Why are the writers so afraid of romantic relationships between the characters?

[Linda06]

Spoiler:

Why 3 years? Maybe only a couple of months or something? And aren't they writing Rachel Luttrell's pregnancy into the S4 storyline? Perhaps it's the father of Teyla's unborn child or sth?

Spoiler:

Well maybe not 3 years but it was inplied that she's been hiding a love interest but i think it was an old interview so it might have changed by then but as for the pregnancy,i will accept anything except a normal pregnancy,i don't want to see her getting pregnant to another guy except Shep
But seriously,i don't want Teyla to get all domesticated...Ok sorry,a bit of topic there...

Na Pegasus_SGA,i wouldn't want them to be all lovey dovey and sucking face every 2 minutes either but if they're gonna dangle carrots in front of us at least give us something...right?

p.s. I hate soaps

[SpyDude]

Spoiler:

Well maybe not 3 years but it was inplied that she's been hiding a love interest but i think it was an old interview so it might have changed by then but as for the pregnancy,i will accept anything except a normal pregnancy,i don't want to see her getting pregnant to another guy except Shep
But seriously,i don't want Teyla to get all domesticated...Ok sorry,a bit of topic there...

Na Pegasus_SGA,i wouldn't want them to be all lovey dovey and sucking face every 2 minutes either but if they're gonna dangle carrots in front of us at least give us something...right?

p.s. I hate soaps

I don't want it to become a soap either. I mean, when they're on duty, no sucking of any kind , but there's always off-duty time that could be spent in the bedroom, right?

Spoiler:

While I would hate the idea that Teyla is having some random guy's baby, I've grown so tired of 'mystical' pregnancies on other shows. And Teyla will never be domesticated lol, she's an animal

[Linda06]

I don't want it to become a soap either. I mean, when they're on duty, no sucking of any kind , but there's always off-duty time that could be spent in the bedroom, right?

Spoiler:

While I would hate the idea that Teyla is having some random guy's baby, I've grown so tired of 'mystical' pregnancies on other shows. And Teyla will never be domesticated lol, she's an animal

Ah yes the bedroom....i like the way you think!

[SpyDude]

Yup, besides, they have some great bedrooms in Atlantis, especially Teyla

[Jeyla4ever]

This is such a great topic of discussion because it's something that I"m sure all the shippers and non-shippers discuss at some point or another.

Personally, I'm a hopeless romantic, but give me action, drama and adventure combine and I"m a happy fan.

However, for Atlantis, I would like something subtle and a slow progression, but nevertheless a progression.

I loved Sam and Jack and by the fifth season I was done with it.

I didn't like what they did to Sam's character and I am so afraid that this season Teyla will show signs of the same thing.

I think there are several reasons why writers steer away from relationships in shows between main characters although lately there has been more and more shows that are in fact heading in that direction.

With Atlantis and SG-1 I think it had to do with the team. If members of the team become romantically involved, it would break the dynamic. In Atlantis's case, I think you could get around to it with Teyla and John because these two have developed these wonderful characters that are solid in their first priority, which is to the team and to their people and because they both think and act in this way, I think it's plausible to assume that they can have a relationship while still be members of the team.

I think you can also do something hidden. That would be so interesting and so dramatic...but I don't think the writers will ever go in this direction.

What I have seen is that when main characters start a relationship, the focus and the writing of the show lessen. It's almost as if writers can't keep the idea of the show intact without now turning it into a soap, and I think that might be a reason for writers to hold back.

In addition, I personally like the development of friendships and the foundation of something more before heading the characters on a more deeper level.

and yet, I strongly believe good writing can have a piece of all the great things that we look for in a good show like SG-1 and Atlantis.

I've read some great fanfics that show just that...and if fans can write it, why can't these professionals do it as well?

I have to agree, although I so badly want John and Teyla together, I also hate the idea of the characters dancing around each other while still playing the field. I dind't like what they did to Sam and the different relationships that she was in. And I hope that they don't do this to Teyla this season.

[SpyDude]

Right on Camy. I HATED Pete! Also, Sheppard & Teyla in my opinon have developed to the point where they could get romantically involved and it wouldn't feel forced. They certainly have a believable attraction.

[Pegasus_SGA]

Well, what about Vala & Daniel in 'Unending'? It was the last episode for heaven's sake. Another damn cop-out.

There's always the movies.

Spoiler:

Well maybe not 3 years but it was inplied that she's been hiding a love interest but i think it was an old interview so it might have changed by then but as for the pregnancy,i will accept anything except a normal pregnancy,i don't want to see her getting pregnant to another guy except Shep
But seriously,i don't want Teyla to get all domesticated...Ok sorry,a bit of topic there...

Na Pegasus_SGA,i wouldn't want them to be all lovey dovey and sucking face every 2 minutes either but if they're gonna dangle carrots in front of us at least give us something...right?

p.s. I hate soaps

hehehe I hate soaps to, lol. If the ship is written specifically for that purpose, then yes it's a bit mean to keep people hanging on.

