Joseph Mallozzi Blog - Discussion, ***Major Spoilers for all seasons, please use Caution*** Rating Options

[AscendedTauri]

Hey, they did get the voice of Homer Simpson to guest star on 'Citizen Joe' in SG-1! It would be great to have them both on the same episode...

[archersangel]

squall got another question answered. to quote dr. mccoy form star trek 6: "what is it with you anyway?"

[WraithFodder]

NOVEMBER 9th

http://josephmallozzi.blogspot.com/2007/11...ber-9-2007.html


Oooh, you guys are in for a treat. Carl Binder (Yes! THE Carl Binder!) has agreed to do a post-Missing guest Q&A on this very blog. So what I’m going to do is gather up your Missing and miscellaneous Stargate-related questions (ie. How is your three-part toilet episode coming along?, What is Joseph Mallozzi really like?) through Saturday, send them his way Saturday evening, give him most of Sunday to come up with his clever answers, and then post the responses on a special “Carl Binder Guest Blog Entry” Sunday evening.

Also, I’m sure you’ve all heard by now that Stargate Atlantis has been nominated for a People’s Choice Award in the category of Favorite Sci-Fi Show. More surprising than the fact that we were nominated is the fact that this category actually exists in the first place. Since when? Although, in all fairness, there were a number of other categories that seem new to me including “Favorite Reunion Tour”, “Favorite Threequel”, and “Most Meticulous Animal Guest Star in a Musical or Variety Series“. Nevertheless, it’s nice to see the genre (and, of course, our series) being recognized. If you’d like to support the show and vote for Atlantis, head on over to -

http://www.pcavote.com/pca/index.jsp

By the way, I am genuinely surprised by all of the excitement generated by my proposed virtual dinner prize for the 750 000th visitor to this blog. When I came up with the idea in passing, I never imagined fans would react so positively. As a matter of fact, I’m suddenly feeling the pressure of having to prove myself a delightful dinner companion. Well, at the very least, I suppose I’ll have to dress up for the occasion. For all those interested in chowing down on some virtual crispy pork hocks and/or squid ink fettuccine - it’ll be a while. We are presently ticking toward 675 000.

Another quiet day at the office marked by plenty o’ phone calls (finally got in touch with Mr. Shanks), budget talk, and a Day One Mix of Kindred II. I have to say that with Kindred I, Kindred II, and The Last Man, Atlantis’s fourth season closes out very, VERY strong, offering up a touching and bittersweet mix of character moments that I know fans are going to love. The ending of Kindred II in particular is incredibly moving (Carl was in tears. I was, of course, touched, but not overly emotional although the eye infection I’ve been battling may have made it seem like I was crying. Marty G., meanwhile, was not present as he is in Vegas - uh - scouting locations for next season - but would have been weeping as well. Paul, as usual, was impassive - the cold-hearted *******). No doubt that Kindred II will have fans reaching for the tissue or their significant other’s sleeve while Last Man will have them jumping up, bug-eyed screaming: “HOLY F*&O$2@ S*$#!!!!!”. Heh heh. Stay tuned.

Today’s mailbag:

Fingolfin high king writes: “Have you every met a Stargate fan while at a restaurant?”

Answer: As a matter of fact, yes. Earlier this year I was at a local restaurant when the waitress introduced herself as, not only a fan of the show, but a regular reader of this blog.

Elizabeth writes: “1) What's your favorite episode of season four? 2) When are the movies suppose to be compared to the Atlantis timeframe?”

Answer: 1) Hard to say as we are still finishing episodes. Right now, my favorites are Tabula Rasa, BAMSR, and Harmony. 2) The events of Ark of Truth take place before season four. The events of Continuum - anytime.


LostCityGuardian writes: “Forgive the following extreme lack of knowledge then, but does the executive producer actually run the show? Does that mean that you and Paul Mullie run SGA in the same way that they would run SGU?”

Answer: The showrunners run the show and, yes, Rob and/or Brad will hold parallel positions to Paul and I on SGU.

Charles Schneider writes: “Was the rope bridge a "Binder Original" or did it evolve after the initial script had been turned in?”

Answer: It was a Binder Original. A very costly, over-budget Binder Original.

