Joseph Mallozzi's Blog! (SPOILERS For All SG Shows and Dark Matter)

[prion]

NOVEMBER 3rd

http://josephmallozzi.blogspot.com/2...er-3-2007.html

Finally, a photo again. Marty G in Hawaii. Dont' we all wish we were there?

One more reason to hate facebook. Marty G. posted pics of his Hawaiian holiday. Lovely. I actually contacted Martin a couple of days ago to fill him in on the ongoing production developments. Halfway through update, he stops me to marvel: “Wow! I see a whale!” He was in San Francisco at the time.


Today’s pic: Marty G. and Stephanie in Hawaii.

Today’s mailbag:

Charles Schneider writes: “Will you guys get any kind of break after the mid-season finale?”

Answer: The writers never get a break.

Debi writes: “You mentioned that Harmony would be the 17th episode (August 13), but now it's the 14th.”

Answer: Harmony has been moved up in the schedule.


Rest of book talk, etc. at blog link above

[PG15]

Hey guys, I'm back. Finals are coming and studying has been a *****! It's taken away my internets time.

Anyway, I just got one thing to say: I just watched Miller's Crossing, and remember how Joe answered "That’s a great question" to Peg's question about how Todd is going to feed?

I just think that's hilarious now.

[Pegasus_SGA]

Hey guys, I'm back. Finals are coming and studying has been a *****! It's taken away my internets time.

Anyway, I just got one thing to say: I just watched Miller's Crossing, and remember how Joe answered "That’s a great question" to Peg's question about how Todd is going to feed?

I just think that's hilarious now.

I was going to say something to him, but just the site of chest peekage from Shep and Ronon threw me off, and after that scene I didn't t really care about anything else. It's no wonder he didn't want to tell us! Bless his lil cotton socks, he wanted it to be a nice surprise, wasn't that nice? Personally, as a whumper, I kinda wish Shep did volunteer. Alas though, that's for another thread.

[prion]

http://josephmallozzi.blogspot.com/2...er-4-2007.html

This blog received it’s 750 000th visit today. And so, the first person to post after this milestone visit, and the winner of the Win a Virtual Dinner with Me is.... EMILY! EMILY WON! CONGRATULATIONS TO EMILY!

Thornyrose writes: “ Any of those ongoing production developments you might share with us in the near future?”

Answer: No can do. However, I will say this: I suspect my blood pressure was through the roof over the past week.

Anonymous #1 writes: “When does filming actually start for season 5?”

Answer: Mid-February.


Doodleydog writes: “How do the writers keep it all straight when spinning stories for a whole season, since character development depends on those major story beats?”

Answer: We put the episode titles up on the big white board and, as we develop and beat out stories, we are mindful of the various season arcs and through lines we are working toward. As we break, we ask ourselves: Is this a good episode to service this throughline? How are we going to pay off this arc? A lot of the time, we have a firm idea of our starting and ending point, but the journey only takes shape as the season develops. There are also times when, after a script has been written, the other writers may suggest ideas for layering in scenes or character moments that will service these bigger arcs. In the case of the missing Athosians storyline, for example, we knew very early on how the mystery would inevitably unfold - but we were even surprised at the extent to which other stories dovetailed into this major arc.

Anonymous #2 writes: “To keep haranguing Tapping, Shanks, and Judge to save Atlantis in seasons four and five is just pathetic.”

Answer: Yes, yes, it’s easy to make Carter (and SG-1) the scapegoat but, at the end of the day, there are a certain fans who would be upset regardless of who took over for Weir. If you’re not complaining about Carter today, you’d be complaining about someone else tomorrow.

Anonymous #3 writes: “Yet you have two things that are supposed to be romantic in this season of Atlantis, i.e. Teyla/Father of her baby and Sheppard/Larrin”

Answer: With regard to Sheppard/Larrin - I saw flirtation there, not romance. Re: Teyla/Father - Um, that’s where babies come from. Honest, I’m not making it up.

Anonymous #4 writes: “Well, Joe F. has said that a romance is being written between Sheppard and Larrin, if you've read the Con Reports.”

Answer: Well won’t you both look silly when it doesn’t materialize.

Anonymous #5 writes: “Can you tell us yet when you'll be attending the 'special screening' for AOT? Will Michael, Amanda and Chris be attending too? Could you take pics for us and post?”

