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STARGATE ATLANTIS SPOILERS
SEARCH AND RESCUE
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"Back in early November, we did come up with a bunch of jumping off points, fleshed out notions, and lame episode titles. We put them up on the white board and, at last count, had 14. As you may or may not have guessed, the title of our premiere (which I cryptically referred to as S&R) is Search and Rescue. Who's searching and who's in need of rescue? Tune into the Season Four finale to find out."
(Executive producer Joseph Mallozzi, in a message at his blog)
"A fair amount of the development of Season Four will carry into the beginning of Season Five. I sort of left off with a hint of the premiere, and the title is 'Search and Rescue.' Who exactly is doing the searching and who is in need of rescuing is a question for another time, probably later this season, once the rest of Season Four airs. There definitely will be carry-over in terms of certain relationships, character and big story arcs."
(Executive producer Joseph Mallozzi, in an interview with Slice of SciFi)
Actress Amanda Tapping ("Samantha Carter") will appear in this episode, but appears to be on her way out as the commander of the Atlantis expedition. Tapping will no longer be a regular cast member in Season Five, but will guest star in several episodes. Instead, she will pursue her own fantasy for SCI FI Channel, Sanctuary.
(GateWorld news report / SCI FI press release)
Samantha Carter (Amanda Tapping), Jennifer Keller (Jewel Staite), Rodney McKay (David Hewlett), and Major Lorne (recurring guest star Kavan Smith) all appear in the episode, as does Michael (Connor Trinneer) and Kanaan, the Athosian who Teyla believes fathered her child ("Missing").
Mention is also made of Colonel Sheppard (Joe Flanigan) returning from a mission ("The Last Man").
The premiere will also feature Captain Alison Porter, a new member of the Atlantis expedition's military contingent. Porter arrived on the base one week before the episode's start, but has not yet been assigned to a team. The episode may be introducing her as a new recurring character or, if we dare to speculate before this Monday's impending cast announcement, perhaps even a new regular.
The story follows up on the concluding events of Season Four's "The Kindred" two-parter and the season finale, "The Last Man:"
Captain Alison Porter, a 28-year-old new addition to Atlantis, speaks with Colonel Carter about her lack of an assignment. When the Stargate activates, the two rush down the stairs to meet Lt. Edison. Edison has rushed back from Michael's compound, where a number of Atlantis personnel are now trapped. He has come for back-up and to secure rescue for his team and the others.
Carter and Porter, joined by Dr. Keller and a contingent, gear up and head to the planet in a cloaked Jumper. They begin searching for their missing people -- including McKay and Lorne, who find themselves trapped together with no way out. But the team is being watched from overhead: Michael is on board a cruiser orbiting the planet, scanning their life signs. When he determines that the Atlantians are there and may still prove useful to his agenda, he launches Wraith Darts to capture them.
The search team falls back to their Jumper to wait for reinforcements, but it's too late to use the Stargate: the Wraith have dialed into the planet, preventing their escape. Now they, like their missing friends, are trapped.
(GateWorld news report)
Vancouver, British Columbia actress Leela Savasta has been cast in the role of Captain Alison Porter -- today renamed Captain Alicia Vega -- the actress's management confirmed for GateWorld.
Savasta guest starred in the third season episode "Tao of Rodney," playing Dr. Esposito -- who discovered the Ancient device with McKay and Zelenka. McKay later read her mind and believed that she thought he was hot ... until he realized she was thinking of Ronon.
(GateWorld news report)
"The character in 'Search and Rescue' has been changed to Captain Alicia Vega. Now Doctor Allison Porter will be making her debut in 'Whispers.'"
(Executive producer Joseph Mallozzi, in a message at his blog)
NEW! July 3 - "A race against time pits Col. Carter's crew against Michael and his Wraith hybrids to recover the Atlantis team trapped in the rubble of Michael's facility."
(TV Guide episode description)
THE SEED
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This working episode title was revealed by executive producer Joseph Mallozzi in a post at his blog.
"[Jewel ('Jennifer Keller') was] understandably anxious about episode #2, 'The Seed,' especially since I told her she'd have to get in for 4:00 a.m. every morning so that prosthetics could get an early jump on the body cast process which would take about 3 to 4 hours."
(Executive producer Joseph Mallozzi, in a message at his blog)
"We're at episode two of Season Five ['The Seed']. We're making Jewel's life misery right now, which is a nice change for me. I'm noticing a theme to Season Five, which is a lot of people strapped to beds. So there's a little teaser of Season Five. Season Five: A Season in Bed.
"... What can I say about Season Five? We get off to a pretty rocky start. All I can say is, we're going to be having a lot of fun with Woolsey. There's definitely going to be some interesting little fights for power there."
(Actor David Hewlett, in an interview with About.com)
"We sat down to a director's cut of 'The Seed.' Great episode. Poor Zelenka."
(Executive producer Joseph Mallozzi, in a post at his blog)
NEW! July 3 - "Dr. Carson Beckett (Paul McGillion) is revived from the stasis chamber after an alien organism incapacitates Dr. Keller and triggers a quarantine of the Atlantis team."
(TV Guide episode description)
BROKEN TIES
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"Despite the fact that my mother and sister are in town, we're only days away from celebrating Christmas, and I have a first draft of 'Broken Ties' in hand, my mind is far from on holiday mode. If it's not worrying about the tighter shooting schedule or whether or not Mark D. will be available for a return engagement, it's fretting over motherhood issues or a red giant's gravitational pull."
(Executive producer Joseph Mallozzi, in a message at his blog)
"Mark D." is very likely actor Mark Dacascos, who played Ronon's Satedan friend (turned Wraith worshipper) Tyre in Season Four's "Reunion."
"There is a story I've been wanting to do in the back half of the season [Season Four], which is a Ronon story which essentially is the sequel to 'Reunion.' Just because the stories that needed telling in the back half would never got around to making it. The sequel that I would like to do in Season Five ... would afford us the opportunity to see a little of Ronon's dark side, so in response to that Jason will get the opportunity to go to the dark side."
