Season 9 and Integrating Absences into the Stargate Tapestry (Beware of Spoilers)

[astrogeologist]

SG-1 will sorely miss the character of Sam Carter even if AT only misses 5 episodes. Amanda Tapping has done a simply superb job that I have not seen equaled by any other female lead in a Science Fiction show (and I have watched every episode of every sci fi show that I could catch for the past 30 years).

And, I have to admit that I was looking forward to Carter getting to command out in the field. In science fiction shows, the female lead is so often the 2IC, the second in command...and/or the science officer...with the major lead and overall commander being a male actor. I was really looking forward to Sam Carter moving into the command position more than they have shown so far. AT would handle it superbly!

And I can't imagine SG-1 if they lose BOTH AT and RDA... Then it just loses the feel of SG-1 ... and becomes SGC... which could make a good show... I would just prefer that they didn't call it SG-1 when they are going to lose 2 of the 4 leads.

So - I'll take AT and RDA in whatever capacity that the can participate and I just hope that the series writers and directors use the two lead actors in major storylines (and not just as background).

I find myself actually looking forward (albeit apprehensively ) to what the writers will devise for Sam Carter’s absence. I hope that the writers and directors come up with some truly creative ways to deal with the absences of AT and RDA in Season 9. To date, the Stargate writers and directors have surprised and impressed me with how well they handled Michael Shanks' departure for Season 6 and then RDA's reduced availability in Seasons 7 and 8. Having Daniel ascend after saving Jonas' planet was truly 'big'... truly heroic, and a great send-off (seeings that they didn't know that MS would be wanting to come back). And then – having Daniel take on Anubis single-handedly… again, appropriately ‘big and heroic’ for a sci-fi lead character.

And the accommodations for RDA in terms of the shooting schedules and the creative scripts that maintain O'Neill's presence. Allowing him to become a general, allowing his character to grow and develop. All very well done.

And the integration of Ben Browder’s character sounds smartly done – that they are going to create a backstory for him that interweaves his character with the past many years of Stargate lore. What I’ve heard so far sounds appropriately ‘big and heroic’ for a lead character of SG-1 – what it will take to have the Stargate audience embrace the new character.

Now... I just hope that the writers and directors can think 'big' and 'heroic' when it comes to storylines that deal with the absences of AT and RDA in Season 9. Hmmm... what I'm trying to say is that I hope that they don't do something lame... like say that Carter is just off working at the Academy, or on some research project or some such. That's a throwaway idea - not fit for what they have done so far. Beings that AT is slated to come back, I hope that they come up with a big storyline that intrigues the viewers. Maybe something that plays off that phrase that O'Neill used in the Lost City... 'National Treasure/National Resource'... I think there's a good episode title in there somewhere...

I also think it would have been fun to have Ben Browder's character come in as a Major (instead of a Lt. Col) -- and that way Carter would have had a subordinate officer to command (just as O'Neill had). That said, I am trying to keep an open mind as the writers have (so far) done a great job dealing with new characters and the absences of old ones....

As for RDA... if he truly isn't coming back at all?... that's a bit tougher...hopefully they can get him to commit to at least a few episodes?

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Links:
- SciFi Channel Bulletin Board Thread 'Season 9 News'
- Solutions

[po134]

the abscence of Amanda tapping has already been replace by the ladies in prometheus unbound and her story and everything ... I don't thing we will miss Carter there will simply be too much new things to worry about her ! And RDA, possibly some people will miss him but they prepared us in S8 so it won't be a real BIG thing.

I'm sure that the writters will do a great job and I hope it won't be the last season =)

[Hathor999]

the abscence of Amanda tapping has already been replace by the ladies in prometheus unbound and her story and everything ... I don't thing we will miss Carter

You mean YOU will not miss her. Other fans see this maybe very different.
To be honest I was never a real Sam Carter fan but I liked her in the early seasons and was looking forward to see her finally commanding SG 1.
But the reall problem for me is who her replacement is.

I don´t like Vala and seeing her as a part of SG 1 (and be it only for 5 episodes) is IMO annoying. The Vala character is way to much over the top to work inside normal dramatical episodes. What means that the writers must write all episodes in which she appears in the same style as "Prometheus Unbound" so that she can do her "comedy-space-dominatix" act again and again.

I´m sorry I HAD given BB a chance but after "Prometheus Unbound" I´m no longer willingly to cut this show any slack. If they want Farscape season 5 so desperate than should they cancel Stargate SG 1 and just do it! But turning Stargate into a pseudo Farscape is IMO a slap in the face of everybody who isn´t in love with Farscape and it´s actors!

Really this "we have to...", "we will..." , "we must..." is for me maybe the most annoying part of this whole affair: I understand that Farsacape has it´s fans and that they are ecstatic to see their show reborn in form of Stargate season 9 but you can´t not force anybody else to embrace this new direction. This I LOVE it and YOU MUST LOVE IT TOO is total crap.

I understand that you Farscape fans are happy but you can´t expect from everybody to share your feelings. And if I remember the reactions as Farscape was cancelt well than you should know how painfull it is to loose soemthing you loved!

