Let me start off this installment by congratulating golden boy Martin Gero on his Gemini nomination for best writing in a dramatic series for "The Brotherhood". He won't win, of course, but its great that he's been nominated. Okay, okay. Let me clarify. I would love for Martin to win - but the sad fact is there's no way. And it has nothing to do with the quality of the scripts. Truth be told, besides Martin's script, I haven't read any of the other nominees. In fact, I honestly thought that one of the nominated shows had been canceled two years ago. No, the deck is stacked against a Martin Gero win for two other reasons: 1. We're a damn science fiction show and that's one huge strike against us. Scifi doesn't get the respect here that it gets in the U.K. If this was the visual effects category, then maybe. Heck, as ridiculous as it sounds, even that isn't a slam dunk because we're talking about the Gemini's. 2. Even though the show's crew, writers, producers, and most of the actors are Canadian, Stargate is still considered, for all intents and purposes, an American production. In other words, we're not Canadian enough for the Geminis and it just wouldn't do to reward that sort of behavior. Still, I wish Martin all the best and will do my best to pretend he's got a fair shot at winning.
Just finished watching the director's cut of Camelot. Well, not exactly. I just got off the phone with Martin Wood, congratulating him on the terrific job he did on Camelot - which I just finished watching. Its huge in scope and really feels like a two-parter. There's so much going on including that swordfight I mentioned in a previous blog. HOLY CRAP does Ben take some punishment in this one. He lays it all out and, well, kicks ass. He's been an incredible addition to the show. Michael is also great in this one - determined, occasionally flustered, occasionally cool, and funny. Amanda gets to play both the scientist and the adventurer, while Chris gets to do some throwing down himself. Overall, a terrific season (let's hope not a series) ender.
I was watching the cut with my wife who saw the new SG-1 opening credits for the first time. Wow, was she impressed. She thought it was the best opening credit sequence she'd ever seen. And my wife is an admittedly tough audience.
Still holding off on the ice cream. Now that production is over and I won't be tempted by the lunch truck, I'm going to try to get down to my fighting weight. One hour of cardio a day. One hour of weights. No junk foods. Only leans meats and fish. And I'll study one hour of Cantonese in the morning, and one hour of Japanese in the afternoon.
Oh, almost forgot. We watched the director's cut of Crusade this morning. Robert did a great job with his directorial debut. Some great shots and overall great moments in this one. Of course, he was helped by some amazing performances, and some equally amazing lighting by Peter Woeste. Its nice to have Claudia back.
Tomorrow, Paul and I are going in to watch the day one mix of Collateral Damage (a great Mitchell episode that is not only an off-world adventure, but focuses on Cameron's relationship with his father). To all of you complaining that we hardly know Mitchell - wait 'til the second half of the season. We're just getting started.
We're all off to Vegas for the weekend. In the event we don't come back next year, I've saved up this year's salary and will be putting it down on black. This way, I double my money and don't have to worry about working next year. Wish me luck!
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. 
You know, Joe, I feel like someone has to put this out there for you guys. The more that everyone pimps Mitchell and Ben Browder in every single interview, blog, article, etc., the less believable all of the hype and, certainly so far, hyperbole, becomes. Once again the contributions of the other three actors are noticeably marginalized for more "Ben is SOOO kick ass" and "Ben is an incredible addition" bluster. So far, Mitchell is the only member of SG-1 who looks like he has anything close to an episode that features him this year. And from the spoilers, I don't see any development for Carter, Teal'c, or Daniel at all. What kind of half-assed decision is that?
I get that you guys are taking a heap of criticism about Mitchell from your fanbase. But, let's face it, he hasn't been well introduced, he brings absolutely nothing to SG-1 (except some startlingly frightening Marty Sue qualities), and while things may be "better than ever" for you guys, they're not better than ever for the majority of fans. Keeping Carter, Teal'c, and Daniel static for a whole season in hope that you'll be able to catch-up Mitchell is such an insane idea it's laughable. Try to remember what has kept you guys on the air so long, and try not to fall too in love with the shiny, new characters that will, more than likely, loose their luster rather quickly.
If nothing else, your PR department has done a great job of keeping everyone involved with the show "on message" this season. It's just a really phoney sounding message.
I'm sticking with SG-1 this year, but I'm hoping for better from the second half and from season ten. I just wish you guys could give us something to get exicited about, rather than stuff that we're just relieved hasn't gone terribly wrong.
PS
Atlantis would be dead without it's cushy timeslot between SG-1 and Galactica.
Go Joe! I can't tell you how much your blog makes my day. You're freaking awesome!
Good luck, Martin. I really hope you guys get to make a 10th season, and much more than that. And good luck in Vegas.
How do you do it, Joe? You're an executive producer for both SG-1 and SG-A, you watch movies, TV, and anime (yay anime! what's your favorite series?), you have ice cream parties on Fridays, and you have time to work out. You're magical, Joe. Truely magical.
If you get the 'ok' for another season, will 'Mr. Anderson' make a guest appearance? We all miss him greatly!
Goooo Joe!
Joe, i must start of saying one thing...
not Canadian enough?!
thats ridiculous, your definatly canadian enough. But as for the scifi, you are completly right. Almost no award shows have respect for scifi shows which is just as ridiculas as not being canadian enough. they never have respect for scifi shows, even the ones as good as stargate, which is why FireFly got canceled in the first place. well,good luck to martin anyway.
Hi Joe:
I have your enjoyed your blog so much this past season, and hope you plan to continue keeping us apprised of happenings in your life, at Bridge Studios, DVD watching, etc. I have been entertained by your blog, without taking anything too seriously, as I actually have a real life, filled with real people so that I don't go nuts about fictional characters and storylines. The personal insults and rudeness in the comments were really "over the top", and uncalled for in any situation, much less over a show and characters that only exist to entertain, with no foundation in reality.
I really admire how bold the new scripts and storylines were this season. You took a chance and brought us something new, but with a familiar feel to it. I will be glad to see some character development with Mitchell, and continuing development with Carter, Daniel & Teal'c, until they can all fully bond as a team, and rely on each other totally as they enter into this fight against the Ori.
I think Daniel, Teal'c & Carter have kind of lost each other this season, so would love to see them pull together and gain strength from each other as they did in the past, and include Mitchell as a strong presence in the reformed team dynamics. I'm also looking forward to the return of Vala, as I think she brings such excitement and energy to the show, and would love to see her as a recurring, although not permanent, part on the show.
Being as this was practically a new show this year, and it was a little rough around the edges, I look hopefully towards a 10th season, and the show able to evolve into what is only imagined and partly developed this year.
There were some really strong performances from the actors this first half of the season, and the sets were incredible, and all the directors just did a fantastic job. You all did yourself proud!
I hope all of you have a great break, able to relax and come back to a confirmed Season 10 very soon!
Stargate has to be Canadian enough! My friends claimed it was turning my Aussie accent Canadian!
Viva La Seasons 10 & 3! (then 11 & 4) although I guess stargate has to stop some time.... I just hope I die before that happens.
hey joe, love your blogs, only found this site a little while ago so am a little behind the times. the series has only finished season 8 down in australia so can only crasp a little of whats going on especially when they missed the last to eps. why did R.D.Anderson leave? he was the best, i miss him already. quick question, does he still hang about behind the scenes or has he left the show for good?
any way have a great time in vegas and cant wait to hear the go ahead for season 10. :-)
Joe, The beginning episodes of season nine were absolutely wonderful. Incredible dialog, the set designs for the Avalon arc were stunning. The entire cast and crew should be proud of the work theyve done. I know I certainly am.
I watched the new addition to the show, Ben Browder, with a wait-and-see attitude, but I found myself really enjoying his character. But I am increasingly disturbed about the direction of the show the more I read the blogs and spoilers and interviews by a select few.
I do understand that TPTB felt the need to put Browder up on a pedastle and show him off as someone who would help make up for the gap left by the fact that Richard Dean Anderson quit the show but you guys at Bridge Studios appear to have been blinded by your "shiny new addition" to the show and have apparently forgotten that the majority of fans who are still watching after all these years are watching because of the three core characters Daniel Jackson, Teal'c and Sam Carter.
I know you feel compelled to push the Ben character but having so many episodes this season that are Ben-centric frankly is beginning to make me gag on this character being shoved down my throat. Don't get me wrong I really like Cameron Mitchell but if TPTB don't wise up and realize that we want to see the other three main characters at the forefont they are going to lose the very core audience that frankly puts the paychecks in their pockets.
I'll admit, I am a devout Daniel Jackson fan. In my opinion Micheal Shanks acting ability ranks right up there along with the best and highest paid actors in Hollywood and Stargate SG-1 is fortunate to have him but it continues to baffle me as to why such a handsome, young talented actor such as he is time and time again pushed to the sidelines. Are you guys nuts! This season we have or apparently will have quite a few episodes where Mitchell's character gets to shine and we gets loads and loads (yawn) and loads of background on him. Yippee....NOT. Sorry but it just doesn't excite me.
I must say I am VERY disappointed that it appears that not a single ep of the second half of the season are going to be even close to a Daniel-centric ep. Now I suppose it's possible that the ep coming up, "Ethon", could be a good Daniel ep. You'd think that an ep which is a sequel to "Icon" (THANK YOU!) , might actually be a Daniel ep I'm not holding my breath.
I realize that you are only one person and as important to the Stargate franchise as you are, you cannot control or influence many of the things I've mentioned but still maybe you could put a bug in the ear of some of those that do so maybe, just maybe TPTB won't screw things again in ways like allowing the shooting of the season eight second half promo without Michael Shanks and taking umpteen publicity shots of Ben all by himself prior to season nine and us Daniel fans finally, if my memory serves me right, on the day of the season premeire, given one ... One Daniel photo. What the heck is up with that? The Teal'c and Carter fans were also shortchanged in the publicity shot department although not quite to this expent so I imagine they were none to happy about that either.
I'm just one small voice in a sea of opinions but please Joe, don't forget the key word describing Ben Browder is "addition ". He is an addition to the cast. NOT the star.
Jkrickit
Hi Joe.
I'm a faithful reader of the blogs here, but mostly a lurker on the site. I'm akimbo at Gateworld, but can't remember my blogger password. Sooooo many passwords....sorry.
Anyway, I wanted to take the opportunity to thank you for the blogs and your participation with the fans (despite some very bad manners thrust in your direction).
I am a big Daniel Jackson/Michael Shanks character and have appreciated the growth and attention paid the character in the first half of season 9. It's been great to see him and Vala interact, it opens up his character so much.
But I'm also a big Ben Browder fan and I'm straining at the bit for more Cam Mitchell in the second half of season 9 and I'm glad to hear he's been a bright spot for you. I think he is making a positive impact on the show and welcome both Ben and his character's participation.
I just thought I'd add my .02 here to let you know that there are a lot of us that are really enjoying season 9, appreciate your efforts and can't wait until January for more.
Oh and your ice cream descriptions are adding inches to my wasteline just thinking about them...more, more. :)
Personally I'm hoping for a renewal for season 10, but as Wesley Snipes said: "Always bet on black." Good luck in Vegas.
I don't think I'll wish you luck in Vegas. If you double your money by betting on black, maybe you won't care about coming back for S10/S3, just live off the residuals. :-p
Just kidding. Enjoy the (temporary, temporary!!!!) hiatus, and safe trip to Asia next month.
Stargate, it's all about the TEAM! baby.
Joe,
Re: the Mitchell/Ben debate, some of do like him. I can understand this season being heavy on him, actually, since he is underdeveloped compared to the other team members (for the obvious reason that he hasn't been around for 8 seasons already). I also can see thought why people are upset over the focus seeming to only be on him, since it is a team show. It hasn't felt that out of whack to me yet, thankfully, so IMHO it's all good so far (as is Atlantis, which I loved last season, but really fell in love with this season, forcing me to go back to rewatch all of Season 1).
Re: a belated anime comment - since you said you were still slogging through ROD, I'm assuming you mean the ROD TV series and not the OVA, yes? (BTW, thank you for reminding me to mention that and Wolf's Rain in my comments in Rainbow's blog - do you two ever get together to talk anime?)
Re: the Geminis - frankly, I thought the SG shows were gypped. Nomination-wise, I thought they (and Galactica) deserved some acting nods. Alas, you are correct about the SF bias in NA as opposed to the UK (where I'll be damned surprised if the Doctor Who cast doesn't get nominated for awards). As for it being not Canadian enough, hey, does it qualify towards the percentage of Canadian shows that have to be aired on Canadian TV (as opposed to shows made outside Canada), assuming that old requirement is still around? If so, it should damn well be Canadian enough!
ever your servant,
Jennwarp
Joe have a great time in Vegas:)
Thanks for sharing all the information you have given us over the past few months.
The second half of season 9 sounds as awesome as the first. Nice to hear Mitchell is getting more action scenes and more backstory about his character. Always good to hear that Daniel is getting story time too:)
Don't forget to wish a happy birthday to Christopher Judge today:)
Oh and belated Happy Birthday to you too:)
Joe,
Thanks for addressing our concerns about Mitchell. I've felt that Mitchell has been really underused so far, and I'm very anxious to get to know him better. Personally, I think those who are complaining about too much Mitchell haven't been paying attention to the show. He's hardly had anything to do so far!
Basically, I've been enjoying S9, with the exception of wanting to see more Mitchell. I'm looking forward to the second half even more after your comments. Thanks.
ShardsofGlass
Thanks Joe for taking the time to blog and for all the info.
Count me in to being really pleased to hear that Ben as Mitchell will be getting the character development needed so that we can see what makes this new leader tick. I've enjoyed his build-up of relationships with the rest of the team so far, but they've been but snips into his character... The episodes that you mention sound fantastic. He's an excellent actor, so I'm specifically looking forward to seeing him start to get some storyline and airtime.
Thanks,
Kas
Well, Joe, count me as one of those who is terrified that you're going to push Mitchell way, way too much in the second half of the season. As someone above stated, Mitchell is never going to be as developed as the rest of SG-1. There's nothing you can do about it. And it's not due to a lack of screentime or focus in the first half. Mitchell has had plenty of time to make an impression; he'd have made a pretty good one if not for the command debacle. But the fact that he hasn't is very disappointing. At this point, more screentime for such a boring, unengaging character seems like a poor decision. Hey!! Do you remember that big, tall, black dude from the first few seasons? How about some episodes where he gets to do more than push Ben Browder around? Remember that guy with the glasses who figured out that wacky stargate thing? What about him? Remember that chick, the one who didn't get to be in the first five episodes? How about catching her up a little? Or, here's an idea, how about trying to put all three of them in a scene together? Because, you know, they're supposedly friends. That sort of thing happens when you spend eight years saving each other's lives everyday. Like it or not, Cameron Mitchell is always going to be a whole lot more like Jonas Quinn than he will ever be like Jack O'neill, Sam Carter, Daniel Jackson, or Teal'c.
Thanks for hearing me out.
David Egen
It looks like you made all of two laest two people happy with all teh Ben propaganda. I'm sure that's enough for a renewal. :<
Oh right, fall in line Jenny, YAY BEN! SG-1 IS BETTER THAN EVER!
