Comments»

1. Ben - October 3, 2009

SGU is different in many ways but I believe it’s worth watching more episodes. My wife (who is NOT a sci-fi fan by any degree) actually liked it and said she’d watch again. No disrespect to any SGU cast member, who all did a great job, but it was good to see some old SG-1 faces again.

2. David J - October 3, 2009

SGU was pretty lame. I was all for a more serious approach (since I always thought the previous Stargates were too jokey and generic), but SGU was dull beyond belief. It’s not enough to copy the dark TONE of BSG– you also need some strong writing to go with it.

And looking forward to seeing Tennant on SJA. Never cared for the show before, but with the Doctor there it’ll definitely be worth checking out.

3. Thorny - October 3, 2009

Ouch! Two of the shows to which I was most looking forward both look to be dead on (before) arrival. Last week, “V” got the “shut down production for retooling” treatment (which is almost always the first sign of impending cancellation) and now “Day One” is shunted off to miniseries hell… almost certainly a Saturday night burn-off sometime next spring.

4. Kirk, James T. - October 3, 2009

wonder if the tag line for Caprica “Two Families, One Destiny” is a little homage to Star Trek: Generations tag line “Two Captains, One Destiny.

5. jas_montreal - October 3, 2009

I’ve been a huge Stargate fan and Stargate Universe sucks compared to SG-1. They’ve completely strayed away from the original formula. I think they should recast the original cast characters and make a SG-1 movies.

6. jas_montreal - October 3, 2009

@ 4.

No surprise there. Ronald D Moore worked on both.

7. Enterprise - October 3, 2009

Why is ABC effing with V? It went over big at comic cob. Just air it after FlashForward, which I also enjoy. I just don’t get it.

8. The Twilight Zone Anniversary - October 3, 2009

[...] Friday was the 50th anniversary of the first airing of “The Twilight Zone” (October 2, 1959). In honor of the anniversary, check out this 10-minute video compilation of all 156 episodes of the series. [via TrekMovie] [...]

9. Thorny - October 3, 2009

SGU got poor ratings. Shocked! Shocked, I am!

For all the hype and fanboy appreciation “dark” shows like B5, DS9, and BSG get, they are almost never big in the ratings. People just don’t seem to want to watch gloomy shows.

Hopefully, the likely failure of SGU will be the final nail in the coffin of “gloom and doom” TV. “Enterprise’s” dark Xindi season-long storyline essentially killed that show. “Atlantis” had a sense of humor in its first season, but was retooled thereafter to be darker, and went into ratings free-fall. The ultra-dark “BSG’s” ratings sank to the point that it couldn’t justify its expense any longer. “Sarah Connor”, perhaps the darkest show in TV history, was terminated. “Dollhouse”, which is lighter than them but still pretty dark, defied logic and returned for a second season, but it is on life support and will be gone soon, too.

10. nonymoose - October 3, 2009

SGU wasn’t as terrible as I’d feared, but it wasn’t great either. If i keep watching it’s only for the characters of Dr. Rush, Eli and TJ the medic — they were the only ones that managed to keep my attention for any span of time.

Seeing familiar faces like Michael Shanks only made me remember how much I’d missed SG1, and how dreary and humor-less this new show seems in comparison…..sci-fi should be trending away from the dark gritty ‘BSG’ vibe that’s becoming so hip these days and more toward the brighter, fun adventurousness of the new ST film. God knows we could use some cheering up.

11. Captain Jack Bauer - October 3, 2009

Fringe needs to move back to Tuesday, or just out of the Thursday 9PM slot. It can’t compete against Grey’s Anatomy and CSI (unfortunately).

Heroes looks like this will be the last year, which is good as I am tired of getting the DVDs (I want to have season 1 and I can’t own just one season, it’s the way I am). At least the season so far has been fairly decent.

12. Enterprise - October 3, 2009

SGU was terrible. I can’t believe people watch Stargate. It’s so boring. I tried to sit through it, but I kept flipping channels. Oh, and Clone Wars Season 2 started last night, but you guys never comment on it.

13. davidfuchs - October 3, 2009

SG1 was fairly strong for an opener, but I agree that there was not enough to differentiate itself from the obvious comparison (BSG). What I’m most interested in is seeing how it plays out differently from Voyager… at least with SGU they appear to be taking the limited resources thing seriously.

It’s kinda sad… I think SGU has much more promise than Atlantis, but I have doubts about its longterm success. And Heroes is finally starting to pick up after 1.5 seasons of mediocrity… but it would be best if they cut it down after this season.

14. Montreal Paul - October 3, 2009

I’m a huge Battlestar Galactica fan.. but I’m sorry, Caprica was so boring and slow paced. I am hoping that it will be a little better once the series starts.