(Executive producer Joseph Mallozzi, in an interview with Slice of SciFi)
"We'll be seeing Tyre (played by Mark Dacascos) in Season Five's 'Broken Ties.'"
(Executive producer Joseph Mallozzi, in a message at his blog)
"Jason [Momoa] came in and we discussed the big sword fight (Enough with the sparring! Let's see some real clashing steel!), hair issues, and redemption. You know, the usual."
(Executive producer Joseph Mallozzi, in a message at his blog)
In "Broken Ties," Ronon is reunited with his Satedan friend Tyre once again. Apparently having turned on his new masters and broken free of their brainwashing ("Reunion"), Tyre hopes to rebuild the relationship with Ronon and Atlantis that has been destroyed.
But when Ronon is captured by the Wraith, Colonel Sheppard and the team face a startling new problem: Could the Wraith manage to turn Ronon into a Wraith worshiper, like they did to his friends? How could they fight a friend, someone they consider to be one of their own? A confident Wraith takes on the challenge, bringing Ronon to the edge of death and boasting of the Wraith's power and their victories over powerful foes, such as the Ancients.
The episode will also see a dramatic change in Ronon's appearance: the loss of his signature dreadlocks, which Ronon himself cuts in the course of his experience with the Wraith torturer. Actor Jason Momoa actually cut off the heavy dreadlocks during the show's hiatus, and is having them painstakingly reattached for purposes of continuity in the first three episodes of the season.
(GateWorld news report)
"It's an episode that takes Ronon far beyond the wise-cracking warrior persona fans have grown to know and love, offering up a glimpse of the character at his most vulnerable. Jason goes all out in this one, delivering by far his best performance to date. Some really wonderful scenes for Rachel and Bob as well as Teyla and Woolsey deal with personal issues. Also, a couple of touching Ronon-Sheppard moments as well."
(Executive producer Joseph Mallozzi, in a message at his blog)
"Speaking of Jason, the dreaded one gives what is by far his best performance of the series in Season Five's 'Broken Ties.' It's an episode he is extremely proud of, and justifiably so. We watched the Day One mix the other day and were very, very impressed -- not only with Jason's tour-de-force, but with Joel Goldsmith's terrific score."
(Executive producer Joseph Mallozzi, in a message at his blog)
NEW! July 3 - "Ronon endures a grueling ordeal after his former friend, Tyre (Mark Dacascos), captures and delivers him to the Wraith. Meanwhile, the team launches a rescue mission for their missing comrade."
(TV Guide episode description)
THE DAEDALUS VARIATIONS
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 "A final of Alan McCullough's 'Daedalus Variations' came out today and we shifted focus to Alan's second -- extreme Shep-whumpage -- script, co-storied by Robert C. Cooper."
(Executive producer Joseph Mallozzi, in a post at his blog)
"... Despite the delay, I got in about five minutes before the prosthetics meeting. We discussed upcoming episodes 'Whispers,' 'The Daedalus Variations,' 'The Seed,' and 'Broken Ties.' Among the subjects covered: visual versus practical effects, stunt people vs. acrobats, fog, elements of the visual we saw in 'Spoils of War,' yogurt, and, of course, methacil."
(Executive producer Joseph Mallozzi, in a post at his blog>)
"Colonel Sheppard's team finds the Earth ship Daedalus abandoned. As McKay works to restore power, Teyla finds a recording in the computer -- the final entry of the ship's log.
It is Captain Sobol, apparently the commander of the Daedalus, who reports that equipment and supplies have been transported down to the planet's surface, where he and his crew hope to survive long enough to be found and rescued. Sobol plans to soon join them in an F-302 fighter.
The crew's predicament and the reason for their evacuation, however, is not the first question that Sheppard the team have. The first question is ... Who is Captain Sobol?"
(GateWorld news report)
"We watched the producer's cut of 'The Daedalus Variations.' Alan did a great job on it. To be honest, I was worried about this script at the outline stage but it's turning out to be a great, fast-moving episode."
(Executive producer Joseph Mallozzi, in a post at his blog>)
"It's a great team show, and it's a real visual effects spectacular, too. It's going to be an amazing visual effects show. The idea of that story is the Daedalus just shows up in orbit, unexpectedly. And it doesn't make sense, because we know for a fact it should be back on Earth.
"When we try to radio we receive no response, and when we scan it we learn there are no life signs on board. So we head up to investigate and very quickly find ourselves in trouble because there is a strange energy reading coming from somewhere in the ship. We can't figure it out, we don't know where it's coming from. Suddenly it spikes, a flash consumes the ship, and a moment later, when it dissipates, we learn that Atlantis is gone and we have shifted realities.
"So we are essentially on a Flying Dutchman. This drive is caught on auto-pilot, and every time it charges it bursts, and we jump reality after reality after reality after reality.
"... It was a neat opportunity to see a bunch of different alternate realities. We don't have to build a new set every time -- we are on the Daedalus. You get to see through the visual effects what might have happened in this reality."
Those differences from one reality to the next are seen "just outside of the Daedalus, for the most part. Although there is one important interaction that takes place on the Daedalus: when we jump to another reality, we get boarded. I won't say more than that! But we do end up having to win back our Daedalus from an alien species."
"... It's a wild romp. It's pretty much a one-off adventure story that gets the team into trouble and gets them out at the end. But it's a lot of fun. It's a fun script."
(Writer Alan McCullough, in an interview with GateWorld)
NEW! June 11 - "It's a visual effects spectacular featuring a couple of great battle sequences and the introduction of some brand new alien ships."
(Executive producer Joseph Mallozzi, in a post at his blog>)
NEW! July 3 - "The team becomes trapped on a runaway duplicate of the Daedalus, which takes them to numerous alternate realities."
