Thought of the Day for TPTB 
Complainer, Malcontent, Troublemaker?
Yahsureyoubetcha! I've Got Rights Too! By PhoenixE
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DISCLAIMER: The views expressed in the following editorial are deeply personal, unashamedly inflammatory and whole-heartedly my own. I do not claim to speak for anyone but myself although I firmly, strongly, emphatically believe I'm far from the only one who feels this way. If you're as mad as I am I urge you to give careful consideration to what follows. It's up to you.
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Well folks, here we are. Meridian and Revelations have aired on the North American side of the Atlantic. Stargate SG-1 as we have known it for the last five years has officially ceased to be.
It's not a trick, not a dream, not a clever, dramatic set-up to his equally dramatic return next week, they didn't pull Daniel back out of the hat the week after they got rid of him, he's really, really GONE. Outta there. That's it. Game over. No more Daniel, no more original team, the end of the show's run featuring its original cast and premise. Gone, bye bye, over and done with, Hasta la vista, baby, so long Doctor Jackson and the REAL SG-1 and thanks for all the fish, that's all she wrote for what once was.
That's what Meridian means, no matter which side of the Daniel fence you happen to be standing on. For every single one of us, from Meridian on SG-1 will be Daniel-less. And up a Quinn. So long Space Monkey; Hello SpaceDonkey. That's not in dispute. How we FEEL about that - and furthermore what we're planning to do - or not to do with those feelings - is another matter.
If MGM and Brad and Bonnie have their way it's an absolute fact the remaining twenty three episodes of Stargate's post Meridian run will feature SG-1's current embodiment of Brad Wright's 'fresh new perspective'. I have no doubt this is a version of the series some people are perfectly happy to embrace. Some people, absolutely. But not all of us. Change is good, we are being told. Good for whom, though is what I want to know.
This is the face of the future of Stargate:
Right now, as per MGM and the Sci-Fi channel, THIS version of SG-1 is what we are for sure, definitely going to be seeing on our screens every single time Stargate airs from Meridian on. This is going to make SOME people happy. Is it going to make YOU happy?
By the time they fade to black on the final episode of the sixth season SOMEONE will be getting what they want out of this show. The handful of folks on Brad's Christmas Card list along with Brad and Bonnie's mythical legions of brand new viewers may very well be dancing in the streets after viewing the final episode of Brad's 'fresh new perspective' but the question I'm asking everyone who is reading this - what about you? Are you going to be happy with the sixth season of Stargate? Are YOU going to be one of the someones getting what YOU want to see? And after five years of loyally supporting this show and being the ones SOLELY responsible for the fact there is even going to BE sixth season - don't you DESERVE to be one of those someones?
Brad Wright has stated, quite plainly, as far as he is concerned, you do not. The fact YOU are the one who initially tuned into this show when it was an unknown, untested, untried commodity, watched it, loved it, continued to watch it, support it and make it a success and thereby a sustainable, marketable property which is making MONEY for all concerned - well, all that doesn't count for squat now. He doesn't care what YOU want - you - the original viewers of Stargate SG-1 who've only given him everything he has now - he's too busy courting those brand new viewers who are allegedly going to be tuning in when the show debuts on the Sci-Fi channel.
To hell with you, Brad is now planning on catering to people who have NEVER watched the show before. Who have contributed nothing to its current success and very existence. Who've invested no time, no money, no nuthin into the series. These privileged, preferred, more desirable than you masses have done zilch for Stargate, and yet now THEY get the whole ball of wax? They get to be entertained on OUR time? Which we've bought and paid for?
Is that fair? Is that right? Doesn't matter, that's the way it's going to be, folks, if we sit back and let this happen.
Bonnie's brand new viewers - these are the people Brad cares about now, not you. The people he is giving OUR SHOW to. We can go piss up a rope for all he cares; he's playing to a whole new room. Brad doesn't need US, the people who embraced his baby, made it go and grow and who have also provided him with a job and a living for the past five years - he's got his brand, shiny new Sci-Fi audience and keeping them happy is way more important to him than keeping US, the loyal previous viewers of the show, happy. We've paid his salary for the last five years but that doesn't matter. WE don't matter. YOU don't matter. So says Brad Wright.
Bonnie's new viewers get to watch Stargate's sixth season, which YOU made possible, but YOU don't. That is unless you don't mind settling for what Brad is planning on serving up to all of us.
