There are changes coming to Stargate Universe when the show returns for the back half of the season in April, executive producer Robert C. Cooper says.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Cooper talked about a number of elements introduced early in the show which many fans have expressed concerns over. As it turns out, some of those same conversations were taking place in the writer’s room.
First on the list, perhaps, is the amount of time the characters are spending back on Earth — rather than trapped on board the Ancient space vessel Destiny, billions of light years from their loved ones. On the show, these mental trips home are accomplished using Ancient communication stones, a technology which allows one to swap bodies with somebody back on Earth.
“It’s certainly been a hot topic of debate,” Cooper said. “It’s very valuable in terms of tying the crew to Earth, and some have suggested the crew should be more isolated. There’s also a debate about the moral issue of how the [body swapping] stones are used and whether it’s right for a person to do certain things in the body of the another person and that’s interesting too.
“I think there’s some value in terms of seeing who they’re missing and the political ramifications of the Destiny‘s mission back on Earth. We’re not going to abandon the stones, but the emphasis of the second half of the first season is more heavily weighted to what’s going on with the ship.”
Also conspicuously absent from the first half of the season: aliens. Though the producers didn’t want to distract from the core stories about the characters, they also recognize that life “out there” is an important element of science fiction and the Stargate mythology.
Robert C. Cooper
“The show was always intended to be a drama and about people who are struggling to survive,” Cooper said. “There is a sci-fi element, but it was never going to turn into the ‘alien of the week.’ However, there is a big story point coming up that does introduce an alien race that’s a very cool, CG alien. It’s more along the line of a District 9-type of alien. Our interaction is handled in a very Universe way — they’re not the typical Stargate alien bad guys.”
Cooper also expressed a hope that those who have loved SG-1 and Atlantis over the last 12 years will come to embrace Universe for what it is — not what it isn’t. “Hopefully as it goes on, people will began to appreciate it for being its own thing,” he said. “That’s all we can hope for. It sometimes takes awhile to overcome those expectations. I can’t really be upset that people came to love something I had a part in creating. But as a creative person you have to move on and have to grow.
“I don’t think we could have been successful in the exact same vein as what we did before. We had to evolve.”
Writing and principal photography on Season One has been complete since October. Scripts are currently being written for the just-announced second season (story).
Check out the full interview with Robert C. Cooper now at The Hollywood Reporter. The producer also talks about SGU‘s female characters and some viewer criticisms, sex on the show, the use of kino-vision, and more. Stargate Universe resumes in April on Syfy in the U.S.
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“I Want To Be Like Ron Moore When I Grow Up”
Probably $25 bucks with shipping. Far less expensive than cheating and slapping the Stargate brand on your show.
“slapping the Stargate brand on your show”
erm its there own brand, there well within there rights to continue to use it.
Seems the name of the series should be “Destiny” since the stargate isn’t really used that much. I think a series call Stargate should revolve around the Stargate. This series just looks like Star Trek.
Okay, can we not ignore the content of the article now?
What is there to discuss. RCC has just made it clear again that they went ahead and did exactly what they wanted to do and couldnt care less what the fans of Stargate fanbase wanted. They cancelled a succesful show because they were bored and rather than stepping away from the franchise they have taken away everything that made it great, and expect us to embrace it. If they wanted something TOTALLY different from the Stargate concept, then why not just do a spin off with all the soap opera drama and just call the show Destiny.
@junebug, You are my hero, I think I love you. hehehehe.
@kflowers74, I think you hit the nail on the head. But Trekkies WILL take offence if you call SGU Star Trek like. But maybe Galaxy Quest or Space Balls ??
BTW, “Hopefully as it goes on, people will began to appreciate it for being its own thing,”
If it is it’s own thing, Why call it Stargate? They fully knew the premise was different, and wanted a different audiance. So why use tactics like Cameo appearences from SG-1, and use the name Stargate? Tang is not Kool Aid, though both of them are drink crystals,(or for our British fans, Marmite is not Vegemite) so there’s no point in trying to pass off one as the other. No one for a second is going to be fooled.
I like the stones, it leads to us getting to know more about thier lives before they were stuck on the tin can. I loved Cloe drunk! I also love how akward the body-swapping is, and how they can return home – but not really do anything while they arnt in thier own bodies. Love it. Cant wait for SGU to return!
@blackhawlk well I was thinking something along the lines of the “changes in SGU’s future” would be good discussion for this article. Not sure where I got that idea from though.
