Joseph Mallozzi's Blog, page 537

June 3, 2011: On crabs and masks! Chiado restaurant! Friendly comedians! And Transporter: The Series rolls toward production!

The other day, Akemi went to the St. Lawrence Market.  There, she engaged one of the seafood purveyors in conversation.  The conversation went something like this:

"Do you have social crab?"asked Akemi.

"What?"asked the woman at the counter.

"Do you have social crab?"

"Social crab?"

"Yes."

"No."

"Oh."

"Do you mean soft-shelled crab?"

"Yes!"

"No."

When she returned home, a bewildered Akemi asked me to confirm the correct pronunciation.

"Soft-shelled crab,"I enunciated for her.

"Not social crab?"she asked, clearly disappointed.

"No.  Not social crab."

She now claims the fault lies with me for having referred to it as "social crab" in the first place.

I chalk up this misunderstanding to the fact that she is suffering from hay fever that has affected her eyes, nose, and, apparently, her ears. Also, the fact that she's Japanese.  To combat the hay fever symptoms, she is thinking of wearing one of those wacky surgical masks you see half the population of Tokyo sporting on any given day.

Whenever I see them, I'm reminded of the King of the Hill episode where Hank Hill finds himself in Tokyo, trying to flag down passersby for directions: "Hello? Pardon me.  Excuse me, doctor.".  Akemi argues that everyone in Japan wears them to keep from passing along their colds to co-workers and fellow citizens.  It's common sense!  I told her that while the reasoning was certainly logical, the wearing of face masks wasn't the norm in North America and would look, well, kind of weird.  She suggested that, maybe, a stylish designer model would be the way to go.  Something like this -

Or this -

Though, given the choice, I'd probably opt for something that would provide the fullest protection.  Probably something like this -

While the cultural divide puts us on opposing ends of the face mask debate, one thing we can both agree on is our love of fish.  Which is why were both so looking forward to dinner last night.

We ended up going to Chiado, a charming little restaurant specializing in "Progressive Portugese" cuisine.  In addition to the fresh local catches, Chiado offers up a selection of fresh fish flown in daily from the Azores.

Following an amuse-bouche comprised of a delicate cow's milk cheese served with a streak of aged balsamic and a dot of intense rosemary-honey, we were served our appetizers – a salad of arrugula, fresh pear, melted Lourais cheese, lemon, and extra virgin olive oil for her, and the grilled tiger prawn spiced with piri piri, roasted jalapenos and banana peppers for me.  Both wonderful, but not match for our third (shared) appie -

Sardines marinated with lemon, parsley and extra virgin olive oil.  We had a choice between raw or grilled and went with the former.  And, boy, that was the right choice.  Simply prepared but packed with flavor – not fishy (as I feared) but rich and somewhat sweet.  Excellent.

We selected our main course from the day's fish platter -

Hmmmmm. Decisions, decisions.

I was going to have one of the filets, but Akemi beat me to it, so I opted to go whole fish -

The dorado was grilled, then finished in the oven.  Crisp and smokey-charred on the outside but plump and moist on the inside, it was, again, simple and simply delicious.  I passed on my server's offer to filet the fish for me and attempted to do it on my own.  I managed one vertical cut before Akemi shooed me away and dud the honors herself, executing a long horizontal cut along the backbone, flipping over the meat on both sides, then hooking her fork just below the pectoral girdle and lifting the entire skeleton free.  Her only complaint was that the only way to properly eat a whole fish is with chopsticks – an opinion I happen to share.

Akemi went with a fish she instantly recognized from back home.  The Japanese call it Tachiuo (I believe it's known as Black Scabbard or beltfish here) and prepare it a variety of ways although I hear that aburi-style and grilled are the most popular.  Chiado's version was lightly dusted with flour before preparation, then served on a bed of saffron risotto.  It was unbelievably good.

We shared three desserts to conclude our meal.  My favorite (surprise surprise) was the  chocolate mousse.  Although I wasn't quite as enthusiastic about the pear tart, Akemi's Molotof (an airy meringue of egg whites with vanilla cream sauce) was surprisingly good.

Our dinner at Chiado Restaurant was one of those meals that left me satisfied, impressed, and already planning our return visit.  It wasn't cheap ($40-$45 per entree) but it was spectacular.

We returned home and took Bubba and Lulu out for an extra-long walk. As we were heading back, we happened across an adorable blond whose eyes lit up at the sight of the doggies.  Lulu actually spotted her first and made a bee-line for her, promptly presenting herself for petting and general attention grabbing.  The doggy admirer handed  us a flyer for her comedy show at the local Grindhouse Burger.  Anyway, she (Julia Hladkowicz) was kind enough to say hello to the dogs so I figured the least I could do was give her a shout-out on the blog: Julia Comedy Dot Com

Principal photography on Transporter: The Series starts next week in Berlin.  Paul and I are finishing up the rewrites on our first scripts, getting them ready for the start of production (July) here in Toronto, after which we'll be switching gears to tackle the rewrites on our next two scripts.  Two weeks from now, we'll gather to spin the final three episodes and then, it'll be smoooooooooooooooth sailing!

Tagged: Chiado Restaurant, Julia Hladkowicz

June 2, 2011: Ultron and mutants merely misunderstood? Foodly update! Stargate: SG-1 season 8!

So I've finally started to personalize my office.  Rather than hire an interior decorator, I decided to stick with the supervillain motif that made my Stargate workspace so inspirational and the high point of any high school tour.  Today, Ultron went up on the shelf.  Surprisingly, no one knew who the hell he was.  As I was running through his backstory for the edutainment of my fellow co-workers, it suddenly dawned on me that his origin didn't make a whole lot of sense.  He was created by Henry Pym (aka Giant-Man, aka Goliath, aka Yellowjacket, aka Wife Beater) but eventually rebelled against his master, demonstrating a shocking and unexpected ego and ruthlessness.  Of course, had I been working on the Ultron project, I probably would have suspected the robot may have been predisposed to evil considering he was designed to resemble a FREAKIN' SCARY-ASS LUNATIC! (see above)

Which brings up another question.  Way back when he was battling the original X-Men, Magneto ran an outfit called The Brotherhood of Evil Mutants.  Then, years later, the buy is all upset because, instead of giving mutants the benefit of the doubt, humanity views them with suspicion and fear.  Okay, granted, while The Brotherhood of Misunderstood Mutants wouldn't have had quite the same ring, it certainly would've done a better job of helping the cause, no?

Okay, I've decided I'm going to be starting a rigorous diet and exercise regimen.  Just as soon as I clear a few items out of my fridge…

Desserts aside, I've been eating fairly healthy.  Akemi is a big fan of fish and prefers the simply preparations common in Japanese society.