What's going to be passing for Stargate from now on? No Daniel. No original team. Forget about the Stargate, who needs all that exploring other worlds crap. Jack-lite episodes. Blink and you'll miss him. Episodes featuring and focussed on a plethora of original characters, everyone under the sun EXCEPT the people mentioned in passing in the opening credits whom the series is SUPPOSEDLY all about. Oh yeah, and lest we forget the MOST objectionable aspect of the sixth season, a JonASS occupying a space on OUR team he does not deserve. Daniel's spot. The one he murdered Daniel to get.
Getting mad yet?
Well, I am. I offer no excuses for sounding a tad pissy, but just who ARE these new viewers Brad and Bonnie are so hot on anyway? And how come they get to count now when I don't? What have THEY done for Stargate lately? Is their money better than mine? Do they deserve to be entertained and have their interests served more than I do? Excuse me again, but I don't bloody THINK so! And what's more, I'm supposed to shut up and silently ACCEPT my ability to watch and enjoy my favourite show is being taken away from me for the benefit of a bunch of hypothetical first time viewers? Tell them to go and get their own damned show! They can't have mine! First come, first served, Brad, Bonnie! I was here first! Why aren't you worrying about keeping ME happy - your original, long term, loyal, steady, repeat customer? How does this work exactly? S'plain this to me!
And about this 'shut up and watch what you're given stuff' - in yer DREAMS! I'm a consumer, and I get to choose what I will and will not buy - no corporation, no matter how damned big it thinks it is going to tell ME what I like, what I want and what I will watch. Bite me. A product is a product and if it doesn't meet MY requirements I'm not going to buy it. The 'scale' of the item in question does not matter; the principle involved is exactly the same. If I go to a restaurant, order a steak and get served a hamburger no one disputes my right to send the damned hamburger back and insist I get what I ordered. No one expects me to meekly eat the hamburger I don't want and didn't order or calls me 'disloyal' or says I'm not a 'true fan' if I INSIST on getting what I paid for. And furthermore, no one disputes my right to take my business elsewhere if the restaurant doesn't GIVE me what I want.
This is no different. No different at all.
Stargate SG-1 is a PRODUCT. And WE are its consumers. Not these mythical new viewers for season six Bonnie and Brad are hoping to attract - us. These hoped for and being sought after new viewers as yet do not exist and may NEVER materialise. We, however, the original audience are very, very real. We gave them this sixth season and you know what, we can take it away from them as well.
Supply and demand is all a numbers game. Whoever gets supplied depends on who does the most demanding. Sci-Fi's new viewers don't GET a say, as far as I'm concerned. I was here first. YOU were here first. This is OUR show, not theirs. Are we going to take it back, or hand it over?
Yeah, sure, we can give up, accept the changes as a done deal, like Brad and company are hoping, allow ourselves to be convinced there is nothing we can do about the ruination of our show and regretfully find something else to do to fill that weekly hour of our lives that once was utterly devoted to Stargate. Silently tuning out and walking away because the 'big boys' tell us we've got no choice but to see things their way is an option. It won't get you your show, back, though, and it sure won't give MGM and Sci-Fi any sort of notice NOW, while there's still a chance to change things, that their audience - the audience they KNOW they have and they could count on before the 'fix' went in - is unhappy and won't be coming along for the ride in season six.
Staying silent, tuning out without a word or a protest and walking away won't get you what you want - to be able to watch Stargate SG-1 - YOUR show - the show where the team consists of Daniel, Jack, Sam and Teal'c and no Jonas need apply. Ever. Staying silent will get you what THEY want. THEIR version of Stargate. Saying nothing isn't as passive, it is in fact, tacit agreement and complicity. By saying nothing you are giving them permission to proceed. To carry on with their stinking fresh, new perspective. Which involves not only advancing the team and the show without Daniel, but rewriting the show's history so as to remove all traces of his existence.
Staying silent gets all of us THIS:
"So you've decided to get a Stargate! Welcome to the exciting and educational world of interstellar travel, visits to other planets and very close encounters with alien races — who are sure to find you just as alien as you find them!
Your new Stargate is a delicate and precise instrument that requires proper care and upkeep for optimal continued use. We've broken down this Manual into a series of simple steps, with clear examples, that will get you up and running in no time! Inside, you'll find a guide to setting up your Stargate, examples of Stargate use and Earth-based guidelines for who should use a Stargate. Remember: Stargates are designed for professional military, governmental and other institutional use. They are not designed to be used in the home. Unauthorized use could result in severe injuries and death.
