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About Stargate Atlantis?
Let's get this straight: I'm feeling rather bad about making this admission. The attitude of many people who used to watch Stargate seems to be that if you like Atlantis anymore, you need to have your head checked.
I seem to be one of the increasingly few people on my f-list who are enjoying the show more in the last couple of seasons rather than less.
I like that they're doing stuff with Teyla and Ronon (stereotypical stuff, yes, unexpected leaps of technical ability, yes, but I'd rather have that than the dead silence of Seasons 2 & 3 regarding anything and anyone in Pegasus who couldn't make something go boom). I don't have axes to grind about the comings and goings of actors on the show - or, if I do, I'm not going to grind them. I used to like Joe Mallozzi back in the S5-S6 days of SG1, although I think intarwebs blogging fame has gone to his head. I don't think Atlantis is The Best Show Evah or that it's Brilliantly Original Writing or that it's A Good Example Of Women In Sci-Fi.
However, it is my central fandom - primarily because the characters have me by the scruff of the neck as far as my writing goes.
There are certainly things that could and should be done better. There are choices they could have made that would have opened up options, leading to a broader variety of stories and less "SG1 repackaged". And would be done better if they'd get new writers in and have the 'old writers' stick to producing or directing the franchise, rather than trying to give depth and dimension to characters who, until now, have been apostrophised as 'background'.
But this is the Stargate franchise. I expect certain things of it - just as I expect certain things of Bones, or BSG, or Dr. Who, or Torchwood, or Dexter. (I really have to start watching Blood Ties and get my hands on Eureka, too.) There are some things I don't and will never expect of Stargate Atlantis. It would be nice to get them, but I'm not holding my breath.
Ultimately, though, my expectations of Stargate Atlantis are being largely met, and lately even exceeded by the writers as far as the show goes.
As far as the show could go, they fall far short of the mark. As in, they're not even getting a passing grade when it comes to what Atlantis could be. On the other hand, I don't feel I can expect skilled character stories from people whose ability lies mostly in making things go boom - anymore than I'd expect anyone on my f-list to be able give me an explanation of how the SAP HR Interface Toolbox works.
I suppose this is one of the moments where My Friends Aren't Watching The Same Show As Me, And That's Okay. It just feels very NotOkay given the apparent tide of disgruntlement with the show this season and last.
No, Stargate Atlantis is far from perfect. But Joss Whedon has Skeevy Issues With Hispanics In California, and Ron Moore has An Obsession With Kara/Lee Angst.
I have issues with Capitalising Concepts That I Want To Emphasise.
Ultimately, Stargate Atlantis isn't the show I think it could be. But right now, that's not an issue for me the way it is for a lot of other people - many of whom are still bitter about Elizabeth or Carson or Sam or no-John-character-development.
I guess, mostly, I'm wondering if there are other people who feel this way? People who like the show, but they feel a little ashamed of liking it because so few of their friends do anymore?
--
I was invited to partake of the "five freebie celebrities" meme.
Except that I wouldn't have sex, no questions asked, with anyone. No, not even with the hottest of hot guys or girls. I simply wouldn't.
(Sorry,![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
saeva!)
Let's get this straight: I'm feeling rather bad about making this admission. The attitude of many people who used to watch Stargate seems to be that if you like Atlantis anymore, you need to have your head checked.
I seem to be one of the increasingly few people on my f-list who are enjoying the show more in the last couple of seasons rather than less.
I like that they're doing stuff with Teyla and Ronon (stereotypical stuff, yes, unexpected leaps of technical ability, yes, but I'd rather have that than the dead silence of Seasons 2 & 3 regarding anything and anyone in Pegasus who couldn't make something go boom). I don't have axes to grind about the comings and goings of actors on the show - or, if I do, I'm not going to grind them. I used to like Joe Mallozzi back in the S5-S6 days of SG1, although I think intarwebs blogging fame has gone to his head. I don't think Atlantis is The Best Show Evah or that it's Brilliantly Original Writing or that it's A Good Example Of Women In Sci-Fi.
However, it is my central fandom - primarily because the characters have me by the scruff of the neck as far as my writing goes.
There are certainly things that could and should be done better. There are choices they could have made that would have opened up options, leading to a broader variety of stories and less "SG1 repackaged". And would be done better if they'd get new writers in and have the 'old writers' stick to producing or directing the franchise, rather than trying to give depth and dimension to characters who, until now, have been apostrophised as 'background'.
