Lead character confusion

[thenimf]

After seeing the first five episodes of Season 9 I've come to a conclusion. Mitchell is SOOOO not the lead character for SG-1 - Daniel is. What's interesting is that so far, this season has focused very very heavily on Daniel and Vala. I think that this is fantastic, we all missed an entire season of Daniel.

But yeah, I think Daniel feels more like the flagship character of this season. Regardless of whether or not Mitchell is in charge of Sg-1, Daniel is the person that is most likely to take down the Ori (in my opinion). Also, so far there doesn't seem to be much on Sam... which is no surprise since she's only appeared for all of 5 seconds in this season.

Your thoughts?

[shockwave]

they should have put MS first in the credits, and BB last with the and spot instead

[Redwall]

Well, Daniel and Jack were always the lead characters (don't shoot me, I love Carter and Teal'c too...), so IMHO it's fitting that with Jack gone Daniel takes center stage.

Also, they're stuck with Vala for the first five episodes, and she primarily plays off Daniel.

[Lida]

Sorry, but for me, SG-1 has always been a team. I never viewed one character as the lead, even Jack. So, no, Daniel isn't the lead character, in my opinion.....and he's only been center stage in the first few epi's because Sam hasn't returned yet. Wait until Friday.....

[Wyrminarrd]

The episodes we´ve had so far have all centered on event´s surrounding Vala, and as she is connected to Daniel it´s only natural for him to be the main character of these episodes.

I think Mitchell is still getting into the swing of things and will as the series progresses be more center stage. TPTB of course didn´t want to risk angering long time fans by immediatly making the new guy the center of attention, better to ease him into it.

[Sobek]

I agree that Mitchell is still slowly working his way up to a more center stage position. Besides don't forget Avalon, where all focus was on him trying to get SG-1 back together, and his flashbacks about saving SG-1 from some Goa'uld aircraft(can't remember which one right now). There was also a nice fighting scene, between him and that knight. Since then I think he's been evolving into a natural part of SG-1, which is something only few could do for me.

[keshou]

I'm a team fan myself although clearly Jack was always the big star of the first incarnation of SG-1.

I think Daniel has taken center stage in the first few episodes because:

* His character had the Ancient/ascended connection and was used to introduce the new big bad.
* They wanted to get their money's worth out of Vala and she was mainly a foil for Daniel. I think they were scared to death to mix Vala and Mitchell too much because of the possible comparisons with John/Aeryn.
* Teal'c really has no personal connection to the new story arc like he did to the Goa'uld story arc. He's just along for the ride right now.
* They didn't really have a "team". Just SG-Me and the rest of the gang on an adventure. Daniel's character (and Vala's) was driving the action on that adventure.

Do I expect this to change? Yes.

Sam is returning and there will naturally be more of a "team" feel when Vala leaves and the "band gets back together".

Mitchell's character will begin to get more airtime now that his position as team leader or co-team leader (whichever way they go) is clarified. They didn't bring in BB and stick his name at the top of the credits and not plan on giving him some storylines.

Teal'c will get a more personal connection to the main storyline that will move his character from "observer" status back to being proactive against the new big bad.

Seems like I read that one of the things said at the recent convention is that "team" is the theme for the last half of the season. I think it will take them until mid-season to really finish setting things up for this transition from old SG-1 to new SG-1.

I do expect Daniel to continue having a central connection to the new main story arc. He's the guy who (unwittingly or not) "found" the new big bad and I think he's going to feel a personal responsibility to fight the Ori.

[Qasim]

I think Daniel has been thrust into the limelight because he has a connection with Vala but I think that Cameron should be the leading man as Daniel will have to get back to being an archeologist and Sam back to being a scientist - I dont know if they can do that and lead

[Tucker Case]

I think Daniel feels more like the flagship character of this season. Regardless of whether or not Mitchell is in charge of Sg-1, Daniel is the person that is most likely to take down the Ori (in my opinion).

I think Mitchell's time will come.

Given the nature of the Ori storyline, I'd say it was pretty much a given that Daniel would play a pivotal role in it (although even I'm surprised at how personal the conflict appears to be). That story needed to be ushered in early on, and so there was Daniel in the thick of it. That much was by design.

Add to that Vala's five-episode arc, which also had to play out in those same opening episodes, and Daniel ends up with even more on his plate - and that much is more an "accident" of timing.

Michael's mentioned a couple of times now that Daniel and Mitchell are "carrying different parts of the story" this season, while the dynamic, on the whole, has been described as more of an ensemble; we're just waiting for Mitchell's part to start picking up steam (and Teal'c's, as we head into what looks like more of a Gerak/Jaffa arc between now and 'The Fourth Horseman').

