Stargate, British Style!

[Womble]

Sealurk had a very well written story based around a British SG team. It was styled as a "pilot" for a post-"Continuum", British-centered Stargate spinoff, with some clever SG-1 style use of Norse mythology. I did some proof reading for it, but I don't know if he eventually posted it anywhere. You might want to PM him and ask.

[Flyboy]

This is True. all the riot control weapons that they are working on that the US is helping with. do you work on a British base?

Wouldn't say 'work', but I do have a base. I'm an RAF Officer Cadet at the moment and I'm currently being trained whilst doing a degree in International Politics & Strategic Studies. Sort of like Cadet Hailey from the prodigal - but we don't have specific Air Force academies here in Britain.

Womble, that sounds interesting, was it post-continuum in this reality or the alternate reality?

Razzel, I always imagined any British SGC would be located possibly in Scotland in the countryside.

[Krisz]

After a beautifully detailed discussion last night on just about everything!
It became quite obvious that British and American SCI FI are considered two completely diffrent genres!!

For example you have Dr Who which is a classic British Sci Fi and has stood the test of time and is still going strong even when my parents have been watching it!!!

A well know'n American Sci Fi included the Stargate and Star Trek Franchies, again with Star Trek having been around since my parents early years

So how do you think things would be diffrent if Stargate was made for British TV??
Would it change???
What do you think the main diffrences are between British and American Sci Fi's?

I think the biggest difference between US and British sci fi shows is money!

As someone who was born in and lived in the UK until 3 years ago, I always felt Sci Fi was never a popular thing as far as TV execs were concerned, therefore woefully underfunded. The thing is that Britain has a wonderfully rich background in fantastic sci fi ideas, sadly what consititued 'entertainment' by the BBC and ITV didn't include sci fi as the first priority in their program planning. Sci Fi was only ever shown on the BBC's 'odd, unusual programs' channel BBC2 at 6pm when most people watched the news and soaps on BBC1. Dr Who was the only exception and shown on BBC1 at a time when it became part of 'family' viewing on a Saturday evening and therefore a part of a cherished tradition of great British shows. What sci fi shows ITV made tended to be aimed at children.

The result of this gave us shows with wonderful ideas but terrible production values. Having said this, it did mean that the makers of British sci fi shows had to be more inventive with concepts and off the wall ideas, not saying that some US shows weren't! The best example of this for me was 'Sapphire and Steel'. This show made wonderful use of limited sets, coupled with clever lighting effects and a great script which gave us a riveting unusual show. The down side to this were some truly awful shows that didn't help the cause of sci fi on British TV, 'Crimetraveler' and more recently 'Primeval' come to mind. US shows with awful concepts seemed to fare better because they were partly saved by better quality visuals and effects.

I agree that a British made Stargate would have more character based drama. It may tend to focus more on the motives of government agencies and consequences of the misuse of the technologies brought through the gate, they couldn't afford too many flashy special effects and location shooting! I think it would still have the same humour though, the Canadian influence in Stargate has much of the British sense of humour due I think to the British part of Canada's heritage.

[Womble]

Womble, that sounds interesting, was it post-continuum in this reality or the alternate reality?

"This" reality. I think you'd appreciate it more than most; the "military" elements were very well researched

[Flyboy]

"This" reality. I think you'd appreciate it more than most; the "military" elements were very well researched

I shall have to PM him about it then, I don't usually read fics, but I may have to make an exception here. Cheers for the heads up.

[razzel_daxxel]

Wow great post Krisz, welcome to the discusion, I have to agree, it would be more character based.

I do think one good point is that, it would most likley show what happend to tech brought through the gate like Krisz said, sadley a lot of the time, tech that is brought through the gate on SG1 if forgotten about. Also British Sci Fi, seems to like Lazers a lot of well So I think that there would be more use of Engegy weapons, like on SG1, but Atlantis tried to move away from the use of energy weapons (Ronon's gun being the only engergy weapon in the main team)

Also we Brits do seem to love plot twist LOL, I mean just look at Corri etc....
So I think there would be a fair bit of double agents etc......

[Flyboy]

Wow great post Krisz, welcome to the discusion, I have to agree, it would be more character based.

I do think one good point is that, it would most likley show what happend to tech brought through the gate like Krisz said, sadley a lot of the time, tech that is brought through the gate on SG1 if forgotten about. Also British Sci Fi, seems to like Lazers a lot of well So I think that there would be more use of Engegy weapons, like on SG1, but Atlantis tried to move away from the use of energy weapons (Ronon's gun being the only engergy weapon in the main team)

Also we Brits do seem to love plot twist LOL, I mean just look at Corri etc....
So I think there would be a fair bit of double agents etc......

I dunno, I think the energy weapons would be reserved for the family friendly Stargate spin off. I think it would be a lot more down to earth for the main version. We certainly wouldn't end up with ships.

[amconway]

I think it would still have the same humour though, the Canadian influence in Stargate has much of the British sense of humour due I think to the British part of Canada's heritage.

I would have to disagree about the Canadian sense of humor being British. My British friends and I have a definate divergence in what we find funny. It's not actually all that uncommon for us not to know when one another are joking, either.

[razzel_daxxel]

I dunno, I think the energy weapons would be reserved for the family friendly Stargate spin off. I think it would be a lot more down to earth for the main version. We certainly wouldn't end up with ships.

LOL, yep no ships for us lol, it would definatly stick to its ground based action, maybe a shot here and there but not space battles as such..... and to be honist i personally though SG1 lost some its appeal when it suddenly spent so much time on space ship combat etc......

[Replicator Fifth]

I would have to disagree about the Canadian sense of humor being British. My British friends and I have a definate divergence in what we find funny. It's not actually all that uncommon for us not to know when one another are joking, either.

Like David Hewletts sense of humour. It's a weird combination of Faulty Towers and Red Green Show.

[amconway]

Like David Hewletts sense of humour. It's a weird combination of Faulty Towers and Red Green Show.

Lol! I've never considered The Red Green Show to be representative of Canadian humor. To me that would be more 'This hour has 22 minutes' and 'Kids in the Hall'.

[Flyboy]

To be honest, I don't imagine there'd be much humour. I think maybe humerous comments in the same way real life has humerous comments, but I think unless the show was a family one, a British stargate show would be quite humourless.

[amconway]

But is it Stargate without humor?

[Flyboy]

But is it Stargate without humor?

That's the point of the thread, how would a British Stargate have been.

I would argue, that as long as the military is involved, and there's a Stargate, it IS indeed Stargate.

Look at the original movie. Barely any humour, and by definition, that is Stargate at its truest.

[Jedi_Master_Bra'tac]

But is it Stargate without humor?

no




British Stargate would, like most British dramas, suck. Though I am a fan of our sitcoms and comedies (NOT Catherine Tate or Little Britain, which is so repetitive you might as well only watch one episode).