As the Stargate Turns, or the future of the franchise

[wraithfodder]

I couldn’t help but just shake my head and sigh when a tweet popped up about Stargate Universe being cancelled. I wasn’t really shocked, or surprised, well, maybe just a tad bit surprised because SGU had been SyFy’s golden child but then again, the way they shifted it on the timeslot, ignored advertising, etc. did not bode well.

So while SyFy ramped up the advertising for the new golden child, Being Human, SGU got the axe with the how-dumb-do-they-think-the-audience-is explanation of “we’re not making any more episodes.” CANCELLED! An esx-show! Dead as a doorknob, etc.

This reminds me soooo much of when Stargate Atlantis got the axe. However, SyFy seems to be refining how badly they do cancellations by letting some of the cast/crew find out via internet sources (Deadline.com and/or Twitter, etc.). At least the SGA cast got the notice on set (as a I recall) and didn’t MGM tell the SG1 cast ‘adios’ at the 200^th episode party?? Pfft.

I’m not crushed SGU is gone, except that it unemploys a lot of folk who enjoyed working with each other. For that, I’m sad, having done the unemployment bit myself more than once. Otherwise, as much as I tried getting into SGU, it was dark and bleak and not what I enjoyed in Stargate. My brother came into the room on more than one occasion to ask why I was watching Battlestar Galactica and I’d have to tell him it was Stargate and he said, uh uh and would leave. Many of my friends had the same reaction.

Unfortunately even though there are a lot of SGA/SG1 fans who did not like SGU, its demise is something to take notice of because it’s the franchise that is endangered.

http://josephmallozzi.wordpress.com/2010/12/25/december-25-2010-christmas-marty-g-and-the-return-of-the-mailbag/ wrote on Xmas …

“6) What can us fans do to ensure SGU gets another season/movie and that SG-1/SGA gets their movies?”
Answer: Honestly?  Watch the show, pay for your downloads, and purchase the DVD’s if you’re so inclined.
Paloosa writes: “1) How can we fans contact MGM to let them know that Stargate (SG-1/SGA/SGU) still has a huge and lucrative fan base?”
Answer: Again, letters and emails are nice and all but, at the end of the day, the studio is more likely to look at things like iTune and DVD sales when making a decision.
“2) I think you mentioned that if there were another Stargate show, that you wouldn’t be involved?”
Answer: There are no plans to create or move forward on a new series.  We love the one we have now.
“3) If the SGA movie is a go, would you still be involved as the writer and/or producer?”
Answer: I’m sorry to say but the cancellation puts the brakes on whatever progress the SGA movie had made in the past month, shelving it indefinitely.
Mike McGinnis writes: “Is there any chance of the SGA movie anymore if you guys can’t save SGU?”
Answer: See above.  Contrary to what some may think, the cancellation of SGU is very bad news for those looking forward to an Atlantis movie.

And there’s a little more at his blog. It’s a darned shame that the network (SyFy/MGM/whoever) are going to look at the ratings of the last Stargate series to determine the viability of say, an SGA or SG1 movie. There’s still a strong fanbase for those two from what I can see on the web. I won’t hazard a guess on the sales or downloads of the shows, but I do get Google notices all the time about downloading SGA, so, guess there’s still interest in the show!

 

If they had to do movies, they should do SG1, then SGA, and lastly, SGU, cuz face it, you gotta look at the age of the cast. Sgu has the youngest, therefore, you can wait the longest… but if I had my way, it would be an SGA movie FIRST cuz I think that one has the potential for the most entertaining movie. I really haven't looked much more at Mallozzi's blog, so don't know if he's added anything, although I may not care, since he does have a horrid habit of baiting fans.

Comments

[suekay-87.livejournal.com]

One thing that's left a sour taste in my mouth is the fingerpointing that some of both the cast and crew of SGU have been doing since the announcement, and that's blaming the fans for the cancellation.

I'm sorry if that's the way they feel, but the vast vast vast bulk of people only watch TV on TV, and only the tiniest minority of fans go online to talk about their fave shows, and only a minority of those download TV shows.

As well as that there's been undertones of them blaming 'embittered' SGA fans for not giving the show a chance. I did give it a chance, I didn't like it and quit watching. That's almost like saying I didn't watch Enterprise because I was a Voyager fan.

