Even I can't deny that Atlantis has been disappointing this season. A few good episodes (notably the mid-season batch) but the standalones have been wanting. Worse still IMO is the non-addition of Amanda Tapping as the new commanding officer this season, where she has mostly made a difference by NOT BEING AROUND all the time. In last week's passable episode "Outcast", Carter was there all of two seconds before she disappeared.
It's recently been announced that Amanda Tapping will not be returning in Atlantis' fifth season, which begins production shortly. Tapping is instead heading up her own show for Sci-Fi, "Sanctuary". Echoing the one year that Jack O'Neil was in charge of the SGC, Atlantis is looking for its third commanding officer in two years. Well, if they needed a doctor, they've got one:
Picardo has done twelve episodes of SG-1 and Atlantis already, and is a fairly popular guest star. His appointment to Atlantis commander will be effective in the new season. With luck, they'll actually give him something to DO this year, unlike Tapping's "I'm here BUT I'M LEAVING NOW!" presence.
And for even more Doctor news: Paul McGillion will be returning in season five for several episodes as the popular Doctor Beckett; Jewel Staite apparently stays on as the regular medical officer Doctor Keller. Michael Shanks will be guesting for several episodes as Doctor Jackson. Colonel/Doctor Carter isn't done yet on the show, and will guest on "several" episodes presumably to pass the torch to Woolsey. I'm okay with this change, but I just hope that the writers would actually DO something with it.
Mark
Posted by B.J. (Member # 858) on :
Buh??!?
"The team..... must adjust to his unique leadership style." Um, isn't he basically an ANALYST? I mean, he doesn't have a leadership style because he's not a leader!
While I don't doubt the ability of the writers to pull this off in some fashion, I question WHY they did it. I don't think a person in his position and with his skills would be in the running for a position like that.
Posted by Reverend (Member # 335) on :
Like with most of the characters on Atlantis, the problem is in the writing. They seam to settle in on using two or three characters all the time to the point where the others get neglected and tend to get the odd focus episode just to stop the actor from walking. Or not in the case of Ford. With Carter they have the big problem of already having a resident genius on staff (McKay) and they already have a strong military leader (Shepard) so they've ended up using her even less than Weir because at least Weir could be a source of argument with the Civilian and Military priorities not lining up all the time. Carter is a full bird Colonel so arguments are pretty much out, plus the audience is already very familiar with her and LIKE her, so they can't make her role antagonistic like they tend to do with the two Daedalus commanders.
It's a shame because I was looking forward to seeing Carter's inclusion shake up the formula a bit, but alas they just fell back in to the old pattern. Disappointing, if not totally unexpected.
Picardo on the other hand seams like a step backward. Even though I like his character and as an actor has a very good range (he played one of exactly 3 characters on Voyager that were even slightly interesting) so hopefully he'll keep things a little more interesting.
Personally I'm waiting for the episode where Ronin and Teal'c get to meet and growl at each other. I understand it's coming up soon. Posted by Krenim (Member # 22) on :
Computer, activate Emergency Command Hologram...
Posted by The Ginger Beacon (Member # 1585) on :
The one thing that buggrd me about that is: if he was a "command" hologram, why didn't he get Shatners toup�e?
I've given up on SGA to be honest - it just got a bit boring after a while. I haven't seen any of the new season avec Carter, but from what I've heard, I don't think I'll loose any sleap over that.
Posted by Mark Nguyen (Member # 469) on :
Brief mention was made of HIM taking over Atlantis early this year. Apparently, Woolsey was on the short list when they decided they would drop Weir. And, they made a competetive bid to Tapping to stay on as Carter, but she opted for her own show instead.
The thing about Woolsey is that his character has always functioned as a spy or mouthpiece for unseen superiors. But he is a VERY moral character, something made stronger by his experiences with SG-1 and subsequently the NID and IOA. The IOA appointed Carter and would of course be the one to appoint Woolsey, so we'll see if he gets a chracter arc that will let him be his own man for a change and not a "Captain Esteban" for the bigwigs back home.
Mark
Posted by Pensive's Wetness (Member # 1203) on :
Why has the season sucked? How did the spector of the currently ongoing writter's strike linger in the thoughts of all the guild members? maybe the shite stories started when they were not at thier best before they completely stopped filming?
Or rather, look at it this way? what other currently running serieals also look fucked-up from lack-of-writting-focus?
Posted by Daniel Butler (Member # 1689) on :
Canadian show. Writer's strike didn't affect. We've been over this, with me at the butt end of being told off because they're Canadian, remember?
I didn't even watch last week's. Maybe I'll catch it online. I notice there hasn't been a thread for the past two or three episodes; I certainly didn't like them enough to start one. I couldn't even come up with anything interesting to say. It's all just formulaic and predictable. Recycled plots and storylines, bits from different places stuck back together in a 'new' pattern that really isn't all that new.
I think that blog post I read somewhere is right - the Stargate franchise is getting stale and needs to be dropped. I hate to say it because I *love* Stargate, but I'd rather they just end it after season 5 then continue on with a mediocre 6th season and ruin my good memories of it.
Posted by Zipacna (Member # 1881) on :
I have misgivings about this. Picardo is a good actor, and Woolsey is an interesting character. But as a leader it's just not realistic. The times we've seen him try to make a decision in the two series, it's invariably been the wrong decision he's tried to make (such as that episode where he wanted to fire on the Wraith hives rather than cloak the city and keep up the subterfuge). Really it's just not realistic that someone like him would be put in charge of anything.
Stargate though seems to be suffering what Trek did a few years ago. It's been in production now without a break for decade, and things are getting tired and stale. What is needed is either new blood or a rest, 'cause really churning out what is now season after season of generic sci fi isn't a good thing. It's sad as there's so much potential in the Stargate concept that is going untapped, but it needs someone to take a chance on exploring these new avenues rather than falling into the same over-used formula of story telling.
Posted by OverRon (Member # 2036) on :
quote:Originally posted by Mark Nguyen: Even I can't deny that Atlantis has been disappointing this season. A few good episodes (notably the mid-season batch) but the standalones have been wanting.
Been busy with RL for a while, but I have to agree on that. They said somewhere that this season was meant to be "darker" and "grittier," but TBH it's just been boring. The few arc eps involving the bads guys were good, but the filler episodes have been sub-par, surely they could write better episodes than these?
As for "The Doctor" joining the cast, I'm not sure how that's gonna turn out, Picardo is a good actor and all, and like Reverend said he played one of the best characters on Voyager, but Woolsey's character does not strike me as someone who could even run the SGA. Short of Woolsey having a complete character change like Carter, once he becomes a fixed member of the cast.
Posted by Daniel Butler (Member # 1689) on :
I'm disgruntled. I've hated Woolsey intensely since the first episode he ever appeared in. Which is a credit to Picardo's acting, but it means I'll never accept him as a leader, and I bet many others won't either.
Posted by Reverend (Member # 335) on :
I suppose it depends on the story. There is a difference between a boss and a leader. I don't know about anyone else, I've had lots of bosses, but I wouldn't call many of them leaders.
Posted by Daniel Butler (Member # 1689) on :
That's a fair point. I sure hope they don't start basing storylines of Woolsey being a dick though.
Posted by WizArtist II (Member # 1425) on :
Well it could be a refreshing change from the "Everbody Loves Weir" routine. I had really anticipated a lot of Carter vs. McKay antics but that just hasn't happened. Its kinda like the final season of O'neall on SG-1. He's there but....not REALLY.
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