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Anonymous writes...
I am a fan that has been able to gather the first 65 shows, and a so so I have two questions for you. 1) how can I get the last 13 they were not played in the abc (or whatever) channel in my area and i would love to have them. 2) the stories were fantastic and I hate the fact that they must end, I could kill Mikey Mouse for cancelling the show (joke), anyway will you find some way to continue the storeis, ie your own production of them, a book or commic book and not like that short l ived one that did not follow the episodes at all, and if so how could I go about getting them. I am a fan of mythology and as such the way you incorporated so many differtent tales made the show extremly enjoyable....please for us poor and desperate fans is there something that can be done.
thank you for listing
Greg responds...
1. I don't know. Ask a web-friend?
2. I've talked about this before. I'd very much like to continue telling stories, but I need to work for a living. I need a venue. Hopefully, we'll find one together. I'll keep you posted.
Anonymous writes...
here is another question I just thought of. (1) The "Cat/Bat" creations of Dr. Sevarious Talon and all they all had tails when they first started out and then as time went on they did not have their tails. does this mean that their bodie s are going back to normal. (2)also along the same lines claw in future tense did not have his wings is this also realted or just "part of the dream" . (3) P.S. why does he not talk thank you
Greg responds...
1. No. I've answered this before. Check the archives for a more complete response.
2. This was just part of the dream, but Puck's idea here was that Claw had lost his wings in some battle.
3. Trauma.
Anonymous writes...
1. How big was the clan in the Guatemalan Rainforest before the massacre?
2. Do the New Olympians share any genetic relationships or are they seperate intelligent species that just live together on one island? 3. How do they control overpopul ation (there must be many people on that one island after many generations). 4. How long do members of Nokkar's species live? 5. How many species were (are) involved in the galactic war?
Greg responds...
1. Probably the standard 40+.
2. Some of both.
3. I'm sure the population is larger now than when they started. They may not be particularly prolific. They also seem scientifically advanced enough to practice voluntary birth control.
4. A damn long time.
5. There are three main species engaged in the conflict, though many other species are involved.
Anonymous writes...
Greg, First of all, thanks so much for your help in creating such a great show! My question has to do with the original 5 show Awakenings arch: Why, when he knew that the eggs in the rookery would be hatching soon, would Goliath request to be placed under the sleep spell? If he was concerned enough to see to their disposition by asking Katherine to care for them, why wouldn't he have simply stayed "awake" and cared for them himself when they hatched? He certainly wouldn't have bee n "alone" then and could have worked with the Magus to find a way to remove the sleep spell. In addition, turning the eggs over to someone else, specially someone like Katherine, who had been so bigoted against the gargoyles so recently, has never seemed to fit with the rest of Goliath's character.
Thanks in advance for your answer!
Greg responds...
The eggs weren't THAT close to hatching. Still...
I hate to say this, because I love Goliath, but he was clearly abdicating responsibility. There's no excuse, though the reason is obvious: he was overwhelmed by grief. Just overwhelmed. He couldn't face the years alone. He couldn't even face the prospect of raising the gargoyle babies alone. He made a rash and horrible decision. I'm not going to try to justify it.
Because if we're going to be brutally honest, Goliath believed he was committing a kind of suicide. The terms of the Magus' spell were that the Gargoyles would sleep until the castle rose above the clouds. To Goliath, that was like saying "'til Kingdom come". He didn't think the spell would ever be broken. He didn't think he'd ever wake up.
When he did wake up, and when Xanatos told him that the eggs had not survived, his guilt must have been enormous. Enormous. When he discovered that Angela and the others had survived, his relief was equally boundless.
And since we're on the subject, I want to give some credit where it's due. When Paul Lacy and I worked out the original flashback story and when Michael Reaves wrote the first draft teleplay, we had the Magus offer Goliath the option of joining his companions in sleep. When my boss Gary Krisel read that, he suggested we make it Goliath's own idea, his own request. Of course, Gary was absolutely right. But believe me, that was a daring thing for any executive to approve, let alone suggest. At the time, "Awakening" was a four parter, (before we realized we had too much material to fit into four parts). The entire 10th century flashback was stuffed into Part One. Gary was inviting us to end our FIRST EPISODE EVER with the implied suicide of our lead hero. I watched it again a few weeks ago. Even though it's now an act break in Part Two instead of an episode-ender, it's still a very powerful moment. And the idea for it came from a DISNEY EXECUTIVE. Those types get a lot of flack.
Witness some of the recent comments in Gore's comment room about TPTB at Disney. It doesn't hurt to occasionally remind everyone that executives are people too. And that sometimes they have great ideas and the courage of their convictions.
Hell, I was still an executive when I created and developed Gargoyles. In fact, I was still an executive while I was producing most of the first season of the show.
Anonymous writes...
