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CRAP CRAP CRAP CRAP CRAP CRAP CRAP CRAP
*hides from the shitstorm that's about to erupt*
Srsly, Bridge? If the rumours are true? Very. Not. Cool.
Apparently, in an interview with Brad Wright, it was revealed that Amanda Tapping, playing Sam Carter, will be appearing in 14 episodes of Season Four Atlantis.
At the same time, Torri Higgenson (sp?), playing Elizabeth Weir, is becoming a 'recurring' cast member. (Equivalent to Caldwell, Lorne, and Zelenka.)
As you can guess, the Elizabeth fans are not happy.
Neither am I, and I'm a Sam-fan, a Teyla-fan, and an Elizabeth-fan. I'm relieved that Teyla's not getting the cut, but saddened about Elizabeth, and ambivalent about Sam.
I was always concerned about bringing Sam into Atlantis - that she'd end up taking over the show - and storylines from characters I'd rather watch. I love the character, and AT's a sweetheart. But I liked Atlantis better without SG1 and the SGC, and Sam intrudes upon that.
And I suspect that Teyla-fans who aren't enamoured of Elizabeth are going to come under fire, too - because Teyla's not being cut from the show.
I hope none of the Teyla-fans has the extreme tactlessness to gloat. Because it might easily have been the other way around - both women's roles in Atlantis are fragile and too easily dismissed.
"Next stop, hell! Please hold on, and keep all opinions, frothings, and rants inside the handbasket!"
ETA: Shitstorm comes, shitstorm goes. Dealing.
Apparently it was said by Brad Wright that Elizabeth will be a recurring character for a while. Which suggests that the state is temporary.
*hides from the shitstorm that's about to erupt*
Srsly, Bridge? If the rumours are true? Very. Not. Cool.
Apparently, in an interview with Brad Wright, it was revealed that Amanda Tapping, playing Sam Carter, will be appearing in 14 episodes of Season Four Atlantis.
At the same time, Torri Higgenson (sp?), playing Elizabeth Weir, is becoming a 'recurring' cast member. (Equivalent to Caldwell, Lorne, and Zelenka.)
As you can guess, the Elizabeth fans are not happy.
Neither am I, and I'm a Sam-fan, a Teyla-fan, and an Elizabeth-fan. I'm relieved that Teyla's not getting the cut, but saddened about Elizabeth, and ambivalent about Sam.
I was always concerned about bringing Sam into Atlantis - that she'd end up taking over the show - and storylines from characters I'd rather watch. I love the character, and AT's a sweetheart. But I liked Atlantis better without SG1 and the SGC, and Sam intrudes upon that.
And I suspect that Teyla-fans who aren't enamoured of Elizabeth are going to come under fire, too - because Teyla's not being cut from the show.
I hope none of the Teyla-fans has the extreme tactlessness to gloat. Because it might easily have been the other way around - both women's roles in Atlantis are fragile and too easily dismissed.
"Next stop, hell! Please hold on, and keep all opinions, frothings, and rants inside the handbasket!"
ETA: Shitstorm comes, shitstorm goes. Dealing.
Apparently it was said by Brad Wright that Elizabeth will be a recurring character for a while. Which suggests that the state is temporary.
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"Next up on Stargate Atlantis! Our new pre-season episode: Shitstorm!"
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SGA is not SG-1! I wish they would remember that. The dynamics are different. I know they keep the whole soldier-scientist in both shows but John is not Jack and Rodney is definitely not Daniel. That's the huge broblem, they're acting as if the two shows are interchangeable. They're not.
This is pissing me off so freaking much.
Weir may not be my favorite character but I still love her and want her here. She belongs on SGA! Her place is there as Head of the Expedition, this is so messed up.
And for the love of all that is holy why does Sam have to be in 14 episodes. 14! Shit. I don't hate Sam, but I hate the way they write Rodney in relation to Sam. It's like he regresses back to his original character designation in SG-1 and that doesn't mesh with the SGA universe. Sam belongs to the SG-1 universe, get her away from MY show.
Right now the only thing that is keeping me going is Teyla even though they're really not using her. I'm just praying they don't off her too. If she goes its over for me.
