S10: Critique & Contemplation

[suse]

I basically meant go back to what you were talking about.

Cool

[suse]

Ah, I thought you were saying she took over the TV series from the main cast, or something with to that implication. It's not OK for Carter to be placed in charge of Atlantis, but it would be OK for someone else? I don't understand this logic. From a story perspective, there were really only three logical candidates to replace Elizabeth Weir as the new expedition leader: Sheppard, Caldwell, and Carter. Can you name anyone else?

Joe Mallozzi said that Woolsey was another of the 3 choices.

Except that's not what happened. Carter was brought over, because the network (SciFi) requested for an SG-1 character to cross over to Atlantis full time for the fourth season. Amanda Tapping had already signed on for an eleventh season of SG-1. They used the contract to bring Tapping over to the spin-off show. She wasn't exactly thrilled about this as she was looking forward to moving on to other projects. Sanctuary was probably already in development. Weren't the webisodes produced parallel with Atlantis's fourth season? I don't think she wanted to leave the franchise, but I don't think she wanted to continue in a starring capacity either.

What's the proof they used the SG-1 season 11 contract to force her over to SGA for season 4? When they were thinking of sending Sam over to SGA before S10/S3 they specifically did not call Amanda and offer her a contract because they weren't sure what they were going to do with Sam with SG-1/SGA. Why would they wait to offer if they could use a SG-1 contract to use her in SGA too? Where is the proof she was not thrilled to be there?

The Sanctuary webbies were filmed in January and the S4 of SGA started filming in March. There was no overlap except in post production; she was only working part time on SGA so had more time.She left in S5 because there was the opportunity to grow as an actress/director/producer. Not leaving would have effectively killed Sanctuary.

[Snowman37]

Joe Mallozzi said that Woolsey was another of the 3 choices.

Who was the third? I hope Mitch Pilleggi's "Caldwell" was considered.

What's the proof they used the SG-1 season 11 contract to force her over to SGA for season 4? When they were thinking of sending Sam over to SGA before S10/S3 they specifically did not call Amanda and offer her a contract because they weren't sure what they were going to do with Sam with SG-1/SGA. Why would they wait to offer if they could use a SG-1 contract to use her in SGA too? Where is the proof she was not thrilled to be there?

I read about it in an article on the web, but I don't bookmark stuff like that. I do remember reading that the producers/writers considered splitting Amanda Tapping's time up between the two shows. It's been proposed by some members here that she might have been a starship captain, something that eventually happened in SGU. Ultimately, that didn't happen. When Tapping was brought over to Atlantis for a season and then left to do Sanctuary, I remember reading about how she was contractually obligated to crossover. Generally, actors don't talk like that unless it's code for wanting to move on and the contract putting projects on hold. I think it had less to do with not wanting to be there and more to do with pushing forward with Sanctuary. Why else do you think she left after one season?

The Sanctuary webbies were filmed in January and the S4 of SGA started filming in March. There was no overlap except in post production; she was only working part time on SGA so had more time.She left in S5 because there was the opportunity to grow as an actress/director/producer. Not leaving would have effectively killed Sanctuary.

Don't you think there'd have been more webisodes had she not signed on to do Atlantis Season 4? Only working part time? She was a central character, part of the main cast? How is that part time? She left in Season 5, because her contract expired, allowing her to focus on Sanctuary full time, especially given that SciFi wanted the series as a weekly TV show.

[RealmOfX]

Who was the third? I hope Mitch Pilleggi's "Caldwell" was considered.


I read about it in an article on the web, but I don't bookmark stuff like that. I do remember reading that the producers/writers considered splitting Amanda Tapping's time up between the two shows. It's been proposed by some members here that she might have been a starship captain, something that eventually happened in SGU. Ultimately, that didn't happen. When Tapping was brought over to Atlantis for a season and then left to do Sanctuary, I remember reading about how she was contractually obligated to crossover. Generally, actors don't talk like that unless it's code for wanting to move on and the contract putting projects on hold. I think it had less to do with not wanting to be there and more to do with pushing forward with Sanctuary. Why else do you think she left after one season?


