GateWorld Podcast Feedback!

[Darren]

That would be much appreciated. Thanks!

[Shirt'n'Tie]

Hi all

Yep, didn't think about the Region 1 issue, though most would convert via laptop or have a multiregion player? Any-hoo, no worries, just a thought and thanks for answering. Totally agree with a "Look back" at earlier Seasons... Thanks.

Darren, disappointed to hear you are not thinking of uprooting to Europe! Can totally understand when there is a family involved, how difficult that can be, particularly for post-graduate studies. Warmest regards to all.

Keep up the good work and thank you

S'n'T

[TameFarrar]

Just a reminder to all you feedback givers... Don't forget to tell them how much you enjoyed having *The Girl* on so they will invite her back again....

[Mac Jackson]

Hi Guys, Thanks so very much for useing my email in your pod cast. I'm flattered. You've made my day.
As far as this weeks podcast questions, here ya go:

I'm sad to hear that Atlantis is being canceled since it was my weekly Stargate fix and I'm comfortable with what I know. I'm nervous about the Stargate Universe since we don't know the cast or how the writing will be.
I'm not as upset about this cancelation though as I was about SG-1 not being renewed since I adored the original 4 members and held out hope of them reuniting to fix the damage the last 2 seasons did to the once excellent show.

I think you said it very well when you said that the Atlantis team were friends not family like Jack,Sam,Daniel and Teal'c are. I think that shows and seperates the overall feel of the show. It always felt like the little brother to SG-1. Not as diverse but you always supported it. Hopefully they will use the movies to address some open threads like the Lt. Ford debacle.

As far as Teyla storylines have gone so far I think she has been one of the most misused characters of the entire series. She was brought in as a warrior leader of her tribe but other then training we've hardly ever seen her use any hand held weapons in a fight. At least not enough to make her stand out.

Worse than that is the fact that she was never written as being comfortable enough in conversations with anyone. Always very stiff. never letting her gaurd down. It got frustrating after a while. Also the relationships they seem to hint at never happened. In the beginning it seemed she and John had an attraction but that never happened. Then with Ronan but again nothing. The fact that she is now a mother only further moves her away from what she was set up to be. It seems that the writers either forgot or keep changing their minds at the last minute.

Feel free to use any part of this in your upcoming podcast.

Thank you,

[Mac Jackson]

Just a reminder to all you feedback givers... Don't forget to tell them how much you enjoyed having *The Girl* on so they will invite her back again....

Good job.

[Shirt'n'Tie]

Hey there TameFarrar!!

As I have only listened your initial contributions on "Deadalus Variations" I can only comment on that one podcast where you appear....Excellent job and well done! I feel it is important to have not just a woman's perspective, but also a third voice presents on the podcasts...it lends variety and certainly provokes debate...Good job and well done!!

S'n'T

[TameFarrar]

Good job.

Hey there TameFarrar!!

As I have only listened your initial contributions on "Deadalus Variations" I can only comment on that one podcast where you appear....Excellent job and well done! I feel it is important to have not just a woman's perspective, but also a third voice presents on the podcasts...it lends variety and certainly provokes debate...Good job and well done!!

S'n'T

Thanks Folks

*Directs Darren to these posts *

[Mac Jackson]

Thanks Folks

*Directs Darren to these posts *

Hey, My pleasure.

[Dimbo_Sama]

In Responce to the podcast.

First of all, I was very very dissapointed with The Queen.

I've been looking forward to this episode for about a month now ever since I heard about the plot and I thought it was a massive let down. I was hoping at least Todd would try the therapy or maybe have one of his underlings take it. Although it was a very interesting Wraith culture episode which we just don't see enough of compared to the Goa'uld stuff they did.

Also, I don't think they've used Rachael Luttrel as well as they could of throughout the whole show. I mean, she's a fantastic actress and has done some magnificent work through the whole span of the show but she generally feels written very "Dr. Spock" to me. Which is annoying, since she's Athosian not Jaffa

Thanks for the awesome podcast, which is a great compainian to the show and I can't wait to hear the disscussions after Atlantis has run it's course.

[TameFarrar]

I know you all are already editing number 11 for today but I did want to answer this question...

Listener Question: It's Teyla's turn at bat in this week's new episode, "The Queen!" Tell us what you think of her character and how she has been used -- or underused -- in the past four-plus years.

When Teyla first joined the show I thought she would end up becoming a great foil for the team but not part of the team. SO I was a bit disappointed that they went that direction.
It would have been a nice contrast to have her as a Civilian Leader equal to the Atlantis leader that the SGC had to deal with on a regular basis and look to for guidance as they learned the their way through the Pegasus galaxy.

By instead making her a team member they then basically regulated her to a *back-drop* character and IMHO used her even less then they should have had she been left as the True Leader of her People. This was a character that should have commanded as much respect as Dr Weir, Col Carter and Woolsy. By placing her in a subordinate role TPTB basically took away any power this character could have weielded as an ally.

As each season has gone on Teyla has been used less and less as the one person with any real knowledge of the galaxy aside from Ronon. Her expertise has been pushed aside in favor of the arrogance many find somewhat distasteful in the American attitude of *We know Best* so just step aside and let us do the talking.

As time as gone on the character has lacked even more direction because she has been so underutilized, that to now bring her to the place she should have been to begin with would seem strange BUT not completely out of place. This is supposed to be a woman thought capable of leading a nation of people. Yet she is portrayed as being unable to make some very easy decisions without the input of the newly acquired friends from the SGC. It asks me as an audience member to suspend my disbelief a bit too much and therefore has made the character just ineffectual overall at this point.