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1. She's team. They need at least one female on there. (Whether or not they use her as anything but greek chorus is another matter.)
2. They didn't give her anything in S3. So Joe Mallozzi took Rachel aside and promised her eps in S4. Short of being a complete bastard, they can't renege on that - especially since they've shorted her before.
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I'm very glad they're not totally screwing Teyla over, but I don't see how she's really going to get any more screen time than this season with AT on the show. I'm very disappointed about this.
And I like Elizabeth, but I'm not a huge fan. If I were, I'd be going nuts, because this whole thing is ridic.
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I'm hoping that Joe Mallozzi was serious about actual episodes about Teyla, featuring Teyla, and showcasing Teyla. That, more than anything else, is probably the best hope for Teyla fans.
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for those of us who have a bit more insight, I think it's safe to say that if this means anything is that no one has a safe job in Atlantis.....everyone is expendable.....
To add to that...Joe Flannigan has an article about Season 4 and some of it is posted in GW and it seems that a lot is going to change for Season 4....could be good, could be bad...
Certainly, Amanda coming in is a big change...every episode she's been in Atlantis there has been no Teyla.....and in her interview with Skydiver in GW, I wasn't very optimistic about the way she replied to Sky's question regarding her screentime with Teyla....
and I know Amanda rooted for Shep/Weir...for whatever that's worth! LOL
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So far, most of Sam's scenes in Atlantis have been related to Rodney, or else the Big Three - so no Teyla.
However, if they're going to do stuff with Teyla in Season Four, one would presume that Sam will at least have to converse with Teyla.
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I actually don't really care. I mean, I was upset when Ford was cut from the cast, and when I heard Beckett was going I was upset as well.
But I just take a lesson from Stargate SG-1, because I thought I'd hate season 9 and 10 with the new team, and they've actually been 2 of my favorites so far. So I think change is good. The writers have their own idea where to go and I don't think they'd do it if it was going to sink the show or something like that. Still, that news about Torri kinda sucks.
But if they did anything to Teyla I would not be happy. She's my favorite character and I don't think I could handle it if she wasn't there anymore!
Whoa long comment!
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I think the interview may be over at Gateworld - the freakout is happening in their forums section.
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Like...are they trying to get themselves cancelled? Dude, it's only the third season! Jumping the shark a bit prematurely aren't we, kiddies? I would love to know just whose bright idea this was and just how they managed to convince everyone else that this was a good step for the show. Atlantis has always been on tenterhooks when it comes to the fans, and they've gotten some harsh criticism for things just this season. This is just about the worst possible way that they can end a very critical season. I really hope they know that they'll probably be looking for new jobs this time next year.
Fandom go boom. And well it should.
Seriously, if Elizabeth can be written off that easily, dumped into recurring character status, even though she is leader of the expedition and second in the credits, everyone is at risk. No character is safe, and in a show where we've come to expect a cozy sense of balance and "all's well that ends well", this is shocking. I'm really just speechless and appalled at the gross lack of respect, stupidity, and blindness on the part of TPTB. If any of them are lurking in GW right now, they must be starting to sweat. The reaction is far from good -- it's completely out of control, and there is no way they're going to be able to recover from this.
As a devoted Weir fan (and Torri, for that matter), I'm upset and angry. I don't understand what they're trying to do, and I don't think I really want to. At the beginning of this season, I was so excited -- Weir was starting to become the character I always thought she could be. She was standing on her own two feet, kicking butt, being awesome, and making a lot of fans happy. They obviously worked a lot fleshing out her character and really deciding who they wanted her to be. Torri worked so hard, and both her and her fans deserve more than this. It's wrong.
And you know what? It's going to really suck being a Teyla fan as well, because you're right -- some will get upset that she wasn't cut instead of Liz and that we're somehow at the helm of this disaster. Not cool. In addition, I'm almost nervous to see "Sunday" because of the whole ship issue. If S/T is even hinted at, there are going to be some massive fires to be put out because, of course, Weir was cleared out just so that ship could happen.
Okay, and Sam? I love Sam. I always have, I always will, and Amanda is just about the sweetest person in the world. I really fear for the kind of crap that the character and actress are going to receive because of this change. Yeah, Sam does not belong on Atlantis because it will always be at the expense of the other female characters. We've always feared for that...I guess I just didn't think it would come this soon or with this big a blow.
