Season 4 changes discussion thread, Pro and Con

[lissafoss]

They can't let go of SG-1, that's what it is. SG-1 was their star show, and, now that its gone, they want to bring it back. AT's there to open the door, get SGA fans used to an SG-1 character, then bring over another, and another until it's SG-1 not SGA.

I don’t see it like that, they have these great characters and amazing actors that are now available for them to use in Atlantis. I don’t like the idea of the SG1 cast getting transferred to Atlantis but I don’t blame the writer for wanting to use them. I don’t think they are trying to make Atlantis SG1.

How Carter is used is yet to be seen. And I’m not going to jump to any conclusions until I see it for myself. It might be horrible, it might be Carter and McKay arguing and McKay turning into a fool with Carter always being right. The rest of SG1 might come over and they take over Atlantis, hopefully keeping Lorne alive cos he’s just so cute. Ok, I’m just making up m own episode again.

[nonniemous]

Well, that's because he's essentially 'on duty' when he does these interviews. You wouldn't get anything but positivity from an official interview with him. He's working. The man's the face of Atlantis. It's his job to be all happy about the changes.

I can tell you that at the NJ convention, he said that everyone including him was shocked by what they did at the end of season 3.

Just like Paul McGillion has said nothing about what's going on, until rumors were so rampant that it couldn't be ignored, and even then he didn't say anything more than he'd love to return.

Is there a transcript of JF's comments from this con anywhere? I hadn't heard about them.

[jenks]

Personally I think it's a bad move, but I'll reserve judgement until I've seen it. If Carters role is pretty small it might work out quite nicely

[the old briar pipe]

It might be horrible, it might be Carter and McKay arguing and McKay turning into a fool with Carter always being right. The rest of SG1 might come over and they take over Atlantis, hopefully keeping Lorne alive cos he’s just so cute. Ok, I’m just making up m own episode again.

Thank you for describing my personal nightmare.

I think I could maybe take one (1!) ep like that before I would be done with Carter's role. I think she did great in GUP and ok in M&MM (the way they shot the screen stuff on Daed messed with the pacing of those scenes, imo), but I don't want the McKay&Sheppard show to turn into the McKay&Carter show and still not get anything for the underdeveloped characters (which, let's face it, Carter is not).

Has anyone noticed that we've got more women on SGA now, but almost all of them are being brought on at and/or downgraded to recurring status? It's kind of bittersweet.

[Pitry]

No. Otherwise they wouldn't have hired Jewel Staite for 75% of season 4

However, they didn't hire Jewel Staite to do 75% of season 4 - only approximately 50%. No, AT has nothign to do with Beckett being removed from the show, that decision happeend in season 3 prior to them knowing SG1 will be over and AT will be moved over to SGA.
It's decisions that were made afterwards that are affected by this.

[saberhagen83]

Well, that's because he's essentially 'on duty' when he does these interviews. You wouldn't get anything but positivity from an official interview with him. He's working. The man's the face of Atlantis. It's his job to be all happy about the changes.

I can tell you that at the NJ convention, he said that everyone including him was shocked by what they did at the end of season 3.

Yes true, but I would assume he would say the same at a con. If he would say something negative about all this at a con, and then talk sort of positive on an interview...how would that look? I understand that people in this kind of bussiness wouldn't really speak their mind as long as they are under contract, but I wouldn't expect them to say something different at a con in that case! Shocked by what's happening with the cast changes, sure...it's just like the fans I would expect him just like everyone else to be so. But has he ever said on a con or something that this is very bad and he isn't liking it or something. I know he has asked people at some con about how they (the fans) feel about Carter coming to SGA though.

I would like to get a official statement to the reason why TH is beeing demoted to recurring though. We don't know if she wanted it or was forced to it. From everything I read it seems Paul didn't wish to leave, so that seems clear to me. But I though he would

Spoiler:

dissapear, not die which is why I belive I read he could come back in some capacity at least

...or am I wrong about this?

[Rootortoise]

'Til recently, the PTB told us that Amanda Tapping would be in "a few" episodes next season. Then yesterday or something we're hit with the number 14. Since when is over 50% of a season "a few episodes" when the show is 20 episodes per season?!

And where did they reveal, this anyway?

exactly 14 isnt a few!

and people in the AT to atlantis thread were telling us to "chill out" and "stop whining" cos we didnt know how many she would be in "itll probably only be one or two"

14....*sigh*

[starfox]

Grrrr...I'm so angry about this.

I just don't think they know how to handle Carter on Atlantis. I'm afraid that they'll focus too much on how perfect she is and not enough on the actual Atlantis characters.

[SGFerrit]

^^ Then wait and see how they do it.

God just because Carter is there doesn't mean she will take up th whole show.

[Alipeeps]

^^ Then wait and see how they do it.

God just because Carter is there doesn't mean she will take up th whole show.

But you do admit that devoting screentime to her in 14 out of 20 episodes does constitute an at least fairly sizeable amount of time that could otherwise have been devoted to... ooh, say, Atlantis characters?

[nihela]

I think TPTB should take a good hard look at the poll in "Characters and relationships" two thirds of the posts are against having her on "Atlantis". Even some Sam fans (myself included) voted NO

[Unamed]

i for one welcome this decision i love sam, i think she is a great character and i have every bit of confidence in tptb that they will do a good job. Just have some confidence people

[starfox]

i for one welcome this decision i love sam, i think she is a great character and i have every bit of confidence in tptb that they will do a good job. Just have some confidence people

Yeah, see it's the confidence part I have a problem with.


There's also the fact that I enjoy Atlantis more than I enjoy SG-1, and would like to keep the shows as separate as possible, to allow Atlantis to grow under it's own merit, and to let SG-1 go out with the style and dignity it deserves, rather than have it's characters forced upon another show in a lame effort to keep it going.

[florence]

According to Brad's interview, filmed in December, the first 8 episodes were in the process of being written.. and of those probably 2 or 3 were pretty much finished but just hadn't yet been "handed over", as it were, by the writers.

And they must have - and must have discussed - ideas for where they want to go in Season 4 or how would Joe know anything to be excited about (as far back as October when his interview from Starburst magazine was actually held) about the direction Season 4 is going in?

If I trust what Joe Mallozzi wrote in his blog, there are already a few episodes written, or being written at the moment:
"On the script front, Rob has already finished his first Atlantis script and distributed copies. Carl, I know, has at least one script in hand. I'm betting Alan does too. And Paul doesn't. Spoke to Martin today who has finished his first draft and is in the process of polishing the dialogue"
That seems more than just a few vague ideas IMO.

[SGFerrit]

But you do admit that devoting screentime to her in 14 out of 20 episodes does constitute an at least fairly sizeable amount of time that could otherwise have been devoted to... ooh, say, Atlantis characters?

Yes I agree with that, I was hoping she would be in 7 or 8 episodes TBH, I don't want Sam to detract from other characters but I don't think she will tbh. I'm still going to give it a try of course.

About Weir, Carson was a recurring in s1 and a regular in s2 yet he seemed to get the same amount of time so I'm not worried.