Welcome to SaveCarsonBeckett.com
Dr. Carson Beckett, the Scottish Heart of Atlantis, was written out of Stargate Atlantis in Season 3's 17th episode "Sunday." Read more here to learn how you can help save him!
Campaign Gets Press Recognition!
01.Feb.07 by astrumporta | Category News |
We’re happy to report that the labors of campaign and Carson supporters are starting to bear fruit in the form of press recognition “” by genre magazines in print and on line! The “letters” page of the Sci Fi Weekly on-line publication for 1 Feb. 2007 features an article by our very own TJuk. Click here, find Feb 1, and scroll down to read the letter, or read it below.
Also, in the UK Sci Fi Magazine, TV Zone, Issue #212, are 5 letters from Carson supporters. These take up nearly a page of the letters pages and resulted in this note from the editor:
“And there you have it…We are getting rather a lot of correspondance all on a certain subject! The fans have made themselves loud and clear.”
Later in the issue is a news blurb on the topic:
“…Over on Atlantis, however, it’s two in, two partly out, as in addtion to the downsizing of Paul McGillion’s role from mid-way in Season three, Torri Higginson will be reduced to a recurring role for Season four. In their place (to the horror of a growning on-line camapaign in support of the established stars - see Letters page…) come Firefly’s Jewel Staite as Atlantis’ new medic, and Amanda Tapping, who’ll be paying Colonel Carter in 14 episodes for the new run.”
Similary, the latest issue of Cult Times had a long letter from “the other TJ” on the campaign “” it took up nearly a whole page and was accompanied by this note from the editors:
“There were many letters expressing similar sentiments. It’s a tricky one, this. While it may make fans unhappy to loose a favourite character, there’s no point in killing off someone everyone hates as there’d be no emotional impact at all. Personally, I think no one’s indispensible in a series (except maybe Hugh Laurie in House), and I admit I too will miss Dr Beckett. We’ll have to see what becomes of him…”
Such press attention to our efforts is very important and should be reason to celebrate that we are indeed having an impact. Well done to everyone who wrote as well as to those who were published. Keep it up and let them know we’re not going away! 
Here is TJuk’s letter from Sci Fi Weekly:
February 01, 2007
Being a Doctor Isn’t Healthy
What does Stargate have against doctors?
[***Spoiler warning!***]
They’re like the redshirts of this franchise. You get a little attached to one and then WHAM … he’s dead, Jim! And what were they smoking when they decided “exploding tumors” were the way to go? In fact, bugger that, how could they even think killing off Carson Beckett was a good idea?
In my opinion, he is one of most likable, developed and certainly most unique characters in the show and complemented the rest of the cast. The whole “we gotta keep it real, man” line is, frankly, crap. I might be inclined to believe it if they didn’t have him go POOF! in a big, cheesy CG fireball never to be heard of again. He’s gone from Dr. Beckett to Doctor Who since “Sunday” aired.
Killing off Carson is like kicking a puppy. It’s so wrong it’s downright cruel! He is far more dramatically valuable to the show alive and kicking than he will ever be dead and crispy. He is, and I’m quoting the man who killed him here, the “emotional core of Atlantis,” “the everyman” (another Gero quote), easy to relate to and just an all-’round lovable bloke. The actor himself is a sweetheart, too””hilarious onstage at cons and so generous to his fans (especially in the hugs department!). I have never seen him have a bad word to say about his role, and he has always been loyal to the show and enthusiastic about his character, despite the lack of storylines. It’s nice to see how that’s rewarded! Not to mention that Beckett was the only non-North American main character in a supposedly “international expedition,” a non-stereotypical Scot and a heroic but sensitive male, the latter being rare in TV in general. He wasn’t geeky, emotionally repressed or socially inept””what a refreshing change, especially in sci-fi.
You know, for a show that has barely survived renewal by the skin of its teeth, worried about falling ratings (gee, I wonder why?), they’re not exactly being smart about their survival tactics. Killing off one of the most popular characters is the ratings equivalent of shooting themselves in the foot!
Well, The Powers That Be keep saying “no one really dies in sci-fi.” Let’s see them prove it!
Save Carson: www.savecarsonbeckett.com
P.S. Was that a shark I just saw swimming around Atlantis?
