Although she suffers from hip dysplasia and arthritic elbows and shoulders that make getting around tough, my pug Jelly does haver her good days. Yesterday was one. Look at her go!
Our big two-day broadcaster summit for Transporter: The Series has come to an end. Yesterday, the producers gathered with HBO/Cinemax, HBO Canada, RTL, and M6 to discuss production: cars, casting, stunts, scheduling, post-production, media relations, digital content and, most important of all, chocolate…
Day One went quite well. Among that afternoon’s greatest accomplishments was the decision on the opening credit sequence. Naturally, I was assigned the task of composing lyrics for the show’s theme song. This is what I’ve got so far:
Transporter!
He’s really quite cool –
‘Cause he follows his rules.
And when a job’s done,
He’ll go jump in his pool!
Transporter!
The bad guys he’ll fight –
And his driving is tight.
He’ll impress the girls –
Then turn in for the nigh!
Transporter!
It’s a work in progress. Given its obvious importance, I’ve set aside all script work for the time being to concentrate on this.
After our meeting, I headed back to my place, updated the blog, then headed downstairs to the lobby where I met –
As the designated driver, it fell on me to ensure everyone arrived at the dessert tray safe and sound and on time….
High points of the evening included meeting Rachel, the chocolate dessert, and winning a bet with Jocelyn that saw her backing the poodle as the world’s smartest dog only to lose out to my candidate, the border collie (as confirmed by two separate Top Ten Smartest Dogs sites). I had an unfair advantage. My accountant is a border collie.
Today, it was back in the big boardroom for an in-depth discussion of our twelve scripts. The best/most exciting note came from Klaus via actor Francois Berléand who requested we play up his character’s affinity for fine food and cooking as evidenced in Transporter 2. As a gourmand, I have a feeling I’ll be channeling Inspector Tarconi through most of this season. One of my first orders of business once the meeting wrapped was to head down to my office and look up merguez and couscous recipes before rewriting the Tarconi scene in my first script.
Mailbag:
Randomness writes: “Joe, what do you think of this interview with Patrick Gilmore?
I’m usually supportive of peoples opinions but I disagree with his comments that some fans hated the show because it wasn’t Stargate Atlantis.
Hater websites aside, I’ve always got the general vibe that people just didn’t like the show because of the direction it took, basically it didn’t appeal to them.”
Answer: Actually, Patrick is absolutely right. “SOME” fans certainly did hate the show because it wasn’t Stargate Atlantis. They essentially said as much, lobbying for the show’s cancellation in the foolish belief that it would bring back Atlantis. And, when just the opposite happened and the cancellation pretty much killed any hopes of a continuation of the Atlantis storyline, they were left standing around like a bunch of dazed dorks wondering “Wha – happened?”. Watching them scramble to retroactively put a positive spin on their moronic logic (“Oh, uh, we WANTED that to happen!) was an awesome silver lining to the whole affair.
Chad writes: “Just out of curiosity, why was the SGU episode “Epilogue” originally titled “Radio”?”
Answer: The original pitch involved Destiny picking up messages (in the form of radio waves) from a distant civilization.
Brain writes: “By season 8 did the writers consider the tok’ra all but extinct? It seemed to be what was being inferred in season 7.”
Answer: Nope. Although they were touched upon, their presence decreased considerably as the threat of the goa’uld was finally dealt with.
Scarym writes: “So do you think Daniel & Vala are living happily ever after together?”
Answer: In my mid, they’re together and as happy as could be expected given Vala’s volatile personality. But you know – opposites attract.
I wanted to give you a big thank you for advising that we watch the first SGU episode just before we watch the last one. The bookends were a lovely parting gift. 🙂
I have continued to read your blog even though the Gates are done because you still write fun and interesting stuff all the time!
One other thing regarding the decision to stay with your pet for euthanasia: You don’t get to go back and change it, so why not err on the side of caution. It may hurt in the now while you are experiencing the trauma, but if you love your pet, it will hurt more in the long run if you don’t “man up” and stay with your best friend in their hour of greatest need.
