The T&A Character

[icarus]

While I'm waiting for the next Supernatural episode I thought I'd ramble on about Teyla in Atlantis.

I keep hearing people talk about how unrealistic and flat Teyla's characterization is. At the same time I hear chatter about the actress being pregnant and how that's going to be written into the show. There is speculation about who they're going to have as the father -- will it be Ronon? John? A mysterious Athosian?

What I have to say about Teyla and her role in SGA is going to piss off many women, feminists and non-feminists alike, but this particular female role has been pissing off women for decades -- so why should we be any different?

I predict that Teyla will be impregnated through some sort of miraculous means, Ancient technology, Wraith beam, nano virus, you name it, because Teyla is the T&A* character. She exists solely as a blank female body for hormonal teenage boys to project their fantasies onto, like the women in Charlie's Angels back in the 80s. Nothing can disrupt the green screen. Hell, Charlie's Angels even gave the boys three women to choose from, in blond and two shades of brunette.

The T&A character is not allowed any flaws (except maybe a few cute ones) for this would force complexity into fantasy, spoiling it. Instead of imagining her naked and available, the fantasy would then have to come up with a scenario to deal with her personality. Fortunately, the garden variety T&A character doesn't have a personality, or at least no more than what you'd expect from an expensive call girl: charming perfection, where nothing can ripple that calm exterior, fitting the stereotype (whichever one she's supposed to be) perfectly.

The T&A character cannot have any romantic attachments, as this too destroys the fantasy: instead of imagining her naked and all for you, [insert name of teenage boy here], the fantasy would have to account for Ronon beating the shit out of you later, or John Sheppard having you fragged.

Thus, none of the male leads can be the father of Teyla's baby because that implies a serious committment (marriage or not), spoiling Teyla's T&A potential for good.

But, you say, Teyla has flirted with John and Ronon. And she's been attracted to an "anonymous off-screen Marine" and even been teased about it.

Of course. The girls in Charlie's Angels were always coming home from dates, too. The T&A character can't be too untouchable. There needs to be a whiff of sexuality, of availability. An off-screen romance is okay, because it could be you, [insert name of teenage boy] that she's dating. See how that works with the fantasy?

There isn't a chance that Teyla got knocked up by mistake -- whoopsie, Athosians don't use birth control. The T&A character has to be -- prepare for total disgust, ladies -- worthy and virtuous.

Yes, the T&A character has to walk the line between the virgin and the whore. Anything complicated and human, such as a mistake, spoils the fantasy. It turns her into a human being, forcing the fantasy to become more involved -- instead of Teyla naked and willing, you have to, um, be comforting her in her time of need. Um. Due to a problem she brought on herself which... oh, suddenly it's not just about sex anymore. You have ethics involved, you have to decide how you feel about this, and now you're picturing an entire relationship. Which isn't the point of the T&A character.

So Teyla will have to be completely blameless in this pregnancy, to the point of it practically being an immaculate conception. Therefore: accident with alien technology, anyone?

Finally, to maintain Teyla's prime T&A potential, the resulting baby has to be removed from the picture. Ascend. Taken by druids. In order to keep the fantasy easy to imagine, you can't have a kid hanging around because that means responsibility, and--and stuff, spoiling everything.

Mark my words. Teyla's characterization is lame for a reason, and I very much doubt the writers will change it.


*T&A: Tits and Ass.

Comments

[merrycontrary.livejournal.com]

Interesting, and pretty spot on. And having said that, I feel like I should now confess how much I've always dislike her character. Thing is, I haven't. She isn't my favorite character, but I like her as a part of the team. But then again, I grew up in the age of Charlie's Angels, so maybe I just don't expect much more.

No way will it be one of the main characters. At least, I hope not. I don't want a show about a relationship. I'm kind of hoping it's an earth-goddessy, fertility is a gift, this is the Athosian way, it is my duty sort of deal. And not some huge "special childe" thingy. Less drama, just life continuing as it must in the Pegasus Galaxy.

