Meme: Season 5 Cast Changes in Stargate Atlantis

[wraithfodder]

By now, who hasn’t read the press release on the cast changes in Stargate Atlantis’ season 5 put by NBC/Universal. I don’t say SciFi or other fan sites, as they’re just reworking the original PR from NBC, so I went straight to the source and have reprinted it in this post. If you don’t want to know, don’t click on the cut. However, if you want to discuss it, click away and read on. 

 

http://www.nbcumv.com/scifi/release_detail.nbc/scifi-20080205000000-people039schoice.html

 

PEOPLE'S CHOICE WINNER 'STARGATE ATLANTIS' BEGINS PRODUCTION ON SEASON 5
Published: February 5, 2008

Robert Picardo To Join Cast

Show Will Hit 100th Episode This Season

SCI FI Channel's recent People's Choice Award winner, Stargate Atlantis, will begin production later this month on its fifth original season. The new 20-episode season will include the series' benchmark 100th episode. Produced and distributed by MGM Television, Stargate Atlantis is filmed in Vancouver, Canada.

As Atlantis speeds toward its centennial episode, the Stargate universe promises new and surprising developments. The status quo is shaken following the events of season 4 (currently airing on SCI FI, Friday nights at 10pm) – some cherished friends are lost, others are found. New alliances are forged while new races are introduced.

Robert Picardo, whom Stargate fans will recognize as International Oversight Committee rep "Richard Woolsey," joins the Stargate Atlantis cast this season as Woolsey assumes command of the Atlantis expedition. The team, led by Lt. Colonel Sheppard (Joe Flanigan), Dr. Rodney McKay (David Hewlett), Teyla (Rachel Luttrell), Ronon (Jason Momoa) and Dr. Jennifer Keller (Jewel Staite), must adjust to his unique leadership style.

Fan favorite Paul McGillion, will return for five episodes to reprise his role as the beloved "Dr. Carson Beckett." Amanda Tapping ("Colonel Samantha Carter"), who remains a fixture of the Stargate universe, will appear as a special guest star in several episodes this season and Stargate SG-1 star Michael Shanks ("Dr. Daniel Jackson") will appear as a special guest in episodes as well.

Stargate Atlantis follows the adventures of an intrepid team of military and civilian explorers who travel the distant Pegasus galaxy by means of a Stargate, a portal created long ago by a highly advanced alien civilization called the Ancients. In their never-ending quest to seek out other technologies left behind by the Ancients, the Atlantis team encounters alien cultures – some friend, some foe.

The series is executive produced by Brad Wright, Robert Cooper, Joseph Mallozzi, Paul Mullie, Carl Binder, and Martin Gero. Mallozzi and Mullie share the reins as showrunners.

(and I snipped off the Scifi and MGM business stuff cuz, well, does anybody really read that? f)

------------------------------

So, is this news good, bad, or what?

 

Woolsey. Although I think if Woolsey is kept in his present form, it won’t be long before he gets the city destroyed or he ‘accidentally’ falls off a balcony to his death. * cough * I don’t want the buffoonish Woolsey that yes, is amusing in sporadic guest appearances that  few and far between, but now he’ll be a regular. He’s got to up the ante, get some backbone, and hopefully, provide conflict. Face it, does anybody on Atlantis go “Wow, Woolsey’s coming back! Can’t wait!” Nope, Sheppard thought little of the guy on his first trip to the city, maybe even less on his next visit. Woolsey, if written properly though, could provide an interesting contrast to the folks already there. He’s got no friends – he’s always been an outsider – the guy who digs and rattles cages to find dirt. He’s like the Internal Affairs Division in a police department. He’s there to ferret out problems, not hand out accolades.I would hope like hell the writers don’t have him being buddy-buddy with anybody for quite a while. It would be unrealistic. For Woolsey, this is a job – and probably not one he wanted either considering his experiences when he has been on Atlantis. I hope that the writers avoid the temptation to use him for comic relief (like they did with Dr. Lee) and instead give him the nitty, gritty administrative headaches that they avoided giving Sam.

