Posted on 15 Apr 2008 15 Apr 2008 by Joseph Mallozzi
April 15, 2008: Ah, finally, the weekend is upon us…uh…oh.
Previous Article April 14, 2008: F. Paul Wilson's The Keep
Next Article April 16, 2008: Fog and Chocolate
I felt like I'd been running a marathon, and the finish line was finally in sight. Much relieved, I drew strength from the fact that the end was near. I could spend the rest of the afternoon decompressing, choosing my next leisure read, and, of course, counting down the hours to the weekend.
And then I realized it was Tuesday, and not Friday. At which point my hitherto upbeat mood took a decidedly downward turn.
I've often mistaken Saturday for Sunday, occasionally mistaken Tuesday and Thursday for Wednesday and vice-versa, even believed Friday was Thursday on an occasion or two, but assuming Tuesday was Friday – well, that's a first. And I can't really explain it either. Although two theories come to mind: 1. I'm losing it. 2. We compressed a week's worth of meetings into that first day of prep and this caused my addled mind to adopt a defense mechanism, convincing itself that the weekend fast-approached as a means to rescuing what remained of my sanity. Personally, I lean toward theory #1.
Despite the fact that I feel as though my brain has been fried (skillet-grilled with sautéed onions until golden-brown, then seasoned with tarragon and garlic powder before being popped into the oven to broil for another twenty minutes), prep week has gone quite well.
We kicked things off with a 90 minute concept meeting during which we went through the script, scene by scene, and adopted a game plan. Two sets of costumes, five stunt people, Porter packs a 9 mill, flying balsa wood can be dangerous, we're going with mannequins, and glow sticks are go. Our main concern remains the fog. It shouldn't be as heavy as what we had on stage 6, but it needs to be a lot thicker than what appeared in Morpheus. Hopefully, our late week fog test will allow us to find a happy medium.
We followed the concept meeting with the art department meeting that clocked in at a whopping, soul-sucking 90 minutes as well. Here, we discussed the possibility of tenting certain areas of the FX stage for those heavy fog sequences (ie. the reveals). Where are we playing what? Are we boarding up the windows? Will we need candy glass? We'll need a forklift to move the well. And how visible will the targets be from the high ground positions?
Next up was the prosthetics meeting. Like I said in a previous entry: the more eerily familiar, the more unsettling.
After lunch, we had the costumes meeting. We need THEIR look to be broken down, but we need his look to be mid-season 3-ish. Teldy's team will be in their off-world blacks.
And, finally, we finished the day with the props meeting (starring Evil Kenny, natch). We're going earth tech with the opening PFD, tablets over laptops, and P-90's in full force. We're going to try to get the ladies in early so that we can put them through gun school.
Carl, meanwhile, has been running his Tracker prep on a parallel track. He'll pop his head into my office and inform me: "You're up!". I'll head into the conference room, have my meeting, then stroll by his office and tell him: "You're turn!" He disappears into the conference room and then, an hour later, tags me in passing. I'm in!
Today, we had our VFX/Playback meeting. Mostly generics for the playback and some split screen translations. On the visual effects, I flagged sections in the script in which we might try some visual enhancement on the fog. Mark Savela, ever the optimist, assured us everything was going to work out with the practical fog and that it would require little, if any, enhancement from his department. More of a pessimist myself, all I really hope for is an episode that finishes on-schedule.
We also had our extras meeting, during which I politely turned down the role of the twitcher.
We spent the afternoon spinning Carl's idea, a story Alan is calling "The Red Shirt Diaries".
That's it. An 8:00 a.m. stunts and SPFX meeting tomorrow, a visual effects spotting session for Broken Ties on Thursday, and we cap things off with a Whispers production meeting on Friday afternoon. And somewhere between now and then, we'll squeeze in our second fog test, this time in the FX stage.
Mailbag:
David writes: "Are all of the books on yur BOTM list of the horror genre?"
Answer: Nope. Every month, three books are selected, each representing one of three genres: science fiction, fantasy, and horror. Last week, we discussed the scifi selection – Gregory Benford's Timescape. This week, we are discussing the horror selection – F. Paul Wilson's The Keep. And, next week, we'll be discussing the fantasy selection – Jeffrey Ford's The Empire of Ice Cream.
Thornyrose writes: " But why a woman who has managed to "restrain" her hormones so long should suddenly abandon all restraint escapes me."
Answer: The romance between the two characters was the one element I had trouble with as well. Magda seemed to fall for him so madly and deeply that I suspected a supernatural attaction at play.
Michelle writes: "I mean, would even an idiot like Kaempffer not get everyone the hell out?"
Answer: Actually, I found Kaempffer's initial obstinance very believable. He assumed he could solve the problem, thereby raising his stature while, conveniently, diminishing Woermann's standing. Of course by the time he realizes he has probably bitten off more than he can chew, his sense of logic is overridden by his fierce pride. Abandoning the keep would be an admission of defeat, something that would be tantamount to career suicide for him.
Michelle also writes: "And what was Glenn waiting for?"
Answer: Good question.
Fsmn36 writes: "The Major's death scene was probably one of the creepiest parts of the book."
Answer: I'd argue that his after-death was even creepier.
BoomerGoodheart writes: "Where were the shots of Teal'c on the mountains filmed?"
Answer: Save that question for writer/director/producer Robert C. Cooper who'll be coming by to discuss The Ark of Truth with you the week of April 28th.
Smiley_face06 writes: "Yup. Once the episode has aired, I'll post the scene we would havee shot had had the decision to keep the dreads gone the other way."
Dovil writes: "About Whispers the information that was presented was:
1. There was to be an all women team.
2. It was to be a horror episode.
3. Not all of them would survive.
4. Photos of the actresses that arguably did not depict them looking like military "
Answers: 1. Rather than create a recurring character and hope for the best, I opted to go the Summit route. In SG-1's Summit, I introduced about a half dozen system lords and used the episode as an audition of sorts to find out which of the characters would pop – and have potential to come back. Cliff Simon's turn as Baal was great and, based on his performance in Summit, we brought him back. Many, many times. This was the thinking with the all-female team. Rather than put all our eggs into one basket, we created a scenario in which one or more of these characters (well, the ones who happen to survive the episode anyway) could return. 2. Is the natural assumption then that these women will be running around screaming, in various states of undress, being pursued by a knife-wielding maniac? 3. Hey, that goes for almost any guest star. 4. But they're actresses, not actual soldiers. The links I provided lead to the actress's personal websites so, of course, they're going to look their very best.
Dovil also writes: "I don't think it's completely unreasonable for people to voice concerns."
Answer: Of course it's completely reasonable for people to voice concerns, but a lot of what I'm reading isn't so much "I hope this doesn't turn out to be…" but more "I know this is what they're going to do…"
Maddog1995 writes: "I know you've commented on it in the past, but I was wondering about your opinion on Ender's Game."
Answer: I liked it a lot. I recently lent it to my writing partner, Paul, who really enjoyed it as well.
Michael Hervey wites: "I am interested in writing both books and TV/movie scripts. Would you suggest finding one literary agent who works with both or using two agents that each specialize in one field?"
Answer: I would query agents in both fields.
104 thoughts on "April 15, 2008: Ah, finally, the weekend is upon us…uh…oh."
Narelle from Aus says:
Damn! Looks like I'm going to have to devise my own plan for the demise of the Snarky Managing Director.
Maybe it was too soon to start calling the Baron, Bazza?
Rebecca H says:
Your daily grind is fascinating. Of course, I only understand perhaps a quarter of what you say, but it's fascinating nonetheless.
Incidentally, I'm currently reading Consider Phlebas, thanks ever so much for the recommendation. I am thoroughly in love with Banks' universe.
So you know how I've said I envy you but I don't at the same time? Yeah, today I definitely don't! My head is spinning! No wonder you're subconsciously wishing it was Friday.
ytimynona says:
Hooray for feeling accomplished!!!