Don't you think there'd have been more webisodes had she not signed on to do Atlantis Season 4? Only working part time? She was a central character, part of the main cast? How is that part time? She left in Season 5, because her contract expired, allowing her to focus on Sanctuary full time, especially given that SciFi wanted the series as a weekly TV show.

The "Amanda was forced to go to Atlantis" BS came from fandom.

The limitation on the number of webisodes had everything to do with funding. No money, no more webbies. Financially they lost their shirts. Luckily Amanda, Martin and Damian took up the chance offered to go TV series.

[Snowman37]

The "Amanda was forced to go to Atlantis" BS came from fandom.

Did it? I thought it was from Amanda Tapping herself.

The limitation on the number of webisodes had everything to do with funding. No money, no more webbies. Financially they lost their shirts. Luckily Amanda, Martin and Damian took up the chance offered to go TV series.

Ah, thanks for filling me in.

[hedwig]

Did it? I thought it was from Amanda Tapping herself.


Ah, thanks for filling me in.

I doubt very much that something like that came from Amanda herself. You will rarely, if ever, hear her say or read in an interview that she has anything negative to say about anything. If she said anything at all about it, she said it was a positive change for her and she was looking forward to it.

Plus, you have to remember that a lot of what we read in articles is speculation and assumption on the part of the author, and even interviews get changed by the time they get published, so there's no telling whether any of it is accurate.

Though Amanda herself has been said to say (and I don't have a link to where it came from - perhaps on her website) that she agonized over whether to leave SGA and move on. And ultimately decided that for her Sanctuary was a better way to go for her and her career. She felt very responsible for the possible job losses that might be experienced by those who were already working on Sanctuary if she decided not to go with it.

[fems]

The discussion about whether or not Sam/AT took over Weir/TH's role in Atlantis doesn't really matter considering that's not what the thread is about.

However, I've also read what someone else said on the previous page about TPTB wanting Sam to peddle between galaxies in season 9 or 10. That obviously didn't happen and personally I'm glad it hasn't because then the character would have been crossing over constantly. Of course for Sam fans it would probably mean they're more inclined to check out SGA too, but considering how some SGA/Weir fans were upset with Sam becoming the new commander it might have actually turned more people off. I also don't think it would have been fair to the AT to put her in that position and most likely reducing Sam to one of those ship commanders you hardly see. Not after being on the show as one of four main characters for 8/9 years.

It's a bit like how they handled those special guest star appearances from RDA. He'd signed for a specific number and eventually TPTB divided those over SG-1 and SGA. A lot of fans from SG-1 would have wanted to see more of him there (even if they weren't Jack fans and they had simply been to establish the CoC between the SGC and HWS) and I can imagine some of the SGA fans not really liking it either, especially if it meant less time for the others characters.

Personally, I wasn't a big fan of Atlantis and I never really tried to get to the bottom of the whole what came first; TH gone and AT taking over or the other way around. I doubt you'd get to the truth anyway, simply because the actresses probably aren't allowed to talk about it. However, it did mean I watched SGA's fourth season, simply because of Sam (had to keep up with canon for my fanfics).

I think AT made the right choice to move on from the franchise though and choose for Sanctuary. I don't like how TPTB handled relieving Sam of command but I think it's another sign of how they changed the writing post season 8 (less military, more to the background for almost everyone but Vala, juvenile space comedy and more we'll write it however we want). The decision was dangerous because she could have had at least season 5 of SGA and maybe more or to take a risk and go with something unknown.

I also read somewhere (or heard it at a con video?) that it was hard for AT and that she did take the possible job losses in account etc. It wasn't as if SGA wouldn't be able to survive without her but Sanctuary could get a real start, especially after the money they lost on the webisodes...

