Are the writiers incapable of balance now?

[FallenAngelII]

Out of 16 episodes he's been in 5 of them already, he was only in 6 episodes in the whole of season 3.

It's not just the amount of episodes, it's his amount of screen time and what he actually gets to do when on-screen. This season, insofar, not much.

[Mitchell82]

I don't understand why it should be such a problem. There are many other shows which are able to do a good balance with so many characters. SGA can't even manage the 4 team-members. I'm not against episodes which focus on one or two characters. But SGA isn't a one-man (or one-woman) show. I want to see the others as well. I want to see development and quality, not just an appearance from a character. IMO the writing hasn't done a good balance in season 5. They did this better in other seasons.

I disagree. They can manage the four team members just fine. We have had many episodes that focus on all the team members and just as many that focus on only a few all of which has been high quality IMO.

[Mitchell82]

This is a question about a subject that has been bugging a lot of people lately! If you think that we are griping well, that is your right.

I for one DO see the lack of giving each character something to do. Zalenka didn't say a word in the Shrine, but he was still there in a brief 2 second scene!

Just give them something to do or say! don't exclude a character or favor another!

I see your point about Zelenka in the Shrine but overall I do not believe they do exclude characters.

[FallenAngelII]

I see your point about Zelenka in the Shrine but overall I do not believe they do exclude characters.

Name three things Lorne has done this season. Explain how Teyla does almost nothing all season except just being there and serving as a plot device whenever her baby's in the limelight.

Explain how Radek can be in so many episodes yet have done so little of note (insofar).

Even when they are including characters, they just have them be wallflowers a lot of the time. Balance is not their forte.

[bluealien]

I disagree. They can manage the four team members just fine. We have had many episodes that focus on all the team members and just as many that focus on only a few all of which has been high quality IMO.

I disagree. Maybe 2 episodes, maximum 3 that managed all 4 team members. That's not what I would call balance out of 22 episodes. The team for me are Ronon/Teyla/John and Rodney and it's now a rarity to see them working together. I don't just mean Teyla getting a couple of meaningless lines or Ronon standing in the background but episodes where they all have to contribute something meaningful. There has been no balance whatsover IMO this season. We have had no consistancy, no character developmemt as I don't call seeing Rodney in another life and death situation as development.

The big highlight of the season was who would Keller choose, I really couldnt care less who she chose or whether she and Rodney have loved each other for a long time.. utter crap. Rodney and Keller have been the only two characters that have had any decent screentime. When Keller is in an episode she has had more more screentime devoted to her that Teyla has and Rodney is pretty much up there front and centre in the majority of eps.. I certaintly cannot say that for Ronon or Teyla.. so again where is the balance.

Keller is not a member of the team but somehow the writers seemed to find more to give her than any other character this season.. except for Rodney and I find that pretty deplorable.

[Reiko]

Besides, they're missing two of their main characters.

(Or for one, most of the time ... but my point stands.)

[Mister Oragahn]

I have accepted this for the last several episodes but at this point I think enough is enough. When was the last time we had an episode with the entire cast of the show in it? Why is this? Are the writers no longer capable of writing episodes with more than half the characters now? It's not even necessary to do this! We didn't need an episode that focused entirely on McKay and Keller. I loved Remnants but it was also a 3 character episode. Which wold have been OK if it wasn't the 6th time it happened this season. Teyla and Ronon feel like they keep disappearing this season. What reason was there for only Sheppard to appear in Whispers? Why couldn't Teyla and Ronon get some more screen time in Inquisition? Why did Teyla get almost nothing in the mid season two partner? This was a bit of a problem before this season too. Why did only McKay and Ronon and Keller appear in Tracker? The fact that McKay has had no less than 3 episodes based around him and a much larger part in the others while Teyla had 1 and a half and cameos is not a good thing. Why would they be doing this? Is writing so many people at the same time too hard now? Do the writers not like the characters to be in a team anymore?

It's bizarre, that as the show nears its end, they're wasting time with such frivolous plots, just to excuse, once again, a forced "containment-plot" context (same as people stuck in quarantine, people stuck in a hole, etc.).

At least season 8 of SG-1, the weakest of the old arc before the Ori, wrapped everything with episodes largely dedicated to the main topics, Goa'uld, Replicators, ascension and so on.

That episode was a total turd anyway. You got a guy frozed to death, and aside from the random dramatic tune, that death didn't count at all.
Once Mc<Snip> found the solution and the princess saved from freezing to death, anything else got erased with a nice touch of happiness and humour.