Joseph Mallozzi's Blog, page 496

June 29, 2012: Days of Stargate: Atlantis Past! Instinct! Conversion!

Well, well, well.  Look who it is.  Yes, it’s our former assistant, Trevor Finn, who has made the leap from script-collator/lunch-getter/baboon-anal-gland-drainer to Story Editor on XIII: The Series. Congratulations are in order and, as is customary whenever someone you once hired takes a step up in the industry, I’m anxiously awaiting the arrival of my “Thanks for hiring me that one time because it was a crucial step in the process that led to my inevitable succes” gift.

Impressive, no?  Our boy has come a long way from the days we used to make him eat balsa wood and old gum wrappers for lunch and laughs he would coordinate our scripts.  Of course, I’m not surprised. My fellow producers, Alex and Paul, now THEY are surprised (“Are you sure we’re talking about the same Trevor?  Trevor Finn?”), but I’m not because I know Trevor is a terrific writer.  How do I know?  Why, I’ve read his stuff.  Not lately mind you even though I told him I would get around to reading that revised script only to keep getting waylaid by miniseries work, horror script rewrites, new series idea spinning, and meetings.  BUT I HAVE read his stuff and it’s good.  How good?  So good that I’m going to read that revised script of his tonight for fear that he may someday be running his own show and fail to give me a job on the grounds that he never got around to reading MY script.

Continuing our trip down Stargate memory lane, let’s reflect back on a couple of episodes of Atlantis’s second season.  Namely…

INSTINCT (107)

Hey!  It’s a pre-Jennifer Keller Jewel Staite.  Well, you could be forgiven for failing to recognize her under that make-up.  Yes, before she was Atlantis’ Chief Medical Officer, Jewel played the role of the tragic young wraith, Ellia.  She was great – and that says a lot about how incredibly talented she is because she was required to convey a wide range of emotions through those prosthetics.  The fact that she was an utter professional and sweetheart certainly impressed as well. So, when an opportunity to cast a new recurring character presented itself, Jewel seemed like the obvious fit.  And it certainly helped that she’d been unrecognizable under the wraith mask.

Ellia is by no means evil and yet she must kill in order to survive. Having her drink the retrovirus and transform into a crazed mutant version of her hybrid self allows our team off the hook.  By episode’s end, they have to kill her.  But, what if she hadn’t mutated?  What if she had remained the original, divided Ellia?  What would the team have done then?  I would have loved to see that difficult dilemma play out.

This episode opened up a host of possibilities that we never really got around to pursuing – namely, the notion of wraith children.  In fact, I ended up pitching out a story involving Sheppard and co. teaming with the Genii to destroy a high value target that – surprise! – turns out to be a wraith nursery.  Talk about difficult dilemmas.  Anyway, I outlined the original story (along with three other Atlantis stories I missed out on) here: January 11, 2009: The 4 Best Stargate: Atlantis Episodes I Never Got to Write

CONVERSION (108)

The events of the last episode pay off in this one.  Carry-over!  I love it!  As the retrovirus Ellia transferred to Sheppard courses through his system, John becomes a superman – of sorts.  He’s fast, agile, strong – and suddenly possessed of a positively savage attitude.  One of the episode’s most interesting moments sees Sheppard sparring with Teyla.  Things get a little out of hand and, the next thing you know, he’s kissing her.  She lets him down – painfully.  Now, the question arises: Did the retrovirus make him act instinctually and wholly out of character or did it strip him of his inhibitions and lead him to act on some deep-seeded yearning?  In other words: Sheyla or not?

Personally, I always thought there was great potential there and even the suggestion of romantic feelings.  Although never pursued, it was always a possibility – until the Rachel Luttrell, the actress who played Teyla, became pregnant.  At that point, we were faced with several creative avenues, one of which involved making John the father.  And, while it certainly would have made for some fine drama, the prospect of a secret affair would, it was argued, undermine both characters.  But more on that topic when we hit season 4.

Anyway, the John/Teyla kiss was actually Rachel’s first onscreen kiss. And it just happened to come on a day when her parents were visiting the set.  Talk about pressure!

Love the egg hunt in the cave scenes but these type of sequences always bring to mind the gain/loss calculator.  The first team to visit the cave risks their lives to save Sheppard.  Two marines die in the process.  At episode’s end, we all breathe a sigh of relief and things are back to normal.  Except for our two marines.  Granted, we never really knew them but, presumably, other people did.  Say, their loved ones?