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

Ah, there's nothing wrong with the T&A character, in the same way there's nothing wrong with keeping John unmarried for the duration of the series.

Yes, it would be completely normal for John Sheppard to meet someone and decide to give marriage another go, and it would add all sorts of interesting domestic insights into how a relationship can hold together in another galaxy when he has to risk his life every time he goes off-world. Pushing the envelope on 40, John may want kids, too. But the writers won't do that, because John has to stay available for the fantasies of the female contingent.

I like the idea of Teyla fulfilling her duty to perpetuate her family line. It would be fun to play in the sandbox of Athosian partnerships. I mean, that must be really complicated and communal, given how many people die. You can bet that "nuclear family" is not the main kinship group.

Icarus

[fractalreality.livejournal.com]

While I think they underuse her character spectacularly, I disagree with some points you've made.

Firstly, JM mentioned that the reason they disregarded the McKay parenthood scenario is because they didn't want two characters dealing with it - to me, that automatically eliminates anyone that has a regular/semi-regular spot on the Atlantis crew.
Which I'm thrilled about because, really? Off-screen romances are fine (see: Katie Brown), but it wouldn't work if it were teammates because you'd have to notice something.

I think Teyla is a little bit more than a T&A character; I can see where you're coming from because I've seen elements here and there, but the friendship between her and (for example) Sheppard elevates her above that because I see no chemistry there, it's more of a really close friendship - even the kiss in Conversion was shrugged of in an embarrassing, no real emotion way.
Traditionally they'd have the T&A and the hero having lots of UST, but it's just not there.

Add that to the relationship with her pseudo-grandmother, Elizabeth and Ronon, and I do think they are trying to flesh her out more. They aren't doing brilliantly by any standards admittedly, but they do try.

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

Really? They considered McKay as the father? That's hilarious. (In my mind I'm already writing fanfic where McKay tries to get people to assume he's the father.) Sorry, I haven't seen the original spoilers, just picked up on them 20th hand.

I should probably eliminate the word "solely" from the above essay, because Teyla embodies quite a few stereotypes, the noble savage (though Ronon's moved more into that role now), the alien princess, the female warrior. The T&A character I think matters when it comes to the issue of the father of her child because it will define where the producers are willing to go with it.

Traditionally they'd have the T&A and the hero having lots of UST, but it's just not there.

Point. Though they tried to revive the UST in "Sunday," the problem I think is really with the chemistry between Joe and Rachel. It's just not happening. Part of that is due to Rachel's portrayal of Teyla. She's a little too -- hmm. Motherly's not the word. Big sisterly? Big sister-ish? -- towards John for it to work.

Icarus

[fractalreality.livejournal.com]

Really? They considered McKay as the father?

Of Teyla's baby? Oh God, no; that would be just as upsetting as if it was Shep.

No, they were originally planning a McKay-as-daddy story - with Katie Borwn, one assumes - but dropped it when it was necessary to write Rachel's pregnancy into the show.

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

Oh, ha, okay. I assume the McKay-as-daddy storyline would have turned out to be false alarm. "Oh, thank god I'm not pregnant." And McKay, who's been freaking out, and insulting her with suggestions that maybe someone else might be the father, greets this info with a blank wide-eyed face and sudden let-down.

Icarus

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

Though I can so see Sheppard screwing up with the birth control. ;)

[ansku]

You have some good points there :) Still, I'm voting for 'Teyla knows but won't tell' -scenario :)

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

I like that scenario. It would drive Sheppard absolutely insane to not know.

[ansku]

Everyone else as well, quite likely :D

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

Oh, I've never thought about the psych of this in this way. Nifty.

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

Ah. Thank you. :)

[monanotlisa.livejournal.com]

Interesting, even without the spoilers -- makes way too much sense. *sigh* Makes me long for Buffy, for Syd and Nadia, for Aeryn even more.

[teaphile.livejournal.com]

I can't disagree with her role as you state it, but I'm not sure that's the only consideration in dealing with the pregnancy. Because really, who wants a baby on the show? Certainly not the cast or producers. It's way too much trouble, and she's too much a focal character to just have her child in daycare somewhere.