Shoulda bagged it after eight if this was how you're gonna mangle a once great show
Thanks Joe for the info! I'm another who's glad to hear we will get to hear more about Mitchell's background. As much as I love the cast who have been around 9 seasons I'm desperate to see some more from the newbies like Mitchell, Landry and Lam as it's new ground. :)
Can't wait to see more Ben in action!
Thanks
BritAngie
Thank you Joe for coming here and keeping us up to date. Ben is indeed a fantastic addition to the Star Gate universe. The prospect of more character development for Mitchell is welcome news indeed! Now if we can just get some good news on season 10!
Good luck in Vegas!
Suze G
Hey, Joe, I was reading over some of the comments left and I think they're way off. I feel that this season of Stargate has been consistently good, its best in ages. I enjoy Mitchell's character and I have faith that he'll grow as the series went on. At the beginning of the show it took Carter a long time to grow, also.
On the Atlantis front you've done some good stuff. This first half of the season wasn't as good as last season but I've had fun nonetheless. I look forward to more.
On your own scripts- I found intruder a little basic but I quite enjoyed the flashback scenes. "The Ties that Bind" was fun if a little unneeded. However, "Ex Deus Machina" was fabulous, a great addition to the series.
Finally, if you see Damien Kindler tell him that with "The Fourth Horseman" he's made a masterpiece. I'm one happy fan.
Thanks Joe.
-Donald
Hey, Joe!
Hope you made it in Vegas, then you can fund production yourself! lol j/k
So, can I come be an accountant in the offices up there? I'm not too far away! I'm halfway through school!!! Please??? lol
I have to say, yes, I like Mitchell, but I miss the team dynamic. And, of course, I miss RDA, especially since he was the original reason I started watching the show. (What can I say? I've loved him since GH! Paging Dr. Weber!lol)
Atlantis is getting even better, can't wait to see more. It's funny, because there are several of us at work who watch one or both of the shows, and we're all chomping at the bit to see the new eps!!! Hurry, January!!!
It seems you can please some of the people some of the time and none of the people most of the time. Joe, you have a really difficult job that you do exceedingly well. I am one of the folks who love the addition of Ben, Beau, and Lexa as well as Louis to your cast. The chemistry mixtures are wonderful.
I think folks are watching different shows when they say that Cameron Mitchell has been pushed forward too much and the other characters have not had enough time to shine. What about Daniel and Vala? What about Sam and Orlin? What about the entire Jaffa sub-plot and the growth of Garrak (sp?) vs. Teal'c? Cameron has had hardly any screen time except to stand around and make comments. No wonder folks think he is lame. Ben is an amazing emoter and physical actor and I welcomed Babylon to show fans what he could do and he didn't disappoint. I'm sorry some fans are disappointed that RDA isn't continuing and then taking their frustrations out on the "new folks." Like I said, you have a really difficult job in balancing introducing new characters while servicing your original characters. You have done an admirable job and I think you for entertaining me so well this first half of the season.
I really look forward now to learning more about what makes Cameron Mitchell tick. He is the leader of SG-1 and has earned the title by pulling the team back together. The Ori are formidable enemies and a great antagonist that will test the SGC to its limits and I can't wait to see how this pans out. Those who say that Daniel hasn't gotten enough screen time I guess haven't seen the fact that he caused this entire mess, got to pal around with Vala, and miss out on his dreams. He is pissed and that is a new development that Michael gets to play with. I am enjoying that development along with Sam's moments of leadership as well as Teal'c's frustrations with the Jaffa. There has been a lot of development but it is subtle. Beau Bridges is a wonderful leader of SGC and I really love the slow warming of Dr. Lam to her father. Over all, I look forward to much more of this personalization.
Thank you again for giving us word of Ben's behind the scene efforts. Have a pleasant hiatus and I look forward to what you have planned for the second half of the season.
I agree that some of us seem to be watching different shows. This show now is extremely stilted and static. None of the leads seem to care about each other anymore, and they all seem to be too preoccupied with random guest character of the week to interact with each other. SG-1 has always been about the team, so what happened so far this year?
Oh yeah, and it does seem like you guys are really sensitive when it comes to the Mitchell character. I know it's rough to take criticism, but as the person above said, so far he is pretty lame. Hopefully Ben Browder can do better in the upcoming episodes than he's done so far. If not, then maybe you should cut him like you did Jonas and go with the three man team.
Hey Joe, there have really been some crappy comments coming from the producers lately regarding Ben Browder. Apparently, Peter Deluise thought he was being left out and decided to chime in. Well, let me tell you the same thing most other people are saying in their comments. Ben Browder is not the star of Stargate. He's not star material. In fact, despite the fact that he was the lead on that other, long dead show of his, he's not a very big name at all. None of my family had ever heard of him before season nine. Believe it or not, Amanda Tapping, Michael Shanks, and Chris Judge are way, way more well known that Ben Browder. Since you've ragged on the Gemini awards, presumably because you realize that Stargate is a huge show, and the work being put in by everyone is of a very high quality, I figured you guys up there in Vancouver realized how well you had it. In case you don't, here you go: you guys caught lightening in a bottle when SG-1 began. Those four original cast members have the best chemistry of any cast on television. You still have three of them working on the show. How about you tell Scifi to shove it, and start writing stories about the real "stars" of SG-1. Though it's nice to hear from Deluise "It's not just the Ben Browder show", and that the "supporting cast" will still be hanging around playing with themselves.
Do you know what the problem is with shows that "jump the shark"? The problem is that the people making those shows don't realize it until it's way too late.
See any fins in the water?
To anonymous who and his/her family have never heard about Ben Browder before season 9. This "long dead" show you call this has just started in syndication around the USA, so it's no longer dead, as you call it, and actually never was. And it's quite strange you've never heard about Ben Browder, as he is the actor who TWICE won Saturn Award for Farscape (the third time this year for Farscape: Peacekeeper Wars miniseries together with Claudia Black) and Richard Dean Anderson was a looser the same years...
Joe, the addition of both Ben and Claudia, and especially Claudia was the most brilliant decision you've ever made. Such gems as Claudia happen once in a million times. And her chemistry with Michael Shanks is purely magical. Really :)
NEWS FLASH PEOPLE!
Ben Browder IS a leading man. He is also a TEAM player on and off the set. I don't hear him complaining that he doesn't have enough screen time and I don't hear any of the other actors in the ENSEMBLE CAST complaining either.
What about the stellar actors, and LEADING MEN, Beau Bridges and Lou Gossett, Jr? Are they complaining? Seems to me that the only ones that are complaining are fans that are afraid of change. Afraid of moving forward with the show. Like in real life, people change, life circumstances change, jobs change, etc.
What do you do when you change jobs? Do you jump in and take over like gangbusters or do you step back and get the lay of the land? Do you see how the people that you have to work with, work for or work for you as a team dynamic before seeing how you fit into that dynamic? If Mitchell jumped in and took over, some people would resent it. If he steps back and participates while assessing his place in this UNIQUE group of people, then he's considered lame.
When you have individuals in a TEAM that are very specialized in what they do and are on the hierachy level that they are within this supposed military organization in a branch that never existed before, there will be the standard protocol that has existed forever put into place. Mitchell is the technical "leader" of the group, brought on for his military skills and proweress. Carter is the technical gadget, computer, and nerd military person. Jackson is the non-military, lauguage and cultural advisor nerd for the group. Teal'c is the alien link/ambassador gateway to the other parts of the universe, especially the G'ouald. As each mission presents itself, the leader that has the best skills to be at the forefront of that mission steps forward. This is called TEAMWORK.
Unfortunately, for some narrow visioned fans, some characters will never win. They will never be given the opportunity to be seen as the great characters that they are or can become. In that respect, those fans are the ones that will lose. Good sci-fi is hard to come by. Sci-fi fans have to work hard to get new shows/movies to watch or to get a continuation of a series that wasn't given a chance, needed new writing blood or just needed new characters that will impose change. Sci-fi fans get ignored by the industry, but we have some of the best stats when it comes to a dedicated viewership. Why you feel that you have to rip a person, a character or a show to shreds just because it's not being written the way personally you want it to is a mystery to me.
I'm happy with the way this season of SG-1 has been going. I'd be happy if they could do a 2-3 hour slot every Friday night on SG-1 alone. Then maybe we could see some of that personal character development for each of the members of the team that everyone wants. Unfortunately, we only get one measly hour, or I should say 45 minutes, of screen time. Deal with it and be happy. You could be watching 45 minutes of The Dream Team instead. How that dumba$$ series was given actual airtime was something worthy of complaint.
Keep up the great work Joe. I'm happy to be watching your work and am looking forward to what you and the cast have put together to entertain me with. Tell everyone else that there is one satisfied viewer out here that accepts the direction that you have taken and is willing to watch until you run out of stuff to say or do.
Linda
Spoken like a Farscape fan who only came on board Stargate because of the recent additions to the cast. I bet you didn't give a damn about Stargate before and now you probably don't give much of a damn about anyone other than Browder and Black. If anyone can determine the quality of the show now it's the true, long-term fans, not you.
So I thought I'd try a comment that isn't a sycophant grovel or mean-spirited bashing, just my observations.
Folks around here are vehemently critical or supportive about how the characters that they care about are treated and that's great... for them...rather deafening for the rest of us.
The hype into Season 9 was that the show would be "all about the team". Thus far, I've seen very little of that. I've seen 4 characters all working on stuff, occasionally 2 of them will be in the same rooms together for about 2 minutes.
The first 5 episodes abdicated the show over to a guest character (and yes, I understand the staffing issues). The writers had plenty of story choices to handle Tapping's absence. They could have used the 3 other SG-1 actors that were there and get cracking on "the team" dynamics. Now I like the Vala guest character, but she's not part of the SG-1 team.
Supposedly Mitchell is part of team, though I'm not sure why he's the leader. On balance, I haven't seen enough "team" development this season. Specifically, that means seeing the 4 SG-1 staff (Carter, Daniel, Mitchell and Teal'c) interacting together in the same location for longer than 1 minute to solve a problem. Pretty simple. Let's see the 4 main characters doing some cool things together.
Good luck in Vegas. And remember, in the end, the House always wins.
super. you take all the farsacpe fans, lose all the stagate fans. that way you'll get cancelled just like they did. haha
Joe, I know some of these comments are a bit on the fanatical, bitchy side of things, but please don't just dismiss some of the criticisms out of hand because of the way they're presented. People are passionate about Stargate. And they hate to see things going wrong or seeing the overall quality of the show being lessened. And whether or not you guys agree, a lot of fans are worried about those things happening.
My own criticisms with season nine sort of echo the ones above. I too miss the old team dynamic. And it's not just that the dynamic has changed, it's that it appears to be nonexistant. Where are the characters that care about each other? Also, while Vala could be a good recurring character, I believe that you guys have sort of run that well dry. Just remember, a little goes a long way. Finally, it would be nice to know what happened to Jack O'neill. Unlike Ben Browder, Richard Dean Anderson actually was the star of the show. For eight years. I hope that he will at least have a couple of guest spots, if he wants them. If not, then I would hope that you won't have the characters forget he ever existed.
PS
The whole command issue with SG-1 is pretty muddled, too. Mitchell doesn't seem very capable of leading. He certainly pales when the other cast members are "doing their things". I guess what I'm saying is, if you guys (meaning the writers and Ben Browder) were going to write and play the character as weakly as he has been played, then why wasn't Carter put in command and Mitchell made a new Major joining the team? I don't think anyone would have had a problem with that. It certainly would have avoided the debacle it's become.
Anyway, thanks for reading my concerns. Hopefully.
Kalliope, try not to take offense so easily. The fact that some have no idea who Ben Browder or Claudia Black are is not an insult to them. Ben Browder is not really a big name, nor are the Saturn Awards a terribly big deal. Try to remember that not everyone trolls around the internet and that not everyone is a fanatical science fiction fan.
You know, for a season and storyline that was supposedly "all on Michael Shanks", there seems to be an awful lot of Ben Browder pushing. We got spammed in season seven and didn't like it. I hope you don't try the same with Mitchell in season nine.
From,
A Worried, Disappointed Daniel Fan
I would just like to tell you that both me and all of my friends that come over for our weekly Stargate party have been absolutely blown away by Season 9. It is amazingly good. Thank you for continuing to produce such a great show. We all have our fingers crossed for a 10th season. I even try to make it back home every few fridays so I can sit down and watch the show with my father. We have REALLY REALLY enjoyed season 9; It has been appointment TV.
Sorry there "Worried, Disappointed Daniel Fan" but most of the first bit of this season was almost ALL Daniel...so I'm not sure exactly what you're disappointed in.
And although I'm one of many who look forward to Carter stuff primarily, I agree ENTIRELY with the observations Rosewood made above. So...ditto to all of that. More team interaction...team bonding...team working together as a *gasp* TEAM...that would be cool.
As for the "Ben's the star" thing...right now I'm still kinda wondering why Cam's even there. The leader debacle certainly doesn't help him look better. So I'm hoping that we'll see how well he gels as time goes on. I think we might from the spoilers...but for people to think he's the star and the others are supporting cast is wholly insulting to CJ, AT and MS. It's an ensemble cast folks and they're all stars.
And Kalliope, still calling RDA a loser? Wow...that's just oh so SAD on so many levels.
So Joe...here's to Season 10...more team...LOTS MORE SAM :P (sorry but the first part of this season seemed so barren without her...but thankfully the band FINALLY got back together)...and some RDA guest shots for good measure.
Mary Beth
http://www.uberamandafan.com
Sorry - I put this on the wrong Blog entry and want to put it here too in case you do not revisit comments on the older blog entries.
Joe - I know this is not your quote but since you generously make yourself available, and there is realy no where else to go,and writing a letter takes waay to long and never gets answered anyway, can you please ask PDL what he meant by the following statement on his recent Gateworld interview whcih I found to be incredulous:
"It's not just The Ben Browder Show now. It's more about the qualities of the supporting cast, I think." Just who the heck was he talking about? I hope it was Beau Bridges, Lexa Doig and Lou Gossett.
As others have said it is not, and never should have been thought of, as the Ben Browder show. You, and others, and now this ridiculous comment about the "supporting cast" are just turning off a lot of the Stargate fans that kept you guys employed and cashing a paycheck for 9 years because many, many of us watched a show called Stargate SG1 and we still watch, believe it or not, BECAUSE of the LEADING CAST members Amanda Tapping, Michael Shanks and Christopher Judge. Believe me there are plenty of fans who watch for them and NOT because of Ben Browder. For 8 years a very large fan base followed these three MAIN, LEAD characters around and, for the most part, enjoyed the ride. Please, it would be nice if you, RCC, PDL and others would not insult the Stargate fans by continuously blowing off about how great Ben Browder is to the almost total exclusion of the original lead cast members. BTW, I really am not interested in Mitchell's relationship with his Dad. I (and many others have expressed the same interest) am more interested in, and concerned with, seeing what his purpose is on the team, what does he bring to the team that was not already there with Sam, Teal'c and Daniel? What qualifies him to co-lead the elite team with Carter cuz so far I have seen almost zero that shows me any of this.
