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TV Log
Amanda Tapping and Jewel Staite were nice enough to do a phone
conference on Wednesday to promote the new season of Stargate Atlantis.
Many questions for Tapping dealt with the challenge of playing Samantha Carter for what was now her 11th season, and about the challenges of transferring her character to a new show.
“My expectation [for playing Sam Carter] initially was two years. We knew we had a two-year pickup from Showtime, which was our original network had ordered 44 episodes. So we knew two years.
“And I think it was partway through Season 1 we found out that we were going to go, I think, four and beyond that we really didn’t think too much about it. And then we knew five. And then once we hit seven, we thought that was it; seven, that’s the sci-fi model. That’s what’s always worked for Star Trek and the usual franchises.
“And then all of a sudden it was a completely different set of rules. Every year we kept waiting to get cancelled and they kept picking us up. And finally in Season 10, we went, “Oh, well, they’ll probably pick us up next year,” and then we got cancelled.”
Tapping noted that it didn’t feel she had been playing the character for so many years.
“I’m just going for the record: I’m going to be the Kelsey Grammer of sci-fi.”
"[The longevity of Stargate SG-1 is] something that we’re all really proud of, but I think it took a long time for Stargate to sort of get more mainstream attention. And I don’t know if it’s because it was sci-fi or because you know it’s that little show that could. It was that little show that just kept coming back and coming back and now we’re just -- I think our legacy is in DVDs right now.”
“I’m just hoping that we get picked up for season five [of SGA]. I mean we’re two episodes away from finishing [filming] the season, and I’m actually really happy with the way that the character’s been introduced. It could have been a very difficult transition bringing Carter over from SG-1 to Atlantis.
“I credit the writers with making it a very easy and fairly seamless transition. Her discomfort comes from the fact that she’s completely out of her element. She’s not in her comfort zone. This is a woman who spent her entire career taking orders and being subordinate to a degree as per military protocol and is now suddenly in a position where she has - she influences people’s lives by the decisions that she makes.
“And so on that aspect she’s really struggling, I think in some ways to find that strength. And she’s also aware of the fact that she’s replacing a much loved leader when she comes on to the show, into the galaxy, and so she’s very aware of treading lightly.”
“And so in a lot of ways for me as the actor it feels like playing a much different character.”
“I think for her it’s - she’s finding her strength. As the season goes on, she’s finding - I mean she’s not letting, you know, she’s not letting any of the chinks in her armor show, obviously, but she’s finding a quiet inner strength as the season goes on.
“But I think what also Carter is struggling with in some ways is a certain amount of loneliness, sort of the “heavy is the head that wears the crown.” You know she can’t fraternize in a, you know, relationship way with any of the people that she’s working with and so because she’s the leader, it’s not like she can become buddy/buddy. And she’s used to that. She’s used to that sense of camaraderie that she had on SG-1. So it’s a little bit lonelier for her, I think.
“And I think what it will show is, as the season progresses and you’ll see it come out, is the quieter strength of her character, as opposed to the kind of Carter bravado, that, “I know what I’m doing and here let me explain this situation to you,” like she was so used to doing. Now it’s a little different.”
Did she discuss coming over to an established show with Ben Browder, who moved from Farscape to Stargate SG-1?
“I didn’t actually talk to him about coming in because I think everyone’s transition into a new show is going to be completely different and for me I knew the Atlantis cast and I knew the Atlantis crew and you know we shoot side by side so it wasn’t as -- I wasn’t coming in as a complete stranger, which in some ways made it a lot easier and in other ways maybe made it a bit more difficult because there’s a certain level of expectation with my going over.
“I felt that I had to really tread lightly as not only Amanda but as Sam Carter. And make that transition.”
Did she have any qualms about playing a character for so long?
“No. If I had any qualms, it would have probably around maybe Season 6 or 7 and that was just a matter of going up to the writers and saying, “Hey, what’s next?” And they always came up with something. They always gave me a relationship, be it with my father or friendships or my relationship with Pete. They’ve always me something that has given my character a whole new twist.
