Syfy

Honestly.  What the hell was I thinking choosing a Blackberry over an iPhone?  Why didn’t anybody tell me what I was missing out on?  If anyone out there is faced with a similar decision – Blackberry or iPhone – allow me to break it down for you: GET – THE – iPHONE!  Seriously.  I feel like someone has just introduced me to HD television after about a year and a half of entertaining myself with radio.  Following the suggestions kindly given me, I synced my MacBook with my iPhone and now I’m surfing the net and getting my emails on both.  Not only that, but I was up past midnight last night downloading apps in preparation for my upcoming Tokyo trip.  Forget my Garmin GPS, English-Japanese dictionary, guide books, hard copies of my schedule, and subway maps.  Nowe, they’re all in one handy, portable device.  Yes, my conversion is complete.  All hail, Apple!

Oh, hey, prior to heading off on hiatus, I told several cast members that I’d like them to swing by the blog and do a Q&A now that the show has finally started airing (David Blue and Brian J. Smith did one prior to the premiere and I aim to get them back for another go now that you’re all familiar with their characters).  Anyway, Peter Kelamis, who plays Adam Brody on SGU, checked in with me the other day, dropping me an email on an unrelated topic – and has found himself officially corralled.  SO, if you’ve got questions for actor/comedian/pet psychic/t.v. scientist, start posting.  I’ll be gathering them up through Monday.  What was it like working on the first year of Stargate: Universe?  Where would he like to see his character go (provided we haven’t killed him off yet) next year?  Which is his favorite sandwich off crafts service and why do they serve up those little baby carrots?  I mean, come on.  It’s not as if anybody actually eats them!

Also, while perusing my backlog of photos, I came across a batch I snapped during the Time shoot.  As you know, the creatures used are underwater denizens from the deep, deep depths of the Pacific Ocean and, while deadly, can be docile given the right conditions: while sleeping, drugged, or dead.  So our resident monster wrangler, Evil Kenny Gibbs showed up with one for a little show-and-tell and, well, things got a little out of hand…

Pleased to see that the response to Time has been overwhelmingly positive.  I’ll weigh in with further thoughts after the episode airs in the U.K.

Off to peruse the App Store.  Hey!  Holographic Audio Thunder and Bird Songs!  I ask you, how did I live without it?!

Tagged: Adam Brody, Peter Kelamis, Stargate, Stargate Universe

I finally did it.  After weeks of considering my options and weighing the advice of friends, co-workers, and many of you here on this blog, I went out and bought myself a laptop.  It was a tough call but, in the end, I decided to go with the MacBook Pro.  The reason?  Well, pretty much the same reason upon which I base most of my life decisions: a desire to punish someone.  In this case, Microsoft for that horrendous Jerry Seinfeld ad campaign.  Discount shoes?!  Fancy mustard?  Bill Gates adjusting his shorts AND doing a truly lame a robot?!  WTF?!!  As a PC owner, those commercials made me feel awkward, ashamed and even a little frightened so, well, somebody had to pay.

That being said, I will be in the market for a home computer soon enough and THAT decision will be based on how much I like my new Mac.  Well, that and my thirst for vengeance.

So, hey, it’s nice to see that those high-risk groups have been the first to receive the H1N1 vaccine here in Canada.  And, by high-risk groups, I mean: children under five, pregnant women, health-care workers, hockey players, and, of course, board members and major donors to several hospitals.  What’s that you say?  Why are hockey players, hospital board members, and deep-pocket donors being given priority?  I dunno.  Here’s an even better question: Why are hockey players, hospital board members, and deep-pocket donors being given priority over daycare workers?  The answer: Beats me!  Apparently, here in Canada, those charged with the task of taking care of a segment of the population at the highest risk of contracting the disease are not considered a priority.  Sorry, daycare workers!  The fault clearly lies with you and, more specifically, your career choice.  Had you elected to pursue any of the following professions instead – firefighter, police, homecare worker, or CONVICT – you’d be jumping to the front of the line right about now.

Hey, guess where else I went today?  If you guessed bowling or to an exhibition showcasing Executive Producer Robert Cooper’s original claypot creations, you’d have guessed wrong.  No, I was at Vancouver’s Ganache Patisserie checking out the four new Fall additions to their line-up.  http://www.ganacheyaletown.com/

And I wasn’t alone.  Joining me for this afternoon tasting was none other SGU Script Coordinator Lawren Bancroft-Wilson. 

We sampled the four new items: the Pur Chocolat (flourless chocolate espresso cake, housemade chocolate biscotti crust, bittersweet chocolate cake, and dark chocolate caramel mousse), the Poire et Chocolat Epicé (milk chocolate gingerbread mousse, spicy cinnamon parfait,  port-poached pears and walnut cake), the Concorde Praliné (hazelnut cocoa meringue layers, layers of chocolate guimauve, a dark chocolate praline mousse and chocolate chantilly cream), and the Marron Cubique (chestnut mousseline, chestnut whisky ganache, coffee butter cake layers and chestnut buttercream frosting).  All terrific. 

Following the sampling, we sat down to a more thorough tasting of three creations, compliments of Lawren (That’s it!  I don’t care what everybody else says.  We are NOT firing him!): that Pur Chocolat (his favorite), a Chocolat Malté
(malted dark chocolate mousse, malted chocolate ganache, white chocolate blondie), and a light but no less delicious
Tiramisu-Chocolat (tiramisu cream, 70% dark chocolate mousse).  We followed this up with a short walk into Yaletown where I was prepared to treat Lawren to phase two of our little dessert adventure, only to discover that my favorite chocolate ship, Chocoatl, appears to be no more.  I know that someone one this board (was it you, Nadine?) hinted that this was coming but it was nevertheless a very sad sight.  Owner Themis Velgis is, without a doubt, the best chocolatier in the city, his chocolate creations second to none, and it’s sad to see that little shop, his labor of love, sitting empty on a Saturday afternoon.  Here’s hoping he’s back on his feet in no time.

Today’s entry is dedicated to blog regular Hayloh who is dealing with the loss of a family member. 

As promised, the return of the mailbag:

 Arlan writes: “If Telford is doing what I think he’s doing in the last scene of “Earth” – “

Answer: Yep, standing outside Young’s wife’s front door.