Please let us know what PDL has to say or ask him to clarify his statement. As many of these posts have said, the pushing and shoving of Ben Browder down our throats is getting a little old. Talk is indeed cheap. Show us why he deserves to be on this team and co-leading it with Carter.
Thanks for your time. (and in the spirit of people complaining about anonymous posters being afraid to ID themselves I am IDing myself below partly because I am not sure how to sign-in - it tells me I have no account when I try to sign-in like I do at GW forum.)
Binkpmmc
4:54 PM
Joe, have more faith in Martin Gero's Gemini nomination - "Duet" was wonderfully unique. But if MG wins, it must be "shared" with David Hewlett. I doubt anyone else could have pulled off that performance. ;o). . .*thinking positive thoughts*
As far as losing weight, come ON man. .the HOLIDAY season is coming. No one eats properly during the Holidays! *LOL*
Please continue to visit us during the hiatus. We enjoy your wit and behind-the-scenes stories, and we aren't all rabid dogs out for the kill. :o)
Ack. .just realized Martin was nominated for "Brotherhood", not "Duet". Equally good anyway! (that comes from hitting "Submit" instead of "Review" when the boss walks into the room. *shaking head*
I'll just say I echo everyone. More team dynamic, where the hell did Jack go?, Who is Browder and why does he think he leads the team?, ect...
Bonnie/Cybrokat said...
I'll just say I echo everyone. More team dynamic, where the hell did Jack go?, Who is Browder and why does he think he leads the team?, ect...
---
Ben is a lead actor from another show and also film appearances.
His character doesn't think he leads the team... he does lead the team...the General has given command to Mitchell.
Kas
To Kas:
Hey if that's what you need to sell yourself on Ben's perfomance, whatever. But that's not what most people are seeing.
Mitchell leading the team is something the writers did in order to get the Farscape fans to watch the show. So far in season nine, Mitchell has done very little at all. In spite of what gets said, he doesn't do any leading during the episodes. In fact, at various points Daniel, Teal'c, and Carter all seem to have done more "leading" than Mitchell. I wish he brought something to the show, but right now he's just a body. If he wasn't there every week, most people would probably think he's a red shirt. Maybe he should be.
Joe, have you ever been to the OFFICIAL SONY PICTURE's SG-1 Board? Not only we're having much more fun than majority of people here at Gateworld, but we REALLY enjoy and love what we see in Season 9. The chemistry between Claudia and Michael is so wonderful and magical that I hope to enjoy much more of it in season 10 (fingers crossed!), Vala and Daniel are just made for each other :) Ben is doing great job as the new leader, and he is the leader, some people just don't want to notice it, unfortunately. I love Beau Bridges as General Landry and I'm looking forward to more of a background story of him and his daughter, Lexa is also great addition to the show. There was a basketball game at the beginning of the Beachhead, maybe next time you'll organize for them volleyball on the beach offworld: Vala and Teal'c against Daniel and Mitchell? :)
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This post has been removed by the author.
Oh heavens Joe. Spare yourself from the Sony board. I saw it. Although there seems to be a couple people who enjoy all the characters and respect the history of the show, that board's mostly 15 or so Vala and Daniel fans who detest Sam and literally chant about how they want Vala and only Vala next season. It's kinda cultlike and very VERY scary.
I don't think they understand the notion of actually appreciating the contributions of all the characters (even though I don't fully appreciate Cam and don't get why he's there yet, I'll withhold final judgment on him til the end of the season) and not pitting them and their fanbases against each other.
I like Vala (primarily because of The Powers that Be) and would love to see her as someone who drops by once in a while. A recurring character.
But please...hear me on this and take it to heart...she's too over the top to be sustainable as a fulltime character...much like Felger (who I adore). Especially not at the cost of an integral member of the team. But hey...it'd keep those 15-20 people really happy and it'd only cost you a huge chunk of the show's fanbase.
Just my 40 pesos...
Mary Beth
http://www.uberamandafan.com
I've been to the Sony board too... I was so offended there, I never visited again. It's like the wicked step sister of Our Stargate forum. +shudders+
"...15 or so Vala and Daniel fans..."
Whoa, wait. There's no way there's fifteen different people over at Sony. That's far too generous of an estimate.
"Anonymous said...
'...15 or so Vala and Daniel fans...'
Whoa, wait. There's no way there's fifteen different people over at Sony. That's far too generous of an estimate."
Hey, now, Anonymous...I was trying to be nice.
Oh wait...I did call them a cult though, didn't I??? I guess some people might not consider that to be very "nice"...especially the cult members themselves.
Oh well. :p
Mary Beth
http://www.uberamandafan.com
Hi Joe! I was hoping you could ask Richard Dean Anderson if he could come back and be in some episodes. Thanx.
Kalliope - GTFO MY INTERNETS
Careful with your money for this year. My parents went to Vegas last year and lost a crapload on black. But I hope you two have fun.
I'm hopeful for an SG to get a Gemini, but the day the franchise is recognized in a good way is a day that Daniel dies and doesn't come back.
Regarding Anime, over here in Victoria I'm a member of an Anime Club and awhile ago we were watching a series called Cromartie High. Very funny with lots of great references. I definately suggest you look into it, cause I'm sure with your sense of humor you'd enjoy it. Watch it with your wife and have a few good laughs.
Happy gambling,
Meg.
Joe - I just have to chime in here too - stay away, far, far away, from those Sony boards. They are dominated by a very, very small group of poeple who are rabid in their dislike of certain characters (kind of like another board you ARE familiar with that hopefully you have also learned to stay out of). I went to Sony thinking that, as a major studio board, it would be open and welcoming to ALL fans of the show, unfortunatley it has become a joke and open only to those that have the same opionions as the few who dominate it. Once I saw the complete lack of respect for anyone with differing opinions I high-tailed it out of there - small loss, very small, if you ask me.
Binkpmmc
"Still holding off on the ice cream. Now that production is over and I won't be tempted by the lunch truck, I'm going to try to get down to my fighting weight. One hour of cardio a day. One hour of weights. No junk foods. Only leans meats and fish."
Ha! I knew all that ice cream was going to catch up with you.
pettygrew
I too would stay away from the Sony
forum. If you are getting your information about Vala that way, it's only been skewed.
I also wish to express my concerns about the whole getting back to the roots, as of right now ( and this is coming from one who's been around from day one on Showtime)
I'm really not seeing the team aspect as of yet. If the second half of the season starts to feel like SG-1 of old, then I'll say good job. But right now it's not.
Thank you,
LaCroix
How can some of you say this year sucks. It is the best year so far. Yes there are plot holes and they do not stick to the previously layed down Stargate lore, it is, however; an excellent season.
More time on Mich Cam eh? Joe what we want is our beautiful KICKASS Carter back. Cam does need to become more realist and have a deeper character traits. What he is now is an empty shell. There is nothing to dig your fingers into to see him as a real character or a real person.
One more thing Joe. With having to do with Cam, we at www.sg1archive.com forum have wondered: What did Cam do in the battle over Antartica to deserve the Medal of Honour? Please, Sg-1 did lot more than that. They saved the earth what 7 or 8 times. Yet no MOH for them. No recognition for Teal'c's or Daniels contribution. Yet Cam gets shot down,survives and gets the MOH. See, it is that kinda stuff that makes it hard to see him as a real person.
Any whoo. Keep up the good work on S10.
PS. It SEEMS like a TWO parter? I think you are teasing us there Joe.
Just wanted to say you're doing at great job, keep it up!
Joe, the NEW and improved SG-1 (the mini-series of the first five episodes) has really brought great amount of new people to the show and a great amount of those who left in the past but now returned because of the new, much better quality and new, much more interesting and unique characters, yup I'm talking about wonderful Vala here. You know what precious gem you have in your hands in the form of charming and incredibly talented Claudia Black. Don't waste it, please. The QUALITY MATTERS.
Joe - quality does matter - 8 years of quality - don't lose sight of that quality. That's the quality of the show that has kept it on the air this long with a very strong and large fan base that existed long before certain lower quality aspects of the show cropped up. Here's hoping that the growth in quality we saw start again with ep 6 of S9 continues (well, at least until ep 19) then we'll have to judge if the quality goes back down to where it was in the first 5, that would be disappointing to the many, many fans of Stargate that have kept it in business all these years.
What I don't get is that some of the posters are absolutely convinced that if their favorite character isn't front and center, then the show is crap and doomed to fail.
Hello--the ratings for the show have been pretty good no matter how the season 9 detractors try to spin it. And not everyone dislikes the new additions. Vala and Mitchell are great characters and if they brought over some of the Farscapers, terrific.
If the show were all about Sam or Daniel or Mitchell or any one particular character, people would get tried of it. The wide appeal of Stargate is that it is about many different things.
I liked the Daniel/Vala storyline but I wouldn't want it all season long, same for the Jaffa storyline or Sam's many loves or whatever.
I have watched Stargate from the beginning and am a fan of ALL the characters old and new.
Those of you not enjoying the changes in the show, feel free to speak for yourself, but please do not presume to speak for all.
Kalliope said...
Joe, the NEW and improved SG-1 (the mini-series of the first five episodes) has really brought great amount of new people to the show and a great amount of those who left in the past but now returned because of the new, much better quality and new, much more interesting and unique characters, yup I'm talking about wonderful Vala here...
MINISERIES??? BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA Wow. Whatever.
By your own admission on the GW forum, you saw very little of SG-1 prior to Prometheus Unbound (maybe 1 or 2 eps or so) so forgive me if your plea for the "new and improved SG-1" falls on really deaf ears. And sorry but the numbers don't show your "great amount of new people"...SG-1 is pretty much as stable as always.
Sorry Joe...
But although Claudia Black is a brilliant actress and the Vala character is interesting enough for me to want to see her again next year A LITTLE, all the first five episodes did was show me how incredibly VITAL Samantha Carter is to the SG-1 landscape since the show really didn't get rolling until the TEAM reunited in Beachhead (then officially in EDM) and proves my point that Vala is too over the top for long term consumption...kind of like a funny joke you hear over and OVER...for 4 hours straight. 10 minutes into it you're like "Okay...ENOUGH ALREADY." A little goes a long way...etcetera, yadda, blah blah blah, and all that.
"Miniseries"...*rolls eyes sharply*
Mary Beth
(who's just a little snarkier this post than usual...)
:o
Interesting that the ratings didn't start to go down until Carter came back. And don't say it was because of the Vala shows, if that was true than the ratings would have gone down after Avalon or maybe Origin.
Since we're generalizing and all, a lot of folks are sick of Sam taking over the storylines at the expense of other characters, sick of her screwing up and then getting patted on the head and told she's a good girl who didn't mean to give away Earth's secrets, sick of every male in the galaxy bowing at her feet, sick of her angsting over her lovelife and sick of her fans telling us that the show isn't any good without her.
Having Sam come back after 5 high energy, entertaining shows was a bit of a let down. As one reviewer put it, she is extemporaneous. Vala didn't replace her in those first episodes, Bill Lee did and quite well. As she has been written lately, she has no stake in the Stargate universe; it only gets in the way of her love life.
You Sam ranters are rivaling the Danny ranters for wanting your favorite to be the be all and end all of Stargate. You want to be the leading lady that every man adores particularly Jack, the National Treasure one who solves every crisis, and the leader who gets to order around every one else--the very definition of a Mary Sue. I guess the boys just get to stand around and look pretty while Sam does it all.
Yes, snark does abound today.
Oh my, yes, "Anonymous", that was soo snarky! My God, I'm going to have to take a few hours to recover, then see if I can reread that wonderfully rational post without the snark jumping right out of my monitor and attacking my usually snarkproof sensibilities. Perhaps there might be some sort of snarkboots I could purchase that will allow me to wade through the copious and ever-rising amounts of snark that I might have to cope with if I am to continue to chuckle over the anti-character (read anit-Carter) sophistry one is likely to encounter in these snark-filled waters. For the time being, I'll have to content myself with a visit to the snark ward of my local hospital where hopefully my bruised emotions will be nursed back to health.
Chris
Dear Joe- Thank you for taking the time to even do a blog, much less have to wade through all the varying comments. I wanted to say that I've been an SG-1 fan from early on-sometime in S2, I've seen every episode, and I think S9 is going well. I really like Mitchell's character- and I hope we get the "team/family" feel in the second half. A very large part of what carried SG-1 through 8 seasons was the UST between Carter and O'Neill. You know what I mean. Let's face it- a large part of the fan base was female who tuned in just to see RDA. Now, having O'Neill around is not an option, but having some sort of 'ship/angst' represented is, even if's not Jack and Sam. Please, give the shippers something to look for. By the way, I loved the scene where Vala offered Daniel an apple...
Browder ranters, Danny Ranters, Carter Ranters, I don't know what's wrong with people. I like SG-1, the whole show, and I hate to see any one part of it silence the rest. That's why I hate Mitchell. Adding a fourth this year after being a three man team last year makes no sense. He brings nothing to the table except being a placeholder and someone for everyone else to talk at. What I don't get is why you added someone knew instead of bringing back Jonas--Corin has said he'd like to return. It would have made more sense for him to be on sg1 than Mitchell would ever have and it would have felt more like the team everyone loves instead of this thing we've got now. At the least he should have played Kalek just to close up a plot hole or two.
You Vala ranters are rivaling (no make that you are equal too if not beyond) the Danny ranters for wanting your favorite to be the be all and end all of Stargate. The vala ranters are OTT with their rhetoric, seems a lot of them are drive-bys, amny of whom admit they have not seen much Stargate at all, and who obviously from their comments, have no appreciation for the 8 years of HIGH quality the show brought to the table LONG BEFORE the quality took it's major downturn in the first 5 eps of S9.
And talk about writing a character as a Marty Sue - have you seen the background on Mitchell? Marty Sue to the nines. As many posters and blog entry's have said before, too bad they aren't showing it though, just telling us, as if we should believe it because TPTB said so. SHOW me what Mitchell has to offer this team, talk is cheap. Let him walk the walk because so far he has not shown anything that indicates he deserves to be co-leading this team, never mind me a member of it, other than the fact that he was promised because someone SAID he deserved it. If he had been brought in as a Sergeant or as a Major who was working to learn from the best, as he said he was, and someone who was aspiring to be the leader of SG1 - SOMEDAY when he actually deserved it - he would be believable and credible on the team, as it stands right now he's just a Marty Sue with a lot of stuff I've been TOLD to believe but not SHOWN (and what I have been shown is not really cutting it at this point).
Seems like a quite big dose of a pure oxygen in the form of crazy and wonderfully energetic Vala is a killer to those who prefer stale, stinking atmosphere... ;)
yes, pure oxygen, just like I like my whores.
Wow, just got back from seeing Serenity. What a great action-packed movie! It really is a shame we can't see SG1 in a movie.
Dear Mr. Mallozzi:
Here's a horse of a different color to cleanse your pallette from the various pro/anti character comments.
