The Cam and Vala discussion thread

[OldSchoolKlingon]

Cam is a great character, and carried Season Nine fine. While I do feel that the addition of Vala did marr the team dynamic that had been established in Season Nine to a degree, I do not think it was her fault that the show ended. The cancellation is a result of many elements, and teh blame cannot be laid on any specific characters.

[Tiret]

I don't think they killed it. I know some people don't like those two characters, but wow...I've loved the episodes so far this season, and I know I'm not alone. Ratings are so misleading...I mean, what other evidence is there that this show is suffering in poularity? (TV execs...they will forever be the bane of my existance!) Truthfully, I think Cameron and Vala were just locking into their full potential as characters, and now, it's all out the window, unless the show can find a new home.

What on earth is Sci-fi doing? They should have given it just one more season. I couldn't have blamed them for stopping it after that...but stopping it now? What's up with that?!!

[DeadSurvivor]

I Also Think The Writing Was A Few Steps Back Introducing Mitchell & Vala ... And The Way They Were Brought In, Putting The "A-Team" Back Together When The Team Had More Experience At Gate Travel Than The Two Newer Characters ... Not Ben And Claudia's Fault, Bad Writing In My Opinion.

I Personally Was Hoping SG-1 Members Would Go Their Separate Ways, Storyline-Wise. Sam, To Area-51, An Assumption Daniel Has Ascended, Teal'C And Bra'Tac Head Back To Their HomeWorld And Begin Rebuilding Their Civilization ... Leaving, Mitchell And Vala, Who Would Form A New Group Of Adventurers (My Dream Picks Were Ba'al And Perhaps A Munitions Expert - Aka Ford #2).

[Uber]

Change, in general tends to turn people off - so imo, it's more that RDA left then that they added Cam and Vala.

Change in and of itself has no value judgment. There are good changes and bad changes.

IMHO, TPTB implemented a series of BAD changes and we are reaping the results.

[astrogeologist]

I think that SG-1 is ending because

1) the New Direction of the show (Season 9 and 10) did not honor the first 8 seasons enough. Vala and Cam didn't kill the show, but how they were written and introduced to the viewers was part of the show's New Direction, which didn't find a large enough audience to entice TPTB to continue the show.

2) many of the folks creating SG-1 appear to be tired of SG-1. And here I am including the writers, directors, some of the actors, PTB, etc. Many of them expressed deep-seated desires to do something new. So they created a New Direction for the show - but didn't change it's name. This was confusing and frustrating for fans who tuned in expecting one thing, but found something else - something very different - on the screen.

Vala and Cam could have been introduced and segued into the Stargate tapestry in a manner that didn't disassemble the old SG-1, in a manner that didn't push the veteran characters aside. But that isn't what was done. And it's too bad. Because what was created wasn't a larger fan base, but a fan base deeply and bitterly divided. Definitely not pretty. Those who like the Old Beloved Team, and those who Embrace the New Team and the New Show. Some folks like both, but I've read hundreds and hundreds of posts from folks who sit decidedly on one side or the other. Folks who like the Original, but can't find a way to like the New Team. Folks who say they hated the Original Team, but love the New Team.

Ugh! This isn't the direction that SG-1 should have gone in it's venerable years. A New Direction that was different enough from the original direction and characters to create such a rift in the fan base! And such ugly feelings. Each group trying to protect 'their own' favorites.

What a way for the SG-1 series to end!

[lunarleviathan]

I think that the choice of new characters killed stargate. Perhaps it would have been best to just leave it at 3 team members - or maybe a wholly different character was required - another alien or something. But as it is I think the 2 new characters were overall rather lame altho there was some good Daniel/Vala chemistry. Anyone agree with me?

edit - i need a life - this is my 200th post

No. Without Cam there wouldn't have been a Season 9 or 10. However, I agree that his character could have been better, but that didn't cause the show to be cancelled either. Ratings declined because RDA left the show, so Cam being a better character might not have helped that much anyway.

Vala is an excellent character and very well written.

Both actors are great and gave their all to Stargate during their short time. Cam isn't a great character, but one character doesn't get a show cancelled.

[SMEAGOL2]

Sorry the characters of Vala and Cam did not kill stargate. Did anyone read the article in Variety, It had nothing to do with ratings. It had nothing to do with characters.

So NO!

[suse]

Do I blame Mitchell and Vala? Yes. Do I blame the actors? No. Danger Rodney! Stay away! Citris alert! You can only make so much lemonade from lemons. You cannot make orange juice if you only get lemons no matter how hard you try.

I blame the writers. And perhaps Sci Fi if they forced certain decisions on the writers/directors/producers/catering staff. It's the writers who forced such lame characters into a show that flat out didn't need them as written. We didn't need a thieving, slaving , "whorelette"-ing quoting Claudia Black here! , sexual harassing "funny" sex kitten. We didn't need a Lead Male Action Hero - written as an completely gate-experience free loose cannon no less - shoe-horned into a role by writer/showrunner contrivance, forcing the experienced competent team lead for all of season 8 - with 7 additional years field experience - into a ridiculous situation. Then those same people won't own up to what they did because it comes across as sexist.

Vala in season 10 is much more likable. In small doses. Which we don't get. Mitchell is slightly likable as long as he isn't giving anything remotely resembling an order to those who outclass him in every way. Unfortunately S9 left an indelible impression.

So yes, I blame Mitchell and Vala as written.

Suse

[suse]

Sorry the characters of Vala and Cam did not kill stargate. Did anyone read the article in Variety, It had nothing to do with ratings. It had nothing to do with characters.

So NO!

