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fall sf/f series

stonester1 said:
Except for Terra Nova, this looks like a really weak year in new genre shows.

But strong returning stuff (Walking Dead, Game of Thrones, Fringe, Supernatural).
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I suspect that there will be a high cancellation rate among the new shows, and few of them have any real claim to being sci fi anyway. I don't really need that many supernatural fantasy-horror shows to watch.
 
Re: A Gifted Man. It actually starts on September 23. i'm going to check it out, but I'm kind of doubtful about it being good. Preview looked more Ghost Whisperer-ish than Medium-ish. Hmm.

Here's what I plan on watching (in the sf/f genre):

Fringe-Can't wait! Last season was really good.

Supernatural-ditto.

Grimm-I'll have to watch it on demand. Doubt it'll last though. Too much competition in that timeslot.

Once Upon A Time-I think it has a better chance than Grimm. They need to keep playing up the 'From the writers of Lost' bit. Plus, not much competition for it on Sunday nights.

Person of Interest-Not really sci-fi (well the machine is kind of sci-fi-ish. may lead to some sci-fi. lol). But it looks really cool.

Terra Nova-Looks really good! Like the main star (he was in the American Life on Mars too. Which I really liked). Should be good. Might last because its Speilberg and there's nothing else on TV like it. People like dinos.

A Gifted Man-Like I said before, don't know if it'll be any good. Hope so though.

Bedlam-Short lived series, but it looks good!

Walking Dead-Just saw a preview for the new season! Looks exciting!

And thats about it sf/f wise. Though I am looking forward to Awake & Alcatraz at midseason! Maybe Touch too.
 
Terra Nova: most expensive TV series in history. :eek:

The pilot for Steven Spielberg's time-travel epic reportedly cost a record of nearly $20 million. The big question, though, is whether the show can overcome viewers' longtime skepticism toward science-fiction series.
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If this show succeeds, that destroys the argument against space opera on broadcast. You don't need to avoid the niche shows, you just need to make sure the eye candy is good enough to be a draw. Wild-looking aliens could be a draw just like dinos.

I cannot WAIT to see what happens with the ratings. And also the show, I guess. That might be interesting too. :rommie:
 
omg $20 million dollars. I am looking forward to the show. I just wish we could set out dvr for it but no go yet.
 
I should have come here sooner. I knew you guys would have a proper list. Anyway, I am not that excited about the new shows. Still I will check them out. Terra Nova has me curious. But since this is FOX, I will try not to get too attached. Even as a fan of Fringe, I am amazed it is getting a third season (I am of couirse very happy as well).

I actually like Vampire Diaries. Yes it can be stupid at times, but there are good points as well. The vampires actually do kill people sometimes. And thankfully they do not sparkle. I also like that the people who run the town are aware that vampires exist.

I am also looking forward to Supernatural. Though I am not sure I lke the idea of Castiel being a villain.

I am also happy to hear Chuck is returning.

.
 
Temis the Vorta said:
Terra Nova: most expensive TV series in history. :eek:

The pilot for Steven Spielberg's time-travel epic reportedly cost a record of nearly $20 million. The big question, though, is whether the show can overcome viewers' longtime skepticism toward science-fiction series.
Click to expand...
If this show succeeds, that destroys the argument against space opera on broadcast. You don't need to avoid the niche shows, you just need to make sure the eye candy is good enough to be a draw. Wild-looking aliens could be a draw just like dinos.

I cannot WAIT to see what happens with the ratings. And also the show, I guess. That might be interesting too. :rommie:
Click to expand...
I thought LOST spent $24M for the Pilot? Is that because it works out to $12M per hour, versus a single hour for $20M?
 
Temis the Vorta said:
Terra Nova: most expensive TV series in history. :eek:

The pilot for Steven Spielberg's time-travel epic reportedly cost a record of nearly $20 million. The big question, though, is whether the show can overcome viewers' longtime skepticism toward science-fiction series.
Click to expand...

If this show succeeds, that destroys the argument against space opera on broadcast. You don't need to avoid the niche shows, you just need to make sure the eye candy is good enough to be a draw. Wild-looking aliens could be a draw just like dinos.

I cannot WAIT to see what happens with the ratings. And also the show, I guess. That might be interesting too. :rommie:
Click to expand...

I'm just afraid that if the show fails it will just feed into the general consensus that sci fi shows are too niche to generate a mass audience, and too expensive to justify the small audience they get. Then we just get more cop shows and the token sci fi show is really just a winy vampire.
 
AviTrek said:
I'm just afraid that if the show fails it will just feed into the general consensus that sci fi shows are too niche to generate a mass audience, and too expensive to justify the small audience they get. Then we just get more cop shows and the token sci fi show is really just a winy vampire.
Click to expand...

True. But maybe it's reality - the four big broadcast networks can't support sci fi shows, unless they have a modern day setting and heavy cop show elements, and even then you better schedule it for Friday and not expect much. If that is the situation, then all interesting sci fi will be henceforth relegated to cable, but since there are more cable channels than broadcast networks, that's not a terrible thing.

I gotta give FOX credit for making a serious test of whether sci fi can work on broadcast: glitzy visuals of the sort that we're used to only in the movies, and making it (presumably) family-friendly so the whole family can watch. If sci fi is going to work on broadcast, that should do it. By contrast ABC and NBC's tests seem to be mimicking Mad Men, which isn't even a ratings hit on cable - if they fail, then I don't think we've learned anything useful.

It will be an even better test if most of the Terra Nova characters are (as I've heard) kind of cardboard, because then if it's a success, we'll know the lesson is Expensive Eye Candy is All You Need. And that would bode very well for Star Trek or other space opera shows on TV. Now all CBS needs to do is spend $20M on the pilot and throw insane looking space monsters on the screen every week. They could certainly be more varied and interesting than dinosaurs, and don't people love freaky aliens as much as dinos?

And if the formula can work even if the characters and stories suck, so much the better. it's always a crap shoot whether a show is going to be good in those areas, but the SFX department being able to do crazy-looking monsters is a predictable thing. They can show sample monsters to the bean counters in advance, with a estimate of the budget per new monster. Bean counters love that kind of predictability, which is why they keep greenlighting cop shows. Star Trek (and other space opera shows) needs to have a formula for success, and preferably that formula should not involve characters or plots.
 
okay we have RInger on tonight. is anyone going to check it out? and has anyone started a thread for it yet?
 
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