Joseph Mallozzi's Blog, page 540

April 25, 2011: Spicy fingers! Fan Wars! Further Toronto-induced Headaches! And More SG-1 4th Season Memories!

Hey, you know what they apparently don't have in Japan?  Long hot peppers!  How do I know?  Well, the other night we were at Fondy's house and Akemi volunteered to clean the hot green peppers we had set aside for dinner.  Unbeknownst to either Fondy or I, rather than use gloves or simply use a knife for the task, Akemi stripped the seeds out with her fingers.  It wasn't until we got home that she began to feel the searing effects.  The poor gal was up all night, in tears, enduring the pain of her flaming fingers.  We applied every home remedy that google came up with.  She rinsed her hands with almost the entire contents of our fridge and cupboards – olive oil, vegetable oil, milk, white wine, V8 juice, hand cream, shaving gel, even mayonnaise! – before finally solving the problem by popping a couple of tylenols.  It was 4:00 a.m. by the time she got to sleep.  Needless to say, it'll be a while before she samples another pepper, much less clean one.

Sad (spicy) rabbit.

Well, my Toronto woes continue.  Last night, Akemi, Rob, Alexander, and I went to Barberian Steakhouse for dinner.  I should have followed Fondy's advice and gone to Jacob & Co. Steakhouse for the kobe beef.  My rib steak was fine and I liked the rice (too often, the rice at these places is an afterthought) but Akemi found her steamed lobster too chewy ("My jaw hurts!"she complained after we'd left).  Since they were out of ice cream, we decided to try out an ice cream shop Rob recommended (for their coconut and marshmallow flavors).  After being frustrated by Toronto's torturously long and inconvenient street parking machines, I had given up and joined Rob in parking across the street in a parking lot accessible through a narrow, gated alleyway.  Driving my SUV in was a bit of a challenge.  I had maybe six inches of clearance on either side!  On the way out, Rob suggested I go first and, as I tried to exit, I ended up taking the corner too tight and scraping the side of my Q7:

As I told Rob – In retrospect, it would have been cheaper to just park on the street.

And the Toronto hits just keep on coming.

Oh, almost forgot.  My VISA was apparently compromised (unauthorized purchases at a Sears in Chicago raised the red flags).  This from Fondy when I informed her they had cancelld my car and would be sending me a replacement in 4-6 days: "Yeah, this city is apparently the fraud capital of Canada."  Then, sunnily: "Welcome to Toronto!"

Hey, check out PopCulture Zoo's preview of the third to last episode of Stargate: Universe, Carl's Binder's best script yet – the poignant, fascinating, enormously satisfying Epilogue: http://popculturezoo.com/2011/04/with-the-end-looming-stargate-universe-delivers-an-epilogue/

In yesterday's blog entry, I got as far as the mid-season point of SG-1′s fourth season.  Holy crap!  While admittedly a lot fun, I had no idea this trip down memory lane would be so long and winding.

Anyway, the passage of time has mellowed me somewhat, allowing me to view long past events with a more impartial eye.  I refer, of course, to my first experience with the capricious nature of internet fandom: the grand shipper vs. anti-shipper debate of season 4.  In short, while many fans cheered the onscreen romantic developments between Jack and Sam (Jack and Sam shippers), others were quick to decry and criticize them (anti-shippers).  While I still hold these developments were a natural progression of the relationship already established over the course of the show's first three seasons (and certainly disagree with some of the more pointed criticism that came up at the time) I can see how the storyline could have given certain fans pause.  A few of the arguments made:

1. Having Jack and Sam pursue a relationship would be against military regs and do a disservice to both characters:  Fair enough, although I still hold – as I did back then – that it does happen and sometimes you can't help who you fall in love with.  Still, despite the mutual attraction, we were well aware of this criticism, especially considering our working relationship with the Air Force, and so were very careful about making sure this wouldn't be an issue.  In WoW, O'Neill resigns before dipping Carter and planting a kiss on her.  Still, a further argument could be made that, given the situation (their romantic feelings for one another), one or both should have requested a transfer.  Possibly, especially if either felt their feelings for one another could compromise their performance as members of the same SG team.  Did it reflect poorly on them that neither pursued this course of action?  In my opinion, no, but my opinion is one of many. Ultimately, it never did influence their performance in a negative way.  Which brings us to critique #2…

2. Having Jack and Sam pursue a relationship would be a disservice to the characters, especially Sam who, up to that point, had been portrayed as a strong and fiercely independent woman.  To this, I would say that even strong and fiercely independent women fall in love and sometimes enter into questionable relationships.  How questionable would a relationship with Jack be?  That's open to debate but there's no denying the fact that the circumstances of their working relationship could complicate things significantly.  Also, by suddenly shifting Carter's storyline to her love life, wouldn't we be robbing ourselves of the opportunity to explore other facets of her personal life?  Again, perhaps, but the fact is we rarely delved into the personal lives of our characters and, on the rare occasions we did (ie. The Curse, Crossroads) they were always part of a bigger story.

3. Having Jack and Sam pursue a relationship would upset the team dynamics, placing emphasis on Sam and Jack at the cost of other equally important pairings, Jack and Daniel first and foremost.  Looking back at episodes like The Other Side and Scorched Earth, I think we did a good job of exploring the latter dynamic, depicting the great divide between the military (Jack) and civilian (Daniel) mindset, a seeming chasm that, as demonstrated, could be bridged by friendship.

These were the three major criticisms (although I'm sure there are more) and, as I said, even though I still disagree with some of the conclusions, I can sympathize with many of the concerns, especially considering Amanda herself had some reservations about the arc.  In the end, the Jack/Sam ship was touched upon but not actively pursued in a way that would prove detrimental to the characters (again, I'm sure there are those who feel this point is debatable), seemingly reaching critical mass in season 8′s Threads.  Whether the conclusion to this ship or, frankly, lack thereof was a satisfactory one  - well, that's another debatable point.  I would say that, all things considered, it left both sides unsatisfied.

The great shipper vs. anti-shipper debate sparked some eleven years ago and spanned several seasons.  Many of its participants have moved on since.  Others still remain publicly critical of the creative decisions made.  Still others have mellowed with time to the point where I now exchange friendly emails with several members on both sides of the issue.  I think that, after many years, we're all aware of where we stand on the issue and can firmly and politely agree to disagree .

Anyway, back to my memories of the individual episodes that made up SG-1′s fourth season….

POINT OF NO RETURN (411)

This episode was borne out of Paul's perusal of several online conspiracy sites that maintained the Stargate program did, in fact, exist and that the t.v. show was part of a plausible deniability campaign (something we would use in later episodes).  Lots of great memories from this episode: Teal'c on the motel bed, the great onscreen chemistry between Rick and Willie Garson (who got along famously off-camera), and some bizarre notes we received at the script stage.  In one scene at the military camp, we hear a helicopter fly away.  We received the note: "Can we see the helicopter?".  Brad responded: "No, we can't see the helicopter because it doesn't exist.  All we have is the sound of the helicopter.".  Another note was a request to convey the sense of some alien quality in Marty at episode's end, something to let us know how out of this world he truly was.  There was a suggestion that, in the final shot of the episode, Marty could wiggle his ears in a other-worldly manner.  Suffice it to say, it didn't fly.

TANGENT (412)

Michael Cassutt was the perfect guy to write this episode.  With his heavy science fiction background (having written many short stories and novels in the genre as well as countless non-fiction articles) and hard SF experience, he delivered a first draft that any one of us would have been hard-pressed to match for its authenticity in circumstances and terminology.  For months after "No joy on the burn!" became my go-to phrase whenever I was disappointed with something, be it a scripted scene, a production issue, or my lunch order.

THE CURSE  (413)

I was damn proud of this episode for a number of reasons, the chiefest being its ability to mine an aspect of Daniel Jackson's past that had yet to be fully explored.  My inner comic book geek is in full display here as Green Lantern references abound: Professor Jordan Sarah Gardner, The Stewart Expedition, Steven Raynor – all GL's past and present.  Anna-Louise Plowman's terrific performance ensured she'd be coming back for a return visit, while Ben Bass's performance as Steven Raynor should have done the same except that the follow-up story I had planned for his character never got past the room.  The basic premise of the story involved SG-1 heading off-world and discovering they'd been beaten to an incredible archaeological find by another team headed by Steven Raynor and bankrolled by a wealthy industrialist who had swung a deal to make use of the Russian gate.  This episode also marked my first experience with the networks' dreaded give-everything-away promos.  In this case, the promo included a shot of Osiris blasting our heroes, thus ruining the fourth act reveal of exactly who Osiris was.  It was a surprise-ruiner of such epic proportions that it remained unrivaled for years – until their "You won't believe the last five minutes!" promo for Kindred 1 that revealed Carson Beckett.  What's not believe?  You just showed them!! (P.S. Special mention to the German broadcasters that renamed Forever in a Day "Sha're ist Tod" (Sha're Is Dead).

