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Sci Fi Wire Lays Out Casting Changes

20.Feb.07 by astrumporta | Category News |

Sci Fi wire today printed this release, which provides the most detail to date on the casting and other changes for Stargate Atlantis

Tapping Joins Atlantis Cast

Stargate SG-1 star Amanda Tapping will join the cast of SCI FI Channel’s spinoff series Stargate Atlantis in that show’s upcoming fourth season, which commences in the fall, SCI FI announced. Tapping will reprise the role of Lt. Col. Samantha Carter in Atlantis; she played the character in the 10 seasons of SG-1, which goes off the air after completing the final 10 episodes of the current 10th season, starting in April.

Atlantis will resume production on the fourth season in Vancouver, Canada, starting next month. Tapping will appear in 14 of Atlantis’s 20 episodes. The new season will introduce a powerful new race, new cast members and mark the loss of beloved friends.

Meanwhile, Jewel Staite (Firefly, Serenity) returns to Atlantis and will appear in eight episodes, reprising her role as Dr. Keller, a physician who joins the Atlantis expedition. Staite previously appeared on the series as Ellia, the Wraith child who was transformed into a human in the season two episode “Instinct.”

Season four of Stargate Atlantis will be executive-produced by Brad Wright, Robert C. Cooper, Joseph Mallozzi and Paul Mullie. Mallozzi and Mullie will share the reins as the series’ show runners.

The final episodes of Stargate SG-1 and the remainder of the third season of Stargate Atlantis will air starting April 13, leading into the series debut of Painkiller Jane.

We speculate that the loss of beloved friends refers to Carson Beckett and Elizabeth Weir, whose actors Paul McGillion and Torri Higginson will no longer be full cast members. I guess we can take some comfort from the use of the term “beloved” “” an acknowledgement that fan favorites will be eliminated from the show.

13 Comments »

  1. Comment by Vladimir Krasnoshekov | 20.Feb.07 @ 8:10 pm

    Isn’t real to just add characters without killing older ones? They’ve added Tapping, Teal’c, Keller by killing Beckett, Weir and some-body else…


  2. Comment by Paul Liverpool UK | 21.Feb.07 @ 11:30 am

    I dont understand why American/Canadian writers think its a good idea to get trigger happy on characters with so much depth and screen presence. Its like a quick fix for the masses that lets serious fans down. Gutted!!


  3. Comment by Janet | 21.Feb.07 @ 5:07 pm

    To me, this says they looked at the budget, wanted to add Carter and so figured kill Beckett and pay less for an occasional doctor and give the rest to Tapping as a bonus. It was all a financial decision with NO consideration to the creativity or chemistry of the show and certainly no consideration to its fandom. I would never again watch anything these people produced - what would be the point when they change everything you like about it on a whim?


  4. Comment by Vladimir Krasnoshekov | 22.Feb.07 @ 1:07 am

    It’s all about money. Thay’re same like just russian mafia


  5. Comment by Charlie Small | 22.Feb.07 @ 5:56 am

    He is a brilliant character so funny and delivered the one liners with comic precession.
    There will be a lot of viewers lost through this mistake just like removing Daniel Jackson from SG-1 it won’t work the same


  6. Comment by kris | 23.Feb.07 @ 5:18 pm

    Janet (comment #3) is right-on right. The most likely scenario is the budget. Tapping’s in; McGillion’s out. They couldn’t afford both.

    As for future shows that TPTB produce: The old saying comes to mind, “Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.” I think I heard that first from Scotty on the original Star Trek, of all places. Fitting!

    Also: I think this is a bit different from Daniel Jackson. Michael Shanks as I recall wanted to leave Sg1. He wasn’t shoved out one cold day in Vancouver and told “Don’t let the door….”

    You know the rest.


  7. Comment by Timespirt | 02.Mar.07 @ 8:30 pm

    The cast changes are unacceptable to me. I was so excited when Atlantis was advertised and couldn’t wait for it to debut, now I’m not very happy. I would always watch Atlantis, because it was different, exciting and to me, new over SG-1. I was hoping for more from Atlantis than SG-1 comes to Atlantis to take over the show, now it will be SG-1 in the Pegasus Galaxy, let me YAK up the hairball now! I am so disappointed in TPTB, they really don’t think much of us fans now do they?!


  8. Comment by VxPhobos | 22.Mar.07 @ 5:46 am

    I watched this episode on a sunny day, after a good meal, with a old drink in my hand. Just me and one of my favorite shows which with a title like Sunday i expected to be nice and relaxing. When the tumor exploded i was in disblief, i kept waiting for someone to say gotcha or april fools or something. And now to find that Wier is going as well. Now i am convinced it is the twilight of the Stargate franchise, no matter how much it pains me to say so as i have been following the show for close to six years now, a big part of my life. It leaves me deeply troubled.


  9. Comment by becky | 25.Mar.07 @ 1:57 am

    my veiw to why they have made this decision was because there wasnt enough female lead charecters in atlanits show to balance it out. any matter, they should have killed off someone who doenst matter. all they are going to do now is put a steroetypical younger ‘attractive’ (i am) woman (hear me roar). havnt they got enough in both series already. beckett was an intresting charecter and will be missed


  10. Comment by MrPositive | 25.Mar.07 @ 4:04 am

    You really think that getting rid of some characters will make a difference to that degree? Granted I was surprised they would kill off such a loveable character but shows don’t seem as dangerous or edgy if character’s lives aren’t at stake. Take Ford for example: he may not actually be dead but we have learnt great things about this galaxy with the introduction of a great character Ronon. I can’t see why people are so gutted by the addition of Carter to Atlantis, she has guested in a few episodes and those went great. She is a great character in the Stargate Universe and unfortunately that includes the Pegasus Galaxy. I look forward to watching SGA season 4 for this reason. A show is good when it is fresh. Season 4 will feel new and fresh to me and that is good. I will miss the characters they are removing, but TPTB are not going to destroy the shows we love they are getting better and better. Granted Pure Atlantis fans may think that it is wrecking “There Show” but I think that they should watch more SG1 and see the Carter character for what it truly is a Great Character not an addition that will cost money to boot other characters. You cannot tell me that Carter doesn’t suit Atlantis perfectly. And for the fans of Atlantis maybe you should realise that it is a spinoff not an original series. It all started with SG1 it couldn’t have existed otherwise. They are raising the stakes and i think it bodes well for the next Season. I have watched every Stargate episode to date so I know exactly what I am on about. SG1 is my favourite show but Atlantis comes in 2nd. This will be a way for me to enjoy both shows.


  11. Comment by Tyler | 27.Mar.07 @ 6:49 pm

    this just goes to show one thing in the stargate franchise…..DON’T BE A DOCTOR….the producers will kill you off!!!!…and the fans end up paying by the loss of great characters and actors/actresses. and all the producers get is a bigger budget…….


  12. Comment by Steven | 02.Jun.07 @ 1:46 pm

    It looks like Tapping coming over to Atlantis pushed McGillion out. It was probably a matter of budget. I’d keep Carson over Carter. Carter is SG-1. It’ll be annoying and uncomfortable sticking her into the Atlantis team. Oh, for Pete’s Sake… bring back Carson and be done with it.


  13. Comment by lady z | 17.Jul.07 @ 10:05 am

    What no mister Scotish doctor this is bad and now you guys are also thinking of taking Elizabeth out of SGA this is very disappointing. Maybe instead of taking this two character out maybe you should just remove the writers of SGA. If you read the story of some of the fans have written on one of the fanfiction you guys would have a second thought on not removing this two characters.


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