Joseph Mallozzi's Blog, page 522

October 8, 2011: Yours Truly, Way Back When!

So I was clearing out the library today, packing up the various chemistry textbooks, V.C. Andrews novels, and back issues of Us (none mine, let's make that clear) for a quick trip to the garage, when I happened across a box of photos.  A lot of photos.  Some dating back as recently as ten or eleven years ago when I first moved to Vancouver to work on an upstart little production called Stargate: SG-1, others going back as far as I can remember – and, occasionally, even further. Anyway, in an effort to quash internet rumors that I was built in a lab as a fully developed android and then released to spread chaos and terror on an unwary public, I give you photographic evidence that, in fact, I had a normal childhood.  Or was built in a lab as an infant android and then released to spread chaos and terror on an unwary public while nanites developed my bio-synthetic form giving me the appearance of physical development.

One of the very first pictures of me.  I loved that black and white teddy lying beside me.  He went by the name of "Sacciotto Vecchio" which, I believe, "Old Bear" (not to be confused with "Sacciotto Grasso", "Fat Bear" who came soon after).  Eventually, he lived up to his namesake, growing so decrepit and ratty that my mother threw him out – leading me to rescue him out of the garbage.  A year later, she tried again and succeeded.

Even back then, I had the look of a dubious diner.  I'll have to ask my mother about my eating habits but, from what I can recall, I was pretty adventurous.  One of my favorite dishes was zabaglione – essentially an egg yolk and sugar, beaten and served.  The spoon-feeding was a nice touch you don't get in restaurants nowadays.

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Ah, from an early age, my interest in the culinary arena was encouraged.

Also encouraged was my interest in music – that I apparently outgrew at the tender age of four.  Had I pursued my youthful ambition, things could have turned out very different for me.  Who knows?  I could have been a guitarist for Platinum Blonde.

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Angry and unusually sensitive.  Not much has changed.

Presumably I am praying that the serial killer dressed up as creepy Santa spares me.

Sis and I and our glorious Christmas tree.  For years, whenever the holidays approached, we would assemble the silver monstrosity, happily slotting the tinsel-festooned metal rods into place and then adorning the whole with blue balls – until my sister eventually complained and we ended up getting a real tree, much to my disappointment.

Another one of Sis and me hanging out in someone's backyard.  It's interesting to note I perfected the comb-over at such an early age.

And yet another one of Sis and me, this time enjoying the great outdoors.  Damn, Montreal gets cold in the winter.  I frostbit my ears so badly once that now, whenever the temperature drops to around zero, my ears turn a festive rosy red.

And look at the fine, upstanding young man I eventually became.  The hair is a little shorter but, other than that, I haven't changed all that much.

Tomorrow, Ivon and Rob come over for football – and a slow port and veal demi-glace-braised medley of short ribs, ox-tail, and veal cheek served over parsnip mash.  My Snow Monkeys are looking to make it 4-1.  Wish us luck!

GO SNOW MONKEYS!!!

Today's entry is dedicated to blog regular Lisa R.

October 7, 2011: I'm regular again! Pasta problems! And sushi with Ivon!

While in Toronto, I was terribly backed up.  It was a far cry from my post-move days in Vancouver when I'd been very regular, boasting two, three, sometimes even four a week!  But Hogtown did a number on my routine.  It got so bad, I was lucky to manage one a month – and that was always a fairly painful process. Hell, it reached the point where even a relatively modest completion was cause for celebration.  A trade paperback or a graphic novel -

Oh.  I'm talking about reading.  But you knew that, right?  So, now that I'm back in town, I'm back on track.  And last night's dinner with Rob and Hillary fueled my desire for more books.  You see, Hillary is a voracious reader as well and a big fan of the fantasy genre so, for part of the meal, we ended up talking about authors and titles – and she was kind enough to recommend a few.  The conversation so inspired me that, after we'd finished dinner, rather than heading home, I drove straight to my local bookstore and picked up a few things…

I know, I know.  I have a kindle and books are infinitely more cumbersome, but nothing beats the feel of a good book, or the look of a good book – moreover, hundreds of good books – lining a shelf. Don't get me wrong.  I love my kindle (compliments of my buddy Ivon) and it has served me well on trips when I want to travel light, but I very much doubt I'll be giving up on my library of real books anytime soon.

Rob and Hillary.