Well, I'm waiting, anyway. As much as I like the character - and I do, I like him a lot - I have to admit I didn't miss him when he suddenly dropped out of the story in the last episode, and I am a little concerned that the two or three "showcase episodes" he has coming up this season look to be largely self-contained stories, fleshing out the character, no doubt, but not necessarily developing him as a key player in the main story arc.

Then again, I've said before that - certainly in the later seasons - Jack's role became more or less that of the "anchor character," while it was the other three who got to do all the weird and wonderful stuff; he was home base for them, and that qualified as the "leading role," and maybe that's what we should be looking for in Mitchell. It could be that the balance just seems off because Ben Browder isn't a name-above-the-title type "star" in their midst the same way RDA was (because I've long felt that Jack's "lead" status was more reliant on that than the amount of story Jack actually carried).

Or, then again, there's the persistent chatter now that TPTB had given serious thought to renaming the show and officially making it a spin-off, only the network wouldn't let them, and it's possible that intent is still reflected in the writing. "Team leader" gets you top billing on a show called 'SG-1,' but that could turn out to be a nominal role in a show that's, well, 'SG-1' in name only.

I don't know. I'm expecting to "feel" Mitchell more once he has an official team to lead; what that means in the grand scheme of things, however, remains to be seen.

What surprises me most is the extent to which Vala's role has shades of the leading lady splashed all over it. I'm not surprised that, as a "guest star," she played as big a part as she did in her "guest starring" episodes. It's how crucial a part she played in opening up the main story arc and how the development of her relationship with Daniel doesn't look to be rivalled by his relationship with Mitchell any time soon; they've tied her to both the main story arc, and (what looks to be) the lynchpin character in it.

I find that considerably more weird than anything they have or haven't done with Mitchell so far.

Not that I mind, of course. But it's still...well, it's something.

they should have put MS first in the credits, and BB last with the and spot instead

I don't know: The way they're doing the actor credits now, that "and Michael Shanks as Daniel Jackson" is the only one I ever even notice.

So much of that is contractual, anyway. Liv Tyler's, what, third billing in the 'LOTR' films was certainly not a reflection of the overall size and importance of her role, in light of which Mitchell taking top billing playing Han Solo to Daniel's Luke Skywalker doesn't seem quite so "off."

It's not like Harrison Ford wouldn't "out-bill" Mark Hamill now.

Tucker

[SierraGulf1]

Honestly, I don't care who's listed first. I just like a bunch of team eps with a Babylon for Mitchell, a Beachhead for Carter, an Ex Deus Machina for Teal'c, and perhaps an Origin for Daniel.

It think everyone will get their time to shine this season, plus the team episodes that I quite enjoyed.

[TheCorpulent1]

The way I'm looking at it is like this:

- Jack was the official commander of SG-1 over Daniel, Sam, and Teal'c.

- Jack's tactical expertise came in handy when the team was up against the Goa'uld because they'd have to physically fight off Jaffa left and right.

On the other hand, in Mitchell's case:

- He's the official commander of SG-1, which consists of just him right now. Daniel and Teal'c are still both sporting the SGC patches, so they haven't officially rejoined SG-1. Thus, Mitchell has no authority over them except in the sense that he's the leader of the flagship SGC team, so any SGC personnel has to show him due respect.

- The Ori are sending Priors out to convert the MW's humans to their religion, not kill them right now. It's a 2-step process: 1) Priors spread the message of the Ori and effectively find out who'll follow and who won't. 2) Those "great ships" full of "holy warriors" or whatever come in and exterminate all of the ones whom the Priors have determined will not follow. Once the show progresses to the Ori actively trying to kill people in the MW, tactics will come into play and Mitchell's expertise will be more appropriate. As it is, you can't fight a message with guns so Daniel's debating skills are more useful to their missions.

[Kalliope]

As far as I remember from the original "Stargate" film, it was Daniel Jackson who was the main character in it, although Kurt Russell was first in the credits. Agree that SG-1 the series is the team show, but the heart and soul of it is Daniel, definitely.

[Gargen]

man, shanks deserves it he has been jacks nerdy little sidekick for so long even though he could kick his ass but he should be lead

[THE BIG UNIT]

I disagree about daniel being the heart and soul of sg1, but as to who are the main characters, they were Jack, Sam, Daniel and Teal'c for me, always have been. when certain episodes deal with certain story arcs the character that most suits the story is the main for the episode, but never the whole series.

Right now, there is no SG1, there is Mitchell, with Daniel and Teal'c doing what they want, and Sam and Jack not around (but sam is back soon!!!).

So there is not really a lead CHARACTER, there is lead CHARACTERS.

[epiphany]

I think Daniel has been thrust into the limelight because he has a connection with Vala but I think that Cameron should be the leading man as Daniel will have to get back to being an archeologist and Sam back to being a scientist - I dont know if they can do that and lead

Leading man and leader of the team do not necessarily have to be one and that same.

But ultimately I think it will be very team oriented as a whole this season.