Stargate Atlantis: Multichannel article talks about Weir's status

[wraithfodder]

Over at Multichannel today (Sep 10 2007),  writer Kent Gibbons laments the cast changes after watching a review copy of a season 4 Stargate Atlantis episode. While he feels there's room enough for both Carter and Weir, he doesn't understand why Weir had to get the boot (he needs to stand in a very long line that's already formed...).

One snippet from the article: "I remain a Stargate fan, and Higginson has some shining moments in the first two episodes of Atlantis’s Season Four, returning on Sept. 28. There’s still a nice photo of her on Sci Fi’s Atlantis home page. And the long-established (on SG-1 and Atlantis), often adversarial relationship between Carter and Atlantis brainiac Dr. Rodney McKay (David Hewlett) always leads to fun dialogue.

But I’m forced to agree with Wilson [About.com reviewer] on this point: “Dr. Weir, as interpreted by either actor, is a great character and it's a shame that she has to fade into the background just so that Atlantis [can] pull a Worf.”

(Translation installing a character from an earlier hit in the franchise, like the Klingon character Worf who was first in Star Trek: The Next Generation then in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.)"

Alas, I think poor Weir's gonna pull a Ford... vanish in an episode, never to be seen again. Not dead, but simply gone. Out of sight, out of mind.

It'll be interesting to see the TV critics/reviewers take on Weir being ousted and Carter being added. 

Comments

[the-scary-kitty.livejournal.com]

Been lurking for a while now and decided it was time to say hello. :)

Alas, I think poor Weir's gonna pull a Ford... vanish in an episode, never to be seen again. Not dead, but simply gone. Out of sight, out of mind.

Maybe, but then there's a rather interesting comment that Flanigan made in the SciFi Weekly interviews you posted earlier that makes me think otherwise...

It's also been interesting how we've dealt with the transition, going from Torri to Amanda. We had long discussions about that. I was concerned that the transition was too quick. So I went upstairs and I talked to them and I said, "I think we're just moving way too quickly on this." I felt, shouldn't we pause, say, "Oh, we should try to find Dr. Weir and rescue her, hold out hope that she could come back, that we could rescue her," things like that. And so they wrote that back in and tried to create that, and I think we did a pretty good job.

Sounds to me like Joe's got a better handle on what ought to be happening than TPTB. *snerks* And if he's happy with the results of his effort to keep Weir's memory alive, that gives me a bit more confidence that the Weir storyline won't totally suck.

In Flanigan We Trust. :)

[wraithfodder.livejournal.com]

Love your last line. Yeah, sounds like JF has a better grasp on storywriting than a few on staff...

[alyssa22.livejournal.com]

I think JF is the only one with the guts to say anything publicly. He doesn't seem to care. He says what he thinks, and doesn't toe the company line all the time

The rest just smile and say "Yes, everything's wonderful". Joe's the only one who's really given an indication of how he feels about the loss of Paul and Torri.

[jackfan2.livejournal.com]

Well, it's a little easier for Joe as he's definitely the star of the show and, lets face it, without him, I know I'd quit watching. For. Sure. Don't get me wrong, I ADORE Joe F. and I'm glad he DID speak up for Torri's character.

Torri, on the other hand, well, I think she wanted more story line, and has wanted more over the last year or so. She's been deemed 'problematic' by the SGA machine, so that's why she's going to be shoved off in to the Ford-void. I've seen stuff about this over at Gateworld, but of course, nothing from either camp to confirm or deny that. However, since Torri has another 2 years on her contract, I'm sure they've told her to keep mum or no more contract, and the TPTB camp doesn't want to piss off many more Weir fans than they already have...

Though, me thinks it's a bit too late for that.

Joe, by the way, well, I'm sure that when his contract is up and if the show is still running, they will want him to stay, so no stepping on Joes toes. Anyone else, however, is fair game. Well, with the obvious exception of Amanda-walks-on-water-Tapping.

[alyssa22.livejournal.com]

I don't think it's a case of Torri being problematic. I think it's the idiots in charge thinking Amanda Tapping is the be all and end all.

I think the only truly safe people are Tapping and Hewlett. TPTB originally wanted Browder for the Flanigan role. I wouldn't put it past them to bring him in.

[wraithfodder.livejournal.com]

Any more casting changes will probably kill the show.

[the-scary-kitty.livejournal.com]

I don't think Torri was ever problematic either. I mean, Joe's been agitating for some significant development for Sheppard as well for quite some time, and they're finally giving it to him. Of course, he is the star, but wasn't Torri second in line right behind him? If she can be taken out, then pretty much any of them are fair game, with the exception of Carter (don't get me wrong, I like Carter, I like AT, but this is overkill), and McKay (ditto, because it's been feeling like SGA is turning more into the McKay Comedy Hour. Argh.).

And as depressing as it may sound, I have to agree that it would serve TPTB right if these games of musical chairs they keep playing with the cast ends up sinking the show.

[wraithfodder.livejournal.com]

Alas, I just don't want to see Joe, David, etc. vanish if the show does. I just hope they realize Weir IS liked by lots of fans and will get her back somehow. That, or Torri gets a gig on network TV in a successful show.

[the-scary-kitty.livejournal.com]

Oh, I heartily agree with all of that. :)