TJL Jeffrey
tjl_jeffrey AT hotmail DOT com
20 Comments »
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Comment by Susan Malcolm | 01.Feb.07 @ 3:55 pm
This is brilliant, the first steps are the most difficult.
I am also trying to sell Scottish air in ebay (UK) in an attempt to attract attention. I could be starting a good little business venture!
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You know, I’m getting sick of the whole “keep it real” excuse myself. How realistic is it that SG-1 always makes it out of every scrape just in the nick of time? It’s not. We watch TV to escape the real world, not be thrust back into it. Great letter! I hope eventually they’ll start listening.
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Comment by stacey | 02.Feb.07 @ 1:39 am
good stuff! letters like this is what will hopefully make the powers that be realise what they’ve done. keep it up!
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This email probably wont be read at all and trashed sooner or later so all i can say is what you did was wrong…bring the character back with a new actor if thats the problem but the character needs to be back. SG1 you killed the DOC…and Atlantis the DOC again..are you trying to tell us someting? Besides stop watching this tv show that I’ve been buying DVDs for since ages ! If this SICK episode can be seen by Indian people who mass the world…you’re DUMB…you’re losing prospective future clients…same mistake Starbucks made….they havent forgotten…time you realise you’ve lost millions of $s of the future too. And not that it matters…me…
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Comment by Mary | 02.Feb.07 @ 9:55 am
I’m angry as hell about Beckett leaving.
He is the heart of the show, how dare they kill him off.
They had better find another way to put him back on (they brought Daniel Jackson back I don’t know how many times now, so they had better come up with a good story line to bring back Beckett) or I won’t be watching this show anymore.
I pay $17.99 + taxes per month in order to watch Stargate Atlantis, and I can tell you this much, I won’t be watching the show anymore.
The only reason I paid the price for the movie network was to watch Stargate Atlantis and if Beckett is gone and not coming back, then I’m not wasting my hard earned money anymore.
After the episode airs (we haven’t seen it yet) , I’m cancelling the movie network.
Until I read that Beckett is coming back on, I will not renew or order the movie network.
Hit them where it hurts, in the POCKET BOOK and in the RATINGS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
If everyone boycotts watching Stargate Atlantis, and the ratings droppe, we will see changes, until then, they will continue to ruin an excellent show.
As for the excuses keep it real, how about they get rid of the idiot writer who got rid of Beckett, and bring in new blood.
And make sure they don’t remove Beckett or other main characters anymore.
I DON’T WANT EXCUSES ANYMORE, I DON’T WANT YOU TO KEEP IT REAL, I WANT IT THE WAY IT WAS.
BRING BACK BECKETT, BRING BACK BECKETT, BRING BACK BECKETT ……………………… OR YOU WILL LOSE ALOT OF WATCHERS.
Mary
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Comment by Shelley | 02.Feb.07 @ 4:01 pm
I’m unhappy that they are killing off Dr Beckett. I want him to stay because he and Rodney McKay make a great couple and make me laugh so much.
They should stick with the same team on Atlantis rather than bringing in a new member.
SG-1 made a mistake of Daniel Jackson’s ascension and brought in Jonas which is why they brought back Daniel.
BRING BACK DR BECKETT AND KEEP HIM IN ATLANTIS TO THE END!!!!! -
Comment by Michelle, England | 03.Feb.07 @ 7:29 am
I’ve been watching the SGA season 1 and season 2 box sets this last month or so and in the featurette sections on all the dvds the recurring sentiment about Paul McGillion is that he is a ‘Super-Swell Guy’ … ‘Everyones big brother’ … ‘Loved by all the crew’ (Martin Gero quotes in particular) So, if this is so, then why chuck him???
This ‘keeping it real’ crap is just that….CRAP.
Now I don’t have a problem with Jewel Staite, I thought she was great on Firefly, but that doesn’t mean she’s going to be great on SGA and it certainly doesn’t mean she going to better than Paul McGillion.
The same can be said about the Torri Higginson scenaro. I can see the writers now..hmmm…SG1 finished…I know, lets bring Amanda Tapping (who I think has had a good run and that she should just give it a rest now) in and give the regular actor, the actor who’s been there from the very start the heave-ho!!! WHAT!!!! I seriously believe that they’ve all had lobotomies!!!