SERPENT'S VENOM (414)

To be honest, I don't remember much about this episode outside of the Mallozian mines (named after yours truly), the "intercepting the transmission" beat, and the uber-cool pain stick used to torture Teal'c that now resides in my garage.

CHAIN REACTION (415)

The fact that the late Don Davis considered this episode one of his personal favorites makes me exceedingly proud.  It was one of those rare episodes that explored Hammond and offered us a peek of the man behind the uniform.  Don was his usual brilliant self and the palpable love and respect SG-1 held for their commander reflected the similar love and respect Don commanded, not only from his fellow cast members, but the entire crew as well.  Although I got along well with the entire cast, Don was the one I would occasionally go out to dinner with, sharing a love of food with the fine, Southern gent.

2010 (416)

Anytime we can kill off all main characters is an opportunity not to be missed.  And they go out in blazing style in the closing moments of this episode, my favorite Brad Wright script of the show's fourth season.  This was the first part of what could have been an Aschen trilogy, bookended by 2001, but that third episode – like many intriguing notions – just never came to fruition.

Tagged: Stargate: SG-1

April 24, 2011: Spicy fingers! Fan Wars! Further Toronto-induced Headaches! And More SG-1 4th Season Memories!

Hey, you know what they apparently don't have in Japan?  Long hot peppers!  How do I know?  Well, the other night we were at Fondy's house and Akemi volunteered to clean the hot green peppers we had set aside for dinner.  Unbeknownst to either Fondy or I, rather than use gloves or simply use a knife for the task, Akemi stripped the seeds out with her fingers.  It wasn't until we got home that she began to feel the searing effects.  The poor gal was up all night, in tears, enduring the pain of her flaming fingers.  We applied every home remedy that google came up with.  She rinsed her hands with almost the entire contents of our fridge and cupboards – olive oil, vegetable oil, milk, white wine, V8 juice, hand cream, shaving gel, even mayonnaise! – before finally solving the problem by popping a couple of tylenols.  It was 4:00 a.m. by the time she got to sleep.  Needless to say, it'll be a while before she samples another pepper, much less clean one.

Sad (spicy) rabbit.

Well, my Toronto woes continue.  Last night, Akemi, Rob, Alexander, and I went to Barberian Steakhouse for dinner.  I should have followed Fondy's advice and gone to Jacob & Co. Steakhouse for the kobe beef.  My rib steak was fine and I liked the rice (too often, the rice at these places is an afterthought) but Akemi found her steamed lobster too chewy ("My jaw hurts!"she complained after we'd left).  Since they were out of ice cream, we decided to try out an ice cream shop Rob recommended (for their coconut and marshmallow flavors).  After being frustrated by Toronto's torturously long and inconvenient street parking machines, I had given up and joined Rob in parking across the street in a parking lot accessible through a narrow, gated alleyway.  Driving my SUV in was a bit of a challenge.  I had maybe six inches of clearance on either side!  On the way out, Rob suggested I go first and, as I tried to exit, I ended up taking the corner too tight and scraping the side of my Q7:

As I told Rob – In retrospect, it would have been cheaper to just park on the street.

And the Toronto hits just keep on coming.

Oh, almost forgot.  My VISA was apparently compromised (unauthorized purchases at a Sears in Chicago raised the red flags).  This from Fondy when I informed her they had cancelled my car and would be sending me a replacement in 4-6 days: "Yeah, this city is apparently the fraud capital of Canada."  Then, all sunny: "Welcome to Toronto!"

Hey, check out PopCulture Zoo's preview of the third to last episode of Stargate: Universe, Carl's Binder's best script yet – the poignant, fascinating, enormously satisfying Epilogue: http://popculturezoo.com/2011/04/with-the-end-looming-stargate-universe-delivers-an-epilogue/

In yesterday's blog entry, I got as far as the mid-season point of SG-1′s fourth season.  Holy crap!  While admittedly a lot fun, I had no idea this trip down memory lane would be so long and winding.

Anyway, the passage of time has mellowed me somewhat, allowing me to view long past events with a more impartial eye.  I refer, of course, to my first experience with the capricious nature of internet fandom: the grand shipper vs. anti-shipper debate of season 4.  In short, while many fans cheered the onscreen romantic developments between Jack and Sam (Jack and Sam shippers), others were quick to decry and criticize the move (anti-shippers).  While I still hold the these developments were a natural progression of the relationship already established over the course of the show's first three seasons (and certainly disagree with some of the more pointed criticism that came up at the time) I can see how the storyline could have given certain fans pause.  A few of the arguments made:

1. Having Jack and Sam pursue a relationship would be against military regs and do a disservice to both characters:  Fair enough, although I still hold – as I did back then – that it does happen and sometimes you can't help who you fall in love with.  Still, despite the mutual attraction, we were well aware of this criticism, especially considering our working relationship with the Air Force, and so were very careful about making sure this wouldn't be an issue.  In WoW, O'Neill resigns before dipping Carter and planting a kiss on her.  Still, a further argument could be made that, given the situation (their romantic feelings for one another), one or both should have requested a transfer.  Possibly, especially if either felt their feelings for one another could compromise their performance as members of the same SG team.  Did it reflect poorly on them that neither pursued this course of action?  In my opinion, no, but my opinion is one of many. Ultimately, it never did influence their performance in a negative way.  Which brings us to critique #2…

2. Having Jack and Sam pursue a relationship would be a disservice to the characters, especially Sam who, up to that point, had been portrayed as a strong and fiercely independent woman.  To this, I would say that even strong and fiercely independent women fall in love and sometimes enter into questionable relationships.  How questionable would a relationship with Jack be?  That's open to debate but there's no denying the fact that the circumstances of their working relationship would complicate things significantly.  Also, by suddenly shifting Carter's storyline to her love life, wouldn't we be robbing ourselves of the opportunity to explore other facets of her personal life?  Again, perhaps, but the fact is we rarely delved into the personal lives of our characters and, on the rare occasions we did (ie. The Curse, Crossroads) they were always part of a bigger story.

3. Having Jack and Sam pursue a relationship would upset the team dynamics, placing emphasis on Sam and Jack at the cost of other equally important pairings, Jack and Daniel first and foremost.  Looking back at episodes like The Other Side and Scorched Earth, I think we did a good job of exploring the latter dynamic, demonstrating the great divide between the military (Jack) and civilian (Daniel) mindset, a seeming chasm that, as demonstrated, could be bridged by friendship.

These were the three major concerns (although I'm sure there are more) and, as I said, even though I still disagree with some of the conclusions, I can sympathize with many of the concerns, especially considering Amanda herself had some reservations about the arc.  In the end, the Jack/Sam ship was touched upon but not actively pursued in a way that would prove detrimental to the characters (again, I'm sure there are those who feel this point is debatable), seemingly reaching critical mass in season 8′s Threads.  Whether the conclusion to this ship or, frankly, lack thereof was a satisfactory one  - well, that's another debatable point.  I would say that, all things considered, it left both sides unsatisfied.

The great shipper vs. anti-shipper debate some eleven years ago and spanned several seasons.  Many of its participants have moved on.  Others still remain publicly critical of the creative decisions made.  Still others have mellowed with time to the point where I now exchange friendly emails with several members on both sides of the issue.  I think that, after many years, we're all aware of where we stand on the issue and can firmly and politely agree to disagree .

Anyway, back to my memories of the individual episodes that made up SG-1′s fourth season….

POINT OF NO RETURN (411)

This episode was borne out of Paul's perusal of several online conspiracy sites that maintained the Stargate program did, in fact, exist and that the t.v. show as part of a plausible deniability campaign (something we would use in later episodes).  Lots of great memories from this episode: Teal'c on the motel bed, the great onscreen chemistry between Rick and Willie Garson (who got along famously off-camera), and some bizarre notes we received at the script stage.  In one scene at the military camp, we hear a helicopter fly away.  We received the note: "Can we see the helicopter?".  Brad responded: "No, we can't see the helicopter be it doesn't exist.  All we have is the sound of the helicopter.".  Another note was a request to convey the sense of some alien quality in Marty at episode's end, something to let us know how out of this world he truly was.  There was a suggestion that, in the final shot of the episode, Marty could wiggle his ears in a other-worldly manner.  Suffice it to say, it didn't fly.

