Ask Martin Gero - Spoilers for SGA (S1, S2)

[Droops]

Okay, who convinced Martin to come here? Kudos to you for getting him to stop by. Hope this doesn't overwhelm you Martin, nice to have you here

My only question right now involves the Wraith. Will we get more backstory on their origins and civilization, if any?

Thanks

Droops

[FoolishPleasure]

Mr. G.

First, another big thank you for stopping by and talking to all the fans. It really is cool to actually talk to one of our "Gods".

My teeny questions:

Is the nasty Dr. Kavanaugh ("fondly" referred to as pony-tail guy) going to continue to stir the pot in Atlantis? It is rather fun to have a "Kinseyesque" character around.

In development of the SGA team. . did the NID/Trust manage to get a "mole" on the team (if that was something that was even of interest to them)?

In the exploration of Atlantis, are we going to run across any personal items left behind by the Ancients? We've stumbled across left-over creatures (Hide and Seek) and experiments (Hot Zone), but did our Ancient friends leave anything else. . art, literature, toothbrushes?

Again, thank you for peeking in.

[zephyrRS]

Thank you for communicating directly with the fans -- it makes people like me even more of a fan of individuals like yourself, rather than just enjoying the show!

Q1: Any chance of some of the Ancient Database being condensed and sent to Earth like the "Pegasus" info? It could create some interesting back-and-forth plots, communication and confusion with the SGC.

Q2: Any chance of there being character development focused eps or even flashback mixed stories on Weir, McKay, Sheppard, Beckett etc? I'd love to see a situation that harkens them back to an earlier point in their experience upon which they must draw knowledge or skill. For Weir it could be a negotiation, for McKay a scientific breakthrough - you get the idea. I love when shows do this to better develop minor characters as well. The SG-1 eps that come to mind for comparison would be "Torment of Tantalus" for Langford "Threshold" for Teal'c and to a small extent "Cold Lazarus" for O'Neill. BSG recently did the spectacular "Act of Contrition" also using this story-telling device to help us understand back-story. Any chance of seeing something like that in SGA season 2?

[Olli]

Dear Mr. Gero,

will we see Janet Fraiser back in Stargate SG1, because Teryl Rothery did a great job and I think no one can replace her (and I mean NO ONE!).

Best wishes for the show
Olli

[ShadowMaat]

Olli, you're better off posting SG-1 questions to Joe Mallozzi, unless you want to talk about Martin's SG-1 ep(s).

Speaking of which, Martin, what can you tell us about that ep and how does doing a script for SG-1 compare to doing as script for Atlantis? With all the backstories and history on SG-1, is it more difficult to manage than the relatively new Atlantis? Or does the addition of new cast to SG-1 make it a little easier?

[MartinGero]

Thanks for your answers! Can't wait for Duet (feel free to give us any spoilers you just can't contain )

Were the takes that McKay did in Letters from Pegasus really deleted or did Sam get to see him expressing that he's still carrying a torch for her?

Along those same lines, will we have a chance in the near (or distant) future to see Carter/McKay together? Their scenes together are always thoroughly entertaining...as are Sam's expressions of extreme irritation at his grating criticisms of her at work...and it would be really funny if he didn't know that she saw his "confession" of his feelings for her when they met up again...

Sadly , I'm very good at containing spoliers...trust me, you'll want to see the funny on the screen instead of me telling you about it here.

As to whether you’ll see Carter and McKay together this season…we’d love to see it happen. It’s just a question of finding the right story and the right time…see one of my earlier posts.

[MartinGero]

Hi Martin and thanks for taking the trouble to respond to questions.

I've read some spoilers for 206, which I think is called 'Condemned'. The spoiler said that the place where it's set is referred to as 'Botany Bay' as criminals get dumped there. It's an irritating reference because criminals weren't dumped at Botany Bay. Australian settlement from Europe was a colony that also included convicts, plus the colony wasn't even at Botany Bay. They took one look at the place and hightailed it out of there for Sydney Harbour. Is it really referred to as Botany Bay in the episode?

Looking forward to season 2 and like other Australians here, am looking forward to the first Aussie to be introduced. Please use an Australian actor! No one else can do the accent.

Not sure where you got that from...I don't think it's in our episode.

Also, there are some Aussie's in there...if you look real hard.

[MartinGero]

Hi, Martin! I tried to resist the urge to post, seeing as how reading through all of these questions, I almost feel as though you're the tragic victim of a current Wraith culling! (Nevermind my sense of humor; it's usually rather estranged.)

