Looks like Stargate is officially done

[Admiral Buzzkill]

Well, it's not new for the bean counters to be running things out there - and as you note that may presage well for an SG reboot.

Given MGM's current sad estate and the conclusion of the SG tv series franchise, among other things, the newly-installed management there may well be willing to work with Devlin and Emmerlich, both of whom have continued to be active and successful. The studio's launching reboots of RoboCop and Poltergeist; they've got a potentially bigger property with SG in that it's somewhat self-generating in terms of publicity.

Stargate's in a pretty similar situation to Trek in 2005, something one expects that MGM management will notice.

 

[MacLeod]

Remember it's Syfy that cancelled SG not MGM. MGM might have wanted to continue to make it but without a buyer it wasn't finaccially viable. Though one has to wonder how much they charge say Sky to air each episode. Times that buy how many stations air it around the world and does it make money?

 

[Mr Awe]

Call me cynical, but I never sign petitions, because very few have ever worked (I would say none, but I'm sure there are probably a couple of noteworthy ones that people could point out).
I would think that realistically the number of fans or votes or whatever would probably have to be well into the hundreds of thousands, or millions. If 1 million viewers a week couldn't save the show, then I doubt 40,000 signatures on a petition over several months would either.

And peteym5, this wasn't at all a dig at you or your post. I'm definitely all for the cause, I just think the chances of it working are none, unfortunately.

The real "petition" was the ratings numbers. You can have loads of people sign the petition but those numbers don't count, actual viewers do. And, they have concrete proof that there just were enough viewers to make the show profitable. A petition won't get around that.

Mr Awe

 

[MacLeod]

Perhaps, one way to go (for the future) would to be actually one of the people who determines the ratings.

 

[peteym5]

These petitions are not an alternative to ratings or agreeing to the ratings. Ratings are based on estimated viewers based on a small sample of the population. Many agree the ratings gathering technology is obsolete, using the same methods and equipment since the 1950s. Using sampling could be off by thousands, how many people do you know have a neilson box?

The petitions are geared toward having the powers in charge there are people interested in these programs and attempt to persuade them to continue. If there was a Star Trek show cancelled today and a petition started up, it could get a half million signatures easily.

I mentioned the Stargate SG-1 facebook page had 400,000, We have 2 Star Trek facebook pages with over 1 million and a Star Wars one with 4 million. Shows how big the fan interest in those franchises. I know George Lucas wants to do a live action TV series, but not sure of its status.

Creating a Star Trek or Star Wars tv series within the next few years would draw much higher ratings that what Stargate had. Good chance either will first run on a broadcast network before cable.

 

[The Wormhole]

I know George Lucas wants to do a live action TV series, but not sure of its status.

The live action Star Wars show basically isn't happening because George Lucas doesn't know how to do it with anything less than the budget he had for the prequels.

 

[Mr Awe]

These petitions are not an alternative to ratings or agreeing to the ratings. Ratings are based on estimated viewers based on a small sample of the population. Many agree the ratings gathering technology is obsolete, using the same methods and equipment since the 1950s. Using sampling could be off by thousands, how many people do you know have a neilson box?

Ratings are a tried and true concept based on sound statistical theory. Yes, any sample is off, but you can estimate the error as well. Even including the error, there just were not enough viewers. A few thousand more viewers would not suddenly make the show more profitable.

Sorry, but your argument makes no business sense. The viewers were not there for the show. It was unprofitable. Hence, it won't be made.

Mr Awe

 

[Saquist]

These petitions are not an alternative to ratings or agreeing to the ratings. Ratings are based on estimated viewers based on a small sample of the population. Many agree the ratings gathering technology is obsolete, using the same methods and equipment since the 1950s. Using sampling could be off by thousands, how many people do you know have a neilson box?

Ratings are a tried and true concept based on sound statistical theory. Yes, any sample is off, but you can estimate the error as well. Even including the error, there just were not enough viewers. A few thousand more viewers would not suddenly make the show more profitable.

Sorry, but your argument makes no business sense. The viewers were not there for the show. It was unprofitable. Hence, it won't be made.

Mr Awe

I don't know about all that mess but I do know that it works for every other show....so I'm not about to cry foul because a SGA and SGU suffered from bad ratings.

SG fans have gotten really pathetic. So far they are blaming just about everything...the rating system, SyFy, wrestling, lack of summer run, MGM, everyone else is to blame but SGU.

 

[AJ86]

I don't think anyone is suggesting that SGU had a broad appeal, it obviously didn't, but that doesn't mean that Syfy's ineptitude didn't further add to the shows demise, and may have been the difference between a two season run and a three season one.

