Damn, I just saw the panel for this at Comic-Con. I've never seen the show, and am not really that interested, but everyone at the panel seemed really cool (I liked how someone referred to Jewel's character as "Dr. Kaylee").

UnpluggedCrazy | August 21, 04:01 CET

I'm guessing someone worked out that they can make more money selling Atlantis as direct to DVD (and Blu-ray) movies. Hopefully Jewel will be involved with those movies.

Also, hopefully Fox sees that comment about direct to DVD movie being very successful and goes "hay, why don't we do a series direct to DVD firefly movies?"

Zoic_Fan | August 21, 04:23 CET

Oh, boo. :( It's not exactly deep but it's a lot of fun. I think it'll be harder to maintain a long-term DVD franchise with Atlantis, though, as the actors aren't quite as locked into their roles as SG-1's actors are -- I would certainly be happy to watch Joe Flanigan in anything new. :)

cabri | August 21, 04:40 CET

Bummer. I was just considering starting to watch the show, just because of Jewel. Oh well. Hope the DVD thing works out for them.

She'd better be careful she doesn't get pegged with one of those show-killer reputations.

jam2 | August 21, 05:08 CET

That really sucks. I remember people were worried that it wouldn't continue... and the panel said that it would... now it's not (on TV, anyway). What are they going to do with the episodes they already shot for Season 5? Does this mean Jewel has to look for a new job now? :(

It seems Save Hiatus' last arc rings even truer now.

korkster | August 21, 05:31 CET

Season 5 will finish but there will be no season 6. They plan to end season 5 on a cliff-hanger and then do a 2 hour movie that will be shown on Sci-Fi and then released on DVD. The article linked gives the impression there are plans for further movies in the future.

Beth | August 21, 05:34 CET

I can't say I'm bummed about this.I saw this coming since season 3.When I stopped watching cause they killed off my favourite character.and except for one ep when they did bring her back,I haven't watched again, it's just not the same show. I do sort of wish it does well, for the sake of the rest of the cast.
I suppose it'll be like SG-1,if the movies do good, there'll be more. I don't think I'll be watching.

okelay | August 21, 06:07 CET

Well, that's not fair. Darn those Sci-Fi Channel programming people! Darn them to heck, with their cancelling shows and putting on wrestling and Lost re-runs and other nonsense.

Still, that means Jewel will be free to do cons and guest appearances and that second season of Firefly now.
Please... Don't crush my dreams. I'm feeling very fragile just now.

Grotesk | August 21, 06:07 CET

Bad move. If the powers think Whedon fans are intense they haven't dealt with Gaters very often. They recently lost SG-1 and now they're losing Atlantis. I predict some very hot threads on the sci-fi boards.

It's a shame about Jewel. They didn't really find her character's niche last season. It seemed like no one knew what to do with her. She's a regular this season and finally being featured more in the story. I was looking forward to seeing if they developed her more.

thatweirdgirl | August 21, 06:08 CET

I know of people who live and breath SGA, there's going to be some pretty unhappy fans out there even with movies.

Vanessa_A | August 21, 06:53 CET

I haven't watched it since season 3 but I'm really sorry for the SGA fans. Also Rodney McKay was one of the best characters in scifi in the last few years.

Simon | August 21, 07:13 CET

It is sad news when a show like this is going from strength to strength and is now deemed unworthy of carrying on - but having watched the Stargate Continuum Film, I'm sure that an atlantis film/s will be mighty fine at that.

Must send some big hugs to the peeps ... the next question is what will fill the void for space travel team adventure type show?

Zol. | August 21, 07:55 CET

Doctor Who.

As for it being a bad move, the Sci-Fi execs won't care about angry forum peeps to be honest. The Stargate franchise is weird, in that they have a lot of hardcore fans and it's quite cheap to make, but TV nets don't want to any more. I don't get why.

gossi | August 21, 08:18 CET

Clearly, SciFi will replace it with JJ and Joss.

The One True b!X | August 21, 08:32 CET

True, who doesn't love puppets?

cabri | August 21, 08:37 CET

Something cheap and tacky along the lines of Flash Gordon or a scifi slanted reality show.