Shawna writes: “If you had to choose any Stargate race other than human to be, what would you pick? Also, would you rater be that in the SG universe, or in your real life?”

Answer: Other than human? Hmmmmm. Hard to say as most of the races SG-1 and the Atlantis expedition encountered were human. Hmmmm. Maybe one of those Foothold aliens with the illusory disguise devices so that I could masquerade as Lindsay Lohan and get into all the good Hollywood parties. Also, given the choice, I think I’d prefer to remain in my real life than exist in the SG universe. Unless the Stargate universe gets House and Survivor.

Scifan writes: “Are we going to know the answer to, "Who's the daddy", to Teyla's baby soon or do we have to wait 'til the end of the season?”

Answer: Soon. Soon.

Anonymous #1 writes: “What do the others in your office think when you start snapping their pics and posting them on your blog?”

Answer: Depends who it is. On the one hand, you have my writing/producing partner Paul who is very camera shy on account of that international arrest warrant. On the other hand, you have Marty G. who has never met a camera he doesn’t like (and, let’s be frank, hasn’t loved him back).

Anonymous #2 writes: “Please remove the Carter intros to the episode previews, since she is not an actual, original Atlantis person.”

Answer: Sure thing. Allow me to put that on my To Do List, right after “record my gospel cd” but well before “start my edible lye soap business”.

Anonymous #3 writes: “…She's had no scenes so far that couldn't have been handled by Weir or Zelenka.”

Answer: By that brilliant logic, one could argue that all of McKay’s scenes could have been handled by Zelenka while all of Sheppard’s scenes could have been handled by Lorne. Also, I don’t think Weir or Zelenka would’ve fared as well leading that rescue op in Reunion.

Cyn writes: “Teyla's always handled herself with grace, but I do like seeing her ****** off, too.”

Answer: Ooooh. Then you’re going to like Missing.

Joshua Meyers writes: “I love the chemistry of Larrin and Sheppard, can we have more of that?”

Answer: BAMSR.


SMB Books writes: “What is your Cookie Monster email account?”

Answer: Coooooookiemonster@yahoo.com



Morgia a ecrit: “Je me suis rendu compte que tu ne réponds jamais (ou presque) aux personnes qui t'écrivent en français…”

Reponse: “J'ai répondu ?* des questions françaises dans le passé et continuerai ?* les repondre. Il tout dépend du type de question demandé.”

Atlantisfannew1 a ecrit: “1}Quel est votre épisode préféré dans stargate sg1?
2}(Répondez franchement a cette question s'il vous plait.)Imaginons qu'une personne ne parlant pas anglais vous met la 750000 visite, choisiriez vous une autre personne qui parle anglais?”

Reponses: 1) 2010. 2) Non, je choisirais le 750 000ieme visiteur - et parlerais français avec eux.

[squall28]

November 11th 2007

http://josephmallozzi.blogspot.com/2007/11...er-11-2007.html



Today’s guest mailbag hosted by Carl Binder -

Teyilia writes: “What (or who) made you guys think of getting Teyla really mad?”

Carl: At the start of season four, I wanted to do two stories: 1) A heist (which became Lifeline), and 2) A Teyla episode. But a different kind of Teyla episode. I wanted to really shake her up, show her in a way we haven't seen her before. Luckily, Joe and Paul had an idea for an arc that would involve taking Teyla down a very dark course, which I loved. I'm a fan of putting our characters into moral dilemmas, forcing them way out of their comfort zone. So I was able to start this journey for her in Missing.

Ditraveler writes: “I, like Ronon, have no clue what Sheppard and Rodney were talking about, so my question is what was that all about? And what made you come up with that particular bit?”

Carl: I love the old Batman TV show. I try to include references to it whenever I can, especially in the Sheppard/McKay banter. This particular discussion came out of an actual lunchtime discussion Joe Mallozzi and I had about the various villains of Batman and who played them.

ChevronSeven writes: “Didn't Shelley Winters play Ma Parker?”

Carl: Yes she did.

Promogirl writes: “You mentioned that Jewel did a lot of her own stunts in this episode. How much of the rope bridge sequence was her?”

