Anti-Shep/Teyla AND Anti-Shep/Weir

[maxbo]

I had forgotten about this thread. Thanks for digging it up because I don't feel comfortable posting in the Anti-Shep/Teyla thread, since I'm also not a Shep/Elizabeth shipper.

I just read that Joe M. said there won't be any overt Shep/Teyla in Season 5 and I hope he doesn't change his mind because I always felt that shipping Elizabeth or Teyla with Shep would have led to even worse writing for them because they would have been written as just Shep's girlfriend instead of as characters in their own right.

As much as I complain about the writing for both characters, IMO it would have been even worse if they had been shipped.

[starfox]

I just read that Joe M. said there won't be any overt Shep/Teyla in Season 5 and I hope he doesn't change his mind because I always felt that shipping Elizabeth or Teyla with Shep would have led to even worse writing for them because they would have been written as just Shep's girlfriend instead of as characters in their own right.

Amen. That's one of the things I'm really afraid of and one of the reasons I don't want to see Shep in a relationship. He's the action-hero, he's the one they paint as a star. He's the Indiana Jones/Han Solo/James Bond/insert your favorite movie bad-a** here. Even though he's not always the one to save the day, he has been written as a pivotal character in a way no one else except Rodney has been. A heterosexual relationship with Sheppard would eclipse whoever he was dating, simply because none of the women on the show have been written strongly enough to maintain a strong presence of their own while under the mantle of "Sheppard's woman." And with Teyla or Elizabeth, I think it would become a matter of being Sheppard's woman, of the impact the relationship would have on him, not the impact the relationship would have on her. We're missing a strong p.o.v from the female characters on this show, and until we get one, Shep needs to stick to alien babes, or off-screen characters I don't care about.

Oh, and then there's the whole chain-of-command issue. But don't get me started on that.

[Killdeer]

I had forgotten about this thread. Thanks for digging it up because I don't feel comfortable posting in the Anti-Shep/Teyla thread, since I'm also not a Shep/Elizabeth shipper.

Well, I post over there frequently, and I'm not a Sparky shipper. But I can understand not feeling comfortable. That's why I used to try so hard to keep other anti-ship threads like this one alive. But that thread gets more activity, and they're pretty good about keeping the pro-Sparky stuff out since they know not everyone (like me) is pro-Sparky.

I just read that Joe M. said there won't be any overt Shep/Teyla in Season 5 and I hope he doesn't change his mind because I always felt that shipping Elizabeth or Teyla with Shep would have led to even worse writing for them because they would have been written as just Shep's girlfriend instead of as characters in their own right.

As much as I complain about the writing for both characters, IMO it would have been even worse if they had been shipped.

Yeah, I'm relieved that it won't be blatant, but I'm still a little concerned. I went through the whole Jack/Sam/Pete thing, and I'll bet they never would have said that they were going to do romance with Jack & Sam either.

A heterosexual relationship with Sheppard would eclipse whoever he was dating, simply because none of the women on the show have been written strongly enough to maintain a strong presence of their own while under the mantle of "Sheppard's woman." And with Teyla or Elizabeth, I think it would become a matter of being Sheppard's woman, of the impact the relationship would have on him, not the impact the relationship would have on her. We're missing a strong p.o.v from the female characters on this show, and until we get one, Shep needs to stick to alien babes, or off-screen characters I don't care about.

You make some really great points here. I don't know that I'd thought about it in exactly that way, but it makes sense.

Oh, and then there's the whole chain-of-command issue. But don't get me started on that.

Oh please do get started! I'd love to read your thoughts on the subject.

[kali1]

Cool thread!!! I really do not want to see Shep with Teyla or Elizabeth.

[maxbo]

Amen. That's one of the things I'm really afraid of and one of the reasons I don't want to see Shep in a relationship. He's the action-hero, he's the one they paint as a star. He's the Indiana Jones/Han Solo/James Bond/insert your favorite movie bad-a** here. Even though he's not always the one to save the day, he has been written as a pivotal character in a way no one else except Rodney has been. A heterosexual relationship with Sheppard would eclipse whoever he was dating, simply because none of the women on the show have been written strongly enough to maintain a strong presence of their own while under the mantle of "Sheppard's woman." And with Teyla or Elizabeth, I think it would become a matter of being Sheppard's woman, of the impact the relationship would have on him, not the impact the relationship would have on her. We're missing a strong p.o.v from the female characters on this show, and until we get one, Shep needs to stick to alien babes, or off-screen characters I don't care about.

Oh, and then there's the whole chain-of-command issue. But don't get me started on that.

Good point, Shep is the action-hero star and action-hero stars usually eclipse the women they're with. Your examples of James Bond and Indiana Jones are perfect because while they are well-known, the women they've been with over the years are not. That's one reason why I've never been able to ship Shep with Teyla or Elizabeth because even though TPTB haven't developed him as much as I would like, he still receives much more focus than either woman.

I remember reading the pre-airing SGA character descriptions where Teyla was described as a possible love interest for Sheppard, yet Sheppard's character description was all about Sheppard and didn't mention Teyla at all. In other worlds, Sheppard was to be a character in his own right, yet Teyla was to be Sheppard's woman. I was relieved when TPTB didn't follow up on that in Season 1 and actually wrote Teyla as an individual character.

