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

[Rosehawk]

Can someone explain to me what Joe means by this answer???

I really like to know why they avoided to talk about that in the third part.

I think Joe may have read the question wrong. His answer is more in line with 'if Rush was in Lee's body then was Lee in Rush's body...'

Joe didn't really answer what Dr. Lee was doing in Rush's body while Rush was in Lee's body.

I'm guessing they didn't talk about what Lee was doing since it most likely wasn't relevant to the story.

[Jumble]

Can someone explain to me what Joe means by this answer???

I really like to know why they avoided to talk about that in the third part.

From today's blog

Col. Mustard writes: “Col. Mustard writes: “Something that I noticed about Air II while watching Air III, what was Dr. Lee doing in Rush’s body while Rush was in Lee’s?”
Answer: Yes.
Of course! Now it makes complete since. I can’t believe I didn’t see that.”

Answer: Oops. I misread the question. I thought you were asking for confirmation tat Dr. Lee was in Rush’s body while Rush was occupying his. No doubt Dr. Lee was checking out the immediate area Rush retreated to use the stones.

[NZNeep]

Haha... and I thought he was being deliberately obtuse to avoid answering a spoilery question.

[Major Tyler]

Haha... and I thought he was being deliberately obtuse to avoid answering a spoilery question.

I like it when he's obtuse.

[Jumper_One]

http://josephmallozzi.wordpress.com/...njoy-if-i-did/

October 11, 2009

Photos: The Big Bang Theory, Bones, Lie To Me, The Mentalist, Criminal Minds


Let’s face it. There are just so many hours in a day and between work, sleep, reading, and master origami training, free time is at a premium. So when it comes to t.v., I tend to be very selective, often multi-tasking my way through certain shows – recording them and then watching them the following day during my morning work-out. Truth is, when it comes to my viewing schedule, the dance card is pretty full: House, Curb Your Enthusiasm, The Office, 30 Rock (when it returns), Survivor, and The Amazing Race – with Hell’s Kitchen and Top Chef in the back-up position. And Friday Night Lights whenever it comes back. Weeds, Nip/Tuck and Grey’s Anatomy with the wife. Trust me. That’s plenty. Still, there are shows out there that didn’t make the cut that nevertheless intrigue, shows that I have a feeling I would actually enjoy if I sat down and gave ‘em a chance. Not that I have the time, mind you. But, if I did, these are the shows that give me pause whenever I set my DVR for the week…

The Big Bang Theory

Why I don’t watch it: I’ve never been a big fan of sitcoms, preferring single camera comedies.

Why I should reconsider: A lot of very funny people I know have nothing but great things to say about this show. Also, geek humor is right up my alley.

Bones

Why I don’t watch it: I’ve never been a big fan of procedurals either.

Why I should reconsider: I always catch the last couple of minutes because I record the show immediately following (House?) and I have to admit that, in the little snippets I’ve actually watched, the chemistry between the two leads is terrific.

Lie To Me

Why I don’t watch it: To be honest, I missed the premiere and seriously wondered how many “tells” they could unearth and analyze before tapping out.

Why I should reconsider: My writing-producing partner, Paul, a notoriously tough critic was just talking about this show the other day, noting how clever it is.

The Mentalist

Why I don’t watch it: Love the premise but simply never got around to sitting down and watching on a regular basis.

Why I should reconsider: I caught an episode earlier this year and thoroughly enjoyed it. Also, Simon Baker is terrific.

Criminal Minds

Why I don’t watch it: Call me a wimp, but I find the whole serial killer angle grisly and disturbing.

Why I should reconsider: Call me goulish, but I find the whole serial killer angle grisly and intriguing. Also, whenever she comes to town, my friend Rosemary who works at CBS always does a great job of teasing upcoming episodes.

Hey, all you television aficianados. I assume you’re familiar with some if not all of the above-mentioned shows. Your toughts?


Mailbag:

T’loc writes: “Regarding the 2 that went thru to the other plant, is it possible that the reason why the gate addresses were “locked out” was because those gates are space gates and the ship realize that its shuttles are not operational so it allows only the planetary gate to be opened.”

Answer: Unlikely given that the seeder ship was planting gates on planets. It’s more likely that those addresses were locked out because of a security protocol deemed them dangerous or incapable of sustaining human life.

Boookal writes: “On a side note, I’ve looked and looked for the KINO videos and can’t find them. Can ya point me in the right direction?”

Answer: Sorry, I have no idea when they’ll be making their appearance.

Jason “The Chef” writes: “I really like the title of the episodes being shown. You should also maybe have more fun with it like Japanese sized episode titles like “The rat finds no purchase in life without hair color.” or “Some say we walk with a little tilt””

Answer: Those are episodes titles for seasons 10 and 8 respectively. Alas, not my call on the onscreen titles. Sorry about that, chef!

Col. Mustard writes: “Col. Mustard writes: “Something that I noticed about Air II while watching Air III, what was Dr. Lee doing in Rush’s body while Rush was in Lee’s?”
Answer: Yes.
Of course! Now it makes complete since. I can’t believe I didn’t see that.”

Answer: Oops. I misread the question. I thought you were asking for confirmation tat Dr. Lee was in Rush’s body while Rush was occupying his. No doubt Dr. Lee was checking out the immediate area Rush retreated to use the stones.

Marjorie Liu writes: “Fantastic episode, and a wonderful start to a new series. I know I’m in love with a show when I find my mind wandering back to the characters, wondering/imagining what will happen next to them.
As well as where they’re going to get more toilet paper when that runs out.”