To help orient you, we've provided background and guidelines to answer all of your Stargate-related questions."
This too, is the future of Stargate. As well as the 'new improved' version of its past. They've not only taken Daniel away from us, now they're trying to pretend he never even existed. Erased from existence. And they'll get away with it too, if we do and say nothing and let them.
I realise asking people to speak up and be heard is probably taking a lot of folks out of their comfort zone. Making waves isn't popular, and is a practice we're not generally encouraged to engage in. A LOT of organisations and institutions - and people in positions of 'power' would prefer for us to remain passive and accepting. Willing to be manipulated and dictated to. It's so much easier to control us that way. Everybody says 'don't rock the boat' and while it is MUCH less trouble to 'accept it and move on' no matter how unhappy you are with the situation I have to ask you, what does being 'good' get you? If you're not happy with something, when has NOT protesting and making yourself heard ever made anyone change things to your benefit? When has saying or doing nothing EVER gotten you anything you've wanted?
You don't ask, you don't get. You don't yell, you don't get heard. You don't at least TRY, you'll never know if you could have made a difference.
Unless we tell MGM and the Sci-Fi channel we're unhappy, how are they going to know? If we assume the attitude 'what's the point, it's never going to do any good, we can't change things' and say nothing, what we are ACTUALLY saying to them is 'everything is fine'. Our silence IS the message. Our silence gives them the green light to proceed with their plans, for by not protesting we are telling them we will accept what THEY want to sell us and they need not trouble themselves with what we really want.
You don't have to take what THEY choose to give you. You have a RIGHT to voice your opinion. You deserve to have what YOU want. However, if you don't speak out and stand up for what you want, if you don't make them understand you're not happy and you want satisfaction, I assure you, no one else is going to for you.
But I'm only one person? What can one person do? Plenty! Every single significant social and political revolution in recorded history started with one person who took a look around, said to themselves 'this isn't right' - and then started speaking out about it. One person can make a hell of a difference. But you can't just think about it or shrug your shoulders and walk away saying, 'oh well, I guess that's that', you have to DO something!
Get vocal. Do it now. Phone MGM. Write. If you haven't got a printer, use our form on the SDJ site and we'll make sure your message gets to the right people. We've got a dedicated and enthusiastic battalion of volunteers standing by ready, willing and eager to mail your letters. Write lots. Write often. Phone frequently. Tell your friends. Tell them to tell their friends. Make sure they phone and write as well. Pass out flyers at your local gaming/comic books store. Take out an ad in your local newspaper. Put up posters in your neighbourhood. Be creative. Be proactive. Do all of this and everything else you can think of to get the word to MGM and get as many people as you can to duplicate your efforts and continue to bring the message back home to Hank and company. And please, do it NOW! It's so important, especially during the next three weeks that as many people as possible do as much as they can to keep the pressure on MGM. They need to hear from us. Over and over and over again.
Of course it's possible they still listen, but for sure if they hear nothing from us, that's what we'll get from them. We say nothing, we get a big, fat zero. Answers to the name of JonASS. Standard equipment with the new season six issue Stargate.
So, give it a try. What have you got to lose? They've already written out the moral centre of the show, the heart and soul of SG-1, mangled the rest of the characters beyond recognition and stuck us with a liar, thief, murdering coward and loser. After all these 'improvements' how can the show possibly get any worse - for everyone? How can our efforts to try and get Daniel returned to his proper place on SG-1 and the show restored to its former greatness - which can only benefit EVERYONE watching - INCLUDING the new audience - be 'bad' for the show?
Why would ANYONE not want Stargate SG-1 to continue to be a show EVERYONE can watch again? New audience - and old? Whether you like Daniel or not - are we not agreed we are ALL fans of the show, therefore shouldn't we ALL be able to watch it? Isn't that all ANY of us want?
Just to be able to watch our favourite show? Come on, people, that's ALL WE WANT! Seriously. We don't want anything more than what we had before! Jack, Daniel, Sam, Teal'c, going through the Stargate! Nothing more, and definitely nothing LESS. Is that so much to ask? That's all we're saying, that's all we've been saying.
We want to watch TOO, dammit!