Sure, members of the expedition died all the time over the course of the series run, but there’s a difference between dying in the heat of battle and dying in an attempt to save someone else – in this case, a single individual.  I’m not arguing against the decision to risk their lives for Sheppard (We don’t leave our people behind, after all), only pointing out the apparent egocentricity of our top tier team members. To be fair, A LOT of shows (and movies) are guilty of this.  Thoughts?

Tagged: Conversion, Instinct, science fiction, scifi television, SF, SGA, Stargate, Stargate: Atlantis, Trevor Finn

June 28, 2012: Stress-busters! Days of Stargate: Atlantis Past! Condemned!

Lately, I’ve been so stressed out that I spend most of my days in a lightheaded haze.  It’s a feeling akin to the extended buzz of three Jagermeister shots.  Not wholly unpleasant but certainly very weird.  I haven’t been this wound up since that time I worked at the circus. Well, it wasn’t literally a circus but there WERE a bunch of clowns, a couple of pinheads, and a whole lot of shit that constantly needed shoveling.  In this case, it isn’t work-related.  I kind of wish it were because then, at least, I’d have a writing partner to shoulder some of the burden.  Or, at the very least, listen to my complaints.

Whenever I’m like this, the slightest thing can set me off so, really, it’s best for all involved if I just hibernate for the next little while. Shopping is always a bad idea because i have no patience for people. Especially people who work customer service.  Hey, it’s not as if I don’t have reason to gripe.  Just a word of advice: If I’m standing in front of you ready to make a purchase, don’t serve the woman who just strolled over and inquired about the zucchini – and then don’t follow up by serving the guy that came AFTER her.  Don’t look so offended when I put down your tomatoes, walk away, and don’t bother acknowledging your calls to come back.  My threshold for bullshit is at an all time low.

On the bright side, this sort of mood is conducive to writing – particularly horror.  The rewrite on the feature script is al-most done. I’d just like to come up with one more creepy chase sequence  and then send it on its way.  And, once it’s in my agents’ hands, it’ll be smooooooooooooooooth sailing.

I need to relax.  Some things that help:

My dogs.

My girlfriend.

Comedy

A good read.

A massage.

Dessert.

Dessert.

Dessert.

A late friend of mine used to have a saying…that I, unfortunately, can’t repeat without getting myself into all sorts of trouble.  But, boy, do those words sing to me now.

Okay.  Forget I mentioned it.

Oh, yeah.  Another things that helps relieve the stress is doing this blog.

Now, in our last Memory Lane installment, we touched on two of season 2′s best (Runner and Duet).  Today, we touch on what I felt were a couple of middle-of-the-pack entries:

CONDEMNED (205)

The original pitch for this episode saw the team encountering a civilization that used clones to keep the wraith fed and at bay. Eventually, the story evolved.  The clones were out and prisoners were in.  All in all, an interesting premise and, while the episode did have its moments, it never quite reaches the heights of the two that preceded it.

One pet peeve: The character of Eldon, the “brilliant one”, comes off as oddly goofy, borderline simple.

But, I did say the episode had its moments.  Namely: that dinner conversation between the Magistrate and the wraith and, later, Weir playing the role of diplomat AND hard-ass Commander when push comes to shove.  It’s nice to see both sides of her.

TRINITY (106)

What can I say?  I can never ever remember the name of this episode. Not even after having just watched it.  Or even after searching it out online for a photo to accompany this write-up.  The second I close the window it’s gone.  Trinity.  Trinity!  Right.  Maybe the problem is the title is only connected to the episode in the most esoteric of ways.  See, Trinity is a reference to the code name of the first nuclear test and, in this episode, McKay is working on something of a parallel nature as he attempts to harness an incredible power source.  Clever?  Cryptic? Both?

At the heart of this episode is the relationship between Sheppard and McKay, a friendship tested by the Rodney’s single-minded determination to succeed where the Ancients failed.  In theory, a great idea but, for me, the clash between them never attains the emotional punch one would expect.  Rodney’s a jerk, there’s some sniping and, by episode’s end, it’s all settled easily enough.  Sure, there’s the suggestion that McKay has crossed the line, that there may be repercussions for his actions, but they never materialize and on we go.

Most memorable moment for all the wrong reasons: At the end of the episode, Weir dresses down McKay for destroying 3/4 of a solar system. He responds: “Well, 5/6th.  It’s not an exact science.”  What, exactly, is his point here?  It would seem that, in typical Rodney fashion, he’s trying to downplay the damage.  Except that 5/6 is actually bigger than 3/4.  Is he simply not a math guy?

