Elizabeth Weir/John Sheppard Appreciation/Ship/Discussion Thread

[Melyanna]

Yeah, I caught the news about John Spencer on my LJ friends list tonight and almost burst into tears. I've been emotional over other things that probably made my reaction stronger, but it's very sad. I really, really loved Leo on WW. Such an incredible character, and most of the credit really goes to John Spencer's amazingly complex performance.

This, combined with various conversations with Major Fischer, is making me want to work on Revelation again, but I really need to finish up with ficathon first.

But, well, the GIF from The Long Goodbye is making me feel a bit better.

[SGLAB]

Yes, that GIF does bring a smile to my face.

John Spencer and Richard Schiff are two of my favorite actors and they're both on West Wing. Unfortunatly I haven't watched it in awhile. The show was becoming something I didn't like. That was about the time Aaron Sorkin left. Sigh.

[Weir'sRedShirt]

I need a little cheering up. I just read in Off Topics one of my favorite actors passed away. John Spencer who played Leo McGary sp? on West Wing. Any happy Sparky fic someone can rec.?

Ahh sorry no fics... but I was looking through LJ comms and found this

But, well, the GIF from The Long Goodbye is making me feel a bit better.

*drops* I watched that about ten thousand times in a row.

[Buggy542]

^That'll work, Buggy. Thanks. Shep's so cute.

Yeah, I love his facial expressions. That coy, 'come and get me' look. He's totally into her.

But, well, the GIF from The Long Goodbye is making me feel a bit better.

YAY! Thanks for posting that, I saw it on LJ but didn't have time to check it out (shameful, I know).

[Athenaktt]

I'm pretty sad about the passing of John Spencer too caught it on the radio on my drive home.

Since a lot of us are down I think we need a hug. Or at least have John and Elizabeth hug.

[Royal_Nonesuch]

My goodness this thread moves fast! Mel, can't give you green at the moment, but you really deserve it for that GIF! Sparky 24/7.

There's been some interesting Sam/Jack discussion here the past few pages. I'm not very familiar iwth tha ship, but it seems (as has been pointed out) that Shep and Weir would not have their particular barriers. I think Shep and Liz's real barriers are personal and not professional. Hatcheter did a great job of locating any existing regulations on a military-civilian relationship. I doubt anyone in Atlantis would raise a ruckus about the two having a personal relationship. Kavanagh and Caldwell would likely have issues, but I'm sure Caldwell is already in the know and didn't seem to be sending any tremendously bad vibes to Weir in Conversion.

I think the way TPTB handles the way each character is beginning to feel about their unique bond will really make this ship standout. It looks like TLG will certainly be of interest from

Spoiler:

John's side of things

Royal

[Easter Lily]

About the whole S/W vs. S/J thing...
<snip>

This isn't a rant against Sparky; if S/W does happen, I just don't want the writers to take the easy way out and copy S/J. Almost everyone loved S/J, and I see why, because I did too. Until about eighth season-ish, when they still hadn't done anything to resolve their situation and she was a wee bit jerky to Pete.

Well... let's put it this way... I definitely don't want a S/J redux but not because I loved it but because I thought it was very badly written. I don't care to see another Sam and Jack debacle strewn all over Atlantis. Once is quite enough for me. But I am more optimistic about Sheppard and Weir primarily because there is a lovely natural chemistry between the two actors. It was there from Day One. Now, whether this natural chemistry works out or becomes a train wreck depends on the writers and the actors. If they don't believe in it, they best not touch it even with a 10 foot pole. This is what I felt about S/J... it was sudden and it lacked conviction and it didn't make me care.
I would like Atlantis to find its own way, develop its own characters and plots entirely autonomously. The potential is there... especially with a largely unexplored city. Relationships are no different. I don't mind the occasional crossover but not too often.

Anyway... if our lovely Sparky happens, I want to see it grow away from S/J and develop its own style. I love these two characters together, but the way the writers are writing it right now, it looks like Atlantis could turn into SoapOpera!Atlantis, and I seriously don't want that. I just wish there was some way to make S/W's situation different. And I hope they don't come up with a little theme song like they did for S/J. ::shudders::

Soap opera? Don't see it myself. Stargate isn't hard hitting enough for that, I don't think. If I have any criticism of S2, it's that it's become the Rodney Hour. I love Rodney and I know what an attention hogger he is but I think that they've gone a bit too far with it.

[Lexa Jayde]

Soap opera? Don't see it myself. Stargate isn't hard hitting enough for that, I don't think. If I have any criticism of S2, it's that it's become the Rodney Hour. I love Rodney and I know what an attention hogger he is but I think that they've gone a bit too far with it.

i think that i agree with that... i love rodney to, but i want more backstory and character develpment for shep and teyla and ronon, but especially weir!!!!

[Chrysalis]

OMG !!!!!! i love these fics.... i am on ff.net 2 times a days with updates... *sooo good*... another is: Gone in the Night at ff.net

Me too. A couple of times a day. People, update more often!! Lexa and I are going into withdrawal!!

