Claudia Black joins SG-1 cast

[EmmaPeel]

Yeah, maybe Vala does run around cracking jokes and talking like an intergalactic space-ho... but then again, she *is* one. I still say that's better than taking an intelligent and competent man and turning him into a moronic twit.

I didn't like what they did with Jack in later seasons, but for me it's not like well, at least Vala is no worse than Jack. It's not about Jack; Jack is gone (where and why is a mystery.)

It's about Vala now. I DO NOT want an intergalactic space-ho to become a regular member of SG-1. If "Firefly" was still on and Vala was a new character on it, I would have no problem with her there. No cryin' in baseball and no ho's (not to mention a liar, a cheat, and a thief) on SG-1; that's the bottom line for me.

I might add that I find it curious (and this is not directed at you because I don't know your feelings), but so many of those fans who feel/felt some of the above adjectives could be applied to Sam because of her feelings for and behavior with Jack, Pete, Martouf, etc. -- who felt she was a disgrace to SG-1, morally challenged, now seem to feel that it's OK to have another female character who has behaved worse than Sam. Is it OK for Vala to behave as she has because she isn't military? Just because Vala is "funnier" than Carter? Because Vala has to do these things to survive (or thought she did because there are almost always choices) while Sam did them because she was a "weak" woman who defined herself through men? (according to some.) Seems to me that if one objected to Sam on "moral" grounds, one couldn't accept Vala.


Irrelevant though because Vala IS going to be in S10 and that does make *me* shudder.

[Agent_Dark]

Yeah, maybe Vala does run around cracking jokes and talking like an intergalactic space-ho... but then again, she *is* one. I still say that's better than taking an intelligent and competent man and turning him into a moronic twit.

And I think that's where my issues with the character come from. I don't mind a 'intergalactic space-ho' in a show - as long as it seems appropriate to the show. I don't really think Vala fits into Stargate SG1 as I know it, at least not as a regular character. Recurring? Yeah, I don't have a problem with that. But as a regular, unless they were planning on making her not actually involved with the SGC (as say a 'bad' guy, but then what show has a bad guy as a regular?), I don't really think her character suits the show.

[Deevil]

Being a fan of both Stargate and Farscape I am happy to say they aren't the same show. They aren't trying to be, I think people are getting confused because there are 2 actors from Farscape on Stargate. Do we all know what an actor does? Do we realise they aren't their characters? Right?

Secondly, Vala pre-prior/ori land was over the top, Vala post-prior ori land? Maybe not so much - and I for one am interested in seeing what is going to happen wither her, how she is going to fit into the SGC. Remember people, Hammond and Landry were/are both regular characters - but are they are a part of SG-1? Are we not jumping the gun a little assuming that Vala will be aswell. Sure, she may go off world with them once in a while, but I doubt she will be a member of the team.

And I can only speak from myself here, but Cameron Mitchell is endering. Sure, he's no Jack - but that make sense since his name is Cameron. I think people have to accept a little change. Change is less of a problem then stagnation. I will agree, this team right now is NOT the original SG-1. It can't be, but that's okay - it's not a bad thing, just different. I get some people don't like the differences, that's fine... But I don't believe Vala's character has the power to push out Sam's. They are very different women, I one cannot replace the other, unlike Jonas could (to a degree) replace Daniel...

As for Vala, I love her. I mean seriously love her. No, she is not the type of character that has been on stargate before, and that's what makes her so interesting - gives her so much potential. I'm intrigued, and I'm looking forward to see what's going to happen next. So I say, bring on the end of Season 9 - and forward 10...

[Madeleine]

I read comments from more than a few posters who said that Vala's line "Let's Make Babies," was so great and that it just cracked them up." Is that what it's come down to? Is that the kind of thing people are watching the show for? It makes me shudder.

What's making you shudder? That Vala uses lines like "let's make babies" or that people say that it was great and that it cracked them up? I'd be rather disappointed if you were shuddering about fans' reasons for enjoying the show, but that's pretty much how it's reading....

[Skydiver]

One thing that i think we all need to remember is that humor is such a subjective thing. it's so hard to write because, well angst and drama is easy, but humor is so incredibly hard.

some folks think that lucille ball is the funniest woman ever, others laugh thier tushes off over the three stooges. others think that monty python is classic humor and still others love the droll one liners of red skelton

since humor has such a broad range and differing levels of appeal it's massively hard to find something that's universally accepted and seen as funny.

my sense of humor finds avenger enjoyable and wormhole extreme cute and urgo giggly....while i don't enjoy slapstick because i see the actor making an ass out of him/herself for a laugh.

that's my pov. Others see things differently

doesn't mean that one of us are more right than another, it just means that we have different tastes.

