End of an Era

[Hermiod]

Viewers in the UK might have noticed that the usual Sunday TNG repeats are absent from this weekend's schedule. This is kind of the end of an era since Star Trek has been part of Sky One's schedule since TNG launched in 1987.

This is because Sky have lost the rights to TNG, DS9, Voyager and Enterprise, which have now been bought by Virgin Media for their new Virgin One channel.

In a way, this is a good thing for Freeview and Cable viewers as Virgin One will be free to air on all digital platforms, unlike Sky One.

 

[WillsBabe]

This is the end of an era. I can remember, what seems like a lifetime ago now, watching TNG on Sky while cooking dinner in my old house. I'll miss channel surfing and coming across TNG on Sky.

 

[StolenThunder]

Yeah, I'm sorta pleased about this to be honest. Much as it will be strange not seeing ST on Sky when I have access to it, I have freeview at home and it'll be nice to watch the occasional episode on TV.

 

[captcalhoun]

uh, check your facts pal. TNG didn't start airing in the UK until after 1987 and it started on BBC2. It wasn't until 92 or 93 that Sky bought the rights by which time BBC2 had aired Seasons 1-3 plus BOBW II

 

[ChristopherPike]

BSKYB lost my business shortly after Enterprise got cancelled anyhow. I only had the dish installed for new Trek episodes... worked out cheaper to buy the DVDs and stick to what the license fee provides for other TV shows.

 

[Ethros]

Seriously? No more Trek on Sky?


Well, to be honest its not like I really watch much of the repeats anymore now, I may flick on the odd episode here and then if I can't be bothered going to bed

But still, Star Trek and Sky One have a symbiotic relationship in my mind.
Ah, I remember the good old days of the late 90's with "Monday Night Star Trek." Showing all of a season of Voyager, then DS9, then Voyager, back to DS9... meaning there was basically a brand new episode of Trek on every monday night for about 5 years in a row!

Alas

 

[Hermiod]

captcalhoun said:
uh, check your facts pal. TNG didn't start airing in the UK until after 1987 and it started on BBC2. It wasn't until 92 or 93 that Sky bought the rights by which time BBC2 had aired Seasons 1-3 plus BOBW II

 

[The Squire of Gothos]

Ethros said:
Seriously? No more Trek on Sky?

Huzzah! Eat that Murdoch :thumbsup:

Nice, we lose Sky 1 on Virgin Media and win this, a fair swap for the Simpsons

 

[toughlittleship]

Deep Space Nine is coming back to British screens which makes the loss of Trek on Sky worth it.

 

[The Squire of Gothos]

Ethros said:But still, Star Trek and Sky One have a symbiotic relationship in my mind

Tssk, shows how young you are, the symbiosis in my head is TOS and TNG at 6pm on the Beeb, Thursdays

 

[Ethros]

^^^ But were those (TNG anyway) 'new' to BBC, but had already aired on Sky?
I remember watching the DS9 BBC repeats on a Wednesday or Thursday 6.00-7.30 timeslot, and VOY was on Sunday afternoons

Hermiod said:
This is because Sky have lost the rights to TNG, DS9, Voyager and Enterprise, which have now been bought by Virgin Media for their new Virgin One channel.

Well after reading this last night I posted what I posted. But since then I've checked the Sky Guide thing, and Treks still on Sky 1 all the time. TNG on every night for the insomniacs, and I was watching a bit of some ENT this afternoon too...

 

[Savage Jaw]

I presume that the Saturday/Sunday TNG repeats have finished because they have just concluded a run showing every episode from the first to the last. No point starting them again when they will lose the rights in a month or so (presuming the rights disappear when Virgin 1 launches early next month).

As far as Sky is concerned, Stargate is the new Star Trek, as both SG-1 and Atlantis are repeated ad nauseam on Sky One, Two and Three.

 

[Csalem]

Wasn't there a time of great Trekness on BBC where there was TNG on Tues, DS9 on Wed, TOS on Fri and VGR on Sun, or am I misremembering this. The era ended for me when Ent went to C4 and I had to watch Trek with ads.

 

[toughlittleship]

I remember the BBC showed the DS9 final chapter a few weeks after 9/11. So it was pretty powerful for me seeing the wrecked Golden Gate Bridge in The Changing Face of Evil.