Answer: Hey, Marjorie. Very much enjoy your work in the comic field and do intend to check out one of your books sometime soon. Yes, toilet paper and bullets will be cause for obvious concern as time goes on.

Thornyrose writes: “The mailbag is appreciated as always. not that I expect an answer, but does the “not a shuttle” that left the ship have something to do with the more-battered than would be expected condition of Destiny?”

Answer: I’ll just say stay tuned. That and good guess.

Dusty Owens writes: “I dont know if I buy that the Destiny was never maned before. Because why would their be crew quarters with beds, life support or shuttles in the first place if no one was ever to be on it?”

Answer: It was meant to be manned but the Ancient never got around to actually boarding it.

Answer: Why, yes. I’ll be at home watching Darkness of course.

Mary writes: “The first time you meet him, he’s locked up, and then he almost attacks an unarmed and much smaller woman. He’s the only person we see stealing food.”

Answer: We don’t know the circumstances that led to his incarceration. He was certainly going to confront her, but to say he “almost attacked her” is a bit of a stretch. He did not steal any food. That was someone else (Sgt. Spencer).

Zac B. writes: “ Is there any chance you could post some shots of the Kino remote?”

Answer: If I remember later in the week, I’ll track down a pic for ya.

Matt Boesch writes: “I dont know if this has been asked yet but when Will you guys find about a renewal for Season Two of Universe?”

Answer: We should know by January at the latest.

Alex Deva writes: “You just said: “I don’t know. At the risk of spoiling the rest of the season for me, I haven’t read any scripts past those for the first three episodes.”
On the other hand, on April 21st you said: “today, I read Brad’s finished version of Darkness and Light.”
Which one is it?”

Answer: Both. I read the script and provided notes, then had those parts of my memory erased using the device we got from that planet in SG-1’s Collateral Damage. Cool, no?

Michael writes: “If Atlantis left for Pegasus “Several Million Years Ago” according to “Rising”, was Rush mistaken in his estimate that Destiny left Earth “Hundreds of Thousands” of years ago?”

Answer: He misspoke or was speaking sort of off-hand, assuming he wasn’t going to be called on it by a knowledgeable fan.

Wraithfodder writes: “Ah, Joe, greyhounds are wonderful dogs. I’ve seen a few rescued ones and they’re gentle, loving and quite good looking.”

Answer: Just what first-time visitors to the production offices say about Exec. Producer Carl Binder. I rest my case.

Jean de Montreal writes: “Do we really need a quick justification to everything we don’t understand right on the spot?”

Answer: Good point. Quite a few (not all) of the problems some viewers have had with the show so far stem from the fact that their questions have not been immediately answered. Patience. Patience.

Ranthus writes: “What should we call the new gates?”

Answer: Harold and Pedro.

Guiguioh writes: “Is there a specific reason to use Dr Lee in the pilot, apart from a nice cameo purpose?”

Answer: Well, that and the fact that he IS one of the Stargate Program’s most trusted scientists.

DasNdanger writes: “Not sure if you saw my question the other day, but I was wondering if you had finished Aaron’s first Weapon X arc (ending with #5).”

Answer: I read #1 and #2 and loved ‘em and have picked up #3 and #5. I want to get #4 before sitting down and finishing the arc.

DasNdanger also writes: “Wraith telepathy – early on I believe it was said that only Queens have the ability to get into human minds, and Teyla was only vulnerable to Wraith in general due to her Wraith DNA. Later, however, it is suggested that Michael got into Carson head, and in Vegas McKay tells Sheppard (regarding Todd, who – as far as I know – is not a Queen… ), that they can get into ‘your head’, suggesting that Todd had read Sheppard’s mind and that’s how he had learned his name. Was this change supposed to be a reflection of better human understanding of Wraith abilities, or something else?”

Answer: The Queen’s ability to influence lesser minds far surpassed those of other wraith. In the case of the second tier wraith (again the keepers), they all possess the ability to a certain extent – but their relative influence varies from individual to individual. I believe this ability is innate in all wraith and in the case of the warrior-drones, almost negligible.

Noelm writes: “ Do hulu viewers show up in the ratings?”

Answer: No, they are not factored into the overnights, same day +1’s or the +7’s. That said, they are factored into the show‘s “big picture” performance numbers that include iTune and DVD sales.

Suskiekew writes: “Will we find out just why Greer was in detention?”

Answer: Yep. Soon. Soon. Pay close attention to the Young-Greer corridor conversation near the end of Fire.

Michael Jones writes: “What is Vanessa James’ rank?”

Answer: Second Lieutenant Vanessa James.

Susiekew also writes: “Just had to say that I’m so glad you had the chance to tell us all what a nice guy Jamil really is. I’m telling you, he must be a hell of an actor ’cause he has me totally convinced that his character is borderline psycho with a REALLY big chip on his shoulder.”

Answer: Yeah, in terms of how the individual cast members line up vis-à-vis their characters: Robert, Louis, Alaina, Elyse, Jamil, Lou, and Ming are most UNLIKE the characters they play while Eli and Brian have a lot in common with their onscreen personas.