“And so there was no concern going over to Atlantis because I knew it would be a completely different set of rules as an actor. It would be finding a whole new side to this character and that’s fascinating.
Did she think the fans would accept this new Carter on Atlantis?
“I think so, yeah. I mean, that’s certainly the buzz that I’m reading on the Internet is, you know there’s some very excited fans out there who were glad to see her get the opportunity to be in command. And there are some fans who have some trepidation. So the only thing I can say is…as they keep their hearts open and are accepting of the fact that everything has to change at some point and that this change is actually pretty good, hopefully they’ll enjoy it.”
And just how are things going to be different for Carter?
“It’s very much a leadership role. She sits in the big office, the big fishbowl office, and oversees everything, so it’s a much different role for Carter.
“There are - I think I have only gone off-world three times this year, which is really hard, extremely frustrating for me as the actor, and for Carter as the character, too, to say, ‘You have a go,’ and watch people go through the Gate without her. I’m kind of lost without my P-90, too, so it’s been a bit of a transition.”
And how is Atlantis going to change now that the leader is military?
“I think the answer that came down and what made the most sense was the fact that Carter also comes from a very scientific background and so her agenda is not entirely military because she understands the need for research and the need for exploration and so you’re not coming strictly from a military perspective.
“And we also addressed the fact that military protocol is a little different on Atlantis. There’s a bit more of a renegade feel to it. Once you get out there into that galaxy so far from home and having to deal with things that maybe military protocol doesn’t necessarily fit, so that’s addressed, as well.
“So I don’t think people should be too worried about somebody from the military coming and taking over Atlantis because it’s a little bit of a softer edge to it.
And, finally, just when is Carter coming over? Before or after the SG-1 movies?
“I talked to Rob Cooper and Joe Mallozzi and Paul about it, Sam crosses over after the two movies.”
Tapping also made it clear that Carter would be in any future SG-1 movies…or else.
Many questions for Jewel Staite dealt with the differences between working on Firefly and working on Atlantis.
Jewel Staite: “I think in terms of the people that I work with, there’s not too much of a difference. On Firefly we were one big happy family, and on this show I feel like we are, too. Everybody hangs out and you know we don’t rush off to our trailers between takes or anything like that. We hang out a lot, which is really nice. Everybody is very open about who they are and that’s cool.
“And the other difference, I’m not really sure there are a lot. I mean, both shows have fantastical elements to them. They’re very, very different from each other in plot and synopsis but they’re about people that are forced into a world and forced to really accept each other and like each other and they’re all each other has, and Firefly and Atlantis are very similar in that respect, I think.
Are the productions very different?
“Well, the sets are a lot cleaner, and they’re better lit. The thing with Firefly was the world that we were in was a very dangerous world. It was kind of about a group of people really struggling to survive and dealing with all of these different aspects and not really being able to - not being well-equipped to deal with them.
And on Atlantis we’re so well-equipped to deal with all of these disasters and we face peril and danger every day, but we have such a conglomerate backing us that the world feels a lot safer.
Does she think the two characters are very different?
“They are completely night and day, I would say, expect for the flirting part. They’re both flirts. But yeah, they’re totally different. Keller is a lot more mature. She’s a lot more seasoned. She’s very smart and she’s not as trusting as Kaylee was. Kaylee just trusted everyone right off the bat, which I think was one of her faults.
“And Keller has a bit of apprehension to her. She’s a lot more serious.
What elements of Atlantis do you think might attract Firefly fans?
“I really like the characters. They’re all really different from each other, and I think that what was so special about Firefly was the characters and how well-written they were, so I think it’s just a whole new set of interesting and different people to love and learn about, so hopefully that’s why they’ll watch.”
So just what is Keller like, anyway? What is her main foible and her biggest strength?