The B story involving Ronon’s revenge on his former Satedan taskmaster, is totally disconnected from the A story and feels too quick and neat.  Ronon discovers an old comrade, finds out there were survivors of the attack on his home planet, kills a traitor – and we’re done.

One thing I remember from this episode is the tavern scene in which a soused Ronon and Solen get caught up.  The Solen character is drunk. Ridiculously so.  Apparently, Marty G. was on set when they were shooting the scene and, after the first take, suggested they tone down the over-the-top drunken revelry.  It was a little (A LOT) big.  All were in agreement and, as they prepared to go again, Martin headed back up to the office.  As the door shut behind him, he heard director Martin Wood: “Here we go again!  Remember.  REALLLY DRUNK!  And – ACTION!”

Tagged: Atlantis, Condemned, Science Fiction Television, SF, SF t.v., SGA, Stargate, Stargate: Atlantis, stress, Trinity

June 27, 2012: Days of Stargate Atlantis Past! Runner! Duet!

Meetings, meetings, meetings.  My head is spinning.  It’s a wonder I was able to get any work done today – but I did, completing a couple of new scenes for the horror script.  One more and I’m more or less done.

Up on tap tomorrow: yet another meeting, some document reviews, completing that last scene for the horror script, and coming up with some episode springboards for the new series I’m developing with the usual suspects.

RUNNER  (103)

Exit Lieutenant Ford.  Enter Ronon Dex.  Although that wasn’t exactly the plan, that’s the way it turned out.  Yes, Ronon was intended to assume the newly vacated position on the away team, but the intention was to make Dark Ford a recurring character along the lines of a Todd or a Michael.  For various reasons, it didn’t work out.  However, what did work out was Jason Momoa as Ronon!  And as much as I can’t imagine anyone else in the role, the casting process was a hell of a challenge.  As I said in a previous entry, the more people involved, the more choices, the slower the process.  And, whenever casting is up for discussion, EVERYONE has an opinion.

From the get-go, Robert Cooper envisioned Ronon as a rough-and-tumble outdoorsman/warrior.  His template was the affable mountain man, Rupert, who’d enjoyed, if not success, then certainly popularity as a contestant on two seasons of Survivor.  Ronon had to be brash, colorful, and larger than life. Unfortunately, some of the contenders put forth by…err…other parties…were all wrong.  I’m talking skinny, soft-spoken soap opera actor wrong.  And then, one day, we got Jason Momoa’s casting tape.  Rob took one look at him and declared we had found our Ronon.  Then, it was simply a matter of convincing everyone else of the fact.

Anyway, loved the introduction of the character in this episode, and also loved his interactions with Dark Ford.

If there is one question that almost always comes up after this episode airs, it’s “Why did the wraith stop feeding on Ronon?”.  In the flashback, we see the wraith place its feeding hand on a defiant Ronon, then suddenly pause and draw back.  It LOOKS like something has prevented it from feeding.  In fact, it is merely pausing, amazed by Ronon’s defiance in the face of certain death.  Its internal monologue isn’t “Why the hell can’t I feed on this guy?” but rather “This guy’s got balls.  He’d make a simply splendid runner!”.

DUET (104)

This episode is one of my top ten Atlantis favorites, a wonderful McKay episode with echoes of All of Me compliments of the hilarious Martin Gero who is firing on all cylinders here.  We get jellied mice, Dr. Fumbles McStupid and, i I’m not mistaken, the first guy on guy kiss in science fiction history.  We’re also introduced to a couple of new characters (Laura Cadman, played by Jamie Ray Newman who would go on to headline ABC’s Eastwick, and Katie Brown, played by Brenda James, who would develop into a surprising love-interest for our awkward Rodney), and treated to some glimpses of a fish-out-of-water Ronon adjusting to life on Atlantis.  It’s a lot of fun and was, without a doubt, one of the most enjoyable episodes to shoot.

I thought the aforementioned episodes were a couple of season 2′s best.  Agree?  Disagree?  Present your case.

Tagged: Atlantis, Duet, Runner, science fiction, Science Fiction Television, scifi t.v., SF television, SGA, Stargate: Atlantis

June 26, 2012: Days of Stargate Atlantis Past! Resuming our trip down SGA memory lane as we reflect back on the show’s second season! Siege III! Intruder!