I'd recommend Eureka for those who haven't checked it out. It's a wee gem of a show.



I'm guessing it's because SciFi channel doesn't own the franchise? If it did then SGA would be still on the air. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Simon | August 21, 08:54 CET

Arse. I'd noticed a few filler eps starting to creep in but SGA was still a fun show in the traditional sci-fi mold and McKay is indeed a great character. Hope they're absolutely certain about the film cos if they end it on a cliff-hanger and then it doesn't materialise, well, that would be bad.

As to what replaces it, maybe the third Stargate show that's mentioned ? Only problem being, the "generation ship" idea is (sort of) being done in 'Virtuality' and it sounds expensive - if Sci-fi are dropping SGA cos it's too dear they might not want another expensive Stargate show. 'Eureka's a good show too BTW, quite similar in some ways i.e. it often features fairly "traditional" sci-fi plots, it has the "scientist as hero" (and villain) virtually written into its DNA, it has an everyman lead character etc. Totally different in other ways of course.

(and it's good to hear the SG1 films are doing well - MGM deserved to be rewarded for its faith in the "franchise" - even if the actual films themselves could've been better IMO)

Saje | August 21, 09:15 CET

I am so upset right now. I cannot believe they cancelled it. I have been a loyal fan of the Stargate franchise since the 1st season of Stargate SG-1. Now i don't know what I'll watch anymore, since Doctor Who isn't coming back till 2010.

badwolf | August 21, 09:50 CET

I had a meeting about "JJ AND JOSS" last night. My life is often surreal.

gossi | August 21, 09:58 CET

You're correct, Simon, MGM owns all things Stargate, not SciFi.

If anyone wants to see good Staite episodes from last season, both #13 and #16 were above average for SGA and had good Dr. Keller. They're both on disc 4 if you wanted to order it from Netflix.

cabri | August 21, 10:06 CET

Reminds me why the WB cancelled Angel and kept Charmed and Smallville on the go.

Simon | August 21, 11:36 CET

I try to always be positive!

But...

Shucks =/

gedanken | August 21, 11:58 CET

I don't understand why a network whose main lineup of shows are about a bunch of people who almost find ghosts and aliens would let Stargate: Atlantis become cancelled.

Eureka's their one ace now, and since they've started subtly advertising deoderant on the show, I've been a little wary of it.

parsley | August 21, 12:08 CET

Because, unfortunately, almost finding ghosts and aliens is very, very cheap TV to make. And audiences seem to lap it up. So ironically, a network which on its face should be positively representing rationality ends up filling its air with superstitions (at best) and predatory fraudsters (at worst). Pity.

Saje | August 21, 12:17 CET

Ah, well, this sucks. I've been watching SG-1/SGA for, well, 11 years now and was still very much into the concept. Yes, it recycled many sci-fi tropes and yes, it would never win any Emmy's for best drama (although, as we know, that's not saying much ;)), but the likeable characters and prevading sense of fun kept me interested for all this time. I'm hoping they'll gear up the third series soonish, so we can get more stargate type storytelling.

I'm sure the SGA movies will sell nice amounts, making this choice worth it, but here's hoping the atlantis movies'll be better than the SG-1 ones, which were, well, not that great, despite the fact that it was fun to see the cast again.

GVH | August 21, 15:11 CET

I actually haven't watched much Stargate, besides the original movie and the pilot episode. I'm interested in checking out more at some point. But honestly, 10 seasons of the main show and another 5 of the spin-off, plus movies for each... these shows had far better runs than many others (Farscape anyone??)

At any rate, I'll be looking forward to having 15 season sets to watch through some day (plus movies). :-) (This is providing I find that I like the show, but I'm hopeful.) Oh, and there's looking forward to seeing Farscape and Firefly cast members in the shows at some point. ;-)

I really wish the Sci Fi network would get its act together. They should be the network where our we find our niche, with quality science fiction programming that would never have a chance on network tv. Outstanding shows like Farscape and Battlestar Galactica. They even gave MST3K a home for three years. Plus re-runs of classics like Twilight Zone and Star Trek. But sadly, they still keep wasting potential, cancelling their best shows, and putting on wrestling or really bad made-for-tv-movies.