Arlan also writes: “- please tell me Young get’s the chance to knock Telford’s lights out.”

Answer: Whoa, whoa.  Don’t be so quick to jump to conclusions.  Did you stop to consider that he may just be going door to door selling magazine subscriptions?

DasNdanger also writes: “And Chloe’s upset over her boyfriend finding someone else when she was whooping it up with Scott?”

Answer: I think she was more upset at losing her friend than her boyfriend.

DasNdanger also writes: “Joe…I’m sorry. I really wanted this to work for me. I will probably give it until the season break, but if the relationships continue to take center stage (as they did in this ep), I’m not sticking around.”

Answer: Fair enough.  The next three episodes that take us to that break are, in my humble opinion, the best of the first ten.  I’ll be interested to hear your thoughts.

Jeff writes: “Any chance the stories you are spinning for season 2 involve finding the main engineering room or the bridge???”

Answer: Very possible.  But it would mean our crew discovering these locations between now and then.

BurningIce writes: “Is Brody now on Rush’s side after the events of Earth?”

Answer: How does the saying go?  The enemy of my enemy is my friend?

Gilder writes: “BTW, will we see a male/female swap at some point?”

Answer: We’re keeping it sex-specific.  That said, I wanted to do a story where one of our crew switches with a German Shepherd who ends up helping a detective solve crimes.  Meanwhile, back on Destiny, Eli lies around and begs for food.

ZeroPointBatteries writes: “on another note, has anyone noticed all the stargate stuff (props, sounds, etc…) that are being used in sanctuary.”

Answer: No.  Do tell.

Matt Boesch writes: “my question is this “what is your favorite episode from SGU so far?”

Answer: Right now, it’s a three-way tie between Time, Life, and Divided.

curiositykitty writes: “the first scene in earth with young- dream, memory, fantasy, or some mix of all?”

Answer: Good question.  ‘twould seem there’s something there…

Cherluvya writes: “Loved the picture. Who’s job was it to write on the board? Yours?”

Answer: If it’s your story, you’re up at the board.

IJH writes: “What about what Young and his wife did to Telford? They used his body for sex without his consent.”

Answer: You assume it was without his consent.  Although nothing was said either way, it seems most unlikely that someone who was giving up their body for a conjugal visit wouldn’t consider this to be a possibility.

Elenmai writes: “Awesome episode, but when do we see more of Camille?”

Answer: We finally get to know Camile in Life.

Gatelady writes: “Having sex while using someone else’s body is wrong. What about STD’s? What about pregnancy?”

Answer: As Brad once said “They know what causes that now.”  And there are precautions that can be taken to prevent both.

Kabra writes: “Let me just clarify about the Telford/Young scene – since it is a sensitive subject. I wasn’t laughing at the scene itself, it was more of the fact there were others thinking the same thing I was about the stones or I was thinking the same thing someone else was… Who wrote that by the way?”

Answer: The script was routine by Golden Boy Martin Gero, but the idea for the switch came in the writers’ room while we were spinning the story.

Phil writes: ““My name is Philip Fry”. WIN.  Who wrote that line?”

Answer: That was all Golden Boy Gero.

Phil writes: “On a side note do you know where my comment (which followed your ‘rant’) went? Did you not approve it or did it just get lost?”

Answer: Not sure.  I definitely didn’t delete it so either it’s somewhere amidst those 500+ comments or lost in cyberspace.

DP writes: “You already know I’m clawing my eyes out of my skull. I’m going to assume Telford and Young had an understanding or the show falls apart for me.”

Answer: As I said, although there is no indication given, logic dictates that Telford would know something like that could happen (since Young IS returning for a conjugal visit) so it’s fair to assume he signed off permission.

JES writes: “What’s to prevent these characters from using the bodies to commit other antisocial and illegal acts? Where’s the limit?”

Answer: Great question.  And it’s one Exec. Producer Carl may be positing in season two.

J writes: “Speaking of relationships, I understand that the likelyhood of this is low, but if Teyla and John ever are together, then it couldn’t happen instantly.”

Answer: Nope.  Both Teyla and John would have to observe a suitable period of mourning for Kanaan.  After John offs him.

Debra writes: “It is very telling the people wigging out about Young having sex with his wife in Telford’s body had nothing to say about Chloe getting fall down drunk… far more abusive to her “host”.”

Answer: Ah, excellent point.  While the individual giving up their body could sign off on a host of activities, getting fall-down drunk would seem to be pushing it.

ltcolshepjumper writes: “1) I still didn’t understand why neither Carter nor Mckay have been brought on yet to deal with the situation.
2) What is the status of the Trust? Last we saw, they were being led by a Goauld, still on Earth. What are they up to now,and will we see them again in the future?
3) will we see the IOA mroe in the future?”

Anwers: 1) Given the timeline of events for the movies, both would have been initially too busy dealing with equal/greater concerns.  After Earth, Young makes it clear that he is going to be very particular about who he allows on board. 2) That remains a mystery.  3) Wray is IOA so, yes.

TBA writes: “Are there going to be any more Earth-focused episodes?”

Answer: Life, coming your way in a couple of weeks.

TBA also writes: “What happened to Riley? Is he dead?”

Answer: Fortunately, he was only mostly dead.  He’s recovering, but it’s touch and go.  Fingers crossed!

Sparrow_hawk writes: “

After reading everyone’s comments about Eli and Chloe’s “kiss”: did I miss something? I thought that the kiss was something that Eli imagined (hoped would happen) but what *really* happened was that Chloe gave him the “you’re such a good friend” line and burst his bubble again.   Could you clarify Joe?”

Answer: You’re correct.  Eli only imagined the kiss.  Sad.  He needs a better imagination.

Wahlyn writes: “In Water(?) when Young is walking away from the three people trying to all talk to him about something, one of the men says that he was scheduled to use the stones that day. So, obviously, other people have been using the stones to see heir family.”

Answer: Also correct.  Crewmembers have been rotating visits back to Earth using the stones.

Paddy writes: “Are we gonna see RDA again, maybe towards the end of season one??”

Answer: Maybe.

archersangel writes: “speaking of your toyko trip; my brother has asked me to remind you to find cucumber pepsi & green tea coke for the weird food purchase.”