Alrighty.  Continuing our reminiscences of Stargate: Atlantis.  When last we left our stalwart heroes, it was the end of the show’s first season and the city of Atlantis was under siege (so this is one of those rare occasions when the episode title actually made sense) by a relentless enemy: the wraith.

SIEGE III (201)

Season two kicks of in fine form with this concluding chapter in a pulse-pounding, action-packed, visually spectacular three-parter.  The episode is a game changer on many levels.  We are introduced to a couple of new characters who will become part of the Atlantis family. First, there’s Colonel Caldwell, commander of the Daedalus, played by actor Mitch Pileggi who delivers a terrific performance, at turns assertive, cagey, headstrong but, ultimately, endearing.  And then, there’s Hermiod, the cranky, acerbic Asgard who ended up drawing the short straw and having to go on a ride-along to babysit the previous Asgard tech.  Mitch was an easy-going, affable guy.  A pleasure to work with.  Hermiod, not so much.

While not a new character, Lieutenant Ford undergoes a transformation both physical and mental that sends him spiraling off in a dangerous new direction.  First seasons are always a period of creative growth, where certain unexpected elements surprise and thrive (ie. Beckett, Zelenka, even McKay who fast developed into an incredibly popular character among the viewers and writers as well) while others flounder for various reasons.  In the case of the Ford character, he was a youthful, somewhat innocent, nice guy who seemed to get lost in background amidst the more dynamic likes of Sheppard, McKay, and Teyla.  So, a decision was made to reinvent the character and give him a bit of a darker edge .  In so doing, we ended up evolving some of the wraith mythos (specifically with regard to the feeding process and its chemical interactions with the human body), thereby laying the groundwork for the notion of the wraith worshipers (who would come into play later in the season and pay off big time in episodes like Reunion and Broken Ties).

The city finally got a fully charged ZPM and, with the introduction of the Daedalus, Atlantis was no longer quite so isolated from Earth. Now, the expedition members could step through the gate and be instantly transported back home.  The return trip, at approximately two and a half week aboard the new, retrofitted Earth ships, was still better than nothing.  Of course, whether losing that sense of isolation established  in season one was necessarily a good thing – well, that’s up for debate.

A final mention of (and hats off to) Mark Savela and co. for another brilliant display of CG pyrotechnics.  All those darts impacting the Atlantis shield…wow!

THE INTRUDER (202)

The working title of this one was Murder in Space.  It took our heroes out of the comfy Atlantis environs we’d grown to know and love over the course of season one, and placed them in the new, comparatively claustrophobic environment of the Daedalus.  It’s a tough episode for Weir who not only sees her relationship fizzle back on Earth (Simon, we hardly knew ya!), but suffers a power play at the hands of Caldwell who has designs on her position on Atlantis.  Elizabeth shows amazing strength in the face of both blindsides.  I particularly love her standing up to the boys in the conference room and telling them, in no uncertain terms, that there will be hell to pay if any attempt is made to force her out.  Through most of the show’s first season, she is shown as diplomatic and given to compromise but here, finally, we are offered a glimpse of the take-no-shit, won’t-back-down attitude that no doubt won her the position of Commander of the Atlantis expedition.

Some memorable lines in this one:

“Airperson, don’t be there.” (ad-libbed by David Hewlett).  A not-so-subtle Rodney telling a member of the Daedalus crew to move it.

“Ten fingers, ten toes.  I’ll check the rest later.” (written by my writing partner, Paul).  Sheppard’s response the second he is beamed back on board – presumably in one piece.

“Crap indeed.”  (This one’s mine).  Hermiod agreeing with the dire assessment of their situation.

And you?  What were your high (and low) points of the first two episodes of Atlantis’s second season?

Tagged: Science Fiction Television, scifi t.v., SF television, SGA, Siege III, Stargate, Stargate: Atlantis, The Intruder

June 25, 2012: The Supermovie of the Week Club Reconvenes! Cookie Monster reviews The Phantom!

Or, like me prefer to call it: Purple Unitardo and de Temple of Doom!

Stop Monster if you heard dis one before.  A boy’s parents are murdered.  He train hard and become a superhero to fight evil.  He very wealthy.  Have trusty servant.  He operate out of a cave.  His superhero persona a mysterious figure, de stuff of legend and whispered rumors.  Guess who?  Dats right!  Batman.  The Shadow. The Phantom!  Seriously.  How hard it be to come up wit an original origin?

So broody-moody.  And purpley.