(TV Guide episode description)
GHOST IN THE MACHINE
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"Hey, look who's back! Yep ... Carl Binder turned up for work today! And he brought us a present: his first draft of 'Ghost in the Machine.'"
(Executive producer Joseph Mallozzi, in a post at his blog)
Koracen, a Replicator scientist on Weir's ship, believes he has found a way to reach a digital equivalent of ascension. Their consciousnesses will be enabled to exist indefinitely as fields of energy. As such beings they can essentially upload their minds to subspace and let their nanite bodies disintegrate, allowing them to move freely about the galaxy at will.
Lia, another Replicator, is understandably skeptical. But Koracen has a willing volunteer, and demonstrates the procedure.
Later, in Atlantis, the team works furiously to regain access to a room they have been locked out of. Colonel Sheppard orders two officers to retrieve heavy arms and explosives to blow the sealed door, but there is no need. The door suddenly opens, and Sheppard and his team are shocked by the familiar face which greets them.
Fran (Michelle Morgan) is reconstituted by the Replicators in Atlantis. |
It is Fran (Michelle Morgan), the "Friendly Replicator ANdroid" engineered by Dr. McKay last year ("Be All My Sins Remember'd"). Apparently now missing their bodies, the Replicators have come to Atlantis. And their leader is someone very, very close to the Atlantis team: Elizabeth Weir herself.
Weir will not be played by actress Torri Higginson, who turned down the offer to appear in the episode (story). Instead the script was rewritten so that the cliffhanger could be resolved and the story continued without her.
The existence of disembodied Replicator consciousnesses in the episode may go a long way in explaining just how this science fiction feat will be accomplished -- if the Weir from "Be All My Sins Remember'd" was, in fact, a Replicator duplicate and not the human Weir, who the Replicators claimed had been killed ("This Mortal Coil").
(GateWorld news report)
"I've just finished a nice six-day run out at The Bridge Studios. ... Two episodes in those six days: 'Ghost In the Machine' and 'The Shrine.' Some nice McKay/Zelenka scenes in there. Two great eppies, too."
("Zelenka" actor David Nykl, in a post at his blog)
What about Elizabeth Weir's storyline from the end of last season's "Be All My Sins Remember'd?" "That storyline we are going to follow through on -- but we will not be seeing Torri [Higginson]. When last she was in town for 'Be All My Sins Remember'd,' it was a very short scene, and she was at the time very excited that we had left the door open for her character. So based on her response we wrote the script. But when we went out to her she ultimately elected to pass. Which is fine -- we don't want to force anyone to do the show! However, given the script, given the plot, it was possible to do the story without her. So Carl went back and did a rewrite and the story will go ahead.
"It's unfortunate -- the fans would have liked to have seen her for continuity's sake, but at the end of the day it's Torri's decision and we respect that."
(Executive producer Joseph Mallozzi, in an interview with Stargate.MGM.com)
Actor Robert Moloney will play Koracen in this episode, GateWorld has learned. Moloney's first time on Stargate was in the role of Borren, one of the Aschen, in the SG-1 episode "2001."
THE SHRINE
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Episode #506 is a "tear-jerker" written by series co-creator Brad Wright and directed by Andy Mikita.
This is the 300th episode produced in the Stargate franchise, excluding DVD movies -- 214 episodes of Stargate SG-1 and 86 episodes of Stargate Atlantis.
The episode title "Amort" first appeared on concept art documents shown at executive producer Joseph Mallozzi's blog. It is not yet known if this episode will appear later in Season Five, or if the working title has been changed. "Amort" is an archaic word meaning "being at the point of death."
"The scripts are flying fast and furious. Brad Wright turned in his first draft of a fun if atypical McKay driven story."
(Script coordinator Alex Levine, in a post at his blog)
"We also have a final draft of episode 6, 'The Shrine of Talus,' written by Brad Wright. David [Hewlett] e-mailed Brad to tell him how much he loved it. And it apparently made Jewel cry. But, in all fairness, I was giving her a Hertz Donut at the time."
(Executive producer Joseph Mallozzi, in a post at his blog)
"'The Shrine of Talus' will be a David Hewlett tour de force."
(Executive producer Joseph Mallozzi, in a post at his blog)
"The title of Brad's episode, 'The Shrine of Talus,' has been changed after running into clearance problems. I suggested an alternate, 'The Shrine of Glapnok,' which, alas, nobody else liked. Instead, the episode has been re-titled 'The Shrine.'"
(Executive producer Joseph Mallozzi, in a message at his blog)
"Today we're shooting the entire Atlantis away team, looking like drowned rats, cowering atop a submerged Stargate. OK -- Joe, Rachel, and Jason are crouching, and look more like the glistening sea-panthers ... but I'm doing my part and representing for the bedraggled geeks with sinus problems. The interesting part of today's filming is that all this takes place in the studio! Jim Menard, who shot our 'A Dog's Breakfast' film, is having all sorts of fun with little P2 cameras and snorkel lenses and aquariums in a bid to turn our corner of the studio into a massive glacial lake. So they hose us down, we climb up on half a gate and (apart from the fish tank) they put the water and the scenery in later. ... Got to love that green-screen technology."
(Actor David Hewlett, in a post at his blog)
"I've just finished a nice six-day run out at The Bridge Studios. ... Two episodes in those six days: 'Ghost In the Machine' and 'The Shrine.' Some nice McKay/Zelenka scenes in there. Two great eppies, too."
("Zelenka" actor David Nykl, in a post at his blog)
"It is the inverse of 'Flowers For Algernon,'" writer and executive producer Brad Wright revealed to GateWorld. (In the award-winning novel by Daniel Keyes, a man with an IQ of 68 has experimental surgery to increase his intelligence -- but the effects gradually begin to wear off.) "McKay ends up suffering from the effects of something that is very common among the very old in the Pegasus Galaxy that is equivalent to fast on-set Alzheimer's, that is called 'Second Childhood' in the Pegasus Galaxy. And he very quickly not just loses his memory, but becomes quite childlike.
