Mallozzi's Mailbag for May 15, 2011
GENERAL Q&A
Darth Novos writes: “MGM may own the rights but there is nothing stopping you from talking to other people about possible deals.”
Answer: Actually there is - believe it or not, MGM, who own the rights.
Marius writes: “I think your unwillingness to “wrap up loose ends” is what has driven the Stargate franchise down the toilet. [...] It is obvious you´ve “gone with the flow” on both Atlantis (which also sucked) and Universe. [...] I also want to add, that I have some genuine good ideas for an alternatively new Stargate series concept. [...] I´m positive my ideas could generate a show that gathered good viewer ratings. If you believe in me, contact me via email.”
Answer: Clearly, you know what makes for a successful t.v. show better than any of us who were involved in Stargate’s 14-year run. I’m forwarding your email to the Grand Councilor of Awesome Programming at MGM’s moonbase headquarters. Good luck!
glennh73 writes: “2. You stated Atlantis couldnt connect to Destiny with 3 zpm’s nor with the Ori Supergate. Well if the Anicents were still around, how would they of going back aboard?”
Answer: That’s a questions for the Ancients. Or Brad and Robert.
“Honestly wouldnt a black hole powered ORI Supergate have more power than a Icarus type planet?”
Answer: Possibly.
“3. Oldie but goody. Daniels grandfather Nicholas Ballard. Those aliens he is with, were they the Furlings or even the Faith Aliens or something else and why didnt we get another story about him.”
Answer: Definitely not furlings. We never did another story about him because, alas, no one came up with a good story idea that would have included him.
Shannon writes: “Just wondering if you can clarify here. Was it Destiny just trying to help TJ survive/cope or was this Destiny actively doing something (like, since it’s the latest fashion, uploading the baby to the Destiny computer)?”
Answer: It was the former - Destiny reaching out to T.J. and creating a scenario which would have made it easier for her to accept the loss.
tidusspear08 writes: “Did you have any plans to make Ginn a series regular?”
Answer: As much as we all absolutely loved Julie McNiven, there were no plans to make Ginn a series regular.
nm writes: “Assuming though that you are referring to the dvd market in general rather than specifically the SG1 sales figures, do you think if the movies could have been made within a year they would have been successful?”
Answer: Don’t recall the timing of the collapse in dvd sales (and, yes, I’m referring to the general marketplace) so it’s hard to say. Back when Atlantis’s fifth season was drawing to an end, Robert Cooper floated the idea of rolling right into a production of a two-hour event (I dubbed “Project Twilight”) that, once completed, could have delivered as either a movie (in the case we didn’t receive the sixth season pick-up) or the first two episodes of season six (if we did receive the pick-up). For whatever reason, we weren’t able to move forward on this idea which, in hindsight, probably would have been the best way to proceed.
detanfy writes: “First of all, what exactly did the Blue Berry aliens want with Destiny. I know you said they are collecting information to try and take over, but what do they actually want with the old gal. Do they even know about Destiny and her ultimate mission?”
Answer: This is something we would have discussed and detailed in time but the idea was that the Blueberry aliens had been aware of Destiny for quite some time. It’s doubtful they would have been aware of her ultimate mission, but they certainly would have been impressed with her capabilities both offensive and defensive.
detanfy also writes: “How did the Blue Berry aliens discover Destiny?”
Answer: I imagine they encountered Destiny during one of her many refueling stops, attempted communications and, receiving no response, scanned the ship. Their interest pique and assuming their prize was unmanned, they attempted to board Destiny - only to be rebuffed by the ship’s automated defenses.
detanfy also writes: “Can you tell us about any of Destiny’s past experiences before the Icarus crew got on board? She seems to have been through a hell of a lot of battles. I would imagine she would have just been in FTL all this time and would only drop out to recharge, so why all the battle scars?”
Answer: A lot of the damage could be attributed to attempts by the Blueberry aliens to capture the ship. Of course I’m sure they weren’t the only alien life forms to attempt as much.
detanfy also writes: “Are the Icarus crew the first to gate to Destiny since its launch?”