I'm betting on Michael in Vengeance, using his new breeding program for revenge.

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

True. I think television learned this with the "I Love Lucy" show. Once they had little Ricky, they had this awkward prop to deal with....

[bruinsfan.livejournal.com]

I see the points you're making and think they're valid in general as applied to the sci-fi "babe" character, but I think Teyla is actually a very different sort of character stereotype. She pings me much more strongly as a combo of the noble savage/magical negro stereotypes. She's wise, honorable, spiritual, psychic, the most skilled hand-to-hand fighter they have, a font of information about all the native cultures, yet an outsider who's learning about Earth (read: white middle class American) culture for the first time. She's Mother Abigail and Teal'c all rolled up into one, but dressed like Barbara Eden in I Dream of Jeannie.

At the very beginning of the first season I feared that Teyla was going to be the show's T&A element, another Jolene Blalock strutting around in a cat suit. But despite the fact that Rachel Luttrell is a gorgeous woman whose character wears midriff and leg baring outfits much of the time, her character has been portrayed as so... chaste and pristine that I don't get any sense of her as a sex object. She's not flirtatious. She doesn't seem to be aware of how hot she is, let alone coquettishly use that hotness to her advantage. She's the beautiful next door neighbor who tells you she's very flattered, but just wants to remain friends (and means it).

Unfortunately, aside from the occasional Carl Binder script, that has left the writers with very little idea of what to do with her. I think the worst thing they ever did for Teyla's character was getting rid of Sgt. Bates, as the antagonism between the two gave her a lot more emotion and complexity of storyline. Now everyone loves Teyla, and there's almost no dramatic conflict for her.

[telepresence.livejournal.com]

I have to agree with this. To the extent that the writers do any writing for Teyla at all, I see her used far more as a noble savage/magical negro than a T&A character.

[aphephobia.livejournal.com]

That's one reason I love Inara in Firefly and the dynamic between her and Mal. She had the potential to just be a T&A character, and when I first started watching the show, I assumed she would be. But she's not. She's definitely got a sexual side, she's attractive- and yet she's bright and resourceful and complicated and part of the team rather than removed from it unless the storyline "needs" some "eye candy". I also love that she is so bloody independant and sure of herself and just cool. (And that Kaylee's her own person, too- that she's comfortable with who she is, and that in the Firefly universe, there don't seem to be the same hangups/fascination with sex as there seem to be IRL or in other sci-fi shows.)

I was never really a Whedon fan until Firefly, but Inara- and the one episode about the brothel- Heart of Gold- really changed that. My primary thought was, "Wow- Joss Whedon seems to not be a misogynist shithead."

[gaiaanarchy.livejournal.com]

While I like the analysis of the T&A character and I think that it applies to a lot of women on scifi shows (Seven of Nine, might as well have been called 34D, after all), I'm not sure I'd apply it to Teyla.

With Teyla, I see the male writers struggling to write a complex female character, but ending up giving her only masculine flaws and masculine conflicts and masculine virtues. The whole thing with Bates was very much a pissing contest. Sure, he started it, but when she hits back, she's got something to prove. And then her other main flaw - that she is too proud, and always determined to prove herself (especially with the Wraith . . . ala, the gift) is the same 'heroic flaw' that they always pull with Sheppard and McKay (Trinity, the hot zone). The talk of friendship with Sheppard is just another "brothers in arms" sort of deal, and that kiss that they share in Conversion felt more like a line out of some DADT story - a mistake made out of adrenaline, that we never talk about again.

One one hand, Teyla is obviously eye-candy (hey, she's hot!), but one the other, I think that the reason she feels undeveloped is because the writers want to write a strong woman, but they don't know how to do that while allowing her to be feminine.

I also have an issue with the way that alien cultures tend to be written as one dimensional. I like that the writers took the time to do the whole backstory on the Jaffa for Teal'c, but they are still too entrenched in the traditional virtues of our own culture - they're the feudal age, while Teyla's people are Native americans in the bronze age.