TANGENT (412)

Michael Cassutt was the perfect guy to write this episode.  With his heavy science fiction background (having written many short stories and novels in the genre as well as countless non-fiction articles) and hard SF background, he delivered a first draft that any one of us would have been hard-pressed to match for its authenticity in circumstances and terminology.  For months after "No joy on the burn!" became my go to phrase whenever I was disappointed with something, be it a scripted scene, a production issue, or my lunch order.

THE CURSE  (413)

I was damn proud of this episode for a number of reasons, the chiefest being its ability to mine an aspect of Daniel Jackson's past that had yet to be fully explored.  My inner comic book geek is in full display here as Green Lantern references abound: Professor Jordan Sarah Gardner, The Stewart Expedition, Steven Raynor – all GL's past and present.  Anna-Louise Plowman's terrific performance ensured she'd be coming back for a return visit, while Ben Bass's performance as Steven Raynor should have done the same except that the follow-up story I had planned for his character never got past the room.  The basic premise of the story involved SG-1 heading off-world and discovering they'd been beaten to an incredible archaeological find by another team headed by Steven Raynor and bankrolled by a wealthy industrialist who had swung a deal to make use of the Russian gate.  This episode also marked my first experience with SciFi's dreaded give-everything-away promos.  In this case, the promo included a shot of Osiris blasting our heroes, thus ruining the fourth act reveal of exactly who Osiris was.  It was a surprise-ruiner of such epic proportions that it remained unrivaled for years – until their "You won't believe the last five minutes!" promo for Kindred 1 that revealed Carson Beckett.  What's not believe?  You just showed them!!

SERPENT'S VENOM (414)

To be honest, I don't remember much about this episode outside of the Mallozian mines (named after yours truly), the "intercepting the transmission" beat, and the uber-cool pain stick used to torture Teal'c that now resides in my garage.

CHAIN REACTION (415)

The fact that the late Don Davis considered this episode one of his personal favorites makes me exceedingly proud.  It was one of those rare episodes that explored Hammond and offered us a peek of the man behind the uniform.  Don was his usual brilliant self and the palpable love and respect SG-1 held for their commander reflected the similar love and respect Don commanded, not only from his fellow cast members, but the entire crew as well.  Although I got along well with the entire cast, Don was the one I would occasionally go out to dinner with, sharing a love of food with the fine, Southern gent.

2010 (416)

Anytime we can kill off all main characters is an opportunity not to be missed.  And they go out in blazing style in the closing moments of this episode, my favorite Brad Wright script of the show's fourth season.  This was the first part of what could have been an Aschen trilogy, bookended by 2001, but that third episode – like many intriguing notions – just never came to fruition.

Tagged: Stargate: SG-1

April 24, 2011: Days of Stargate Past – SG-1 Season Four!

Special Features Producer Ivon Bartok started on the franchise around the same time we did.  Back then, though, he wasn't doing Special Features.  He was just a recent Toronto-transplant looking to land a job as an assistant to Gecko Films Corp., a partnership between actor Richard Dean Anderson and Executive Producer Michael Greenburg.  I remember strolling through the production offices with Paul and glimpsing Ivon for the first time as he sat alongside his competition for the position, a cute brunette.  He seemed like a nice enough guy but, in the interest of full disclosure, Paul and I were rooting for the cute brunette.  As it turned out, the interview process ended in disappointment for the cute brunette (and, by extension, Paul and I) as Ivon got the job. Over the years, he developed his skills and, eventually, moved on to special features where he produced what were, without a doubt, the best dvd extras the franchise has ever created.  He also became a good friend and, more recently (check out entires related to my last trip to Tokyo) an excellent travel companion.

SG-1′s fourth season also served as a launch point for both Paul and my career.  With the support of Executive Producers Brad Wright and Robert Cooper, we were given the opportunity to learn the ropes, first by sitting in on all aspects of the production process from prep week to post-production edits, and eventually by being entrusted with the task of running our own episodes.  We learned a lot in that first season, and it was all thanks to Brad and Robert who trusted us and helped us grow as both writers and producers.  And we weren't the only ones.  Throughout the run of the franchise, Brad and Robert adopted the same approach to many, many others involved in the production, promoting from within and allowing talent to flourish.  Paul and I – and countless others – will be forever in their debt.

As I mentioned in a previous blog entry, our first episode produced was actually our second episode written (Scorched Earth being the first)…

WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY  (406)

We had no idea this episode would become so beloved by fandom and yet, looking back, it's easy to see why.  It's one of those fun episodes with a fairly straightforward premise that allows our characters to shine in ways unexpected.  Specifically, Jack and Teal'c who, in past episodes, have relied on Carter and Daniel to handle the science and Ancient, and suddenly find themselves having to step into their team members' shoes.  Yes, it's our version of Groundhog Day but it works because the time-loop conceit is secondary to the heart of this story: the characters.  And yet, in its earliest form, the pitch for this story was very different, much darker in tone.  It involved the team gating to a planet and becoming trapped in a seemingly endless time loop orchestrated by a dying race seeking to buy more time to come up with a solution to an impending armageddon (which became the backstory of the device's genesis mentioned in the episode by Malikai).  Rob suggested another spin on the time loop angle and, while I was dubious at first ("Isn't this Groundhog Day?"I remember asking.  "Yeah,"was Rob's counter.), I was proven wrong (that happened a lot with regard to some of Rob's ideas those first couple of years).

A lot to love about this episode but it was the "time off" montage that remains my favorite.  And, like the Ground Hog Day aspects of this episode, it almost didn't happen.  The episode was timing short, it was clear we would need to come up with some extra scenes, and that gave Brad the opportunity to do something he had always wanted to do: see our characters golfing through the stargate.  And so, several scenes were added (they were all scripted, not improvised as some fans assumed): the juggling, Teal'c's repeated door run-in, Jack riding his bike through the corridors of the SGC, Jack trying his hand at pottery, the golfing through the gate and, oh yes, THE KISS.  The latter was Paul's idea and I loved it.  Note: We made sure to have Jack tender his official resignation before dipping Carter and planting one on her, just to make sure we didn't catch any flak from our Air Force tech advisors.

WATERGATE (407)

A great episode with a lot to love about it, but two things about the production stand out for me.  The first was Paul's ballistic reaction to the scene in which a frozen Maybourne is discovered.  In this case, Paul (aka Captain Logic) could not accept the fact that someone could be frozen in a standing upright position. Rather, he argued, if you were freezing to death, you would be hunkered down, trying to keep warm.  The fact that Maybourne is discovered on his feet, frozen solid, suggests a sudden freeze – which isn't what happened here.  Anyway, it wouldn't be the last logic issue to set my writing partner off, but it was memorable for being a fiery first.  As for the second thing that stands out about this episode for me: the title.  I swear, I thought Rob was kidding when he said he was going to call it Watergate.

THE FIRST ONES  (408)

Peter DeLuise kicks off his writers' room stint in fine style with this episode, the first in a string of Unas episodes.  Peter's office was located across the hall from mine and, whenever someone would bring their kid to the production office, they would invariably stop to visit with Peter who had a whole routine for the lucky little guests, an act that always started with "Pull my finger" and always ended with an imitation of Barney the Dinosaur.  It goes without saying, the kids loved him and stopping by his office was always the high point of any tour.  Until years later when I decorated my office with cool supervillain-themed statues.

SCORCHED EARTH  (409)

The first script we ever wrote for Stargate, the one that got us our staff position, was produced as the fourth season's ninth episode.  Before Paul eventually came up with the Scorched Earth title, I was simply referring to the script as "Whose Planet Is It Anyway?".  The onscreen version of this episode differed in several respects from the early script, the biggest difference being the ending.  In the original version, Daniel convinces Lotan to make a difficult decision and the caretaker does, destroying his ship and the building blocks of an entire race, leaving the planet to the Enkarans.  In the episode's final scene, Daniel sits alone in his quarters, listening to Lotan's parting gift: the music of a now extinct race.  The ending was changed to allow for a compromise that led to a happier resolution for all.  While I didn't mind the shift to a more positive conclusion to the story, I still regret that the solution to the issue seemed, in hindsight, somewhat convenient and obvious.