However, she prefers the not-so-simple preparations when it comes to baking…

From left to right: Lulu, Maximus, Bubba, and, of course, Jelly with the hanging tongue.

…and breakfast.  These are a couple of the creations that have graced my Happy Panda bento box the last few days…

Steel cut Irish Oatmeal, cherries, raspberries, blueberries, and figs. The oatmeal ball actually conceals a hidden treasure of organic peanut butter.

Similar but the eyes, nose and mouths are fashioned from Nutella chips. Clever, no?

Not helping matters on the work front is Alexander who came in today with these -

- no doubt intended to bribe us in advance of the notes session on his script.

Reflecting back on SG-1′s eight season…

IT'S GOOD TO BE KING  (813)

I always enjoyed writing the funny episodes and this one was no different.  It gave us the opportunity to bring back Harry Mayborne, one of my favorite recurring characters.  This episode ran long and, as a result, I had to cut a scene in which Mayborne displays Solomon-like wisdom in a dispute over a duck.  When the complainants cannot agree on ownership, Mayborne demands a knife be brought forth so he can cut the duck in half and offer an equal share to each.  The men standing before him are shocked at the suggestion and thus, King Mayborne makes his ruling, declaring that neither men are deserving.  As the two men head off, Mayborne turns and hands off the duck to one of his assistant with a: "Cook it up.  I'll have it for lunch."

FULL ALERT (814)

There's a point in the episode where Kinsey meets up with three suspicious characters who use the pseudonyms Mr. Kent, Mr. Wayne, and Mr. Parker (the references should be pretty obvious).  The scene was shot in an old mansion in Vancouver, presumably the estate of a former game hunter because one of the rooms was bedecked with animal trophies.  This, apparently, didn't sit well with some of the crew, but especially Exec. Producer Michael Greenburg, an animal lover, who didn't like being surrounded by the stuffed heads.

CITIZEN JOE (815)

Richard Dean Anderson's love for The Simpsons resulted in him being invited a table reading of the show – which result in him befriending Dan Castellaneta, the voice of Homer Simpson on the show – which resulted in Dan doing a brilliant guest spot for us in this episode – which resulted in Stargate getting a big shout-out in a later episode of The Simpsons guest-starring Richard Dean Anderson.

I remember meeting Dan Castellaneta for the first time.  I was in the lunch line, standing behind a casually-attired fellow in a baseball cap who seemed distracted by something when it came his turn to order.  "You're up!"I offered helpfully, assuming he was a new crew member.  "Joe,"said Robert Cooper, standing to my other side, "have you met Dan?".  Oh.

RECKONING I (816)

This big two-parter was the climax of 7+ terrific seasons of SG-1.  We've got SG-1, the tok'ra, the jaffa, the goa'uld, Anubis, and the replicators all involved in the galactic throwdown to end all galactic throwdowns.  Although there were three more episodes to go before the season wrapped, Reckoning I and II brought things to a head, addressed the major arcs and issues, and tied up most of the loose ends.  Of course, there were a few dangling plot threads – which were taken care of in, appropriately enough, an episode titled Threads.

The late Isaac Hayes makes a guest appearance as the jaffa Tolok.  He was a apparently a huge fan of the show and an utter delight on set – kind and surprisingly soft-spoken.

The free Jaffa world was originally called Bakara, but I didn't like the name because it reminded me of both baccarat, the card game, and bakana, the Japanese word for stupid or silly.  So I changed to it Dakara – which reminded me of daquiri.  But that was okay.

June 1, 2011: Off to the (pugs) races! Beware broadcasters bearing gifts! The summit is a wrap! Mailbag!

Although she suffers from hip dysplasia and arthritic elbows and shoulders that make getting around tough, my pug Jelly does haver her good days.  Yesterday was one.  Look at her go!

Our big two-day broadcaster summit for Transporter: The Series has come to an end.  Yesterday, the producers gathered with HBO/Cinemax, HBO Canada, RTL, and M6 to discuss production: cars, casting, stunts, scheduling, post-production, media relations, digital content and, most important of all, chocolate…

Julien and Alexandra from M6 surprised me with chocolates from my favorite Parisian chocolatier: Patrick Roger. They brought a huge box for the meeting and gifted me a separate box of my own. Guess this means I'm going to have to do all their notes.

We had our own chocolate party.

Not be outdone, Julia from RTL presents a German assortment! Guess I'm doing their script notes as well.

Hey, did I mention that Julien is a huge Stargate fan? Here he is recording a kino warning for future versions of himself that may stumble into the Transporter production time loop.

Day One went quite well.  Among that afternoon's greatest accomplishments was the decision on the opening credit sequence.  Naturally, I was assigned the task of composing lyrics for the show's theme song.  This is what I've got so far:

Transporter!  

He's really quite cool -

'Cause he follows his rules.

And when a job's done,

He'll go jump in his pool!  

Transporter!

The bad guys he'll fight -

And his driving is tight.

He'll impress the girls -

Then turn in for the nigh!

Transporter!

It's a work in progress.  Given its obvious importance, I've set aside all script work for the time being to concentrate on this.

After our meeting, I headed back to my place, updated the blog, then headed downstairs to the lobby where I met -

Julien - always styling.

The ever animated Alexandra.

Julia and Ulrike ready to party.

As the designated driver, it fell on me to ensure everyone arrived at the dessert tray safe and sound and on time….

I much prefer the stand and chat get-togethers over the formal sit-downs that take forever and always end up with me having to fake a call from my mother admonishing me for being out too late before excusing myself and heading home!

The finger food was tasty. And freakin' hot - as Aubie from HBO Canada discovered when he tried to take a bite of this scorching canape.

The beautiful Rachel Skarsten (Delia) and the equally beautiful Alexander M. Ruemelin (Sunshine).

Jocelyn and fire-lips Aubie from HBO Canada. Jocelyn and I go way back. I worked for her when she was a VP at Nelvana. Hell, even further back - I went to high school with her.

High points of the evening included meeting Rachel, the chocolate dessert, and winning a bet with Jocelyn that saw her backing the poodle as the world's smartest dog only to lose out to my candidate, the border collie (as confirmed by two separate Top Ten Smartest Dogs sites).  I had an unfair advantage.  My accountant is a border collie.

Today, it was back in the big boardroom for an in-depth discussion of our twelve scripts.  The best/most exciting note came from Klaus via actor Francois Berléand who requested we play up his character's affinity for fine food and cooking as evidenced in Transporter 2.  As a gourmand, I have a feeling I'll be channeling Inspector Tarconi through most of this season.  One of my first orders of business once the meeting wrapped was to head down to my office and look up merguez and couscous recipes before rewriting the Tarconi scene in my first script.