"Interestingly, the first symptom is that he's a wonderful person. Nobody notices that there is something wrong at first, because they all like it -- until it is too late to operate. Ronon comes up with an idea, and the story takes off from there."
"It's a character study for practically everyone in the cast, and David gets to play as an actor in a very big way. I've heard it from a few folks reading the script that it has choked them up. Hopefully it has the same effect on the audience when they see the scenes. It's moving. And everything is OK ... I don't kill anyone!"
(Writer and executive producer Brad Wright, in an interview with GateWorld)
"My favorite script of all time is 'The Shrine of Talus,' [which] Brad Wright has just written. It's good to have Brad. It is the one that is going to blow everyone away. It's unbelievable. It's a wicked acting piece. Kate [Hewlett, David's sister] is coming back -- we've got Jeannie back. It's just brutal. It's a total tear-jerker."
"For McKay it's fantastic, because there is this whole deterioration thing happening. It is the one that I am, without a doubt, the most looking forward to right now."
(Actor David Hewlett, in an interview with GateWorld)
WHISPERS
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This working episode title was revealed by executive producer Joseph Mallozzi in a post at his blog.
"The character in 'Search and Rescue' has been changed to Captain Alicia Vega. Now Doctor Allison Porter will be making her debut in 'Whispers.'"
(Executive producer Joseph Mallozzi, in a message at his blog)
"Well, I completed all of two pages on 'Whispers' today, finally hitting that all-important 10 page mark but, more importantly, establishing the other team: Captain Alicia Vega, Lieutenant Anne Teldy, Sergeant Dusty Wells, and Dr. Alison (with one L) Porter. Carson will be in for a treat -- when he's not fighting for his life. Come tomorrow, I'll probably rewrite the whole thing anyway but, hey, it’s a start. A slow, laborious start.
"... The prosthetics meeting with Todd [Masters] has been moved to tomorrow morning. For 'Whispers,' I'd like something elegantly simple yet shockingly terrifying. I can't wait to see what Todd and the gang come up with."
(Executive producer Joseph Mallozzi, in a message at his blog)
"More slow and laborious progress on the Whispers script today, but I'm pleased to report that I am finally out of the Beckett-Porter scene."
(Executive producer Joseph Mallozzi, in a message at his blog)
"Said hello [to] Paul McGillion back who dropped by the production offices on his way to his wardrobe fitting for 'The Seed.' I pitched him 'Whispers.' He was predictably delighted at the prospect of being stranded off-world with an all-female team."
(Executive producer Joseph Mallozzi, in a post at his blog)
"Congratulations to me as I finally completed my revised writer's draft of 'Whispers.' I made some dialogue adjustments, changed the end of the fourth and the top of the fifth acts, lost the compasses, lost the dead end beat, lost the Land of the Lost gag, and fiddled with the act breaks. I'm loving Dusty! Oh, and congratulations to Anne Teldy on her promotion from Lieutenant to Major and command of her own team."
(Executive producer Joseph Mallozzi, in a post at his blog)
Having been removed from stasis in Atlantis after two months, Carson Beckett -- or, more precisely, the clone of the late doctor created by the Wraith Michael -- returned home to Earth for some R&R. Now he has returned to Atlantis, and is called upon to join Colonel Sheppard on a visit to another planet.
The two trapse through the alien forest and rendezvous with another team, commanded by Major Anne Teldy. Also on the team is Captain Alicia Vega (Leela Savasta), the tough Sgt. Dusty Wells, and the cute and bookish Dr. Alison Porter. The team has called Sheppard and Dr. Beckett there to see what they have found: a Wraith lab hidden inside a network of underground caves, with a dozen humanoid forms in stasis along the wall.
Beckett and Porter study the lab and the condition of the "patients," who they suspect may be more of Michael's test subjects. As they work, Teldy, Vega, and Sheppard shoot the breeze. (The Colonel mentions that the I.O.A. is hesitant to rebuild the Midway space station, recently destroyed in a Wraith attack ["Midway"].)
The presence of the people in stasis brings up Carson's own recent experience, prompting him to tell Dr. Porter about what happened when he showed up on his mother's doorstep two years after his own funeral. The two scientists begin to bond.
The group decides to bunk overnight in a nearby village -- though they have no way of knowing that there are forces nearby that are conspiring against them. And Michael's test subjects are about to wake up.
Guest characters include Dr. Carson Beckett, Major Anne Teldy, Captain Alicia Vega, Sgt. Dusty Wells, Dr. Alison Porter, and Mirellus, one of the local villagers.
(GateWorld news report)
"The deals have been closed and we finally have our guest cast in place. And quite the kick-ass guest cast it is:
Major Anne Teldy ... Christina Cox
Captain Alicia Vega ... Leela Savasta
Sergeant 'Dusty' Mehra ... Janina Gavankar
Dr. Alison Porter ... Nicole de Boer"
(Executive producer Joseph Mallozzi, in a message at his blog)
Actress Christina Cox has appeared twice on Stargate SG-1. She played the alien T'akaya in Season Two's "Spirits," and rogue N.I.D. operative Lieutenant Kershaw in Season Five's "The Sentinel."
"I'll admit that one of the reasons I wanted this team of potentially recurring characters for this episode is that the audience won't know what to expect. They can be pretty certain that Sheppard and Beckett may survive the experience but as for any of other four ... In this particular case, the fact that they're female is less important than the fact that, as guest cast, there's no telling who will make it out alive."
(Executive producer Joseph Mallozzi, in a message at his blog)
"I'm pretty excited about the script I'm writing now, 'Whispers.' We've never done a horror episode -- we did 'Vengeance,' but that was a monster. I wanted to do an episode that just creeps people out. I've always been a fan of horror movies. So, I came up with this scenario. It takes place off-world and there are two elements to the story.
