Stargate Universe is announced (gee, just after they kill Stargate Atlantis)

[wraithfodder]

Stargate: 90210. Yes, it's finally happened. The fun Stargate Atlantis folk - Sheppard, McKay, etc. are getting deep-sixed for the "young and the deseprate". Gag me.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3i5e840c8f576b9c7dae541d2e4be7a3e4

'Stargate' stays open at Sci Fi

Network puts 'Universe' spinoff on 2009 launchpad

By James Hibberd

Aug 22, 2008, 01:00 AM ET

Sci Fi Channel isn't about to let down "Stargate" fans.

The network is set to announce the order of a new series from MGM Television, "Stargate: Universe," that will mark the third entry in Sci Fi's longest-running original series franchise.

The green light comes on the heels of Sci Fi's confirming Thursday that "Stargate: Atlantis" will not receive a sixth-season order. The "Universe" pickup ensures the continuation of the popular "Stargate" franchise, which has been on the air in various incarnations since 1997.

"Universe" will premiere as a two-hour movie early next year and will assume a regular hourly slot in the summer. Brad Wright and Robert Cooper, co-creators of "Stargate: SG-1" and "Atlantis," will serve as executive producers and writers on the new series.

The new show will involve more space-based action than "SG-1" or "Atlantis." With the "Star Trek" television franchise having folded in 2005 and Sci Fi's "Battlestar Galactica" airing its final episodes next year, the network hopes "Universe" will become sci-fi fans' new favorite space-travel series.

"We've had great success with 'Enterprise' repeats on Monday night, and there's an appetite for space opera as 'Battlestar' goes away," Sci Fi president Dave Howe said. "There's an opportunity to keep the space opera as part of our programming strategy."

"Universe" introduces a team of explorers who find an ancient unmanned ship called the Destiny. Unable to return to Earth, the crew must fend for themselves aboard the ship, which has a preprogramd mission taking them to the far reaches of the universe.

The series will employ a new cast of characters, with the network seeking a known performer for one lead role and fresh faces to play the rest of the ship's crew. Appearances by former cast members from "SG-1" and "Atlantis" are very possible.

Howe said the new series will reinvigorate the franchise by targeting a younger audience.

"This is an opportunity to reinvent this franchise and make it relevant to a new generation," Howe said. "We really don't want to be more of the same. It's going to build clearly off the existing franchise but with a cast that gives it a younger vibe."

Said co-creators Wright and Cooper: "In 'Universe,' we plan to keep those elements that have made the franchise a success, such as adventure and humor, while breaking new ground in the relationships between mostly young and desperate explorers, thrust together and far from home. Above all, we believe the Stargate itself remains an enduring icon with infinite potential as a jumping-off point for telling stories."

Also on Thursday, Sci Fi announced an order for a two-hour "Atlantis" movie in lieu of a sixth-season order. Airing two-hour movies of such franchises as "Stargate" and "Galactica" and quickly releasing the films as stand-alone DVDs has been a successful strategy for the network. But the news depressed "Stargate" fans that the long-running sci-fi television franchise, like "Star Trek" a few years back, was going to be retired as a weekly series.

"SG-1" ran for 10 seasons, launching on Showtime in 1997 then moving to Sci Fi after its fifth season. The spinoff "Atlantis" premiered in 2004 and will mark its 100th episode this year. Friday night airings of "Atlantis" have averaged more than 2 million viewers per episode.

Sci Fi has not yet made a decision which new project might serve as a companion for "Universe" next summer. The network has three pilots under consideration, including the terrestrial-bound "Battlestar Galactica" prequel "Caprica." 

-------------------------

I woke this morning pretty much acclimated to SGA's demise, and then I turn on my PC. Yeah, SGA was offed to make way for this. granted, SGA did have problems, but oh yeah, I'm going to tune in for "young and desperate" Stargate travelers? My guess is that the bulk of the cast will in their 20s, and they'll toss in a token over-40 year old.

Oh, SciFi, do you realize that some of the most powerful buyers out there are women over 40? CSI realizes that, which is why they're such a success.

Comments

[dundragon.livejournal.com]

Me smells a rat

[colls]

I will probably watch SGU, but I will miss SGA. But any teen-angst will probably make me want to vomit, give me 40-ish Joe Flanigan ANY day!
If they're going to do more relationships (scary thought), I hope they learn how to write a relationship or hire a writer that does.