Mailbag:

Randomness writes: "Joe, what do you think of this interview with Patrick Gilmore?

http://www.mediablvd.com/magazine/the_news/celebrity/patrick_gilmore_on_%27the_killing%27_and_the_end_of_%27stargate_universe%27_201105232512.html

I'm usually supportive of peoples opinions but I disagree with his comments that some fans hated the show because it wasn't Stargate Atlantis.

Hater websites aside, I've always got the general vibe that people just didn't like the show because of the direction it took, basically it didn't appeal to them."

Answer: Actually, Patrick is absolutely right.  "SOME" fans certainly did hate the show because it wasn't Stargate Atlantis.  They essentially said as much, lobbying for the show's cancellation in the foolish belief that it would bring back Atlantis.  And, when just the opposite happened and the cancellation pretty much killed any hopes of a continuation of the Atlantis storyline, they were left standing around like a bunch of dazed dorks wondering "Wha – happened?". Watching them scramble to retroactively put a positive spin on their moronic logic ("Oh, uh, we WANTED that to happen!) was an awesome silver lining to the whole affair.

Chad writes: "Just out of curiosity, why was the SGU episode "Epilogue" originally titled "Radio"?"

Answer: The original pitch involved Destiny picking up messages (in the form of radio waves) from a distant civilization.

Brain writes: "By season 8 did the writers consider the tok'ra all but extinct? It seemed to be what was being inferred in season 7."

Answer: Nope.  Although they were touched upon, their presence decreased considerably as the threat of the goa'uld was finally dealt with.

Scarym writes: "So do you think Daniel & Vala are living happily ever after together?"

Answer: In my mid, they're together and as happy as could be expected given Vala's volatile personality.  But you know – opposites attract.

May 31, 2011: News of Note! Stargate: SG-1 Season 8 Memories!

Horrifying accident at Sony Pictures results in the release of 34 Katherine Heigl films.  Be careful out there -

Compliments of the gang at Cracked.com, here's The Science Behind Stupidly Hot Peppers Chart (The Science Behind Stupidly Hot Peppers [CHART]):

Fark.com puts it best: Photo collection of modern North Korea, or 1960s anywhere else

Meetings today followed by business dinner no doubt followed by a sleepless night so it's an early blog entry.

More SG-1 eight season reminiscences…

SACRIFICES (809)

What actor and, in this case, writer Christopher Judge planned as a raucous episode (tentatively titled My Big Fat Jaffa Wedding) ended up being a fairly serious and touching affair.  Onscreen anyway.  Behind the scenes, we were busy regretting the decision to write horses into this script.  I mean, it looked like a good idea on paper with the potential for plenty of humor, but we forgot to take one thing into account.  Horse shit.  Turns out nothing kills comedy like one of your four-legged guest stars dropping a steaming pile in the middle of your gate room.

Lesson learned!

ENDGAME (810)

My writing partner Paul had an idea: the Stargate is heisted from the heart of Stargate Command.  That was the easy part.  The challenge was coming up with a story that explained who took, why, and, most importantly, how?  Well, worked out a nice little Trust/N.I.D./rogue elements of the N.I.D. angle that worked very well.  A fun episode all around although the one thing I remember about it was the reaction of some fans to the scene in which O'Neill leads the rescue team into the warehouse.  He finds both Daniel and Carter bound to chairs and goes to Sam – which outraged some Daniel supporters because they felt it showed a lack of compassion for DJ.  I'd argue he went to Carter first because she was the first one to stir and, besides, if he went to Daniel first would it have necessarily meant a lack of compassion on his part for Sam?

GEMINI (811)

Amanda gives a doubly delicious performance as both Sam Carter and her evil twin in this episode that sees the return of Replicator Carter.  It was a very satisfying episode, especially for Amanda who imbued her dual performance with subtle nuances that really set the two characters apart.  It was a grueling shoot but, as always, she was a total professional, never once complaining.  It's episodes like this one that remind me how terrific Amanda was to work with.

PROMETHEUS UNBOUND  (812)

We finally got the opportunity to cast Claudia Black, and it was in a role that she seemed born to play.  Robert Cooper took Damian's solid first draft and injected it with a humorous spin that essentially formed the basis of the Vala character we would come to know and love.  To be honest, I wasn't convinced at the script stage as I thought the humor might have been too broad, but all doubt dissolved the moment those dailies started coming in.  Wow!  As far as eighth season episodes went, this one was probably my favorite for its comic elements and the terrific onscreen chemistry between Claudia and Michael.

Tagged: SG-1, Stargate, Stargate: SG-1

May 30, 2011: WTF? Traffic City Toronto! Transporter: The Series prep update! Dark Matter new ship designs! Stargate: SG-1 memories!

Crazy as this may sound, I think I may be getting older.  No.  Really.  I was sitting up in bed last night, reading the entire first volume of Morning Glories when I realized I was having trouble focusing on the text.  I gave myself an impromptu vision test, covering first the left eye, then the right, and realized that my right eye seemed weaker.  Hmmm. This might explain my recent headaches.  I thought it was simply a natural reaction to my writing partner's incessant yammering.  Our trusty exec producers' assistant, Trevor, has arranged for me to visit an optometrist later this week.  He warned me that my appointment may include a pupil dilation that would make it very difficult for me to perform basic functions like reading, driving, and firing a sniper rifle.  As a result, I'm going to have to ask him to help me out.  For that afternoon, I'll have to count on him to find and read aloud various amusing online articles, provide detailed explanations of the hilarious goings-on in those failblog videos, pick me out the choice lunch sandwiches, unwrap my chocolates, and, of course, complete my rewrite on episode 3.

I spent most of today waiting. Waiting in the passport office, waiting for lunch, but mainly waiting in traffic.  It took me an hour and twenty minutes to drive in to work today.  That's about an hour over my average time.  I'm sorely tempted to start a new blog called Traffic City Toronto so I can have some place to post pics of the city's traffic gridlock, douchebag double-parkers, and endless construction zones devoid of any construction workers.

Prep continues on Transporter: The Series in advance of tomorrow's (and Wednesday's) big broadcaster summit.  We checked out some camera tests and a bit of early stunt footage compliments of our car stunt coordinator, Michel Julienne, in Paris.  Looks pretty kick-ass.  Also went over the new storyboards for the car action sequences from the pilot and Carl's first episode.  Also pretty amazing.  Can't wait to see the real thing.