Staite – “Well, she’s a bit of a scaredy cat. She’s not very good in dire or violent situations. She scares easily, which is not such a good thing when you’re in the world of Atlantis.
“And as for her biggest strength, she’s really great under pressure. I think that’s when she’s at her best, especially when she’s in her element; anything to do with medicine or a complicated medical situation she’s just there. She’s just on. She’s very, very, very smart and very focused.
“But she’s not so good with guns and she’s not so good with fighting. And she doesn’t like heights. She’s a scaredy cat.”
What quality about your character most interested you in taking the part?
Staite: Well I didn’t really know a lot about her to begin with. They just said, “Hey, we need a new doctor on the show, are you willing to come in and I said, yeah, no problem.
“I had such a good time coming on the first time that I was really, really happy that they thought of me.
“So I don’t think it was anything having to do with the character, really. I think it was just the fact that I knew it was a great production. I loved the crew. I loved the cast and it’s shot here in Vancouver in my hometown.”
Tapping and Staite were both asked about working with the SGA cast, especially about finding acting chemistry and making friends.
Tapping - “I’ve spent a fair amount of screen time actually recently with McKay and with Jewel’s character, Keller, especially in the last episode that we just shot. But for me, I’ve actually sort of been spread out in terms of trying - they’re trying to establish new relationships for each of us and so I don’t think I’ve spent any time with one person more than another. Maybe mostly Sheppard, I guess, if I had to guess.”
Staite- “That’s the person that I think I’ve spent the least amount of time with. I hardly ever get any scenes with Joe, but everybody else, Keller seems to have bonded with in some way. I think she and Carter have bonded because they’re both new, maybe trying to prove themselves a little bit so they have that in common. And she’s bonded with McKay because, well mostly because she likes to tease him and sort of flirt with him and make him feel uncomfortable which is always really fun to play.
“And she’s bonded with Ronon a little bit. In one episode we get locked in a room together. And with Teyla, as well, we go to visit her home planet and see her people and run into some trouble, so I’ve been really lucky. I’ve kind of got some bond with all the characters. It’s been fun.”
Which episode do you feel your characters finally mesh with the rest of the cast?
Tapping - “I think ‘Quarantine’ put the characters in a position where they absolutely have no choice but to bond…[It] brings everyone together even though we spend the entire episode separated.”
Staite - “’Trio’ -- the one that we just shot -- was a turning point for Keller, especially since she was with Carter, who she really respects. And she was with McKay, who she really respects, as well, and kind of got to prove herself to the both of them…It was really hard work, but it was really, really fun. I didn’t expect it to be that fun. We did a lot of laughing.
Does Tapping like having Strait and Rachel Luttrel on set?
Tapping - “I can’t even tell you how great it is to have other women on the set. It’s so much fun, and it’s so vital to the balance of any show to have all the genders represented, you know, like I just felt for a long time on Stargate - especially after Teryl left the show, it was lonely being the only girl.
“But Jewel and Rachel and I just have a blast together, so it was great. I just remember the first episode with the three of us, we’re just standing on set giggling and talking and I just felt this huge sense of camaraderie that, you know, I had with the guys on a few on but it’s totally not the same having other women around.
Staite also appreciates Luttrel’s presence.
Staite - “’Missing’ was one of my first episodes, and that was with Rachel, and we decided to carpool to the set everyday, because we were shooting way out in the woods in the middle of nowhere. So we would drive to work, work twelve hours, side-by-side, and then drive home again together. And we really bonded, to say the least. And I think it really helped on screen. I think you can definitely see some chemistry there and that was really fun for me. I kind of got to let loose and she was just so great to work with.
“I’ve had moments like that with David, as well. A lot of moments where Keller and McKay kind of go head-to-head and are sort of trying to prove themselves to each other and being all smartypants and, you know, spouting off all this techno-babble and yeah, he’s really easy to connect with, as well.
