It’s hard to believe that Stargate Atlantis’ fifth season will culminate in the airing of the show’s 100th episode. The Stargate franchise’s first spin-off is now no longer a fledgling production – it has well and truly come of age. Season five will be the second year that the executive producing and writing partnership of Joseph Mallozzi and Paul Mullie have acted as show-runners on the series. Despite being rushed off his feet as production on the season gets underway, Mallozzi was happy to spill a few secrets about what fans have to look forward to in this, the first of our two-part chat.

How is production on season five so far?
We’re starting to get into it. It’s always tough at the beginning, but it’s fun. We’ve got [Robert] Picardo in, and he injects a new variable to the show. New variables are always interesting after this many years, not just of Atlantis but Stargate in general. It’s always interesting to make it different and mix things up.

How many scripts do you have in hand so far?
We have four finished scripts. We have a first draft of another, which is one that Carl [Binder] just handed in, and Brad [Wright]’s working on episode six which he should have for Monday. I’m working on episode seven. I’m just agonising over this last scene! Then beyond that, Carl’s already started on script number eight and we’re about to discuss script number nine, which is going to be Alan [McCullough]’s. We’ve already broken the mid-season two-parter, which will see Michael Shanks guesting as Daniel Jackson, and Martin [Gero]’s going to be writing that one. We kind of already know what episodes 19 and 20 are going to be. So we’ve got some scripts in hand but also a lot of stories in play at this point.

 When you first started talking about the season as a whole with the writing staff, what things did you want to see happen throughout the year?
Well, first of all we left things on a cliff-hanger at the end of season four, with ‘Last Man.’ We wanted to resolve that in the premiere, ‘Search and Rescue.’ We had to deal with the change of command ¬– Carter leaving and Woolsey coming in. Then there were a couple of other things that we set up last season that we wanted to continue to explore and develop, like Teyla’s pregnancy and her relationship with Kanan, and Ronon’s reunion with his old buddy Tyre, who turned out to be a Wraith worshiper. Potential romantic relationships are something that we’ve been really subtle about in the past. I think, much to the delight or perhaps the chagrin of fans, we will be getting into more of the relationship stuff in season five.
Then there’s the fact that we have episode 100 coming up, which will be funny. Robert Cooper actually came in and he pitched an idea for episodes 19 and 20, which we thought was great, so we know what we’re working towards.
Finally, we talked about shifting the status quo in the Pegasus galaxy. When we first arrived in season one, the Wraith were the main threat and by the end of season four, the Wraith were significantly weakened. So an opportunity has opened up in the Pegasus galaxy, much in the way that it did in the Milky Way once the Goa’uld were defeated. We’re suggesting that in the past when societies reached a certain level of advancement, the Wraith would sweep in and cull them, so you didn’t see many technologically advanced societies, if any at all. So what we’re going to say is that the technologically advanced societies that do exist have been in hiding and fearful of drawing the Wraith’s attention. But now, with the Wraith significantly weakened, they’re taking the opportunity to step up. So we’re going to be introducing a technologically advanced society in season five.

There are quite a lot of cast changes for year five, the biggest of which being that Amanda Tapping will not be returning as Colonel Carter. Had you always intended for Carter to only command Atlantis for one year?
No. In fact, we expected Amanda [Tapping] to come back for season five. Then an opportunity arose with the Sanctuary project that she has a personal investment in. It was a tough decision for her. She went back and forth, and wanted to find a way to make both work. But ultimately, I called Amanda and said, “You’re going to have to choose one or the other.” As much as I hated to do it, to put her in that spot, just because of the way our production schedule looks to be mapping out for season five, we’re not going to have the wiggle room that we had in previous years. [Before] we were able to say okay, if you’re not going to be available for these episodes, then we’ll just move these ones to here and shoot these episodes here. We don’t have that ability this year. So unfortunately we said you’re going to have to choose between Atlantis and Sanctuary, and after some thought and I know it was a very difficult decision for her, she said, ‘I’m going to have to go with Sanctuary but I want you guys to know that if you need me for anything…’ She made herself available for the hand over of command, and that was great. In fact I just said goodbye to her maybe half an hour ago. She was here doing some publicity for ‘Ark of Truth’ and she came by the production office to say goodbye. It was a pleasure to work with her and we’re sorry to see her go.

Check out the concluding part of our chat with Joseph Mallozzi to find out about the base’s new commander Richard Woolsey…and the further adventures of Doctor Carson Beckett!

News Article Courtesy Of The Official Stargate Web Site

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100th episode, amanda tapping, Ark Of Truth, atlantis, exclusive, joseph mallozzi, michael shanks, wraith

273Leave A Commenthttp://www.stargatearchive.com/journal/index.php/2008/04/season-five-exclusive-preview/Season+Five+Exclusive+Preview2008-04-29+21%3A44%3A15Stargate+Archive+Team

Chris Heyerdahl is like the Jekyll and Hyde of Stargate: Atlantis. The Vancouver native kicked off season one as the benevolent Athosian Halling, but later shifted gears by transforming into the conniving and deadly Wraith known as Todd. However, long before Heyerdahl even stepped into the Pegasus Galaxy, he encountered the Stargate SG-1 team as the misguided Pallan in the episode Revisions.