1. How many Episodes and Seasons would your PENDARGON CYCLE have? 2.
How many Eps and Seasons would the TIMEDANCER CYCLE and FUTURE TENSE SAGA have, if FUTURE TENSE was a CYCLE and if it wasn't? 3. How many Eps and Seasons would the BAD CHARACTER CYCLE have? 4. How many Eps ans Scenes would the NEW OLYMPIAN CYCLE have? 6. How many Episodes and Scenes would the DARK AGES CYCLE have? 7. Where would each CYCLE be in the timeline? If it might give away possible show secrets, please tell me if it would,and don't answer Question 7, if it won't give away secrets, please do. 8. If the conversation with Elisa and Jason on the Clocktower in HUNTER'S MOON hadn't been erased, please tell me EXACTLY what it would be like. If you don't have the time to be totally specific, please tell me so and I'll give you my E-Mail Address so you can tell me another time when you can or want to. 9. If GARGOYLES starts again, how would you get TGC back on track with your Master Plan?
10. Is there any possible way we can get you to remove your limitations on the questions, like promises about no claiming credit, etc.?
Greg responds...
1. How many would you give me?
2. TimeDancer: 40 years worth. Future Tense: Unlimited.
3. Bad Guys? Probably unlimited.
4. Unlimited.
5. There is no 5. So I'll take this opportunity to explain the point I'm trying to make above: so far, I haven't run out of stories to tell about these characters. Quite the reverse, each story I did tell suggested more and more possibilities. It may be moot now, but assuming I ever get the chance to start things up again, I really don't see that changing.
6. 23 years worth.
7. Uh. I'm not sure I understand the question. Gargoyles, Pendragon, Bad Guys and New Olympians were all to have been set in the present (which is not to say that they might not have included the occasional flashback). Dark Ages would have begun in the year 971 and moved forward from there, at least until we caught up to the events of 994. Future Tense would have started in 2158 and moved forward from there. TimeDancer would have, well, danced around in time.
8. Check the archives. I typed the whole thing in.
9. I'm not sure. I've seen each of the last 12 episodes exactly once.
I'd have to make myself watch them again with an eye toward assessing the damage to my planned continuity. I'm not eager to see those 12 again, so I'm not going to watch them until I have a reason to. Right now I don't.
10. No. Sorry. I'm not interested in removing those limitations at this time.
Anonymous writes...
Just a quick Q: What part of the master plan would Ariel have appeared in?
What would the role be?
Greg responds...
Not telling.
Anonymous writes...
Dear Greg, I know you've been asked, but you (ahem) asked for it!
(1) Could you PLEASE tell us all about the ep you couldn't show? How much of a shock value? How far in development did this ep get, did it begin to be animated?
(2) Also, Pulease find a way to start Gargoyles again. We'll do everything to help. (3) How is the movie developing? What is the newest scoop on that?
(4) What are these Gargoyles novels from 1994 I've heard about from a friend of mine?? Did it follow the sh ow's concept, or was it a seperate universe with the same characters,like the comic was? Be proud of me, oh great Creator. My twin and I have "converted" a bunch of our friends and classmates to Gargoyles! A new order begins, Gargoylism! Bwa ha ha!
Thank you in advance. (I know you've been asked some of these before, but please, we need some solace)
Greg responds...
1. I wrote a premise. That's it. A one-page summary of the story.
2. I'm doing my best, but it's really not in my control.
3. I don't know. I have no new info.
4. I've never heard of them. From 1994? Are you sure they exist? There certainly weren't any novels written based in any way on our show.
Anonymous writes...
Greg. Thanks again for the opportunity to ask a few questions. 1.
Probably the most disturbing images from Gargoyles was Demona shattering all of those human statues.
What happened to those remnants when the spell was broken and ho w was the disappearance of so many explained? 2.What was your planned lifespan for the cold-trio? Since they have robot bodies they could theoretically exist for as long as spare parts were available. 3.If Oberon's children were banished from Avalon , how could the Weird Sisters accompany the Archmage there on his attack? Wouldn't this be considered a violation? 4.What did you cut from Avalon part 2?
Greg responds...
1. It was pretty gruesome, I'd guess. I'm not sure it ever was explained, but I'm sure that there's still an open case file somewhere.
2. Lifespan? I guess they were immortal until they were damaged beyond repair. That doesn't mean they'd wind up living forever.
3. They were left behind as Guardians. It's another loophole.
4. A line here. A short scene there. More background, mostly regarding the Weird Sisters following Macbeth and Demona's careers for centuries. Although that sounds more interesting than it was.
Anonymous writes...
Dear Greg, I know this may be a funny Q. Were Owen and Xanatos really friends? Or was it just a matter of servitude. What were the reasons why Owen came back to help them in the GPart2. Myfriend says they weren't friends at all. If th ey were, when and how did that start?
Greg responds...
I think they are friends. Moreso than either would admit. And I'd say that friendship developed and deepened over time, though the starting point was probably Xanatos' choice of Owen over Puck.
Anonymous writes...
I know you have probably been asked these questions before before, but: 1) What is with Hudson's sword? Sometimes it cuts through solid stone, other times it just kind of hits things like a club 2) What did Titania say to Fox?
Greg responds...
1. A lot depends on the angle and force of the swing.
2. Something.
By the way, I'm sorry if some of my answers seem terse or rushed. Gore has just sent me about 300+ questions so that we can power through the backlog and reopen ASK GREG. So that's exactly what I'm trying to do. Power through as quickly as possible.
Anonymous writes...