Answer: Will do!

patsfifi writes: “Have you( or the other writers) ever seen the brittish show Red Dwarf?”

Answer: I haven’t, but I’ve heard good things.

AnneTeldy writes: “Convenient, wasn’t it, that multiple people put their stones on the device at the same time and they all ended up in the bodies they were meant to have. Young should have gone first and told the Earthsiders who was coming next.”

Answer: There are corresponding stones on either end.

Jim of WVA writes: “Is Telford’s first name James (holds the heel or he supplanted) or a cognate thereof?”

Answer: David.  Close.

Kuro-sama writes: “just wondering, do watch Doctor Who?”

Answer: Nope.

HBMC writes: “Oh, one other thing Joe – is there going to be a 2-6 month break between Ep 10 and Ep 11, or is the channel that is afraid of vowels (SyFy) going to play it right through to the end?”

Answer: There will be a break.  I’m not sure how long the mid-season hiatus will last.  Hopefully not too long.

charles zuri writes: “If you was not making stargate where would you be or what would you be doing?”

Answer: I’d probably be a secret agent.  Or a chef.  Or a chef who was really a secret agent. 

Ravenfur writes: “Have you ever seen an episode of a TV show where the episode’s title ruined the plot for you?”

Answer: No, but I understand that the German title for the SG-1 episode “Forever In A Day” was “Sha’re Is Dead”.

Tagged: Ganache Patisserie, H1N1 vaccination, Stargate, Stargate Universe

Today we bid a fond see-ya-later to the wonderful Jamil Walker-Smith, SGU’s resident warrior – Sergeant Ronald Greer.  It seems like just yesterday we were watching his F bomb-studded audition stream (THAT got our attention!), marveling at his incredible onscreen presence.  His unique charm completely won us over (and him the part), then continued to wow us throughout the season.

Trust me, he is damn likable both on camera and off.  I’ll miss his infectious laugh, his easy-going humor, his way of delivering a line with his trademark delightful quirkiness.  He’s a guy who’s as smooth and comfortable sprawled out on a couch in the production office talking about his weekend plans as he is firing off rounds at invisible aliens or lowering a Good Samaritan down a storm drain in search of the keys he dropped.  Always good for a laugh and a story, and always great for a performance that never fails to amaze.

Ladies and gentlemen, Jamil Walker Smith has left the building.

But he’ll be back.

More spinning today in the writers’ room and more headway made on those first ten episodes.  We ended up discussing the details of episode 1 (Paul will be doing the honors on this one), talking about the what’s and wherefore’s and, most importantly, answering Brad’s burning question: “How the hell are we going to get out of this one?!”.  Carl has requested Episode 5 while I’ve cast my lot with Episode 2.  Brad’s idea falls in the four slot, so he’ll take that one, which means Rob will be jumping on 3.  What fun!  One more day of broadstroking stories and arcs and then we get to breaking.  If all goes as planned, we’ll each have a story in hand by the end of next week, meaning we won’t have to come back to the office in December – except for Carl, of course, as fire regulations necessitate an Executive Producer be on premises at all times.

Today’s entry is dedicated to birthday gal Anne-Marie Sloan.

Another whopping mailbag:

Cherluvya writes: “Okay, so what am I doing wrong in asking questions?”

Answer: Not sure.  Are you asking the right questions?

Laura writes: “Do you ever stop reading a book that is not intriguing to you and how long to you give a book before you give up on it?”

Answer: A book has 100 pages not to lose me.  Notice I didn’t say “grab me”.  I’m already on board.  All I ask is that you don’t lose me.  And, every so often, it does happen.

Ytimynona writes: “Do you speak any other languages?”

Answer: Some Japanese.  Nihongo ga sukoshi hanasemasu.

Dasndanger writes: “It seems many of the complaints about the Chloe/Scott thing revolve around the speed with which the two came together. I do understand how some could feel that it was a bit rushed. The problem? A lack of verbal communication with the audience. A way to resolve the problem? It would have been very easy to include a short scene between Chloe and Eli where she confides in him that she is attracted to someone – and Eli, of course, would jump to the conclusion it’s him. This way the audience is prepared for the reveal when Scott takes Chloe’s hand…and it would have also made Eli’s hurt more profound.”

Answer: Sure, we could have done that.  Or had either Chloe or Scott clearly state in one of their bonding scenes: “I’m really falling for you!”.  Or had another character comment: “Looks like those two are getting together.”  I’ve always been of the opinion that viewers don’t need to be spoon fed and are fully capable of connecting the dots.  Show; don’t tell.

Dasndanger also writes: “…but when you have an audience that is used to being told everything, sometimes it takes a while for them to catch on that they have to watch carefully, because sometimes the story isn’t being told in just words, but in body language and facial expressions.”

Answer: Ah, there you have it.

Thornyrose writes: “There was the threat that wasn’t a threat(no way Destiny and its passengers were going to die, and given the characters aboard the shuttle no doubt they would make it back safely).”

Answer: But every time the Atlantis team went off-world, did you ever expect there was a good chance they wouldn’t be coming back?

Thornyrose also writes: “It’s peculiar that the same people who were so confident the ship knew what it was doing at one moment suddenly decided that the Ancient technology had failed and that the ship failed to calculate a relatively simple properly.”

Answer: I think you mean problem.  Rush stated that he believed the power issues were a result of their sudden, intrusive presence.  Also, while one could hypothesize that Destiny may be responding to the needs of its crew, it requires a big leap of faith to dismiss all evidence to the contrary and believe you’re in no danger – especially when you’re headed toward a star.

Thornyrose also writes: “How does a ship that generates a shield powerful enough to survive immersion into a star get battle damage? How does the ship convert the stellar energy, and how does the power compare to ZPMs? Why the difference in energy sources between Atlantis and Destiny?”

Answer: Flying into the heart of the star would have destroyed the ship.  Instead, it more or less skimmed the surface.  It also makes sense that the ship was designed to draw energy from a naturally occurring and convenient power source, like a sun, rather than a ZPM that could be eventually depleted.

Thornyrose also writes: “Wray has been undermined as a potential leader, having shown her instinct for self preservation overrides her concern for the whole.”

Answer: How so?  She stated her case and then reacted when Young threatened to take her name out of the lottery.

