Joseph Mallozzi's Blog, page 300

August 18, 2017: Dark Matter and Stargate – the parallels!

Viewers tune in for the hook, but they stay for the characters.  It’s a lesson I learned working on Stargate.  As much as fans enjoy the sense of adventure, the action, and the dazzling visual effects, it’s the characters at the heart of each show that draw them back, week after week.  Whether it’s SG-1, the Atlantis expedition, the crew of The Destiny, or the crew of The Raza, fans check in with the characters they love because they’ve formed a connection with them.  They are, in a way, extended family members they can visit with every time they watch an episode.

I think that one of the things that makes Stargate and Dark Matter special (and you can include Killjoys in this unique grouping) is that they offer science fiction fans something unique and, frankly, atypical of the genre – a sense of fun.  They offer fans humor, whether in the stories or the characters themselves, something that goes such a long way toward establishing and fostering that aforementioned connection.  And, while Wynonna Earp isn’t scifi, its genre chops and own underlying sense of humor makes it the perfect accompaniment to the existing SYFY Friday lineup.  It’s the network’s most watched and most buzzed about night of programming.  Back in 2011, Io9’s Charlie Jane Anders presented an article titled: 10 Actual Mistakes That Syfy Has Made Over The Years.  Coming in at #3: “Abandoning Friday nights as an action-adventure bloc”.  Remember the SG-1/SGA/BSG triple-bill?  It was the original SciFi Friday lineup, the precursor to the existing Killjoys/Dark Matter/Wynonna Earp trifecta.  The parallels are stark and if history has taught us anything, it’s “Don’t abandon Friday nights as an action-adventure bloc”!

Stargate: SG-1 was officially cancelled August 21st, 2006.  In reality, the word came down down a little earlier – the night of the show’s 10th Anniversary party. The drinks and chocolate fountain were flowing, special commemorative booklets were being handed out, heartfelt speeches were being made and, at one point, amidst the celebration, the announcement was made.  The tenth season would be the show’s last.  But whether it was the acoustics or the booze or the generally festive atmosphere, most everyone missed it.  I remember standing there, cup of liquid chocolate in hand, and throwing a confused look over to my longtime writing partner, Paul Mullie.  “Did we just get cancelled?”  His eyes narrowed and his brow furrowed as though he was trying to work it out in his head: “I – think so?”

It’s hard to make an argument that SG-1 was cancelled prematurely after ten glorious years on the air…but I’m going to make one anyway.  It was premature. With the addition of Ben Browder, Claudia Black and Beau Bridges, and the introduction of a formidable new villain, plus some 300+ episodes of backstory and mythology to draw from, we still had so many stories to tell.  If MGM called me up and told me we’d be doing an 11th season of the show and needed scripts pronto, I can guarantee you I’d have no problem coming up with a slew.  Little known fact: Fans almost did get an 11th season of SG-1.  The studio was in talks with iTunes who, at the time, was very interested in saving the show for one final 20 episode bow – but sadly, in the end, contractual handcuffs prevented it from happening.

Stargate: Atlantis was cancelled August 21st of 2008.  If SG-1’s cancellation was a head scratcher, SGA’s was a fullout WTF?!  Mainly because it didn’t make sense. I mean, what better way to launch a new Stargate incarnation than alongside a veteran powerhouse?  One more season to wrap things up, say goodbye to the Atlantis expedition, and pass the torch.  Instead, the veteran was unceremoniously ushered out and the new kid on the block just as unceremoniously ushered in, giving the semblance that one was cancelled to make room for the other.  This, of course, wasn’t the case – but it didn’t matter.  The optics were bad and the damage was done.  The fans were pissed off – with predictable consequences.  If there’s another thing history has taught us, time and again, it’s this: “Don’t piss off the fans!”.  (See #1 on Charlie Jane Anders’ list).

Stargate: Universe was cancelled on December 16, 2010.  I remember receiving the news in the office and trying to contact series EP and co-creator Brad Wright to no avail as he and the cast were in San Diego, out on a U.S. Navy ship at the time and effectively incommunicado.  One of the actors later told me that the second they got into port, the cast checked their phones to discover their inboxes were full.  They all knew – it wasn’t good news.  Whether SG-1 and SGA’s runs ended too soon make for great debate, there’s no denying that, unlike SGU, both of those shows had endings that worked as series finales.  That wasn’t the case for SGU as the series ended with the Destiny crew going into stasis, leaving a solitary Eli to figure out a seemingly impossible problem.  Although the final shots of the ship’s various sections and systems going dark offer a perfect bookend to the show’s opening sequence of them coming alive, audiences were left hanging nevertheless. Destiny’s journey concluded prematurely and its tale ended incomplete.  Adding to the frustration was the fact that co-creator Brad Wright had an endgame in mind, a final sequence he was working towards…that he never got the chance to reveal.