"One is the horror element, which I think is going to be very kick ass, spooky and hopefully there will be a lot of very cool scares. Right now it looks as if Will Waring will be directing the episode, so I'm just going to stock him up on horror movies and make sure he gets a good running start at the sensibility that we want to capture. The other element is that we introduce a recurring character in 'Search and Rescue,' called Captain Vega. With Carter gone, I said to Martin during the hiatus that it would be good to introduce a female military character -- like Lorne, a background character to use. So we introduced this character. In 'Whispers,' we end up meeting up with Captain Vega's team, which happens to be an all-female team.
"One of the fun things about horror movies is that you never know who's going to survive at the end! In this episode they're not just 'red shirts,' they're very interesting characters. I'm very excited about all four of them. Whoever survives the episode will be a great addition to the general roster of recurring characters!"
(Executive producer Joseph Mallozzi, in an interview with Stargate.MGM.com)
TRACKER
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"Gave Carl notes on his revised beat sheet for 'Tracker.' My one big cover note: Change the guy's name. Clearly frustrated, Carl informed me he was open to suggestions. I consulted the list of ingredients listed on the packaged mixed nuts sitting on the coffee table, immediately coming up with the inspired 'Peanutia.'"
(Executive producer Joseph Mallozzi, in a post at his blog)
"Carl put out his first draft of 'Tracker' today. In a word: awesome! McKay and Ronon make a terrific team."
(Executive producer Joseph Mallozzi, in a post at his blog)
Ronon, McKay, and Dr. Keller visit a world where the Wraith have recently arrived. The reason soon becomes clear: they are pursuing a Runner, a warrior who has been tagged with a homing device so that the Wraith can hunt him for sport. Before joining the Atlantis team, Ronon himself was just such a prey ("Runner").
The Runner's name is Kiryk, and he captures Dr. Keller. Jennifer tries to reason with him as he marches her through the woods and away from the team. Kiryk is surprised to learn that she not only knows what a Runner is, but she also claims that Ronon used to be one -- but isn't any more.
Keller's absence is only one problem, though. With help from a man named Erran, Ronon and McKay evacuate a village to the nearby caves, to try and keep the people safe.
Soon Kiryk's purpose for kidnapping the doctor is revealed, as they arrive at his destination: he has a companion, a 10-year-old girl who is in desperate need of medical attention.
(GateWorld news report)
Guest characters include Kiryk, Erran, Celise (the injured girl), and a group of villagers.
NEW! May 28 - "We screened Will's director's cut this morning and, boy, this one is a lot of fun. McKay and Ronon team up, Keller kicks ass, and guest star Mike Dopud squares off with Jason in a particularly memorable throw-down."
(Executive producer Joseph Mallozzi, in a message at his blog)
Actor Mike Dopud has appeared twice before on Stargate SG-1: He played the Russian officer Colonel Chernovshev in Season Eight's "Full Alert," and the bounty hunter Odai Ventrell in Season Ten's "Bounty."
NEW! June 16 - New behind-the-scenes images from what appears to be the filming of "Tracker" and/or "The Queen" are now online at the L.A. Times Web site.
THE QUEEN
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"Alan is off and running on the new episode #9, 'The Queen.'"
(Executive producer Joseph Mallozzi, in a post at his blog)
"Yes, the extreme Shep-whump episode has been moved to the back half, leaving a big yawning empty space in the #9 slot. But we sat down for a couple of hours this afternoon and spun out a fantastic Teyla story. It's one of those stories that, after you've finishing throwing out ideas and putting together a rough structure, you sit back and say: 'Damn, I wish I was writing this one.'"
(Executive producer Joseph Mallozzi, in a post at his blog)
"Teyla joins "Todd" the Wraith (guest star Christopher Heyerdahl) in a visit to a Wraith hive ship, one that is allied with Todd. But despite the alliance there is tension, and the hive enters hyperspace in order to conduct their meeting elsewhere.
The rest of the Atlantis team is along for this very unusual mission. Back on Todd's own ship, Sheppard, McKay, and Ronon watch as the allied hive jumps away.
Teyla is in disguise as Todd's queen, apparently giving him the authority to enter into negotiations with the other hive and its own queen. But it is not long before suspicion is cast on them, and the two must work together to maintain the ruse -- and not appear weak."
(GateWorld news report)
NEW! May 28 - "Another praiseworthy performance comes compliments of Rachel Luttrell in 'The Queen.' A really nice range of emotions for Teyla in an episode chock full o' crosses, double-crosses, and an atypically ruthless turn for the new mom. Throw in Todd, an intriguing proposal, and that creepy new-look wraith and you've got one of the best episodes of the front half."
(Executive producer Joseph Mallozzi, in a message at his blog)
NEW! June 16 - "[Ellia, the Wraith child from 'Instinct'] and several other instances suggest that the Wraith's arguably 'evil' disposition is not genetic but shaped by their upbringing and their environment. Check out 'The Queen' for an interesting lesson on Wraith politics and diplomacy."
(Executive producer Joseph Mallozzi, in a message at his blog)
NEW! June 16 - New behind-the-scenes images from what appears to be the filming of "Tracker" and/or "The Queen" are now online at the L.A. Times Web site.
FIRST CONTACT
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"Marty G. will do the honors for the mid-season two-parter (Welcome back to Atlantis, Dr. Jackson)."
(Executive producer Joseph Mallozzi, in a post at his blog)
"Daniel Jackson will be guesting in some episodes.
"So far, we've got a terrific, BIG two-parter planned. I suspect that the page count in the Daniel/McKay scenes (featuring the two fastest-talking actors in show business) will have the scheduling gurus doing back-flips. Remember that new enemy I mentioned? Oh, and Marty G. will be doing the honors on this one."
(Executive producer Joseph Mallozzi, in a post at his blog)
"Michael Shanks will be in two episodes. So far."