[Jumper_One]

http://josephmallozzi.wordpress.com/...y-paul-jessup/

October 12, 2009

Photos: Open Your Eyes by Paul Jessup, Books


A space traveler named Ekhi, impregnated by a supernova, is rescued from her dying ship by the ragtag crew of a mercenary vessel. Once onboard, she falls under the watchful eye of the ship’s captain, Itsasu, a cyborg mind trapped in an emaciated shell of a body floating in a nutrient-rich solution. While Ekhi is sequestered and Itsasu plots the resurrection of her long dead husband, the rest of the dysfunctional crew struggles with sibling rivalry, unrequited lust, and fierce jealousies. But when the ship is attacked by an alien incursion force, a deadly linguistic virus is loosened, and the vessel’s own AI turns the tables on its unsuspecting crew, things take a turn for the REALLY weird.

Open Your Eyes, Paul Jessup’s breakthrough novella, is visually dynamic, outrageously imaginative, and at times an altogether baffling read. The characters are a colorful and intriguing assortment (Ekhi who carries a true cosmic egg within her, the motherly Itsasu and her cadre of mind-controlled dolls, young Hodei obsessed with a softcore magazine model, his brother Sugoi a witless giant prone to violent mood swings, and the relatively level-headed Mari caught between them), swept along in a surreal scenario that pushes the boundaries of science fiction well into science fantasy. Which isn’t a bad thing. It’s a bizarre kaleidoscope of a narrative to be sure, delivering an almost-overwhelming array of alternately brilliant and bewildering images, ideas, and plot-driven developments, offering up just enough to engage without really explaining. On the one hand, this works beautifully as the story builds its momentum from one breathtakingly clever concept to the next (that contagious meme capable of reducing a brain to pudding was a personal favorite), never slowing to wallow in the details as it drives toward its epiphanic climax. On the other hand, this disdain for details carries through to its final pages, making for an open-ended and not wholly satisfying conclusion. It’s an incredibly ambitious book and, even if some of its wildly varied components remain unexplained or unattended (Ekhi all but disappears following her introduction), Jessup should be lauded for this positively fearless foray into scifi fantasy.

Despite the occasionally elusive narrative elements and its lack of closure, getting there is still a treat and a half, a mesmeric, mind-bending journey under the guidance of the New Weird’s rising star.

Finally, let me make special mention of the cover art (“The Day Dreamer”) by Daniele Cascone that does such a spot-on job of mirroring the book’s sense of blossoming apprehension and wild, wide-eyed wonder. It’s what led me to pick up the book in the first place. Lately, it’s been just the opposite. I can’t tell you how many titles I’ve deep-sixed solely on the basis of their truly horrendous artwork.

So, those were my initial thoughts. Let’s get a discussion going. And start posting your questions for author Paul Jessup.

Also, a little reminder: if you glance over at the right sidebar, you’ll note that I have already announced the November book of the month club selection: Emissaries from the Dead by Aam-Troy Castro. Looks like a good one so make sure to pick up your copy and start reading. Discussion begins the week of November 9th.

Today, I had lunch with Special Features Producer Ivon Bartok. Somewhere between our Crunchy and Munch Roll and the grilled saba, I received the ratings for last Friday’s airing of Air III. They were an eye-opener. A 1.8! Now what’s astounding here is not so much the number itself (although 1.8 is great) but the fact that we actually went UP from the premiere. I mean, that’s unheard of. Who would have thought?! Oh, wait. I know. David Blue. About a month before the premiere, he predicted that we would actually build our audience following Air I and II. I told him that would be nice but highly unlikely given that most every series sees a drop-off in its second week. Well, he proved me wrong and I am now a believer. Tomorrow, I’m going to swing by set and pester him for some winning lottery numbers.

Following lunch, Ivon and I stopped by HMV where I picked up some TV on DVD. While we were perusing the horror selection, a helpful employee approached and asked whether we required any assistance. We thanked him but told him we were just browsing to which he replied: “Alright. By the way, I love SGU.”. Huh? What was that? Turns out he recognized both Ivon and I from my blog – which I find ineffably bizarre, the fact you guys are actually real! Anyway, Mark is a transplanted Aussie and, more importantly, a big fan of the franchise, so Ivon and I ended up chatting Stargate with him. Before heading out, I got him to fess up to his favorite characters: Carter on SG-1 and Scott on SGU.

Hey, speaking of our Lieutenant Scott, best birthday wishes go out to birthday boy Brian J. Smith who will not doubt be partying all night in celebration (and then going to bed at an early hour so that he’ll be fresh and prepared for tomorrow’s early call).

Today’s entry is dedicated to birthday individual Ultracurious.

Oh, by the way, in addition to those DVD’s, I also picked up a few books:

Hey, Dairy Queen is offering a pumpkin pie blizzard. Just thought you should know.

[Jumper_One]

http://josephmallozzi.wordpress.com/...-news-of-note/

October 13, 2009


Allow me to kick off today’s post with a huge thank you to resident Stargate techie and computer fixer-upper Lawren Bancroft-Wilson for helping me get back online. My laptop has been experiencing technical difficulties of late and, for a while there, it looked like tonight’s entry was in peril. But, thanks to Lawren, a band-aid solution has been applied to the critical issue and I am able to squeeze in this better-late-than-never entry.

Hey, back in the office today after the long Thanksgiving Day weekend. “What’s that?”you say. “Thanksgiving? In October?!” Why, yes. Here in Canada we do things a little differently, celebrating Thanksgiving about a month earlier than our southern neighbors. We also observe Easter in June and Fancy Pantaloon Day in July. On a related note, I’ve heard that Americans celebrate Christmas December 25th. Any truth to this crazy rumor? Christmas in winter?!! How bizarre.

