GateWorld Podcast Feedback!

[Dimbo_Sama]

I'd like to add to this thread that "The Shrine" is easily the best episode of TV I've seen since the Dr. Who Episode "Midnight"

David Hewlett did an amazing portrayal of someone suffering from alsthimers and even the "childhood" aspect of "Second Childhood"

I was literally in tears watching it and I haven't cried that much since the last episode of Babylon 5. It's clearly been cut off before it's pride and I hope the rest of this year is filled with episodes of equal calibre.

[stargatelvr]

I'm sorry to report that Kate Hewlett won't be able to join us for this week's podcast. We will catch up with her later for an interview, I hope.

So this week's discussion of "The Shrine" will be yours truly and Mr. David Hewlett!

Awwww... Darn it. Oh well. At least David's still coming!

[timtheomniscient]

Big thumbs up from the UK! thanks so much for making this podcast. have been waiting for ages for a stargate podcast. ive recently had to start doing temp work so i can afford my teacher training and im telling you, this podcast is really helping me through it. i love the detail your going into as its exactly the kind of conversations i have with my brother. keep up the good work and i cant wait for the next one.
all the best
tim

[WolfenM]

Mega bummer about Kate! I wish her well!

David H, you and Kate did an amazing job on "The Shrine"!!! The sequence in John's room/on the pier was absolutely wonderful -- it's now my favourite in the entire franchise! *HUGS* to you re: the cancellation!!

[Pegasus_SGA]

Episode #7 is now available!

It's "Ghost In the Machine" on this week's episode of the GateWorld Podcast! We've been looking forward to this one for months now, and the episode certainly does not disappoint. What did we think of Michelle Morgan's performance? Should the Replicators come back? Would this have been a better episode with Torri Higginson?

Also this week:

Preview! Get an exclusive peek at this week's new interview with David Nykl ("Radek Zelenka")

Listener Mail! Listeners tell us what they think about the Replicators, and if they've been over-done.

Listener Question: What makes Rodney McKay a great character? Is it his brilliant mind? His complete lack of tact? His vulnerability? Tell us why you like McKay, and don't miss "The Shrine" this Friday on SCI FI.

CALL US! You can call the hotline and leave us a voicemail any time, day or night. Tell us what you thought of the newest Atlantis episode, answer the weekly listener question, leave feedback on the podcast itself, or talk about anything you want.

Dial: 616-712-1647 (long distance rates apply)


Thanks again to everyone for listening and contributing!

I'm a bit late to the pod people world.

Darren, will there be anything set up for the international fans to make a contribution on the phone lines? Becasue let's face it, I always love to hear the sound of my own voice, and it would be interesting to hear the differing views of varying nations.

Also, is it possible to give a closing date on Listeners questions? Or did I miss that?

[Darren]

Listener Question responses generally need to be in by Sunday afternoon, written or voice mail. (If you have some feedback that isn't directly answering the listener question, it can come in any time and we might use it in a future show.)

Of course listeners in other countries can call the U.S. hotline, if you're willing to pay the phone charges. We're also considering a Skype voicemail box, but we get a small enough amont of voicemail right now that we're not quite ready to spend the extra money every month.

You can certainly record a message on your PC and just e-mail it to webmaster -at- gateworld.net!

[Pegasus_SGA]

Thanks Darren, that plugs the gaps for me. I've really enjoyed what i've heard so far.

[Darren]

Episode #8 is now available!

Special guest David Hewlett is on the GateWorld Podcast! The actor plays Rodney McKay on Stargate Atlantis, so who better to join us for our discussion of last Friday's episode "The Shrine." We chat about what we think made this week's episode one of the show's very best, and David gives us his unique insight into its filming.

It's also a bombshell week in Stargate news, with MGM and SCI FI announcing the end of Stargate Atlantis and the green light for the third series, Stargate Universe. Don't miss our special podcast next week where we will talk in-depth about the end of Atlantis, the start of Universe, and the current state of our favorite franchise.

Also this week:

Preview! Get an exclusive peek at our upcoming interview with David Hewlett, who spoke to us at length about the show's cancellation

Listener Mail! Listeners tell us why they think Rodney is such a great character. Also, fans sound off on the cancellation of Atlantis.

Listener Question: How do you feel about the cancellation of Stargate Atlantis, the decision to continue with TV movies, and the announcement of Stargate Universe?

CALL US! You can call the hotline and leave us a voicemail any time, day or night. Tell us what you thought of the newest Atlantis episode, answer the weekly listener question, leave feedback on the podcast itself, or talk about anything you want.