Guilt is a far worse pain than grief.
Keep up the great work, joe! Love ya! Mean it!
Will the theme song to Transporter: The Series be singable?
But the way he was speaking, well in my opinion, he was shifting the blame for the end of the Stargate francise as we know it onto the haters/people who didn’t like the show.
I think if the Nielson system has proven anything, its that the haters had absolutely no effect on the ratings the show recieved. I would like to think people are smart enough to make up their own minds about the show.
I think we can all agree, that if the show was left on Fridays and was left to run the full 20 episodes, we’d probably see near double the current ratings average for Season 2.
However his comments kinda irked me a bit. He came accross as rather angry, it’s not really anyones fault if the show wasn’t a success, but shifting the blame over to the haters and anyone who disliked the show is rather harsh, we can’t all like everything.
Much like I know when it comes to anime, you likely like stuff that I find horrible. If an anime sells bad in America because lots of people think the same as I do that the anime in question sucks, doesn’t mean we’re the cause.
Although I may not agree with the philosophy of the average person who dislikes the show, one thing thats evidently clear to me is that they are passionate about Stargate, they love the gate and everything to do with it, they likely just feel betrayed over the whole SGU affair.
Besides the really angry haters(The ones with the IQ in the single digits) these people don’t sound so bad.
Sorry for like bring this point up on your blog Joe, figured as you were the Exec producer, you’d at least want to know some opinions on other aspects of the show.
I guess my view has changed on quite a lot of things.
Anyway, The Transporter stuff sounds rather cool, looking forward to when it starts filming, should be interesting to hear about all the spoilers and tidbits that come onto the internet. As with anything, if something is filming in a public place, the public will see lol (Silent Hill Revelations 3D says hi)
Hope you and everyone else involved with The Transporter are well Joe, wishing everyone the best.
And naturally I’ve said all I needed to say on the other subject and thus won’t be answering anyone else lol
Once again, I figured out a way to finance any show you want. If you patent it, no one will ever make any movie/tv show again without you getting a piece of the action. My true intention is to see a SGU movie then a rebirth of the series on NBC or ABC or even the venerable CBS. I really wish you would contact me, if you are willing to give me ten minutes of your time, you will never regret it. Thanks again…The zgrinch
Hello Mr. Mallozzi!
I’m a huge fan of all the gate series, but of SG-1 in particular. I had a question for someone on the writing staff, and since no other gate writers seem to have an easy contact, I figured I’d ask here.
I think we’ve all come to terms with the fact that the 3rd SG-1 movie won’t be made, however, I know a script had already been written for it, or at least planned. Would you ever consider releasing the script to the public? It wouldn’t be the same as seeing it true, but it would be really wonderful to read.
Just a thought. ^_^
Well you disappoint me there bucko. Daniel and Vala together for any reason other than ship bound and lonely … ick. Love both characters, not together.
Sounds like the show is ready to rock. Glad to see HBO on list as I get that. 🙂
Way to go Jelly,,How neat! AND chocolates, with pictures,yum. guess they found out your secret Joe..
Go Jelly Baby Go!
Keep getting those execs to buy you chocolate – you deserve it for moving across country for this gig!
I don’t think there were enough “haters” to kill SGU. A myriad of other things led to the cancellation, but I doubt a few people on a website had much of anything to do with it.
Loved all the chocolate pictures, Joe. Of course, I love anything to do with chocolate—one of the main reasons I read this blog, so I can live vicariously through you. 🙂
@Randomness: I think Joe, and probably Patrick too, were talking about the vocal haters–you know, the ones that set up the websites and were advocating for the end of SGU. Personally, I thought that was kind of stupid. Why focus on something if you really hate it. Anyway, I’m thinking that Joe and probably the rest of the production staff are all intelligent enough to realize that they weren’t going to get everyone to love the show. I mean that’s just the nature of the business. I would also hope that they all know that just because someone wasn’t a fan of SGU, doesn’t mean that they weren’t fans of the rest of the franchise. Of course, I can’t personally speak to that, LOL.
