S10: Critique & Contemplation

[chocdoc]

oh i agree. And if this interview came early in s9, before the actors got a look at just HOW they would be treated as characters, then yeah, they could be enthusiastic. Yu do get bored doing the same thing over and over and over.

and it's possible that pre-season enthusiasm has now been proved to be a bit OTT compared to post season reality

One thing that probably bites these folks in the butt is that they HAVE to be positive. they HAVE to say 'this is the best season ever' every year. they HAVE to promote it. It's part of thier job.

some of them are jsut better than others at forming the words so as not to promote one thing while tearing another down.

This interview was conducted during season 10, when RDA was on the set of episode 200. The wow about it for me are the remarks about RDA and Amanda's return. I would want to exercise more tact myself (JMHO), but MS has a right to say what he thinks.

I'm just glad that Amanda feels more at home again (given her latest interviews) and feels things are better for season 10 for her and Carter (compared to season 9).

[minigeek]

This interview was conducted during season 10, when RDA was on the set of episode 200. The wow about it for me are the remarks about RDA and Amanda's return. I would want to exercise more tact myself (JMHO), but MS has a right to say what he thinks.

I'm just glad that Amanda feels more at home again (given her latest interviews) and feels things are better for season 10 for her and Carter (compared to season 9).

Yes, I noticed it was shot during season ten, also. At first I was quite pleased to hear how collegially he was speaking about Richard (in general). But then I realized as he went on that he seemed to have been speaking that way to balance out the fact that he was also going to say things that weren't so positive about his return. With the bits about Amanda, he didn't even offer a balance, just maintained that the first five episodes of season nine were his favorite and that it was difficult/awkward when she came back to re-establish a dynamic for the team/ensemble, and that if he had to go back, those five episodes really stood out for him as the best memories he had for season nine. Unfortunate wording, to say the least. It seems fairly apparent that there are bruised egos involved somewhere along the line.

Ah well.

mg

[Skydiver]

yes, he seems to be suffering from Athlete's Tongue...from putting his foot in his mouth on a frequent basis

That has always been his greatest weakness, phrasing things in a non-offensive way. He could seriously benefit from a few tact lessons

[Zoser]

No surprise really. Shanks said in interviews that *one* of his reasons for coming back after S6 was because RDA was reducing his schedule and that meant more storylines/screentime for the other 3 actors. Michael has spoken very much about how much he loves working with Claudia; she's said the same about him - he can't stop talking about it.

He's also said that the Daniel/Vala dynamic is reminiscent of the Tracy/Hepburn dynamic. The first 5-6 episodes of S9 were Daniel/Vala heavy with Mitchell as a background character, IMO. RDA being gone and Michael's interaction with Claudia (as opposed to his interaction with AT) seems to have brought Daniel/MS to the forefront and he appears to be quite happy with that. I personally didn't care for the first 5-6 eppies that much at all, but MS sure did 'cause.....he was featured heavily in them.

If this wasn't so totally ridiculous it might be funny. Maybe it was a joke??

[Skydiver]

maybe. take it from someone who has seen tracy/hepburn movies....daniel and vala don't even come close. T&H were witty and fun while D&V are just dirty and tawdry

but hey, whatever.

[LaCroix]

If this wasn't so totally ridiculous it might be funny. Maybe it was a joke??

Or maybe a lack of research.


The reasons why Tracy and Hepburn had spark, fire and passion on screen was because they had it off screen as well. They were having an affair for a long, long time. But since Tracy was Catholic, he wouldn't divorce his wife.

Now if he said the they were going for the classic MGM feel of Tracy/Hepburn, I would have gone for it. The reason being most of their work was for MGM.


ETA: JMHO

[pittsburghgirl]

If this wasn't so totally ridiculous it might be funny. Maybe it was a joke??

no joke-he means it. he wants to be the big fish in the small pond. ok-my opinion for whatever it is worth. but consider-he left at the end of season 5-but never really left. why? maybe because there were no takers.

[the dancer of spaz]

Yes, I noticed it was shot during season ten, also. At first I was quite pleased to hear how collegially he was speaking about Richard (in general). But then I realized as he went on that he seemed to have been speaking that way to balance out the fact that he was also going to say things that weren't so positive about his return. With the bits about Amanda, he didn't even offer a balance, just maintained that the first five episodes of season nine were his favorite and that it was difficult/awkward when she came back to re-establish a dynamic for the team/ensemble, and that if he had to go back, those five episodes really stood out for him as the best memories he had for season nine. Unfortunate wording, to say the least. It seems fairly apparent that there are bruised egos involved somewhere along the line.