But this is the Stargate franchise. I expect certain things of it - just as I expect certain things of Bones, or BSG, or Dr. Who, or Torchwood, or Dexter. (I really have to start watching Blood Ties and get my hands on Eureka, too.) There are some things I don't and will never expect of Stargate Atlantis. It would be nice to get them, but I'm not holding my breath.
Ultimately, though, my expectations of Stargate Atlantis are being largely met, and lately even exceeded by the writers as far as the show goes.
As far as the show could go, they fall far short of the mark. As in, they're not even getting a passing grade when it comes to what Atlantis could be. On the other hand, I don't feel I can expect skilled character stories from people whose ability lies mostly in making things go boom - anymore than I'd expect anyone on my f-list to be able give me an explanation of how the SAP HR Interface Toolbox works.
I suppose this is one of the moments where My Friends Aren't Watching The Same Show As Me, And That's Okay. It just feels very NotOkay given the apparent tide of disgruntlement with the show this season and last.
No, Stargate Atlantis is far from perfect. But Joss Whedon has Skeevy Issues With Hispanics In California, and Ron Moore has An Obsession With Kara/Lee Angst.
I have issues with Capitalising Concepts That I Want To Emphasise.
Ultimately, Stargate Atlantis isn't the show I think it could be. But right now, that's not an issue for me the way it is for a lot of other people - many of whom are still bitter about Elizabeth or Carson or Sam or no-John-character-development.
I guess, mostly, I'm wondering if there are other people who feel this way? People who like the show, but they feel a little ashamed of liking it because so few of their friends do anymore?
--
I was invited to partake of the "five freebie celebrities" meme.
Except that I wouldn't have sex, no questions asked, with anyone. No, not even with the hottest of hot guys or girls. I simply wouldn't.
(Sorry,
saeva!)
no subject
Also, I actually agree with you on not wanting to sleep with these guys. However, I would love to watch them go bowling. Maybe SGA1 versus Lorne and Radek + some others. It would be so SWEET.
for some reason, I seem to equate bowling as the best time these guys could have short of missions. too bad they haven't figured that out yet.
no subject
Precisely!
It's entirely possible that the fact that my favourite character is Teyla, who's had a bum deal all the way through S1-S3 (and didn't get so crash a deal in S4, either), has made me very lenient on TPTB. I'm used to the idea that my favourite character isn't going to get the kind of character development that I want to see, and IMO, anything is better than the nothing I've had to deal with for the past four seasons - opportunities missed and missed and missed...
for some reason, I seem to equate bowling as the best time these guys could have short of missions.
LOL. I have to say 'bowling' is not the first thing that comes to mind when I think of 'fun'. :)
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I'm kinda over that by this point; I figure that if it bothers someone that much to see me squeeing and being happy over the things that make me happy in my own journal, they can just go elsewhere. I do try to ... well, spread my squee around, and be happy for people getting what they want from the show even if it's not what I want. I'm not especially thrilled about Carson being back, for example, and I feel a little resentful of him for taking screen time from other characters that I'd much *rather* have in his scenes. But I'm trying very hard not to reflect that when I write about the show, because the Paul McGillion fen are undoubtedly happy to have him back and I certainly don't want to take out my own feelings on them. Or, Teyla naming the baby after John -- not a decision that I'm personally all that pleased with, but I'm very happy for John and John/Teyla fen who got a nice moment. Since I know that I have a range of fen who read my journal, from shippers of different ships to gen people, I do try to enjoy the nice things the show gives *me* while not treading on other people for getting their nice things as well.
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I guess the last time I was in a 'golden age of Stargate' where everything was wonderful and exciting and fluffy bunnies and silver unicorns was back in late Season Five, early Season Six of Stargate SG1, when I was bright shiny new to the fandom.
These days, I'm a lot more cynical, a lot more familiar with fans and fannishness, and a lot less inclined to expect the world view of either TPTB or broader fandom to come anywhere close to mine. Which is probably why I take squee where I get it.
Honestly, there's been more squee for me in the last four episodes than I've had in a while. Maybe it's not the way I'd have done it, but for the Stargate PTB, it's positively revolutionary.
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I TOTALLY DO! *geekgasm* After every episode this season so far I've been all THIS IS THE BEST SHOW EVER!!!!ELEVENTY!!!!