15. Dennisn1271 - October 3, 2009

I think the new V has potential from the trailer I just watched, and with talk of having some of the original cast slipped in here and there per executive producer Jace Hall it could be fun…only time will tell. As an original fan of the mini series it will be interesting to see where it goes…

16. CmdrR - October 3, 2009

Watch SGU with my son, who spent most of the time making fun of it. (He gets that from me.) Seriously though, it was a little confusing. That was an awful lot of characters to take in in one swallow. And Lou Diamond Philips. a) why? b) it looked like he died (a la Robert T-1000 Patrick in the pilot of SGA.) But, Lou is in the previews, so I guess I’m not that lucky.

I think the show has a lot of potential. But, they have to flesh out the premise better. Just hackin’ around being lost in space until the series comes to an end… has been DONE! Does Destiny have a mission other than dropping off more Stargates than anyone knows what to do with? Does something interesting happen with the hot medic? Or Ming-Na? Anymore cool gadgets? How does Eli avoid turning into Wesley?
I’ll stick around long enough to find out…

17. Imrahil - October 3, 2009

Man, Tennant’s hair is out of control. Someone get me an anti-douchebag hairclippers please.

18. Kirk1701 - October 3, 2009

Is it just me or is Anna Torv getting lovelier by the episode? Perhaps they’re playing that up? She’s really smoldering. I know they’ve made her a little more vulnerable with the injuries and such, so perhaps we’re being given a little more room to care about her?

I’m also really enjoying how Olivia’s injury have made her a little more dependent on Peter. That’s a beautiful little relationship and the tiny bits they give us each week are stellar.

Also how awesome is it that Walter finally remembers Astrid’s name?

19. Brian from OR - October 3, 2009

I am glad I was not the only one who found SGU alittle boring. It is the first episode so I am willing to give it a few more episodes. Heroes I have just taken off of my DVR, I just can not watch it any more. It just feels like they are going in circles. At least with Smallville you have Clark becoming Superman and have him actually use his powers to do something cool. Fringe I am starting to like more and more, the little moments of the show really make it for me. Like Peter eatting the hamburger in front of the cow, that was just great.

20. Enterprise - October 3, 2009

Caprica’s pilot WAS a little dull. They’ve manged to turn such a cool premise into another courtroom drama

21. SebiMeyer - October 3, 2009

I think most of the reactions to SGU are pretty unfair: People expect too much from the pilot (which isn’t over yet, by the way); it’s not supposed to be all the series will ever be, but supposed to be a pilot.

Go back and watch SG1s first season, which for the most part was pretty boring, if not atrocious, by the standards the show later set. The same goes for the Miniseries with which BSG started out, compared to the pure genius the show later delivered.

I just hope SyFy is a little more calm about making decisions about SGU than the hysterics the fans are working themselves into.

22. dmduncan - October 3, 2009

I cannot tolerate 10 seconds of anything Stargate. A boring waste of time.

Regarding Fringe: As we approach 2012, end of the world hysteria will intensify. If the show makes it that far, and as this war between the universes becomes more defined, it would be interesting to see them capitalize on current events with fears over a nuclear Iran and NK to work an EMP bomb type of threat, from the agents of the alternate universe, into the storyline. After 9/11 it’s become more apparent that the nuclear threat has less to do with bombing our individual cities than exploding one or two bombs 300 miles OVER the country so that the electromagnetic pulse will fry the country’s entire power grid, communications, and transportation systems.

What happens when every gadget you depend on to survive doesn’t work anymore, and most of the population is suddenly, maybe permanently, unemployed?

If they wanted to really creep the hell out of people, that might be a thing to work into the show.

23. Thorny - October 3, 2009

22. A novel about that scenario, titled “One Second After”, came out earlier this year. Very sobering stuff.

24. Enc - October 4, 2009

V uk promo looked too much like ID4
and the ABC promo was too much to serve man

SGU i was dissapointed

Dollhouse 201 was also a dissapointment
should have kept TSCC

another Riverworld? please.

25. Spockish - October 4, 2009

As for Twilights 50th, I posted a comment of friday that it was fifth years old that day. The reaction seemed more like the people here expected fresh prime rib steak and where feed cardboard cutout pictures insted. Still have to watch SGU on my DVR, will have time after Dallas comes to Denver to lose another football game.

The happy news is Season 4 of PrimeEvil, I was bummed back in the early summer it got canned I only have one minor complaint, 6 to 10 shows is not a season, it’s a quarter of a season for me. But even current 2009 TV is shrinking to British sizes, 11/18/22 shows for a year. It use to be 48/32/26/22 now even 20 to 16. Getting that low in week count it’s more like filling a time slot not filling a year of a show. And 10 show seasons with the show makers making 20 shows a year and counting that as 2 seasons, that to me is cheating only to give more fake self engrandment making them only feel they have gained more power.

In other words it’s more 2 + 2 = 5 self envisioned empowerment and ego boosting with words not actions.

What happened to the truth is the truth, not what you think the truth needs to be.