Answer: As far as we know, yes, but I loved the idea of discovering some humanoid corpses during a search of the ships unexplored sections. Along with those corpses, we would also discover a recorded account of what happened to them when they gated aboard. Of course, the experience of the long-dead explorers would somehow help or hinder our crew (preferably both, first hinder, then help). Again, one of those stories that never developed beyond that germ of an idea.
Andrew Jung writes: “Being from Vancouver Island, would you have ever considered doing an SG shoot on the island, or other parts of BC outside of the Lower Mainland; like the Okanagan desert?”
Answer: Sure. We considered all possibilities. What it ultimately came down to was budgetary constraints, what we would really gain from shooting so far out of the zone and whether it would be worth the extra costs.
Andrew Jung also writes: “Was there ever any talk about having a point where the Stargate actually became public knowledge and start using the gates and ships for colonization?”
Answer: The possibility of the Stargate program going public was going to be the premise of the next SG-1 movie, Stargate: Revolution.
Don Matthews writes: “…was the idea of Destiny going into the past and creating a civilization that would stretch into the present partially designed to allow SGU to showcase human type aliens ALA SG1/SGA?”
Answer: Yes, it would offered us a plausible scenario by which humans would have colonized that section of space.
Don Matthew also writes: “Oh and frying the Wormhole drive, that was kind of a “this tech is too powerful/deux ex machina and we have to get rid of it” decision?”
Answer: Over the course of Stargate’s run, there have been several technologies the show introduced that I felt undermined drama or handcuffed the storytelling. Off the top of my head, in particular order: beaming technology, the Asgard core, and the wormhole drive.
Don Matthews also writes: “And was there a big payoff to come with the “franklin getting absorbed by the ship” thing? We saw him but it was kind of ambiguous.”
Answer: Purposely so. It was something we could have explored more in the show’s third season.
Don Matthews also writes: “Was the “disappearing fetus” story just a way of dispensing with a pregnancy that you didnt feel fit with the rest of what you had planned for season 2?”
Answer: Over the course of Stargate’s long run, the production has had been faced with a number of pregnancies. In a couple of cases, we were able to ignore the pregnancies by shooting around them. In another case - Rachel on SGA - the pregnancy became part of the storyline, as did the subsequent birth and associated motherhood issues. Ultimately, we decided that, while Atlantis was a hopeful enough environment to raise a child, Destiny was not. We wrestled with how we wanted to proceed, none more so than Paul who faced the challenge of scripting the season two opener and, eventually, came up with the ambiguous/mysterious solution. It’s interesting to note that, even though it’s more or less stated that Destiny was responsible for T.J.’s vision, many in the writing department refused to confirm it one way or the other.
Don Matthews also writes: “Oh and any gate that was powered by a blackhole should have been able to contact Destiny since they were able to keep the supergate blocked indefinitely (Pegesus Project).”
Answer: Having slept on it, I’m now firmly uncertain as to whether or not it would have been possible.
Shiny writes: “Finally got to see a marathon of SGU on Hulu; was there a caveman lurking in background of Common Descent?”
Answer: Peter DeLuise loves unique-looking extras. The producers, not so much so. There was plenty more of him but Paul succeeded in cutting around him. For the most part.
Dustin writes: “Judging by how far Destiny is away from earth could it be the gates left by the seed ships are sending back info to the other gate networks in the Pegasus and Milky way? “
Answer: Theoretically possible, but not something we considered.
Spectrefire writes: “I read up on Netflix’s intentions on possibly footing the bill for shows and series that are about to be cancelled, and was thinking that Stargate Universe, or at the very least, a couple of movies might be right up the service’s alley.”
Answer: Agree. I suggested this option to the studio. The fact that it didn’t pan out suggests it wasn’t a viable option.
Lisa R writes: “When you planned your original five-year arc, was it planned for the Destiny to be in a different galaxy each season as they got closer to their goal or would there be more time spent in one particular galaxy?”
Answer: That’s was the original plan - but plans change.
