Comments on: Sci-Fi TV Saturday: Chuck, Doctor Who, Fringe, Lost, Smallville, V + more

By: Greg2600

Greg2600 — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 04:27:27 +0000

Very happy that Chuck is up to 19 episodes now.

By: “Chuck” returns in early January : TREKS in SCI-FI

“Chuck” returns in early January : TREKS in SCI-FI — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 15:09:38 +0000

[...] Finally, season three of the cool, fun and sexy TV show “Chuck” will be starting up this January on NBC. I’ve really enjoyed the last two seasons of this series and find the cast to be excellent and a lot of fun to watch. I’m hoping even with the shorter season three we are getting that “Chuck” can hang on and be back for a season four too. Here’s some more info and a preview video of the coming season courtesy of trekmovie.com. [...]

By: Dom

Dom — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 00:33:43 +0000

For me, one of the best nu-Who episodes is one of the cheapest: Blink! It has the added bonus that David Tennant’s Doctor is barely in it (and when he is he’s awful!) It was a simple idea very well executed. The same goes for The Girl in the Fireplace!

If anything, what’s made nu-Who so crassly, campily OTT is that they’re throwing ***too much*** money at it!

By: Eli

Eli — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 16:58:36 +0000

I’ve been loving Fringe. Not only have the sci-fi concepts been done well, but the humanity written into the characters is outstanding.

By: Paul

Paul — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 16:28:33 +0000

I think these sci fi shows have to take a leaf out of Buffy’s book and wrap each season up in an arc so that if the show gets cancelled, while there are plot threads that could be carried over, fans don’t feel cheated. I’ll admit, some cliffhangers are awesome (Millennium series 2 – WOW; TNG series 3 – yowser) but most networks don’t care about intelligent shows – it’s all a numbers game – and too many shows get cancelled up in the air.

I love SGU, Dollhouse is intriguing, Defying Gravity is great fun (it’s problem is mixing chick-flick relationship stuff in with cerebral science stuff, and complex flashbacks so that it’s audience has to be pretty sophisticated) but tehy’re just not dumb enough for the masses. Warehouse 13 is bubble gum sci fi but I suppose it appeals to a broad audience.

I also find modern Dr Who too manic and self-congratulatory but the better episodes have been awesome. I prefer longer stories (2 parters but longer like Torchwood Children of Earth even better). I’ll be happy if they alternate the format with one year of 13 episodes followed by a year of four longer specials.

By: Lore

Lore — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 16:12:36 +0000

#34 Me thinks there are some powerful Hollywood charactors who love Superman & Smallville, and this helps keep it alive. Look at the producer credits on Smallville : Joe Devola: Who was a charactor in an old episode of Seinfeld, Joe Devola. Who loves Superman & I bet loves Smallville. Jerry Seinfeld. Just a theory.

By: davidfuchs

davidfuchs — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 12:33:23 +0000

#38

From what I know, while film production now has to factor in global tastes and performance as a good deal of grosses come from overseas, television production is still much more American-centered. Sales to international markets are generally made after or concurrently with the initial run, if they bother at all… a lot of times other languages only get the episodes once there’s enough to sell to syndication (essentially that precludes the nonpopular shows that can’t get to around 100 eps.)

By: Paul Fitz

Paul Fitz — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 07:58:18 +0000

(Waiting for everyone to roll their eyes)
I’m gonna miss Eastwick, Its silly, funny and much less depressing than most of the stuff on TV. . . At the very least it made great Weekend TV.

Also, it just started here, so do overseas sales matter at all to TV production?

By: DJH

DJH — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 04:15:49 +0000

I know its a moot point because ratings are the only thing that matter, but I think the genre is at a disadvantag because its viewers are often tech savvy and thus will find their shows through different mediums. I mean, take one look at a torrent site and the top searches are always sci-fi shows like SGU, flash forward, etc.

Its a bummer, but the fact is that these viewers use the internet to watch TV, and until the networks start using it, they wont have successful shows.

By: Andy

Andy — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 03:58:33 +0000

#13

Yep, got the DVD of it next to all my other Galactica box sets. :)