(Executive producer Joseph Mallozzi, in a post at his blog)
"I'm booked for two guest spots for their mid-season two-parter over on Atlantis this year as just as guest. So Daniel Jackson will be visiting that world, which I think is going to be a lot of fun."
(Actor Michael Shanks, in an interview with UGO.com)
"It was the most cryptic, enigmatic pitch of a story I've ever heard. The pitch was: 'You go to Atlantis and something happens and Daniel has to help everybody to get rid of the bad guys that are coming.' I was like, 'Wow, did you spend a lot of time thinking that one up?' But it's one of those things. Stargate is like old home. It's always nice to be able to revisit that universe and those individuals and to play that character again."
(Actor Michael Shanks, in an interview with The National Ledger)
"The premise is that Daniel shows up in Atlantis to do some research," writer and co-producer Martin Gero told GateWorld. "He's been excited to come to Atlantis for five years now, and things have finally calmed down on the S.G.C. side to give him some free time. So he's coming to Atlantis to do some research on Janus. And that's all I'm going to say."
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Janus (Gildart Jackson) |
Janus, introduced in Season One's "Before I Sleep," was an Ancient scientist who fled the city with the last of the Ancients 10,000 years ago, during the first war with the Wraith. Among his inventions is a Puddle Jumper capable of time travel, seen also in SG-1's "It's Good To Be King" and "Moebius."
"First Contact," however "is not a time travel story," Gero assured us. Jackson will be doing historical research on Janus and his scientific advancements.
"McKay finds it very frustrating, because McKay feels like he's followed up any leads that are promising. So McKay is kind of angry -- he thinks it's someone coming over to check his work, basically, and is not the happiest that Daniel is coming to Atlantis. Also McKay is very territorial. He likes being the 'head Ancient guy.'"
(GateWorld news report)
Will the Travelers be returning in Season Five? "Be sure to check out the mid-season two-parter."
(Executive producer Joseph Mallozzi, in a post at his blog)
THE LOST TRIBE
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This episode is Part 2 of the mid-season two-parter, following "First Contact" and guest starring Michael Shanks ("Daniel Jackson").
"First Contact" (part one) should air on SCI FI Channel in the United States in September. While the cable network has not announced the schedule for Atlantis Season Five yet, based on past years we expect "The Lost Tribe" to premiere in January after a mid-season break of about three and a half months.
Daniel and Rodney McKay have discovered a research laboratory on another planet. The lab once belonged to the Ancient scientist Janus, who tended toward inventions and experiments that the other Lanteans did not look upon favorably. And, much to their surprise, Daniel and Rodney are not the only ones there.
Meanwhile, "Todd" the Wraith (guest star Christopher Heyerdahl) has seized control of the power Earth battlecruiser Apollo, which has been outfitted with Asgard transporters, weapons, and defensive technology. Though he and his forces have subdued the ship's 200-person crew, Ronon and Keller still remain at large. Todd accesses the ship-wide P.A. system and threatens to begin killing crew members unless they turn themselves in.
Christopher Heyerdahl returns as "Todd," the on-again, off-again ally of the Atlantis team. | |
Todd is on his way to Janus's laboratory, where he hopes to shut down a device (called the "Attero device") that is threatening his new alliance. Racing to get there first is Atlantis's Colonel John Sheppard and Dr. Zelenka, who know that Todd has hijacked their ship and is on his way to the facility. The two of them have joined up with a Travelers ship ("Travelers"), under the command of a Traveler captain named Katana.
In the hopes of getting his ship's hyperdrive running at maximum output, Katana brings Zelenka and Sheppard into the aged and cluttered engineering room and introduces them to his chief engineer -- Mila, who is only 15 years old. Mila has been working with the hyperdrive engine since she was 4 years old, and is a brilliant young woman who will do whatever is necessary to get the job done. Where Radek is cautious and doubtful that the job can get done (safely, at any rate), Mila shows him otherwise.
If they cannot reach Janus's lab before Todd does, Daniel and McKay may not survive.
(GateWorld news report)
Guest characters include Daniel Jackson, Todd, Katana, Mila, and one of Todd's Wraith (nicknamed "Kenny" in the script).
NEW! May 27 - "I promised to give you all the scoop on Katana, the Traveler who will be making her first appearance in the mid-season two-parter. Well, I'm pleased to tell you that Daniella Alonso has been cast in the role. Those of you not familiar with Daniella's work may want to check out her 11-episode arc in Season Two of Friday Night Lights. She was excellent in FNL and is doing a wonderful job for us on 'The Lost Tribe.'
"Another introduction of sorts and one that's long overdue. Sharon Taylor plays one of our gate technicians on Stargate Atlantis. She first caught our eye playing the role of a Replicator in the episode 'Lifeline.' She had such a unique look that we brought her back as a real, flesh and blood member of the expedition. A line here, a line there, and then it was only a matter of time before something else struck us about Sharon. She's damn good. We continued to bring her back, increased her face-time, and, as a true indication that she had really made it, finally gave her character a name: Amelia Banks. And the fact that Sharon is a black belt kick boxer and could probably kick all of our asses had nothing to do with it."
(Executive producer Joseph Mallozzi, in a post at his blog)
INQUISITION
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"Alex has been hard at work on his very first Atlantis script, 'Inquisition,' that will address an issue a number of you have brought up of late."
(Executive producer Joseph Mallozzi, in a post at his blog)
"Inquisition" will be a clips show, though one with a significant story behind it.
Atlantis is introduced to a group trying to form a coalition of humans from many different worlds against the Wraith. They have asked specifically for John Sheppard and his team -- who have gained a bit of notoriety in the Pegasus Galaxy over the past few years -- to visit one of their worlds. Among the representative leaders is Kelore of Latira, Shiana of the Tribes of Santhal, and Dimas of the Free Peoples of Riva.