On the comic book front, my editor at Dark Horse, Patrick Thorpe, forwarded me two of artist Garry Brown's new takes on the ship design for our upcoming series, Dark Matter -

Really like the rotating engines on the second vessel.  My only suggestion was that the ship itself should be a little bigger, more imposing.  What do you all think?

Continuing my SG-1 season 8 reminiscences…

ICON (805)

One of the last things we, as writers, do (and, often not very well) is come up with titles for our damn episodes.  Up to the point where the episode gets an official title everybody can be equally unhappy about, it works its way through the notes and rewrite process with a placeholder title.  On very rare occasions, usually when everyone is looking the other way, one of those placeholder titles may actually become the official title (see: Watergate and Enemy Mine).  If that had happened on this episode, instead of Icon, your t.v. listings would have read English Patient Daniel.

Two things I remember about this episode (beside the fact that I thought it was one of Damian Kindler's best).  During the dailies, we would argue at length about the fact that a bicycle appeared in one of the scenes on this alien world.  Some argued that it was "too Earthy" and took us out of the scene, while others (Paul chiefest among them) argued that, if aliens were to build a bicycle (or a hammer or a glass or a fork), it would probably look a lot like the ones we had on Earth. Amid all the back and forth on bikes, we completely failed to notice the smoke detector in one of the interior scenes (or, as I later called it, "the alien humidifier").

A lot of debate on that final scene in which bad guy Soren steps out of the room and is shot dead.  In the script, he comes out of the bunker, raises his gun – and Carter(I believe) shoots him.  The other regulars in the scene argued that they would act just as swiftly and be in on the kill.  Then there was a debate over whether or not Soren should raise his weapon and whether our heroes would essentially execute a man who was surrendering.  In the end, we solved the problem by having one of the guest stars shoot the villain in cold blood.  And, of course, get admonished for it.

AVATAR (806)

I've never been a huge fan of virtual reality episodes as there are only so many ways you can go with them.  Still, what makes an episode special isn't so much its premise but the light it sheds on our main characters – in this case, Teal'c.  So, what do we learn about Teal'c in this episode?  Well, for starters, we learn he has a really big head.  There were two versions of that VR helmet he sports in the episode.  The first was built prior to any proper head measurement and, as a result, would only fit us mere mortals.  The prop department had to come up with a completely different helmet to accommodate Chris's, er, roomier head.

AFFINITY (807)

Believe it or not, actress Claudia Black (who some of you may remember from such seasons as nine and ten) was originally considered for the role of Krista but was busy with the Peacekeeper Wars mini-series at the time.  Good thing too as, in retrospect, she would have been all wrong for the role (Erica Durance nailed it) but all right for the part of Vala the following year.

Around the time this episode was being written, we decided it was silly to always be pinning the blame on the N.I.D.  To those who didn't any better, you'd think they were an evil organization bent on world domination rather than one of the good guys.  We squinted, looked the other way, referred to them as "rogue elements of the N.I.D." and, eventually, came up with a name for a whole new group of bad guys.  After much consideration and working our way through a host of possibilities, we decided on one that hadn't been taken on any other show – which was a lot harder than it sounds because Alias went through a slew of them. Anyway, we decided to go with "The Trust" and wrote that into the script.  Only to find out during prep that Alias had used it in a recent episode.

COVENANT (808)

Hmmmmmm.  Not one of my favorites.  We really dig ourselves into a whole only to dig our way out and go back to square one.  During the big press conference, I wanted one of the reporters to ask: "Hey, does this alien thing have anything to do with that aircraft carrier that mysteriously disappeared last year?".

Stargate Command was in a tight spot, with the truth about its entire operation – and alien connections – about to go public.  How were we going to get out of this one?  Well, while we were brainstorming ideas, someone (won't say who) suggested Thor offer the SGC time travel technology that would allow them to go back in time and undo everything.  Wha-huh?  The Asgard have time travel technology?  Why had Thor been holding out on us?  More importantly, with this convenient new technology, the SGC could simply go back in time whenever things didn't go their way (ie. someone got killed, SG-1 didn't save the day, the Nuggets failed to make the playoffs).  Needless to say, that idea didn't fly.

May 29, 2011: The Doggy Defense!

Tim Hendrix writes: "Joe, I have a couple of dog questions. I had to leave my house last week because of impending tornados and my dog, Rhet, companion of 13 years, had a seizure in the car and I had to have him euthanized 2 days later. I lost his sister 2 years ago and it kills me to go through the experience. When I tell people that I stay with my pets through the procedure they think I'm crazy. They wonder how I can put myself through that. My thinking is that being with friend of 13 years during his last moments is damn near an obligation and I think it's pretty gutless to just walk away because it's a difficult experience. You seem to be a great dog parent and I just wondered what your take is. The possibility does exist that I'm totally out to lunch on this and have lost touch with reality. Also, I had stated many times after I lost Scully, Rhet's sister that he would be the last dog I'd ever own. His care and upkeep the last couple of years were exhausting. He was deaf and nearly blind and needed help with everything but I don't regret the effort at all. I now find the emptiness almost unbearable. I've had canine companions for 13 years and I find I don't know what to do with myself. Friends and relatives seem to think this is a bad time to decide on a new dog. Your thoughts would be appreciated."

Answer: Let me preface my response by repeating one of my long-held beliefs – that those who like dogs are generally good-hearted people, while those who don't are jerks at best and serial killers at worst. Having said that, there are very good reasons why some may prefer not to own a dog.  Hell, to be perfectly honest, I never wanted one – surprising given that I now have four of them.  It wasn't that I didn't like dogs.  Quite the opposite.  I loved them.  But I respected them enough to know they were needy creatures that required a lot of attention.  Unlike some of the douchebag fairweather pet guardians I've had the displeasure of knowing over the years, I see dogs as a full-time commitment – which is why, some thirteen years ago, when my wife told me she wanted to get a dog, I strongly objected.  But she was persistent and, eventually, I gave in and we welcomed our first dog. That was Jelly -

And you know what?  I was right.  She turned out to be a huge responsibility.  But I didn't mind because I loved her and she was our one and only.

Until my wife started thinking that, maybe, Jelly could use a companion.  I, of course, tried to shoot down the idea immediately. One dog was more than enough.  I couldn't imagine taking care of two. We argued and, again, I lost the argument.  And so, we ended up getting Maximus -

And having two pugs proved doubly demanding.  But I didn't mind because they were my dogs and I loved them.

