DragonCon interview with Stargate Atlantis' JOE FLANIGAN!

[wraithfodder]

Brand-new interview with Joe Flanigan (Stargate Atlantis). Interesting stuff!

http://dailydragon.dragoncon.org/2009/joe-flanigan/

EXCERPT:

This year is Stargate Atlantis star Joe Flanigan’s first year at Dragon*Con.  I sat down with Joe to get his thoughts on his co-stars and the cancellation of Stargate Atlantis, as well as his views on a variety of matters.

DD:  Based on published reports on the internet, you’ve been made to sound as if you’ve spoken out against the new Stargate Universe series.

JF: I have?  I don’t remember ever speaking out against it.  I think the feeling was, from David Hewlett and I, that it was odd to cancel us but yet to spin off a new show at the same time.  I don’t think that anybody is speaking out against Universe at all.  I have absolutely nothing against the new show and I encourage people to judge it on its own.

DD:  So it’s more a case of speaking out as to why Atlantis was canceled.

JF:  I think mostly because David and I haven’t been given a proper explanation and I don’t think anybody has, and I think everybody’s running around wondering if we’re doing the movie or we’re not doing the movie.  I think everybody wants their cake and eat it, too.  I think they want the fan base but they don’t want to necessarily listen to the fan base also.  I’m also a businessman;  if somebody gives me a reason as to why something doesn’t work (…) I’ve been on many shows that were canceled or failed for many reasons and I get it.  I just get it.  We’re just looking for a compelling reason.  We’re confused why—the show was doing so well, and if you look at the DVD sales you’ll know how well the show was doing. Why, if it’s a favorable economic model, why would you change or cancel it?

 REST AT LINK ABOVE

Yeah, even we the fans would like a decent explanation...

Comments

[black-raven135.livejournal.com]

"............they want the fan base but they don’t want to necessarily listen to the fan base also......"

Fans are what makes ratings.
It isn't magic where they develop a new show and it doesn't matter
whether anyone watches it or not............that may be true of film, but not of tv series work.
That is NOT the way it works....
WE make or break a show......
PERIOD.
That is the problem in this equation.
NOBODY cared about what WE thought.
The bozos that be were too busy thinking of themselves
to consider the consequences.
AND it is what will shoot down SGU.
I am sorry, I don't feel anything but betrayal when I see those
trailers.
FIRST, because of what they did to JF and the rest of the cast
SECOND, because of the way WE were treated.
I am NOT going to forget this.

[chensuu.livejournal.com]

Very well said! And I agree with you completely.

Joe really has a way of getting to the heart of things doesn't he?

[ckc44.livejournal.com]

ITA with you, as a fan of SGA I have no intention to watch SGU, for many reason I might add, because there are many reasons why this show is awful. But the main one is the of treatment of Actors and of fans. Its quite disgraceful then you start looking at it as a whole an well OMG!!!!!!!

Maybe if this had been handled better, I might have checked out at least the pilot "maybe". Though from what I've seen so far, its not good. But I wouldn't support these guys now in anything they do, there names are the kiss of death on a project, as far as I'm concerned now. I just hope that Joe F an the others get new shows soon an tell that lot where to go shove it, even though I really want a movie, just the thought of those jerks having anything to do with is frustrating.

[gavet97.livejournal.com]

I saw The Flan this past weekend at Dragoncon and I have to say how amazing the whole experience was. (Other than him missing his flight Friday, and therefore his first panel, and then him leaving early and missing his Monday panel.....)

But anyhoo......he struck me as very much an actor's friend. He joked with the other cast members on the panel and had fun with the fans. I think he can easily see it from the business side and "our" side. I see his point about SGU. They were treated unfairly and we get it. TPTB don't.

And he was smokin' hot too. Did I need to mention that at all? =)

[black-raven135.livejournal.com]

"he was smokin' hot too. Did I need to mention that at all?"

Not really, as that is pretty evident even on film....but in
person would be so much more interesting.......
It just makes me want to go to the one in LA even more.
At least he won't miss a flight then.
:P

[mcsheplovers.livejournal.com]

Very interesting article! I know David tweeted on the subject of the cancellation in the past---basically saying that he had *no* idea why it was cancelled. I love that JF and the others keep in touch and that they want to keep in touch because they really like each other. I was watching those MGM vids the other day, and the one of David's last day where he hugged Joe.....they both seem so choked up! It killed me. What a waste.........


Beth

[aqualegia.livejournal.com]

I love that they keep in touch, and have lunch together sometimes... and yes, it was such a waste.

[nialla]

"I think they want the fan base but they don’t want to necessarily listen to the fan base also."