Dis movie a mashup of Batman and de Indiana Jones movies wit a good villain and some fun aktion.  But it have one major flaw = a hero running around in a PURPLE UNITARD!  And monster sorry to say it never recover from dat.  A PURPLE UNITARD!

Movie begin wit our hero, The Phantom, skrewing up by letting a bad guy (Quill) get away wit a magik skull.  He very upset and return to his batcave skull cave to brood, walk around shirtless, and talk to ghost of his dead father.

Fortunately, he have Ghost Dad for company.

Back in New York, villainous businessman, Drax, take possession of magik skull.  He only need two more magik skulls to complete de set! Lovely!

Wit a name like Drax, he destined for a life in supervillainy.

Kit Walker, aka The Phantom, travel to New York where he reunited wit his ex-girlfriend, Diana, who he happen to save from sexy pirates earlier in de movie (in extraneous filler sewkwence involving female fisticuffs, a jump from a crop duster, and a dog telling a horse to go give Phantom a lift).  Dey visit a museum and – Hey, whaddya know! – diskover de sekond skull on display.  Kit go to take it but ambushed by Drax and his men who grab it for demselves and diskover location of turd magik skull…on Pirate Island!

For de villain dat has everyting: matching power skulls.

Drax take Kit and Diana back to his place.  Kit eskape and change into his ridikulous costume.  Bad guys get away wit magik skulls and Diana – while Phantom is chased around town by cops.  Why cops case him?  Becuz he running around in A PURPLE UNITARD!

Phantom give Diana a pearl necklace.  She toss him a nice salad and den dey both have dinner beneath de bridge.  So romantic!

Phantom catch up wit Drax and co. on Pirate Island where Drax get his hands on turd magik skull.  But dis make pirates angry.  Big fight! Pirate captain swim wit de sharks. Quill disintegrated by power of de magik skulls. BUT turn out Phantom have a fourth magik skull on his ring!  Powers of de magik skulls battle and Phantom’s is stronger.  Drax disintegrated.  Den, Phantom catch a ride on a passing submarine to safety.

Movie end wit Phantom revealing his sekret identity to Diana.  He really…Kit Walker!  But she already knew dat.

Verdikt: PURPLE UNITARD!

Rating: 4 out of 10 chocolate chippee cookies.

Next week, fourth time’s de charm for de Bat franchise?

June 24, 2012: Unfriendly Vancouverites, Kulinarya and Greek Fest!

According to a recent article, Vancouver may be a beautiful place to live, but it aint exactly the friendliest of cities.  Apparently, it’s not easy to make friends here because Vancouverites tend to be aloof, cliquey, and not all that inclined to welcome newcomers into their established social circles.  Truth be told, this isn’t the first time I’ve heard this complaint so the article wasn’t all that surprising.  However, I can’t complain.  I found it fairly easy to make friends when I first moved to Vancouver and, even today, have no problem striking up conversations with complete strangers.  My advice to those looking to make new social connections?  Get a dog.

In my first few months in the city, I made a number of friends at the local dog park I used to frequent with Jelly.  Many of those friendships have faded but a few remain strong to this day.  Take my buddies Errol and Janice for instance.  Despite the fact that they moved to Toronto, and then moved back to Vancouver when I moved to Toronto, we’ve still remained good friends.  The dogs may have brought us together but nowadays it’s food that keeps us connected.

Today, it was my turn to trek on over to their turf – lovely Coquitlam – for top-notch Filipino cuisine at Kulinarya…

Lunch is ready. Come on in!

Errol is the expert, so we let him call the shots.

Akemi and Janice ready to chow down.

Iniha na Pusit: Grilled, stuffed squid. Delightfully tender. And tasty. This was one of Akemi’s faves.

Prawns and veggies in tamarind soup. The tamarind lent it a nice, subtle sourness.

The Crispy Pata: Deep fried pork leg served with special sauce. This one was my favorite.

Sizzling Sissing. Another one of my all-time favorites. It’s comprised of crispy minced pork, ear, and liver, served sizzling and, occasionally, topped with an egg.

And a bowl of crispy pork-studded Bagoong Rice with a little kick of shrimp paste.

Special mention should be made of this sour/peppery sauce that Akemi was eating by the spoonful.

And the Halo Halo for dessert: shaved ice, evaporated milk, beans, sugar palm, coconut, jackfruti, tapioca, sweet potato, leche flan, and purple yam ice cream. More or less.

It was a great meal.  Akemi and I were absolutely stuffed.  So we worked off lunch by heading back home, picking up Lulu, and taking her for a walk through Greek Fest:

Quite the crowd.

