Did TPTB focus on McKay (and McKeller) destroy Stargate Atlantis in your opinion.

[Thunderbird 2]

Heres my thoughts on this.

I voted no - simply because Keller was an add on to an existing problem. Atlantis became the McKay & and Sheppard action show during season three. The start of the trouble was the wobbling quality of the writing, and the direction of the series. - The international aspects dried up for a start. Then they killed off Beckett, rubbished Weir before offing her too. - Which destroyed the premise that made Atlantis unique and good in the first place.

The whole Keller debacle was a small aspect of a much larger narrative problem that got out of hand. I suspect more people had a say in the direction the series was going than needed to be, because these people had kept SG1 a success.

[Mclean]

I personally feel that the focus of TPTB on the Mckay-Mckeller aspects of the show ruined SGA. We lost team moments, character developmets, and interesting storylines. When all of the eps seemed to HAVE to focus on Mckay (how many times did we see "OMG mckay is dying"?) or Mckeller, it showed a lack of desire to write for other characters. By the end of season five I stopped caring about the show, simple as that.

I like McKay. I can tolerate Keller. I can't stand McKeller. Simply because of the stupid soppy glances at each other when something bad is happening. Also the age difference and lack of chemistry makes it completely gruesome. I probably wouldn't have been to bothered had the relationship been eased into the show, but to have it slapped it in my face with declarations of love, when last I heard they had a drink together! Plus I like Teyla and Keller robbed her of a lot of air time, oh and they bumped of the Scotsman for her (may not be true but that's how I see it ).

[jelgate]

I like McKay. I can tolerate Keller. I can't stand McKeller. Simply because of the stupid soppy glances at each other when something bad is happening. Also the age difference and lack of chemistry makes it completely gruesome. I probably wouldn't have been to bothered had the relationship been eased into the show, but to have it slapped it in my face with declarations of love, when last I heard they had a drink together! Plus I like Teyla and Keller robbed her of a lot of air time, oh and they bumped of the Scotsman for her (may not be true but that's how I see it ).

Its not. The decidied to kill off the original Carson before they even began writing the character of Keller let alone casting her.

[fumblesmcstupid]

If TPTB never killed off Carson, we never would have had a subpar character like Keller inflicted on us!

[jelgate]

Some would say not killing Carson in Sunday would have left us with a subpar character

[fumblesmcstupid]

How?

Carson was a SUPPORTING character and he stayed that way! The TPTB got tired of him and KILLED HIM! Then they overdosed the show with a really lousy replacement called Jennifer Keller!

Now TPTB thought that they'd create Keller a Barbie doll that had the personality of one as well and then thought that the fans would like her. Well the fan base is divided on if they like her or not! I do not.

So Keller is STILL a SUBPAR character.
She is the main reason **I** stopped watching SGA.

[Ikaros]

What "killed" the show was the fact that it reached 100 episodes and could be sold as a package to other networks.
What could keep it alive, instead of a new show taking it's place, IMHO, would be "not killing" the LEADER of the expedition, and the lead Female actress.When that was done, it left the show with a "pretty" face that can kick ***(Teyla), but no real, serious, outstanding female star.
While trying to close the gaps they created on the show, they turned Teyla into a chameleon, introduced Keller in the place of another original character (making people mad at her, while they should be mad at tptb) and kept trying to clear the mess.
They managed to Kill half the original cast in the first 3 years.....and you think McKeller killed of the show??????????

[Spy]

To start off, I love Atlantis.

But, saying that, by the end of season 5 I WAS SICK OF MCKAY!!!

Honestly, It became the McKay show, with some Keller thrown in there. I didn't like Keller starting with the episode "Missing" I disliked Keller. She was a weak character, and her storyline became more ludicrous (IMO) when the whole love triangle issue came up. She took a forward role, while better characters (IMO) like Teyla and Ronan became backround scenery.

Along with that, I think most of the eps. in S5 were either about McKay dying, Mckay saving the day, or McKay trying to win Kellers affection. I think there was like 1 ep. each for Sheppard, Teyla, and Ronan, at least when the storyline was about them.

Another issue is that I think that Atlantis has lost the team element that it had in the first 3 seasons. I love those seasons the most because the whole team plays an integral part in the story, and they are all working together towards defeating a common enemy (the wraith). It had already started to break up in S4, when Sam and Keller were both brought in. Then in S5, the writers went MCKAY CRAZY and started using him as their failsafe. Thats when it stopped being about the team and started being more of the individual. There were some eps in S5 where Teyla and Ronan maybe said a few lines, none of them important. The rest was lengthy McKay dialogue.

I would like to see Atlantis continue, but not under these circumstances.

[XxX_Kavan Smith_is_Mine_XxX]

No, because it showed McKay in a different light....in the beginning he was arrogant and now more humble, and for me that is a good thing for the show

[Ikaros]

Then in S5, the writers went MCKAY CRAZY and started using him as their failsafe. Thats when it stopped being about the team and started being more of the individual. There were some eps in S5 where Teyla and Ronan maybe said a few lines, none of them important. The rest was lengthy McKay dialogue.

Maybe there was a reason for that.....because there is one behind everything.
I agree with you about the "feeling" of the Team being different than the first 2 seasons, but McKay's character is not to be blamed for this.
TPTB's decisions are to be blamed for this. Actually, if you think of it, McKay(and Zelenka if you ask me) kept the show going after Elizabeth's death.