I can’t believe the production year has come and almost gone. Nine more days and we wrap the first season of SGU. The ratings for the first three episodes have been solid, so solid in fact that thoughts are now turning to a prospective season two. We’ve started to pitch story ideas and vague notions with the aim to getting five scripts in play before we head off for our hiatus. To do that, however, we need to get all five of us (Brad, Rob, Carl, Paul, and myself) in a room for some extended, interruption-free spin sessions. Easier said than done. However, between now and when I’m Tokyo-bound, I’m sure we’ll find the time to sit down and sort it out. The game plan: 1) discuss the repercussions of our shocking finale, 2) confirm our general season arc, 3) establish our individual character arcs, 4) break some stories, and, most importantly, 5) come up with some good two word titles. Simple, no?

Hey, what ever happened to global warming? Well, it looks like its gone the way of the dodo bird, those wassup guys, and acid rain: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8299079.stm

Thanks to Matt Stover for directing me to this interesting article concerning CERN’s Large Hadron Collider being plagued by, of all things, temporal anomalies: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/13/sc...13lhc.html?hpw

Want to smarten up? Eat fish (http://www.realage.com/tips/drop-dem...protein?kw=ist) and learn to juggle (http://www.newscientist.com/article/...-for-good.html).

The gang at cracked.com offer up their list of The Worst Movie Accents: http://www.cracked.com/funny-1991-th...movie-accents/. Hey, wait minute what about Nicholas Cage in Captain Corelli’s Mandolin? Or, should I say: “Heya! Whatsa mattta happened to-a Capi-tan Co-relli’s Man-doli-na?!!”

Oh, hey, don’t forget to get your questions in for author Paul Jessup! Book now to avoid disappointment!

[Major Tyler]

No answers to questions today?

[Jeff O'Connor]

Sometimes he gets a little behind and clumps some of the comments together from the previous couple of entries.

So he's serious about the 'two word titles for season two' thing? I wonder. It's an interesting concept to keep going with, but as I pointed out in a comment just now, getting to the fifth season, things would start to get kind of... interesting.

[Jumper_One]

http://josephmallozzi.wordpress.com/...emos-revealed/

October 14, 2009


This morning, my laptop was really zipping along, operating like a brand new purchase unencumbered by personal files, pics, and software. Unfortunately, that was because it was unencumbered by personal files, pics, and software. For some reason it failed to load my personal settings despite multiple reboots. This may be just the latest in a long line of problems that have plagued this computer of late or it could be the result of the headlong tumble (compliments of my pug Maximus darting in front of me as I was walking, laptop in hand) that sent me crashing into a staircase – though, in hindsight, my right knee absorbed most of the impact. No, no. It’s time I faced facts. I can’t put it off any longer. It’s time I got a new laptop. I just have to decide what I want and pull the trigger. Mac or PC? Ashleigh suggested I was more the “PC type”. I asked her what the hell she meant by that but she deftly skirted the subject. I had my suspicions and they seemed to be confirmed later in the day when, during a discussion on vocal producers, she jokingly referred to Carl and I as “Old Yellers”. I know, I know. It’s a wonder I still let her send out my mail.

Anyway, like yesterday, script coordinator Lawren Bancroft-Wilson addressed my computer problems. Sort of. He located my personal files, but my outlook express and various documents remain inaccessible. Fortunately, I backed everything up on an external hard drive.

That I can’t find.

So today, we celebrated Robert Cooper’s birthday by gathering outside his office, cake ready and candles flaming, and waiting for him to get off the damn phone. Fifteen minutes into the small talk and standing around, Ashleigh complained that her arms were getting tired and asked me whether I would mind holding the cake. I was more than happy to oblige and, moments later, the birthday boy exited his office. A spirited off-key rendition of Happy Birthday later and Rob blew out the candles – spraying chocolate flakes all over my suit and dress shirt. I threw a look to Ashleigh who feigned an apologetic shrug. No problem. I’ll send her the dry-cleaning bill.

After a special birthday-schnitzel lunch, we watched two FANTASTIC episodes back to back – the Day 2 mixes of Justice and Time (Trust me. You’ll be blown away by some of the surprises in store.) – and then watched about an hour’s worth of visual effects for Space, Divided, and Faith. Mark Savela and his team continue to produce some of the best visuals this franchise has ever seen: aliens, ships, space battles. Incredible stuff.

Finally – One of the many things that have pleased us in the early ratings has been the show’s impressive performance in the key demos. Now I’m sure that for many of you sitting at home are wondering: “What the hell are key demos?”. Well, key demos (aka key demographics) are that subset of our viewing audience that appeal so greatly to advertisers and, by extension, the network and studio. And what groups comprise these subsets of the viewing audience? Well, let me break it down for you:

Deathbed millionaires: Apparently, approximately 1% of all deathbed millionaires bequeath part or all of their fortunes to individuals associated with their favorite programming. (Hey, how do you think John Coulier got that place in Malibu?)

Young males aged 16 and a half to 18 years of age: Studies have shown that boys who fall within this narrow age bracket are most likely to make impulse purchases motivated by commercials featuring speeding cars, explosions, and/or talking animals with foreign accents.

Pets with disposable income: one of the fastest growing market segments out there.

Doting grandmothers who count on t.v. to let them know what their grandkids would like for their birthdays.

Hugely successful criminals looking to launder cash by purchasing big ticket items.