Answer: The date and location of the screening are very hush-hush. Only two people know for sure - the chauffeurs who will be taking everyone there, but even they will be blindfolded for the entire drive. Still, I will be sure to take lots of pics. And, to the best of my knowledge, Michael, Amanda, and Chris will be in attendance.

[PG15]

CONGRATULATIONS EMILY!!! Welcome to the club.

Does she post here? Anyone know?

[Pegasus_SGA]

Congrats from me to.... *goes to put away her sparkling new dress bought just incase*

[prion]

NOV 5

http://josephmallozzi.blogspot.com/2...er-5-2007.html

And so, it’s been decided. Emily and I will be enjoying a virtual dinner at virtual Fuel this Friday between 4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. PST. Please respect our privacy by not posting comments during this hour, but feel free to eavesdrop on our conversation as you will be able to follow our conversation in the comments section of December 6th blog entry.

Well, tomorrow is also special in that it is the day that This Mortal Coil, the mid-season finale and script that almost killed me, finally airs. If I have time on Saturday, I will do a scene by scene what-the-hell-was-I-thinking breakdown of the entire episode. But heading in to tomorrow night’s episode, a little backstory -

Every time an episode airs, fans are quick to praise /curse the writer as though they were wholly responsible for the finished product. Well, suffice it to say, this is far from the truth as many, many, MANY different people can and should share in the admiration/blame, from actors to sound mixers, directors to the construction team. It may take a village to raise a child but, in the end, who the hell knows how that kid is going to turn out? He could end up a wonderfully well-rounded McKay and Mrs. Miller or a disappointingly underachieving Irresponsible. Whichever, the point is that while all of you are lauding Alan’s efforts on Tabula Rasa and The Seer, you should also be thanking Paul who did the pass on both scripts. If you enjoyed oh, most any episode of SG-1, also thank Robert Cooper in addition to the credited writer(s) as I’d guess a good 70% of the stories spun out from one of his ideas. And, if you enjoy This Mortal Coil tomorrow night, in addition to congratulating me, throw some kind words Brad Wright’s way as he was the guy who pitched out the premise for what would eventually this episode. The truth is, given the way we build stories (which is not all that different from most shows), all of the writers have a hand in all of the scripts. One writer may come up with the original notion, but that original notion is then shaped by differing opinions and suggestions, becoming an actually story idea. And, after the designated writer has had time to allow the ideas to percolate, he’ll lead everyone in the actual breaking of the story. Everyone is involved in the process of constructing the story, from offering up broad notions regarding structure (ie. Act Four should end with McKay dying - and it isn‘t until the top of Act Five that we realize THAT was a dream) to key plot twists (ie. How about we surprise the audience by playing the replicators and having Weir get into THEIR heads for a change) to dialogue suggestions (ie. “In the middle of my backswing!”).

So, This Mortal Coil was no different. Brad came in with the original premise. The writers got together and spun ideas. I went off to think about it and came back with a pretty good idea of how I envisioned the story breaking down. We got together, discussed some more, threw around some more ideas. I headed off, fleshed out an outline, got some feedback, and then went off to script. I wrote the original and revised draft, handed off to Paul who did his pass which clarified some scenes (and, incidentally, saved me from a nervous breakdown), and then, revitalized, I did the subsequent changes. The finished script went out, the episode was shot - and came in short so I ended up writing two extra scenes (let’s see if you can guess which ones).

Ultimately, it’s up to you, the fans, to decide whether it works for you. But, script aside, I have to say that one thing that stood out for me in this episode was Joel Goldsmith’s score. The man is brilliant.

Riley writes: “Do you know how long it will be between the airing of This Mortal Coil and the next episode?”

Answer: Not all that long. From what I understand, new episodes will begin airing again in January on SciFi.

[Scifi's ads say January 4th]



Anonymous #1 writes: “This isn't a comment from some disgruntled Atlantis fan […] I'm a fan of SG-1 who watched Atlantis, gave it a shot back in the beginning, and found it to be severely lacking. […] I do however take exception to the way that the characters I care about--Carter, Teal'c, Daniel, and Jack--keep getting pushed over to Atlantis in an attempt to keep that epitome of mediocrity afloat.”

