Joseph Mallozzi's Blog, page 215

3 Days to Tweetstorm!

You ready?

Why, yes.  That IS a cast-signed script from Dark Matter Episode 208 (Stuff To Steal, People To Kill).  To refresh your memories…

One lucky randomly selected participant in this Friday night’s Stargate tweetstorm will win the script.  Join us for a chance to win!

Well, following a rough 1-3 start to their fantasy football, my Snow Monkeys bounced back and closed out the regular season, securing second place and a first round playoff bye.  We’ll be taking next week off to rest up and watch four other teams fight for their post-season lives.

Could this be the year?  A Snow Monkeys championship AND a new in-canon Stargate series?

Artwork by the amazing Nicolas Bannister.

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4 Days to our Stargate Tweetstorm!

Ready to do battle for the future of Stargate?

Great!  And the bigger our online army, the bigger a splash we’re going to make, so rally the troops.  We launch in four days!

Today’s Stargate Question of the Day –

#Stargate Question of the Day!
How likely are you to subscribe to a streaming platform (or switch to a streaming platform) that offers a new #Stargate series by @bradtravelers? @AmazonStudios @AppleTV @CBSAllAccess @disneyplus @hbomax @hulu @NBCUniversal @netflix

— Joseph Mallozzi (@BaronDestructo) December 2, 2019

Head on over to twitter and vote – and retweet!

Hey, Dark Matter fans – we’d love you to join this Friday’s tweetstorm and support the many Stargate fans who supported Dark Matter during our tweetstorm.  A lucky randomly-selected participant will receive…

Alas, no, not Ivon, Akemi and I (unless you’re paying the shipping costs) but your very own Galactic Authority jacket.  Badge and blaster not included.

Finally, Happy Gotcha Day to Suji.  It was three years ago today that she came into our home, with her gimpy legs, wheelchair, and an instant aversion to me.  Oh, how times have changed.

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December 1, 2019: Suji Sunday!

Hey, a little privacy, please.

Baby seal sighting!

Lulu= dreamy.

The attitude on this girl!

Lights out.

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6 Days to the Stargate Tweetstorm!

There’s no telling who’ll be dropping by for our Stargate tweetstorm on Friday, December 6th, 21:00 EST, 18:00 PST – but expect more than a few surprises.

AND a shot at winning some awesome Stargate and Dark Matter giveaway items.

Like these art department packages – the first from Stargate: Atlantis’s “Kindred Part 1”, the second from Stargate: Universe’s “The Hunt”.

Including various episode-related set blueprints and layouts.

As well as episode-related concept art.

The goal of the tweetstorm is to let MGM know Stargate fandom is still out there and very VERY impatient for a new in-canon Stargate series.  If you love the franchise, spare an hour of your time and join us!

Our Stargate Question of the Day!

#Stargate #QuestionOfTheDay
Which two team/crew members, from different Stargate shows (#SG1, #SGA, #SGU) would you switch out for one episode?
Me? I'd love to see Eli on Atlantis, dealing with the wraith, and Rodney aboard Destiny, dealing with Rush.

— Joseph Mallozzi (@BaronDestructo) November 30, 2019

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One Week To Tweetstorm!

Ready to fly into action?

Good, because we’re now seven days out from the December 6th Stargate tweetstorm.

I came across another potential giveaway item for next Friday night.  Check it out –

A Stargate Ark of Truth/Continuum crew gift hoodie from back in the day.  Size small, so perfect for petite people, kids, and large dogs!

Hey, head on over to twitter and answer our Stargate Question of the Day! Today’s question…

#Stargate #QuestionOfTheDay
Which unpopular episode was your favorite?
For me – Family Ties. It offered Vala backstory, a terrific performance by @Fred_Willard, some subtle digs at the show's cancellation, AND Teal'c unwittingly attending a reading of The Vagina Monologues. pic.twitter.com/ttS6e8w9rz

— Joseph Mallozzi (@BaronDestructo) November 30, 2019

Come on, Emancipation fans.  I want to hear from you!

Well, back home in Toronto but missing mom and her Italian home cooking.  Here she is in action making fettine –

Good eating!

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November 28, 2019: 8 Days to Stargate Tweetstorm!

Eight days until the tweet storm to end all tweet storms!

You ready?  Let’s do this!

Hey, head on over to youtube and subscribe to Stargate Command for a slew of Stargate-related video exclusives.  Like this Brad Wright interview in which he talks about the show’s fandom –

And if you aren’t already following Brad on twitter, you should do so now: @bradtravelers

Oh, hey, looking for the perfect holiday gift for that Stargate fan?  Well, Giant Freakin Robot has you covered:

Stargate Gifts: A Guide To Shopping For SG-1 Fans

Put me down for a half-dozen coasters.