26. Jim Nightshade - October 4, 2009

sgu-i cant believe they ripped off the last starfighter for part of its plot-haha-how original-not-eli makes wesley look 3 dimensional by comparison so far anyway–the couple of minutes of cameos of characters from sg1 were the best things about sgu-not a great sign…i was unclear about who attacked the planet the sgu crew were on-was it a known sg enemy? I might have fallen asleep haha-i am enjoying fringe this season-writing is getting better and yep the small moments are great-some funny great moments too-

27. Ken1w - October 4, 2009

SG-U – At least, for a show with “Stargate” in its name, they will actually be using a stargate as the central story element. That’s how it was in the great early seasons of SG-1, where they actually used the Stargate to go have an adventure every week. The bad guys had teleportation, ray guns, and space ships, but the humans just had were their one Stargate, ingenuity, and determination.

Later, as SG-1 progressed and led to SG-A, the humans had starships, warp drive, transporters, and force fields. In some episodes, you barely even saw a stargate. The Stargate franchise just became a take on Star Trek. I like Star Trek, but Stargate lost its identity.

So I think SG-U is an attempt to go back to the roots of the franchise. Appropriately, it’s a fleet of Goa’uld motherships attacking the planet with death gliders; back to its roots, indeed. And we have a team of human explorers who are underdogs again, lacking experience and knowledge of their situation. And the Stargate is once again their only means of traveling to new worlds.

So I think we should give this show a chance. They basically spent the first two hours cutting the ties from the past seasons of Stargate and setting up the new premise. It’s almost a reboot. The new series really starts next week.

28. VulcanNonibird - October 4, 2009

So hopefully we get some more clues about the upcomming regeneration of The Doctor….

And glad that Primeval is saved – and if only for seeing Hannah Spearritt…(-;

29. SarahJM - October 4, 2009

So this is the second time they had trouble determining the last chevron. Shouldn’t that be the easiest one to find? I’m pretty sure if I gave all of you my phone number minus the last digit, on average it would take you five attempts to call me.

30. Vedek Anon - October 4, 2009

When, oh when will the executives learn.

Premise only gets you in the door. Writing – GOOD writing – will make or break a series.

Humor, be it slight or slapstick needs to be earned. Fringe has earned the right to incorporate it (they acknowledge the ridiculous nature of the events they are investigating and use the humor as a release).

Joss may have a vision, but I am hard-pressed to see it so far. I think he’d have better ratings with Dr. Horrible, the Series. Unfortunately, both actors have gigs already.

Heroes needs to go away – great miniseries, horrible TV show (kinda like the original V).

Flash Forward – at least if there is a fat guy, he can still stay fat. If you are lost on an island, how do you not lose weight even if time travel is involved?

SGU – verdict to be rendered eventually, but main characters are nuanced, but not very likable. The Dr. being slightly mad I could take if he wasn’t trying to be sincere (Rodney had the much better cred early on in Atlantis being full of himself). WHY is Eli there – couldn’t you just have taken his contest win and use it without using him??? A video game junkie does not a brilliant scientist make.

I now relinquish the soap box to another….

Go in peace.
The Vedek

31. woody - October 4, 2009

I tried SGU. It was pretty bad. It would seem to have so much potential, but the writing seemed poor and the terrible acting of the Senator and his daughter had me cringing. It clearly has more money than the hokey SG-1 series, which seemed to always take place in some Canadian forest. I’ll give it another shot until there’s a new Star Trek series.

32. Adam C - October 4, 2009

# well SGU is deffenitly a tiny bit moar adult and like the original movie, which I like and never like SG1 or atlantis for. But it does have the atlantis reboot feel, which is needs to shake.

# V looks good, looking forward to that

# Fringe, kind of didnt go in the direction I thought it would thought it would go more alternative reality mode, changing the show from the original season. Still got that too look forward too

# **** heroes its **** cancel that show omg.

#

33. davidfuchs - October 4, 2009

@31

Yeah, a lot of SG1 did take place in the filming location. Is that any worse than most of Star Trek? Just because they were on the same shipside sets for most of the time doesn’t forgive their boring scenery–you’d think they’d have *more* money for better locations. Instead we got things like “Equinox, Part II” where ensign expendable actually *points out* how much the location looks like Earth.

I really don’t get all the dogging on SG1. I wasn’t a big fan of its spinoffs and I agree that the later seasons suffered from too much tech and not enough McGyver, but the middle four or five seasons dominated anything that Voyager or Enterprise were putting out at the time. It’s a grade A sci-fi series, just like the best of Trek.

34. VZX - October 4, 2009

Bummer about Smallville. I guess its a sure thing that that this is the last season.

35. Thorny - October 4, 2009

29… “So this is the second time they had trouble determining the last chevron. Shouldn’t that be the easiest one to find?”