Greetings, Mr. Weisman. First, let me say I love the gargoyles show. Now let me ask a few questions... (1)I was a bit surprised no one else has noticed this, but in "Sanctuary" Angela said that the Princess told the hatchlings about Not re Dame Cathedral. How could this be? The Princess, Magus, and Tom went to Avalon in the late 900s, but construction on Notre Dame didn't begin until around 1100 or so and wasn't completed until the 1300s. Or did Tom just somehow end-up in Paris during on e of his trips outside Avalon? (2) Also, did the Magus have another name, and that was just his title, or is that simply his name. (3) And last, I was curious if some of the people working on Gargoyles were fans of Highlander, because there are so many para llels---the Gathering, immortals, Hunters, a secret society......Just curious. Well, thanks in advance for answering my questions(if you choose to do so, and then thanks for your time anyhow).
Greg responds...
1. Tom saw a lot over the years.
2. "Magus" was not his given name.
3. I enjoyed much of the original movie. Many episodes of the series are pretty good too. But I don't think it influence me that much. The concept of immortality is hardly original to Highlander. Neither are the other things you've mentioned. And we were creating some of it simultaneously with the creation of that series. Obviously, I can't be sure it had no influence, but no conscious influence, at least.
Anonymous writes...
Dear greg Hiya and thanks for taking time to answer this question! I heard you were in the chat on friday June 6 and gave your out look explaning the gargoyle from his age up to his stone status.so can you please explain more on it?
I found it interesting of the tid bit I heard from gore!
Greg responds...
Well, it's October now, and I honestly don't know what you're referring to.
Sorry.
Anonymous writes...
Dear Mr. Weisman, First I would like to thank you for creating a fabulous show. I only have one question, but this has been bugging me for a while. 1. Does Demona know about Goliath's relationship with Elisa?
Also (I know I sai d one), if Demona does know, is that why she keeps trying to kill Elisa or does she just plain hates her more than any other human? Thank you for your time. -Danielle Royer Homestead, Florida
Greg responds...
1. I think Demona intuited their feelings before either Goliath or Elisa were fully aware of them. I don't think she's conscious of any romantic relationship, mostly because, to date there isn't one yet. Demona's relationship to Elisa is complex. She has a lot of reasons to hate her.
Generic contempt for humans. The belief that humans always betray gargoyles. The deep-seated fear that Elisa proves that Demona's been wrong about humans for centuries. Goliath's obvious feelings for Elisa. Elisa's obvious feelings for Goliath. Etc.
Anonymous writes...
Why did Oberon force his children to leave Avalon for a thousand years?
Greg responds...
Arrogance. Theirs and his. (Deja Vu again.)
Anonymous writes...
Okay, I have had this question for quite some time, and I am suprised to not have seen it in the archive. Okay, In the Gathering Part 2, towards the end, Titania whispers something to Fox, making Fox look very suprised....I would love to know what Titania said...
Greg responds...
Obviously, you didn't check the archive very carefully. This has been asked multiple times. And I always give the same answer: What do you think she whispered?
Anonymous writes...
Hi!Gargoyles is just GREAT!I want to ask you is there any page dedicated to the Hunters(anything related to them...Please tell me as soon as possible!Thanxs!
Greg responds...
Page? Like web page? I have no idea. Why don't you ask at the comment room?
Anonymous writes...
1) How does Xanatos control the wings, laser and tail of his exoframe?
2) Did Titania start the entire battle in "The Gathering" just to bring Fox's powers to the surface?
3) What disease does Renard have?
4) In 2158, would the Quarrymen still have existed? And did you ever plan to have Castaway come to tolerate the Gargoyles?
5) What plans did you have for the Clones?
Greg responds...
1. It's complicated.
2. Maybe.
3. I'm not completely sure. As I think I've said before, I was planning on doing an episode that focused on that. Never got around to it. Had I, I would have done research to find a disease that matched the already demonstrated symptoms. I was going to begin my research with MS, but I don't know if that would have worked out.
4a. Probably in some form.
4b. I honestly don't know.
5. Lots of plans.
Anonymous writes...
1. Which episode of yours got rejected? 2. Why is Lexington smaller than the others? I mean, he's the same age, but everyone thought he was younger and I didn't catch any really short gargoyles at Wyvern except Lex. Thanks.
Greg responds...
1. I'm not telling.
2. I'm 34 years old. I'm also 5'7". There are a lot of 34 year olds taller than me. Plenty that are shorter too. And some who are the exact same height. Lex (who tends toward low-to-the-ground posture anyway) is short.
It happens.
Anonymous writes...
Who is the guy in the trenchcoat at the beginning of "The Gathering" who is walking away from Oberon just as Odin goes up, and what's he doing there? Thank you so much, (whether you answer this or not).
Greg responds...
He's Nobody or Nought. And he's greeting Oberon, just like everyone else.
Anonymous writes...
You resently presented us with a listing of ages for the characters of the show. I noted that Angela is chronilogicaly 106 years younger than Goliath. I also noted that Gabriel and Opheila were 1 year younger that Angela. This leads me to the questions of...
1) How long does it take for Gargoyle eggs to hatch (Goliath was 56 when he was turned to stone by the Magus and Angela didnt hatch until 50 years after that.) I am sure that the extended time has to do with the Avalon time distortion scenario.