“It was interesting because I was never sure whether Pallan was actually a family man or married with no children,” recalls Heyerdahl about his character’s plight. “It starts off with them having dinner together, Pallan and his wife, and the next thing you know, he no longer has a wife. Did he have children once upon a time? Who knows what his history was. Did his father, brothers, mother, and sisters go before his wife? How long had this been going on? How much influence did he knowingly or unknowingly have in the deaths of so many people? He was ultimately responsible for keeping this machine working. He was the ignorant technician of evil, even though he was perhaps one of the most kind, gentle, and generous people you would want to meet. There was the transition of going from his own ignorance to his enlightenment, realizing he had been helping this machine help everyone survive but at the same time, killing so many people that he loved. To carry that burden is a heavy one. On the surface, he was a technician with a very intelligent scientific mind, but eventually he was indirectly responsible for the lives of perhaps hundreds of thousands of people. It was an interesting angle there – he was so much more than he thought he was, and so much more than he appeared. That was a big challenge on a human level.”

Obviously, Heyerdahl left a strong impression on the producers. He next turned up in Stargate: Atlantis as Halling, an Athosian who, along with his people, moved onto the premises to keep safe from the Wraith.

“Halling’s thing there was, he was the advisor, the overseer of giving Teyla advice, bouncing ideas, being a protector, helping to run that society,” says Heyerdahl. “That is how I entered into that character. He’s a single father, and has the responsibility of the children and of the village. Then, after meeting these new people, suddenly the woman who has been the biggest influence and guide to his people is drifting away through this crisis of the big bad Wraith coming back into their lives.”

Adding extra layers to the character were his religious convictions and more importantly, his son, Jinto.

“It was a lot of fun. I was able to play the father figure while the boys were the playmates,” notes Heyerdahl. “It worked as well behind the scenes as much as in front of the camera. Our relationship was much more father/son than playmate, but then he had that with all the boys from Earth. It is always a wonderful opportunity to create that father/child relationship. When you walk onto a set, meet somebody for the first time, and shake their hands and say, ‘Okay. We’ve known each other all our lives. Go!’ It’s a big challenge, and we were both up for it. It was pretty easy-going.

“That’s the thing about the set,” he continues. “You hear it all the time from every single person you talk to – walking on that set and working there is so easy. They work incredibly hard, very long days – many days are grueling with lots of pages to shoot, but there is nowhere else I’d rather be. People say that over and over again; it is just such an easy place to work because of the people that are in charge, that are writing, producing, directing, and starring. The crews are so cohesive because they’ve been together so many years.”

Read the full interview in The Official Stargate SG1/Atlantis Magazine #22 on sale now.

News Article Courtesy Of The Official Stargate Web Site

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atlantis, exclusive, sg1, wraith

272Leave A Commenthttp://www.stargatearchive.com/journal/index.php/2008/04/stargate-magazine-exclusive/Stargate+Magazine+Exclusive2008-04-29+13%3A47%3A57Stargate+Archive+Team

In a recent interview with Metro Amanda discusses all things Stargate, and her favourite past time of Baton Twirling.

Why did you keep on doing it for so long? Like every job don’t you get sick of it after a few years?

The crazy thing is we never did. We always had fun and laughed every single day. You can’t say that about every job. The writers also tried to keep our characters interesting and fresh so none of us wanted to leave. We also shot from February till September, which gave me the winter off to spend time with my family.

You’ve done Stargate for 11 years. How long did you think it would last?

I signed a five-year deal to start with and we knew we had two years on the network for sure. I thought the most we’d do was five years, then we went to seven, which is what the Star Trek series did. Then we got picked up again and again. When it eventually got cancelled halfway through season ten, I was actually surprised. I got very comfortable.

Doesn’t it get samey? Haven’t you spent 11 years running about pretending to shoot things?

And what’s wrong with that? There’s a danger you can fall into autopilot but the writers always brought new things in for our characters to do. Anyway, it’s fun to run through the woods pretending to shoot things.

Did they get you to do anything particularly ridiculous?

We’d sometimes look a bit silly early on doing green-screen special effects work. Our reactions would either be over the top or too small. There’s a scene where we see this ten storey tall spaceship and we kind of shrug our shoulders. I had to wear some pretty silly costumes – such as when I was kidnapped by a Mongol warlord or became a Neanderthal. Once, I was captured by a cult, had to wear a silly outfit and polish the leader’s jewelled throne.

Were you a sci-fi fan before you started on Stargate?