They were trying to find a ninth chevron that was unique to that Stargate, after Daniel Jackson discovered the seventh symbol (point of origin) in the original movie and O’Neil discovered how to use an eighth symbol to dial another galaxy (in “The Fifth Race” and later SGA). They tried using the symbol for the planet where the Super Stargate was located, but that didn’t work. Then the kid suggested they use Earth’s symbol as the last chevron, because it might really be a code to “unlock” the stargate. (A trick the Ancients had evidently used to prevent anyone else using that gate.)

30. “Flash Forward – at least if there is a fat guy, he can still stay fat. If you are lost on an island, how do you not lose weight even if time travel is involved?”

It was only about three or four months of “real time” on the Island before the Oceanic Six were rescued. Hurley, accused of hoarding food, mentioned once that he had in fact lost weight (”I’ve dropped two notches on my belt! When you weigh as much as me, it’s gonna take time!”)

36. Shadowcat - October 4, 2009

I enjoyed Stargate Universe. I am not a big fan of SG-1 at all and preferred Stargate Atlantis. I plan to watch the second episode. Robert Carlyle is one of my favourite actors.

I am so thrilled that Primeval is coming back. Abby and Conor are my favourite characters. I watched the show on BBC America when I lived in the US.

I am a huge fan of the Sara Jane Adventures and Dr. Who. I am looking forward to the Doctor’s appearance in episodes five and six. I cannot get
enough of David Tennant.

Fast Forward was intriguing. I do hope John Cho comes back to reprise his role as Sulu in the next Star Trek movie.

37. AJ - October 4, 2009

I’m amazed that timeslots still play such a role on network TV. So many viewers now timeshift with DVR’s, or, like me, have switched to the PC to watch first run shows. Does Nielsen even cover this in their numbers?

Genre shows have lost so many key 18-49 y.o. viewers according to this report. Where did they go?

38. Dr. Image - October 4, 2009

#9- DS9 was not a “dark” or “gloomy fanboy” show.
Obviously, you’ve never seen it.
Makes me wonder what show you think is any good.

39. Spockish - October 4, 2009

Watching Premieres on the PC is nice, great quality in the image, and you can pause it, then in most cases whatch it when you want. In other words a DVR like TV tuner.

But to really enjoy on line viewing you need a high speed connection, i.e. a T1 DSL or cable connection as Dish is getting faster now about 2/3rds a T1 line for random access.

And some new HDTV’s have software/hareware for a Ethernet high speed link to the Net.

I say by 2025 TV will be coming to homes via Fiber Optic Ethernet links to the Net. This because the Bell phone will be VOIP and 3D video links for picture phones, and cells will still have at least video phone service.

The bad point is by then the IRS will be taxing you for the bits you send, all because software will make it easy, and easier to hunt terrorist that may have to start using smoke signals to keep things private. So a warning before a warning, start bad mouthing Government person to person not via mail, e-mail, the phone or even signs on video.

The first prototypes of video visual subject reading is coming from Japan, indirectly from the P3 video game people that use video instead of the Wii controlers for motion detection.

40. SGFAN - October 4, 2009

ScyFy crammed in way too many commercials during the premier of SGU. I re-watched it without the commercials on Hulu and the story flowed much better.

41. Hat Rick - October 4, 2009

Here’s a link to Fortean Times’ special on Star Trek:

http://www.forteantimes.com/specials/star-trek/

42. AJ - October 4, 2009

40:

I find “advertising diarrhea” on cable to be offensive. My six-year-old started crying once when the SW prequels were on Spike because he wanted to watch the movie (He thought I had changed the channel, but it was a long sequence of ads). I counted 19 ads at one point during one commercial break.

Once a channel gets to that point, it’s time to pack it in.

43. Keenan - October 4, 2009

Watched SGU. It was soooo slow; I wanted to like it but I just couldn’t. It dragged. I wasn’t really into the whole BSG rip-off either. I’m not a Galactica fan at all but I could see that this show is going to mirror it pretty close. The actors were all good and i enjoyed their performances but the story was just plain bad and slow. It was the first episode and the writers expected us to care about the characters right out of the gate?! no way. I hope it will pick up but I doubt SGU will have a season 2.

44. Captain Dunsel - October 4, 2009

Well, I see that the producers of “The Phantom” went ahead with their stupid and insipid “generic tech/ninja” costume “reimagining”. (Pardon me – where did the “imagination” part come in? I guess I missed it.)

Thanks for posting this clip, as in “Thanks for the warning!” I will definitely now be warned to avoid stepping in that particular pile of…stuff.

45. LordEdzo - October 4, 2009

#27 … On SGU, I believe they said it was the Lucian Alliance attacking, not the Goa’uld. I’m no expert, but I think the Lucians were using Goa’uld ships in one of the Ben Browder episodes of SG1, in which he had to go undercover as a Lucian.

46. LordEdzo - October 4, 2009

#28 … I’m liking the prospect of more Andrew-Lee Potts on “Primeval.” Hope SyFy will be showing the 3rd season sometime soon.

47. LordEdzo - October 4, 2009

#31 … “I tried SGU. It was pretty bad. It would seem to have so much potential, but the writing seemed poor and the terrible acting of the Senator and his daughter had me cringing.”