Answer: I see. So you’re like a spoiled brat who sulks because the other kids are out playing ball after your mother has called him home to bed. Who cares if other fans are enjoying Atlantis and the possibility of Carter, Daniel, and Teal’c visiting? If you can’t enjoy it, then no one should. You, my friend, are a sub-genre of embittered fandom that I don’t get. Although I may not agree with many fans who criticize the show for a) losing Weir, b) losing Beckett, c) losing Ford - at least their arguments come from a love for the show rather than childish resentment at the possibility that the characters will continue to live on outside of your narrow expectations of them.

Marcans writes: “ I still really like Carter, however can you please tell me what exactly was the justification for bringing her into command of Atlantis?”

Answer: From the point of view of her character, we did want someone in the command position who would be comfortable going off-world, if need be, and someone who could get involved in any city-centered stories. We also wanted someone that Stargate fans were familiar with. After some discussion, it was decided that Carter was the logical choice as she fit the bill - and also offered up a science and military background that we could exploit (again, whenever the need arose). The command position on Atlantis has always been more of a supporting role and this is the tact we took in season 4. That said, we did get to see soldier Sam on display in Reunion, and also explored her leadership in The Seer. From more of a behind-the-scenes reasoning (something that has yet to be brought up), Amanda was the obvious choice because she is a terrific actress, is always professional, a lot of fun to work with (this from practically everyone who has worked with her, from grips to directors), and exudes an onscreen warmth that is on par with her off-screen personality.

[Xicer]

Wait, did the schedule change or is JM posting from the future? TMC doesn't air 'til Friday.

And PG15 you better watch out

[prion]

Wait, did the schedule change or is JM posting from the future? TMC doesn't air 'til Friday.

And PG15 you better watch out

Yeah, I noticed that too but was too lazy to remark Maybe he thinks it's Thursday already.

[PG15]

No, see, Joe's obviously just joking, since he asked me to email him my address when he already has it (how else did he send me my flocking?). Yep, it's just a jok-oh hey, somebody's at the door.

Oh sh-

[Redhooks]

No, see, Joe's obviously just joking, since he asked me to email him my address when he already has it (how else did he send me my flocking?). Yep, it's just a jok-oh hey, somebody's at the door.

Oh sh-

Like Joe kept your address saved somewhere after you were sent the flocking. I'm sure Joe's assistant did most of the work anyway (he may still have your address written out by JM in order to CHA after the flocking rots your brain and your next of kin try to sue somebody ) because dealing with fans is beneath Joe, except on his blog.

[Sue_Jackson]

Anonymous #1 writes: “This isn't a comment from some disgruntled Atlantis fan […] I'm a fan of SG-1 who watched Atlantis, gave it a shot back in the beginning, and found it to be severely lacking. […] I do however take exception to the way that the characters I care about--Carter, Teal'c, Daniel, and Jack--keep getting pushed over to Atlantis in an attempt to keep that epitome of mediocrity afloat.”

Answer: I see. So you’re like a spoiled brat who sulks because the other kids are out playing ball after your mother has called him home to bed. Who cares if other fans are enjoying Atlantis and the possibility of Carter, Daniel, and Teal’c visiting? If you can’t enjoy it, then no one should. You, my friend, are a sub-genre of embittered fandom that I don’t get. Although I may not agree with many fans who criticize the show for a) losing Weir, b) losing Beckett, c) losing Ford - at least their arguments come from a love for the show rather than childish resentment at the possibility that the characters will continue to live on outside of your narrow expectations of them.

I'm with Joe. I don't get these people either. They should just leave Atlantis alone. Love Joe's answer. He gives it straight.

[Alan]

I'm with Joe. I don't get these people either. They should just leave Atlantis alone. Love Joe's answer. He gives it straight.

Ditto. I'm with you and Joe 100%!

[wurlitzer153]

http://josephmallozzi.blogspot.com/2...er-6-2007.html

Several of you were kind enough to bring something to my attention: Yesterday was not Thursday which would make today not Friday. I apparently wrote yesterday’s blog entry under the mistaken assumption that it WAS Thursday. Or did I? Looking back over the evidence, one irrefutable fact jumps out at me: December 5, 2007 was a Wednesday. This therefore leads me to one of two conclusions: either I screwed up or we must entertain the far likelier possibility that I was the unwitting victim of some bizarre time travel experiment.

Well, there was an easy enough way to find out. I still had yesterday’s (Wednesday to some, Thursday to others) memories fresh in my mind. Having already lived through one Thursday, how different would my second Thursday be? As it turned out, not all that much. Events repeated themselves with spine-chilling synchronicity. Just like yesterday’s Thursday, Vancouver was chilly, the WGA was still on strike, and Toyota invented a robot that could play the violin.