...okay, so what I studied in college was Literature. I got to college and I thought, hey, I love to read, I should pick a field of study where I get to read and talk about books all the time! One thing I learned was that great literature did not always = stuff I absolutely love to read. During that same period of time I was dragged to all kinds of critically acclaimed movies during independent movie festivals, and I discovered that Great Movies do not always = movies I love.
I spent a lot of time feeling kind of lame about that. But I got over it. Mostly because many Great Movies and Great Books either bore me or make me cry, and life is too short to make myself do either of those things, right?
I really don't give a fuck if something isn't the Best Written Show Ever. I really don't give a fuck if people think I need to have my head checked for loving some show or another. There are a few cartoons I really love, and my sister spent all freaking week rolling her eyes at me about it and telling me I need a better hobby because I could answer all of the kids' questions about Batman. If I'd been in as bad a mood then as I am now I probably would have said something along the lines of, 'do you only watch shows sanctioned by the Socially Accepted Acting-Your-Age Pseudo-Intellectual Policing Society? Or do you just follow the fads obsessively? Or do you actually decide for yourself what you like and just sort of go with it like you are in fact allowed to do?'
*goes on random cussing streak off-stage*
Ahem. Okay. Sorry.
But seriously. If someone asks me if Stargate Atlantis is the Best Show Ever, I know they probably want to know if I think the writers deserve Emmys or if I think it hits every perfect mark on every existing issue; and no, I don't think any of those things. But I also kind of don't care. I DO think it's the Best Show Ever in terms of the amount of YAY!!! I get from it, and when it does do writerly or issue-y things right that's like an extra extra huge burst of yay which is pretty awesome. And frankly, that's all that matters, to me anyway, right now, while I'm enjoying it.
(Tangent: what is that called? The term has totally escaped me. Isn't there a term for people who live in the moment? Not that I do that in general, but that pretty much described my approach to entertainment...)
I guess, mostly, I'm wondering if there are other people who feel this way? People who like the show, but they feel a little ashamed of liking it because so few of their friends do anymore?
...kind of, ish? I don't necessarily feel ashamed, but it is a bit of a bummer to not be able to share the joy with people I've been used to sharing the joy with. Particularly when a lot of those people are defecting to Supernatural, which I have recently defected away from. *headdesk*
Except that I wouldn't have sex, no questions asked, with anyone.
I wouldn't either, in real life, but I like that meme as a sort of 'in a fantasy world, who would I...' thing. Like, if I answered John Sheppard, I would not be thinking along the lines of, if I bumped into John Sheppard on the street tomorrow and he propositioned me I'd totally tap that. I'd be thinking along the lines of, if I had been Larrin and I'd been necking with John Sheppard after narrowly escaping death by Wraith, I could have thought of better things to do with him than shoot him with a stunner, for God's sake.
I'M RAMBLING AT YOU. I'M SORRY. GAH.
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Ditto. I'm totally entertained by the show, and I like season 5 so far. Seems like they've been taking more time with the character moments and giving the minor characters a bit more screen time, which is cool.
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They are!
Although I guess there's a bit of a trade-off here. The character moments are coming at the cost of 'bridging scenes' that show more about what's happening in the plot. The Daedelus Variations wasn't so bad about this, but the first three episodes had a lot of "this is what's been happening in the meantime" infodumps.
Still, I have been enjoying S5 thus far. I'm waiting for the first 'big clunker' of an ep to turn up: something that leaves me cold.
no subject
This.
There was a bit of an outburst against TPTB in Season Four. The fans in question got stuck on the idea that Teyla being pregnant was 'lesser'. Any encouragement she offered, any emotional support, any knowledge or diplomatic skill she presented didn't count; she was pregnant and, if you listened to the rhetoric, you could be forgiven for thinking that being pregnant meant she was no longer a strong female character.
it is a bit of a bummer to not be able to share the joy with people I've been used to sharing the joy with.
Yes. That's probably the hardest thing: to have people who you used to squee with just vanish. :(
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I don't watch Stargate Atlantis because it's churning out brilliant, Emmy-worthy stories or because it looks at theories of existentialism in a new light or any such crap. I watch it because it's entertaining. I watch it because it makes me laugh or cry or cringe or yell at the TV. It does what a television show is supposed to do - it makes me believe for an hour that ridiculously attractive people can have all manner of adventures several galaxies away. As long as it continues to do so, it will be holding up it's end of the bargain and I will continue watching.