Another aspect of the script that didn't make it onto the screen was a resolution to the Jack/Daniel conflict at the core of the episode.  At one point, Jack makes the painful decision to trigger a bomb that would destroy Lotan's ship, knowing Daniel is aboard.  The bomb never detonates but the intention was there – an attempt to save an entire race by sacrificing the life of a close friend.  A defensible decision?  Fandom was split – and the divide was made even greater by the fact that there was no apparent resolution to the conflict.  No apology from Jack.  Nothing.  Well, in truth, one had been scripted – an apology of sorts that saw Jack approach Daniel at episode's end and say something along the lines of: "Just so you know, I'm glad I didn't blow up that ship."  To which Daniel responded: "Just so you know, so am I."  For some reason, the actors found it too on the nose and suggested they would come up with something on the day.  Which, unfortunately, never happened.  That was a big learning experience and, from that episode on for as long as we did table reads, if I knew an actor didn't like a line, even if they didn't ask for an alternate, I would supply one.

BENEATH THE SURFACE (410)

I liked the premise of this episode and the first couple of versions of the script even more.  Whether it was because the episode came up short or simply because I was aware of those early drafts, Beneath the Surface came up short for me.  In the end, it seemed to lack the emotional core present in those early versions where the relationship between the amnesiac Jack and Sam was a lot less nebulous.  They WERE together and, given the ground work we'd laid in the episodes leading up to this one – the admission of feelings, the time loop kiss – it seemed like a logical progression.  However, there was some feeling (most notably from Amanda) that it was too much too soon and that the arc might prove a disservice to the characters, so the episode's romantic elements was stripped away.  I loved the notion of our two main characters having to abandon their established relationship for a forgotten life in which they are no longer together.

Some fans were disappointed.   Others breathed a sigh of relief.

Tagged: Stargate: SG-1

April 23, 2011: Days of Stargate Past – SG-1 Season Four!

So, in yesterday's blog entry, I offered up a short but sweet summary of my rise from humble animation freelancer to landing a gig on the biggest television production in Canada.  I had uprooted, wife and dog in tow, and joined my writing partner, Paul, on a west coast adventure that – at the time, was planned to run two years, culminating in a no-doubt fantastic fifth and final season that would then see us all go our separate ways.  Of course, whether Paul and I would be around to witness that fifth season was up in the air.  Our first season deal was a composed of two parts: the first, a ten episode guarantee that came with co-producer titles; the second, an option to pick us up for the fourth season's back twelve episodes (remember the days of the 22 episode season?) and a bump up to producer titles.  And so, Paul and I settled in and got to work.

I remember spending a lot of time in our offices that first season, writing.  There was talk of a past writer who had spent much of their time hanging around set in an attempt to ingratiate themselves to the actors, neglecting their script work much to Brad and Robert's chagrin – and I vowed I would not be that guy. Every day Paul and I would gather in an office (either his or mine) and write.  Back in those days, we were a true writing team.  We would bounce dialogue back and forth between us, essentially giving life to the scene by acting it out in the room.  One of us would pace, the other would write it all down, then we'd switch.  At day's end we'd head home and, whoever happened to have the updated version of our latest script (usually the last one writing) would spent the evening going over the scenes.  The next day, we'd read what we had and pick up where we left off.  In retrospect, it's a wonder we were able to get anything done at all using this collaborative method – yet we managed to write 7 of season four's 22 episode run.

That's not to say we didn't spend time on set.  Occasionally, we'd swing by to say hi to the cast and crew, especially when our episodes were being shot, but, for the most part, we tried to stay out of everybody's hair and get those scripts written.  On any other show, we probably should have spent more time on set to ensure things ran smoothly but, we quickly learned, after three years, the Stargate production was a well-oiled machine.  Executive Producer Michael Greenburg was our dedicated onset producer and we could take comfort in the knowledge that he would put out any potential fires.  Also providing back-up were Co-Executive Producer N. John Smith and Unit Manager John G. Lenic who made sure the ship ran smoothly.

I remember the first big dinner we went to soon after our arrival.  All of the producers gathered for a meal at what was then one of Vancouver's top restaurants.  John Smith, who has been in the business so long I'm actually more surprised if he DOESN'T know someone, chatted away with the affable owner.  It was a magnificent meal.  The following week, I drove by and was shocked to find the place shuttered.  I had been planning a return visit but, clearly, enjoying another meal there would be out of the question.  What happened?  Well, eventually I learned that the restaurant owner had a little tax disagreement with the government.  You can probably guess who won.  For years, the other producers wondered what had happened to the affable owner and then, some time later (I think it was SG-1′s sixth season) ,Michael Greenburg told us he'd seen him working in a mall sandwich shop.  The story amazed and horrified, branding itself into the back of my mind as a cautionary tale.  The lesson: Work hard, save your money, and PAY YOUR TAXES!

And, in SG-1′s fourth season, I did just that.  I spent my days in the office writing then returned home where I spent much of my free time writing.  As any writer will tell you, ours is not a 9 to 5 job.  It's not like we can simply switch off our brains in mid-script.  Even if we're not sitting behind our computer or pacing the corridors of the production offices running dialogue with our writing partners, we're writing.  Sometimes in the shower.  Often in bed. Occasionally, during dinner when your wife is talking to you.  It can be a lonely business.  For all involved.

I also found time to reach out to the fans, hitting some of the forums in a desire to interact with our audience.  It was a lot of fun and very enlightening, then, eventually, baffling, hurtful, and irritating.  But always entertaining.  Most of those I met online were very nice.  A few, not so much.  And, as that fourth season of SG-1 developed, I was introduced to the wild and wacky world of fandom wars!  But I'll save the discussion on that topic for a later entry.

Anyway, like I said – we worked hard that fourth season, completing seven scripts.  AND also finding the time to come up with lyrics for the SG-1 opening theme – which we sang, at Peter Deluise's behest – during the recording of our season four commentary:

http://youtu.be/CqDE8kocoTI

Looking back on SG-1′s fourth season:

SMALL VICTORIES  (401)

I remember sitting in Brad's office when we first came to Vancouver and having Brad ask Robert how he planned to conclude the season three finale, Nemesis.  Well, Rob knew exactly where he wanted to go with the story and broke it down for us.  I remember thinking "There is no way they're going to be able to pull this off.".  And yet, he did.  WE did.  Again and again.  The high point of this episode isn't the Rick Moranis lookalike taking a face full of acid in the teaser, or the Russian dialogue that, when translated, reads: "What's that noise" "Maybe it's that bug from the last episode.", but the outtakes  - specifically, one depicting a seated Thor requesting a Mokochino and another with the Asgard reaching up to goose Carter and getting his face slapped as a result.  This was also the first episode I saw Director Martin ("AND CUUUUUUUT!") Wood in action and he was a sight to behold.

 

THE OTHER SIDE (402)

I remember coming away from this episode impressed by Brad and Robert's willingness to take chances, especially with regard to our characters.  O'Neill kills someone at episode's end – and I'm not talking in the heat of battle.  He gives the order to close the iris and then, seconds later, the Eurondan leader apparently steps through and ends up pasted on the other side.  Granted, Jack did warn him not to follow but still – it was a calculated move on the part of the usually happy-go-lucky team leader.  Actor Rene Auberjonois, who played the doomed leader Alar, was a pleasure to work with.  Soon after wrapping production on the episode, he swung by Brad's office to tell him Alar had a twin brother who'd be more than happy to make an appearance in a future episode. Two other things stand out for me about this episode.  The first was being on set and discovering how they pulled off the chamber-rattling off-screen concussive bursts of the bombings.  Director Peter DeLuise would yell: "Boom!  Shake-shake-shake!"  The actors would feign being rocked while members of the crew would rain dust and sand down on them, unseen overhead.  The second aspect of this episode that will forever stand out for me were those crazy alien glasses that are SO alien that they're completely counter-intuitive.  In fact, I believe Rick made a gag of it in the episode by going to take a sip, giving the glass a curious look, then turning it around and drinking from the backside.  This was Peter DeLuise at his best and his desire for alien props (from rounded hammers to red spray-painted kiwis) would be a source of endless amusement for Paul and I.