Akemi runs into some friends.

Lulu was, as usual, all sorts of popular. Whenever someone would so much as “Oooh”, she would dart over, park herself in front of them and stare up until they pet her. But being an attention hog is hard work, especially on sunny days. Thirty minutes in and she was exhausted.

Tomorrow, I begin the rewrite of the horror script!

Finish up The Phantom.  Cookie Monster will have his review tomorrow.  And then, on Tuesday, we continue our trip down SGA memory lane as we begin our reminiscences of Stargate: Atlantis’s second season!

June 23, 2012: No fish taco for you! And Preparing Sea Urchin at Home!

Today, Akemi and I took drive down to Steveston Village.  For those of you who don’t know (and, really, given what loyal fans you are, I imagine that number is very small), Steveston was the location we used to for the SG-1 episode Nightwalkers.  And I’m sure we weren’t the first production to make use of its small town look. The place has a quaintness about it that suggests downhome comfort, old time values and, of course, alien invasion.

Anyway, on this day, no alien invasion.  And sadly, no fish taco for me either.  I had a hankering for a snack (to fill that post-lunch, pre-dinner stretch) so I walked down to Pajo’s, a little shack on the water that serves fish ‘n chip, burgers, and various seafood treats.  I stepped up to the counter and waited while the young lady across the way oversaw the assembly of a large take-out order.  The kitchen was buzzing with youthful energy as the staff floured, deep-fried, and served up the orders.  I waited.  ”Seventy-three!”she shouted, handing off the order and then, before I could place an order for a fish taco (I’d decided to go with the halibut), turned her back to me and continued to oversee the action in the kitchen.  I waited.  She watched.  I waited. She watched. Then, she received another order, set it down on the counter and shouted “Seventy-two!”.  Customer #72 picked up his food and, as I prepared to order my fish taco, the young lady again turned her back to me.  But rather than oversee the action in the kitchen, she had far more pressing concerns.  Namely, she had to chat with another young lady who was casually spooning mayonnaise out of an enormous plastic container.  I pulled out a twenty (money talks, I figured), leaned forward, and waited.  She turned – “Seventy-one!” – and, before I could utter a word, she’d turned her back to me and was overseeing the action in the kitchen once again.

Ah, the luxury of being so busy you can’t be bothered to provide fair to middling customer service.  Good for them.

Pajo’s. Their motto is : We’ll get to you when we get to you. Maybe.

By this point, I’d lost my appetite for Pajo’s fish tacos, and Pajos in general, and so we headed over the the wharf to check out the fresh fish the boats had brought in that day.

We were walking around, perusing the fresh fish and seafood, when we came upon these delectable little treasures:

Sea urchins!

If you’ve ever had them before, you can be excused for considering them – well, mighty disgusting.  The fact is, the sea urchin that is served at most Japanese restaurants is often packaged and tastes very different from its fresh, live counterpart.  Most restaurant uni tends to possess a funkiness that my writing partner once described as “redolent of the sea…right by an open sewer main”.  Fresh, live uni, on the other hand, is sweet, creamy, and utterly delicious.  Occasionally, one of Vancouver’s top Japanese restaurants serves up the latter version – at $35 a pop.  Or, if you’re lucky, you can snag one at your local fish market for $10 a pop.  OR, you can go to Steveston and pick up three for $10.  Which is exactly what we did.

Got em!

One of the drawbacks of purchasing your own sea urchin is having to clean them yourself.  Fortunately, it’s not an overly complicated process.  Consult the handy chart -

Simple, no?

When we arrived home, I got to work -

Step #1: Put on a pair of gloves, then make a preliminary incision at the soft center of the underside. Cut up, then around in a circular pattern, then remove the shell.

Step #2: Use a small spoon to scoop out the delicate orange gonads (yep, you read correctly) lining the inside walls. The dark liquid and other stuff is undigested seaweed so you’re going to want to avoid it.

Step #3: Rinse in saltwater and set aside for use.

I’ve had sea urchin a number of different ways – sauteed, tempura-style, with pasta – but my favorite is by far the simplest.

Step #4: Serve them on sushi rice. Side of avocado optional.

Sashimi-style is still the best.

Need I remind everyone that our Supermovie of the Week Club reconvenes on Monday.  Up for discussion: The Phantom (1996).  As always, I’m sure our resident film critic, Cookie Monster, will have plenty to say on the subject.

Finally… 

Hey, PBMom!  Great to hear Patrick is on the mend.