I really liked the way things were going season one, before 'the gift.' I liked the stuff about death rites, and how Teyla was torn between the atlanteans and her community. How she rolled her eyes at John and was betrayed by Sora and fought with Bates.

What I can't stand about her character is the 'part wraith' element. It's essentially eaten up her character. Now all she has is this skill and the associated guilt. Or the victimhood of having her loved ones taken by the wraith. She's not dark enough to truly play the half-blood role (she's no Angel). But because the show is sooooo much about genetics (Sheppard has the strongest gene is a thinly veiled code for 'Sheppard is the strongest'), it serves to distill her down to that single point - the good, but contaminated one.

Unlike probably the rest of fandom, I think that the whole preggers thing could really be a good thing (but knowing the writers, it's never going to be). It provides them an opportunity to make Teyla more feminine. It reinforces the fact that Teyla isn't stationed in a dangerous combat zone, but rather lives a full life there.

I'd like there to be a real father. Either someone from the expedition that she refuses to name (and you'd bet that John would go insane trying to make her tell him who). I'd like an arranged marriage too. A fertility obligation. And best of all - I'd like to see her leave the child with its father. Or have it die in childbirth - there's a bazillion points of conflict available there, and nobody has to deal with a baby!

And Teyla is still 1,000x better than the clusterfuck that is Elizabeth's character.

But, as long as it's not John, I think I can handle whatever the writers want to throw at us. If it is John, then I'm just going to stop watching the show. Cold turkey.

[sffan.livejournal.com]

I also, honestly can't disagree. I'm figuring her baby will get taken. If they want to get really dark with it all, maybe it's Michael's and he impregnated her somehow when she was in his possession (whatever ep that was) and he shows up and steals it away. That way they get a two-fer - pregnancy totally not her fault PLUS the angst of losing the child. I doubt this scenario - I think it's too dark for the SG writers. So, as usual, I'll sit back and wait for whatever crack the writers will come up with.

[liviapenn.livejournal.com]

I predict that Teyla will be impregnated through some sort of miraculous means, Ancient technology, Wraith beam, nano virus, you name it, because Teyla is the T&A* character.

I think your conclusion is correct, but the reason for it is wrong. I believe Teyla will probably have a "mystical pregnancy," but not because she's a T&A character; simply because she's a female character on a sci-fi show. (And moreover, because she's on a show that is profoundly *dis*interested in arcs and character growth, as opposed to simply producing a lot of interchangeable individual episodes.)

It's not so much about keeping her "blameless" as it is the fact that the (male) writers of SGA just could not *be* less interested in writing a story about a normal human woman who becomes pregnant, and the everyday emotional/relationship issues that would occur. Not because it would "spoil the fantasy" of Teyla-as-sex-fantasy, but because it would spoil their fantasy of their Boys Own Universe, which is all about spaceships and things exploding and ray guns and not about girly stuff like relationships or families (except, of course, as they affect the male characters.)

Look at Claudia Black's "mystical pregnancy" on SG1. Certainly that character is the exact opposite of Teyla-- absolutely *not* a calm exterior of charming perfection, totally not "worthy and virtuous," but instead a complicated, sometimes awkward, overtly sexual liar and manipulator-- and one who is clearly romantically attached to Daniel for most of S9 and 10. And yet-- the exact same "mystical pregnancy" storyline that I expect they will use for Teyla.

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

There are many reasons to have the mystical pregnancy, up to and including the fact that a baby would hog the stage and become a very awkward and unproductive prop. I should probably delete the word "solely" from the above essay, because underneath the umbrella of T&A teenage boy magnet, Teyla's encompassed several stereotypes ... the wise alien, the noble savage ... but it's still within the range of the T&A character.

The T&A character can be a "bubbleheaded blond," or she can be the "smart and sexy one" (as played by Jaqueline Smith on the old Charlie's Angels), she can be the "cute girl next door" (note Sam Carter), or she can be the "naughty sex kitten" (note Claudia Black). There are just certain things she can't be, though I will admit Claudia's character slides off the map a bit with more "real human"(TM) flaws.