 

[Dac]

SGU's first season wasn't stellar - that didn't help, but it was far from horrible either. I think its very fair to say that SGU season 1 was 50:50 when it came to good episodes and bad episodes. Hold that next to any of the Star Trek spinoffs, The Clone Wars, or even Stargate SG-1 and I'd say thats a better ratio of good vs bad.

Of course, taste is subjective - it didn't appeal to everyone, but on the flipside of that I was a fan of BSG, SG1, SGA, the first season of Heroes and LOST. All of which are similar shows, and all of which were financially viable enough to last more that 2 seasons. Yes, the argument could be made that SGU was nothing but a ripoff of BSG or what have you, but outside of very general things like lighting and the setting, it quickly differentiated itself, especially in its second season. Looking at it in that light, if all those similar shows could do well for themselves under similar circumstances, why didn't SGU succeed? Limited audience share? Lack of promotion? Bad scheduling?

I think the fact that other high concept shows which have become exceedingly popular such as True Blood and Breaking Bad have been aired over the summer away from heavy competition helped those become as popular as they have. Sure, they're not the same as SGU, but in their cases I do feel that airing over the summer helps them. SyFy also claim that Warehouse 13 and Eureka do well, but they also air over the summer (I guess it also helps those shows look like they cost $10 to make vs SGU's gorgeous sets).

So basically, yes, there is no accounting for taste, but when you look at other popular shows which SyFy champion as being ratings winners, and look at when they air - there is a disconnect there. If they aired Warehouse 13 at the same time as Hawaii 5-0 and Two and a half Men, i'd like to see what the ratings are for that.

 

[Saquist]

SGU's first season wasn't stellar - that didn't help, but it was far from horrible either. I think its very fair to say that SGU season 1 was 50:50 when it came to good episodes and bad episodes. Hold that next to any of the Star Trek spinoffs, The Clone Wars, or even Stargate SG-1 and I'd say thats a better ratio of good vs bad.

Of course, taste is subjective - it didn't appeal to everyone, but on the flipside of that I was a fan of BSG, SG1, SGA, the first season of Heroes and LOST. All of which are similar shows, and all of which were financially viable enough to last more that 2 seasons. Yes, the argument could be made that SGU was nothing but a ripoff of BSG or what have you, but outside of very general things like lighting and the setting, it quickly differentiated itself, especially in its second season. Looking at it in that light, if all those similar shows could do well for themselves under similar circumstances, why didn't SGU succeed? Limited audience share? Lack of promotion? Bad scheduling?

I think the fact that other high concept shows which have become exceedingly popular such as True Blood and Breaking Bad have been aired over the summer away from heavy competition helped those become as popular as they have. Sure, they're not the same as SGU, but in their cases I do feel that airing over the summer helps them. SyFy also claim that Warehouse 13 and Eureka do well, but they also air over the summer (I guess it also helps those shows look like they cost $10 to make vs SGU's gorgeous sets).

So basically, yes, there is no accounting for taste, but when you look at other popular shows which SyFy champion as being ratings winners, and look at when they air - there is a disconnect there. If they aired Warehouse 13 at the same time as Hawaii 5-0 and Two and a half Men, i'd like to see what the ratings are for that.

It may not have been horrible but it was barely bearable. You have to admit most shows that slow get the channel turned on them. They destroyed the characters only to have them inexplicable resolve their issues from season one and that happened because it was clearly a mistake to pit them against themselves. The producers only have themselves to blame and they need to own up to it.

The arrogance of this duo is the summit of mount ego itself. They told us "don't like it don't watch it." They were so sure of their product out side the standard reaction that THEY put themselves into a sink or swim category and I for one (maybe the only one) am going to hold that arrogance before their nose with a big helping of "I told you so" pie.

That's not how you run a business.
It's not like ENT series were they were so blind they waited 3 seasons to fix the mistakes with horrid patch jobs on their plot devices and contrivances but then SGU was sinking alot faster than ENT. They had to react to the things like the Conventions and what Michael Shanks said and the message boards and the smear campaign. It was direly reflected in the ratings. But they persisted with the "ratings aren't fair".

So I give them props for raising the lighting level, ceasing the pedantic argumentation and writing a bit more substance than drama but that's I can dispense in their favor.

 

[Robert Maxwell]

It may not have been horrible but it was barely bearable. You have to admit most shows that slow get the channel turned on them. They destroyed the characters only to have them inexplicable resolve their issues from season one and that happened because it was clearly a mistake to pit them against themselves. The producers only have themselves to blame and they need to own up to it.