Dark Matter’s present situation is similar to that of SGU.  Like Brad, I have an endgame in mind, one I’ve set up and have been working towards from the pilot.  I know every secret’s reveal, how each set-up pays off, how every story ends.  And, like Brad, I have the show’s final sequence in my head.  I just hope I’m afforded the opportunity to get there.

Ideally, when all is said and done, the Dark Matter journey will be a closer match to that of Atlantis’s.  Five full seasons – as it should be.

Tagged: #DarkMatter, Dark Matter, Stargate

August 17, 2017: I’m just going to leave this right here…

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Tied for #1 with a whopping 200% bump in viewers 18-34.

A bump of over 100% in total viewers.

Thanks to fans for making Dark Matter one of SYFY’s most watched shows!

Tagged: #DarkMatter, Dark Matter

August 16, 2017: Dark Matter season 4 preview!

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As we impatiently await word on that fourth season pickup, I thought it might be fun to give you all a little hint as to what lies ahead in the show’s fourth (and, if all goes as planned/hoped, penultimate) season.

No spoilers here, just tantalizing teasers for the next chapter of our space operatic epic!

Episode 401: Enemies are allies and allies are enemies.  Or are they?  Rebecca. Kryden.  Fallout!

Episode 4o2: The Anders op.  Once more unto the breach.

Episode 403: The Raza pre-mindwipe story.

Episode 404: FIVE’s family reunion.

Episode 405: Okay, seriously.  THIS has GOT to be a paradox!  Dangers, drive-ins, and disco.

Episode 406: Agents of G.A.  The Extraction.

Episode 407: FIVE in Wonderland.  Stargate alumnum guest star?

Episode 408: The Reunion.  Electus Corp.

Episode 409: Once and Future.

Episode 410: SDC joint op.  The Takedown.  One, maybe two, Stargate alumnum guest star(s)?

Episode 411: Power play.  The betrayal.

Episode 412: Safeguarding Rebecca’s secret.

Episode 413: Upheaval.  New Order.  Setting up the shows fifth and final season…

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Come on, fandom.  Let SYFY know you want a season 4!

(P.S. And a special thanks to fandom for the awesome artwork).

Tagged: #DarkMatter, Dark Matter

August 15, 2017: Making the case for Dark Matter’s fourth season!

“Could you give Dark Matter fans anxiously waiting on renewal a positive argument for why the show should get picked up. Please make a positive case for the show.”

With no word yet on Dark Matter’s future and the finale fast-approaching, I’m often asked to gauge the chances of a renewal.  Although I’m as anxious as many of you (maybe even more anxious, if you can believe it), I remain cautiously optimistic about our chances of returning for a fourth season.  Here’s why…

The ratings have been pretty consistent and not all that far off from season’s 2 average with two more episodes to go.  That’s no small feat given that most shows demonstrate a more precipitous drop in viewership season to season.  We are also SYFY’s third-ranked show in overnight viewers, only ten percent off from last season’s average, and when you factor in the +3 viewership (which is what most broadcasters focus on nowadays), we bump up even higher.  In fact, I suspect we are one of SYFY’s biggest boosted shows in time-delayed viewership bumps.

We’re a cost-effective production.

We’re part of a solid SYFY Friday lineup alongside equally great shows like Killjoys and Wynonna Earp, shows that, like Dark Matter, deliver a sense of fun and family atypical of a lot of t.v.’s grimmer offerings.  The SYFY Friday triple header is unique and has built a loyal following, one that can only continue to grow as fans of one show discover the many great things the other SYFY Friday shows have to offer (and here’s my quick pitch to check out Killjoys at 8/7 C airing right before Dark Matter, and Wynonna Earp at 10/9 C immediately following Dark Matter).

SYFY is serious about its commitment to scifi!  It has moved away from the non-SF programming that rankled a lot of diehard fans and really pledged themselves to the genre with programming ranging from fun ship-based scifi like Dark Matter to lush operatic hard SF like The Expanse to more urban fantasy like The Magicians.  It offers a wide variety of programming for a wide range of fandom tastes.

And speaking of fans, SYFY’s new rebranding is accompanied by the tagline: It’s A Fan Thing.  They recognize and respect the importance of that fanbase and, although they can’t keep everyone happy all the time, they have striven toward keeping many happy a lot of the time, rewarding committed viewers.

Dark Matter’s season 3 finale will set up a whole new storyline for the show’s fourth season, one that I’ve already hinted at – and a number of you have already figured out.  If season 1 was Secrets and Surprises, and season 2 was Risks and Redemption, and season 3 is Victories and Vengeance, then season 4 will be…wait for it…Androids and Aliens!  And come on!  You CAN’T get more scifi than that!

Fans have proven how much they love these characters.  It’s too soon to say goodbye to the crew of The Raza!

