Stargate Atlantis - Woolsey, Jackson and Beckett - Oh, My!

From Joseph Mallozzi's blog update for February 5, 2008:

http://josephmallozzi.wordpress.com/2008/02/05/february-5-2008-extra-extra-read-all-about-it/

(Please follow the link for the complete blog update.)

February 5, 2008: Extra! Extra! Read all about it!


In case you hadn't noticed, that long-awaited Atlantis season 5 press release finally came out today (check it out here):

http://www.scifi.com/scifiwire/index.php?category=2&id=48051

For those of you who just got back from the moon and may have missed it, here are the salient points -

1. Woolsey assumes command of the Atlantis expedition!

I've always admired Robert Picardo's work in shows like China Beach and Star Trek: Voyager and we had been looking to cast him for a long time. Finally, the opportunity presented itself in SG-1's Heroes I and II in which he played the button-down Trust attorney Richard Woolsey. He was a fun, albeit not all-that-likable character, and it wasn't until his next appearance, in the episode Inauguration, that
we caught a glimpse of the man beneath the officious façade. Despite being innately hard-nosed and by-the-book, Woolsey redeems himself at episode's end by allowing his own moral compass to guide him rather than blindly follow the directions of his scheming employer, Vice President Kinsey. In ensuing appearances (Prototype, The Scourge, Return I and II, and the Seer), he proved himself at times obtrusive, fastidious, and, yes, a pain-in-the-ass, but also loyal, intelligent, and above all, principled.

Way back at the end of season three when we were considering a new commander, Woolsey was one of the first names that popped into my head. I thought he would be a great choice - an established player in the Stargate universe and an interesting character that could offer much in the way of potential conflict. It also didn't hurt that Bob is a nice guy, and a wonderful actor who has hit it out of the park every time he's appeared on the show. After much discussion though, it was decided at the time that Carter would be a better fit. And we had a great season with her. But with Amanda having made the difficult decision to commit herself to another project, the opportunity to bring in Woolsey presented itself once again. And, this time, we took it.

Of course, his appointment does beg certain questions, the chiefest being: If Carter was appointed commander of the Atlantis expedition as a military response to the ongoing replicator and wraith threat, what has changed between then and now? Good question. Tune into season 5 to find out.

2. The beloved Dr. Carson Beckett returns for five episodes!

It's impossible to write "Dr. Carson Beckett" without using the term "beloved" I've noticed. Anyway, yes, it's true, Paul McGillion will be back with us for 5 episodes. It was great having him back on set in season 4 and we all look forward to seeing significantly more of him this year. "How is this possible?"you ask. "I thought he was dead!"you say. Hey, now that you mention it, he WAS dead! How does that work? Well, tune in to the last few episode of season 4 to find out.

3. Daniel Jackson will be guesting in some episodes.

So far, we've got a terrific, BIG two-parter planned. I suspect that the page count in the Daniel/McKay scenes (featuring the two fastest-talking actors in show business) will have the scheduling gurus doing back-flips. Remember that new enemy I mentioned? Oh, and Marty G. will be doing the honors on this one.

4. Samantha Carter will appear in several episodes.

Given Amanda's upcoming commitment, it's impossible to offer an exact number of episodes. As I said, it really has everything to do with a) her schedule and b) the types of stories we come up with. However, I can say that, at present, we do have her locked in for two.

5. No mention of the Weir character

I've already stated our intention to pay off the storyline we hinted at in Be All My Sins Remember'd. We have the story in place and, once a deal is closed, you'll be the first to hear about it.

For those of you asking about which line in the teaser poem refers to
Outcast:

"Wallace's research a menace let loose."

**snippage**