The senator didn’t bother me, but they made such a BFD when he died – with the daughter crying and Rush’s lame attempt at sympathy – that I thought I was watching a series in its 3rd or 4th season, and that the senator had been a pivotal character whose ultimate sacrifice was a series-changing moment.

But this was only the pilot! I had *no* emotional investment in either the senator or his hysterical daughter. In fact, I hate the daughter character now. Grinding the show to a dead halt while they sang accolades to this “brave” senator was entirely unwarranted … a really bad idea. Didn’t work.

Overall, I gotta say I’m really shocked by fans’ mostly negative reaction to SGU. I’m not a “huge” SG fanatic, but I enjoyed this pilot. I thought SG fans were really looking forward to it … but I guess it just didn’t deliver. C’est la vie.

I hate that “pretty boy” Lt. Scott character. Who the frak does he think he is? “Oh, I’m such a good little boy … I can step up during this major crisis and everybody will love me and listen to me.” And then he has a scene banging that chick … what, so it worked on BSG and now it’s “mandatory” in all new space-based shows, just to keep them “down to Earth”? Disgusting. I’d love to zat that Scott twice and be done with him. “Pretty boy” … go frak yourself, actor boy.

Oh, BTW, the hour-long “Star Wars: The Clone Wars” premiere was good. I liked. Got really pissed at Anakin for handing over that Holocron to Cad Bane … just to save Ahsoka. Don’t get me wrong, I like Ahsoka and I don’t want her “gone,” but Anakin was just … so … vexing!

But then I remembered what Yoda said in the TCW movie, about how Anakin’s real test as a teacher would be his ability to “let go” when the time came. Yoda said the same thing to Anakin in ROTS. But the boy can’t let go. This is all part of his downfall. So, I understand why Anakin *had* to give Bane the Holocron … but it’s still vexing!

48. LordEdzo - October 4, 2009

#40 … Aaaaaa-MEN! Waaaaay too many commercials. But that’s the price “we” pay for getting a 2-hour premiere.

49. harley3k - October 4, 2009

Fringe finally ‘lost’ out to other shows on my DVR, now that it moved.

I kept watching and waiting for something truly interesting to happen in the story, but it just seemed too much like a LOST-style tease for me to enjoy… I’m sure it’ll get interesting now that I’m no longer recording it.

50. harley3k - October 4, 2009

SGU reminded me a lot of the original Stargate movie, which I did like. The problem is that it reminded me too much of the movie.

Gov’t has this stargate dialing problem they can’t solve.
They tap some unsuspecting civilian to help them.
The civilian solves the puzzle.
At some point they end up on a desert planet.

If they have pyramids in the second episode, then I’ll know to just turn it off and pull out the original movie DVD and watch that instead.

51. Enc - October 5, 2009

26
it was a throw away line about a minor group of thugs with now real reason behind. just to put our group in jepody.

29
im still noy sure what it does. 7 your galaxy. 8 is this galaxy to another. and 9 is what? a realy effing long way away.
i think the trouble they had was they got the address wrong. the did a poor job of explaining it. the last chevron is the planet your on. and they assumed they were on the gates original programed planet. But apparently the gate was moved (for more power) and some damn ancient forgot to file a change of address. Hell didnt SG-A modify the gates to build their bridge?
I didnt buy that code BS. the kid didnt know about gate details like reprograming. he knows games and made that cheat code comment based on his game exp. he was prob right for the wrong reason.
didnt the preview for next week etc show ‘em wearing ev suits. why couldnt they put one on in ‘air’. close the door, climb out the broken shuttle window and walk to an airlock.
and what was wrong again with the air? I remember it was a leak or two and bad co2 scrubers. iirc the substrance was saturated or what ever and needed to be replaced. so what life form was on that ship that saturated the filters? with a hull breach and no one on board howd they get bad again?

52. Spockish - October 5, 2009

I use to really bit-ich about to many TV ads, but that was back when they only used 15-16 minutes of the show to advertise. My cure was my DVR with edit in my DVD burner, I could then frame by frame remove ads. And now it’s 26 minutes to 36 minutes per hour of ads, And blocks of ads lasting 6 to 8 minutes on replay old show channels. And even 3 minutes of ad a 20-30 second blip from the show and another 3-4 minute block.

Since 4th grade (1968) when I had a class on the history and creation of TV and ads only took 8 to 10 minutes of a show. I’ve been saying that when TV ad time uses 30 minutes of a TV show, TV will start dieing. And that was before VCR’s, cable, or DVR’s and DVD’s but there was a few Pay per View events for like Boxing.

Was going to watch StarGate Universe on my Dish Hard Drive today but got into football to much. Guess I’ll have to find time this week or next. Sounds like I’ll have to make sure my remote has new batteries because I’ll be using the skip forward button many times to skip the ads. Or find an ad free copy on-line to watch.

