Interview with new SGU writer Remi Aubuchon

[SerenityS]

Part of the interview:

“I’m also hoping that an episode like this will help start to weave SGU more into SG-1 and Atlantis and allow fans to realize that everything is interconnected. Brad and Rob have, I think, unfairly taken a great deal of flack from some fans who say that the show has made a left turn away from the Stargate franchise. I don’t buy that, and for several reasons. Yes, you could do Atlantis forever and ever, but after a while you’re going to run out of stories because it’s a fairly contained series. It’s a fun show and I enjoyed watching it, but with SGU here’s a chance to do something even cooler. I think we want to prove to fans that we remain true to the Stargate franchise. We’re still telling Stargate stories, just in a slightly different way."

http://scifiandtvtalk.typepad.com/s...gate-universe-writers-room-remi-aubuchon.html

 

[SerenityS]

So the new writers are just as stupid as the old ones then.

Looks like it.

 

[Tropicana]

He talks about how much he loved writing for Caprica and writing the show based on BSG mythology -- and yet the stories suck so bad, Caprica got cancelled.

Hmm...

As much as he want to state and keep reiterating that he is writing what he regards as a fun and amazing Stargate episodes, and loves writing stories based on Stargate mythology, SGU isn't part of Stargate at all and just because there's a ring in some room, doesn't mean he is tapping into the 12 year SG history, and it isn't fun and amazing as viewership numbers seem to confirm. The PTB have taken a left turn, disregarded any help and suggestion and advice from fans, and now are stranded in some forest where the native cancellation bear roams.


.

 

[ParagonPie]

Well SGU should have been about the Ancients and their culture and technological development as a whole, were they a united race or were they in factions. SGU adds nothing to the mythology nor does it try to create one for itself that ties in or fills in the gaps (I mean we are talking about 50 million years worth of history here), in fact it tries to steer clear of the ancients as much as possible despite them being on an ancient vessel, its like saying I hate Americans and then suddenly moving to Washington DC.

 

[Lilith]

So a new writer?????? Does that mean it isn't going to be cancelled?

Sorry, never mind he was a writer on S2.

 

[ParagonPie]

It could have been about that, but the point is that these producers/writers (and perhaps the network/studio) were tired of doing stories about Ancients, filling them with science and "technobabble" as Brad put it. They didn't want to do that, and that's why they rush-ended SGA out of boredom.

The question that I ask is why did they have to unlock the 9th Chevron then? If they were tired of doing ancient stories then why have them on an ancient vessel, doing an ancient mission, using ancient technology? Was that the only part which SG fans were meant to cling on to?. All what I am seeing here, is a person/team who is lacking in creativity, who lacks the ability to expand ones universe or world they create. You know I've put up with their crap writing for a long time, they wrote themselves into corner after corner, and we get blame for it. Wonderful.

Mr Mallozzi couldn't write a decent bad guy if his life depended on it. He clearly doesn't know how to create them, their history, and reasons for their actions.

 

[SG-Rocks]

So a new writer?????? Does that mean it isn't going to be cancelled?

Sorry, never mind he was a writer on S2.

They say the interview was done early July. Don't scare me like that.

 

[geijin]

I like the line about running out of stories because Atlantis was a fairly contained show.

Uhmmm.....Huh? That's got the biggest what the fuck moment ever.

Atlantis. Alien city, middle of a different galaxy. Had a stargate, jumpers, inter-galactic ships, contact with Earth, other aliens, and star drive. Plus the humans controlled the damned thing.

Destiny. Alien ship. Lost in the middle of nowhere. Little stargate use, no smaller ships, no contact with earth, no aliens (most of the time), and a "mission" that limits what the show can do. And the humans don't control it.

One of these things is not like the other. And it's not the contained show. And this guy is a writer? Where the hell do they find these people? I don't claim to be a writer, but even I can think up stories for SGA using the possibilities. Can we go back to the days of IQ tests, and start banning anyone with an IQ less than 100 from opening their mouths? That would shut up all these retards.