2)Do gargoyles have a set mating season like most animals do or are they more like humans in their reproduction.
3)If 2 is yes... How many eggs do they lay during one season.
4)If 2 is no...how often can they lay eggs.
Inquiring minds want to know. Or at least I do.
Greg responds...
1. It's been a long time since I did the Avalon math. But Gargoyle eggs typically take ten years to hatch.
2. Both.
3. One.
4. Once every twenty years.
Anonymous writes...
Mr. Weisman, I read one of your terrific responses to the Goliath/Elisa relationship, You stated what you would do if you continued on the show in terms of the two TALKING about it and then disagreeing, and subsequently reagreeing.
Without giving away any of your ideas, and if "The Journey" were any indication, would you've displayed their relationship over the course of thirteen (or another 65, for that matter) episodes much more broadly, openly and frequently than the previous 65 ?
Greg responds...
If I take your meaning correctly, then, yes.
Anonymous writes...
How involved were you with the Gargoyles comic book series and why did they stop at issue 11? (it was just starting to get good.)
Greg responds...
I consulted on the first 11 issues. It was cancelled primarily because it wasn't selling enough issues. But also because Marvel was (and is) going through some tough times. Their licensed books imploded to a great degree.
And no one's more bummed than me that it got cancelled. I was just about to take the book over as the writer. In fact, I had already written my first issue.
Anonymous writes...
It is with a sad heart that I read the news that Gargoyles is no longer being produced. It seems to have developed quite a cult following. It is well deserved. Great animation, stories and character development.
I hope they change their minds. But, it was a great ride while it lasted.
I just wanted to congratulate someone who was involved with creating the best animated TV series of all time. Thank you. P.S. I'm 44 years old and it was a joy to watch it given the poor alternatives that are available nowadays.
Greg responds...
Thanks. I appreciate the kind words.
Anonymous writes...
What age group were you aiming Gargoyles for? Were you at all surprised by the number of older fans that enjoy Gargoyles?
Greg responds...
We had a core age group (kids 6-11) that we needed to reach in order keep our advertisers happy, but I intentionally tried to build the show so that it operated on multiple levels and could appeal to the widest possible age range. So, no, I wasn't surprised that older fans liked it. Gratified definitely, but not surprised.
Anonymous writes...
Though no new current seasons are being produced I was told by the master of ceremonies at a recent sci fi/fantasy convention that his sources at Disney mentioned a "limited"(??) 4th season is underway.Is this in anyway true?
Greg responds...
No.
Anonymous writes...
You mentioned a "Prospero" in one of your replies. Who is he? Is he related to any of the character's we know? If not, have any of the characters met him previously? Is he good or evil? And last, but not least, did you plan for him to
actually help with a hybrid, or just want to?
Greg responds...
I'm not talking.
Anonymous writes...
Why did Oberon (excuse my spelling) banish the feys from Avalon?
Greg responds...
Arrogance. Theirs and his. And your spelling is fine.
Anonymous writes...
If the trio is all the same age then why does Brooklyn act like he's a few years older?!?
Greg responds...
Maturity and chronological age don't always go hand in hand.
Anonymous writes...
I was wondering if you could give a little detail on how so many Star Trek actors got cast in the show. It seems a little more than coincidence, since you had appearances from nearly the entire cast of The Next Generation, and (as far as I can tell) at least one actor from every other Star Trek series.
Thanks!
Greg responds...
I've answered this before. But in a nutshell, it began with Marina. She auditioned for Demona and was perfect immediately. Jonathan was later cast as Xanatos. After that when we were thinking about who to cast in various guest rolls, it was hard not to think of Star Trek when we had two of their actors sitting there in the room with us.
Anonymous writes...
Where did gargoyles come from - were they created, did they evolve or what. What exactly are the origins of gargoyles?
Greg responds...
I've answered this before too. Gargoyles were created in the same way humans were. If you believe in human evolution, then you should believe in Gargoyle evolution. If you believe that humans were created by a higher power (like God), then so too were the Gargoyles. Personally, I don't find those ideas mutually exclusive.
Anonymous writes...
Was Gabriel Coldstone and Coldfire's son? Why was Coldfire a robot and not a cyborg like Coldtsone? Also, who thought up the "jalapena" exclamation? (It's actually pronounced "jalapeno")
Greg responds...
Gabriel was there biological son, yes.
There were no gargoyle pieces left to make a second (or third) cyborg for Coldfire and Coldsteel. Robots were the best Xanatos could do.
Jalapeña (which we altered on purpose, I know how to spell and pronounce jalapeño, thank you very much) was basically added to the show on a dare.
Anyone who was at the Gathering this past summer heard Keith David tell the story of the Blues singer who used to say "¡Jalapeña!" instead of "Halleluia". Keith took the habit from her. (I wish I could remember her name.) Our voice director Jamie Thomason bet me I couldn't find a way to work it into the show. I took that bet. Worked it in and fell in love with it. Everyone else on the show hated it.
Anonymous writes...
Hello, Greg! The ritual thanks for all your time and help...on to the questions.