Thornyrose also writes: “Why would Rush allow the shuttle to be loaded with supplies and leave if he knew Destiny was safe? Why would he come up with a solution to retrieve the shuttle if he wanted to be rid of the other occupants of the ship?”

Answer: All good questions.  The likeliest response could be that he suspected, but had no way of knowing for certain, that the ship was designed to draw energy from the star.  He planned for the worst but hoped for the best.

Thornyrose also writes: “I am hoping to see more developments in the characters, especially developments that make the characters more likable.”

Answer: Oodles of character development to come.  Water, the next episode, does a wonderful job of exploring Scott, Young, and their relationship.  There are also some terrific moments for Greer, T.J., Eli, and Rush.

Thornyrose also writes: “Any idea on when you’ll get official word on the show renewal?”

Answer: Could be as late as December.

Belouchi writes: “ 1. Is that Pyramid shaped building on the back of the Destiny crew and general quarters?
2. Will we ever know who or what put all those holes in the Destiny?
3. What do you think of the Audi S5…. hint hint”

Answer: 1. Not sure what you’re referring to.  2. Possibly.  3. Looks nice.  Why, are you thinking of getting me one as a belated birthday gift?

EternalDensity writes: “Is Destiny millions of years old (necessary for it to be older than Atlantis, have the potentially oldest stargate, and be a millions of years long trip from Earth) or is it under a million years old (which seems to be indicated by a couple of lines of dialogue in SGU)?”

Answer: I’m going to say millions.

Arctic Goddess writes: “To Chloe, having sex with Scott may be a twisted kind of need to feel loved and protected. Which would be something she had gotten from dad and now she is trying to replace with Scott.”

Answer: Sure.  Or she could have been infected by one of those alien sex parasites like in Cronenberg’s Shivers.  Or Scott could have been hallucinating that she was James.  Or, hell, they may have both been attracted to one another.  Who knows.

Bailey writes: “All I can say is that John Sheppard was a gentleman and Lt. Scott is a horn-dog.”

Answer: Uh, yeah.  Right.

Skontel writes: “You mention how different Louis Ferreira is in person from the character he plays. Would you say his is the biggest person-to-character difference, and if not, who is even further away in real life from the character they play on SGU?”

Answer: Louis, Bobby, Ming-Na and Jamil are VERY different from the characters they play.  Alaina and Elyse are also quite different from T.J. and Elyse.  On the other hand, David does have a bit of Eli’s adorable geek in him, and Brian is as sympathetic and noble in spirit as Scott.

Shawna Buchanan writes: “If he’s still religious, it annoys me to see him being so hypocritical without any acknowledgment of that fact.”

Answer: Some religious individuals are flawed – although the majority, of course, are perfect human beings beyond reproach who pay the church a yearly tithe amounting to 10% of their annual income.

Grace writes: “UCLA got a sneak peek of “Boondock Saints 2? tonight. Writer/director Troy Duffy and actors Sean Patrick Flanery, Norman Reedus, and Clifton Collins, Jr. attended the event. I spoke with Flanery afterwards and mentioned that I was a HUGE Stargate fan, loved him as Orlin, ecc. and he sung everyones praises. He seems to be a nice guy.”

Answer: He is a very nice guy.

Michele writes: “how did this darker tone for this spinoff come about? Also was wondering what was the most exciting part of creating season one and what was the hardest?”

Answer: These are questions that could be best answered by the show’s creators, Brad Wright and Robert Cooper (I’ll twist their arms and get them to do a Q&A before long).  From what I understand, they felt that in order for the franchise to continue, rather than end with Atlantis, it needed to be revitalized and taken in a new direction.  And SGU has done just that.

Erik writes: “Also, I don’t know if I would call Eli “immature” if he ignored Chloe. “Hurt” maybe, but I think that sometimes, to save oneself from too much hurt, distance can be the only solution.”

Answer: Sure.  And that would be Eli’s decision to make.  On the other hand, it’s kind of silly to expect Chloe to end her friendship with him.

gatelady writes: “In other words, Lt. Scott is not anywhere close to John Sheppard or Jack O’Neill as fan favs.”

Answer: Not yet.

Gatelady also writes: “Gateworld and Syfy forums both have polls for fav and least fav characters. Chloe is at the bottom, with Lt. Scott second from the bottom, at both sites.”

Answer: Well all the more reason for fans to get to know these characters and get past those first impressions.  Hell, before the show even aired everyone HATED Greer.  Suddenly, he’s on everyone’s favorite list and those people complaining about him earlier have suddenly developed a case of convenient amnesia.

Phil writes: “ What does that scene with Greer stripping down and (what appeared to be) meditating meant to symbolise? That he’s cleared his mind and bared his soul?”

Answer: That’s a great way of looking at it.

Joshua Meyers Extraordinary Teenager writes: “Wouldn’t you think Rodney or for that matter Daniel be a little more interested in the 9 chevron address in the database??”

Anwwer: Sure, but the project has been ongoing for a while and there’s no reason to believe they weren’t consulted.

duneknight writes: “i dont think eli or Scott had enough time to actually have real feelings for chloe. did you push this love triangle early on to grab as many viewers possible from the beginning? otherwise there was no need to introduce this relationship at this time.”

Answer: There was no need to make the corridor lights blue or put T.J.’s hair up rather than cut it short, but we did it anyway.

Rich G writes: “Young is one of my favorite characters. Authoritative, no-bullshit, straight-forward. He’s even been nice to Eli right from the get-go (saying it was time to eat after they’d been working for hours and hours in Air part I) instead of treating him like he’s just getting in the way.”

Answer: Yep, one of my favorite moments in the opener.  That small exchange and the smile he throws Eli said so much about the character.

DemonHunter writes: “I haven’t watched any SGU episodes (no access to them yet) but it seems from reading the mailbag that the show is mainly just a bunch of stranded people having sex. Is that where most of the story lines come from?”

Answer: Pretty much.  At the beginning of the season, we write all of the characters’ names down on little pieces of paper and put them in something we call “the sex hat”.  Then, we reach in and pull out two names.  This random pairing are earmarked to have sex in a given episode and, from this notion, we spin out a possible story.

Gen writes: “Think we can get a Q&A out of him, please please?”

Answer: Eventually.