Anyway, almost forgot what the inspiration for this post was. It was about the speculation and reasoning behind certain decisions that were made and that we'll probably never find the truth. It was the same on Sanctuary when EU's character Ashley was killed off and to this day there has never been a real satisfactory explanation about it. However, from what I've seen/read AT has handled it professionally by not shoving the blame elsewhere or coming up with some crap answer but at the same time I don't think she's shared the whole truth simply because it would mean pointing fingers. Something RDA also never did after he left the show despite some of the nasty comments and remarks from those that stayed with the show or even the newbies...

[suse]

And back to Sg-1 S10...

So many decisions were make for lowbrow humor. Not the smart humor that characterized the earlier seasons but OTT stuff. Things like the Lucian Alliance guy yelling "Mitchell!" when he realized he's been had. Like Vala in skimpy clothing (all they had to do was not give her streetwalker clothes) in a meeting with senators/congressmen making comments about the size of their 'ships'. Running over the assassin chasing Daniel. harharhar

They not only did not toe the line they ignored the that the line even existed.

[Mandysg1]

I think the line was "Damn you Cam Mitchell!" Which felt more akin to a cartoon than to SG1.

[fems]

I just felt like TPTB were tired of the show or at the least lacking in creativity. I mean, come on, Sam, Cam and Dr Lam?

[ReganX]

I just felt like TPTB were tired of the show or at the least lacking in creativity. I mean, come on, Sam, Cam and Dr Lam?

I think that they wanted to make a new show, Stargate Command, and insisted on treating it more or less as a new show, even though they were still supposed to be making Stargate: SG-1. The show they wanted to make and the show they were supposed to be making didn't blend well and some fans of the old show wanted to see the show they had come to love, not Stargate: SG-1 in name only.

Imagine that you love chocolate ice cream and hate or, at best, are indifferent to vanilla. How would you feel if you bought a tub of chocolate ice cream, dished out a bowl for yourself and discovered that it was vanilla ice cream and brown food colouring?

[siles]

I personally don't like Cam, but let's be realistic. Sam and Daniel would not be allowed to be on first contact/recon teams beyond a couple of missions in season one. They're simply too valuable to lose. Most of the SG teams would probably consist of special forces so that negates Cam. Pilots don't switch their career at will, not even MOh recipients (don't even get me started on that - Jack should have received his years ago, also Sam for that matter)

[KatG]

I just felt like TPTB were tired of the show or at the least lacking in creativity. I mean, come on, Sam, Cam and Dr Lam?

LOL. Does sound kind of redundant doesn't it?

I think that they wanted to make a new show, Stargate Command, and insisted on treating it more or less as a new show, even though they were still supposed to be making Stargate: SG-1. The show they wanted to make and the show they were supposed to be making didn't blend well and some fans of the old show wanted to see the show they had come to love, not Stargate: SG-1 in name only.

I remember reading something along this line. They planned S8 as the conclusion of SG-1 and were all set to do Stargate Command, when SciFi said no, we want to go 10 seasons for the record. I personally(denotes a personal opinion so don't go demanding proof please) don't think that this went over well with Coop and Co. and so they decided to go ahead and write Stargate Command anyway trying to pass it off as SG-1. To those who loved SG-1, this didn't sit well, much as the lovely illustration below indicates.

Imagine that you love chocolate ice cream and hate or, at best, are indifferent to vanilla. How would you feel if you bought a tub of chocolate ice cream, dished out a bowl for yourself and discovered that it was vanilla ice cream and brown food colouring?

I'd be pretty upset let me tell you.

[suse]

I think the line was "Damn you Cam Mitchell!" Which felt more akin to a cartoon than to SG1.

I still cringe.

[ReganX]

I remember reading something along this line. They planned S8 as the conclusion of SG-1 and were all set to do Stargate Command, when SciFi said no, we want to go 10 seasons for the record. I personally(denotes a personal opinion so don't go demanding proof please) don't think that this went over well with Coop and Co. and so they decided to go ahead and write Stargate Command anyway trying to pass it off as SG-1.

Had they continued to make SG-1, and introduced Mitchell as a supporting character with a view to having him star in Stargate Command once the tenth season concluded, they might have been able to make a go of Stargate Command. As it was, the attempt to make a new show in all but name didn't exactly work out for them.