Anyway, last night, we checked out a new Italian restaurant in the neighborhood, Bibo, which occupies the space once held by – as far as I can recall – two defunct restaurants.  And, after last night's dinner, I fear Bibo may make it three.  The pizza was good (top marks for the sausage topping) but the pastas were a huge disappointment, cooked to mush.  Thus far, in my experience, only two Italian restaurants in Vancouver serve up consistently al dente pasta – Q4 (formerly Quattro) and La Quercia.  Someone should inform these chefs that they needn't cook the shit out of pasta.  It's not chicken or pork.  We'll be just fine. Honest. Desserts were hit and miss.  Same can be said for the service. Our waitress was terrific and on-the-ball taking our orders and serving us, then simply disappeared.  After waiting twenty minutes for someone to clear our table, I helpfully stacked all the dishes and cutlery for them.  I was going to wait another ten minutes and then deliver them to kitchen.

Today, it was sushi lunch at Aki Restaurant with this guy -

Ivon Bartok

- and the lunch time crush, well over half of whom were Japanese.  Always a good sign at a Japanese restaurant.

I told Ivon that once I'm back in the proper frame of mind – give it a week – we can sit down and start spitballing future projects.

Thanks to everyone who recommended anime titles.  I've seen most of the series mentioned, but a few had yet to show up on my radar. Looking forward to checking them out.

Today's entry is dedicated to blog regular Penny.  We're all sending good thoughts your way!

October 6, 2011: The 20 Layer Omelet Mille-Feuille! Halloween swag from the Picardos! Recommend me an anime series!

Now that I'm back home and have access to my kitchen, I can finally start cooking again.  Pictured above is my latest culinary foray.  I want to call it an Omelet Mille-Feuille but the actual name of the dish slips my mind.  It's a variation on an old Alain Ducasse recipe which sees five different omelets stacked to form a colorful multi-layer edible extravaganza.  I say it's a variation of the Ducasse recipe because the actual recipe calls for five layers while this version contains twenty.  It's not that I was feeling particularly bold on the day.  I was simply making due with what I had to work with – specifically, a tiny telfon-cloated frying pan that would only permit me to make mini omelets.

My lovely assistant prepares to slice and dice.

After chopping up the various ingredients for the various omelets, my assistant whisked ten eggs, two in each bowl, and then added the ingredients: 1. Parmesan, thyme and chives, 2. Roasted pepper, sliced cucumbers, and parsley, 3. Diced black olives, 4. Diced tomatoes and avocado, 5. Caramelized onions and chervil.

She then proceeded to cook the omelets in that tiny teflon-coated frying pan with a touch of butter and olive oil, alternating and stacking to create the multi-layer marvel -

A closer look at those twenty layers.

Once stacked, we set another dish atop it, sealed it in cling wrap, then set a heavy can on top and chilled it in the refrigerator.  One hour later -

Voila!

It was surprisingly good.  I say "surprisingly" because I never imagined eating eggs as a satisfying dinner (I admit to hedging my bets with some leftover spicy Korean pork).  Even Akemi was surprised, informing me it was so good it didn't even need Ketchup!  How's that for a glowing review?

Look at what arrived in the mail today from Linda, Bob Picardo's wife (note the vampire pug sticker).  Every Halloween, she and Bob deck out their house in super spooky fashion, transforming their lovely home into a haunted estate that would make many horror film set decorators ghoul green with envy.  I was keen to find out what she'd sent but knew I had to wait for Akemi to get back from the hairdresser before I could start unwrapping.  Or face her ninja wrath.

The swag: halloween post-its, mini pumpkin candles, mini bat candles, and a tie for the discerning zombie.  Perfect timing as Akemi has been on a candle tear lately and absolutely loved the assortment, immediately lighting up two pumpkins and a bat for our special candlelit dinner.

I emailed Linda to thank her and asked her to send me pics of their haunted house come Halloween.  You WILL be amazed.

On the anime front, just finished this -

Darker Than Black

Excellent – although Akemi was so spooked by certain episodes she was afraid to use the bathroom in the middle of the night.  A great series – smart, thrilling, with some wonderfully detailed personalities and a story that isn't afraid to take chances and actually off a character or two.  Or three.  Highly recommended. Anyone seen it?  If so, I'm ready to move on to my next series and I'd appreciate some recommendations

Tagged: Darker Than Black

October 5, 2011: The %$*@#^ Dishwasher! Dinner with Remi Aubuchon!

