Lost Girl Season 3

[RJDiogenes]

Not that I disagree with the overall point you two are making, but with Farscape and Eureka, if I remember correctly, the shows were renewed and then the renewal was retracted. Ultimately, Eureka got one episode to tie things up instead of a season and later on Farscape got a mini-series a couple of years down the line.

 

[Christopher]

^But that's still a lot more than most network SF/F shows have historically gotten. Unless something's a big hit like Star Trek or Lost (or on the CW, which seems to drag its shows out indefinitely as a matter of course), even two seasons is an accomplishment, and getting the chance to do a real wrap-up like Dollhouse did is a luxury. Compared to most genre shows, Farscape and Eureka got lucky.

And Greg's right -- it makes no sense to put Eureka in the "cancelled early" list. After the Stargate and Galactica franchises, Eureka is the longest-running scripted original series in SciFi/Syfy's entire history. It's one of their biggest success stories. (And if you count it and Warehouse 13 as a shared universe, then it's the second longest-running franchise in the network's history. Although that's cheating a bit.)

 

[Greg Cox]

Not that I disagree with the overall point you two are making, but with Farscape and Eureka, if I remember correctly, the shows were renewed and then the renewal was retracted. Ultimately, Eureka got one episode to tie things up instead of a season and later on Farscape got a mini-series a couple of years down the line.

True enough. I can see where retracting a "promised" renewal would leave a bad taste in people's mouths and make them feel as though they had been "cheated" out of another season. As opposed to simply cancelling the show after four or five seasons.

But that's still more about perception than reality.

Just to add a bit of historical perspective:

LOST IN SPACE only ran three seasons. The original TWILIGHT ZONE only ran five seasons. THE OUTER LIMITS only ran two seasons. SPACE: 1999 only ran two seasons. The Adam West BATMAN series only ran three seasons. THE SIX MILLION DOLLAR MAN only ran five seasons. THE INCREDIBLE HULK only ran five seasons. The original BATTLESTAR GALACTICA only ran one season (not counting GALACTICA 1980). BUCK ROGERS only ran two seasons. THE NIGHT STALKER, PLANET OF THE APES, and LOGAN'S RUN only lasted one season each.

Granted, seasons were longer back in the day, but I can't quite see where it's a scandal that a successful Syfy show only lasts for four or five years . . . .

 

[JD]

Hell, at this point if a new show I like lasts past 5 episodes I'm happy.

 

[JanewayRulz!]

I got the idea from the Eureka drama, which reminded me of the Farscape drama. I also recall how excited everyone was when W13 was renewed for season 4, and IIRC we were told how 4 would be extended to 20 eps, only to have that plan be repacked into 2 - 10 ep "extended" season. Such a plan led to these predictions...

http://www.craveonline.com/tv/articles/181221-warehouse-13-season-4-may-get-20-episodes

Although its true W13 ran longer than FlashForward or Firefly on the major networks, that's not a fair comparison. With its 20 season 4 eps that gives 58 total for the series, vs 94 by the end of season 4 for ST Voyager (I have to relate everything to Voyager eventually. Its in the contract I signed for my pen name. ) or 172 eps by STV's 7th season end.

 

[Guy Gardener]

I'm calling shenanigans.

The fae Star Chamber dark secret society 44 levels above Ash security clearance poisons young troubled Fae and then gives them a cure if it seems like they're going to turn their life around and stop being such a fuck up.

Just like the Trill Symbiosis Commission.

Just like that test where they drug the slayer till she has the strength of a small girl and lock her in a house with a vampire.

If most fae are nearly immortal, it only makes sense that they would need a means of controlling their birth rate, or life expectancy as to not endanger decimating thier live stock... However 6 billion humans is a steep jump and you would think that the fae would consider either a culling or increase their numbers to proportionally match the human population.

Bo is a dick politically, which is why they are fixing her dawning.

 

[JanewayRulz!]

Will I understand Guy when I finish my season 2 dvds?

 

[Guy Gardener]

What the frick are you doing in the season 3 thread?

It must be like time travel?

Sweeeeet!

 

[Christopher]

I got the idea from the Eureka drama, which reminded me of the Farscape drama.