Ah well.

mg

Yes. MG told me last night that that was the timing of the interview, and it's very disturbing. I mean, I could've understood if he was talking about a lack of cohesion or whatever in JUNE of 2005, when AT was just getting back into the swing of things, though I still wonder how it could be difficult, when he'd worked with her for so long. However, for him to be talking about this in FEBRUARY of this year... Well, it certainly says a lot.

I honestly mean to give certain people the BotD, but it gets increasingly difficult to do so when they continue to offer reasons to question their motives.

Though I am pretty disturbed about what was said in the interview (and hate to think what AT/RDA would think if they saw that), I don't want to keep bagging on MS. At least he's not tried to hide his feelings (too much) after all these years. He's been this way since S4. It's better than pretending like he doesn't feel this way, I suppose.

But a little tact would be nice, given his history with these two.

[smurf]

MS has always needed lessons in tact, so I suppose it's to be expected he says what he thinks. I would be surprised after some of them that he hasn't been pulled aside for a word, if what he says was not so obviously exactly what TPTB think. He verbalises what the more tactful talk around.

It doesn't bother me if the actors aren't the best of friends (I think the one happy family thing is so much bull anyway) as long as they can portray/sell the friendship of their characters. I wonder if what MS says isn't a factor in the lack of team for S9, his not being able to put his feelings to one side once the cameras roll.

[the dancer of spaz]

MS has always needed lessons in tact, so I suppose it's to be expected he says what he thinks. I would be surprised after some of them that he hasn't been pulled aside for a word, if what he says was not so obviously exactly what TPTB think. He verbalises what the more tactful talk around.

I'd say that after ten years, all three of the original actors have probably been pulled aside or contacted at one point because they stepped out of line - most likely it happened after the switch to Sci Fi, and I would bet big money that the stakes were raised even further when Sony and NBCUniversal came into play.

It explains why there have been one or two "suits" at each convention since last summer. And I won't be surprised if there'll be one at Shore Leave. Everyone's probably on a tight leash these days I think, and they probably will be until the show ends.

It doesn't bother me if the actors aren't the best of friends (I think the one happy family thing is so much bull anyway) as long as they can portray/sell the friendship of their characters. I wonder if what MS says isn't a factor in the lack of team for S9, his not being able to put his feelings to one side once the cameras roll.

Yeah, the "big happy family" thing hooked me years ago, but after a while, I wondered... It's nothing against the people on the set, but I mean, they're human. And while the guest stars' experiences are definitely a testament to what the atmosphere is like over there, they can't possibly be "on" all the time.

And I think the "big happy family" deal ended some time after S6, anyway.

I think the problems with S9 were the result of a couple of factors. They may have been actor-related. But I do blame a lot of S9's lack of cohesion on the writers, who were unable to recreate the same kind of dynamic they had years ago, so instead settled for what was easier to write. Splitting up SG-1 (especially in S10) is/was probably loads easier than the alternative. This may be the only way to ensure that all of the characters get equal time. Who knows?

We'll see. I'd like to be proven wrong in this regard, because I love The Team, but the spoilers suggest otherwise.

[smurf]

I'd say that after ten years, all three of the original actors have probably been pulled aside or contacted at one point because they stepped out of line - most likely it happened after the switch to Sci Fi, and I would bet big money that the stakes were raised even further when Sony and NBCUniversal came into play.

It explains why there have been one or two "suits" at each convention since last summer. And I won't be surprised if there'll be one at Shore Leave. Everyone's probably on a tight leash these days I think, and they probably will be until the show ends.

Sorry to say if that is the case, either MS isn't understanding each time or what he says is pretty much being sanctioned by TPTB

It will only be Amanda "on staff" at Shore Leave won't it? I can't see them having much say in Carmen and Corin's replies. Not that they have much to worry about from two people who do understand tact.
Well most of the time in the case of Corin.

Yeah, the "big happy family" thing hooked me years ago, but after a while, I wondered... It's nothing against the people on the set, but I mean, they're human. And while the guest stars' experiences are definitely a testament to what the atmosphere is like over there, they can't possibly be "on" all the time.

And I think the "big happy family" deal ended some time after S6, anyway.

