The Anti Season 4 Thread (Spoilers). For complaints and misgivings ONLY.

[ToasterOnFire]

So...TPTB are so happy now that Carter will be in charge. Finally, finally, Carter can get the leadership position she deserves! Except...they could have put her in charge back in season nine. Why didn't they? Hmm...

TPTB specifically didn't put Carter in charge of SG1 in s9, preferring to move from one male lead to another. They wanted her to "stay a part of the team" or some other comment politely disguised as "we didn't think she would be a good leader" or "we wanted BB in charge more than AT" or reversely "we were uncomfortable giving AT the lead when BB came in". But now they're excited about giving Carter a leadership position...by taking that position away from another woman. I know what that looks like to me, and I don't care for it one bit.

If Carter is in charge of Atlantis next season, what are they going to do if they get renewed for season five? Will Amanda Tapping want to stay on the Stargate franchise for yet another year, even though her contract is only for one season? Will they magically bring Weir back or throw someone completely new in charge? Or will none of this matter when they don't get renewed?

[ShadowMaat]

You know what, I hate to say it, but you can't put any stock in anything these guys say.

They may smile, and smile, and be villains, but it doesn't mean it won't still be interesting to see what bizarre interpretation of reality Joe will invent in order to explain it all away.

[Skydiver]

A little mod note

TIIC is not an appropriate acronym to use here, so please refrain from using it

[parisindy]

I know exactly how you feel. . . like I've been kicked in the gut. So sad.

thanks (((hugs)))

what hasn't been said at this point
any inkling of hope has been snuffed

[Easter Lily]

I am so upset over that new article in SCIFI magazine that says Carter is coming over and Weir is definitely out.

Spoiler:

"i can't make people feel better who just love torri and dr. weir and want to see her on the show," sighs cooper. "unfortunately, that's just not going to happen. all i can say is that sam carter is a wonderful character, and amanda tapping is a wonderful actress, and i think she will fill the role on atlantis admirably. i'm excited about seeing the evolution of her character. brad and i created the character dr. weir and we love the character and torri, but the change needed to be made."

Until now, I've tried to very hard to be positive about Season 4 but after all this double speak by showrunners, I throw up my hands in despair. I won't go so far as to say I'm not watching as yet... it will depend largely on how Carter fits into the current dynamic but given my lack of interest in Carter in SG-1, I don't think the odds of my being interested in the show in the long term are very strong.

Well ladies and gentlemen, looks like the fat lady has finally sung.

I'd pretty much given up on season 4. Exploding tumors will that to a girl. But with Weir, I was hoping against hope that I would at least have a reason to peek in on some episodes of season 4. Looks like that ain't gonna happen. I will not be around to watch <mod snip> cut Elizabeth off at the knees.

I just don't understand how they think a character from a show that has been cancelled due to falling ratings (viewer fatigue I would think) is gonna improve the ratings of a spin-off that was already doing better than its parent. Especially when the spin off looses two pretty popular existing characters to make room. These guys must be studying the Enron guide to success. LOL.

Carter or no Carter, I am absolutely against a military person heading up Atlantis. It's bad enough that they didn't do much with Weir when they had her in charge, I can't see how things would be better with Carter at the helm especially if the same people are doing the writing.
What I don't understand is Rob Cooper's comments that "the change needed to be made"? What kind of change is he talking about? What made it a "need" in S4 that wasn't a "need" in S3? The cancellation of SG-1? The need to get rid of existing actors? Was Skiffy leaning on the showrunners to make "those necessary changes"? Or is this a reference to the writing? Or were they talking about correcting their own mistakes? His comments feel to me both glib and disingenuous.

[grasshopper64]

I read the comments by RCC and if I didn't have my doubts about S4 I certainly do now.

I agree with what's been said, that Sam wasn't competent enough in TPTB's eyes to lead SG1 in S9 but suddenly now she's qualified enough to lead Atlantis?
And she is still a Lt Colonel or do they plan on promoting her to full Colonel?

They made so much about the leader of Atlantis being a civilian, now it's ok for a US military person to lead Atlantis, an international expedition, is the IOA supposed to suddenly be ok with this?

All these changes at once are just too much, I'm not going to speculate about what is going on in the minds of TPTB, but these days they seem to do a great job of annoying a lot of fans except of course "certain contingents" that they seem to like........

[ShadowMaat]

Why did the change need to happen? Maybe the whole "Atlantis isn't a military operation" thing became such a blatant and ridiculous joke that even TPTB were embarrassed by it. Or more likely one of the Suits was confused by it and insisted a change be made (since I believe TPTB lack the capacity to feel embarrassment).