Well, I called in the experts and finally found out what's wrong with my dishwasher.  The problem is it's a Samsung.  And it looks like it's going to cost me about $500 to fix.  That's the ballpark cost of a new dishwasher.  In the meantime, the repairman suggested I might (emphasis on the "might") be able to address the hellfire level interior temperatures and leakage by running it on "delicate" instead of "heavy".  Silly me.  Of course the "heavy" setting is just for show.  If running it on "delicate" yields middling results (ie. doesn't clean my dishes), he suggests we could replace the temperature gauge (?) at a cost of $200ish – but that's not guaranteed to solve the problem.  It could be an electronics issue which could run upwards of $400.  I'm thinking I could probably save money – and plenty of headaches – in the long run by just switching to plastic utensils and paper plates.

So, thumbs down on Samsung.  But thumbs up for Navis Pack & Ship (Go Navis | Professional Packing, Custom Crating, Domestic …) that delivered my stuff from Toronto today, including ten fragile supervillain statues that arrived intact and ready for display.

The other day I received an email from a former colleague.  Turns out Remi Aubuchon is in town working on his new show, Falling Skies, and suggested we get together for dinner.  Sushi dinner to be more precise.  Thus, last night, we got together for sushi at the relatively new Ki Restaurant…

Remi shows off his chopstick prowess. It's hard to make out, but he's holding up a fly he snatched out of mid-air. Impressive.

The sushi pizza

Assorted maki and nigiri

It was a terrific evening.  Great company, great conversation, great atmosphere, and okay food.  We discussed Stargate, life after Stargate, projects past and present, and professional and personal developments.

Remi presents: the cheesecake trio.

We called it an early night as Remi had a morning location scout scheduled and wanted to be at his best for the field trip.

Hope he remembers to bring snacks for the ride.

Looks like Remi will be commuting back and forth between Vancouver and L.A. once he's in production, so here's hoping we get to catch up again in a couple of months.  At which point I'll try to convince him to swing by for a Falling Skies-related Q&A.  Who's in?

October 4, 2011: Samsung, Snow Monkeys, and Pet Projects!

"Just give me a second and I can direct you to a Samsung service provider in your area,"said the woman on the other end of the line.

"Sure."  I redirected my focus to my laptop and my Snow Monkey line-up.  A buy week for the Cowboys meant I was rolling with the Amish rifle this Sunday. Among the things I need to address now that I'm back home (beside my fantasy football team) is my crappy Samsung dishwasher.  I've already touched on the problems I've experienced since scrapping my old, environmentally unfriendly dishwasher for a greener, significantly slower, much less dependable model.   Lately, it's taken to leaking and hitting internal temperatures hot enough to melt plastic.  I've toyed with the idea of cooking a whole chicken in there.

"Still looking,"said the Samsung representative once she checked back with me some five minutes later.  "What was the city again?"

"Vancouver."

A brief pause while she completed her search, then: "What's the closest city?"

I was at a loss.  Seattle?

"Toronto?"she asked.  "Hold, please."  A few more minutes – more presumably to make it look good – and then she returned to inform me that there were no Samsung service providers in my area.  Well, technically there were, but they only serviced products still under warranty.  "Is there anything else I can help you with today?"she asked.

I hesitated as I tried to think of something, anything that would make this phone call to Samsung's customer support line even remotely helpful.  "Who do you like in the flex position this weekend?  Nate Washington or Dexter McCluster?"  But too late.  She's already hung up.

The infernal dishwasher is just one of the many home projects I have to get around to.  Another is the back porch.  "And what's wrong with the back porch?"you may be wondering.  Well, a couple of summers ago, my ex put a heavy planter on the deck.  "How heavy?"you're again wondering.  Well…

Pretty damn heavy.

And, another little project I'd like to get around to…

Yep, the library is in need of an overhaul.  It's the garage for the home decorating magazines, gardening tomes, and feel-good spiritual shelf-wasters, and an alphabetization and reorganization for my genre titles and trade paperbacks.  Paul and I have a Monday conference call to discuss two potential future projects (including that very well-written pilot script I mentioned a couple of entries back).  There's that, the Dark Matter comic book series that comes out in January which we'll be pitching soon after – and I'm also considering taking a run at DC and Marvel in the new year.  So I figure now is a good time to start my research on everything from Onslaught to Fear Itself, Zero Hour to the New 52.  I came across this awesome site to help get me focused: Trade Paperback Timelines. Awesome, no?

What about all of you?  What's on the agenda?