Teenage boys are a huge slice of the science fiction paperback market, and make up a large percentage of the scifi action-thriller viewers. Surprisingly, the lame female characters work for them. I know a guy who watched Stargate SG-1 solely because Sam Carter was hot. The fantasy of the Boys Own Universe and Teyla-as-sex-fantasy are interchangeable.

Marketing is a huge part of the show, and past creative decisions in Stargate have been made in order to aim at a certain market. When the X-Files went of the air, season six of Stargate started writing creepier "X-Files-esque" horror episodes (salted with a shadow organization) aimed at capturing X-Files' lost marketshare. No, the episodes didn't fit into the Stargate universe all that well.

A lot of the changes we're seeing now are not creative decisions so much as desperate necessity, a response to sliding ratings. The reasons to bring Sam on board are complicated and seem to be a combination of contract issues (they owed her 14 episodes), a possible attempt to keep SG-1 viewers (won't work), and serendipity (Torri didn't go for being reduced to a recurring character). But there was no burning need to replace the doctor with another hot female character, and that tells me that they're really fishing for more little boys.

Honestly, I'm blunting my low expectations for season four by getting into other shows, setting up back-up fandoms just in case. I watched season six of SG-1, was happy to see Daniel return but mildly disappointed with Action!Jackson, stuck around when things started to change in season 8, was irritated when they killed off the goa'uld and replaced them with the Ori ... my patience with Stargate has run dry over the last four or five years.

Icarus

[darkrosetiger.livejournal.com]

I predict that Teyla will be impregnated through some sort of miraculous means, Ancient technology, Wraith beam, nano virus, you name it, because Teyla is the T&A* character.

As other people have said, I agree that it's going to turn out to be Those Wacky Ancients or something similar, but I don't think it's because Teyla's the T&A character--because despite the fact that Rachel Lutrell is incredibly hot, that's not Teyla's role on the show. She's the Official Magical Negro of the Pegasus Galaxy, there to dispense the mystical colored alien wisdom of Her People (which, please note, we've only seen mentioned in passing in S3), and as such, she can't be sexualized. I think liviapenn was right that having a normal pregnancy would interrupt the boys' club, but also that they'd have to actually think about the kind of guy that Teyla would be involved with, since there's no way in hell it's going to be any of the male leads on the show.

All I know is that if they do to Teyla what they did to Gabby in Xena, I really will stop watching the show.

[danamaree.livejournal.com]

All I know is that if they do to Teyla what they did to Gabby in Xena, I really will stop watching the show.

See, I'd almost blocked that out of my mind.

They also did it to Cordelia in Angel, pregnancies and babies aren't ever written well in genre television, and I don't see how SGA of all shows, with such an uneven writing history, could break the streak.

My advise, expect the very worst, and then anything less will be a relief.

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

My advice is to line up back-up fandoms. Heroes. Supernatural. Dr. Who. Torchwood. Then you get this wonderful "que sera sera" attitude and can roll with whatever happens in SGA.

Icarus

Rachel did better, I think

[justalurkr.livejournal.com]

My original impression from the first descriptions of Teyla (as well as our first views of her in "Rising") align with your analysis of her as the T&A character, except I saw them attempting a T&A Teal'c. I believe now, though, that Rachel Luttrell's non-verbal portrayal has given Teyla a bit of a boost out of the stereotype.

How do her occasional "OMG they are such CHILDREN!" eyerolls dovetail with keeping the T&A fantasy pure?

Still, I by and large agree with your analysis. There will be some sort of magical reset button with respect to this pregnancy. Virgin, Wore or Noble Savage, Teyla as Mom to any but an absent tribe has no place in the Bridge locker room mentality.

Re: Rachel did better, I think

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

Ah, I've kicked back today, reading comments as they roll in.

I agree, Rachel has more of the role than your average Charlie's Angel. Her lines are flat, but her delivery has been real, the tired patience, the thin smiles, the eyerolls -- I still admire her delivery of the line, "Many" in Irresistible. That was a throw-away line and she turned it into comedy gold.