I watched Star Trek: The Next Generation but I was more of a Little House On The Prairie fan. It was a big leap for me.

Why did Stargate last so long?

Everyone involved in the show had fun making it and I believe that translated on to the screen. Our characters were accessible, we were fallible and the show was quite tongue-in-cheek. It wasn’t as dry as some sci-fi shows can be.

Does Stargate have a typical fan?

I’d say they’re intelligent and have a good sense of humour. They all know the minutiae of the show. They ask questions that baffle me. I’ve been asked ‘in episode such-and-such when you turn to Jack O’Neil and say ‘Sir’ what were you thinking?’ I said ‘Sir’ about 20 times an episode and I made 250 episodes, so that’s a lot of ‘Sirs’. If it wasn’t for the fans we wouldn’t have lasted 10 years.

Does being in a cult show deter casting directors from hiring you in future?

Does being in a cult show deter casting directors from hiring you in future? No, I was worried that it would, that I’d be typecast and end up playing characters wearing army boots and carrying a gun for the rest of my career but the last film I did was an emotional role as a mother of an autistic child.

Why did you want to be an actress to begin with?

My parents are British but we lived in Canada. Every year, Lionel Blair would come to Toronto and do a traditional British pantomime and we’d go each time. He’d haul children out of the audience and on to the stage for one song. I always wanted to be picked but never was. That’s where it all started from.

Was starting your acting career a struggle?

Like many other young actors, I came out of drama school vowing I’d never do television and I’d only do theatre and art films. I needed to pay the bills, though, and the first role I got was a commercial for a coffee shop in Canada. It meant I could pay my rent for two months. It was a slow build and I worked really hard to get small parts in TV series.

Did you have any rubbish day jobs?

I waitressed a lot. My favourite waitressing job was serving beer in a biker bar. I got great tips and the bikers were very polite customers. I also worked in a very high-end restaurant and the customers there were incredibly rude.

You were born in Essex. Have you been back?

Yes. My dad’s from Bermondsey and my mom’s from Finchley but I was born in Essex. I’ve still got family there. I’m no stranger to Essex but I don’t own white stilettoes.

Have you ever won a competition?

I was a champion baton twirler. The prize was just the honour of winning. I got 97 per cent in a baton twirling exam. I did it from the age of nine to 12 but gave it up because I realised it looked kind of dorky. I can still do it now, my daughter found my old baton in the back of a closet so I showed her some routines.

Have you ever been attacked by an animal?

I was chased by a swan through Hyde Park. I don’t know what I did to annoy it, I just think swans have an attitude problem. You just need to give them a wrong look and then watch out.

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amanda tapping

271Leave A Commenthttp://www.stargatearchive.com/journal/index.php/2008/04/amanda-tapping-on-baton-twirling-more/Amanda+Tapping+On+Baton+Twirling+%26amp%3B+More2008-04-28+18%3A31%3A56Stargate+Archive+Team

The Stargate franchise has been nominated in 3 categories in the second annual Constellation awards ceremony, nominations include:

• Best Female Performance in a 2007 Science Fiction Television Episode: Amanda Tapping for her performance in SG-1’s Season Ten’s “The Road Not Taken”
• Best Science Fiction Television Series of 2007: Stargate Atlantis
• Outstanding Canadian Contribution to Science Fiction Film or Television in 2007: Stargate SG-1

A Brief History about the awards ceremony

The Constellation Awards are Canada’s annual science fiction awards, focused on rewarding excellence in science fiction film and television. Now in its second year, The Constellation Awards celebrate and honour the actors, writers, and technical artists behind the best of today’s science fiction film and TV works – with an added focus on Canadian contributions to science fiction film and television. The Constellation Awards are also the only Canadian science fiction film and TV awards where YOU, the Canadian viewing public, get to select the nominees and winners in all categories.

Voting closes on the June 15th 2008. Register your vote.

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amanda tapping, atlantis, nominations

270Leave A Commenthttp://www.stargatearchive.com/journal/index.php/2008/04/stargate-nominated-in-canadas-constellation-awards/Stargate+Nominated+in+Canada%26%23039%3Bs+Constellation+Awards2008-04-25+18%3A19%3A29Stargate+Archive+Team

Cheyenne Mountain Entertainment has officially opened the beta testing of the up and coming ‘Stargate Worlds’ to the public.

Many members of the Stargate Worlds forums have received a welcome email recently inviting them to join the better, but if like some you haven’t received yours or are not a member of the forums it’s not too late to register your interest.

If you would like to register your interest to become a better tester for one of the most highly anticipated game in Stargate history, then click here to head on over to the registration page.

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Stargate Worlds

269Leave A Commenthttp://www.stargatearchive.com/journal/index.php/2008/04/register-to-become-a-beta-tester/Register+To+Become+A+Beta+Tester2008-04-25+18%3A11%3A24Stargate+Archive+Team