UPGRADES (403)

This was the episode that introduced me to the realities of the scriptwriting process.  The fact is, as a show's Executive Producer, it's your job to make sure the episode is as good as it can be.  As a result, you'll be asked to cast the best actors, choose the best costumes and props, approve the best visual effects, sign off on the best cut and, most important of all, see to it that the script is as good as it can be.  Often, this involves providing a writer with detailed notes for a rewrite.  Occasionally (but a hell of a lot more than you, dear viewers, will ever know), it involves doing a pass on a script not your own – anything from a dialogue polish to a full script rewrite.  But even in cases where a script is thoroughly rewritten, the original writer will retain sole credit.  And so, more times than I can count, I've perused the boards and had to bite my tongue (or cross my typing fingers) as I read posts lauding Writer X, knowing full well that while Writer X's name may have been the credited writer, the person who should've been lauded was Brad or Robert or Paul.  I remember Paul sitting in our offices at one point in our Stargate run, amused because he had two scripts nominated for an award: one, on which he'd been co-credited on that I actually wrote, the other on which he'd received no credit but which he'd actually written.  It's a strange, strange business.  Anyway, in the case of Upgrades, it was simply a case of a script that was tonally very different from first draft to shooting script.  The original version had actually been very serious but, after Robert Cooper did his pass, it was transformed into a hilarious entry and one of my very favorites.  The highlights of this episode for me was the memorable saran wrap force field (augmented with visual effects, but saran wrap nevertheless – I loved watching the dailies of our hero getting their face smooshed as they ran into the damn thing).

CROSSROADS (404)

In the original version of this script, Teal'c exacts his revenge on Tanith and the episode concludes with, if not exactly a happy ending, then sure a satisfying one.  But Brad suggested that, instead, we end the episode with Teal'c restraining himself and Tanith getting away with Shau'nac's murder – at least temporarily.  "That's pretty dark,"I recall Paul saying.  "I like dark,"countered Brad.  And so did I.  The original version of the script also contained a reference to the fact that Teal'c had gotten a (Jaffa) divorce from his wife, freeing him up to pursue that amorous rendezvous with his long lost love.  Unfortunately, for some reason, it didn't make the final draft and, as a result, Teal'c ended up looking like a big slut to many fans.  All that being said, the high point of this episode for me was that damn pointy Tok'ra digs, everything from the porcupine walls to the lethal high-backed chairs.  It's a wonder they weren't impaling themselves all the time.

DIVIDE AND CONQUER  (405)

Some point to this episode as the genesis of the grand shipper vs. anti-shipper debate as O'Neill and Carter finally admit their feelings for one another – and I suppose it was, except it didn't come as much of a surprise.  Shippers rejoiced as, after after three years of unspoken mutual attraction, "Sam and Jack" became canon.  Anti-shippers, on the other hand, were less than enthused.  And the forums lit up!  And it wasn't just the ship they were referring to.  It was also the death of their beloved Martouf and the continuing presence of the Anise character, introduced in response to then President of MGM Television's Hank Cohen's request for "a sexy female alien" (A suggestion he got to repeat onscreen when he played himself in Wormhole Extreme).

In my next entry, I'll tackle a few more episodes (including our version of Groundhog Day), the hiring of Ivon Bartok, and "the ship" sails on (at least in the early drafts of Beneath the Surface it did).

Tagged: Stargate: SG-1

April 22, 2011: Days of Stargate Past!

Before I get into my Stargate reminiscences, a little update on the V1 Jets front.  For the full preamble, check out my April 19th entry (April 19, 2011: V1 Jets). In short: I booked a flight through V1 Jets, followed their instructions and sent them a wire payment but, since the wire payment did not reach them in time, they cancelled my flight.  That was over a month ago.  Since then, I've been consistently frustrated in my attempts to not only get a refund but even any sort of information on the status of said refund.  Finally, fed up, I started complaining – to several consumer advocate groups and on this blog.  The day after my entry, I received a call from a representative of V1 Jets who proposed a repayment plan.  Relieved that this ordeal was apparently over, I asked him to forward me something I could review.  He did and, while I appreciated the proposal, it wouldn't have seen me fully reimbursed until well into 2012.  I countered with an alternate proposal that would see me fully reimbursed, instead, five months after the fact – which I considered more than reasonable.  However I wanted to run any language by a lawyer before signing any agreement.  Whether it was the mention of the lawyer or the terms of the counter proposal (Seriously.  Five months interest-free return of the principle!), I received a curt and offensive email back.  Well, I've had it.  I've been patient, understanding, sympathetic, and open to discussion.  The company has responded with mild initial reassurances followed by giving me the run-around then topped it off with an attempt to bully me.  Enough is enough.  I was hoping we could settle this matter amicably but, apparently, that's not possible.  So, Tuesday, I do something I should have done from the very beginning: make a call to the lawyers and have them handle it.

Okay, with that out of the way, let's move on to those Stargate memories.

Now, originally, I was going to dedicate a blog entry to each season but, as I started to go over the various years, the various episodes, and the innumerable behind-the-scenes events that shaped the production, I quickly came to realize that I'd be hard-pressed to fit everything into one entry.  I considered half seasons and then, ultimately, decided to just write and see where my memories take me.  I could cover an entire season in one entry or it may take me two, three, maybe more.  I'll try to keep it enlightening and entertaining, particularly for those of you who followed the franchise from the start (or, at the very least, SG-1′s fourth season which is when Paul and I were welcomed into the Stargate family).

I got my start in animation.  After sending out about a hundred resumes seeking employment in the entertainment field as a script-reader, I received one heartening response for a little animation studio in Montreal.  At the time, it was called Crayon Animation and was in gearing up to produce an animated series based on The Busy World of Richard Scarry.  The show's story-editor at the time, a terrific guy and talented writer by the name of Thomas LaPierre, talked me through it:  Based on the writing sample I'd provided, he was willing to give me a shot at pitching for the series.  I was to read the series bible, then send them ideas for stories to be used in the show.  If they liked an idea, they would buy it and send me to outline.  If I did a good job on the outline, they would send me to script.  And so, I studied the bible, came up with a couple of ideas, and sent them his way.  This resulted in my first script sale ever: "Patrick Pig Learns to Talk".  It was a thrilling experience – and a lot of fun! – and the series quickly commanded my undivided attention.  I wrote several scripts for the series, then moved on to other shows Crayon Animation had in production.

The company grew, changed it's name to Cinar Animation, and I was soon hired as their Manager of Animation Development.  For several years, I researched properties, developed shows for television, wrote bibles and scripts and, eventually, began story-editing as well.  The story-editing proved quite lucrative and, in time, I decided to leave the 9 to 5 office environment in favor of the freedom of freelancing.  I continued to story edit for Cinar, then Toronto's Nelvana and their CBS Saturday morning line-up.

SG-1 Exec. Producer Michael Greenburg would always rib me with: "I don't know how they used to do things on Caillou, but this is Stargate..."

With my new writing partner, Paul, I made the transition to live action television with a writing-producing gig on a teen sitcom called Student Bodies.  Paul and I wrote fully a third of the 65 episodes produced and had a wonderful time with the cast, crew, and the show's producers.  We shot the series in an abandoned high school and we would pace the empty corridors, running dialogue back and forth between each other before retiring to our office – a converted, carpeted classroom – to write.  Occasionally, the actors or actresses would drop by to say hi or challenge us to a game on the air hockey table the production had gifted us after wrapping the big "air hockey" episode.  It was a great experience and we knew how lucky we were.  I didn't think it could get any better. Until the position on Stargate came along.

But before Stargate, there were brief stints on Big Wolf on Campus, The Lost World, and other animation projects.  In fact, despite my work in live action, animation continued to be my bread and butter.  At the time, I was doing so well story-editing and writing animation that I actually took a pay cut to join team Stargate.

Now, to be perfectly frank, I didn't know much about the series.  I'd watched one episode, an early series episode titled "Emancipation", that I'd found so horrid it had turned me off the show.  Amusingly enough, the exact same thing had happened to Paul with the very same episode.  So, when our agent called to tell us Stargate: SG-1 was looking to staff for its fourth season, we were leery.  It was a great opportunity but the prospect of working on a show we didn't enjoy didn't hold much appeal.  But, in all fairness, our opinion of the show was based on a single episode and this was a great opportunity, so why not at least do a little research.  And we did, watching episodes, reading scripts, and both, eventually agreeing that, hell, it was, in fact, a really good show (with the occasional bad episode, just like any other series).  So Paul and I got to work and sent them production some pitches.  They liked a few of our ideas and we were given a contract to write an outline.  Same deal as my animation experience: if we did a good job on the outline, we'd be hired to write the script.  But – and here's where this opportunity differed from animation – if we did a good job on the script, we would be invited to join the writers' room for the show's fourth season.