It's a symbiotic relationship between writers and actors. The writers create the character, then the actor adds to the character, fleshes her out, does something unexpected. Then the writers build on that, and pretty soon you have the character's voice. Rachel has caused a little drift from the classic T&A character.

But still, she doesn't violate the fantasy. However much they add to her character, dollars to donuts they're going to keep her in male fantasy territory. Statistically, sci-fi fans are overwhelmingly young males, age -- oh, what was it? I'll give the thumbnail sketch -- 14-25. It's the fanfiction crowd that slants to 96% female.

Icarus

[agentcat47.livejournal.com]

I was thinking...everyone is jumping down Joe Mallozzi's throat for this, but I was thinking that he could have actually had a different characterization planned, but Rachel announced that she was pregnant so he decided to change the story line. I'm not sticking up for him because a lot of things he has stated are unfair and pathetic, but I was just thinking.

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

I suspect that since the Stargates gave Amanda Tapping maternity leave and then later had to figure out how to write her into 14 Stargate episodes, they're not keen on doing that again.

I like the idea of using this to learn something about how different Athosians ideas are about birth and children. It would be fun to have Sheppard stumble over a question about who the father is, and have Teyla say, "I've elected to have my child take my ranking within the Athosian community."

Sheppard looks confused. "What does that have to do with who the father is?"

Teyla blinks and frowns at him. "It has everything to do with it."

Sheppard scratches the back of his head and says, "I was just wondering who you were uh, seeing, oh, this is coming out wrong, isn't it?"

"If you'll excuse me, Colonel Sheppard." Teyla's expression goes cold and Sheppard doesn't miss the sudden use of his title.

As she leaves, Sheppard winces and Rodney says, "Well, it could be mine...." Sheppard gives him a doubtful and disgusted tip of his head. Rodney adds, looking down, "If we had ever... you know, never mind."

Sheppard later talks to Elizabeth in a hushed undertone as they cut through the gateroom towards her office, trying to convey his point with vague gestures. "I just think that if it's one of my men, he should step forward and take responsibility. It's a-- it's a father thing."

Elizabeth's tongue is in her cheek as she folds her arms. "And this has nothing to do with the fact that you're curious."

John takes a deep breath before saying, with the straightest face he can manage, "None whatsoever."

"Have you asked Teyla?"

"No dice."

Elizabeth doesn't look all that surprised as she steps into her office, and casts back over her shoulder, "Then it's out of my hands."

"Damn."

Ronon glances over at him with an amused smirk. "Still trying to find out who Teyla was fucking?"

John sighs, his hands on his hips. "You make it sound so crass."

***

But as I write this scenario, I remember that Elizabeth's gone and we'd be dealing with Carter instead and... *shudders* That first episode of season four had better be damned good.

Icarus

[goddessleila.livejournal.com]

I want to disagree with you. I really, really do. There's a lot about this show that I love, and I want to say that you're wrong, and they'll actually put some meat into the relationships... but no.

I think it's going to happen pretty much exactly like that, but I actually do have one thing to add that's perhaps a little less annoying- and that's the fact that they never have "real" relationships on Stargate. None of the characters ever really get involved, unless it's with someone who's mostly offscreen. They draw out the UST because that's what tv writers *do*, and they don't do it with any kind of skill, but that's the way it is. If they didn't do it that way, Sam would have broken down and married Jack (and probably gotten a divorce ten minutes later) and Daniel would have slept with Vala for real (and killed her ten minutes later) and Teyla would be having sex with... whoever it is... already. Stargate doesn't do relationships. It doesn't have the setup for that particular brand of drama. It's mostly about the pseudo-science and the adventure and shooting things and blowing things up and OMG EVIL ALIENS, not about how those things affect the characters. That's the difference between Stargate and, say, Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Which doesn't make the show bad- necessarily- just different.

But yeah. That aside, I have to agree with you about Teyla. No way they're going to even hint that she actually has sex with someone. Because that would be Wrong.