I too was hoping that today would be closer to friday… I almost went to my thursday classes instead of my tuesday classes!!!
But I think it's my running schedule that's messing me up… I did my usual wednesday workout yesterday…
Ahh I'm ranting again…
Do you take suggestions for your BOTM list? I'm not sure what genre it would fit under, but I am currently reading a book called "Nightrise", written by Anthony Horowitz. Have you read it?
susanthetartanturtle says:
Just popped in to say hello.
Say "hello" to Paul McGillion when he arrives for filming. Look after him and feed him well, send him home with a doggie bag – now that he has no regular job he is probably starving.
It's Wednesday in Scotland!
Your comment about gun training raised a question for me: when you're casting actors, what "special skills" can actors have on their resumes that will be most beneficial to them for this show? Gun experience, accents, stunt skills, etc.?
pg15 says:
I rather like Smiley_face06's "question" there. It's like he knows exactly what you were going to do. 😉
Thank you for the big update on Whispers today. The episode is looking better and better all the time. Maybe I won't hide behind something when watching it after all. I don't want to miss any bits of it, even if it may haunt my dreams for the months afterwards.
I hope you aren't going to/didn't overdose on the Transylvanian sausages and perogies. Eating while having sorrows can only give you more sorrow. Yes.
Question: Any word on where Inquisition is going to fall on the airing schedule? Is it episode 512?
kdvb1 says:
Hey Joe,
I haven't commented in a few days, but I'm still here lurking, reading, and enjoying!
Charles Schneider says:
Your mention of Evil Kenny reminds me, were there any other members of the cast/crew that got to work on any other interesting projects in between wrap-day and the beginning of S5 production?
Mmmmm, brainssssssssssss ….
I couldn't help myself. The zombies made me do it.
The Red Shirt Diaries, now that sounds intriguing!
lcshepp says:
Carl Binder commented in the latest SG1/SGA magazine that he would "like to see Sheppard have a darker edge to him, but it depends what the fans want." Well, I know I don't speak for everyone out there, but a darker Sheppard would be great, give him more depth. We see glimpses of darkness but I, for one, would like to see more.
While I was at the Van Con I asked Martin Gero if Sheppard's ATA gene would be highlighted more. He stated that the writers decided "not to pursue that mythology anymore." I was surprise at that answer since Sheppard is suppose to have the strongest gene of anyone and a few shows have had friend/foe pursuing "the one with the gene." So far the best feat he has accomplished, other than shooting off drones and driving the jumper, is moving the city. Do all the writers feel the same about this? If most enemies want the city, wouldn't they want the one that can control the city the most. Might be some great plots there. But then there is probably a reason why I'm here and you are there. But still….
Glad to read that the dog saying is on your refrig. My copy is there also. Have a good night.
Kathie.
hachi says:
I really really think I like the idea of "Red Shirt Diaries" even if I don't know what it's about. See, I can have groundless and emotional reactions to the upcoming Season in a positive direction too!
Very much enjoy the pictures you post and the insight into what goes into the production of a tv show.
Ya, I'm sure the Dutch version of Spoorloos was more enteraining, and not… you know, americanized. I haven't seen it though, but I've read the book. Do you recommend I rent Spoorloos?
I was thinking, for Whispers, maybe you should check out some X-files episodes.
astrumporta says:
Carson has his own quarters — yay!! I won't even complain about the lack of complete facilities. Now I have to wonder what happens there…
Very good point about Kaempffer's stubbornness, and it was indeed explained. I guess I just can't relate to staying someplace after zombies have fallen on you in your bed, no matter my level of ambition. 🙂
drldeboer says:
I just got done watching the Visual Effects Society Awards clip show from Feb 10, it attracted my attention because 1) have never seen this in HD 2) Joe F was a presenter (I could *NOT* believe they spelled his name wrong on the screen identifier… hey stop snickering over there) and 3) Stargate Atlantis had a nomination for that GREAT spacewalk scene in Adrift! didn't win but awesome it was nominated, well deserved as one of the coolest scenes yet. All very cool and interesting stuff is VFX, and amazing how much has changed (and improved!) in just a few short years. I fully expect to see Sanctuary garner a nom or two after more people see it & are floored by its ambitious filming.
Just remember, pessimists are the survivors.
cheri says:
I have read "Keeper" before, and enjoyed it very much. I tend to reread my books until they fall apart. It's always a little like mourning when I have to throw one away. Recently a friend asked what my favorite book of all time was and I couldn't come up with just one title. How about you? What would be your choice if you could have but one?
Mmmm…your brains sound delicious.
Don't feel too bad about mistaking Tuesday for Friday. I once spent a week thinking every day was Wednesday. It's really ego-deflating to only be right one out of seven times.
I can certainly understand why your brain would be on the fritz, though. Reading everything you did wore my brain out.
You're not on your own with the days. I have an excuse though, you don't. So either dye your hair blonde or accept responsibility!
Actually, if it makes you feel better, I believe I can provide a medical reason for your problem right now.
While it may appear as though you are losing it, this is actually a condition that I have aptly named the wwwdoooooooot syndrome.
There has to be a disease/syndrome for whatever is going on otherwise you don't have anything to blame. And where would society be without someone/something to blame for where we are in life? – ouch, my head hurts, I just overdosed on sarcasm.
I will admit that I first diagnosed this condition in myself. Then I noticed it was an epidemic!
I would open a blank web browser (in my line of work I tend to have a lot open),type http://www., then nothing. Blank. The sound of crickets. I would wiggle my fingers over the keyboard (much in the way of Hassan Chop from Ali Baba Bunny "Open Sarsaparilla?") and stare hard at the ceiling. Still nothing.
I had opened that new browser window with such conviction… There was a purpose… I knew what I had to do… until I typed www. – then blank, brain function ceased. Hence the name of the syndrome.
So this morning when I said to someone "Wow, that was rather deep for 11.37am on aaaaaaaa (start wiggling of fingers, staring at ceiling) Wednesday?" I was clearly suffering from another episode of wwwdoooooooot.
Might I add, I placed an upward inflection on the word Wednesday so high, that it made the word only audible to dogs and the South African dung beetle, that was how unsure I was of what day it was.
So next time you find yourself thinking Tuesday is Friday (and who wouldn't want to?) just remember, it's the syndrome, not you, and be at peace with that.
I also call it the "Man I Need A Holiday" syndrome.
Take your pick. Whichever works for you.
chevron7 says:
What, it's Friday? Nooooooo 😀
Seriously, there's a remedy for the days of the week thing. Sounds a bit juvenile, but hey **shrugs**. You have a "Days of the week" sign on your door and you adjust it every day. Of course, that won't stop Martin from pranking you. Hmmmm. Say hi to Martin for me.
Cheers, Chev
p.s. if you ever do "lose it", check under the bed. It's where I find everything. 😀
Seahen says:
So, we were having a discussion about Air Force Uniforms over on the Sam/Jack thread at Gateworld and I was wondering if you guys will ever show a random Airman in the new ABUs (Airman Battle Uniform) that are replacing the old BDUs (Battle Dress Uniform-the green camies). On a side note, we're stuck discussing AF uniforms on the Sam/Jack thread so any positive tidbits you could throw our way would be appreciated. 🙂
Tittamiire says:
Somehow we must have switched places..I've spent the last six months with Tuesday being my Friday, making Friday my Monday. I've just finished that job and now I'm switching back to Friday actually being Friday, while you seem to have caught my 'Tuesday is Friday' syndrome.
Hi Narelle from Aus,
Sounds like your Managing Director has an agenda and won't listen to anything that doesn't fit in with it.
Do you know what he/she wants? Is there any way you can make him/her think he/she is getting it while doing things your way?
Good luck with it.
silly sally says:
Hi Joe, I've got a question about Continuum – Does Jack's ATA gene play a part in it?