It's becoming painfully clear the only way we're gonna get to is if we play hardball. And do a powerful lot of yelling. The message? Very short, sweet, to the point. It's very important, especially now we DON'T compromise. No conditional phrases. If we want our show restored to it's original format with the original cast (no additions or substitutions need apply - ever) we have to stand firm on an 'all or nothing' platform of demands and we can't fudge, waffle or weaken our position with maybe, might not and possibly. There's a very good reason for this. By saying things like 'I'll give the sixth season a chance' or 'I might not watch if you don't bring him back' (as opposed to I DEFINITELY will not watch if you don't bring Daniel back) all you are telling them is they don't have to do a damned thing to get you to tune in. Every person they DON'T hear from or hear 'well, I haven't made my mind up I'll give it a chance' from is one they know they don't have to worry about. You've just told them they've got you and they don't need to make ANY changes to keep you.
Inform them they are grossly mistaken in this belief. Be firm, be definite. Be extremely specific about what they need to do for you to keep your business. Let them know you're not a 'given'. And if they don't supply your demand they can colour you - gone.
Make no mistake, this is WAR and we do have a weapon. Economic clout. That's what we've got, all right, yasureyoubetcha and we shouldn't be afraid to use it. If we don't want to buy what they are selling we don't HAVE to, and it's about time they were reminded of that fact. Firmly, clearly, politely and distinctly. Don't discount the power of greed! If enough of us start putting our wallets away when it comes to anything and everything Stargate and telling The Powers That Be they won't be seeing any green stuff from us 'til they give us what we want they'll listen. Damned STRAIGHT they'll listen.
The Targets? MGM, the Sci-Fi channel and any and all advertisers of the sixth season. We'll make a list of them as soon as the new season starts to air so you'll know who else to pass the message on to.
Message to the advertisers? We will NOT support your products if MGM and Sci-Fi do not address our concerns and fix our show. You'll get no money from us so you're wasting yours advertising on Stargate.
Message to Bonnie, Hank and Brad?
No Daniel? We will not watch
No original Team? (and THAT means getting rid of JonASS and reinstating Daniel) We will not watch.
No original premise? We will not watch.
No audience. Period. We WILL NOT WATCH. End of story.
Yeah, it sounds a bit harsh, but anything less will only get us what THEY want to give us. They have clearly demonstrated they have every intention of handing us Brad's new bill of goods if we don't put our foot down, tell them 'no sale' and compel them to fix what they've broken in order to secure their audience. Which is US. They knew they were going to lose some of us with all these changes, but here's the thing - they've grossly underestimated the size and power of their bothersome 'vocal minority'. They didn't think they NEEDED us. All along they've been counting on that 'new' audience to more than make up for the loss of us discarded 'nyah nyah who needs you, losers' old audience. What's more, the portion of the 'old' audience that IS left, the ones who are prepared to passively roll over, swallow the new changes and slide on over to Sci Fi is a LOT smaller than they thought it was. They're betting the future of Stargate on apathy, inertia and the idle curiosity of their hypothetical new viewers.
MGM and the Sci-Fi network are completely wrong in all their assumptions. We're NOT the minority. We know this. MGM and Sci-Fi have to be made aware of this as well. YOU have to tell them. If you don't they'll just blithely carry on with their current 'new direction' which means YOUR show is still screwed, and by extension, so are you.
Please, please, PLEASE don't let this happen. Don’t let them do this to the show, and to you. We can make a difference, we can make them hear us but we have to be relentless. Especially now. Be passionate, be polite, be FIRM and uncompromising. But most importantly BE HEARD. Frequently. Constantly. They work for US. It's time to remind them of this little fact.
They think they're the ones with the power? Let's go out there and show them what REAL power is! Make them HEAR US. For the team, for Daniel, but most importantly, for US. Yeah! We want to watch OUR show again, and there's nothing wrong with that. We want it, we've damned well earned it and we deserve it! It's our show, so let's take it back!
Go out there and get 'em! And may the best, the original, the ONLY 'team' win. OUR team. Jack, Daniel, Sam and Teal'c.
By PhoenixE
(c) All rights recognised. No copyright infringement intended.
Stargate SG-1 and its characters are the property of Stargate (II) Productions, SCI FI Channel, Showtime/Viacom, MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Productions. All blog entries represent the opinion of the poster. All editorials represent the opinion of the author. All linked content represents the opinion of the linked site's webmaster. Copyright on all articles/editorials/blog entries belongs to the original author. Offer void where prohibited. Please remain seated while the aircraft is in motion. Warning: Coffee will be hot. A moose once bit my sister.
