Goodbye Jack O'Neill! (The "I will miss Jack" Vent Thread)

[sueKay]

I am saddened that RDA is leaving and I admire and respect his decision to do so.

I've been watching now for a year, and Jack had grown on me, and continues to do so with every episode

Spoiler:

even if he has been scowling a lot this year

I lvoe his interraction with every team member, his loyalty, sense of humour, devotion to duty and of course...the air of myster still surrounding him.

We also have to remember...this shoe to us is just entertainment (at it's very best mind you) but it's his entire life. That's infinitely more important than us getting a few hours of TV each week.

I for one will watch s9 and hope for a guest appearance or two. I'm not too certain he'll be able to stay away, and I hope if there is a season ten, that he'll come back to the show.

[Zoser]

well i'll miss him... he's the main reason why i watch the show!

Love sci fi, love mythology and anything to do with ancient cultures but the above says it in a nutshell - it's all about Jack O'Neill.
I would like to thank RDA for bringing to life this fascinating character.

[melpomene]

Jack is my favorite SG-1 character. I mean, I truly absolutely love and adore that man.
From his charm and sweetness. HIs caring and comforting. to the "Salty bad tempered insults" Daniel complained about in Forever In a Day. I've come to admire everything about him and He's the very reason I started watching Stargate SG-1. The reason I discovered S/F. RDA's name was always both literally and metaphorically above the title for me. And I can't imagine Gate without him. I miss him already.

[RDAfan61]

A lot of what has been said here is how I feel as well, especially by Rural very nice post, but to truely vent I must say it myself anyway and hopefully it will make me feel an iota better.

Anyway, I came to the show because of RDA. I am a huge fan of his since day one of MacGyver and I had to see what this new show would be like. Turned out to be quite a show with great characters I came to know and like very much and great adventures they all had together. Then later when there became less and less of Jack I found I wasn't enjoying the show as much as I used to. The team comraderie and Jack's commanding presence in more than just rank were sorely missing. These days I look forward to the usually about 5 mins of screen time we get from him, it makes the show for me.

I wish the show had ended this year with him leaving. Actually I wish it had ended last year before he was off SG1 and stuck on base most of the time. It would have been great for me to see Jack and the others in a TV movie or on the big screen even. The show will not be Stargate SG1 to me any longer, especially in the beginning when Amanda won't even be there as well. I guess I will still watch to see what they do with it but I will be saving quite a bit of money in DVDs, magazines, trading cards, etc.

I thank RDA for giving us his presence in the show this long, I'm going to horribly miss seeing him on my TV screen even for just a few moments every week. I hope he won't be gone from TV forever.

times an infinite number <Sob>
Shelly

[Ruralstar]

A lot of what has been said here is how I feel as well, especially by Rural very nice post, but to truely vent I must say it myself anyway and hopefully it will make me feel an iota better.

Anyway, I came to the show because of RDA. I am a huge fan of his since day one of MacGyver and I had to see what this new show would be like. Turned out to be quite a show with great characters I came to know and like very much and great adventures they all had together. Then later when there became less and less of Jack I found I wasn't enjoying the show as much as I used to. The team comraderie and Jack's commanding presence in more than just rank were sorely missing. These days I look forward to the usually about 5 mins of screen time we get from him, it makes the show for me.

I wish the show had ended this year with him leaving. Actually I wish it had ended last year before he was off SG1 and stuck on base most of the time. It would have been great for me to see Jack and the others in a TV movie or on the big screen even. The show will not be Stargate SG1 to me any longer, especially in the beginning when Amanda won't even be there as well. I guess I will still watch to see what they do with it but I will be saving quite a bit of money in DVDs, magazines, trading cards, etc.

I thank RDA for giving us his presence in the show this long, I'm going to horribly miss seeing him on my TV screen even for just a few moments every week. I hope he won't be gone from TV forever.

times an infinite number <Sob>
Shelly

Well said, Shelly. It should have ended in season seven. Alas, what's done is done. Here in the states we have five episodes left to go. I'm glad I haven't gotten these shows from alternate sources as I'm savoring these last few to the bitter end.

Next year is the start of a brand new series with some of the same trappings. It will never be SG-1 again without RDA.

[Uber]

TO ALL:

Please, no speculation or comments on RDA's daughter's personal business. It's legitimate to comment (within reason) on RDA's publicly stated desire for more family time. But no discussion of his child or of any matters that are a part of her private life; that is off-limits for this forum.

Thanks.

Madeleine
GW Moderator

No disrespect intended - I just wondered if others knew if this was an option he had pursued...

In fact I posted elsewhere that I admire him for wanting to spend more time with his daughter.... a lot of parents don't care one way or the other about their kids and he's willing to walk away from a super successful career for her.

Of course it's a bittersweet admiration, since that means we'll miss out on seeing him...