Kudos to you and the rest at Bridge, Sony, the filmmakers association, etc., for allowing the Ver Ager set to be used for Halloween to help the BC Children's Hospital.
I'd attend the haunted house, but I live on the wrong coast, and I don't have the requisite child "ages six or up" to remind me it's not real. :-)
Anonymous said...(in bold italics)
Interesting that the ratings didn't start to go down until Carter came back. And don't say it was because of the Vala shows, if that was true than the ratings would have gone down after Avalon or maybe Origin. Actually, according to the media analysts who post on the forum, it's not related to Carter or to Vala...simply the way the ratings trend during that point in the season.
Since we're generalizing and all, a lot of folks are sick of Sam taking over the storylines at the expense of other characters, sick of her screwing up and then getting patted on the head and told she's a good girl who didn't mean to give away Earth's secrets, sick of every male in the galaxy bowing at her feet, sick of her angsting over her lovelife and sick of her fans telling us that the show isn't any good without her. Sooo, not a Carter fan right? *marks NO on the survey* And she doesn't take over the show, hon. She contributes. She makes mistakes. She is a human being with strengths and weaknesses...just like everyone else on the team. It is a team show and sometimes the show focuses on individual story arcs. Just like Lifeboat wasn't Daniel "taking over the storylines at the expense of other characters" nor was Changling Teal'c "taking over the storylines at the expense of other characters."
Having Sam come back after 5 high energy, entertaining shows was a bit of a let down. As one reviewer put it, she is extemporaneous. I'm going to guess you meant "extraneous." And to consider Carter "irrelevant" is laughable. Sorry you were let down...I and many others were blissfully relieved.
Vala didn't replace her in those first episodes, Bill Lee did and quite well.Yes...they needed a strong leading lady to fill in and Dr. Lee fit that bill (so to speak). And by the "get rid of Sam and have Vala be the new member of the SECOND ORIGINAL SG-1 TEAM" nonsense, I have to question the assertion that Vala diehards don't feel as though she "replaced" Sam. The reality is (try looking that word up in the dictionary), Claudia Black filled in as a leading lady while Amanda was away...she was there temporarily and like I said before, was a reminder to me why Sam is such a vital character on the show and that Vala is not sustainable as a full time component on the show but would make for a great recurring character.
As she has been written lately, she has no stake in the Stargate universe; it only gets in the way of her love life. Yes...that's why she was there in Beachhead...to angst over Jack...and that's why Mitchell was begging her to return to the SGC and why General Landry argued with O'Neill to get Sam to come back...because her romantic life was so valuable to the program. *cough*
You Sam ranters are rivaling the Danny ranters for wanting your favorite to be the be all and end all of Stargate. I'll guess you'll lump me as a "Sam ranter"...although I don't want her to be the "all and end all of Stargate". I believe I said that although I personally enjoy her the most, I'm really interested in seeing more of a team component that seems missing at the moment...the team working together to solve problems and bonding in their off hours.
You want to be the leading lady that every man adores particularly Jack, I'd love to be the leading lady whom Jack adores. Oh, you mean Sam?
the National Treasure one who solves every crisis, Bitter much? Wait, I thought Sam was the screw up who ruined everything...now she's Super!Sam who solves every crisis??? Actually I like an even portrayal of ALL the characters...just like the actors, I enjoy when they mess up just as much as I enjoy when they succeed.
and the leader who gets to order around every one else--the very definition of a Mary Sue. I guess the boys just get to stand around and look pretty while Sam does it all. While I am a proponent for Sam (you know, the officer with the experience and training) to be THE leader of the team, I can deal for the time being with a co-leadership scenario since Mitchell said he wanted to serve under Carter and learn from the best. And don't those boys look purdy???
Yes, snark does abound today. Wow...I hadn't noticed.
Really.
Mary Beth
(the designated Übersnark Queen for the day)
:p
You Sam ranters are rivaling the Danny ranters for wanting your favorite to be the be all and end all of Stargate. You want to be the leading lady that every man adores particularly Jack, the National Treasure one who solves every crisis, and the leader who gets to order around every one else--the very definition of a Mary Sue. I guess the boys just get to stand around and look pretty while Sam does it all.
Wow, "Anonymous". Television show? Fictional characters? In with the good air, out with the bad air, hun. Your psychotherapy bill must be HUGE each week. Yipes.
have fun in Vegas! I'm really enjoying SG-1 this season. Here's wishing you and the cast and crew all the best for your downtime!
Irimaelen
Joe, Avalon just aired over here this week and I thought it was good. I enjoyed seeing Sam in it, what a nice surprise. From what I've read on here in the Avalon thread though, are you telling me that she doesn't have command of SG-1 when she gets back? How is that possible? Is this because Amanda was out on maternity, so she lost her spot? I don't think Mitchell outranks her, but maybe I didn't pay close enough attention when watching. Why would you guys do this? Ben Browder joins the cast and everyone else gets kicked to the curb? Talk about loyalty. I'll bet AT is real glad she came back now. :[
hi, joe,
want to hear my season 10 wish list? really, you do? great! ;)
*more sam.
*more team. working together. at the same time, in the same scene.
*learn more about mitchell.
*learn more about landry.
*either sam in charge of sg1, or continue with the co-leading thinger. OR, give sam a command of her own again (another team, run the alpha site, commander of the base :p). just let sam be in charge of something again! ;)
*rda/jack returns for an ep or two.
*SAM AND JACK IN A RELATIONSHIP*:D:D:D
*sally marries rda. (oops, how'd that one get in there :p)
take care,
sally :D
There's a place in Vegas that has indoor skydiving (in a vertical wind tunnel). I never got a chance to do it, but if I ever go back, it's on the top of my list.
Cesar's Palace had a pretty funny Atlantis set-up. Hokey, but kinda fun.
In Search of the Obelisk at the Luxor was cool. If it's interactive ride whatsit I'm thionking of, it was very "Burt Gummer of Stargate Command." LOL! Cheesy as hell, but fun. I actually had really good luck at the Luxor slots, too.
Definitely take in the Bellagio fountain show. We went almost every night we was there. But skip the Volcano at the Mirage- it was really lame.
Have fun and good luck!
why not korean? if you know korean, you can just go to a korean store, and rent a drama or movie before its subbed. anyways, can't wait to watch crusade ^_^
Hey Joe, I just watched New Order on my season eight dvds, and I just wanted to congratulate you again on just how fantastic of an episode it is. It's the best season opener SG-1 has ever had, and that's saying something.
Not to be too much of a downer now, but I'm still waiting for season nine to deliver like that. And, hopefully without adding too much fuel to the already raging inferno (no pun intended), there really is no plausible reason for Mitchell to be part of SG-1. The three man team works perfectly and seamlessly. No one stands around with nothing to do, no one is superfluous. And there is certainly no reason for Mitchell to command SG-1. That's just a sad, pathetic joke.
Anyway, back to the adulation. New Order really rocked, as did the rest of season eight. The last two seasons of SG-1 were just incredible. I hope season nine doesn't continue to regress the characters as it has done so far.
As far as dvd recommendations go, try checking out some of your old work from seasons seven and eight. That's how the SG-1 team is supposed to be behaving around each other.
Brad
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!
Wow you people are funny. If you can't work out why Ben Browder's character is the leader of SG1 just by reading the credits (Mr Mallozzi's risable 'joint command' feelings soother aside) or why younger prettier actresses are being gradually inserted while the aging ex-romantic lead is being gradually phased out you really need to take a little day trip to reality some time. Season nine is the way things are going to be in the furture. The ratings are good, the media attention is good, the show is revitalised and I'd be expecting a whole lot more of the things you are so dead set against rather then less. So I guess the question is, if you think the show is ruined by RDA's departure (not just from the cast BTW but from the production group as well) and you think that a rather mediocre, hefty 40-something actress makes a believable Love Godess to the Universe, why the heck are you still watching? An enormous amount of people are watching and enjoying the new SG1, so why don't you just stop whining at a producer who probablt wouldn't want to do anything about it even if it was within his authority and leave the show (and the boards) those of us that are still loving it?
You'll be back next year. Sci Fi, MGM & Sony are all in this business for the money making, and both Stargate shows are very profitable franchises. Just look at the numerous ads thrown our way in every single Sci Fi & MGM newsletter. They like you, they keep promoting you, they'll bring you back next year. Simple as that.
Hi Joe, thanks for all you do for the shows. As a long time fan, I have to agree with some of the criticism aimed at the way Mitchell's character has been pushed to the front and center to the detriment of team interaction.
I'm actually inclined to like both the actor and the character, but the MoH was a definite "Oh puuuulease!" moment from a fan who is readily inclined to suspend disbelief. And it hasn't gotten much better since. The hype is a bit much.
I also think we get that he "doesn't give up," and will fight to overcome all odds. (yawn) I think it would help if you just wrote him as a competent soldier (who should have enough common sense and experience not to make dumb mistakes) with a little wonder at the surprises of the universe. I agree that he has the potential to be a refreshing and fun addition to the show, but so far, it hasn't entirely worked for me.
By all means, go visit the Sony forum. Hallowed there are all things Vala and Daniel. You will find that their devout worship of these characters is rivaled only in proportion to their hatred of all things Sam and ship. If you've received messages of hate about AT/Sam's hair, smile, immature stalking behavior, overweight 40-something body, toenails, appendix, lipstick, nose hair or anything else their wild imaginations can dream up, at the Sony forum you will find their Point of Origin. I think (hope) you would find it amusing (and possibly quite horrifying to witness fandom gone to such extremism).
Anyway, to end on a more cheerful note, I'm looking forward to the second half of the season, and I really hope we get a 10th season.
I love the 9th season! I love the addition of Ben Browder to the show. He really adds a great quality to SG1 and I can't wait to see the 2nd half of the season!
I must say though, as much as I love seeing Claudia Black....please do not make her a permanent part on the show. I enjoy the SG1 so much better when Vala is not around because the original "feel" of the show vanishes when she's in an episode. The entire episode seems too comical when Vala's around. The essence and "the edge" that StarGate SG1 had before season 9 seems lost when Vala's around. Don't get me wrong...I think Claudia is the greatest but the character Vala just seems out of place.
It's just a suggestion but I think the producers need to give Claudia her own series. It needs to be something that will highlight her talents and allow her to shine. The series should be something that doesn't pair her up with Ben. As much as I like seeing them perform together, Farscape is over unfortunately but like they say, all good things must come to an end. It's time Claudia has something of her own.
One last thing....please do not forget about Amanda, Michael and Chris. They are the reason I started watching SG1 in the first place.
Hi Joe, I just saw Avalon 1 here in the UK, and am cautiously optimistic for the rest of season nine. Here's a few thoughts.
Vala wasn't as bad as she was last season, though I think her constant presence may begin to stretch the bounds of believability. She is a recurring character. Seeing her everyweek might be a bit much.
Mitchell was ok too, but he's sort of bland. I don't know, maybe I'm having a hard time with the actor who plays him. He seems not as good as the others. But the character has potential, and he's as good a fourth member as anyone, I suppose. I hope he doesn't do too bad of a job until Carter gets back (I'm hoping the rumors of Mitchell leading are just that,rumors).
It was a nice surprise to see Carter in Avalon. She looks great, and when she gets back to leading SG-1 things will settle down and the characters will be more comfortable. If those nasty rumors are true, then it will be the single stupidest, most illogical bit of misogynism I've seen on Stargate.
Daniel was different, but it was nice to see him react so violently to Vala. I hope he settles down some and stops trying to be Jack with the wisecracks.
Teal'c needs to be in it more. Where was he for most of this episode? Where is all the big Jaffa stuff?
The jury is still out on Landry. He talks awfully weird. And it seems like he's trying too hard to be "The General". But, it's just his first episode, so I'll reserve judgement.
Thanks for reading this. I'll write one for Avalon 2 next week.
Joe, how come Cameron Mitchell is considered coleader of SG-1? The guy has never even been through the stargate before! And how come Ben Browder plays Mitchell as so childish? He doesn't even seem capable of coleading. I know that Amanda Tapping may not be available full time, but what you've got going with Mitchell is the most unbelievable part of the series to date. Did you guys really think that you could just bump Carter and no one would notice? That no one would care? Not to mention the fact that Mitchell will never be accepted now by a huge number of fans because of this. What a bonehead move.
Jane
A Disappointed, Angry Nine Year Fan
Oy, just read that previous comment. I was only going to pop on to comment on MG's nomination but I guess now is as good a time as any to give my thoughts about the season so far.
Personally, I like Mitchell and I'm holding out for bit more development of the character. I have to say that the only reason I came back this year was for the new characters. I have been with this show for almost the entire run (my first ep was "Emancipation") but it was starting to feel a bit stale to me last season (feel free to get out the tar and feathers) so I was glad to see the new characters. It felt fresh again this year in many ways and for that, I am happy.
I will be interested to see what happens with all the new folks later this season. I'm also hoping for more development of Landry and the doc. I'd love to know a little more about why they don't like each other.
I know there are those who will want to flog me for what I'm about to say but...I LOVE Vala. She's fun and fresh and Claudia is perfect in the role. I love that the writers have really warmed to her. I'd like to see her a *little* more independent of Daniel but overall, I like her.
On the Atlantis front, keep up the good work. I like it. Lost Boys wasn't my fave ep of the season but not bad overall. I'd LOVE to see more stuff like "Seige" and "Duet"--great stuff (I've hooked several people on Atlantis with Seige). So hopefully you guys kept Gero plenty busy in the second half because IMHO, the guy is brilliant. He ought to win that award but the curse of Sci-fi will probably make sure it doesn't happen. And while I'm going for the gold (hey, if I'm gonna get flamed anyway, why not?;D), I like Sheppard and Weir. I love the dynamic between Joe and Torri and I'd love to see the characters' relationship develop. I know that is anathema to some fans but there you have it. Ship worked on Farscape so I can always hope. :D
I guess I've gone on long enough, have fun in Vegas this weekend!
Hey Joe, how come all of the stories on Atlantis are about Mckay? Don't you guys know how to write for the the characters? Weir? Beckett? Teyla? And for heaven's sake, quit ripping off old SG-1 episodes. Grace Under Pressure?? Come on. Epiphany?? Why don't you just go ahead and cast the actress who played Laira? This show has never got off the ground, and right now it's taking it in the teeth from SG-1 and Battlestar Galactica. It does have that nine pm timeslot, though. I'm sure it'll survive as long as it has its lead-in show and it's follow-up show bringing in the viewers for it.
Joe, we've still heard nothing about an exchange for the crap DVD sets MGM has put out. If there is something you could do or someone you could call, it would be greatly appreciated by all fans.
Seriously Joe, what is the reason that Cam Mitchell leads SG-1 and not Sam Carter? Graft, sexual favors, nepotism? He was a pilot, not special forces, right? She's got ten years experience with the program, eight with offworld travel, and was the leader of the team last time we saw her, right? Was she demoted? Your failure to address this matter satisfactorily has significantly undermined the serious undertone you're trying to impart with the whole Ori thing. SG-1 is a joke of a team right now, a boondoggle strung together with red tape. I've always suppported TPTB against the criticism leveled at you for ship, Jonas, etc., by saying that you do what's best for the team. In this case though, that argument just doesn't hold up. Bad form Joe, you guys should hang you heads in shame on this one.