We’re only two-thirds of the way through our grand story and finally paying off many of the stories we set in play back in the show’s first season.  What circumstances turned Rebecca into the ruthless Portia?  How will THREE come to terms with Sarah’s new corporeality?  Have we seen the last of FOUR?  Will FIVE reunite with her sister?  Has SIX fully let go of his past?  What part will the Android play in the coming machine uprising?  Who’s Kryden?  Who’s Carina?  What are The Accelerated?  The Black Ships?

Stay positive, Dark Matter fans!  Hit social media!  Get on twitter and let SYFY know you want a fourth season!

#RENEWDARKMATTER

 

Tagged: #DarkMatter, Dark Matter

August 14, 2017: Time on my hands for thrillers and mysteries!

This time three years ago, I had written the scripts for Episodes 1, 2, and 4, and was in the process of writing the script for Episode 8.

This time two years ago, I had written the scripts for “Kill Them All” and “We Were Family” and I had just started scripting “Stuff To Steal, People To Kill”.

This time last year, I had written “Being Better Is So Much Harder” and “Welcome To The Revolution” and was plotting out the back half of season 3.

This summer, I have been checking out most of Vancouver’s ice cream and gelato shops.  I have also been doing a lot of reading.  Here are my favorite mystery/thriller authors in no particular order…

1 – Deon Meyers: South Africa’s king of crime fiction writes some of the tautest, fast-paced thrillers in the genre.

Favorite book: Thirteen Hours –  An American backpacker has been killed and another is on the run for her life.  Inspector Benny Giessel is tasked with solving two parallel murder cases, and locating the whereabouts of a frightened young girl marked for death.

2 – Don Winslow: One of America’s premiere crime novelists, his work is mesmerizing, downright unputdownable.

Favorite book: The Winter of Frankie Machine – A retired hit man is drawn back into the life he left behind after surviving an attempt on his life.  Someone wants him dead – but who?  And why?

3 – Nicholas Pileggi: A successful author and screenwriter, his works include the novels Casino and Wiseguy, both of which he adapted for the big screen.

Favorite book: Wiseguy – The life story of a mobster, a brutal enforcer, murder, and family man, Henry Hill.  It would form the basis of the movie Goodfellas.

4 – Herman Koch: The rich, colorful, reprehensible characters that mark this Dutch author’s novels always make for a shocking, wholly absorbing, emotionally charged read.

Favorite book: Summer House with Swimming Pool – Dr. Marc Schlosser hides a terrible secret, his role in the death of a famous actor.  But the truth is far darker, and goes much deeper, than anyone could have imagined.

5 – Ben H. Winters: Author of The Last Policeman series, a post-apocalyptic crime series that is presently in development at NBC.

Favorite book: The Last Policeman, the first book in the aforementioned series.

6 – Ariana Franklin: Nom de plume of late British author Diana Norman.  Her Mistress of the Art of Death books are my all-time favorite historical crime series.

Favorite book: Mistress of the Art of Death – A young female medical examiner must weather sexism and anti-semitism to solve the murder of four young children, a crime that has been blamed on the local Jewish community of medieval Cambridge.

Honorable Mentions (Fantastic single titles from authors who I plan to read more of…):

The Coroner’s Lunch, by Colin Cotterill.  A mix of thriller, humor, and the supernatural, this novel, set in the 197o’s, focuses on Siri Paiboun, a 72 year old Laotian medical examiner who takes it upon himself to uncover the conspiracy surrounding the death of a government official’s wife.

The Twelve Lives of Samuel Hawley, by Hannah Tinti.  My favorite read of 2017 so far, this book focuses on the relationship between a spirited young girl and her well-intentioned father struggling with his criminal past.

Gotham Central, by Ed Brubaker and Greg Rucka.  The stories of the lives and cases of Gotham’s finest.  A dark, gritty, more human perspective of Batman’s big city.

Ill Will, by Dan Chaon.  A psychologist is drawn to explore the work of what may be a serial killer of young college men in suburban Cleveland – but his past involvement in a horrific crime complicates his personal investigation.

Cutter and Bone, by Newton Thornburg.  A mysterious murder leads Vietnam vet Cutter and his best friend Bone journey to the Ozarks, home of the infamous Wolfe Empire.

Get Carter, by Ted Lewis.  London “fixer” Jack Carter travels to the mill town of Scunthorpe to attend his brother’s funeral.  But when he starts using his tried and true methods to get at the truth behind his brother’s death, all hell breaks loose.

Any recommendations?

August 13, 2017: Dark Matter Reviews and Previews!

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August 12, 2017: Dark Matter – The Dwarf Star Conspiracy!