Or we could just have another pointless discussion (for the umpteenth time) about just how much some people don’t like SGU.
This is smoke and mirrors. Nothing is changing.
The aliens were already going to put in an appearance and the communication devices and Earth aren’t the problem – it’s what the characters do while there.
Except what they do while on Earth is the same as what they do on the ship. The only difference is that on Earth the thin veneer of sci-fi can’t cover the ugly soap beneath.
There is no change here – it’s just a PR manoeuvre to lure some viewers back.
Ive been watching stargate for most of my life i was there at the begining for the first episode and have loved every minute of it was very upset whn they cancled sg1 thn atlantis and was looking forward to sgu now tht ive seen it im so dissapionted i agree u cannot call this a stargate show it goes against everything stargate is a drama with satrgate as a name only it just doesnt work. add to the fact tht the writers cant even get there ancient history correct so that the timeline doesnt make sense it just frustrates… Read more »
The title of the article is misleading – there are no real changes. Cooper says it himself – “The show was always intended to be a drama and about people who are struggling to survive,” “There is a sci-fi element, but it was never going to turn into the ‘alien of the week.’
A real change would be less drama and more than just an element of sci-fi.
“Our interaction is handled in a very Universe way — they’re not the typical Stargate alien bad guys.” Will they be dealing with these aliens without pants?
Yes, alas it will just be more of the same badly written soap, with few if any redeeming features.
[…] […]
The changes in the second half of season one will probably be minimal even if the writers where getting concerned about some things. As they’re busy writing season two now my hope is they will take into account the comments people have been leaving and implement some more change.
[…] GateWorld-ön: https://www.gateworld.net/news/2009/12/stargate-universe-renewed-for-second-season/, https://www.gateworld.net/news/2009/12/cooper-on-changes-in-sgus-future/, […]
Find a tecnobabble way to use the Stargate, rescue all the losers and then replace the entire cast with better characters. All with the stroke of a pen…er…click of a keyboard.
Why do these SGU threads have to be so negative & bitchy! No amount of moaning will bring Atlantis back (and I too would have liked to see at least one more season), and as for “they don’t listen to their fan base…” the franchise is a business – SGU should be praised for being different enough to attract new people. Fans of SG1 & SGA should accept that those shows are finished and either like SGU for what it is, or don’t like and don’t watch it. Either way, not come on here, bitching and moaning thinking you’re going… Read more »
What a bunch of promo babble. Try talking without saying you’re “creative” or saying female without saying “strong”. The series is exactly the pablum the fans were afraid of. I wish he’d just admit he’s just run over the type of fans that own at least a hundred bucks of discs and they’re just demographic roadkill at this point. Keep writing the network to can it and try again. Nothing’s going to change, not even this second wave of PR and the ludicrous 1/2 DVD set being promoted. Why isn’t someone organizing a dump SGU site? I’m sure not letting… Read more »
Just a couple of thoughts about the “introduction of a District 9 style alien.” Now granted, not much is said other than the above statement, but it implies that the aliens will ‘look’ like the D-9 aliens, and ultimately this doesn’t matter. What the aliens end up looking like is far less important/interesting than what their culture/motivations are. They can look like *anything* and would just as likely be a warmongering race, as they would be a race of nearly brainless frogs that do nothing but wonder around and eat bugs and mud. Now on the other hand, if by… Read more »
it they think i’ll learn to love the show that totally won’t happen lol all i can say is that is totally not gonna bring all your loyal sg fans that u lost to come back and watch this show lol
I think what he means by D-9 aliens is that they won’t be the just-happened-to-be-human-and-speak-English aliens that we’re used to in SG-1 and SGA. They may not necessarily mean a carbon copy of the aliens in an attempt to ride the coattails of something popular. I think they mean that they’re starting to explore the new, more alien of the aliens, without going into things like clouds of hive-minded bugs (which isn’t to say that those things weren’t neat). For those of you who’ve read Ender’s Game (like myself) you may have a better idea of what to expect with… Read more »
This is the first time I’ve really seen fan feedback on SGU here and I’m surprised so many people don’t seem to like it. For me, personally – speaking as someone who watched SG1 from the very beginning – I think SGU is actually a lot better than either of the other two shows. The main difference is that it’s a more mature form of storytelling – I’m 26 now and watching back the old SG1 episodes can be a bit embarrassing to say the least. I also love the fact that SGU has one continuous story broken into episodes… Read more »
@macabremagpie: Mature form of story telling? The Stargate Franchise was built on a concept. A gate to the stars. It was: dial a few chevrons, Send a MALP or FRED or whatever, then send a team, explore etc., It was successful enough for 15 seasons. There was actual SciFi content. If the creators wanted to be creative, then they could’ve simply brought this new rubbish as “from the Creators of Stargate”. most people dont watch Days of our lives for Science Fiction, and that’s character driven Drama. then why would we watch a Science Fiction Genre to get a dose… Read more »
“Atlantis didn’t require a tie in to SG-1, heck infact, it was preferred that there was no tie in, to Carter, Wolsey or anyone else.”
