Earlier today on PlutoTV the episode titled Proving Ground played. And yes, this more Stargate talk. This is a great episode although, in my opinion not in the ways many would think. Interesting though, looking at IMDB, I’m not only person who likes this episode. With an average score of 7.7 the majority of scores are in the eights. Now, obviously in my younger days this episode stuck out to me because of Grace Park and Elisabeth Rosen but I’m adult now! I swear! This episode portrays an aspect of life at the Stargate Command base that most people wouldn’t consider so much. The training and preparation of younger and new soldiers. I don’t recall whether that’s accurate catchall for US military personnel but I will be using as such in reference to military members in general, and am aware enough to use more specific terms when speaking specifically. There are two key points I want to focus on with this conversation. On-screen and off-screen implications.
First, on-screen. This episode shows us that there is apparatus and procedure for recruitment and training. In an earlier episode, Elisabeth Rosen is introduced as Cad. Jennifer Hailey. An Air Force Cadet with an intellect rivaling Carter’s and an attitude that O’Neill appreciates. In this episode we see a bit of how certain individuals are identified and invited, let’s say, into this program. Then in this episode, we see some of the training and certification of these individuals. Things that are very important to the sustenance and continuation of such an endeavor as exploring the galaxy and defending a planet from threats like the goa’uld. Throughout SG-1 we get a number of episodes highlighting some aspects of the research and development side of things in the SGC and even a few episodes showing us the casual day-to-day, but very few showing us the replenishment and training of SGC personnel. There are miles of storytelling potential with just this tool alone. And with that, in the beginning of SG-1 they start with nine SG teams. We spend ten years focusing on principally one team. There’s so much they could have done with this.
To that point, the off-screen implications. With more storytelling focused on training new personnel for the SGC we could have followed numerous characters from Stargate school to retirement. And we wouldn’t even have to focus one team or character very long. Especially with the more common television model of 10-13 episodes. The Stargate franchise could’ve executed the Star Wars/Marvel model five, maybe even closer to ten years ago. A series here focused on a new Major recently busted down for being too rash here. And another series on a research team stranded on a goa’uld controlled planet there. Adopting the process of extended universe of mini-series model of production, we could have been having a near constant stream of Stargate material for the last fifteen years instead of trying to rekindle it after fifteen years.
I understand both sides of this argument. “Whah whah whah, there’s so much to watch. Fatigue this, fatigue that.” Here’s the thing. Sure, not everything is always great. Usually the problem with things that is at one point or another, the reigns are given to people who may truly care about the thing and then drops balls because they don’t understand how to truly honor the source of whatever. Look at Marvel Studios in the beginning. They succeeded AND made wonderfully fantastic films. Anyone paying attention will tell you that they succeeded BECAUSE they made such wonderfully fantastic films. And if you watched any of the special features packaged with those films, you heard just about everyone involved say that their movies worked and worked well because of the care and attention put into those films.
It’s possible to do the same thing with pretty much anything. Stargate is certainly no exception to this ideal. I more than dare say that I in particular am more than capable carrying on such work with this intent. Ya know, to make more Stargate. I’ve been talking semi-regularly for a few weeks now some of the things I would like to see in the new Stargate series. Rather, I’d more prefer to make happen in the new Stargate series. I don’t know who all is in the writers’ room right now nor do I have any idea what all they’re doing in the new series. But there are very few things I want to be a part of more. Sooooo, again I ask. If anyone reading this can show it to Martin Gero, I would really like that. My fantasy here is that he reads any of my posts, likes at least some of the ideas, and then I get a job writing for Stargate.
If it helps, we can swing this like a ‘make a wish’ gig. I mean, I don’t have any cancers or anything to my knowledge. And I’m not so much a child as I am a single, middle-aged man what’s dying alone, but surely that’s sad enough that people may want to help me score a dream job, right? Seriously, folks, I have exactly nothing else in my life.
