J
Jetfire
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I find Alcatraz way more interesting...Terra Nova is a joke. 
Alcatraz vs. Terra Nova- Is Fox Going to Chose Between Them?
- Thread starter Ro_Laren
- Start date
Doesn't really bother me if it's renewed or not, as I lost interest in it halfway through season 1. Might look at playing catchup via DVD. Kinder forgot Alcatraz, and I'll have to play catch up on that also, as I want to see it is like.
Re the thread title, Fox will not choose between them. Terra Nova will be canceled and Alcatraz will be canceled. Neither gets good enough ratings. (Terra Nova has appeal but being a show lots of people like to catch later on the internet counts for nothing but good will. Fox is a Murdoch operation, they really only get ill will.)
they can't cancel everything.
And if too many shows deserve cancellation.
The best of the worst has to be selected to plod on.
And if too many shows deserve cancellation.
The best of the worst has to be selected to plod on.
They can cancel everything, sure they can. It all depends on how much faith they have in their new lineup of pilots.
But when a show demonstrates that it hasn't caught on, it isn't going to catch on in the future - that just doesn't happen. That's why it makes more sense for a network to take a chance on an unknown show instead. That might be that elusive hit that catches on.
Hollywood runs on Jack Warner's credo: Nobody knows anything. So they just throw things against the wall and see what sticks. All they know is when something doesn't stick - because that at least they can see.
But when a show demonstrates that it hasn't caught on, it isn't going to catch on in the future - that just doesn't happen. That's why it makes more sense for a network to take a chance on an unknown show instead. That might be that elusive hit that catches on.
Hollywood runs on Jack Warner's credo: Nobody knows anything. So they just throw things against the wall and see what sticks. All they know is when something doesn't stick - because that at least they can see.
Did you ever see Beggars and Choosers a few years back?
Fulling the time slots can lead to MURDER!
Then what do I know?
I'm about to sit down and watch the complete run of Courting Alex.
But then all I want for Christmas is another 5 seasons of 2 Guys a girl and a pizza shop.
Fulling the time slots can lead to MURDER!
Then what do I know?
I'm about to sit down and watch the complete run of Courting Alex.
But then all I want for Christmas is another 5 seasons of 2 Guys a girl and a pizza shop.
It's on the Fringe.
I've heard this song & dance before."This could be a great show, if only the writers would get their shit together."
But they never do, do they? If they were going to produce something good, they would have done that from the start. Fire them and start over with a new show entirely. There must be some good writers in LA.
This is completely false.
There's more shows I know of that get better AFTER the first season than not.
I mean, all of the modern Star Treks took their time, Farscape took until the end of season 1 with "Nerve" and Seinfeld is my favourite comedy ever. And I can't stand season 1. Sure, people may not agree with these specific examples, but it's definitely par for the course. Why can't Terra Nova improve?
It just sucks that in today's market-place, they can't afford to take their time to find their voice. Who knows how great some of these shows might have been!
I've heard this song & dance before.
But they never do, do they? If they were going to produce something good, they would have done that from the start. Fire them and start over with a new show entirely. There must be some good writers in LA.
This is completely false.
There's more shows I know of that get better AFTER the first season than not.
I mean, all of the modern Star Treks took their time, Farscape took until the end of season 1 with "Nerve" and Seinfeld is my favourite comedy ever. And I can't stand season 1. Sure, people may not agree with these specific examples, but it's definitely par for the course. Why can't Terra Nova improve?
It just sucks that in today's market-place, they can't afford to take their time to find their voice. Who knows how great some of these shows might have been!
While there is a degree of truth to that, at the same time we shouldn't just give shows a free pass simpy because "it's the first season, and some shows don't get good until the third." If you have a complaint about a show, you have the right to express it, regardless of what season it's in. Likewise, if you can't stand watching a show and want to give up, it's your right to, even if it's only season 1.
For what it's worth, I agree with you that Terra Nova has the potential to be a better show. But those who criticize it have a very legitmate reason for doing so.
^^^
Oh, no, you're absolutely right.
I was more taking a stance against the "They never improve" line.
Because most every show I ever enjoyed hasn't peaked in season one, and there are many where I didn't like the first season as well. But sometimes there are nuggets of potential that, when played upon, can REALLY pay off.
But we all know the opposite can happen, "Heroes" gets brought up often enough, whether one might agree or not. Sure things can fail, but sometimes crappy shows can really up their game and knock them out of the park. Terra Nova, I think, can certainly be one of those shows. Of course it's not a guarantee it will. But, especially with the last episode, things really started getting good.