Sue had a good idea...Season 10 wish list. Mine is seeing a naked Jack and Teal'c...not necessarily together. ;) And even though Jack isn't there any more, he can still make guest appearances.
pettygrew
Yeah, how about a guest appaearance where the mystery of Jack's conceaeled fate is revealed. You know, where the hell he's at, what he's doing.
Reading the comments above is pretty depressing. Christ you guys have made a lot of mistakes this season.
Lots of criticisms already thrown back and forth, so I'm just going to wish you a happy 40th birthday, Joe.
Sum1
I shall be uncharacteristically snark free and wish you a very VERY Happy Birthday! Hope you have a lovely time with your cake and ice cream.
Wait...you're foregoing ice cream for awhile, right? But then cake alone is SOOO Stargate...so enjoy your CAKE.
Have fun and email us a piece when you have a chance. Especially if it's black forest or German chocolate. Actually for either of those, email me two pieces.
Mary Beth
Happy Birthday
LaCroix
Happy Birthday, Joe! :-D
A bit late here, but thanks for the great season. Looking forward to seeing more Mitchell, team dynamics and great stories in January.
...And anyone who suggests that the show has "jumped the shark" should be strapped Clockwork Orange style to a chair and forced to watch the entire series of Happy Days up to the aforementioned shark jumping episode. ;-D
Jades
Hey Joe no rush on the DVD exchange. I hope MGM takes their time and does not rush. I don't want another mistake and rushing does no solve anything. Patience pays in the long run. :)
I do not care who is in charge of SG1 just make the descision and stick to it and show it on the show.
Joe - I just have to chime in here too - stay away, far, far away, from those Sony boards. They are dominated by a very, very small group of poeple who are rabid in their dislike of certain characters (kind of like another board you ARE familiar with that hopefully you have also learned to stay out of). I went to Sony thinking that, as a major studio board, it would be open and welcoming to ALL fans of the show, unfortunatley it has become a joke and open only to those that have the same opionions as the few who dominate it. Once I saw the complete lack of respect for anyone with differing opinions I high-tailed it out of there - small loss, very small, if you ask me.
Binkpmmc
Well then you missed the fact that the moderators who are not driven by fan biases, has changed some things.
Joe the Sony boards are wonderful. so come on over and play.
Hi ya Joe,
Why doesn't Carter lead SG-1 anymore? Is there an episode where this is addressed coming up, because my friends and I can't figure it out? Was she demoted for the replicator carter thing in that episode? I mean, one minute she's the leader of this elite team, and the next she's under some new flyboy with no experience. It doesn't make any sense, and it doesn't make any sense for Teal'c and Daniel to be all right with this either. You've really mangled the characterization of the team to make all this junk fit. The new guy doesn't even act like he's in charge, he's never with the team, he asks for help with everything, and he's so young. I don't get how a kid like him is a Lt. Col. Anyway, I still love Stargate and hope for season 10, but I wish you hadn't shafted all the original characters to get season nine. it's not as good this way.
Thanks for reading this,
Wally Phosl
Defender of the Sony Boards said...
Well then you missed the fact that the moderators who are not driven by fan biases, has changed some things.
Joe the Sony boards are wonderful. so come on over and play.
___________________________
Except for the fact that that whole fourm has an M.C. Escheresque
quality of if you don't believe or have the same opinions that they do, you become the enemy.
Or better yet, if you don't follow
with their version of "enlightenment", they will show you and rain down the power of their "Ori" apon you.
I'm sure that you wanted to bring a wonderful season for SG-1, but some fans have used it for their agenda.
Sorry for the rant Mr. Mallozzi, but their are times when life is reflective from art.
LaCroix
You know, TPTB have finally made a season for us fans of the "orginal" show, and all you people can do is try to ruin it for us. Joe, it's about time you realized just how special Daniel and Michael are. And you people need to just get over it with Carter. The writers have finally realized just how incompetent she is and given her what she deserves--a demotion. She ought to be thankful that she's not dishonorably discharged or brought up on charges for killing Janet Frasier. Amanda Tapping can only handle a supporting role, period. I for one am grateful that Joe sees it that way too. I'll even take this new, very green, and unqualified character as leader of SG-1 over Spam. At least watching him learn how to lead is better than being forced to watch her every week. Keep putting her off and far away from command and I'll be happy. We're all you've got now Joe, the shippers, RDA fans, and Carter fanatics have all abandoned the show. You'd better not lose us too. So remember: More Daniel, less Sam, more Daniel/Mitch bonding, touching, etc.
i visited the sony boards a coupla times. they didn't have anything nice to say about joe there or the other producers either. mostly looks like they just like daniel jackson and that vala girl. maybe old farscape fans who don't like gateworld. whatever. i said something nice about sam and jack and i got attacked. total rudeness. i don't go there anymore.
Word on the sony boards. Valadicktorians or whatever they call themselves have no tolerence. Must be farscape fans cuz they photoshop Samantha Carter out of all the sg1 pix so they can use Vala instead and they disrespect everyone who disagrees. Sony boards SUCK. At least on Gateworld, people can show some respect to eachother.
S1-3 Lover said...(in bold italics):
Joe, it's about time you realized just how special Daniel and Michael are. What? I think they realized that ages ago. Michael is a great actor and Daniel has been an integral character. Even when he was gone for a year, he was integral.
And you people need to just get over it with Carter. The writers have finally realized just how incompetent she is and given her what she deserves--a demotion. She wasn't demoted. She went from SG-1 to head up R and D at Area 51 and is now back co-leading the flagship team...showing Mitchell the ropes as it were since he was given command while she was gone. She should by all rights have sole command of the team but there it is.
She ought to be thankful that she's not dishonorably discharged or brought up on charges for killing Janet Frasier. This is sick fanwanking of the worst sort. Sam was not responsible for Janet's death any more than Daniel was or Teal'c was or Jack was. Grow up.
Amanda Tapping can only handle a supporting role, period. That's right...because any airtime for her means that Daniel isn't getting the spotlight, right? Your opinion dearheart...you and a very VERY tiny uber-radical pro-Vala/pro-Daniel over everything else cultie group. Amanda is extremely gifted and also an integral member of the team and show. Just like Shanks. It's not one over the other.
I for one am grateful that Joe sees it that way too. Wow...delusions spiking again? Joe said no such thing. Ever.
I'll even take this new, very green, and unqualified character as leader of SG-1 over Spam. So because of your intense bizarre and freaky hatred of a fictional character, you'll sacrifice what's logical and reasonable. And SPAM. That's very...whatever.
At least watching him learn how to lead is better than being forced to watch her every week. Keep putting her off and far away from command and I'll be happy. Watching him learn to command isn't a plausible scenario for the frontline team...but then your next sentence clearly shows you don't care...just as long as Sam is disrespected.
We're all you've got now Joe, the shippers, RDA fans, and Carter fanatics have all abandoned the show. Again with the delusions, eh? Shippers are still around, so are RDA fans and Carter fans...because Stargate is still on the air. So in your limited view because someone is an RDA fan, that means they don't care about the rest of the show? And why would Carter fans or shippers split? Sam's still there, she's a vital member of the team. You know TEAM? I love Stargate first and foremost...so I watched the first several eps even without her. Granted I could only do it because I knew Beachhead and Sam were around the corner...but that's another thing entirely.
You'd better not lose us too. Or?????????????
So remember: More Daniel, less Sam, more Daniel/Mitch bonding, touching, etc. It's nice to see you have such a balanced view of the show. Now go back to Sony and play with the other lemmings.
Mary Beth
Woohoo ... who needs television for entertainment when you can just come here.
****
And well, awards are nice... if you like to stare at glorified dust collectors that is... But congrats to the nom just the same!!!
****
Question:
Why does it take so long for the PTB (MGM/SCIFI) to decide whether there will be a season ten? What could possibly be so important as to make you all put your life on hold waiting for them to say yes or no? Any clues as to whether everyone will come back if and or when there is a next season?
Jen
Holy smokes. Well said, Mary Beth. Who ARE these fanwankers? Didn't a fanatical sect of farscape fans try something like that by lobbing freakishly insane death threats at the major networks over the cancellation of their series? Sounds a lot like those wackos might be part of the same contingent. Total insanity!
Keep up the great work, Joe. No one (on the unmedicated side of sanity) seriously believes you'd ever say those kinds of things about your actors or the stargate storyline. Good grief.
Joe, it's about time you realized just how special Daniel and Michael are. And you people need to just get over it with Carter. The writers have finally realized just how incompetent she is and given her what she deserves--a demotion. She ought to be thankful that she's not dishonorably discharged or brought up on charges for killing Janet Frasier.
Ah, spoken like a true Prior from the Sony forum.
You know, Halloween is much more frightening when I realize that people like this actually exist out there in the real world.
We're all you've got now Joe, the shippers, RDA fans, and Carter fanatics have all abandoned the show. You'd better not lose us too.
Well, here's one Carter fan that hasn't abondoned the show, Joe.
Cheers,
Strix varia
Eh, all the wankers just have nothing better to do than come and spread their hate and bile.
If they like the daniel and vala stupidity show so much, campaign to get shanks and black their own show so that stargate can go back to when it was good....you know, that golden season when shanksy discovered just how fantastic he was and that he was soooo in demand that he couldn't get a job without his girlfriend getting it for him.
Have fun on the Sony boards. It's cult syndrome at its finest. actually, i think they're rather Ori over there. blindly follow the leader or you get flamed
Anyway, season 9 has been....ok. I can appreciate that folks feel that they're doing thier best. Doesn't quite appeal to me but hey, like anyone given a flying fig what i like???? Dude, if they did I can guarantee you a lot of things would be different.
I respect the fact that Joe takes the time to try and deal with all the whackjobs in the world and while i don't care for the 'screw you' attitude I've felt more than once, i can see where it comes from. Deal with enough whackos and you cease to give a damn anymore.
It's all winding down anyway. Scifi will toy with fans a while longer. I think they're delaying announcing season 10 just to see how many fans write in. They like to jerk folks around like that. Then the show will get dumped. and the real question will be if it's before or after they resolve the silly cliff hanger we're getting.
The merlin myth???? Yeah, ok. whatever. I liked it better when it had sean connery and richard gere in it, but whatever. For the past 3 years Stargate has been a show best watched with a large margarita and it looks to be continuing that way.
Good luck in vegas, have fun on hiatus and enjoy the ice cream.
Oh, and keep your eye open for the whacked out daniel, daniel/vala fans. Those two characters are doomed to be forever followed by some of the biggest whackjobs in the fandom. I feel for the actors. It's too bad so few normal folks enjoy thier work.
Glad to hear *all* members of the team will have some good stuff to do in the 2nd half of the season. I love all the original characters & am starting to like Mitchell. Great to have Carter back. I felt like things really started to re-gell in the last episode or so before the break. Looking forward to the 2nd half.
jckfan55
Joe,
This has been one of the best seasons ever, all I think to say is Thank you!!! I'm certainly hoping for a season ten! :)
LOL. Coming here is better than Jerry Springer and Ricki Lake combined!
Looking forward to when the show comes back on. Can't say I've been overly thrilled with some of SG-1 episodes this year, kind of wish I could identify better with Mitchell, but I am interested in the exploration of the Arthurian legends and am waiting to see just exactly what the Ori are up to and more importantly why.:D
But anyway, have fun in Vegas (I would say be careful but then that's not really the point of gambling...) and I'm still hoping Martin will have at least a chance for the award. He really deserves it, though I'm sure even the nomination alone is great to get.
Joe,
in an interview for TV ZONE SPECIAL #64 Michael Shanks said about Claudia Black: "Claudia brings so many ideas to the table all the time." - Could you reveal somewhere what kind of ideas these were and how big was Claudia's input in the "Mini-series" (eps. 1-6)? For me, and not only for me, these first six episodes really feel like the mini-series within the series, in the most positive way. And this is "MY STARGATE" - entertaining character driven show with a little bit of psychology. I hope to see it again when Vala returns :)
And don't believe this bullshit written above by some people about Sony Board, it's much more friendly and lovely place than Gateworld.
And yes, my DREAM TEAM consists of Vala, Daniel, Mitchell and Teal'c. With Sam technobabbling ocassionally on the base. And I'm not afraid of saying this loudly and put a pic of my Dream Team in my sig there or anywhere else. Or send a postcard by snail mail to Sony and SciFi channel letting them know what team I love and want to see more in the future.
Uber-Radical Pro-Vala/Daniel Cult Lemming Member #8 (Alias: Kalliope, aka Special K) said:
"For me, and not only for me, these first six episodes really feel like the mini-series within the series, in the most positive way. And this is "MY STARGATE" - entertaining character driven show with a little bit of psychology. I hope to see it again when Vala returns :)"
It should be noted that this is coming from a person who only started watching when she realized that Black would be on the show, and hasn't really bothered to study past arcs of the series. So, considering she's such a well-rounded and EDUCATED viewer, you should REALLY consider her opinion in the long run. Really.
"And don't believe this bullshit written above by some people about Sony Board, it's much more friendly and lovely place than Gateworld."
Yeah don't believe it. It's not true. All of these people who experimented on the forums and checked them out for themselves? They're on crack. They've been poisoned by their extended stay here on GW. Sony is beautiful and wonderful and unbiased and fantastic. Once you sacrifice the cow on the eve of the crescent moon, and purchase your very own Sam Voodoo doll, the Sony boards as you know it is your oyster. It's truly magical.
"And yes, my DREAM TEAM consists of Vala, Daniel, Mitchell and Teal'c. With Sam technobabbling ocassionally on the base. And I'm not afraid of saying this loudly and put a pic of my Dream Team in my sig there or anywhere else. Or send a postcard by snail mail to Sony and SciFi channel letting them know what team I love and want to see more in the future."
You've probably heard of these postcards and emails. They're the ones that the interns at Bridge throw into the infamous "Crackpot Bin," which was established way back in Season Six when a few vocal and virulent fans decided to stage a coup a la Farscape. SciFi probably has a list of these fans somewhere. The difference is that their security office has a list of these names, as well...
But you already knew all of THAT, didn't ya? ;)
Yours truly,
the dancer of spaz
[b]kalliope said:[/b]{{And don't believe this bullshit written above by some people about Sony Board, it's much more friendly and lovely place than Gateword.}}
Your screen name is one of the people they were talking about, kalliope; you guys have turned the Sony SG-1 forum into your own personal "new farscape" zone, and your group is loud and mean. It's unfortunate you feel that in order to elevate your own point(s) of view, you need to lash out in derrogatory ways towards others, but that's what that forum has become. You're disrespctful to anyone who doesn't share your opinions, you're disrespectful to the actors (Amanda Tapping and Richard Dean Anderson), and you're disrespectful to any character that isn't Daniel, Vala or Mitchell. Of *course* your group likes it there, the atmosphere you've created is totally toxic to anyone who doesn't share your point of view. I feel sorry for all the other fans; the real fans of SG-1 who've been here all along the past nine years, and who can't post on the sony boards for fear of retribution. I think the moderators there are on the verge of nervous breakdown. There must be at least three moderator "sticy" posts upon entering that forum just trying to get you guys to speak civilly to others. I'm sorry to have to say it, but Gateworld is a utopian paradise compared to that place.