...
Looking ahead - Virtual dinner tomorrow, a This Mortal Coil breakdown this weekend, and sometime in the next week: missives from Baron Destructo, big season 5 news for fans of this character, and pics from the upcoming Ark of Truth screening.

Today’s pics: My double-Thursday reading, Gourmet Chef borscht literally bursting with, um, flavor!

Today’s video: Because Rebecca H. requested it - click on the date to watch a little video starring Lulu called “Snow Crazy!”.

Le mailbag:

The Dixon-Stubblefield blog writes: “Any thoughts on one of your actors somewhat competing with the show (Joe F being on Women's Murder Club) by being a guest on another show the same night or is that just so normal no one thinks twice about it? Or do you have to get permission from your regular show if the air times conflict?”

Answer: Joe’s people did clear it with us first. The reason they did so had nothing to do with any potential competing time slots and everything to do with potentially competing production schedules. Once we were assured that there would be no conflict, we gave him our full blessings.

Chevron7 writes: “ Do visual effect heavy episodes tend to come up short? Is that a weird trend for you guys?”

Answer: It’s hard to say exactly why an episode comes up short. If we could, they wouldn’t come up short. Can’t blame the visual effects. Be All My Sins was extremely VFX-heavy but time in with plenty of footage to spare.

Anonymous #1 writes: “..you're that guy who takes all viewpoints he disagrees with and feebly attempts to ridicule and belittle them […] It IS all about me. I, for the life of me, can't understand why you would try to put forth otherwise. When it comes to many, many other things in life […] I'm narrow-minded because I feel that the characters are ill served by appearing on what I perceive to be an inferior show? […] we each have our own personal beliefs regarding the show. How about you be the magnanimous one and change yours so that me and my ilk can enjoy the show better? Or is it all about you, too?”

Answer: Yes, yes, yes, but beyond all of your self-aggrandizing blah blah blah and how-dare-you and as-a-fan-I-should-be-able-to-say-whatever-the-hell-I-want-because-when-I-flap-my-lips-noise-comes-out-of-my-mouth yammering is the single fact that reinforces the point I made yesterday: you’re not a fan. I mean, you WERE a fan of SG-1, and that would be all well and good if you were criticizing SG-1. Instead, you’re criticizing a show you don‘t even watch and, from you’ve said, have never watched. Kind of sad, no? Even better (read: sadder) is the fact that your “criticism” is the equivalent of an egocentric child’s demand to “Stopitstopitstopit!”. Out of curiosity, do you frequent the fan communities of many other shows you don’t watch and ask them to put an end to storylines or characters you have no intention of following? Have you ever contacted the manufacturers of products you don’t own and don’t ever plan on purchasing to demand that they discontinue sales of said items? Ever consider contacting the tourist boards of countries you have never and will never visit and take them to task for offering organized tours of the local attractions? These are all terrific little exercises that will surely prove as rewarding and productive your delightfully self-important ramblings on this blog.

Inpa writes: “You say you do not 'get' fans being annoyed at Beckett surely you must understand their point?”

Answer: Uh, actually I was referring to those fans who criticize a show they don’t watch, not supporters of the Carson Beckett character.

Vv0472 writes: “1) Was there anything that you liked about McGill University? 2) If we now have the Carter-McKay intergalactic bridge, then why not re-locate people from the Pegasus galaxy to the Milky Way galaxy and save them from the Wraith?”

Answers: 1) The many attractive women in my English courses. 2) Because it would take, oh, forever.

Charles Schneider writes: “If it doesn't bring any demons back, could you talk about why Mortal Coil was so hard on you?”

Answer: It was a script that required a lot of rethinking, re-ordering, and dialogue massaging to present a complex story in as concise, informative, and entertaining a way as possible. It was hell, but there are some very touching character moments that I thought turned out very nicely.

Stargatemagic writes: “Do you writer-types ever have to stay in for extra time ever/a lot?”

Answer: Since we writer-types also happen to be producer-types, there are occasions when we may have to hang around later to deal with script issues, pre-production concerns, studio or network conference calls, and, rarest of all, potential on-set issues.

Anonymous #2 writes: “IGN or Dreamwatch (I can't remember which) keeps knocking big points off because Carter is never in the episodes.”

