Exclusive! Luttrell and McGillion React to Cancellation

Today Paul McGillion (Dr. Carson Beckett) and Rachel Luttrell (Teyla Emmagan) were kind enough to take a few minutes between filming scenes to chat with Solutions about the cancellation of their show, Stargate Atlantis, as a regular series. They had some very interesting insights as to how the news struck them, and about moving on.

Rachel and Paul chatted with us from their location at the forest of Stokes Pit in Surrey, where they are filming scenes from Season 5’s “Identity“.

Rachel learned of the cancellation last week, not long before we did. She said, “Paul Mullie and Joe Mallozzi came into my trailer last week, and they broke the news to me. They came in, and their faces kind of said it all. I think, truthfully, we were all very shocked by the news. We all kind of figured that we’d be going for at least another season. You know, we’ve been here for five years, and have become like a family now. So it’s sad that we’re moving on, but, you know, onwards and upwards I guess. One has to be positive.”

Paul was not in Vancouver when the decision came down. “Martin Gero gave me a call because I wasn’t on set. He called me up and broke the news to me. From all indications, I’d thought we were going to go a sixth season, but like Rachel said, five years is a great run of a show. Hopefully we entertained the fans with that. And apparently there may be some movies in the future, but we’ll see what happens with everybody. You move on from something, and hopefully you leave a bit of a legacy.”

Agreeing that fans were shocked too, in spite of show-runner Joe Mallozzi’s public worrying, Rachel noted, “We started the year winning the People’s Choice Award and the ratings were fabulous, and the stories were great this year. You know, all of this. I think I speak for the entire cast when I say we were all quite surprised by the news. But we’re actors, and we jump from role to role. It’s par for the course, but it is sad.”

Paul expressed his gratitude for being able to play great characters for five seasons, and amazement that his character died and come back as a clone. “You kind of grow into these characters and they become part of you. It’s sad to see them go, but like Rachel said, you move on and look forward to the next challenge.”

But even so, it’s not so easy to leave their Atlantis family behind. “We’ve become a family. We’ve been here for so long, and the cast are really good friends, and the cast and the crew care about each other. Most of the crew have been with us from the get-go,” said Rachel.

In spite of all that, the cast and crew are having some good laughs on set for these final weeks of filming. Apparently Rachel is having a “fabulous” song sung to her all day, but she and Paul didn’t share more about it. At the same time, they want to finish strongly. “We want to make sure we honor the franchise on the way out,” Paul noted.

Both Paul and Rachel expressed extreme gratitude for the fans, Paul saying, “The fans have been so great to us. I’ve never been part of a genre like this before, where they have such a great fan base and such loyal fans. It’s certainly been a real eye-opener for me and something I’ll never forget.”

Rachel agreed completely, adding, “It’s been a wonderful experience. We’re having a great time and honoring our characters for these last few episodes.

Asked how they felt about Atantis fans’ anger at the cancellation of the show and the announcement of Stargate Universe right afterward Rachel said, “It’s wonderful that the fans are loyal. That’s terrific. We have no idea what Universe is going to be like, so I can’t put it down. I have no idea how the decisions came about. First and foremost, thank you so much to all of our fans for being as supportive as you are.”

Paul added, “It’s so great to have a fan base and to know that over five years you’ve established a fan base that becomes that upset over the show being canceled. We’re honored by that. And all we can say is thank you so much for being so supportive of our careers and the show. The fans are just awesome. I’ve never seen fans like this in my life!”

As to whether they would accept an offer to guest appear on Universe, Paul said, “We’ll see what happens. Obviously when something like this happens, you pursue other avenues. If opportunities come available to reprise the roles and we’re available, and they’d like to have us, I’d come over and do something.”

Asked what they won’t miss after the show ends, Paul and Rachel playfully named each other. Rachel won’t miss those very, very early mornings, but aside from that, there’s not much they won’t miss. As Paul said, “As actors, you can never take anything for granted. These things are always fleeting. But when you look back, you are going to miss it. It’s steady work, it’s a fun job. I always kind of compare it to playing cops and robbers in space. We’re adults playing kids’ roles, and it’s a lot of fun. At the same time, you look forward to new challenges in your career. That’s the great thing about acting.”