Slowly but surely, the pieces of the grand puzzle fall into place…

The alt. crew swings a deal with Commander Nieman of Ferrous Corp

Commander Nieman of Ferrous Corp reaches out to Emperor Ryo Ishida

TWO is kidnapped by alt Boone in the closing moments of last episode and shuttled to…parts unknown

Ferrous Corp is poised to claim victory over their rivals

Zairon is on the verge of defeat

The crew of The Raza has seemingly forestalled an alien invasion

And, in the next two weeks, all of these elements will come together in the fiery conclusion to Dark Matter’s third season.

A few notes about last night’s episode, “The Dwarf Star Conspiracy”…

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Actress Kate Drummond (aka Agent Lucado, Wynonna Earp) actually auditioned for AND won the role for another guest star scheduled to appear earlier this season.  But, days before her costume fitting, I received a call from our casting director, informing us that Kate was sick (with what turned out to be salmonella poisoning!) and would be unable to play the part.  And so, we cast another great actress for the role and I reached out to Kate who was incredibly apologetic.  I told her that when she felt better, we’d have a role for her sometime in the not too distant future.  And that role turned out to be the part of the alien subversive, Lieutenant Sajen, in Episode 311.  I have to say, Kate would have been terrific in the other role but, boy, she was fantastic as Sajen.  It was one of those “Damn, it’s too bad we killed her character off – Wait!  This is science fiction!  Who knows what the future holds?!” situations.

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Show co-creator Paul Mullie wrote the brilliant script for this episode but, during filming, actress Zoie Palmer felt the episode needed a little moment that directly addressed the Android’s costume change and its deeper implications for her character.  She was absolutely right so I headed upstairs and wrote what I hope will go down in Dark Matter history as “the infamous boobs scene”.  And, in ensuing conversations on the day, Zoie and I discussed some of the amazing character moments we have in store for her character.  Seriously.  If SYFY doesn’t give us a fourth season, #FANDROIDSWILLRIOT!

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The Dwarf Star industrial facility in which this episode is set is actually a complete re-imagining of the sound stage area that formerly housed the munitions factory back in Episode 303, “Welcome To The Revolution”.  Kudos to Production Designer Ian Brock and his team (art department, construction, paints, etc) on the amazing transformation and for, quite frankly, doing such a kickass job this season.

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And, of course, a shout-out to VFX Supervisor Lawren Bancroft-Wilson and his team on the creation/animation of the alien threat.  But their best is yet to come…

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Tagged: #DarkMatter, Dark Matter

August 11, 2017: I answer your burning questions!

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Tonight at 9/8C on SYFY, it’s an all-new episode of Dark Matter – “The Dwarf Star Conspiracy”.  We raise the stakes yet again as the pieces of Alexander Rook’s plans for Rebecca (and her kind) fall into place.  And the discoveries made this episode will have major repercussions.

Check out twitter during the broadcast to live tweet with the cast!

My chat with Matt Carter – Dark Matter Season 3 Stories, Finale, Season 4 Odds –

“Three has obviously never been the biggest fan of androids, and now the love of his life is one. Ironic, no? She’s essentially out of touch; I wouldn’t say that she’s riding with a bad crowd, but she’s riding with a crowd that may influence her in a way that Three may not support. I’ll say that, and I’ll say that we have big plans for the Sarah character. That story should be a lot of fun.”

Let’s hit the mailbag:

Katie writes: “What was your biggest inspiration to become a writer?”

Answer: If I had to narrow it down to the one biggest things, I’d have to say it was my love of comic books and the stories they told, action-driven but often character-centered, serialized in its narrative.  Characters like The Avengers and The X-Men became a second family to me of sorts, one that I would check in on every month.  There was nothing I loved more than going comic book shopping, browsing through back issues, discovering new titles.  It’s a wonder I never ended up in the comic book field.

“What advice would you give an aspiring writer??”

Answer: As silly as it sounds, my advice would be “Write!”.  I’ve known a lot of would-be writers over my life who just don’t write. Or write enough.  The only way you’re going to hone your craft is by committing yourself to it fully.  Also, reading A LOT helps.

Joanne Verbeek writes: “If season 4 is picked up: Will Lt. Anders joining the crew?”

Answer: No plans for Anders to join the crew, but there’s a good chance he may play a significant role in how events unfold for them in the show’s fourth season.

“Maybe have Hackmods(Android style)as an adversary???”

Answer: I know that’s a Killjoys term, but I’m woefully behind.

“Will you reveal the Stargate alumi to guest star in future episode(s)?”

Answer: If all the pieces fall into place then, yes, absolutely.  Hoping it will be more than one guest star.

Michael A. Burstein writes: “No questions for the mailbag. Just wanted to say hi and tell you that my wife and I are continuing to enjoy the show. You had some great episodes this season and we’re looking forward to seeing more next season!”

Answer: Michael, great to hear from you.  Hope you and your wife are well!

Sakura writes: “Will Portia aka Rebecca meet Dr.Shaw?”

Answer: If the two timelines share the Rebecca/Shaw relationship, then it would stand to reason that Portia would, eventually, try to seek out Shaw.