1. "Griff and Leo were involved in the 40s..." This is a direct quote from you. *Leo*? Are you sure you didn't mean *Una*? (I know the answer to this one--I hope--but I decided to bug you anyway.) 2. This has been asked twice or more before, but I've decided to ask it the right way. *In the Gargoyles universe*, who created the Phoenix Gate? One of the Sisters says that it was forged on Avalon, but by whom? Also, why would Puck try to bribe Oberon with it? Isn't Oberon powerful enough to traverse space and time under his own power? I do have a theory, but to pose it I think would violate the rules of this Q&A.
3. What is the correct order of the three races? Are gargoyles the first, humans the second, and fae the third? This is the order that Broadway gives, and Oberon refers to himself as Ruler of the Third Race. But in one of your answers you said that the fae would probably consider themselves first. Is there any definitive answer, or does it depend on the race of the person you ask?
4. How is that guy's name spelled...Brendon, Brendan or something else? Is he Margot's husband or boyfriend? (I apologize if that has been already answered.)
5. About Sevarius' name-- you said in another answer that the spelling I just used was the correct one, but in--I think it was "The Cage," Elisa holds up his briefcase and the name on it is "Servarius"--was this an oversight, then? Whoever personalized the briefcase goofed, and Sevarius got mad at them? (But used the case anyway.) 6. Is the spelling of the Princess' name Katharine or Katherine?
7. How did the New Olympians come to have such advanced technology?
8. Does Broadway still have the Sun Amulet? If so, why did he keep it?
9. When Jade and Turquesa went to Avalon, did they have to leave their amulets at the gate, or what? They wouldn't have been allowed to take them to Avalon unless the Sun Amulet was fae magic. It wasn't, was it? Or were the amulets allowed, since they weren't really the source of the magic, just extensions of it?
10. Were there plans to ever have Alexander on Avalon? For any of the trio or Hudson to go? For any other Avalonian gargoyles to leave, and perhaps come to Manhattan? (Besides Angela and Boudicca.) Again, thank you very much. I also wanted to say it was great seeing you at the Gathering, and thanks for signing my card. :)
Greg responds...
1. Yes. A mental typo. Griff and Una were involved. Later Leo and Una mated. Griff and Leo were just friends. Thanks for giving me the opportunity to clear that up.
2. Thanks for exhibiting restraint. Oberon has a lot of power. But Time Travel requires a lot of energy. It may be beyond his abilities. It's certainly beyond his ability to do with the kind of ease the Gate allows. As to the Gate's origin, I'm not at liberty to divulge that right now. (Well, I am, but I don't feel like it.)
3. Depends on who you ask. When did Oberon refer to himself as Ruler of the Third Race? If so, it must be a colloquialism he adopted. Certainly he doesn't place the two "mortal" races ahead of his own.
4. Brendan is Margot's husband.
5. I don't remember that. But if you're right, and it wasn't corrected in a later retake, then you're explanation is as good as any. Sevarius is the correct spelling.
6. Katharine. Michael Reaves spelled it that way. At the time, it struck me as unusual, but that just made it special. Later everyone (including Michael and me too sometimes) kept spelling it Katherine. Turns out that the original spelling was probably a typo. Michael had no specific memory of it. But that's how the first episode credits went out, so that's what I stuck with.
7. They developed it themselves over the centuries.
8. He kept it to keep it out of trouble. He didn't know what it was for.
After Goliath et al returned, I'm sure they recognized it and filled him in.
9. Good questions. I hadn't really thought that out. The pendants were definitely created by human sorcery. Maybe they left them with Zafiro and Obsidiana until they returned.
10. I had some plans for Angela and Broadway to go to Avalon, at least for a visit. I didn't have specific plans for any of the others, but I did have more story ideas involving the Avalon cast, and as the stories required, I wouldn't have hesitated to move people around a bit.
Anonymous writes...
One more more Gabriel: would he have come back if there had been a Season Four? Can you tell me about Reuben Santiago-Hudson(his voice actor)?
Greg responds...
I had more ideas for Gabe. He would have been back eventually.
Reuben is a very nice and extremely talented guy. You can see him currently as a regular in the new CBS t.v. series MICHAEL HAYES, which stars David Caruso. Keith David introduced us to Reuben. They're old friends. They were both in SEVEN GUITARS together. Keith had the lead role. Reuben won a Tony award for best supporting actor in a play for his role. He's married with children.
Anonymous writes...
Dear Greg, did any one else notice this??? One of Dracon's henchmen is "Pal Joey". In sister Act, one of the thugs is called Pal Joey. Was that an inside joke?
Greg responds...
Not in the sense you mean. We probably both got the name from the movie "Pal Joey".
Anonymous writes...
Could you give me the dates on which the major Gargoyles events took place..the Awakening, Hunter's Moon, the beginning of the Avalon trip, the Gathering, etc...?
Greg responds...
Not right now. After I'm done with the encyclopedia, I'm going to sit down with all my disparate notes and work out the timeline.
Anonymous writes...
Who is Nought?
Greg responds...
Who isn't?
Anonymous writes...