 

[SG-Rocks]

Yeah the was funny. Contained? I guess MASH was contained for what 10 years. And no Stargate. It's the characters and writing you SGU dim bulbs. I guess if there was a season 3 they would probably have some standing on your heads contests on the ship. I the newly discovered "stand on your heads" room of course.

 

[Mr. A]

Of course, if a series "running forever" is it going over 5-6 seasons and actually tying up at least some of the new story lines it opened even up to its 5th season.
And if by "cooler stories" you mean an XO knocking up his subordinate, his 1st Lt. banging the other one in a broom closet while on duty, the same Lt. cohabiting with a civilian from the beginning of the mission and crying like a baby when she gets STDs from some aliens, the leading civilian using her trips to earth in order to fondle her lesbian lover in another woman's body, and an angry black man shooting and hitting everybody except the ones he's supposed to... Yeah, then SGU has the cooler stories.

 

[SG-Rocks]

Oh behave

Yeah what's with these new writers? I though by Season 2 Chloe would be giving head to the officers by now.

 

[ParagonPie]

I think that them saying that the "Ancients" built this rusty ship (accessible by a 9th chevron) was their way to get away from the whole "Stargate" universe, interestingly enough (but the stones are there, just in case ).

You notice that really none of the episodes (at least to my knowledge) have anything to do with the Ancients. Sure, they've been referenced a few times, but that's it. These episodes are about people that are "contained" on a ship and a whole bunch of misguided attempts at "Drama," "edgy," and "hip" whilst they are there. They are looking for some kind of "signal" or source for it in some kind of convoluted way. It just doesn't work, but that's what they've done.

To my knowledge, Mr. Mallozzi didn't create Kolya or Michael, but he was able to do a good job with them in 2 episodes that he wrote. The best job in the series? No, but good. I don't know what a bad guy of his creation would be like, but I can guess. Does anybody know if he and Paul created any bad guys in SG-1?

(I just like making fun of Mallozzi because I can heheehehe, don't worry I do give credit were it is due)

So they wanted a Stargate series only without the Stargate or its back story? Isn't that like removing the Federation and/or Warp drive from Star Trek, you'll end up lost and confused at who are all of these weird people with no remote connection and it moves incredibly slowly. Hey I just described SGU in another way! Go me

Anyways I wuv you A4L

 

[THX1138]

So the new writers are just as stupid as the old ones then.

It's a R Cooper requirement : Yes men only are allowed and they must believe that his shit is brilliant

 

[Mr. A]

Yeah what's with these new writers? I though by Season 2 Chloe would be giving head to the officers by now.

She isn't? :icon_eek:

 

[Hyndara]

I think that them saying that the "Ancients" built this rusty ship (accessible by a 9th chevron) was their way to get away from the whole "Stargate" universe, interestingly enough (but the stones are there, just in case ).

You notice that really none of the episodes (at least to my knowledge) have anything to do with the Ancients. Sure, they've been referenced a few times, but that's it. These episodes are about people that are "contained" on a ship and a whole bunch of misguided attempts at "Drama," "edgy," and "hip" whilst they are there. They are looking for some kind of "signal" or source for it in some kind of convoluted way. It just doesn't work, but that's what they've done.

To my knowledge, Mr. Mallozzi didn't create Kolya or Michael, but he was able to do a good job with them in 2 episodes that he wrote. The best job in the series? No, but good. I don't know what a bad guy of his creation would be like, but I can guess. Does anybody know if he and Paul created any bad guys in SG-1?

Mh, didn't buy that all. You are right, Kolya and Michael weren't developed by Mallozzi. And maybe this is the fault. Because (for example Kolya) you don't have any clue why he suddenly turns into such a villian. You don't have an idea what was going on on the Genii's planet und suddenly the came out of the box with this whole political story as a background for Common Ground. Sure, you have Coup d'Etat but I really never understand this really deeply hate. Kolya was only bad to be bad.
Michael was a tragical villian and you can understand why he did not really felt in love with the Atlanteans. On the other side suddenly he turns into the mad lover for Teyla? Again, no real reason for me.

That the storys were told is the truth - for the writers/producers that are still in charge. But there weren't all storys told otherwise the fanfic-writers would running out. TPTB stopped the exploration of Atlantis, you don't spent much time in background for other planets the team could visit via the gate. They writers were running out of ideas and tried to copy SG-1-storys into Atlantis. After that did not really work they were boring and watched out for new ideas.

