Five days and counting. Avalon I will get the ball rolling for SG-1, introducing new cast members and a new dynamic as the show heads into its 9th season. After the premiere, I'll be following up with an In the Making: Avalon I piece for Gateworld (and hopefully will be able to continue the trend through the rest of the season). Siege III kicks things off on the Atlantis side with one of the biggest episodes we've done. There's this one incredible scene where...ah, I can't say too much without giving it away.
Outlines for the Tower, Michael and Return of the Genii (Martin has got to come up with a title) are coming along nicely, as is Damian's story. I have a rough outline of The Blight but am still trying to work out some aspects of the story - chiefly, still, the Chinese ambassador's arc, and, of course, those pesky %&#'s!
Had some friends over the other night for homemade ice cream. I made 8 different batches and was surprised that the overall favorite was really a true experiment: Butter Pecan with Butter Pecan Popcorn Clusters. The Vanilla with Dark Chocolate Bottled filled with Advokaat Liqueuer was, surprisingly, my favorite. The Dark Chocolate Rumball was a close second, and only because I think I'd forego the actual rumball pieces next time. Everyone loved the Pumpkin Pie. My wife loved the Green Tea and while my buddy Steve declared the Vanilla-Caramel with O'Henry clusters his favorite, I thought the clusters were too hard and chewy for my liking. The Pistachio with Milk Chocolate Pieces was a disappointment (I'll have to strain the pistachio cream next time) as was the Moka-Dark Chocolate Oatmeal (I think milk chocolate would have been the way to go, with milk chocolate chunks). I purchased one of those stand-up freezers especially for my ice cream. I'm considering making Friday "Ice Cream Day" and bringing experimental batches into the office for the gang to test. Flavors on tap include Smores, Chestnut Cream, a new and improved Marzipan with Dark Chocolate Bits, and Bananas Foster.
Well, finished the first season of Nip/Tuck on DVD. It was a show I found alternately infuriating and fascinating - but I'm hooked. Season 2 comes out on DVD August 30th. In the meantime, my wife wants to start another drama and we're thinking of checking out Alias. Also, on my own, am halfway through the second season of South Park. On Damian's recommendation, I checked out Sports Night, watched the first couple of episodes, then switched over to the first season of Babylon 5. On the movie front, I watched a fantastic Japanese movie yesterday (matinee!) called "9 Souls", about 9 convicts who escape from prison and their attempts to find freedom (both literally and figuratively) on the outside. It was funny, sentimental, and ultimately heartbreaking in the case of some of our escapees. Definitely worth checking out. I intend to check out director Toshiyaki Toyoda's other films.
Executive producer Joseph Mallozzi has been on the SG-1 writing
staff since Season Four. Along with writing partner Paul Mullie, Joe has
written such fan favorite episodes as "Window of Opportunity," "Summit,"
and "Lockdown." Joe lives in Vancouver, British Columbia. 
Hey Joe! Can't wait until the new seasons... 5 days, 7 hours, 34 mins, but who's counting? ;)
May I recommend 'Lost' if you haven't seen it already. If you like Alias, try 'Lost' out. Also, 'House' is also a great show -- a drama that makes you think but also has some really great dry humor to it as well, and plenty of it.
Looking forward to your next installment of the Ice Cream Chronicles. :)
Thanks for the continued blogs Joe!
I've been avoiding most of the story spoilers about the upcoming seasons. Will people watching only SG1 or SGA be able to figure out who's who and what's what independent of the other show?
I knew if you made it to the end of Season 1 of Nip/Tuck you'd be hooked! Just wait for Season 2 - very dark and wild ride. They make good use of many of the memorable characters introduced in Season 1.
After you get through Babylon 5, check out Farscape if you haven't already.
Instead of Alias, I suggest La Femme Nikita on DVD. Season 1 of Nikita had typical "based on the original French movie" eps, but by about episode 7 it finds its own style and sets up the story and character arcs. You may find it interesting to see how the show jams itself up by having characters do things that are inconsistent with who the characters are around Season 4 and how they try to fix their mess in the abrupt Season 5 to appease fans.
For shows currently airing, I also recommend House and Lost. And I still like The Closer. It reminds me of why I liked Homicide, or if you ever watched the excellent Prime Suspect from the UK. The Closer has a great set of characters who don't like each other but still have to work together. And they use 'real' police work to solve the crimes - ie, the characters asking questions, making decisions and taking action drive the story versus a planted "smarty person" who blathers a technobabble solution out of thin air or talks over a CGI re-enactment visualization to solve the crime.
It sounds like you are opening an ice cream parlour! What is the brand name of your ice cream Joe? The Green Tea and Pumpkin Pie sound luscious. What goes better with ice cream than homemade waffle cones? Almond waffle cones with Green Tea...yummmmy
Can't wait for the start of Sci Fi Fridays again - the SGs and BSG!
[...]I'll be following up with an In the Making: Avalon I piece for Gateworld (and hopefully will be able to continue the trend through the rest of the season).
That would be so damn cool; really. Plus I do hope that you'll be able to continue blogging as much as you've been doing during this past week.
Joe, I think I'm gaining weight reading the Ice Cream Chronicles! Can't wait to hear how the Bananas Foster comes out, & I'm assuming you'll get around to Unadulterated Peach one of these days. Are you following recipes with these amazing creations, or are you playing Mad Scientist with an Ice Cream Freezer? (And wouldn't that be a cool title for your book of recipes?)
Don't give up on "Sports Night" -- Damian's not leading you astray here. The first couple of episodes were a bit uneven, but it remains atop my pantheon of well-written, rarely-watched TV shows. In fact, I think I'll go pull out the DVDs & watch one now.
Cheers!