Dial: 616-712-1647 (long distance rates apply)


Thanks to everyone for listening and contributing!

[TameFarrar]

Just want to say I completely enjoyed this last podcast with David Hewlett.

I look forward to next weeks as well. Even when there is not an episode discussion, you are finding some very interesting topics and it is time I am really enjoying spending overall

Thanks for keeping up the great work

[Dimbo_Sama]

Can't wait to hear the interview with David.

Loved hearing his view on the Shrine too. always cool to see what one of the actors thinks of the show especially when the DVD commentary is usually the Writers and Directors

[Sparky13]

My response to this week's listener question: I am, of course, unhappy that Stargate Atlantis has been cancelled! If the franchise could produce two SG-1 and two Atlantis movies a year, that might take the sting out a bit, but I don't believe that they will be that prolific considering that a new series in the works. Many people have commented negatively about Stargate Universe being directed at a younger audience. Trying to reach that demographic isn't necessarily a bad thing. "Supernatural" targets younger viewers and many Stargate fans are fond of that show, as well. (Not me, though.) The biggest turn-off to watching Stargate Universe will be the threat that I might end up liking it or even loving it (like I do Atlantis) and then having it cancelled, as well.

By the way, Darren, you have such a calm, quiet voice! When I get home from a difficult day at work, I relax by listening to podcasts and your soothing words.

[perkin127]

Listener Question: How do you feel about the cancellation of Stargate Atlantis, the decision to continue with TV movies, and the announcement of Stargate Universe?

I could not beleive what i was reading when i heard that atlantis as cancelled esp as season 5 is so far the best season ever, i know that people are saying it doesnt matter as there are going to be movies, but i think Atlantis deserves more than that, in a movie you dont get a seasons worth of character development which is one of the things Atlantis does so well, all you've got is a slightly longer episode, true it may have more special effects and a bigger budget but thats not all that makes Atlantis, and i have to admit as much as i liked the sg1 movies, i would rather have had another season any day i prob wont rewatch the movies, but i love rewatching old episodes. Also i will miss waiting eagerly every week for a new episode, with Atlantis only having a movie, thats an awful long wait for only 2 hours of stargate joy! Which brings me to universe, i am extremley interested in what its going to be, i think they should have some already established characters so it feels like part of the stargate universe, and i hope its not dumbed down too much as i've heard its supposed to be for a 'younger audience" whats wrong with the huge loyal fanbase Stargate already has? Its not as if sg1 or atlantis were R rated! Phew got that of my chest....

Save The Lost City! (We're not losing it without a fight!)

http://save-thelostcity.com/?p=282

http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/SaveSGA

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=23700834411

http://savetherlostcityofatlantis.bravehost.com/

[Pegasus_SGA]

Great interview. Adored The Shrine.

Listener Question: How do you feel about the cancellation of Stargate Atlantis, the decision to continue with TV movies, and the announcement of Stargate Universe?

To be honest, I'm not happy with the decision. It makes no business sense at all. Here you have essentially 2 products. The initial project that started out on Show time before moving over to the SciFi channel. Each year there was an uncertainty of whether it was going to be picked up, or if the 'numbers' were going to come up to scratch. However, it did well. So well in fact, that with the mythology, it spawned a second series. Business was looking good. But smartly, they didn't cancel one show for another. That would have been bad business, putting an untried and untested TV programme out on it's own based on just 'loyalty' and based viewing habits. Smartly they run the two concurrently. They tested the water with SGA, saw how the fanbase reacted, watched it grow into it's own, before it was able to sustain itself.

Then, they stopped producing the first one, i'm not sure why to this day to be honest. Had it run its course? Were the fans not responding as they once did, were they too overworked with running two shows? The fans will never really know what happened behind the closed doors.

With that said, given that they had tried and tested SGA alongside SG1, they were able to judge the market on the new show, SGA, and obviously decided it could hold its own. It was performing well, sometimes better than the original product, SG1. It was working, and the fans seemed to accept it. The fact that the two series were running side by side helped, it was a gentle transition between SGA taking over from its sister show. There was a period of adjustment. No doubt it was hard work behind the scenes producing 40 episodes without additional staff, some of the quality suffered, but overall the fans continued to watch and enjoy the characters and the mythology SGA produced.