Common sense has to rule out, surely. You just don’t mess with something that’s working…if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!
Bring back Paul and leave Torri alone !!!
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Comment by Katrin | 04.Feb.07 @ 3:15 am
I hope they bring Carson back somehow. It seems so pointless killing him off.
I mean, I don’t mind the keep it real stuff too much, but it’s not real if they don’t mention Carson ever again! Hello? They all lost a great friend? And never mention him again? Yeah, that’s very real!Sorry for my sarcasm. But I don’t understand why they just don’t deal with the loss of Carson at all.
That I find very sad and I think there is a lot of potential wasted.
They made a great episode with “Sunday”. But is one great episode killing off such a popular character?
I think the PTB owe us an explanation! -
Comment by Susan Malcolm | 05.Feb.07 @ 1:35 pm
next it will be Zelenka and then Lorne - two essential characters.
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Comment by Becca | 05.Feb.07 @ 3:39 pm
I know, I practically watched Atlantis just to see Beckett. I have season one on DVD, and sometimes I just go through the episodes until I get one that has Beckett on it and watch that. I mean, seriously, if they wanted to keep the show running, the WORST thing they could have ever done was killing off one of the main characters. Beckett is, like everyone knows, the “Heart of Atlantis”. Like you said, they made a mistake on SG1 by ‘killing’ off Daniel, but they realized what they had done, and brought him back. In fact, they ‘killed’ him so many times that it’s like we’re used to it now. But I don’t necessarily want that to happen to Beckett either. He’s just a wonderful, intricate, lovable character, and all I can say is, BRING BECKETT BACK!!!!
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Comment by Silverwings | 06.Feb.07 @ 6:33 pm
I agree totally with the bloke above who mentioned that this is fiction. “Keeping it real” is not why we watch the show. If we wanted that, we’d watch CNN.
Borrowing the words of Don S. Davis regarding the killing of Janet Frasier: it was the decision of a “stupid beancounter” somewhere.
Fire the people responsible for this sort of nonsense and get some people who understand what fiction really is and who can listen to the people who actually watch the show.
Barring a firing, can I please just have the heads of those responsible? I need some new paperweights. Or dartboards. I haven’t been bowling for a while…
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Comment by Beryl Godfrey | 06.Feb.07 @ 9:48 pm
I was devastated to see my wee Scots Doctor killed off. He was so real I actually wept tears at the coffin scene with the flag of Scotland draped over it. I kept thinking oh his poor Mum and Dad. I had to pull myself together to realise he was just a character, to me he was the best of the bunch - so natural. Now if you had given McKay the come- uppance I could go with that! He irritates the heck out of me. Please take that Canadian flag off his arm. He is a good actor but the character is totally repulsive, too cowardly, to arrogant and I hate the way he gabbles on with not a single eh! - Canadians are not like that - never met one yet. Nope he’s a Yankie boy! Suggest you write a sequence taking Atlantis back in time - after all they are lost in space at the moment - take them back to before Carson was killed off. As for the possibility of losing Dr. Weir - well as much as I loved Amanda Tapping in Stargate SG1 she could not remain as that character to replace Torri. I never miss an episode but the way things are going maybe I will - I think your writers are not thinking things through. Very disapointing the way things are heading.
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Comment by adam | 06.Feb.07 @ 11:49 pm
I think the reason great shows like SG or Star Trek, The 4400, or even The Lost Room get canceled is because they don’t play them on the major networks, and they compound the error by killing off the people we love. They could at least do a final episode to tie things together. SG1 got left up in the air. So did The Lost Room and The 4400. Hopefully Atlantis won’t meet the same fate.
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Comment by Marie | 07.Feb.07 @ 2:46 pm
I just read the article from Starburst, and I thought I was going to be sick. I was one of the wait and see brigade - no way would they do something this idiotic without it being part of a much bigger arc. I was going to give Season 4 a chance. Now no way. I will not watch another episode of Stargate Atlantis.
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Yes, this letter is fantastic!!! Really and truly…
I can’t explain how disappointed, saddened, and unsettled I am by the fact that Paul/Carson have been made to leave SG1… Yes, I know it’s fiction!! I KNOW there are bigger issues in this world to get riled about… But this is important to me! We need good fiction to help us exist in such a naff real world!! Killing off Carson/ridding the show of the excellence of Paul McGillion’s portrayal of such an, up until now, wonderfully written/orginal/brave/loveable/alluring character, does not make for good fiction!!!
