Within the Serpent's Grasp (121)

[Lunaeclipse]

What, you think what I've already said isn't reason enough? Fine. My "whole" reason for thinking it's a screw up? There are a number of things in the pilot that differ from the series; this is just one. I happen to believe that television writers have limited interest in continuity in this much detail, and that they're more interested in good drama than keeping track of petty details. You're free to disagree.

Seaboe

...Okay so not so clear.... There was a few different writers as far as I know by the start credits... I'm not sure exactly how their writing system worked and maybe they weren't as organized at first... or maybe they were told to change the thing by someone up higher... It's always easy to blame the writer/s, but unless you know all the ins and out is that really fair? As someone who likes to write I love continuity and for me I can follow that in my stories because I am the only one working on them, but I'd imagine that it would be harder to track when there are so many working at writing a series probably at the same time... so I'd agree that maybe in places that needed to be checked properly, but nothing on this Earth is perfect, so I'll live with the bits that aren't and be happy with the bits that did work... however I do not count Klorel going off with someone else as one of those things that didn't...

[Seaboe Muffinchucker]

When I say TPTB, I'm not referring to the individual writers so much as the producers, story editors and such. It's their job to keep track of continuity. Plus, IIRC, the pilot was written by Brad and his then partner; given Brad's status as creator, changes from the pilot to the series, IMO, definitely fall into the screw up and/or changed my mind categories.

The stuff about going with a new idea even when it contradicts what's come before is a paraphrase of something I was once told by Marion Zimmer Bradley. She was speaking in the context of complaints about continuity errors in her Darkover series.

Seaboe

[Lunaeclipse]

When I say TPTB, I'm not referring to the individual writers so much as the producers, story editors and such. It's their job to keep track of continuity. Plus, IIRC, the pilot was written by Brad and his then partner; given Brad's status as creator, changes from the pilot to the series, IMO, definitely fall into the screw up and/or changed my mind categories.

The stuff about going with a new idea even when it contradicts what's come before is a paraphrase of something I was once told by Marion Zimmer Bradley. She was speaking in the context of complaints about continuity errors in her Darkover series.

Seaboe

Yeah. I get your point now. I agree that some of the changes were probably because they changed their minds about something... or perhaps forgot what the rules of the universe they created work... perhaps even because it made a future story work... but I try to make allowances for the early eps, more than the later ones, because they were just getting started and no one can tell the future of how it's all going to work...

[Seaboe Muffinchucker]

Of course we make allowances and (as SF&C said) come up with explanations. None of that, however, changes the fact that these things are mistakes.

My point in the first place was that, despite the mistakes, I really like this episode. ETA: Heck, I love MacGyver, too, and that show is a disaster as far as continuity is concerned (Mac would have to be 75 to have done--professionally--all the different things he's supposed to have done before he took the job with the Phoenix Foundation).

Seaboe

[Lunaeclipse]

Of course we make allowances and (as SF&C said) come up with explanations. None of that, however, changes the fact that these things are mistakes.

My point in the first place was that, despite the mistakes, I really like this episode. ETA: Heck, I love MacGyver, too, and that show is a disaster as far as continuity is concerned (Mac would have to be 75 to have done--professionally--all the different things he's supposed to have done before he took the job with the Phoenix Foundation).

Seaboe

lol... Yeah... Ah, how the film/tv world has changed.

[Seaboe Muffinchucker]

Not really, or rather, not in all cases. The continuity on Remington Steele is amazingly consistent. Sure, there are some glitches but I can't remember any involving the background of the characters.

Seaboe

[Brother Freyr]

Of course we make allowances and (as SF&C said) come up with explanations. None of that, however, changes the fact that these things are mistakes.

My point in the first place was that, despite the mistakes, I really like this episode....

Really well stated. As fans on a fansite, we sometimes identify flaws, plot holes, continuity errors, etc. We try to rationalize them, when we can, with plausible explanations. Sometimes we can't. We still love the series.

[escyos]

You know, I just realized that the long-range communications device was probably put in the middle of the Stargate to prevent anyone from dialing in while they were in orbit of Earth.

[Seaboe Muffinchucker]

But would it? It doesn't touch the sides of the gate, so there is space around it for the kwoosh.

Seaboe

[garhkal]

The coverstone does not seem to touch the sides either, but it blocks it working.

[McAvoy]

But would it? It doesn't touch the sides of the gate, so there is space around it for the kwoosh.

Seaboe

They just have be in the ring to prevent the full formation of whoosh. They don't have to touch the ring, just prevent it from fully forming.

[Seaboe Muffinchucker]

They just have be in the ring to prevent the full formation of whoosh. They don't have to touch the ring, just prevent it from fully forming.

Cite, please.

Seaboe

[McAvoy]

Cite, please.

Seaboe

Uhhh... this is common knowledge. Why do you think they bury it or put coverstones on it so that the Gate would not turn activate when dialed? Sheer weight? You thought stuff had to be touching it?

No you got stuff blocking it from the inside of the ring itself.

Wasn't there an episode with the Iris was knocked out of alignment and prevent dialing?

[Seaboe Muffinchucker]

I don't agree that it is common knowledge that you can block the gate with something that does not fill in the entire ring. Both cover stones and burying it do just that (as does the iris).

So I disagree that the vokume would block the gate.

Seaboe

[P-90_177]

They just have be in the ring to prevent the full formation of whoosh. They don't have to touch the ring, just prevent it from fully forming.

If that were true then the many times when they wanted to block an incoming wormhole would have been solved by simply asking an airman to step within the ring before it activates.