“And Amanda, too. We’ve had a lot of really good moments. I think one of the first ones was in ‘Doppleganger,’ which was the first that we shot. Carter makes a speech and Keller kind of tells her how strong she is and in a sense says how much the team needs her in that moment and I really liked that.”
That friendship between actors shows up on the screen.
“I think that’s so important in a show like this. I mean there’s so much action and there’s so much going on and special effects and that kind of thing and that’s important, but I think it’s so much more interesting when there are those special moments between the characters where they let their guards down a little bit. I really like that. I think that’s really integral to a good episode.”
Have those friendships made it fun to be on set?
Tapping – “Well, on the last episode, Jewel and David and I were stuck in a really quite hideous set covered in dirt in this little metal box, and so we decided to come up with a new show….It’s called Stargate Titanic: the Musical. And it’s specifically for small town dinner theater and we just started writing and singing and dancing about the set. I hope some of it appeared on camera because it was really quite hilarious. David singing a song about the wraith, the wraith, they’re a very bad race.
It sounds really silly, but it got us through the day.
I think most of the blooper reels I think will be us cracking each other up the entire cast. Everyone on the cast has a really good sense of humor, so generally it’s just people making each other laugh. And, of course, Stargate Titanic, the Musical.
Quite a few of the questions dealt with possible relationships on the show.
What about McKay’s interest in Carter?
Taping – “There’s a couple of scenes right off the top that are very funny between the two of them, and I mean laugh out loud funny, for me when I read them. And then she backs off. She really does allow McKay his chance to shine and she doesn’t want to usurp his power. And she does the same with Sheppard. She really backs off a lot in terms of, you know, that sibling type of rivalry. She knows that she can’t really go there especially publicly with McKay. There’s the odd barb because she can’t help herself, and because he’s McKay.
“But there’s an episode coming up towards the end where the relationship comes back again. That sort of sibling snarkiness comes back. There’s a different amount of respect that she has for McKay now because he’s in a different position and she has to respect where he is. So it’s a more respectful relationship in a lot of way.
“Not without its humor, though.”
If you were to write a romantic interest for each of your characters, which one of the male leads would it be and why?
Tapping – “I think for just a night of pure unadulterated fun, Ronon, for sure. But…I think Carter could absolutely go for McKay in a sick, twisted sort of let’s see how this works out intellectually, sexy way.
“I’ve used every adjective I know. Yeah, I think for a pure just tension release fun, Ronon, but for a bit of a more interesting character, I think she’d go for McKay. Oh, dear.”
Staite – “I think I would have to say - I would have to say Ronon, too. I like the fact that he makes Keller feel a little bit uncomfortable. She is usually very much in her element in the med lab. She’s very confident, and whenever he’s around, she kind of doesn’t know what to do with herself, and I think that’s sort of cute. I like that he brings that out in her. So I would say Ronon.
Will there be actual romance on the show for Keller?
Staite – “She actually has a couple. She’s a bit of a flirt. I don’t know where that came from. I always play these shameless flirts. I don’t know why that is. It has nothing to do with me. I can hear you giggling, Amanda.”
Any yummy moments with guest stars?
Staite: “I’ve had a yummy moment with someone yummy, but not necessarily a guest star.
Tapping: “You’ve said too much, Jewel.”
Staite: “I’ve said too much.”
The Stargates have a great history of dealing with sexuality and romance in a more open and mature way than a lot of sci-fi out there. Any ideas why?
Tapping - “I think partly that we are present-day, and I keep going back to that, but I think it does make a difference that we’re real accessible, present day human beings and so they can write for our modern day vernacular in the way that we think and the way that society is at this moment.
“And I think also there’s a healthy respect that they have for the female actors on the show…[And] kudos to them for that, because it would have been very easy to go the other way, I think. Even like when I got cast, I was pretty surprised because I thought they’d go for like a space babe, space hottie and they went with – “
Amanda is told that she is a space babe hottie herself.
Tapping – “I’m a spottie. But they have a healthy amount of respect for the women on the show and I think they all have really strong and intelligent wives, and that helps us a great deal.