Thornyrose says:
I was willing to go with theory number one until I read your too-detailed description of fried brain. After that, I was inclined to agree with your own assessment. Still, given the level of activity indicated for the day, it's not altogether suprising you yearn for the prospect of leisure time. It seems prep week is synonomous for "what else might go wrong" week, as you hammer out your game plan. And here's hopeing the actresses can make it in for their gun training. It's a major bummer to have a character who is supposed to be expert at a weapon appearing fearful and/or incompetent in its use.
Such teasers. "his look should be mid-season 3 ish"? Red Shirt Diaries? And given the state of your cranial matter, perhaps it was a mistake to rune down the "twicher" role?
I'm glad to see we're getting another glimpse into the private areas of the characters; i.e. their living quarters. It's fun dissecting the limited scenes we get involving their sleeping arrangements. And it's heartening to think that clone-Beckett may be functional enough to actually utilize such facilities. I'm looking forward to seeing how next week progresses, as all the labor you've invested pays off as yet another classic Atlantis episode.
One more thing…Joe – Alan's "extreme Shep whump" episode – if it's not too much of a spoiler is it more physical, mental or both?
Jenny Stiven says:
Hey, Joe…you know maybe it is this week??? Woke up this morning, turned off my alarm and said to my husband, "Why did you set the alarm? It's Saturday!"
At which point I stopped, looked around, and laughed my head off.
Then I had to run like crazy to get my son to school, finish the proposal for Fox that I had apparently fallen asleep on top of, catalog the thumbnails for the site, capture the snake that had camped in front of our door, remind the nice manager that yes, yes, we DID turn in our rent check, pick up my son, play Stargate Atlantis with him (I get to be Shep), write up the requests for the 63 video clips we need, find out that the deck is corrupted, blahblahblahblahblah.
Is it all in the star alignment????? ;-D
But, all good…another day closer to Saturday tomorrow!
Jenny S.
bailey says:
RE Sheppard going darker or not, I'm OK either way. Just so there is some exploration of the character. I can honestly say that my interest in SGA is directly proportional to the amount of Shep in the show. While the other characters are of peripheral interest to me, and I don't mind occasional diversions into their stories, my primary focus is on the story of John Sheppard in Atlantis. That's what got me here, that's what keeps me here as a fan.
Come on Joe, be the twitcher! I've been hankering to see you in an episode again ever since your steller performance in Wormhole X-treme! Honest!
Anyway, reason for posting twice: Gateworld just published an article on the Woolsey character:
…And, uh, I'm kind of worried. Going off of that article, it says that "At this point in the season the actor says Woolsey's reason for taking the job has yet to be established." So…yeah, there you go. It would be odd if the reason for Woolsey to take the job isn't revealed eventually. Do you guys know why Woolsey took the job? Is it part of a plan that we're not aware of? Or, was it revealed already but Mt. Picardo simply didn't know about it for some reason?
Mackenzie's Momma says:
Hello joe, how are you. I was wondering if you happen to have an extra space suit laying around that I could possibly boorrow for a few days? I have a horrid cold, and I hear that it works wonders to be tossed in one of those things for hours on end.
Hey Chev,
Fortunately/unfortunately I am my own Director (now I've got that "I'm my own Grandpa" song stuck in my head) so I only have to deal with external directors.
Would love to explain the "might as well be in a time loop" story, but I can't go into detail for confidentiality reasons.
Our last discussion – or should I say dialogue – ended with him hanging up on me, so I'm taking that as Me – 1, Cranky Director – 0. Let's see what happens during our next discussion, he could have a secret weapon up his sleeve.
I know our company is in the right on this, and have the facts to back us up, so it's just more frustrating than anything else.
Thanks for asking 🙂
Sorry to take up this space on your blog Joe.
I'm still open to ideas from The Baron. It just doesn't feel right to ask Cooooookie Monster. He's so sweet and innocent.
tiger's eyes says:
Lawren said:
Alas I would have loved to weigh in on The Keep, but having not been able to read it I would be forming my response based on what others have told me, which as I have recently learned is considered Hear-Say and is inadmissible.
If there's Schnitzel being served I'm there, that is as long as I'm not sequestered.
That made me laugh. I had to think a moment to recall that being sequestered refers to jury members, not to "guests" temporarily detained in holding cells. (I watched an L&O: Criminal Intent ep last night. Hi to Ken Girotti from a fan.)
Joe, that first pic looks like the creature is going to be *awesomely* horrific. And your differentiation between "THEIR" (not the team, as I read it) and "his" increases the creep-out factor exponentially. Especially if there's a ton of fog. . . Oooh, that's going to be good. I might even make popcorn to go along with some fried brains. (And may I say your recipe sounds delicious. Even if you're losing it, too bad you still need your noodle to carry on vital functions like chowing down on pirogi and remembering how to escape from your habitat, and so forth.)
If I didn't have calendar confusion, I'd think somebody had drugged me and replaced my cerebral unit with an operating system that actually works. Since this could function in pc's as well, someone should alert Bill Gates.
I think dovil presented the possible gender-stereotypes issue very reasonably, even if others have been unfair in making assumptions about how the all-woman team will come across before watching the episode. We all know the issue is both legitimate and as old as humankind, so I don't think I need to go on about it – except to note that it's just as unfair to pre-judge as it is to stereotype. (Yeah, yeah, I'm done. 😉 )
Arctic Goddess says:
Hi Joe:
If I bow and call you the Grand Poohbah of all things Stargate, would you answer two questions, oh wise and very talented one?
1) In SG-1 season 2 episode called Holiday, Teal'c ends up in Jacks body and says he must shave his head, making it sound like a cultural or religious ritual. But later in the series, Teal'c does grow hair. Is there a reason for the change or is this just a continuity thing?
2) Are there more male writers than female writers in television? If so, why do you think that is?
Patricia (AG)
Speaking of Mr Cooper coming by to discuss Ark of Truth. Can you give us advanced notice so that those of us that haven't seen the movie and have no known release date as yet (ie. the rest of the world outside North America) can know to stay away and therefore avoid spoilers? Please?
Alternatively perhaps Mr Cooper would mind waiting until more of the world has had a chance to see the movie? Internet speed of communication vs studios releasing movies world wide is still fields apart sadly. Without meaning to sound snarky here, is that possible or is it a case of "well it's out in America and they are the only one's that matter after all?" (ok maybe a little bit snarky)
PS. Sorry to hear about the restaurant closing. If I ever back to Vancouver that was to be on my visit list….
shiningwit says:
Hey Joe, welcome to my life. I thought it was a mum thing getting daily confusion but obviously not, you've just spent a day in my world so how'd you like it? lol
The Red Shirt Diaries sounds intriguing, I'm guessing they're like snuff movies PMSL. Personally I'd have gone with the twitcher role, sounds like it'd fit quite well. Only two more days till the weekend!
anneteldy says:
I'm back! 😀
I've finally gotten Internet access in my room (alas, only dial-up). It's going to take quite a while to read all the comments since March 11th, but I've read all Mr M's entries.
I want to thank everyone for the kind wishes you posted. My sister would read them to me and it was always a pick-me-up to know someone out there gave a damn. And Mr. M, thanks for the blog dedication. It brought tears to my eyes!
And Mr. M, as I've got your attention and production is starting, I'd like to remind you of the request I made about "Whispers". You said it would be no problem, though, as I had suspected, I have to wait until the episode airs. Don't forget, now! I need something to look forward to.
On to the more personal stuff (Everyone, please feel free to skip this part.):
As I understand it, when I arrived at the hospital March 11th, I wasn't actually at Death's Door, but I had my blinker light on and was pulling into his driveway. I had several major infections raging so was placed on IV antibiotics immediately. The good news was that, despite my supersized weight, I don't have diabetes, high blood pressure, major heart issues, or breathing problems.