Basically, I just don't like the "The writing and acting is poor, and there is a 0% chance it can ever possible improve" line drawn firmly in the sand when the majority of example out there prove otherwise. It's not so black and white.
Oh, no, you're absolutely right.
I was more taking a stance against the "They never improve" line.
Because most every show I ever enjoyed hasn't peaked in season one, and there are many where I didn't like the first season as well. But sometimes there are nuggets of potential that, when played upon, can REALLY pay off.
But we all know the opposite can happen, "Heroes" gets brought up often enough, whether one might agree or not. Sure things can fail, but sometimes crappy shows can really up their game and knock them out of the park. Terra Nova, I think, can certainly be one of those shows. Of course it's not a guarantee it will. But, especially with the last episode, things really started getting good.
Basically, I just don't like the "The writing and acting is poor, and there is a 0% chance it can ever possible improve" line drawn firmly in the sand when the majority of example out there prove otherwise. It's not so black and white.
Terra Nova could be great if they let it live up to the premise and did not focus on literally the most boring people on the entire planet.
But there is no impetus to change the show that drastically, at least judging from snippets of interviews with some of the people involved. Terra Nova is a hugely expensive show with lots of veteran talent on both sides of the camera. It is slickly produced and executed well. The problems are almost wholly in the writing department(I can forgive bad acting) and I don't see Braga and company having the sort of self-critiquing mindset to really shake things up.
Farscape, Buffy, Babylon 5, Angel, whatever show you want to name that radically improved after its first season. All those shows showed hints of greatness even in those first seasons. Terra Nova's only moment of even partial greatness in its first season was laying out Commander Taylor's backstory during the middle of the season. And even that backstory was largely negated when the villains became mustache twirling caricatures as the season progressed, and all of the interesting ambiguity around Taylor stopped mattering.
But there is no impetus to change the show that drastically, at least judging from snippets of interviews with some of the people involved. Terra Nova is a hugely expensive show with lots of veteran talent on both sides of the camera. It is slickly produced and executed well. The problems are almost wholly in the writing department(I can forgive bad acting) and I don't see Braga and company having the sort of self-critiquing mindset to really shake things up.
Farscape, Buffy, Babylon 5, Angel, whatever show you want to name that radically improved after its first season. All those shows showed hints of greatness even in those first seasons. Terra Nova's only moment of even partial greatness in its first season was laying out Commander Taylor's backstory during the middle of the season. And even that backstory was largely negated when the villains became mustache twirling caricatures as the season progressed, and all of the interesting ambiguity around Taylor stopped mattering.
Except Fox has said Terra Nova made money for everyone involved. So there is no need to cancel it unless they have something they think will make more money. Fringe is at the point where Fox might not even want the show for free. And if Alcratraz continues to fall Fox could be in a position where the will need to be wowed by all their pilots to cancel Terra Nova. Otherwise they will take the known money maker over the unknown that they have little faith in.
Most television shows and movies make money, as near as I can make out. Most of them have audiences in the millions. The question is, do they make enough money? And are there millions enough viewers? There's no indication that Terra Nova is making bunches of bucks, and we know the audience isn't big enough by most standards. Renewing the show while a drop in ratings might actually lose money? Don't think so.
It wouldn't be a tragedy if I was wrong, and if I turn out to be right, it still wouldn't be my fault the show was canceled.
It wouldn't be a tragedy if I was wrong, and if I turn out to be right, it still wouldn't be my fault the show was canceled.
It's not about which show is better, but which show has a better chance of attracting an audience. The two are not necessarily the same.
^^^I haven't checked recently but from what I remember of the live plus ratings, there's no contest: Terra Nova is much more popular. In terms of overall viewing audience, Terra Nova is a solid success. The problem for Terra Nova is that the + doesn't help provide much revenue, plus Fox is not the kind of network to leave a show on just because lots of people like it. (Yes, they've left Fringe on, but it doesn't have the audience Terra Nova has, not for years. Suggestions as to why Fringe has somehow survived are welcomed.)
So did Terra Nova's cancellation just save Alcatraz?
SyFy asks the question on its blastr blog:
SyFy asks the question on its blastr blog:
So did Terra Nova's cancellation just save Alcatraz?
If Alcatraz gets a miracle renewal, I'm more likely to credit FOX's poor crop of pilots for next season than anything else. They haven't picked up much, and nothing in the sf/f genre. This time of year, shows get the axe because the suits see something new and shiny that they like better...