But soon after the team arrives, they find that they have not been asked there to join the alliance. Instead, the Coalition has other plans for the team: they are to stand trial for the Atlantis expedition's crimes against the Pegasus Galaxy. Sheppard is made to explain things such as the existence of Michael, a sort of Wraith-human hybrid ("Michael"), and the catastrophic Hoffan plague that recently swept through the galaxy ("The Kindred").
Major Lorne and his team escort a Coalition representative, Myrus, through the gate to meet with Mr. Woolsey in Atlantis. He explains the situation, arguing that Atlantis has been making unilateral decisions in the war against the Wraith that affect the lives of countless millions on many worlds. The Coalition intends to institute accountability and due process.
Finally, Woolsey decides to travel to the Coaltion planet himself, and put his diplomatic skills to use: He will be taking over the team's public defense. But the ethical arguments and political twists have only just begun -- and nothing less than the future of the expedition is at stake.
(GateWorld news report)
Guest characters include Lorne, Dimas, Shiana, Kelore, Myrus, and a villager.
Actor Tobias Slezak played "Tech Sergeant Dale James" in the 2-part Stargate SG-1 episode "Heroes."
OUTSIDERS
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This episode title was revealed by executive producer Joseph Mallozzi on his blog.
NEW! May 27 - In the wake of Michael's use of the Hoffan drug to taint the Wraith's food supply ("The Kindred"), Dr. Carson Beckett and the Atlantis expedition have resettled the Balarans, a group of human survivors, on another populated world. The locals have welcomed these "outsiders," including a woman named Novo and a man named Sefaris, with open arms. Some of them have become like family. But now the Wraith are coming for them.
These men and women have been made immune to Wraith feeding by the drug, but they are also a threat. Any Wraith who tries to feed on them will be instantly killed ("Poisoning the Well").
Elson, Jervis, Renni, and the other councilors who serve as village leaders debate the fate of the outsiders. If they do not surrender the people they have given shelter, their entire village is at risk of destruction. Colonel Sheppard enters the council chamber as they are considering the problem, and offers them another option: Rather than hand over their guests, his team can help resettle everyone on another world, in relative safety from the Wraith -- more than 600 people.
Convinced that the Wraith might kill them either way, Elson agrees to the evacuation. A small contingent of Wraith guard the gate, and Sheppard's team prepares to attack them. In the window of time before the Wraith hive ship arrives, they believe they will be able to get everyone through the Stargate. But it may be easier said than done -- and not everyone on the planet wants to leave their home.
With the lives of two peoples at stake, the Atlantis team may find that they are the real outsiders.
(GateWorld news report)
NEW! May 27 - Guest characters include Carson Beckett (Paul McGillion), Novo, Sefaris, Elson, Jervis, Renni, several Wraith, and guards.
NEW! June 12 - "Since we had some free time, Alan I headed down to Stage 2 where second unit was shooting the 'Outsider's' hive sequences. On the way, we ran into actor Tyler McClendon, the actor I cast as Ronon's Wraith captor in 'Broken Ties.' On the strength of his eerily menacing performance in that episode, Tyler has earned a spot on our recurring Wraith rotation.
"Truth be told, this isn't Tyler's first franchise appearance -- but even an eagle-eyed fan would have trouble recognizing Lt. Banks from 'Avalon, Part 1,' Cameron Mitchell's doomed co-pilot during the battle with Anubis's fleet over Antarctica, under all that make-up. While we were talking to Tyler, we were joined by actor Aaron Craven, who is playing the part of the Wraith commander. Aaron, it turns out, has put in not one but two previous Stargate appearances, playing the part of Captain Kyle Rogers in 'Rules of Engagement, and the opportunistic Matar in 'Line in the Sand.'
"Despite the hours of early-morning prosthetic application and their cumbersome leather coats, both Tyler and Aaron seem to be having a good time on set."
(Executive producer Joseph Mallozzi, in a post at his blog)
NEW! June 15 - "The episode I'm filming right now is called 'Outsiders' and it's my third episode this season of the five that I'm doing, or the minimum of five. It's an episode written by Alan McCullough. We have Will Waring directing. It's a lot of Wraiths and a lot of conflict.
"David Hewlett and I have a ton of stuff, there's a lot of Beckett and McKay stuff in it. We're doing a scene right now that's hopefully pretty funny. The whole crew is laughing at our scene in a Wraith Dart so it's really funny. We're having some really good laughs doing it. It's been great. David and I are pretty much throughout the episode and we have a lot of stuff together. So it's a big Beckett and McKay episode."
("Carson Beckett" actor Paul McGillion, in an interview with Pop Culture Zoo)
THE PRODIGAL
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"Carl's script, formerly titled 'The Red Shirt Diaries' before being re-titled to 'First Day,' has become 'Prodigal.'"
(Executive producer Joseph Mallozzi, in a post at his blog)
Mallozzi later confirmed that "The Red Shirt Diaries" and "Prodigal" are two entirely different stories. The former has been temporarily shelved, and may be revisited if the show reaches Season Six.
NEW! June 4 - "A nice callback to some SG-1 tech, the return of that guest star will have the boards abuzz, and Carl searches for an appropriately grisly punishment."
(Executive producer Joseph Mallozzi, in a post at his blog)
NEW! June 5 - The Wraith Michael (Connor Trinneer) has infiltrated the city of Atlantis with a squad of his genetically-engineered hybrids ("The Kindred"). Using a Puddle Jumper, Michael generates an energy wave that pulses outward from the Gate Room, rendering everyone in the control room unconscious.
Michael (Connor Trinneer) | |
Clearly planning something big, Michael makes himself at home in Woolsey's office. The control room is now being powered by his ship, and the energy wave has been extended to the levels above and below to protect them from Atlantis personnel. As his hybrids work at the control panels, Michael has a conversation with Teyla, who he has captured. Her young child is a play a great role in his plans for the future ("The Kindred").