Gilder writes: “As time goes on, I start to wonder if show creators Brad Wright and Robert Cooper included various shocks and surprises to distract us from more obvious plot developments.”

Answer: Be careful.  They also do this thing when one of them crouches down behind you when you’re not looking so that the other can shove your over.

Matt writes: “Is the crew of the Destiny going to encounter any Jaffa, Ancients, Goa’uld, or any other familiar races out there?”

Answer: The Magic 8 Ball says Most Unlikely.

Abby writes: “Are we ever going to find out where Eli’s dad is?”

Answer: Hey, David Blue asked this very question yesterday.  Suspicious…

Joesmom writes: “There is a huge difference between romance and sex. We just hope the writers realize this.”

Answer: Absolutely.  It’s like the difference between a rose petal-strewn bed and the cold linoleum of a bathroom floor.

Brooke writes: “Women like guys who are sensitive and caring (like Scott shows after Chloe’s dad dies), but not guys who move pretty quickly from one girl to another.”

Answer: Right.  You know who thinks this way?  Sensitive and caring guys.

Michael writes: “I loved the cameo of Peter DeLuise, it was a nice nod to the SG-1 days. Will we see any over-sized wrenches?”

Answer: Alas, the big wrenches were a Martin Wood/Dan Shea thing and they are not working on SGU.

Michael also writes: “Since SGU is much more of a serial than its predecessors, will there be less guest villains and one or two reoccurring Big Bad?”

Answer: Oh, there may be a recurring big baddie or two.

Majorsal writes: “i like the tj and james female characters; anything for them?”

Answer: Yep.  More goodly character stuff upcoming.

Genevieve writes: “I was wondering, will there be any lasting division or resentment between the lotto winners and the losers?”

Answer: No, for a couple of reasons.  First and foremost is the fact that those chosen to get on the shuttle had no hand in the decision-making process.  It was Colonel Young’s call and the selections were random.  Secondly, those who ended up aboard the shuttle ended up in far more danger than those who stayed behind.

Genevieve also writes: “Does Chloe actually know that Eli feels more romantically towards her than she does towards him?”

Answer: That remains to be seen.

Rednor writes: “Well, I think Chloe is immature and opportunistic, and Scott is a horn-dog. I’m not buying any deep connection, and I doubt either is capable of such a thing. I know you keep “saying” it’s there, but I’m not “seeing” it.”

Answer: Surface impressions can be hard to break through.  If you want to pass judgment on the characters because they don’t aspire to some romanticized notion you may have, then no amount of further development will change your mind.  Not to make you paranoid but I guarantee that there are people in your life who have done much, much worse than have sex out of wedlock.  And you just don’t know it.  Who could it be?  Who……..?

Maddog316 writes: “I smell 2nd season for SGU!”

Answer: That’s what I thought I was smelling too, but it turned out it was the chicken cutlets I made for dinner.  They share a very similar scent.

Tagged: Jamil Walker Smith, Stargate, Stargate Universe

Le Mailbag du Jour:

Kiwiclare writes: “Oh Joe, that video was brilliant. How did you keep a straight face? Poor Carl!!”

Answer: Keeping a straight face was ease.  The tricky part was keeping my face from blossoming to a rosy red.  That stuff is killer.

RebeccaH. Writes: “You do realize Carl Binder is never going to trust you again.”

Answer: Yeah, that’s what they said after the 100% cacao dark chocolate bar incident.

RandomQ’s writes: “i thought ghost chilies were the hottest on Earth?”

Answer: You thought right.  Ghost chiles a.k.a. Naga Bhut Jolokia peppers.

Brian writes: “did anyone else try it after Carl’s reaction?”

Answer: Yep.  Robert Cooper and John G. Lenic sampled some as well.  And haven’t had any since.  I, on the other hand, had some at lunch both yesterday and today.

Noelm writes: “Was the stargate at Icarus found on that planet, or did the air force bring it there because of the planet’s core?”

Answer: The gate was brought to the planet after the planet was deemed suitable.

Noelm also writes: “And who knew the ancients had such lovely taste in bedding? How did the material last hundreds of thousands of years?”

Answer: Five star room service.

Terry writes: “Do the bacon-chocolate chip cookies really have bacon in them? Even when I was eating bacon, I couldn’t imagine that combo.”

Answer: Yep, real bacon.  It’s a very nice savory, sweet, and smoky taste medley.

Major D. Davis writes: “What can I get you for your birthday??????”

Answer: You’re continued support and friendship is all I need.  That and a Maserati.

Das writes: “Poor Ashleigh – forcing her to work when she’s on death’s door. She should be home, in bed, with a good book and a hot totty (though I prefer a hot Toddie…J”

Answer: Yeah.  I bet.  I think the medical term is “albinically inclined”.  As for Ashleigh – her condition is a source of misery for all.  Yesterday, we had to stop watching a mix because of one of her coughing fits.  I suggested that to avoid distracting people, she cough with her mouth closed to minimize the noise (and, alternately, sneeze with her nose sealed).  Either that or go into Carl’s office, which has been designated the office Coughing Room, shut the door behind her and get it out of her system.

DasNdanger also writes: “WHY, oh WHY did you have Ashleigh stick her disease-infected nose into your bottle of hot sauce BEFORE you sampled it??”

Answer: I guarantee you that any germs and/or parasites unlucky enough to make contact with that sauce would have been killed instantly.  Sort of like my taste buds.

Liz writes: “How did these people know where to mail you stuff anyway? How do people ever know where to mail movie makers and actors and scriptwriters stuff anyway?!”

Answer: I’m not sure about actors and other movie makers, but I get my mail via Santa at the North Pole.

EternalDensity writes: “Hey Joe, have you heard of the SGU Over-Dramatisation Awards? http://mattsilver3k.livejournal.com/1280.html“

Answer: Good stuff.  And I’ve seen even better potential nominees out there.

Ytimynona: “Thanks for the AWESOME video. Who edited it all together?”

Answer: Resident computer whiz Lawren Bancroft-Wilson.

Arctic Goddess writes: “are actors in any of the StarGate series chosen based on previous work with any of the producers?”