Came across the following article yesterday:

Stargate: What Killed The Franchise And Who Will Bring It Back

And couldn’t help but weigh in –

“While Star Trek gets all the headlines, the Stargate franchise has a history of success which for a time, seemed ready to rival Gene Roddenberry’s vision of the future. Until it didn’t and after nearly twenty-years and millions of fans, the entire Stargate galaxy collapsed.”

Collapsed?  Really?  There was a 12 year span between the end of Enterprise and the premiere of Discovery – compared to the less than 9 years since Stargate: Universe last aired.  Yes, it’s been a while since we’ve seen new Stargate, but I don’t think any level-headed critic was sounding Star Trek’s death knell back in 2005.  Guys, why so negative?

“And then it all started to fall apart. Times were changing. The serialized format which made Stargate SG-1 a hit in the 90s was over and the golden age of television was in full swing. Linear storytelling with complex plots and heavy character development was the norm and Stargate hadn’t really changed with it.”

A couple of things.  The term “serialized” commonly refers to the type of extended narrative storytelling being called “linear” here.  Stargate’s SG-1 and Atlantis were episodic in nature while SGU was more serialized.   Also, to proclaim that the episodic format “was over” is debatable since episodic television still continues to enjoy much success, especially internationally.  Finally, to suggest that Atlantis should have undergone some sort of tonal and structural approach is a reach.  Would a sudden shift to a serialized format have secured Atlantis an increased viewership?  There’s no way to know for sure but common sense would dictate that a serialized format would make it MORE difficult for new fans to jump onboard a series midstream.

“Then came two more series and before you knew it, Stargate fatigue set in. This was evidenced by the numbers and shelf-life. The popular SG-1 had ten strong seasons. Stargate Atlantis was only able to scratch out five while Stargate Universe could only manage two.”

Okay, the “Stargate Atlantis was only able to scratch out five” line made me laugh out loud.   That’s some long-term scratching.  While, yes, I think Atlantis could (should have) continued, five years is still a pretty solid run.  As for Universe – yes, disappointing it only got two seasons, but I think that pinning “the numbers and shelf-life” (not sure what, exactly, the latter refers to) on “fatigue” is as about as viable a theory as pointing the finger at the shift away from the traditional viewing model, the rise of streaming and time-shifted viewing, the increasingly expanded programming landscape and, of course, as already referenced, the shift to a more serialized narrative structure that was atypical of the franchise.

“While SG-1 took viewers to different parts of the universe, Stargate Atlantis kept them in one place.”

Actually, the two shows were very similar in terms of premise.  While SG-1 explored the Milky Way from its base of operations at Cheyenne Mountain, the Atlantis expedition explored the Pegasus Galaxy from its base of operations on Atlantis.  Sure, there was a little more time spent exploring the city itself, but it wasn’t a huge shift in the storytelling conceit.  Also, said small shift strayed ever so slightly into the serialized-style narrative that the article earlier stated Atlantis had failed to adapt itself to in time.

“In SG-1’s case, longevity could have been its undoing. Richard Dean Anderson was a regular on the series for the first eight seasons and by seasons nine and ten he was a guest star.”

In fact, Rick was actually curtailing his appearances as far back as season 7.  But even if you use SG-1’s eighth season as a drop off point, Stargate continued on for another six years, seven seasons, and 140 episodes.  Not exactly a last gasp.

“That tweet storm Mallozi mentioned is being organized by he and Wright, who hope to have fans deluging MGM with messages on December 6, 2019.”

While I’m sure Brad is aware of our efforts, he isn’t a part of this campaign. In fact, this upcoming tweet storm is being organized by yours truly, the High Council, Stargate Now, and many other fans.  Still, we should absolutely tag Brad (@bradtravelers) on the night of the tweet storm and show him just how strong Stargate fandom remains after all these years.

“But you have to wonder: If MGM is already working on more Stargate as Mallozi claims, then why do fans need to tweet bomb them to spur them into action?”

Because “working on” (development) and “green lighting” (production) are two different things.  Over a year ago, there had been no promising news on a new in-canon Stargate series since SGU aired its last episode.  And then, months after our first tweet storm, word broke that Brad Wright was in talks with MGM.  Just a coincidence?  Maybe.  And then again, maybe not.  I’m perfectly happy to officially chalk it up to coincidence once again if, months after this next tweet storm, MGM announces production on a new in-canon Stargate series.

P.S. Two z’s in Mallozzi.

***

Man, it’s been ages since I’ve down one of these online rebuttals.  Good times. Thanks to the gang at GiantFreakinRobot for the article.  While I may disagree with certain points, I nevertheless do appreciate their taking the time.

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November 27, 2019: Week’s Best Comic Book Covers!