“If Dr. Shaw want android have free will and don’t want download her mind to android’s body , why she will agreed with Sarah doing tis ?”

Answer: Perhaps we’ll find out more about her attitude regarding androids and humanity as the series progresses but, on the surface, it would seem like a distinction between saving “a” life and saving her own.

“Will Two try to find back her connection with Dr.Shaw?”

Answer: This isn’t the last we’ve seen of Dr. Shaw – or the androids.

“Will victor died ?”

Answer: Oh, everyone dies.  Eventually.

cudaker writes: ““Over the course of the hour, we discussed all things Dark Matter including a few hints as to what lies in store for the show’s fourth season. It’s going to be spectacular!”  Can we Know few things of these chats ?”

Answer: You will once the interviews are published in a week or two.

“Ever though a crossover Between SG and DM for an episode or more ?”

Answer: No crossovers.  I don’t own the rights to Stargate or its characters.  I do hope to invite some of the former cast members to guest star on the show though.

“A DM PC game would it be possible ?”

Answer: Theoretically, yes, but highly unlikely.  Stargate had numerous failed attempts at a game and if Stargate couldn’t do it, I have no confidence that we’d be able to pull it off.

“If you were able to go back in time where/when would you go ?”

Answer: I’d probably go back to earlier in my life and talk myself out of some vary unwise decisions.

Tingyiy writes: “Is dark matter coming to fan expo?”

Answer: I don’t know.  The cast books their appearances separately from the show (with the exception of SDCC).

“Will Tehya return to dark matter?”

Answer: Hopefully, if we can afford her.

“How do I audition for dark matter without an agent?”

Answer: Unfortunately, the short answer is you don’t.  Going through agents and casting directors makes things a lot easier for a production and also helps us avoid the occasional unforeseen issue.

“What about a killjoys dark matter crossover?”

Answer: Again, theoretically doable but it would require a fair amount of coordination on the parts of the production companies.  Creatively, I think it would be a blast.  I’m a HUGE Michelle Lovretta fan!

ChrisPa1975 writes: “Why, oh why, did you kill off one? So completely? Without even a death scene. I mean a real one?”

Answer: To be perfectly frank, it was never my intention to kill him off.  And the death scene, while shocking, wasn’t my original plan either.

“Same with Devon. Why?I know…the sacrifice…but with the scene being cut his death seems so…unnecessary…”

Answer: Again, yes, this was another case where what ended up onscreen was not the original plan and as a result, in my opinion, resulted in a less than satisfactory conclusion to the Devon storyline.

“I am afraid to invest myself in another character…afraid they’ll be killed off just when I start to really connect with the character…”

Answer: Well, as we’ve proven, no one is safe.  It’s not just the guest stars.

“Are we now going to have a musical episode, or what?”

Answer: Season 6!

LeePowellWriter: “Any chance that Ryo will rejoin the Raza?”

Answer: Oh, it’s possible – but, as things stand, highly unlikely.  Then again, you never know.  Two weeks ago when someone asked me if it was possible to download Sarah’s consciousness into an android body, I said possible but unlikely as it would require a proper android form capable of receiving her consciousness and the work of an expert in neurorobotics.  And, lo and behold, the pieces fell into place in last weeks’ episode!

nantokanaru77 writes: “1. Do your DM casts get to preview the shows before it’s aired or do they watch how the episodes come together same time as the rest of us?”

Answer: They get to preview the episodes when they do ADR, but they don’t get the full experience until the episode actually airs.

“2. Plans on your next visits to Japan?”

Answer: I need time and someone I can trust with the dogs.  Both big asks.

“3. What is happening to your “other” (military?) show?”

Answer: It’s still out there, making the rounds.  I think that if the broadcasters pass, I’ll do something I’ve never done before and just make the pilot available for download here on the blog for your reading pleasure.

“4. Your favorite cuisine? Anything you don’t eat?”

Answer: Favorite?  Japanese.  I eating pretty much everything – except natto and fruit-based desserts.

OgreMkV writes: “Have you ever looked at an episode and asked “Why the heck did we even shoot that one?””

Answer: No, but there have been episodes that did disappoint me for various reasons.  A couple come to mind.

KathyC writes: “When are you going to get Akemi a dragon?”

Answer: When one of you gifts me one!

To Livin, Lovin & Lyin writes: “1. What is the reason for the creation of Rebecca?”

Answer: Tonight’s episode (“The Dwarf Star Conspiracy”) will shed some light on that question.

“2. When will we learn about the evolution of Portia Lin? (Rebecca evolving into Portia)”

Answer: We’ll receive a hint about that in next week’s episode (“My Final Gift To You”).  In the case of TWO, that “final gift” is information that will offer a hint at what caused her to turn.  But more on that in season 4.  In fact, if we do get a fourth season, I’d like to do a flashback episode that will offer us insight into the Raza crew pre-mindwipe.

