Yes! Mostly, I thought they improved upon the draft (and I'm fascinated to see earlier versions), but I thought they totally dropped the ball on that Teyla scene! I wish they'd kept the earlier version!
I think a big part of the problem is that most of the writers, and M&M certainly, will go for humor wherever they can, and sacrifice characterization for it. I think it most often affects Rodney, but the best example I can think of is "The Game"; I can totally understand John and Rodney playing the "game" and ribbing each other about it, and even sometimes getting caught back up in the game once they find out that it wasn't a game. But the episode went much too far: they keep forgetting that there are real people and real lives at stake, and worse, Zelenka and Lorne make the same mistake! Four characters, all of whom behaved out of character to my mind, to make cheap jokes.
Teyla doesn't have a lot of comic moments, and I honestly think that's one of the reasons why they neglect her! The other, of course, is that I don't think they're fully comfortable writing women. Some men can write women, but the writers' room has been a boys' room for far too long, and I think even having a single woman in there might help. (Having fresh blood would also help! Alan McCullough is the newest, and he has been there two or three years now!)
It was the team and friendship material that made me love the episode. I think they could have done better, but I think that every week; this time, I'm happy with what I got.
You and Tipper both write Teyla much better than the show's writers usually do! I'll give them--and Rachel Luttrell--credit for creating the character and giving her some good moments, but she's one of the most neglected characters--and, shoot, the other neglected characters have already been offed! Ford! Carson! Weir!
I found this photo a while back at Atlantica screencaps and thought, "If I were Rachel, I'd be worried!"
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I think a big part of the problem is that most of the writers, and M&M certainly, will go for humor wherever they can, and sacrifice characterization for it. I think it most often affects Rodney, but the best example I can think of is "The Game"; I can totally understand John and Rodney playing the "game" and ribbing each other about it, and even sometimes getting caught back up in the game once they find out that it wasn't a game. But the episode went much too far: they keep forgetting that there are real people and real lives at stake, and worse, Zelenka and Lorne make the same mistake! Four characters, all of whom behaved out of character to my mind, to make cheap jokes.
Teyla doesn't have a lot of comic moments, and I honestly think that's one of the reasons why they neglect her! The other, of course, is that I don't think they're fully comfortable writing women. Some men can write women, but the writers' room has been a boys' room for far too long, and I think even having a single woman in there might help. (Having fresh blood would also help! Alan McCullough is the newest, and he has been there two or three years now!)
It was the team and friendship material that made me love the episode. I think they could have done better, but I think that every week; this time, I'm happy with what I got.
You and Tipper both write Teyla much better than the show's writers usually do! I'll give them--and Rachel Luttrell--credit for creating the character and giving her some good moments, but she's one of the most neglected characters--and, shoot, the other neglected characters have already been offed! Ford! Carson! Weir!
I found this photo a while back at Atlantica screencaps and thought, "If I were Rachel, I'd be worried!"