quick stuff on SGA S5 casting spoiler

[aesc]

Aimless ruminations, of the not-bitchy sort.


Okay, Wolsey in charge.

I'm actually willing to give the writers the benefit of the doubt on this one. Why? Because of the way they've handled Sam this year. When it was first announced that she was taking over for Elizabeth, I was greatly afeared. I never really watched SG1, but what I gleaned from other reactions, and general comments regarding her, was enough to, well, make me greatly afeared.

But this year, I have to say, I like her a lot. I was waiting for her to make an ass out of Rodney, to come in and be the MarySue-ish character who solves every problem from Wraith to backed-up plumbing and looks great doing it. But that has not happened. She's accepted advice from John on the realities of Pegasus ethics, she's defended Rodney and has turned to his expertise before her own, worked with Rodney to help defeat the replicators. There hasn't been any of the Rodney-crushing-on-Sam-and-Sam-being-condescending horror that I'd been expecting. In short, her role and how the writers have handled her so far has left me feeling charitable.

And Wolsey isn't wholly evil, or wholly incompetent. At least, he defends Elizabeth after "Allies" and supports her against the IOA, and it's probably due to his influence that an Earth presence was allowed to remain on Atlantis during "The Return." A thin commendation (but then, he hasn't been around all that much), but it's enough to make me not rant for the time being. I reserve the right to change my mind, but really, 99% of my life is governed by the "expect the worst, hope for the vanishingly small possibility of the best" philosophy, so please allow me a 1%-sized drop of optimism, however misdirected you may think it.

(I'd like to say also that not long ago a fifth season was by no means assured. For the mere fact that there is one, I am grateful.)

So yeah, there you go.

In conclusion, as inspired by tardis80: I love that my show is imperfect. I love that its imperfection allows me to imagine and play, and engage in a different kind of criticism that isn't excavating information from obscure sources or defending a theoretical orientation. I love that it's brought together a fandom that, in its better moments, is enthusiastic and intelligent and passionate and can engage with the material in such a way that it addresses those imperfections at a number of levels.

So again, yeah. There you go.

Now, back to grading papers.

Comments

[amberlynne.livejournal.com]

Why you gotta go be all nice about it and make me look all crazy? Heh. But seriously, I might have come across kind of bitchy about it but I am not actually *worried* in any sort of real sense. Mostly, I just feel like it's going to make John really cranky when he finds out and I just want happy things to happen to him, dammit. Or something equally crazy like that.

[aesc.livejournal.com]

Well, if John's cranky he'll just have to have more sex with Rodney to cheer him up.

Problem solved :D

[omglawdork.livejournal.com]

I was really surprised by this casting decision, but I'm with you. I've been extremely pleased with how the new cast has been handled this season, so I'm definitely giving them the benefit of the doubt. Also, thank God we even got a fifth season, so yes to that as well.

Truth be told, I'm excited to see a little shakeup internally on Atlantis. I enjoyed the push-and-pull between John and Elizabeth first season, and while the "we're friends but still fight for the upper hand" element won't be there, I always enjoy a good power struggle.

[aesc.livejournal.com]

You know, I completely forgot about Keller in my List O' Reasons I'm Okay So Far *faceplam* Because I like her. I like her a lot. Partly because she is the cute blonde version of me and she gets to stitch up Ronon whenever he breaks himself.

I was kind of surprised too, although I didn't know much beyond that Amanda Tapping was leaving, which wasn't surprising (though it disappoints me because I've been so happy with Sam this year) given what I understood of her contractual obligations.

Also: HOODIE.

[(Anonymous)]

Plus, as Whoopi says, "there's nothing like a bald headed man."

[aesc.livejournal.com]

There is much truth in this!

I also really liked him in Voyager... apparently, I have a thing for supercilious geniuses with thinning/non-existent hair :D

[aurora]

Yeah, I felt the same way about Sam, and that has turned out way better than I feared, so I'm giving Woolsey a chance also.

(I'd like to say also that not long ago a fifth season was by no means assured. For the mere fact that there is one, I am grateful.)
WORD.