Answer: On occasion, yes.  Robert Picardo was brought on to assume command of Atlantis off our experience working with him on SG-1.  Similarly, David Hewlett’s character of Rodney McKay was a late addition to the Atlantis team off of his multi-episode appearances in SG-1.  Along the same lines, both Claudia Black and Jewel Staite were made regulars as a result of the favorable impressions they made in one-off guest spots.

Dyginc writes: “Who is publishing your short story? Is it PYR and Lou Anders?”

Answer: With Great Power: edited by Lou Anders for Pocket Books.

Dyginc also writes: “i will be getting to meet Lou Ander on 11/29/09 at a book signing in Powell’s in Beaverton OR…i want to have something cool for him to sign so if you have any suggestions on books that he has published or if your story has an ARC or something that would be really cool.”

Answer: Might I recommend Fast Forward I and/or Fast Forward 2, a couple of excellent SF anthologies.

Michelle writes: “Joe, can a Canadian bypass the public system and go to private doctors if he/she has the money?”

Answer: Sure, as long as they’re willing to travel to the U.S. to do it.

Tammy Dixon writes: “Do Canada’s lawmakers exclude themselves from the public health care system in Canada?”

Answer: They’re not supposed to – although I’ve read reports about politicians who chose to travel south of the border for treatment rather than play the waiting game here.

Jlgrand writes: “Have you read The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant: The Unbeliever by Stephen R. Donaldson?”

Answer: Yep.  Robert Cooper recommended it to me years ago.

DP writes: “Is it true BC will outlaw wearing a bullet-proof vest without a permit?”

Answer: That’s outrageous!  Well, guess I’ll have to triple sweater then.

Mary writes: “Things aren’t perfect in Canada, but for every horror story like your mom’s, I’ve heard more than one story lauding the care in Canada, and I’ve heard many more horror stories in the US.”

Answer: Oh, without a doubt there are plenty of horror stories coming out of the US system, especially from those who cannot afford proper treatment.  Like I said in entry, I wasn’t trying to weigh in on either side of the healthcare debate, simply offering up a personal account that is decidedly less rosy than the picture painted by Michael Moore in his documentary.

Shawna Buchanan writes: “I just finished reading Ender’s Game, and I found out that there are many more books by this author set in the same world. Have you read any of them, and if so, are they good?”

Answer: I read Ender’s Game and enjoyed it immensely.  I also read Speaker for the Dead which, while totally different, was excellent as well.  I’ve heard varied opinions on the other books, but mostly good things about Ender’s Shadow (which is the fifth book in the series and centers on Ender’s academy buddy Bean).

Imadaman writes: “Also does the whole gate spin, or just the front?”

Ansswer: The whole gate spins.

The Asgard writes: “will the DHD device(the PSP looking thing) be able to dial other planets true out that galaxy.”

Answer: If the gate is within range, it certainly can dial.  Whether it gets a lock or the planet possesses an atmosphere capable of sustaining life is another matter.

Tammy Dixon writes: “Did Canadians follow the “balloon boy”? Hard to believe any parent would do that.”

Answer: Oh yeah.  I came late to the party.  When I saw the actual “balloon” I couldn’t understand how anyone could possibly think it would be capable of lifting off carrying the weight of a Chihuahua, much less a five year old kid.

EFroh writes: “What an amazingly ignorant post.”

Answer: Oh, I’m sorry.  Are you refuting the claim that my mother waited a grand total of 28 hours without receiving a diagnosis?  Do you actually work at the Lakeshore General?  Is this you, mom?  If so, I’d love to hear more so you can shed light on this personal incident.  If not, then kindly shut the fuck up.

Jean writes: “Also, a question – how far would Destiny have to travel before a planet gate got “out of range”? Presumably it would have to leave the galaxy, because in Milky Way and Pegasus you could dial a gate on any planet within the galaxy with a 7 chevron address. Does that mean that Destiny is galaxy hopping with each episode??”

Answer: A couple of FTL jumps wouldn’t take Destiny out of the galaxy but would be enough to take it out of range of certain gates.

Joshua Meyers Extraordinary Teenager writes: “What episodes have you written this year?”

Answer: Space, Incursion I, Incursion II.

Ytimynona writes: “Also eagerly awaiting Darkness ratings. I imagine they suck because of the same baseball games that seem to have taken over House!”

Answer: Actually, considering we were up against baseball, Dollhouse, and a huge opening for Where the Wild Things Are, the numbers held strong, especially among key demos (Bavarian kale farmers).

Jeff writes: “When the people on destiny go off-world, do they dial 7 chevrons to get back to the ship or do they dial the 9 chevron “code” to get back?”

Answer: They dial a 7 symbol address.

Tammy Dixon writes: “Being a writer, does it make it harder for you to enjoy a show?”

Answer: Yep, some t.v. shows but mainly movies.

Tagged: Stargate, Stargate Universe

Well, hoowee!  I just checked my blog stats and discovered that my traffic has jumped by a whopping 40%.  What gives?  Strangely, nothing out of the ordinary in the referrers or incoming links.  And then I noticed the 2800+ visitors who came to this blog via a search engine.  And the search term used?

Stargate: Universe?

Nope.

Rosie the Riveter?

No, it only brought in a mere half dozen.

Julia Benson?

Correct!  Julia, who plays the role of Second Lieutenant Vanessa James on Stargate: Universe, has obviously captured the attention of more than a few casual viewers.  Great!  She’s not only a wonderful actress, but a total sweetheart.  And she’s apparently joined the ranks to the Twitterati, so if you want to get the latest updates on all-things Julia, head on over here: http://twitter.com/Julia_Benson

Hey, after Air I and II, we got the “Hey, why didn’t the kino push the buttons to seal the shuttle door?” questions and after Air III we got the “Hey, why didn’t the kino find and test for water?” questions, so I’m surprised that, after Darkness aired, we haven’t seen the expected “Hey, why didn’t the kino figure out the ship’s power issues?” questions.  What gives?

My attempts to find a dog-sitter for over the Christmas holidays have come up empty.  I thought our Production Coordinator Tanja had a lead the other day when she told me about a quiet, middle-aged woman who would have been perfect for the job.  “She ‘s a bit of a spinster,”Tanja informed me.  I asked her what she meant given that the poor woman was described as “middle-aged” (which, last time I checked, aint exactly spinster territory so far as I’m familiar with the term).  “Oh,”she explained.  “She’s middle-aged, a homebody, and her life revolves around dog.”  Then, helpfully adding: “Sort of like you.”  Which, I guess, makes me the male equivalent of a spinster (a spinsthim?).  I haven’t given up hope and will continue looking but, as a last resort, I might have to board the gang at the local doggie hotel.

