As some had been suspecting, it looks like Rainbow Sun Francks is off the show as Lt. Aiden Ford. IMO it's no fault of the actor, but of the writers not being able to give him anything worthwhile to do. Trying to replicate the four-person team on Atlantis in the style of SG-1 (with two military types, a genius Earth civvie, and an alien guide) has apparently not worked.
Sheppard more than filled the role of wisecracking Earth military guy, and with no real other gap to fill in terms of jobs to do, Ford was left behind mostly to blow the occaisional thing up. Most of his interaction was with Dr. Beckett in an enjoyable antagonism, but hardly with the other regulars. So he's gone... And it looks like he gets to go out in a blaze of glory. Click to learn how. Mind you, doing this to Ford MIGHT be a reason to keep him around - but who knows...
His apparent replacement is Ronon Dex, a youngun from the Pegasus planet Atteria but also a warrior and weapons expert. We first run into him as a prey for the Wraith, where he first holds the team hostage before ultimately joining them. I'm guessing this will provide conflict with Teyla's POV while also keeping the team's muscle and kinship with Sheppard.
In other news, it seems that more regular contact with Earth is indeed introduced, as this third episode introduces Shep's new superior officer, Colonel Caldwell. It'll be interesting to figure out how this toys with the expidition dynamic, as now Sheppard (himself promoted to Lt. Colonel) now has a chain of command to disobey. And what about Wier? Is she still in overall command? Unlike Ford, she had a more important secondary role, and while it also drew criticism I thought it was working out...
Mark
PS - Ever wonder what the team nomenclature for Atlantis was supposed to be? While never introduced, Sheppard, Ford, Teyla and McKay were supposed to be called AR-1, for "Atlantis Recon". I dunno why they never got into it; maybe it's because we've still got an SG-1 roaming around out there.
PPS - After looking around a bit, more complete spoilers (though unsubstantiated) can be found here:
posted
Well, I thought that RSF was turning into an OK Character. I hate when they change cast members so early into a series.
I would say that as with what's-his-face Doggett that Weir will still be in charge - well she better be, I like her style. I like her rapport with McKay and Shepherd and Beckett.
This new guy might be accepted about as much as Jonas Quinn and after he arrives they'll end up realising they want Ford back. Ford brings the 'young-guy' quotient to the team - face it Shep, Teyla and McKay aren't exactly in their twenties. Ford is the same age as me - which is weird - when you put it into perspective - imagine being out there doing those sorts of things... at my age! LOL!
Registered: Mar 1999
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posted
Well looking at that more spoilerific web page - I sorta just skimmed it - maybe it'll be a case of Ford becoming a recurring character - maybe like Bratac, Jacob, Martouf or Thor?
-------------------- "Bears. Beets. Battlestar Galactica." - Jim Halpert. (The Office)
Alas, poor Francks. He'll be given more to do, but will become a recurring guy, or even be killed off over the course of the second season. Most fans were apparently of the "use him or lose him" attitude - nothing aginst the actor, but the producers obviously couldn't figure out how to use the character.
posted
I haven't read the links (because I don't want to read TOO many spoilers), but I think it's a real shame that they're dumping Ford like that. Yeah, he hasn't been given much to do yet, but that's no reason to take him off the main cast so soon. (Unless the actor specifically asked to be moved, that is.) I actually kinda liked him in the early episodes, where Sheppard decreed that Ford wasn't allowed to name anything they encountered. I thought that was really funny!
Well, as long as they're not just killing him off to get rid of him, it's not TOO bad...
-------------------- “Those people who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of us who do.” — Isaac Asimov Star Trek Minutiae | Memory Alpha
Registered: Nov 2000
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posted
They "Baywatch" casting spree continues... JASON MOMOA, late of that series' later seasons, has been cast as Ford replacement Ronon Dex. Never heard of the guy, but he's apparently a 6'5" Hawaiian guy with the Baywatch body to go with it. And dreads.
"Trying to replicate the four-person team on Atlantis in the style of SG-1 (with two military types, a genius Earth civvie, and an alien guide) has apparently not worked."
Well, there's a problem there. If it were just "two military types", the correlation would work. Except, Carter is also the team's science genius. Ford isn't.
Registered: Mar 1999
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posted
I think that was the problem with Atlantis' dynamic -- all of the roles got shifted around to some degree, leaving Ford with basically nothing to do. They were trying too much to replicate the setup of SG-1, but didn't get creative enough with Ford's background.
-------------------- “Those people who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of us who do.” — Isaac Asimov Star Trek Minutiae | Memory Alpha
Registered: Nov 2000
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