Hey, again! I have to say, your "City of Stone" short story was delightful! We clannies have been going into gargs withdrawl over the past few months - not fun I assure you. But when I read that brief little passage, it was like seeing a new ep again. My question is this: You've mentioned scenes dropped from several eps ("Hunter's Moon", "Avalon II", etc.) and dismissed them as being unimportant. Still..would it be too much trouble to write just a few of them out? You wouldn't be giving anything away, and it'd be a real treat for the fans. *gets down on knees* PLEASE!!!
Greg responds...
I'm glad you liked that stuff. I've included a couple of missing snippets from "Hunter's Moon, Part Three". The "Avalon, Part Two" stuff would be harder to reproduce without reproducing the entire script. I don't have any way of doing that now, short of retyping the whole thing in. And guess what, I'm not going to do that. Sorry. Maybe someday.
Anonymous writes...
Hey Greg, I know Macbeth is strong but he has taken on the Gargoyles in hand to hand combat. Since Gargoyles have inhuman strength one would think this is impossible. How exactly is Macbeth able to take on the Gargoyles?
Greg responds...
Superior fighting skills and armored clothing. You'll notice he doesn't arm- wrestle Goliath. He uses Goliath's own momentum etc. against him.
Anonymous writes...
Heh, Sorry Greg. Just read the board on why. Nevermind my last question.
Here's a real one. So Demona is 35, eh? Is that Gargoyles oR Human Years? Cause if it's Gargoyle, then that would make her a ripe 17 1/2 year old equivalent (And
she DOES look like it)
Greg responds...
She's biologically 35. That is the human equivalent of 35. And before you say how she doesn't look THAT OLD, remember that I'm 34 myself.
Anonymous writes...
You mentioned writing a "Gargoyles Encyclopedia." Can you give us some general idea of the contents? (P.S. I hope that you can publish it someday; I'd gladly buy a copy).
Greg responds...
It's just what it sounds like. Look up "Boudicca" or "Avalon, Part Two" or "Brooklyn Botanical Gardens" and you'll get as much pertinent info as I could figure to include.
Anonymous writes...
If there are three races on Earth according to the Gargoyles , then what are the New Olympians?
Greg responds...
A hybrid. But keep in mind who told you that there were only three races.
It was Broadway. What the hell does he know?
Anonymous writes...
Have you ever thought about doing a REAL Gargoyles Movie, not just AWAKENING on tape? After all, a movie that answers all of the questions you left hanging might just save the show...or at least satisfy we fans.
Greg responds...
I'm not sure what you mean. Answers "all" of the questions? Everytime I answered any question, I made a conscious effort to raise a new question. As to the Movie thing -- well, there is a live-action movie in the works that I have some very limited peripheral involvement in. Both "City of Stone" and "Hunter's Moon" were originally planned as "movies" for home video, but neither were picked up for that format, so we made them into episodes.
Anonymous writes...
Before I ask anything I'd like to thank you for coming to the Gathering and putting up with our enthusiastic attention so well. Now to questions. I meant to ask this at the con, were there every any notable times where the animators goofed completely without misdirection being at fault? [I was thinking of things like (maybe) the scale of the Cloisters in Temptations, I am not tall, but in that place I bump my head on doorways, or my favorite pet peeve, the scarflike prayer shawl in Golem- (most of the ones I have seen are about the size of a middling to large flag, and strike a far more romantic image when worn). Another question I would have asked at the con had I remembered it at the time: Are you ever surprized at certain strong preferences common in fandom? Things like preferring the 5 part opener to straight to video version, or the original ending of Vows instead of the intended one that replaced it in later showings?
Thanks.
Greg responds...
You're welcome. I had a great time.
The animators made tons of mistakes. Only natural given our extremely tight production schedules. Most mistakes were fixed with retakes. Some slipped by us.
Surprised? Yeah, sometimes. Preferring the 5-parter to the video doesn't come as a shock. As I've mentioned before, the video was put together for one specific purpose, and a home video wasn't it. The Vows thing does surprise me. It's such an obvious error. Like the kind you mentioned in your previous question. They put the wrong background in.
It infuriated us at the time. I don't know why anyone would prefer this mistake. I'm not sure I understand the "interpretation" that fandom has read into that mistake that makes it more attractive than the true intent, which was Goliath remembering that one special moment when he and Demona exchanged vows.
Anonymous writes...
Like, hi, and stuff. One question. *loud clanking and yelling as he looks for the list* Ah, here it is. *clears throat* 1. Why am I constantly hearing "Gargoyles is Cancelled, Gargoyles is cancelled!"?
2. Is it cancelled?
3. If so...WHY?! A TON of people love this show, man!
4. General comment here...could you tell the higher ups in Disney that A.
John Smith was a jerk B. That Quasimodo was a NUT. and C. JOHN SMITH.
NEVER. GOT. SHOT!
5. Um...are there scripts fer eps you kin buy?
Greg responds...
1. Uh. Cuz it was.
2. Depends on how you define "cancelled" I guess. They aren't making new episodes. Reruns are now showing on USA. But by any standard definition, yes, Gargoyles was cancelled.
3. Define "TON". Ratings weren't high enough to keep it on the air.
4. No.
5. No.
Anonymous writes...
A couple of questions for one of the greatest showbiz guys I've communicated with.