The arrogance of this duo is the summit of mount ego itself. They told us "don't like it don't watch it." They were so sure of their product out side the standard reaction that THEY put themselves into a sink or swim category and I for one (maybe the only one) am going to hold that arrogance before their nose with a big helping of "I told you so" pie.

Um... wow. Exactly who do you think you are? You think the producers need to personally apologize to you and beg your forgiveness? That's what it sounds like.

It's a TV show. It got canceled. The people who worked on it now have to find new jobs. For whatever reasons, it is over. You win. Enjoy your Schadenfreude.

 

[Dac]

It may not have been horrible but it was barely bearable. You have to admit most shows that slow get the channel turned on them. They destroyed the characters only to have them inexplicable resolve their issues from season one and that happened because it was clearly a mistake to pit them against themselves. The producers only have themselves to blame and they need to own up to it.

The arrogance of this duo is the summit of mount ego itself. They told us "don't like it don't watch it." They were so sure of their product out side the standard reaction that THEY put themselves into a sink or swim category and I for one (maybe the only one) am going to hold that arrogance before their nose with a big helping of "I told you so" pie.

That's not how you run a business.
It's not like ENT series were they were so blind they waited 3 seasons to fix the mistakes with horrid patch jobs on their plot devices and contrivances but then SGU was sinking alot faster than ENT. They had to react to the things like the Conventions and what Michael Shanks said and the message boards and the smear campaign. It was direly reflected in the ratings. But they persisted with the "ratings aren't fair".

So I give them props for raising the lighting level, ceasing the pedantic argumentation and writing a bit more substance than drama but that's I can dispense in their favor.

Well, thats all well and good.

I'd still like to see SyFy air Warehouse 13 or Wrestling in the Monday slot they had SGU.

 

[AJ86]

Warehouse 13 was actually pulling over 3 million viewers on a Tuesday, though admittedly that was during the summer.

 

[Tyson]

SGU was a shitty ripoff of BSG and the other shows turned into shitty ripoffs of Voyager or something, I don't even know anymore. Basically Stargate is crap and they should straight up do a sequel to the original movie even though Kurt Russell and James Spader are probably too fat now just to annoy all the fans of the dipshit TV franchise.

Go read a book or something.

 

[AJ86]

I don't even know anymore.

The only part of that rant we can all agree with

 

[brian577]

SGU was a shitty ripoff of BSG and the other shows turned into shitty ripoffs of Voyager or something, I don't even know anymore. Basically Stargate is crap and they should straight up do a sequel to the original movie even though Kurt Russell and James Spader are probably too fat now just to annoy all the fans of the dipshit TV franchise.

Go read a book or something.

That was only for the first season of SGA and SG-1 had nothing to do with getting home.

Please actually watch a show before you comment on it.

 

[MacLeod]

SGU was a shitty ripoff of BSG and the other shows turned into shitty ripoffs of Voyager or something, I don't even know anymore. Basically Stargate is crap and they should straight up do a sequel to the original movie even though Kurt Russell and James Spader are probably too fat now just to annoy all the fans of the dipshit TV franchise.

Go read a book or something.

If as you say stargate is crap, why would you want them to do a sequel to it?

 

[Saquist]

Um... wow. Exactly who do you think you are?

I am Saquist.

You think the producers need to personally apologize to you and beg your forgiveness?

No.
I'm no longer a fan of the series. I have no such requirements.

That's what it sounds like.

I'm not responsible for what you think you hear.

It's a TV show. It got canceled.

Indubitably.

The people who worked on it now have to find new jobs. For whatever reasons, it is over. You win. Enjoy your Schadenfreude.

No, they won. They succeeded in driving the franchise into the ground in far less time than star trek did. That's the element of stupidity inherent in the blindness of fools.

Well, thats all well and good.

I'd still like to see SyFy air Warehouse 13 or Wrestling in the Monday slot they had SGU.

Sy Fy needs to put it's best show on the weekend. Friday Saturday Sunday. BBC knows that with Doctor who, but that show doesn't appeal to alot of people and it's only an hour. Shows like SGU and Caprica needed to be Primetime Saturday and Sunday if wrestling was going to take 2 hours on Friday. Put Eureka and Warehouse 13 as lead ins and create a Sci Fi weekend block of TV reminiscent of Sci Fi Friday..

but it says something when they prefer to do these marathons on Saturday and Sunday rather than run good shows during America's peak lazy period. Right now a whole Saturday of Trek....

 

[cylkoth]

I'd still like to see SyFy air Warehouse 13 or Wrestling in the Monday slot they had SGU.

You will. Starting in July...Eureka@8pm, W13@9pm, and the new Alphas@10pmEST.