Well, again, that "drama" is precisely the point. Naturally if a show is good and runs long enough to win a loyal following, then the fans are going to feel it was cancelled too soon no matter when it gets cancelled (unless it runs so long that it goes downhill/jumps the shark/etc.). Most of the shows that really get cancelled quickly never win much of a following, except for the few that are really good like Firefly. You won't hear many people saying that, oh, Alcatraz was cancelled too soon, because it wasn't that good to begin with.

So the whole "cancelled too soon" perception isn't really about duration, but about quality. Every show ends eventually, and very few shows are successful enough to run as much as 4-5 seasons, let alone longer. But the better ones are missed more.

Although its true W13 ran longer than FlashForward or Firefly on the major networks, that's not a fair comparison. With its 20 season 4 eps that gives 58 total for the series, vs 94 by the end of season 4 for ST Voyager...

Why are you referring to Warehouse 13 in the past tense? It's still on the air -- the second half of season 4 premieres next month. It hasn't been renewed for a 5th season yet, but it certainly hasn't been cancelled. True, the ratings for the first half-season were down from season 3, but the renewal/cancellation decision won't be made until the network sees how the next block of episodes performs. One article's pessimistic speculation does not a fact make.

As for the number of episodes, numbers don't always tell the whole story. Shows with long seasons -- especially as long as 26 episodes, a figure that the Trek shows stuck with well after the rest of network TV had slimmed down to 22 per season -- need to pad things out with "filler" episodes, or settle for filming mediocre scripts because they have a quota to fill. Shows with shorter seasons need to distill things to the essentials, pack the story arcs more tightly, etc. So you're not necessarily getting a smaller amount of worthwhile content just because there's a smaller number of episodes.

 

[Greg Cox]

Why are you referring to Warehouse 13 in the past tense? .

I admit I was wondering about that, too. Do you know something we don't?

(At which point I should point out that, regardless, my WH13 book is still on sale . . . .)

 

[JanewayRulz!]

What the frick are you doing in the season 3 thread?

It must be like time travel?

Sweeeeet!

I started watching after reading posts here, and before spending money on buying the dvds. Since season 1 was only 13 eps and cheaper, I waited until I saw it before investing in season 2's dvds.

I gotta say... so far Kenzi is my fav on this show, especially when she makes allusions to other shows. (I think she called someone a klingon once, iirc.)

Why are you referring to Warehouse 13 in the past tense?

Because a thread on another discussion board has been actively discussing this very question and is (obviously) pessimistic about the outcome, based on the recent "Eureka" drama and their feeling that SyFy bails after 4-5 seasons due to the costs of the "mature" show.

Who knows... if netflix & Hulu based series become winners, maybe the Firefly's of the future can find a way to ressurect themselves even after a network / cable cancellation.

IIRC, 2 "daily" soap operas are coming back that way.

http://techcrunch.com/2013/01/25/ca...ive-coming-back-from-the-dead-on-hulu-itunes/

 

[Guy Gardener]

While you are next travelling through time into the past, could you "remind" me about today's lottery numbers.

Please and thank you.

 

[JanewayRulz!]

Are we about to have a love rectangle on Lost Girl?

 

[Guy Gardener]

Tasmin was hitting on Dyson recently... Mmmmm?

But Tasmin and Lauren don't connect.

So what we got here is two overlapping triangles.

A Love-star-of-David.

 

[Christopher]

This was a weird one. It felt kind of contrived and artificial, and that's because it was a contrived and artificial situation in-story. It had its moments, but I am starting to see why some are saying the season feels unfocused.

I'm conflicted. On the one hand, I like Bo/Lauren (and no, "BoLo" is a terrible name for them -- I prefer "Doccubus"), and I didn't care for their contrived fight here. On the other hand, I'm really liking the Bo/Tamsin chemistry, I like it when they kiss, and I would really like to see them take it a lot further. Of course, given Bo's succubus nature, and her agreement with Lauren that monogamy isn't an option for her, maybe I can get the best of both worlds. But that didn't seem to be how they were playing it. It was rather weird toward the end when they had that other scientist guy show up and take Lauren out. It's never before been hinted that Lauren is the least bit interested in men, and it would feel a bit contrived and Torchwoody if she just suddenly turned out to be bisexual.

 

[Admiral2]

I'd rather see Bo and Lauren stay together. I like them as a couple. Hopefully, this ep was just a confusing blip and the writers will get back to it. The point of Dyson being there is to give Bo a choice, and if it ends up Bo/Dyson, so be it. I have a preference, but I'm not married to it.