Carl: Quite a lot. The entire walk. She was cabled for protection, the wire attached to a harness under her coat, coming out through her coat arm and attached to the bridge's handrail. We later painted out the wire in visual effects. The fall was her double, as well as Rachel's double pulling her up.

Promogirl also writes: “And how much did Rachel love being such a badass in this episode? I imagine she was relishing it to the hilt.”

Carl: She, she was very excited about it.

ThornyRose writes: “Do we see the Athosian question resolved this season, and if so, when?”

Carl: Revisited, yes. Resolved, stay tuned.

Blaine Nielsen writes: “I was wondering what was your favorite part that was written and executed well on the screen?”

Carl: Obviously the rope bridge sequence was done as well (if not better) as anything I could have hoped for. But for me, two other moments stand out. 1) The circular saw-sized shiriken that stabs into the tree in front of Jewel at the start of the first Bola Kai fight. Or, rather, pops out of the tree. It happens so fast it looks like it was thrown. A common gag in film (and magic shows), but it amazes how well it works. 2) The dirt creature. Director Andy Mikita and I had many, many discussions about this thing, and it was the source of great stress for Andy in his quest to make it look good. Our Production Designer, James Robbins, first brought in the infamous "Monty the Radioactive Gopher" drawing, and from there it was refined and gooped up to become the underground squid. In the end, we were all very pleased with how well it turned out.

Stargazer writes: “What were Rachel and Jewel actually eating? It looked thoroughly disgusting, but maybe that was just the power of suggestion.”

Carl: No, you're right, it was disgusting. Some kind of edible tofu-like concoction. We toyed with various consistencies until we arrived at the goopy mess you saw on screen. We did make sure beforehand that Rachel and Jewel were both okay with eating it. I'm a big Survivor fan, so of course I had to include a reference to it in the scene.

Erin Anderson writes: “Teyla's fight scene's were awesome. How many of those did she actually participate in? Or did the pregnancy preclude her from filming any of them?”

Carl: We had to be very, very cautious with Rachel during the filming of this episode, so her stunt double was relied upon more than usual.

Lizzyshoe writes: “Can I just say, the cannibal snacking on a lollipop was BLOODY BRILLIANT! My friends and I had a gooood laugh over that. Who's idea was it anyway?”

Carl: I thought bringing lollipops for the Athosian kids would demonstrate Keller's compassion, get us off to a good start with her. When the Bola Kai found her duffel bag, I thought it would be funny if we later saw one of them with a lollipop in his mouth, so I wrote it into the scene. I'm glad you agree.

Sulien writes: “Regarding the team taking incoming arrow fire, how was that shot? Were the arrows put in digitally in post production, or were they on wires?”

Carl: It was a combination of digital arrows (the ones that whipped by dangerously close) and hand thrown arrows (the ones that look hand thrown). I liked the CG arrows better.

Dee in South Africa writes: “Joe, I'm sure, can be really irritating at times. How many times in the last year have you thought about killing him?”

Carl: 7. Sadly, there are laws in Canada prohibiting murder.

Anonymous #1 writes: “Was Rachel's pregnancy the reason that "Missing" was written, or was a 'Thelma and Louise' episode already on the agenda?”

Carl: Missing was already well in the works before Rachel's pregnancy. We then figured a way to write it into the season arc we were already working on for Teyla.

Paula writes: “And whose evil idea was it to end the episode before Keller says what's wrong? Was this a Mallozzi move? Or are is Binder going Dark Side on us?”

Carl: That was a Mallozzi/Mullie decision.

Wraithfodder writes: “A totally inane question, but are you guys watching too many TV ads? We got Ambien mentioned in "Doppelganger," and now Restless Leg Syndrome in "Missing"? I feel like the ads are saturating the show (please, please, no Cialis!)”

Carl: I just needed another funny ailment for McKay. We've already gone through so many. And this seemed like something McKay would think he had. But now that you mention Cialis...

Michelle writes: “Did Jewel Staite play Keller in "Missing" as you imagined she would, and if not, how was her take on it different from what you'd imagined?”

Carl: She played it exactly as I hoped she would. A total pro, and a class act all the way.

Pauline writes: “When you wrote Missing and decided to include the rope bridge, which was frightening just to look at, did you think- What can I put in to the story frighten the bejesus out of Teyla and Keller?”