AnotherFireflyfan | August 21, 15:56 CET

I'm not at all surprised. The show started out good but then they replaced a few of the original actors and those replacements just couldn't fill the gap. I love Stargate, have watched it from the first episode of SG1. Atlantis was ok but never got to be as good as SG1.

leiasky | August 21, 16:07 CET

Hear, hear. Though after they cancelled Good Vs. Evil, Farscape, and The Invisible Man, I kinda lost what faith I had in them. They're almost worset than network TV when it comes to cancelling shows.

deepgirl187 | August 21, 16:08 CET

OK, that's annoying!

wolfpurplemoon | August 21, 16:10 CET

In an alternate universe, Farscape was not cancelled, and Sci Fi saved Firefly when it was offered to them.

AnotherFireflyfan | August 21, 17:25 CET

I had a meeting about "JJ AND JOSS" last night. My life is often surreal.

What life do you lead, gossi, to have such surreal moments?

You would think that Sci Fi would be our beakon in the sea, and that they'd welcome the hard-core fans in with the embracing of every excellent sci-fi cancelled show out there.

Yet that doesn't happen. :-/

Why even make those crappy made-for-TV movies (That's Lifetime's job)? They should save that money & deal us something better.

korkster | August 21, 17:35 CET

And Angel too. In an old issue of Sci Fi Magazine, one of the execs explained in a long article why the cable channel did not pick up the show when it got cancelled by The WB. It was quite an interesting insight from what I can remember.

Simon | August 21, 17:39 CET

The next spin-off, Stargate Universe seems likely to be a go. IJS.

TamaraC | August 21, 17:40 CET

That's sad. I've enjoyed Atlantis since the first episode. It stumbled a bit with all the cast changes, but it was entertaining.

Now with this and BSG going, there will be little Sci-fi on the Sci-fi channel. They have so much garbage on there that i'd never watch.

phred | August 21, 18:02 CET

I've never quite grasped the deep SG love. I've seen a lot of it, but mostly for me it's been used as background while I'm doing something else, or because I want the TV on and everything else on at the time is worse.

The One True b!X | August 21, 18:09 CET

Two weeks of DVD sales Stargate - Continuum 367,030 DVDs $6,353,675 sales so far

http://www.the-numbers.com/dvd/charts/weekly/2008/20080810.php

Anonymous1 | August 21, 18:30 CET

bix, I agree, I never quite understood the intense love for SG...the movie was okay, the first few seasons of SG1 on Showtime were phenomenal, but for some reason it seemed to just fall flat after that, until Ben Browder came a long. I admit I'm biased...I looove Farscape. But the episodes I watched, even the ones with Morena, were kind of...unbearable. Maybe unbearable is an exaggeration...maybe they were just kind of hard to watch in that I couldn't really take it seriously anymore. I liked SG1 in the beginning, and I just don't know where things fell apart for me.

YellowBear | August 21, 18:52 CET

I've never found them particularly hard to watch. (Well, maybe most of Atlantis) I've just found them to be merely competent. So it ends up being the deep passion I'm confused over. I don't actually think they're bad shows, I just get lost on the people actually CARING about them so much.

Though that confusing difference of outlook is what makes the world, I suppose.

The One True b!X | August 21, 18:55 CET

Well, the SG universe would never be a fandom to me, but that's because I also need high quality drama to actually, truly, fall in love with something. It's the drama that moves me and makes me go from wanting to watch something, to needing to watch something. But it's the combination of both (fun and drama) that makes me a fan.

The stargate series are pure and simple entertainment. I love watching them. Not because the structure, story, acting or anything else is brilliant, but because the shows are just simply so much fun. The shows never take themselves too seriously, the characters are instantly likeable (both on SG-1 and SGA) and the proven sci-fi tropes are interesting enough to keep one watching. It never gets tired or old. And seeing the cast every week remains a high point.