Rachel noted how well her pregnancy was used for the storyline of the show, saying, “It gave me more colors to portray for Teyla, and I think she became a richer character because of it. And I’ve grown so much through this process.”

As to how they’ll keep in touch with their friends on the cast and crew, Paul joked that he has a restraining order against David Hewlett. They’ll get together for dinner, Paul said, noting Rachel is busy with her son and calling her the “yummy mummy” for how lovely she is. Rachel added, “It is sad that we’re saying goodbye to each other and to seeing each other on a regular basis. But we are friends, we truly are, and so we’ll be seeing each other, going to each others’ places, hanging out in California or here. Gosh, it’s an emotional time.”

Paul added, “Rachel was just saying yesterday, it’s kind of bittersweet. You’re moving on to something, but it is sort of sad. You see all the crew, and it’s truly the crew who are a big part of the family. You’re so consistently working with the entire crew. They’re so great on this set. And like Rachel said, it might sound cliched, but it is like a big family and you get to know everybody really well. I think the cast will see each other quite a bit, because we’ve all remained pretty close friends.”

As far as future work, Paul is reading for pilots (new shows) that interest him, and he and Rachel are looking at different projects that they’ll be available for once shooting finishes in late September. Paul will head back to California to look for work in Hollywood. He’s also involved in an independent film project that may film in the Fall or early in 2009. It would be more of a comedy than his previous indy film, See Grace Fly. For now Rachel is focused on finishing Season 5, but then will seek other projects.

As for last words for the fans, Rachel said, “I just want to say thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your support. You’ve been fantastic throughout this entire journey. I don’t think any of us knew how loyal and how wonderful the fan base was, and it’s been terrific. All I can say is thank you, and we really, really do appreciate it. You’ve made this journey even more rich than it would have been. So thank you, we’ve had a blast and we really appreciate you guys.”

Paul added, in the voice of Carson Beckett, “Dr, Carson Beckett loves you guys, and so does Paul McGillion.”

Solutions would like to thank Paul and Rachel for taking the time to chat with us, showing the grace and kindness for which we love them!

Big Finish: McGillion in "Perchance to Dream"

Perchance to Dream

The second Atlantis episode in the first season of the new Big Finish Stargate series of audio dramas is currently available for download and its CD for purchase at the production’s website. This production is written by Sally Malcolm and directed by Sharon Gosling and features the voice of Paul McGillion as Dr. Carson Beckett.

“Perchance to Dream”, set during Season Two, also features a musical score and runs for approximately 70 minutes.

The story synopsis: “Doctor Carson Beckett finds himself in an uncomfortable situation when he becomes a patient in his own infirmary. After a disastrous mission, Beckett is brought back to Atlantis with a broken leg – and a bad case of amnesia.

“But that’s the least of his troubles. Cared for by Doctor Gilbert, Beckett watches as a strange affliction overcomes his friends and colleagues. One by one, members of the Atlantis crew are brought in, unconscious and unresponsive yet with no sign of trauma. What’s causing this peculiar illness? And why doesn’t anyone want to hear what Carson has to say about it?”

Fans will be able to download each audio adventure in the six-episode season, along with the CD artwork, for $8.99 (US). The CD is priced at $19.88 + $3.00 shipping (USD) at the website (previous CDs have included exclusive interviews with the starring Stargate actor). Those who buy the CD will be permitted to download the episode from the website at no extra charge.

The next episode in the series will feature Teryl Rothery in the Stargate SG-1 story “Savarna” and is due to be released in August this year.

Paul McGillion Interview: Pop Culture Zoo

Paul McGillion (Carson Beckett) was interviewed by Pop Culture Zoo on Friday. Among other things, he had this to say about the episode he was just finishing (some spoilers!):

PM: The episode I’m filming right now is called “Outsiders” and it’s my third episode this season of the five that I’m doing, or the minimum of five. It’s an episode written by Alan McCullough. We have Will Waring directing. It’s a lot of Wraiths and a lot of conflict. David Hewlett and I have a ton of stuff, there’s a lot of Beckett and McKay stuff in it. We’re doing a scene right now that’s hopefully pretty funny. The whole crew is laughing at our scene in a Wraith Dart so it’s really funny. We’re having some really good laughs doing it. It’s been great. David and I are pretty much throughout the episode and we have a lot of stuff together. So it’s a big Beckett and McKay episode.