It’s getting to the point TV is now advertisements interrupted by 3 to 6 minute blocks of shows

If I want to see something worth watching I’ll be keeping my Star Trek DVD’s warm along with my 2,200 movie collection of DVD-R disks from collecting dust.

And only 5 weeks and a day to wait to start watching Star Trek The Movie, just realized it’s almost 10 weeks until Christmas. And we’ve had a few snow storms in Denver all ready. It’s getting to the time of year you’d hope global warming would return to remove the yearly global freezing.

53. Cafe 5 - October 5, 2009

SGU was boring, souless, and doesn’t have a single character you can relate to. These people are all mental and have enough emotional baggage to destroy each other. What a fun watch this would be. A direct flight of the Destiny into a nearby sun would save everyone a great deal of time and energy. What a waste.

54. AJ - October 5, 2009

Advertising is annoying, but what is worse is the quality of the ads. If you watch syfy and cable, you’re inundated with ads about bankruptcy, ‘male enhancement.’ fast-food and cars wanting desperately to be sold. All this becomes wallpaper after awhile, and while it may be the revenue stream for these stations, it’s just not getting anyone out there to buy products. so they show us more bad ads. And more. And so goes the death of TV.

55. Schiefy - October 5, 2009

#37–I agree that the ratings game needs to be revised for the new technologies effecting our viewing habits!

Along with the time slots I get frustrated with the lack of a “unified” premier season as it seems more (new) shows sprout up at different times instead of the old traditional Fall season. I am still not sure when the Doctor Who specials are airing this year or if I might have missed any of them (which is why I depend on sites like Trekmovie.com to give me the heads up).

One thing I miss in a lot of the new shows is utilizing real sci-fi (not SyFy) writers like TOS (or TZ and Outer Limits) did. While we are obviously oversaturated with SGs and STs so that it is hard to create shows that seem fresh and original (especially when planted in the same “universe”) I also believe that too many shows are being “created” and “written” by people who are mass producing episodic TV and thus watering down thoughtful imagination. “Flashforward” stands out a little more because it found its root in a sci-fi novel and we need more of those kind of series to appear instead of all the endless remakes (now some are okay because of being able to update and showcase a truly great idea utilizing new fx not available to the original).

Obviously, as someone else pointed out there is still the need for great script writing translated into great acting that creates characters we grow to love–no matter how great the premise without those great characters like Kirk-Spock-McCoy to flesh out the ideas and make them realistic, shows will continue to flounder in whatever ratings scheme we see.

I think the best solution for TV is combining the work of the great sci-fi writers (past and present) with the TV writers who know how to connect characters with the audience–then we will have some shows worth keeping on the air!

56. beerwriter - October 5, 2009

There was a very nice tribute to “The Twilight Zone” on “CBS Sunday Morning” yesterday. It’s available to view on the news program’s website at:

http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=5362215n&tag=contentMain;contentBody

57. beerwriter - October 5, 2009

22: “What happens when every gadget you depend on to survive doesn’t work anymore, and most of the population is suddenly, maybe permanently, unemployed?”

An EMP bomb shattering the North American economy and technology infrastructure was an important part of the backstory of “Dark Angel”.

58. AJ - October 5, 2009

55:

The shows you mention (Twilight Zone, Star Trek, Outer Limits) are immensely old, and pioneers of episodic TV. Perhaps real Sci-Fi writers were really the only possible starting point for them back in the mid-20th Century.

These days, it’s those who grew up watching these shows who are now writing for TV. That’s not a bad thing, either. But today, one success breeds copycats like Tribbles (Law and Order, CSI, NCIS). ‘X-Files’ begets ‘Lost’ begets ‘Heroes’ begets ‘Fringe,’ etc. until the next big thing rips it wide open again to an increasingly shrinking audience.

Reading through the comments here really shows that genre fans are being let down by TV these days. BSG kept a small group happy for a few years, but it was hardly a money-maker. I guess this period is the ‘decline and fall’ of genre TV.

59. Schiefy - October 5, 2009

#58: Yes, I am showing my age! :)

However, I cited those shows because they represented some of the best mergers between the sci-fi writers and tv creators/writers/producers. And I think that is something that needs to be done today as well (the fact that some tv writers grew up on these models and/or read sci-fi does not mean they themselves are great at sci-fi or originality). I meant to point out that the mass-production mentality of tv shows (episode to episode) often times lowers the creativity, originality and quality of the shows especially for those who write in this environment frequently. The advantage of the sci-fi writer is they operate in a place that allows for more careful, thoughtful writing (and great editors) that generally [depending on your view of the rule of 80% garbage in most written sci-fi--probably higher now if you count all the internet/self-published stuff!] produces a higher quality in originality. Now, I believe the tv writers coupled with sci-fi writers can benefit each other in creating higher quality in both mediums (tv benefits from the aforementioned quality while sci-fi benefits from creating more engaging characters).