I also remember, during Season 2, when posters on this board were speculating that Elizabeth would be written as being more concerned about Sheppard's well-being, when he was missing or late calling in, than she was about other off-world team members. Once again I was relieved that TPTB didn't go down that route because if they had, then Elizabeth would have been seen as Sheppard's woman instead of as the objective leader of Atlantis.

In addition to Sheppard overshadowing the women, I've always found it hard to believe that Teyla or Elizabeth would put up with Sheppard's inability to comfortably open up on a personal level. Although Elizabeth and Teyla are also reserved individuals, I can see them opening up in a relationship - unlike my boy Sheppard.

Sheppard is so bottled up emotionally that I've always thought that Heightmeyer was chomping at the bit to do an in-depth study of him to find out how he got that way.

Well, I post over there frequently, and I'm not a Sparky shipper. But I can understand not feeling comfortable. That's why I used to try so hard to keep other anti-ship threads like this one alive. But that thread gets more activity, and they're pretty good about keeping the pro-Sparky stuff out since they know not everyone (like me) is pro-Sparky.

I've been reading that thread recently and you're right, they've been good about keeping pro-Elizabeth/Sheppard stuff out recently.

Cool thread!!! I really do not want to see Shep with Teyla or Elizabeth.

Yep, this is a cool thread.

[chuckyducky]

Good point, Shep is the action-hero star and action-hero stars usually eclipse the women they're with. Your examples of James Bond and Indiana Jones are perfect because while they are well-known, the women they've been with over the years are not. That's one reason why I've never been able to ship Shep with Teyla or Elizabeth because even though TPTB haven't developed him as much as I would like, he still receives much more focus than either woman.

I remember reading the pre-airing SGA character descriptions where Teyla was described as a possible love interest for Sheppard, yet Sheppard's character description was all about Sheppard and didn't mention Teyla at all. In other worlds, Sheppard was to be a character in his own right, yet Teyla was to be Sheppard's woman. I was relieved when TPTB didn't follow up on that in Season 1 and actually wrote Teyla as an individual character.

I also remember, during Season 2, when posters on this board were speculating that Elizabeth would be written as being more concerned about Sheppard's well-being, when he was missing or late calling in, than she was about other off-world team members. Once again I was relieved that TPTB didn't go down that route because if they had, then Elizabeth would have been seen as Sheppard's woman instead of as the objective leader of Atlantis.

In addition to Sheppard overshadowing the women, I've always found it hard to believe that Teyla or Elizabeth would put up with Sheppard's inability to comfortably open up on a personal level. Although Elizabeth and Teyla are also reserved individuals, I can see them opening up in a relationship - unlike my boy Sheppard.

Sheppard is so bottled up emotionally that I've always thought that Heightmeyer was chomping at the bit to do an in-depth study of him to find out how he got that way.



I've been reading that thread recently and you're right, they've been good about keeping pro-Elizabeth/Sheppard stuff out recently.



Yep, this is a cool thread.

Hi Maxbo,

(Responding to the bold text...)

I'm the complete opposite. I expected both Teyla and Elizabeth to act professionally, and they did. I never expected either women to "put-up" with Sheppard's emotional "hang-ups".

Similar to what you've stated earlier in your post, the only acknowledgement I wanted to see was the nature and quality of combat and military effectiveness; as well as an ability to conduct and direct successful off-world expeditions. That's as far as I wanted their relationship (with Sheppard) to go.

Maybe earlier in Season 1, I might've wished for more but as I look back, I'm satisfied with how each relationship had developed.

[maxbo]

Hi Maxbo,

(Responding to the bold text...)

I'm the complete opposite. I expected both Teyla and Elizabeth to act professionally, and they did. I never expected either women to "put-up" with Sheppard's emotional "hang-ups".

Similar to what you've stated earlier in your post, the only acknowledgement I wanted to see was the nature and quality of combat and military effectiveness; as well as an ability to conduct and direct successful off-world expeditions. That's as far as I wanted their relationship (with Sheppard) to go.

Maybe earlier in Season 1, I might've wished for more but as I look back, I'm satisfied with how each relationship had developed.

Hi chuckyducky, you misunderstood my post. Of course Elizabeth and Teyla behaved professionally, as did Sheppard. I was listing reasons why I didn't see a personal relationship between those characters. In a personal relationship, I couldn't see Teyla or Elizabeth having patience with Sheppard's inability to open up to them. However, as his friends, I can see them accepting him as he is.

[chuckyducky]

Hi chuckyducky, you misunderstood my post. Of course Elizabeth and Teyla behaved professionally, as did Sheppard. I was listing reasons why I didn't see a personal relationship between those characters. In a personal relationship, I couldn't see Teyla or Elizabeth having patience with Sheppard's inability to open up to them. However, as his friends, I can see them accepting him as he is.

Oh! Okay, thank you! I missed that part!

Well, that changes everything. Now, I can see where you were coming from.

[PuddleJumper42]

I just came across this thread and I'm glad I did. (I've been hoping a thread like this existed for some time now.)

Either pairing just puts me off (the stuff in S&R was particularly bad, IMO), but I do like Sheppard (and to some extent Weir and Teyla) in other pairings (though that's a discussion for a different thread).