Hey, since someone asked, here are some publicity stills from Atlantis’s fifth season.

AND an extra-chunky mailbag:

Matt Boesch writes: “What Episodes are you guys on currently working and prepping for?”

Answer: We’re done prepping.  We’re shooting Incursion I and II.

O6untouchable writes: “Just curious – is this another one of Ivon’s contributions to the franchise this year, or is it something that Brad and Rob cooked up?”

Answer: Those segments were shot by Andy Mikita as part of the opener.

Qsoaiein writes: “Do you know how the people that make Stargate decide how old a particular character is in the show? Like when they were born, because I’ve noticed it seems to differ from their actor’s age sometimes.”

Answer: No, we never assign an exact age or date of birth to the characters.

Joel413 writes: “The face shown in the sand, was that an ancient or was that the face of the priest that raised the Lt?”

Answer: That was the priest.  See the video in yesterday’s entry.

MrsB writes: “ 1) Is anyone onboard the Destiny severely mentally unbalanced?
2)Will there be any surprising relationships formed this season?”

Answers: 1) Oh, the strain of being stranded so far from home will exact a psychological toll on many of the crewmembers.
2) I’m not sure what you would consider surprising.

Matt Tyler writes: “Also, where did you find Jamil? He’s absolutely amazing!”

Answer: That he is!

Sean writes: “Do you think the concept of the edge of the universe might eventually apply within the Stargate Universe series?”

Answer: It certainly sounds cool, but I don’t think there is an “edge of the universe”.

Hestia writes: “It’s a stupid question but we all are curious to know if SGU will have a song for it’s opening credit.”

Answer: Unfortunately, it won’t.

Jlgrand writes: “What is the best way to show my support for SGU?”

Answer: 1. Watch the show.  2. Tell everyone how much you’re enjoying the show.

Michael writes: “Can I ask who is the cg artist responsible for making the destiny ship for Stargate Universe and does he have a website.”

Answer: Production Designer James Robbins designed Destiny.

RandomQ’s writes: “Any indication yet as to whether or not during the SGU hiatus the SG1 & SGA movies will move into production?”

Answer: Alas, given that we’ve received no word about either movie by this point, it’s unlikely we’ll be shooting them in November.

Quade1 writes: “I’m watching Dragon’s Den right now on CBC, actually a pretty good show. you catch any episodes Joe?”

Answer: I don’t, but the guys at work do and enjoy it.

Brian writes: “…is it true; that if Extinction succeeds the SGA series will be picked back up?”

Answer: There is absolutely not truth to this.  Even if the movie does well, it will definitely not result in the series being revived.  It would, however, increase the likelihood of more movies.

Hitman writes: “Run a scandisk of the drive and see if it detects any faults.”

Answer: I did!  And it did!  And my laptop is functional once again.  But I’m still getting a new one.

Littleravenhawk writes: “Matt Stover….like Matthew Stover…the best Star Wars author????”

Answer: The one and only.  Check out the recent Q&A he did for us: http://josephmallozzi.wordpress.com/2009/09/18/september-19-2009-author-matthew-woodring-stover-answers-your-questions/

Mel writes: “Everyone is talking highly of the ratings, however, they aren’t that good, are they?”

Answer: They’re actually very good, especially when you consider SGU’s winning the night in key demos.  Of course you can compare the show’s number to other shows, but you can also bring up the fact that we’re airing Friday nights (the least watched night on television) and in the Fall where we’re up against network competition.

Jenny writes: “Also, I got so much GREAT footage up there last week and cannot wait to get started.”

Answer: It was nice chatting with you on set, however briefly.  Ivon speaks very highly of you.

Ytimyona writes: “ Any word yet on whether we can look forward to actor commentaries on SGU???”

Answer: Yes!  The actors have been in and out of the production offices these past few weeks working on their commentaries.  Coming soon to DVD!

Scarym writes: “So what is your idea of the perfect birthday cake?”

Answer: I’m going to go with dark chocolate pistachio.

Kathode writes: “Okay, here’s a question for you: where in Vancouver can I find good cannoli?”

Answer: Hmmm.  Good question.  I’d check out some of the shops on Commercial Drive.

Ravenfur writes: “Do TV networks take into account their online viewers when they consider how popular a series is?”

Answer: They might, but advertisers generally don’t.

Tim Gaffney writes: “I know you want to get LDP into these episodes, but it strains credability that he is the one who always is there when Young returns to the Pentagon.”

Answer: That goes to Telford’s determination and desire to get on Destiny.

Tim Gaffney also writes: “And come on, I can maybe buy that Sen. Armstrongs wife was informed of the situation. She could have high clearance. But Young’s wife?”

Answer: Over the course the many years the Stargate program has been in operation, more and more people have been informed of its existence.  In the interest of ensuring the psychological well-being of the Destiny crew, many civilians WILL receive clearance so that they can visit with their loved ones.

Tim Gaffney also writes: “And if Telford reports that Young should be removed from command, who would possibly replace him. Rush just had a mental breakdown, Scott would be the only other possibility and he is only a Lt.”

Answer: Scary, no?  Let’s hope Young is able to stay cool under pressure.

Df2506 writes: “Young goes to visit his ex-wife?”

Answer: Why not?  Given the technology at their disposal, why deny these people the opportunity to visit with loved ones, allow them at least a glimmer of comfort and open an otherwise bleak situation?

Montrealer writes: “Who is the ranking officer after Colonel Young?”

Answer: In the event Colonel Young is unable to fulfill his duties, Lieutenant Scott will step in.

Quade1 writes: “Do the actor’s have to visualize the Kino or do you guys have like a green ball hanging from a rope on a stick?”

Answer: The kino is usually CG and for tracking purposes it is usually a “ball on a stick”.

Joshua Meyers extraordinary teenager writes: “ Are there any moments ahead where Telford challenges Youngs command or something, or anyone challenges his command(this question is limited to people stranded back on earth only)??”