At any rate, I obviously fell from my high hopes of not giving into the madness but apparently I just wasn't strong enough, so here they are. I'll try to keep them as short and few as possible so as not to boggle you down even moreso than we rabid fans already have... but no promises, I can be known for my long-windedness!

1.) Sora was a great character in the first season. Her three episodes... I loved her role and I thought her acting was superb. Cowen, played by Colm Meaney which made things that much cooler, was awesome as well. Acastus Kolya is also a favorite of mine! I think these three Genii really define who and what the Genii are, and I'd love to see any of them back for the second year. I heard somewhere a while back that Sora doesn't have any further plans for now... is this true? And what of the others? Is there anything regarding reappearances you could hint at? I'd love to know... the Genii are great.


2.) I know this sounds like a pretty stupid, fanboyish question, but... will Ronan Dex be a lot like Teal'c? I've heard a few people here and there saying his character has been added 'because there was no one quite like Teal'c' thus far... though I'm sure it wasn't something as simplistic as that, I mean, the casts are two different casts, two different sets of characters. I guess what I'm trying to say here, is... are the two characters, by your definition, similar? From what I've heard, they do seem to be on the same track a tad.


3.) Last but not least, I wanted to say that 'The Eye' is definitely my favorite episode of the show thus far. I mean... it really packed a big punch for me. I was at the edge of my seat the whole time. Writing like this... impresses the living hell out've me, whether I'm seventeen or not! Again, a rather bizarre question, but... do you... how should I say this... eh... do you have any episodes you're writing for the second year which... have the same... feel as this episode? Geez, I'm worse at being straightforward than even Daniel Jackson. All I'm asking is... because I really loved the feel of 'The Eye', are there any episodes coming up in the second season that you would say have the same general atmosphere of... whatever that special something was? And don't feel bad if you can't answer this at all... I know I'd be confused by my ramblings!


Thanks for your time, apologies for contributing to the constant stream of questions! I love your work, Martin, it aspires me to no end, in ways that only some of the other Stargate writers can hope to rival.

1. We are definitely doing a Genii episode this year…the cast will depend on actor availability, so I can’t say much more. There was a scene in “Siege: Part 2” where Sora was sent back to the Genii in exchange for their nukes…but it had to be cut for time.

2. Ronon Dex is not the Atlantis Teal’c…although yes, he’s very tall and very strong, the character is COMPLETELY different. We’re all very excited to have Jason aboard and he’s doing really great so far. I think you guys will love watching him as much as we love writing him.

3. Will there be big, edge of your seat shows this year? You bet. “Seige: Part 3” is possibly the biggest episode we’ve ever done and is go-go-go from beginning to end. Also the mid-season two-parter we’re working on right now is shaping up to be some pretty exciting TV.

[MartinGero]

Will Sora return, her not returning really seems like a plothole.

Any plans to tell how the wraith reproduce?

will caldwell stay beyond the five episodes?

Will the episode Human Error be picked up for the second season, after being too expensive for season 1?

what's the name of your sg1 episode? Is it Beach head or Collatoral Damage?

1. Maybe, see earlier quote (re: Genii).

2. Yes

3. Maybe.

4. We’re looking into it…the script wasn’t dropped because it was too expensive. It was pushed because it just wasn’t ready yet. It’s a very complicated story that we all felt was just not polished enough to shoot. Carl Binder has picked up the script this year and is seeing if he can make sense of it…so who knows you may see it this year or it may become the first “lost episode” of Atlantis.

5. I wrote an episode called “The Powers That Be” which will be the 5th episode of season 9.

[smushybird]

Hello, Mr. Gero
Thank you for answering our questions. I love the way the writers are fleshing out the characters on Atlantis. They're all so well-rounded, real, and interesting, especially the guys. I like how very human they are.
I have a silly question for you. Though McKay seems on a first name basis with everyone else, he always addresses Sheppard as "Major" (even though John calls him Rodney now and then). When Sheppard's promoted, is McKay going to call him Lt. Col., then? I know McKay's a prickly pear, but he's got to give up the personal space some time and accept it's more or less a friendship. Are you going to give us lots more of the McKay/Sheppard snarky chumminess in Season Two? It's my favorite aspect of the show.
And they do sometimes kind of remind me of Bing and Bob.

~ Mara

[Uber]

Hey Martin!

I've read posts by several convention-goers and they made a point of saying that everyone was tight-lipped with regard to Sam's return...not only about from where she's returning, but more specifically about what kind of role she'll play when she gets back.

Is there anything you can divulge to a Sam fan like me that I can share with my friends (and fellow Nervous Nellies) on the "Sam's a Great Character" Thread to alleviate our anxieties?