All in all, the shows in the stargate universe are two of the most entertaining ones I've come across and I can understand why people fall in love with them. It's only because it doesn't bring the drama or layered fiction that I'm just a loyal watcher and not a true fan. But that'd differ for everyone.

GVH | August 21, 19:22 CET

It never gets tired or old.

Huh. This would be a good example of what I mean by "that confusing difference of outlook is what makes the world". Heh.

The One True b!X | August 21, 19:25 CET

Fair enough, Bix :). Thankfully there's a spectrum of outlooks to keep things interesting.

What I don't understand either, are the people that say that Stargate actually is good, layered drama. But outlooks, as you say, differ. Although it's also possible to differ just enough to just be plain wrong :p

GVH | August 21, 19:42 CET

Was to be expected after the focus to SG-U(niverse)

Although I was a big fan of the earlier seasons, I'm sort of happy SG-A ends in this way. Exploring was gone, villains where gone. There was nothing left and I got bored with it. They focus towards a drama show, and that is, IMHO, a big wrong doing to the series. They had gold in their hands, they lost it.
Too bad for Jewel, but she can do better then she did.
Won't be watching the straight to dvd thing.

As a consumer, I feel played with, again. (Harry Potter was postponed to next year for example)

Krusher | August 21, 20:23 CET

What I don't understand either, are the people that say that Stargate actually is good, layered drama.

Taken as a whole, no, much as I usually enjoy the shows I couldn't claim that with a straight face BUT I think they've had episodes that genuinely are "actually good, layered drama" (e.g. 'Heroes Pt 2' or 'Grace' and even in S1, in amongst the sillier episodes about people reverting to a primitive state, you have an episode like 'Solitudes' which had some lovely - even dramatic - character moments).

By and large though I hold it in my "fluff TV" mental space and don't think any less of the show for it being there - there's absolutely nothing wrong with just being fun and entertaining IMO (and even then, the Stargates are, as I say, traditional sci-fi - i.e. they often examine big ideas like religious extremism, identity, choice and even, on SGA, suicide bombers of a sort - albeit in their own breezy way).

It'll certainly be strange not to have it on the telly after watching for 11 years, D2DVD films or not, I shall miss it (from what I gather about SGU, though it'll be in the Stargate universe it'll be an entirely new cast of "ancient" characters so the old faces won't be cropping up).

Saje | August 21, 21:24 CET

Agreed, Saje. There is absolutely nothing wrong with "just" being fun and entertaining. Especially not if one succeeds quite as well as the Stargate shows have. In fact, in many ways, it may even be better to tackle large issues in this way.

I know I much prefer to unwind with an episode of one of the Stargates, than with - say - BSG, which I'd rate as a much more layered, intelligent drama and probably even the best show on television, right now. But for BSG, I really have to be in the "mood" to watch. As pure and simple entertainment, a moment of unwinding at the end of the day, it fails (for me). But when I'm in the mood, I can watch many an episode in a row and be thrilled by what I'm watching, simply because it's so darn good.

So, at the end of the day, I prefer fiction that has both: the sense of fun and the layered drama. Which is where Joss comes in ;).

GVH | August 21, 21:45 CET

Yep, he does strike a great balance in that regard, that'll be the whole 'genius' thing ;). And I completely agree BTW, over here Sky One used to (and may still) repeat 'Stargate:SG1' at about 6 pm on what seemed like a continuous loop and it was great to come home from work and have dinner in front of it. Easy to watch, fun (and funny too, I think SG1 has some of the best funny episodes of any genre show), sometimes thought provoking but never solemn and with a cast that had great chemistry together. Plenty to like in other words.

Sure it doesn't have the depth of BSG but like you say GVH, if you watched shows like that all the time you'd go off your rocker - that sort of intense, gritty realism and truth is potent and brilliant but in moderation there's nothing wrong with a bit of escapism either (and as I say, if you know what to look for, the Stargates - SG1 especially IMO - have a fair number of little character moments, a surprising amount really considering the show is very syndication friendly).