[aeromathlete]

I´m sorry I HAD given BB a chance but after "Prometheus Unbound" I´m no longer willingly to cut this show any slack. If they want Farscape season 5 so desperate than should they cancel Stargate SG 1 and just do it! But turning Stargate into a pseudo Farscape is a slap in the face of everybody who isn´t in love with Farscape and it´s actors!

I'm still okay with Ben Browder coming onto the show. I hated Farscape, but I do still appreciate his character and his acting alone. As for the rest of the Farscape characters, they all annoyed the heck out of me. I don't think they're trying to turn SG-1 into pseudo-Farscape, but this is a ratings grab. But I think bringing Claudia Black into the picture is excessive. Two Scapers is too much. I'm glad it's only for five episodes, and I'm really hoping it's a background arc and that other issues will be more pressing. However, Ben Browder I'll accept in a heartbeat.

I just wish Browder's character was a Major, though. The fact that he has the same rank as Sam is really annoying me, especially since I don't want him to be commander of SG-1. After all these years, Sam deserves it. To deprive her of this is a slap in the face to the character and to all the fans that have been rooting for her all along.

[Hathor999]

I'm still okay with Ben Browder coming onto the show. I hated Farscape, but I do still appreciate his character and his acting alone. As for the rest of the Farscape characters, they all annoyed the heck out of me. I don't think they're trying to turn SG-1 into pseudo-Farscape, but this is a ratings grab. But I think bringing Claudia Black into the picture is excessive. Two Scapers is too much. I'm glad it's only for five episodes, and I'm really hoping it's a background arc and that other issues will be more pressing. However, Ben Browder I'll accept in a heartbeat.

I just wish Browder's character was a Major, though. The fact that he has the same rank as Sam is really annoying me, especially since I don't want him to be commander of SG-1. After all these years, Sam deserves it. To deprive her of this is a slap in the face to the character and to all the fans that have been rooting for her all along.

I´m not so sure about it all. I mean we not even know if Sam will be back for season 9. AT has still not signed a contract. I wouldn´t be too surpriesed if we will hear in the next weeks that AT is only coming back for some guest appearances and SG 1 new female member in season 9 is nobody else than Vala! It´s only a feeling but...

About BB character having the same rank as Sam is IMO a way to make the Farscape fans happy. Or maybe it´s just that the writers think that a woman isn´t able to command.

[Hathor999]

And I don´t like the idea to incoperate BB´s character into SG 1 past. For me is that a try to rewrite the past of the show (Will that mean that Stargates PTB will include scenes with him in new editions of the old episodes - similar to what George Lucas has done on the new Star Wars editions ???).
I think it would be much better if he were a newbie who must earn SG 1 (and the viewers) respect. Hearing that he was always around and was crucial for the success of some important SG 1 missions is IMO the wrong way to bring a new character in the show. Sorry but I feel cheated by it.

[alz0rz]

Well we know RDA, wherever he be, will still be commanding the SGC - so he will be there in a capacity.. as we've grown to accustom to seeing him since s7+- less & less

There will probably some intriguing storyline where we may just accept AT will be missing for those 5 eps

[keshou]

Now... I just hope that the writers and directors can think 'big' and 'heroic' when it comes to storylines that deal with the absences of AT and RDA in Season 9. Hmmm... what I'm trying to say is that I hope that they don't do something lame... like say that Carter is just off working at the Academy, or on some research project or some such. That's a throwaway idea - not fit for what they have done so far. Beings that AT is slated to come back, I hope that they come up with a big storyline that intrigues the viewers. Maybe something that plays off that phrase that O'Neill used in the Lost City... 'National Treasure/National Resource'... I think there's a good episode title in there somewhere...

I'm also hoping they can use AT and RDA's absences in a creative way rather than just trying to work around them. There have been discussions in other threads about Sam being injured and that's why she's gone. Or perhaps Sam's on an undisclosed mission that has consequences later in the season. I'd like to see something interesting - not just Sam's been on her honeymoon with Jack.

As for Vala. Well, I think the character has potential. Didn't like everything about her and would certainly expect her character to have added depth and characterization if she appears in 5 episodes. At least she didn't bore me which has been the case with a lot of other Stargate guest characters lately.

BB. I'd be surprised if he comes aboard as a Crichton clone. Disappointed if that's what they did. I don't think BB would want that either so I'm looking forward to seeing what they come up with.

I'm a Farscape fan but I don't want to see Stargate become Farscape. They are two completely different shows. But I do think BB and CB are good actors and have charisma and I'm interested to see how they're going to integrate the new characters in with the old. It may be crap, but I'm not going to call it crap until I've seen it.

[Dani347]

I don´t like Vala and seeing her as a part of SG 1 (and be it only for 5 episodes) is IMO annoying. The Vala character is way to much over the top to work inside normal dramatical episodes. What means that the writers must write all episodes in which she appears in the same style as "Prometheus Unbound" so that she can do her "comedy-space-dominatix" act again and again.

There's no saying that Vala is going to join SG1. And, there's also no saying that the character must always be over the top, although it's possible they will write her that way, but they don't have too.