 

The biggest plus in having Woolsey in charge is that he’s a civilian. The military leadership under Carter suffered for basically one reason: it was sorta boring. Sorry, but Sheppard was so A-okay about her taking over that I was wondering if he’d forgotten about Weir at some points. And that’s a problem with some of the writing – having huge chunks of time (sometimes) between episodes where the characters deal with those nasty emotions of loss, etc. But, Woolsey in charge means that he isn’t always going to agree with Sheppard, or McKay (or anyone, probably) and is no doubt going to be the IOA’s puppet – having a civilian special interest group dictate actions in another galaxy- which shouldn’t sit well with those who live there).

 

And also another plus – Robert Picardo is a very good actor. I’ve been watching his work since China Beach and enjoy his work. I just hope the writers give him good dialogue/scenes when he’s on the show.

 

Carter? I’m okay with her not being on the show, or showing up just sporadically in guest shots. Alas she didn’t do much in season 4, alas. I do like Carter, but I like SG1 Carter, not SGA Carter. She’s just not the same. I had trepidation her character might be put in the forefront, which didn’t happen and much to my surprise, she didn’t do much at all. She just sort of faded in the background. If they couldn’t write her strong for the limited time they had, then why bring the character on board (besides pushing an SG1 character on the show to draw in SG1 fans)? And I hope Amanda does well with Sanctuary, as it could conceivably lead to bigger things for her.

 

Carson Beckett back? Yawn. Ha, no, just kidding! Quite honestly I didn’t believe it until the release came out. It’s good news. I’d rather have him back in MORE than five episodes though, and still can’t fathom how he’ll return, but I also believe (and no offense to the great folk at the SCB who did great work) that TPTB left a backdoor for his character to return long before they decided to kill him off, as I suppose they all remember how great the fact reaction was when Daniel Jackson got bumped off. * cough *

 

Daniel Jackson? Good news, but please use him wisely. In fact, please use any SG1 character wisely. SGA doesn’t need to become the dumping ground for SG1 characters (no offense, I do like that show), but I want to see SGA becomes its own show, with its own character, etc.

 

Keller. She’s going to be a regular. It’s been confirmed in Joe Mallozzi’s February 5^th blog entry. The trouble is that Keller needs some serious character development, and I’m not talking about background but a little more, well, confidence. She’s too meek at times, and I know fans complain she whines (and well, she did a lot of it in “Missing”). We’ll see how well she does in “Trio” and I hope she improves. Alas, with Keller in the regular cast, that means Beckett can’t be, but well, she could get killed off in season 5 and someone else could take her place. The writers seem to have this thing against medical doctors…. And why can’t they get some nice competent battle-experienced surgeons sucked out of the Middle East arena?

Zelenka and Lorne. Not mentioned anywhere, but I sure as heck hope they're going to be on season 5.

 

And that’s all I can think of for now, but did sorta want to open up discussion on LJ since other boards tend to be far too many one-line responses… so, pro or con, I'm curious as to people's responses.

 

 

 

Comments

[strange-magic.livejournal.com]

Hi! Popped in here from someone else's journal.

My thoughts.
I don't mind Carter leaving. I mean she's listed in the credits, yet she's hardly ever on the show. And you're right, SGA Carter isn't the same as SG1 Carter.

BUT... WOOLSEY!!!??? What?! When he's on the show, I sit there and want to stab him in the eye along with the rest of the SGA team. He's a character the writers make you feel annoyed by. They need to do some serious re sculpting of his character if he's going to be in charge next season.

Keller... bleck. She has no heart, no drive (accept towards Ronon) and her head seems as empty as a tin can. She seriously needs a rewrite too. I wouldn't mind if they sacked her next year.

Ooo I love me some Daniel, but like you said, use him wisely.

And I love Beckett. I want him back!