Staite is asked about taking Carson Beckett’s place and playing the show’s doctor.
Staite – “All I can really say is I hope I’m bringing something new and interesting to the dynamic of the relationships between the characters. But I honestly don’t view myself as replacing anyone. In sci-fi you know you never really die. And he could be coming back, so it just never really crossed my mind.
“And it kind of - it just seems presumptuous of me to say that I would be replacing him. I know how beloved his character was and he has a lot of fans, so I can only hope that people give Keller a chance and enjoy her. She’s got a lot of complexities and she’s a lot of fun. And there’s definitely a lot of surprises coming to her personality later on in the season.
You know, we’ve already lost a couple Stargate doctors…
Staite – “I know. I definitely flipped through to the last page every time I read a script just in case. But I’ve been lucky. I usually don’t have to go on any field missions or ops or anything so I’m well out of danger so far.”
And which is better, playing a doctor or playing a wraith? [Staite first appeared on SGA as a young female wraith.]
Staite – “Oh, God. Doctor, definitely. It’s like a third of the time in hair and makeup, for one. And it’s way less distracting. I found playing the Wraith was just it was limiting my performance and I was so worried that what I was trying to do wouldn’t be conveyed through the mask. You’ve got these contact lenses on and the fake teeth and you know, you just feel so constricted, but I guess at the same time it really helps you let go of your inhibitions and kind of really go for it.
Because both of their roles are super-smart, Tapping and Staite are asked if fans have ever assumed they know about science in real life.
Tapping: “The only time I felt it was when I actually met a real astrophysicist. He started talking to me about string theory quite in depth…and about, you know, thirty-five seconds into the conversation, I went, “Oh, boy, I have no idea what this man is talking about. I’m an idiot.”
“But because our show is present-day, it’s a little more accessible…and we’re military so that’s all relatable.”
Staite: “I think it’s important to remember the fiction part of science fiction. Luckily I’ve never ran into some - any astrophysicist to test me and all I’ve ever really played are real played. I’ve played a mechanic so every once a while I get a mechanic that comes up and asks me something that I have no idea what he’s talking about. And I’ve played a doctor, so I haven’t really had to have too many conversations with people that are in the science fiction realm, yeah.”
Many questions dealt with the show’s possible future.
Is Tapping now permanently on the show?
Tapping: “[I’m going] season by season right now. I did fourteen episodes this year and I think we’re all anxiously awaiting the numbers this Friday to see if we come back for another season. So…”
Is Tapping going to direct any episodes?
Tapping: “I would love to. I think the complexities that we’re facing with directing basically come down to trying to get enough prep time, which means taking an actor out of an episode prior to the one that they shoot and also taking them out of the episode after the one they shoot for post, and not being highly involved in the one that they direct. So that sort of takes you out for three episodes, essentially.
“And I think that the writers are sort of loathe to do that with any of us. And then Martin Wood actually did tell me once that every time an actor directs a kitten dies.”
Is season four going to end with a cliffhanger too?
Ian Spelling: There you go, and then the question for the both of you is I think you’re in an episode or two away from shooting the season finale. Have they given you a clue yet as to whether this will be a kind of a cliff-hanger that will set the stage for another season or are they going to kind of keep it, you know, compressed and on its own.
Staite: I think it’s definitely a cliff-hanger.
Tapping: Yeah, it’s hugely a cliff-hanger.
Staite: Yeah, yeah. It definitely ends with a sense of, oh, my God, what’s going to happen?
If you could have anyone guest-star on the show, who would it be?
Tapping: “Judi Dench.
“Currie Graham was an actor that was in the Stargate Ark of Truth, one of our Stargate movies and I would love to see him come to Atlantis. He’s an amazing actor. Very fun guy. That’s my more realistic wish.”