Brad and Robert admitted that, in retrospect, Emancipation wasn't one of the show's high-water marks.

An impressive three of the five pitches we sent clicked with Executive Producers Brad Wright and Robert Cooper, but the one they chose as our trial by fire was a story that would eventually become our second episode produced, "Scorched Earth".  After several conference calls with Brad and Robert, and several outlines, we were sent to script.  I remember feeling somewhat ambivalent about the whole thing when Paul and I finished that first draft and sent it off.  It was a tremendous opportunity to work on the biggest show being produced in Canada but, on the other hand, it also meant uprooting and leaving Montreal (the only city I've ever known) for a new life on the other side of the country in Vancouver.  Apparently, Brad and Robert were on a flight to Hawaii (for what I believe what was the first of what would become a Stargate tradition: the post-season golf trip), with a single copy of our script.  Brad deferred to Rob and held his figurative breath for most of the flight, convinced that a bad script would ruin his vacation.  Rob finished reading the script, set it aside, and put Brad's mind at ease: "It's good."  And, soon after, we were offered the staff positions.

Scene from Scorched Earth, our first script but second episode produced. That honor fell to fan-favorite Window of Opportunity.

We moved to Vancouver for the start of SG-1′s fourth season.  As we settled into our offices, Brad and Rob explained that the series would probably go five seasons (which would give the studio the magic 110 it needed for syndication) so, if all went well, we were more or less guaranteed two years work.  Two years of gainful employment on the biggest production in Canada!  I figured it couldn't get any better.  How wrong I was.

In those first few weeks, we settled in and met the various cast, crew members, and production personnel who would become a part of our daily lives over the course of our extended Stargate run.  Two stand out looking back.  The first was Peter Deluise who sat in with us to talk stories for the upcoming season as he was making the transition from series director to series writer/director.  He was friendly, funny, incredibly animated – and Paul and I took an instant liking to the guy.  At one point, he was talking about some story idea he had come up with (a story involving something called an "Unas" which meant nothing to me) when, somehow, the topic of his father came up.  "Anyway,"he said, "my father – who is Dom DeLuise – said it was as big as a bread box…".  I don't think Paul and I even listened to the rest of what he was saying.  We simply exchanged looks, then threw them back at Peter and I said: "Whoa, whoa.  What did you just say?"  "My father, who is Dom DeLuise, said it was as big as a bread box,"Peter repeated, then continued on with his story.  It was such a bizarre and unexpected throwaway that I still remember it fondly.  Although Peter's father, Dom, had done a guest spot in the show's third season on an episode called Urgo (From what I hear, the cast and crew were in stitches throughout the shooting of Urgo given Dom's propensity for hilarious improvisation), it wasn't until many, many years later that I actually met the man.  He delivered a speech at his son's wedding that brought the house down.

The fastest director I've ever had the pleasure to work with. Peter DeLuise would positively sail through the day.

The other stand-out introduction was to the man himself, Richard Dean Anderson (aka MacGyver).  Although he had popped his head in to say hi when we first arrived, it wasn't until I'd settled into my office that he actually swung by to say hi and welcome me to the show.  I remember I was working on a script, my back to the door, my pug Jelly (she must have one at the time) at my feet, when Rick stepped in and re-introduced himself.  We started chatting and I was momentarily distracted by something on my computer.  When I turned around, he was gone.  I barely had time to be register surprise when I glanced down and realized he hadn't left – he was lying on his back on the carpeted floor of my office, playing with my dog.  That simple act endeared him to me so much that, years later, no matter what the script critiques and changes requested, I had nothing but respect for the big-hearted guy.  As I've often said: "People who like dogs are generally good and kind, while people who don't like dogs are jerks at best and serial killers at worst".  Rick was – and continues to be – a dog guy, to the point that we nicknamed him "the dog whisperer" before Cesar Millan claimed the title.

The original Dog Whisperer.

Whew!  That's it for today.  In my next entry, I tackle the individual episodes that made up the show's fourth season, and some of the interesting behind-the-scene decisions, developments, and fallout!

April 21, 2011: Closing up the Stargate shop :( ! Mailbag!

Received an email from the lovely Tanja yesterday.  She was our production coordinator for many, many years of the Stargate franchise and was in the offices the other day to coordinate the final wrap.  Apparently, it was a very melancholy vibe as work began on de-rigging Stage 5 first.  Stage 5, as you may or may not know, was home to Stargate: Universe's Icarus base but, for many, many years before that, it held the standing sets for Stargate: SG-1: the SGC corridors, the infirmary, the control room, the briefing, Hammond's office (later occupied by O'Neill, then Landry) and, of course, the gate room.  Sad times indeed.

The news got me thinking about my many years on the franchise and the many great memories I took away.  So, I was wondering: What were YOUR favorite memories of the franchise?  Start thinking because, tomorrow, I'm going to tackle my first year on the franchise: SG'1 season four, and talk about some of MY favorite memories of that particular season.

In the here and now, meanwhile, work continues on Transporter: The Series as we get down to our next round of scripts.  I was finally able to sit down and write the Tease of my second script (episode 5).  I hope to make some major inroads this long weekend and aim to have half the script completed by mid next week before we head down to L.A. for the big casting to-do.  Some very talented, very interesting people in the mix including a few familiar faces.

Today's blog entry is dedicated to blog regular Airelle.  Otanjobi omedeto!

Mailbag:

Taylor writes: "In relation to Stargate, what do you think the chances of MGM allowing the Scripts for the SG1, Atlantis, and perhaps SGU novelization would be?"

Answer: Unfortunately, I have no idea what MGM has planned for the future of Stargate and, specifically, the scripts for the SG-1 movie (Stargate: Revolution) and Atlantis movie (Stargate: Extinction).  I would love to see them released in some for but, at the end of the day, it's out of my hands.  In the coming weeks, I'll offer a little insight into the latter (since Carl and Brad were working on Revolution, I defer to them on providing details on the SG-1 movie), detailing the basic premise of the story and some of the interesting developments we had in store for the characters and, of course, the city of Atlantis itself.

Chance writes: " If the sales of this are good, MGM would have to consider the possibility of making the Atlantis movie, which could lead to other movies for the other shows. Is this scenario plausible or is it just wishful thinking?"

Answer: As much as I hate to say it, that would just be wishful thinking.  This chapter of the Stargate franchise (SG-1, Atlantis, and Universe) has apparently been closed and, if we see something in the (hopefully) not too distant future, I imagine it would be more something along the lines of a re-imagining of the brand.

jinx writes: "So where will the franchise go from here if they ever decide to resurrect it?"

Answer: No idea.  That's up to MGM.

dasNdanger writes: "Psst! Joey! You GOTTA ask Sparrow about the book she co-wrote. It tops anything you've ever done! AND it has pictures, too!"

Answer: Okay, I'm asking.  Sparrow?

E writes: "Could you tell us what was the purple fruit about? There's been two threads about it on GW, they've both been pulled because the discussion got very guttery and the third thread is barely surviving."

Answer: That damn purple fruit.  What the hell WAS it good for?  We asked Rob this question (he wrote the script for Common Descent) and he simply shrugged and claimed he didn't know.  There was considerable speculation in the writers' room, none of which can be repeated on this blog.

PBMom writes: " How is Jelly feeling? Did the UTI clear up and is she back to her baseline?"

Answer: Jelly is doing much better, thanks.  Still quite wobbly on those hind legs but otherwise in good spirits – especially when I carry her around.

cat4444 writes: "Hey, any chance we'll find out anything more about the origin of the drones that keep attacking Destiny or was that something that would have been followed up in Season 3 had there been one?"

Answer: It may well have been a story we could have touched on in season 3.  Although we never really sat down and discussed, the backstory for the drones I originally included in Resurgence – that was later cut for time – talked about the fact that they were a weapon created by one side in an interstellar conflict. It proved all too effective, wiping out the enemy, then turning on its creators and wiping them out as well.  As for who these creators were – I guess we'll never know.

dasNdanger writes: "Wait. Exactly how do you know what a Parisian brothel smells like…?"

Answer: Wouldn't it just smell like a regular brother with the addition of absinthe and cheap cigarettes?

Randomness writes: "So what did you think of Eden of the East Joe? Especially the finale?"