Saje | August 21, 22:00 CET

Sometimes I wonder why we even exchange posts here on the black, Saje. We agree too much ;). The little character moments and the chemistry of the cast, makes sure that despite it being "fluff", it's good fluff and keeps one coming back for more.

And yes, SG-1 certainly does have some of the best comedy episodes of any show, ever (I'm thinking of the 'Groundhog Day'-a-like now, for instance... what was the ep-title of that again?). What's also pleasant is that, usually, their science doesn't suck. Especially on SG-1, I've always felt they had (probably) pretty competent science advisors. Which, if you're me, helps enjoying the show.

So, all in all: the Stargates? Not that bad :).

GVH | August 21, 22:50 CET

That would be "Window of Opportunity", GVH, imo the best episode of the entire series. Both series.

The thing about the Stargate series is that you can get 3 or 4 or half a dozen episodes that are okay, nothing special, and then they'll drop one in that leaves you breathless, usually with laughter but occasionally it's their ideas that catch you off-guard. Not usually the writing, admittedly -- I would say their best writing, maybe an episode or two a season, barely reaches par with the lesser Joss episodes.

cabri | August 21, 23:22 CET

ETA: Oops, post-ercepted ;). Yeah the writing is normally fairly workmanlike, nothing too flashy in the dialogue but the actors know how to play with comparatively little and in some ways it keeps it grounded in that they talk a lot like people talk. And then every now and then you get Saul Rubinek delivering that little speech about the photographer in 'Heroes Pt 2' (I actually started to well up when I first saw that - which, y'know, it's 'Stargate', that's just not meant to happen ;).

So, all in all: the Stargates? Not that bad :).

Which totally explains why they were cancelled. Oh, wait ... ;).

The groundhog day ep is called 'Window of Opportunity' BTW, great episode. Then there's 'Wormhole Xtreme', the 100th episode in which the team find out someone's making a very cheesy sci-fi TV show which bears remarkable similarities to (their) real life. Or the slightly less successful but still fun '200' which is, yep, their 200th episode about the team being asked to contribute to a script for the film adaptation of the cancelled series and has parodies of 'The Wizard of Oz' and an affectionate piss-take of 'Farscape' with SG1 playing the crew of Moya.

And yeah, a lot of the time once you give them a pass on the initial concept the science is actually fairly decent (or they at least make an effort to use terminology properly etc.) and basic physical concepts - like e.g. inertia in space - that most sci-fi shows ignore often form the backbone of a plot or dilemma on 'Stargate' (or provide a solution).

Still, at least both shows are getting/have got to finish their stories and afterwards who knows, they could keep making D2DVD films until the cast are using zimmer frames ;).

[ edited by Saje on 2008-08-21 23:28 ]

Saje | August 21, 23:23 CET

Plus, a lot of the comedy is referential, using past situations to inform the current situation, which makes it very much an in-joke kind of show.

If anyone's going to start watching with SG-1, you should know the first few episodes are pretty mundane, but then they get better and better until the 2nd half of the series' run when it starts dropping off again. SGA seems to be a far better show to start off with, I know of two people who never saw more than an episode or two of SG-1 and got instantly addicted to SGA.

cabri | August 22, 00:02 CET

Reading the discussions, it does sound like a show that may interest me. Probably not a show to purchase, but to borrow or Netflix. Although first I plan to watch through Carnivale (most of season 1 now), Deadwood (midway into season 2 now), and Deep Space Nine (Saw half of season 3 as a starting point, decided to jump back and watch from the beginning despite seasons 1 and 2 being 'not as good'). Then maybe I can push ahead with SG-1 and eventually SGA.

Hey, at least I won't run out of entertainment anytime soon!

AnotherFireflyfan | August 22, 00:18 CET

Someone explain the SciFi Executive reasoning that results in the "Mansquito: good, SGA: bad" kind of decisions.

library hooligan | August 22, 01:45 CET

library hooligan, Mansquito gets more eyeballs per dollar spent. In other words, if idiots watch the crappy cheap stuff, after a while all we get is crappy cheap stuff.

