Omen (318)

[Alex Rubit]

Stargate: Horizon - Season Three
"Omen"

"Omen"
Ep: 3.18
Release Date: April 12, 2007
Story by Alex Rubit & Joe Hodkiss
Teleplay by Alex Rubit

Horizon receives a visitor from the future who hopes to fix an undesirable timeline. Their attempt to prevent a dark future from playing out leads Horizon-1 to an important clue regarding the Book of Nosah'trah.

[Alex Rubit]

The team gets a look at a possible but very much undesirable future, when an unusual visitor arrives through the gate. The first part of the seven episode finale arc is now available:

http://uk.geocities.com/alex_stargat...n/318_omen.pdf

Enjoy!

[Naonak]

Everything's gonna go to hell again over the next few episodes, isn't it? Typical.

I thought this was a good episode. It seems to have been quite a heavy set-up episode, but had plenty going for it to be able to stand on its own. Hey, gunfights and space battles are always good.

It might have been good for Old Christine to hang around for another episode or two, let the Young/Old relationship play out a bit slower. That was pretty well-written.

Final scene was unexpected, to say the least. Crap...

8/10

Bugger, I won't be able to get the next episodes for a couple of weeks!

(Just listened to the S1 promo theme, too - very seventies...)

[Lt. Colonel Ryu Gaia]

It was an okay episode. At least Christine now has had something that can be used to build off of in the future.

This would probably have been a lot more effective if it had been drawn out into a two-parter, the first part of which would actually have shown the progression of bad to worse in the timeline that Older Christine came from.

**1/2

[Alex Rubit]

It might have been good for Old Christine to hang around for another episode or two, let the Young/Old relationship play out a bit slower. That was pretty well-written.

We seriously considered keeping the older Christine around for a couple of more episodes. But there's just too much going on in the next episodes, and her presence would have only been a distraction. So once we couldn't find a good story for her somewhere in the midst of all that, we decided to have her be killed off at the end of this episode.

Final scene was unexpected, to say the least. Crap...

Yeah, I think there'll be some interesting things coming up with Der'ash over the course of the next couple of weeks.

[Alex Rubit]

At least Christine now has had something that can be used to build off of in the future.

Hmmm. I really don't think that we learned anything about Christine in this episode that we didn't already know from previous episodes in terms of her as a character.

This would probably have been a lot more effective if it had been drawn out into a two-parter

Actually, this is part one of seven.

The potential future older Christine comes from was never intended to play a major role in any of this. Much rather it's kind of a launching point for the arc.

[Lt. Colonel Ryu Gaia]

Hmmm. I really don't think that we learned anything about Christine in this episode that we didn't already know from previous episodes in terms of her as a character.

It's the first time in all the time that I've spent reading Horizon that we've seen her doubts about her own abilities coming into play in such force... and the first time in recent memory that she's had an episode all to herself.

Actually, this is part one of seven.

The potential future older Christine comes from was never intended to play a major role in any of this. Much rather it's kind of a launching point for the arc.

Nonetheless, her explanation didn't really quite leave the impression that showing what happenned could have. The future didn't seem as bleak as it would have if we had seen it.

[Alex Rubit]

It's the first time in all the time that I've spent reading Horizon that we've seen her doubts about her own abilities coming into play in such force...

You should check out "Starship Lost." That was all about her doubting herself, and questioning whether or not she really belonged on Horizon.

Between then and now she's developed a much stronger confidence in herself, which I think progressed nicely. But learning that in this potential future she made a mistake that led to such a disater, has brought back some of those self doubts. But that was part of her character from day one.

and the first time in recent memory that she's had an episode all to herself.

That's very true.

Nonetheless, her explanation didn't really quite leave the impression that showing what happenned could have.

It might actually still happen. They haven't found the Book just yet.

The future didn't seem as bleak as it would have if we had seen it.

The intent was never to show it, but much rather experience it from the character's view point of just being told about it. This episode isn't about a potential future, it's about the here and now, trying to prevent things from going wrong. Too much things going on in the present, like that strange alliance between Hogat and Der'ash. Someone may even wonder what in the world could have those two working together (things aren't quite as they seem in that area, by the way).

Well -- as really always -- this would probably have had a greater effect on you in particular if it had been on TV, because it makes a difference if you just skim through a script quickly (in less time that it would take you to watch it on TV) or if you actually take the time to picture the scenes the way they're intended. In the thread for "The Inner Voice" you say you read that episode in twenty-five minutes. If I'm reading through them (even if it's the 20th time) it still takes me at least an hour.

So I just can't see you really getting a sense for what the tone and mood of some scenes are when reading them, which is why I have a feeling you'll be disapointed by quite some things that are coming up between now and the finale. You read the words, but it doesn't surprise me that that would be a little dry and quite frankly... not very entertaining.

But maybe I'm mistaken.