From time to time things happen (characters die or plots change) that I don't love, but I'm a big girl. I can deal quite healthily with my disappointment. If I don't like the direction of the show, I will stop watching, but trying to ruin (consciously or unconsciously) someone else's enjoyment of the show is unnecessary and petty. (Perhaps a little strong, but it's one of my fandom pet peeves.) Besides, I think one of the worst things TPTB could do would be trying to make the show all things for all people. I think the sooner people realize that, the happier they would be.
Of course, there's no reasoning with fandom. ;)
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But...but...but...TPTB ARE TALKING SPECIFICALLY TO MEEEEE WHEN THEY WRITE THE SHOW!!! I AM THE ONLY FAN WHO COUNTS!
:)
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I enjoyed last season and I'm liking what I've seen so far of this season, even if the Rodney pulls a rabit out his hat again and again is over used, imo. But I realize that it's just my opinion and I'm sure there are peeps out there who LOVE that he does.
Stargate is fun, that's all it is to me anymore. The show will never be all things to all fan, thankfully. And honestly the best thing about Stargate, imo, is the friends I've made through it. So I've come to accept that I'll never get closure on the things I want and that's okay because there is fan fic and there are many times when I enjoy the fic more than the show itself. And I'm much happier now that I don't expect things from the show.
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Apparently, I am either a secret masochist or I subconsciously look to be enraged because it breaks up the monotony of my day. I haven't figured out which. But whatever the reason, I keep going back to TWoP. I never learn. Even after I was utterly enraged by the Medium thread where people who claim to be adults were calling the 8-year-old actress who plays the middle daughter ugly and calling her names like Chipmunk Cheeks and Sausage Girl and talking about hitting her. This is the little girl in question. (http://www.tvguide.com/images/pgimg/maria-lark03.jpg)
Um, anyway. Today I made the mistake of going back and checking out the Atlantis thread. Wall-to-wall bitching about the latest ep. One person was like, "Oh, another supid ep where Rodney saves the day with science." I was wondering just what the hell they were expecting. Like maybe this time Jack Bauer was going to be the one to save the day by beating up
brown peopleterrorists? I replied: "Yes, this was another episode where Rodney freaks out and works some Science Magic. When I tune in, I expect to see that, just like when I watch Dead Like Me I expect to hear George's angsty/funny voiceovers and watch her collect someone's soul. Thats what those characters do and it's part of the fabric of the shows. I don't see the problem."It's gotten to the point where I just really don't want to talk about anything I don't like. When I complain about something on this show, it comes from a place of love, which I don't think is the case with most of the people in the places I know about. Mostly, my comments just end up basically being "FUCK YOU, I LIKED IT!" Anymore, the only place where I have discussions of any real substance is here (so thanks for that!)
I agree with everyone who's said that their love for the show is based on the amount of pleasure they get from it, not the level of technical excellence in the writing or whatever. I came to the conclusion years ago that my love for books or shows comes as much from their potential as from their execution. Take the example of the show The Tribe (http://www.youtube.com/user/amber1fire). So, so bad in execution. Awful writing, awful acting, non-special non-effects, the whole bit. I LOVED THAT SHOW. Why? Because when I was a kid, I read this book called "The Girl Who Owned A City" about this virus that killed off all the adults and this girl ends up living with a bunch of other kids in their old school. I was like "A school? Fuck that! I'd live in a mall!" and I used to have really elaborate fantasies about an adults-only apocalypse, after which I'd live this totally awesome life in a mall. Then this show came along about adults dying from a virus and a bunch of kids ending up living in a mall!! Plus, it had a lot of characters that I ended up caring a lot about. So the characters and the concept were fabulous, if not the execution.
Atlantis is sort of the same. Now, the execution of the show is lightyears away in terms of quality, but I still like it for much the same reasons. The concept is fantastic and I love the characters. I enjoy it for what it is and I look to fanfic for what it isn't. When the show actually lives up to its potential in some small way, that just makes it extra awesome!
So to summarize for those of you who couldn't sift through my insane ramblings:
Concept good. Characters good. Execution enjoyable for what it is. Fuck the haters. Yay show!
