Stargate Atlantis leading man Joe Flanigan suggests that the cast of his show doesn’t get the recognition they deserve — and that the series’ cancellation could set a bad precedent for actors. Flanigan made the comments in a new Q&A with fans at the Hungarian broadcaster site AXN.
“No one is really certain why it was cancelled,” said Flanigan, who played Lt. Colonel John Sheppard for Atlantis‘s 5-year, 100-episode run. “Every producer/executive lays the blame on the other so it’s becomes impossible to understand the true reasons. I think our cast did a truly amazing job in helping build a successful franchise, but I don’t think that it is seen that way by the writers and producers.”
The actor said that he won’t be appearing on the spin-off series Stargate Universe, which premieres in October. Should the new series be a hit with viewers, he fears that it may not bode well for actors in the franchise.
“If Universe is successful, the prevailing theory among the writers and producers will be that actors are dispensible and not a critical part of the show,” he said. “Only time will tell.”
As for his future, Flanigan said that he is reluctant to get involved with another television project unless the character is very interesting. “I have been really fortunate in my career and hope that I continue to be,” he said. “I have been offered a number of things since I quit Atlantis. Many of them require relocations that would prove too difficult on my family. Some are simply not as interesting as my role as John Sheppard. I am looking for a show that will really invest in their lead characters. I’ll be shooting a movie in July.”
This summer he will also appear in a guest role on the SCI FI Channel’s new series Warehouse 13 (story).
Flanigan said that he would also return to a future Stargate Atlantis project, “Probably. I miss my cast members and the crew. There is a lot of unexplored elements left for Atlantis. Personally I think it could have easily gone for another five years.”
Visit AXN to read the complete Q&A! Also don’t miss GateWorld’s exclusive new video interview with Joe.
(Thanks to wraithfodder for the tip)
Flanigan is spot on… I think this was SciFi (SYFY, trying to get in front of contract negotiations with the cast.. and just “starting over” with “cheaper” resources..
I love Joe! He’s one of the more honest people in the biz. The entire interview is quite a bit lighter in tone and shows his sense of humor much more than in what you have excerpted above. But I understand that you are mainly reporting his statements as they relate to Stargate so some would not be relevent.
Just wanted people to know he doesn’t seem to be all doom and darkness. :)
Would love to see the Chris Judge, David Hewlett and himself project that he mentioned!
It’s always great to see how he says what he thinks. And he says exactly the same thing most of the fans have been saying for ages. To answer the questions he asks the fans at the site: 1) I’d watch Atlantis in the future in both the movie and series format (as long as Joe, David, Rachel and Jason are there). SGA has always been my only interest within the franchise. Never liked SG-1, won’t be watching SGU 2) I’d love a movie or series with him and David (Rachel and/or Jason would be great too). Hope the reason… Read more »
Joe Flanigan rocks! Man, whomever actually is responsible for the premature cancelation of Atlantis made a really boneheaded decision. I look forward to seeing Joe on Warehouse 13 and in his new movie. I am glad to hear that he will not make an appearance on SGU. I am not supporting that project specifically because of how Atlantis’ cancelation was handled. Joe has his reasons, but why should he appear on SGU for the PTB? They made their decision to throw SGA, the cast and crew under the bus. I’d love to see Joe do some projects with his former… Read more »
He actually answered one of my questions, so I was thrilled!
Lazy Bees!!!!!
His story about his kids being in Kindred was cute, too. :)
I love how Joe always states his opinion, regardless of the consequences. And in this case, he stated exactly what many Atlantis fans had been thinking since the cancellation. I wish him all the best.
Apologies to the fanboys, but that’s utterly stupid. 5 years is a pretty respectable run, and the stories were definitely running out of steam already. I applaud teams who can end a series before it degenerates into boredom. I like SG1 much more than Atlantis, but would have been much happier without the last two (Ori) seasons.
The SGA->SGU switch is about refreshing the stories, not the cast. Although let’s be honest, there were brilliant actors in SGA, but Joe isn’t one of them.
@lalo, I can understand if you don’t like Joe’s acting, to each his/her own (I happen to think he’s an excellent actor, perhaps too subtle for some?), but to call his views stupid is really rude and uncalled for.
I think SGA could easily have gone for AT LEAST another season. However, in the wake of its cancellation, I will console myself with the idea that there would be one or two movies following. The cast of SGA was spectacular. With the amazing casts of both SG-1 and SGA, SGU has a lot to live up to. I miss Joe already.