Additionally, with little/no RDA in Season 9, is there any bone you can throw the Sam/Jack shippers? Some of them are getting nervous too (also of the Nellie variety).

Thank you for your time and generosity!

[not so ancient]

Sadly , I'm very good at containing spoliers...

What if we ....tickled you?

Someone hold Martin down!

Now Martin, the sooner you tell us some juicy spoilers, the sooner the tickling torment will stop!

[Vespasianus]

Hello Martin (again)!

It's good from you that you answer our questions!

Something came to my mind: is a chance that we'll see Atlantis underwater again? I would really like that!

Thanks.

[Andy867]

Hey Martin, just wanted to first say thank you for taking the time to answer the questions of our very curious minds

One thing I always...despise.. about science fiction shows (and its a very common theme) is that we never really get that clincher for relationships and the beyond. My question is really around where we will see Chaya/Athar again ("Sanctuary"). I really liked the bond and the storyline behind the episode and it would be nice to see the kind of rebellious nature that some of the Ancients developed when they ascended (Oma Desala as well as Chaya for her punishment.) Sheppard even said that he wanted to see her even after knowing who and what she was and allowed himself to be shared with her, which would indicate how well he would know her.

Will Chaya/Athar and Proculus be revisited and will you be able to get back Leonor Varela as Chaya?

Another question I have is will the idea of Atlantis having a "ZPM Creation Device" be explored because obviously you can have Atlantis constantly being at like 10% energy and expect the show to grow. An idea I had was that they discover how to create ZPMs, and are able to, but this causes a similar situation in which it's a test to see if they can hold off the Wraith and others from "Condemned" with this newly found ZPM technology. (Kind of like the great attack on Atlantis when the Ancients lived there. Sure the shield could withstand the weapons but is there more to that than just keeping the shield up. (like having it so that like the replicators, the wraith are able to override the Atlantis computer and deactivate the energy-based IRIS. )

[MartinGero]

Hi!
First, I'd like to welcome you to the board (again! You must be getting kinda sick of it).
To the questions...

1) Do any of the other stars, writers, directors or producers visit or post on the Gateworld forum? If so, can you tell us what username they use?

2) Will we be seeing more of the Genii in Season 2, especially Kolya? (Kudos to Robert Davi and yourself; he's one of my favourite bad guys from both Atlantis and SG1)

3) Can you tell us more about the Atlantis season 2 episodes that you've written or been involved in? (e.g. The Siege pt III)

4) This one is a few questions in one. Here goes: Can you tell us which countries sent personnel on the Atlantis expedition? Were there more than one different military group, or just the US Marine Corps and some specialists? Were there more scientists and such on the Deadalus?

5) This one's been bugging me: Was Ford part of the SGC before the Atlantis expedition? 'Cause it never says on the show, but he seems to know more about the Stargate and SGC missions than others (e.g. Sheppard).

6) What kind of episode ideas are getting thrown around the production studios (or whatever) at the moment?

7) What processes do you go through to make an episode, from the story conception until it screens on TV? PLease use an example (I'm sorry if that sounds like a silly question, but I'm interested in that kinda stuff)

Thankyou for your time.

Yours in desecration,
The White Knight

1. Yes, we check in from time to time to see what the fans are talking about…Joe and I are the only ones that post (or are we?!)

2. Yep, more Genii on the way. I’m a big Kolya fan too, he’s a lot of fun to write.

3. So far I’ve written: “Siege: Part 3”, “Duet”, “Conversion” and I’m in the middle of writing the first part of the mid-season two-parter. There are already enough spoilers floating around about S:3 and Duet, so I won’t really go into them. As for “Conversion” let me say this…those pesky bugs from “38 Minutes” play a big role in this episode.

4. Atlantis is like the UN in space. We’ve got people from almost all the countries in the world…it’s just hard to pick up all the patches on the extras. The military is mostly US, yes.

5. Yeah, Ford was involved in the Stargate program before Atlantis…an early hint to that was when he was messing with Sheppard about it hurting to go through the puddle in “Rising”

6. Great ones.

7. Usually a writer will pitch an idea they’ve had. These can be wholly original or can come out of the fact that sometimes we need bridge episodes to connect episodes we already know we’re going to do. For instance, “The Brotherhood” came out of the fact that we needed to do a story about ZPM’s after “Before I Sleep”. So Brad told me to come up with some cool idea’s…maybe even one that could bring back the Genii. Once we have an idea that everyone doesn’t hate, the writer will do an outline, get notes, revise, get more notes, does a draft, gets even more notes, does a second draft, gets even more notes still…and then finally the show runner (Brad on Atlantis, Rob on SG-1) does a polish and we’re off to pre-production.