As a writer I know I have to put in background and infos. Maybe not always for the reader but for me. When you are writing SciFi you have the whole universe to write about. And that is damned much stuff. Stuff you have to control for yourself otherwise you are writing not good storys. What they have done for SG1 could not work for SGA.

About the weak characters in SGU and all the drama-stuff ... I remember there were a trend here in Germany a few years ago that you have to write your lead-characters as bad and weak as possible because this would be more realistic (deja-vu? This is one of the points TPTB always try to explain). You know what happened? Yeah, this whole "negative-but-realistic-lead-characters-thing" failt because the readers did not like to read all this whiny drama.

I think now we can say what did not work well for books also do not work for TV-shows ...

 

[shavedape]

Well SGU should have been about the Ancients and their culture and technological development as a whole, were they a united race or were they in factions. SGU adds nothing to the mythology nor does it try to create one for itself that ties in or fills in the gaps (I mean we are talking about 50 million years worth of history here), in fact it tries to steer clear of the ancients as much as possible despite them being on an ancient vessel, its like saying I hate Americans and then suddenly moving to Washington DC.

You're right Paragon, where is the mythology in SGU this brown nosed twit references??? It's like he was speaking words for the sake of speaking words, not to actually convey a legitimate point. Such an obvious attempt to suck up to his bosses. It's pathetic and cringe worthy.

I love how he goes from one crappy show to another crappy show but is oblivious to the crappiness.

 

[Robbie_Rocket_Pants]

You're right Paragon, where is the mythology in SGU this brown nosed twit references??? It's like he was speaking words for the sake of speaking words, not to actually convey a legitimate point.

Sounds just like the trolls who come here.

I love how he goes from one crappy show to another crappy show but is oblivious to the crappiness.

Also sounds just like the trolls who come here.

 

[shavedape]

"but after a while you’re going to run out of stories because it’s a fairly contained series"


It sure felt contained. The city felt unexplored and no bigger than my house on the inside. So of all the possible uses for Atlantis it turns out it was just a giant weapon ship? That is how it all came across after 5 seasons. In five seasons I learned more about the traditions of the weekly mud hut village people than the city.

SGU feels the same way. It is a ship with a few dark rooms where people argue and get it on. It isn't bigger than my house either on the inside.

I tend to agree with you here. If there is a major complaint to be leveled towards SGA it's that they had this incredible world (the city of Atlantis) that they just told us about and rarely every explored. We heard about the sections of the city that hadn't been explored (whenever there was flooding, etc.) but we never got to see them. Of course it probably would have gotten lame had they "discovered" a lab or high tech new toy in some unexplored room of the city each week, but they still could have used that point a little more than they did.

SGU makes this same mistake but to a greater degree. "Destiny" is a ship and "Atlantis" is a city, the ship being smaller in size than the city I'm assuming (it sure looks it). And at least with the Atlantis crew they came with supplies and had the ability to gate to other worlds where they immediately met other races they could trade with to get supplies. The Destiny crew, not so much. The whole point being that the starving and ill prepared crew of Destiny would have scoured the ship (they had months to do it in already) in an attempt to find supplies to keep them alive. We've seen none of that. All we've seen is a couple of bedrooms and a cafeteria with a big window. It literally took them months to find the bridge -- and we're talking people who are being commanded by military officers whom one would assume would know to look for a fucking bridge! Ugh!

I hate this show. It's so bad. It insults me even when it's not in production. May the Ebola virus infect the environs of Bridge Studios in a timely and effective manner.

 

[shavedape]

Sounds just like the trolls who come here.



Also sounds just like the trolls who come here.

So...according to you Caprica is not a crappy show and neither is SGU???

(guess we all know what DVD's are on your Christmas list this year)

 

[Robbie_Rocket_Pants]

So...according to you Caprica is not a crappy show and neither is SGU???

(guess we all know what DVD's are on your Christmas list this year)

Eh? Nooooo, that's the opposite of what I was saying.............. oh, were you being ironic just then?