During the interview, Paul was expecting to join fans at FedConUSA in Dallas the next day. Alas, the con was canceled Saturday morning, after it had begun! But, Paul comforted a group of his fans with a phone call instead; you can read about that at SaveCarsonBeckett.com.

SCI FI WIRE: Atlantis Cast Changes Coming

SCI FI WIRE‘s John Sullivan visited Vancouver recently and talked with the producers of Stargate Atlantis about the show’s upcoming Season Five and its major cast changes.

Robert Picardo as Richard Woolsey

Richard Woolsey

Sullivan starts his report with the addition of Robert Picardo as IOA representative Richard Woolsey, “Picardo replaces Amanda Tapping (Col. Samantha Carter), who had to bow out of the new season as a regular cast member to devote time to her forthcoming SCI FI series Sanctuary.”

Richard Woolsey was introduced in parent show Stargate SG-1 in the Hugo-nominated episode, “Heroes” (Season Seven). Woolsey’s interrogation techniques left General Hammond, Dr. Daniel Jackson, Major Samantha Carter, and Teal’c a bit rattled following the death of Dr. Janet Fraiser. None of them wished to answer his leading questions, and Woolsey resorted to threatening them to get their cooperation, which he didn’t get. After that, getting on the team’s “good side” was a bit difficult, but Woolsey started to make some break-throughs. Some, that is. …

“He’s come a long way from the pencil pusher that was introduced in ‘Heroes 1 & 2,'” executive producer and co-showrunner Joseph Mallozzi said in a recent MGM interview. Mallozzi said that Woolsey will clash “right off the bat” with the established Atlantis Expedition members. “In episode two, ‘The Seed,’ you’ll see that.

“The thing about Woolsey is that he’s always been a representative of the IOA, and the IOA have had their agenda. In some ways he’s been the rep for that particular agenda. But on the other hand, we’ve humanized him, to the point where I hope we like the guy and understand him and sympathize with his position and his willingness to at times realize that what the by-the-book situation calls for may not be the right decision. For example, in ‘The Seer,’ he goes back and presents a positive review of Carter’s handling of the situation – which was generally positive [anyway], but he left out some of the more damaging elements. And as far back as [‘Inauguration,’] he’s hired by Kinsey to basically cause trouble for the SGC. He does a little digging and realizes the truth, and rather than be a yes-man he goes behind Kinsey’s back to present evidence to the President. So that shows he has a conscience, and that’s the type of guy you want to write for. The type of character that will create conflict. He has an agenda — and it’s not even a hidden agenda, it’s right out there. You’ll butt heads with him but at the end of the day he’s a character you can sympathise with and understand.”

Robert Picardo is scheduled to appear in 14 of the 20 episodes of Season Five.

Jewel Staite as Dr. Jennifer Keller

Dr. Jennifer Keller

Next up, Sullivan announces, “Jewel Staite (Dr. Jennifer Keller), meanwhile, will become a regular cast member, a promotion from her status as a recurring cast member.”

Keller relunctantly took the position vacated by the late Dr. Carson Beckett during Season Three. She didn’t want the position as Chief Medical Officer, feeling that she wasn’t ready to step into a leadership position. She preferred just being a doctor, but over the course of the next year, Keller started to become more comfortable in the position. “She steps up to the plate a little bit more,” Staite said in an interview. “She’s becoming more courageous.”

According to Mallozzi in his weblog, Jewel Staite is scheduled to appear in 15 episodes in Season Five.

Paul McGillion as Dr. Carson Beckett (the Clone)

Dr. Carson Beckett in "deep freeze" from S4

And speaking of the late Dr. Carson Beckett, “Former regular cast member and fan favorite Paul McGillion, who appeared briefly last season, will return once more to play Dr. Carson Beckett—or at least his clone. (Spoilers ahead!) Beckett was left in stasis at the end of season four, but will reappear for five episodes in the new season,” Sullivan reports.

Mallozzi discussed the process of bringing McGillion back to the sets as the clone of the beloved late Dr. Carson Beckett in his MGM interview, “So we always had the door open, and we were really amazed by the fan reaction. The ‘Save Carson Beckett’ campaign was great, the way they demonstrated. And finally we thought, why not? So we did the two-parter at the end of season four.