I´m sorry I HAD given BB a chance but after "Prometheus Unbound" I´m no longer willingly to cut this show any slack. If they want Farscape season 5 so desperate than should they cancel Stargate SG 1 and just do it! But turning Stargate into a pseudo Farscape is IMO a slap in the face of everybody who isn´t in love with Farscape and it´s actors!

But, you haven't seen BB on the show. Prometheus Unbound doesn't tell anyone anything about how BB will be on the show. Yes, it's possible that he'll be just as bad for you. But, I can only hope it's because how this new character (who will not be his character on Farscape, just like Vala was not the same character CB played on Farscape) is written, not because of a cancelled show that happened to have the same actor.

I understand that Farsacape has it´s fans and that they are ecstatic to see their show reborn in form of Stargate season 9 but you can´t not force anybody else to embrace this new direction. This I LOVE it and YOU MUST LOVE IT TOO is total crap.

Well, if any of the fans of Farscape (and I'm one of them) think that Farscape will be reborn just because they have actors from the same show, they're really barking up the wrong tree. Only the most totally incompetant actors are only able to play one character, so when I think of BB and CB being on Stargate, I don't think, "Whee! Farscape is being reborn on Stargate!" I think, "Whee! Two actors I like are going to be on a show that I'm watching. What new and different character will BB play?" I've talked about my lack of faith in the writers and my opinion of their current abilities enough for people to know I'm not about to hand them any awards. But, they'd have to go even lower than my basement level expectations if they actually tried to turn the show into a Farscape hybrid just because they had two of the actors. And, it would come down to them actually deliberately writing it that way, because just having the actors from the show isn't enough to do it. After all, having the actor who played Macgyver on the show for 8 seasons didn't make Stargate a Macgyver show. And, it would be pretty insulting to the actors. "Okay, we're getting you on the show, but we have such limited faith in your abilities as actors, that we think you can only ever play John Crichton and Aeryn Sun, ever" Hey, if I found out that I was in a situation like that, I'd say no thanks, only way less politely.

But, I totally agree that it is crap to say that you must like something. You've seen Vala, you don't like her or how her episode was written, and that's your right. And, once you see BB's character if he invokes the same reaction, it's your right. Heck, it's your right to dislike him being on the show right now. Nobody must do anything with this show.

I understand that you Farscape fans are happy

And, I really hope that they aren't happy for the wrong reasons. I have no qualms about the actors, and if the writers have the tiniest bit of creative sense, having CB and BB on the show will not turn it into Farscape. So, I hope they're happy because they like the actors, not because they think they're getting the characters back. And, again, I hope the writers don't foul it up and insult the actors (not to mention the actual Farscape writers) by trying to get the characters back.

[astrogeologist]

I just wish Browder's character was a Major, though. The fact that he has the same rank as Sam is really annoying me, especially since I don't want him to be commander of SG-1. After all these years, Sam deserves it. To deprive her of this is a slap in the face to the character and to all the fans that have been rooting for her all along.

I agree wholeheartedly! I too wish that BB's character was a Major -- O'Neill had a subordinate to command. It would have been nice to give Carter the same thing - for at least a season!

[astrogeologist]

I´m not so sure about it all. I mean we not even know if Sam will be back for season 9. AT has still not signed a contract. I wouldn´t be too surpriesed if we will hear in the next weeks that AT is only coming back for some guest appearances and SG 1 new female member in season 9 is nobody else than Vala! It´s only a feeling but...

About BB character having the same rank as Sam is IMO a way to make the Farscape fans happy. Or maybe it´s just that the writers think that a woman isn´t able to command.

Ouch -- you brought me back to reality! Because you are correct.... AT's participation is still undecided....sigh.

And your last statement about 'maybe it's just that the writers think that a woman isn't able to command' I sure hope that that's not true! I'd sure love to see them show Carter handling command effectively - for the past many years the character of Carter has been one of the three main supporting characters to O'Neill's lead character. As the lead heroic character is hardly ever allowed to make egregious mistakes (or show weakness), then the mistakes and uncertainties are given to the supporting characters... and the lead character listens, watches, corrects and then makes decisions and/or actions. So Carter's character has been one of O'Neill's supporting characters. With Season 8, however, O'Neill has been allowed to move onwards and upwards - and it's time to do the same for Carter.

The increased (or complete) absence of RDA, however is a challenge that I do not know how the series writers and producers will handle.

The upcoming absences of AT make the future of the character of Sam Carter just as uncertain.

It's good to hear that there are fans out there who are looking forward to storylines that handle these absences in a positive and constructive fashion.

[astrogeologist]

I'm also hoping they can use AT and RDA's absences in a creative way rather than just trying to work around them. There have been discussions in other threads about Sam being injured and that's why she's gone. Or perhaps Sam's on an undisclosed mission that has consequences later in the season. I'd like to see something interesting

Yes!! You've encapusated the point of this thread!
"I'm also hoping they can use AT and RDA's absences in a creative way rather than just trying to work around them. There have been discussions in other threads about Sam being injured and that's why she's gone. Or perhaps Sam's on an undisclosed mission that has consequences later in the season. I'd like to see something interesting "

It was worth restating!