Why did they get rid of Paul McGillion from the show? Why did they kill of Beckett!?! WHY!?! That just sucks.
That makes two doctors now they shouldn't have gotten rid of - Fraiser and Beckett. He was one of my favourite characters in SGA.
*sniff*
Andrew
Posted by Fabrux (Member # 71) on :
He wanted out, IIRC. But just as a temporary basis. They killed his character off anyways.
Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
Kinda makes sense from a storytelling POV though- the SGA team had become nigh-unstoppable legends in the pegasus galaxy in like two year's time (up to something like 14 Wraith Hive Ships destroyed now). Sometimes bad shit happens to the good guys too, ya know?
Still, I really liked his character and I think SGA is the best ongoing Sci-fi out just now.
Posted by AndrewR (Member # 44) on :
HE wanted out hey? Oh drats.
I was reading this stupid review in the paper the otherday about Stargate Atlantis. The person was praising the great Science Fiction ideas that they came up with everyweek - but then blamed the show's downfall on the acting. I don't think the acting is bad?? Anyone?
Maybe... Ronin.
I think the television review was just full o' crap - or he was a closet fan - he wanted to praise the show but was worried he'd be shot down/told to edit his article if he just praised it out-right.
Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
I think the acting is some of the best on TV- screw that guy. I'm not real happy about Carter joining up though- McCay is much cooler and do we really need two uber-brains on the show?
Posted by MinutiaeMan (Member # 444) on :
I'm really torn; although Atlantis has had some interesting premises and some real promise, the whole show has not lived up to its potential. Sheppard and McKay are such strong characters that they overshadow everyone else, and the writers don't seem to know what to do with the others.
Weir is a great character, almost an anti-Janeway, but she hardly gets any real activity most of the time. There was some interesting conflict with Colonel Caldwell, but that's seemed to simmer down too quickly. And so what do they do? Relegate Weir to recurring character status (or so the rumor goes for season four).
The same thing happened with Ford; he had some interesting scenes to start with, and Francks was a pretty decent actor too (as his later Crazy!Ford episodes demonstrate), but the writers didn't know what to do with him other than that he likes to blow shit up and Sheppard won't let him name anything.
Then they bring in Ronin, who strikes me as a rather lame ripoff (in manner and appearance) of Tyr Anasazi from Andromeda (an overall lousy show, but with a few rare glimmers of brilliance). Aside from muscle, what does he really bring to the team and show? He's like an overgrown puppy dog that followed Sheppard home one day; he asked mom (Weir) if he could keep him, and occasionally he has to whack Ronin for peeing on the carpet or whatever.
Then there's Teyla, who's gotten very little story development either. Other than "my people" this and "my people" that... one of my friends came up with a rather crude but amusing joke: every time that Teyla mentions "my people," pretend she's referring to her boobs! (i.e. "My people are proud and strong...") It's cheesy, but what can I say? She's not that interesting otherwise.
Other than Sheppard and McKay, the only other remotely interesting characters were Weir and Beckett. And then Beckett's gone. From a fucking exploding tumor. I mean, that's right up there in Tasha Yar territory with respect to pointlessness.
Then there's the series arc... the writers obviously had all sorts of plans for the Wraith, and although they were a little cheesy with the overdone horror schtick, they were still intriguing villains. But apparently the writers are either bored or out of ideas, because they're abandoning the Wraith for new ripoffs of the Replicators. Why? At least the Wraith had some kind of purpose, motive, and goal. But the neo-Replicators? What do they have other than wanting to blow up Atlantis or whatever, and get lots of revenge? It makes no sense!
I think that Atlantis is still lost, as if it was trying to find its identity, wasn't happy with what it found, and then decided to try and reinvent itself. The first season was IMO excellent; the second season was disappointing but decent; the storyline to ax Ford was good on its own, but I'd rather they have kept Ford around and not brought in Ronin. And do something with friggin' Weir, Beckett, and Telya, dammit!
I think the main reason for SG-1's success was simply the amazing team dynamic of the Big Four plus Hammond. The chemistry between all of them was what sustained everyone through the years, because each character was strong and well-developed equally. But there's such uneven focus on Atlantis, and that's the show's failing.
</rant>
Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
I cant agree- I think second season really shines (having watched it on DVD last week- I missed most of it's initial run) and I'll take steryotypical baddass Ronin over Ford's crazy insecurities any old day. Season 3 (what I've seen) is better still.
I'd much rather see Rodney's sister become a regular than Carter (the only boring member of SG1, for christ's sake!).
Hell, I'm hoping they bring Jonas in to lead the new series.
Posted by Mucus (Member # 24) on :
I'd fully have to agree with MinutiaeMan. Weir and Teyla are horribly underused, especially Weir, the actress for whom seems to be capable of a lot more than what she gets.
The only cast change I liked was getting rid of Ford, but instead of introducing Ronin they should have just taken the opportunity to concentrate on the remaining characters.
I never made the Ronin Tyr connection, but thats very true as well. Ronin is like the cheesy pandering, common lowest denominator, action part of Tyr, but none of the interesting Machiavellian scheming or evolved sensibility/outlook on life.
The cast changes in Atlantis seem crummy and uninspired, especially odd when SG1 changed/added the two team members and the general, which is a much bigger change, but the result I felt was pretty good.
Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
I sorta like Teyla- she's cool, if underdeveloped at times- and Teyla's spooky singing was a great in the episode where her old pal croaks.
Ronin's really not so bad- at least he does not even each sentence with "Daniel Jackson" like some charcaters...needs a bit more background.
That's a fun challenge- talk like T'Alc for a day!
I would NOT call the character Ronin "pandering". "Pandering" is inporting half of farscape's cast in to boost ratings.
Posted by Mark Nguyen (Member # 469) on :
The fans have a pretty good track record of getting departed actors back on Stargate, don't they?
Mark
Posted by Reverend (Member # 335) on :
quote:I'm not real happy about Carter joining up though- McCay is much cooler and do we really need two uber-brains on the show?
Depends on how they play it. From one stand point it could give Sam some much needed development by putting her in a Command position, plus she already has good chemistry with Rodney. On the other hand, as you say having two PHDs in astrophysics and technobabbleometry on the team may undermine the plot structure a little. By that I mean McKay no longer needs to explain crazy scheme-A because his Carter would already know. Mind you, knowing McKay he'll explain it all anyway and comedy ensues.
quote:I would NOT call the character Ronin "pandering". "Pandering" is inporting half of farscape's cast in to boost ratings.
To be fair, Stargate as a franchise is like a retirement home for out of work sci-fi actors, not just former Farscape actors. Actually, I'm surprised some of the others haven't turned up. Gigi Edgley would make a good Wrath Queen...well, a slightly concussed adolesent Wrath Queen anyway.
The fans have a pretty good track record of getting departed actors back on Stargate, don't they?
Mark
Lets start a pool! My money is on "replicator duplicate with Carson's memories", any takers?
Posted by Reverend (Member # 335) on :
whoops, double post
Posted by Mucus (Member # 24) on :
quote: "Late in Season Three, we discussed the manner in which the character had been written out and the possible ways in which he could be brought back. I threw out an idea that not only brought Carson back, but answered a very big question I had concerning a late-season arc.
"In order to lay the groundwork for his possible return, we threaded a subtle hint into one of the late Season Three episodes. So, if fans want to know how we plan on bringing the good doctor back from the dead, they should seek out the hidden clue when the back half of Season Three returns to SCI FI this Friday, April 13th."
So its a late season arc thing, that was followed up by a subtle hint, and the hint (but maybe not the arc) takes place in an episode produced after the episode in which he gets taken out.
Weird,the only real arc I can think of is the Asuran arc. So maybe a question brought up by the two part "Return" and then followed by a hint in the finale?
Posted by AndrewR (Member # 44) on :
Is it possible he ascended?
Posted by Mark Nguyen (Member # 469) on :
It's not IM-possible, though I think it's a bit of a cop-out since SG-1 has used that as an excuse too. I'm hoping though that it ties in with his final scene with Rodney for that episode, and that he wasn't just speaking to his imagination.
Mark
Posted by TSN (Member # 31) on :
"On the other hand, as you say having two PHDs in astrophysics and technobabbleometry on the team may undermine the plot structure a little. By that I mean McKay no longer needs to explain crazy scheme-A because his Carter would already know."
He'd still have to explain it to everyone else, though.
"Gigi Edgley would make a good Wrath Queen...well, a slightly concussed adolesent Wrath Queen anyway."
All the Wraith Queens so far have been played by the same actress. I would assume this is intentional.
"Is it possible he ascended?"
I wouldn't think so. Supposedly, it takes a lifetime of study to ascend. Look how long Daniel had to linger before he managed it, even with help. I don't see how Beckett could have figured out how to do in the couple seconds it took him to get blown up.
Posted by Reverend (Member # 335) on :
quote:All the Wraith Queens so far have been played by the same actress. I would assume this is intentional.
So were all the Wrath males (the ones who's faces you could see anyway) until wotsizname from Enterprise showed up. All it might really mean is the Wrath reproduce asexually and have Human/Lantian gene pool which is limited to the original hosts. Of course that would beg the question, why have a Queen? Having said THAT, do we know a Queen has any function beyond controlling/guiding the hives? They may have nothing to do with reproduction like say an Ant Queen, at least not in a direct organic way.
quote:I wouldn't think so. Supposedly, it takes a lifetime of study to ascend. Look how long Daniel had to linger before he managed it, even with help. I don't see how Beckett could have figured out how to do in the couple seconds it took him to get blown up.
Well there was the people on Abbydos, they learned how to ascend rather sharpish, don't you think?
Of course I can't see any reason WHY he, specifically would ascend.
Posted by TSN (Member # 31) on :
"Well there was the people on Abbydos, they learned how to ascend rather sharpish, don't you think?"
That's a good point. I'd forgotten about them.
Makes one wonder what took Daniel so long, then.
Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
I think the people of Abbydos had the ascention done for them by Ooma the ascended bunch o' tenticles.
As to Doctor's ressurection, it'd be cool if it was something Michael arranged as payback for the fucking over he recieved at the good doctor's hands.... Maybe he'll become a Wraith- they do have the retrovirus after all: it'd be a biiig threat if they managed to reverse it.
Posted by Mark Nguyen (Member # 469) on :
There's a nice big interview with Paul McGillion on Gateworld:
![[Frown]](frown.gif)