Tagged: Samsung

October 3, 2011: 200 (continued)…

Continuing my memories of SG-1′s 200th episode…

This episode gave us the opportunity to do something we've always wanted to do: blow up Stargate Command.  It's part of the story Martin Lloyd pitches the team. Mitchell, however, points out a potential problem.  They're alive in the next scene.  How is that possible.  To which Martin replies: " I'm thinking I can back-sell it and say you were beamed out at the last second."  Teal'c's rejoinder neatly sums up the feelings of many on the production: "Is that not too convenient?".  Yep, nobody hated the Earth ship beaming technology more than I did – with possible exception of actor Ben Browder.  In the original version of this scene, the fun we poked at ourselves was a little more pointed:

DANIEL: Beamed out.
MARTIN: By the Prometheus.
TEAL'C: Convenient.
MARTIN: True. But c'mon, you got Asgard technology, why not use 
it? As long as it doesn't become a crutch.
DANIEL: Small problem. The Prometheus was destroyed.
MARTIN: Really? By who?
MITCHELL: Kind of a long story.
MARTIN: In battle?
MITCHELL: Yes.
MARTIN: Wow. So how'd you get out of that one?
Beat.
DANIEL: We, uh... we were beamed out.
Soon after, Martin fields yet another call, this one from the network.  "So, trouble with Nora"assumes Mitchell, to which Martin replies: "No, Nora—she's great." A shout-out to the late Nora O'Brien who was our network point-person for many years before she moved on to another position with NBC.  A sharp executive and just a lovely woman. 

SG-1 does Star Trek

We all grew up with the original Star Trek (except Rob Cooper who preferred The Six Million Dollar Man) so we (and by we I mean Brad) couldn't resist the opportunity to do an SG-1 version of the television's most famous SF series.  Paul McGillion was originally supposed to do the one-line cameo of the ship's beleaguered Scottish engineer, but when that fell through, series co-creator and Executive Producer (not to mention former stage actor) Brad Wright stepped into those shiny black boots.

The younger, edgier team

Look closely and you can catch Glee's Cory Monteith as one of the young and edgy team-members.  "Young" and "edgy" were buzzwords we kept on hearing a lot of (and continue to hear a lot of in the business), so Rob Cooper served up his version of what a younger, edgier Stargate would look like complete with stylized shots and dreamy cast members.

Vala continues to pitch out ideas, offering up an SF version of Gilligan's Island ("We were in a cloaked cargo ship on a simple, three-hour reconnaissance mission…") that was one of the scenes we lost for time at the script stage…

VALA (VO): We were in a cloaked cargo ship, on a simple three 
hour reconnaissance mission...
TILT DOWN to reveal a planet.
VALA (V)): But on the way we encountered a severe electromagnetic 
storm and lost all power. We were forced down on an uncharted, 
deserted planet...
EXT. TROPICAL ISLAND -- DAY
We see the cargo ship washed ashore on this deserted island, 
looking very much like the damaged S.S. Minnow.
VALA (VO): We washed ashore and were forced to survive for weeks 
in the most primitive of conditions. No phone, no lights, no motor 
cars. Not a single luxury.
EXT. ISLAND -- DAY
Landry comes out of a hut, dressed like the Skipper.
VALA (V): General Landry was with us on the mission, and let me 
tell you, he was in a foul mood.
LANDRY: Mitchell!
Mitchell runs out, dressed like Gilligan.
MITCHELL: Yes, sir.
LANDRY: Where's Carter? She was supposed to be done by now.
MITCHELL: Oh, uh...(looks around) She's not here.
Landry whacks him with his cap.
LANDRY: I can see that.
DANIEL: Over here...
PAN TO Daniel (as the Professor) and Carter (as Mary Ann) carrying 
a large device out of another hut. Vala (as Ginger) trails behind them.  
The device looks like something constructed from bamboo and coconuts.
CARTER (to Landry): I think we may have something, sir.
VALA:Not a moment too soon. I must get out of this place. I have a 
photo shoot this afternoon.
Landry stares at the device.
LANDRY: What is this thing?
CARTER:Well, I managed to construct a basic subspace transmitter 
out of coconuts, bamboo and our old subspace transmitter.
DANIEL: A long shot, but it just might get us off this island.
MITCHELL: That's great!
Mitchell eagerly moves in for a closer look, but trips, 
falls and smashes the damn thing.Before Landry can whack him 
with his cap again --
TEAL'C emerges from the trees, dressed like Mr. Howell.  
He casually puffs a pipe.
TEAL'C: Was I not traveling with a companion?  
A female by the name of... Lovey?
MARTIN: Alright, enough already.

