Illiterati
Council Member & Author
Things got too serious with Browder. And then they brought whatsherface from Farscape with him...
At that point, it kindasorta turned into StarScape.
At that point, it kindasorta turned into StarScape.
Yes, I know it was Claudia Black.
The point I was trying to make was that they were trying to draw in Farscape viewers by saying "Look! It's Farscape...but not!"
Browder's too "serious" an actor for a show like SG1. His character was so much more standoffish than Jack. The reason the SG1 team worked was because of their chemistry and the fact that they were like a family.
Browder, bless him, didn't have that chemistry.
When I wants my Captain Tightpants, I watch Castle...I liked Browder in SG-1, and I liked Jack all the way up to Stargate Universe. But MY Jack is now the SGU pod-Jack and he no longer appeals to me.
I really think they got Jewel Staite because she had been on Firefly.
When I wants my Captain Tightpants, I watch Castle...
And "pod-Jack"? Seems appropriate.
Maybe they're all from some alternate universe, a la Star Trek...so it's EVIL Jack (without the beard).
I know other's opinions may differ, but the humor wasn't the same after RDA left.
Sigh...
When I wants my Captain Tightpants, I watch Castle...
Well, that explains the puny SGU action on LJ, which is mostly female orientated. SGA fandom was huge in its time and is still fairly large.
And no, there is no eye candy. I don't know in what universe Lt Scott is considered attractive (how far from Earth are they? 4 billion lightyears?), but I'm sorry no, too immature, too baby faced to play a convincing marine or whatever the heck he is. Col. Young, married, cheats on his wife, depressed, manic, agressive, not a winner either. Rush? Let's not even go there - we have a thread.
That leaves Eli, the one guy they selected to be the unattractive geek. It's sort of pathetic if you have to root for the bad guys to take over the ship so there is at least something good to look at.
And there are tons of shows with strong female characters, NCIS, Burn Notice, Chuck, Nikita, The Closer. The female characters on SGU can't hold a candle to them. Funny thing is, Mallozzi mentioned in his blog they have a female (part time) writer on their staff for SGU. She looks about 19 and got blamed for the infamous stoneswap sex scene between lesbian Camile Wray and Rush - which later got cut after much objection from (mostly) SGA fans. How convenient.
Ahhh BSG... my love affair with awesome story began thereFemale leads/characters that actually have POWER and have to use it in plot relevant ways adds a dynamic which can be very difficult to write for a man in this american culture.
Sociologically speaking, there are many things which are nurtured into our ways of thinking before we can question it. Roslin was a g-damned school teacher with cancer. Most writers would have turned her into a blubbering weeping pot. RDM and his crew turned her into the Icy Madam Airlock! I'll NEVER forget how well acted "Blood on the Scales" was when Roslin screams "I'm coming for you!" after she thinks Adama has been killed. Brilliance.
Or Starbuck just continually fighting against everything including herself, but still kicking ass when needed.
Another thing that is nurtured into our ways of thinking is that women over 50 can't be sexy. I think Roslin was, but never in ten million years would TPTB of SGU write a character like that! She didn't even have hair when they showed her in the sack with Adama. And of course, Ellen Tigh who turned out to be the mastermind behind the whole humanoid cylon "race", as well as her previous identity as an alcoholic cougar.
SGU is not half so cutting edge as TPTB imagines it to be. What they write is controversial to some, but that doesn't make it cutting edge. It's actually kind of juvenile and predictable- "Look! We showed people banging in the closet!"
"We have gays!"
"An airman was knocked up by her CO!"
But I'm still waiting for them to create a scene like this:
Admiral Cain, (upon seeing her former lover Gina with a gun pointing in Cain's face): "Oh.. fuck me."
Gina: "You're not my type."
KABOOM!
Now, that's writing!!
One of the competition of SGU is NCIS LA. SGU is clearly losing in the eye candy department against it. And it is not only that. The characters of NCIS LA are really likeable and they are friends with each other. They are also a team and comrades, who are doing everything for each other. NCIS LA is practically SG1/SGA without the science fiction part. I am sure that even among those women, who love science fiction, a lot of prefer watching NCIS LA over SGU.
I liked Browder in SG-1, and I liked Jack all the way up to Stargate Universe. But MY Jack is now the SGU pod-Jack and he no longer appeals to me.
I really think they got Jewel Staite because she had been on Firefly. Same with Morena Baccharin. There is a LOT of Firefly ripoff material in the form of set design/look/feel inside Destiny. If you didnt know it, the interior of Destiny could easily be Serenity (but more ugly).
Showing my shallow side yet again, I just have to reiterate, no hot men on SGU is one of the shows biggest mistakes. Of course the writing and overall direction of the show is an even bigger mistake, but, I am not in the least surprised more women are not tuning in. Some good eye candy will get me to excuse a lot of really crappy writing and plot holes, and there are some shows I watch that I would NEVER watch if it weren't for the eye candy. Case in point I am watching the SGU episodes with Mike Dupod in them (although I use the fast forward button a lot to skip over everything else). Maybe guys are the same - that could be why more guys are actually watching SGU each week - since there are hot chicks.
@Illiterati & Nani - haha, us girls think alikeNathan Fillion is the only reason I watch Castle! And Adam Baldwin does an awesome job on Chuck.
He's very good at being a pouty 9 year old, isn't he? I do enjoy the storylines for Castle. One of my SG1 SGA loving friends and I call one another after Castle is over and talk over the episode.@Illiterati & Nani - haha, us girls think alikeNathan Fillion is the only reason I watch Castle! And Adam Baldwin does an awesome job on Chuck.
Showing my shallow side yet again, I just have to reiterate, no hot men on SGU is one of the shows biggest mistakes. Of course the writing and overall direction of the show is an even bigger mistake, but, I am not in the least surprised more women are not tuning in. Some good eye candy will get me to excuse a lot of really crappy writing and plot holes, and there are some shows I watch that I would NEVER watch if it weren't for the eye candy. Case in point I am watching the SGU episodes with Mike Dupod in them (although I use the fast forward button a lot to skip over everything else). Maybe guys are the same - that could be why more guys are actually watching SGU each week - since there are hot chicks.
@Illiterati & Nani - haha, us girls think alikeNathan Fillion is the only reason I watch Castle! And Adam Baldwin does an awesome job on Chuck.
Can I just say for me it isn't all about good looks. It's about charisma. I think Benedict Cumberbatch on Sherlock & Matt Smith on Doctor Who are totally hot. However, neither would win prizes in the looks department against the "square jawed hero" type. However, charisma... they both have it in spades. The cast of SGU just don't measure up in any way, shape or form.
The show is SEXIST, just like Maureen Ryan said in her initial review of Stargate Universe. Why would a self-respecting confident woman watch this show? Even soap operas have stronger women characters. And from what I have read from the awesome women on THIS site, there isnt much for them to look at in terms of eye candy either. Chloe isnt exactly a paragon of decency on this show. She plays on Eli, sleeps with Scott, plots with Rush, but the fish aliens give her an STD?! Perhaps she went through the entire crew of the fish-ship and half the Icarus staff before ending up on Destiny?