Guest Writers

[Reefgirl]

Not sure if this is the place to put this (although I'm sure it'll be moved if it isn't) but do they have guest writer's on the show. After last seasons poor writing from the regulars this may be an idea, how about importing Stephen Moffat, Paul Cornell and Mark Gatiss?

[PG15]

Nope.

Due to SG1 being cancelled, the writing staff for Atlantis is quite full.

[Reefgirl]

Damn the crap goes on these guys are brilliant at proper, scary Sci Fi

[PG15]

But do they know how to write for the Atlantis characters?

[Reefgirl]

They can't be any worse than the regular writers, they have done other things, Mark Gatiss was in the League of Gentlemen and writes books, Paul Cornell writes books as well as scripts, Stephen Moffat used to write romantic stuff

[Steve_the_Wraith]

Who knows maybe the writing will improve, I think it will. When season 3 was airing the writers were working flat out to meet deadlines, writing 40 episodes.

Nowadays they're only trying to write 20 episodes so they have alot ore time to devote to the scripts, which I hope will result in better writings

[PG15]

They can't be any worse than the regular writers, they have done other things, Mark Gatiss was in the League of Gentlemen and writes books, Paul Cornell writes books as well as scripts, Stephen Moffat used to write romantic stuff

No...I'm pretty sure they can, if they don't know the "voices" of the characters.

[Wraith_Boy]

They can't be any worse than the regular writers, they have done other things, Mark Gatiss was in the League of Gentlemen and writes books, Paul Cornell writes books as well as scripts, Stephen Moffat used to write romantic stuff

If I were in charge of MGM or had a say, then I honestly would move the new 3rd series & everything new in future away from Bridge to another studio.

What I think is lacking isn't necessarily down to the writers, I think all they need is a new strong showrunner that is distant from the other writers. Meaning someone who hasn't worked with them for many years, doesn't consider them to be buddies & so won't have anything to distract them from making the correct choices for the good of series. Whereas someone who's been there for 10 years like BW or RC may have problems telling someone like JM that they want the show to go this way, even though he wants to take it in another direction.

To me that's the most important part of it all, they have someone strong in charge that has their vision for how the show will play out. If they get some that doesn't seem right, then they'll have no qualms in hurting anyone by telling so. Had this been the case, then I'm sure Lucius may not have made an appearance never mind 2. While people like Ford are running in limbo, where he can't even get a single ep to give the fans a proper resolution to the character's fate etc.

I think it would be best for Stargate to take a new direction after Atlantis, if Stargate were my franchise, then after SG-1 was cancelled, Atlantis (if it goes after S4). I honestly wouldn't put the continued future of the entire franshise in the hands of a bunch of people that got the only 2 previous shows canned within a year or 2 of each other.

While it's in the hands of 'Bridge Studios', especially now SG-1 is gone from the air every week, they probably won't ever need or acept any outside stories from anyone besides their writing team. Whether that's for the good of Atlantis or not, only time will tell!

[prion]

Not sure if this is the place to put this (although I'm sure it'll be moved if it isn't) but do they have guest writer's on the show. After last seasons poor writing from the regulars this may be an idea, how about importing Stephen Moffat, Paul Cornell and Mark Gatiss?

It's unfortunate but they consolidated staff, so last in, first out. No more guest writers, which is a shame, as the writer for "Common ground" (a VERY popular Sheppard episode) was penned by a freelance/new writer, who is now no longer with the show.

[Mitchell82]

They can't be any worse than the regular writers, they have done other things, Mark Gatiss was in the League of Gentlemen and writes books, Paul Cornell writes books as well as scripts, Stephen Moffat used to write romantic stuff

Oh yes they can. First they don't know the characters at all and if the writing needed help, which I don't think it does, all adding more writers would do is hurt the writing not improve it. Still I think the writing is fine IMO.

[scifi_lemon]

Oh yes they can. First they don't know the characters at all and if the writing needed help, which I don't think it does, all adding more writers would do is hurt the writing not improve it. Still I think the writing is fine IMO.

Ditto.

[Redhooks]

Oh yes they can. First they don't know the characters at all and if the writing needed help, which I don't think it does, all adding more writers would do is hurt the writing not improve it. Still I think the writing is fine IMO.

No...I'm pretty sure they can, if they don't know the "voices" of the characters.

But do they know how to write for the Atlantis characters?

If you are a good writer, you can look back at the first couple of seasons and understand the characters, IMHO. Most, if not all, of the stories are read through by the showrunners and other writers for any minor mistakes in characters or continuity anyway. I think this is wrong time anyway for more writers. They should have divided up the writing and showrunner duties between the shows with maybe one or two crossovers a year when SGA started. Then maybe it would have gelled by now instead of Paul Mullie having to say it hasn't yet and Joe Mallozzi saying things they could explore now that the couldn't before.

It's unfortunate but they consolidated staff, so last in, first out. No more guest writers, which is a shame, as the writer for "Common ground" (a VERY popular Sheppard episode) was penned by a freelance/new writer, who is now no longer with the show.

I missed "Common Ground" so I can't comment on that, but didn't Ken Cuperis (sp?) also write "The Ark?" I like the story concept, just not the execution in the final act. You had to suspend disbelieve too much with Sheppard being able to fly "anything", IMO.

Who knows maybe the writing will improve, I think it will. When season 3 was airing the writers were working flat out to meet deadlines, writing 40 episodes.

Nowadays they're only trying to write 20 episodes so they have alot ore time to devote to the scripts, which I hope will result in better writings

I agree. Having to lay out only one show's season plotline and write only 20 scripts is "the last, best hope" for the show to paraphrase a Sci-Fi writer/showrunner who wrote some of the best Sci-Fi TV shows in the last 20 years IMO.

[Alipeeps]

I missed "Common Ground" so I can't comment on that, but didn't Ken Cuperis (sp?) also write "The Ark?" I like the story concept, just not the execution in the final act. You had to suspend disbelieve too much with Sheppard being able to fly "anything", IMO.

Ken Cuperus did indeed write The Ark and also last Friday's Submersion. And he used to come and chat with us here on GW and was a sweetie...

[Reefgirl]

If they used Dr Who's Chief Writer Russell T Davis for an episode the Slasher's would be turning cartwheels

[Mitchell82]

Ken Cuperus did indeed write The Ark and also last Friday's Submersion. And he used to come and chat with us here on GW and was a sweetie...

I too liked that and hope he comes back, as to the eps IMO he does a good job.