Carl: I just wanted something that would frighten the bejesus out of Keller. I too have a fear of heights, so when we were scouting locations (on a snowy day, which melted before shooting) and I stood at the edge of that canyon, I pretty much reacted the way Keller did when she saw it.

Anonymous #2 writes: “If Joe gave you free range and you could write an episode for any female character in Stargate history (Atlantis or SG1) who would it be and why?”

Carl: I really like Fran, from Be All My Sins Remember'd.

Arctic Goddess writes: “Joe has told us why and how he got into writing. I'd love to hear your history about how you ended up where you are.”

Carl: I went to USC's film school, then worked as a page at NBC while trying to launch my writing career. While there I got work as a production assistant on the show Punky Brewster. The showrunner allowed me to write an episode in season two, which helped me get an agent, who helped me land my first staff job on the CBS show Adderly. I then went to work on a show in Vancouver called Neon Rider. There were two writers on staff -- me and Brad Wright. He went off to develop SG-1, and I went off to co-write Pocahontas for Disney, then work on the last three seasons of Dr Quinn, Medicine Woman. After that I created the show Little Men for the PAX network and developed Mysterious Ways for NBC/PAX. Brad and I always kept in touch and wanted to work together again, so he called me when Atlantis got off the ground and asked if I wanted to be a part of it.

Morjana writes: “Is Keller a civilian doctor (ie., not a military doctor).”

Carl : Civilian.

Amelie: “What's Joseph Mallozzi really like?” [/B
]Carl: Sweet, compassionate, sensitive and most of all, forgiving. Loves the Beatles and the movie E.T.

[B]Amelie also writes: “What do you think of his obsession to chocolates, food, dogs and super villains.”

Carl: I don't have a sophisticated palate (cheeseburgers and beer for me), so I applaud his patient efforts to refine my tastes. But I still refuse to eat foi gras (or however you spell it). And lamb. And 100 per cent chocolate. As for the dogs, I am president of the Lulu fan club.

Anonymous #3 writes: “Will this have serious consequences in the way it's going to affect Teyla's relationship with the rest of her team members and her role as part of the team?”

Carl: Yes. Stay tuned.

Gatedialer write: “Whomever had the idea to cast Danny Trejo in an SGA episode is a frakking genius!”

Carl: That would be director Andy Mikita. He suggested Danny, and the rest of us immediately agreed.

Emily writes: “How was Chippewa Falls, WI decided upon as Dr. Keller's hometown? Are characters' hometowns ever picked out of thin air or is there usually some sort of reason/connection to the particular city/region?”

Carl: I wanted her to be from a small town, so I originally chose Blaine, Missouri, the town from the movie Waiting For Guffman. But it didn't clear legally. So then I chose Chippewa Falls, because that's where Annie Hall is from (my favorite movie).

Vecturist writes: “How long do some of the fight scenes typically take to choreograph? How much of the 'fight' description is provided by the writer/director versus the translation of the stunt crew?”

Carl: Our stunt coordinator, Bam Bam, did exceptional work on this one. The first big fight (featuring Teyla swinging that badass axe) is pretty much exactly as scripted, but the second one (during which Teyla is captured) Bam Bam had more free reign to improvise.

Dori writes: “Why with your good looks and your wonderful sensitive personality, you didn't go into acting? And who would be your favourite author?”

Carl: Perhaps I can reccommend a good eye doctor for you. As for my favorite author: Mark Twain.

Somebody writes: “What is your favorite SGA episode and why?”

Carl: I would have to say McKay and Mrs. Miller. Great script, great directing, great acting. I'm a fan of the smaller, character relationship pieces. I thought everything came together on that one, with a very emotional ending.

[AscendedTauri]

I thought the most interesting part of those questions he answered was, Who the HeII is Fran!? Can't wait to see the character he's talking about! Must be interesting to see Carl pick this Fran over all the other possible characters.

[WraithFodder]

November 11th 2007

http://josephmallozzi.blogspot.com/2007/11...er-11-2007.html
Today’s guest mailbag hosted by Carl Binder -


Wraithfodder writes: “A totally inane question, but are you guys watching too many TV ads? We got Ambien mentioned in "Doppelganger," and now Restless Leg Syndrome in "Missing"? I feel like the ads are saturating the show (please, please, no Cialis!)”

