News, spoilers and updates in the Stargate world
We’ve extracted excerpts of ten recent interviews of SG-1 cast and crew, past and present, from the Stargate Official Magazine. Here are direct links to each:
Daniel Dares
Judge for Yourself
Got Carter
Creating Cameron
Vala Unveiled
Taking a Beau
Fraiser’s Unfaded
Noble Prize
Sha’re Shares
The Write Director
Enjoy, and be sure to pick up the March/April 06 Official Magazine Yearbook from Titan Magazines, which has the full interviews and many exclusive photos.
The theme of April 17th’s Sci Fi SG-1 marathon was “Those Darned Russians”; it featured four eps with Jack’s favorite comrades. Once again, there were interview snippets interspersed through the episodes. Thanks once more to Elyse from SG1_spoilme, here are the transcripts of those mini-interviews.
Early on in the show’s run, we didn’t get to see a lot of the concept drawings, so the director would say ‘there’s a big ship, a BIG huge ship,’ so what you imagine is like a big ship, but we would see the final cut and it would be MONSTROUS. It would eclipse the horizon and so we learned early on, we had to kind of imagine bigger and better and I think that made us better as actors.
I think Richard Dean Anderson is so specifically identified with the show that, you know, when I said I was coming to join the cast of Stargate, they’d say ‘oh, the one with Richard Dean Anderson,’ and to turn up and have him not be here, it’s kind of weird, and even more peculiar to have Ben [Browder] in his place, for want of a better word, but he is someone as an actor and a character who can’t ever really be replaced.
God, we had one great location which was the sand dunes of Richmond which gave us this whole otherworldly feel, gave us back to our grassroots of the original Stargate movie, has unfortunately been developed. We’ve been doing the show so long we’ve actually watched the city grow over our locations that we started off in. The GVRD – which was our go-to place which is the Greater Vancouver Regional District Water Reservoir – and that’s gone by the wayside too, so we’re kind of running out – it’s odd to say in British Columbia – we’re running out of forest to shoot in.
I love it when it’s the four of us going off, wreaking havoc in the universe. And all of our little idiosyncrancies and dysfunctions coming together in, you know, a crisis moment and how we deal with it, how the interpersonal relationships play. I love it when there’s an episode about all four of us. Those are kind of my favorite stories. Of course now it will be all five of us. Six, if you count Beau. It just keeps getting bigger and bigger and bigger…
U.S. Sci Fi Channel viewers were treated to (or subjected to, depending on your point of view) a “Shipper Themed Four-Play” for the SG-1 marathon on Monday April 3. Sci Fi showed four shippy episodes; interspersed through them were short interviews with the cast about the Jack/Sam ship or ship in general, with relevant scenes flashing on the screen under the voiceover.
Thanks to Elyse at the sg1_spoilme group, we have transcriptions of each of the actor’s answers to the “Jack/Sam ship” question:
“Initially I thought it was kind of fun to play, and then I started to resent it because I didn’t want Sam to ‘the girl’ pining for ‘the guy’ and make it about that where it got in the way of what an incredible, strong and smart and savvy character she was. Obviously there’s a huge attraction between the two characters so now that the commanding officer is not in her direct chain of command, she can… maybe she can have some with him.” (big grin)
“Shippers seem to exist for every show. Short for relationshippers, so, that raises the O’Neill-Carter question. I think that one of the great things about doing television is you can deviate away from just action, just talking and you know you also have the personal interaction, the romance, which can go on at the same time. I love that, but I don’t know whether we’re going to be seeing any out of Mitchell this year.”
“Do you give the fans everything they’ve been asking for and everything they wanted and will they be satisfied? Obviously I haven’t been here personally to follow and track the potential relationship between O’Neill and Sam Carter, so the general rule is that the minute the characters consummate their unresolved sexual tension, it’s resolved… if television revolves around drama, you’ve lost your tension and your drama right there, so it’s tricky to keep that spark.”