Midway through the story, I was afraid that Joe might be so annoyed at TPTB that he won’t return for the SGA movie (whenever that gets greenlit).
I’m not sure why you put such a negative slant on the interview. You’ve made it look as if that’s all he talked about, and that’s just not true.
@Sepha
Certainly helps fan the fire, doesn’t it?
There was tons of fun stuff too.
Scifi is a terrible channel. Theyve cancelled so many shows and their “scifi channel original movies” are the worst things humanity has ever made.
I think JF is right. The actors made SGA. The cast was exceptionally skilled and talented. It was the writing that dragged the show down the most, in my opinion. In the hands of better writers (not that all of them were terrible), and a more capable network, I think SGA could have been the top sci fi show out there.
I love that Joe always says what he thinks. Kinda refreshing in this business. I look forward to his next appearance, I’ll certainly follow him where ever he goes. And I think that it would be great if he, David Hewlett and Chris Judge appeared in a something together :)
And that interview? Was so funny. I loved that he would want to have a purple light saber if he was a Jedi :P
Interesting to hear that. I’ll not start to blame the writers and producers now, but I’ll certainly be more attentive…
I’ve just realised how much I’ve missed Stargate Atlantis. Gonna go watch some of it.
Man it really is like they broke up when big family. I’m sad now.
*fist pound* Joe, you Rock man!! SciFi has been Jerking us viewers for a long long time. Of course, it was all about the actors.. Week after week that’s what we all tuned in for. Shepard, Mckay, Tayla and Ronan (and some of the other great supporting actors like Zelenka). They just don’t realize the however great the story line is, if the actors cannot portray the feelings, it’s gonna be a washout. Directors and Producers should stand up for these guys.
How enough already, toss the SGU and bring in the next season of Atlantis.
I’m not sure I follow his logic, if anything the casting of Universe suggests that the producers value the actors more than ever, or they wouldn’t have made such an effort to cast the talent they have. Perhaps he’s just bitter that his show has been cancelled and a new one begun, because the notion that Universe’s success would convince the writers that actors don’t matter just doesn’t make sense.
i agree with joe and this is not the only time he speaks his mind about the shows cancellation. i like the fact that he does this and it shows that he doesnt have to sugarcode everything and pretend that everything is ok.
@Jenks I think what he’s saying (I could be wrong) is that TPTB view the actors as very expendable and feel that fans tune in to see a good sci-fi story and the Stargate franchise, and not out of desire to follow any one actor or his/her performances. Like ingredients in a recipe, if the cake doesn’t work or you are tired of it, just change out the chocolate for vanilla, and voila’ you have a new dessert. While some people may like both kinds of cake equally, others my miss the chocolate and be upset. I will be honest,… Read more »
What is with all of the bad mouthing of everyone? This is not the way to get another job in the future. Would any producer want to ever hire him when he just talks bad about them afterwards? If the franchise is making money and the fans are watching, then there must have been another reason to cancel the show….hmmm. Be a gentleman Joe and learn manners. The stuff coming out of your mouth is not making you look good. And for any fan who thinks the producers would just cancel the show out of spite are dreaming. There is… Read more »
@wraithluver you could make your point without namecalling you know.
Joe seems to be very honest and not afraid to speak his mind, something many people do not have the guts to do. He hasn’t been snarky or disrespectful or named any names, just presenting his thinking on the subject. That should be respected, even if you disagree.
That was a really fun chat and people should really read the entire thing, there’s very little there about SGA perse, to be honest. On the subject, Flanigan was the person in this room who was actually there — no one else who is commenting here knows what happened there so to make comments on this little bit taken out of context is silly. In the entirety of his remarks through the last — nearly year already — he has basically said what all of the actors have said — it’s was a shock, they don’t understand it, it isn’t… Read more »
@kjhamnik I agree that it’s a really fun little Q & A for the most part, I wish that had come through a bit more in the news story. Cause Joe is funny!
I read this article and had to chuckle to myself. Then I read the comments and laughed… I don’t know much about the TV business, but I know what sour grapes sound like. I have been a fan of Stargate since the movie and have always loved what the Stargate represented in terms of unlimited possibilities and stories… but to listen to a spoiled actor cry about why the show was cancelled and to carry on that if SGU is successful it won’t bode well for actors… that’s a shame, and if you can’t read between the line, you are… Read more »
I didn’t get at all that JF was saying not to watch SGU! He’s said nice things about Carlysle in the past.