Now the aforementioned are fairly obvious. The following are a list of less obvious but no less important key demos: high-strung classical pianists, left-handed barristas, twins of a twin parent with names that begin with the same letter of the alphabet, belligerent raccoons, individuals who sing lustily in the shower and on public transport, baseball players reluctant to slide into second base for fear of getting an ouchy, capeless magicians, those chimps local sports shows get to pick the winners of upcoming NFL games, tuba players in marching bands, people who think they’re telepathic, people who don’t think they’re telepathic but really are, anyone sporting a prescription monocole, towel boys for Division 1 college football teams with a losing record and a mascot wearing a silly hat, temperamental spoiled children used to getting their way, parents of temperamental spoiled children eager for some peace and quiet, circus clowns, pannini maker makers, albino sherpas who offer accounting services out of their own home office, pirates and/or people who dress up and fancy themselves pirates, anyone who has contracted a rare disease from a parrot used to round out a pirate costume, anyone who says “for prosperity’s sake” instead of “for posterity’s sake”, adventurous librarians, snake charmers who own their own cobras rather than rent them on an as needed basis, claustrophobic figure skaters, grape farmers suffering from sleep apnea, ferret owners who dress up their pets in funny outfits, airport security wand wavers, spirit mediums who rarely do anything well done, train conductors who also conduct orchestras, and dolphins with t.v. privileges.

Hope that clears things up.

[Jumper_One]

http://josephmallozzi.wordpress.com/...tober-15-2009/

October 15, 2009


Yes, I’m alive! Thanks for asking. This morning, my laptop updated itself and then started running a scandisk. Great, I thought. It’ll fix whatever problems I’m experiencing and I’ll be back online in no time. Well, 12 hours later, and it’s still chugging along, having completed 84% of its hard drive analysis. I’m hoping it should be done by bedtime. In the meantime, I’ve switched over to my back-up laptop, thus ensuring I won’t have to post today’s entry from my Blackberry.

Tomorrow is my birthday and I’ve informed the gang at work that I will not be in the office if only because I want to avoid the predictable Everyone Stands Around Awkwardly And Sings Happy Birthday After Which I’ll Feel Obligated To Eat A Piece Of Crappy Ice Cream Cake Or One Of Those Bakery Butter Cream And Edible Oil Monstrosities That Everyone In the Front Office Raves About That Actually Tastes Like (to borrow a quaint turn of phrase) ****e festivities. Nope, sorry. Not gonna do it. Carl was quick to call me on it however: “But you love standing around making whoever’s birthday it is feel awkward and uncomfortable.” Well, yes, Carl. Of course it’s enjoyable when it’s somebody else on the receiving end of my “Speech! Speeeech!” candle-blowing request. But I’d just as sooner avoid the possibility altogether.

Speaking of my birthday – thanks to Anais for the birthday card (J’ai recu vorte carte. Merci, Anais!) and another thanks to Shirt’n'Tie for the framed picture of The Cliffs of Insanity that will soon adorn my office wall.

Aha! I’d love to stay and chat, but myother laptop is finally up and (sort of) running and I need to rescue my email address book before it goes down for the count!

One more day to post your questions for author Paul Jessup!

[Atlantisfannew1]

"thanks to Anais for the birthday card (J’ai recu vorte carte. Merci, Anais!)"

Derien (you're welcome!) et encore joyeux anniversaire (and again Happy Birthday)

[Jumper_One]

http://josephmallozzi.wordpress.com/...want-darkness/

October 16, 2009

Photos: Joe Mallozzi, Ashleigh, Tanja, Lawren, Ivon Bartok, Ali Liebert, Peter DeLuise, Colonel Everett Young, Lieutenant Vanessa James

Video: A face


Despite suggestions to the contrary, I actually did make it into the office today. As I strolled in, Ashleigh and Lawren came out of their offices and started singing Happy Birthday – which led me to sidestep immediately into Carl’s vacant office and shut the door the behind me. The singing immediately died down. A few hushed seconds at which point Lawren’s voice broke the silence: “We can wait as long as you can!”. Fortunately, he was bluffing.

Well, thanks for all the birthday wishes. And an extra special thanks to blog regular Narelle from taking the time to post this handy Joseph Mallozzi F.A.Q.: http://narellefromaus.blogspot.com/2...lozzi-faq.html – which I’ll no doubt be consulting with great frequency when I’m old and forgetful.

Anyway, I received a card from the lovely Elyse Levesque, birthday wishes from David Blue and the rest of the office crew, talked season two ideas with Rob, Carl, and Lawren, checked out the finished viz effects for Space (wow!), had lunch, and, finally, retired to my office to finish up today’s blog entry. Some ten minutes in, I heard the umistakable footfalls of an approaching crowd, then a timid knock. I knew that just on the other side of that door stood a dozen or so of my co-workers, cake at the ready, singing voices poised and set to let loose. I redirected my attention to the blog, taking comfort in the fact that I had locked my office door. Another knock and then the rattle of the master keys as Ashleigh unlocked my office door and led everyone inside. They sang Happy Birthday, made me blow out the candles (”Here’s your crappy cake!”announced David.), and yelled: “Speech! Speech!”. I kept it short and not-so-sweet, thanking them for doing the exact opposite of my expressed birthday wishes.

Anyway, the cake was actually very good, sort of a hazelnut sponge cake, special ordered by Production Coordinator Tanja Balic in the front office and delivered by none other than my arch-nemesis Ashleigh.

I had not one but two pieces. Ashleigh barely had one despite the fact that it was my birthday and it obviously would have meant so much to me. But, like I said, she’s my arch-nemesis so I suppose I shouldn’t have been that surprised (and deeply, deeply disappointed).

