SGA Season Four - Spoilers

[mandragora]

There have been so many rumours flying around concerning what will be/what's likely to be/what there's no way in hell will happen in Season Four.

But if the latest is true, I have to ask, are TPTB actually trying to piss off the fans?

Beware! Spoilers behind the cut.



Because, if the conclusions reached are correct, I can't see there being a whole lot of lovin' (of TPTB) goin' round.

This comes from someone who was on the Vancouver set tour, for which N. John Smith was the tour guide, and who apparently didn't realise the Weir's office was meant to be closed 'for painting'. So, Smith took his group in and...

It's no longer Weir's office. There were four framed photos sitting on the shelf behind the desk. One is of Jacob Carter, one of Cassie, one of Daniel, and one is of Sam and Jack fishing.

Oh, and someone else who was there opined that they believe that Torri's role may have been not just reduced, but 'significantly reduced', because when Robert C. Cooper was asked about Weir, his answer
was along the lines of 'She will be featured in a number of episodes and Cater will appear in 14 episodes'. That person emphasised that Cooper didn't give a number for Weir, but tacked on the specific number for Carter, when he wasn't even asked about her role in Atlantis.

I...really can't say that I'm happy at the thought of Carter in command in Atlantis. There are some characters I might have liked to see in command, if Weir really has to go (I've always liked Weir more as an idea, and less in execution, which I put down to TPTB's inability to write a decent woman commander). But Sam isn't among them. And that's so even though I (usually) like Sam.

*sigh*

Comments

[raincitygirl.livejournal.com]

Sigh. There are times when I wonder if exec producers and writers are actually TRYING to sabotage the shows they run.

[mandragora1.livejournal.com]

Me too. You'd think that the Stargate PTB would have learned from the Daniel Jackson debacle. However, apparently not...

[filenotch.livejournal.com]

I am only going to like that if Carter resigns from the USAF and doesn't go on many missions.

Idiots.

[mandragora1.livejournal.com]

Yep.

Provided that they really are replacing Weir (even on a temporary) basis with Carter as leader of Atlantis. It's possible that this is simply a set rejig. Unlikely, though, given the circumstances.

[filenotch.livejournal.com]

I can imagine it being kind of cool, Carter handed command without an ounce of real admin training or negotiating skills. She'd have to realy more on Teyla, and I can see them setting up for Carter dismissing the role Teyla grew into with Weir, then having to eat crow when she fucks up trying to do it on her own.

But they won't be that smart.

[mandragora1.livejournal.com]

Alas, no. They could make it interesting, along the lines you suggest. But that would mean writing Sam as less than perfect when it comes to her job (albeit not her private life). And they're extremely unlikely to do that.

[kaseido.livejournal.com]

Oh, gods.

Admitting that they'd trashed Weir's character beyond all hope and replacing her? Chicken, but okay. Replacing her with *Carter*???

That's um, yeah, having no clue what you did wrong in the first instance.

Sigh.

[mandragora1.livejournal.com]

I know, I know.

Actually, I don't think Weir is beyond redemption - if they let her show a little of Torri's warmth and humour I think people would warm to her a lot more.

As it is, though, she'll probably hardly be in Season 4 at all.

[wickedwords.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I was at Vancouver con and even though I didn't see the revised office, that's what I pieced together too--That Sam was replacing Weir as being in charge of Atlantis, albiet on a temp basis. (Mostly from Cooper saying that he had just finished directing 'Dopplegangers' and that it was the 4th episode, so Sam was settling in to her role in Atlantis. The implication being she wasn't in charge of a ship as they had been saying, but actually in charge of something in SGA). And as I knew they had set up Weir to be seriously injured...A + B = C.

However, there are a couple of issues that this brings up that I was interested in as far as canon goes:

1) John now has to take orders from Sam. He can't blow her off the way he would Weir. His position is different under a military leader than it was under a civilian, and how that affects him interests me.

2) What is the situation that has Military Sam being put in charge of the expedition? Why is it no longer a civilian enterprise? And how do the civilians currently on the expedition feel about that?

I can totally buy that this is a temporary assignment, that they had the year left on Tapping's contract and so they had to use her in some way--or pay her to sit around and do nothing, and they were never going to do that. I am concerned that this means less Sam in the movies, though, as she is spending so much time filming SGA. I also want to know if Weir is going to be in a coma for a year...