Fargate

I had really enjoyed Farscape and, with both Ben Browder and Claudia Black on the show, I couldn't resist the opportunity to do a little tribute, SG-1 style. Originally, Ben was supposed to play the part of Crichton and Michael the part of Stark, but they suggested it might be more fun to switch up the roles.

SG-1 supermarionation!

Brad Wright, Robert Cooper, Paul Mullie and Carl Binder are huge fans of Team America: World Police, so I suppose it should come as no surprise that they jumped at the chance to do their own, SG-1 version. As it turned out, years ago Paul and I had worked with The Chiodo Bros. who had created the puppets and effects for Team America (as well as work on a Davey and Goliath claymation parody for The Simpsons and the Willice and Crimbles parody segment on The Simpsons).  We called them up and they ended up delivering kick-ass puppet versions of our team – and supporting players.  So, okay.  Fess up.  Which one of you fans is now the proud owner of one of these?

In the writer's draft of the script, yet another idea is pitched out…

MITCHELL: Death is always dramatic.
CUT TO:
INT. INFIRMARY -- DAY
Daniel lies on the bed. Carter, Mitchell, Vala and Landry stand around him. Vala reaches out and touches his hand -
VALA: Goodbye, Daniel.
The heart monitor FLATLINES. The rest of the group can barely control their emotions.
Suddenly, a bright GLOW starts to emanate from under the sheets on the bed. Slowly, Daniel's body TRANSFORMS into a glowing ribbon being like in Meridian. As it rises above the bed, the sheets collapse.
Amazement plays on the faces of everyone in the room. The glowing being hovers high above them for a moment then -
MARTIN: No, no, no.
BACK TO:
INT. BRIEFING ROOM -- DAY
Martin shakes his head.
MARTIN: We did that twice in the series.
DANIEL: You only made three episodes.

How many times did we kill off Daniel again?  Whenever we offed guest stars, we would invariably send them off with the heartening: "This is science fiction. Nobody ever dies in science fiction!"  And, many time son Stargate, that was proven true.

Then, someone pitches out the fishing segment.  Martin's response: "And what's the twist…no fish?" is, of course, a reference to the twist at the end of Moebius I and II.

The wedding

How couldn't we?  There was something there for the shippers – and something there for the slashers as well when O'Neill, waiting for Carter, turns to Daniel who utters the memorable: "You know, if she doesn't show, people are gonna think that you and I –".  My favorite part of this segment is Jack referring to Carter as, well, Carter.  Not Sam or Samantha but Carter.  I guess old habits die hard.

Martin's response to the pitch " Yeah, right, if I want to torture the audience on purpose!" echoes a quote from a fan letter we received that was critical of the ship.  A classic line.

The episode ends with a bunch of interviews teeming with inside jokes.

SNOW MONKEYS WIN!!!  Unbelievable really given that we were up a mere 15 points heading into the Sunday night game against an opponent with not one, not two, not three, but FOUR players still to play.  Fortunately, all four players were members of the New York Jets and, even more fortunately, they were playing the fearsome Baltimore Ravens D.  All four opposing players managed a mere 11 points, allowing me to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.  Despite the fact that we played Ryan Fitzpatrick, failed to play Dez Bryant, and our star RB's (Peterson and Best) and WR (Roddy White) put in subpar performances, we still came out of the weekend with a 3-1 record.  You know what this means, don't you?  My Snow Monkeys are a team of destiny!

October 2, 2011: Literature! Football! And News of Note!

"So what are you doing?"I asked my mother.

"Reading,"she said.  "A terrible book.  Characters come and go.  There's not background on any of them.  I don't know who anyone is."  And then  - "The writer is from England." – as if that made it all the more egregious – "She's won awards too.  I don't understand it.  It's like Margaret Atwood.  Her writing is atrocious and very vulgar.  I don't understand it."

I do.  People have differing preferences.  Whether we're talking food or authors of prospective partners, it all comes down to personal taste.  I, for one, don't enjoy eating kiwis or reading Canadiana or dating neurotic redheads with an affinity for scrapbooking and azaleas.

But let's stick to books.  My question for you is this: What celebrated authors just don't do it for you?  Which writers, that your friends simply rave about, have landed on your "Do Not Read" list?  I want to know.