With one notable exception, everyone treated me with dignity and respect. They did everything in their power to help me adjust. (I'd been housebound for over 2 years and hadn't been around anyone but immediate family that entire time.) They worked hard to accommodate my anxiety disorder and all my allergies: flowers, perfumes, cigarette smoke, chemicals, etc.
I spent a week there and was then was moved to this place. They continued the IV antibiotics for another week here, causing some kind of viral-type infection that made me have to add yet another medicine (Flagyl?) to the regimen they had me on.
Fast forward to today: My underlying health is much better than it has been in years but I'm far from well. I take buckets of medicines daily and am looking at at least 2 years here while I regain complete health and, hopefully, some abilities and functions long-term neglect caused me to lose.
I've sorta settled in here, but I hate, hate, hate it! I'm surrounded 24/7 by idiot staff who can't seem to understand what "Please Keep the Door Closed" means and who can't remember you asked for your Darvocet an hour ago! Elderly people wander in to my room on occasion for no reason. And it takes an act of Congress to get a lousy box of tissues!
Okay, that's petty of me. Every single person here has been kind and take really good care of everybody. I shouldn't complain so much about them. I'll complain about something else instead.
I don't think Mr. M could survive here. The food is unimaginative and thoroughly overcooked. I don't think the so-called "chef" here has heard of the concept 'crisp tender'. The second night, I was served broccoli and cauliflower mixed and couldn't tell which pieces were from which veggie by color. Not much difference in taste, either. Last week, I was served what I thought on seeing the texture was going to be cornbread. Turned out, it was supposedly pound cake. And don't get me started on the scrambled eggs! :shudder:
Some of you asked for a mailing address. You can send mail to my name, c/o Westpark Rehabilitation Center, at the address on this page. I'd really like to hear from you. Getting mail here — like in the military or in prison — is a major highlight of the day. NB: Please don't use perfumed ink or paper or send anything scented or floral in nature. See allergy list above.
By the way, "Anne Teldy" is just a nom de Internet I adopted years ago when I first came online. [It was the way my then not-yet-two-years-old niece said "Aunt Kelly".] My actual name is Kelly Hurt. I asked Mr. M. to use "Anne Teldy" for my character instead as I prefer it and, in a way, it honors my niece as well.
Well, I should sign off now. Morning starts early here. My first meds come at 5 a.m. and it's already 1 a.m. I hope to be back online in a day or so.
"Major" Anne Teldy (née Kelly Hurt)
Anais33 says:
Hello Joseph me revoila et..oui je sais malheuresement pour vous…mais je suis la! car je ne suis pas aller en cour car j'ai attraper la grippe. Hier je suis aller a ma journée d'apelle, j'ai vu plein de millitaire et je tenu plein d'arme dont un bazouka^^. Vous savez qu'avec un mirage2000(avion) je pourrais relier Paris/Vancouvert en 1 heure. Waou O_O. Se qui ma fait bien rire aussi c'est que sur mon diplome il y'avais marquer les initial du régiment qui était "SGA" ^^!
Pourquoi vous ignorez tout les email que je vous envoi?
Bon aller Gros Kisou, je vous adore♥
Annie from Fremantle says:
Despite the fact that I feel as though my brain has been fried (skillet-grilled with sautéed onions until golden-brown, then seasoned with tarragon and garlic powder before being popped into the oven to broil for another twenty minutes
Yummo. Even your brains frying gets my mouth watering. Wonder if Belcham might steal that recipe?
Dovil says:
You're more than welcome to keep this screened considering it a) may be belabouring a point at this stage and b) may end up sending people reading your blog into hysterical lags of frustrated crying.
1. So I take it auditions were occurring at the same time as the script was being finalised. Good thinking with that kind of set up and I can see how that would make sense.
2. Women in the horror genre are generally portrayed as the victims – there are exceptions to this but that's the thing with exceptions, they're not the norm. Hell, if it wasn't so prevalent in popular culture papers in Media Studies departments would have to be cancelled and even Academics have to buy groceries and get whisked off overseas to conferences. As long as one of the women isn't a virgin, sleeps with Sheppard, and walks off by herself after hearing some suspicious noises, hopefully she shouldn't get hacked to death with a carving knife/chainsaw/really sharp paper. Paper cuts, a gruesome way to go.
3. See, red shirts, every genre has its thing. 🙂
4. They may be actors but actors should still look the part of what they play. The male scientists aren't 25 year old part-time underwear models because it would stretch belief. All I think we have here is a difference of opinion on what may be believable in this instance. And like I said as well in my previous comment about the photos: "(also perhaps in part because they hadn't been taken to show them in their roles)".
"I hope this doesn't turn out to be…" but more "I know this is what they're going to do
To be blunt I think you get a lot of crap thrown at you a lot of the time that is little more than tantrums from fans who haven't had their shopping list of demands met (though since anon comments got canned funnily enough that appears to have gone down). But sometimes people really do just want a dialogue and sometimes conversing just in text is not the best way of getting people's intentions across. And hey, at the end of the day I'm a huge fan of the show.
>>On April 15, 2008 at 7:21 pm lcshepp Said:
While I was at the Van Con I asked Martin Gero if Sheppard's ATA gene would be highlighted more. He stated that the writers decided "not to pursue that mythology anymore."<<
Now, that's disappointing. I always thought this had great potential for interesting developments and wanted to see something done with it.
kanadra says:
I have loved reading your blog, and i cant wait to see whispers. At the moment i am having my own spooky night to night. their is a banging i can not find going on tonight here at work. Any way. I am sure lots of thing will happen between now and firday and you will wonder why you ever got the days mixed up .lol..
amazonauntie says:
The "Red Shirt Diaries" sounds interesting. I know in Star Trek, the crew members that wore the red shirts were the ones that were always getting bumped off…the expendible personnel. Perhaps the "Red Shirt Diaries" are the diaries and letters the dearly departed have left behind.
allison (austin!, texas) says:
WHAT?! YOU MEAN IT'S NOT FRIDAY?!
And here I thought I turned in all my essays, taken all my tests and quizzes, and finished all my meetings.
All my dreams are dead.
You turned down the 'role that's so famous, it's in famous' of the twitcher? Too bad. We miss JM hints in eppies. What extra role would you accept?
AmmoMonkey says:
Have you seen the latest poll on Gateworld? Fan's are voting for who they would most like to see in a 3rd Stargate movie. Personally I'd like to see a mixed SG1 SGA cast as I just love both teams so much and would love to see how they'd interact together.
What would be your personal preference for cast in a possible 3rd movie. Another purely SG1 movie or one that contained a mix of characters?
Dreams-of-Skies says:
MORNING JOE!!!!!!
Bright and early for me (though not perhaps as early as you seem to wake up – I'm such a darn nightowl!)and I've just read three days worth of blog from you. I admit I skipped a lot of "The Keep" discussion so I can read it for myself without having anything given away, though can you really blame me? Actually, don't answer that!
Your brain must be on the fritz to write: "You're turn!" I know from far too much experience that when I have too much going on my spelling and grammar is the first thing to go! Doesn't make it very helpful when I'm trying to write a fiction!
Good point on the ATA gene and Sheppard. Personally I can see a few routes for that line…and one that brings the Wraith back in somewhat. It's not fully fledged or anything but I'd be happy to make a gift of it to SG:A – I'll never do anything with it and maybe you'd find something in it. *shrugs* I know you can't read fanfic or accept pitches but a baseline that you then run with is different, right…?
Sorry to hear about the loss of the Budapest – it is always heart wrenching to lose a great little food place. Unfortunately, reading about all that luscious grub has got my stomach wanting fuel. *sigh* Every time, Joe, every freaking time….
Guess I'd best get breakfast…
Have a better day today and remember: It's WEDNESDAY today and TWO DAYS tot the weekend *hug*
iamza says:
lcshepp wrote:
Carl Binder commented in the latest SG1/SGA magazine that he would "like to see Sheppard have a darker edge to him, but it depends what the fans want."
