RTD snarks about Stargate

[nx01a]

Every season of Doctor Who is driven by a particular plot which the writers weave throughout the episodes towards the big finale. They've done it better and far more consistently than SGA, I think. Who combines 'episode of the week' with story arc.

[jenks]

Every season of Doctor Who is driven by a particular plot which the writers weave throughout the episodes towards the big finale. They've done it better and far more consistently than SGA, I think. Who combines 'episode of the week' with story arc.

No they're not, none of them have been to my knowledge, they're just a series of stand alone episodes that every now and again have a blink and you'll miss it hint toward the finale. Not exactly anything special, especially given that the series are so short.

[nx01a]

It's not 24. Don't expect a massive interconnected story over the course of 13 episodes. You get the sense that the story's going somewhere, towards something definitive. And those 'blink and you'll miss it' elements make watching the episodes fun to see where they're going. At least, for me.

[Madeleine]

A show doesn't have to 'go' anywhere to be good. It can have connected eps without the enttire series being an arc. Ref 'Spooks', 'ER', 'Drop the Dead Donkey'...

[jenks]

No one said they do, this just stemmed from someone saying DW had a better storyline than Stargate, that's all.

[Caladria]

It's just... they're different shows. Who has better story and Stargate has better kaboom on an average week.)

"Who has better story.... on an average week" meant, as I clarified, within the 45 minutes each show has each week of its run. If I'd meant "season/series arc", I'd've said so.

Who's a mainstream show - it can't depend on the average viewer wanting to follow each little plot twist so each week has to be an all-encompassing story in itself, more or less. It can't depend on its average viewer having a sci fi background. It has to be at a level where a seven year old can work out what's happening and why or have it explained to him. These are constraints that only apply to Doctor Who and not Stargate. And that is why Stargate can run episodes that need a five minute "previously on Stargate" at the start and Who can't.

And, as I've already said, I like the standalone stories better on Stargate anyway.