[aesc.livejournal.com]

WORD.

\o/ At least one more year of squee counts as a good thing in my book :)

[thegrrrl2002.livejournal.com]

Yes! What you said. *g* I think Woolsey is going to work out well. He's an interesting character, and a definite contrast to the rest of the cast. Plus there's the likelihood that at some point he's going to make John really angry. Maybe even lose his cool.

That would be totally hot. ::nods::

Why yes, I am focused on the important things.

[aesc.livejournal.com]

Why yes, I am focused on the important things.

One of the things I love about you is your sense of priority :D :D

(And, as I told Amber, if he makes John angry and cranky, well, John will just have to have more sex with Rodney.)

Um, also? Your icon is making me squirm in a public place. Maugh.

[windbeliever.livejournal.com]

I knew it, I knew it, I knew it!

I just effin' knew it would be him. Who else could it be after Carter? They couldn't bring back Replizabeth. Not even Stargate Command is THAT stupid. I was a fan of bringing Daniel (before Carter, actually), but let's face it, Michael Shanks doesn't have the best track record with sticking to a project.

*cough* Meridian *cough*

As for Wolsey, I think Robert Picardo is a great-great-great actor. He was perfect as the Doctor. And you really don't see the Doctor in Wolsey, either. Wolsey is such a tight ass character, and because of that, it'll put him and Sheppard at odds a lot. Plus, Wolsey will get a chance to grow as a character, and realize that life can't be viewed from behind a desk.

[aesc.livejournal.com]

I will admit to being very much behind the curve--the first I heard of Sam leaving was a couple days ago, when I unwisely clicked on a link to spoilery material (it's not that I'm afraid of spoilers, I'm just usually afraid of the hostility that tends to follow them). So I am perhaps a little slow :>

I think there is perhaps a little Doctor in Wolsey, at least when it comes to a certain overbearing "my reality is the right reality" attitude. (Which, it must be said, is also to be found in Rodney.) Which is enough to make it fun sometimes :D

[siria]

Hallo! This comment has no point, but I felt you could use some more Flan in your life right now:

♥ :D

[aesc.livejournal.com]

*gropes helpless laptop*

nnnnnng his CHEST, Siris.

[thegrrrl2002.livejournal.com]

Aw! BabyFlan!!

[amberlynne.livejournal.com]

You are the best.

[ionaonie.livejournal.com]

I'm surprisingly okay with Woolsey. I think it will be easy seeing the dynamic between Woolsey and those already in Atlantis.

I like the sounds of the rest of the additions/changes/guests as well.

I'm going with my usual 'wait and see' policy, I think. But I'm more hopeful than I was this time last year.

[aesc.livejournal.com]

I like the sounds of the rest of the additions/changes/guests as well.

I have heard vague things, but I think I might let them come as they come... There is only so much effort I can put into being reasonable about things :D

[slian-martreb.livejournal.com]

I actually have seen SG1*, so while I was hesitant of Sam's joining, I wasn't exactly afraid. I didn't think that we would see Rodney trailing after Sam, or that Sam would be a Mary-Sue, or that she would be condescending to him. For all that there are some people hate her and think she makes bad decisions at times, I'm not one of those people. I like her. I like that she's more comfortable in BDUs than a dress and that she knows that there are other people who are smarter than her in certain areas. She always deferred to Daniel (*flails at thought of his guest appearence*) as far as cultural or historical things were concerned; why wouldn't she allow Rodney the lead when it came to Pegasus based Replicator issues? And, though she has the same rank as John (right?) and might be commander of the base, he has been there for 3 years and knows more about how the day-to-day routine works. I think that, had she been given the chance, we might have seen her have more control and authority over both of them but *shrug* What can ya do?

I am very afraid of Wolsey. Very, very, very afraid. Because I don't understand how they're going to interact on a day-to-day level, or how Wolsey is ever going to let it go that both the SG1 and SGA teams are smarter than him AND have been smarter than him together (working together in The Return, I mean, vs individually through SG1 episodes and The Seer).