As for the lurkers, sad to report that I was one of them for about 8 hours today --- I was at work, and I lurk, but I never sign in at work... don't want them seeing what I get up to online!!!

[Ice Wolf]

Has anyone else noticed how in GUP

Spoiler:

When Liz and John are trying to convince Zelenka to go on the rescue mission, the look Liz gives John when he says he will order Zelenka to go, it was a kind of shut up your not helping, ill handle this look

[Lexa Jayde]

Has anyone else noticed how in GUP

Spoiler:

When Liz and John are trying to convince Zelenka to go on the rescue mission, the look Liz gives John when he says he will order Zelenka to go, it was a kind of shut up your not helping, ill handle this look

OF COURSE!!!!!!!!!!!! we all have a trained eye dont we... i love that look!!!!!!!!!!!

[Ice Wolf]

I just loved the way she was able to

Spoiler:

convince Zelenka to go.

it really showed off her leadership qualaties as well

[Hatcheter]

Has anyone else noticed how in GUP

Spoiler:

When Liz and John are trying to convince Zelenka to go on the rescue mission, the look Liz gives John when he says he will order Zelenka to go, it was a kind of shut up your not helping, ill handle this look

This?



There's just the faintest hint of amusement there too, I think.

[Ice Wolf]

This?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...iler/GUP-2.jpg

There's just the faintest hint of amusement there too, I think.

Yep thats it.
Look at Zelenka's face how scared/worried does he look there

[Hatcheter]

I think the biggest difference between Sam/Jack and Shep/Weir is in the shows. SG-1 is about a team; Atlantis is about a community. If it were a ten-person expedition, yes, it'd be really, really weird for the two senior personnel to get involve with each other. As it stands, it'd probably still strike some people as odd, but Atlantis is a large community, and in many ways a family. A relationship is less inappropriate in that light, since they don't go home at the end of the work day.

Community, huh? That's a good description of what they have in Atlantis. There isn't much division between professional and private life for the poeple in Atlantis. For many of them, their jobs likely consume their entire day. What freetime they have is spent with their coworkers; there aren't homes and friends and families to go to when they punch out in the evening.

Another thing about SGA is that, while there is a team, its members aren't defined by that. On SG-1, O'Neill, Carter, Daniel, and Teal'c were SG-1, and that was really it. In Atlantis, Sheppard leads the military contingent, McKay is the head scientist and in charge of that division, Teyla still works with and has responsibilities for her poeple, and Ronon does...pretty much whatever he wants, I think. They come together to go on missions from time to time, as the need arises.

As for Elizabeth in Conversion... You know, I will never understand how people think that Elizabeth's worrying streak is something they brought in for Season 2 to weaken her character. One of the most endearing moments of Rising, in my opinion, was her standing in the gate room, while work is being done all around her, just staring at the gate, worried that she'd made the wrong decision about letting John go on the rescue mission. And it's not like she's ever been worried for no particular reason. I have a terrible feeling that if it were a man worried about subordinates, people wouldn't be accusing him of being weak.

...In fact, they never have. His name is George Hammond, and he made some pretty questionable decisions now and then because he wouldn't give up on SG-1.

So how in the world would it weaken Elizabeth if she were in a relationship with John? She already worries about John, and that hasn't prevented her from doing her job before. At the end of The Lost Boys, we saw that she was reporting on the business of the city, things she was doubtless heavily involved in, before reporting that John and the team were still missing. And Hatcheter pointed out in another thread that her saying they were still missing is a pretty good indication that they'd been missing before the previous contact with Earth, a week earlier. They say that the first fifteen minutes in a hostage situation are the most critical. I think Elizabeth conducted herself amazingly well, seeing that her top team was missing for more than seven days.

You ought to post this whole part over in that Weir's Leadership thread.

So what would change if she and John were involved? Not a whole lot. She's already proven that she'll sacrifice him for the good of the whole, and has done so more than once. What more can anyone ask for?

They've both proved that they'd sacrifice themselves for Atlantis. Could it be said that they'd let the other one go if it meant saving Atlantis?

If every episode were about Shep/Weir, or if characters were massacred for the sake of ship, I'd say it's turning into Soapgate. But as it stands, I don't think we're anywhere close to reaching As the Gate Turns. TPTB understand that very few people in the audience actually want that, so the likelihood of that happening is slim.

Look at what they get away with in Galactica. Love triangles, family drama, UST by the bucketload. I don't hear people complaining that that's a soap opera.



I certainly don't want to see a ship, any ship, take over the show. That's not what Stargate is about. But, if handled correctly, a relationship between Sheppard and Weir could be a great little bonus to the show. There are pitfalls along the way, not to mention the risk of annoying some small segments of the fandom, but for the most part, just having a resolved relationship on a Stargate would be something new and interesting.

And really, TPTB wouldn't even have to increase the frequency of the little moments we all enjoy so much. If there is cannon ship between the two, all that would mean is that everyone in the fandom would recognize those scenes for what they are.