And welcome back Adam (aka Major D. Davis).  Congrats and best of luck at USC!

June 22, 2012: Projects on Deck!

Spinning ideas with Rob, Lulu, and Ivon.

We handed in our second draft of the scifi miniseries the other day, paring it down from a robust 204 pages to a trim 194.  We went through four different titles (including the cryptic Cogito and, my personal favorite, The Apocalypse Engine) before finally settling on the one they’re going with.  For now anyway.  The script is, of course, already in prep as it goes to camera in July and I believe our work on it is done.  Can’t wait to see the finishing product and hearing where it ends up.  In the meantime…

I’m prepping myself for the next pass on my horror script by immersing myself in the horror realm.  I’ve got a stack of movies to screen that will, hopefully, put me in the right frame of mind.  On deck: Wolf Creek, Vinyan, The Nameless, Them, The Devil’s Backbone, Frontieres, and Cold Prey.  As much as possible, I’m focusing on foreign horror films.  If you’ve got any suggestions, I’d love to hear ‘em.

Paul and I will be switching gears to work on a pilot we’ve been hired to write.  There’s already broadcaster interest in the fantasy premise that could be a lot of fun.  We start spinning the creative next week.

Also next week, we’ll be heading into discussions with another party on Dark Matter, my comic book series (which I’ll be promoting at 4:00 p.m., July 14th at the Dark Horse Comics booth at Comic Con so swing on by and say hi!).  The business plan being proposed is a lot more intriguing and, hopefully, I’ll have some good news on the DM front before summer’s end.

In addition to Dark Matter, we’re also shopping another genre (supernatural…ish) pilot that has generated some interest south of the border.  Our agent is suggesting we make plans to head down to L.A. for a couple of days in late July and take some meetings on the pilot – in addition to some of the fabulous series ideas we have are going to come with between now and then.  Maybe a series about loyal scifi fans campaigning to get their favorite cancelled SF series back on the air. Can their dogged and determined efforts succeed in convincing the obstinate studio to resurrect the show?  What do you think?

Speaking of fabulous series ideas, I got together with some of the old Stargate gang today for a creative discussion on a show we’re developing.  Check out the action:

Ivon pitches to Lulu.

Rob pitches to Lulu.

Fed up with pitching to Lulu, Ivon and Paul take a break to check out some hilarious online videos.

Lunch. Akemi has a surprisingly-good-although-it-looks-nothing-like-any-version-I’ve-seen-before gumbo.

June 21, 2012: You’re moving! Where to?

I’ve lived in Vancouver for thirteen (minus a little less than one) great years and I couldn’t imagine living anywhere else.  I love my home, the city, and the local food scene that boasts the freshest seafood and widest array of Asian cuisine outside of Asia.  Vancouver is beautiful, boasts a thriving film & television industry and, with its innumerable parks, pet shops, and doggy daycares, is a great place to raise your dogs.  Why would I ever want to leave?

Of course, I said the same thing thirteen years ago when I was in Montreal.  Back then, I was quite content living on the city’s West Island, freelancing from home.  And then, an opportunity came along – the possibility of joining the writing staff of and awesome SF series, Stargate: SG-1.  I didn’t know anything about Vancouver but I went where the work was, assuming I’d put in a couple of years and then move back home.  That two year stint turned into a wild twelve year ride and, along the way, I settled in quite nicely.  In time, thoughts of moving back to Montreal eventually faded.

Now, Vancouver is my home and, while I won’t discount the possibility of ever moving away, I will say it would take a pretty damn big opportunity to convince me to pack my bags (and toys) and go.  So I was thinking today: What if?  What if that pretty damn big opportunity did present itself elsewhere?  What if the city of Vancouver suddenly passed a strict “no dog” bylaw?  Where else might I consider giving it a go?

TOKYO

If Vancouver was no longer an option and I was offered the opportunity move anywhere of my choosing, Tokyo would top the list.  It’s an incredibly safe, dynamic city, packed full of fascinating people and places, and fairly easy to negotiate thanks to its top-notch subway system. The food is second to none and the customer service is, well, mind-blowing for someone accustomed to the North American “way of doing things”. The only drawback, besides the language, is the fact that work might be a little hard to come by – unless I can land a sweet gig on one of those awesome Japanese gameshows.  Getting the dogs there would be a problem – and then there’s the earthquakes.

L.A.