Answer: I liked it, but didn't love it.  I preferred Ghost in the Machine: Standalone Complex.

Erik Ray writes: " I wish they would do just one last movie. Even if it's with SG-1, SGA, and SGU combined. I just really want a good ending. I think we deserve that much, don't you??"

Answer: Hey, if it was up to me, you'd get both SG-1 and SGA movies AND a third season of SGU.

Mackaysfanforver writes: "However, Transporter is saving the day, it means that (I hope) you'll be doing the same type of blog entries that you use to do here with Stargate !!! Please say you will."

Answer: Yep.  The plan is to continue offering spoiler-free behind-the-scenes peeks at the production process.  With your help, we'll hopefully get a nice big online buzz going in the lead-up to the series premiere.

steph writes: "Does your offer to talk about "Stargate: Extinction" mean that that movie is also definitely not being made?"

Answer: Sadly, that's what it means although, as I said earlier, it certainly would be great to see the studio release the script for fan perusal somewhere down the line.

Boetjeuh writes: "Have you heard anyting about Echoes? that new ex-stargate project ? i've been looking on the web but without result."

Answer: That's because this project (created by some Stargate vets including super Visual Effects Supervisor Mark Savela) is in its infancy.  Hopefully, you'll hear a lot more about it in the coming months.

Boetjeuh also writes: "Do you have a suggestion for a good space based tv show?"

Answer: I suggest checking out the last three episodes of Stargate: Universe.

Tim Gaffney writes: "Quick question…how did the survivors of the "other" Destiny gate to any other planets? In Twin Destinies, Telford told everyone that they weren't bringing anything but the "shirts on their backs" because of the force of a 9th Chevron arrival. So where did they get a remote? Eli did grab a kino off the console before he ran to the gate, did he have a remote with him as well?"

Answer: Yes, he certainly did otherwise there wouldn't have been much point to bringing a kino.  And he wasn't the only one.  In fact, there's a line in the episode (or maybe the next one) in which Eli states he wasn't the only one who snuck a kino.

Quade writes: "I got a stargate question for you, whatever happened to hermiod and Lindsey Novak?"

Answer: I believe Lindsey is presently working at Homeworld Command.  As for Hermiod – some say he rejoined the Asgard before perishing with his race. Others – namely me – prefer to believe he's living a rock star existence as a recluse in a ritzy California neighborhood, living off the lucrative advances on the romance novels he pens under the name Dolores Windgrove.

Greg writes: "What'd you think of HBO's A Game of Thrones?"

Answer: Haven't seen it yet.  Soon.  Soon.

oleslayer writes: "Will you publish what the endgame plan for SGU is?"

Answer: Since Brad and Robert were the ones who came up with the endgame, it's only fair that I allow them to reveal it to you if and when they so desire.

April 20, 2011: Dogs! And such!

My car finally arrived yesterday, apparently a little worse for wear from the cross-country shipping.  It sounds like a commercial airliner and smells like a Parisian brothel.  Going to need to get it serviced and detailed.

More meetings on the pre-production front!  Yesterday, we sat down with a couple of potential Visual Effects Supervisors, then capped the afternoon off with a casting meeting in which we narrowed down our prospects.  Today, we talked scripts, locations, cars, stunts, and more casting!  Thankfully, the toy cars Anna picked up make some of the action-sequence explanations much easier to convey…

Forgot my power cord at work and I'm running out of battery.  So enjoy the rest of the blog and I'll check in with you guys tomorrow.

April 19, 2011: V1 Jets

Over the course of the 4+ years I've been blogging, I've managed to build a fairly solid readership base.  Thousands of visitors swing by this blog on a daily basis while who-knows-how-many-more check it out via RSS feeds, links, and countless forums worldwide.  It's nice to know that I'm able to reach out to so many of you on a regular basis and, with that in mind, I've tried my best to promote certain worthwhile but under-appreciated interests here on this site.  Stargate comes to mind. as does my monthly book club (shelved for a few months while I attempt to gain solid footing here on the new show, Transporter: The Series) that seeks to introduce all you genre fans to the joys of reading and discovering new authors.  This blog has, on occasion, also been a soapbox from which I've been able to offer my opinion on everything from film and television to the sheer impossibility of eating a mango. And then there are those rare occasions where I use this blog to rant. This, dear readers, is one of THOSE entries.

Today, I'd like to tell you about my experience with V1 Jets, a private jets broker operating out of New York.  Now those of you who have been following this blog already know part of the tale but, in order to get everyone caught up, a little backstory should suffice:

After receiving news of Stargate: Universe's cancellation, I planned to take some time off and relax – but, in January, a huge opportunity presented itself in the form of Transporter: The Series, a show scheduled to shoot in Toronto in 2011.  And so, I set aside plans for cooking school, closed a deal for my writing/showrunning services, and prepared my big cross-country move.  Easier said than done of course because I had a pack of small dogs I needed to take with me.  After considering several options (renting a bus, driving across Canada, flying them in-cabin), I eventually decided to bite the bullet and charter a private jet that would fly us all to Toronto in one trip.  I looked into several options and finally booked a plane through Victor at V1 Jets.  He was very courteous, very kind, and with my departure date fast-approaching (I chose to fly out Saturday, March 19th as I had to be in the office for Monday, March 21st), he handed me off to the equally courteous Joe who instructed me on how forward them payment.  Unfortunately, they didn't take VISA and I don't carry American Express (apparently, AE offers the company protection that VISA doesn't), so he suggested a wire transfer of funds would be the best way to go. And so, that Friday afternoon, after several aborted attempts, I managed to send off payment.

I spent the night packing and, late that evening, just as I was about to head up to bed, checked my laptop and discovered a disconcerting email in my inbox.  It was from Joe informing me that they hadn't received payment and that the jet could not be secured until payment had been received.  Needless to say it was a sleepless night.  First thing the next morning, I headed to the bank to find out what the problem was.  The Bank Manager informed me that, despite what I'd been told, the wire transfer would take several days.  It had been initiated late Friday, so they would receive payment Monday, maybe Tuesday at the earliest. My Bank Manager was kind enough to get on the phone with a V1 Jets representative and assure them the money had, indeed, been sent – but her reassurance wasn't good enough.  And so, my plans to fly out on Saturday, March 19th were cancelled.

Annoying, but understandable.  As amiable as I'm sure I sounded over the phone, they didn't know me (or my Bank Manager) and they presumably didn't want to chance it.  Thus, the following day, Akemi and I flew out of Vancouver commercial, taking two dogs, in-cabin, on Air Canada.  And, the following weekend, I flew back to Vancouver for another round.  Again, annoying, but it all worked out in the end and I figured, hey, there was still the possibility I could charter a flight for my return trip to Vancouver in December.

On March 23rd, I received an email from Victor at V1 Jets informing me that they had received my wire transfer (on Tuesday, March 22nd) and to please forward him my mailing address and to whom payment should be made so he could forward the information to their accounts payable department.

I did.  But when I didn't hear back, I dropped Victor another email to get an update on the status of my refund.  Unfortunately, he had no new information for me.  According to Victor, he had forwarded my information to accounting and they typically batch out payables at month's end.  He suggested I contact the accounting department directly.

It was April 1st so I assumed the payment had already been sent but, just to be sure, I left a message with their accounting department.

My call was never returned.

After several repeated attempts to talk to a real, live accountant, I ended up connecting with Joe who assured me he would pass the message along to accounting.  I awaited a response.  In vain.

I called again and was told things had been crazy-busy there lately and that they would look into expediting matters.  A nice sentiment but I'd rather have my money back for that flight I never took.

When no one got back to me by last Friday as I'd requested, I sent a strongly worded email to the folks at V1 Jets, making sure to cc both Victor and Joe (who I had already dealt with), along with company President and CEO, Andrew Zarrow, and Vice President of Sales, Xavier Williamson, detailing the outstanding issue and my desire to resolve it asap.

Their response?

No response.  No "Sorry for the inconvenience."  No "We're working on it."  Nothing.

Today, I filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau.  Fondy called and spoke to Joe who claimed the accounting department was sick and, hey, maybe we'd accept a credit instead?

Seriously.

Tomorrow, I get my lawyer involved and start placing calls to law enforcement.

May this entry prove food for thought to anyone who considers using the services of V1 Jets.  Do me a favor, all you loyal readers.  Link back to this post via twitter, facebook, and whatever other sources of information dissemination!  Get the word out!