[mandragora1.livejournal.com]

I wonder too about Weir. But didn't Torri sign a contract in advance, too? So aren't they essentially paying her to sit around most of the time and do nothing? Unless Sam is only in command for a few episodes and then takes a backseat. But given that she's in 14 episodes somehow I doubt that.

Re 1) Essentially John will be demoted (unless Sam is no longer in the military) because the military head of Atlantis will be Sam, not John. There can't be any of the push-me, pull-you between a civilian head and military commander, because Sam is going to be in command, no question. Which leaves John as simply head of SGA-1. Oh, and second-in-command, I suppose. Just like Jack was on SG1, before promotion beyond colonel. Nothing we haven't seen before, except that John will probably be rather resentful of Sam initially, until Won Over by her Awesomeness, as she's not only Hot, but also the Biggest Brain in Two Galaxies and just generally Wonderful.

Re 2) Yes, that could make for some good tension. Except that Rodney (who I suspect will be the least circumspect) will have to kowtow to Sam. And even though they're meant to be (sort-of) intellectual equals, as Sam is Never Wrong, and Rodney is Sometimes Wrong, guess who will always be right?

Sigh.

I liked it, you know, when you knew that any one of the top-ranking three - Weir, Sheppard, or McKay was capable of screwing up. But Sam has never really screwed up in ten years, so I doubt she'll start now. So, expect lots of John and Rodney and everyone else being wrong, and Sam being right.

[wickedwords.livejournal.com]

I think Amanda was on a different contract-lenght because of her maternity leave, so it renewed at an odd time, which is why she had a year's extension and no one else did. As far as I know, Tori didn't have a multi-year contract, just like Paul didn't, and so she could be demoted without it costing them.

And--oh, god. Why did you remind me of how perfect Sam is? It works fine on SG-1 as that's the type of show it is, but on SGA? I had supressed that, darn it. I don't really want John to be won over by her awesomeness. I want him to chaff a little at being demoted and brought to heel. And also feel a little resentment on Elizabeth's behalf.

I foresee a horrible situation for Rodney, where he's caught between Sam and Katie, in this bizaree triange that's all in his head. And I shudder to think about it, so I try to avoid that part as well.

[mandragora1.livejournal.com]

*Sympathetic smile*

Sorry, re reminding you of Sam's perfection. I agree that it works on SG1, the Heroes Who Saved The World (several times). But on SGA...Not so much.

And, ugh, I hadn't even thought about Rodney and Katie. They're so cute together (well, they were in Sunday) and-- Poor Katie.

[filenotch.livejournal.com]

*Sympathetic smile*

*kicks you under the table*

[mandragora1.livejournal.com]

What? *innocent look*

[mandragora1.livejournal.com]

Meant to say earlier that I share your concern re Sam's role in the movies. I want Sam in the movies in the same way that I really don't want her as Atlantis head.

Dammit, I was really enjoying the Sam/Cam and Sam/Vala interaction, as well, of course, as the relationship between the Original Trio. Plus, if we get Jack in the movies... But it won't be right with Sam in a reduced role.

Double sigh.

[wickedwords.livejournal.com]

No Jack in the movies from what I've heard, but damn, I really will miss the Sam/Cam and the Sam/Vala. It just won't be right without her.

[filenotch.livejournal.com]

I'm okay without Jack. His last Atlantis appearance was very close to self-parody, and we wouldn't want RDA to go the way of Shatner, now would we?

[wickedwords.livejournal.com]

oh, good point!

[liresius.livejournal.com]

Cooper really foregrounds Carter with that specific contrast between a number of eps for her and none for Weir. And the simple fact that he juxtaposes them (information on Carter unsolicited)comes across as a very blatant statement of shift to a new "leader".

I'm a bit fretful about the whole 4th season - especially the Rodney Sam dynamic. He's such a chauvinist around her although they have toned that down with M&MM. And I like him to be the brilliant one in SGA but with Carter there the "she can never be wrong" thing threatens to destablise the dynamic.

[mandragora1.livejournal.com]

Yes, exactly. I don't want Carter overriding Rodney as scientific head, or John as military head. And, oh look, with Carter you get someone who's an expert in both in one handy-dandy package.

With Weir, her expertise didn't overlap with that of either John or Rodney. Which worked well IMO.