Originally posted by Skydiver
http://www.uberamandafan.com/mitchellandseason9.pdf
Consider this observation:
At the end of the day, he’s a beneficiary of circumstance. Sure, we know all of the convenient reasons for his being made leader of SG-1, and we know the reasons why Daniel and then Teal’c and then Sam returned to the SGC, but we’ve been given nothing that satisfactorily explains why the three of them, having returned to the fold, chose to join his team and accept his leadership. Nothing that explains why Carter, upon learning that the SG-1 leadership position was taken, wasn’t assigned as leader of SG-25 and Daniel and Teal’c didn’t join her team. There’s nothing that says they have to be SG-1. It is, as Mitchell said, just two letters, a dash and a number. The prestige isn’t in the designation, the prestige is in being Daniel Jackson, Sam Carter and Teal’c. They don’t need a patch that says “SG-1” for that.
Of course, that didn’t matter. Didn’t matter that it made little to no sense from their perspective, that it rings false and forced in the lives and stories of Daniel Jackson, Sam Carter and Teal’c. It isn’t about them. It’s about having all the right pieces fall into place around “Ben Browder’s character.” It isn’t the story of how SG-1 came to have a new leader. It’s the story of how “Ben Browder’s character” became the leader of – and lead character on – ‘SG-1.’ His is the only perspective that counts.
And that in itself is a problem.
Even if Mitchell were the most well-thought-out, exquisitely drawn, consistent, credible and compelling character imaginable, seeing Daniel, Sam and Teal’c conscripted into his story – rather than having him become a part of theirs – would still be fundamentally wrong and something of a problem. That they’ve been conscripted into the service of a character who is ill-defined at best – and an obnoxious, off-putting irritant in the eyes of more than a few – only makes the problem that much more vexing.
If Mitchell were simply an ill-defined addition to the existing show and story, he might still grate, but the show would probably be fine. Instead, the existing show and its well-defined characters are being made to follow the “ostensible” lead of “Ben Browder’s character, whoever and whatever he is (and your guess is as good as ours!)” and, for me, that not only shows up the vagueness and variability of the character, it serves to deepen my misgivings about him and exacerbate my irritation with his less-charming attributes.
Of course, that didn’t matter. Didn’t matter that it made little to no sense from their perspective, that it rings false and forced in the lives and stories of Daniel Jackson, Sam Carter and Teal’c. It isn’t about them. It’s about having all the right pieces fall into place around “Ben Browder’s character.” It isn’t the story of how SG-1 came to have a new leader. It’s the story of how “Ben Browder’s character” became the leader of – and lead character on – ‘SG-1.’ His is the only perspective that counts.
And that in itself is a problem.
Even if Mitchell were the most well-thought-out, exquisitely drawn, consistent, credible and compelling character imaginable, seeing Daniel, Sam and Teal’c conscripted into his story – rather than having him become a part of theirs – would still be fundamentally wrong and something of a problem. That they’ve been conscripted into the service of a character who is ill-defined at best – and an obnoxious, off-putting irritant in the eyes of more than a few – only makes the problem that much more vexing.
If Mitchell were simply an ill-defined addition to the existing show and story, he might still grate, but the show would probably be fine. Instead, the existing show and its well-defined characters are being made to follow the “ostensible” lead of “Ben Browder’s character, whoever and whatever he is (and your guess is as good as ours!)” and, for me, that not only shows up the vagueness and variability of the character, it serves to deepen my misgivings about him and exacerbate my irritation with his less-charming attributes.
. 
She enjoys fresh decrepit-pegasus patties. 99% Lean pegasus burgers.
Comment