It’s also idiotic, business suicide - Make your audience pissed - Hell, yeah, that’s a great way to keep the money rolling in, and keep them on your side!!! HELLO, PEOPLE - PLEASE, PLEASE be better than that - Give us Paul/Carson back!!! PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You have to see how important this is to the future of the show… And, the future of any subsequently show affiliated with the franchise!!!! Don’t make the Daniel’s Dead mistake again!! ‘Cos that’s what the death/absence of Dr Carson Beckett equates to… I swear, it does! It’s God’s honest truth - PLEASE, LISTEN TO OUR PLEA!!! BRING HIM BACK!!!!
Bethany
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(Post with typos corrected!)
Yes, this letter is fantastic!!! Really and truly…
I can’t explain how disappointed, saddened, and unsettled I am by the fact that Paul/Carson have been made to leave SGA… Yes, I know it’s fiction!! I KNOW there are bigger issues in this world to get riled about… But this is important to me! We need good fiction to help us exist in such a naff real world!! Killing off Carson/ridding the show of the excellence of Paul McGillion’s portrayal of such an, up until now, wonderfully written/original/brave/loveable/alluring character, does not make for good fiction!!!
It’s also idiotic, business suicide - Make your audience pissed - Hell, yeah, that’s a great way to keep the money rolling in, and keep them on your side!!! HELLO, PEOPLE - PLEASE, PLEASE be better than that - Give us Paul/Carson back!!! PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You have to see how important this is to the future of the show… And, the future of any subsequent show affiliated with the franchise!!!! Don’t make the Daniel’s Dead mistake again!! ‘Cos that’s what the death/absence of Dr Carson Beckett equates to… I swear, it does! It’s God’s honest truth - PLEASE, LISTEN TO OUR PLEA!!! BRING HIM BACK!!!!
Bethany
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And now Torri’s leaving, too!! Another VERY BIG MISTAKE!!! Use the actress more/give her more material, explore Elizabeth, don’t chuck her away!!!! I loved her at the beginning, I still do, or I love the potential of her, and the grace of her onscreen presence…. She is like a beautiful Grecian Porcelain/Marble statue to look at, and her strong yet quiet authority befits her status… Her beauty and Atlantis’ match one another/mirroring each other… I think she is quite majestic, yet not at all self-important! She has a steely spirit entwined with a definite serenity - Very representative of the nature of the formerly Lost City of Atlantis… She and John are the perfect Ying/Yang (male/female balance) Reflection of Atlantis - Avatars if you can imagine it? And the rest of the cast are perfect just in the combination they are!!! (I.E leave the cast as it is - With Paul in it!!!)
The only thing Elizabeth is suffering from is being under-used, and occasionally made to look a bit of an idiot because the writers use her to okay a few questionable decisions to help a storyline along… Be mindful of not repeating that too often, & bring her into the stories more, not just as an overseer… And things would be perfect!!!
Bethany xxx
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Comment by Susan Malcolm | 11.Feb.07 @ 5:27 am
If they keep chipping away and getting rid of people we will end up with no character interactions and humour.
Who is going to be next for the chop? David Nykl or Kavan Smith - they could easily be killed off. McKay could crack up, Ronon could top himself after a bad hair day, Sheppard could get thinner and vanish, Teyla could go into a meditative trance and never reawaken.
There - killed them all off. Wonder if they are happy now.
Grumpy Susan
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Comment by Anne Melchior | 10.Mar.07 @ 12:24 pm
I just found out that Carson will be gone (me living in Germany… it takes a while for news).
I just have to say, that I stopped watching SG-1 after they killed Daniel, gave it a second chance when he was back.
However, I stopped watching it alltogether when Janet Fraiser was killed.
As it was said above, I don’t watch Stargate for it to be real. I watch it to forget the real world.
I promised myself that if the PTBs are killing of ANY of my favorite characters, I’m out. And one thing I’m doing is keeping my promises.
I’m out until I hear that Carson is back - as a REGULAR! He is one of the reasons I watched the show.
I just hope that the PTBs realize they made a mistake and fix it - soon!
A former viewer
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