Of course it has to do with ratings. If the rating were high enough the cost of the show would be offset by the money the commercials bring in. And every news article is spin. Do you really think anyone is going to admit they could possibly have erred? And I don't mind that they don't admit it, really. That would come across as blaming the actors. And that isn't right.

Suse

[OberonSky]

My answer is a definite NO.

The best thing to do after RDA's departure was to get BB and CB onboard. I for one prefer the new team to an alternat "old SG-1 minus Jack and add no one else" option.

So bottomline I am one of those who like SG-1 both old and new. Sure the writing/stories suffered recently but the show was starting to get interesting again with Mitchel and Vala settling in, Ori story unfolding, and I did not have unrealistic expectations of this show going on for another 10 seasons. I was expecting it to end on Season 11.

Seeing how Season 10 ends with that "cliffhanger" .. Season 11 would be the best way to tie all the loose ends. Introduce RDA back into the series (seeing from his interview in the pre ep.200 that he seem to be willing to come back especially if he knows it is the final season .. season 11 that is)

Give us a mini-arc with the REAL Furlings, bring back good ol's buddy Thor, finish up the Ori story and lay the groundworks for a 3rd spin off series.

If I were the Sci-Fi channel, and I knew that worst case I may just break even with a season 11 SG-1 I would still go ahead with it for several reasons.

1) It would ensure the steady ratings for SGA .. which now may lose the support of the SG-1-only fans.

2) It would also ensure that BSG would get the SG-1 fans ratings especially when things get back to the "Friday line-up" as they were prior to this shceduling mess.

3) it would earn Sci-Fi the chance to start the 3rd Stargate series .. call it Stargate Command .. start with a fresh season 1 .. Earth centered story to go along with the Atlantis series in Pegasus. Imagine the news of the stargate going public on Earth .. a new command (Stargate Command) is put in place to oversee it .. and start with a lower production season 1 of that new series compared to continuing a season 12 Sg-1.

4) Earn the respect and appreciation of scifi fans all over with such a decision. Considering that the Stargate franchise made Sci-Fi channel such a great success and gave it ratings and revenue .. the least they could do is give the series a chance to season 11 to end properly.

I digress, back to the Mitchel/Vala topic. No they did not kill Stargate. it was in order as follows:

1) Sci-Fi channel messing up the Sci-Friday lineup of SG1 - SGA - BSG
2) Moving SG1 back one hour to coincide with Monk or was it Psych .. which by the way runs on USA Network owned by NBC same as Sci-Fi .. isn't it dumb to pit two shows you own against eachother?
3) Poor advertising outside the SciFi netowrk for SG-1.
4) Some bad writing which by the way did not end the show before (we all know that some of the season 5 - 6 - 7 episodes had some bad writing as well - heck all seasons had one or two iffy episodes) but this time it coincided with many other factors.

However like i said, the show was slowly finding its way back as the new characters settled in and the new story began unfolding .. and I bet Sci-Fi at worst case could have broke even with a season 11 SG-1 especially if RDA + Furlings + Thor made appearences .. not to count the ratings SG-1 would have added to SGA and BSG ..

Sigh I am repeating myself .. I am tired of TV-Execs .. I am tired of the ratings frenzy .. I am sick of hearing the words Nielsen media .. I am tired of seeing great shows get cancelled .. and dumb shows (wrestling/reality/soap operas) stay on the air ..

From one point of view it is just a TV show .. but if you think about it, it is an indication of how our societies/civilization is degrading .. attention spans are becoming shorter .. general population IQ is going down .. oh well.

[dec55]

In the beginning no.......season 9 rocked........ Season 10 however probably
in the begining few eppys could have been better....that 1.3 million viewership rating was just too hard to ignore I guess........


Now that the 200th eppy went up to almost 2 million viewers....I hope the excecs took notice that the show almost matched Eureka's ratiings.

But maybe they were expecting the episode to get more with the hype it
got......so I dunno.

[The Engineer]

Did Vala/Cam kill stargate??

NO.
Sci Fi did.

[the fifth man]

No, Ben (Mitchell) and Claudia (Vala) did not kill SG-1. Sci-Fi Channel did. This was a money-based decision, plain and simple. Sci-Fi has even admitted this was a money-motivated decision. After ten seasons, SG-1 has simply gotten too expensive to keep going in their eyes. If it were because of ratings, we wouldn't be getting another season of SGA either.

[OberonSky]

No, Ben (Mitchell) and Claudia (Vala) did not kill SG-1. Sci-Fi Channel did. This was a money-based decision, plain and simple. Sci-Fi has even admitted this was a money-motivated decision. After ten seasons, SG-1 has simply gotten too expensive to keep going in their eyes. If it were because of ratings, we wouldn't be getting another season of SGA either.

In that case is it possible to do the "re-branding" after season 10? Rename it Stargate Command, start with season 1 .. less cost/new contracts .. and continue the stories of an Earth based Stargate?

I wish MGM/Producers would consider letting the franchise continue in that form if Sci-Fi can handle the cost of a fresh new series instead of the bloated costs of a 10-season one?

Perhaps it is an option they are considering...

[the fifth man]

In that case is it possible to do the "re-branding" after season 10? Rename it Stargate Command, start with season 1 .. less cost/new contracts .. and continue the stories of an Earth based Stargate?

I wish MGM/Producers would consider letting the franchise continue in that form if Sci-Fi can handle the cost of a fresh new series instead of the bloated costs of a 10-season one?

Perhaps it is an option they are considering...

I'm not sure about on Sci-Fi. Not after the way they handled this. We'll just have to wait and see.