I luvs you Joe! [fangirlz]

[tavabean.livejournal.com]

Here is why I think Joe and some of the others may not have thought they, as actors, were valued by TBTB. These are exerpts from someone who attended the Comic Con SGU party in San Diego:
http://www.pajiba.com/trade_news/stargate-universe-comic-con.php
"I approached a trio of middle aged men heatedly discussing the role of CGI and actors in the future. I thought that they might be writers since they clearly weren’t pretty people but weren’t carrying bags and tape recorders like the journalists. Two of the men insisted that while actors were important, perfect CGI meant that their appearance could be effectively “skinned” on. The third man, who looked a bit like Jeffrey Katzenberg, argued that while he might sound like an analog dinosaur, he felt that actors brought something indefinable that layered CGI always ruined...."

Then:
"The presentation started then as two of the three guys who had been talking about CGI so animatedly (faux Jeffrey Katzenberg included), mounted a little platform, took the microphones, and introduced themselves as Brad and Rob."

[the-scary-kitty.livejournal.com]

I think Joe even mentioned in some interview having just such a conversation with Wright where Wright basically said that the actors were not as important as slapping the Stargate name on the show. Geeze. *thwaps Wright upside the head*

[nialla]

Sounds like somebody's got into the George Lucas brand Kool-Aid. In new Jar-Jar flavor!

[wraithfodder.livejournal.com]

Hmm, very interesting....

[kodiak-bear.livejournal.com]

For me, I think actors make or break shows. Successful series depends so much on good casting. SGA had great casting, mediocre writing. It doesn't surprise me to hear that they don't value the actors. Look how free they were with the toss-out button in SGA.

One of the hardest parts of SGU for me is once I get past the bitterness of what they did to SGA (and not just the cancellation, but the constant fucking up in throwing out actors, inserting new, making it a rotating door for SG-1, etc) is that the new cast of SGU is so unappealing.

[the-scary-kitty.livejournal.com]

I think they want the fan base but they don’t want to necessarily listen to the fan base also.

This is why SGU will likely crash and burn and take the entire Stargate franchise with it. Rule #1 of running a successful business: Don't piss off your customers. And boy, are we pissed off!

Give 'em hell, Joe!

[vecturist.livejournal.com]

I think though there is a fine line between respecting the fan base and catering to it. TPTB at SPN and Heroes are certainly aware of the fans, although I will admit Heroes lost me after season 2.

[gatedialer.livejournal.com]

Another reason why Joe kicks frakking ass. I want an answer as well.

[wraithfodder.livejournal.com]

Many fans do but you'd THINK the folks working on the show would get a straight answer. Well, you'd think they would...

[cimmerdeux.livejournal.com]

I think it all comes down to the Golden Rule our parents taught us: 'do unto others as you would have them do unto you'. If TPTB want to be treated in a certain manner than they have to treat people in that manner. You can't treat actors and fans poorly and then expect nothing but respect and admiration in return. A lot of show runners don't get into it with their fans. If they have any interaction at all it's usually polite and brief. They may pay attention to what the fans think or they may not but if they aren't, they don't throw contempt in the faces of the fans or get in arguments. That always makes me think that someone "doth protest too much."

When show runners and writers start 'telling' fans what they should like and not like and 'telling' them whether their opinions are valid or not or insinuating that since they make shows, they know what's 'good'; well, that's the writing on the wall for me.

I understand not being able to cater to the fans' every whim, there lies anarchy and eventual contempt (no one likes a suck up LOL) but don't act like a condescending jerk either. It's a symbiotic relationship after all, not a parasitical one.

[black-raven135.livejournal.com]

"You can't treat actors and fans poorly and then expect nothing but respect and admiration in return."

That is exactly how I felt when I posted my initial comment.
I guess they think if they slap the word STARGATE on it, it will elicit a Pavlov response???

[immertreu.livejournal.com]

This article was in my Google Alerts this morning but I loved to read it again. I could hug Joe Flanigan for speaking out what he thinks without caring who's listening. I wish there were more honest people like him in the business.

And I want an explanation, too!

[lyndasty.livejournal.com]

Speaking as the person who interviewed Joe, let me tell you this. He is an awesome person and he talked for almost 30 minutes about Atlantis and the cancellation and EVERYTHING. There was MUCH more I wish I could've included but alas...

[katikat.livejournal.com]

I loved the "I played a bumbling dodo brain" part XD He's so funny!

From the interviewer...