These were my favorites…

Fantastic Four: Negative Zone #1 (cover art by Mico Suayan)

Scream: Curse of Carnage #1 (cover art by Stanley Lau)

Star Wars: Doctor Aphra #39 (cover art by Ashley Witter)

Basketful of Heads #2 (cover art by Clayton Crain)

Batman & Robin Omnibus (cover art by Patrick Gleason, Mark Irwin)

DC Comics: The Art of Jim Lee, vol 1 (cover art by Jim Lee, Scott Williams)

Detective Comics #1016 (cover art by Kaare Andrews)

Freedom Fighters #11 (cover art by Eddy Barrows)

Martian Manhunter #10 (cover art by Joshua Middleton)

Ascender #7 (cover art by Dustin Nguyen)

So, which were YOUR favorites?

Also a reminder – 9 DAYS TO THE STARGATE: SUPERDRIVE TWEETSTORM!

 

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November 26, 2019: 10 Days to the Stargate: Superdrive Tweet Storm!

Prepare for battle!  The Stargate Superdrive is only 10 days away from storming the internet!

Word is getting out…

Stargate Producer Joseph Mallozzi Reveals Plans for “Stargate Tweet Storm” For New Series

"this applies to all sci-fi fans out there. The more the merrier. Join us Friday, December 6th at 21:00 EST, 18:00 PST and tweet your hearts out… Random participants will win assorted Stargate and Dark Matter swag from the vault… You in?" https://t.co/9MVwT6xcu2

— TeamRazaEurope (@TeamRazaEurope) November 22, 2019

Stargate Tweet Storm Date and Time Revealed by Producer Joseph Mallozzi

Stargate Superdrive: Producer Says The Franchise’s Return Is ‘Inevitable’

I’ve heard from a number of old friends who will be joining us on the night.  So keep rallying the troops!

P.S. – I’ve been going through my storage unit for cool giveaway items and came across this awesome, never worn North Face vest (size Large) that was a Stargate: Atlantis crew gift during the show’s run.  Check it out.

Everyone participating in the December 6th tweet storm will have a chance to win this and several other cool sci-fi items.

More surprises to come!

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November 25, 2019: 11 Days to Tweet Storm!

Hey, Stargate fans!  Ready for battle?

The Stargate Superdrive campaign is picking up steam as we barrel towards our scheduled tweet storm.  Friday, December 6th at 21:00 EST, 18:00 PST.  Tell you friends, family, fellow fans, acquaintances, and even strangers who may just have an interest in helping to lock down a new in-canon Stargate series.

Now I realize that the timing of this tweet storm may prove problematic for a lot of our European fans as the launch may fall anywhere from 2:00 – 3:00 a.m. depending on their home country.  There is, unfortunately, no ideal hour for worldwide fans that will also ensure optimum trending, so I’m going to suggest we do what we did last time and have two tweet storms.  Unlike the last go-round, I think that the second would be much more effective if it didn’t immediately follow days after the first but, rather, have its own build and launch. That way, Stargate fans across the globe will be able to take part over the course of the two scheduled events. Sounds good?

For now, however, let’s focus on that first tweet storm.  If you can make it, we’d greatly appreciate it.  If not, you can always use TweetDeck to schedule your tweets in advance (click on the link for details).

Like last time, we will use a dedicated hashtag for the event.  And like last time, this hashtag will only be revealed 15 minutes prior to the commencement of our tweet storm.  We’d love to reveal it in advance but experience has taught us that doing so results in people tweeting out the hashtag early – which inhibits our ability to trend.  So, we’re going to have to keep it under wraps for now.

The High Council is finishing work on a simple video tutorial that will clearly outline everything you need to know about tweeting up a storm.  Stay tuned!

Meanwhile, continuing my #SecretsOfDarkMatter series on twitter, offering informative, occasionally surprising, behind the scenes trivia about the show.  For instance, did you know…

#SecretsOfDarkMatter #DarkMatter
On location shoots where vehicle access was prohibited, the production would use a special sled to ferry actor @ranthonylemke to and from set. This was required as part of his contract. pic.twitter.com/UQVva3BNBd

— Joseph Mallozzi (@BaronDestructo) November 25, 2019

And…

#SecretsOfDarkMatter #DarkMatter
The season 2 budget was so tight that the infirmary set doubled as actress @ZoiePalmer's trailer and home. Pictured below, Zoie runs lines before turning in for the night. Also pictured, actor @therogercross drops by to grab some aspirin. pic.twitter.com/VOMVTzZPOq

— Joseph Mallozzi (@BaronDestructo) November 25, 2019

Also…

#SecretsOfDarkMatter #DarkMatter
It's referred to as Background Holding because that is where background extras are held until their services are required on set. They are also allowed out for meals, exercise in the yard, and occasional conjugal visit. pic.twitter.com/hvtGuNc9hN

— Joseph Mallozzi (@BaronDestructo) November 25, 2019

The more you know.

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November 24, 2019: Suji Sunday!

Missing my girls this week!

Raspberry!

That post-nap face.

Lulu showing off.

Suji hits the road.

That nose!  So kissable!

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