That blink, blink moment

[mandragora]

I was flicking through the latest official Stargate SG1 & Atlantis magazine and, from an interview with Joe Mallozzi:

"We had discussed Ben [Browder] as early as as season one of Stargate Atlantis as a possible Major Sheppard." Turns out that Ben was working on Farscape: The Peacekepper Wars at the time, so it was a no go.

But. Now I'm trying to imagine Ben as John Sheppard and it's...weird. Really weird. I'm sure I would've still loved the character, because, well, it's Ben and I absolutely love Farscape (and John Crichton). But trying to imagine what Ben's portrayal, as opposed to Joe Flanigan's, would have been like is, hmm, intriguing, I think.

I have to say, though, that I'm exceptionally glad that it worked out as it did, because I suspect that Joe wouldn't have been enough of a 'name' to be cast as the lead on SG1 - and I think with RDA leaving they really needed a 'name', someone known to the SF watching public. And Ben fitted the bill admirably. So, although we would've got Ben snarking with David's McKay (fun!), we wouldn't have had Joe on SG1. And not seeing Joe on Stargate would have been a tragedy. *g* Plus, admirable actor though Ben undoubtedly is, who's to say that he would have had as good a chemistry as between Joe and David?

So, it's all worked out for the best. I get to perve over Ben on SG1 (and did you see Ben in that towel in the latest episode! *sigh*) and drool over Joe (alas, no towel as yet, but I have hope), as well as the whole McKay/Sheppard relationship.

Comments

[filenotch.livejournal.com]

Browder and Hewlett? Hm. It would have been a bit more antagonistic, and Too Much. I like Flannigan's understatedness as a contrast to Hewlett's near over-the-topness.

I think probably Browder could play understated, but the way he plays Cameron on SG-1 would not have worked for me with McKay, unless McKay were the grim, understated one. Which he isn't.

Er, going back to work now.

[mandragora1.livejournal.com]

I agree that Sheppard played as Mitchell wouldn't have worked with McKay, but Sheppard is an entirely different character from Mitchell and presumably Ben would have played him differently.

I mean, Cameron is the golden-boy, who has suffered in the past but he's just a wide-eyed fanboy at heart. I can't see John ever letting go of his repressedness to let his inner fanboy (I think he's - mostly - a fan of pretty much everyone in Atlantis but wouldn't admit it) out to that extent. I can't see John ever openly being the wide-eyed fanboy actually - I don't think he's as enthusiastic as Cameron is about anything except flying.

I'm with you in that I doubt the Sheppard/McKay dynamic would have worked as well if Ben had been playing it. It would have been different even if Ben had chosen a more restrained approach. I'm assuming as a professional and knowing the McKay character dynamic he would have done so, because Atlantis doesn't need a gung-ho, enthusiastic character (although in actuality the Cameron character is neither naive nore inexperienced) like SG1 does.

[minotaurs.livejournal.com]

Hmm, Browder-as-Sheppard would have been hot to watch... but would also have been a lot more like Creighton. Sheppard and Creighton have more in common than Mitchell and Creighton - at least, their situations do. It would have been harder to separate the characters. Also, much as I adore Ben, he just doesn't come off as slashy to me. McKay/Browder-as-Sheppard wouldn't work. So I think it's for the best that we got Flanigan.

[mandragora1.livejournal.com]

I agree that Browder-as-Sheppard = hot. Also agree he would have been more Crichton-like, although I think Sheppard and Crichton are very distinct characters - Crichton starts off as an innocent, whereas Sheppard starts off in the place which is much more where Crichton ends up.

It's interesting, though, that Crichton is coded as feminine on Farscape - he's very much in the 'plucky heroine' rather than 'stoic hero' mould and the same can be convincingly (IMO) argued for Sheppard - he acts in very 'female' ways at times - the flirtatiousness, his method of getting his own way, which is very passive-aggressive, the obvious nurturing and caring for 'his' people etc. When he's not acting as a cold-blooded killer to protect his people, and, arguably, that's also a female trait. There's a reason why it's recommended to shoot the female terrorists first, and women in defence of their children = implacable.

But I too much prefer Flanigan as Sheppard and, luckily, we still get to see Browder as Mitchell. *g*

On the slashy-front, whilst I could never slash Crighton (because *Aeryn* -the John/Aeryn relationship is right up there for favourite onscreen relationship for me) I could slash Mitchell quite happily. One of the hottest things I've read, actually, is a very good Michell/Sheppard crossover story. But looking at the onscreen characters I could particularly slash Mitchell and Teal'c and to a lesser extent Cameron/Daniel. I've read a good Daniel/Cameron that really worked for me.

But I agree that it's for the best that we got Flanigan, because this way we get them both. Which makes me very happy. *g*