He is just explaining what he thinks the success of the new show would say to the producers of the series.
And he again said how much he enjoyed working with the cast and crew of Atlantis. People take any criticism or exploration of the events far too seriously, he has a right to say whatever he thinks and his opinions are valid as opinions, whether you agree or not.
:( Ah, man. I want to say, “this reminds me of Walter Koenig, how he hoped that ST:TNG would fail because otherwise, TOS fans were discarding the old characters as relics,” but this seems different, somehow. SGA has been a science fiction series among many, whereas Star Trek was virtually alone, and (correct me if I’m wrong, here) SGA accumulated most of its fanbase during its original run. So I think that I might also want SGU to do poorly. Frankly, outside of Star Trek, I never even gave scifi a chance until I saw the great characters in Atlantis.… Read more »
Boycott it? We are all here because we like Stargate. Nobody that spends time at this site will boycott SG:U, say what you want. Remember when you all said that about Atlantis? Why would you spend time talking about a show you’re not going to watch? That doesn’t make sense… and Slyvia, yes Joe can say what he want… and so can I. I like new fresh ideas, and I hope SG:U is just that… I will watch it, and if I don’t like it, I will tune out… but you are acting like JF is your friend. He is… Read more »
Interesting.
I love how Gateworld has chosen to show only the comments that can cause a little controversy.
The interveiw had many fun and interesting comments and these snippets are only a few that could have been reprinted. But I guess ‘fun and interesting’ won’t cause as much discussion as controversial.
@GATECRASHER99 I don’t have any illusions about Joe Flanigan being a friend or anything like that, why would you think that? I am just defending a person’s right to express themselves, but in a RESPECTFUL fashion by not calling his views stupid or him a whiner. I might agree that some of the things he says are impolitic, but it’s no reason to call names. And watch SGU or not, it doesn’t affect me in any way. I came to love SGA because of Flanigan and Hewlett and then some of the others, but I could always take or leave… Read more »
I am glad he talked openly about his feelings and I respect that but Atlantis was going downhill as a show, there were very few serious arks, just random episodes every week, asgard totally disappeared. Plus It was one of the shows on sci fi that was beaten by almost every other show in the ratings. I can understand why the show was cancled, however, WHERES THE FREAKIN movie. I mean really, I do not like the fact that it took TPTB 1 1/2 year to get 1, and only 1 movie out. It should have been out this month… Read more »
oh and Joe( with all due respect), you are talking like YOU DON’t WANT UNIVERSE TO BE A HIT, THAT TICKS ME OFF. I MEAN REALLY, SGA is my FAV show, but I want to see Universe be a hit, but I think its dumb logic to say that actors will be considered “expendable” if Universe was a hit. Millions love Atlantis and It is unfair for him to say that. TPTB know we love atlantis and SG-1 so really, please.
“Nobody that spends time at this site will boycott SG:U, say what you want.” I’m on this site and I have no interest in watching SG:U. In my opinion, the Stargate shows aren’t well written, in general. They have a great premise, but most episodes are derivative schlock sci-fi. I got hooked on SGA despite the writing. It was the actors who drew me in. Joe Flanigan’s remarks are pretty common sense really. The possibilities for a Stargate show are wide open. Atlantis could fly anywhere and do anything; there’s nothing in the premise of SG:U that couldn’t have been… Read more »
I don’t think Joe is such a fantastic actor that he can afford criticize his former bosses without it hurting his reputation. He talks big about all these opportunities he’s passed up, then takes a 1-shot deal on another Sci Fi Channel show? I think he’s playing PR. I used to love Sheppard, but Joe’s stuck-up attitude is tainting my image of him and his character too. Who is to say his ideas that got turned down were any better than what made it to screen? He needs to get some humility. He’s not “number one” on the call sheet… Read more »
My comment above sounds harsh, so I’ll explain. To me what makes Stargate shows fun to watch is the talent that goes into them: interesting production design and special effects, and most of all, acting that brings the characters to life. IMO, the Stargate formula is basically to run through some science fiction adventure cliches while allowing the characters to joke about the absurdity of their situations. What makes that formula work is the skill and charisma of the actors. They have to be able to play off a lot of tired material in a light, fun way, and still… Read more »
I agree with cesare, the writing on Stargate isn’t good enough on its own to keep viewers, the characters are what keep us. But what we don’t know is what goes into giving us the “chemistry” we love. Maybe it was 100 takes that should have been 3, or massive editing, or lots of friction on set that made the experience less than fun for some? Based on all the hints by Mallozzi I think one reason to create SGU was after all to clean the slate. Fans can be mad about it, but we don’t know both sides of… Read more »
First off, everyone is entitled to their opinion. I watched SGA for the characters and actor portrayal first, then for the storylines. Given what the writers and producers have said about SG:U I won’t be watching – they keep praising the story arcs, character backgrounds, and plots – the same things fans requested for SGA, and we didn’t seem to get. Now they decide to do it?