I think the problems with S9 were the result of a couple of factors. They may have been actor-related. But I do blame a lot of S9's lack of cohesion on the writers, who were unable to recreate the same kind of dynamic they had years ago, so instead settled for what was easier to write. Splitting up SG-1 (especially in S10) is/was probably loads easier than the alternative. This may be the only way to ensure that all of the characters get equal time. Who knows?

We'll see. I'd like to be proven wrong in this regard, because I love The Team, but the spoilers suggest otherwise.

A lot of the guests are going to stick to the party line, because either they wouldn't mind another guest spot or they consider it part of the past which doesn't matter.

It's very mix and match the problems. I do think it is primarily the writing, but then again in the last few years there have been less and less team episodes, so maybe the actors are no longer as tight as they once were.
I think S6/post S6 definately had an impact as well.

[Skydiver]

well, there's not a single 'big happily family' that doesn't have its issues.

and, in the case of stargate, i think they suffer from a few too many egos and 'beta males' trying to pretend to be the 'alpha male' and that there's quite a bit of factionalism and politics going on behind the scenes

imho, in many ways i think we have

someone who wants to be 'the star'
someone who's being made into 'the star'
and
someone who has the qualities but isn't allowed to be 'the star'

so while, in many ways, they may be 'one big happy family' i think that there's a degree of 'meet the fockers' / 'my big fat greek wedding' going on and personal issues that sometimes come to the fore

[Skydiver]

Sorry to say if that is the case, either MS isn't understanding each time or what he says is pretty much being sanctioned by TPTB

It will only be Amanda "on staff" at Shore Leave won't it? I can't see them having much say in Carmen and Corin's replies. Not that they have much to worry about from two people who do understand tact.
Well most of the time in the case of Corin.


A lot of the guests are going to stick to the party line, because either they wouldn't mind another guest spot or they consider it part of the past which doesn't matter.

It's very mix and match the problems. I do think it is primarily the writing, but then again in the last few years there have been less and less team episodes, so maybe the actors are no longer as tight as they once were.
I think S6/post S6 definately had an impact as well.

rule #1

you don't piddle in the pool you're swimming in

ie you don't bite the hand that feeds you thus most folks do not air thier dirty laundry in public lest they discover that they're not as needed as they think they are

some actors/cast/crew have that degree of professionalism to express likes/dislikes without knocking someone else down, others lack that ability

[chocdoc]

Sorry to say if that is the case, either MS isn't understanding each time or what he says is pretty much being sanctioned by TPTB

It will only be Amanda "on staff" at Shore Leave won't it? I can't see them having much say in Carmen and Corin's replies. Not that they have much to worry about from two people who do understand tact.
Well most of the time in the case of Corin.


A lot of the guests are going to stick to the party line, because either they wouldn't mind another guest spot or they consider it part of the past which doesn't matter.

It's very mix and match the problems. I do think it is primarily the writing, but then again in the last few years there have been less and less team episodes, so maybe the actors are no longer as tight as they once were.
I think S6/post S6 definately had an impact as well.

I'm not so sure that what MS is saying in this interview would be sanctioned by TPTB---at least not completely. In effect, MS is implying that the episodes that highlight BB/Mitchell are not as good as the first five. I'm not sure TPTB would agree with this one.

TPTB have also stated that one of their favorite, if not the favorite, episodes in Atlantis was Grace Under Pressure with DH and AT (in Stargate Magazine). I think that TPTB did want AT to come back, and, because AT is saying that things are different and better in season 10, I'm hoping ALL the actors are treated well in season 10.

[chocdoc]

well, there's not a single 'big happily family' that doesn't have its issues.

and, in the case of stargate, i think they suffer from a few too many egos and 'beta males' trying to pretend to be the 'alpha male' and that there's quite a bit of factionalism and politics going on behind the scenes

imho, in many ways i think we have

someone who wants to be 'the star'
someone who's being made into 'the star'
and
someone who has the qualities but isn't allowed to be 'the star'

so while, in many ways, they may be 'one big happy family' i think that there's a degree of 'meet the fockers' / 'my big fat greek wedding' going on and personal issues that sometimes come to the fore

When I hear or read about this Stargate family, I include not just the main cast, but other cast members and all the crew---alot of people. I'm guessing that, in general, most of them do get along really well and do enjoy working together. So, even if there are a few conflicts, if most people in this large family are getting along, it may still have that family feel to it. Does that make any sense?