I, too, would love to see a darker edge to Sheppard. For me, he's at his most interesting when he's forced to make difficult decisions, and then deal with the aftermath. I'd like to see him have to confront the consequences of his actions, though, instead of hiding behind sarcasm and dry wit.
Mind you, I'm hoping with Woolsey in charge, there'll be lots more friction in Atlantis, and maybe some more opportunities for dark Sheppard to come out. Woolsey doesn't strike me as having quite the same level-headed/clear-minded/seeing the big picture approach as either Weir or Carter. I think he'll be a much more reactive leader, and I don't think he'll have quite the same level of control over Sheppard as did either of Atlantis' previous commanders. Woolsey will say no, but Sheppard has a history of ignoring orders he doesn't like. And while Sheppard respected Weir and Carter enough to trust their command decisions, I don't think that same level of respect is going to extend to Woolsey…
Re: the all-women team, I'm hoping Teldy survives. Christina Cox is awesome.
2Shy says:
I guess a congratulations is in order, yours are the first and only blog I've ever read on a daily basis. First thing every morning I check out your new entry. That's a hell of an achievement. Be proud.
Since I'm a relativity new Stargate fan this is not only a good source of information but also a joy to read because of the quality in the writing you provide. I guess you don't spend that much time on this as you do on a script, or something else that your livelihood depends on, but the fact that you are a writer shines through never the less. So how much time do you spend on an entry here? Do you just hammer it out as we see it or do you spend time on rewriting and editing and stuff? And also do you need to use spell-check, or are you blessed in the lost art of correct spelling?
2Shy
Shirt'n'Tie says:
Hi Mr M!
Greetings from Tipperary! Yes, am back at base and reality. Left of centre question, whilst on the recent set-tour with the inimitable Mr N. John Smith, we toured Woolsey's Apartment in Atlantis. They had just shot a scene there, with Woolsey gazing out over the vast dominion of Atlantis. In the scene it is revealed that Woolsey is a wine buff or connoisseur of sorts. Here's my question, is he a merlot man or chiraz? Just curious.
Shirt'n'Tie
nadinenoordberger says:
Wouw, you are so busy. I keep wondering where you find the time to write this blog. I'm very happy you do!
Save that question for writer/director/producer Robert C. Cooper who'll be coming by to discuss The Ark of Truth with you the week of April 28th.
Yes! When you first told us he would stop by, i was concerned because i have not yet seen the movie. Release date here in the netherlands is 23.04.2008 so this will give me enough time to receive my DVD (wich I pre-orderd of course) and watch it.
firefly827347 says:
Hey Joe, I was wondering if Lorne will be getting a new uniform any time this season? He's still in the season 1-2 uniform while Sheppard has a black one. You'd think the second in command would get a bit of special treatment 😉
crazymom says:
What's Kate Hewlett doing over there these days? David says she's being annoying. She hasn't updated her blog lately, either, so maybe you could put out some sort of challenge to her and David Nykl. Maybe then at least one of them would post!
Sandwich says:
Can you please keep the working title of an episode, this time? "The Red Shirt Diaries" would be a great final title! 😉 (I'm still disappointed you didn't stick with "Delicious Fat Guy…)
There seems to be some concern over at Gateworld that this season could be quite Sheppard-light, mainly because he doesn't seem to have an episode focusing on him yet, like the others. Any chance you could give some hints to alleviate their concerns?
Could you please pass on a message to Alex Levine for me? I'm really missing his blog. Can't wait for him to get back to it. What he lacks in photos he more than makes up for in behind the scenes info and humour.
Amz says:
My week feels like that Joe. I thought yesterday and today were Thursday. I don't even know how 48 hours could end up feeling like the same day when neither were.
I finally got my package of The Keep and Empire of Ice Cream yesterday. I'm about half way through The Keep, so I should have some thoughts and comments ready by tomorrow (or maybe your Thursday, heh). So far so good (though I've had to skim your blog to avoid spoilers).
I hope tomorrow feels like Wednesday for you.
Amy/Amz
vinsfins says:
The Red Shirt Diaries? That doesn't sound good, all those poor one episode lackies that die for the advancement of plot.
Hey Joe, have you come up with suggestions for next months BOTM? I finally finished all my exams and am eager to start reading books that have nothing to do with Academia.
alipeeps says:
Interesting. Would the general concept be something similar to e.g. the ST:TNG episode "Below Decks"?
Nika says:
After reading the insanity that is your daily grind, I have to ask just how much coffee you consume on a daily basis? Or are you more of a red-bull caffine shooter? Tea? Single-malt? Bottle of vodka stuffed in the desk?
Or perhaps even the lesser known "Wodka" – a difficult to find beverage who's label proudly displays the tag line "tasts like real!"
Lord knows I'd be in need of a wobbly-pop after a day like that!
OneCheekyHobbit says:
"…we're going with mannequins, and glow sticks are go. Our main concern remains the fog."
Sounds like a party I've gone to. I'll grab the bottled water, and you find a good DJ!
Quit making your brain sound so delicious; I missed breakfast! 😛
Thanks for the info on "YPF"- this gives me more time to bug the local theatres to make sure they're playing it while reminding them of the importance of supporting Canadian arts! Mwah ha ha ha! Ahem…
I'm so excited to see Christina Cox and Nicole deBoer! It's funny- as much as I loved Nicole in "DS9", "Cube" and "the Dead Zone", as soon as I hear her name, I flash back to watching "Deepwater Black" on YTV when I was 12… Similarly, Christina Cox (who really does have an amazing confidence she seems to manage to bring to her roles- very neat), despite having seen her in several memorable performances more recently, always screams "Due South" to me. I wonder where I was going with this… oh well, I'm excited to see them was the idea, I think.
Not sure if they've done any work together since, but it'll be fun to see Nicole and David Hewlett together again- I haven't seen them in a scene together since "Cube" (which I re-watched recently and found to be as much of a creepy trip as I did the first time- I may not be big on horror/scary movies, but exceptions get made for "Cube". Well, and Bruce Campbell, but that's another thing entirely).
"We spent the afternoon spinning Carl's idea, a story Alan is calling 'The Red Shirt Diaries'."
Sounds like fun, provided it doesn't open with David Duchovny and his trusty dog checking the mail… 🙂
lis says:
I've enjoyed your summaries of what you've been doing at work. You are quite possibly the only person I "know" who makes me feel not busy. 😀 ha ha.
But really, I enjoy it.
Eva K says:
"I know you've commented on it in the past, but I was wondering about your opinion on Ender's Game."
-Yeah, actually because of your earlier recommendation, I started reading that series and was very very happy with it so thank you!
Also: If you begon shooting Whispers next Tuesday (or friday, depending on whether your 'tuesday=friday' thing keeps up) when can we expect pictures?
No worries about the consusion of days, it happens to me all the time when the beginning of the week has been insanely busy. In fact, you should take comfort in it, because it just means you've gotten a lot done in a short time. Kudos!
Iamjohn says:
Do people ever start looking at you weird for pulling the camera out at random times, or are they used to it by now?
Who would have thought that the technicalities of something as intangible as fog could cause so much trouble?
Not knowing anything about special effects, but is it possible to layer fog?
A low base of heavy fog which clings to the floor, then a lighter layer that allows more detail of the actor to be seen but not enough for them to be identified or for the illusion to be transpicuous?
Reading your blog has given me an insight and an appreciation of the different people and departments that have to work together to pull off a series like SGA.
Raindrop says:
"Carl Binder commented in the latest SG1/SGA magazine that he would "like to see Sheppard have a darker edge to him, but it depends what the fans want"
Ooh, I'm a fan and I'd love to see Sheppard with a darker edge. With Sheppard's previous darker moments like Miller's Crossing, Joe Flanigan has always managed to show what Sheppard's ruthlessness costs him emotionally, so that streak of cold determination makes the character more interesting but no less likable.