[Linda06]

To start off, I love Atlantis.

But, saying that, by the end of season 5 I WAS SICK OF MCKAY!!!

Honestly, It became the McKay show, with some Keller thrown in there. I didn't like Keller starting with the episode "Missing" I disliked Keller. She was a weak character, and her storyline became more ludicrous (IMO) when the whole love triangle issue came up. She took a forward role, while better characters (IMO) like Teyla and Ronan became backround scenery.

Along with that, I think most of the eps. in S5 were either about McKay dying, Mckay saving the day, or McKay trying to win Kellers affection. I think there was like 1 ep. each for Sheppard, Teyla, and Ronan, at least when the storyline was about them.

Another issue is that I think that Atlantis has lost the team element that it had in the first 3 seasons. I love those seasons the most because the whole team plays an integral part in the story, and they are all working together towards defeating a common enemy (the wraith). It had already started to break up in S4, when Sam and Keller were both brought in. Then in S5, the writers went MCKAY CRAZY and started using him as their failsafe. Thats when it stopped being about the team and started being more of the individual. There were some eps in S5 where Teyla and Ronan maybe said a few lines, none of them important. The rest was lengthy McKay dialogue.

I would like to see Atlantis continue, but not under these circumstances.

Certain writers never made a secret of the fact their favourite character was McKay and their bias took over the show in the end and pretty much destroyed and team feeling it had left with their own fantasies :rolleye: Plus they had the female McKay they could drool over so say goodbye to Teyla and Ronon and go look for Shep in the back somewhere

In the first 3 seasons I merely tolerated McKay, I mean I had to. He was in every bloody episode But my extreme dislike of the charcter started in S4 and my total hatred of the character started half way through S5 I think along with my hatred of Keller and anything to do with these two

They have detroyed SGA so much for me now that I cannot even bring myself to watch any of my SGA DVD's, not even the earlier seasons. I have been totally scunnered off SGA

[Ikaros]

Well there are people that could hardly tolerate Sheppard's nasal voice and immature attitude and Teyla's way of talking and looking, because it's a geek show... and watching Zelenka, McKay, Carson, Elizabeth and Keller, was a lot funnier!!!!!!!!!!!Even Miko was a lot funnier!!!!!!! It was a show about science, not about karate and martial arts anyway.

[Linda06]

And they have every right to not like those characters, just like we have every right to not like McKay.But this is a "Did TPTB focus on McKay and McKeller destroy SGA", not a thread on Shep, or Teyla, or Ronon or any of the others.

And it wasn't just a show about science, it was about different things, action, fighting, exploration and science.

But the way it ended up they should have renamed it Stargate McKay then renamed it again in S5 to Stargate McKeller

Maybe to you it was funnier with Zelenka, McKay, Carson, Elizabeth and Keller. But not to some of us who couldn't be bothered with McKay or Keller. I was meh about Elizabeth. The only one's I loved in that list was Carson and Zelenka. I'd have rather had a whole ep of Zelenka than rantin Rod

Because Rodney was in every single episode he ruined the whole series for me

Anywho, contrary to poular belief not everyone loves the whining Rodney

[Cautious Explorer]

Well there are people that could hardly tolerate Sheppard's nasal voice and immature attitude and Teyla's way of talking and looking, because it's a geek show...

People are always going to have different taste in characters. For intstance, I liked everything about Sheppard, had no problem with Teyla's speech patterns, and wasn't all that involved with the 'geek' characters. A little goes a long way. And with most characters other than McKay (and then Keller) you could hardly claim they took over the show.

and watching Zelenka, McKay, Carson, Elizabeth and Keller, was a lot funnier!!!!!!!!!!!Even Miko was a lot funnier!!!!!!! It was a show about science, not about karate and martial arts anyway.

Weir was funny? Keller too? Wow. I'm not seeing that one.

It was sometimes a show about made up science. That wasn't the whole show. It's definitely not what I was watching for. For me SGA was action/adventure with a touch of humor.

[fumblesmcstupid]

Atlantis is an ENSEMBLE show...PERIOD!

It wasn't called Stargate:Keller or Stargate: McKay but Stargate: Atlantis!
I do believe TPTB abd TPTW really forgot that!

The focus of McKay, was just immature, if you can't write for any other character than one of them, then you need to get another job!

TPTB can sit there and say that they didn't show favoritism for Staite/Keller but it is written all over the fifth season!

Teyla and Ronon had been there (for Teyla) the beginning and (Ronon) the second season and yet TPTB only gave them ONE episode per season.

Staite shows up and in the fith season she had so much thrown her way, and it is a shame that every other character was left in the dust!

The Keller/Rodney thing is the ONLY thing TPTW WANTED to write about and everyone else be damned!

In order for a man and a woman to portray two people in love you have to have chemistry, and David and Staite have none! (IMO) David has more chemistry with the Stargate then he did with Staite!

Now add the fact that they Killed:
Carson and replaced him with the inferior Keller,
Killed Elizabeth and replaced her with Carter (who was a ghost) blink and you miss her!
Then,Replaced Carter with Woolsey. Too much too soon!

Now all that death and change, added with shoddy writing and TPTB letting one writer go hog wild is what damaged SGA and ruined it!

It was the final nail in the coffin of SGA. *shakes head*