December 11, 2007

Words hurt, but not as much as fists or fingernails. Still, they do hurt - as was the case today when I was labeled…a spammer! Well, actually, my blog was identified as a potential spam blog by the fine folks at blogger. I received the following email: “Your blog, […] has been identified as a potential spam blog. […] You will not be able to publish posts to your blog until we review your site and confirm that it is not a spam blog. To request a review, please fill out the form found here: […] We will take a look at your blog and unlock it within four business days. Please note that if we do not hear from you within 20 days, we will remove your blog.” Ah, I thought, a much-needed break. Four days would be just about right. So I clicked on the provided link to start the review process - and ended up with an error message. Successive attempts (oh, let’s say thirty) proved just as futile. Fortunately, I was able to navigate the blogger help section that, while wholly unhelpful, did provide me with an email address belonging to a real (and hopefully at least partially) live person. And so, I sit back and await my day in court. However, in the event I attempt to post an entry in the interim, I am met with the following warning: “This blog has been locked by Blogger’s spam-prevention robots.” Robots! How cool is that? I’m afraid to test their resolve lest I provoke them into zapping me with their laser eye beams or crushing me in their oversized mechanoid mitts.

Aw, hell. Since I’m killing time, why not answer a few questions -

Angel writes: “I have another book suggestion for you — “Spin” by Robert Charles Wilson. I just finished it last night and it was awesome…”

Answer: I read Spin a couple of months ago and agree with you. It was awesome. On the strength of Spin, I also picked up Bios which I haven’t gotten around to yet. Read it?

Anonymous #1 writes: “Joe, you do know that Reese wasn’t a replicator, right? Right? You do know that she was a robot, right? Because there is a big difference…”

Answer: Yes, thanks for that. She was a robot and not a human form replicator like Fifth. However, her ability to create replicators presumes a physiological parallel (or connection) between the two “life forms“. In other words, her ability to fashion replicators wasn’t magical but a direct result of whatever physical characteristics she possessed that allowed her to do so.

Jenny Robin writes: “Also, what are you sending me for Christmas?”

Answer: My love?

Jamie writes: “are there perhaps any other Rodney/Teyla friendship moments in upcoming episodes?”

Answer: BAMSR.

Neep writes: “Yesterday my twin sister and I (she is recovering from eye surgery and I have a nasty cold) went out for a birthday lunch at Strawberry Fare.”

Answer: Those desserts looked great! And kind of racy!

Thornyrose writes: “Do we get to see Teyla explain her ‘condition” to her teammates, or is that something that will happen offscreen?”

Answer: We will definitely see the reveal onscreen - as well as the ensuing fireworks.

Tim writes: “Just wondering, how does one perform a search on this here blog?”

Answer: Use the search function in the top left hand corner of my blog. For instance, write in “Cookie Monster”, hit search, and that should bring up most if not all of my Cookie Monster correspondence.

Gilder: “Would you please dedicate a blog to me this week?”

Answer: I dedicate this blog entry to you. So, how did you do?

ANAIS a ecrit: “Dite moi un chiffre entre 1 et 41?”

Reponse: 37!

Charlie writes: “Who’s the ranking military officer on SGA now?”

Answer: Colonel Samantha Carter.

Anonymous #2 writes: “earlier this year you said that it was a clue to carson’s return in one of the final 3 episodes of season 3, could you tell us now which episode it is in?”

Answer: No, but I can say that it’s near the very end of said episode.

Anonymous #3 writes: “At the Burbank Con, Joe F. revealed that under pressure from the actors, the producers agreed to do readthrus and then took them away because “there were more writers showing up then producers” even though there are two writers for every actor on the show!”

Answer: When Paul and I took over as showrunners, we had individual sit-downs with the actors to tell them what was in store for their characters in season four and to get their feedback. The actors had two requests: 1. Read-throughs, and 2. New Uniforms. So we changed the uniforms and started doing read-throughs (this despite the fact that a couple of producers who’d had experience with them warned they wouldn’t last). Well, they did last - up until about halfway through the season. While certain actors showed up for them, others were, uh, not quite as dedicated. As the season wore on, the turn-out consistently lessened to the point where we decided to discontinue the read-throughs. For the record, the “more writers than producers” was a joke.

Anonymous #4 writes: “He also said that every time he would go up to give you guys notes, you would tell him it was too late. He would read the scripts earlier and earlier and each time he would be told too late. Why is this?”

Answer: I’m going to have to go out on a limb here and assume you misheard him because we’ve always invited input from the actors. In fact, given the tight shooting schedule later in the season, I made it a point to personally visit Joe in his trailer to get his notes on Harmony and Outcast. Writers do their best to address any concerns. The only time notes are not incorporated into a script are those occasions when we fundamentally disagree with the note given.

Steph writes: “Well, it’s because I used the episode ‘Sunday’ as the topic for my essay. And seeing as I’m one of 108 students to be admitted early”

Answer: Congratulations! What will you be studying? Is it something space weapon-related? Baron Destructo and L.A.M.E. are hiring.

Anonymous #5 writes: “Are you planning to come back to Montreal for the holidays or will you be spending them in Vancouver.”

Answer: My mother and sister will be coming over to Vancouver for the holidays. Any suggestions for entertaining them while they’re here?

Morgia a ecrit: “Je suis ceeeertaine que tu te demandes: mais comment va son rhume ?”

Reponse: Comment va ton rhume? Mois aussi je souffre.

Promogirl writes: “Can you give us an update on Carl and how he’s fairing with the writers’ strike?”

Answer: Carl is out there picketing every morning at the Disney studios. Sadly, nary a Stargate fan has visited bearing those promised cookies. However, Xena fans did show up to distribute bottled water!

Anonymous #6 writes: “I was reading the news about Jason’s idea about Ronon going dark side in season 5 on GW. […] If you are throwing out ideas I hope it doesn’t come down to Ronon being captured and Sheppard unable to fee him because of the IOA.”

Answer: Well, as it turns out, Ronon’s desire to go darkside meshes nicely with a late season four story I had wanted to do - that, conveniently enough, has been pushed to early season 5. While the notion of Ronon feeling abandoned is interesting, I think it would be an irredeemable leap for his character to vow vengeance on Sheppard for not rescuing him in a timely manner. A more interesting scenario would have Ronon….ah, just watch the episode when it airs.

Rory21 writes: “From my point of view if Weir is alive or not is still a mystery, ¿I am right????”

Answer: From your point of view? Looks like it.

Sq2830 writes: “So, are you thinking about bringing Daniel Jackson in a comedic episode?”

Answer: I was kidding.

Kamilshka writes: “Of all the amazingly talented people involved with Stargate, he impressed me the most…”

Answer: Yep. John Lenic is a very talented guy and I couldn’t imagine making the show without him. In case you didn’t know, his non-Stargate credits include producing duties on A Dog’s Breakfast.

Anonymous #7 writes: “So, entire copy team is dead?”

Answer: Looks like it.