Much appreciated.

So, what about you?  Been ripped off, wronged, or otherwise taken advantage of by a company or business?  I want to hear about it!

Tagged: Andrew Zarrow, V1 Jets, Xavier Williamson

April 18, 2011: Pre-Production Update! My Favorite Germans! The Office Routine! And Magic Wands!

I spent the weekend incorporating five different sets of notes into my rewrite of (what was formerly episode #2 but is now) episode #3.  It now comes in at a robust 62 pages.  On the one hand, the longer page count makes it more challenging to schedule; on the other hand, a couple of more rounds of notes and we may not have to write another script this season!

I kid of course.  One of the great things about this show is that we can go long.  There's no set running time to hit so, although the episodes will be tight, we won't be forced to make painful cuts in editing.  Our viewers will not be denied!

This series is also unique in that act lengths are no longer a concern either.  Our American and Canadian broadcasters will be running the show uninterrupted while our European broadcasters have informed us that, as much as they appreciate our designated act breaks, they'll be considered more suggestions than set in stone when the series airs overseas.  And so, we've decided to go with a four act structure as opposed to the trickier five act structure of shows like, say, Stargate.  Breaking the episodes down to five acts was, to put it mildly, a pain in the ass.  Whenever we would break a story, we would always end up one act short.  I can't recall how many times we'd be sitting in the room, staring up at the white board trying to figure out how we could come up with an additional  late act end, when Paul would invariably say: "If this was a four act show, we'd be done now.".   Remi held particular disdain for the five act structure, proclaiming "It's unnatural!" with such vehemence you'd think he was discussing sibling marriage.

Read Carl's first draft of his script last night and am very, very pleased.  It's touching, funny, fast-pace, and full of great action.  A home run.  Also read Alexander's outline for his next script and thought he did a great job as well.  Can't wait to read the script.  It's going to be a terrific episode.

Speaking of Alexander – while there have been plenty of things to complain about with regard to Toronto (most recently, the early morning snow that greeted me yesterday), Alex has been one bright and hugely entertaining balancing plus.  Yesterday, I received the following panicked email from him: "My toilet is backed up, there are no towels and I can't get the washing machine going."  And then, two hours later: " I was able to un-clog my toilet! And I have found out that the washing machine is not really the washing machine, but the dryer! It's all starting to make sense now – slowly, but surely. Haven't figured out the heating system yet, but I will get there."  I was almost expecting to receive a third message from him, something along the lines of: "I have now found out that the toilet is not really the toilet but the garburator!".  Once we finish up production on Transporter: The Series, I suggest we move on to Alexander: The Series or, even better My Favorite Germans starring Alexander Ruemelin and Carl Binder.

Vas ist slos, baby?

Thanks to everyone who has taken the time to comment on the closing of this chapter of the Stargate franchise. Feel free to post any questions you may have, but be advised I won't be fielding them until after the series finale airs.  To increase the chances that your question will be answered, please ensure it's a question I haven't already responded to (ie. Did you cancel Atlantis?) or a question I actually can answer (I'm out of the loop on dvd release dates and anything related to the game).  Also, questions posed in a douchebag manner won't be answered, much less make it through moderation (Hello and Goodbye, Hyperion).

Hey, our new Script Coordinator/Exec. Producers' Assistant/Baboon Wrangler started today.

All smiles now. Give it a few weeks.

Trevor stopped by my office this morning to discuss what kind of office routine he could expect.  I informed him that we were still establishing ourselves on this new production, but if Stargate was anything to go by, the daily routine would consist of:

First thing in the morning, the writer/producers gather.  The golfers discuss their recent scores and how well/poorly they played over the weekend.

The conversation then shifts to t.v. and recent episodes of our favorite shows (I informed Trevor that he would need to start watching The Office and 30 Rock to keep up. Since Carl is only on as a freelancer, Survivor, American Idol, and The Amazing Race are optional).

We then move on to recent films, most of which have either failed to impress or otherwise offended our writerly sensibilities in some way.

By this point, we should be well into late morning and talk will turn to lunch.  Following an animated discussion, I will override someone's suggestion that we order from Swiss Chalet and we'll end up ordering either sandwiches, burritos, or Jamaican so I can have the ox-tail and curried goat combo.

We'll go our separate ways, back to our offices where we'll field any outstanding issues (ie. script rewrites, production concerns, tracking that chocolate shipment, etc.), then re-gather for lunch and exchange amusing anecdotes.  Again, with Carl only with us on a freelance basis, there will be a dearth of hilarious weird family stories – but I assume Alexander will pick up the slack.

Post-lunch logyness will, of course, give way to the beloved afternoon nap, and that should take us to the end of the day.

Did I miss anything?

So, last weekend, I visited St. Lawrence Market and came across this little specialty shop that sold tinned caviar and truffle-related products.  While purchasing a small bottle of white truffle oil, I started talking to the owner and he suggested I give him my business card so that he could keep me updated on new products.  Well, today, I received the following email from him:

"HiJoseph, [In traditional correspondence, one usually leaves a space between the greeting and the recipient's name.  Communication Rebel of Lazy Ass?  I was dying to know.]

It was nice meeting you.Hope all is well? [It's also customary to leave a space between sentences.  Clearly, this guy doesn't have time for spaces.  Also, I'm not sure what is being implied by placing a question mark at the end of "Hope all is well".  Rather than hoping I am well, he seems to either be asking me whether I'm hoping all is well or asking me to wonder whether he is hoping is well.  In both cases, I'm going to have to go with "No.".]
I was content with life not seeking any new adventures,but  this new wellness technology stopped me in my tracks!  I believe it is the most profound technology in self care that has ever hit the planet!I invite you to listen to the recorded conference call at [I'll spare you the temptation and edit out the link] and call me back with any of your questions at [edit]."
WTF?  Did he accidentally paste a section of some spam email he received into the body of his message?  Out of curiosity, I did an internet search and came up with a website for a company that provides sells, among other things, a "health wand" that makes use of "zero point scaler energy" to speed up the healing process.  One testimonial revealed how the wand had helped stop the pain associated with a knee injury.  I'm not sure how it works, but I would imagine you would simply wave the "health wand" over the affected area, say the magic words ""Knee-O Repair-O!" and – presto! – you'll be back to shooting hoops in no time.  Help the healing process!  Rejuvenate your skin!  Ward off ogres!  Make two hundred dollars disappear form your wallet!
Seriously, dude.  Way to make sure I never frequent your kook shop again.

April 17, 2011: until we meet again

That was the title of the email I received from Brad Wright late yesterday, an email confirming the worst.  Despite his best efforts and a situation so fluid it vacillated from "almost yes" to "probably not" and back to "almost yes" on any given week, final word had come down.  There would be no SGU movie. Stargate, that had spanned fourteen years, 354 episodes, two DVD movies – that had helped build a network and establish itself as a studio's most successful television franchise was coming to an end.  It was a terrific ride and, while it would have been great to give the fans that final chapter, that last crossover movie in which Brad had envisioned incorporating elements from all three shows (SG-1, SGA, and SGU), the truth is television is a fickle business.  When it comes down to decision time, it's less"What have you accomplished?" and more "What have you done for me lately?".  Sad but true and still, I look back on my 11+ years on the franchise as some of the best years of my life in that I had the opportunity to work with some wonderful people, writing for shows I truly loved.  It wasn't always easy, wasn't always fun, but they were happy times and I can't say enough good things about the people who made it happen – from Exec. Producers and Series Co-Creators Brad Wright and Robert Cooper who gave us the opportunity to all the cast, crew, and production personnel who made it happen.  I look forward to working with them again eventually.

Especially if this comic book project goes as planned.

And so, SGU episode #220, "Guantlet", will mark the end of this chapter of the franchise and, while it's an awesome episode, it's a heartbreaker all things considered.  Before sitting down to watch it, I'd recommend watching the pilot first – if not the three parter then, at the very least, that first episode.  It won't offer closure but does deliver a bookend of sorts.

Given the circumstances and all things considered, probably the most touching episodes the franchise has ever produced.

Once that final episode airs, I'll take to this blog to answer any and all questions you may have and dedicate at least one entry to discussing aspects of the franchise I'm sure you're all curious about.  "Given the show's ratings, why didn't you wrap up the series in the event you WERE cancelled?", "What stories did you have planned for the show's third season?",  and "Tell us all about Stargate: Extinction".  Okay.  Will field these queries and many more once "Gauntlet" airs.