Oh, and sorry for the second post, Joe, but I didn’t want my big news to get lost at the end of the first one.
Hubby is one of two finalists for the job in CT!!!!!!! Yeah!!!!!! He has an interview up there on the 13th!!!!!!!!!
Good food and great friends (plus Jelly’s good day). I’m glad you had a great day. We had the water park for part of today. Any time I can wear a bathing suit for clothes is a good one!
The only thing is the Vet is checking on my cats while I’m gone. She can’t find the little black cat. He is a very good hider.
@ PBMom – I’m patiently waiting for you to tell all about your “Idol” experience… I’d like to hear it. (how was James, and I thought Steven Tyler was the best, and did you see what Lady Gaga was doing up there!?)
May I just say that I thought Stargate: Atlantis was one of my favorite shows of all time and I loved every cast member and thought each actor was perfectly cast for their role and loved (almost) every episode because I liked the humor, storylines, action, special effects, the wonderful villians (the Wraith), and how everything was pretty much wrapped up at the end of each hour and may I say the on screen chemistry was perfect and fantastic and sometimes heartwarming even if behind the scenes everyone wanted to kill each other and I’m so saddened to get the impression now that SGA is considered the “root of all evil”, that it makes me want to just sit here and cry!
PMS…ooops…I meant…PS: Long live SGA! (in reruns, of course)
Re-watching SG:U S2 on Netflix. Love this show. People missed out on good TV. The dialogue between the characters (e.g. Rush, Young, Wray, Scott, Chloe, Eli, Greer, etc.) is excellent. The fx of Destiny is unbelievable in HD.
@Ponytail
@SGA is considered the “root of all evil
It really isn’t though, from what people are saying, and from what I’m hearing, a section of the fandom was just unhappy with SGU in general, it wouldn’t of made much of a difference if SGA was airing along side it, I think some people would be displeased with what they are watching.
The whole negativity really does bug me though, it’s wrong to blame fans who dislike the show and lump them together with the more hardcore haters that wanted SGA back, and I’m sure some did.
Stargate fans can only support what they enjoy, it’s unfortunate but thats just the reality of things.
This whole thing to me just reeks of soup grapes from a certain individual, I’ve never seen this kind of negativity from any of the SG1/SGA cast, nor have I seen anyone involved with SG1/SGA in terms of cast members taking such an aggressive stance against the fans either.
Awww. Jelly is so darn cute!
Joe, they have your number: word is out that you can be had for good chocolate.
From reading some of these posts and links, I’m kind of sad if SGU actors and fans think it’s SGA’s fault somehow that the show got cancelled. That’s certainly a turnaround. ???
What are the chances of having the rights to both Atlantas & SGU taken away from MGM and placed onto another network so that the following can happen,
1. that a TV series be made so that the story line to SGA will be allowed to reach a conclusion within 1 or perhaps two more seasons.
2. that the TV series SGU will reach its logical conclusion in due course ( be that 2 or more seasons)
3. that both of these shows be screened in the traditional summer time slot on the traditional nights as with the previous SG1.
Keeping a relationship with MGM and the Sci Fi channel hasn’t worked is no longer valid considering what they have done to the franchise since they changed the part of the year the series originally aired i.e keeping the viewers in contempt of the franchise.
I feel that it would work out well for both parties (MGM selling the rights and the producers of Stargate) is produced and screened on another network that respects the audience and the story enough so that the story can reach its proper conclusion rather then get yanked away before we start to enjoy the whole thing.
Where did anyone say that? Who said it was SGA’s fault or the fault of SGA fandom? I see a fruit loop faction of disgruntled SGA fans being called on their immature behavior, but I fail to see how that’s an indictment against fandom in general.
correction to number 3.
that both of these shows be screened on the new channel through the new studio in the traditional summer time slot on the traditional nights as with the previous SG1 series.
@josephmallozzi
Basically the comments saying that SGA fans were upset at SGU thus never watched it/didn’t want to support it, that SGA fans were to blame for SGUs drop in ratings and things like that.