Hey! I was just wondering.. why did you stop watching Sports Night? You should keep at it! It's a very witty and amusing show. It's a shame it only lasted two seasons. =/ Aaron Sorkin is great (though I'm not a big fan of The West Wing--it's too fast for me). Seeing you mention it made me smile because it's probably my second favorite TV show after SG-1. So yeah, just had to plug it a little. :)
Anyway, keep up the amazing work on SG-1 and SGA! I'm definitely looking forward to Friday! :)
So looking forward to Friday!!!!!
It's the one night me and my Dad have time together to do something we both like.
Hey Joe, a question. Are we ever gonna see Cassandra again. Coz after "Right of Passage" she sort of fell off the face of the earth and never mentioned again until "Heros Pt. 2"
I am so looking forward to the new seasons! I think both shows are going to be so good this year. Although I am sorry to see RDA leave, I understand his reasons. I am also very pleased with the new additions to the cast. I think its going to be great.
After reading your previous posts, I decided to check out Nip/Tuck. Very good recommendation. I have only watched 5 eps so far and I'm hooked. Thanks.
If you are looking for a new show, I, too, recommend House. I love the sarcastic, butally honest humor.
I also would like to thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to come and post here with us. We really appreciate it.
Oh, by the way, I think I've put on about 10 pounds just reading about the ice cream. You must let us know when you decide to begin selling it. I have to have some of the Butter Pecan you were talking about. Uh-OH, there's another 5 pounds!
Ahhh, watching Babylon 5! If you haven't seen it before, season 1 is just a warm up. Stick with it - incredible stuff (though I'm sure the SPX look a bit dated by now).
Looking forward to S9 too - even if I do have to wait till October. BTW, so glad you changed Charlie to Michael - far less contentious! I'd certainly recommend Alias. Only seen S1&2 but they were phenomenal. Really fast paced, twisting storylines. Quentin Tarantino's ep really rocked. Noticed he did a CSI too (that's on in the UK next week). Was laughing with my husband about a QT SG-1/A ep - can you imagine that?! LOL! My icecream maker went to heaven last month - so I've not tried the dark choc marzipan yet. It's on the to do list.
Thanks for sharing with us Joe. As an aspiring screenplay writer I find your struggles and successes both encouraging and motivating. Thanks for the Movie and TV reviews, the Ice Cream stories, and sharing your life with us :)
Well, I was going to suggest you watch "The West Wing" becuase there are some of us here at GW who are fans of both SG-1 and WW. But, if you don't like Sports Night, you might not like WW. I'd suggest watching the Pilot from West Wing to see if it works.
ChevronSeven
OK, now Stargate fans are getting hooked on your ice cream recipes : maybe you should convince MGM to include a booklet of sort, with some of your favorite recipes, in the next DVD boxset ?
Would be great to acknowledge your highly appreciated contribution as a blogger into the special features - and those of your friend J. Tichenor (his blog is cool too). They should make a special feature about you two famous bloggers !!
first season of ALIAS good.
first season of THE WIRE perfect.
I'm glad that you stuck it out until the end of Nip/Tuck. I'm completely addicted to that show. As far as Alias goes I would recommend the first 2 seasons and then completely skipping the 3rd. JMHO.
Moriah
Man, reading about your icecream flavors has left me with quite the sweet tooth. :)
And on the TV front, I highly recommend Alias. You might want to start with season 1 to get all of the "backstory"; however, you'll find the cliffhangers will force you to watch episode after episode after episode after...
Sadie.
Personally, I love Alias--even Season 3. Lauren is so deliciously vile that she's a pleasure to watch. Alias has a solid mythology interspersed with stand alone episodes--a nice mix. It is a nice combination of action and drama--overall a brilliant show. Enjoy!
hey joe! also a very good show is the west wing. it's excellent.
Smores ice-cream? SMORES?! I think I just died and went to ice-cream heaven.
if you follow politics at all don't watch the west wing it is a show wich is untentionally funny much of the time
Babylon 5, you say? Ooooh...yes, that was a great show. You MUST watch Season 2 - that's when it all really, really starts to get good. Great show...did I say that already? :)
Not that Stargate isn't perfectly wonderful too! ;)
OMG, Alias, Nip Tuck, House, pumpkin pie, pistachio,....you really know how to live it up!! I love that you are a TV junkie just like me.
Joe, I do have a question and a few of my friends who are actally in the military and are woman also would like to know:
LT. Colonel Sam Carter, are TPTB going to rip her position from her and give it to the male LT. Colonel?
Sam earend her way there in SG-1 it was bad to see we ddn't get to see much of her leadership in season 8, I was looking forward to it since I had head of it back during season 7.
But we saw so few instances where she had command. I think it a travisty if it was all given to the new Lt. Colonel.
They are of rank and many of the fans wil think it a slap in the face to shred Sam of her command and a few officers who are in either in the USAF and the Mareines think this will happen even a newly appointed male offcier will get posted faster than a qualified female officer.
Please consider you have many female fans who came to the show because SG-1 has such a possative portrayal of women in sci-fi
I think prehpas a slipt leadership might work, Sam taking on all science and technical missions and if battle then Cammeron.
but we stayed with the show for 8 years and I think the fans dedication to the show might be worth listening to the voices that ask don't take away Sam's possition.
Granted Amanda is a new mother, but her screen time might be taxed by that and we are all overjoyed for Amanda.
But Sam Carter is a Lt. Colonel and I think that to shred her of leadership just for new blood is a travisty.
The show has many many female viewers because of Sam Carter / Amanda Tapping and until she was killed Teryl Rothery / Janet Fraiser. the only other show that gives woman a far go is CSI
Sma needs to maintain her possition, it was so wonderful to see her in a leadership role and in command.
thank you for your time
Elizabeth Carter