Carl: I just needed another funny ailment for McKay. We've already gone through so many. And this seemed like something McKay would think he had. But now that you mention Cialis...

If one of the guys gets "E.D." it is NOT my fault! Plus I'd like to see them eek that particular drug into a script and the actors would go "No way! Sheppard/McKay/Zelenka/ etc. etc. does not have E.D.!"

And if you don't know what E.D. is you are so lucky not to have to watch those ads, or you see them on SGA and you don't remember 'em

[squall28]

If one of the guys gets "E.D." it is NOT my fault! Plus I'd like to see them eek that particular drug into a script and the actors would go "No way! Sheppard/McKay/Zelenka/ etc. etc. does not have E.D.!"

And if you don't know what E.D. is you are so lucky not to have to watch those ads, or you see them on SGA and you don't remember 'em

If you want to know why SGA does so well in key demos it is because they can have back to back ads for a videogame like Halo 3 and then Cialis. Nope, I don't need Cialis. At 29 yo that would be really bad.

[squall28]

NOVEMBER 13th

http://josephmallozzi.blogspot.com/2007/11...er-13-2007.html

And finally, for all those of you keeping track of these things, Missing pulled in our best numbers since our season premiere.

Today’s pics: an improvised pillow, in the shadows Marty G. wheels and deals, Lawren sets up shop in a vacant office.

Today’s mailbag:

Anonymous #1 writes: “…it still doesn't explain why they aren't using a military CMO with active duty experience”

Answer: For that matter, why aren’t all the department heads and off-world teams made up of military personnel with active duty experience? What is McKay doing on the Atlantis first-line team? Heck, what the hell was Carson doing in the position?

Anonymous #2 writes: “ Keller may well be some kind of book read wunderkind but she does not seem to be in the least the kind of person that would have ever willingly have pushed herself out of her comfort zone in the past.”

Answer: The fact that she joined the Atlantis expedition would contradict your last statement. As for being nothing more than book read, she demonstrated the coolness under pressure that got her the position in Adrift, saving Weir’s life as the situation deteriorated around her. Of course she wasn’t being chased by cannibals at the time.


Anonymous #2 writes: “Gateworld has said that Travelers rebounded. How is point one a rebound?”

Answer: The exact number had it only a shade (0.01) off Reunion’s number.

Dreams-of-skies writes: “Hey...would you mind if I copy/pasted some of the answers about Season 4 you've given to show SG fans I know who don't get to see your blog?”

Answer: People already do so go nuts.

Semisweet writes: “I was wrong to voice my concerns about how Keller was being portrayed here on your blog. This is not the place to do that kind of thing.”

Answer: If I objected, I wouldn’t have approved the comment. So long as the opinions expressed are respectful, you’re welcome to criticize to your heart’s content.

Irulan writes: “First, as somebody else pointed out, Keller's been in Pegasus for a while and been through quite a bit.”

Answer: Depends what you mean by “a while”. And in those instances in which she was pressed into action, she delivered.

Irulan also writes: “…how many of us would still have the CMO job after completely freaking out?”

Answer: She demonstrated she was fearful in the face of danger? So what?

Irulan also writes: “…how many other candidates could they have had for this position? Let's see, off the top of my head we have Dr. Cole (been around for quite a while), Dr. Biro (in Atlantis since day one), Dr. Lam, any of the other SGC doctors, Dr. Frasier (death is never the end in SciFi), Simon (and yes, I know he wouldn't take it), or any doctor who has ever been in charge of a field hospital or Emergency Department.”

Answer: And what little we know of them somehow makes them the better candidate? If it was simply a matter of picking names out of a hat then, yeah, I see your point.

Elizabeth writes: “Oh man, I just reread the comment I posted earlier. Yikes. Sorry, I know the Wraith feed through their hands but what I meant was can they feed off the person through the person's hand or does it have to be near the neck? And I just realized that you won't probably answer this because this might spoil a part of The Seer. And you probably can't decipher what I just wrote anyways.”

Answer: Have you been drinking?

***Thanks WF for the post***

[Rach84]

I really like the way he's been defending Keller against all the criticism. He makes good points and says exactly what I'm thinking. And the video from yesterday with his dogs running around the office was hilarious.

