Why isn't Keller Starring?

[Ripple in Space]

Keller has been very heavily featured this season, more-so than some of the stars, so why isn't she one?

I mean, I'm not a big fan of the character personally. This is because her character doesn't make any sense. People always objected about how unlikely it was that an Air Force Officer could have as wide a range of experience as Jack or Sam, but with Keller, it's IMPOSSIBLE for her to have the qualifications that she does. That is unless Keller is around 20 years older than Jewel Staite (her portrayer), which again wouldn't make sense. As it stands, Keller would've had to of started College at her conception, and then by her birth, she would've had to start Med School...

I also don't think she's a solid of a character as Beckett was.

But back to the point, putting my preferences out of the equation, she's at least as heavily featured in season 4 of Atlantis as Hammond was in SG-1, so why doesn't she get any regular billing?

[dec55]

Good question.....maybe her contract didn't promise her a regular status.
And they changed their minds in the last minute. By then the credits were
set already.

Other than that....it's anyones guess.....

Hopefully we will see JS in the starting credits.

[jelgate]

To avoid the problems they made with Beckett. He should have never made a main character. Some episodes seemed to force Beckett into it. I don't want Keller to got the same problems as Beckett

[jenks]

I don't think she'll be as prominent in the second half of the season, as far as I know she's only in seven episodes:

Adrift
Doppelganger
Tabula Rasa
Missing
The Seer
Quarantine
Trio

[Erised]

Are you mad? She's blonde and has no wrinkles! Why shouldn't they use her? /sarcasm

But yes we talked about this on the anti Keller thread. There is no way she had enough experience to get into the Stargate program, espcially because she obviously can do neurosurgery!

[jenks]

We have no idea how old she is.

[PG15]

Hatred of the character is inversely proportional to the perceived age. Here, I made an equation:

H = k/A, where H = Hatred, A = Age, and k = proportionality factor.

I don't think she'll be as prominent in the second half of the season, as far as I know she's only in seven episodes:

Adrift
Doppelganger
Tabula Rasa
Missing
The Seer
Quarantine
Trio

She's in 8 episodes, actually.

[SG13-NightOps]

Are you mad? She's blonde and has no wrinkles! Why shouldn't they use her? /sarcasm

But yes we talked about this on the anti Keller thread. There is no way she had enough experience to get into the Stargate program, espcially because she obviously can do neurosurgery!

Interestingly, I did do some research for a character I was creating, and you can become a doctor before you are 50.. Seriously...

Less sarcastically, you can become a doctor before you are 30. If we follow the Atlantis edict of best and brightest, we are looking at most of the people on Atlantis as being gifted/prodigies. Its not as unrealistic as people initially assume.

The character I created going straight from High into Uni was qualified in Trauma Surgery, Pathology and Paediatrics before 30 under a full time dual degree followed by a part time paediatrics degree while interning.

[Agent_Dark]

Are you mad? She's blonde and has no wrinkles! Why shouldn't they use her?

So you're complaining that Carter/Amanda and Keller/Jewel are more attractive than Weir/Torri, Beckett/Paul? Get over yourself.

[Mefusta]

So you're complaining that Carter/Amanda and Keller/Jewel are more attractive than Weir/Torri, Beckett/Paul? Get over yourself.

Nah, the complaint more than likely stems from the fact that Keller isn't brunette, male, and doesn't speak with heavily accented English.

Honestly, if the average viewer can suspend their belief to the degree that people can forsee the future, operate technology entirely by thought, and everyone in the galaxy can speaks perfect, American English; then how can anyone have a problem believing that Jennifer Keller is just really good at what she does. Considering we don't know her exact age (Actor/Actresses' age =/= Character's age), and taking into account that - as SG13-NightOps so accurately pointed out - the Atlantis expedition has always aimed to recruit the best and brightest, why is it beyond all reason that and young, female doctor could be extremely good at what she does?

What? Would you rather we had Doctor Pulaski as Atlantis' chief doctor?

[SG13-NightOps]

Nah, the complaint more than likely stems from the fact that Keller isn't brunette, male, and doesn't speak with heavily accented English.

Honestly, if the average viewer can suspend their belief to the degree that people can forsee the future, operate technology entirely by thought, and everyone in the galaxy can speaks perfect, American English; then how can anyone have a problem believing that Jennifer Keller is just really good at what she does. Considering we don't know her exact age (Actor/Actresses' age =/= Character's age), and taking into account that - as SG13-NightOps so accurately pointed out - the Atlantis expedition has always aimed to recruit the best and brightest, why is it beyond all reason that and young, female doctor could be extremely good at what she does?

What? Would you rather we had Doctor Pulaski as Atlantis' chief doctor?

People can accept that McKay was a child prodigy, because it was outright said. Nothing has been said about Keller in that respect so until then it is all speculation. This I am capable of accepting... However, the problem I see is that based on the "O'Neill Effect" (as I have named it), it is unacceptable as a possibility because it is Keller and not Carson.

There may well be people on earth far far more qualified and capable, but there is the whole lot more to take into consideration on top of that.
Blind one year commitment and a non disclosure agreement. As they learnt in Chimera, you cant even trust those that are in just the outer layers of the SGC. Some of them may be considered far too risky.

Its times like this that people just need to accept, without it being spelled out for them like we are 5 years old (We keep saying we are intelligent and want to be treated that way), that she is the best, most qualified, available and trustworthy candidate - or she wouldnt be there.

[AutumnDream]

To avoid the problems they made with Beckett. He should have never made a main character. Some episodes seemed to force Beckett into it.

This never happens with Teyla or Ronon.

Beckett and Weir, however, were forced in left and right!!

Spoiler:

(if canniot use gun or bomb cannotr be mainn carhcaters thiese are qualtifty writetingr)

[ciannwn]

What? Would you rather we had Doctor Pulaski as Atlantis' chief doctor?

I was talking about female replacement doctors with my husband. We both thought a mature woman on the lines of Doctor Pulaski would have been better than Keller.

I'm 58 and my husband is 63. Maybe we're just cynical for thinking that Keller was introduced to be a sweet, young bit of eye candy for male viewers under 30.

[Nitegate]

kellers character sucks, why would she be in the credits when carson wasn't in the credits till the second season.

and elizabeth wasn't "forced into the show", she was introduced in "The Lost City", season 7's finale, before Atlantis started, yeah it was a different actress, but who cares.

where do people get there info.

[Mefusta]

I'm 58 and my husband is 63. Maybe we're just cynical for thinking that Keller was introduced to be a sweet, young bit of eye candy for male viewers under 30.

It'd be cynical to believe otherwise! However, just because Keller is easy on the eyes doesn't mean she can't grow as a character and be every bit as important to the overall cast as Carson was. Jewel certainly has the acting chops to pull it off, so it's just a pity that some people refuse to look beyond the end of their noses and view Keller as something more than just eye-candy. Not that i'm implying you and your husband fall into that category, i'm just saying is all.

Back to the topic at hand, I honestly don't think she should be in the opening sequence. Apart from the fact that the opening titles are already chocka-block with the rest of the cast, Keller works better as just a really frequent regular rather than a core cast member.