1. In a previous answer, you mentioned negative recommendations for the Goliath Chronicles (suggestions taken the wrong way, things you said not to do that were done, etc.) What were some of these negative suggestions?
2. If you ever had the chance to tell us the story you had in mind about the clocktower (also mentioned in a past question), would you?
3. If a publisher wanted to do your Gargoyles encyclopedia, would you?
4. Would you someday tell us more about the original (comedy) premise?
5. What was the inspiration for "Future Tense"? I think that's all for now. Thanx in advance for answering these.
Greg responds...
1. I think you misunderstood. I gave them a loose outline of what I was planning for season three. They took that info and ignored some of it and went other ways with the rest of it. "Timedancer" for example became "Runaways". An idea for a multi-trickster story became "Ransom". But when I talked about negative recommendations, I was referring to my paid consultancy work on the series. I had a contractual consultant's credit, which I waved, because I felt I hadn't made any real ADDITIONS to the content of TGC. I did kibbitz on their premises. When it seemed to me that characters were behaving out of character, I advised them not to do that out-of-character thing. In particular, the original premise of "Angels of the Night" (or whatever it was called) had the Gargoyles abandoning Manhattan at the end.
Elisa changed her name and moved to Chicago with Goliath. Lex and Brooklyn went on their own world tour. I forget what happened to everyone else. I advised them NOT to do that. They took that advice, thankfully. Still the only contributions that I made of any real merit were negatives. "Please don't do that." Things you didn't see on the screen, because I advised against it. Giving me credit for what you did see seemed unfair, both to me and to the people who actually did the work.
2. Given the opportunity and the resources and the time, I'd eventually tell all the stories I had, until I just didn't have any more.
3. Of course.
4. There isn't too much more to tell. It didn't go, so we didn't develop it further.
5. "Future Tense" the episode or the proposed series idea?
Anonymous writes...
All right, one more that I had forgotten about. Sorry about the numerous
posts. I write fanfic in my spare time, and this has been driving me nuts.
So, I figured I'd go straight to the expert... Fay? Fae? Fey? How the
#%$^%*$@#$ is it spelled?????
Greg responds...
All of the above, I figure. I'm not even sure we used that word in the
actual series. Did we? I remember referring to Oberon's Children as
"The Fair Folk". I think that's as close as we came, or am I forgetting a
mention or two? By the way, my original name for "Oberon's Children" was
"The Oberati," but Brynne and Michael Reaves thought that sounded like an
Italian Sports Car, so we switched. (GDW/ 12- 8- 97)
Anonymous writes...
Merry Christmas Greg, 1. What do you think Xanatos would have transformed
into if he had worn the Eye of Odin (For eample: Fox became a werefox,
Magus became a powerful sorcerer, and Goliath became a bigger gargoyle)?
2. What aspect of his personality do you think would have been personified
(Fox=hunter, Magus=intellectual, Goliath=protector)? 3. When it became
available to him, did Macbeth ever go to college? If so, what was his major
and what college did he attend? 4. If you didn't use any of the Gargoyles
main charecters, could you legally make a Future Tense show, or does your
contract with Disney forbid you from doing anything remotely like Gargoyles?
5. Why did Disney take creative freedom from you? Gargoyles was YOUR
creation! Without you the show never would have made it (even though i know
there were other brilliant minds on the show as well)! Did they think that
by refusing you creative freedom they could better the show? I don't carry
a grudge and I don't blame anyone for the show's downfall, I just would like
to know there reasoning behind this decision because if you would have
stayed on for the last season with complete creative freedom, at the very
least, the last season of TGC would have been better than it was. Thanks
for your input! Bye! Happy Holidays!
Greg responds...
1. We'll never know.
2. Ditto.
3. He's probably studied at multiple universities over the years.
4. It depends what you mean. Future Tense wouldn't be Future Tense without
the characters I had planned to use. If you're asking me whether or not I
could do a series set in the future, the answer is yes, of course I can,
assuming I could sell it somewhere.
5. They didn't take creative freedom away from me. I never said they
did. They wouldn't promise me creative control, which is very
different. Had I stayed, I might have been able to wrangle that
control, but I bailed. In retrospect, I wish I hadn't. Where's the
Phoenix Gate when you need it.(GDW/ 1- 26- 98)
Anonymous writes...
Do the fey have blood? Since iron is deadly to them, they can't use it in
their hemoglobin, if they have any. So how does oxygen get around in them?
Greg responds...
The Children are creatures of pure magic.
RANDOM THOUGHTS
I did have Ed Asner/Lou Grant in mind when I was writing the character description for Hudson. The last line of the description was "Hudson hates spunk."
Jason Canmore has a younger sister Robyn and a younger brother Jon.
So do I. But my siblings don't have much else in common with his.
I knew I didn't want the show to be filled exclusively with gargoyles and white male humans. So we intentionally tried to present a more honest, inclusive version of America (and the world).
Xanatos is the kind of villain I like to write. Anyone interested in seeing his precursor (and Owen's) should check out General Eiling (and Captain Allard) in back issues of the DC comic book CAPTAIN ATOM which I used to write with Cary Bates.
Goliath is the kind of hero I like to write. Noble and flawed. Not a guy who's as bad as or worse than the bad guys he fights.