I might, however, stop watching if it ends up Bo/Tamsin. I hate Tamsin. I'm not crazy about the actress that plays Tamsin. I just want to see Bo/Tamsin last long enough for Bo to suck Tamsin dry and send her Valkyrie behind off to Valhalla.

Just my two cents.

 

[JanewayRulz!]

It was rather weird toward the end when they had that other scientist guy show up and take Lauren out.

Lauren needs to bond with someone who appreciates her for her mind. I don't see him as a competition for Bo in the romantic arena... but worse he's competition for Bo in the professional arena. He GETS the joke about why chemists like nitrates... and laughs. I think Lauren needs a little TLC the way Kenzi dotes/smacks Bo around and she's probably too clueless to see him as someone who could help her screw up her romance with Bo.

Now as for Tamsin... don't know enough about the chick to comment since I've only seen the last three season 3 eps... but it did seem she was looking for something more from Bo than just to help her "recharge" the girl's batteries.

Although I liked the steampunk look of the contraption in the Bar... it seemed too weird/nonsensical even for this show.

 

[Christopher]

Lauren needs to bond with someone who appreciates her for her mind. I don't see him as a competition for Bo in the romantic arena... but worse he's competition for Bo in the professional arena.

Sure, I hope that's all it is, but the way the scene was played made it feel like they introduced this character in order to be a romantic rival for Bo. I mean, this is a series where sexuality is always pretty much at the forefront, so it's hard to read something like this as strictly platonic.

And just as a matter of credibility, I'd think that if a man showed interest in her and asked her out to dinner, Lauren would want to make it clear up front that a) she's seeing someone and b) it's a woman, just so he wouldn't get the wrong idea about what to expect. The fact that she didn't make that clear up front could be read as implying that she was receptive to being hit on by a man. I hope that wasn't the intention, but it could be read that way.

 

[JanewayRulz!]

Lauren needs to bond with someone who appreciates her for her mind. I don't see him as a competition for Bo in the romantic arena... but worse he's competition for Bo in the professional arena.

Sure, I hope that's all it is, but the way the scene was played made it feel like they introduced this character in order to be a romantic rival for Bo. I mean, this is a series where sexuality is always pretty much at the forefront, so it's hard to read something like this as strictly platonic.

And just as a matter of credibility, I'd think that if a man showed interest in her and asked her out to dinner, Lauren would want to make it clear up front that a) she's seeing someone and b) it's a woman, just so he wouldn't get the wrong idea about what to expect. The fact that she didn't make that clear up front could be read as implying that she was receptive to being hit on by a man. I hope that wasn't the intention, but it could be read that way.

Oh, I can see HIM seeing it "that" way (sexually), and I can see BO seeing it "that" way... but I also see Lauren being completely flabbergasted because they see it "that" way. Not just flabbergasted... but disappointed that they are only looking at it in the sexual context. Remember how excited she was when he claimed to have read her scientific papers? Bo might admire her intellect, but can she really understand its depth/breadth?

This was supposed to be a night Lauren wanted her girlfriend to see her as an honored professional in her own right, someone who stood out among the best in her field. Instead she meets another respected scientist who's funny and charming and "thoughtful" enough to bring her the award and reassure her she didn't miss anything. The fact that she's miffed that Bo hasn't called her back and when Bo last called (drunk!) she even dissed the ceremony (and by extension Lauren) made this stranger's attentions even more welcome.

I understand how "this show" is all about sex... but even in this context I can't see someone (Lauren) having to tell the guy inviting her to dinner... "Hey... this is just about dinner, right? I'm not available, and even if I were available I'm not into whatever you're selling." That would be extremely awkward for the guy who might just want to be a science geek for a few hours, especially if he's not interested in Lauren as much as Dyson.

 

[Christopher]

^See, I'm not talking about how the characters see it. I'm a writer, so I tend to look at stories more from the perspective of what the writers are thinking, and what techniques and tricks of the trade they're using. The way this scene was written felt to me like the writers were setting up a "protagonist fights with romantic partner and partner is tempted by someone else" storyline. I hope that's not the case, precisely because you're right that it would be out of character for Lauren. But that's the vibe I got, and though I hope it doesn't turn out that way, I'm concerned by the possibility.