[SG-1ssm]

Why doesn't he bring his danter to Vancover with him??? Then he could spend all time he wants.

[gatebee]

RDA is an amazing actor. He brought to our living rooms 42 minutes of entertainmnet for 7 years as Mac and 8 years as O'Niell. He has graced us in other tv ventures some of which I have not seen but have heard are good. We are lucky to see him repeatedly in reruns and for those who can afford in dvd or vhs. To you Mr. Anderson, I give thanks for all those days and hours that you have given me time to have fun watching you act. I will miss you as Jack O'Niell. To you sir, I offer good luck, God bless and good health and most of all enjoy your life with the one that matters the most, your family.
THANK YOU.

[Feli]

No disrespect intended - I just wondered if others knew if this was an option he had pursued...

I know that there was no disrespect intended! I'd just prefer this thread to be about our feelings about the fact that there will be much less Jack (if any) in S9.

Personally I can't find enough sad smileys to express my opinion on that!

[Livi2Jack]

We want Jack !!!

Consider my whining as filed. Now....HOW do we GET him back?

Filming starts this week and he is home with a broken ankle for another six weeks or so. So he's not going to be in all of it. Let's hope he gets bored and wants to come back.

I have enjoyed Gen. Jack in S8, especially in Threads

Spoiler:

when he tells off Baal and Jacob

. THAT's the Jack I love. He had lots of attitude, smarts, sense of self and place. If they would give us lots of that, it would be cool.

But the days of Action Jack are numbered anyway. I read an RDA interview post S7 when he was talking about doing the same old thing versus the Gen. Jack premise which would let him try some new stuff. Guess he got tired of that too. It is a shame. If you look at the last few years, there was precious little emotion showing based upon how the part was written. How could he sink his teeth into the role? The only thing he was required to do most of the time was sit or stand there and listen to Carter prattle on, then give the requisite grunt or grimace. He could do it in his sleep and he did sleepwalk some of it.

Now S8 has been a big improvement versus S7. He had to grow the part.

Spoiler:

But if we send him to the Pentagon for Homeworld security

, then it would take a great effort by the writers to give him a really worthwhile scenario. Action Hammond was an awful idea in PU. So where does it put storylines for RDA in that role?

[sueKay]

I have a feeling that if there is a season ten or a movie, that RDA will come back.

By that point, he may be wanting to come back to acting (he is a self confessed work a holic) and Wylie will be older.

...but I'm not holding my breath.

Here's a tip on how to survive an RDA-less year.

1. fill any gaps in your Stargate DVD collection.
2. ration yourself to one episode a day.
3. buy the new MacGyver DVDs on their release date.
4. ration yourself to one epsiode of MacGyver a day.
5. Go online and buy all his films or...

6. the cheapest option...set up home in the thunk thread!

[tsaxlady]

I agree with so much of what has been said so I will keep it brief - while I will watch S9 - I will MISS JACK/RDA

[Feli]

It is a shame. If you look at the last few years, there was precious little emotion showing based upon how the part was written. How could he sink his teeth into the role? The only thing he was required to do most of the time was sit or stand there and listen to Carter prattle on, then give the requisite grunt or grimace. He could do it in his sleep and he did sleepwalk some of it.

The question is: was there an alternative? Was there anything more 'meaningful' the writers could have given him to do considering RDA's reduced schedule?

And to keep this thread on topic: even the Jack we had in S7 and S8 - although he wasn't as much fun to watch as in previous seasons - would have been better than no Jack in S9 in my book.

[Livi2Jack]

Just discussing and whining about why and how we lost RDA/Jack.

Yes, I believe there were alternatives limited only by imagination. Some eps could have been tilted differently...Heroes...Jack could have had more dynamic with the reporter. As Gen. Jack, could have seen him agonize more on decisions, or get really frustrated and show it, give it to Daniel when he was whining, etc. Loved how they wrote the Jack/Baal parts.

[Ruralstar]

The question is: was there an alternative? Was there anything more 'meaningful' the writers could have given him to do considering RDA's reduced schedule?

And to keep this thread on topic: even the Jack we had in S7 and S8 - although he wasn't as much fun to watch as in previous seasons - would have been better than no Jack in S9 in my book.

Actually I will agree with Liv in the sleep walking comment. Absent Jack coupled with a poorly written character are not an alternative for me to an absent RDA. If we can't have a semblance of the smart, snappy character we used to have I opt out of the sullen, OTT snark that has characterized a good part of season eight. Jack is not meant to stand around looking bored while others talk and then casting lackluster decisions that don't feel like decisions at all but are instead apathetic commentary.

It sounds harsh and again I understand the reason for the absence. I don't resent those reasons in the least, as a parent I can totally understand. That said I don't want a repeat of the last year. By and large it just hasn't been a good ride.