But bummer about not pursuing Sheppard's string ATA gene. Not only is that (to me at least) a very interesting aspect of Sheppard, but also stories expanding on his ATA gene might have shown us more about Atlantis too.
You know, though, if you guys want a break from being all thinky and deep, have you considered an episode called 'Sheppard and Ronon Lie on the Beach and Get a Tan While All Their Shirts Are in the Laundry'?
Yay! Anne Teldy is back in the saddle. Nice to see you again now what do you want us to call you? is it still Anne or are you gonna be Kelly, so much choice huh? either way its great to see you back here and I hope your progress continues.
shiningwit
stargate_geek says:
YEAH! BECKETT'S QUARTERS!!!!!!!!!! *Does a happy dance*
Tango says:
"2. Is the natural assumption then that these women will be running around screaming, in various states of undress, being pursued by a knife-wielding maniac?"
You mean you're considering having fully clothed women on the show? The Stargate franchise really has gone downhill since Children of the Gods…
YAYAYYAYAYYYYY!!!!
Does the Happy Happy Teldy Kelly Dance! Woohoo, Anne is back!
Much commiseration on your incarceration.
I'm glad it's not just me who thought it was Friday yesterday. I have been running like a maniac the past two days!
So either we've both lost it or we're just brilliant people who can't manage to squeeze everything into two days without a defense mechanism. 🙂
freidag says:
So according to Martin Gero, no more pursuing the "mythology" of the ancient gene. Can you comment on this Joe?
If true, I guess it's just another disappointment Sheppard fans will have to live with in Season 5.
No Sheppard centric episodes in the first half of the season, no ancient gene setting Sheppard apart, no development or romance for Keller…oh, wait, that part's not right!
Felkin says:
If the Screen Actors Guild decide to strike, how badly affected would Atlantis be, and have you planned for this?
Ok I missed it somewhere, what is a twitcher? unless its the obvious, someone who twitches?duh? and I can relate to the day zone out thingy, and playing conference room tag has to be exhilarating. I saw in a junk mag, they even have a clock now that just says the days instead of time, so you at least know what day it is even if you lack the date! So when is tax day(april 15th)(us)(if you have one) in Canada?
dasNdanger says:
"Red Shirt Diaries"…all for it, as long as it has nothing to do with killing more of those guys with the purty white hair and spiffy leather coats. 😉
But if RSD is a reflection of all the Lanteans who have lost their lives over the series – THAT could be very interesting, and very touching. Would look forward to something like that – as long as there was a little humor to offset such a sad subject.
Dark Sheppard – Would LOVE this. However…again, not at the expense of my favorite characters. Besides, we've already seen his dark side when dealing with his enemies (Bob's murder, for instance, and his willingness to double-cross potential allies, like the Genii in Coup D'Etat, and Todd in The Seer).
I'd prefer to see Shep's darker side when dealing with HIS OWN. Perhaps that pesky ATA gene could play a part. Maybe I am alone in this, but I hate the Ancients. I find them arrogant, self-centered beings that lack compassion and a sense of humor. It's all about THEM, and their odorless poo. 😉 If Sheppard has such a strong gene, well…perhaps he could start showing some of that Ancient arrogance, especially in the face of his superiors. However, he'd HAVE to show some humility and remorse for the character to remain likeable (actually, most of this has been done – maybe it just needs to be taken up a notch).
Also, Todd's suggestion that Sheppard is more like Wraith than he realizes (coupled with that 'brothers' remark) could be an interesting side of him to explore. Sheppard has out-Wraithed the Wraith (as I've discussed here, so won't repeat myself):
http://forum.gateworld.net/showthread.php?t=52366
He's as conniving and deceitful as they come. And he's got a hot little head. One of my favorite Shepisodes was Conversion – I just REALLY loved seeing his aggression towards fellow teammates, instead of against an enemy (which is to be expected). Seeing a bit more of this side of him would be interesting.
(As a fan of comic book Wolverine, I think what I have in mind is the classic animal/man struggle that Wolverine goes through, often at the expense of his relationship with fellow teammates. It makes the character darker – more isolated and less understood – but yet somehow more sympathetic to the audience, ESPECIALLY if we get to see a tender side to the character as well…perhaps something the other characters are not privy to. For instance – what if we saw Sheppard in a moment of intense frustration (but for no good reason) haul off and flatten Ronon with one mighty blow, then retreat to his room, where he punches the wall and curses himself, and then sinks to the ground, remorseful head in cradling hands? We would be shocked by his aggression, but feel compassion for him at seeing his response to his own, shocking action. That's the sort of inner struggle I'd like to see – where he shows fellow characters one thing on the outside, but shows the audience something else on the inside.)
Yeah – rambling way too much about this…
Sparrow_hawk says:
O.K, here goes: my first participation in the BOTM club. I'm not sure if it belongs here or should be retroactively posted under JM's review, but as this is the most current section of the blog, I'll post it here.
THE KEEP is the type of horror that I can appreciate: far-removed enough in time and location that I can enjoy the terror of the characters vicariously and not find myself obsessively looking in the back seat of the car before I get in and peeking under the bed before I can go to sleep.
I first read THE KEEP in the 1980's. I picked it up because it appeared to be a WWII horror novel about vampires. It wasn't. But I liked it well enough then that I kept the paperback (the same 1982 edition pictured in JM's blog) all these years, and I can say that I enjoyed reading it this time as much as I did the first. Enough time has passed that I had forgotten the story.
One of the things I like best about the novel is that it is not your average tale of good vs. evil. Those characters that are not irredeemably evil are very human and firmly in the moral "gray zone". I prefer my characters there; they tend to be less predictable and more interesting. Even the hero, Glenn, is not entirely good; he is simply there to counter the true evil of Rasalom by whatever means necessary. He kills without remorse and takes what he needs to achieve what he must.
In the German camp, Kaempffer is your stereotypical evil SS officer and provides a necessary contrast to Woermann's weary, old-school soldier. The character I really pity is Woermann, clinging to the past and helplessly hoping that his nation will not continue to be duped by Hitler.
Cuza succumbs to Molasar's temptation as most people in his circumstances would, so I was not particularly surprised or disappointed by his actions.
Looking back on things, I see a strong similarity between the way Germany embraced Hitler and his promises to restore them to glory and the way that Cuza succumbs to Molasar's offer to cure his illness and rescue his daughter and his country.
The only truly good character is Magda, the dutiful daughter who has sacrificed her life to care for her father and has the moral strength to resist Molasar. She is *so* good that I half-expected the author to reveal some paranormal or superhuman aspect to the character.
Even on the second reading, the author managed to fool me with Molasar. I was completely taken in – again. I was expecting an uber-vampire, not "the ultimate evil". After a while I became a bit numb to the grisly, graphic murders of the soldiers, but what really chilled me was the way Molasar undermined Cuza's most basic beliefs and used Cuza's desire to do good to ultimately corrupt him.
As a fan of H. P. Lovecraft, Clark Ashton Smith, Robert E. Howard and the Cthulhu mythos, I got a kick out of the references to the Unaussprechlichen Kulten, De Vermis Mysteriis, the Pnakotic Manuscripts and other legendary texts of unspeakable evil which were created by those authors and somehow found their way into THE KEEP.
In summary, I loved THE KEEP. I'm glad I kept it around for the last 20 years; it is deserving of its continued place in my collection.
I wish I had more substantial questions, but I'll have to settle for these:
1. Is the location and structure of THE KEEP based on reality? Your depiction is so vivid; is there a place you have seen that inspired you to write the tale?
2. Is the parallel between Hitler and Molasar intentional, or am I reading more into it than was originally intended, as I so often do?