We got Maximus from a breeder but Jelly was a pet shop buy, purchased before we knew any better.  While I would never again buy a dog from a pet store, I don't regret getting Jelly because I know that there is no way she could have ended up in a better home or lived a better life. And the same goes for all my dogs.  Like our third pug, Bubba -

Who was supposed to be a present for my wife's brother.  But, in keeping him those two weeks before we dropped him off in Montreal, I felt for Bubba what I'd felt for Jelly (and Maximus): that no matter how wonderful the person I'd be leaving him with, Bubba would be far, far better off with me.  And so, this time I was the one to make the executive decision.  We kept Bubba and my wife's brother got a toaster oven instead.

Three dogs was a lot more work than two, but I didn't mind because, again, they were my dogs and I loved them.

And when my wife decided she wanted to get a french bulldog, I already knew exactly what was in store and rather than argue, I saved my energy for the long drive to Langley were we picked up our latest addition, Lulu -

Crazy?  Maybe.  Demanding?  You bet!  But, eventually, I got used to it.  In those last few years on Stargate, we had a little routine going. Every morning I would wake up and take the dogs out, then feed them, then drop them off at doggy daycare.  Every evening, I would pick them up from daycare, bring them home, feed them, and take them out for their last walk of the night.  I would make sure they got their supplements, take them to the vet, and administer the tacrolimus medicinal gel directly onto their eyeballs. Eventually, when Jelly's hips got too bad and Maximus's knees to weak, I would carry them up and down the stairs.  When my wife and I separated, my first concern wasn't the house or any cash assets – it was the dogs.  And, fortunately, I got to keep them and the five of us made the best of things, settling in each night – Jelly on the pillow to my left, Bubba on the pillow to my right, Maximus at my feet, and Lulu right beside me. FINALLY dogs were allowed on the bed!

Tim, I can empathize.  People will tell you you're nuts.  That they're only dogs; not people!  But I've discovered something, a secret that many a dog owner is privy to as well: That dogs aren't people.  More often than not, they're better.  Unlike most flks who pass through your life making little if any impression, or prove themselves to complete and utter asses, dogs are special.  They're loyal.  They're loving and lovable.  They're possessed of personalities that make them unique and endlessly entertaining.  And all they ask in return is that we take care of them, from the time they enter our homes as big-eyed little runts who can't recognize themselves in a mirror to the time they leave it for that final journey.  It's a trifling request given the years of affection, amusement, and unquestioning allegiance they offer in return over the course of their all-too-short lives.

So, to finally answer your question – No, you're not out to lunch for caring for your long-time companion and wanting to be with them in their final moments.

One of my biggest regrets in life is the fact that I wasn't able to do the same for our family dog.  The night after he'd been hit by a car, we went to visit him at the animal hospital on our way to my high school band recital. His hindquarters had been paralyzed in the accident and yet, upon spotting us, he immediately perked up and started barking excitedly. Unfortunately, he was in bad shape and the decision was made to put him to sleep. We said our goodbyes and then headed off to the recital.  To this day, I'm haunted by what our dog must have thought as we walked out that door, or during those final few lonely moments of his life.  We should have been there for him.

That experience has admittedly influenced my decisions regarding Jelly these past two years.  My gal has been suffering from hip dysplasia and arthritic elbows and shoulders that make walking very difficult.  Last summer, her condition deteriorated to the point where her back legs could no longer support her.  I consulted various vets and made my decision.  Jelly underwent stem cell therapy followed by spinal surgery. Those surgeries cost me more than my annual Tokyo trip and, even though there were no guarantees the procedures would be successful, I decided to go ahead with them because, at the very least, I'd know I did everything I could for her.  And, at the end of the day, I'm pleased to report that they WERE successful and, although she still has trouble getting around, Jelly is able to squat and take care of business like she used to.  Obviously, not every dog owner can afford to pay for this kind of medical treatment – nor would many choose to even if they could – but it's something I was able to do for her and I'm glad I did.

On a recent visit to an animal hospital here in Toronto, the vet examined Jelly and, in going over her recent behavior (waking up in the middle of the night, crying), suspected she may be suffering from cognitive dissonance, what he termed an early form of canine alzheimer's.  Aside from those isolated incidents, she seems otherwise unchanged, her usual playful, bossy, vocal, hungry self.  But I know that things can change very quickly and, when the time comes, I will be there for her.

I can't tell you whether you should get another dog.  That decision is yours.  But, given their relatively short life spans, I have given some thought to what I would do if I eventually found myself alone (as opposed to me kicking off early and the four of them cashing in on my premature demise to the tune of kurobuta pork breakfasts and kobe beef dinners well into their twilight years).  And I decided that, after a short period in which to properly mourn them, I probably would get another dog – or maybe two –  or more – because, like I said, for all the love and humor and companionship they'll provide, I'll compensate them with a home life very few can offer.

And I'm sure you can say the same.

Tagged: Dogs, french bulldogs, pugs

May 28, 2011: Food, food, food, t-shirts, oh, and Stargate: SG-1′s eight season!

Nooooooooooooo!  Yesterday, I was crushed to learn M:brgr had closed its doors only months after opening them.  Apparently, Torontonians don't have an appetite for high-end burgers.  Great.  Now where the hell am I going to get a kobe beef patty with brie, caramelized onions, porcini mushrooms, black truffle carpaccio and fig jam on a white bun with a side order of sweet potato fries served with truffle mayo?  Yeah, that's what I thought.  And the truly sad part is it's not the burger I'll miss most of all.  It'll be this -

The chocolate chip cookie skillet a la mode, hitherto my favorite dessert in Toronto.  The dish was perfection: the cookie served, partway between cooked and cookie dough, with not one but TWO scoops of vanilla ice cream!

Well, at the very least there's this place -

Will have to get the name from Rob Cooper, who recommended it, but here's hoping this restaurant sticks around.  Sadly, no chocolate chip cookie skillet a la mode here, but there is THIS -

The schnitzel platter that bested us on our last visit.  But I'm calling for best two out of three.

On the home front, the eating is good.  Not cooking as much as I'd like but I suspect that'll change once I finally get settled in – probably around September the way things are going.  Akemi has assumed most of the meal preparation duties, including the occasional bento breakfast…

The guys at work are sooooooo jealous.www.

So, I was out and about today and happened by this Customize Your Own T-Shirt shop on Yonge Street.  I wanted to get some shirts for the writers in advance of the big broadcaster summit coming up later this week (Mine's going to say: "Thank you for continuing to challenge me").  Anyway, when I mentioned I was working on Transporter: The Series, the guys behind the counter were intrigued – then all sorts of delighted to hear I'd just come off eleven years on Stargate.  We chatted about the SGU season finale, fate of the franchise, and the big anime convention (Anime North) running through this weekend.  Anyway, I promised them a blog shout-out as part of today's entry, so here it is -

Pascal and Andrew handle all your t-shirtly needs.