[The Phoenix]

Not sure how I go about asking a question - so here it goes.

Will we see more of Michael in Season 4 and hopefully Season 5.

Great character, great actor, so many possible storylines.

[squall28]

Not sure how I go about asking a question - so here it goes.

Will we see more of Michael in Season 4 and hopefully Season 5.

Great character, great actor, so many possible storylines.

You would go to his Blog page and scroll all the wat down and click "add a comment"

I can answer that question actually.

Spoilers in white...

Michael is scheduled for 3 eps this season according to Connor Trineer at a convention

[squall28]

November 14, 2007

http://josephmallozzi.blogspot.com/2007/11...er-14-2007.html


Questions:

JMQ writes: “When you wrote Camelot's cliff-hanger ending, did you know whether it was the Korolev or the Odyssey which had been destroyed, or was that decision left for season 10?”

Answer: At the time, we were undecided. It wasn’t until we were back planning season 10 (and all of the actors had signed on) that we made the call.

Cathie writes: “Joe, do you think you will ever do a stargate con in Australia?”

Answer: Unlikely as it looks like I’ll be busy for the next year at least.

Rebecca writes: “Re Dr. Keller, considering how many times Carson Beckett reacted with fear over the first two and a half years, do you agree that Dr. Keller is being judged according to a double standard?”

Answer: Yep.

SetMaat writes: “In this new season we haven't seen any wraith yet... Why? Where are they?”

Answer: Well, we did see them in Reunion. And you won’t have to wait long to see them again.

Don't forget Travelers!

Sagacious writes: “How do you deal with production issues when one of the actors gets really ill?”

Answer: In the event an actor is too ill to work, we will try to write around them or reschedule their scenes. If there is no way to work around them, then we would have to shut down production. In the biz, this is referred to as a “force majeure”. This has only happened once in my many years working on Stargate.

Boo writes: “i thought all the team had the sub-q transmitters?”

Answer: They do. They work in conjunction with the Asgard beaming technology. If the Daedalus had been in orbit, they would have been able to scan the surface of the planet, pinpoint their location, and beam them up.

Steve writes: "Um, you do realise that SG-1 isn't 'real' right? It's all fantasy, and make believe? I hope you realise that at least."

Answer: Uh, to clarify, you're accusing her of overreacting when all she is doing is responding to your far more strident opinion. That's like Britney Spears criticizing Hannah Montana for dressing too trashy.

[catherine6]

Hi,
We all know that when the 8th chevron is locked.. we travel to another galaxy. So...what happens when the NINTH chevron is finally locked?

[AscendedTauri]

That we do not know as of yet.... but supposedly that's what the 3rd Series - Stargate: Universe will be about!

[StargateIndy]

Hi,
We all know that when the 8th chevron is locked.. we travel to another galaxy. So...what happens when the NINTH chevron is finally locked?

The answer is with SG: Universe.

[Aquaris]

Joseph Mallozzi's Blog

November 15th, 2007

Of all of my alternate yahoo accounts, AgentWexler@yahoo.com is the one that gets the least amount of activity, virtually ignored by spammers who, for reasons known only to them, have chosen not to solicit a presumed FBI agent in their scamly endeavors. My Melvinskidnappers@yahoo.com account, on the other hand, is seeing the heaviest traffic of all, averaging a good 10-20 “business proposals” a day. Why a group of kidnappers is considered a better mark than, say, a nefarious super villain (BaronDestructo@yahoo.com), an angling philanthropist (Hazzencockle@yahoo.com), a loquacious shut-in in desperate need of companionship (Lintmuffin@yahoo.com), a humorless senior (MargaretQuibble@yahoo.com), or a denizen of one of America’s best-loved neighborhoods (Coooooookiemonster@yahoo.com) is beyond me, but given the number of emails piling up, I thought it would be a good idea to respond to them en masse and clear my inbox. Today, all received the following:

“Thank you for your interest in obtaining our services with regard to the business proposal outlined in your latest email. We would love to enter into partnership with you but, to do so, we require a little information -

Your Name:

Your Location:

Your Net Worth:

The Best Time For You To Be Kidnapped:

Suggested Ransom Expected:

And Finally - “What makes you someone we would want to kidnap?” (in 250 words or less):

Rest assured that this information will not be shared with any third party interests such as big box stores, financial institutions, religious organizations, or needy relatives and is for the exclusive use of Melvinskdinappers, their underworld associates, a handful of internet dating services, and Runners World Magazine. Should you prove a viable candidate, you will be informed of our decision enroute to our hideout (although the blackjack to the head will probably be a dead giveaway).