[lyndasty.livejournal.com]

There were LOTS more funny moments I wish I could've included but I couldn't. I'll try to transcribe the entire interview. :)

[rootortoise.livejournal.com]

Oh joe..this is why i luffs you so much!!
Hes so right...about everything. Except i am judging SGU before watching lol....i hope it fails miserably, im not going to give it the time of day. Joe F and the team dynamic was the only reason i carried on watching SGA...certainly wasnt the creative eps..the few clever eps they did were few and far between!! SGU doesnt appeal anyway and even if it did, same TPTB same old shit.

[black-raven135.livejournal.com]

"Joe F and the team dynamic was the only reason i carried on watching SGA."

Same here.
In fact when I first saw the trailer for SGA pilot on another cable station, I groaned and thought "not more of SG1" but there was something different about this....
and the word Atlantis got to me too.

[cimmerdeux.livejournal.com]

You know, I wonder, do you think more women are incensed by the attitude of TPTB than men? I've just noticed on a lot of boards,it seems to be a lot of women who don't want to watch SGU and the reason is tied directly to 'bad behavior'. Of course, it just may be that the women who don't want to watch are more vocal but of those not interested, often the reason given is tied to the way TPTB handled everything leading up to the new show.

I know, I'm not watching SGU because I don't want to reward bad behavior with viewership or ratings; it's got nothing to do with the show although it doesn't look like something I'd like (if I'm gonna watch that kind of thing, I'm going for "V" with sex crazed giant snakes thank you very much LOL).

I agree with above poster, I watched IN SPITE of the problems with SGA just because I liked the actors.

Hmmm.

[nialla]

One possible interpretation is a lot of the bad behavior has been aimed towards females, both fans and characters.

Female fans also tend to analyze the more emotional aspects of the storyline, which don't seem to be a high priority with most male fans. This is a general statement, not saying it's true for everyone of either gender.

I don't think men notice the same problems, because as the "sought after" demographic, they're generally watching things from the same entitled POV as the writers.

[mercury973.livejournal.com]

Joe- you rock!

[aqualegia.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the link.

"I think the feeling was, from David Hewlett and I, that it was odd to cancel us but yet to spin off a new show at the same time."

They just wanted a new toy to play with... and damn what the fans think or want.

I want a real explanation, too.

[lyndasty.livejournal.com]

Yeah I did that interview. :)

[wraithfodder.livejournal.com]

Cool! Lucky you! And thanks for doing it :)

[reen212000.livejournal.com]

Usually, I reserve judgement of anything until I see it with my own eyes. But the SGU thing... I kinda feel bad for the actors who've been roped into this tug o' war. When SG-1 was cancelled, it was okay. We'd been with them from the beginning, and over the 10 seasons, they told their story and sewed everything up nicely. Even got bonus movies out of the deal.

But SGA was at a critical point. There was so much more story to tell! The first time I saw JF, he mentioned that there had to be a point to the whole ShepLantis thing. We may never learn what that point is, or how everything comes together. SG-1 flowed almost seamlessly into SGA, with lots of background leading up to 'Rising.'

Now, there's a plate of cold fish set before us in the form of SGU. What are we supposed to do? There's no one there to hold our hands, so to speak, and explain the purpose of the spin-off. I can understand why they would want to cut the franchise off cold turkey, therefore limiting crossovers. But can't we at least get a miniseries, a la BSG?

Seems to me they've got a lot of 'xplaining to do. It's not a popular thing to do, but I will watch the first episode. None of the cast/characters are remotely interesting, or, sadly even hot enough to hold my attention. Justin Louis and Lou Diamond Phillips are both dark, intense actors, and I really don't see how that's gonna play out.

That's my $.02 USD

Also, I'm so glad JF liked playing Brendan Dean! LOL Well, Joe, here's yer chance. Bring ThoughtCrimes back!

SGU fails

[domjohn.livejournal.com]

I read this interview a couple of days ago.
I liked to read it coz as usual Joe Flanigan speaks his mind and shows a lot of respect toward the fans what TPTB seem to have forgotten.
I read some critics about SGU and in this article they said TPTB fell back quickly to their old habit. So forgotten all their great promesses about new fresh amazing show only old stargate show. So why they axed our beloved show that was a proven successful show. When we think about this it was obvious they keep the same pool od writers. So it would seem all our fears are becoming true.
SADLY. And if it's the case it will be the stargate death.
Bring back SGA that got so many fans.
I appreciate JOE FLANIGAN speaks like this. he knows the entertainment world and as he said he is also a businessman.
PS: You can send some tweets to MGM like this.
@mgm_studios and @Syfy please. #givememysgamovie....and series!

JOE FLANIGAN Thanks for speaking so freely.:)
I respect this so much and it's so rare.