If not, all I can recommend is to take some more time when reading the episodes to really get all the beats and the emotions in the scenes. For example, what you consider merely a boring "explanation" from older Christine, others might consider some interesting and subtle beats between older and younger Christine throughout that whole scene. And the powerful moments result from the reactions of the other characters to what they're being told. Unfortunately, we don't have actors and a great composer to actually bring those moments to life (which in reality is what brings most powerful moments on screen to life; it's hardly ever just the script). Which is why readers have to use their imagination for that. It seems to work in a lot of cases. In your case, there's a lot in those scenes where we learn about the potential future that apparently didn't come across for you.

[Lt. Colonel Ryu Gaia]

Well, impact is a fairly relative thing. Yes, the script says that Christine is reacting very 'emotionally,' but just seeing it written isn't enough. It's just so blunt it's almost a turn-off. I'd rather actually read a description of what happens on her face, how she reacts, than that she reacts.

For example...

We hold on Christine, as this is having an enormous effect on her.

From page 17.

Fantastic! Christine reacts! But you don't have the luxury of putting that on a screen and telling an actor how you think Christine would react, so it'd really be much appreciated if instead of just saying that this has a big impact on her, you go into a bit more detail. There's no standard to enormous effect; such things are different for everyone. How does Christine react? Does she stare blankly, in utter shock? Does she force back a sorrowful expression as realizes how badly she will have failed? Does she close her eyes, rub her temples, put her head down, what?

[Alex Rubit]

Well, impact is a fairly relative thing. Yes, the script says that Christine is reacting very 'emotionally,' but just seeing it written isn't enough.

I'm afraid that's all we can do. Unless, of course, someone out there is willing to give us several million $$$ to go and shoot the episodes.

It's just so blunt it's almost a turn-off. I'd rather actually read a description of what happens on her face, how she reacts, than that she reacts.

It's the way scripts are written unfortunately. But, of course, we know that it doesn't always just say that someone reacts; which is what one would assume based on what you say. We use that normally when it's the end of a scene; i.e. "off her reaction..."

In all other cases it either describes how someone reacts, or -- like in the case of the scene we're talking about -- how someone feels. I'm pretty sure of that.

But that just verifies what I've said before -- if this were all on TV, you'd be rating these episodes most likely quite differently. Maybe it would be a good idea for someone to turn them into novels, after all.

[Alex Rubit]

There's no standard to enormous effect; such things are different for everyone.

I think most people are smart enough to understand the meaning of that, and realize that she's probably not filled with joy.

How does Christine react? Does she stare blankly, in utter shock? Does she force back a sorrowful expression as realizes how badly she will have failed? Does she close her eyes, rub her temples, put her head down, what?

I don't know. I could tell you how I picture her reaction, but that's just me. Use your imagination. This is a script, not a novel.

Again, if you're volunteering for turning the scripts into novels, feel free to get started. Otherwise, you'll just have to put up with this anoying script format.

[Lt. Colonel Ryu Gaia]

I wouldn't be surprised if I'd find these to be different on T.V., but you know and I know that it's never going to happen. You're writing a V.S., so write scripts for a V.S., not a T.V. show. Sorry if that seems a bit blunt, but that's the way I feel.

[Alex Rubit]

Sorry if that seems a bit blunt, but that's the way I feel.

It's strange that the format's never been a problem for you up until today.

[Lt. Colonel Ryu Gaia]

It's actually been an annoyance for quite some time, I've just never brought it up before. You said, though, that if I read more slowly, I'd absorb more from the scenes. You also said that there were many emotional beats from Christine and all of that that should have made the explanation of the future feel bleak, where I felt it wasn't particularly so (or rather, didn't feel as bleak as it could have). You said that there were powerful moments in there reactions where I felt that there weren't, and insinuated that it was perhaps that I just didn't grasp it. I refuted and demonstrated that this was not the case.

[Alex Rubit]

It's actually been an annoyance for quite some time, I've just never brought it up before.

Yeah, right. Or you're just so annoyed with some of us that you're desperately looking for things to complain about. That's probably more like it.

You said, though, that if I read more slowly, I'd absorb more from the scenes. You also said that there were many emotional beats from Christine and all of that that should have made the explanation of the future feel bleak, where I felt it wasn't particularly so (or rather, didn't feel as bleak as it could have). You said that there were powerful moments in there reactions where I felt that there weren't, and insinuated that it was perhaps that I just didn't grasp it. I refuted and demonstrated that this was not the case.

You do realize that the episode is not about the future. I know, that's what you would have prefered. You indicated a few weeks ago that you were looking forward to it because it's about time travel, and I warned you when I said it's not about time travel. That was only the first act, and really not more than the backstory of Older Christine.

And yes, if you read more slowly you'd get a better idea of the scenes. A lot gets lost if you read an episode in twenty-five minutes (an episode that would take 43 minutes to watch). That's just a fact.