Atlantis Cast Changes

[Celcool]

The real problem is the producers and writers. They're getting close to destroying the Stargate franchise because they are incompetent writers. Today, we've got sci-fi-ish shows like The 4400 and Lost which are ensemble shows with interesting sci-fi twists and season long arcs. Lately, I have been watching The Closer where the lead character is the chief detective and female and she is competent and capable. These shows are far more intelligent and serious with decent characterizations and fast-moving plots than the Stargate shows the past few seasons. The Stargate writers can only envision their female characters as Mary Sue perfects like Carter or female authority figures to humiliate and put down like Weir. It's no wonder they got rid of Weir. Honestly, I think they are a bunch of misogynists. Only a misogynist would find an story trivializing date rape (Irrestible) hilarious.

The Closer rocks, it has more than decent writing of the characters, not to mention the plots. I watch Lost too. I can't not agree with you on every word you said. Hitting the nail on the head comes to mind.

[Trialia]

Flowerbud, Celcool, I agree with just about everything I've read from you two in this thread so far.

Bringing Carter to Atlantis will not increase the SGA ratings if they're ditching two characters who are - despite the vocal anti- minority bunch - favourites of a lot of fans, at the same time.

I hate what they've done to the show to prepare it for this, ever since Mullie and Mallozzi were brought on-board the SGA writing team full-time the show has gone to hell in a handbasket. They were great at writing SG-1, but SGA is so much more character-driven that it really has become a different show, and now it's just turning into SG-1: Atlantis, and I would be confident in saying that there are few people who really want to see that. SG-1 worked as it was - despite the cancellation, I think season ten was one of its best seasons yet, unfortunately! - and SGA worked as it was. Mashing the two together will just destroy what most loved about the separate shows. It makes me sad to know that- I've heard it even from casual viewers and people who don't share my love for Elizabeth Weir's character, that they don't like a lot of the end half of Atlantis' season three.

To be honest, it depresses me, because "musical cast" is not the way to go about keeping a good show in this case, because Atlantis HAS been so much more about the characters than the plots, as opposed to a lot of SG-1. Kicking out loved characters is just going to crash the chemistry in the ensemble.

[sueKay]

Atlantis was well down on the ratings and it had Weir in it.

SG1 was well down in the ratings and it had Carter in it

[sueKay]

I'm tuning in to Atlantis for the following:

Spoiler:

To find out what happened to Weir
To see what's happening with Teyla's baby
To see how they bring back Carson
And to see Jeannie Miller again

Apart from those, which will be covered in probably 6 or 7 episodes I couldn't care less. I prefer Heroes now.

[firefly30]

Bringing Carter to Atlantis will not increase the SGA ratings if they're ditching two characters who are - despite the vocal anti- minority bunch - favourites of a lot of fans, at the same time.

Exactly. I don't mind too much them bringing Carter in but if the argument is that it's to improve ratings it doesn't make sense to lose 2 much loved people at the same time.

[Agent_Dark]

SG1 was well down in the ratings and it had Carter in it

the point of my post, if anyone had figured out, was to point out how ludicrous flowerbud's post was. better luck next time.

[Steve_the_Wraith]

Bringing Carter to Atlantis will not increase the SGA ratings if they're ditching two characters who are - despite the vocal anti- minority bunch - favourites of a lot of fans, at the same time.

Weir wasn't that popular, infact most casual fans I know find Weir boring and look forward to Carter.

That character is usually at the bottom of the poularity polls (real ones not the ones based on the skewed gateworld figures). McKay, Shepperd and Ronon (in order of popularity) are the favourites.

However Beckett was quite popular, but I think tptb realised that he didn't work as main cast (his inclusion in several episodes in season 3 and 2 seemed forced). But regardless while Beckett might have been main cast he was never the star of the show that RDA and MS are of SG-1, (or DH and JF in Atlantis)

[PG15]

PG15, read your post, so we can agree that the odds of Carter helping the show are very little, a huge gamble. Who knows maybe it will sink the show further, we don't know yet, (maybe) they should've continued with the original concept, keep the true Atlantis and see how it goes, show a little faith in it.