“Then we were making plans for season five, discussing it with the Sci Fi Channel. I should mention Mark Stern, [the Executive Vice President of original programming for the network,] his contribution to this as well. He’s a guy who always gets a lot of flack — if the fans aren’t happy with any aspect of the show they blame it on him! But Mark was a very big supporter of the Carson Beckett character. It was one of the things we discussed during the off-season, and ultimately we said, ‘Why don’t we try to nail him down for a number of episodes?’ So I gave Paul a call and asked him if he’d be interested, and he said he’d love to come back. So we’ve got him for five. And then, who knows what the future holds?”

Even though the clone has the memories and physical appearance of the late original (who died in Season Three’s “Sunday”), there are definitely some major differences between the two. Besides the obvious part (one is dead, the other isn’t), the clone has nearly two years of coercion and captivity to deal with, as well as a fatal design flaw programmed into him by his creator, the Wraith-Human hybrid Michael Kenmore. This flaw required that Beckett be put in stasis until a remedy could be found.

Beckett will be coming out of stasis in “The Seed”, and his role is pivotal in helping someone in dire need. His next appearance will be in “Whispers”. This means that a cure to his condition has been found and he won’t be going back into stasis, right?

Torri Higginson as Dr. Elizabeth Weir

Torri Higginson as Elizabeth Weir in SGA 4.11 "Be All My Sins Remember

“One cast member who won’t be returning at all is Tori Higginson (Dr. Elizabeth Weir),” Sullivan tells his readers. “Producers had planned to bring back Weir in several episodes, but Higginson declined to return. It’s not clear at this point how losing Higginson will affect the ongoing replicator storyline.”

Mallozzi addressed the continuation of the Replicator storyline in his MGM interview, “Yeah. That story line we are going to follow through on – but we will not be seeing Torri [Higginson]. When last she was in town for ‘Be All My Sins Remember’d,’ it was a very short scene, and she was at the time very excited that we had left the door open for her character. So based on her response we wrote the script. But when we went out to her she ultimately elected to pass. Which is fine — we don’t want to force anyone to do the show! However, given the script, given the plot, it was possible to do the story without her. So Carl [Binder] went back and did a rewrite and the story will go ahead. It’s unfortunate — the fans would have liked to have seen her for continuity’s sake, but at the end of the day it’s Torri’s decision and we respect that.”

Binder’s script is “Ghost in the Machine”, and it is currently scheduled to be the fifth episode in the new season.

Future Changes

Now for the surprise section of Sullivan’s report: “Regular cast member Jason Momoa (Ronon Dex), meanwhile, hinted that he’s starting to think about life after Stargate. ‘Wouldn’t say I’m sick of [Ronon] yet,’ Momoa said, ‘but one more [season], and I’ll probably be good. I’m 28 now. I’ll be 30. … It’s just time to move on, and I’ll want to play something else.'”

Momoa became a regular cast member in Season Two and is definitely a regular in the upcoming Season Five, but no one knows if there will be Season Six for him or anyone else to return to. Atlantis is produced one season at a time, unlike the show’s predecessor, which got several seasons right from the start when it premiered on Showtime in 1997. Ever since moving to the Sci Fi Channel, however, both SG-1 and Atlantis were renewed one season at a time. Word on Season Six for Atlantis won’t come for a while yet, perhaps not until October or November or even later, but if they are not being renewed (i.e., canceled), Sci Fi might give the producers and writers a chance to wrap up the story by announcing the end in August, just like they unceremoniously did with SG-1 during the production of its tenth and final season.

Even if Atlantis is canceled after Season Five, there is always hope that it will follow in SG-1‘s footsteps and move to the direct-to-video movie format.

Season Five has been scheduled to premiere July 11 at 10pm ET/PT on the Sci Fi Channel.

McGillion's "Me, Mom, Dad and Her" Premiere

Paul McGillion

Stargate star Paul McGillion’s new Lifetime Movie Me, Mom, Dad and Her premieres tonight at 9pm Eastern and repeats tomorrow, May 11, at 2pm Eastern.