Thus, I see modern (network) tv as woefully lacking in imagination when they produce so many knock-offs of old shows or current “success” shows when there is a rich vein left to be explored in written sci-fi. I admit that I watch some totally unoriginal shows but enjoy them because the character/actor makes it so ["Monk" is a great example or the character banter on NCIS.].

Of course, the bottom line is money–if the show is not profitable because the ratings say no one is watching, then it is likely to get cancelled no matter how original. However, I think if it is both original and interesting (i.e., great characters) it will succeed both financially and creatively.

60. Commadore - October 5, 2009

It’s a terrible thing when the commercials are more captivating then the premiers, SGU – I wanted it bad! Later I wanted the entire cast to die in the pilot! Bad Me-
Fringe is at least holding my interest, but don’t test me!

61. Commadore - October 5, 2009

Commodore Yikes!

62. Capt Mike of the Terran Empire - October 5, 2009

I liked SGU enough and Ill be back for the seasons. But the premise of being lost in space or trapped long away from earth has been done so many times. Lost in Space or Star trek Voyager and so forth. I hope they change the mission and instead of having it lost they get a ZPM and open the gate to earth and keep the key personell and have them on a mission out there and see what the Ancients were trying to do and maybe come across a few new enemys and frends of corse and with strong writting it could realy work.

63. Captain Dunsel - October 5, 2009

#58 AJ ” (Twilight Zone, Star Trek, Outer Limits) are immensely old”

The shows of my childhood, “immensely old”…. Gee… Thanks…

64. Losira - October 5, 2009

1st of all the immensly old shows were well written for the most part. That is why they still endure to this day. I agree that of late sci fi & fantasy in fact all genre has become way to dark and to much soap suds to boot. If I want dark shows I can watch the news especialy fox news to get crazy parenoid. We need to lighten up. Have some fun or is quality hve to be depressing. We are in bad times I know but why rub it in? The end is the vanishing of the wingnuts now that’s cheering up! I also look to the return of primevil! Great quality. Sarah jane diaries a great intro to quality for kids! Me and my grandkids watch it . I’m concerned about sgu as many said the lost in space. Premise is ao done. And to darj. And for V I say leave it alone but again I could see it as the gorn!paying us a visit LOL! Let scifi be that fun and imaginayion with good tales to tell. To escape the daily drudgery and learn something new and be inspired. Not to be grossed & depressed. Syfy needs to learn this! And so do the other netwarks!

65. Capt Mike of the Terran Empire - October 5, 2009

You look at dark shows and such and most of them do not do very well. You look at Star Trek 09 and it was a smash hit as it was light and showed us we can truly make it. All these dark shows just do not work.

66. Spockish - October 5, 2009

After viewing SGU, the best I can say for it is, it looks like the plot was auto written by a computer.

I guess that saves The Writers Union fees. If it was authored by humans, I’d blame the educational system of the late 80’s and 90’s for creating such weak imaginative minds to author Muzac like video.

Does the Writers Guild need to start their own educational system, first hint use books not TV to educate.

67. Hamms Beer Commercial – Vintage Black and White | Hamms Beer Collectible Blog - October 5, 2009

[...] Sci-Fi TV Saturday: Day One, Primeval, The Prisoner, Sarah Jane … [...]

68. Jorg Sacul - October 5, 2009

“”Smallville” is getting a “NEW SEXY SUPERHERO”. The character — male, age 37-48 — is described as being “the most handsome and sexy of ALL the D.C. Superheroes”. [SpoilerTV]”

Yes. It’s me. :-)

I don’t know what the deal is with Heroes’ ratings, but a friend of mine who HATES and MOCKS sci-fi series, serial series, and fantasy series has gotten completely hooked on the show having seen just these two episodes. I’m in til the end.

69. Daoud - October 5, 2009

SGU really hurt. I wanted to like it. By the end of the 2 hours, Dr. Rush started to be watchable. (The actor always is, but in the first hour, damn that writing sucked…)

The back and forth in time storytelling really failed here. Epic fail. Would have helped to know from the get-go that Dr. Rush had lost his wife. Then we could have understood his anger and peculiarities from the start. Otherwise, he reads at the antagonist…

And yes, I realize that was intended, with the first half ending with him hovering weirdly over the gate… but you’re setting up the characters in the pilot… and if you want me to watch, I need something more than Eli to root for.

The sex scene was gratuitously shot. Having them together was fine, but they didn’t need to be *in coitus*. Necking and kissing would have gotten the same points across to set up the “love triangle” they’re trying to set up.

Daniel Jackson’s Stargate In Five Easy Lessons was a ludicrous cameo. However, the use of RDA was just right. And of Amanda Tapping, and what a name for a ship, the General Hammond… But as others note, the cameos just make you want to see more SG1 instead.