Just...whatever. You know? TPTB are sinking their own franchise right now, and chances are they're too stupid to even notice. Fandom is going to be a mighty interesting place over the next few months. :(
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The fact that Brad Wright gave out the information about Torri in an interview without any prior hint or warning - the same technique that was used for the announcement of Daniel's departure from the show back in 2001 - suggests, quite strongly, that they know exactly what they're doing. And are willing to weather the fans.
One of my friends has pointed out that Stargate Atlantis is teetering anyway. The Stargates have been struggling with reduced numbers since Skiffy broke up their Sci-Fi Friday session.
SG-1 got the chop possibly as much because BB and CB have finished their 'two more years of work from sci-fi' contract that was left to them as a legacy from Farscape and Skiffy didn't want to resign them for another set of contracts on a 'failing' show, as because of the ratings.
Ironically, BSG has been doing the same in the ratings game, now that they took it away from the Stargates. It looks like clumping everything together increased viewership of all three programs.
And finally Skiffy is willing to dump one of the Stargates (possibly with another to follow) is because they have Eureka and BSG in their stable - neither of which are produced by Sony/MGM. Apparently NBC wants to show Skiffy-produced series, but doesn't want to have to deal with MGM - so the Stargates are a liability to Skiffy in deal-making with NCB, rather than an asset...
So, the whole play-behind-the-scenes is complex and nasty and political, but certainly doesn't detract from the coal-face nasty of Elizabeth's role being reduced.
She really could have been taken places (although it would have required reducing John and Rodney's roles - uh, yeah, right) with her character - balanced out with Teyla. Can you imagine Elizabeth playing 'bad cop' while Teyla plays 'good cop' in the diplomatic/negotiating game? Or even Atlantis being more involved in negotiations in the Pegasus galaxy in long-term arcs.
I can dream.
*sigh*
'Sunday' was always going to be a shitstorm, no matter what happened. And taking Elizabeth out has nothing to do with Teyla - the writers and cast have been John/Teyla from day one, even if the day-to-day interactions are more in the directions of John/Rodney and John/Elizabeth.
Sorry. Preaching to the choir, I know. :)
But, yeah, next week or two will be...interesting.
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As for Eureka, I haven't even heard hide or hair about it since the final ep on the 13, I'm even asking if it's confirmed for more eps and no one knows yet, although SFC is coming with tons of original programs which can be hit or misses...
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So them saying she's recurring just says to me that Weir is still in the role of Weir and doing what Weir does. I personally don't like the character of Sam and feel that she will not add anything to the show, and really I can't stand her even breathing the same air as McKay, since Mckay turns into a dancing monkey around her. I even said if I have to take a replacement of Sam/McKay bullshit instead of Weir, give me twice the Weir---please, and she's no where near my fave character.
Anyway back to recurring, I have always felt that the women of SGA are glorified extras, with Weir getting a bit more screen time than Teyla mainly because she's leader of the Ex, but really not offering much to the adventure or taking things away from the ep. All in all she's fruitless. If she was portrayed as a visual importance to the show as let's say John or McKay or the understated Teyla(which I'll elaborate on later), then I'd say okay this is serious and we have to stop it. But she wasn't, she made really crap mistakes, she's been questionable at best in executive decision making and pretty much just supports a story line much like Skinner did in X-Files (except Skinner was far more invaluable). This is not the insult or marginalize her importance overall.
She could have been a great character where the show really depended on her, but unfortunately they turned the show into the Rodney/John--where you can't really even picture episodes without them in it because you sense something missing. Teyla is important as I'll mention beacuse shes from the PG, she's significant for that alone, her friends with hundreds of traders and other planets and further more her wraith gene...untapped and tons of storyline.
This unfortunately why I can see Weir fans are a bit afraid, overall Weir is similar to Ford. Ford can now be brought back with a healthy storyline and tons of drama if they wanted, because he has background now, he has untapped enemies, first hand knowledge of wraith ships--how to getin and out, and he's got possible friends who could come in handy. Before this he was worthless really, although I loved the character; he was just comic releif. Weir just makes executive decision and beyond solitaire and Michael not much of anything else. This again is not to gloat but I can see bringing in other characters to help foster storyline and flesh out characters a bit more.