Here’s the description of the movie from Lifetime’s website: “Sydney Foster (15) is sent to spend the summer with her father and his new wife Emma Pierangeli Foster (Melora Hardin) when her volatile behavior finally pushes her mother to the breaking point. While at first Sydney lashes out, feeling abandoned yet again, she unexpectedly finds herself connecting with her new stepmother, who is nervously expecting her first child. It is this relationship with her stepmother, and the birth of the new baby that finally heals the wounds left by her parent’s bitter divorce.”

According to TV Guide Online’s Jeanette Martin, McGillion portrays the “incredibly patient papa who manages to weather the storm of his tempestuous child’s visit.” The movie is being recommended by Martin as part of tonight’s “TV Hot List”.

SGA S5: McGillion Talks About Beckett's Return

Dr. Carson Beckett in "deep freeze" from S4

In the April issue of TV Zone Magazine, Stargate Atlantis star Paul McGillion talks about Dr. Carson Beckett’s return in Season Four’s “The Kindred” and in Season Five’s “The Seed”, written by Paul Mullie, and “Whispers”, written by Joseph Mallozzi.

McGillion said of coming back to film “The Kindred” after nearly a year away, “The cast and crew made the whole experience special for me, and I could tell they knew that, too.” He also gives his fans much of the credit for Carson’s return and greatly appreciates the work that writer Alan McCullough, who was new to writing for Stargate Atlantis starting in Season Four, did on part two of “The Kindred” script. “Alan really got the essence of the character, as well as the humanity of the character.”

Season Five will see McGillion reprising his role for at least five episodes. The first episode, “The Seed”, is scheduled to be the second episode in the new season.

“It was wonderful to be back onset again with all of my cast mates. I guess you can call this the episode where they take Beckett out of the deep freeze! Atlantis is in peril and my character is the one who needs to take action and hopefully figure a way out of this dilemma before it’s too late and we lose some of our close friends!

“The crew as always was fantastic and welcomed me back with open arms, as did the cast. I could tell it was back to work like old times because of the constant taunting back and forth between Hewlett, Flanigan, Momoa and myself, which makes for good times.

Sheppard and Beckett

“Will Waring was the director, and he has such an understated humour and a clear vision of what he wants, so it’s always a pleasure to work with him. In fact, he’s directing the next episode we find Carson in, “Whispers”, which is a lot of Becektt and Sheppard on a planet with an all-female SG team, thank you very much. Sorry, no ladies for McKay this time.

“So that should be a lot of fun, and the best part is I’m doing at least five episodes this season, so we shall see where things go for Beckett.”

To read the full interview, which also includes a small teaser about McGillion’s role in the new Star Trek movie, which is due for release on May 8, 2009, pick up your copy of the magazine available in stores and for ordering at the publisher’s website.

Unreality SF Covers Upcoming Stargate Audio Dramas

Vala Mal Doran

Unreality SF interviewed James Swallow, one of the authors for Big Finish Production’s Stargate audio dramas. Each season of the series includes three stories each from Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis. “They’re kind of a halfway house between a talking book and a full-cast audio drama,” Swallow explained, “similar in format of Big Finish’s Doctor Who: Companion Chronicles discs. Basically, we have two actors – one lead voice, one supporting voice – and the story is ‘told’ to you by the lead.”

Swallow has written other audio dramas, including those for Doctor Who, Blake’s 7, and Star Trek, among others. In the interview, he talked about his latest efforts in some of these “universes”.

For Stargate, Swallow revealed the plots for his upcoming season one dramas. “Shell Game is set in season ten of Stargate SG-1; it’s a Vala Mal Doran story, featuring Daniel Jackson. The plot involves Vala’s past coming back to bite her in the backside, when a crime she once committed is revealed to have a very serious consequence.

Dr. Radek Zelenka

Zero Point is set during season four of Stargate Atlantis; it’s a Radek Zelenka story, featuring a new character in the supporting role. The plot for this one has an alien force threatening to destroy everyone on Atlantis, and only Zelenka and the crew of the starship Apollo can stop it.

Shell Game stars Claudia Black and Michael Shanks, while Zero Point stars David Nykl. Also reprising their roles from SG-1 and Atlantis are Christopher Judge, Paul McGillion, Torri Higginson and Teryl Rothery. We’re prepping the next ‘season’ of stories now, and we hope to have more Stargate actors for those.”