In watching *The Queen* I was hoping to see her character take command in ways we would not cringe at. I found myself cringing over every mission gaff that she had in front of others. The character would in one moment understand that she must go along with the chain of events in order to not blow her cover only to do something almost immediately following that would assure her cover be blown. I found that to be either poor writing OR poor editing.

It was in this way I felt that the writers OR editors were still showing the audience that this character really wasn't *all that trained or skillful* but we humor her if we need her.

Unfortunately it becomes truly apparent just how much stereotypical behavior male writers interject into their female characters when they try to write them as *strong*. They can't seem to keep up the pretense. Eventually they always seem to have the female running to or relying on the men to save the day or at the very least the scene.

I was however impressed that in the end they gave Teyla the last word with Todd and gave her the cunning to stand her ground with him and make him realize that he missed a loophole in his overall plan. That was a surprise after what had gone on previously in the episode. Unfortunately as much as I liked that it made all the weaker moments in the episode all the more glaring as if to say only when the female is not in front of a physical threat is she then free to really think and be cunning. But the men are always ready for action no matter what the state of things.

In the end I think TPTB need to decide what this character is truly about and stand behind that. But that is the case for many of the secondary characters. That being anyone besides Shepperd or McKay. There is no real foundation for any other characters with the exception of those two. Is that because the writers either want to be Shepperd if they could or wish they could be as wise-cracking as McKay so they get to live vicariously through them and all the others are just window dressing to pull out when needed? I don't know. But in this case Teyla has never been used well and when she is used.....it always comes across that it is reluctantly ....

[Cassius]

Hey. Gotta say, I do enjoy your podcasts.

I'm posting here for my first real post in the forums just to spark up an idea for you to run with. I was interested in your statements on how Universe msut be a character based show, and therefore cannot get rid of the likes of Lt. Ford and write him away.
This got me a-thinking and it makes me wonder first off, what should have been done about the poor guy. And then my mind wandered back to Jonas Quinn and forward (Technically) to Beckett and Weir and their character endings.
Just as a suggestion, and with a new break in Atlantis coming up in a month or so, why not make your next possible discussion be about these 'Fallen' characters so we can reminisce about the good and the bad about Jonas Quinn and Dr. Fasier and those from Atlantis who ended there. Grodin even comes to mind. Discussions can happen as to why the characters ended and what lessons might be discoverable as we look over their literary autopsy as a deeper character show comes onto the horizon in the form of Universe.

[Darren]

Episode #11 is now available!

Teyla takes center stage in last Friday's episode of Stargate Atlantis, and in this week's podcast! Darren and David discuss Teyla's character and "The Queen," from make-up to Wraith sociology to Todd's cunning plan.

Also this week:

News! The latest news from the Stargate universe, and new features from GateWorld

Preview! Podcast listeners get an exclusive preview of our upcoming interview with Gary Jones ("Walter Harriman").

Listener Mail! Listeners share their opinions on Teyla and "The Queen."

Listener Question: Jennifer Keller is featured in this week's new episode "Tracker," so call in and tell us what you think of Atlantis's doctor. Is Keller a realistic portrayal of an ordinary person facing extraordinary and frightening circumstances in the Pegasus Galaxy? ... Or is she just a whiner? Call the GateWorld Podcast Hotline and let us know what you think.

CALL US! You can call the hotline and leave us a voicemail any time, day or night. Tell us what you thought of the newest Atlantis episode, answer the weekly listener question, leave feedback on the podcast itself, or talk about anything you want.

Dial: 616-712-1647 (long distance rates apply)


Thanks to everyone for listening and contributing!

[TameFarrar]

Completely enjoyed this last weeks podcast

I was so focused on Teyla's contribution that I forgot about just how excellent this episode was in terms of the Wraith themselves. So it was nice to be sitting there and listening, nodding my head in agreement and thinking "yes that was a nice change in how we normally see the Wraith." Also many of the points made in regards to the make-up dept were spot on.

I won't even comment on the jokes ... not that I can do any better but my Mom always said if you can't say something nice

[Kritter]

Just wanted to say I am really enjoying the Podcasts!
(And Yay Tame!)
I always get a kick out of hearing other's perspectives on the show, even if they surprise me at how different they are than my own. For example, I would absolutely hate it if Todd went completely badass. IMHO, that was what eventually diminished Michael as a character. I think that the ambiguity about Todd's intentions is what makes him a great character - we can be suspicious but also root for him at the same time. If he were completely evil that aspect would be gone.
Re Keller, she is definitely not my favorite. (and i love Jewel Staite!) I think she would have been better used as a minor background player. I'm not sure what the point of her being there is, other than to have another "girl character" to write for. So, given your thoughts on Teyla and how she has been underused, each time I see Keller onscreen, I feel like she is taking away time that could have been used to explore Teyla's (or Ronon, Lorne, or Zelenka even) character further.
I have no problem with her being a doctor, but as someone who works with many doctors, she would be OK as a new intern or resident, but as CMO she's completely unbelievable. Even the little comments she makes would be cute, as I have heard interns say all kinds of silly stuff to their patients. Not the Attendings.
My biggest gripe, however, is the "shipping" aspect of the character. The entire idea of her and Rodney, and the potential "love triangle" just turns me off big-time. The age difference, for one, and the feeling that this is the writer's little fantasy played out on screen just makes me cringe. It diminishes Rodney's character and I like Rodney.
Make the reason for her existence be that she is a valuable, meaningful contributer to the mission, in small doses, and I would have no issue at all.

[Lythisrose]

I agree with Kritter, keep Todd the rogue we can't completely trust, but always kind of like. Not all bad n evil.
Re Keller, when she is doing her doctor thing I'm fine with her. Don't like the shippiness aspect at all.