Casting my mind back to the start of SG-1′s eighth season, I remember going into that year fairly convinced that it would be the show's last (yet again).  And, in many ways, it was because SG-1′s ninth and tenth season were a notable departure from those first eight.  This was Richard Dean Anderson's last season as a regular, the final season in which the show's long established villains – the goa'uld – would threaten Stargate Command and, in sum, the end of "classic Stargate" (although there are those who have long held this designation should only applly to the show's first three seasons).  This was the year we wrapped up the big loose ends and we did so with a mind to ending the series and launching a new SGC-centered spin-off tentatively titled Stargate Command.  Needless to say, things didn't exactly go as planned. Not exactly.  But, for the most part, they did and we ended up concluding the original team run in immensely satisfying fashion.

This also marked the first year we transitioned from a 22 to a 20 episode season.  It meant two less episodes – but only as far as SG-1 was concerned because this was also the year we launched Stargate: Atlantis.  In all, we produce 40 episodes of television that year!

NEW ORDER I (801)

Finally, after years of behind the scenes begging and badgering, actor Chris Judge got his wish – and Teal'c got hair.  Brad had long-resisted Chris's requests but finally broke down since it seemed this was going to be it, the show's final season.  I didn't think it was such a big deal, especially considering Teal'c had undergone other notable changes over the course of the series run. Remember that gold tinge his skin possessed, making him look like he was a professional dancer working an all-night rave?  Given the fact that certain scenes from this show's first four episodes were shot out of sequence, Teal'c's hair is somewhat inconsistent – but I'm sure Chris will tell you it was a small price to pay for not having to shave his head every morning.

With Brad and Robert looking ahead to Stargate: Atlantis, a late change was made to the script's first draft.  Initially, Richard Woolsey was supposed to take over at Stargate Command but the decision was made to have Elizabeth Weir step into the role instead.

NEW ORDER II (802)

The part of the human form replicator that comes out of stasis aboard the Daniel Jackson was played by SGA stunt coordinator James "Bam Bam" Bamford.

The episode's final reveal, that Fifth had created a replicator version of Carter, wasn't part of the story we broke and was included at the draft stage when Robert Cooper was struck by his usual insidiously evil inspiration.

LOCKDOWN (803)

The role of Colonel Alexi Vaselov was played by actor Gavin Hood who went on to win an Academy Award (no, not for his appearance on Stargate) in the Best Foreign Language Film category for Tsotsi, then later directed Rendition and X-Men Origins: Wolverine.

One of my favorite scenes in this episode comes when Carter visits Daniel in the infirmary.  With the ailing and near-death Vaselov lying in his bed only feet away, Carter draws the privacy curtain and proceeds to deliver a dire diagnosis on the suffering Russian.  Whenever we watched the scene, one of the writers would invariably pipe up (as Vaselov): "I can hear you!  I'm lying right here!"  Then, as Carter to Vaselov: "Don't worry!  Hang in there!  You're going to pull through this!"  Then, as Carter to Daniel: "Not really.  He's as good as dead."  Then, as Carter back to Vaselov: "Think positive!  You're going to be fine!"

ZERO HOUR  (804)

aka – A Day in the Life of General O'Neill.  It was sad to bid farewell to General Hammond, especially considering I considered the actor who played him, Don S. Davis, a good friend – but having O'Neill take over command at the SGC opened up a host of welcome new story possibilities.  In this episode, we see the long-time wise-cracking rebel in uniform really step up and take charge in a big way, maintaining his cool – and trademark humor – as everything seems to be coming apart around him.  The SGC being overrun by alien plant life was an idea Brad had long wanted to incorporate into a story and, finally, got the opportunity to see it done here.  Chalk Siler's wimpy flamethrower up to fire and safety regulations that prohibited us from using the real thing on set (when used in later episodes of the franchise like Cloverdale, the flames were enhanced by our visual effects department).

Tagged: SG-1, Stargate, Stargate: SG-1

May 27, 2011: Getting the Book of the Month Club back on track! More Dark Matter Designs! Mailbag!

Given my increasingly busy schedule, I've been finding it very difficult to set aside any time for reading.  As a result, I've shifted focus from novels to trade paperbacks which I find equally accomplished, just as enjoyable, yet also offer the added bonus of shorter narratives that don't require a lengthy commitment. And this got me to thinking.  Present circumstances are ideal for me to do something I've wanted to do for quite some time: include the occasional trade paperback in our humble Book of the Month Club discussions.

And so, today, it gives me great pleasure to announce our Book of the Month Club is back, but with a comic book theme.

July's Book of the Month Club pick is…

SWEETH TOOTH (VOL. 1: Out of the Woods) By Jeff Lemire

A cross between Bambi and Cormac McCarthy's The Road, SWEET TOOTH tells the story of Gus, a rare new breed of human/animal hybrid children, has been raised in isolation following an inexplicable pandemic that struck a decade earlier. Now, with the death of his father he's left to fend for himself . . . until he meets a hulking drifter named Jepperd who promises to help him. Jepperd and Gus set out on a post-apocalyptic journey into the devastated American landscape to find 'The Preserve' a refuge for hybrids. 

This unique and haunting new series is written and illustrated by Eisner-nominated creator Lemire (The Essex County Trilogy) and colored by fellow Eisner nominee Jose Villarubia.

Discussion begins the week of July 4th with author Jeff Lemire!

And while we're on the topic of comic books…

My editor at Dark Horse, Patrick Thorpe, forwarded me artist Garry Brown's clothing designs for the characters of my upcoming comic book series, Dark Matter.  Check 'em out:

ONE is our rough-and-tumble hero and, as a result, his clothing should reflect this: cool yet functional.  He's got to be able to kick ass and shoot 'em up, and look good doing it.

TWO needs something a little sleeker, a little more flexible to suit her fighting style.  Her forte is hand-to-hand combat and her skill and dexterity make her more than a match for anyone on board.  I'd make her boots a little more distinct, maybe make them a little higher and offer protection over the pads.  Also, as I told Patrick: "I want her blade to be less a knife and more of a stiletto.  You know, the kind you use to perforate people's eardrums.".

THREE is our resident bad-ass and his clothing should reflect his roughneck persona.  Again, functionality is key for a guy whose most cherished possessions are his wicked sidearms.  The fingerless gloves are a terrific touch, suggesting a desire for the heady tactile experience of squeezing a trigger.