Answer: It certainly looks like that’s where things may be headed.

AceNZ writes: “will the crew ever be able to explore the full extent of Destiny?”

Answer: Exploring Destiny will be a priority in the coming months.

Kevin writes: “At the beginning of the episode when they’re in the mess hall. Everyone is casually sitting around and having a conversation…but in the back of the room…there’s a soldier in full gear…carrying his rife at the ready.”

Answer: Given that that’s where much of the food is stored, it makes sense that there would be guards posted to ensure nobody tries to help themselves.

HBMC writes: “Will the characters we saw be developed further in this way (not necessarily via Kino diaries).
Take Lisa Park as an example – I think she’s adorable, and seems to be the kind’ve person who rambles a bit when given the chance. Is this present in her character further down the line, or just something done in this episode?”

Answer: We will develop our secondary cast of characters as well, in the episode and in the kino sequences that will be appearing online.  Soon.  And, yes, I’m a big fan of Jennifer Spence’s work as well.  In the coming months, watch this blog for upcoming guest Q&A’s for the likes of Jennifer (Lisa Park), Patrick Gilmore (Dale Volker), Peter Kelamis (Adam Brody), Haig Sutherland (Sgt. Riley), Mark Burgess (Franklin), and Julia Benson (Lt. Vanessa James).

Aboleyn24 writes: “Why not have scientist that are experts on ancent tech swap with someone in board Destiny and try and solve some of these problems. They can’t expect Rush to do it all and its not like they don’t have access to capable people that might be able to assist them.”

Answer: Rush and Eli are certainly the best and brightest.  Rush, in particular, would be in the best position to know what kind of help he would need.  That said, the issue of using the stones in this regard will be addressed in an upcoming episode.

Tagged: Julia Benson, Lieutenant Vanessa James, Stargate, Stargate Universe, Stargate: Atlantis

Allow me to kick off today’s post with a huge thank you to resident Stargate techie and computer fixer-upper Lawren Bancroft-Wilson for helping me get back online.  My laptop has been experiencing technical difficulties of late and, for a while there, it looked like tonight’s entry was in peril.  But, thanks to Lawren, a band-aid solution has been applied to the critical issue and I am able to squeeze in this better-late-than-never entry.

Hey, back in the office today after the long Thanksgiving Day weekend.  “What’s that?”you say.  “Thanksgiving?  In October?!”  Why, yes.  Here in Canada we do things a little differently, celebrating Thanksgiving about a month earlier than our southern neighbors.  We also observe Easter in June and Fancy Pantaloon Day in July.  On a related note, I’ve heard that Americans celebrate Christmas December 25th.  Any truth to this crazy rumor?  Christmas in winter?!!  How bizarre.

I can’t believe the production year has come and almost gone.  Nine more days and we wrap the first season of SGU.  The ratings for the first three episodes have been solid, so solid in fact that thoughts are now turning to a prospective season two.  We’ve started to pitch story ideas and vague notions with the aim to getting five scripts in play before we head off for our hiatus.  To do that, however, we need to get all five of us (Brad, Rob, Carl, Paul, and myself) in a room for some extended, interruption-free spin sessions.  Easier said than done.  However, between now and when I’m Tokyo-bound, I’m sure we’ll find the time to sit down and sort it out.  The game plan: 1) discuss the repercussions of our shocking finale, 2) confirm our general season arc, 3) establish our  individual character arcs, 4) break some stories, and, most importantly, 5) come up with some good two word titles.  Simple, no?

Hey, what ever happened to global warming?  Well, it looks like its gone the way of the dodo bird, those wassup guys, and acid rain: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8299079.stm

Thanks to Matt Stover for directing me to this interesting article concerning CERN’s Large Hadron Collider being plagued by, of all things, temporal anomalies: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/13/science/space/13lhc.html?hpw

Want to smarten up?  Eat fish (http://www.realage.com/tips/drop-dementia-risk-with-this-protein?kw=ist) and learn to juggle (http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn17957-learning-to-juggle-grows-brain-networks-for-good.html).

The gang at cracked.com offer up their list of The Worst Movie Accents: http://www.cracked.com/funny-1991-the-worst-movie-accents/.  Hey, wait minute what about Nicholas Cage in Captain Corelli’s Mandolin?  Or, should I say: “Heya!  Whatsa mattta happened to-a Capi-tan Co-relli’s Man-doli-na?!!”

Oh, hey, don’t forget to get your questions in for author Paul Jessup!  Book now to avoid disappointment!

Tagged: Stargate, Stargate Universe, Stargate Unvierse

Keep those comments coming!  Like most producers, there’s nothing I enjoy more than a little constructive criticism be it from the viewers, the network, or members of our terrific cast.  I’ve often referred to the “open door” policy at the production offices that invites actor input on anything from individual scripts to general character direction.  Well, some of you may recall a candid little photo montage I posted last month that captured the magical process we try to foster between writer (in this case Carl Binder) and performer (in this case Jamil Walker Smith).  [Refresh your memories here: http://josephmallozzi.wordpress.com/2009/09/10/september-10-2009-i-coulda-been-a-reiki-master-glee-carl-receives-script-notes-mark-burgess/]. Well, I was on set the other day where I was once again fortunate enough to witness this wondrous creative give-and-take…

See?  Mutual respect!  That’s the key to a professional working relationship.  Well, that and a stretchy sweatshirt that ensures they can’t choke you out.

Hey, Exec. Producer Robert Cooper was back at the studio today only one week after undergoing ankle surgery.  On the one hand, it was great to have him there as he was genuinely missed.  On the other hand, his early return meant that the Peruvian soccer team I was billeting had to move out of his office and down to wardrobe where Val immediately put them to work breaking down leathers and fashioning codpieces.  After lunch, we all sat down (or rather remained seated) to watch a Day 1 Mix of Time (a Rob Cooper joint) complete with creepy as hell visual effects (kudos to Mark Savela and his team).  How creepy?  Well, there’s one point in the action that always sends Ashleigh scurrying off down the corridor in horror.  Mission accomplished!  Time has the look and feel of a big screen feature and stands as my favorite episode of the season.  So far.

And a little something from the vault for all the wraith lovers out there.  Come on, I know who you are!

Tagged: Stargate, Stargate Universe, Stargate: Atlantis