Unless Weir disappears for a year and comes back a whole new person, with something realistic, like the writers can do with Beckett later on, Weir will have to take the backburner...
So am I upset, I see it as a strategic move in the mean time and very important to build storyline. Am I into the idea of Sam Carter, hell no, and if this becomes the Sam/McKay/John show, I'll have a bone to pic, because Sam shouldn't be having such a focus (but I hear she'll be having her own ship, so hopefully Sam will be more like Caldwell than really a solidified place on Atlantis)especially when this should be Team directed.
all in all I don't think this is the worst idea, and further more I heard Torri's passion was threatre, maybe this was a personal decision by the actress to expand her horizons and go into new things...and give her some liesure time. There is no talk of Weir losing leadership just not so much screen time, which is already the case---I figure this will be more like her in Progeny, or things like the Ark and Sateda, enough to show her talking but nothing of importance which makes up 95% of her and Teyla's portrayal anyway!!
VB
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And I like Sam - as in, she's my favourite SG-1 character - and I'm still ambivalent about her coming to Atlantis. But we'll have to wait and see.
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Are you SERIOUS?
Holy shit. I think I'm going to hide from both Shep/Weir and Shep/Teyla fandoms for a couple of days...
For that matter, I'm staying AWAY from Gateworld. This is a thread war that is just waiting to happen... (Why can't the Weir and the Teyla fans just get along and love
the hot femmeslash!each other?) *sigh*no subject
I think there's quite a bit of sympathy there. It could very easily have been Teyla who got 'recurring' status.
Ironically, characters who started off as 'recurring' (Beckett, Zelenka, Lorne, Caldwell) are now fan-favourites. And get more lines than 'regular cast' like Teyla and Ronon.) So, who knows? Recurring status might be the breath of life rather than the kiss of death.
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When SG1 went through all its changes with O'Neill and Hammond leaving, and Fraiser's death, I was very upset and thought 'that's it, I won't like it anymore'. But I was proved wrong as I have enjoyed some of the recent episodes very much. So I'm going to give SGA a chance now, because who knows? Maybe this will all turn out to be very cool in the end. :)
But, still... *sniffles* Why did they have to shuffle out Elizabeth? *sniffles*
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Pity.
Although, as several people have pointed out, the women are already 'reduced' to recurring status.
Plus, Zelenka, Lorne, and Caldwell are all 'recurring' characters, but have had way more lines and action than characters like Teyla and Ronon. So recurring may be a good thing for a less-used character.
I wish they could have kept them all, though. Or reduced the John-and-Rodney section of the show.
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Oh man, that would have been awesome.
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I just...don't get it. I mean...did Higginson want to leave? Because TWO characters at once and then two (or three...I've heard that there might be a new military guy as well) more added? Smells of desperation. I really with the writers could handle their own characters enough to write them effectively.
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At this point, I don't think anyone knows. Someone mentioned that TH would like to do theatre, but that's just a rumour.
I've only seen Grace Under Pressure for Sam/Rodney interaction in Atlantis. Was he still as bad in The Pegasus Project then?
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The problem is that Rodney Is Always Right (on Atlantis) EXCEPT when Sam is around (see "GUP", "TPP"). I don't really want 14 episodes of that on top of all the bad sexual innuendo, do you?
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And really, how could they make Teyla less of a player then she already is unless they killed her off?
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Sam's role doesn't necessarily have to be starring, the way it has in the past. Caldwell, Lorne, and Zelenka are all regularly recurring characters and don't usually get starring roles. And Teyla, Ronon, Elizabeth, and Carson were all regular cast and still didn't appear in every episode, let alone have more than a handful of lines.
Joe Mallozzi has already said to Rachel Luttrell that her character will have lines, scenes, episodes, and quite possibly even a story arc for Season Four. I'm holding onto that. Because TPTB giveth and TPTB taketh away, but if they told Rachel to her face that she'd have a bigger role in Season Four and then give it all to Amanda, then that makes them serious bastards.
It's one thing to disappoint fans, quite another to yank the rug out from beneath an actress they work with for a good eight months of the year.