Staite: “For me, well, Nathan Fillion from Firefly was just in town for the weekend and I had four episodes of Atlantis and we sat and we watched them and he was telling me what he thought of the show and my character and that kind of thing and he was really enthusiastic about it and it just made me realize that I really miss working with him, so I would absolutely love to see him come on. I think that would be really fun.”
How about some Stargate people?
Tapping: “Christopher Judge showed up this year, which was fantastic. And it was actually - it made a lot of sense. Most of the episode he does is with Ronon, and as the resident expert on being the new alien onboard, Teal’c has a lot of information he can pass on to Ronon; a lot of expertise, but there’s also…when I talked to Joe Mallozzi he said the fans have always wondered in a fight between Ronon and Teal’c, who would win. So this episode sort of addresses that.”
“It was great fun having him on the show and I’d love to see Michael come over.”
Tapping is asked about the future of Sanctuary.
Tapping: We’ve done eight webisodes which is basically two hours or three TV hours, I guess you could say, but two full hours, so they’re eight webisodes. They’re about 15 minutes each, the webisodes and we’re hoping to shoot 10 more hours this fall/winter.
“We’re looking now at TV distribution, as well.”
Staite is also asked about possible futures for Firefly.
Staite: “Well I think it’s safe to say that for now we’re finished. There’s always been talk of a couple more movies being done at some point in the future. But I think that’s up to Joss and then that’s up to somebody else to give us some money to do them.
“But I would do it in a heartbeat. I had such an amazing time on that show and the movie was so great for us because it was closure. We got cancelled in a hurry. It was over in a second, it felt like, and I just - we all really felt that we didn’t get enough of a chance. So with the movie, it was just a sense of closure that we all really needed.
“But if they asked, I would definitely do another one.”
Staite is asked if she feels particularly drawn to sci-fi roles.
Staite: I’m not really sure. I’m usually just drawn to really well-written characters. I don’t limit my career choices on any particular genre. And I guess I’ve just fallen into this world of sci-fi over and over again because a lot of the time in this genre there’s some really well-written, intelligent women characters to play, luckily.
Both actresses are asked if they enjoyed Comic Con this year.
Staite: Comic-Con is a different one. I’ve done a few sci-fi conventions and Comic-Con is so gigantic that it feels a little impersonal. There’s not too much interaction with the fans. So I would say that we didn’t have too many runs with exuberant fans there, but I’ve definitely had some in the past. But it’s usually because they’re nervous and they don’t really know what to say. They kind of have really funny blunders that, you know, I shouldn’t be laughing at - like fainting and things like that.
But for the most part it’s really flattering. Yeah, it feels really good to have somebody faint because they’re so nervous to meet you. That sounds really bad. It does.”
“And it’s really nice to have the Q&As that aren’t so enormous. Like the smaller they are, the more intimate they are and yeah, you really kind of feel a connection with them, as opposed to being on stage at Comic-Con where it’s just - you can’t even see the crowd and there’s just so many people.”
Tapping: There’s a mild rock star moment when you first step on stage and all the flashbulbs….And it’s so neat to watch them watching the trailers for the shows and hear their exuberance and hear their excitement about it, you know, the applause and it’s like, yeah, wow, we - this is good, what we make. This is, you know, this is a good show that we make and look at the response.”
“When you shoot television, you don’t get an immediate response to what you do ever…You know, it’s not like the crew sits around after each scene and applauds. It would be nice.
Both actress are asked what they’ll be doing when shooting on season four is finished.
Tapping: Well I’m hoping to continue shooting episodes of Sanctuary…and hanging out with my daughter, being a mommy for a while.
Staite: Yeah, I think I’m looking forward to a bit of a vacation. I was crazy enough to renovate an entire apartment while filming this series. I don’t know how that happened. It was a disaster for the most part, but it was just finished and I would love to enjoy it a little bit and kind of relax. But I’m still reading stuff. There’s still some scripts floating around out there that I have my eye on, so who knows?
Sci-Fi X-ile is a personal Website for Julia Houston.
