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August 25, 2005
An alien planet by any other name
Did you ever wonder where all these alien names come from? I mean: Jaffa? Baal? Vala? Yat’yir? (rolls right off the back of the throat, that one). How do these writers come up with them?
Well, I asked some of the writers today. Apparently, the names are sometimes recycled from mythology or foreign words. For example, the names of the SG-1 space ships are from Greek mythology: the Daedalus, the Prometheus, the Odyssey. Other times the writers just come up with them on their own – especially if they’re running out of time. But naming something is a tricky thing. Sometimes names sound okay, and sometimes, instinctively, they don’t. It’s also quite subjective. Only Brad and Robert really have the power to say something’s good enough at the end of the day.
For example, Carl was trying to name a planet for an upcoming episode called “Inferno”, and he came up with the name “Mollen”. I could see where that was coming from. The story is about a fiery planet with lots of volcanoes, so perhaps he was going for a mixture of the words “volcano” and “magma” or something like that.
Well, “Mollen” got vetoed pretty quickly in the writer’s room. So, a little frustrated, Carl went back to the drawing board. Then he came up with “Makara.” But the problem with that name is it brings to mind Dakara, which is the Jaffa home city – not to mention it sounds like macaroon.
When I asked Carl if they make yummy cookies there, he wheeled on me and I feared for my safety (just a little bit). I always thought Carl was a mild-mannered guy, but rumor has it he may have accosted the security guard at his hotel at the start of the season.*
Bottom line: you gotta be very cautious with these sci-fi writers. Especially when they’re on a deadline.
And on to this week's shows:
On Atlantis, “Instinct” is a great episode. Great look, great mood - spooky. Although it’s original in its own right, and very much based in the Pegasus galaxy, Instinct will remind many of you of one of the great horror novels of all time. It was pitched to our writing staff by a freelance writing team, Melissa Byer and Treena Hancock. They used to work with Carl Binder, who’s a Co-Executive Producer on Atlantis. (Carl told me Melissa and Treena originally got his attention years ago on another show by sending him a spec Ally McBeal script in which a defendant was charged with fornicating with a cow.)
Jewel Staite, of Firefly fame, stars in this episode, although you may not recognize her under Todd Masters’ amazing prosthetic make-up. When she’s not made up to look like an evil soul-sucking monster from another galaxy, Jewel is one of those women I have trouble speaking around because she’s so beautiful. Uh oh. This is starting to sound like a puff piece again. Better keep an eye out for Rob Cooper.
On SG-1, well… I’d like to tell you all about "Ex Deus Machina", but there’s already been backlash as a result of the Sci-fi promo telling too much of the story. Suffice it to say that Joe Mallozzi is well… how shall I tone this down? He’s enraged. Full stop. There was a string of expletives the likes of which you’ve never heard before emanating from the hallway when he saw the sci-fi promo. I kid, I kid. But you do have to wonder how much of a story is appropriate to tell before the show airs. I mean, where’s the fun in that?
ATL
PS. Carl just came into my office a happy camper. He’s going to name the planet “Taranis”, after the Gaelic god of thunder. Uh oh, check that. Now Damian’s worried it sounds too much like Tyrannosaurus, as in, Tyrannosaurus Rex. Or maybe it’s too close to Tehran – the capital of Iran. See, it’s not as easy as you think.
*After some investigation, we discovered that Carl did not actually accost the security guard. It was a case of mistaken identity. However I did have to vouch for Carl’s character to the building manager.
Posted by Alex Levine at August 25, 2005 11:20 PM