From literature to fantasy football.  Looks like my Snow Monkeys are headed to defeat and a 500 record on the season (this unless the Baltimore Ravens defense manages to hold the jets to no yards in the second half of their Sunday night game).  Tracking my players throughout the day has thoroughly exhausted me.  And I'm not the only one.  Ivon and Lawren, who also came over to watch the games (and track THEIR respective fantasy football league players) had equally taxing days.  Rob Cooper, who doesn't play fantasy football, had his spirit sapped nonetheless when his beloved Cowboys lost another heartbreaker.  Well, at least the spread was memorable.  I made New Orleans barbecue shrimp and caponata.  Akemi made crab mousse.  Ivon made his 8 hour slow roast pork shoulder…

Rob brought Valrhona chocolate brownies…

Lawren brought rugelach and, oh yeah, I made kasu (sake) ice cream.

Soooo sleeeeepy. Even Akemi was enjoying the game!

The dogs, meanwhile, hung out upstairs, away from all the shouting -

News of note:

Scientists identify the catchiest song of all time: Catchiest song ever scientifically proven

This is why I don't like flying.  Or ferris wheels: Small plane crashes into ferris wheel

Woman discovers her boyfriend was hiding a shocking secret.  He's a she: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2044361/Nicole-Lindsay-discovers-boyfriend-actually-lesbian-sex-offender-Samantha-Brooks.html?ITO=1490

October 1, 2011: 200!

SG-1 was about to attain the loftiest of broadcast heights – its 200th episode – and we wanted to do something special.  Something unique. Something everyone on the production would enjoy as much as the longtime fans watching at home.  The initial idea pitched out was something called "Remember When…",  trip down memory lane in which our characters' reflections would form the frames of the varied flashbacks to outrageous missions.  While everyone loved the idea of the outrageous missions, the premise of the episode felt too diffuse. We wanted an actual story that would form the heart of the episode. After much discussion, we elected to pay tribute to the franchise by referencing our last milestone – episode 100 – abd bringing back Martin Lloyd and the show within a show, Wormhole X-Treme.  But the fun we poked  at the franchise through that spoof production was nothing compared to what we had in store for 200…

We finally meet the furlings!

Sort of.  Even though it never really happened and we end up getting them killed in the end.

Back in the show's fourth season, not long after joining the production, I was summoned to Exec. Producer Robert Cooper's office.  He was doing his pass on our first script, Scorched Earth, and needed something from me: the name of an alien race.  When pressed, he admitted naming alien races was not his forte and, as evidence, offered up "the Furlings".  I have to admit that whenever I heard the name, I always imagined a cosmic version of the Care Bears, giggling and snuggling their way through various adventures.  As evidently, did everyone else on the production.  The fans, however, were all sorts of curious and nary a week would go by without a fan or two posting a message board request for a glimpse of the elusive beings.  As time wore on, those requests continued  and, at one point, Brad suggested an episode in which we actually did get to meet them: a race of gaunt, towering, hairless, grey-skinned creatures.  But that idea was quashed and the production went on its merry way, choosing to keep the race a mystery.  But with 200 came the opportunity to honor those fan requests, and the viewers at home finally got to see those lovable furry creatures who turned out to be a cross between an ewok and a deranged koala.

And then we SG-1 went and got their planet blown up.

Of course, we quickly reveal that the incident never actually happened and it was part of a pitch for a revival of the defunct Wormhole X-Treme t.v. series, a show that last an inglorious three episodes before being cancelled.  But thanks to an impressive second life on dvd (following in the footsteps of Family Guy and Futurama) the show is being revived – and General O'Neill, in a desire to maintain a cover of plausible deniability for the Stargate program (and, let's face it, screw with his old teammates) charges SG-1 with the task of creatively contributing to the production.

Mitchell takes on the living dead.

Every once in a while, actor Ben Browder would drop by the offices to pitch out an action sequence for his character – so I thought it appropriate that, given the opportunity, his character would pitch out an action sequence for – uh – his character.  And, really, nothing says action like zombie hordes.  Just ask fans of The Walking Dead.  This sequence also allowed us the rare opportunity of witnessing Harriman getting his head eaten.  Double bonus!

MItchell's idea is shot down and Martin gets on the phone with a representative of the studio.  He is clearly frustrated and Mitchell asks: "Studio executives, huh?"  Martin responds: "What? Oh, no Charlie? He's a great guy. He's the only one I trust."  This was a reference to longtime MGM Exec. and Stargate supporter Charlie Cohen, one of the smartest, kindest studios executives I've ever had the pleasure to work with.  As much as he was a fan of the show, we at the production were fans of Charlie.

