How many episodes will Weir be in?

[PG15]

Wow, a lot of things got cut I see.

Anyway, I just asked Joe on his blog how many episodes Weir is in in the stories they've thought up so far...who knows, we may get an answer this time.

[Mitchell82]

Wow, a lot of things got cut I see.

Anyway, I just asked Joe on his blog how many episodes Weir is in in the stories they've thought up so far...who knows, we may get an answer this time.

LOL yeah mabey this debate will end.

[PG15]

Nope, not today. Can't say I'm that surprised, really.

[FoolishPleasure]

Anyway, I just asked Joe on his blog how many episodes Weir is in in the stories they've thought up so far...who knows, we may get an answer this time.

Joe will just pick up his magic 8 ball and say, "Outlook Hazy". Never gonna get a straight answer out of him.

[silence]

Jack led SG1, and the shows centered around his team. I don't think anyone ever said he was 2nd to Hammond. Hence the name of the show - Stargate-SG1. Most episodes revolved around SG1 and their exploration of different worlds. When Hammond left, Jack was promoted to General, and stayed in the SGC - not going on offworld missions anymore.

SGA is different because the mission originally was civilian/scientific - to explore Atlantis. However, the show has slowly slipped from Stargate-Atlantis to Stargate-Shep's Team, which takes it away from the exploration angle and moved it to a more military viewpoint. BUT, note that Sheppard isn't just the leader of a "team" - at the beginning of season 2, he was promoted and officially given command of the military in Atlantis. Technically, he shouldn't be on any team now, but should be directing ALL of them.

With Weir as head of everyone, he should be working with her daily, as she is working closely with the scientists while he monitors the military - he should not be off risking his life. What if he died? Who would Weir go to for defense of the city? It would be nice to see the writers exploring more how the scientists and soldiers interact and the problems Weir and Sheppard face, in Atlantis. Plus, since Atlantis is supposedly the size of New York, there should be a lot of good stories there, with some trips to other worlds, of course.

all this requires logic and thinking ... sure, it would be basis of great show, with much more depth then current one, but i think you are asking too much from TPTB.

[Night Spring]

Regarding whether or not Sheppard, as the military commander of Atlantis, should be going on off-world missions or not, I've often wondered whether Sumner would have gone off-world regularly had he not died in Rising.

There are two things in Rising that makes me think that he would have. One, when it is discovered that the shield is failing and they need to find another planet to evacuate to, Weir immediately asks Sumner to lead the mission to scout out other planets. While that could have been because the mission was so critical, it could also be that it had always been planned that way -- that Sumner would lead off-world teams, while Weir stayed in Atlantis and run the base.

Two, at the end of Rising, when Weir tells Sheppard he should pick out "his team," Sheppard seems surprised, like he wasn't expecting to be leading a team. Now, if Sumner, as military commander, had been expected to mostly stay in Atlantis, then Sheppard, the next highest ranking officer, would seem the logical choice to be a team leader. But apparently, Sheppard hadn't been assigned a team before the expedition left earth. Of course, it could be that since he was added at the last minute, he wasn't part of the unit structure of the military contigent. On the other hand, one doesn't waste an available officer when stranded in another galaxy, so Sumner would have to include Sheppard in the expedition's military structure somehow -- and that would mean putting him on a team. But Sheppard reacts with surprise when Weir tells him he will be leading a team, so that means he expected to be on a team led by someone else -- and since he's the second highest ranking officer, well, I have to conlude he was expecting to be tagging along with Sumner's team, the way he did in Rising.

So, if Sumner, the original military commander, was expected to lead off-world missions in addition to whatever duties he has on base, then it's not strange that Sheppard kept up the same practice after he was officially appointed military commander. Although, with the increase in the size of the military contigent at the beginning of S2, it's possible that Atlantis could use a full-time "stay at home" military commander. But hey, this is Shep.

In the end, the situation on Atlantis is very unique, so the system there will be whatever Weir convinces the IOA and the President it needs to be. So if we want to send Weir out on missions, well sure, that can be done! However, IMO, in order to maintain credibility, there is a need to show the arrangement that allows Weir to go off-world. In Star Trek, when Kirk went down to a planet, we often saw him turning over command to another officer. Not every time, but enough that even when we didn't see it, we could assume that there was someone left in charge of the Enterprise. So far, when Weir left Atlantis, we've seen another person left in charge -- exactly once. That's just not enough to keep me from wondering who's minding the store when Weir leaves Atlantis along with all the senior staff.

Basically, in order for Weir to go off-world regularly, the senior staff, aka the main cast, needs to take turns staying home like they did in Star Trek, or one or more secondary characters need to be established as the "B" command personnel. And this could be done by sparing a minute in each episode Weir goes off world. But no, not only does Weir go off world without anyone being shown to be left in charge, but Carson also kept going off world without any explanation given for his presence. Such details may seem small, but neglecting too many of them -- well, let's just say it makes me wonder whether the reason why TPTB hasn't said how many episodes Weir will be in S4 may be that they haven't figured it out yet!

