Helen Magnus/John Druitt Ship/Discussion/Appreciation

[Artie]

I believe that this is the right place to post this! Its taken from the panel at AT6 on the weekend. I didn't go, I got it off tumblr. Sophie, if your reading this, I credit you!! ---> ithoughtitwassmokinghot.tumblr.com
Yes, Amanda DID say this!

"Good question. Well firstly, John isn't dead. We wouldn't have killed him off. We were coming up with ideas on how we would bring him back etc. He is too much of a fabulous character to kill off. We did that with Ashley AND LOOK HOW THAT BACKFIRED. It's so hard with Helen and John because they are so clearly still in love with each other and it's a really passionate relationship. They have this child and that brings them closer. THEY GOT ENGAGED FOR GODS SAKE. and then she got with Watson. She is a bit of a whore. A bit of a PLAYAAA. We were definitely going to look into their relationship in season 5 and I think something would have happened again and we were talking about getting them back together. Especially after 'Haunted' when we got a glimpse of him and we figured out why he was the way he was. But yes. They aren't over. "

SOMEONE NEEDS TO PICK UP SANCTUARY!

DUDE! That is so awesome!

[AresLover452]

That makes me a lot happier!!!!

[Dr-Helen-Granger]

Artie, I was so happy! I was like YES! MY OTP IS CANNON!
Magnett love should make everyone happier! It should be a law!

[Artie]

Artie, I was so happy! I was like YES! MY OTP IS CANNON!
Magnett love should make everyone happier! It should be a law!

It makes me feel like I could sidle up to writing them again. I was just so depressed about it that I couldn't write them anymore. Which made me sad. They had been so much fun.

[Belladonna]

I believe that this is the right place to post this! Its taken from the panel at AT6 on the weekend. I didn't go, I got it off tumblr. Sophie, if your reading this, I credit you!! ---> ithoughtitwassmokinghot.tumblr.com
Yes, Amanda DID say this!

"Good question. Well firstly, John isn't dead. We wouldn't have killed him off. We were coming up with ideas on how we would bring him back etc. He is too much of a fabulous character to kill off. We did that with Ashley AND LOOK HOW THAT BACKFIRED. It's so hard with Helen and John because they are so clearly still in love with each other and it's a really passionate relationship. They have this child and that brings them closer. THEY GOT ENGAGED FOR GODS SAKE. and then she got with Watson. She is a bit of a whore. A bit of a PLAYAAA. We were definitely going to look into their relationship in season 5 and I think something would have happened again and we were talking about getting them back together. Especially after 'Haunted' when we got a glimpse of him and we figured out why he was the way he was. But yes. They aren't over. "

SOMEONE NEEDS TO PICK UP SANCTUARY!

OMG, it's so amazing to read that not only was John not dead, but that the show was considering exploring his and Helen's relationship in season 5. There was so much there that could have been mined and written about. Season 4 was really painful for a Magnitt fan. And wow, she even said the show felt that Ashley's death backfired. I know I wasn't a happy camper about that part. The cruel part is that we'll never get to see any of this on screen. Amanda and Chris have such chemistry when they're playing off one another.

[AresLover452]

Artie, I was so happy! I was like YES! MY OTP IS CANNON!
Magnett love should make everyone happier! It should be a law!

It makes me feel like I could sidle up to writing them again. I was just so depressed about it that I couldn't write them anymore. Which made me sad. They had been so much fun.

I might be able to pick up some of my other Magnett fics to try and finish them! lol! This news makes me happy just knowing that Amanda would want Helen and John would have a chance.

[Artie]

OMG, it's so amazing to read that not only was John not dead, but that the show was considering exploring his and Helen's relationship in season 5. There was so much there that could have been mined and written about. Season 4 was really painful for a Magnitt fan. And wow, she even said the show felt that Ashley's death backfired. I know I wasn't a happy camper about that part. The cruel part is that we'll never get to see any of this on screen. Amanda and Chris have such chemistry when they're playing off one another.

I felt like there was so much plot that could happen with John and Ashley that was never explored. And that relationship was a bridge between The Five and the younger characters, something that turned into a problem as the show went on. It was almost like two shows, one about The Five and one about Will/Henry/Kate, with two different tones and different plots. Having Ashley still there would have tied the show together more coherently.

[Dr-Helen-Granger]

I was none to happy when they killed Ashley too! I actually really liked her and I think it would have been great to have left it open, like they have with John, so she could come back. I would have loved for the very, very LAST episode to have been Helen, John and Ashley living together in the New Sanctuary along side Niko, Henry, Erika, Kate, Will and Abbey (and the Big Guy if hes not dead)
Note I didn't say Garris because I'm a very bad Kate/Ashely shipper :3

[Belladonna]

I felt like there was so much plot that could happen with John and Ashley that was never explored. And that relationship was a bridge between The Five and the younger characters, something that turned into a problem as the show went on. It was almost like two shows, one about The Five and one about Will/Henry/Kate, with two different tones and different plots. Having Ashley still there would have tied the show together more coherently.