“3. Are there going to be any set visits for season 4?”

Answer: I don’t know.  That’s all arranged through the production company.

“4. Are there any traits that Rebecca, Portia & Two share or do you see them as all a different person?”

Answer: They share plenty of traits but they’re all different facets of the same individual.

Carrie writes: “1, Please tell me that Season 4 is picked up. I could keep asking until it’s either yes (it better be) or no (it better not be!!!).”

Answer: Alas, only SYFY knows the answer to that.

“2, What are your thoughts on aliens and you know future 600 years from now type of thinnggsss? Matters of the Dark kind of thinnggsss stuffs.”

Answer: Aliens, you say?  Stay tuned!

vesuvian7 writes: “What does it look like when you get a pickup for a new season?”

Answer: Usually it’s in the form of an email from the company president informing me that we got a pickup.

“Do the SyFy people just email/call you saying that they’re picking it up?”

Answer: They pick up the phone and call the president of Prodigy Pictures who relays the information to me via email.

“What does a “pick up” actually look like? do they just write a check and say when they want their finish cuts, or is it more complicated than that?”

Answer: It’s as simple as a phone call.  Most of the paperwork is already in place.

“Do you have to show up and sign a piece of paper? is it a digital signature?”

Answer: With regard to the pick up, my job is specific to producing the show.

“Does the contract you sign have delivery of the episodes?”

Answer: Yes.  There is often a very clear delivery schedule.

“How often do you talk with SyFy studio people during pre-production/filming?”

Answer: It really depends on the production and the stage of production.

“How often do you contact SyFy after you’ve delivered the final cuts?”

Answer: Again, I personally do not have contact with SYFY after delivering cuts but a broadcaster may have conversation with our post-production department lead by the wonderful Rachel Sutherland.

“You mention the new season pickup on your blog almost daily… How much can you lobby SyFy before they start getting annoyed?”

Answer: Not sure what you mean by annoyed.  And what do you mean by lobbying?  Do you mean fans actually showing up at the SYFY offices and demanding the show be renewed?  I imagine that could get annoying real fast.  On the other hand, having the fans support the show online is pretty respectful.

“Does Syfy watch your daily cuts and make suggestions, or do they give you a lot of rope.. or if you’re not comfortable giving specifics, what is normal for a show like this?”

Answer: Different scenarios for different productions.  SYFY does let us know what they feels is working and isn’t working but, in general, have respected the creative and allowed us to make the show I envisioned from the get-go.

Drea writes: “Burning Question #1:Have you and Akemi picked out a name yet for the dragon you are going to adopt?”

Answer: No.  Maybe I’ll have the fans name him/her once the adoption has been completed.

“Burning Question #2: Do Canadian insurance plans offer “accident forgiveness” (the way All State insurance company in U.S does) if a dragon is basically house broken and obedient but has a ‘rare’ temperamental bad day?”

Answer: Will have to look into that.

“Burning Question #3: Keeping my fingers (and toes) crossed this never ever happens, Albeit ….

In the unlikely unfortunate event your new family member does indeed have a bad day and “accidentally” burns the house down with you and Akemi in it What Canadian dollar bill denomination would you and Akemi prefer to be on?”

Answer: The $5 bill because blue is Akemi’s color.

arcticgoddess writes: “1) When scouting for houses as locations, are there people already in some database that are willing to rent out their homes for a week, or do you rely on crew homes to provide you with locations? How much does a production typically pay for the use of a home?”

Answer: There is a database of locations that we can check out, everything from industrial sites to family homes.  The price for the rental really depends on the place.

“2) Happy thoughts… however, if season 4 doesn’t get picked up, are you still moving to Toronto? Right now, I guess it’s not really much of a choice – forest fire smoke vs. almost constant rain.”

Answer: We’ll be moving to Toronto at the end of this month whether Dark Matter comes back or not.

“3) Will Mike Dopud be making more appearances if you get a 4th season pick-up?”

Answer: To early to tell, but I love Mike and would certainly love to him back.

“4) Which do you prefer to write – the ensemble story, or the single character story?”

Answer: I love having the ability and freedom to do both.

Alex writes: “In “Built, Not Born,” the Android had a memory about Four and Two discussing about Nova 17. Four and Two mention someone named “Griff.” Do we know who that person is? Or does this remain to be seen?”

Answer: Griff was Officer Kal Varrick’s (SIX) undercover alias when he first boarded The Raza – something we learned in season 2.

Kel writes: “Any desert recommendations in Vancouver?”

Answer: Lucky’s Donuts at 49th Parallel on Main Street, Beta 5 chocolates on Industrial Ave, Pure Bread Bakery on East Hastings, Soft Peaks softserve ice cream on Alexander Street, Cadeaux Bakery on Powell Street, Bella Gelateria on Cordova, G Cafe on Cordova, Tangram’s Ice Cream on Arbutus…to name a few.