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

I read an interview with the producers of Frasier that they knew they were taking a risk when they had two characters, Niles and Daphne, finally get together. The producer explained that, "As soon as you do that, it kills the tension, and that's often end of the show. Certainly it's the end of that plotline. But we'd like to give the viewers that resolution."

Amazingly, this top rated show was cancelled only a couple years (two? three?) after they did it.

I'm not against the T&A character. She serves a certain purpose, just like Jack has to remain unmarried or the girls will be disappointed, and your typical comedy trope requires incredible plot devices (like Aliens Made Them Do It) to make that happy ending.

Stargate Atlantis is a sci-fi/fantasy show, following the comedy archetype more closely than the action/adventure/romance archetype. We can count on the incredible resolution with the happy ending more than we can count on a hero at the end with the smoking barrel.

So long as they do the fun of Atlantis well, I'm not going to expect more than they can deliver. As long as the show's still fun. My complaint is that Sam's been a joyless scene-killer since season eight.

I have my back-up fandoms locked in, just in case Sam's as bad as I fear.

Icarus

[danamaree.livejournal.com]

Pregnant, yep. I've seen that in Xena and in Angel, it wasn't the pregnant part that's annoying.

It was the baby. For some reason writers can't do babies, and well, really, who wants to watch a science-fiction show which focuses on babies and little kids.

It's not very sexy or interesting.

In Angel they made the baby an evil Goddess who was born full-grown and the mother went into a coma (never to be seen again pretty much).

In Xena the lead character who was the mother (and not a first time one) goes into hibernation with Gabrielle for 20 years or so, and when they come out Xena's daughter is full grown. Which means no boring baby plot.

I don't expect to see much of Teyla's baby either, my bet, the father is an Athosian, and she hands it over to him to raise. Because babies...no way, not in hell and certainly not in Atlantis.

But maybe that's my bias showing.

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

I heard once upon a time that babies end up being very awkward props. They don't do anything and yet everyone has to coo and make them the center of attention. I don't recall where I heard it, but I Love Lucy was the show they used as an example, how incredibly boring the "Little Ricky" plots were. I can producers have learned that, just like in real life, babies are only interesting to their parents. ;)

Icarus

[bruinsfan.livejournal.com]

The one saving grace I can see to this development is that, since it seems to be due to Rachel Luttrell being actually pregnant, odds are Teyla won't have a Jiffy Pop Miracle Pregnancy that goes from mysterious conception to show-derailing delivery over the course of three episodes.

That doesn't mean the baby won't grow into Gina Torres or Carson v2.0 or whatever it's going to end up being within minutes of birth, however.

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

Oh, god. Carson coming back as Teyla's love child... that's almost as good as exploding tumors.

[bruinsfan.livejournal.com]

Right now my money's on a fully consensual version of Ms. Marvel's unnatural pregnancy (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ms._Marvel#Avengers) with Carson as both father and child. Of the regular and recurring characters, he's actually the one I'd most easily believe Teyla being romantically involved with.

I can just see everyone's reaction if Teyla reveals him as the father, then being confused when they compare the date of his death with how much she's showing.

[blackpapertiger.livejournal.com]

I think you're depressingly correct about the T&A thing... one of my brother's friends also follows the show, and I've talked to him a little bit about it, and... yeah. Guys notice. A lot. It's also the impression I've gotten from the commentaries, that they really want Teyla to have a little bit of sexual tension with all the leads. The biggest one that sticks out in my head is the one from Conversion, which made me roll my eyes at the actors and writer. I think some of it is that, though they may want it, they're not really great at writing sexual tension. Plus it gets in the way of the action. And i'm not sure for most hormonal teenage boys it has to be explicit. It could just be the presence of a hot woman on the screen, sexual tension or not.

I guess, for me, I've always just kept in mind that it's a show written by guys for guys. It's an action sci fi show. It's not a drama like BSG. It's an action show with technobabble. And explosions. And lots of guns and aliens and hot chicks in corsets.

[lobelia321.livejournal.com]

Great post, hon!