Sparrow_hawk
the first Lily says:
Thanks for the pics, Joe.
freidag said: "So according to Martin Gero, no more pursuing the "mythology" of the ancient gene. Can you comment on this Joe?
I agree that exploring John's strong ATA gene would've been great, but… I wouldn't call this a dissapointment if other possible stories related to Shep are persued. The ATA gene is just one of the possible stories. It's not like the gene is the only possible development for John out there… As long as we get some Shep centric stuff somewhere in the season, I don't care if it's about the ATA gene or not.
freidag also said: "No Sheppard centric episodes in the first half of the season, no ancient gene setting Sheppard apart, no development or romance for Keller…oh, wait, that part's not right!"
I don't understand what Keller has to do with this. Are the development for two different characters mutually exclusive?
I don't agree that not following the ATA gene mythology anymore is necessarily a disappointment. I don't agree that developing other characters besides John means it's impossible to develop John (i.e., I have no problem with Rodney, Ronon, Teyla, Jennifer, Woolsey and others getting character development). It's possible to develop several characters at the same time and it's possible to develop John without putting an emphasis on his gene, IMHO.
However, as a Joe Flanigan fan myself, I do think that the lack of news regarding anything related to John is getting worrisome. So far the only things we've heard/seen about Shep is John on his knees in a hive ship (behind the scenes pic posted by Joe here, from Broken Ties) and the mention that John goes offworld with Carson and the all-female team in this other episode.
I don't want to sound obnoxious or anything, but if it weren't for the official press release that mentioned Joe Flanigan as one of the returning regulars, I would assume he has only signed for a couple of episodes and we won't find out about this until s5 starts airing and he's not in the opening credits anymore.
I understand if Joe Flanigan said "no" to posting pics of him on this blog this year. Just a line saying this would be apreciated.
I understand if releasing news about his story arc would be too spoilerish. But just saying something like "Sheppard will have a story arc but I won't talk about it because of spoilers concerns" would be enough too.
It's just the complete lack of news about anything related to Shep that concerns me and I'm starting to think that the character is not in the show anymore. 🙁
Had Joe Flanigan signed for only a few episodes in s5, the press release would have said so, right?
*starts to panic*
Forgot to post about this in my previous post…
I enjoy all aspects concerning Shep. I love his sense of humor and lighter side, and I also love his darker side, and I'd love to see more of it.
Raindrop said: "With Sheppard's previous darker moments like Miller's Crossing, Joe Flanigan has always managed to show what Sheppard's ruthlessness costs him emotionally, so that streak of cold determination makes the character more interesting but no less likable."
I completely agree. I loved those scenes in Miller's Crossing.
And I love the scenes where we can see his military side highlighted, such as The Storm/The Eye, First Strike, etc.
So, IMHO, bring more dark Shep 🙂
Rebekah says:
At the risk of appearing stupid, I have been so busy I don't regularly visit your blog – so I was wondering, how do I find out what BOTM you are currently reading? I have been skimming through previous entries – and cannot find it. Probably because my head has been spinning lately and trying to survive an application rollout at my firm.
Oh, and Nicole deBoer – YES!!!! I was heartbroken when DS9 was canceled, because she was so wonderful (and I'm a huge DS9 fan in general!). You better NOT kill her character off!
Cherish4 says:
Dear Lord Joe, I'm exhausted just reading about your day! 😕
Oh and "Beckett's Quarters" – woohoo! 🙂
madtricks says:
Will there be an episode in season 5 that will deal heavily on the zero point module like The Brotherhood in season 1? If not, than will you follow up on the Weir list of Ancient outposts containing ZPMs from Before I sleep in Season 5?
Belouchi says:
I was wondering if you can dedicate todays or tomorrows blog to me and the undergad students taking finals at Mcgill. Thanks man.
I would also like to take this opportunity to ask you a question that has been on my mind ever since the end of season 3 of Atlantis. Will the Atlantis heroes ever repair and comandeer the downed Wraith Cruiser located in the bottom of the Lantean planet's ocean?
Leesa Perrie says:
Joe Love the photos, sorry to hear your day was so hectic! Have you got the blonde gene maybe? (And before people get offended, I myself am blonde – and can take a joke!!)
Hope the fog situation is sorted to your liking soon. Tricky stuff by the sounds of it!
Anne Teldy (Kelly) – Welcome back! So glad you're online again and really hope your health continues to improve. Shame about the lack of privacy and awful food though. You'd think they'd do something about it.
Airelle Whilst I can't say for sure what Joe means by twitcher, in the birding world this term is used for a person who is so serious about bird-watching, he/she will travel miles to spot a rare bird.
Leesa Perrie
dignan50yp says:
[b]freidag also said: "No Sheppard centric episodes in the first half of the season, no ancient gene setting Sheppard apart, no development or romance for Keller…oh, wait, that part's not right!"
I don't understand what Keller has to do with this. Are the development for two different characters mutually exclusive?[/b]
I think the poster was trying to make a sarcastic point that it's very frustrating to see all the development and episodes this season for a new full time character, Keller, while being given no information on Sheppard except for the possible rumor that his character is being detracted from on the issue of the ATA gene. Of course if I'm wrong Freidag, please tell me.
It's very frustrating to hear nothing on Sheppard despite all the pleas but if that wonderful "Flan off the menu" comment posted a couple of days ago by a fan didn't get a response on Sheppard, I seriously doubt anything anyone says could do the trick.
Jen K. says:
I don't know if I've said this before, but I was watching Atlantis last night and it bothered me. If Woolsey is the new head honcho, he'd need to be taken seriously. In my opinion, he should switch to one of the other color uniforms. The red uniform (the grey with red paneling) makes him look girly.
Fargate One says:
MrsB108 says:
1)With what's known so far for Season Five, who has the darkest moment approaching?
2)Will Woolsey implement any rules or regulations that the Atlantis staff finds outrageous?
YO Teldy glad to hear ya! keep getting better!!!
Robert C. Cooper says:
I really loved The Keep. It was one of the books I read as a kid that inspired me to both read more and eventually write. My father recommended it. Like the time he took me to see Jaws at the tender age of seven, it's not that he wanted to damage my psyche. He just wanted to share his own sense of excitement at being thrilled. As a boy, he had been terrified by movies like The Thing and The Blob. (Of course now, by today's standards, those movies are laughably tame.) But to this day he still loves books and movies with a dark, adventurous edge. Most of all, he loves stories that deal with ultimate battles between good and evil. So, back then, at his urging, I read the first few chapters of The Keep and quickly put it down. Possibly because I had a small square door in my closet that lead to an inner closet that of course, I never ventured into despite the fact that most of my toys were in there. That damn light bulb always seemed to be burned out. Anyway, my dad continued trying to encourage me to finish the book, suggesting it would be well worth it. More than a year later I did and it was. Not only did I love the story but I felt pretty good about facing my own fear and getting past it. That's what the best scary adventure stories do for us as people. They allow us to explore our fears, imagine ourselves surviving terrifying situations, being a hero and triumphing over evil. Also, at some level, I think we all like seeing scenarios in which bad things happen to bad people. For the record, as some have already mentioned, the other thing I loved about the The Keep was the fact that, while it was a classic story about good and evil, many other shades of grey in between were also portrayed. I just wanted to take the opportunity to say thank you to Mr. Wilson for his talent and efforts and for inspiring me as a writer. My question for him is, how do you judge the success of each of your individual works and how has time changed your opinion of your work over the years if at all? Finally, I think this is worth asking since so many people have brought it up. My question to Joe and his blog-readers is: Do you think there has EVER been a movie based on a book that has been better than the source material? List and discuss if you like. I'm curious. I really love movies and I think not … except in one case with apologies to Peter Benchley who still deserves a massive amount of credit for writing the original story that has kept me out of the ocean my entire life.
When are we going to know if there will be a season 6 atlantis?
Anne Teldy no longer MIA with the fog monster….whooo!