FOUR is our warrior, possessed of dignity, inner-strength, and quiet ruthlessness.  This clothing reflect this nobility of spirit with a nod to the samurai.  Little touches like the more pronounced shoulders and sash give him a more unique and polished style.

FIVE's spunky personality comes through in her steampunk style: harness, heavy work boots, and oversized gloves.  The goggles – perfect for impromptu riveting jobs – should also come with a night-vision option that allow her to scuttle through the ship's darker recesses with relative ease.

SIX is our big bruiser with the heart of gold and fists of stone.  We want his clothing to be practical yet comfortable, an outfit that would allow to perform his shipboard duties with ease yet also lift someone over his head and heave them screaming through a plate glass window.

What do you guys think?

BTW – Dark Matter hits the shelves in January of 2012.  Circle the month!

Whew!  What a day!  Worked on my rewrite of episode 3 (formerly episode 2) of Transporter: The Series, digested another round of notes for episode 6 (formerly episode 5), wrote and rewrote the first season episode summary tracking the show's various character and mythology arcs, signed off on Carl's one-pager, and discussed Janet Jackson's affinity for coffee enemas with Alexander.  My work here is done!

Mailbag:

tidusspear08 writes: "Can you speak German?"

Answer: English, Fresh, Italian, and Japanese but, alas, no German.  Fortunately, Alex is here to deal with all German inquiries.

majorsal writes: "is brad going to come to the blog and talk 'stargate: revolution'? or carl?"

Answer: Remains to be seen.  I'll talk to Carl once he finishes work on his latest script for us.

Lou Zucaro writes: "So are you and/or Akemi spending any time looking for a new place since this one is so chaud?"

Answer: Yep.  Hopefully we'll find something soon.  Barring that, I suspect we'll spend the summer sleeping on the balcony.

Alex Crawford writes: "I decided to post here since you would actually 'read this' d hopefully respond. I have a solution for SGU. Can you please sent this message through to MGM. I talked to "The Syzgy Network", a new channel coming in 2012. "

Answer: Unfortunately, the fate of the franchise is out of my hands.  This is a matter that can only be addressed by the studio, MGM.

jojo writes: "Have you found that your language skills have come in handy with the European crew and locations? Will you have to go to europe to oversee filming or will you have your hands full in Toronto?"

Answer: I haven't had the opportunity to speak much French yet but suspect I will once our stunt coordinators hit Toronto.  And, no, I won't be heading overseas. I'll be here in Toronto, either writing/rewriting scripts or prepping and producing episodes.

enectrixx writes: "How come some civilizations (like the Touched in The Broca Divide and the Cimmerians) are so primitive and still have the same culture, behaviour, etc as when they were taken from Tau'ri when they've had hundreds or thousands of years to evolve?"

Answer: Could be a multitude of reasons why some civilizations adapt and evolve more rapidly than others.  The use of tools and the adoption of farming practices, for instance, are huge game-changers that would certainly accelerate development.

enectrixx also writes: "Do you have any explanation as to why all the alien cultures (except the Goa'uld and a few others) speak fluent modern english?"

Answer: In my mind, every time a traveller stepped through the gate, they were reassembled on the other side with the benefit of translator nanites that allowed them to not only understand but be understood in turn.  Some languages (like the goa'uld tongue) proved resistant to the technology.

Squishy writes: "Hey Joe, thanks for the updates on Transporter! Just wondering; what language will you guys using for the series? English only? or perhaps some french/german influences?"

Answer: If we're in Germany or France, we will be hearing some German or French.  It'll be entirely location dependent.

Dale writes: "The Lucien Alliance seemed to have greater for-knowledge about Destiny and as to what it really was than anyone involved in Stargate Command. I was left with the impression they (SGC) had no idea what on the other end of the 9th chevron address, but L/A seemed to know a lot more and were prepared for what they were to encounter when they arrived. I realize Telford probably fed them some intel, but I have a hard time believing what he could have given them would have been enough (ie the gadget that opens the locked doors). Ginn mentions in "Aftermath" about legends and stories told about it. Were there any plans to expand on what the L/A knew about Destiny and where that information came from?"

Answer: I think much of it is there in the show.  The information they had heard was almost mythic in nature until Telford, acting as their mole, provided them with detailed information regarding Destiny.

Dale also writes: "Were there any plans in future seasons to introduce any ascended Ancients as guest characters that might 'walk the line' to help out the Destiny Crew, in a similar way that Oma or Morgan le Fay did in SG-1?"

Answer: There were no immediate plans to do so.  If someone had pitched the idea, I probably would have done my best to kill the story.  I accept the Ancients as an ethereal background element to our story but object to having all-powerful beings intercede in mortal affairs.

Dale also writes: "You mentioned in the past technologies that you felt shouldn't have been introduced in past Stargates as they hurt the 'drama' of the stories (such as beaming tech). Was there much debate about having the "Stones" be present as a plot-device?"

Answer: Yep.  Not everybody in the writers' room liked the stones.  That said, they did offer a creative opportunity to contact Earth and get off the ship in a manner that wouldn't blow the budget.

Randomness writes: "Speaking of which, is being in Toronto cutting down on your anime time too Joe?"

Answer: Yes.  I've stopped picking up new releases because I simply don't have time to watch them.  Looking forward to catching up in a big way in 2012.

Randomness also writes: "Transporter does sound like it has a heck of a lot more stuff to organize than the average Stargate season, am I right Joe?"

Answer: Absolutely. When Paul and I joined the production in SG-1′s fourth season, Stargate was a well-oiled machine.  We dealt with the studio that left us alone to do our thing, and one major broadcaster supplying notes (SciFi eventually; we never received notes from Showtime).  Transporter: The Series, on the other hand, is a new show we're building from the ground up with many more parties involved.

Randomness also writes: "Do you think Brad will produce a new Science Fiction show Joe?  Doesn't have to be Stargate, but does he have anything planned, or any ideas?"

Answer: Don't know but I'd love to see him get yet another SF series off the ground.

Ayrton1 writes: "How did you get to the scene "Numa Numa"  it was really great, have you some interesting story from behind of scene? How did you think it up?"

Answer: Thanks/blame writer-producer Carl Binder for that one.  He was looking for a suitably annoying tune for the otherwise solemn scene and, after much consideration, went with Numa Numa.  The perfect choice.

enectrixx writes: "How come the concept of time is the same on almost all the planets SG-1 and SGA visited? Is it just to make the story easier to tell or do you and the others have any explanation?"