TamaraC | August 22, 01:53 CET

Frankly, I've tried watching various seasons, eps, incarnations of SG- including the rather horrid Ark of Truth. A show that attempts to tell the same set of six interchangable character types (with pretty people that often can't act) and storylines for the last bajillion years... gah. To quote David Alan Grier on In Living Color: " 'hated it' ."
I've got friends that scarily passionate, telling me that I've watched all the wrong ones. Sorry. When your principal cast all go running... or get killed off by the showrunners... hmmmm?!

dpwac | August 22, 04:30 CET

dpwac, so you didn't care for it?

TamaraC | August 22, 04:40 CET

At least Stargate Fans have an MMO that'll come out sometime in early 2009. Has anyone heard any news of the Firefly MMO that was announced in 2006?

[ edited by mangydog on 2008-08-22 08:02 ]

mangydog | August 22, 08:01 CET

I think no news is bad news.

Simon | August 22, 09:03 CET

Yeah, I think that may have died a bit of a death (although the impression I got was that the development platform they intended to use was pretty open so a very determined set of fans could maybe pull something together themselves ?). And yeah, the Stargate MMORPG might just get me to lift my self-imposed moratorium on those games (if it's any good).

Sorry. When your principal cast all go running... or get killed off by the showrunners... hmmmm?!

Hmm. This has come up a couple of times and I don't really get it. Of the original SG1 team 1 left (to spend more time with his young daughter) and 1 died (and came back after a season) in ten years of television (true, various regulars, guest stars, recurring characters etc. have left or copped it in one way or another but surely that's to be expected in any ten year run ?). On SGA 1 of the team left fairly early on and two regulars died/left at the end of season 3 so that's 3 in 5 years (so far ;). So to say the "principal cast all go running ... or get killed off by the showrunners... " is just, well, wrong (obviously it's fine not to like it, many don't, just thought i'd correct what appears to be a misapprehension ;).

None of the SGA cast left voluntarily BTW, the creators are conscious of having already done 10 years of TV in this universe and are trying to shake things up a bit, avoid falling into a rut (with mixed success i'd say - writing some of the characters out has been a step back into SG1's shadow IMO, taking away the internationalist, non/less militaristic feel on Atlantis - but at least they're trying).

Plus, a lot of the comedy is referential, using past situations to inform the current situation, which makes it very much an in-joke kind of show.

Yep, very true. Or references other sci-fi shows (as in '200' or in season 9 where Daniel, with microscopically lifted eyebrow, makes a crack about the Ori and how "They have a plan" ;) or references character traits of the team (Tealc's "Indeed"s became the same sort of running gag as 'It could be Lupus' on 'House' for instance).

Saje | August 22, 10:12 CET

As it turns out, Stargate Universe has been greenlit BTW and is aiming for a 2009 premiere meaning there won't be a Stargate sized gap in the schedule at all. Not sure about the "aimed at a younger generation" vibe, that makes me think of 'The O.C.' or 'Spooks: Code 9' but i'll certainly be giving it a chance.

Saje | August 22, 13:36 CET

Jewel joins a show and it gets canceled, what where the chances *g* (Just kidding Jewel ;)


But it was a fairly run of the mill show, churning out sausages rather than art. Not entirely surprising since the committee writing this is mostly made up of people who have been there forever. If they do make the other spin off which has been pitched, I hope they pick some new blood.

As for the ending of season 5, according to producer Malozzi it does NOT end on a cliffhanger.

Pumps | August 22, 14:13 CET

Yeah, those were early reports which it seems were only partly correct - the phrase in current use is "a 'What now ?' aspect" but not an actual cliff-hanger ending. I think that's pretty sensible because it means they don't have to "blow" the first SGA film in tying up loose ends from the series, they can have a stand-alone story that's more accessible to new viewers.

And I think the art comment is fair - it's not art, it's entertainment. Some shows are both, some neither.

Saje | August 22, 14:22 CET

Here's hoping that with only one Stargate on SciFi for the forseeable future they start to focus more on some of the other shows they have in the works..."cough" Caprica "cough" Farscape webisodes.