[lamaudite.livejournal.com]

Woolsey?! I don't log in for a day and this is what I come back to? F-ing Woolsey? ::shakes head::

[flingslass.livejournal.com]

I agree that Keller's girlyness is good. She isn't a fighter and if you remember Carson never did any fight ing either. I like Keller and I like the Keller/Ronan thing. HE needs some happiness.

[flingslass.livejournal.com]

Season 5 sounds like lots of possibilities. I can't wait. I just want to know how Carson comes back.
Woolsey has potential because as others have commented, Robert Picardo is an amazing actor who does a likeable gruff/cranky/awkward character.

[wraithfodder.livejournal.com]

Why not? It would also be a refreshing break from the fans dissing each other in his comments section too ;)

[aelfgyfu_mead]

(damn, I wanted to see episodes with 2 Jed Garritys).
I was thinking the same thing! Garrity never seemed to be very bright, and they put him in the worst possible positions much of the time. Two of him could be downright disastrous, but fun to watch.

Yes, I'm sure we'll get more Lorne.

[dejla.livejournal.com]

God, not Woolsey. Can they get any more buffoonish? It's going to look like the Keystone Kops.

[chensuu.livejournal.com]

I hate to sound so negative...I’m an optimist really…but am I the only fan who feels that season five is starting to seem bloated, distended, inflated like a puffer-fish?

I mean we have Sam returning in at least two episodes, Daniel in two episodes, maybe more, Carson back for five while Keller is now full time. We have a new commander in Woolsey who’s going to need a lot of new exposition to get him going. We have a completely new character Alison Porter whom they don’t even know how they’re going to utilize yet. And though it hasn’t been fully mentioned, we get Weir for an unspecified number of visits.

I thought it was a dumb move to replace Weir with Carter who’s been practically a ghost this season. She didn’t get one iota of character development in any of her episodes. It was kind of embarrassing.

And maybe that’s my biggest fear; that in their quest to find the perfect guest-stars add new additions and make all aspects of fandom happy, the producers of Atlantis forget its core cast, the team of Sheppard, McKay, Teyla and Ronon – not to forget Lorne and Zelenka! IE…all the reasons I watch. I don’t want to look back on season five and think that any of them were underused like Carter. But honestly, right now, twenty episodes seems like ten too few.

[roxy-palace.livejournal.com]

I'm just starting SG-1 now. Only on season 1 LOOOOOOOONG way to go yet. That's quite cool though! I am really looking forward to season 10 because of that very episode. I've heard so much about it. Thanks.

[roxy-palace.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I can relate more to the girlyness of Keller. And yeah, Ronon totally needs some happy.

I am of the opinion that the writers followed through on this relationship because of fandom. I would like to think they they read the blogs and got that we were into it. Don't you think?

Although Ronon has spent a lot of time in the infirmary getting stitched up this season...maybe I am giving them less credit than they deserve for maipulating our emotions where the charcater's love lives are concerned?.

[roxy-palace.livejournal.com]

Oh for god's sake...more Kaite Brown?! Jesus. I thought we were rid of her mawkish buck toothed blurgh-ness. If I have to deal with Rodney pining over her I'm going to break something.

Yay for Lorne though! Yay. Yay!

[roxy-palace.livejournal.com]

Oh hang on...I get it...She's not coming back but Lorne is. Oh thank GOD! yay!

[dr-dredd.livejournal.com]

Oh, good. I'm glad I'm not the only one still stuck in Season 3! I think it's a combination of not having time to watch the last few episodes and not wanting to watch them because Carson's gonna die...

