S10: Critique & Contemplation

[JessM]

Stalker Pete I could deal with. It was how Sam handled him that bothered me. Sam went straight from capable competent woman to drama queen in that episode. The writers wrote her SO stupid. Heaven forbid they cut the ‘drama’ (insert puking smilie here) with the whole “you could die” line and just have her deal with Pete in an straight forward adult manner and say “I’m in the military. What I do is classified. I am not allowed to talk about it”. End of discussion. If Pete couldn’t have accepted that she should have dumped his a@@. Instead they reduce her IQ, make her a desperate drama queen Sam never was and made her sound like to Pete she’s being stalked or something. UGH!

I definitely agree with that. And I guess it wasn't just the fact that he was a stalker, but the way she handled him as well. I really did not like how she was written there.

I’m not a shipper either.

One reason why I was cringing when they even talked about the whole Daniel/Vala thing. These guys can not write an intelligent romance if their show depended on it. I can’t understand why all these Daniel fans were excited about Daniel/Vala. Did they NOT see what the writers did to Sam when they introduced a romance for her?

Fish in Jack’s pond, Seasons 9&10: Indisputable proof they never fixed the timeline!

I ship in fanfic only - not a shipper onscreen either. And I was definitely cringing over the all the Daniel/Vala talk. I don't know how many times I just rolled my eyes in disgust when reading the latest spoilers of the season that suggested an almost unending barrage of Vaniel. Quite a few people I've run into love Daniel/Vala because Daniel is their favorite character and it pushes him front and center. IMHO it reduces Daniel to being her comedy sidekick or cute little playmate. I've actually started disliking Daniel a bit these past 2 seasons, mainly because of the Vaniel thing (though that's not the only reason why).

[JessM]

and thye will handle vaniel the same way. Pump up shanks' ego, let him play the leading male and 'stud' while letting claudia have fun and ignoring the fact that Daniel is NOT a ladies' man and Vala should be more than the sum of her boyfriends.

Vaniel is a train wreck in slow motion.

So true. And now with this talk of the possibility of a series of tv movies, I can only wonder if they'd continue to do this if they go that route. My guess is that they would, unfortunately.

[JessM]

Count me in as someone who feels the need to now qualify my Stargate love. And it is stinky that I have to do so..... but not as stinky as the show now is.

Count me in as well.

...and I don't mind the use of the word "stinky" here... just seems so appropriate.

[Skydiver]

that's just it, they USED to be unique. It was the little humans that could. Us, primitive little humans were always bailing out the nice technologically advanced aliens who were literally too arrogant to see their way out of things.

we intrigued our way out of trouble, with our own ingenuity and smarts and good old fashioned human resorcefulness.

sam was a true equal. a member of the team that just happened to be a woman

now?

now it's just a cookie cutter show. we're not unique anymore. we're just pirates and treasure hunters, searching for the next plot device to fix the newest problem. there's nothing creative or unique about the issues, nothing that only one of them could do, they're just pawns of the plot, moving it along to suit the show

and sam???? poor sam and poor vala are now the women of the show. they're not teammates - vala more than sam, i guess that's one good thing about vala, since the writers have her to girly up they can leave sam alone - sam and vala exist as WOMEN first, teammates second

vala is little more than half of vaniel and the quip girl. she's not allowed to interact with the others, every tiem they come close to giving her some depth, the writers get ahold of her again and reduce her to a joke

vala, as much as the writers love and adore her, is disposable. Grab any other actress, cobble uip a back story and she's gone. she has no depth. just like cameron

[RealmOfX]

I would have preferred if Seasons Nine and Ten had existed as Seasons One and Two of Stargate Command.

At least they wouldn't be sullying the memory of Stargate: SG-1.

I wouldn't - crap called by any other name is still crap AND it still has Stargate in the title

[ReganX]

I wouldn't - crap called by any other name is still crap AND it still has Stargate in the title

At least if it wasn't called Stargate: SG-1, it would just be a crappy spin-off, instead of pretending to be something it wasn't (Stargte: SG-1, a team show, intelligent, unique... pick one).

Granted, "The Craptacular Cam and Vala Show" would be a more appropriate name than anything containing the word 'stargate', but better "Stargate Command" than "Stargate: SG-1".

[MacDevil]

that's just it, they USED to be unique. It was the little humans that could. Us, primitive little humans were always bailing out the nice technologically advanced aliens who were literally too arrogant to see their way out of things.

we intrigued our way out of trouble, with our own ingenuity and smarts and good old fashioned human resorcefulness.

sam was a true equal. a member of the team that just happened to be a woman

I know, can you imagine the writers now coming up with anything nearly as creative and interesting as "A Matter of Time" (season 2)? And who's idea was it that saved the day?

Or how about the solution to the Goa'uld attack on earth in "Within the Serpent's Grasp" and "Serpent's Lair"? Did anyone notice the superweapon they used to defeat Apophis (because I didn't)? Maybe I was too busy being distracted by the creative manner in which SG-1 solved the problem?

Bra'tac once said to Major Carter: "life for the sake of life means nothing." I think this can be said of Stargate today. It is alive, but only a shadow of it's former self.

[Crow T. Robot]

Bra'tac once said to Major Carter: "life for the sake of life means nothing." I think this can be said of Stargate today. It is alive, but only a shadow of it's former self.

The sad thing is the show used to be all about humanities potential. From Daniel being able to ascend without being an Ancient, to how we impressed the Nox at times with our ability to learn, to us using our creativity to bail the mighty Asgard out.

Like Sky said these days we are nothing better than treasure hunters and grave robbers. We want nothing but the quick fix and nothing else. Landry’s writen so stupid because any good leader has plan A, B, and C in place because any good experience leader is going to KNOW that plan A and most likely B isn’t going to work.