JesusSavedIn01 | August 22, 18:00 CET

JesusSavedIn01, SciFi is a network, they don't actually make these shows (like Caprica) so how would they "focus" more on them? I guess I don't understand what you think SciFi should be doing differently in regards to Caprica.

TamaraC | August 22, 18:05 CET

I just mean in terms of greenlighting and publicity. Stargate took a very active role on their network the past several years. Really Stargate, Farscape and Battlestar Galactica have been the only series in the history of their network to last a fair amount of time. I'm just hoping that with MGM primarily handling the SG-1 and Atlantis movies and Battlestar ending, maybe they won't be so quick to cancel Caprica. And maybe this will jumpstart the Farscape webisodes back into preproduction. And maybe SciFi will give them a good, solid marketing campaign so people will find them since all their shows that people actually watch (except Eureka) are ending next year.

JesusSavedIn01 | August 22, 18:24 CET

They haven't even greenlit Caprica and you are already worried about them canceling it? I'm not sure what the hold up is on the Farscape webisodes, but do you know for a fact that the bottleneck is with SciFi? Or is the production company? I don't mean to be a SciFi apologist but their marketing for BSG has always been above and beyond what any other cable channel does. Always. You can't fault their marketing on their tentpole shows.

TamaraC | August 22, 18:37 CET

TamaraC -The problem is it took them two frakin' years and a damn Peabody to get the marketing team out and about promoting BSG. Flash Gordon spots were more common, along with the monster o' the week movies. (full body shutter)

Saje, when your principal cast is out at cons talking about how much they hate the lack of development for a character, or their reduced plotlines, rather than being able to talk to the producer/showrunner, I think they've signed their own termination papers. But they'd rather gripe to someone that will listen and not be an @$$hole. Based on my limited watchings and talking with friends, Beryl (I think, the original doctor?) complained about no time- killed. Terri complained too, out. Richard ran like hell when he couldn't get the money he wanted, plus the kid. Paul wasn't pretty enough, I'm guessing.
Now, they've just jacked Star Trek for a "new" premise. Sorry, it's hard for me to care about a show with so much techno-babble when there's no heart. Farscape and ST:DS9 were able to make you care about what was happening- maybe because the cast could act. I'm sorry, they so scenery-chew- except for Jewel, who I love. And Jason Mamoa had more range in frikkin' Baywatch: Hawaii.

dpwac | August 23, 03:06 CET

Which "principal cast" and do you have any links dpwac ? I'm not really immersed in that fandom (i'm just a fan ;) so I haven't heard anything about that and it'd be interesting to read up on it. In general, my impression from interviews of both regulars and guest stars is that the sets of both shows were/are extremely friendly, happy, relaxed places with no prima-donnas or tantrums and lots of joking around but it's possible that's a created image (ever noticed how many shows/films' casts claim they were like a family ? It can't always be true, surely ? ;).

OK, in no order ;) ...

Teryl Rothery - was credited in SG1 for 75 episodes and her character was eventually killed in the 150th episode (she then came back afterwards BTW, would she if there'd been big rows about her character ?).
RDA - was bored later on (much as I liked him in it, it did sometimes feel like he was phoning it in a bit in later seasons) and wanted to spend more time with his daughter as you accept, so he left (he also then came back for several episodes as well as a part in 'Continuum').
Michael Shanks - bored too because he felt his character was pretty much "done", left for a year, missed it (and was missed) and so came back.

Bear in mind too BTW that for a lot of seasons of Stargate on Sci-fi, they would write the season ender as if it was the show finale because they didn't think they were coming back (season 7, where Dr Frasier died was thought to be the last one for instance) so writing characters out may even have been partly about giving them a good send-off. And then they'd get renewed and carry on (a couple of the season finales were also actually originally written as post series movies because, again, they thought it was all over).