Joseph Sardone writes: “OK, WE KNOW that you know that Stargate is coming back, so what are the odds of getting the band back together again … ((or at least some of them,writers/actors/etc.)). with YOU being a part of the team?”

Answer: Would love for it to happen but it would seem MGM has decided to go in another direction.

Shaneac1 writes: “I know you’ve said in the past that merchandising for dark matter is going to be up to syfy has there been any movement on this I know syfy really doesn’t seem too keen on merchandising which is a shame is there any chance of getting some Collectibles made for the show.”

Answer: Prodigy Pictures should be taking the lead here but, sadly, there hasn’t been any movement.

Seriously Mike writes: “When can we expect Cyrus King to finally show up?”

Answer: Somewhere between next episode and the series finale.

baterista9 writes: “What’s your “diet Kryptonite”?”

Answer: Ice cream.

darkmatterman writes: “I know you said you have a 5 season plan for dark matter but have you ever thought about maybe extending the show beyond 5 years, maybe 10 like stargate?”

Answer: Nope.  Five is the plan and I’m sticking to it.

Jack Hoffer writes: “Will we get to see 2 progress from being with Shaw to being a killer?”

Answer: Eventually, yes, that part of her story will be revealed.

“Will we get more of 5s back story if season 4 gets picked up?”

Answer: Again, yes, there is more to explore in her backstory as well.

“If season 4 doesn’t get picked up could we get a comic/novel, or could you let us know what you had planned?”

Answer: Hopefully, SYFY will renew the show for a fourth and fifth season and all of your questions will be answered.

maggiemayday writes: “Recommendations for good eats in Victoria?”

Answer: Sorry.  I’ve never been.

Mike writes: “Last night changed all of that because we watched last weeks episode where the writers seemed to see a need to portray the two main characters in a lesbian relationship. We are now switched off and thought you should know. Not everyone who watches these shows are ok with the current trends and if you folks want to disenfranchise a portion of your viewer, keep pushing a social agenda instead of staying with entertainment that is able to be enjoyed by a larger cross section of America.”

Answer: Sigh.  While I have no qualms with creators who push agendas through their work, but it isn’t something I do.  I’m not trying to send a message, simply reflecting my experience and the world I live in.  Ultimately, the reason why I scripted the Rebcca/Shaw relationship was for the very same reason I scripted the ONE/TWO/THREE triangle in the show’s first season – it serviced the story I wanted to tell.  In the end, I suppose I could have made them former golfing partners instead of lovers but it probably wouldn’t have been as interesting.  Probably.

Drea + team writes: “Q1: Any stories in other genres brewing in your head of late?”

Answer: Yep.  I have a couple of serialized dramas, something in the thriller area, and a couple of horror stories as well.  Oh, and also a superhero-themed project.

“Q2 & 3: Now that you’ve been professionally writing science fiction for so very long, do you think you could ever even pay serious consideration to professionally writing in other genres?”

Answer: Of course.

“Also: Now that you’ve experienced the power of being Show Creator and Show Runner.  Do you think you could ever accept a steady job writing for someone elses story? If say, for example, some Big Ticket show you admire Such as Walking Dead or Better Call Saul were to call and offer you a well paying job writing the next 60 episodes for them.”

Answer: Again, of course, but it would depend on: a) the show and, perhaps even more importantly, b) who I’d be working with.

Alabaster55 writes: “Do you think you might be able to post some more pictures of the Raza and corporate cruisers?”

Answer: If you do a search for Raza or Mikkei Cruiser or Ferrous Corp Destroyer in on the blog, plenty of pics will pop up.

Rebekah Goodyear writes: “Are you going to ask Ben Browder to guest star in season 4?”

Answer: Too early to tell who will guest star in season 4 but I am, and have always been, a big fan of Ben.

James13 writes: “Has any of the character’s story lines been changed dramatically since when you first started writing for the show, or has everyone’s journey been more or less right on schedule?”

Answer: Most have been pretty much on schedule with the exception of ONE’s storyline.

“If you could become one of the characters besides the Android on the show, which character would you want to be?”

Answer: THREE.  He has the right “couldn’t care less” attitude.

“Are there story lines that you have that you can’t do because of budgetary/scheduling reasons that you wish you could do?”

Answer: So far, so good.  But we still have two seasons to go.

“Since we are in the age of reboots/sequels, if a studio came to you and said they want you to reboot a TV show or movie that hasn’t been rebooted already, what show or movie would you possibly pick?”

Answer: I actually tried to track down the rights holders to Blake’s 7 and Space: 1999 to see if they’d be interested in rebooting their respective franchises, but got nowhere.

“Finally, any chance I can get my hands on a replica Raza spaceship, or the blink drive briefcase??”