"The new guy doesn't even act like he's in charge, he's never with the team, he asks for help with everything, and he's so young. I don't get how a kid like him is a Lt. Col."
Just for the record, Mitcell isn't a kid. Neither is Ben Browder. He's actually the oldest of the cast. The problem is that Ben Browder is playing Cameron Mitchell as though he was a twenty-something new recruit to the SGC. It's a really strange decision on Ben's part, and it's one that's obviously not working out well at all. Instead of looking cool and carefree, Cameron just looks like a grown, middle-aged man behaving like a teenager. And not in the way that that choice did work for Richard Dean Anderson.
O'neill did act childish, but it was clear that it was just that, an act. The natural cynicism of O'neill made that particular choice really work.
I'm not just trying to trash Ben Browder. I really loved him on Farscape as John Chricton. But he's been absolutely abhorred here on SG-1; Jonas fit in better than Mitchell does, and that is saying something. And I'm not sure it's not too late for Ben to do much better. For Mitchell to really fit the character would have to change rather drastically, and I'm not sure that such drastic change is possible or acceptable at this point. Everyone has really blown it on Mitchell.
A Disappointed John Crichton Fan
HAHAHA Kalliope, stfu silly girl. Your tirade is getting old. Piss off back to your Farscape fandom (or maybe not, because I'd feel sorry for another fandom having to put up with you. Just piss off period). You brought that shit on yourself with your silly posts on GateWorld and when everyone turned on you, you cried. Boohoo.
Here's my thoughts on Season 9: Daniel is great (though probably abit too much in the first 5 episodes), Teal'c is great, Sam is great, Mitchell is OK (needs some work, but apparently we'll get that soon), Vala was pushing it abit (more of TPTB Vala, and less of the sexpot. Its just not Stargate) and I'd much prefer Vala to become a recurring guest character rather than a regular...
Good grief... and I thought Stargate was just a television show.
Amazing how quickly the comments degenerate into fisticuffs... My question is: is it really worth it?
Yesterday I heard that 54 000 was the death toll in the Kashmir earthquake... Kinda puts things into perspective, doesn't it?
Easter Lily
Yeah, but those were all infidels anyway, so who cares? If you start praying to false gods, then I hope that God will smite you into the dust too.
"So remember: More Daniel, less Sam, more Daniel/Mitch bonding, touching, etc."
"Touching"? Aha, a fan who hates Sam because they're really a slasher. I've heard of your type. Sorry to break it to you buddy, but there will never be a slash relationship on either Stargate. TPTB just aren't brave enough. At least place blame where blame is due, not on a fictional female character.
anonymous bigot said:
"Yeah, but those were all infidels anyway, so who cares? If you start praying to false gods, then I hope that God will smite you into the dust too."
Ladies and gentlemen, I believe Special K(alliope) has actually been unseated as Tonight's Biggest Moron. Let's give this cowardly, bigot of a sociopath a round of applause as s/he reaches an all-time moral low by including God in his/her disgusting statement of hateful bile.
the dancer of spaz
(and I just happen to be a christian ;) )
Well, if this were a war zone, I'd say only Teal'c/CJ and his fans would get out unscathed. Potshots have been flying at every other actor/character/fan.
I'm enjoying the season so far. I can only request that in the second half, all 4 characters are utilized in the second half, play important roles in the episodes (regardless of whether the episodes are team episodes or character-centric) and are shown to be a group of people who like and care about each other. And, Daniel whumping and keeping him in his glasses as much as possible. Then, I'm a happy girl.
Dani347
As a Brit I'm interested to see you say "SF doesn't get the respect here it gets in the UK". I'd always imagined it was the other way around. SF doesn't get much respect here - SF fans are by definition anoraks in the eyes of non-SF fans. Heck, we don't even make SF any more (with one very recent honourable exception). So if you feel that you get even less respect for SF than the near-total lack of respect that the UK media gives to SF then I think I can appreciate that you aren't getting your dues, not by a long way!
Chris Judge is unscathed? Hang on, I can fix that....what's with that damn Roman haircut? And how about losing the p90 for awhile? The staff weapon was more his thing. And for god's sake, Chris, how about you stand up for Teal'c and demand some lines?
Really, Joe, more Mitchell pushing in this blog? You guys really need to learn a new tune. I had missed the last few entries, but it seems like if you've read one, you've read them all. Mitchell is just not working, just like Jonas didn't work. Sorry, but if it looks like failure, smells like failure, and sounds like failure, then it has to be failure. No amount of cheering the failed character on is going to change that. Try focusing on the other three cast members. At least they're successful characters.
Uderz w stół, a nożyce się odezwą... nie spodziewam się, że ktokolwiek to zrozumie albo pofatyguje się popracować trochę ze słownikiem, ale guzik mnie to obchodzi.
The dancer of spaz, pamięć mam dobrą, zapamiętam to...
Joe,
What the fuck are those credits? There are more images of Mitchell than anyone else, and it's really looking the shitty Cam Mitchell show, despite your protestations to the contrary. You guys are really pissing us fans off with this crap. Get it together and lose the loser.
Thanks for the update on what's happening with the show. Wow, there's a lot of hate towards Ben's character! I personally think he's an okay addition to the team. I'm hoping that in the second half there will be more time for the other characters because he's been introduced now, but either way I'm looking forward to the end of half of season 9! And I have to say, great job with the first half I really enjoyed it and I'm excited to see Vala return as well. Have fun in Vegas and good luck to Martin Gero, I would like to think his chance are good even though scifi never gets the respect it deserves.
~ Sarah
"Eh, all the wankers just have nothing better to do than come and spread their hate and bile."
What you posted sounded pretty full of bile and hate to me as well, not to mention name calling. Maybe you should spend sometime looking in the mirror and recognizing your own faults before you pass judgment on others.
When did JOE'S blog turn into a sniping fest between fans? And what's with the foul language? How much longer is Joe going to keep the blog replies open...
Let's show a little restraint (and class), okay?
Special K said:
"Uderz w stół, a nożyce się odezwą... nie spodziewam się, że ktokolwiek to zrozumie albo pofatyguje się popracować trochę ze słownikiem, ale guzik mnie to obchodzi.
The dancer of spaz, pamięć mam dobrą, zapamiętam to..."
To all those whose comprehension level extends beyond that of a two-year-old, I only know English and a smattering of Spanish. So, if this TRULY is a language spoken on THIS planet, and one of you happens to know what it means, let me know. ;)
Otherwise, as usual, I'll just assume that Kalliope really isn't in the right state of mind, and probably shouldn't have communication with the outside world.
And Kalliope, if you're reading this, green does not become you, so stop taking out all of your own insecurities and psychological issues on Amanda Tapping and the fictitious character she plays.
I'm pretty sure there are self-help books you could purchase and group sessions you could sign up for in your hometown. Do let us know how those go.
Forever yours,
the dancer of spaz
Joe, just saw the new credits you love so much. You people make me sick. You've lost another Cam Mitchell fan in me tonight. He is NOT more important than the other actors on the show and if you keep trying to sell that BS to me, I'll just walk away from the whole sinking franchise. I honestly don't know how you can justify decisions like this to yourselves. I feel bad for Amanda, Chris, and Michael, who have been there from day one and who keep you employed. I really wanted to give this season and Mitchell a fair chance too, but this is just disgusting. I hope you've enjoyed the last few years, because by my reckoning there won't be many more.
Uderz w stół, a nożyce się odezwą... nie spodziewam się, że ktokolwiek to zrozumie albo pofatyguje się popracować trochę ze słownikiem, ale guzik mnie to obchodzi. The dancer of spaz, pamięć mam dobrą, zapamiętam to...
Apparently means:
It impact to table, but appeal < speak > nożyce. I do not expect , that who will apprehend it either (or) with dictionary trouble work a bit, but it gets around (celebrate) button of I. The dancer of spaz, Memory beguile good, I will remember (will store) it.
---
Hee, translation machines are fun! I'm still not getting it though...
You're not getting it because Special K is a moron. ;) It has nothing to do with the "translation machine."
OK... maybe it has a little to do with the translation machine.
But, for the most part, she's just a moron.
Right, Special K? :D
Love always,
the dancer of spaz
Whoa, Kalliope. Get of my side. I’m a huge Vala (and Mitchell) fan, but you seriously need to chill. Going toe to toe with anyone who doesn’t like the Vala character isn’t going to achieve anything.
...And, what’s going on here? Everyone get bored and decide to have an end of season catfight?
Em
Em...
I want to clarify for you what's happening here so you don't think we hate Vala. The problem isn't Vala or Daniel or Mitchell...the problem is with Vala lemming cultie freaks...people who preach Vala and Daniel over EVERYTHING else. Rather than just enjoy it as a tiny part of the show, it is all and encompasses all at the expense of others...most notably SAM because her mere existence steals away from either Daniel or Vala or Daniel AND Vala.
It's okay to be a fan of Vala and Mitchell...with rare exceptions, no one here minds that at all. In fact, I really like Vala (especially after TPTB)...more so even than Mitchell because I don't really get his purpose of being there quite yet...and I'd love to see Vala return as a recurring character for a few eps next year. IMHO she's an interesting enough person to want to see again...albeit in small doses.
I may prefer Sam to Daniel, but I don't want to have the entire season dedicated to her. It is after all a team show. I like seeing the TEAM work together to solve things and blow up things and storm things...each contributing their insights and strengths.
So bring on the TEAM...but especially focus on Sam because she's my favorite. ***thinks to self: ACK! Did I type that aloud???*** (oh...for people who lack a sense of humor, I'm joking here...in a kind of "I'd love to see it so I'm not really joking nearly as much as I'm saying I'm joking" way of course...)
;)
Mary Beth
Joe, you guys are done with season nine. You've seen all the episodes, and you've all seen how fans have reacted to the changes made. Being as intelligent as you all are, surely you must be able to make an educated guess as to how the next ten episodes will be recieved.
Reaction for Vala has been rather polarized. Most longtime fans can't stand the character. Many critics and reviewers can't sing her praises loud enough, a praise that you've been bitterly denied before. So, what is more sweet, the loyalty and adoration of longtime fans or the "good press"? Would it be in the best interest of Stargate to allow her to take over the show again, to relegate the rest of the cast to extras, to turn Daniel into nothing more than a sidekick?
Likewise, Mitchell's reception has been rather cold. And while that was to be expected, his welcome seems to be growing colder, if the comments here and on most forums are any judge. It seems that the constant focus on Ben Browder's mercifully granted involvement has soured most fans on the character. You once removed Jonas Quinn from the show for similar reasons. At what point does it become prudent to do the same with Mitchell?
Just a few questions you guys ought to be asking yourselves when you do your post-mortem on season nine. And, how about you give us a real opinion on the product your putting out, instead of the company line all of the time.
Pardon me as I blithely ignore the rapidly increasing psychosis of certain people to talk about ice cream.
I lucked into a couple of scoops of pumpkin ice cream, made by a friend who has an ice cream store (*gloat*). It may sound kinda gross, but it tasted almost exactly like pumpkin pie. A little heavy on the spices, maybe, but still good.
Joe,
Just wanted to say that I'm enjoying the new season. I'm relatively new to Stargate and I confess I tuned in the show because of a couple of favorite actors of mine. Vala was a hoot, and I'm enjoying Mitchell, but he really was wallpapered in the first half of the season. So I'm please to hear you say that we'll learn more about him in the second half.
Thanks for coming here and posting as often as you do!
Yes Shadow, because we all know you've got enough psychoses of your own. Psuedo-modding, buddying up to TPTB, and basically acting with impunity around the board, to name a few. Any suggestions for how i can obtain this sacred status as one of Darren's favorites? Perhaps if I acted like i was better than everyone too, perhaps?
just saw the new credits today. so it is the ben browder show i guess right joe? thnks for ruining stargate for those of us who liked it before. i bet amanda leaves this year now that you completly shafted her in every possible way oncreen and off screen. no loyalty to the peopel who made this show great. tptb are idiots
I thought Joe said that he didn’t mind reading the ramblings of the *occasional* wackjob. Pages and pages of obsessive psychoticness is a bit much. Isn’t it?
Eight years into this and you still don't get that it's the team that people tune in for. Those new credits are horrendous and do a terrible disservice to everything SG-1 once was. I can't think of a more complete way to disregard RDA's, AT's, and CJ's long, wonderful contributions to the show. This Ben Browder clown isn't in even half of the scenes on the show, yet somehow he's weasled his way into dominating the credits, the publicity for the show, and most of your (TPTB's) comments about season nine. Forget the fact that he's a one-trick pony with his acting, forget that he's apparently stuck in John Crichton mode for the rest of his acting career, just look at how new and shiny he is! You really, really should have gone with the three man team, or not even made season nine at all. Stargate SG-1 would have been a legend, a damn near perfectly executed show from start to finish. Now all it'll be is a show that lived far past its experation date, one that you bled dry, ran into the ground, all those cliches people use for dead shows. Ben Browder--show killer--strikes again.
Apparently means:
It impact to table, but appeal < speak > nożyce. I do not expect , that who will apprehend it either (or) with dictionary trouble work a bit, but it gets around (celebrate) button of I. The dancer of spaz, Memory beguile good, I will remember (will store) it.
---
Hee, translation machines are fun! I'm still not getting it though...
Translation machines fail when it comes to translate idiomatic expressions or proverbs. Good job though, congratulations :) I guess you know what language is it, so you can englighten The dancer of spaz that my language was the native language of the Man who on October 16th, 1978 became The Pope John Paul II... BTW, I hope you know what His real name and place of birth was?
As for calling me moron..... I'll definitely remember this insult, the dancer of spaz.
Joe said 2. Even though the show's crew, writers, producers, and most of the actors are Canadian, Stargate is still considered, for all intents and purposes, an American production. In other words, we're not Canadian enough for the Geminis.
Well, I guess that's because U.S. concerns actually put forth the cash to make the show?? Just like Kung Fu: The Legend Continues was - US shows made by WB in Canada cuz it's cheaper.
I was watching the cut with my wife who saw the new SG-1 opening credits for the first time
can't wait till we the fans get to see this. Sucks that SciFi hacks it out just to squeeze in more ads geared toward their supposed 'geek' audience...
Read the rest of the comments here and most of it makes no sense.
Although someone's comment about "ben Browder-show killer" - obviously didn't see that Farscape ran for YEARS, not just 10 episodes. A 'show-killer' bumps off a show before it even gets three episodes, but seriously, what usually kills a show is not the actors but crappy writing.
Yes, Farscape. You know why Farscape lasted four years with crappy, abysmal ratings? Because scifi didn't have Stargate to put on instead. By the way, it's nice to see the old gal is still pummelling Farscape, even in syndication and even after most people have seen the Stargate episodes already. It's safe to say that most people have NOT seen Farscape yet, and that most of the people watching it were looking for Enterprise anyway.