“For all you shippers out there. I find it interesting, because I don’t think Teal’c actually realized that Sam was a woman until like Season Four, so the whole relationship between Sam and Jack I think was lost on Teal’c. I think Teal’c is fairly confident that he’s going to wind up with Jack in the end. Wouldn’t that be funny? Wouldn’t that be funny for episode 300 that Teal’c and Jack get married? And produce a symbiote?” (lots of laughter).
We can only hope this particular theme is not a portent of things to come in Season 10, but, coupled with Ms. Tapping’s encouragement of shippers at the recent Creation Convention in Vancouver, it seems the writing is on the screen. We look forward to other upcoming “Themed Four-Play” Mondays; it can only get better from here.
From Sci Fi Wire comes the welcome news that David Hewlett did indeed film his own movie script during the Stargate Atlantis haitus. He had mentioned planning to do so during recent interviews. From SCI FI Wire:
Atlantis’ Hewlett Directs His Pals
Stargate Atlantis star David Hewlett, who plays the irascible genius Rodney McKay, told SCI FI Wire that he has enlisted fellow Atlantis stars and crew members to work on his independent feature film, A Dog’s Breakfast, in which he makes his feature writing and directing debut. The movie centers on squabbling siblings Patrick and Marilyn, who are driven over the edge when Marilyn brings home her new TV-star fiancé from the space soap opera Starcrossed. Patrick tries to drive a wedge between the happy couple … then he reaches for sharper instruments.
In addition to Hewlett, the movie features Atlantis co-stars Rachel Luttrell (Teyla) and Paul McGillion (Dr. Beckett), as well as Stargate SG-1 star Christopher Judge (Teal’c). The film’s crew includes Stargate producer John G. Lenic, cinematographer Jim Menard and an amalgamation of the Atlantis and SG-1 shooting crews. The cast also includes Amanda Byram. Hewlett is also working with his real-life partner, producer Jane Loughman, and his sister, actress Kate Hewlett.
Is the film’s storyline a thinly disguised version of Hewlett’s own life? “Let’s just say that it’s based on a true story,” he said in an e-mail interview. “Starcrossed is just an excuse to see Rachel (Luttrell) dressed as a sexy alien again, as it’s been far too long.”
A Dog’s Breakfast is wrapping production, which took place in and around Vancouver, Canada, where the two Stargate series also film. The movie does not have distribution yet. “At the end of February, we should have a cut of the movie together and will start sending it out to festivals and for distribution,” producer Lenic said.
Does A Dog’s Breakfast mean Hewlett really wants to direct? “All I really want right now is a holiday,” he said. Stargate Atlantis airs Fridays at 9 p.m. ET/PT, immediately after Stargate SG-1.
Gateworld has obtained a synopsis of the movie’s plot and some wonderful production photos. Enjoy those at Gateworld.
We’ve created a full transcript of the already-released February 2006 Sci Fi Magazine Q&A that used questions submitted by fans. Included in our article are all the print and on-line Q&A’s for Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis, arranged by cast and crew member.
Enjoy the Q&A here!
Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis return with full casts, plus one
FROM SCIFI WIRE: SG-1 Adds Black As Regular
Claudia Black (Farscape) joins the regular cast of SCI FI Channel’s original series Stargate SG-1 in its upcoming 10th season, and the principal cast members of both SG-1 and its spinoff series, Stargate Atlantis, have signed on to reprise their roles in the recently announced new seasons, the network said.
Black, who plays the recurring role of Vala in SG-1‘s current ninth season, becomes a regular, joining stars Ben Browder, Amanda Tapping, Christopher Judge, Michael Shanks and Beau Bridges, who will all return.
Meanwhile, Joe Flanigan, Torri Higginson, David Hewlett, Rachel Luttrell, Paul McGillion and Jason Momoa will all return to Stargate Atlantis.
Stargate SG-1 becomes the longest-running SF drama on U.S. television and will mark its 200th episode in the upcoming season.
SG-1 wraps up its ninth season with new episodes starting on Jan. 6, 2006, paired with the final new second-season episodes of Atlantis and new episodes of Battlestar Galactica.
