Season 5 News Articles (may contain spoilers)

[prion]

http://www.nbcumv.com/scifi/release_...39schoice.html

PEOPLE'S CHOICE WINNER 'STARGATE ATLANTIS' BEGINS PRODUCTION ON SEASON 5
Published: February 5, 2008

Robert Picardo To Join Cast
Show Will Hit 100th Episode This Season

SCI FI Channel's recent People's Choice Award winner, Stargate Atlantis, will begin production later this month on its fifth original season. The new 20-episode season will include the series' benchmark 100th episode. Produced and distributed by MGM Television, Stargate Atlantis is filmed in Vancouver, Canada.

As Atlantis speeds toward its centennial episode, the Stargate universe promises new and surprising developments. The status quo is shaken following the events of season 4 (currently airing on SCI FI, Friday nights at 10pm) – some cherished friends are lost, others are found. New alliances are forged while new races are introduced.

Robert Picardo, whom Stargate fans will recognize as International Oversight Committee rep "Richard Woolsey," joins the Stargate Atlantis cast this season as Woolsey assumes command of the Atlantis expedition. The team, led by Lt. Colonel Sheppard (Joe Flanigan), Dr. Rodney McKay (David Hewlett), Teyla (Rachel Luttrell), Ronon (Jason Momoa) and Dr. Jennifer Keller (Jewel Staite), must adjust to his unique leadership style.

Fan favorite Paul McGillion, will return for five episodes to reprise his role as the beloved "Dr. Carson Beckett." Amanda Tapping ("Colonel Samantha Carter"), who remains a fixture of the Stargate universe, will appear as a special guest star in several episodes this season and Stargate SG-1 star Michael Shanks ("Dr. Daniel Jackson") will appear as a special guest in episodes as well.

Stargate Atlantis follows the adventures of an intrepid team of military and civilian explorers who travel the distant Pegasus galaxy by means of a Stargate, a portal created long ago by a highly advanced alien civilization called the Ancients. In their never-ending quest to seek out other technologies left behind by the Ancients, the Atlantis team encounters alien cultures – some friend, some foe.

The series is executive produced by Brad Wright, Robert Cooper, Joseph Mallozzi, Paul Mullie, Carl Binder, and Martin Gero. Mallozzi and Mullie share the reins as showrunners.

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc., through its operating subsidiaries is actively engaged in the worldwide production and distribution of motion pictures, television programming, home video, interactive media, music, and licensed merchandise. The company owns the world's largest library of modern films, comprising around 4,100 titles. Operating units including Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc., United Artists Films Inc., Ventanazul, MGM Television Entertainment Inc., MGM Networks Inc., MGM Distribution Co., MGM International Television Distribution Inc., Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Home Entertainment LLC, MGM ON STAGE, MGM Music, MGM Consumer Products and MGM Interactive. In addition, MGM has ownership interests in international TV channels reaching approximately 120 countries and territories around the world. MGM ownership is currently as follows: Providence Equity Partners (29%), Texas Pacific Group (21%), Sony Corporation of America (20%), Comcast (20%), DLJ Merchant Banking Partners (7%) and Quadrangle Group (3%). For more information, visit www.mgmchannel.com

SCI FI Channel is a television network where "what if" is what's on. SCI FI fuels the imagination of viewers with original series and events, blockbuster movies and classic science fiction and fantasy programming, as well as a dynamic Web site (www.scifi.com <http://www.scifi.com>) and magazine. Launched in 1992, and currently in 93 million homes, SCI FI Channel is a network of NBC Universal, one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies.

Discussion thread for this press release at
http://forum.gateworld.net/showthread.php?t=51093

There are more articles on this in the press, but all are nothing more than reworks of the above press release so far.

[prion]

This reporter has always been good to Stargate

http://www.multichannel.com/blog/130...520021352.html

SCI FI Announces Major Cast Changes for Stargate Atlantis Season 5
February 5, 2008

Excerpt:

As Stargate Atlantis begins production on its fifth season later this month, SCI FI Channel just announced major cast changes.

Amanda Tapping leaves the show to star in her own production, the on-line series Sanctuary recently picked-up for broadcast by SCI FI.

………………..

And here's some news that will have quite a few fans squeeing. Per the press release: "Fan favorite Paul McGillion, will return for five episodes to reprise his role as the beloved 'Dr. Carson Beckett.'" Yeessssssss!

Fans campaigned hard for his reinstatement. (Click here for their website, savecarsonbeckett.com.) Of course, we'd like to see more of Paul but thank you SCI FI and producers for paying attention to the fans.

Amanda Tapping ("Colonel Samantha Carter") will guest in several episodes and, states the press release, "Stargate SG-1 star Michael Shanks ("Dr. Daniel Jackson") will appear as a special guest in episodes as well."

So, Daniel comes to Atlantis. Finally! This topped the wish list of many Stargate fans. And that's "episodes" with an "s." (This Shanks fan hang-out, Michael Shanks On-Line, is now his official website.)

It certainly looks like SCI FI is reading the fannish tea leaves and casting accordingly.

The Atlantis production is not encumbered by the writers' strike. The series is shot in Vancouver and the writers and hyphenate producers are reportedly members of the WGC (Writers Guild of Canada) and not the WGA. (A report on the topic can be found here on another Stargate fansite called Solutions.)
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REST AT LINK ABOVE

[prion]

http://featuresblogs.chicagotribune....s-your-fa.html

Originally posted: February 8, 2008

When is your favorite show coming back? Check out the list below

If the Hollywood writers' strike isn't over by the time you read this, the odds are it will be history soon.

Excerpt:

Sci Fi

“Battlestar Galactica” returns in early April with the first 10 episodes of its 20-episode final season. Once the strike ends, Sci Fi hopes to begin shooting the last 10 episodes as soon as possible.

“Doctor Who’s” fourth season will begin airing in April.

The “Doctor Who” spinoff “The Sarah Jane Adventures” will debut in April.
“Eureka” will return, but no date has been set.

“Stargate Atlantis” is airing Season 4 episodes. Production begins Feb. 19 on Season 5, but no return date has been set.

A new series, “Sanctuary” (which began as an online show), goes into production in March and will debut in the summer or fall.

FULL ARTICLE AT URL ABOVE