Swallow also indicated that he’s already working on his next script, an SG-1 story called First Prime. “You can probably guess who’s going to be the lead character in that…”

Visit Unreality SF for the complete interview. Visit Big Finish Production’s Stargate homepage for more information about the audio plays for season one that are currently available for pre-order.

Stargate Talent Shines

While we wait for the release of Stargate: The Ark of Truth and for the cast and crew to resume filming Stargate Atlantis, many of the talent behind bringing the stories to life have been busy with various types of projects. It’s also a time for some award nominations (and wins, such as the People’s Choice Awards) and follow-ups on older stories worth revisiting:

Visual Effects Team Nominated for VES Award

Stargate Atlantis visual effects team of Mark Savela, Shannon Gurney, Erica Henderson, and Jamie Yukio Kawano have been nominated in the Visual Effects in a Broadcast Series category for their work in Season Four’s premiere, “Adrift”. This is the sixth annual Visual Effects Society awards, which will be presented on Sunday, February 10, at the Kodak Theatre Grand Ballroom in Hollywood. This year’s lifetime achievement honoree is Steven Spielberg. For a complete run-down of the nominees, visit Variety: VES sailing with ‘Pirates’.

Extra! Features Stargate Atlantis

Extra! correspondent Jerry Penacoli produced a segment about his time as “Genii Jerry” on location of “Harmony”, complete with fun behind-the-scenes acting tips provided by Amanda Tapping, Jason Momoa, Joe Flanigan, and David Hewlett. Meant to be shown the same night as the premiere of the episode, the segment was pre-empted (see first story) and moved to the weekend edition of the television entertainment magazine. A fan has put the short segment on YouTube for all to enjoy.

Big Finish Audio Dramas

Big Finish Productions has plans to produce several Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis hour-long audio dramas, plays written for audio performances and narrated by one or two actors. James Swallow, one of the writers, has visited some of the Stargate fan forums and also has his own online presence in the form of a LiveJournal blog. He recently stated, “Regarding extra content, I’ve now been told that Big Finish intend to include an exclusive interview on each disc. There may be out-takes too, depending on permissions from the actors.” Fans will also be able to download the programs directly from the studio’s website.

CD Release Schedule:

  • April 30: SG-1 Gift of the Gods by Sally Malcolm. Read by Michael Shanks. (Amazon.uk pre-order)
  • May 30: SGA Necessary Evil by Sharon Gosling. Read by Torri Higginson. (Amazon.uk pre-order)
  • June 30: SG-1 Shell Game by James Swallow. Read by Claudia Black and Michael Shanks.
  • July 30: SGA Perchance to Dream by Sally Malcolm. Read by Paul McGillion.
  • August 30: SG-1 Pathogen by Sharon Gosling. Read by Teryl Rothery.
  • September 20: SGA Zero Point by James Swallow. Read by David Nykl.

Swallow also said that the studio is “already moving forward with our next set of six releases…”

Christopher Judge and Turok

Christopher Judge provided the voice for one of the characters in Turok (see first story), an SF first-person-shooter video game slated for release on February 5 for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. A featurette, slightly under five minutes long, has been posted at GameVideos.com: Turok: Awakening the Giants and includes information about the story, graphics, and voice talent behind the game (Judge is interviewed and is also shown in the recording studio).

Tapping’s Sanctuary Greenlit for SCI FI

Amanda Tapping, Damian Kindler, and Martin Wood (all Stargate veterans) have sold SCI FI Channel a 13-episode season of Sanctuary, “which originated online as the first high-definition sci-fi Web series,” according to The Hollywood Reporter. They’ll use most of the footage from the web series, which includes 90% CGI, but make some enhancements to the visual effects and background to show better on a TV screen.

Sanctuary will begin production in March (this might affect Tapping’s and Wood’s participation in Season Five of Stargate Atlantis; an official announcement is coming this Monday, according to executive producer and co-showrunner Joseph Mallozzi in his personal blog).