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But it is more difficult to enthuse when you know that quite a few people reading are vehemently anti- what you've just enthused about.
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Am I making any sense? I honestly don't know if I'm making sense right now. Turns out my original diagnosis for my disability is wrong (or perhaps just partly wrong, depending on who you ask) and although I've spent $500+ on new doctors, I still don't have a diagnosis. But I do have a shiny new perscription for pain killers. I hate, hate, hate taking stuff like that, but I was in agony today (the underlying condition is probably not being helped by all this typing I'm doing tonight, but oh well), so I had to take some.
Turns out, it makes me pass out for 5 hours, then makes me into a babbling idiot. I am so sorry. Maybe I should just go to bed. Again.
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I perfectly understand your rage. Sometimes I think that we sneer at that which we do not like merely to feel superior.
Scratch that; I know we sneer at what we don't like just so we can feel 'better' than someone else.
And, honestly, don't be sorry. Rambling is fine - and you're doing pretty well for being hopped up on painkillers and down on sleep.
no subject
I liked a lot of stuff last season. Ronon is my favorite character (John second) and there was a lot of Ronon-ness last season, which is continuing this season, yay.
But then came the Michael/Teyla/baby storyline of DOOM and OMG it just went on forever and I was like shut up, shut up, shut up, I am so over this! Which is why it was so hard to make myself watch the premiere; I knew it would just be more of that storyline and I was sick to death of it.
But now it's over and I've really liked the other eps a lot, so I'm kind of excited about the show again.
no subject
Still, I am glad that they haven't pursued it this season as yet. Right now, I want my team and a non-dismissive treatment of Teyla as a mother and I've been getting them both, in reasonable measure.
For the moment, I'm a happy fan. This will doubtless change as is the nature of the show: to expect an entire season of episodes that are 'better than I expect' is unreasonable in Stargate Atlantis.
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Eureka? You should watch it. Although it utilizes Doctor Who science
Example:
Real scientists: You can't do that!
Eureka writers: Pfft! Let's do it anyway! We can hide that it doesn't make sense with high speed technobabble that no one understands.
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And Dr. Who science doesn't bother me. I've watched the Stargates for 8 years. Reversing the polarity of the subspace couplings is familiar terminology to me!
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It's hard to get used to that after several years previously being very much in tune while watching Stargate SG1.
And yes, I quite agree: it has its good moments and its bad like any other show. It just seems to be getting a lot of slamming from the people who used to watch it.
Maybe this is just "Stargate syndrome" - SG1 had the same problem in Season 4 & 5 with people who wanted "the old Stargate SG1 back" and complained of the new.
Me? I rather liked the "new directions" in SG1 S4. So maybe there's hope for me in SGA yet!
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On the other hand I didn't know if you were aware that JM confirmed one of your thoughts about the Tegan/Torren.
DownUnder writes: “As Teyla introduced herself in season 1 as “Teyla Emmagan, daughter of Tegan” I assumed Tagan was her father’s name…. so how is Torren named after Tagan?”
Answer: Of course she could have been referring to her mother.
Didn't know if you had read this!
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(Of course, it's almost certainly retconning, but...we take what we can get...)
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Also, I actually agree with you on not wanting to sleep with these guys. However, I would love to watch them go bowling. Maybe SGA1 versus Lorne and Radek + some others. It would be so SWEET.
for some reason, I seem to equate bowling as the best time these guys could have short of missions. too bad they haven't figured that out yet.
no subject
Precisely!
It's entirely possible that the fact that my favourite character is Teyla, who's had a bum deal all the way through S1-S3 (and didn't get so crash a deal in S4, either), has made me very lenient on TPTB. I'm used to the idea that my favourite character isn't going to get the kind of character development that I want to see, and IMO, anything is better than the nothing I've had to deal with for the past four seasons - opportunities missed and missed and missed...
for some reason, I seem to equate bowling as the best time these guys could have short of missions.