Phillip writes: “Were the mindless drones in SGU a metaphor for the unsupportive fans that wanted to see SGU the show end?”
Answer: Ha. Apt but no. Reminds me of a similar theory way back in early SG-1. During a warehouse shootout, a bullet ricochets off a fan. The following days, some fans were claiming this was wish fulfillment on the part of the producers = shooting a fan. No kidding. Well, I’ll say the same thing to you now as I told fans back then - you’re reading too much into it. Entertaining theory though.
Greg writes: “Why would the blue aliens have to transform Chloe when they had access to Destiny ? I make that conclusion based on their ship detaching at the end of the one episode.”
Answer: That assumption is incorrect. They were able to attach a scout ship to Destiny’s hull, but that doesn’t mean they were able to gain entry to the ship. And the only reason they were able to do so in Space was because the inexperienced crew was running the show (cutting off power to a section of the ship, thereby bringing the shield down and allowing the alien ship to attach and penetrate the hull) instead of Destiny’s automated defenses.
Greg also writes: “How did Chloe suddenly become Bruce Lee by changing into a blue alien when Rush was able to take one out with a metal bar ?”
Answer: Chloe wasn’t transforming into a Blueberry alien but mutating into a hybrid alien form with similarities to them - and another species they had experimented upon.
Elliott writes: “1.) Did you ever discuss who built the ruins from “Human” and “Lost”?”
Answer: Not to any significant length, no (and by significant, I mean to the point where it would offer us a kernel of an idea we could use as a springboard for another story).
“2.) Who is your favourite character from each of the Stargate shows?”
Answer: Which ones did I have the most fun writing for? SG:1 - Vala, SGA - Ronon and Woolsey, SGU - T.J. and Greer.
“3.) Why didn’t you mention that the Odyssey’s secret mission in “Enemy at the Gate” was the search for an Icarus planet? I think many assumed that it was “Revolution”.”
Answer: I didn’t write the SGU premiere so I can’t answer that. I assume Brad and/or Robert changed their minds and did, in fact, shift Odyssey’s mission to Revolution.
“4.) If you could change anything about each of the Stargate shows (besides cancellation, greenlighting movies etc.), what would it be?”
Answer: Probably the aforementioned tech. I’d have lost the beaming tech, Asgard core, the Earth fleet, and wormhole drive. I’d have maintained Atlantis’s isolation from the Milky Way.
John T. Williams writes: “So how’re the two types of statis chambers different? Do the Destiny type freeze completely so that the occupants don’t actually age whatsoever?”
Answer: Yes, that’s the way they were designed to operate.
Lloyd writes: “How did you get into the world of Stargate?”
Answer: Our Canadian agent got us the opportunity to pitch. We came up with five story ideas, two of which we sold. One, Scorched Earth, was the script that landed us a position on staff.
“Have you watched before Season 4 Stargate SG-1 before coming to the team?”
Answer: No. In fact, I had only seen one episode of the series - Emancipation - and hated it. It wasn’t until we got the opportunity to pitch that we started watching episodes and realized - hey, this show is pretty good!
“When you watch an episode of Stargate (SG1, SGA, SGU), you have the eyes of a fan (or viewer) or a critical eye on your work?”
As with every film or television series, I view it through the eyes of a writer first and the eyes of a producer second. My ex used to hate going to see movies with me because I’d spend most of my time sighing and muttering angrily to myself in the dark.
“If the MGM offers to return to something new: about Stargate, Will you join in?”
Answer: I’m committed to other projects and, unfortunately, would be unable to participate. Provided Brad Wright was in charge, any new project would be in excellent hands.
“Is there some episode you remember most? and why?”
Answer: A few. Harmony, Whispers, 200, Ripple Effect, The Hunt to name a few. As for why - well, you’ll find out when I get around to reminiscing about their particular seasons.
“Today you have another project (the series “The Transporter”), how would you like your job, compared to Stargate?”
Answer: To be honest, Toronto has been a major adjustment (still ongoing), but I can’t say enough great things about Transporter: The Series. I can honestly say that I enjoy going into work and that speaks to the show and the people involved.