SGA S5 to Start Shooting February 19

Listed under “TV Pilots” at the BC Film Commission website, Stargate Atlantis is documented by the Commission to begin its filming of its fifth season on February 19, 2008, and complete it on September 23, 2008:

STARGATE ATLANTIS ~ SEASON V
Pegasus Productions V Inc.
Exec. Prod: Joseph Mallozzi, Paul Mullie, John Smith
Prod: John Lenic
DOP: Michael Blundell, Jim Menard
PD: James Robbins
PM: John Lenic
PC: David Magee
LM: Lorne Davidson
ALM: Dominic Main
Publicist: Brigitte Prochaska
Cast: Joe Flannigan, Jason Mamoa, Ish Kabibble
SPFX Coord: Wray Douglas
Casting: Corinne Clark, Jennifer Page
Extras: Sandra Couldwell
Sched: Feb 19/08 – Sep 23/08
2400 Boundary Rd.
Burnaby, BCV5M 3Z3
TEL: 292-8500
FAX: 292-8550

Interestingly enough, “Ish Kabibble” is listed as a cast member, perhaps because the actual cast members for the new season have not yet been officially announced (note that Joe Flanigan’s and Jason Momoa’s names appear in the list, but are misspelled). Fans corresponding directly with executive producer and co-showrunner Joseph Mallozzi in his personal blog have been told that an official announcement is to be issued by the SCI FI Channel, rather than from him directly.

Joe Flanigan stated at his Burbank Creation Con appearance that he had signed up for Season Five, and Mallozzi has discussed continuity issues concerning Jason Momoa‘s hair after Momoa had a major haircut. Mallozzi also confirmed that Rachel Luttrell will be returning for Season Five, and Jewel Staite has mentioned returning to the sets in her personal blog, but hasn’t revealed for which or for how many episodes. And as for how Flanigan and David Hewlett will appear after seeing that they both were sporting beards for the People’s Choice Awards acceptance video, Mallozzi said, “The boys will be beardless for the start of the new season.”

This leaves the status of Paul McGillion (Dr. Carson Beckett), Torri Higginson (Elizabeth Weir), and Amanda Tapping (Col. Samantha Carter) still in question. Mallozzi has reassured the Save Carson Beckett campaigners that the “door will be left open” for Beckett’s return in Season Five. Additionally, the new Weir-Replicator story arc that was started in Martin Gero’s “Be All My Sins Remember’d” leaves Elizabeth Weir fans wondering if Torri Higginson will be returning to reprise her role. Gero reassured them, “Weir’s storyline will be revisited in season 5.” And as for Carter, Mallozzi has expressed his desire to see Amanda Tapping return for Season Five. It should be noted, however, concerning contract negotiations and writing the new episodes, Mallozzi said, “It’s very rare we’ll write a script without having an actor commit beforehand.”

Join Solutions for production coverage of Season Five, and please continue to visit to keep up with Season Four as new episodes are currently being aired on the Sci Fi Channel on Fridays at 10pm Eastern.

McGillion Lands Role in "Star Trek" Movie

Paul McGillion as Dr. Carson Beckett

Great news from Anthony Pascale at TrekMovie.com! Paul McGillion, known to Stargate fans as Ernest Littlefield and Dr. Carson Beckett, was awarded a role in the upcoming Star Trek feature film. Here’s Pascale’s announcement:

In September TrekMovie.com broke the news that Stargate Atlantis’ Paul McGillion auditioned for the role of Scotty for the new Star Trek film, but of course in the end the role went to Simon Pegg. However it appears that wasn’t the end of the line for McGillion. TrekMovie.com has learned that the McGillion impressed the film makers with his audition and they found a different role for the actor. No details yet on his role, except that it is a small speaking part.

McGillion has actually already finished shooting for the film, which took a few days back in November. It appears he will be in a scene with Chris Pine (Kirk). Since Simon Pegg had not started working yet, there will not be an on screen meeting between two.

After TrekMovie.com first broke the news that McGillion auditioned for the role of Scotty there was a large outpouring of support from the fan community, but it is not known if that factored into the decision to give him a role. A source told TrekMovie.com that JJ Abrams was impressed with McGillion’s audition and even though he picked his MI3 co-star Simon Pegg for Scotty, he still wanted to find a place for Paul.

The film is expected to open on December 25, 2008.

Congratulations, Paul!