We are going to see a LOT of Filler Episodes...

[Boon]

I really dig the stand alone adventures, they help flesh out the universe and add more dimension to it, It's not all Goa'uld(Wraith/replicators) out there... and a little change in pace is nice now and then, yes it's not always timed the best, you don't want a random adventure right in the middle of a big arc but when things slow down from the big arc's its great to have your one shot adventures to shake things up and keep the show interesting.

But like you guys said, having a ship jump from galaxy to galaxy doesn't exactly lend itself to big arcs with a sole central villain(s), so lets just hope they come up with something decent, none of this, this or this

[Kris_x-303]

Of course theres going to be filler episodes, its something they do to test ratings..

What im going to be sure of is theyre going to find out how to get on and off the ship and while theyre exploring, find a magical alien dude/chick who knows everything about the galaxy theyre in, and like its been said a thousand times before, i get a feeling its going to turn into Stargate Voyager

[Commander Zelix]

Stand alone are not all fillers. I also like the fact that some of those episodes are like mini movies and are more topical than space opera-ish. A good mix of stand alones and arc (or semi-arc) episodes is what Stargate have been doing. Which is good.

[stargater1990]

This is not a Universe bashing thread.

I can feel it in my bones people, there are going to be lots of filler eps in this new series. Think about it, they are trapped on a ship jumping between points in space. Not that i'm against filler eps, i think if they are done right they can progress the development in a character, however, if your a sucker for the overriding story arc, then this is gonna be a long series for you my friend...

i just hope that we get to see and know a lot about the ship. i mean i would love filler eps if they involved ancient technology being used. heck, atlantis could have used some more filler eps involving exploration of the city, i mean seriously they went there for the express purpose of unlocking the secrets of the "lost city" and have still barely scratched the surface and probobly stll havent searched every room yet.

[-Major Woody]

I think the term Jack was looking for is 'bottle show.'

[TheHomegaMan]

i just hope that we get to see and know a lot about the ship. i mean i would love filler eps if they involved ancient technology being used. heck, atlantis could have used some more filler eps involving exploration of the city, i mean seriously they went there for the express purpose of unlocking the secrets of the "lost city" and have still barely scratched the surface and probobly stll havent searched every room yet.

They saved exploring the city for when they needed to find the Ancient Device of the Week (tm). It wasn't a focus for the show, it was just a way to say "Hey guys, check out what we've pulled out of our nethers this week!"

[Silverwings]

This is a chance for a real character-driven show. I'm of the belief that maybe TPTB can get character development right this time, unlike their McKay-Ronon-Keller fiasco. I have about as much information on the show as most of you (read: very, very little), but the potential is there. I can't say they'll capitalize any more than most of you can say they'll drop the ball, but at least I've got enough sense to wait and see.

Y'know, I was hoping to see some of that realized potential in SGA. No, they dropped the ball and booched pretty much every chance they had at making real, meaningful relationships. TPTB and their treatment of SGA is a case study in wasted potential and missteps. I'm not inclined to give them much slack regarding SGU.

[Commander Zelix]

Y'know, I was hoping to see some of that realized potential in SGA. No, they dropped the ball and booched pretty much every chance they had at making real, meaningful relationships. TPTB and their treatment of SGA is a case study in wasted potential and missteps. I'm not inclined to give them much slack regarding SGU.

Ok, but those that means exploring the city. Don't take me wrong, I like the idea on paper. But what does it actually means? Don't forget that you must actually make a (original) story out of it. I can remember a few episodes where they did actually explore the city. *Atlantis spoilers* Like Echoes when they find a room which communicates with the whale-like creatures. Another where McKay find a device which make him invisible or another when they find a wraith queen in the underground. And obviously a few more. I think they could have found a few more rooms with new technologies and power, but somehow that idea alone seems limited.

[Buck32]

I'm sorry to have to disagree but...


That's exactly what is filler is.

An expensive ep with no real bearing on the plot but is flashy and loaded with crap.

A filler is an ep that has no bearing on the over all plot. It simply fills space. Great special effects, great sets and highly paid guest stars is a basic recipe for a filler episode. If the script is bad then all you got is eye candy. 45 minutes of eye candy is a bit too much for me. Might as well be watching a porno flick.