Finally, please understand that as much as we would love to kidnap you all, time and limited resources necessitate our putting your through this rather rigorous selection process. If you do not hear back from us within the month, assume that we have decided to pass on your application and moved on. But do not be discouraged as our timetable and needs are ever-shifting and today’s too-lame-to-bother-with hopeful is tomorrow’s promising bruised and earless candidate.

Sincerely,

Mr. Kidnapper ”


No mailbag today as I’m taking the night off to clean out the refrigerator, do the dishes, throw out the garbage, organize the recycling, check the mail, and turn in early so that I can finish The Doomsday Book. I’ll return with the mailbag tomorrow-ish. To tide you over -

Today’s video: Click on the date for a very short clip from the Harmony shoot that I wasn’t going to bother posting but, after further consideration, figured some of you might find it of interest.

[Rach84]

Yay Joe Flannigan with a guitar! Good stuff. Too bad it's like 3 seconds long.

[WraithFodder]

16 NOVEMBER 2007

http://josephmallozzi.blogspot.com/2007/11...er-16-2007.html

Tonight’s episode of Stargate Atlantis is The Seer. What can I say about this one? Well, there’s the fact that I really hated the idea when it was first pitched. Although, in all fairness, this story went through a bunch of incarnations in its early stages (involving everything from wonky machines to even wonkier Ancients) before finally blossoming into the fine episode you’ll see tonight. Key among the developments that really make this episode memorable for me were Robert Cooper’s suggestion to throw Woolsey into the mix (Bob Picardo has some truly priceless moments in this one), the incorporation of the wraith angle into the story (making this one the best individual wraith episode since Common Ground thanks in no small part to Chris Heyerdahl’s portrayal of the unlikely ally we will come to know as Todd), and, chiefest of all, Paul Mullie’s contribution to the script that not only tightened it structurally but offered up some brilliant (and humorous) character moments.

We were in the office today and watched a mix of that episode - the one with the marriage proposal. You know the one I’m talking about. Another one with some truly terrific character moments - and a most unlikely hero.


Today's video: Click on the date to witness a horrific giant pine beetle attack. (David Hewlett and Joe Flanigan and Jodelle)
http://s230.photobucket.com/albums/ee164/B...nt=0e33ae51.pbr

On to the mailbag:


Anonymous #1 writes: “With regard to the future Season 4 DVD, I would like to request more actor commentary.”

Answer: From what I hear, David Hewlett will be heading in next week to provide commentary on a couple of early season four episodes.

Anonymous #2 writes: “I loved Shepperd and McKay's scene centered around guessing the Batman villains and the actors who played them. I was literally yelling the answers at the TV. Were you a fan of show?”

Answer: Batman and Get Smart - two of my favorite shows of all time. And lest you think I’m too young, check out my May 2, 2007 post for my top ten list of the shows that had the biggest influence on me growing up.

[WraithFodder]

NOV 17

Today’s mailbag:

Anna writes: “"The future is predetermined by the character of those who shape it."
That is a truly powerful sentence. Which writer came up with that?”

Answer: Paul Mullie.

Cheeky Lil Devil writes: “I have to say, loved the wraith's humour, it had me in stitches. Was that Marty G's humour by anychance or was it Rob's?”

Answer: Again - Paul, who was also responsible for my favorite exchange. When a nervous Woolsey is about to head in to face a wraith for the first time, he hesitates and then motions Carter with a “Ladies first.”.

Mags writes: “When Carter and Sheppard about the annoyances of the IOA she says something along the lines of "Now I know why *** didn't want to take the job" I heard HE and my brother heard YOU.”

Answer: She said “you”.

OhioAnne writes: “In watching the episode, I felt we were handed a laundry basket of individual scenes with little overall coherence.”