Answer: Whenever possible, we tried to avoid any off-world time references.  In fact, we spoofed this very subject in Wormhole Xtreme with a scene in which the alien princess notes: "It has been many bleems since my people were enslaved by the minions of Lord Varlock".

enectrixx also writes: "Also, every time they visit a planet in SG, they just scout the immediate area (a few kilometers) around the gate. Does the SGC send other teams afterwards that investigate the whole planet (or a lot of it)?"

Answer: Given the gate's importance, it would stand to reason that any reasonably advanced race worth pursuing contact with would build their civilization around (or in close proximity to) the stargate.  That said, I'm sure the SGC followed up initial exploration with follow up missions.

Tagged: Dark Matter, Garry Brown, Jeff Lemire, Patrick Thorpe, Stargate, Sweet Tooth, Transporter: The Series

May 26, 2011: Auf Wiedersehen, Mein Freund!

The above picture is sadder than a boatload of stranded orphans having to eat their au pair for survival.  I mean, just look at him. Heartbreaking, no?  I snapped the above pic as Carl Binder was preparing to head off into the sunset, luggage and script outline in tow. After a wonderful week of story spinning and endless distractions, Carl took his leave, voicing his desire to, someday, work with us again.  It was, indeed, just like old times while he was in town – with the addition of a loopy German wildcard (Alex) – and I know I speak for everyone in the writing department when I say: "Carl, as you leave to catch your flight back home, know this – We are really counting on you to deliver a solid draft!  Everybody really liked your first script so there's incredible pressure on you to do an equally fantastic job on this one.  Don't screw up!  Make sure it's great!!!!!".  I know, I know.  A little sappy.  But I'm the sentimental type.

Last night, we saw Carl off in the fine Indian style he so grew accustomed to growing up on the streets of Calcutta – with a wonderful Indian meal at Babur Restaurant (clickthrough.html).  We all came away very, very impressed by what turned out to be one of the best meals (Indian or otherwise) any of us had enjoyed in quite some time. You know how, when you visit a nice restaurant, there is always one, maybe two dishes that really stand out and make you say "Damn, I have GOT to come back here.  Preferably with less hungry fellow diners."?  Well, an astounding six of the seven dishes we ordered last night were that "Holy Smokes!" fantastic (The lone dissenter being the lentil dish, but expecting a lentil dish to be fantastic is akin to assuming the Toronto Maple Leafs will make the playoffs.  I mean, come on. Let' s be realistic.).

Whew!  Feeling a little overwhelmed of late what with prepping the show, the conference calls, the spinning sessions, the script meetings, the writing, the rewriting, the blogging, and the search for a new place. I miss my Vancouver routine: dinner, blog, workout/watch t.v. or dvd, read, and sleep.  I have little time to watch anything anymore, my workouts have been sporadic, it feels like forever since I've actually sat down and read a book, and sleeping through the night is next to impossible in this uncomfortably warm apartment.  I am pleased to report, however, that I've managed to continue my dinner-eating ways. Would love to go back for a visit, even if it's only for a weekend, but with the dogs here in Toronto that's most unlikely.  Sadly, it doesn't look like I'll be back in Van until January of next year at the earliest.

That's it for today.  I've got some story synopses to finish up and a pile of notes to consider.  Gute nacht!

May 25, 2011: More Transporter: The Series Casting Announcements! Another Dark Matter Character Design! Stargate: Extinction Secrets Revealed!

Sacre bleu!  Two more casting announcements for my new show, Transporter: The Series!

As most of you already know, actor Chris Vance (Prison Break, Mental, Dexter, and Burn Notice) will be donning the driving gloves in the role of Frank Martin, the Transporter who delivers anything, anywhere – for a price.  Andrea Osvart will play his handler, Carla, an ex-CIA agent who deals with the details so Frank can concentrate on the job.  Also joining the cast…

Who better to play the role made famous by actor Francois Berléand in the Transporter films than, well, actor Francois Berléand.  That's right. Inspector Tarconi makes the transition from the big screen, bringing his charming, world-weary self to series television.  And joining him…

Actress Delphine Chanéac (who you genre fans may remember from the movie Splice) has been cast in the role of the mysterious Olivia. What makes Olivia so mysterious?  Well, you'll have to tune in to find out.  Mysterious,no?

On the comic book side, my upcoming series for Dark Horse – Dark Matter – continues to come together.  I've been working with artist Garry Brown and editor Patrick Thorpe on the layouts or issue #1.  I am very, VERY happy.  Check out the prelim character design for the singular seventh member of the crew -

Chotto sinister, no?

Finally – by now, I had hoped to hear back on the ultimate faith of Stargate: Extinction (Novel? Comic book? Radio play? Performance art piece?) but, alas, it's been very quiet.  I will say that when Paul and I set out to write the script for the proposed Stargate: Atlantis movie, we did so in the hopes that, ultimately, it wouldn't be produced as a movie at all but as the first two episodes of SGA's sixth season. Codenamed "Project Twilight", it would have focused on the city of Atlantis, its personnel, and the journey back to home to the Pegasus Galaxy.  Ideally, that would set the stage for the thrilling 18 episodes to follow – or, at the very least, the jumping off point for future SGA movies.

The movie would have picked up not long after the events of the season 5 finale, Enemy at the Gates.  In the opening scene, two astronauts (who turn out to be a couple of familiar faces – Amelia Banks and Major Lorne) take a walk on the surface of the moon, their lunar stroll ending with a reveal of the city of Atlantis.  A shuttle carrying Sam Carter and a group of dignitaries sweeps overhead and lands.

Within the city's atmospherically shielded confines, Carter and her guests meet up with the science team headed by – who else? – Rodney McKay.  Frustrated by the interruption to his ongoing research, McKay demonstrates a certain impatience with the whole dog-and-pony show, running through standards explanations, overviews, questions, and answers until – an alarm suddenly sounds.  The bewildered dignitaries are ushered out, leaving McKay, Carter, and Zelenka to investigate.

An examination of the city's systems reveal the worst.  A self-destruct has been initiated – a safeguard, Rodney surmises, put in place by the Ancients in the event Atlantis was ever removed from the Pegasus Galaxy.  And, once triggered, it cannot be disabled.  Nothing short of a return to the Pegasus Galaxy will save the city from certain destruction.

Of course, getting it there is easier said than done…

Anyway, that was the basic premise: A seeming new beginning.  A threat to the city.  And a desperate bid to outrace a deadly countdown.

But who would join the journey?  How would they get back to Pegasus? And what challenges would they face along the way?

More on that in the coming days.

Today's blog entry is dedicated to birthday gals Chevron7 and SarahL.

Tagged: Dark Matter, SGA, Stargate, Stargate: Atlantis, The Transporter, Transporter: The Series