So, it’s too late for them to fix anything, they’ve already got most of season one in the can. Didn’t learn the lesson of BSG…. Give us a miniseries, see what works, and then script the series…

Were I showrunner for a day… I’d immediately lighten certain aspects up (including the stage sets: weren’t Wraith ships dark enough already?)… So the Ancient name was Destiny. That’s no fun. Have the passengers decide they’re going to call it the Enterprise. O’Neill would be amused, as would I, the viewer.

Remember, half of the passengers are SG personnel, half are not. Let the civilians have a “union” of sorts. Let them elect a representative. Create a tripartite council of the Major, the Doctor, and the People’s Rep. At least let’s see what a real-world situation would have. The reality show “The Colony” has a good model of how things would work.

And, explain where all the uniforms magically came from? Just happened to have all that ready to go in the gate room, I guess? I can buy that every 12-hour visit to a planet will give a chance to obtain food, water, etc., but SG uniforms that fit overweight Eli? Really.

And those “stones” are a real problem, storywise. Wouldn’t it be only fair to arrange weekly communication for every passenger with family and loved ones?

Oh well… that they stole “The Last Starfighter”’s core concept is the worst part of SGU. Spockish for once is right!

70. Losira - October 5, 2009

I have to agree that writers lost imagination. The 80s UGH syressed “fitting in yuppie drones” heaven forbid you dare to be or think diffreant or create individual thoughts now hear is the end results. Reboots! For fear of being “differant”

71. dmduncan - October 5, 2009

Unlike any of the Stargate series, Heroes actually has really good characters. The problem isn’t the characters, it’s the stories. Story wise, the show has lost its center. It doesn’t seem to know where it’s going or what it’s doing anymore. It’s just sort of wandering in circles.

Is there that much difficulty or willingness in Hollywood coming up with new series ideas that they have to keep televising a dead horse getting beat for yet another season?

And how many more pathetic Stargate series are we going to get before some genius over at SyFy busts through a blockage straining on the toilet and gets the vision of a new freakin idea?

72. Captain Dunsel - October 5, 2009

71 – dmduncan – “…they have to keep televising a dead horse getting beat for yet another season?”

Don’t SAY things like that!

Some network exec will get handed a copy of your blog post andthe next thing you know we’ll be watching “Mr. Ed” “reimagined” as one more teen-angst vampire show!!!

73. beerwriter - October 5, 2009

71 & 72 — Oooh, ZOMBIE Mr. Ed! I’m calling Brannon Braga right NOW!!!

74. Daoud - October 5, 2009

In this version, though Mr. Ed would be an alien from The Planet Of The Horses. The Mules and Asses would be the Gorilla equivalent, the Quarterhorses the Chimpanzees, and Unicorns the Lawgiving Orangutans. I’m sure Pegasi would turn up.

Me, I’m holding out for the remake of My Mother The Car Marries KITT, Leave it to Betelgeuse, The Яok4d FiLezorz (where Jim Rockford is re-imagined as a hacker turned detective), Automannix, Yeeroes (the story of Greek superheroes who transform into wraps), and Star Trek: The Random Generation. I mean, why come up with New Ideas, when the old ones haven’t been tapped out.

75. Captain Dunsel - October 5, 2009

re: #74 Daoud

OK. Who let the Network Executive in here? Hmmm?

76. Cafe 5 - October 5, 2009

I talked to one of my co-workers today about SGU and he felt that none of the characters had any relevance what so ever. As with a book, or film, or TV series
if you can’t relate to, or feel for a character then there is no connection and no interest. The powers that be haven’t a clue. This is what happens when you miss staff meetings. Waited all summer for this, what a disappointment.

77. =A= - October 5, 2009

stargate universe nothing wrong with it. i think i like it because i rather outerspace than on ocean! stargate alantis very boring!

78. Lore - October 6, 2009

CW NETWORK: Move Smallville back to its Thursday night time slot.

FOX NETWORK: Bring back The Sarah Connor Chronicles!

79. Benjamin Adams - October 6, 2009

I’m highly amused by people slamming SGU’s pilot, when it was miles better than ST: TNG’s own pilot. Trek fans (and I’m including myself) have no business whatsoever complaining about a lack of quality in the first season of a SF show, ‘cos pot, kettle, black. At least SGU was competent . . . and it flows much better without SyFy’s interminable commercials.

80. ammogod - October 7, 2009

I do not understand why so many people did not like BSG. In quality, writing, and everything else, it was excellent. It did nothing to try and treat the audience as stupid individuals who could not hold on to a thought process longer than 20 seconds. It didn’t pander to the lowest common denominator…. and it did tend to make you think if you could. I feel it represented a zenith of sci-fi television and we would be damned lucky to have anything like its caliber come again in the next 20 years. In many ways, I thought that BSG had many elements that trek was missing. Abrams got a lot of this… I just hope he doesn’t try to dumb down trek, either.

SGU was not as good as I expected, but then again, its a pilot and there is hope that as the story goes forward we can get away from the flashbacks…..

and above all else… please keep the atmosphere on the shows as REAL…. not easy rosy pictures… but just like real life with real issues.