This will be another obstacle that vala will have to face. since she is so based in humor, she will not have a broad appeal simply because so many folks have such different tastes.

[Skydiver]

for me? it was the line. taken along, sure it was kinda funny....but it wasn't the kind of humor that stargate used to employ.

jack would make his one liners, but those one liners were never accompanied by him grabbing his crotch or pinching someone's tush or walking in on someone int eh shower or things like that.

in my interpretation, the humor on stargate used to be classy. with vala, it's not classy now. it's...what you'd expect to see in the red light district or in a frat house. it's not classy anymore, it's immature (not the people that enjoy it, the humor itself)

like i said, humor is the hardest thing to write because it is so horribly subjective

in the history of the show, the episodes that fans are the most divided on are the humor episodes. drama can often find the middle ground while humor tends to be a 'like it or hate it' type of thing

[EmmaPeel]

Being a fan of both Stargate and Farscape I am happy to say they aren't the same show. They aren't trying to be, I think people are getting confused because there are 2 actors from Farscape on Stargate. Do we all know what an actor does? Do we realise they aren't their characters? Right?

I think most people pretty much know what actors do; that they aren't really the characters they play, so I suspect there isn't too much confusion there.

And I can only speak from myself here, but Cameron Mitchell is endering. Sure, he's no Jack - but that make sense since his name is Cameron. I think people have to accept a little change. Change is less of a problem then stagnation. I will agree, this team right now is NOT the original SG-1. It can't be, but that's okay - it's not a bad thing, just different. I get some people don't like the differences, that's fine... But I don't believe Vala's character has the power to push out Sam's. They are very different women, I one cannot replace the other, unlike Jonas could (to a degree) replace Daniel.

Speaking only for myself, I find Cameron Mitchell not endearing at all. For me, he's just there, boring and ineffective; not offensive, just kind of a nothing. Maybe that will change...but he's still just a big white blob for me. I have no problem with accepting change, but the changes have to make sense and be good changes. I accept fully that Jack is gone for instance, but I won't accept how the PTB wrote him out, not even attempting to answer why he would take a desk job, not having any member of his team even mention his name in passing.

I DO think Vala's character has the power to push out Sam's; more specifically, that the PTB are inclined to do that. I think that a slightly bad, rougish, gray-area character is always more fun to play and often times more interesting for the audience than a goody two shoes. I'd take a Butch Cassidy type character any day over some selfless soul who only wants to help others and save the world -- it's just more fun to watch (for me). Given that, given the fact that the writers have said Vala is just so fun to write for, that they can have her say anything, given their propensity for juvenile humor, sexual innuendos, given the fact that PTB (writers and Skiffy) seem to be targeting a demographic of the audience that finds the leather, sexual innuendos, boobage, muscle shirts fun and exciting, I *do* think they would try and feature Vala over Sam without a second thought, and push Sam back into the woodwork. Sexing things up sells (and Claudia *is* a good actress)


If your only concern is ratings then you're going to do what you think brings in the best ratings. Along with the demographic mentioned above, there is very vocal support for Vala from the intense Daniel fans because many of them apparently feel that the return of Vala will mean more of the Daniel/Vala show per the first 5 episodes of S9. Daniel is one of my favorite characters, but I don't want the Vala/Daniel comedy hour or the Daniel/Vala snarky show or the Daniel/Vala UST show.

It's not Stargate for me and as others have said, it's NOT what SG-1 has been about in the past, not what I want it to become. To each his own, certainly. I will, no doubt, tune in to S10 just to see how in heck they are going to explain Vala being a regular or semi-regular member of SG-1 (but given their lack of explaining anything about Jack's departure, they will probably just have her there with no logical explanation at all), but I can't see myself watching this incarnation of SG-1.

I used to think it was a bit silly when Uber Daniel fans would refer to S6 as "The Season that Shall Not be Named." But that is kind of how I feel about S10 (prematurely I realize). Like it's going to be "The Season That Should Not be Called Stargate SG-1).

Vala as a semi-regular character who helps out SG-1? Certainly? In every episode as a member of the team? Oy!

[tsaxlady]

A little OT here but I just want to agree with Skydiver - humor is a difficult thing to write for because people vary so much on what they like in the way of humor. While I do like some comedy, I'm just not crazy about it on SG-1 because I personally have always liked SG-1 for the drama. Jacks one liners have been okay with me to break the tension at times. But the type of humor we have seen so far in Vala well thanks but no thanks in my book. If I want that type of thing there are plenty of comedy shows out there in TV land to watch.

The one a season comedy episode has been okay in the past for me. But those episodes are often my least favorite ones of the season.

Bottom line for me I like CB - Vala I don't care for much. Have Vala in a few episodes each season well in my book that would be okay but every week well I'm not really looking forward to that.