[Pitry]

Such details may seem small, but neglecting too many of them -- well, let's just say it makes me wonder whether the reason why TPTB hasn't said how many episodes Weir will be in S4 may be that they haven't figured it out yet!

No, I suspect they're nto telling ebcause they're afraid of the angry response.
They msut know by now, because they had to sign a new contract with TH - prolyl with a specific number of episodes, just like AT's. And considering we're less than 1 month til they start shooting season 4, that contract must already be signed.

[ata_beckett]

42.

[Night Spring]

No, I suspect they're nto telling ebcause they're afraid of the angry response.

Hmmmm. Could be. So how many is so little that it would provoke an angry response? I'm especially curious to hear from the people who have been saying that they would be okay with Weir having less time if she got a more meatier role. But how "meaty" can her role be if, say, she was in only one or two episodes?

So, what's the minimum number of S4 episodes for Weir that is acceptable to you?

[psychofilly]

So, if Sumner, the original military commander, was expected to lead off-world missions in addition to whatever duties he has on base, then it's not strange that Sheppard kept up the same practice after he was officially appointed military commander. Although, with the increase in the size of the military contigent at the beginning of S2, it's possible that Atlantis could use a full-time "stay at home" military commander. But hey, this is Shep.

Another thing about Shep going off world vs regular military set up, was in the beginning, Sheppard was unique, he was specifically brought on to seek out and activate and use Ancient Technology because nobody save O'Neill did it better. It made sense to have him on a team, especially in any search for ancient tech/zpms. However, once the gene therapy was (quickly) introduced, his special status was reduced, and there wasn't as much of an excuse for him to *have* to go offworld. He may still be able to do it better, but 40% of the non-carrying humans can do it artificially, and except for flying and the chair, there probably isn't a need for deeply interfacing with equipment, so artificial gene carriers can activate and use Ancient Tech reasonably well.

I happen to like the Trek set-up, as well because it would seem that Weir should be useful as a negotiator and broker. There is a use for her, and while I'm one that doesn't mind a reduction in her role, I think they could find plenty to do to have her in ten to twelve episodes a year and really use the skills she was originally gifted with. I'd also like to see Shep have to deal with the administrative side of his job, plus it would be an interesting flip for him to be sending her off for once.

[Southern Red]

Another thing about Shep going off world vs regular military set up, was in the beginning, Sheppard was unique, he was specifically brought on to seek out and activate and use Ancient Technology because nobody save O'Neill did it better. It made sense to have him on a team, especially in any search for ancient tech/zpms. However, once the gene therapy was (quickly) introduced, his special status was reduced, and there wasn't as much of an excuse for him to *have* to go offworld. He may still be able to do it better, but 40% of the non-carrying humans can do it artificially, and except for flying and the chair, there probably isn't a need for deeply interfacing with equipment, so artificial gene carriers can activate and use Ancient Tech reasonably well.

I happen to like the Trek set-up, as well because it would seem that Weir should be useful as a negotiator and broker. There is a use for her, and while I'm one that doesn't mind a reduction in her role, I think they could find plenty to do to have her in ten to twelve episodes a year and really use the skills she was originally gifted with. I'd also like to see Shep have to deal with the administrative side of his job, plus it would be an interesting flip for him to be sending her off for once.

Good point and an excellent way to shake up the status quo. Imagine Elizabeth coming back from a mission to find her desk in disarray, her artifacts rearranged or used as a paperweight, and Led Zeppelin on her laptop. Then John tries to negotiate and ends up shooting somebody or causing an intergalactic incident. They are missing so many chances to do something really fun that doesn't involve purient adolescent humor. *shudders*

[Pitry]

Hmmmm. Could be. So how many is so little that it would provoke an angry response? I'm especially curious to hear from the people who have been saying that they would be okay with Weir having less time if she got a more meatier role. But how "meaty" can her role be if, say, she was in only one or two episodes?

So, what's the minimum number of S4 episodes for Weir that is acceptable to you?

While my preferred option would have been "all of them", I'll go for the realistic response. Six, at least - anythign under that and it'd be too easy to forget she's ever existed, like Ford.
However, First Strike spoilers.

Spoiler:

She's in bad shape in the end of the episode. And while they said she'd be recurring in season 4.... they also said the same about Carson.
Which raises the possibility she's nto recurring, she dies.
In which case, I'll be mighty unhappy.

[Wormhole]

I would prefer to see her in at least in the same amount of episodes SC/AT is in, if not more.

[huntress]

After "First Strike" my expectations sunk...I'd say two or three episodes the way things look and I hate it. I hope I will be prooven wrong. I really hope so.

[Suzotchka]

How many will she be in? Not enough.

I'm hoping for all. But I doubt I'll get that.