Actually, no, we can't agree to that. All I said was that it's a gamble, which means it could go either way. I'm not saying it's a dangerous gamble by any stretch of the imagination.

Unfortunately, faith is not going to save them. The ratings are getting close to 1.0. If it continues like this, it'll get cancelled. If it sinks further, it'll get cancelled. If it goes up, it might not be cancelled. There is no possible reason why the ratings would go up if everything is the same. Bringing Sam in could bring the ratings up, and thus it's something that they can try.

I'm more of an Atlantis fan than I am a SG1 fan (I don't have any SG1 DVDs, and I'm not planning to get any, except the new movies; I got all the Atlantis DVDs so far, and am planning to get all others), but even I can see that ratings wise, the show's in trouble and something needs to be done.

---

I hear "improve the writing!!" a lot, and while I agree, that means very little to the casual viewer. You need *something* to draw them into watching SGA again, and improved writing will not show up in a promo...not a SciFi one anyway. They need something obvious (i.e. Carter) that will draw the audience in, and improved writing to make them stay.

[Flowerbud]

I still maintain that it's a big risk bringing in Carter and changing the format of the show to a more SG-1 type show. There are a lot of SG-1 fans who don't like Carter too. There are a lot of SGA fans who don't like the militarization theme. But really this isn't really about Carter vs. Weir.

The declining ratings for the past 2 seasons is a reflection of the poor, inept writing. Both SG-1 and SGA lost a third of their audience. How does that happen? The commonality is the producers/writers. I wrote this in an another post about SGA, but here is it again:

The cast changes and changing the show set-up (militarization, team-based) are a reflection of the inability of the producers/writers to create an ensemble show and write more complex stories focusing on intricate politics and ideologies. There was so much potential with the concept of Atlantis. Instead, we get frat boy humor, limited and inconsistent characterizations, illogical plots, recycling stories from SG-1, the lack of thematic arcs within a season and between seasons all make SGA tedious.

In addition, it really bothers me at the way women in authority are treated on this show. Elizabeth Weir is there to be torn down and humiliated. Teyla is generally dressed in scanty clothes and kept in the background. Sam is essentially written as a man except when she is pining after Jack. These guys are pathetic when to comes to women. It's clearly a boys own show with the constant focus on McKay and Sheppard. They can't imagine a world where men and women can work together and be equal players in a story. They ought to watch something like Law&Order SVU. Can women be full-fledged human beings in the Stargate universe?

[jenks]

I still maintain that it's a big risk bringing in Carter and changing the format of the show to a more SG-1 type show. There are a lot of SG-1 fans who don't like Carter too. There are a lot of SGA fans who don't like the militarization theme. But really this isn't really about Carter vs. Weir.

The format isn't changing, SGA has been militarised since season 2...

[Flowerbud]

Jenks writes:

The format isn't changing, SGA has been militarised since season 2...

Weir has still been in charge and it was not militarized.

[SilverRider]

After what I keep hearing on the changes to SGa, it kinda turnes me away from the show. I loved Season 1 cos it was different, Although I didn't love every ep of SGa s1, but i did like few. It made SGA worth watching.

But with all these changes in the first 3 years??? Helllo....Getting contact with Earth really shouldn't have happened till s3 IMHO, and to my dislike they wrapped up the Warith storyline too early in the show too.

But that's how I see it.

[jenks]

Jenks writes:


Weir has still been in charge and it was not militarized.

The Atlantis expedition for all intents and purposes has been a military operation since season 2, putting Carter in charge is not going to magically change the format of the show.

[g.o.d]

The format isn't changing, SGA has been militarised since season 2...

not enough

[zerro]

Let me use Mallozzi's logic, Internet fans don't count, they aren't representative of the whole audience.

So what ? That poll can't be used as evidence or something like that but it says how some of the biggest fans feel about these changes. I'm glad that Weir isn't in the show anymore, but I wouldn't have anything against someone else than Carter to replace her as long as that person has better qualifications. I'm also glad that Ronon is the part of Sheppard's team and a few other changes that were made.