LOL. I have to say 'bowling' is not the first thing that comes to mind when I think of 'fun'. :)
no subject
I'm kinda over that by this point; I figure that if it bothers someone that much to see me squeeing and being happy over the things that make me happy in my own journal, they can just go elsewhere. I do try to ... well, spread my squee around, and be happy for people getting what they want from the show even if it's not what I want. I'm not especially thrilled about Carson being back, for example, and I feel a little resentful of him for taking screen time from other characters that I'd much *rather* have in his scenes. But I'm trying very hard not to reflect that when I write about the show, because the Paul McGillion fen are undoubtedly happy to have him back and I certainly don't want to take out my own feelings on them. Or, Teyla naming the baby after John -- not a decision that I'm personally all that pleased with, but I'm very happy for John and John/Teyla fen who got a nice moment. Since I know that I have a range of fen who read my journal, from shippers of different ships to gen people, I do try to enjoy the nice things the show gives *me* while not treading on other people for getting their nice things as well.
no subject
I guess the last time I was in a 'golden age of Stargate' where everything was wonderful and exciting and fluffy bunnies and silver unicorns was back in late Season Five, early Season Six of Stargate SG1, when I was bright shiny new to the fandom.
These days, I'm a lot more cynical, a lot more familiar with fans and fannishness, and a lot less inclined to expect the world view of either TPTB or broader fandom to come anywhere close to mine. Which is probably why I take squee where I get it.
Honestly, there's been more squee for me in the last four episodes than I've had in a while. Maybe it's not the way I'd have done it, but for the Stargate PTB, it's positively revolutionary.
no subject
I TOTALLY DO! *geekgasm* After every episode this season so far I've been all THIS IS THE BEST SHOW EVER!!!!ELEVENTY!!!!
...okay, so what I studied in college was Literature. I got to college and I thought, hey, I love to read, I should pick a field of study where I get to read and talk about books all the time! One thing I learned was that great literature did not always = stuff I absolutely love to read. During that same period of time I was dragged to all kinds of critically acclaimed movies during independent movie festivals, and I discovered that Great Movies do not always = movies I love.
I spent a lot of time feeling kind of lame about that. But I got over it. Mostly because many Great Movies and Great Books either bore me or make me cry, and life is too short to make myself do either of those things, right?
I really don't give a fuck if something isn't the Best Written Show Ever. I really don't give a fuck if people think I need to have my head checked for loving some show or another. There are a few cartoons I really love, and my sister spent all freaking week rolling her eyes at me about it and telling me I need a better hobby because I could answer all of the kids' questions about Batman. If I'd been in as bad a mood then as I am now I probably would have said something along the lines of, 'do you only watch shows sanctioned by the Socially Accepted Acting-Your-Age Pseudo-Intellectual Policing Society? Or do you just follow the fads obsessively? Or do you actually decide for yourself what you like and just sort of go with it like you are in fact allowed to do?'
*goes on random cussing streak off-stage*
Ahem. Okay. Sorry.
But seriously. If someone asks me if Stargate Atlantis is the Best Show Ever, I know they probably want to know if I think the writers deserve Emmys or if I think it hits every perfect mark on every existing issue; and no, I don't think any of those things. But I also kind of don't care. I DO think it's the Best Show Ever in terms of the amount of YAY!!! I get from it, and when it does do writerly or issue-y things right that's like an extra extra huge burst of yay which is pretty awesome. And frankly, that's all that matters, to me anyway, right now, while I'm enjoying it.
(Tangent: what is that called? The term has totally escaped me. Isn't there a term for people who live in the moment? Not that I do that in general, but that pretty much described my approach to entertainment...)
I guess, mostly, I'm wondering if there are other people who feel this way? People who like the show, but they feel a little ashamed of liking it because so few of their friends do anymore?
...kind of, ish? I don't necessarily feel ashamed, but it is a bit of a bummer to not be able to share the joy with people I've been used to sharing the joy with. Particularly when a lot of those people are defecting to Supernatural, which I have recently defected away from. *headdesk*
Except that I wouldn't have sex, no questions asked, with anyone.
I wouldn't either, in real life, but I like that meme as a sort of 'in a fantasy world, who would I...' thing. Like, if I answered John Sheppard, I would not be thinking along the lines of, if I bumped into John Sheppard on the street tomorrow and he propositioned me I'd totally tap that. I'd be thinking along the lines of, if I had been Larrin and I'd been necking with John Sheppard after narrowly escaping death by Wraith, I could have thought of better things to do with him than shoot him with a stunner, for God's sake.
I'M RAMBLING AT YOU. I'M SORRY. GAH.
no subject
Ditto. I'm totally entertained by the show, and I like season 5 so far. Seems like they've been taking more time with the character moments and giving the minor characters a bit more screen time, which is cool.
no subject
They are!
