Your intrepid editor’s Season 5 DVD box set arrived today, and the first things watched were the deleted scene featurettes. Since those weren’t detailed in the published content description, here’s a rundown of what’s in the deleted scene specials.
All the scenes are unfinished in terms of music, sound, and visual effects, but they are still very fun to watch. The features and many of the scenes are introduced by Martin Gero, and other writers as well as stunt coordinator James Bamford introduce scenes they wrote or were involved in.
Part 1, Disc 4
Search and Rescue — Three scenes introducing Capt. Alicia Vega as a new character were shortened or cut for time and momentum. In the first, Vega approaches Carter to complain that she’s been there a week and hasn’t been assigned to a team. She comes on strong, and Carter ends up putting her in her place. The second scene is a longer version of Vega taking out the Wraith Dart with her machine gun; in the longer scene, Vega takes some credit for the lucky shot. Martin Gero feels Stargate is far too heterosexual, so he wanted Vega to be a lesbian. But, since Keller was the only single female on the show (really?), it had to be Keller that Vega went for. So the third cut scene is Vega chatting up Keller about what there is to do for fun on Atlantis, and finally asking Keller if she can buy her a drink later. Keller tells her yes, if she can get free. Keller seems very puzzled by the offer.
Broken Ties — The scene shown is a much longer version of the fight scene between Ronon and Tyre, with Sheppard holding off Wraith with his gun.
The Seed — The cut scene has Sheppard, Teyla and Ronon discuss Woolsey just after their first conference room meeting with him. Teyla and Ronon decidedly don’t like him, and Sheppard is left to say it could be a lot worse, and that Woolsey is still new. Ronon is not convinced Woolsey will get any better.
The Shrine — Brad Wright had written a scene to help set up Stargate Universe that got cut. In it, Zelenka catches Rodney in the corridor on his way to the mission where he gets infected. Zelenka tries to tell Rodney that the ninth chevron may enable one to travel millions of light years across the universe, rather than only across a galaxy. Rodney rejects the idea completely The scene ends with a funny exchange between Teyla and Ronon, who have been watching the discussion.
Part 2, Disc 5
Whispers — The scene, introduced by Joe Mallozzi, is a much longer version of the one where Carson is packing to leave Atlantis to be a roving doctor, and Rodney argues against it. It includes Carson saying he wants to take his turtles with him, and Rodney being sad to hear it, then pitifully describing their natures, since the clone Carson had never really owned them. Carson relents and lets Rodney keep the turtles, named Jeffrey and Michelle. Then Sheppard arrives, as he did in the final scene as aired.
Remnants — Joe Mallozzi introduces an entire cut scene in which Shen questions Woolsey on all the mistakes she feels he has made, such as not killing Keller when she was infected with the Wraith contagion, permitting Ronon to remain free after swearing allegiance to the Wraith, and allowing the Replicators to establish a corporeal form on Atlantis. Woolsey describes how and why he had to stop going “by the book” to run the city. Woolsey gets the upper hand in the war of words.
Brain Storm — Gero introduces the three scenes that were cut for time. First is a short walk-and-talk between Sheppard and Ronon on the way to the cafeteria, in which they argue about the value of playing video games, with Ronon in the “against” category. Sheppard assures Ronon there won’t be any video games on the surfing planet. The second scene is an interchange between Rodney and Tunney, in front of the white board, talking about a potential solutions to their predicament. The third cut scene is Bill Nye actually being himself in a scene he wrote, talking to the audience about how science fiction reminds us that we can work together to solve our real-life planetary problems.
Stay tuned for more tidbits as we watch the box set. The special in filming Vegas was the next thing I watched, and it was incredibly awesome.
