Re: Does Stargate risk overexposure and creative lag ala Braga&Berman?
I've went back and purchased almost all of the SG-1 seasons, though I've only watched the show sporadically. I mainly watched Seasons 8, 9, 10, and part of 7. Before that I had seen SG-1 shows off and on, but had never been a consistent watcher. I thought 7-8 showed signs of creative fatigue, and I mainly watched because I love sci-fi/space opera stuff, the SG-1 characters were likable enough, and I thought the FX were pretty good, but the storylines were often weak. I'm in the camp that liked Seasons 9 & 10, I thought the Ori were good villains and I enjoyed the additions of Cam and Vala. I thought O'Neill got a little too snarky toward the end and I was glad for the new characters.
On the SGA. I thought SGA had a great first season. I didn't have cable around Season 2 and I became a fitful watcher, but I enjoyed SGA throughout its run for the most part though I don't think any other season matched the first one. I took it for what it was, a sci-based adventure show and didn't put too many standards on it. Overall, I got tired of the Wraith as villains. They stopped being threatening after the first season and then the Asurans and the guys from "The Lost Tribe" didn't quite pan out. I was more had been done with TLT guys because I think they had the potential to be really good villains. I think SGA also suffered from not taking chances with the characters, which were largely knockoffs or variations of the SG-1 characters. And I thought bringing Carter in in S4 was a mistake. Should've replaced her with Woolsey then or Colonel Ellis and just had Carter be in command of the Apollo or another ship.
SGU, I'm enjoying it so far, though my one concern is that it doesn't have a lot of rewatchability. The other two SG shows, I can just pop them in, out of order, and watch them anytime. They are more fun, with clearly defined good guys and bad guys for the most part, an emphasis on action, and some nice FX. SGU is a darker, grittier show, with a lot more internal conflict. Things are happening, though it doesn't often appear they are. I guess its more on a smaller, personal level, and not the bigger events that took place on SG-1 and SGA. I like what the SGU writers are attempting to do, but I wish they could find a way to bring some of the other space opera elements of the other shows into this one and mesh them without it being too silly. Stuff like humanoid aliens and cultures. Though I wouldn't mind them keeping away from Vancouver-looking planets with human looking aliens dressed in Middle Ages clothing.
I think SG can run the risk of creative fatigue, but I'm not sure about overexposure because SG hasn't really had an impact on culture like Star Trek has. People in general know Kirk, Spock, and most of TOS crew, and a good deal more people know Picard, Worf, and Data, even Janeway, Seven of Nine, and perhaps Sisko and Quark than they do any of the SG characters, from any of the shows. I think the SG franchise has had a remarkable run and has been going under the radar, but if it had been on network TV, it would've been cancelled a long time ago. Also, SG franchise has been largely derivative of other sci-fi shows, ST being one of them, so its not really doing anything ground breaking to break the mold or get widespread notice. Even the new BSG made more buzz or cultural impact than SG shows. What catchphrases has SG created? What words or ideas from SG have been adopted by mainstream culture? Or even large enough sections of subcultures? When was the latest SG ever watercooler talk? So, as much as I like the franchise, I don't think its 'relevant' like that. Though for the most part its produced some quality episodes with likable heroes and dastardly villians.
Nothing I wrote contradicted your statement that, "the letter writing campaign got the series renewed but the renewal was far from certain." Indeed, that's what I said.