So I guess I'm left wondering why I should support the franchise at all, and I think the SG1 and SGA actors knew all along that Syfy and the boys at the bridge were done with them, hence why I don't even think they could get the casts together for a movie anymore due to conflicting schedules :(

At the end of the day MGM/Syfy have left it too long to make SG1/SGA movies that are marketable - the hardcore fanbase has moved on, and the shows are only distant memories to the casual viewer. And SGU never seemed to have the support or the casual viewership to sustain it anyway :(

I hope I'm wrong, but I think the franchise is as dead as that parrot on Monty Python....

Sorry for the rant :(

[black-raven135.livejournal.com]

Ah yes blame the fans mentality.....that always works doesn't it??
The fact that it has SG in front of the U would mean that I would automatically like it?? Am I getting this right???
:D

[stella-pegasi.livejournal.com]

You got it...bastard took our show away for his "baby", called us names, and now wants to blame us because his baby was cancelled.

If they had marketed SGA the way they did SGU...we would have had Atlantis for a long time. I watch SGA on CW on Sunday nights at 11 pm most of the time. I actually DVR all of the Atlantis episodes even though I have all the DVD's...just to add to the numbers for SGA. I am so sick of seeing SGU commericals running though SGA...mute them everytime I see one.

Yep...we're the bad guys....

[black-raven135.livejournal.com]

I am so sick of seeing SGU commericals running though SGA...mute them everytime I see one.

**nods**
and each time SyFy repeats its mantra "Imagine Greater" I
say out loud "I can. Bring back SGA"
Nobody hears me but it makes me feel so fine
>:-)

[stella-pegasi.livejournal.com]

I was unaware that the cast was calling the fans out. That's Mallozzi talking. If that's how they feel, they get what they deserve.

I don't think the hard-core fan base has moved on, if you remember, Star Trek came back, its base never left. Star Trek was only on the air for three years. It really became popular in syndication. I imagine there are more SG fans than we know who are most likely not involved in the fanfiction and the like.

Who knows...but at least we had two great shows and lots of great fan fiction.

[katikat.livejournal.com]

IIRC, it was Alaina Huffman who was talking about how fans of the previous shows were coming to her, saying that they felt guilty for liking SGU and that people should stop blaming SGU for the cancellation of SGA, that the SGA cast wished them all luck etc. etc.

[alyssa22.livejournal.com]

Agree with you 100 percent. I tried to watch an episode of two, but to be honest, it looked like crap to me. Confusing crap especially in the case of the first ep. I watched half of that one and gave up. Then I watched one other and felt no connection to any of the characters.

TPTB have nobody to blame but themselves. They tried to make it a hybrid of so many shows. And I have no doubt that they were most likely recycling episodes as they did with SGA.

[naniwahine.livejournal.com]

I couldn't agree with you more - I gave SGU a chance too. Four episodes to be precise. And my dislike of it increased with every single one I've watched. I just had to give up. It wasn't the Stargate I've grown to love. Heck, it wasn't even a Stargate there anymore...

Also, I never really had any hopes that SGA movie would be made and thought that was just a way to keep fans hanging on, sort of this dangling carrot. I honestly don't think that SGU cancellation made matters worse for SG-1 and SGA movies. I'd love to see SGA movie made, but it is very unlikely it'll ever happen. Unless JoeF would make it happen ;)

As to franchise being dead - perhaps it was time for it to end. The creative "powers" behind it were quite obviously burned out. Maybe there can be a reboot in a few years in fresh hands. But most of all, there's a lot of great FF out there where SGA 'verse and its people live on :)

[wraithfodder.livejournal.com]

Wow, just came back and was pretty surprised at all the chatter here in the comment section! I also have left or rarely visit some fan venues becuase I'm tired of the blame game, just in general. I don't know how anybody can point fingers at Atlantis (or SG-1) fans for the demise of SGU. It's the Nielsen viewers who simply did not watch. There are lots of Stargate fans who did give SGu a try, but just did not find it their liking. It's simply a matter of taste. I hate to say it, but I don't hold high hopes for the survival of the franchise (except maybe in paperbacks and fanfiction!)