Stargate Universe will last how many seasons?

[RJDiogenes]

I'll say five. But I think two things will happen: 1) The show will evolve thematically and aesthetically away from nuBSG and back to traditional Stargate, and 2) it will evolve away from the the lost & survival concept to something more engaging, like co-opting the ship for the use of Humanity. And I think both of these things will happen relatively quickly, since I've heard that the ratings are no improvement over Atlantis.

Oh, and 3) I think they will invest in some paint and wallpaper for that stupid ship. I think the Ancients are probably extinct because they bored themselves to death.

 

[Jax]

4-5 Seasons

 

[bigdaddy]

And I think both of these things will happen relatively quickly, since I've heard that the ratings are no improvement over Atlantis.

Oh, and 3) I think they will invest in some paint and wallpaper for that stupid ship. I think the Ancients are probably extinct because they bored themselves to death.

Where did you hear that? The ratings for the premiere were the highest for Stargate in 5 years and I think they went up a little for Air part 3 (overall viewers).

Have you even been on a battleship, a sub, or any military navy ship? They are built for function, not looks.

 

[Sephiroth]

unless the ship gets an overhaul, i give it 3 seasons, 2 if they don't stop with the ZOMG! Ticking Clock! episodes

 

[RJDiogenes]

And I think both of these things will happen relatively quickly, since I've heard that the ratings are no improvement over Atlantis.

Oh, and 3) I think they will invest in some paint and wallpaper for that stupid ship. I think the Ancients are probably extinct because they bored themselves to death.

Where did you hear that? The ratings for the premiere were the highest for Stargate in 5 years and I think they went up a little for Air part 3 (overall viewers).

Yeah, highest premiere in several years, but disappointing for a series premiere and not what they hoped given the investment and the hype. Given the normal drop-off series experience, it's probably not a good sign.

Have you even been on a battleship, a sub, or any military navy ship? They are built for function, not looks.

I have, and it was very interesting; but they would not have made good settings for a TV show. And the Destiny is even worse; nothing but, gray, gray, gray, everywhere you look. Very dull.

 

[Jax]

highest premiere in several years, but disappointing for a series premiere and not what they hoped given the investment and the hype. Given the normal drop-off series experience, it's probably not a good sign.

I would bet due to the lower pilot turn out that the show audience won't drop too much and will stay quite level. DVR is a much bigger factor than in SG-1 days or when SG-A pilot aired so add them in and SGU ratings are higher.

 

[clint g]

Plus there are those of us who catch the show on Hulu and the like. If the ratings arent taking these things into account, then they really need to start cause the world of television is changing fast

 

[bigdaddy]

And I think both of these things will happen relatively quickly, since I've heard that the ratings are no improvement over Atlantis.

Oh, and 3) I think they will invest in some paint and wallpaper for that stupid ship. I think the Ancients are probably extinct because they bored themselves to death.

Where did you hear that? The ratings for the premiere were the highest for Stargate in 5 years and I think they went up a little for Air part 3 (overall viewers).

Yeah, highest premiere in several years, but disappointing for a series premiere and not what they hoped given the investment and the hype. Given the normal drop-off series experience, it's probably not a good sign.

Once again, you said the ratings were no improvement over Atlantis when the ratings were higher than the last 5 years of Stargates, that means it's higher rated than Atlantis was when it ended.

Also the ratings went UP from Air Part 1+2 and Air part 3.

No one cares about online viewing because they don't make any money that way.

 

[Mr. Adventure]

No one cares about online viewing because they don't make any money that way.

People say that a lot but it make me wonder why then do they show episodes online?

 

[Gepard]

I think the Ancients are probably extinct because they bored themselves to death.

Only now figuring this out?

 

[Harvey]

No one cares about online viewing because they don't make any money that way.

People say that a lot but it make me wonder why then do they show episodes online?

Because they do make money that way. That's why you see an ad between act breaks when you watch the episodes on Hulu or on SyFy Rewind. That's why you have to pay a small fee when you buy the series on iTunes. But, obviously, they make the most money at the moment based on television ads. The internet is still a growing market that the studios and networks have only begun to exploit and understand.

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

Five years the reach syndication status and the 100th episode mark. Then SciFi will cancel it.

Except that SyFy doesn't care whether the series reaches the syndication "success" mark - only MGM, the studio that produces and owns it, does.

 

[Harvey]

SyFy must have some investment in how long the series lasts. Re-runs of SG-1 and Atlantis have been its bread and butter for some time, and it stands to reason that they want a decent number of episodes of Universe to be able to rebroadcast as well.

 

[Hartzilla2007]

No one cares about online viewing because they don't make any money that way.

People say that a lot but it make me wonder why then do they show episodes online?

Also why the hell would they put commercials on online viewings if that was the case.

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

SyFy must have some investment in how long the series lasts. Re-runs of SG-1 and Atlantis have been its bread and butter for some time, and it stands to reason that they want a decent number of episodes of Universe to be able to rebroadcast as well.

No.

They sell advertising time based on the expected ratings of a show. If the show sinks below that rating, they have to compensate for the difference with things like "make goods" - that is, essentially giving the sponsors free advertising time.

If a series consistently falls short of target - and particularly if its performance leads the folks at the channel to expect it to continue to sink - they're going to cut it loose to keep from losing money.

If a channel can purchase reruns of a show for a price that they expect will enable them to make money at the rates they can sell advertising for then they may choose to do so. If they don't think they can make money, they won't.

If the Stargates and reruns of the Stargates have been the "bread-and-butter" of SyFy then it's because they've been hitting the targets. If they don't or they cease to, then SyFy will drop them without a second thought. The channel has no financial incentive whatever to continue airing a series that is losing money for it and is produced by an outside entity.

 

[Harvey]

Of course they're going to cancel this turkey if the ratings take a serious nose-dive. That's a given, and was not my point.

But... they may very likely let it coast out the end of its life with "okay" ratings, as they let Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis do in their final two seasons, because (a) they want to keep the Stargate brand and (b) re-runs of the franchise have traditionally been ratings successes for the network.

 

[RJDiogenes]

I think the Ancients are probably extinct because they bored themselves to death.

Only now figuring this out?

But their clothes are in color there, which is a big improvement over the Destiny.

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

...re-runs of the franchise have traditionally been ratings successes for the network.

And they have fifteen seasons of Stargate reruns which are costing them next-to-nothing. Underwriting eighty or ninety percent of the production cost of new episodes when the ratings keep slipping is very different.

 

[Harvey]

Agreed on that account. But I was under the impression the ratings improved from week one to week two, a relative rarity. But I suppose the ratings for week three, which will probably be out today, will start to indicate the ultimate trend of viewership.

 

[MPH]

Probably 5 seasons like most shows these days. Atlantis however wasn't cancelled didn't they finish it themselves so they could make Universe?