[Thanks to Aurora for the tip — DeeKayP]
We’ve posted excerpts from the July 2005 TV Zone Special #64 interviews with Robert Cooper, Chris Judge, and Amanda Tapping. Check out their early feelings about Season 9 here:
Nine Lives: Robert Cooper
You Be The Judge: Christopher Judge
Maternal Instinct: Amanda Tapping
Enjoy!
The Women of SciFi Calendar is a joint project between photographer Chris Judge and producer Michael Shanks. The two have been showing exciting previews of the accompanying DVD at recent convention appearances. The calendar and DVD will feature Brandy Ledford, Lexa Doig, Erica Durance, Laura Bertram, Rachel Luttrell, Ona Grauer, and Teryl Rothery. The calendar is available for pre-orders now:
Please note, the current web order form does not use encryption (https) so it is risky to send your credit card information, as it may be intercepted along the way. It might be prudent to wait for the secure PayPal option. Edited to add: apparently the site will be secure starting August 27. We suggest you not order before then. Thanks SueB for that info.
Thanks to Elyse at sg1_spoilme for the tip.
Main regular cast members for Season 9
Michael Shanks – returning as Dr. Daniel Jackson
Christopher Judge – returning as Teal’c
Ben Browder – joining the cast as Lt. Col “M.M”
Recurring cast members
Amanda Tapping – recurring as Lt. Col Samantha Carter for 15 episodes
Claudia Black – recurring as the alien Vala for a 5-episode story arc
Daniel and Teal’c
“Fans of both Daniel and Teal’c should be very happy with the back half of SG-1’s 8th season. Prometheus Unbound, Full Alert, Reckoning I and II, Threads, and Moebius I and II promise some major developments for both characters (and, incidentally, allow Michael to flex his comedic muscles more than a couple of times). DJ and Teal’c will have their hands full in the second half of season eight, and that’s a trend that will continue through season nine (and hopefully beyond) as the developments/revelations from the aforementioned episodes will see them front and center as we kick off a new year of SG-1. …We’ve got big plans for the boys.” –- Co-Executive Producer and Writer Joseph Mallozzi
Daniel and Vala
“[Next season] Claudia [Black] is going to appear in a five-episode arc in the role of Vala. She’s great. You’ll get to see just why we wanted to bring her back in “Prometheus Unbound,” which has yet to air.” –- Stargate: Atlantis showrunner Executive Producer and Writer Brad Wright
“She’s [a] human from another planet. And she’s a bit of … an enigma. You’re not quite sure what her true story is in the episode ‘Prometheus Unbound.’ She’s a bit of a rogue who tells a long story about her planet and her people and her past, and then in the end you’re not really quite sure whether it’s true or not. So she’s a bit of a wild card. She’s a very … sexy character, who isn’t afraid to take whatever … she wants in any given situation. And we had a lot of fun writing the role, and I know she had a lot of fun playing it, and we’re going to try very hard to maintain the integrity of that character and still have her sort of join up with the team, but still sort of keep the essence of that wonderful friction that went on between her and Daniel, and I’m sure it’ll continue to sort of play out with the rest of the characters as well.” –- Stargate SG-1’s showrunner Executive Producer and Writer Robert Cooper.
Lt. Colonel “M.M”
“Ben is playing a military guy, a lieutenant colonel. And I can’t tell you his name yet. It hasn’t been legally cleared yet, so it could still change.” Browder’s character, who joins the show in the upcoming ninth season, has a past history with the Stargate program, Cooper said. “The audience just hasn’t met him yet,” he said. “He’s actually played a key role in some major events that went on … in the Stargate universe and was in fact very instrumental in helping SG-1 succeed in one of their more important missions. And as a result of that, he was given … his choice posting. And he ultimately chooses to join SG-1. So when he first appears on the show, SG-1 will already know who he is. And we’ll see some of those scenes and how he was basically woven into the tapestry of the show through flashbacks.” –- Stargate SG-1’s showrunner Executive Producer and Writer Robert Cooper.
Q: If Ben’s character has already been somewhat defined – will his character be a member of the military? A Stargate SG-1 team member? An alien? Can you talk at all about what kind of man Ben will be playing?
