 
JULY 2007
It's been a while since we've published your letters here at GateWorld, and with everything that has been happening in the Stargate universe over the past few months we thought it was high-time to start again! Do you have an opinion about the show, a character, an episode, a toy or product, or anything else? Have something to say about GateWorld, or science fiction fandom in general? Send us a letter to the editor and be heard!
About once each month we will choose a representative handful of letters to publish for the entire GateWorld audience to read. Just use this form and be sure to choose "Letter to the Editor (for publication" from the drop-down menu! (If you don't, we'll have to assume you are sending us personal love letters.) Please include your name as you would like it to appear on the site, and where you are from.
Some hot topics we'd like to hear about this month include:
- What did you think of the final episode of Stargate SG-1?
- Is Atlantis still a must-watch show? Is it getting better every year? What do you hope to see in Season Four?
- How do you feel about the exit of Carson Beckett?
- How do you feel about the reduced role for Elizabeth Weir?
- What do you think of Sam Carter moving to Atlantis?
If you have not yet seen the third season of Stargate Atlantis, watch out for spoilers below.
GateWorld's editor's comments appear below in italics.
Stargate SG-1 stands alone as the best and most originally thought-out sci-fi show in my lifetime. (The nearest I can think to compare would be Star Trek.) I can't fault you for how the show was ended, but I am disappointed. There was still at least one season left to tell, maybe more. I'm honestly suprised that the show ended the way it did, considering that SG-1 was what made the SCI FI channel what it is today. Thank you for the future movies -- I have faith that the series will be what all the fans have come to expect.
Scott M.
In the show "Echoes," I was angry because I did not get to see Hermiod. All I saw mostly was John and Rodney debating on how to best protect Atlantis from deadly solar rays. Hermiod is the smartest alien on the ship, yet he was not in any part of the debate. I think Hermiod should get more character development.
Sean H.
Ed. - That's a good point, Sean! Where's the little Asgard bugger when you need him?
I have seen many sci-fi shows come and go. I have seen many characters with different mannerisms and mindsets bring their thoughts and mannerisms to the television screen. My thanks go out to the writers and producers of this series for their consciousness and professionalism in creating the individuals and storylines that took us to another place and time with the dignity and grace of authors like Mark Twain, Robert Heinlein, Isaac Asimov, and others. Mr. Anderson and his fellow cast members have left an impression with us as being just human and nothing more. Please reconsider the cancellation this series. There is nothing on CBS, NBC, ABC, or FOX that can even compete.
David B.
What is the deal with Stargate Atlantis and black people? Where are they, why don't any of them exist on this show. Every now and then you get a flash of black, like in the expression blackground. But you have no black characters and the ones they did have they got rid of. I liked Rainbow's character Lt. Ford because he was the innocent of the group. Everyone else there had lived and Ford was basically a kid -- bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, still following the rules to the letter. It would have been fun watching him grow from being with the group and Sheppard. The show went from that to having a Tyr-like character without actually having the black to slow him down. That seems to be the theme of SGA: No blacks allowed.
Max
I am so very upset that you killed Carson. He was one of your best characters and brought real humanity to your show. Why do writers kill off the best people? I hope you find a way to bring him back with the technology. I really thought he was the best and nicest character on the show. What good does it do to kill of your main and nicest character, who is also your brilliant doctor?
Ann
What do the producers of both Stargate series have against doctors? First they kill off one of my favorite characters on SG-1 (Dr. Fraiser). So now its time to kill off the Atlantis doctor? I am disgusted. I know writers feel you can't continue the feel of a threat unless you kill off some of the characters, but come on!
I have watched every episode of Stargate SG-1 from the beginning; the same for Stargate Atlantis. I can't speak for anyone but myself, but its seems a bit contrived -- no,lazy -- to up the anxiety by killing off a pretty cool character. I didn't tune in every week to figure out who would die next. I tuned in to follow the adventures and characters of what was once fairly unpredictable show. I'll decide later if I will give this series another viewing.
Cam W.
Ed. - Cam: you're right, and you're right. But the fact remains that a character death will always remain a major dramatic device. It is almost impossible to find a long-running show that never uses it. Also, I would wager that "fairly unpredictable" is not the sort of show that the writers want Atlantis to be.
I get that the producers need to put Tapping somewhere to live out the last year of her contract. I get that. I get that they owe her given that the numerous years she's given to SG-1. What I don't get is the abhorrent way the producers have treated Torri Higginson in fulfilling their obligation to Tapping. I liked Tapping when I was a fan of the early years of SG-1, but I will NOT, not NOW, nor EVER accept her as a real member of the SGA team, especially given they've pushed Weir out just for Carter.
Julie M.
The elimination of Paul McGillion's character Dr. Carson Beckett calls into question ... Why? I understand Amamda Tapping is joining Stargate Atlantis, and I suspect her employment is his unemployment. Now as much as I like the character of Samantha Carter, if what I suspect is true, the elimination of the character Carson Beckett just to bring in the character of Sam Carter is just wrong! Another "warrior" to replace the "heart of Atlantis" ... not a good trade off. Not good at all.
Sue R.
Ed. - During my first visit to the set of Stargate, I had a very enlightening dinner with one of the producers. I got some of the gossip about guest stars from year's past, and why even though their characters are loved by fans, they will never, ever return. One actor in particular just could never remember his lines and apparently had to have cue cards held up for him off camera during the entire week of shooting.
That's by no means to say that any series regular who is written off the show is difficult to work with. But what it did teach me is that there are a thousand reasons why cast changes are made which have nothing to do with what we fans are able to see. We see a character we love, go to conventions and interact with actors who are wonderful people, and enjoy a show that is top-notch by the time it reaches our televisions. Most of the time, viewers simply aren't privy to daily production issues, actor's personal lives, their relationships with cast and crew, what else is going on in their career, contract negotiations, how often they are late to work, whether they asked to leave because they got a great job offer, ad infinitum.
Finally, a word about Amanda Tapping: Both she and the show's producers have made it clear in recent interviews that her current year on Stargate Atlantis is completely amicable and wanted by both sides. The producers wanted to move the character over because they love her (and the actress) so much, but they would not have contractually forced her if she wasn't interested.
That's it for this month! Send us your letters now, and we'll see you back here in a bit.
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