Well, I was part of Save Carson Beckett, and I supported Save Elizabeth Weir. If anyone form SCB, or SEW is in here Hi!
I was saddened when Janet Frazier got the chop in SG1, and Grodan and Ford got the chop in Atlantis. However, their respective deaths fitted in with the narrative. Even if Fords demise was obvious from a mile off. Eliminating a character can work very well if it is handled correctly, and the series structure works in such a way that you know to watch out for such a development.
Babylon 5 and the 2004 version of Galactica have proven that, and it worked! - Don't get too close to these puppies kids, we are about to puree a couple of them, and you won't know who!
Beckett and Weir did not work in that respect, as there was no sensible reason to ditch them in the structure of the story. Plus Paul McGillion was brought back because the writers realised Beckett's death created a hole. They had underestimated what the character brought to the table, and badly underestimated the audience's reaction too, so tried to retcon it as best they could. As for Weir, she was the leader of Atlantis, it was inevitable her loss would cause some of the audience to turn away if not handled well in the storyline, and it wasn't. Especially killing her offscreen. Mr Woolsey is a different character, but he is doing the same job, in a very similar way in most respects, even though the character is an administrator, not a diplomat?
I hope Universe will show the writers have had a careful think about what the series is supposed to be about from the get go, and consider the repercussions carefully if a character is to be slaughtered. It would need to be done in a way that will create more stories instead of potentially weakening the narrative.
You are right Toaster on Fire - once someone is dead, - they should stay dead to add conviction.
The fact Universe is touted as a more expensive premise should help to ensure such past mistakes are avoided, and the writing is tight. - With a predacessory competitor like Battlestar Galactica, and a fractioning of the existing fanbase due to the road Atlantis took, it can't afford not to.
In the end though there is no point in what-iffing. We will need to see the series to judge it on its own merits, and see if it carries the legacy of SG1's popularity and evolution, or inherits the clunky writing and erratic development that plagued Atlantis in its final days.
I feel sorry for TBTB, they work very hard under tight deadlines. I would not want to have their jobs for all the tea in China!
I was saddened when Janet Frazier got the chop in SG1, and Grodan and Ford got the chop in Atlantis. However, their respective deaths fitted in with the narrative. Even if Fords demise was obvious from a mile off. Eliminating a character can work very well if it is handled correctly, and the series structure works in such a way that you know to watch out for such a development.
Babylon 5 and the 2004 version of Galactica have proven that, and it worked! - Don't get too close to these puppies kids, we are about to puree a couple of them, and you won't know who!
Beckett and Weir did not work in that respect, as there was no sensible reason to ditch them in the structure of the story. Plus Paul McGillion was brought back because the writers realised Beckett's death created a hole. They had underestimated what the character brought to the table, and badly underestimated the audience's reaction too, so tried to retcon it as best they could. As for Weir, she was the leader of Atlantis, it was inevitable her loss would cause some of the audience to turn away if not handled well in the storyline, and it wasn't. Especially killing her offscreen. Mr Woolsey is a different character, but he is doing the same job, in a very similar way in most respects, even though the character is an administrator, not a diplomat?
I hope Universe will show the writers have had a careful think about what the series is supposed to be about from the get go, and consider the repercussions carefully if a character is to be slaughtered. It would need to be done in a way that will create more stories instead of potentially weakening the narrative.
You are right Toaster on Fire - once someone is dead, - they should stay dead to add conviction.
The fact Universe is touted as a more expensive premise should help to ensure such past mistakes are avoided, and the writing is tight. - With a predacessory competitor like Battlestar Galactica, and a fractioning of the existing fanbase due to the road Atlantis took, it can't afford not to.
In the end though there is no point in what-iffing. We will need to see the series to judge it on its own merits, and see if it carries the legacy of SG1's popularity and evolution, or inherits the clunky writing and erratic development that plagued Atlantis in its final days.
I feel sorry for TBTB, they work very hard under tight deadlines. I would not want to have their jobs for all the tea in China!
Comment