Answer: This, more than any other episodes, left many questions unanswered. Teyla’s pregnancy. The raising of the stakes in the ongoing wraith-replicator war. And, of course, Atlantis’s latest guest, Todd. And, of course, the city’s seemingly inevitable destruction. This season, more than any other, will be arc-driven and hopefully, as the pieces fall into place and some surprising answers revealed, you’ll appreciate the narrative tapestry we’ve woven. Or not. Still, here’s hoping Miller’s Crossing is more your cup of tea.

Crazymom writes: “Do you ever take a break from computers and go internet-less for a period of time?”

Answer: And miss a day of blogging? Never.

Anonymous #2 writes: “Joe, the big discussion over at most of the stargte sites I frequent is all about the stupid new uniforms. […] What made you guys decide to go the way you have?”

Answer: The actors who found the old uniforms incredibly uncomfortable and, like us, love the look of the new one. You’re overruled. Sorry.

Firefly827347 writes: “ Hey Joe, I noticed you're on facebook. (At least, I think you are. Otherwise you have your very own Doppelganger...) Would you object especially if I added you as a friend or is that a bit weird?”

Answer: You can but you probably won’t get a response - not because I’m ignoring you but because I’m rarely on Facebook as I find it a mind-numbing waste of time.





SUN, Nov 18th

http://josephmallozzi.blogspot.com/2...r-18-2007.html

Joe goes to Best Buy...

Today’s photos: Operation Magenta

Today's video: Click on the date for a mid-operation update from Marty G.
http://s230.photobucket.com/albums/e...ionMagenta.flv

Today’s mailbag:

Promogirl writes: “Will we see Carter going on any more off world missions this season?”

Answer: Carter will see action in the back half of the season.


Cheveron7 writes: “When questions hit your ear about visual effects and space battles you respond BE ALL MY SINS REMEMBER'D. Now I thought the visual effects in Adrift and Lifeline were pretty killer. Are they just going to get better?”

Answer: There’s an incredible sequence in BAMSR that, in my opinion, is the best visual effects sequence we’ve ever done.

Michelle writes: “One thing (of many) I loved about The Seer was that John values the peoples of Pegasus as much as the safety of Atlantis... asserting they can't defend the city at all costs to the other civilizations. Not only is it the "right" position, we haven't really seen it stated before, and it sets up lots of potential for more conflict with the IOA and US military. Will that be explored this year?”

Answer: Yep. Very late this season.

Jessy Ka writes: “I was wondering, is there any chance to receive an Atlantis e-card with your signature and best wishes for me?”

Answer: Best wishes, Jessy Ka. Better, no?

Paula writes: “If we ever talk you into coming to Atlanta for Dragon*Con, stay over a couple of days and I'll take you to some great Southern BBQ!”

Answer: Deal!

Nolim writes: “In my opinion, the main difference between SG-1 and SGA is the question of bad guys…”

Answer: You raise an interesting point but, for me, what makes a villain interesting is both motivation and personality. The great thing about the System Lords was that they were incredibly colorful characters. Lord Yu, especially, stands out because, despite being “evil”, was surprisingly honorable nevertheless. The Ori, while interesting, lacked individual personality, which is why Adria was introduced. In the case of the wraith, you could argue that they have no choice (that they simply consider humans food), but there is no doubt that they enjoy toying with their victims and even take great pleasure in their suffering. If that’s not evil, I don’t know what is. Nevertheless, in spite of their superior attitude, this season we are making an effort to explore a more “human side” to the wraith through the character of Todd. As I said, I always find multi-layered enemies much more interesting than simply “scary for scary’s sake”.


Cheeky Lil Devil writes: “We were talking about the CG Wraith being in Atlantis, and someone brought up a good point. How are they going to feed him?”

Answer: That’s a great question.

Anonymous writes: “ why did N. John Smith say that the character was only 'disappearing' when he leaked word about Paul McGillion no longer being main cast?”

Answer: That is a question for N. John Smith.

[The Phoenix]

Not sure how I go about asking a question - so here it goes.

Will we see more of Michael in Season 4 and hopefully Season 5.

Great character, great actor, so many possible storylines.

Thanks so much for your reply. Answers what I needed to know.
Season 4 or 5?? Thanks Squall.