What I got from this (small) portion of the Q&A with Joe is that he feels that if SGU is a success, TPTB will feel that the main ingredient for success is not the actors and acting, but the writing and production, leading to the actors being expendable. From his point of view, he seems hurt by how, throughout the life of SGA, the actors were cast aside at the whims of the producers. That’s show biz and he most likely knows that, but it hurts nonetheless. By stating this, he is, in effect, defending the importance of actors, including… Read more »
Mallozzi’s hints that is was a clean slate they wanted in creating SGU makes perfect sense, some of the SGA cast were coming up on their 6th year contract negotiations and the 6th year was to be a very lucrative year with bonuses for them. Television is all about profits to be made and the fact is that SGU has a cast that won’t cost as much. Business is business and the producers can’t be faulted for making that decision. I don’t see that JF is being too critical of the producers and writers, and I do not see him… Read more »
I agree with Mr. Flanigan. The producers of Stargate shows really ARE [deleted].
Mr. Flanigan would be awesome in a TV series of the Ghostbusters. He would make a great Peter Venkman. Sexy and funny.
I’m glad he’s not doing any more Stargate. They don’t deserve him.
Some of his comments certainly sounded…arrogant isn’t the right word, petulant might fit better, but he does seem to have a bit of an attitude. Which is fine, though it seems to me that when you’re a relatively small time actor, like he is, biting the hands that feeds in a bad idea.
Then again, he is right in some ways. Atlantis never really got the respect/recognition that SG-1 did, whether you think the show deserved it or not, and I can understand being upset about it. There are just more diplomatic ways to go about voicing your opinion.
I appreciate the fact that JoeF took the time to address his fans and answer their questions. I hope people are taking the time to read the entire Q&A as the small snippet on GW does not do justice to the entire context or message he was conveying. I found his answers to all the questions to be honest, heartfelt and candid. He talks about very personally about his family, his cast members, what he is looking for in (hopefully) a future series and his feelings about SGA. I do not think he comes off as arrogant, but rather as… Read more »
Heh, some of the actors were the only good part about SGA. The writers were incredibly bad. I often wondered how JF could stomach the scripts.
I have to say I agree with Joe. I wish him all the best and would love to see a project with Joe, David and Chris Judge!!
I think the theory that actors are dispensable has been disproved rather well with how the writers poorly integrated Amanda Tapping’s character into SGA. She’s a great actress, and really helped make SG-1 into a strong series. On SGA, she was handled poorly, and seemed like an after though. They essentially replaced Torry with Amanda, and did minimal changes to the character.
Don’t actors start receiving royalties on syndication after 100 episodes.
Janette, it depends on what contract they’re attached to, and if they’re part of the Actor’s Guild. Additionally, some contracts have a sunset clause in it, where after a certain amount of years or a certain amount of syndication, the checks stop coming to the actors, but the studio still gets paid. For example, I don’t think Mario Lopez is still being paid for his work on Save by the Bell.
I am glad J Flanigan spoke so openly about this. I also dont understand why they just canceled the show. It could have go on for another 2 or 3 years.SGA was a good series with a good cast.But they messed up with the series to much. Torrie (Weir)gone The Doc. gone and bringing in others. I becan to grow on the new Doctor,but I missed the old doctor.They didn’t do much for Torrie Dr. Weir, and if they could have let her do more then only being a leader she would have come out a lot more. Then they… Read more »
I’m rather amazed that people think that Joe Flanigan is arrogant. Why? During the filming of SGA, he always spoke for the cast with the producers. When Torri and Paul were fired, he defended them with all his heart – and the producers stopped communicating with him. He asked Joe Mallozzi not to take so many behind-the-scene pictures so the actors can relax and rest between takes – and Mallozzi stopped even acknowledging his existence in his blog. So tell me, who’s behaving like a petulant child here? Everybody – David, Rachel, Jason, Joe… – are rather disillusioned with TPTBs… Read more »