An obvious choice given my line of work, Los Angeles offers opportunity, excitement, and great restaurants (have you noted a pattern?).  Its urban sprawl does give me pause as does it’s higher crime rate but, on the bright side, its home to a number of friends and former co-workers.

SAN FRANCISCO

A city as beautiful as Vancouver and, I’m guessing, just as expensive to live in.  It also boasts a great, Asian-influenced restaurant scene and a lot of character in its unique neighborhoods.

 SEATTLE

Vancouver’s sister city would be a damn fine choice as well.  It offers much of the same things I love about Vancouver in a less expensive though admittedly more dangerous locale.  Like Vancouver, it’s conveniently located within relatively quick flight distance from some of my regular vacation destinations like Vegas, Tokyo, and Los Angeles.

TORONTO

Surprising, no, given my experience there last year?  The traffic is terrible and the winter brutal, but it’s actually quite lovely in the summer, boasts some terrific restaurants and, provided I could live where I lived in 2011 (smackcab in the heart of the entertainment district), a lot of fun.

Honorable mentions: Hawaii (Obvious, I know, but I bet that even I would eventually grow tired of the sun and sand), Montreal (Whenever I go back, it’s like I never left and, while it’s always great to see family and friends, the language politics are incredibly silly and tiresome), New York (Less industry opportunities than L.A. and decidedly more expensive, but vibrant and full of world class restaurants).

What about you?  Where are you living and where would you consider going?  Give me your Top 3 picks and tell me why.

Tagged: Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Tokyo, Toronto, Vancouver

June 20, 2012: Dark Matter (and me!) at Comic Con! Take a breather with Jelly! Winners of the Greatest Mid-Season Two-Parter in Stargate History contest!

Finally booked my hotel for Comic Con next month which means I WON’T be sleeping on the floor of the convention center after all.  On the one hand, it’s nice to know I can look forward to a mattress, a hot shower, and room service cookies and milk, but on the other hand, I was kind of looking forward to being in the thick of things – somewhere between the Sharknaconda booth and the Yosemite Sam memorial display (I didn’t even know he was sick!).  Still, it’s nice to know I’ll be well-rested.  I fly in on Friday the 13th (I didn’t realize until I just typed that), spend the afternoon checking out the con, and then it’s dinner with -

Editor extraordinaire (Swords & Dark Magic, Masked, and many, many more) Lou Anders.

Uber-talented illustrator John Picacio.

And New York Times bestselling author (and present writer of Astonishing X-Men) Marjorie M. Liu

Saturday afternoon (provided I behaved the previous day and will still be permitted on the convention grounds), I’ll be doing a signing for my comic book series, Dark Matter,  from 4:00 – 5:00 p.m. at the Dark Horse booth.  Come on by to say hi, ask me any burning Dark Matter or Stargate-related questions, and have a shot at some Stargate goodies.

Oh, yeah.  Speaking of Stargate goodies, I promised yesterday I would announce the winners of our Greatest Mid-Season Two-Parter in Stargate History contest.

In first place: Atlantis’s first mid-season two-parter, The Storm/The Eye with an impressive 196 votes.

In second place: Atlantis’s third mid-season two-parter, The Return I/The Return II with 130 votes.

In third place: Atlantis’s fourth season mid-season two-parter: This Mortal Coil/Be All My Sins Remember’d with 116 votes.

Since 5 out of the 6 winners were Martin Gero joints, I can only assume the results were somehow skewed by Marty G’s rabid fanbase (I believe I’ve mentioned he is writing/directing/producing a series called the L.A. Complex airing Tuesday nights at 9:00 p.m. on the CW!).

Congratulations to Martin and the rest of the The Storm/The Eye team.  Also, congratulations are in order for the following individuals who have won signed scripts…

The excitement is overwhelming, no?  Relax.  Take a breather with Jelly -

Caught your breath?  Good.  Let’s proceed.

These individuals have won signed copies of the following scripts:

THE STORM

Line Noise

THE EYE

The Perfectly Imperfect One

RESURGENCE

GraemeQ

QUEST I

Deni

Again, congrats to all the winners. I’ll be getting in touch soon to make arrangements.

Now, I’m off to complete the rewrite on the SF miniseries (it goes to camera next month!) and start thinking about my next pass on that horror script.

Tagged: Atlantis, Comic Books, Comic Con, Comics, Dark Horse Comics, Dark Matter, pugs, San Diego Comic Con, science fiction, Science Fiction Television, SF, SF television, SG-1, SGA, SGU, Stargate, Stargate Universe, Stargate: Atlantis, Stargate: SG-1