As to whether I was disappointed...
The short answer is honestly, NO. Not a bit. I'm very proud of all 66 episodes and our entire ensemble of characters.
The longer answer is that there are plenty of little things that I wish I could fix. Most of them are ticky-tack things, many I'm sure you wouldn't even notice. There are even two story things (one each in "Grief" and "The Hound of Ulster") where I feel like I missed a peace of the "true" story.
There's also material that got cut for time that I wish I had been able to include, particularly in "Avalon, Part II" and "Hunter's Moon, Part III".
There was a great scene in the clock tower between Elisa and Jason the morning after the Hunters blew the place up. It was really gorgeous stuff. But the script was way too long.
The only other regret I have is that I opted not to write and/or edit the GOLIATH CHRONICLES. I had good, sound reasons at the time, but in retrospect it was a mistake.
GARGOYLES: THE LOST MOMENTS
(First in a series.)
The following is a scene from "Hunter's Moon, Part Three" that was cut because the script was way, way too long. It was written by Michael Reaves, who was also the story editor. As usual, I did the final pass on it. We did record the scene with Salli Richarson and Deidrich Bader as Elisa and Jason, but I can't remember if we did storyboards for it. I know we never shipped it for animation. There isn't any lost footage. But I thought you all might get a kick out of reading it. Imagine Jason speaking in his true Scotish accent, not in the phony American one he generally used with Elisa. (Also note: I'm just typing this in without bothering with teleplay formatting.)
This scene would probably play better in context. So if you taped "Hunter's Moon, Part Three", then watch it right through "Robyn Correy's" video-phone conversation with "Dominique Destine". Dominique tells Robyn to enjoy life because it's so fleeting. The screen goes dark. Robyn nervously holds up the disk. Now pause the tape. Imagine one of our trademark "Claw Wipes" and read...
EXT. CLOCK TOWER RUINS - DAY
Elisa picks sadly through wreckage, occasionally placing something in a cardboard box. She bends to pick up a charred photograph.
TIGHT ON PHOTO
It is a snap-shot from last Halloween: Elisa in her "Belle" gown arm in arm with Goliath. Both very happy.
ON ELISA
A tear rolls down her cheek. A shadow falls over her. Elisa turns.
ANGLE INCLUDES JASON
behind her on his sky-sled, in Hunter garb except the mask, aiming a tranq gun at her. Elisa drops the box and reaches for her holstered gun.
JASON: "Please don't. I'd just have to tranq you again, and I came here to talk."
FAVOR ELISA
She lowers her hand slowly. But she's still on guard.
ELISA: "Okay. Let's talk about what a monster you are."
JASON: "I never meant to hurt you --"
ELISA: "You really are a piece of work. Using me to get to the gargoyles."
JASON: "No! I admit I infiltrated the twenty-third because there were so many gargoyle sightings here. But I never planned--"
ELISA: "Lies. Everything was part of your plan. That phony accent... even that phony kiss..."
ON JASON
He looks desperate and vulnerable, despite the gun in his hand.
JASON: "That kiss was real. And I never planned on falling in love with you."
FAVOR ELISA
This hits her hard.
JASON (CONT'D): "The hunt's been my whole life -- I never realized how lonely I was...
ELISA: "But why are you hunting them?"
ANOTHER ANGLE
We see a flash of Jason's fiery determination. Elisa responds in kind.
JASON: "Those monsters killed my father!"
ELISA: "Those 'monsters' are my friends!"
FAVOR JASON
He looks shocked and disgusted. This, he was not expecting.
JASON: "What?!!"
ELISA: "And they couldn't have killed your father. When he died, they were in Scotland, frozen in stone by a magic spell."
JASON: "So they weren't personally responsible. They're still evil! All gargoyles are! My family has been hunting them for generations!"
FAVOR ELISA
Trying desperately to reach him.
ELISA: "BUT WHY? What started this blood feud?"
FAVOR JASON
He's stumped. His fury won't help him on this one.
JASON: "I -- I don't know. It doesn't matter."
Elisa senses his uncertainty, presses her attack.
ELISA: "Of course it matters. You hate an entire race and you don't know why! Listen, Jason. You've been lucky so far. No one's been killed. Give up the feud. Turn yourself in. It's not too late to walk away from this."
TIGHT ON JASON
He hesitates, then shakes his head.
JASON: "Yes, it is."
WIDE
He revs up the skysled and takes off fast. Elisa draws her gun, but she does not fire -- it's ambiguous whether that's because he's already too far away or because she feels too much for him to shoot him in the back. Her arm drops to her side. PULL BACK to show her forlorn and surrounded by rubble.
DISSOLVE TO:
Now restart your VCR and pick up back at Elisa's apartment, where Elisa is trying to stop Goliath from playing vigilante. As she failed with Jason, she fails with Goliath, which leads to events at the dam, which propels things to their tragic (if semi-hopeful) conclusion.
Please don't hesitate to post comments on this scene at "ASK GREG", I'd be curious to read what you thought of it. It was always one of my favorite moments, and it broke my heart to cut it. Yet, ultimately we felt it wasn't crucial, and since we had to cut something, this seemed like the thing to go.
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