SGU CANCELLED!
- Thread starter TheInsideMan
- Start date
IMHO there are more facets than that. For the more humorous takes on science fiction there were/are shows like Firefly, Eureka, Doctor Who.
But what's there to fill the need for more serious science fiction, like Twilight Zone and Outer Limits did back then? The closest thing we have is Fringe. But even though it's quite entertaining, Fringe is still closer to today's mainstream drivel than to those good old anthology shows.
And there are those of us who cling to both types of shows, yet will never be satisfied again.
We are the Farscape audience.
Sad to say, the Farscape audience is too small to support an ongoing series, much less subtype that encompasses several series. I'm only counting shows that have successful ratings levels right now, as evidence that they represent demand for more of the same.
Those aren't on TV and nobody's producing anything like those, or even talking about it, so I'd say that subtype is dead. If there's a significant demand for it, it's impossible to know.
ReadyAndWilling
Fleet Captain
I don't know how anyone can complain that the show was canceled.
SGU was lucky to get a 2nd season.
Seriously.
SGU was lucky to get a 2nd season.
Seriously.
Why was it lucky to get a 2nd season! The ratings for the 1st season just about got it renewed but then they moved it to a death slot because of wrestling.
Come on now. Its not because they deserve a second chance or whatever, its so us fans can at least have closure to the series, instead of it ending on this f**king cliffhanger (). I could care two hoots about them, but I do care about my own satisfaction.
This is exactly why so many people don't bother watching genre shows on television anymore. Why should we, it will just inevitable be canceled, resulting in a non-ending / cliffhanger.
Better to just wait for the DVDs at least then you know if it is worth your time, or not to bother should it be canceled.
I do sympathize for any actual fans this show may have had. It does suck that you won't get any kind of resolution, unless of course Fandemonium decides to continue SGU as a novel series which is what they are planning with Atlantis.
However, the show had two fucking years on television and did shit all. One of the top producers even says their five year story arc could have been done in one year. They had opportunity to tell their story. They squandered it. Therefore no one should expect any kind of telemovie or DVD special to wrap things up. This isn't the result of a network screwing the show over (like Firefly or Farscape) or an eleventh hour cancellation announcement catching everyone off-guard (like SG-1). This is producers and writers thinking they had all the time in the world and that the show wouldn't end until they wanted it to and wasting time with pointless filler episodes. They had their chance, but that boat has sailed.
Although I've only begun to watch classic Who, it does seem even back then the TARDIS wasn't bothered with beyond dropping the Doctor and his Companions off for their adventures and then taking them away at the end.
Which is fine, it's unique to that show. And it does seem that Doctor Who is the only sci-fi show now in production that isn't about FBI agents investigating the paranormal.
And what's wrong with that? If you ask me, the constant presence of TV shows with multi-year arcs that take forever to explain anything is getting tiresome. I don't mind some continuity between episodes, but damn it if you have to include two to three minute recaps at the beginning of every episode explaining everything that's happened so far, it's possible you may be making the show too complicated for its own good.
I love shows with long story arcs, but there need to be smaller pay-offs along the way. I actually believe Atlantis's first season was a great way to introduce the show. It had an exciting pilot where they discovered the city and learned why it was in its present circumstance. Throughout the season, we were introduced to various enemies and learned more about the city. And while that was happening, little things were building up to the awesome final episodes where the Wraith attack the city. It was a great mix of standalone and arc storytelling.
I agree, and that's one of the main reasons why season 1 remains my favourite season of Atlantis.
Modern Doctor Who also excels at this approach: each episode is usually a stand alone, but they plant seeds which eventually build up to an epic season finale.
I'm very amused that this thread has seen far more action than the episode discussion threads have. Hell, the cancellation seem to have made the forum more active overall.
ReadyAndWilling
Fleet Captain
SGA was really just hitting its stride in S5 IMO. What a shame they canceled SGA to make way for SGU.
Please explain how they are "total fucking idiots" for declining to order a third season of a show when the ratings didn't justify a third season.
As far as I can see, the only "idiot" move that Syfy made was moving the show to Tuesday night, instead of leaving it on Friday.
Hey, they gave BnuBSG TWO seasons (the 3rd and 4th) although the ratings (and writing) didn't justify it. hell, the Razor BSG telefilm was the lowest rated Sci-Fi channel film in 3 years (Mansquito did better.)
I have a feeling theough the suits at Universal said "No more" - after stringing BSG along because of few critics who wouldn't know good entertainment if it bit them in the ass - liked an Emo Sci-Fi series and somehow felt a rmbling storyline and incompotent characters made 'compelling TV'.
SGU eas trying to appeal to a different audience; and it succeeded with me quite a bit; as:
While I liked SG-1 while Richard Dean Anderson and Don Davis were part of the cast - after it was cancelled by Showtime and got picked up by Sci-Fi, it went downhill fast.
SG-A to me was garbage from the pilot - and reminded me more of an attempt to remake Lost in Space (based on the 4 episodes I tried to suit through.) That it somehow got 4 seasons was beyond me.
IMO - SG:U had an interesting premise and interesting characters; but yeah - they dragged on A LOT of things too long - got into wierd cycles with the ending montages; and crap like Cloverfield...
Overall, though for me, I enjoyed it about as much as I did the early SG-1 stuff where back then, SG-1 started by emulating the Star Trek 'planet of the week' formula (basically tossing out a lot of the stuff from the 1994 film); but by it's 3rd season SG-1 was solid.
The thing that cracks me up is - no matter what SyFy puts in it's place - that show (whatever it wends up bein) - will get way worse ratings.
About the ONLY original show that SYFY backed that was (and still is) somewhat entertaing is Eureka.
Warehhouse 13 (aka 'Friday the 13th the next generation' - the only difference being Friday the 13th had interesting stories); Haven and that utter crapfest Sanctuary could all drop off the face of the Earth, and I doubt people would care.
Again, just rename SyFy the 24 Hour WWE Wrestling Channel and be done with it; as by the ratings charts - wrestling is the only thing the majority of viewers watch on SyFy.
Saquist
Commodore
Indeed. Most shows would have been canceled after the 5th episode. They can easily project their product and audience expectation in most cases and they decided to take a risk on SGU just because of Stargate's brand name. They assumed perhaps it would get better.
It's just that the concept ...wasn't likely to allow that.
my advice to you is to start drinking heavily.
Actually, no, I didn't
(Different strokes and all - I will say what they did with Dune was much better then the 1984 feature film, still...)
SYFY......I waited years to get you on the system we had here at the time. At first it was good, but it didn't take long for the downhill slide to begin. Now you screw us over and take away SGU, probably with no resolution. You know, I kinda like WH13 and Eureka, but I have honestly had it with you and your crappy movies and shitty series decisions. And I don't think I need to tell you what you can do with your stupid wrestling.
Wish I could say its been nice to know ya, but in the end, it hasn't. You suck, and most of us out here know it. After the 10 final eps in the spring, its good bye and good riddance.
FUCK YOU SYFY! May you belly-up in hell!
Wish I could say its been nice to know ya, but in the end, it hasn't. You suck, and most of us out here know it. After the 10 final eps in the spring, its good bye and good riddance.
FUCK YOU SYFY! May you belly-up in hell!
This attitude is juvenile. The show was barely sustaining 1 million viewers. That's simply not enough, even on cable. What was Syfy supposed to do, order a third season of a show that can't justify its continuation?
Yeah, this isn't really SyFy's fault. Even before moving to Tuesdays this show wasn't pulling in very good numbers.