Martin is outraged because they lost their lead.  How, he wonders, can they do the show without their lead.  "You just bring in a character to replace him,"suggested Mitchell – an obvious reference to the introduction of Cam Mitchell which followed soon after the departure of longtime SG-1 lead Jack O'Neill. Carter then goes on throw out some alternate ideas for keeping the lead alive: "Well, you could have the other characters refer to him all the time. Maybe, get him on the phone once in a while."  Yep.  Been there; done that during SG-1′s seventh and eighth seasons.  And then, someone references that time O'Neill was invisible…

The idea of doing an Invisible O'Neill segment was actually a joke I threw out.  That ended up making the script.  That happened a lot in this episode.  As with all the segments, we went off and wrote them individually, and then everyone weighed in and they were tweaked.  There's one beat in this segment that wasn't part of my original draft, the moment in which Carter catches O'Neill spying on her in the shower.  I thought it was a little…oh…creepy.

Anyway, the Invisible O'Neill idea was embraced because we wanted Richard Dean Anderson to come back and do a cameo on this all-important episode, but didn't know if he'd be able to work an appearance.  So, we figured we'd get the next best thing: his voice.  As it turned out, he was able to swing the appearance, making 200 all that more special.

The Getaway

Martin then pitches out a tale of high adventure, placing our heroes (SG-1) in an impossible position – and then simply cutting to them escaping through the gate.  This was a tip of the hat to the many fans outraged by a similar scenario in a past episode (don't remember the name) in which our heroes (SG-1) are surrounded by Lucian Alliance soldiers only to effect some miraculous unseen escape.  During the ensuing argument over the merits of the pitch, Martin attempts to come up with a reasonable window of time for the team to reach the gate and dial.  Ten seconds is too short and thirty seconds is too round a number.  He decides on 38!  Which, coincidentally, is the same number (of minutes) a stargate can stay open.

Timing is, of course, everything, and nothing says action like a ticking clock.  Which prompts the following gem from Martin: "Trust me, jeopardy plus ticking clock is box office. It's the E equals M C squared of the entertainment world. Ask any executive."  Indeed.  If there were two notes we received more than any other during Stargate's long run, they were: "More jeopardy!" and "We need a ticking clock!".  Having a character race a timer to defuse a bomb?  Didn't get much better than that.

They're off to see the wizard!

Next to The Simpsons, The Wizard of Oz was probably the most referenced piece of pop culture over SG-1′s decade-long run.  The fans certainly took notice and which resulted in one particularly memorable piece of artwork being sent to studio – it depicted the original team as the cinematic classic's adventurous foursome.  So, I suppose, it made perfect sense to reference the show referencing by including a little Wizard of Oz sequence in the episode as well.

Mitchell's line: "Now, how can something work perfectly fine for ten years, then all of a sudden, it doesn't work anymore?" was an in-story reference to the gate suddenly stopping operations – and, interestingly enough, could have been interpreted as a comment on the the show's cancellation.

Okay, that's enough for today.  I've got a caponata to make and, time permitting, some kasu ice cream.  Ivon, Lawren, and Rob are over tomorrow for some football – and, of course, to cheer on my Snow Monkeys.

GO SNOW MONKEYS!!1

September 30, 2011: SG-1 Memories…

Okay.  Now that things are a little more relaxed, I finally have time to finish up my reminiscing on SG-1′s final season.  Although work on the franchise continued with Atlantis and, later, Universe, SG-1 will always hold a special place in my heart – especially those last two seasons.  The show's 9th and 10th year were the most fun I've had writing – ever – partly owing to the talent in front of and behind the camera, and partly owing to the upbeat and positive mood that resonated throughout the entire production.  Making things all that more gratifying was the input we received from the studio in the form of Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Charlie Cohen, and from SciFi in the form of the late Nora O'Brien, both incredibly gifted and kind individuals whose support helped ensure Stargate: SG-1 went out on a creative high.

THE PEGASUS PROJECT  (1003)

A crossover fan favorite that I constantly get confused with Beachhead, another crossover fan favorite.  THIS was the episode in which Mitchell threatens McKay with a lemon – an adlib on the day that seemed altogether weird in dailies but, ultimately, ended up making the final cut.  McKay's citrus allergy was apparently inspired by a staff writer in the show's early days (before my time anyway) who would always make it a point to proclaim his unique hypersensitivity to anyone who would listen.  Whenever they'd go out for lunch, said writer would be very careful to clear all menu items with the server.  "I'm very allergic to citrus,"he would inform them.  "A single drop and I could die!"  It wasn't until the end of the season that they discovered the rib sauce their afflicted co-worker had so enjoyed on his bi-weekly lunches at a local rotisserie joint was, in fact, mostly molasses and lemon juice.  And Rodney McKay's citrus allergy was born.