In the hallways below, Colonel Sheppard and Major Lorne (Kavan Smith) lead teams attempting to retake the control room. But the stun field knocks Lorne unconscious, and McKay sets about trying to disable it. If they can't find a way past the crafty Wraith hybrid's defenses, Michael will have complete control of Atlantis's systems ... including the self-destruct.
(GateWorld news report)
REMNANTS
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This episode title was revealed by executive producer Joseph Mallozzi at his blog.
NEW! June 4 - "While I'm not exactly blazing through this script, I am advancing at a fairly steady five-page-a-day pace. Still, this one has been atypical in its progression. Usually, it takes me a while to get going but once I'm past those first three acts, the last two go very quickly. In this case, however, it's been just the opposite: fairly smooth sailing from the get-go with nary a hiccup until I hit the fourth act, at which point things slowed to a crawl.
"Unlike most episodes which have an A main storyline and B secondary storyline, this one is a triple A and it's been a bit of a challenge balancing the three. First, there's Sheppard and his mainland troubles. Then, there's McKay and his Zelenka-assisted investigation of the mystery find. And, finally, there's Woolsey and his good news/bad news/bizarre news day. The way it's looking, this initial draft is going to clock in at a healthy 60+ pages which I'll, of course, edit down to a much more reasonable 56-58 before putting it out.
"Given the type of script it is, I'm expecting significant notes and a potentially heavy rewrite -- which, in this case, isn't a problem because I'll have all of the hiatus to work on it. The important thing is that I put out a first draft that will give the office a fair approximation of how the production schedule will break down. Most of the beats are sound so I don't expect much scene-shifting. The only one that worries me is what I'll be doing to Sheppard at the end of the third act. I suspect more than one person in the room will say something to the effect of: 'Are you nuts?!' Should make for an interesting debate."
(Executive producer Joseph Mallozzi, in a post at his blog)
NEW! June 11 - "Marty G. objected to my brutal treatment of Sheppard while Paul took issue with one particular Holy Sh*t Moment in that regard. I agreed that the scenes are dark, but I argued they're necessarily so. No clean and comical this time out for our hero as the chickens come home to roost. Or, in this case, one particularly bad-ass rooster. Alex's concerns about the subtlety of the Shen imbroglio were echoed and some great suggestions offered with regard to the McKay-Zelenka scenes.
"From the cover notes, we moved on to the page notes. Some discussion on the mechanics of the transporter scene, the mainland intro, the off-world fooferah, the short list, the 'convincing' gloves, the infirmary scene, and the reveal."
(Executive producer Joseph Mallozzi, in a post at his blog)
NEW! June 30 - John Sheppard has been abducted. He regains consciousness, finding himself in a forest on the mainland of Atlantis's new home planet, to which the city was relocated a year and a half earlier ("Lifeline"). His hands and feet are bound, and Sheppard shuffles himself toward a sharp rock to try and free himself from his bonds.
Back in the city, Richard Woolsey encounters a new member of the expedition in a transporter chamber. She introduces herself as Dr. Vanessa Conrad, a scientist who has recently arrived on the Apollo. Woolsey is immediately smitten, and breaks the ice by telling her about Atlantis's regular social activities -- Yahtzee tournaments, movie screenings, organized sports, and more.
Soon, the two are on a first name basis. But there is certainly more to this woman than meets the eye.
Colonel Sheppard manages to free himself, and returns cautiously to his Puddle Jumper. He soon discovers who it is who tied him up: Acastus Kolya (Robert Davi), the former Genii commander and torture master whom he shot dead two years ago ("Irresponsible").
In Atlantis, Woolsey, McKay, and the rest of the team are about to make a shocking discovery -- a discovery about about an ancient race, Atlantis's fellow residents on this new planet, and what they need to survive.
(GateWorld news report)
BRAIN STORM
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This working episode title (replacing "Snow Globe") was revealed by executive producer Joseph Mallozzi, in a post at his blog.
Writer and co-executive producer Martin Gero's Stargate directorial debut will be an Earth-based story, he told GateWorld.
(GateWorld news report)
"Speaking of Martin, we'll be breaking his episode #16 when he gets back into town next week. Apparently, finding an oil rig-like setting for his script has been a bit of a challenge. John Smith did find one suitable-looking place, however. The only drawback -- it's a sewage treatment plant and, by John's own admission, tends to get 'a little ripe in the summertime.'
"But sacrifices must be made for art and I, for one, don't really have a problem shooting there despite the olfactory downside. Of course, the fact that I have no intention of visiting the location during production could have something to do with it. Also, the fact that Marty G., the director of said episode, WILL have to be there may result in a conceptual change. Maybe the story doesn't take place on an oil rig after all. Maybe it takes place in a second-hand book shop ..."
(Executive producer Joseph Mallozzi, in a post at his blog)
NEW! July 1 - "Indeed we will [see more of Rodney's past], in a late Season Five episode in which he'll be reunited with an old friend and rival. We're casting this one as I answer this question and, if all goes as planned, it will offer up some fun cameos."
(Executive producer Joseph Mallozzi, in a Q&A at TVGuide.com)
The episode in question is still unknown, but it is almost certainly after "Remnants" (episode 15) and before the season finale. "Brain Storm" is a likely candidate, based on the title (the brilliant McKay reunited with a brilliant rival from his past) and the fact that Mallozzi said the episode is currently in the casting phase.
"Brain Storm" is sixteenth in the production order, and is expected to begin filming in August.
INFECTION
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The working title of this episode was revealed by executive producer Joseph Mallozzi at his blog. It is, of course, subject to change.
"A mysterious arrival, a difficult dilemma, and the continuation of a storyline introduced in 'The Queen.'"
(Executive producer Joseph Mallozzi, in a post at his blog)
IDENTITY
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This episode title was revealed by executive producer Joseph Mallozzi at his blog.
VEGAS
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This episode title was revealed by executive producer Joseph Mallozzi at his blog.
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As information is listed here while the episode is still
in production, remember that it is subject to change.
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