I really hope that we get to a point, soon, where they can keep a commander. Because, while I'll be thrilled about a sixth season, I'll be vastly annoyed if Wolsey leaves (I'm predicting that right now) and John gets passed over as commander and they bring in Cam. I didn't like Elizabeth, but there's something to be said for stability.



*I watched 3 seasons of SGA and 10 seasons of SG1 (in that order), after both shows finaled before the summer and before SGA premiered. So that's....about 300 episodes in 3 1/2 months?

[aesc.livejournal.com]

Them is a lot of episodes :D

As I said, everything I thought about Sam was based on the little I knew of her from other people. I can see her deferring to Daniel in cultural matters because, well, Daniel is an anthropologist. But Rodney is a scientist, she's a scientist, and I don't think the same impulse to defer would be there. What makes the difference though (and what I like) is that she's left Rodney to do his thing, because it seems that she recognizes he has more experience out here, both relative to her (as someone who's been in Pegasus for three years) and relative to himself (the man she knew back on Earth), and respects that. That's what I didn't have a guarantee of, and looking at the brief exchange Rodney had with Sam in the SG1/SGA crossover episode (cannot remember a title), where he kind of makes a complete ass of himself in front of her, trying to explain how she "helped him out" (in the puddle jumper, not a wet dream)... That was what I had to base my expectations on in terms of their personal relationship.

It might be a case of ignorance breeding fear *shrug* But either way, I am very happy my expectations--however poorly founded--were not met :D

I am very afraid of Wolsey. Very, very, very afraid.

I can say, in my more optimistic moments, that I'm looking forward to the tension :D (Of course, I reserve the right to change my mind and complain *g*)

[madeline871.livejournal.com]

That so makes me think of speranza's Written by the Victors (http://www.trickster.org/speranza/cesper/Victors.html). It could all start with them putting a bureaucrat in charge.

[aesc.livejournal.com]

Heh heh, I was thinking that too :D :D :D I can totally see John and the team advocating for a Pegasus-centric policy when it comes to Atlantis, and when Wolsey goes a bit too far... :D

[exsequar.livejournal.com]

*blinks a few times* Woolsey? Huh! Would never have seen that one coming. I think the actor is hilarious, though, and it opens up a whole new set of possible dynamics. I am cautiously optimistic as well!

Huh.

(I still miss Elizabeth :()

[aesc.livejournal.com]

am cautiously optimistic as well!

Given that, as I said, 99% of my life is doom/gloom/despair, I reserve the right to be hopeful about 1% of it :D

[kimberlyfdr.livejournal.com]

I think Woolsey is genius casting. I wanted Atlantis to return to civilian control (yay!) and Woolsey allows for some GREAT potential head-butting. Putting him in command will allow some character exploration and hopefully bring a strength that he hasn't had before.

[kimberweeme.livejournal.com]

(So I wasn't going to read casting spoilers for season five because I generally dislike being spoiled, but I did it anyway. Because I have no self-control when it comes to SGA.)

Here's my (probably unpopular) opinion on the Wolsey in command situation:

There is not a single moment in seasons one through three where I liked Elizabeth. Not a one. (The reasons are many, but I'll spare you.)

And I tolerate Sam because, as you said, the writers have done an amazing job writing her character into Atlantis. She could have been so horrible and yet, she has been a sane, well-balanced character who is willing to let the others do what they do best.

I guess you could say that I'm used to having someone in charge of Atlantis who doesn't grab me. But I still love this show more than any other so unless something truly heinous happens, I'll have faith in the writers and go with the interchangeable commander flow.

[aesc.livejournal.com]

I guess you could say that I'm used to having someone in charge of Atlantis who doesn't grab me.

I'm hoping that they do the same thing with Wolsey as with Sam and Elizabeth--keep him in the background for the most part, though I can see Wolsey being more interfering than they are. Still, hope! I am hopeful :D

[the-oscar-cat.livejournal.com]

Yes.

basically.

*<3 show*

[aesc.livejournal.com]

*loves you all!*

[raiining.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I agree that with how they've handled Sam, this might work out. Wow though. Was not expecting that move. Hmmm