Well Joe, count me among those fans above who were terribly gutted by the credits. It's perturbing to see the original cast of the show, the actors who make SG-1 happen, be so disrespected and forgotten. Trust me, if people were open to Ben Browder's presence before, they're not anymore. Cripes, the man must have an ego the size of a stargate. Not even Richard Dean Anderson, the actual star of Stargate SG-1, felt the need to put his face on the credits like that. I guess that is the difference between a real star and a "show killer". A real star knows he's the star, and he knows that everyone else realizes it too. Obviously that's not the case with gentle Ben.
Did you ever notice just how few comments on these blogs, both in the comments and in the actual entries, are about Atlantis? Maybe it's a bad sign that people seem to be way, way more interested in SG-1. I'm just saying.
Wow Joe, there is a lot of anger on a lot of different forums and lists regarding Mitchell. Usually these people can't agree on anything. The fact that they are all uniting in their hatred of Ben/Cameron must be throwing up some red flags at Bridge. At least it should be. I'm not too sure if you guys are going to be able to pull yourselves out of this one without some changes.
PS
I think the new credits sequence was the straw that broke the camel's back.
It's not that there has been too many changes in season nine. It's that there's too many bad changes. You guys let Vala take over the show, Mitchell is being pushed to the detriment of the others, the wormhole effect was needlessly changed, O'neill's exit was completely bungled, the whole command debacle, etc. Sorry Joe, just too much crap. And, contrary to some comments that have been made, I don't believe it's just a few posters who are angry. All of these comments aren't from the same few people. They're way too varied and there's way too many of them.
We regret that the shipment of "chill pills" has been unavoidably delayed. We expect the situation to resolve itself in the near future.
Our local representative, Mr. W. E. Coyote shall be in your area shortly.
Signed, ACME Company
(PS Joe, maybe you should've stayed in Vegas).
Wow...lots of ticked-offedness regarding Ben and the credits. This could be a problem.
But more importantly...have there been any or many coffee flavored ice creams in your collection? If so, what are they and what were your opinions of them????
Thank you for your time in reading our silly posts.
:D
Take care,
Mary Beth
PS...I'm serious about the coffee ice cream thing though...I'd love to see your complete list of flavors.
Um, I really think it shouldn't automatically be assumed that because there are more scenes of Mitchell in the credits it's because Ben Browder demanded them. TPTB could just have thought the credits looked good that way/didn't think it came off as being Mitchell heavy/don't care anything for fans of the other characters/none of the above. Take your pick. Ultimately how the credits are arranged are their decision, and any blame or praise should, imo, go to them. Assuming that an actor demanded extra scenes seems harsh with no proof. And, no, having more scenes of Mitchell is not proof that it's because Ben Browder has a huge ego.
Dani347
Mitchell/Browder- I wouldn't say that everyone is against him. I've seen quite a few proponents voicing their praise... and not all of them were Cam/Dan slashers. lol!
I've only seen the one ep, TPTB, and he wasn't really in the ep, so I can't comment much, but I do like Ben Browder. He always seems funny and personable in interviews and hey, he likes Jonas! That gains points in my book. ;) I think a majority of the "issues" people have with Ben are actually issues with the PTB- they chose him, they write his scenes, they do the credits/promos (or at least they have most of the input).
Atlantis- I don't think it's a bad sign, especially when you look at all the hatred and vitriol spewing forth about SG-1. Maybe it just means that Atlantis fans are relatively happy with the way things are developing and/or they're afraid to set foot in a war zone. ;)
SG-1 and Atlantis have both had big casting changes, but the ones on SG-1 were far, FAR more controversial and folks are feeling much more... vocal about it.
Which isn't to belittle the changes on Atlantis, but at least Ford is still around (and could be back full time some day), he still has a storyline and his drop in status was handled a lot better (IMO) than the sudden inexplicable absence of Jack. Ford and Ronon are also closer to secondary characters than main leads. And Atlantis doesn't have anything like Vala. Thank the gods.
Mary Beth- Coffee ice cream? Is that not available in most places? Being a New England girl I sometimes forget that some things aren't available in other parts of the world. Like coffee syrup, marshmallow fluff, Mallomars and Devil Dogs. *sigh* You poor, deprived people, you. ;)
*whimper*
shadowmaat, that's...just...CRUEL.
I used to live in the DC area where if you tripped, chances are you landed on a Starbucks and passed 3 on the way to the ground.
When I move down to Northeast Tennessee and asked about gourmet coffee, I was directed to the flavored instant coffee dispenser at the local gas station.
I weep bitterly for my loss.
Mary Beth
(still weeping bitterly)
Hi Joe, I just figured I'd put my two cents in here along with everyone else. I am big Ben Browder fan. I loved him on Farscape, and I want to like him on SG-1. I also post in all of the Ben/Mitchell threads on Gateworld's forum. For that reason, I'm going to post these comments anonymously; I don't think I'd be too welcome in those threads if people there knew I left you this comment. So, please don't rag on me for using the anonymous option. I have reasons.
Now that that's out of the way, let's get to Mitchell. Joe, as I said above, I am a big Ben Browder fan. I'm also a big SG-1 fan. And even I think that you guys should be ashamed of yourselves for the opening credits. SG-1 is an ensemble show--there is no lead actor on the cast. Not like Richard Dean Anderson was. Sorry, fellow Scapers, but it's true.
Fans aren't even getting the chance to gradually accept Mitchell as part of the team because of the constant pushing of Ben/Mitchell publicity that's being put out. I like it when Ben gets good press. But I don't like it when he gets it at the expense of every other actor on the show. It's not fair. Like some others have said, Ben Browder doesn't have a big ego. At least that's what I thought till he joined SG-1. But it seems like he's gotten himself every bit of publicity to be had in season nine. The credits are just one more indication to me that I might have been wrong, that I might have been suckered into believing that some actors are nice people and do care about the fans. I'm not as confident as I used to be that Ben is one of them.
Anyway, my own personal disappointments aside, Mitchell is the new guy for 90% of Stargate's fans. Constantly forcing him into the limelight is really sabotaging Mitchell's chances of ever being liked, even by me. And I liked him before I had seen him. Actually, I liked him alot more before I saw him onscreen than I do now. That's got to be a bad thing. So, please Joe, don't take the "wackos" that leave comments here too lightly. We're not all wackos. Some of us are people just trying to enjoy SG-1 still, new changes and all. It's just not an easy thing to do right now.
PS
Sorry if I offended anyone.
If it makes you feel any better, Mary Beth, I don't have a Starbucks, either. Or McDonald's, or Pizza Hut, or Krispy Kreme (*sniffle*)...
There IS this awesome coffee shop, though: Mocha Mott's. They get their coffee from a company called Dean's Beans, which has Organic "Fair Trade" coffee with blends like Ahab's Revenge, Shark Bite, Ring of Fire, Aztec Two-step, and Rattlesnake Gutter Brew. *drools* You can always order the stuff online. It's not the same, but at least you can get a decent cup of gutter brew. ;) And I would LOVE to try any of those in an ice cream blend. Real coffee ice cream! Yum!
Gotta say, with all the descriptions in Joe's blog, I'm tempted to get a little ice cream maker for myself. And if I wind up in Seattle, I'd be perfectly placed to get some good coffee for experimentation. LOL!
Jeez, I hate seeing this kind of stuff. Anyway, i guess my question is, joe, did you guys ever consider that the three man team may have been the way to go? I mean, a new general was inevitable, and a new doctor was necessary, and I guess Vala was sort of ok as a sub for Carter, but did you ever think that SG-1 was good enough with Carter, Teal'c, and Daniel? It certainly would have saved you guys a lot of the crap you have to take now. It's not that Mitchell or Browder is doing a terrible job (well, Mitchell sort of is), it's that he just doesn't fit. And i don't think he ever really will. SG-1 is always going to be O'neill, Daneil, Carter, and Teal'c for the vast majority of fans.
That rumor about a possible movie featuring the original SG-1 sounds awesome, though.
I've been begging Joe for his recipes. Hear that Joe? BEGGING.
Publish your creations for crying out loud. I'd sooo buy that book.
And finally btw we have a really good coffee shop...Java J's. But it took years.
:D
Hmm. Mallomars. Now THAT is a cookie. A true Northeast delicacy. You know, Mallomar ice cream would probably be pretty fine as well. Though, so much his loss, I doubt Joe has any inkling of the strange, narcotic-like addictivness that those chocolate covered little morsels possess.
And, on a more personal note, is it just me or do you NOT get those super, super fresh boxes since they changed the packaging? True, the overall quality of each box is more uniform; there are no more "bad" boxes of Mallomars. But I still miss the sublime joy of finding that uber-fresh box.
So you see Joe, with Mallomars, as with everything, change in and of itself is not good. Only change for the better is good.
Judging by the outrage I'm reading in the Mitchell threads on gateworld, I'm glad I decided to post my last comment anonymously. Wow, talk about being unwelcome to opposing opinions. How sad.
What happened to showing respect for fellow board members and the actors and people who make SG-1?! People are taking free reign here because they can be anonymous, but they're bashing Ben Browder in a way that has nothing to do with his performance as an actor, and that's against the forum rules!
Also, people are saying terrible things about him without any basis in fact. They're just making things up about him which is completely unfair and disrespectful.
I think these comments should be closed. Ben was hired to do a job as an actor. He shouldn't be blamed for everything that others don't like on the show.
Shards of Glass
It's not opposing opinions. If someone feels there's too much Mitchell, well only they can say what they see on their tv screen. If someone feels BB is a rotten actor sucking the life out of the show, again, that's their perception of what they see, and no one is right or wrong. Same goes if someone thinks BB is the best thing to ever happen to the show. Those are opinions, and I'll agree, disagree, but mine has no more worth than yours.
However, accusations as to the character of a man, based on the number of clips he gets in the credits??? Why assume that it's because BB has an ego? Why assume he had anything to do with the decision whatsoever? Why not put the blame on the people who actually made the credits? They're the ones who looked at episode clips and decided which ones made the credits, in which order, for how long, with how much emphasis given to each actor.
The credits say NOTHING about what kind of guy BB is. All they say are the people who designed them feel it was a good idea to shoot them that way. BB could agree, he could hate the idea, he could just not care. But, until someone knows, I think it's unfair to say things like that about him.
Dani347
Hey fellow crazies ;),
I just wanted to put in my $.00002 (see that? that was a lame attempt at being humble. didn't buy it? yeah, didn't think so.).
OK, for the record, I do not hate Vala or Mitchell - and I certainly don't hate Claudia Black or Ben Browder. That requires a level of insanity that even I have not yet reached.
I don't even hate you Special K, though I have a feeling that your memory and mine will be tested mighty soon.
What I DO hate is politics - which sucks, because it's everywhere. Anyway, I just wanted to chime in with my own "here, here" to those who so eloquently explained WHY we crazies feel the way we do.
Oh yeah, and Anonymous & Honest Mitchell Lover? You're an inspiration to us all. Keep it up and don't let your friends bring ya down. ;)
Life is grand,
the dancer of spaz
Guys
If you don't like the new credits, complaining to Joe won't accomplish a thing, other than give him something to laugh at while he samples the newest flavor of ice cream.
Joe, for all his responsibilities, doesn't have much say in credits. For the most part, credit order is hammered out in the actors' contracts.
If you don't like them, complain where it'll accomplish something, write MGM, write Scifi. They're the folks that can alter things, not Joe.
Skydiver
Just throwing in my support, Joe. Great job on season 9 so far. I can't wait to see more.
You should know that while many of us are not very vocal here in the blog comments, we do LOVE seeing Ben on TV every week. It's great to hear that you guys love working with him, too! ;)
Thanks for sharing... and don't be discouraged by negative comments, here and elsewhere. You know what we really like. ;)
PkGrl
This just makes me sad.
Over the years I've been aware of Ben I've read many interviews,heard from people who have worked with him and gotten to know him a little myself. The recurring theme is that Ben is a generous, talented and selfless actor. His interest is in telling the story. From my own experience and others as a person he doesn't have a huge ego which people seem to accuse him of and I'm just saddened at the assumptions being made.
Does it really matter how many shots anyone has in the credits? What next? Timing how much each person has on screen and then counting how many lines they have?!? It's just silly! Also things like titles ect I suspect are negotiated by all the actors agents and the credits are put together by the show runners themselves I expect.
It's only a tv show for goodness sakes not some sort of grudge match between actors and characters.
In all my years in scifidom I've never seen anything like it...
No wonder sci fi fans are portrayed as saddos- this is really playing up to that. What a shame.
Angie
Does it really matter how many shots anyone has in the credits? What next? Timing how much each person has on screen and then counting how many lines they have?!? It's just silly! Also things like titles ect I suspect are negotiated by all the actors agents and the credits are put together by the show runners themselves I expect.
It's been done.
Face it folks, It's christmas morning and Ben is scifi's and MGM's shiny new toy.
He's the new star and i'm sure the need is felt to insure that everyone knows that.
Again, you don't like it, write the people that have say in these things, write mgm, write scifi.
I think it's rather putting the cart before the horse to immediately blame Ben for the credits. I seem to recall that the actors have little say in things beyond, well i think in season six, RDA didn't like the sarcophagus shot and asked for it to be replaced. He didn't ask for more time or less time, but an alteration of what he already had.
Again, you want to blame anyone, blame the folks that market the show. Blame MGM, blame scifi.
skydiver
Oh, enough with the mock sense of outrage. And quit trying to censor what does and does not get posted just so that Gateworld remains a place of empty platitudes and "happy fans". The idea that only Scifi or the producers are open to criticism is asinine and weak. And the idea that Ben Browder has absolutely no say in the credits is naivete at it's ignorant best. Yes, let's blame that mean, conniving toady, Ben Browder's Agent. He's a faceless nobody who steers Ben's career where he chooses; Ben has no choice but to do as his master commands.
Scifi and the producers aren't escaping criticism either, so quit acting like fans' anger is solely directed at Ben Browder. To be honest, I think it's the criticism that he's nothing but a pretty face, that he adds nothing of value to SG-1, that his character on the show (as concieved of by the writers)is the most farcical creation ever in Stargate that makes everyone feel so damn sorry for Ben Browder. No doubt, he's in a crappy, weak position. He'the new star (as was so elequently mentioned above) that never was, the big draw that seems to be drawing no one. If you people don't think that the vast majority of fans are tuning in to continue watching Daniel, Teal'c, and Carter, then you're even more cracked than the producers. Four characters have kept SG-1 on the air more than twice as long as Farscape managed to hang on, fighting tooth and nail. One of those actors has left. So be it. That's no excuse to treat the remaining three stars as if they weren't responsible for the entire franchise's success. Teal'c, Daniel, and Carter are not Ben Browder's supporting cast, no matter how much Scifi or Browder's most ardent fans want them to be. I'm just grateful that the writer's realize this and seem to be wallpapering him in every episode. If his invovlement in the second half of the season is as limited as it was in the first (and spoilers seem to indicate it will be), then SG-1 will do just fine. Jonas, I mean Mitchell, can keep being as flavorless, insipid, and innocuous as he has been so far. Cheers.