Although I guess there's a bit of a trade-off here. The character moments are coming at the cost of 'bridging scenes' that show more about what's happening in the plot. The Daedelus Variations wasn't so bad about this, but the first three episodes had a lot of "this is what's been happening in the meantime" infodumps.
Still, I have been enjoying S5 thus far. I'm waiting for the first 'big clunker' of an ep to turn up: something that leaves me cold.
no subject
This.
There was a bit of an outburst against TPTB in Season Four. The fans in question got stuck on the idea that Teyla being pregnant was 'lesser'. Any encouragement she offered, any emotional support, any knowledge or diplomatic skill she presented didn't count; she was pregnant and, if you listened to the rhetoric, you could be forgiven for thinking that being pregnant meant she was no longer a strong female character.
it is a bit of a bummer to not be able to share the joy with people I've been used to sharing the joy with.
Yes. That's probably the hardest thing: to have people who you used to squee with just vanish. :(
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I don't watch Stargate Atlantis because it's churning out brilliant, Emmy-worthy stories or because it looks at theories of existentialism in a new light or any such crap. I watch it because it's entertaining. I watch it because it makes me laugh or cry or cringe or yell at the TV. It does what a television show is supposed to do - it makes me believe for an hour that ridiculously attractive people can have all manner of adventures several galaxies away. As long as it continues to do so, it will be holding up it's end of the bargain and I will continue watching.
From time to time things happen (characters die or plots change) that I don't love, but I'm a big girl. I can deal quite healthily with my disappointment. If I don't like the direction of the show, I will stop watching, but trying to ruin (consciously or unconsciously) someone else's enjoyment of the show is unnecessary and petty. (Perhaps a little strong, but it's one of my fandom pet peeves.) Besides, I think one of the worst things TPTB could do would be trying to make the show all things for all people. I think the sooner people realize that, the happier they would be.
Of course, there's no reasoning with fandom. ;)
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But...but...but...TPTB ARE TALKING SPECIFICALLY TO MEEEEE WHEN THEY WRITE THE SHOW!!! I AM THE ONLY FAN WHO COUNTS!
:)
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I enjoyed last season and I'm liking what I've seen so far of this season, even if the Rodney pulls a rabit out his hat again and again is over used, imo. But I realize that it's just my opinion and I'm sure there are peeps out there who LOVE that he does.
Stargate is fun, that's all it is to me anymore. The show will never be all things to all fan, thankfully. And honestly the best thing about Stargate, imo, is the friends I've made through it. So I've come to accept that I'll never get closure on the things I want and that's okay because there is fan fic and there are many times when I enjoy the fic more than the show itself. And I'm much happier now that I don't expect things from the show.
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Apparently, I am either a secret masochist or I subconsciously look to be enraged because it breaks up the monotony of my day. I haven't figured out which. But whatever the reason, I keep going back to TWoP. I never learn. Even after I was utterly enraged by the Medium thread where people who claim to be adults were calling the 8-year-old actress who plays the middle daughter ugly and calling her names like Chipmunk Cheeks and Sausage Girl and talking about hitting her. This is the little girl in question. (http://www.tvguide.com/images/pgimg/maria-lark03.jpg)
Um, anyway. Today I made the mistake of going back and checking out the Atlantis thread. Wall-to-wall bitching about the latest ep. One person was like, "Oh, another supid ep where Rodney saves the day with science." I was wondering just what the hell they were expecting. Like maybe this time Jack Bauer was going to be the one to save the day by beating up
brown peopleterrorists? I replied: "Yes, this was another episode where Rodney freaks out and works some Science Magic. When I tune in, I expect to see that, just like when I watch Dead Like Me I expect to hear George's angsty/funny voiceovers and watch her collect someone's soul. Thats what those characters do and it's part of the fabric of the shows. I don't see the problem."It's gotten to the point where I just really don't want to talk about anything I don't like. When I complain about something on this show, it comes from a place of love, which I don't think is the case with most of the people in the places I know about. Mostly, my comments just end up basically being "FUCK YOU, I LIKED IT!" Anymore, the only place where I have discussions of any real substance is here (so thanks for that!)