Hey, tonight on SyFy – Stargate: Universe, episode 4 – Darkness! A great script by Brad Wright, wonderful performances by the cast, and terrific direction by Stargate veteran director Peter DeLuise. One of the things I particularly love about this episode are all the really nice character moments. Check out the sneak peek pics – then check out the episode and report back…

[Jumper_One]

http://josephmallozzi.wordpress.com/...hunky-mailbag/


October 17, 2009

Photos: The pugs, SGA s5 The Lost Tribe pics


Well, hoowee! I just checked my blog stats and discovered that my traffic has jumped by a whopping 40%. What gives? Strangely, nothing out of the ordinary in the referrers or incoming links. And then I noticed the 2800+ visitors who came to this blog via a search engine. And the search term used?

Stargate: Universe?

Nope.

Rosie the Riveter?

No, it only brought in a mere half dozen.

Julia Benson?

Correct! Julia, who plays the role of Second Lieutenant Vanessa James on Stargate: Universe, has obviously captured the attention of more than a few casual viewers. Great! She’s not only a wonderful actress, but a total sweetheart. And she’s apparently joined the ranks to the Twitterati, so if you want to get the latest updates on all-things Julia, head on over here: http://twitter.com/Julia_Benson

Hey, after Air I and II, we got the “Hey, why didn’t the kino push the buttons to seal the shuttle door?” questions and after Air III we got the “Hey, why didn’t the kino find and test for water?” questions, so I’m surprised that, after Darkness aired, we haven’t seen the expected “Hey, why didn’t the kino figure out the ship’s power issues?” questions. What gives?

My attempts to find a dog-sitter for over the Christmas holidays have come up empty. I thought our Production Coordinator Tanja had a lead the other day when she told me about a quiet, middle-aged woman who would have been perfect for the job. “She ‘s a bit of a spinster,”Tanja informed me. I asked her what she meant given that the poor woman was described as “middle-aged” (which, last time I checked, aint exactly spinster territory so far as I’m familiar with the term). “Oh,”she explained. “She’s middle-aged, a homebody, and her life revolves around dog.” Then, helpfully adding: “Sort of like you.” Which, I guess, makes me the male equivalent of a spinster (a spinsthim?). I haven’t given up hope and will continue looking but, as a last resort, I might have to board the gang at the local doggie hotel.

Hey, since someone asked, here are some publicity stills from Atlantis’s fifth season.


AND an extra-chunky mailbag:

Matt Boesch writes: “What Episodes are you guys on currently working and prepping for?”

Answer: We’re done prepping. We’re shooting Incursion I and II.

O6untouchable writes: “Just curious – is this another one of Ivon’s contributions to the franchise this year, or is it something that Brad and Rob cooked up?”

Answer: Those segments were shot by Andy Mikita as part of the opener.

Qsoaiein writes: “Do you know how the people that make Stargate decide how old a particular character is in the show? Like when they were born, because I’ve noticed it seems to differ from their actor’s age sometimes.”

Answer: No, we never assign an exact age or date of birth to the characters.

Joel413 writes: “The face shown in the sand, was that an ancient or was that the face of the priest that raised the Lt?”

Answer: That was the priest. See the video in yesterday’s entry.

MrsB writes: “ 1) Is anyone onboard the Destiny severely mentally unbalanced?
2)Will there be any surprising relationships formed this season?”

Answers: 1) Oh, the strain of being stranded so far from home will exact a psychological toll on many of the crewmembers.
2) I’m not sure what you would consider surprising.

Matt Tyler writes: “Also, where did you find Jamil? He’s absolutely amazing!”

Answer: That he is!

Sean writes: “Do you think the concept of the edge of the universe might eventually apply within the Stargate Universe series?”

Answer: It certainly sounds cool, but I don’t think there is an “edge of the universe”.

Hestia writes: “It’s a stupid question but we all are curious to know if SGU will have a song for it’s opening credit.”

Answer: Unfortunately, it won’t.

Jlgrand writes: “What is the best way to show my support for SGU?”

Answer: 1. Watch the show. 2. Tell everyone how much you’re enjoying the show.

Michael writes: “Can I ask who is the cg artist responsible for making the destiny ship for Stargate Universe and does he have a website.”

Answer: Production Designer James Robbins designed Destiny.

RandomQ’s writes: “Any indication yet as to whether or not during the SGU hiatus the SG1 & SGA movies will move into production?”

Answer: Alas, given that we’ve received no word about either movie by this point, it’s unlikely we’ll be shooting them in November.

Quade1 writes: “I’m watching Dragon’s Den right now on CBC, actually a pretty good show. you catch any episodes Joe?”

Answer: I don’t, but the guys at work do and enjoy it.

Brian writes: “…is it true; that if Extinction succeeds the SGA series will be picked back up?”

Answer: There is absolutely not truth to this. Even if the movie does well, it will definitely not result in the series being revived. It would, however, increase the likelihood of more movies.

Hitman writes: “Run a scandisk of the drive and see if it detects any faults.”

Answer: I did! And it did! And my laptop is functional once again. But I’m still getting a new one.

Littleravenhawk writes: “Matt Stover….like Matthew Stover…the best Star Wars author????”

Answer: The one and only. Check out the recent Q&A he did for us: http://josephmallozzi.wordpress.com/...our-questions/

Mel writes: “Everyone is talking highly of the ratings, however, they aren’t that good, are they?”