Answer: Well, since Amanda was only contracted for 14 episodes in season 4, her absence in some episodes shouldn’t have come as any big surprise. Furthermore, I did stress at the beginning of the season that her role would be that of a Landry or, yes, even a Weir - more of a support role. Again, this shouldn’t have come as a surprise either.

Anonymous #3 writes: “As if you haven't had enough questions about Teyla's child, I thought I'd add one more. Are there any potential names that the writers are considering for the kid?”

Answer: At the moment, we’re considering several possibilities, among them - Mercutio, Goneril, Tangerine, Flossy, Lil Meow Meow, Jersey Phil, Mohave, Prince, Grobella, and McSheprokett. I’m leaning toward Flossy myself.

AMZ writes: “How do the writers work out who writes what story?”

Answer: Usually, the script goes to whoever came up with the idea. Other times, it’s simply a matter of someone wanting to write a specific script. Still other times, it comes down to who is free to write. Regardless of who came up with the idea, all of the writers take part in the building the actual story and shaping the script.

Lysambre writes: “are you hiding their names because they asked or do they think it's likely they'll be taken more seriously if they leave anonymous comments ?”

Answer: I hide no names. When people leave anonymous comments they do so because they consider it too much of a bother coming up with a blogger ID, although in rare instances it’s more a matter of individuals who lack the courage to be recognized for their opinions. Of course most blogger ID’s are anonymous as well but it’s the consistency of representation that makes them notable and, in my opinion, worthy of respect. For instance, I don’t know all that much about SMB_BOOKS on a personal level, but I do know that she is pro-Weir, had been consistent yet polite in her arguments, and I respect that. Anonymous posters who are impolite (and 99% they are anonymous) or adopt a more confrontational approach are the ones who don’t get much respect - and get slammed.

Maddog1995 writes: “I've just been curious about the replacement of Weir. Had SG-1 been renewed, what sort of direction would her replacement have taken? Would it possibly still have been Carter or maybe someone else we have seen in the past?”

Answer: The latter.

Anonymous #4 writes: “ What are Baron Destructo's plans for the upcoming holiday? Baking cookies? Sending out cards?”

Answer: Like most at this time of year, he’ll be shopping, decorating the League of Aliens and Mutants for Evil moonbase headquarters, and, in possibly targeting both North and South poles with his satellite lasers so as to melt the polar ice caps and flood major cities. You?

Rosebud writes: “Mallozzi said that the decision to remove Higginson had nothing to do with Tapping. Flanigan said the exact opposite. Who's wrong?”

Answer: With all due respect to Joe and what he may or may not have said at these various cons - he wasn’t in the room when we made the decision regarding Weir, and he wasn’t in the room when we made the decision regarding Carter. Any assumptions about the how’s and why’s of the decision are just that - assumptions.

Amy G writes: “In my opinion, the focus of the show is the team: John, Rodney, Ronon and Teyla, and those are the ones that make sense to have as regulars. The base commander, CMO, other scientists and military personal are supporting and it makes sense to have them on a recurring basis.”

Answer: A very interesting opinion that is pretty much in line with my approach to the show.

Ptarmigan writes: “Have you and the gang taken advantage of all of your wonderful snow and gone sledding yet?”

Answer: No. I’ve been inside all day working on my blog.

[prion]

answer: I hide no names. When people leave anonymous comments they do so because they consider it too much of a bother coming up with a blogger ID, although in rare instances it’s more a matter of individuals who lack the courage to be recognized for their opinions.

Rosebud writes: “Mallozzi said that the decision to remove Higginson had nothing to do with Tapping. Flanigan said the exact opposite. Who's wrong?”

Answer: With all due respect to Joe and what he may or may not have said at these various cons - he wasn’t in the room when we made the decision regarding Weir, and he wasn’t in the room when we made the decision regarding Carter. Any assumptions about the how’s and why’s of the decision are just that - assumptions.

Hmm, perhaps if Joe just said WHY they felt it necessary to remove weir people would stop asking Although I think hell will freeze over before we get an answer.

However, I laughed myself silly over his remarks about people not having courage to come up with a blogger ID. To do that, at least the last time I looked, you HAD to create a blog, and if you don't use the blog, they will delete it as spam. Joe, Joe, read the fine print for pity's sake

Forcing people to create blogs, userids, etc. to reply on a blog, well, no wonder so many people choose anonymous. plus they may not want their email culled for junk mail, as yes, blogs can be culled by bots for that purpose.