and his good friend Misaki, kids again, waving to him from a beach.  He starts forward, uncertain at first, then racing down to meet them, joyous and young.  We PUSH IN ON the excitement in his eyes we PULL BACK TO REVEAL Ryo, overcome by hypoxia, dying on the planet’s surface.  An emotional TWO, her nanites protecting her from the planet’s atmosphere, turns and heads back to the ship.  THAT was the dark timeline ending – which changed in time.  In fact, the plan was to redeem and reinstate FOUR as a beloved crew member in season 4, as hinted at in the virtual season 4, episode 4.02.

Roger Cross’ Future

 Behind the scenes on Episode 210, “Take The Shot”.  Roger Cross does NOT like the look of that automated pizza slicer.  The original plan for SIX, aka Griffin Jones, aka Kal Varrick offered a decidedly more somber conclusion to his story as well.  Unable to bear the weight of his past, the memories of the family he lost and his indirect hand in the deaths of thousands, he opts to have his memory wiped.  He awakens in a community and given a new identity, told he is suffering from amnesia as a result of an accident.  As he settles into his new life, now blissfully unaware of his past, the crew watch him from afar and, in some ways, envy his decision, before heading back to the waiting The Marauder.

Anthony Liked To Get Dirty

Behind the scenes on Episode 210, “Going Out Fighting”.  Anthony getting measured for his head restraint.  I don’t think I’ve ever worked with an actor who was so eager to suffer for his art, and by suffer I mean getting down and dirty in the mud and slush of a forest location, going all out in his fight sequences, and, more often than not, eating endless servings of rice pudding, gruel and, on one occasion, a lamb shank that requires so many takes he was gnawing on a bone by the end.