Since when has Atlantis ever been anything but a military operation? From Day 1 the military has been in charge, the team we follow through the gate is led by a military man, and when was the last time we saw a conflict between the civilian and military aspect of things? Hot Zone?? Hell, when has a major civilian-oriented decision been made in Atlantis? Even most of the scientific investigations seem aimed at figuring out more ways to protect themselves/Earth. Yes, I understand that there are enemies out there and that we need to guard against them, but from where I'm sitting there's still a military skew to everything.

"Civilian operation" my Aunt Petunia. Atlantis has ALWAYS been a military show. Rather than correcting that and giving us the civvie-oriented show we were promised, they're gonna do away with the excuse entirely and give us what they've always wanted (or what they're too incompetent to change): a military show.

[parisindy]

i have to agree with you shadowmaat...

its just another example of what should have been.

even if it was just a farce it was a farce i enjoyed... i liked the idea of it being primarily a civilian operation.

i would have loved to have seen more conflict between the two

but watching some outsider step in to take charge of our city feels like a violation. SG-1 or not. Its proabably why i dislike ellis and keller so much as well.

what i just don't get are the people blindly supporting the show, i'm just confused.

[ShadowMaat]

Random aside, but I really wish I knew who I'm picturing when I think of Ellis, 'cos my mental image is nothing at ALL like wossname who plays him...

Anyway, I think it'll be interesting to see whether or not Atlantis survives past season 4. ...And who'll get blamed if the show gets cancelled. I bet TPTB will blame Skiffy for not promoting it enough and fans for being unwilling to accept change. Fans will blame Skiffy for being Skiffy, Amanda for treading where she "doesn't belong". TPTB for being idiots, whatever new shows are premiering on Skiffy around that time, whatever shows are getting higher ratings at that time, and, of course, each other. Particularly those damn reprobates who refused to accept changes.

Of course, if the show survives, certain parties will be that much more insufferable.

I'm toying with the idea of posting a Q to Joe's blog, just to see what happens. Something about the fate of certain characters at the end of the season.

[Easter Lily]

Why did the change need to happen? Maybe the whole "Atlantis isn't a military operation" thing became such a blatant and ridiculous joke that even TPTB were embarrassed by it. Or more likely one of the Suits was confused by it and insisted a change be made (since I believe TPTB lack the capacity to feel embarrassment).

Since when has Atlantis ever been anything but a military operation? From Day 1 the military has been in charge, the team we follow through the gate is led by a military man, and when was the last time we saw a conflict between the civilian and military aspect of things? Hot Zone?? Hell, when has a major civilian-oriented decision been made in Atlantis? Even most of the scientific investigations seem aimed at figuring out more ways to protect themselves/Earth. Yes, I understand that there are enemies out there and that we need to guard against them, but from where I'm sitting there's still a military skew to everything.

"Civilian operation" my Aunt Petunia. Atlantis has ALWAYS been a military show. Rather than correcting that and giving us the civvie-oriented show we were promised, they're gonna do away with the excuse entirely and give us what they've always wanted (or what they're too incompetent to change): a military show.

Disappointing but true...
Now we should probably brace ourselves for the place being overrun by military types.
I guess I should probably finally give up on the idea that they will actually make something of the "international" aspect of the expedition/operation.

[Falcon Horus]

I guess I should probably finally give up on the idea that they will actually make something of the "international" aspect of the expedition/operation.

I've given up on that hope a long time ago... Showing the flags alone on occasion just doesn't do it.

I'm toying with the idea of posting a Q to Joe's blog, just to see what happens. Something about the fate of certain characters at the end of the season.

Who's next on the chopping-block? Plaaaaaaace ya bets!! And Full-House won't be enough to win ... Empty-House might.

[parisindy]

i think rodney..only becuase david's becoming too big for the show... his popularity might cause him to move on to bigger things

when are contract negotations ?

[Falcon Horus]

Oh my Goddess, if DH goes... then Atlantis plummets to the vast depths of the ocean it (used to) float(s) in. (not sure if it floated since it seemed to remain in the same position but that's beside the point)

Adding to that, McKay is no favorite of mine but I do like him. I mean, what's not to like about him?

[Easter Lily]

i think rodney..only becuase david's becoming too big for the show... his popularity might cause him to move on to bigger things

when are contract negotations ?

That would be an act of sepuku... considering what a popular character he is. I doubt that even bringing Daniel over would save the show

It's only because of Joe and David that I'm even going to bother with S4. Other than that, they should forget about calling it Stargate Atlantis.

[Suzotchka]

i have to agree with you shadowmaat...

its just another example of what should have been.

even if it was just a farce it was a farce i enjoyed... i liked the idea of it being primarily a civilian operation.

i would have loved to have seen more conflict between the two

but watching some outsider step in to take charge of our city feels like a violation. SG-1 or not. Its proabably why i dislike ellis and keller so much as well.

what i just don't get are the people blindly supporting the show, i'm just confused.

I completely agree with you.