I agree with everyone who's said that their love for the show is based on the amount of pleasure they get from it, not the level of technical excellence in the writing or whatever. I came to the conclusion years ago that my love for books or shows comes as much from their potential as from their execution. Take the example of the show The Tribe (http://www.youtube.com/user/amber1fire). So, so bad in execution. Awful writing, awful acting, non-special non-effects, the whole bit. I LOVED THAT SHOW. Why? Because when I was a kid, I read this book called "The Girl Who Owned A City" about this virus that killed off all the adults and this girl ends up living with a bunch of other kids in their old school. I was like "A school? Fuck that! I'd live in a mall!" and I used to have really elaborate fantasies about an adults-only apocalypse, after which I'd live this totally awesome life in a mall. Then this show came along about adults dying from a virus and a bunch of kids ending up living in a mall!! Plus, it had a lot of characters that I ended up caring a lot about. So the characters and the concept were fabulous, if not the execution.
Atlantis is sort of the same. Now, the execution of the show is lightyears away in terms of quality, but I still like it for much the same reasons. The concept is fantastic and I love the characters. I enjoy it for what it is and I look to fanfic for what it isn't. When the show actually lives up to its potential in some small way, that just makes it extra awesome!
So to summarize for those of you who couldn't sift through my insane ramblings:
Concept good. Characters good. Execution enjoyable for what it is. Fuck the haters. Yay show!
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But it is more difficult to enthuse when you know that quite a few people reading are vehemently anti- what you've just enthused about.
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Am I making any sense? I honestly don't know if I'm making sense right now. Turns out my original diagnosis for my disability is wrong (or perhaps just partly wrong, depending on who you ask) and although I've spent $500+ on new doctors, I still don't have a diagnosis. But I do have a shiny new perscription for pain killers. I hate, hate, hate taking stuff like that, but I was in agony today (the underlying condition is probably not being helped by all this typing I'm doing tonight, but oh well), so I had to take some.
Turns out, it makes me pass out for 5 hours, then makes me into a babbling idiot. I am so sorry. Maybe I should just go to bed. Again.
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I perfectly understand your rage. Sometimes I think that we sneer at that which we do not like merely to feel superior.
Scratch that; I know we sneer at what we don't like just so we can feel 'better' than someone else.
And, honestly, don't be sorry. Rambling is fine - and you're doing pretty well for being hopped up on painkillers and down on sleep.
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I liked a lot of stuff last season. Ronon is my favorite character (John second) and there was a lot of Ronon-ness last season, which is continuing this season, yay.
But then came the Michael/Teyla/baby storyline of DOOM and OMG it just went on forever and I was like shut up, shut up, shut up, I am so over this! Which is why it was so hard to make myself watch the premiere; I knew it would just be more of that storyline and I was sick to death of it.
But now it's over and I've really liked the other eps a lot, so I'm kind of excited about the show again.
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Still, I am glad that they haven't pursued it this season as yet. Right now, I want my team and a non-dismissive treatment of Teyla as a mother and I've been getting them both, in reasonable measure.
For the moment, I'm a happy fan. This will doubtless change as is the nature of the show: to expect an entire season of episodes that are 'better than I expect' is unreasonable in Stargate Atlantis.
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Eureka? You should watch it. Although it utilizes Doctor Who science
Example:
Real scientists: You can't do that!
Eureka writers: Pfft! Let's do it anyway! We can hide that it doesn't make sense with high speed technobabble that no one understands.
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And Dr. Who science doesn't bother me. I've watched the Stargates for 8 years. Reversing the polarity of the subspace couplings is familiar terminology to me!
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It's hard to get used to that after several years previously being very much in tune while watching Stargate SG1.
And yes, I quite agree: it has its good moments and its bad like any other show. It just seems to be getting a lot of slamming from the people who used to watch it.
Maybe this is just "Stargate syndrome" - SG1 had the same problem in Season 4 & 5 with people who wanted "the old Stargate SG1 back" and complained of the new.
Me? I rather liked the "new directions" in SG1 S4. So maybe there's hope for me in SGA yet!
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On the other hand I didn't know if you were aware that JM confirmed one of your thoughts about the Tegan/Torren.
DownUnder writes: “As Teyla introduced herself in season 1 as “Teyla Emmagan, daughter of Tegan” I assumed Tagan was her father’s name…. so how is Torren named after Tagan?”
Answer: Of course she could have been referring to her mother.
Didn't know if you had read this!
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(Of course, it's almost certainly retconning, but...we take what we can get...)