[ancientcitadel.livejournal.com]

It doesn't sound like something I'd watch. :( I was going to give SGU a chance, but it sounds horrible.

[seratonation.livejournal.com]

this new show sounds sort of like firefly *narrows eyes*

[rasmizar.livejournal.com]

Oh, SciFi, do you realize that some of the most powerful buyers out there are women over 40?
Yeah, one does wonder; but then there seems to be a lot sensible stuff they don't realize.

The age of the main characters was one of the things that drew me to SGA. It felt refreshing to have an adventure/action oriented show with a bunch of "real", "mature" people, instead of the usual smooth faced twenty-somethings...

[abracah.livejournal.com]

**sigh**

[alyssa22.livejournal.com]

The term "space opera" is what did it for me. Bleurk! No thanks.

[alaxes.livejournal.com]

younger vibe; young and desperate explorers
So this is going to be like Buffy or something... with lots of sex things there... damn it - I was going to give SGU a chance but not when it really comes out that way ¬.¬

[alipeeps.livejournal.com]

So it is, in fact, Stargate: Voyager. *sighs* And no doubt with a cast targeting the "younger audience" we can look forward to similar 7 of 9/T'Pol styleee fitted costumes to make sure that all-important young male demographic tunes in! :/

As you say, when are networks/studios gonna realise that 18 year olds might watch a lot of TV but they have sod all disposable income? It's those of us who have been paying our taxes for years who are buying the DVDs and tie-ins and have the purchasing power to buy their advertisers' products!!

[justhere1971.livejournal.com]

*heh* are we going to see Gossip Girl type of blogging on the ship? Will we see mass sleeping around?
I am disgusted.

[fractalreality.livejournal.com]

... and there ends the "franchise".

And, to think, they were so excited about this "new" idea which essentially shows no originality whatsoever ... gutted.


Oh, wait - I have another problem!

How the hell can they have SG1/SGA cast make possible appearances when, y'know, they are essentially lost in space?

Are they ending Atlantis with characters nobly sacrificing themselves to become space signs to direct these children home?!

[cat-77.livejournal.com]

Is it wrong that my first response was, "Oh, fuck them..."?

When they announced the idea of the 9th chevron leading to a ship, I thought it was the lamest idea ever (they gated to other ships with 7, as long as they were near a planet), and I stand by that opinion even moreso after reading this. Do they think that they have already gotten every last penny out of the existing fans, so they are shooting for a new group? Or are they counting on the fans loyalty to both the existing shows becoming movies (for a cost, of course) and to try something new and fabulous from the same writers? Maybe they should try some loyalty - to their existing fan base and the cast that brought them in.

[veronicasaether.livejournal.com]

This news provoces me. They can't afford making more SGA, but they can afford to start making yet another, and worse, spin-off? Provoced, I say!

[ladyflowdi.livejournal.com]

So basically, edgy and young and hip like three trillion other stupid little shows on TV, with girls bursting out of their uniforms and boys clean cut and wholesome. There will be a "bad boy", who wears leather and prowls around in the background. And the goodie little two shoes girl with big Bambi eyes. And the hero, of course, how could we forget, the tough, seasoned, clean-cut military type with the chiseled jaw and the earnest eyes. And they'll be Lost In Space, so they have to rely on each other (and give one another goo-goo eyes, we musn't forget the eyes, because that's how Stargate has gotten by this far in the relationship department), and be Efficient and Young and Totally With It.

And of course, because they are catering to a younger crowd (regardless of the fact that many of my SGA-lovin' girlfriends on LJ are still in their teens/very early twenties -- myself included, being 25), they will screw the older, mature female fanbase that has supported the show, gone to the conventions, bought their shit, consistently kept their numbers high, and oh, yes, made them an indecent amount of money.

I love how the article you posted has this feeling of, "Don't worry, Stargate fans, Stargate Universe is coming, we'll give you your fix soon!".

To you I give the finger, Brad Wright.