This is such a good explanation of what I felt about the show too. Members of The Five were the adults and the younger characters were like the grandkids. Which is why I could never take to a Helen and Will pairing. Well, beside the fact that he whined a lot in the last two seasons. Each season felt totally different too, like the writers kept shifting gears from one season to the next as they tried to decide where they wanted to go. For me, seasons 1 and 3 were my favorite, season 2 was the transition and season 4 was depressing.

[Artie]

This is such a good explanation of what I felt about the show too. Members of The Five were the adults and the younger characters were like the grandkids. Which is why I could never take to a Helen and Will pairing. Well, beside the fact that he whined a lot in the last two seasons. Each season felt totally different too, like the writers kept shifting gears from one season to the next as they tried to decide where they wanted to go. For me, seasons 1 and 3 were my favorite, season 2 was the transition and season 4 was depressing.

Season 4 was really depressing. I actually stopped watching and never saw the last two episodes. I wanted to remember it as it was. It felt like Helen had become a different person, like they were confusing strength with meanness. Helen was strong in the first seasons, but she was never just nasty. In season four, I couldn't admire her. She just seemed mean.

Frankly, I was never as interested in the episodes with the younger generation as much. I liked Henry and Kate and Declan, but those episodes weren't outstanding and inspiring the way the ones focusing on Helen and the Five were.

[Dr-Helen-Granger]

I agree. I love all the seasons, even 4 because it did have a few moments when I just loved every second of it but boy oh boy did the plot go down the drain! Its really disappointing! Season 3 was my favorite and I've got no idea why, I just think the plots were fantastic both the main story arc and the stand alone ones and Helen was amazing, not to mention all those fabulous Magnett moments (FKAC, 'Take me to London' etc)
She did defiantly change in season 4 and no necessarily for the better. She had her good moments (Funny one liners, Monsoon and Chimera) but I think the whole season just became too political!
As for Will, I've never really liked him and having seen each season at least twice, I have realised what an annoying, whinny pain in the bum he is.
Sorry, rant over. :3

[AresLover452]

Magnus was too cold, too isolated in S4. It was as if she was disconnected because she had to do her life over again. It was a little annoying. I liked Monsoon a lot because it had that SANCTUARY feel... but the rest of the season was disjointed

[Dr-Helen-Granger]

Some episodes felt like they didn't really belong. Chimera felt like it should've been closer to the beginning of the season and Ice Breaker (although I LOOOVE the Migoi) was left too late. Most other creatures (when they were brought back) usually came back the next season or the season after. The Migoi had to wait from Kush to Ice Breaker! Roughly 46 episodes later! I didn't really remember them. As for the whole political thing, I think that was the worst. Really, although I do like S4, it was choppy. I think it could have been done better.
Do you know why SyFy cut it?

P.S. GUYS!!! I'M A STAFF SERGEANT NOW! GO MEE!!!

[Artie]

From a writing point of view, I think the problem is that Helen is the main character, and the viewer has to sympathize with and like her, as has been the case for the previous three seasons. Having Helen running a hidden agenda doesn't work, not for a full season. A couple of episodes, yes. But somewhere along episode four or five or six of Helen's motives being opaque and her point of view being lost, she starts being unlikable.

The other thing is that The Five is when Helen lets her hair down -- when she steps out of boss mode and is vulnerable -- when she's with John or Nikola or James. There's an awful lot of season 4 with none of them around. Yes, there are a couple of Nikola episodes, which are pretty much the best ones, but that's not enough to save the season. If you look at the ratings, they go on a slide about episode four or five, about the point that people start losing sympathy for Helen. And so they stop watching.

The other thing is that the political plot is too contrived and too predictable. Politics is hellishly hard to write! They're not pulling it off. And if it had just been a couple of episodes, ok. Every show has a couple of clunkers per season. But it's the whole season plot. And it just can't carry the water it needs to.

[Belladonna]

Season 4 was really depressing. I actually stopped watching and never saw the last two episodes. I wanted to remember it as it was. It felt like Helen had become a different person, like they were confusing strength with meanness. Helen was strong in the first seasons, but she was never just nasty. In season four, I couldn't admire her. She just seemed mean.

Frankly, I was never as interested in the episodes with the younger generation as much. I liked Henry and Kate and Declan, but those episodes weren't outstanding and inspiring the way the ones focusing on Helen and the Five were.

Depressing is the perfect word for describing season 4 and the strong political overtones is a large part of why I stopped watching halfway through. I did watch the last two episodes though and got to the see new sanctuary in the last 5 minutes, which was not even close enough pay off for sticking with season 4 for me as a fan. The two episodes I loved from that season were Tempest and Chimera because they featured the "older" Five characters. I kind of consider Adam with that pack since he's from their timeline and the actor is strong enough to be in the league of Amanda, Jonathon and Chris.