Answer: Best chance would be once the series has wrapped and the production holds an auction.  Hopefully, that’s at least two years away!

Thogar writes: “Will the AU crew play an important part in future seasons?”

Answer: Chances are good you’ll see them again before season’s end.

“What about Adrian and Solara? Loved them from the moment I saw them & it would be nice to get some new characters who don’t get swept away after a single season. Even if they’re just recurring, like Truffault, it would add some continuity and familiarity. Plus, they’re both fun!”

Answer: They’re out there and, yes, there are plans to see them again sometime down the line.

“I know you’ve had this story planned for years – How much of it has changed due to various necessities?”

Answer: Most of it has progressed as planned with the exception of the ONE storyline as I’ve already discussed.

“Has fan reaction, network brass input, actor input, etc. caused a shift in your original plan? If so, have any of those changes been significant or could they be seen more as minor modifications while the original vision remains intact?”

Answer: No significant shifts but any minor shifts have been the result of the cast.  For instance, after the show’s first season, I made a concerted effort to find ways to pair the THREE/FIVE characters because Anthony and Jodelle are so damn good.

“If Dark Matter runs for your planned 5 years and the network just insists on a 6th season, would you do it? Do you have any story ideas to take the crew beyond their 5-year mission?”

Answer: It’s a big universe and there would be plenty of ideas, but the story I want to tell will span five seasons.  I’m not seeing a sixth season couldn’t happen, only that I wouldn’t be a part of it.

“Would you consider a spin-off of Dark Matter?”

Answer: Yes.  If I could find the right premise on which to build another show, absolutely.

MaggieL80 writes: “Which crew members succeed in turning their lives around and which ones return to the dark side??? That’s what I want to know. Can there be a happy ending?”

Answer: There won’t be a happy ending for everyone.  Truth be told, when I was originally plotting the series, it wasn’t going to be a happy ending for anyone.

“We have seen that all the characters have internal scars but Three has a very noticeable outside scar. Will we see how he received that facial scar? Definitely makes him look more roguish!”

Answer: No immediate plans to tell that particular story but…who knows?

“Is there a possibility that the “new” blink drive can be adjusted to return the alternate Raza crew back to their reality? And soon? They’re up to something!”

Answer: Not soon enough.

“Will there be any more mention of Five’s sister this season?”

Answer: Yes!

 

 

August 10, 2017: Dark Matter!

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Well, would you look at this.  I came across the series overview I put together for the show, way back when.  And, hey, check it out!  There’s an actual ending we’re working towards!  A real honest to goodness ending that pays it all off and wraps it all up!

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TV, eh?’s Greg David previews this Friday nights’ episode of Dark Matter –

“Credit to Dark Matter co-creators Joseph Mallozzi and Paul Mullie for continuing to up the ante when it comes to jaw-dropping episodes this season. Just when I didn’t think the series could generate any more shocks it does.”

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Veronica Scott of Amazing Stories chat’s with Dark Matter’s THREE, Anthony Lemke:

“We discussed the idea that currently movies tend to be about the spectacle and the effects, whereas television shows like Dark Matter can take more time to allow the characters to unfold and reward the viewers’  time investment. Anthony compared watching a television series to reading a novel, where you can “go back and back again” and at the end of the novel, “you miss the people.”

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I talk season 3 and beyond with Telfie Buzz:

“There is definitely a 5-year plan for the show. If season 1 was Secrets and Surprises, and season 2 was Risks and Redemption, and season 3 is Victories and Vengeances, season 4 will be Androids and Aliens. And you can’t get any more sci-fi than that. As for season 5 – which, if everything works out, should be the show’s final 13-episode installment – I have a plan to tie up all the storylines. I even have the show’s final sequence in my head.”

Tagged: #DarkMatter, Dark Matter

August 9, 2017: Taking questions for the mailbag!

Akemi today upon setting eyes on the new Canadian ten dollar bill –

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“Wow.  Team Senior.  You have to be dead to be on the bill.  It’s very sad when you think about it.”

Had two great back to back chats with Paste Magazine’s  Alexis Gunderson and CarterMatt’s Matt Carter this morning.  Over the course of the hour, we discussed all things Dark Matter including a few hints as to what lies in store for the show’s fourth season.  It’s going to be spectacular!

Yep.  All we need is that fourth season pickup and it’ll be smooooooooooooth sailing!

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 Aimee Hicks at SpoilerTV offers an Advance Preview of this Friday night’s episode of Dark Matter (“The Dwarf Star Conspiracy”)

“ Dark Matter has been on a roll this season shedding new light on plot points set up in prior seasons and that trend is continuing. This episode shows that two storylines from Season One and Season Two are far more interconnected than might have been previously thought.”

I’m opening up the mailbag this weekend.  If you have a burning question, post it in this blog’s comment section!