Not sure if memory serves wasn’t Carter on SG-1?
@Scott Watson: gosh! read the whole darn thing, not 2 words. Said “didn’t need the tie in” in fact it didn’t add anything to the series bringing her in. Her place was in SG-1, not Atlantis. The producers messed up that too. since Atlantis was Wier’s home, and no one elses. After they sent Carter packing back, They brought in Woolsey, the Robot. This seris started to sag around the 4th season? wasn’t that the time they decided to bring in Carter to make matters worse?
@USO6154 Unlike you, it seems, I don’t judge the series on what “events of SciFi importance” have or haven’t occured and it isn’t even something that has threatened to cross my mind – and infact, it’s not even broadcast on the Sci-Fi channel in the UK, where I am, so I don’t go into it with any expectations about what Sci-Fi standards it has to meet. Atlantis may have had more likeable characters but I would have thought it was deliberate that most of the main SGU cast blur the line – Rush, for example, is my favourite character by… Read more »
@USO6154 I often find myself somewhat agreeing with your comments, that is if I don’t check my feelings. At first I was really pissed off about a few directional issues tptb had taken but I find I have cooled down somewhat. You on the other hand seem to be holding a serious grudge. Though your opinion may hold merit it may get lost a bit in the wildness of your words so to speak. But anywayz, in this case I also agree with you when you say that Carter’s place was not on Atlantis. And Weir should have stayed. Woolsey… Read more »
@mistergroenevingers I’ve never covered up that I have a serious grudge. Infact, Here you go: “I have a Serious grudge about cancelling SGA for absolutely no good reason and giving us this drivel, which may soon turn out to be either in the latter part of Season 1 or Right from the get go of Season 2.” This “experiment in creativity” benefits the producers only, at the cost of the Franchise fan who stood behind the franchise for the last 15 seasons. Tell your story whichever way you please, but you didn’t have to do it at the cost of… Read more »
When things evolve wrong…they go extinct. Instead of evolving towards a drama, they should have taken a step farther into the sci-fi realm.
@nkilbourn A rather redundant metaphor that when “things evolve wrong they go extinct”, considering SGU just got picked up for a second season…
@USO6154 I never actually said I started watching when I was 13, you made that assumption. I actually started watching when I was 17, from picking the DVDs up having seen the film. I would have mentioned in the last reply, but it seemed rather irrelevant..
@USO6154
It’s not that I disagree with you. It’s not even that I don’t have the same sentiments as you.
It’s just that I’m sort of on an anger management course and am trying just to be happy. ;)
@macabremagpie
Who needs drama? There’s more than enough of it in real life.
Seriously who plays with dolls? Why are those things even made?? Aren’t there Jack and Sam dolls? And if not, why not?
@US06154 “I have a Serious grudge about cancelling SGA for absolutely no good reason” Kinda agree with you here, even though I like SGU, SGA did have at least 1 more season in it in my opinion. “at the cost of the Franchise fan who stood behind the franchise for the last 15 seasons” Thats the main issue at the moment, SGU has more or less split those said fans due to there individual tastes and each side has taken up the role of either bashing or defending the show which has turned into a never ending argument. I apologise… Read more »
What a pretty bunch of strawmen the interviewer set up for Mr. Cooper to knock down! Do they bother reading actual fan criticisms or are they just regurgitating the hyperbole, red herrings, and spin spewed out of Mr. Mallozzi’s blog?