Or the comments that people hated SGU because they wanted SGA back, this hasn’t actually been proven true.
Stargate Atlantis never really should of been lumped together with SGUs demise, people were upset that it was cancelled yes, but as Air Part 1s ratings proved, more people tuned in to watch SGU than they did the finale of SGA, which proves that Stargate fans, although upset, did tune in originally to support the show.
Its unfortunate that the show wasn’t popular amongst the fandom, but comments lumping blame to specific sections of the Stargate fandom will only incite anger from people.
And Joe this comment Patrick made
>“You think getting Stargate Universe cancelled is going to bring back SGA? Well, BS. It went the exact opposite way.”
He seems to believe that people who disliked the show wanted it cancelled to get more SGA, I have seen no proof at all of this, besides a few idiotic people on the internet with the IQ of a hamster.
The general public just didn’t like the show, there is no other way humanly possible to describe this.
>“You need to support us, because with SGU’s success there was no end to how much more of SGA you were going to see.”
Basically him assuming people aren’t watching the show because of SGAs cancellation.
>They didn’t cancel SGU, but they didn’t support it so Stargate gets put on ice.
Him saying because the *Haters*(Actually normal people like anyone else, just obviously they dislike the show) didn’t support the show, it got put on ice, in other words cancelled.
This whole negativity just needs to stop, the fandom who dislike SGU(Seems like a lot) and the producers who made the show need to stop trying to pass blame back and forth. It won’t make any future Stargate series successful unless the fanbase is united.
Paul, seeing as how the new series is to be shown on HBO, will there be cussing and nudity?
I am German and I did grow up watching bad American TV on RTL.
That theme song made me laugh because it sounds EXACTLY like something they would have aired, and sometimes still do today.
About time you’re going to class up the joint a bit.
Just for kicks, here is the German version:
Transporter!
Er ist eigentlich recht cool –
Denn er folgt seinen eigenen Regeln.
Und wenn er fertig ist,
Dann springt er in seinen Pool.
Transporter!
Die Bösen werden verkloppt, –
Sein Fahrstil ist top.
Er betört die Fraun –
um sich dann auf’s Ohr zu hau’n!
Transporter!
Yes, some of the translation is bad an hokey. But that’s what you were going for, right?
Awwww…Jelly!! 😀 Poor girl. Sounds like she’s getting old. How old is she? Well…she looks like she’s in good spirits. Just give her lots of belly rubs. 🙂
Chocolate party?? Sounds like my kinda party! 😀 Although…being a chocoholic…I might have chocolate hangover the next morning. LOL! 😉
Randomness writes: “>“You think getting Stargate Universe cancelled is going to bring back SGA? Well, BS. It went the exact opposite way.”
He seems to believe that people who disliked the show wanted it cancelled to get more SGA, I have seen no proof at all of this, besides a few idiotic people on the internet with the IQ of a hamster.”
Sorry. Does not compute. He’s referring to exactly those few idiotic people with the IQ of a hamster. Again, I don’t see how this is an indictment of SGA fandom.
Yeah! Canucks win!
“Paul”? Ha ha!
Of course, I ment to say “Joe”.
Sorry about that.
@josephmallozzi
@He’s referring to exactly those few idiotic people with the IQ of a hamster. Again, I don’t see how this is an indictment of SGA fandom
Matter of opinion, his other statements don’t exactly back this point up.
My point being, these statements I quoted are just him assuming SGA fans are to blame for the shows cancellation, I haven’t seen anything to prove otherwise.
And assuming he is speaking about the idiotic few. Assuming they could get the show cancelled is even more ridiculus.
I understand that SGU had a lot of negativity surrounding it, but its wholely unprofessional after a shows cancellation to start blaming others.
I think everyone, just needs to take a chill pill and relax a little, heck even Craig over on the Syfy twitter over the course of the weeks has had wholely negative tweets aimed at him by disgruntled SGU fans, I feel sorry for the guy.
Anyway, I’ll leave this subject alone for the day, I have no wish to get into a huge arguement, I just find the attitude displayed there wholely unproffessional.