Answer: They’re actually very good, especially when you consider SGU’s winning the night in key demos. Of course you can compare the show’s number to other shows, but you can also bring up the fact that we’re airing Friday nights (the least watched night on television) and in the Fall where we’re up against network competition.

Jenny writes: “Also, I got so much GREAT footage up there last week and cannot wait to get started.”

Answer: It was nice chatting with you on set, however briefly. Ivon speaks very highly of you.

Ytimyona writes: “ Any word yet on whether we can look forward to actor commentaries on SGU???”

Answer: Yes! The actors have been in and out of the production offices these past few weeks working on their commentaries. Coming soon to DVD!

Scarym writes: “So what is your idea of the perfect birthday cake?”

Answer: I’m going to go with dark chocolate pistachio.

Kathode writes: “Okay, here’s a question for you: where in Vancouver can I find good cannoli?”

Answer: Hmmm. Good question. I’d check out some of the shops on Commercial Drive.

Ravenfur writes: “Do TV networks take into account their online viewers when they consider how popular a series is?”

Answer: They might, but advertisers generally don’t.

Tim Gaffney writes: “I know you want to get LDP into these episodes, but it strains credability that he is the one who always is there when Young returns to the Pentagon.”

Answer: That goes to Telford’s determination and desire to get on Destiny.

Tim Gaffney also writes: “And come on, I can maybe buy that Sen. Armstrongs wife was informed of the situation. She could have high clearance. But Young’s wife?”

Answer: Over the course the many years the Stargate program has been in operation, more and more people have been informed of its existence. In the interest of ensuring the psychological well-being of the Destiny crew, many civilians WILL receive clearance so that they can visit with their loved ones.

Tim Gaffney also writes: “And if Telford reports that Young should be removed from command, who would possibly replace him. Rush just had a mental breakdown, Scott would be the only other possibility and he is only a Lt.”

Answer: Scary, no? Let’s hope Young is able to stay cool under pressure.

Df2506 writes: “Young goes to visit his ex-wife?”

Answer: Why not? Given the technology at their disposal, why deny these people the opportunity to visit with loved ones, allow them at least a glimmer of comfort and open an otherwise bleak situation?

Montrealer writes: “Who is the ranking officer after Colonel Young?”

Answer: In the event Colonel Young is unable to fulfill his duties, Lieutenant Scott will step in.

Quade1 writes: “Do the actor’s have to visualize the Kino or do you guys have like a green ball hanging from a rope on a stick?”

Answer: The kino is usually CG and for tracking purposes it is usually a “ball on a stick”.

Joshua Meyers extraordinary teenager writes: “ Are there any moments ahead where Telford challenges Youngs command or something, or anyone challenges his command(this question is limited to people stranded back on earth only)??”

Answer: It certainly looks like that’s where things may be headed.

AceNZ writes: “will the crew ever be able to explore the full extent of Destiny?”

Answer: Exploring Destiny will be a priority in the coming months.

Kevin writes: “At the beginning of the episode when they’re in the mess hall. Everyone is casually sitting around and having a conversation…but in the back of the room…there’s a soldier in full gear…carrying his rife at the ready.”

Answer: Given that that’s where much of the food is stored, it makes sense that there would be guards posted to ensure nobody tries to help themselves.

HBMC writes: “Will the characters we saw be developed further in this way (not necessarily via Kino diaries).
Take Lisa Park as an example – I think she’s adorable, and seems to be the kind’ve person who rambles a bit when given the chance. Is this present in her character further down the line, or just something done in this episode?”

Answer: We will develop our secondary cast of characters as well, in the episode and in the kino sequences that will be appearing online. Soon. And, yes, I’m a big fan of Jennifer Spence’s work as well. In the coming months, watch this blog for upcoming guest Q&A’s for the likes of Jennifer (Lisa Park), Patrick Gilmore (Dale Volker), Peter Kelamis (Adam Brody), Haig Sutherland (Sgt. Riley), Mark Burgess (Franklin), and Julia Benson (Lt. Vanessa James).

Aboleyn24 writes: “Why not have scientist that are experts on ancent tech swap with someone in board Destiny and try and solve some of these problems. They can’t expect Rush to do it all and its not like they don’t have access to capable people that might be able to assist them.”

Answer: Rush and Eli are certainly the best and brightest. Rush, in particular, would be in the best position to know what kind of help he would need. That said, the issue of using the stones in this regard will be addressed in an upcoming episode.

[Jumper_One]

http://josephmallozzi.wordpress.com/...mucho-mailbag/

October 18, 2009 - Part 1


My fellow writer-producer Carl Binder is taking me out for a birthday dinner (Mine, I’m assuming; not his.), so I’m posting reasonably early today and turning things over to another much mailbag.


Mailbag:

AnneTeldy writes: “I really dislike the use of the Stones for “family time”. It makes no sense. Mrs. Young, for example, wasn’t allowed to know her husband was base commander on Icarus but suddenly she’s allowed to know everything?”

Answer: When he was on Icarus, Young was still able to communicate with his wife and return home on a semi-regular basis. Now that he’s on Destiny, he faces the likelihood that he may never return. The same goes for everyone on Destiny and this places an enormous psychological stress on them – trapped, isolated, with no foreseeable hope of ever returning home. The home visits that the communication stones provide, though far from ideal, provide that glimmer of hope that will hopefully comfort them and keep them sane through the tough times ahead. Not granted them these visits home would have been the equivalent of abandoning them and even discounting the argument that they act on compassionate grounds, the SGC has a vested interest in keeping the Destiny crew happy and cooperative from a purely practical standpoint.