Rainbow Sun Francks - also didn't want to leave but again, apparently did so under good terms (and then came back a couple of times).
Paul McGillion - has also been back since he died (his character only "sci-fi died" as it turns out ;).
With Tori Higginson yeah, it does seem like there's some acrimony there though I don't know details, she wasn't happy about her going and neither were a lot of the fans which is a real shame.

Frankly, if someone's complaining (bitterly, not in a light-hearted way) at conventions then it seems like they might have already exhausted all other avenues (it'd be unprofessional in the extreme to start complaining to total strangers) and i'd say their relationship with the producers is probably rocky. And people who have rocky relationships with their bosses sometimes get fired (or are maybe near the top of the list when it comes time to shake up the show by writing out a major character) but that's true in all jobs. Presumably if they're that unhappy with their parts then them leaving is best for everyone.

Regarding the rest, well, we just disagree about the heart, techno-babble, scenery chewing etc. and that's super-cool ;).

Saje | August 23, 10:18 CET

Saje-
Sorry I never got back here... work's been crazy and I've been throwing things at people to take to Dragon*Con for autographs. No, not SG stuff. LoL
Marina Sirtis (ST:TNG's Counselor Troi and a guest star as a Russian scientist on SG-1) basically went off at FarPoint (con in Baltimore, MD, Feb. 2008) about what a prissy jerk Michael Shanks was on set during her filming. He apparently went crazy, bitching about how much he wanted off the show. She told him to just sleep his way off with whomever he slept his way in. =) (She's quite cheeky. And I like her even more now.) They've killed Daniel how many times now?! It's a sad running joke. I suppose we'll agree to be annoyed with each other's interpretations of the show... =)
Just based on what has been posted by friends that are seriously into Stargate, the blase' way Sci-Fi has just rolled over the show, letting the producers fire fan-favorite actors - or in this case, the entire damn cast! Check out GateWorld.net; the friends have said it's a good site for news and cast stuff.

http://www.gateworld.net/news/2008/08/sci_fi_green-lights_istargate_un.shtml

Seriously, a younger demographic?! So diapers, monsyllables and bright colors, it is!

The last press release is just salt to wounds:

http://www.gateworld.net/news/2008/08/sci_fi_explains_hopes_for_istarg.shtml

That's right, "BSG lite" with the cast of "One Tree Hill." I rest my case. They are complete idiots.

[ edited by dpwac on 2008-08-29 04:22 ]

[ edited by dpwac on 2008-08-29 04:24 ]

dpwac | August 29, 04:13 CET

Oh I do check out Gateworld.net regularly, great site - I actually linked to the SGU article above, expressing my own reservations about the "youthful vibe" (but thanks for the suggestion ;) - and read the interviews etc. When I say i'm not immersed in the fandom I mean I (for instance) very rarely bother to read (and never post to) the forums, quite often the folks there seem to be fairly, err, vehemently pro or anti whatever they're pro or anti and I have trouble valuing comments like "I hope Ronan shoots Brad Wright and all the higher ups at MGM." - guess i'm spoilt by this place ;).

And yeah Marina Sirtis has always seemed very down to Earth and funny in interview but in fairness, Shanks was clearly very unhappy at that point (which is why he left not too long afterwards). Presumably they sorted those issues out though or he wouldn't have come back.

Not counting the times the whole team's died BTW - either as themselves, as alternate universe themselves, as themselves from the future, as robot themselveses etc. ;) - yeah Jackson's died a lot and, as you point out, in finest Stargate tradition they make fun of it a couple of times on the show. On the show O'Neill has actually probably died the most (and all in one episode at that ;).

I'm not annoyed by your opinion of the show BTW, that's yours to have and valid as it goes, I was just wondering about your factual claims about generally discontented casts etc. mainly because reading gateworld.net interviews (and they have loads, it's a great resource) they usually seem to be happy on the show, with guest stars and regulars alike talking about how friendly and welcoming the set is, how smoothly the production runs etc. (for instance, a recent one with Michael Shanks has him talking about how he's happy to continue making SG1 D2DVD movies because he thinks they still have stories to tell).

[ edited by Saje on 2008-08-29 10:11 ]

Saje | August 29, 10:10 CET