I agree that Universe is not Stargate but that doesn’t stop it from being a good show. Losing Atlantis was hard but if the writers have lost interest, there wouldn’t be much point in continuing. I think the widespread praise for Battlestar is behind the switch to a character driven show. To me, Battlestar was a soap opera in space and I gave up after three seasons because I didn’t like the characters. So far I like the people on Universe, especially Col. Young, and I want to keep watching. It’s possible that it might get too soap opera at… Read more »
Simple fact is I think, that for half of fans currently watching SGU, the hardcore “Scifi” Stargate fans. Simply find themselves watching SGU because of the lack of any other major Scifi franchise at the moment. If however MGM, another scifi franchise were to be released and you found Universe competing with it, Im pretty sure you would find your ratings halfed drastically. Stargate Universe, while being watchable simply cannot compete. Try it MGM, create Atlantis Season 6 and run it in competion with SGU, I bet you dont like the results. Your massive budge Universe title wouldnt last 5… Read more »
I agree with the last statement… the only reason I keep coming back to gateworld is in hopes of seeing news on Sg-1 or Atlantis movies… I still have the last episode of SGU half ssn finale on dvr, yet to be watched. I have to wait till I am really desperate. And whats up with 4-5 months in between the 1 half and second half of the ssn and why on earth would they sell it that way? I am looking as hard as I can to find something to make me hang on just a little longer and… Read more »
If this is evolution, then I’m an Ancient! =)) Moreover if I like meat loaf, there is not way you can feed me a fish pie I hate and plus make me like it! Why keep calling to the old audience if you wanted new? He did say it himself here, so we do have all the rights to reply “We don’t like it, so we won’t eat it!” And if you do want old fans for the sake of commerce, it is simple – invent another dish with meat instead of fish at least if you came to hate… Read more »
Oh my god, will everyone please quit spreading your hate messages for SGU…We get it, you do not like SGU yet for some reason you must be clearly watching it in order to spread your hate messages and have them be correct. If you don’t like it don’t watch it. Simple… I agree that the Stargate should be used more in the series but if you stop and think back to Atlantis, or even SG-1 the Stargate wasn’t always being used. I also believed that they were over using the communcation stones too, but still, there is a flaw in… Read more »
@WillKatt: sga movie is not going to happen i lost all hope with this and what joe f. indicated at the LA convention that he hasnt heard or been approached by TPTB. hopefully they change their minds and film it. :)
Dont like the show it’s boring as hell, it’s like watching Coronation Street on uk tv. No action plot lines are dire to say the least and no action, and your telling me they have gone all round that ship and found nothing! please ^^.
Bring back stargate sg1 and atlantis best shows ever done.
Well ukpred, they haven’t actually gone round the ship since it’s locked down for the largest part. But like you I wish they would have been able to explore a bit more of the ship. Perhaps they will be able to in the second half of the season.
they need to bring Rodney in using the communication stones….
@mightyunicorn Why do people assume that he or Carter would have any better luck than Rush to access the ships systems. Rush has had a big head start and after all the time they have been on the Destiny he still hasn’t managed to access the ships systems, I doubt Carter & especially Mckay would like to spend an extended period of time in someone else’s body. Atlantis was very user friendly but because the Destiny pre-dates the use of the Ancient gene the ships systems have paranoid security to protect them. I would be willing to bet that Rush… Read more »
Well… He might be pretty smart. But is he as smart as Carter and Rodney? Hmmm… I dunno. Let’s have a vote on that one. ;)
I don’t really care if they decided to go with the new direction. Great for them. But what they came up with just didn’t do it for me. 1) Characters – There isn’t one character I care for. 2) Plot – Yes I got it. They want it to be real life like situations. Only people in reality TV act like those people on Destiny. 3) Camera – Please stop the shaking camera. I can handle the ONE camera they have that they keep moving swinging around to focus on a character. But they really need to stop moving it… Read more »
Budget constraints are probably limiting the storylines, using the basic sets as much as possible. I get the feeling that this show has as small of a budget as BSG. There is large cast, too, that I think they’ll be whittling down. When you have episodes with complex sets like the jungle world, I bet it forces them to do less on other episodes. I’m really surprised they are not using more virtual sets, I really thought that was the way they were going to go to make the fantasy series affordable. Farscape and Babylon 5 were a real treat… Read more »
My suggestion would be – if the writers are psyched about having ‘heavy drama’ on the show, that’s acceptable as long as the drama has quality.
The current drama is more like a reality show made even dumber.
Characters hate each other and have anger bursts for no reason what so ever, threesomes by Telford, Young and ex-wife through a stones malfunction etc.
This is an insult to any viewer, whether a scifi fan or a drama fan. I think even for reality show fans.
So writers – if you want to be drama heavy, at least do it right.