Through the turbulence with changes in cast, the fans became unsettled, the watching habits changed, but the numbers were still there and from all accounts increasing. But how I see it is there were rumblings behind the scenes as the show preceded into its 4th season. You didn't know what was going on, but something 'felt' different. Then little seeds sprouted and a new show was mentioned. SGU!! Soon there was talk from the Executive Producers about the 'new show' and their new creation, but that they couldn't go through what they did before in dealing with 2 shows, 40 episodes a year, understandably. However, it put seeds of doubt and concerns in my own mind. I don't know, nor can I speak for other fans. Then there was talk about 'making things right, this time'. So from that point on, I honestly started thinking that S5 was going to be the last, and instinctively I knew they'd cancel SGA in favour of their new brand new and enhanced product SGU. The cancellation itself didn't take me by surprise because those concerns I had were still increasing, particularly once word was out, and interviews regarding SGU came to light along with basic details of SGU. Nevertheless, I was not so annoyed with a new show being created, but that essentially SGA was being replaced.

One day SGA is being canceled, then the next day SGU is greenlit to take over. It has to be said, that business decisions and contract negotiations on this sort of scale, when you're talking about millions of dollars worth of financing don't happen that fast in the real world. I'm not saying all parties were aware that SGA was going to be canceled, i'm simply saying that it wasn't decided overnight. I'm sure there were months of consultation involved in deciding the fate of SGA and bringing SGU on board, however to infer that SGA is being canceled because its a victim of its own success is quite frankly an insult to our intelligence. Again it doesn't make any business sense at all.

Now, I'm not in the TV industry, never have been. However, i've been involved in Treaty negotiations/Contract negotiations for a long time, and essentially when you have 3 parties involved, it makes things doubly difficult to come to an agreement between all concerning parties, particularly as each of them will have their own agenda's and what they want to achieve. You don't go into a meeting and say, "Right SGA is no longer, we'll have movies, so that's it, SGA is finished after S5. And we have to fill its shoes, we have this all singing all dancing SGU that will bring in millions of viewers. So it's a go then. end of discussion."

It doesn't happen like that, no negotiations happen in that manner. It takes months of discussions, bartering before a consensus is finally agreed upon.

Given the unstable nature of the TV industry, with a number of Pilot's not even reaching the end of the first season. It's incomprehensible why they would chose this method of delivery. It seems like TPTB are relying on the fans loyalty in watching the new show. But what they may not realize is, that the relationship with SG1 and SGA had been built up slowly, people had adjusted and accepted certain things.

Now to forget all that took place and to replace a show that has been built up over time and was introduced gently into the mainstream is to be quite frank a bit irresponsible. SGA's ratings are good, the popularity is still there, they've hit the magic 100 and show all the signs that they can continue for a while longer, but it's canceled in spite of those things. "A victim of its own success!" Wasn't this, the same wording that was used when Carter was 'replaced'? A bit of foreshadowing maybe?

The show is given the boot (in essence) for an untested show, that may or may not succeed. It's being marketed towards a 'younger' audience, it's going to be 'darker' and 'edgier' with and emphasis on 'characterization'.

Great!! Fantastic, i'm all for that, but why not do that with an established show that has the audience there already. Fans love the characters, and character elements as seen in The Shrine, it's a win/win all round. So instead of producing a show where there's no guarantee's that they'd get their money back on it. Why not enhance an established show, which has the scope and ability to encompass all those 'elements', but one that already has an established audience ready and wanting more?

If I was in business for myself, and I had my main product, but wanted to branch out. Would it be a smart business decision for me to essentially spend millions of dollars on a brand shiny and new untested, untried product and market it? Would the bank think it was a wise course of action? They'd laugh in my face and tell me to get a reality check. They'd tell me to trial it alongside the brand that was doing well in all the major areas, and see how people liked it. So how is this any different? There are no guarantees with SGU as there are with SGA. So, i'm not saying don't make the series, i'm saying test the waters, make sure that there is an 'audience' for that product, trial it and see how well it does. If it sinks, you've got your answer. If it exceeds your expectations and outperforms the original product, but many people still want the original, then go for 'specials' but you ultimately have your answer.

Oh goodness I really am longwinded. Sorry Darren that was probably more of a rant than what I was feeling. I guess i'm just very confused as to what the reasonings behind it are. No, i'll probably never know, but it would be nice to have a bit of honesty.

[Darren]

Wow! That may not all make it on the air.

But thanks!

[Pegasus_SGA]

Wow! That may not all make it on the air.

But thanks!

That was me being succinct to. One day i'll learn to curb my.... enthusiasm. But that day is not any time in the near future.