Nice to see you back Anne. Flagyl is a really good broad spectrum antibiotic, it should do the trick.
Glad to hear they're looking after you…apart from the food that is!
Woooo!! Welcome back Anne Teldy/Kelly!! Great to know that your health has improved, though you have my sympathies at staying at such an…annoying place, hehe.
caty says:
Joe, can you please not ignore this? I think I'm speaking on behalf of a lot of people.
Can you please just tell us why there are no spoilers on Sheppard available whatsoever?
1. Was this a conscious decision and nobody is supposed to talk about it?
2. Is it the fans?
3. Are we just reading things into something that is not there?
Plleeeeeaaaaseee, just give us something…
Randomness says:
Well done with Whispers!!
libkat says:
Please reassure me that Ronan's dreadlock wig wasn't made by the same people who made the Dorky Daniel look for Moebius. That thing make Michael Shanks look like he had a dead ferret on his head.
Welcome back Anne! I'd like to ask the same question as Shiningwit (almost spelt it shingwit again!), what would you prefer to be called?
It's great to see Robert C. Cooper dropping in. Thanks Robert! It's interesting to read your viewpoint and also the amazing role that your Dad had in your childhood and the continuing influence.
Sorry to hear about your Jaws phobia. Guess that rules out Australia as a holiday destination? So I won't tell you about the time I was surfing and ….
One book(s) to movie(s) that I found was comparable was the Lord of the Rings trilogy.
The choice to use the amazing scenery of NZ rather than just effects gave it that true feel of Middle Earth. The attention to detail in the costumes again added realism to the characters.
Despite some initial apprehension of how on Middle Earth they were going to pull it off, they did a fantastic job.
Also, the Harry Potter films have done well in their adaptation of the books. The four main characters are so incredibly like the books it's rather spooky. When dealing with the level of fantasy you have in Harry Potter, it will always be difficult to match that on screen, but so far they have done well.
Sorry about the lack of articulation – coffee required.
Have a good day everyone.
Sorry to write another comment, but I think you made a mistake. Where on your book list you have "The Adroid's Dream, John Scalzi", I think it should be "The A*N*droid's Dream, John Scalzi."
Nice book selections too by the way!
marielabbott says:
The Shrine spoilers sounded like the most promising episode to me of season five so far–until I realized it involves an illness, which will probably involve Keller. I really disliked the McKay/Keller romance last season; will there be hints of it this season? Will Keller be in The Shrine?
Friday is coming, slowly, but surely. Take care.
To Anne Teldy: It's about TIME Woman. We've been worried. Not a lot we can do to help with the food. But as for the old people, start learning their names. When one wanders in, simply say "Hey, I'm glad you came in! S0-and-So is looking for you." You can vary this with "The nurse's aide was just asking about you, something about enema/medicine/missing silverware. You'll have the fun of causing a modest amount of chaos, and who knows? Some of the elderly have amazing stories to tell. Some are sad, but others are inspirational. Anything that helps take your mind off the food. Welcome back, and please don't leave us in the dark for so long in the future.
Ohulan says:
Being most likley related to a less couragous breed of the poultry family I don't like reading scary books so can't comment on the The Keep. I watched a Freddie Crouger movie when I was about 12 and had nightmares for weeks! and despite now knowing how silly (although very grusome) those movies were I think I may have been put off of the hooror genre for life, although I will brave the Atlantis episode in the hopes it will trill rather than have me hiding behind my cusions.
Is there any likely hood of Martin Gero popping in again at some time to answer questions about his episodes i.e. First contact/the tribe?
Trish (aka whovian) says:
What do you mean it's not Friday yet?
I'm with Thornyrose Anne (sorry to be posting again Joe). The oldies have some great stories!
We were at my Gran's hostel 24/7 for 3 days while waiting for the inevitable.
She was in the dementia ward and there were some great characters.
Good old Frank.
He was a sailor from WWII. Still thought he was. He would stop to have a chat about what it is like to be a sailor.. without any pants on.
So we would take him back to his room, which turned out to be someone else's room. Then he would proceed to chat up the poor lady innocently sitting in the chair of HER room.
As much as Frank was still in the 1940's he knew what was going on. And I loved the way he would pop his head into my Gran's room and ask "Is Gwen going to be ok?"
Didn't have the heart to tell him, but he knew.
RCC said: My question to Joe and his blog-readers is: Do you think there has EVER been a movie based on a book that has been better than the source material?
For me all of these (just a few off the top of my head, there's many more):
JAWS, agreed, absolutely one of my all-time fave movies; 2001 A Space Odyssey; The Princess Bride; The Lord of the Rings trilogy was awesomely done; the Harry Potter adaptions have done the books justice; my fave Stephen King adaption, hands down, is the TV miniseries The Stand, 2nd fave was the original TV adaption of Salem's Lot. I have seen EVERY Dracula movie EVER made, and my fave one starred more fave actors Gary Oldman & Anthony Hopkins. Moving out of the regular genres usually discussed here, tough reading but I LOVED The Scarlet Pimpernel TV adaption starring Anthony Andrews; The Three Musketeers version starring Michael York etc (I really miss Oliver Reed) & Man in the Iron Mask starring Jeremy Irons etc; the Pride & Prejudice adaption done by the BBC a few years ago, as well as one called North & South starring fave actor Richard Armitage. There was a TV miniseries The Mists of Avalon (loved the books) that I liked enough to buy the DVD. Also Sam Neill's Merlin, and Sean Connery's First Knight (loosely based on those stories).
Again, just a few I can think of now. My list of disappointments (movie not living up to the book) is much larger, unfortunately. Biggest one sticking in my craw at the moment is the horrendous movie Seeker (despite Ian McShane), based on Susan Cooper's Dark is Rising series- LOVED the books. Hate the movie.
Robert C. Cooper Said:
My question to Joe and his blog-readers is: Do you think there has EVER been a movie based on a book that has been better than the source material?
Hey Rob!
Great question. Hmmm….better than the source? That's gonna be difficult. While I loved the novella Rita Hayworth and The Shawshank Redemption I thought the film was brilliant.
Also Picnic at Hanging Rock – an Aussie classic. For those that haven't seen or read it the book was written by Joan Lindsey, the film directed by Peter Weir. It's about a group of schoolgirls that mysteriously disappear at Hanging Rock. The performances and score give it a really haunting feel.
I also have to agree with others about Jaws. Peter Benchley wrote a killer story but man that movie really creeped me out.
Oh and would I be a suck if I mentioned Stargate SG1? Way better than the original movie guys :-D.
Just a few from me. I'll be interested to know how others feel.
dasNdanger Said:
Oooh Das, that's perfect. I'd love to see some emotional torment.
AV eddy says:
Hi Joe!
Welcome back, Anne Teldy!!!!! Keep on keeping on!
I totally agree with the many fans who've expressed a desire 😉 for Dark!Shep or more about the ATA gene (R.I.P.). Anything to do with Shep is good for me – though I love the show because of the entire cast of characters.
Raindrop said, "You know, though, if you guys want a break from being all thinky and deep, have you considered an episode called 'Sheppard and Ronon Lie on the Beach and Get a Tan While All Their Shirts Are in the Laundry'?"
I could really get behind (in front, on top of) that idea! 😀
Super-wonderful thanks to everyone who wished me and my fellow bicycling compadres good luck with our charity bicycle ride this past weekend. The weather was cooperative, the sun was shining, the traffic was tolerable, the food was good, and the beer was cold! Can't ask for too much else, eh? (Please forgive that I haven't had time to go through and list everyone by name. I saw all of the wonderful comments and thanked you personally in my heart.)
I've really enjoyed reading the reviews of The Keep. It's a book I've been interested in since seeing the commercials for the movie back in the '80s. Unfortunately, then as now, I get too scared reading/seeing horror books/movies, so the reviews have helped me learn the story without the problematic scared nights/nightmares. 🙂