I’m struggling to find positive interviews from some of the SGU cast, Louis acted professionally, LDP did too, and the other experienced actors on the show. Why can’t everyone?
Why the hatin’ on the hamsters? What’d they do?
😉
Yes, awesome win for the Canucks! Exciting game to watch. Go Van!
Ignore my question about whether the series theme will be singable. I’m totally busted for just skimming by missing that you posted lyrics today. I must’ve been too stuck on Parisian chocolates and Julien’s kino-pride smirk to read thoroughly.
I had a hamster when I was a kid. He wasn’t that bright. But then, he was a hamster.
@josephmallozzi
I must admit, as a loyal SGA fan, that sometimes I do feel a bit intimidated by some of the more vocal SGU supporters.(I’ve read some of their tweets to Syfy and they are just vile.) I just pick up a vibe that they feel anyone who liked SGA and wishes it were still around must automatically be the enemy. I’m not an enemy, I’m just sad.
i can’t imagine daniel & vala getting together, much less long term. unending was a special situation. sam was the only other woman for him to be involved with, but i’m sure the slashers have written their own stories where daniel & mitchell (or even teal’c) got together on that ship.
BTW yay for chocolate & boo for scorching canapes.
@Ponytail: I’ve written EXTENSIVELY about my Idol trip (3rd installment is coming on Day 2, Part C, and Day 3 (combo). It’s on my wordpress blog: http://pbmom.wordpress.com I had a blast, slept very little. Many hiccups along the way, but overall, it was like attending a rock concert. However, I think I can do things that my body is not ready for and the adrenaline saw me through; however, I saw my bed most of the day on Friday, Saturday & Sunday when I got back (when I wasn’t working). If I want to go to San Diego Comic Con in 2012, I’m going to have to really work on that stamina part. I have one year.
@Joe: Loved the Jelly video. She was moving pretty fast. Faster than me perhaps. LOL.
Glad you got to have a chocolate party, and hope that Toronto is growing on you a little bit (grudgingly, I imagine). Extremely happy to hear HBO/Cinemax USA was in on this meeting.
Here is a video I posted of Maddie jumping into the pool after a tennis ball. She used to just fly from the end to the opposite end lengthwise, but she has developed the lazy factor and is only jumping from the width of the pool, but it’s still fun. She didn’t realize we had thrown it in the water, so she was tracking it down in the bushes.
http://youtu.be/YlgxilFhVts
Joeseph…..Thank you VERY MUCH for all of the
Stargate memories postings.
I’ve been enjoying them all very very much.
…and thank you VERY MUCH again for all of your
various production updates and shared information
concerning the new upcoming Transporter series.
I find it all to be very interesting and I can’t wait
to see how the show actually/finally turns out.
I’ve been having so many fun thoughts and ideas
concerning potential directions in which you guys
might be going with the various Transporter related
characters and storylines.
I have become so damn intrigued by this new show and
where it could be headed/going etc.
Hi Joe
In season 8 episode 18, when daniel is in the diner together with Oma Desala, he aks who the people around them are and Oma answers ”others”, daniel aks if they are ancients and Oma anwers: “couple of them” , that means that there must be other asended Races besides the Ancients and the Ori, since the the Ori didnt know of the existence of the milky way at that point cause the anicients hided it, which means it cant be the Ori sitting around there with the Ancients.
So my question is who those other ascended races are and if you had any plans of involving them in future of the Stargate franchise? Maybe as part of SGUs “final Destiny” ?
Thanks (:
-Till
Hello Joseph! Comment allez vous?
Bien je vois^^!
Tout d’abord..GO GO CANUCKS ahah!
Et bien dites moi c’est la fête, tout le monde c’est réuni!! Ahaha Patrick Roger est le meilleur chocolatier de France!! …vous avez parlez français avec les representants de M6?
Votre vidoe est cute 🙂
Bon aujourd’hui je vais goûter la Poutine à Paris dans un Pub Canadian! Vous aimez bien ce plat Quebecois?
