Season 5 and the Pecker

Date: [unknown]
From: s_the_great

Purged.

[3] David Peckinpah Sci-Fi promo video

Date: [unknown]
From: [unknown]

Purged.

[4] Peckinpah

Date: 7/6/99
From: TemporalFlux

You want info? I guess then that you haven't read any interview with Tracy Torm'e. In his interviews (where he many times talks of why he left in season three) he centers on Peckinpah. He never calls him by name (for what I assume is legal reasons), but he refers to the guy that was brought on in season three who wouldn't work with him, who was bent on taking the show into the action, movie direction Fox wanted, and who seemed to have no real grasp of writing science fiction. JRD has said the same things...pointing to the same person. In fact, JRD has stated in interviews that person is the reason he won't come back...once again not naming names. Just stating that he's referring to the guy who came on to take control in season three. Not only was David Peckinpah the ONLY new producer brought on in season three who could have had the power to undermind Torm'e (thus clearly showing who Torm'e and JRD are talking about)...he WAS the one in control (once again read the interviews). Also, while not transcribed...Marc Scott Zicree had a lot to say about David Peckinpah from his stint on season four at DragonCon. He point blank told us that turning the Kromaggs into Nazis was Peck's idea. He point blank told us that it was Peck who killed the original idea for "Revelations" (i.e. Colin as a Kromagg spy). Peckinpah has been quoted in interviews (namely the old TV Guide on-line) talking of how funny he thought *his* idea was to place Wade in a breeding camp. Once again, Marc Scott Zicree point blank told us that is was Peck's plan to not put an excuse with it...he wanted the breeding camps to be devices of Kromaggs "getting their rocks off"...no real purpose. It was only the continued insistance of the other producers that led to the Humagg storyline to explain why breeding camps were necessary (which you will notice that in season four the humagss don't come up until episode 12 - over half way into the season).

Now, all of it is either transcribed or you can ask any number of witnesses who heard the same thing (i.e. the DragonCon info). So, either a large number of people in production (including Torm'e, JRD, and Marc Scott Zicree) are in a conspiracy against David Peckinpah (with David helping them with his quotes such as in TV Guide)...or the man is responsible for the things they are saying. Which do you believe?

You can find links to all the interviews I described through this address (JWSlider3's site has practically all of them if you just want to skip to there from my links):

http://www.geocities.com/~maxinfinity/mag.html

Through my own contacts (who were on set and high enough up to witness these things) and with Expert's help, we have more information. David Peckinpah was responsible for forcing out Sabrina Lloyd so that Kari could be the sole female lead (Peck convinced Sci-Fi the original formula of 3 guys, 1 girl was better...then used the fact that Sabrina stopped production once plus that she wanted a raise to convince Sci-Fi Kari was the choice. By the way...why did Sabrina stop production? She ran off set in tears and locked herself in her trailer because Kari continually taunting her. And before you say it...it was Sabrina's choice to leave. She told Peck that either Kari was let go or she would leave...so Peck said "Bye, Sabrina."). David Peckinpah did team up with a Fox Executive (who had a grudge) to get JRD fired in season three. David Peckinpah is the man who continually made the quote "Hey, it's an alternate universe...who cares!" to explain away any and every gaff he sloppily put out there (you can actually find that quote in the Torm'e and JRD interviews). Torm'e also goes into Quinn's change of character...once again a move made by Fox and Peckinpah (a man who time and again has been cited as thinking like Fox).

Peckinpah (nephew of Sam Peckinpah - one of the legendary Hollywood directors if I'm not mistaken) began his career writing for CBS's "Beauty and the Beast" starring Linda Hamilton. He then went on to Exec Prod what is considered the good years of "Silk Stalkings" which featured Chris and Rita. As for his first episode on Sliders? He has only written a handful. "Murder Most Foul" would qualify as his first..."DinoSlide" as his second. He then wrote season four's premiere "Genesis" and co-wrote "Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?". In season five, he also co-conceived the story for "The Unstuck Man". As Exec Prod of Sliders, however, Peckinpah had control and final say over all scripts from seasons three and four (and apparently even five). I realize you haven't had the opportunity to read the scripts...but there was an active campaign to remove practically all alternate history elements to the stories in lieu of proudly ripping off anything. Many a script in season three and idea in season four were butchered because of this man (once again confirmed through Torm'e and Zicree). Once my lost scenes are fully up on line, you will have a better gauge of what I'm saying.

As for seeing David's face? Well, it seems obvious you never watched the season four "behind the scenes" special shown several times during June 1998 on Sci-Fi Channel. On top of that, you can download Peckinpah's portion of the interview through the Dominion website (under "Downloads"). At least you could for a long time...I don't believe I've checked to see if it's still there now that they've added the season five material.

As for one man being responsible...well, the Ken Steadman ordeal I don't pin on Peck. That was Universal in general. The rest? Yes. And one man can be responsible given the circumstances...he was making the decisions and conceiving practically all of what is considered the worst ideas. He had the final say. And in interviews with both the people he worked with and from himself...it's obvious that he both didn't know what he was doing with Sliders and that practically everything that has led to the decline of the show occurred due to him. Jerry's departure? No, that isn't Peck's fault...but Sabrina's departure, JRD's firing, the drastic change in format, the ruination of the Kromaggs, the downplaying of characterization over action, the changing of the characters to GQ wannabes...those are all squarely Peckinpah (mostly first hand on his part..with JRD he just had a hand in it). Once more, Fox was pushing it...but Peck thinks like Fox. The only reason you saw a modicum of change in season four is because Sci-Fi Channel was mandating it (those same mandates led to the hiring of the production members who made season four have high points...). Just like Fox in seasons one and two though...Sci-Fi wasn't ruling over the seasons' production with an iron fist...which gave Peck latitude.

Peckinpah's involvement is lessened in season five...but he is still there. That fact keeps JRD from returning...he said so in his interview (Sci-Fi Universe August 1998). We already know that he killed what looked like a great story (about a Victorian earth) to do "Strangers and Comrades" instead. Of course, maybe your opinion runs different. Maybe you like the things Peck has done.

So there you go. But one suggestion...don't you think it would be wiser to become informed on the subject before you start insinuating board members don't have a clue? And please try to tell me your post didn't insinuate that...your use of caps on ANYTHING coupled with your admittedly uninformed statement that one man can't be blamed. I mean, you ask us why...but in the same breath you seem to already know the answer. You have not been here long...it is only natural that other members who have been longer would know more than you on the subject. Of course, I've been through this before with you when you first came on the board...and it didn't seem to do much good then. And don't get me wrong...I'm not telling you what to believe. I'm just asking you to have the God given common sense to be a bit more informed before you start preaching to the "wicked".

Tf
temporalflux@hotmail.com
http://www.dimensionofcontinuity.com

[5] Sorry, TF, I didn't mean to...

Date: [unknown]
From: s_the_great

Purged.

Original URL http://www.scifi.com/bboard/browse.cgi/1/5/545/8563/4 (Purged)
Nominated by Blinker