[dr-dredd.livejournal.com]

I agree about Robert Picardo. I loved his interactions with the crew in Voyager. (Particularly in one episode, where he tells a crewmember that has gone bald not to worry, because hair "is his specialty.") :-)

[poetryfiend.livejournal.com]

I *bet* Zelenka is the next main guy they kill off for a reaction. Just because we love him so *le sigh*

[wraithfodder.livejournal.com]

While season 4 has been pretty decent (No Lucius Lavin episodes!), it's just lacking something without Weir and Carson... oh wait, it's lacking Weir and Carson... :(

[wraithfodder.livejournal.com]

I think not being military is a plus because sheppard will not say "no" to a military order. To a civilian order, he can argue his side, hence, conflict :)

[wraithfodder.livejournal.com]

Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

[wraithfodder.livejournal.com]

After seeing Carter in season 4 (which is almost over), I can't fathom why they replaced Weir. To me, at least, Weir had much more presence, more, um, well, vibrancy, than Carter, who just wasn't really there. I mean, I so miss the way Weir would go "Rodney!" whereas Carter just doens't have it.

Yeah, I'm not at all fond of the constant SG1 guest stars. The show is cancelled, there are movies. It's time to let go and move no and let SGA be its own...

[wraithfodder.livejournal.com]

It could be good. At least he has more presence than Carter, and I trust that Picardo will do his best with whatever they give him - and I hope to god they give him decent lines.

[wraithfodder.livejournal.com]

I hope not...

[ladyniko.livejournal.com]

Yup - JM was a right bastard in all his hints & teasing w/ the SCB folks - he led them to believe that if they kept advertising for the show, and Carson, that he'd be back in more eps in S5. There are some highly pissed off folks over on that list. (If I'd invested as much time and effort as they have - oh hell yeah!)

The SEW folks - he won't even acknowledge their efforts. He doesn't like Weir, refuses to bring her back. (It's a Boys Only Club, don'cha know, that us "women folk" don't know how to write, direct or produce. At least, that's how JM & PM view it - they don't have any female writers on staff or female directors.)

Woolsey - yeah, like Keller, he needs to change more in order to fully take command of Atlantis. He's proven that he's not totally the IOA's toady in the start of S3 when he tells Elizabeth what his report's going to say - not the truth, but what the IOA will want to hear as the truth.

SGA Carter - she was gone more than she was there, so what was the whole point of bringing her over? (Apparently only because Torri was pushing too much for her character to be more involved, so they had to kill her off. I repeat what I said before - it's a "boys only" club and the actors don't know anything - esp. the ladies.)

Keller - nothing against Jewel, who is just like the sweetest person, but can we move past the whining? She's changing, but is still totally a whimp. At least Carson grew and had more backbone when it came to fighting back when threatened. I like how they're hinting at Ronon/Keller, but do the GUYS have to be so damn obvious about it? (Of course, we're talking about a bunch of guys here who don't think that subtle is a word in the English language. :-p)

Am I sarcastic and not expecting a lot out of S5? Hell yeah. :-p I am queen of sarcasm here and I truly wonder just why they can't bring back characters like Cadman instead of this Porter gal? Cadman is quite sarcastic and intelligent in her own right and the actress - Jamie Ray Newman - is the lead singer of a band and has a fairly decent voice. (Check out her page - she's got music links up.)

I continue to hope for the central team being unaffected, but it's going to be affected now matter what, and I guess it's up to us fic writers to fix what the writers do wrong. :)

[wraithfodder.livejournal.com]

Unfortunately Keller is, well, if she vanished I wouldn't miss her becuase she hasn't made that much of an impact on me. Half the time they get the medicine wrong on the show (and I know that's the fault of the writers but the character looks lame because of it). We need to see her doing more competent medical, er, stuff so we know she's actually worth keeping around.

I do want Beckett back because even with his own brand of whining ;) he was a good doctor. Poor Keller just isn't being written very well.

As for Woolsey, if they do him justice, he'll work fine. It's just a matter of hoping the writers know what they're doing...

[ladyniko.livejournal.com]

I agree! They can't kill off Zelenka or Lorne! If they did, I think they'd have major death threats mailed in to the studio....

[live-brave.livejournal.com]

I'm with you on the Woolsey thing - if he doesn't have some character growth he's going to have a terrible "accident" and all of Atlantis will conspire that no one saw or heard anything. :)