Gros bisous!
Anais.
Joe, what are the shiny, green round apple-y looking items in the midst of all that chocolate?
As you are developing Transporter: The Series, are you assuming the audience is familiar with the movies?
Like many others, thanks for your reminiscences of SG1.
Joe … seems you missed your chance for a nice place to live!!
http://yourmoney.ca/galleries/most-expensive-condo-canada.htm?feedname=PHOTO_GALLERY_FINANCE_MOST_EXPENSIVE_CONDO&pos=1&nolookup=true
Lots of room for the pooches to run around in!
1. JELLLLLLLLLLLLLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! 😀
2. Joe, Mike Post, you’re not. 😛
3. JELLLLLLLLLLLLLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! 😀
4. Hmmm…forget ‘Joey’, I think I’m going with ‘Canucklehead’ from now on… 😉
5. Or maybe ‘Jojo the dogface boy – he walks, he talks, he crawls on his belly like a reptile!’ 😮
6. Or maybe I should just stick with Mr. Mallozzi, eh? Or, Lord Mallozzi. Lord Darth Mallozzi? Nah, yer head might get too big. How’s about Your Majesty Mallozzi…no, wait…Mallojesty? Hmmmm…that sorta works. 🙂
7. @ Bailey – Those folks are just jealous that their show didn’t have the smokin’ hotness of Todd and Steve…and, okay, OKAY…aaaaand Sheppard. 🙄
8. @ Ponytail – Repeat after me: The Wraith are NOT villains, just misunderstood – albeit a bit peckish –
overlordscaretakers of a fledgling human society still too young to take care of itself. 🙂9. JELLLLLLLLLLLLLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! 😀
das
Awesome Jelly video! She looks great.
Glad to see Jelly run-limping, she looks like me when my hip is sore, which is more often these days. I’m taking a Vit. D supplement and hoping it will stave off arthritis and all the other ills Dr. Oz claims are caused by lack of Vitamin D.
My first thought seeing Julian with the kino is “dude put that down before you break it, it’s expensive!” Then I remembered that the kino is a prop, and that it probably doesn’t work.
So M6 is Paris and RTL is Germany. They sound like international spy divisions, cool.
The vet/housesitter found our little cat under the bed. He is solid black, so he can be hard to find. I’ve got some payback coming to my vet friend.
Yea, Jelly!
Thanks for the laughs Das!
@ das –
😯 The Wraith are NOT villains, just misunderstood – albeit a bit peckish – caretakers of a fledgling human society still too young to take care of itself. 😯
Anything else you want…? 🙂
@ PBMom – okay, I’ll go read it.
@ Ponytail – You done good. 🙂 Now, if every once in a while you casually make mention of brushing Steve’s lovely hair, or polishing Todd’s sexy boots, you can be an honorary Wraith worshipper, which means you have the right to push the guy standing next to you in front of the first hungry handgina coming your way! 😀
das
I’m going to defend Patrick Gilmore because he is right, and I love how cranky he can be. The SG:U guys took a lot of abuse from angry SG:A fans, and the infighting took its toll on the ratings. It was only part of the problem that the show faced, but it had an effect. The tone of SG:U was very different from the previous series’, and it meant that a) fans of the other shows didn’t like the change and b) people who didn’t like the other shows didn’t even give it a chance. Also, because of the ongoing story it wasn’t one of those shows you could watch randomly or drop in half way through.
I personally know Atlantis fans who turned their back on the show without even giving it a chance. Never mind that 90% of the people who worked on their fave show also worked on Universe. If I were Patrick I’d give it to them with both barrels too. Civility goes both ways.
And Syfy deserves to take abuse for the way they handle their programming. I’m glad I live in Canada where Space cares about the fans. I just wish they had the cash to support shows and do more original programming.
Now I really want chocolate, dammit.
Hey Joe, just wondering if you received an email about the SGU soundtrack from Joel yet? 🙂
Just a reminder, the were a lot of reasons Stargate Universe was cancelled and the haters were just one part among many.