Writing could make a filler less of a filler if done correctly. The mini plot of the filler must be captivating or else all you are left with a flash and no substance.

With SGU and the given history of tptb. I fully expect a series loaded with fillers, flash and no real substance.

I couldn't agree with you more, let's just call SGU the filler series!!!!

[Silverwings]

Ok, but those that means exploring the city. Don't take me wrong, I like the idea on paper. But what does it actually means?

Oh, I'm not limiting them to the city, though I dearly wish that they had done more with it. No, I just think the Wraith were ill-advised, the Replicators were a retread, and the overall tone of "darker, edgier" with the wanton killing of characters just wasn't the best that could have come from the initial concept. They didn't even know what to do with Weir, ostensibly hired because she was one of Earth's best negotiators. They wasted Ford. They killed a doctor. Again. Actually, they killed two. It's like they lost the spark of hope, optimism and humor that SG-1 had and turned it in for cleavage, explosions, and a deep depression. I didn't want a carbon copy of SG-1, but they sure could have done a lot better to maintain the spirit of the franchise.

Actually, I think the Wraith could have worked if they weren't so over the top cheezy horror ripoffs. Common Ground gave them depth that they should have had much, much earlier. There were a lot of cool ideas in SGA... but the execution just left a lot to be desired.

As for SGU, with its' "younger, hipper" theme, didn't we see that already in 200? I doubt that it'll be that bad, but really, we're slipping into self-parody territory with wanton abandon.

[Mike3121]

What I would like to see in character development would be character depth. Flash backs to their previous life, who they really are, sort of like the original concept on Lost. What I don't want to see is all type of angst with everyone at each others throats, just anger with no cooperation. Wow, I think I just described SGA's first season.

Inorder to keep the costs down they will probably have a lot of plot lines where one or more of the actor's body has been taken over by a alien being or perhaps a computer takes over the ship. These could be good but I don't want to see a steady diet of them. I do hope they keep the humor of the original SG1, and don't take themselves so seriously.

Just my little rant.

[Franklyn Blaze]

What I would like to see in character development would be character depth. Flash backs to their previous life, who they really are, sort of like the original concept on Lost.
Just my little rant.

I can see it now, Lost: In Space.

[Pitry]

Ok, maybe I expressed myself wrong or I definite wrong, but these episodes are called as stand-alone what you wrote. Basically every filler is stand-alone, but not every stand-alone is filler. The Changeling or 200 were such episodes, because they made something really very different from the "normal".

I liked the first season of SG-1, because every episode were made as a "mini movie". As far as I can remember they planned the earlier episodes really as a "new" SG movie, so the episodes became really exiting tales. Maybe I am in nostalgic mode, but I loved the feeling of discovery. They began a new series and we didn't know what will happen. There were new planets, new races, new adventures. I could sense this in season 9 and Atlantis season 1 as the spin-off(s) began. I hope the Universe will cause such good memories in me next year too.

Butbut. The Changeling was neither a filler nor a standalone, it was very much an arc episode, as in, it connected to the overall free Jaffa plot.

I would say... The Torment of Tantalus is a stand-alone, in that it wasn't a part of a running arc. In contrast, Revisions is a filler - not only it's not a part of a running arc, it's also pointless.

[Delynn]

If by "full of filler" the original poster means that Universe is prolly gonna be more character-driven and less flashy/blow-stuff-up/big arc, I think that's an accurate assessment. But I fail to see why this is a bad thing. I've heard so many people complain about the character-driven episodes (like The Shrine, for example), but I find the episodes where the characters develop more fully to be the very best episodes of them all!

[Jack_Bauer]

Butbut. The Changeling was neither a filler nor a standalone, it was very much an arc episode, as in, it connected to the overall free Jaffa plot.

I would say... The Torment of Tantalus is a stand-alone, in that it wasn't a part of a running arc. In contrast, Revisions is a filler - not only it's not a part of a running arc, it's also pointless.

The Torment of Tantalus was hardly a stand-alone nor a filler since it created the mythology of the Great Alliance and was our first look at Ancient writing and society. It also expanded on the Asgard by including them in the Alliance.