{QUOTE]: Anonymous said...
Did you ever notice just how few comments on these blogs, both in the comments and in the actual entries, are about Atlantis? Maybe it's a bad sign that people seem to be way, way more interested in SG-1. I'm just saying. [/QUOTE]
Since no one is b***hing about SGA to poor Joe, I would assume people are rather pleased with it this year, vs. all the complaining about SG1 (which I find rather silly anyway). :O)
Anonymous said
Oh, enough with the mock sense of outrage. And quit trying to censor what does and does not get posted just so that Gateworld remains a place of empty platitudes and "happy fans". The idea that only Scifi or the producers are open to criticism is asinine and weak. And the idea that Ben Browder has absolutely no say in the credits is naivete at it's ignorant best. Yes, let's blame that mean, conniving toady, Ben Browder's Agent. He's a faceless nobody who steers Ben's career where he chooses; Ben has no choice but to do as his master commands.
Actually Ben's agent is a great guy.
Also all the cast have agents and a contract which they negotiate with the showrunners. The way it currently stands is a result of those negotiations. As had been said before if you don't like what the showrunners agreed then complain to them.
Oh my freaking goodness. Of course BB, working with his agent negotiated the best deal he could get. Just like Beau Bridges and his agent negotiated getting the "with" and the second to last place credit. And, just like MS and his agent negotiated keeping the last spot, and the "and" and the "as." Just like every single actor on every single tv show does. But, I've never, never, never seen people look at credit order or how many clips a person gets as a sign of what kind of a person someone is, whether they're nice or have an ego based on that. I mean, usually it takes at least a tabloid report that the actor kicked a puppy into a gutter.
You cannot tell what kind of character a person has, what kind of ego a person has, what kind of person someone is by 1 minute of quick cuts of them in character, flashy music and head shots with their names under them.
And, btw, any outrage I have is completely genuine.
Dani347
You know kiddies….
There have been almost a hundred thousand people who have died this past week due to natural disasters and all your concerned about is some character and/or characters from a TELEVISION show that hasn’t bowed down and prostituted itself at your feet. When you are rich and powerful and have control of the world, THEN you can be as nasty and hateful as you want to be.
Until then, there are thousands of viewers who actually like the show the way it is. They like the characters and they actually like the writers/producers/directors….well they probably don’t know who they are, but....ummm… AND when they stop liking something they actually know how to go channel surfing or better yet get up off their little fanny and go outside and enjoy life!
If those of you complaining about a particular actress/actor/whatever have never met these people and had the privilege to get to know them, then you have no right to express opinions that are based on some fathomless void of absolute nothingness...
****
(Can I be in the whacked out club Joe? Lot's of potential entertainment there...)
Jen
My how the times have changed!
In the old days, according to a friend who has been in the business over 30 years, Actors would actually ASK the writers if they could change a single word in A script, much less an entire paragraph. Now look at 'em! They're negotiating their own Marquees! Priceless!
And Joe, two languages at the same time?? I'm impressed!
Wow, i knew Mitchell was mostly disliked but i had no idea it was this bad. i thought it was because the chacacter was bad but maybe its the new guy. holy crap! good luck joe.
The show will be back.
BB does take over the "lead" position the show, in so far as the show has one. Order matters about as much as size. Mitchell, and BB, both rock. Totally. Of course I don't mind a healthy dose of change as long as it provides growth, and this has.
New opening credits are unbelivable, saw them online. Now waiting to see SGA's.
Continue to love both shows, looking forward to next season *positive thoughts*, top notch and kudos to everyone!
kamelion
Holy hannah! The negativity on this thread is about to knock me off my chair. Talk about rabid fans ...
Joe, I am enjoying season 9 very much. Amazingly, I am not a 'scaper, nor am I new to the show. But I do like Mitchell. I am looking forward to learning more about him in the second half of the season, and was a bit disappointed that he was wallpapered so much in the beginning part of the season. As far as the credits go, I love them. I think all four main cast members look great, and are showcased nicely.
In response to those who have suggested the team remain a three-person time, I have to say I would not have liked that idea. SG-1 has always been a four person team, and last season was pretty weak because of it (among other reasons). I think I would have tuned out if it had remained a four person team. As much as I love the characters of Teal'c, Sam and Daniel, something was definitely missing. Mitchell makes SG-1 whole, again, IMO.
Keep up the good work, and enjoy Vegas!
~Sgatelvr
Oops! I meant that I would have tuned out if it remained a THREE person team.
**Note to self: always partake of "Preview" function** :P
Joe,
I hope you are taking the comments on this blog with a grain of salt. Some of the comments regarding the new credits and the addition of Ben Browder to the cast may be due to a lack of information. The writers may not realize that American TV shows filmed in Canada normally have an American actor in the lead role (BSG, Dead Zone, 4400). If Ben Browder hadn’t taken the lead role, it would have probably gone to another American actor.
Mondo Canuck
Well, I'm another vote for the three person team. I think season eight was one of SG-1's strongest, especially considering the difficulties they had making it. Joe himself has said that he feels season eight was SG-1's best season. Certainly the ratings numbers were better last year. And the final 5 episode arc of the eigth season is never going to be topped. It's almost a shame that they kept going.
Anyway, while I understand how some people feel that the four person team is "comfortable", it seems like the writers don't really know how to write for that anymore. As has been mentioned above, Mitchell has been entirely wallpaper so far. His presence has added nothing to the story. The best episodes this season have been the ones where he does nothing, like Avalon 2 and Prototype. General Landry has contributed more to the stories than the "fourth member" of SG-1. I think that the problem is that SG-1 was pretty complete with Carter, Teal'c, and Daniel. Sure, Jack used to be the fourth, but he was the glue that held the team together. Jack has a very unique role in SG-1, one that Mitchell won't ever be able to duplicate, espcially given the backstory and character motivations that have been written for him. Trying to put him in charge of SG-1 was bound to hurt the character's chances. After all, Daniel, Teal'c, and Carter are the most experienced people on earth when it comes to all things stargate. The idea of someone with no gate experience at all leading them is pretty absurd when you think about it.
Also, alot of fans seem to be reacting violently against Mitchell, despite everyone's best efforts. I don't want the inclusion of a bad new character to kill the show I love. I haven't seen the new credits so far, but alot of people seem angry about them too. So, given what's happened since Mitchell joined the team, I think the three man team would have gone over better. It's just my opinion, but it's one from a longtime fan. I've loved the show since it was on Showtime. I hope it doesn't implode.
Tony
I would not have believed it, had I not seen it with my own eyes...
This just smacks of the whole issue people had with Jonas when Daniel disappeared for Season 6 so Michael Shanks could pout about the treatment of his character.
It's not so much that Ben Browder's performance is crap, or that people hate his character...more that he's not Jack. Well newsflash - that was the point. And just a pointer - unlike MS, RDA isn't going to come running back cos the work didn't materialise...
Times change...if you really hate BB so much, you know that little thing you use to turn the TV over / off? The one I believe they call a remote - use it!
As to the SGA thing - JM mainly works on SG1 doesn't he? So there would be little point in asking him about Atlantis.
Beanie
You know Joe, ever since you came online I wonder why you're doing this to yourself. I'd say either you're a masochist or you're having way too much fun reading how one fan group after another starts a hissy fit about their favourite character or couple or whatever.
It's easy to see why Carter is no longer leader of SG1 and her career is probably all but over too -- she's not shagging THIS general and her Daddy general's dead now too. How sad, she can't make on her own and all she is is a fat middle aged loser. Even Jack seems to prefer sexy, younger CIA chicks. Too bad, Sammipoo, you're a bit old now to get earn your promotions on your back.
What? That wasn't the writers intentions? Coulda fooled me.....
Anonymous said:
"It's easy to see why Carter is no longer leader of SG1 and her career is probably all but over too -- she's not shagging THIS general and her Daddy general's dead now too. How sad, she can't make on her own and all she is is a fat middle aged loser. Even Jack seems to prefer sexy, younger CIA chicks. Too bad, Sammipoo, you're a bit old now to get earn your promotions on your back.
What? That wasn't the writers intentions? Coulda fooled me..... "
---------------------------------------------------------
Alright people, let's all take a moment out of our busy day to laugh at this anonymous - *cough* wuss *cough* - blogger who ONCE AGAIN proves that you just can't believe everything you read - especially when written by an idiot.
Sam never shagged any of the generals, and her dad had no say in the promotions she got, considering he wasn't around for EITHER of them - when she became a Major, he dad didn't even have clearance, and when she became a Colonel, her dad wasn't even on the planet.
Besides, we all know that Sam and Jack didn't even CONSIDER getting it on until after "Moebius." ;)
As to the COMPLETELY UNTRUE INSULT (that I can't help but feel was directed at the actor and not the character) well, we all know where your head's at, so we won't even go there. Though it should be noted that "karma" comes in mysterious ways.
Sincerely yours,
the dancer of spaz
Anonymous said...
Anonymous said:
"It's easy to see why Carter is no longer leader of SG1 and her career is probably all but over too -- she's not shagging THIS general and her Daddy general's dead now too. How sad, she can't make on her own and all she is is a fat middle aged loser. Even Jack seems to prefer sexy, younger CIA chicks. Too bad, Sammipoo, you're a bit old now to get earn your promotions on your back.
What? That wasn't the writers intentions? Coulda fooled me..... "
head back to the sony forums you little troll. i'm sure your drek is welcome there and it's probably where you cut and pasted it from.
Tony Said:
"I don't want the inclusion of a bad new character to kill the show I love."
I just want to say that I agree with this. I don't hate Mitchell. I really don't think anyone does. People are just unhappy that everything seems to be about him right now. Anyway, I'm mostly just ambivalent to the character. I feel like I should care more about him by now, but just don't. And I don't want fans to turn against SG-1 just for the sake of the new guy whose necessity in the show is questionable in the first place. So if things don't work out a little better by the end of the season, then better to scrap the character (it's been done before) than scrap the whole show. Sorry, but Mitchell's not worth the fate of the entire series.
Anonymous said (in bold italics):
It's easy to see why Carter is no longer leader of SG1 and her career is probably all but over too -- she's not shagging THIS general and her Daddy general's dead now too.
Wow...that's quite a bit of hatred directed at a fictional character...your psychoanalyst must be revamping his summer home in Malibu from the money he's draining from your account.
So Sam creating the dialing system was all about sex then? And her blowing up a sun? And saving the planet from being sucked into a black hole? And leading a team to rescue Daniel? And finding the device on Dakara??? All about shagging a general??? Mmmkay.
How sad, she can't make on her own and all she is is a fat middle aged loser.
Fat middle aged loser? So then now you have something against the actress as well as the character, do you? Amanda just had a baby, you nit. It takes a little longer than 32 seconds to get back into fighting form. Grow up and get a clue. Good news! WalMart has a sale going on as we speak...buy two clues get the third free.
Even Jack seems to prefer sexy, younger CIA chicks.
Well apparently not since the reason Kerry cut him loose was that she realized he had feelings for Carter that weren't going to go away.
Too bad, Sammipoo, you're a bit old now to get earn your promotions on your back.
It's amazing that you focus on your hatred to the one character who had one sexual relationship in 8 years as opposed to the others who had countless...well not really amazing because clearly you and the few rabid antiSam/proDanny/proVala wackos have to tear down Sam in order to boost your favorites to the fore. So in your little twisted world, that's the only way Sam could advance in her career? Through sex? What a disgusting and insulting little misogynistic troll you are.
What? That wasn't the writers intentions? Coulda fooled me...
Looks like that happens alot, sweetie pie...getting fooled, that is.
Now go back to Sony...the other lemmings must be awaiting your report of your horrific Gateworld experience...how you were lambasted for no good reason at all, right?
Mary Beth
I should have brought popcorn.
The character of Cameron Mitchell is not all that. And the fans aren't buying it. We're allowed to have our opinions. Stop force-feeding him to us. He's got way too much screen time and the fact that he's the leader of SG-1 is laughable. So far, season 9 has not impressed me.
Atlantis, on the other hand, has become a truly wonderful joy to watch each week. Great storylines and character developement.
I think SG-1 season is having to do some building with the new characters and the new villians. I think Ben is doing a good job with his character, just not fleshed out yet. Michael and Claudia's chemistry was great - hope Vala comes home! Liked the fact that Carter had some time away from SGC to perhaps start her relationshiop with Jack now that he is no longer at SGC. I do miss Jack, but understand ( a little anyway!) that he had to move on. His character being in Washington may be able to help with the finances and other aspects of the SGC, even if it is behind the scenes.
Thanks for a good start to a new season.
Im not so annoyed with Vala and Mitchell as I am with Vala and Mitchell fans who have greatly affected my enjoyment of the show. Dont get me wrong, I dislike the Vala character (love the actress just not the character). I will likely drop the show if it goes futher in the misdirection it seems to be taking, but Im sure someone else will pick it up, for a little while longer so I am sure you wont miss me until there are many many mes out there.
But why change the direction of a successful show? Never really understood that especially when this show already had soo much potential with the original direction -exploring the galaxy-. And the original characters were not your typical sci-fi spandex cliche.. but then you are on the typical scifi cliche network so I guess you got to do what you got to do.... too bad. really loved this show.
I will of course give it a reasonable shot but like the DVDs you watch Joe, if I find it is no longer to my taste I will simply stop watching as Stargate SG-1 takes "the hairpin turn into the not so wonderful world of fanboy-fantasy".
Anonymous said...
I should have brought popcorn.
4:57 AM
Tee Hee! :D
Yes, Joe, please post blogs often throughout the hiatus! I used to fill the No New Episode void with fanfic, but this is more fun - like reality tv. This place is like an interactive spin-off of the show, complete with drama, wierd aliens and 'esplosions! :D
Congrats on getting a season 10/3, and may all of you at Bridge remember what Eleanor Roosevelt used to say: Do what you feel in your heart to be right - for you'll be criticized anyway. You'll be damned if you do, and damned if you don't.
Gracie, aka Tok'Ra Hostess, not willing to forget yet another password.
I wish Martin G the best of luck too! He is a huge talent! Too bad the Americans get little respect. :(
Ben is so garsh darn awesome and takes a good whumping well, LOL! Can't wait to see Camelot, really... hate waiting for the second half of the season. Excited to see the new opening credits also.
Wish you the best in getting down to your fighting wieght...you can do it!
You know I love you but I just don't get the Vala character. She doesn't fit in with the team....but maybe that is the point. Love Claudia, hate Vala!! Sorry, don't be mad at me.
I absolutely adore Mitchell! He is the best thing that has happened this season, great, fantastic, fabulous and yummy! Thank TPTB for him!! I could just eat him up, oops getting carried away.
Being from Las Vegas I wont' wish you luck because it is all odds! hee. Keep your savings in savings. Trust me! Love....purple
Good luck!
Oh wait, you already lost...
You better stay off the ice cream, or I'll be forced to turn you in!!