[yasureubetcha]

Vala's character is so huge, over the top; she tends to be the focus when she is on screen and overshadows the other characters. (So much for CJ's feelings of SG being more of an ensemble now that RDA is gone.) I'm one of those who do NOT like the way Daniel behaves in relation to her; if Vala brings Daniel more screentime, it's not the kind of screentime I want for him.

I absolutely agree. I miss the team as it once was. And while I feel the team atmosphere could've grown up again around Mitchell, I can't say the same for Vala. She steals the stage any time she's onscreen because (IMO) the only things the character TPTB have given her is good for are seduction and wisecracks. Both of the above are unfortunately going to grab attention away from any character development struggling to make itself known.
And the last thing I want to see is Daniel's character being castrated by Vala's interest in him, and reduced to someone's love (or lust) interest, the way (IMHO) Sam was.
Although on the (miniscule) plus side, maybe Vala will take the brunt of TPTB's compulsive need for visible romance, and let Sam get on with her life.

[chocdoc]

I absolutely agree. I miss the team as it once was. And while I feel the team atmosphere could've grown up again around Mitchell, I can't say the same for Vala. She steals the stage any time she's onscreen because (IMO) the only things the character TPTB have given her is good for are seduction and wisecracks. Both of the above are unfortunately going to grab attention away from any character development struggling to make itself known.
And the last thing I want to see is Daniel's character being castrated by Vala's interest in him, and reduced to someone's love (or lust) interest, the way (IMHO) Sam was.
Although on the (miniscule) plus side, maybe Vala will take the brunt of TPTB's compulsive need for visible romance, and let Sam get on with her life.

I think that may happen. Vala will be used for the "ship" stuff -- she will take the brunt of this type of storyline and she will also take the "see the "sexy" woman" role of the show. Hopefully this will free up Sam to just be Sam again (sexy as ever just simply by being a strong scientist/soldier in the show).

[Tracy Jane]

This is what I was trying to say in my earlier post. If Sam is "not exactly" single, and is supposedly with Jack, she can't be seen to be off cavorting around with Marty, Peter, Narim, Jonas (ex-fiancee, not Quinn) etc etc. And TPTB seem to feel the need for romance. Any Sam stuff would upset shippers, so get a new female to do that stuff.

Although I'm excited that Sam will evolve as a person, not just a sex object, I am also worried that Vala will dominate as head female and Carter will devolve into a purely expositional character. She is human, we do need to see that side.

[chocdoc]

This is what I was trying to say in my earlier post. If Sam is "not exactly" single, and is supposedly with Jack, she can't be seen to be off cavorting around with Marty, Peter, Narim, Jonas (ex-fiancee, not Quinn) etc etc. And TPTB seem to feel the need for romance. Any Sam stuff would upset shippers, so get a new female to do that stuff.

Although I'm excited that Sam will evolve as a person, not just a sex object, I am also worried that Vala will dominate as head female and Carter will devolve into a purely expositional character. She is human, we do need to see that side.

Good good point. I don't want to see this happen for Carter either. Isn't there more for the female characters than either ship or strict technobabble? I think AT mentioned that she didn't want to go back to just exposition girl. What really should have happened, IMO, is that Carter should be leading---give her that arc. Mitchell should have been a major--he would have been way more interesting and believable in that position. Let's hope that the writers can do justice to Carter next season. Maybe the new "male" writers? I hope?

[brihana25]

Let's hope that the writers can do justice to Carter next season. Maybe the new "male" writers? I hope?

Amen to that.

[sueKay]

I have to say...after finally getting the internet back and logging on to GW for the first time in ages...that this just put a dampener on what has been for me, a very good day

Vala is NOT a character...she is a characature...a bundle of cliches thrown together...SG1 have always been the good guys and now they have a sexpot thief joining them.

Bad call...bad call

[Jonzey]

I'm not happy. And I am one of the people who is enjoying season 9. What possible qualities could Vala bring to the SGC? Hmmm... maybe if they need someone to do a poledance to defeat an evil invading army of sexually supercharged goa'uld monsters. And I bet Vala will be inexplicably made the 2IC of Sg1, while Carter quietly accepts a job staying on the base doing research, because the new, sexy character needs the spotlight.
Or even worse, having read some spoilers from the end of season 9

Spoiler:

Vala has this mysterious baby and she and Daniel decide to raise it together and they live happily ever after, until the baby turns out to be some super-miracle who can defeat the Ori

And I was looking forward to watching this series until the end
10 eps left of season 9, then I might watch the first one of 10, and if they go where I think they're going, it's goodbye Stargate.

But I feel bad for the original actors who signed back up again. Because their show is essentially becoming someone else's show. Kinda wish they didn't sign back up so they could go onto bigger and better things instead.