It was also great to FINALLY get Daniel Jackson to Atlantis.  In fact, following SGA's fourth season, there had even been some talk of having Daniel join the Atlantis crew for its fifth season, an idea we unfortunately had to abandon for financial reasons.

   

INSIDERS (1005)

Of all the enemies SG-1 faced over the course of their many adventures, Baal remains my favorite.  I appreciated his sense of style, his sense of humor, and a megalomania that was at terms outrageous and endearing.  Cloning him was probably one of the best ideas we've ever had – and by "we" I mean Robert Cooper who pitched out the final clone reveal in an earlier episode.  Suddenly, we had the luxury of multiple Baals, a host of new storylines and, in the case of Brad and Robert, endless pun possibilities.  Cliff Simon, who played the conniving goa'uld system lord, was always a pleasure to talk with.  He'd swing by the writers' room after his costume fittings and thank us for the work – or, on one occasion, chortle over the "corny lines".  So delighted was he by his character's comfortable position on Earth that he often pitched out the merits of a possible spin-off centered on – who else? – Baal.

UNINVITED (1005)

Sadly, this episode will be remembered not for the fun dialogue between host Landry and his unwilling cabin guest Mitchell, or the off-world op involving the rest of the team, but the unintentionally hilarious creature that is revealed at episode's end.  Ooof.  As far as CG monsters go, it doesn't get much goofier than the things that comes staggering out of the woods after being shot and expires in spectacular "Ugh, ya got me!" fashion.  Without a doubt, the hammiest performance by a computer-generated alien in Stargate history.

I was going to roll right into 200 (not coincidentally, our 200th episode) when I realized I had a lot to say on that particular entry and decided it deserves it's own dedicated post.  So, my memories of that episode will have to wait.

Swung by my local comic shop today and picked up this -

…this -

…and this -

Will be jumping on them once I've finished the immensely enjoyable Major Pettigrew's Last Stand.

So, what are you all reading (beside this blog)?

September 29, 2011: Dark Matter!

I've been surprisingly busy since my return to Vancouver on Tuesday. Not stupid-busy as in months past, but diligently and satisfactorily so. In addition to the various issues that need to be addressed on the home front, there are the various potential and upcoming projects I finally have the time to get around to. On the flight over, I read four scripts – three possible future show runner-related ventures (one script in particular thoroughly wowed) and a horror feature from our old buddy Robert C. Cooper, a positively chilling tale based on a true story. And, if you're a regular reader of this blog, you'll know to what I'm referring. Eventually. Lots of wonderfully spooky moments and a final scene that will positively give you nightmares.  I also have a couple of my own scripts I really should get around to finishing, but my priority right now – on the professional front – is Dark Matter, the comic book series I'm working on for Dark Horse Comics along with artist Garry Brown and my editor, Patrick Thorpe.  At this point, the hard part has been completed (on my end anyway).  I've delivered scripts for the first four issues and now, it's a matter of sitting back and watching the characters and story come to life, from pencils to layouts to inks to color.  Truly amazing stuff.

Love Garry's style and his interpretation of the characters: guileless ONE, no-nonsense TWO, bad-ass THREE, staid FOUR, ebullient FIVE, and compassionate SIX.  Oh, and our surprise guest.

I just did the solicitation copy for issue #3.  Patrick informs me that the solicitation for issue #1 will appear in the November installment of Previews and will include a two page color sneak preview of the series. I believe it should be out in the coming weeks (if my local comic book retailer is to be believed), so make a point to swing by your corner comic shop and check it out.

In the meantime, here are some of Garry's pencils to whet your appetite and give you a sense of the series' visual style.

Haven't seen much in the way of SF comic books on the shelves, so I'm hoping audiences are in the mood for something a little different.  The plan is to start with the opening four-issue arc that will eventually form the two hour pilot of the television series.  Television series?  Oh, yeah. Once the comic book launches, Paul and I will be heading to L.A. to pitch the property.  Ideally, we'd like to set it up as a t.v. show. Idealier, shooting in Vancouver.  Idealiest, involving a lot of the same talented/familiar individuals we worked with on the Stargate franchise.

It WOULD be fun to get the band back together.  But, first things first. The first issue of Dark Matter comes out in January of 2012.  Pick it up!