“If you had to summarize in one word, all your work on Stargate, which one? ? and why this word?”
Answer: Fun. That’s what I set out to do (have fun) every time I envisioned a story and sat down to write a script. If the viewers at home had fun watching, then mission accomplished.
“Finally, what do you think about the cancellation of ALL projects Stargate? (“Extinction”, “Revolution”, a film SGU) Why all of a sudden?”
Answer: I think [Unhappy Emoticon].
Jeff writes: “obviously the ancients had to create a ZPM to power their ships, bases, and atlantis, so i guess my question is, didnt they leave directions in the ancient database on atlantis on how to actually create a ZPM?”
Answer: You would presume so but the fact that this was never discovered suggests that either: a) it wasn’t uploaded to the Atlantis database, or b) is there somewhere but is so top secret it will take a while before scientists uncover it. Ideally, they could have uncovered it in time to come up with an alternate power source capable of dialing Destiny and sending a retrieval team to the rescue - but that’s a story for another fan fiction.
Alex writes: “in your mind was the earth Stargate still at the SGC in Colorado or was it moved to Homeworld Command?”
Answer: In my mind, it would make sense to have moved it to Homeworld Command - but the nostalgic part of me says it’s still inside Cheyenne Mountain.
C-Verse writes: “1. Given that Atlantis was more family friendly, do you think the darker tone of Universe might have discouraged people from watching it?”
Answer: I’m sure it turned off some people. On the other hand, I’m sure it attracted new viewers as well. It’s a double-edged sword, just like the word Stargate in the title.
“2. Again concerning the darker tone, do you think Universe would have had better luck, if it taped more in the Battlestar Galactica fanbase, than the old Stargate fanbase?”
Answer: Sorry. Don’t understand the question.
“3. Do you think Universe could have survived if it had a smaller budget?”
Answer: I don’t think it would have made any difference.
“4. Given that more people are now downloading shows instead of watching them, do you think Sfy-Fy should put in more effort in advertising it shows online, rather than traditional media?”
Answer: Eventually, we’ll all be going that way.
Dave writes: “I’ve always wondered, was any thought given to which SG unit Young commanded before being assigned to Icarus base? Was he on an SG team back in the days Jack led SG-1 or was it more likely during the Mitchell years?”
Answer: We never got into this but I think it’s more than likely, given their respective ages, that Young and Mitchell crossed paths at some point. Hell, it’s likely that Young and O’Neill crossed paths at some point as well.
DeanGrr writes: “With a a reputation earned by years on Stargate, why not try it to support a new or cancelled production? “
Answer: Again, you’re approaching the wrong guy. The only entity that can make this happen is MGM.
DeanGRR also writes: “What is Dr. Rush’s true motivation, given that even with all the power of the Ancients, he cannot bring his wife back?”
Answer: The answer to this is tied to the conclusion Brad and Robert imagined for the series.
GAUNTLET AND WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN
Lance W. writes: “1. What does Eli do for those two weeks when he’s not fixing his stasis pod? Did he even attempt to fix it, or did he know it couldn’t be fixed? Does destiny come across problems that he alone must fix? Does he take a final trip back with the stones?”
Answer: Presumably when he’s not working on the problem, he’s eating and sleeping. I assume if it was the 11th hour and he realized he wouldn’t be able to fix the problem, he would use the stones to pay his mother one final visit - but that’s awful pessimistic.
“2. Did Rush volunteer, knowing that Young would deny him and instead choose himself? Was Rush hoping to get rid of Young, despite how well they’ve been getting along?”
Answer: I think Rush volunteered because he wanted to be the one to stay and fix the problem, but there’s no doubt he suspected that Young might disagree and insist he be the one to stay.
“3. What year and month did they enter the pods? I wish to make a note on when the three years is meant to be up.”
Answer: I suppose whenever the episode aired: May 9, 2011.
“Finally, I’m grasping at my last straw here, but this episode seemingly left it open to a film after three years, is that even a possibility any more?”
Answer: It’s a nice thought but, given the fact that the sets are about to be struck, very unlikely.