AnneTeldy also writes: “I’m hoping the women’s plotlines kick in soon. TJ is the only one so far with a story and a purpose. Chloe is annoying and useless. I hope to see some growth soon.”

Answer: Chloe is the biggest fish-out-of-water on Destiny, the equivalent to, say, any one of US being trapped on board with these scientist and military types. All I can say is it’s a long season and there will be opportunities to develop many of the unexplored characters – like T.J. and Wray.

AnneTeldey also writes: “I really dislike Camile Wray. I didn’t want to but, so far, I haven’t seen anything to like. She was yelling and throwing a fit at Rush and treating him like dirt in the first episode (”We don’t want to settle in; we want to go back!”). Then in “Darkness”, she had the nerve to reprimand other people about how they treat Rush. I also dislike the way she assumes she has authority. Definitely not likable.”

Answer: Fan opinions on many of these characters will change as we get to know them a little better. At first blush, Camile comes across as yet another in a long line of annoying IOA reps but, as the season progresses (and in particular after Life), we’ll get a sense of the real person beneath that tough, unfathomable façade.

SSJPAbs writes: “Why not get the show to air on a non-Friday night?”

Answer: When we air is a network decision.

PoorOldEdgarDerby writes: “Can Telford take over Young’s body indefinitely if he sees fit?”

Answer: No – for reasons that will become evident in coming episodes.

Skontel writes: “But can you at least tell me if this turns into some sort of pseudo-reality-TV, where the characters are constantly yelling at each other and figuratively stabbing each other in the back?”

Answer: Over the course of this first season, you’ll see this people at their very best and at their very worst. Granted, we’ve seen them at each other’s throats, but we’ve also seen them demonstrate surprising resolve and a willingness to self-sacrifice in the face of adversity. Take Air III, for example. Greer refused to leave Scott behind, risked his own life to find him and get him back to the ship

Skontel also writes: “There are quite a few things to like on the show so far. For example, colonel Young’s situation. He is respected and fully in command at the Icarus base, but the moment he gets injured, his authority isn’t as solid as it used to be. Everyone still seems to respect him, but you get the feeling the vultures would pick at his flesh if they could. It’s a very nice subtlety so far. It also better demonstrates burden of command, in my opinion, than the other shows did.”

Answer: Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown – something Colonel Young will discover firsthand in short time.

Skontel also writes: “I’ve seen many questions here and had discussions with my friends who watch the show, about the third Air episode, and the two characters that dial to another planet. Your response seems to indicate that fans shouldn’t worry much about those two characters anymore, and I’m fine with that. However, I feel that there is a conflict in what you’ve said. You claim that the planet they went to must have been unable to sustain human life, yet before they stepped through the gate they said that the readings were “better than on the ’sandy’ planet.” Faulty Kino readings?”

Answer: No. The suggestion here is that there may be many other variables beside atmospheric conditions that could make a planet dangerous, factors a kino may not be able to identify but which Destiny might.

Skontel also writes: “o be more specific, are you guys at all concerned with the actual science, and do some checking to make sure that science that goes into it has some basis in reality? Or do the writers just imagine things and explain them in ways that “sound good.””

Answer: We try to walk that fine line between scientific accuracy and compelling drama. Someone who has had great success doing this is author John Scalzi (http://whatever.scalzi.com/) – so it should come as no surprise that he is a consultant on the show.

Hegemonmonster writes: “Why is there such a big gap in the chain of command? We go from Col. Young to 1st Lt. Scott…why didn’t anyone/rank in between land on the ship as well?”

Answer: Unlike the Atlantis exposition, this wasn’t a planned mission. As a result, Destiny is now crewed by a most unlikely group of explorers.

Shawna Buchanan writes: “It did occur to me while watching Air III, why don’t they just have, say, McKay and Carter use the stones to switch places with some of those people on the ship who are sitting around doing nothing?”

Answer: This issue will be addressed in an upcoming episode. Earth actually.

Mary writes: “Again on the realism point: if this were real, those people would NOT be sitting around yapping, they wouldn’t be recording their images, thoughts and feelings to a camera that will never be seen by anyone on earth, they wouldn’t be chasing after the girls to see them naked, they wouldn’t be wasting water and power. They would ALL be doing their best to stay alive today and to figure out how to still be alive tomorrow.”

Answer: What would you expect them to do? There’s a huge difference between saying you’d like to do something useful and actually doing something useful. Most of the crew do not have the skills necessary to make any sort of contribution in this regard. Yes, there are plenty of marines with weapons and Icarus base personnel skilled at cooking and cleaning, but they are hardly in a position to start learning Ancient. In the midst of all tragedy life goes on – people eat, take showers, sleep, even find comfort in one another.

Gilder writes: “Any suggestions for insomnia?”

Answer: If you come across any, do share. I was up through most of last night.

Sean writes: “Is it possible or likely that the vortex (wind/sand) alien life form – from “Air (part 3)” – is not from the desert world at all but, rather, while in its natural state as “Air” (or wind) actually resided aboard the Destiny and traveled – undetected – through the stargate with the 7 individuals who stepped through to the desert world; and, that the same Air-based life form was helping Lt. Scott possibly so that it could return to the Destiny (undetected) with them, where they would fix the air on the ship, also rescuing the life form?”

Answer: It’s certainly possible. As to whether this is what occurred…stay tuned.