I don't want it to become a soap either. I mean, when they're on duty, no sucking of any kind , but there's always off-duty time that could be spent in the bedroom, right?

Spoiler:

While I would hate the idea that Teyla is having some random guy's baby, I've grown so tired of 'mystical' pregnancies on other shows. And Teyla will never be domesticated lol, she's an animal

Absolutely no slurpy noices whatsoever.

remember this is a PG forum. But the boys shirtless, in bed? I'm sure i could go for that.

[Linda06]

Right on Camy. I HATED Pete! Also, Sheppard & Teyla in my opinon have developed to the point where they could get romantically involved and it wouldn't feel forced. They certainly have a believable attraction.

EW,Pete...That just didn't work for me,i was so glad when he left and the progression between John and Teyla has been gradual and bringing someone out of the woodwork from nowhere is so unbelievable....Can you say PETE

[Linda06]

remember this is a PG forum. But the boys shirtless, in bed? I'm sure i could go for that.

mmmm,shirtless,in bed....I'm sure i coulds force myself to watch that

Oops.yes better keep it PG!

[SpyDude]

EW,Pete...That just didn't work for me,i was so glad when he left and the progression between John and Teyla has been gradual and bringing someone out of the woodwork from nowhere is so unbelievable....Can you say PETE

Exactly, this (some guy out of the blue) just doesn't work. And let's not forget the painful Sam/Martouf realtionship.

[SpyDude]

mmmm,shirtless,in bed....I'm sure i coulds force myself to watch that

Oops.yes better keep it PG!

As a guy, it always bothers me that men can always be shirtless but not women (mostly they have a bra, but whatever). My post is not PG, it's PG-17

[Linda06]

Exactly, this (some guy out of the blue) just doesn't work. And let's not forget the painful Sam/Martouf realtionship.

That was doomed from the start as well as um what's his name...The Ancient guy that helped Carter then ended up falling for her!

As a guy, it always bothers me that men can always be shirtless but not women (mostly they have a bra, but whatever). My post is not PG, it's PG-17

Suxs to be a guy sometimes huh

[Frostfox]

I've read some great fanfics that show just that...and if fans can write it, why can't these professionals do it as well?

I don't read hetro 'ship fanfic but I'd bet good money that the fans do a much better job than the show writers.

Of course, the fans don't have the constraints of the show writers; if you are writing a romantic fanfic, your parameters are totally different.
For a start, in fanfic you aren't writing for an audience decided for you by the studios; in SG1's case, I'm sure Scifi or whomever, have strict parameters over what the target audience is. At the most basic, the Bridge writers are aiming at a 45 minute SF show, that has to be their primary focus.
So I don't totally blame the Bridge writers (even though I know other writers in the genre can do romance) for their cackhanded writing. I do sometimes wonder if I would be so anti Sam/Jack (I don't watch Atlantis, yet) if it had been better written?

FF

[SpyDude]

That was doomed from the start as well as um what's his name...The Ancient guy that helped Carter then ended up falling for her!



Suxs to be a guy sometimes huh

In this case, it totally sux. Why is it so? Why is okay for men to be topless and not women? This is a serious discussion here. And suddenly when there's female nudity in a movie it (for example) is slapped with an R rating or sth. This is one of those things that has developed through the years of Movie/TV industry. It's like parents are so worried that they're sons see female nudity in a movie, but it seems noone is worried about their daughters seeing some guy shirtless. Weird, huh?

[Killdeer]

My main problems with this are that it detracts from the team, and it breaks down the "family" aspect of the team. I prefer love interests that are not main characters. And even when you have ship between main characters, if those main characters are leads, as John is and Teyla may be, it adds an additional complication. This isn't Farscape, with the story written around John and Aeryn. It's about the team.

With Atlantis and SG-1 I think it had to do with the team. If members of the team become romantically involved, it would break the dynamic. In Atlantis's case, I think you could get around to it with Teyla and John because these two have developed these wonderful characters that are solid in their first priority, which is to the team and to their people and because they both think and act in this way, I think it's plausible to assume that they can have a relationship while still be members of the team.

Well, I know you and I have discussed this at length Camy, but I still can't agree. I can't see any scenario that would allow Shep as team LEADER to be in a relationship with a team member and not have it compromise the team. The only way I could accept a relationship between Shep and Teyla is if she left the team, and I don't want to see that.

Plus, I think before S4 of SG-1, many people probably could have said the same thing about Sam and Jack, had the regs not stood in their way. And look how that turned out. It compromised both characters badly, IMO. And I think the regs still apply to Teyla, even though she's not military. She's still on John's team, and still under his command. John would still be breaking regs by being in a relationship with her.

Also, Sheppard & Teyla in my opinon have developed to the point where they could get romantically involved and it wouldn't feel forced. They certainly have a believable attraction.

I don't agree, sorry. I've never seen an attraction between them since the first episode, and even then not much. If they'd started building it in that first season, maybe. But they completely dropped it, and now Teyla and John are just close friends and trusted teammates. To suddenly shove a romantic attraction in there would feel extremely forced to me.