A: Rob will tell you this, but yes, he’s a military man. Specifically, he’s the F-302 pilot (our Earth-designed space fighter) that led the squadron that fought Anubis in Antarctica. He was badly injured when his fighter crashed, nearly killed but was promised a place on SG-1 if he made it back to fighting form. I’m not concerned with Crichton comparisons that may arise. SG-1 is a unit of the U.S. Air Force and so he should be an officer, but it’s a very different show. –- Stargate: Atlantis showrunner Executive Producer and Writer Brad Wright
Browder hopes his new, higher-profile series will help the cause of another Farscape project. “It’s not only a good career move for me, but it could be good for the whole Farscape cast.” — Ben Browder
Jack O’Neill
Q: Is Richard Dean Anderson coming back at all for Season 9? There was some talk of 4 appearances for Season 9, but has anything been confirmed? If he does not come back for Season 9, what happens to him at the end of Season 8?
A: O’Neill will continue to be a part of the SG-1 universe. Whether we actually SEE him is up to Rick, but the character will continue to exist on or off screen. He may appear in one or two or more episodes. But let me add this: I handed over the reins of the SG-1 to Robert in season seven because I needed a rest and wanted to spend more time with my family. That’s all Rick wants to do, and I don’t blame him. I came back. The door is open for Rick to do the same. –- Stargate: Atlantis showrunner Executive Producer and Writer Brad Wright
The character of Brig. Gen. Jack O’Neill will remain a part of the show in the upcoming ninth season, whether or not Richard Dean Anderson returns as a regular cast member. “His character is going to remain very much alive in the Stargate [SG-1] universe. He … is going to be integral in commanding what goes on at the SGC. As to the appearance of Richard Dean Anderson in the series, that’s really still undetermined. We are very hopeful that Rick is going to agree to participate in a number of episodes, but I have no idea as to how many or when that will be resolved.” -– Stargate SG-1’s showrunner Executive Producer and Writer Robert Cooper.
“My decision to leave the show is purely a personal one, based first and foremost on my desire to spend as much time as possible with my 6-year-old daughter in Los Angeles.” –- Richard Dean Anderson
Samantha Carter
“We are having to … deal with a brief absence of Carter, [played by] Amanda Tapping, who’s pregnant. And we had already discussed a storyline that involved the return of Vala, … the character played by Claudia. And so we thought it worked perfectly to have that sort of miniarc play out maybe while Amanda was less available to us.” -– Stargate SG-1’s showrunner Executive Producer and Writer Robert Cooper
“I know there are also a lot of questions about season nine of Stargate. I will be returning. I am slated to do 15 of the 20 episodes. I will return to the show in May. I will bringing the baby with me, (not through the gate of course..heehee) and we’ll see how it works out. I know I am not the first actress to do this and I sincerely hope I am up to the challenge. I am very excited! It’s going to be o¬ne heck of a year.” –- Amanda Tapping
Season 9 in general
Meanwhile, Cooper said the ninth season would introduce new villains and take the show in a new direction. “While we say new direction, … the concept of the series is very much pulled from the mythology of SG-1, and I think fans are going to be very excited about the direction we’re going. … One of the things we’re going to be exploring in season nine is the origin of the Ancients and the Gatebuilders. And it’s something I know fans have been sort of very curious about, and have sort of asked to see. And that is … one of the things we’re really going to be delving into: … Who the Ancients really are, and where they came from, and we may even get a chance to go there.” –- Stargate SG-1’s showrunner Executive Producer and Writer Robert Cooper.
Season 9 will have a new beginning with a new enemy. I think once you’ve seen the end of Season 8 you’ll understand why we’re doing that. –- Stargate: Atlantis showrunner Executive Producer and Writer Brad Wright
A Solutions source has revealed that Emmy and Golden Globe winner Beau Bridges has been cast as Stargate Command’s new general. Bridges will succeed Don S. Davis as Major General George Hammond and Richard Dean Anderson as Brigadier General Jack O’Neill.