Larger involvement from secondary characters

[Detox]

From Joe's blog

6. This series will be a true ensemble show so, yes, the supporting characters will play a more active role.

I am excited about this. One of the things I love about Stargate was the secondary characters. They made the show and the world seem more real and alive. And unlike most other shows, they stay with the series and slowly develop over time.

[Iawen]

I'm excited about that, too! The writers were always very good at secondary characters; I'd love to delve into them more. Just wish we could get more of some of the ones from SG-1 and Atlantis, too!!

[GateGurl]

From Joe's blog

I am excited about this. One of the things I love about Stargate was the secondary characters. They made the show and the world seem more real and alive. And unlike most other shows, they stay with the series and slowly develop over time.

This is GREAT news! Thanks for sharing. And I am on the same page as you! I have always thought that the reacurring/minor characters have always given the Stargate franchise a more 'real life vibe', I felt it gave both the series' greater substance and depth, as if I was ACTUALLY watching something that 'could' be occuring in 'real life' rather then being persistently reminded that it is simply a tv show. I think it is the mark of a good series that can keep the audience captivated in this way.

In both SG1 and SGA (especially) I adored the minor characters, Radek Zelenka for example. And while, (using Radek as an example) I loved that he was in the vast majority of episodes, and is tentatively slated to be in the Atantis movie, I would have killed to know more of his backstory. Oh we got little tid-bits here and there, but nothing centeral or in-depth. And I think this description goes for most of the reaccuring characters in both series, such as Walter, Major Davis, and Doctor Lee in SG1 and Lorne, Cadman, Kavanaugh, and etc in SGA.

[AnnieS]

Same here. The secondary charactors always give the shows an added deal of depth!!!

[Gen_J_O'Neill]

This is fantastic news! I love the way BSG uses a massive ensemble cast and dives into their backstory and uses them to progress the storyline. If tptb can do the same sort of thing I will be very happy (even more than I was before).

[Platschu]

I will be a bit angry and sad when they will kill them randomly, because they want SG:U be more realistic. The fandom won't like it if a Grodin or Beckett type character dies again.

[Alder]

I do love a good ensemble cast. I only actually heard about this show today, and already I'm excited.

The fandom won't like it if a Grodin or Beckett type character dies again.

Don't even joke about it...<headdesk>

[jenks]

I will be a bit angry and sad when they will kill them randomly, because they want SG:U be more realistic. The fandom won't like it if a Grodin or Beckett type character dies again.

Screw fandom. No one has a fit when someone dies in Heroes or Lost or any other show, I don't see why killing off characters in Stargate is such a crime.

[Gen_J_O'Neill]

Screw fandom. No one has a fit when someone dies in Heroes or Lost or any other show, I don't see why killing off characters in Stargate is such a crime.

I totally agree with that! I'm actually looking forward to it It gives the show a sense of reality for me. Life isn't all happy go lucky all the time, especially in these people's situation. If someone dies in a good way (carson's was a little stupid) and I'm totally shocked by it, I actually enjoy the show more, even if they are one of my favourite characters. It keeps me enthralled in the show....to see what happens next.

[knowles2]

I thought of guest a couple of weeks ago that the secondary characters would be more important in the show, the fact they already publish background stories on the characters and given them names convince me they were going to use them more, it great Joe confirmed it.

Its allows them to kill of the central characters and replace them with their secondary characters.

[Platschu]

You misunderstood me. I am not against killing of characters, but they should plan it. I mean I hope they know what they want to reach in season 2 or 3 too, so every event and creative character decision will go to that direction. Maybe they should make a flash-forward type episode and we can guess only how will they reach that. Maybe the characters should have so heavy conflicts that they even kill each other! But if this happens, than how will be SG:U family centric as SG-1 or Atlantis was?

[TheRandomOne]

Screw fandom. No one has a fit when someone dies in Heroes or Lost or any other show, I don't see why killing off characters in Stargate is such a crime.

Because in Heroes it is very easy to bring people back from the dead & usually in Lost its the non popular characters that die & in Lost always a chance to come back later in one way or another as a small cameo. When Stargate kills someone it is because the writers does not like that person & in regards to Lost no one has forgiven the writers for killing Charlie though

[amconway]

I'm of two minds about this. Yes, I like it when all of the characters are well developed (Major Davis, General Hammond), but one of the big problems with Atlantis, for me, it that the main characters were so undeveloped, and so loosely knit as a team. They didn't come close to achieving the bond between the characters that was so obvious in SG-1.
I'm wondering if they will be able to do that here with the intent to make a truly 'emsemble' show. If it works, then we'll care about all the characters more, but if it doesn't, attention to development will be spread even more thin and we won't care about any of them.
We won't know until we see it, but it's not an unrisky scenario.

[Teslan]

I have to agree with amconway. I thought SGA had maybe a little too much involvement from the minor characters, so I'm not sure I want to see a more involvement in SGU.

[mwallace100]

the thing about secondary characters in universe is the writers need to have thought about them from the start, with destiny being cut off from earth the crew is pretty much the same group of people, having say tom pop up in episode 12 and all of a sudden make out that he was there from the start wont work! people will be saying, were did he appear from? why have we never seen/heard of this guy in the background before!

used to annoy me on yoyager, with such a small crew that they never had more secondary characters show up and those who did it was like hang on a minute (chell for example - hard to not spot a bolian in the background!)

Lost aswell fans kicked off when 'ken and barbie' suddenly appeared halfway through the series!