[ellymelly.livejournal.com]

The last thing I want to see is young people dealing with shit. I'm 21 and get enough of that every day. Give me gorgeous, reasonably grown up people any day. *LE SIGH*

[lahela-sga.livejournal.com]

When I read the synopsis it reminded me so much of the "Young SG1" piss-take in the ep 200 that I laughed out loud... Ugh!

[patk.livejournal.com]

Aha.

An expedition living on an ancient abandoned space-ship, cut-off from earth and far from home.

Doesn't *that* sound familiar? I mean, other from the ship apparently operating and flying in a way on autopilot to fulfill it's mission - didn't we just see a show canceled that had an expedition from earth living on an ancient abandoned space-ship (what *else* is Atlantis basically?) and was - in it's first season - cut-off from earth and far from home?

Great. *insert appropriate sarcasm here*

Apparently TPTB realized that this "first season"-feeling of SGA was a success with the audience (and they *did* try to get some of this back by destroying the gate-bridge in S 4) and try to reinstall it with SGU. Methinks getting Atlantis back in contact with earth again might have been a mistake...

>>breaking new ground in the relationships between mostly young and desperate explorers,<<

If they get any younger than Keller (I have nothing against Keller, in fact, I want Carson *and* Keller) they have to pass around the Clearsil and have to hire a chaperone to watch over sleepovers and pajama-parties.

'Young and desperate' Ah, in the face of this description I can't help but ask "are they out of puberty yet?"

Clearly, the SGA-fanbase might in parts not be congruent with the target audience of SGU. I refuse to watch a show that makes me feel like a cradle robber because the hero (or the heroine, for that matter) I'm supposed to gush over could be the younger of my sons/daughters.

[flingslass.livejournal.com]

Yep, I'm starting to rant now. SPACE OPERA! Who wants to watch a SPACE OPERA! If I want a soap I'll watch bloody Neighbours or Home & Away! They've been running for 20 odd years and are aimed at the teen market. (The only good thing to come out of them is Kylie Minogue and Alan Dale.)
The PTB are done and I don't think letter writing is going to do anything as THEY'VE made up their minds. Not that there's anything there!
Thank you for the fanfic community. There's a lot of good writers out there.

[astridv.livejournal.com]

I'm trying not to get worked up until I've at least taken a look at their new shiny toy. But they're sure not making it easy.

Wish I could say I was surprised... marketers will forever be obsessed with the young.

Give me Shep and McKay over that any day.

[faekitty71.livejournal.com]

Stargate: Voyager

Yep, definitely canceling cable.

[iolandasblog.livejournal.com]

NICE!


...not really... :(

[kodiak-bear.livejournal.com]

Well we knew they offed SGA for SGU but it's nice that anyone who didn't know it or doubted it can finally read the writing on the wall. This was Wright and Cooper's push I think, and Sci-Fi was only willing to pay for one show and MGM is happy enough to keep funding stargate in whatever form so...this is what we get.

Cracks me up that A) Wright and Cooper are so out of touch with Stargate fans that they think we WANT SG: 90210 and B) that we wouldn't be intelligent enough to understand that the show we did WANT was killed prematurely to make way for SG: 90210.

[a-pilgrim-soul.livejournal.com]

You know I was perfectly prepared to give SGU a go and I'll probably still tune in to check it out because I give all new sci-fi shows a chance but this "young and edgy" crap is what has me concerned. If they seriously think that they can reinvent Stargate as young and hip and pull in new viewers they're kidding themselves, the cool kids aren't going to tune into a Stargate show no matter how they try to market it no more than they are going to go watch the new Trek film because they will always see space operas (and yes SG1 & SGA and all the Treks are space operas) as something only sad geeks who live in their mother's basement watch.

I can only assume that they are going after the gap in the market left by BSG in which case they are going to lose what makes the Stargate universe unique - its warmth and its humour.

[reiko-afterglow.livejournal.com]

Hmmm. I wonder if the SG Universe's ship zip code is going to be 90210 ... ;)

I'm getting the feeling that it's highly probable Jewel Staite will be cast in this, and given their love for the character, if she is it's gonna be as Keller a la McKay from SG1.

Well, the 'lantis folk being dumped for a newer cast was same old back in S4 for me. But either way, sniff, sniff ... I smell ass.

[dejla.livejournal.com]

No, they'll never realize it as long as they staff it with young male geeks who think they're the only ones who watch science fiction.