Besides the logic of the Ancient treasure hunt thing always makes my head hurt. If the Ancients are that much more evolved than any of us primitive humans why would they let us play with their super-weapons? That’s like us giving an ape the ability to push the button on a nuclear weapon. Why would they even leave it in a place where we could even access it or let Merlin leave it in a place where we could get our paws on it.

I’m going to stop ranting now.

[Rogue]

I know, can you imagine the writers now coming up with anything nearly as creative and interesting as "A Matter of Time" (season 2)? And who's idea was it that saved the day?

Or how about the solution to the Goa'uld attack on earth in "Within the Serpent's Grasp" and "Serpent's Lair"? Did anyone notice the superweapon they used to defeat Apophis (because I didn't)? Maybe I was too busy being distracted by the creative manner in which SG-1 solved the problem?

Bra'tac once said to Major Carter: "life for the sake of life means nothing." I think this can be said of Stargate today. It is alive, but only a shadow of it's former self.

Or blowing up a Sun to take out Apophis. Your right, I don't think the current SG-1 could solve a cross word puzzle. They are too busy looking for a easy solution, a super weapon. We used a super weapon to kill Anubis, why not find another one.

Now that they have lowered the IQ of SG-1, who is going to come up with those great ideas? The grown woman in piggy tails?

[Skydiver]

in a way i can see what they're doing. They're making the show generic. They're removing/minimizing the 'omg, ONLY this actor can do this' and thus are minimizing/removing any hold an individual actor may have over them.

theu're also making the show 'easier' to write by making it formulamatic. i mean, how many frakking medieval villages have tehy visited???? that or caves??? the two standing off world sets taht they are very proud of

but all this formula is boring. so they're trying to liven up that boring with effects and are basically trying to distract us from a mediocre plot with cool aliens or explosions or space ships (which are also standing sets, they just come with the costly price tag of cgi to make them look real)

for many of us, we remember when they could come up with really unique bottle episodes, like tangent or ITLOD (the vast majority of it happened at teh sgc). When they didn't have effects to distract THEM, they could devote more time to the story and put in those cool bits that so many fans liked. There was no need for an a and b and c story to make the show move, they got along just fine with and a and b or just an a and then let the characters interact - something that many folks find appealing which really doesn't cost all that much, at least compared to the cost of blowing up a space ship

Its like a few years ago they cared about what they did. the writers' hearts and souls went into an eps...but now the emphasis is on quantity not quality and they're cranking it out on an assembly line...and with about as much care

[kazzyk]

I actually wanted to see her kick his butt in hand-to-hand combat! Now that would have been a better episode

That would have been awesome I could not handle Pete and his showing up during an obvious stake out was bad enough but walking up to Sam during--was just stupid and I wanted her to read him the riot act!

The whole Pete thing was lame but TPTB thought they needed to add team members personal (sex) lives.
Actually--they didnt need to--simple references like "I have a date" in conversation was all we needed to ever know.

Wanting to show or explore the conflict someone is Sams position would have in regards to marriage/kids etc...is valid but oh so poorly done. Just my opinion.

[Mandysg1]

Merlin leave it in a place where we could get our paws on it.

I’m going to stop ranting now.

Or not knowing what you've previously written as cannon (and I'm only talking about S9 ) Why could Merlin descend (and Orlin S6) and keep their memories, yet Daniel could not or Orlin (S9) Oy, now I'm getting confused

[DEM]

Why could Merlin descend (and Orlin S6) and keep their memories, yet Daniel could not or Orlin (S9)

If you pass through the magnet field on the way down, you'll lose your memories.

[Zoser]

in a way i can see what they're doing. They're making the show generic. They're removing/minimizing the 'omg, ONLY this actor can do this' and thus are minimizing/removing any hold an individual actor may have over them.

I was just thinking about that the other night. I'm starting again with season1 and thinking the OMG! factor has disappeared from the show. Even rewatching episodes from years back (that I could quote in my sleep) I still find them interesting, fascinating if you will (the interplay of characters and turn of events).
OMG!moments - For example - everytime I look over Bregman and his crews shoulder at the clip of Janet - I feel that shot and I've seen Heroes a zillion times.
Maybe I'm missing something but I have no desire to see season 9 again. And it's not just my dislike of Val and Cam. I love Daniel, Teal'c and Sam but I can't find them. The dissing of the character of Jack O'Neill is another major rant I will spare you.

theu're also making the show 'easier' to write by making it formulamatic. i mean, how many frakking medieval villages have tehy visited???? that or caves??? the two standing off world sets taht they are very proud of

but all this formula is boring. so they're trying to liven up that boring with effects and are basically trying to distract us from a mediocre plot with cool aliens or explosions or space ships (which are also standing sets, they just come with the costly price tag of cgi to make them look real)

for many of us, we remember when they could come up with really unique bottle episodes, like tangent or ITLOD (the vast majority of it happened at teh sgc). When they didn't have effects to distract THEM, they could devote more time to the story and put in those cool bits that so many fans liked. There was no need for an a and b and c story to make the show move, they got along just fine with and a and b or just an a and then let the characters interact - something that many folks find appealing which really doesn't cost all that much, at least compared to the cost of blowing up a space ship

Its like a few years ago they cared about what they did. the writers' hearts and souls went into an eps...but now the emphasis is on quantity not quality and they're cranking it out on an assembly line...and with about as much care

Have these guys run out of steam or are there other projects that have lured them away? How could they have suddenly become inept? Or is it just a series of bad decisions that snowballed in to disaster?
It makes no sense to kill this golden goose that has provided a livelyhood and in some sense made their reputation?

[Skydiver]

i think there's a choice between descending on your own and being descended

then again, merlin descending with all his ancient knowledge may be why there's a 'you cant' take it with you' rule in place now