BRIDGE CONTRACT: Heavy machines are smashing the Stargate Atlantis TV series' set in Bridge Studios' 40,000-square-foot effects stage. That's the largest of eight movie-shooting facilities in almost constant use on the six-hectare complex at Boundary-off-Second Avenue, Burnaby. The studio's website claims it's the largest in North America.

But Bridge Studios general manager Ron Hryniuk -- say Her-nik -- isn't sorry to say goodbye to a show that produced some 100 episodes on six of his sound stages, as well as twice that number for the predecessor Stargate SG-1 series. That's because the SCI FI Channel and MGM Television recently announced the launch of a new "science faction" series called Stargate Universe.

"Its great news. Fantastic," Hryniuk said of a show that will premiere as a two-hour movie on SCI FI and become a weekly one-hour series next summer.

In a press release Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis co-creators Brad Wright and Robert Cooper said Stargate Universe "will break new ground in relationships between mostly young and desperate explorers, thrust together and far from home."

UPDATED: */29 - David Nykl

I’ve been collecting the Stargate Atlantis actor’s various reactions to the cancellation news. Not all have spoken up (they’re not obligated to, and neither Joe nor Jason seem to be big computer users anyway).

“There's obviously a passionate audience for Atlantis and the characters of Atlantis,” Howe said. “And yes, they're absolutely going to continue in the movie franchise. But people need to mourn for a while and come to terms with it. I don't anticipate that that will subside quickly. But once Universe is on air and they have kind of their next fix of the Stargate franchise, I think hopefully people will realize that it's in safe hands at Sci Fi, that we really value this franchise and it's in our interest and the fans' interest to let us continue the story and figure out how to retell it for a new audience every few years.”

Yes, this remark about fans "needing a fix" came out of the mouth of Dave Howe, the president of the SciFi Channel. So, he thinks fans are, what? addicts? That we'll curl up into a fetal ball and croak if we don't get our weekly dose of Stargate? Hello? Sure, we're screaming bloody murder. A product many of us like was suddenly taken off the shelf and a new product with a "younger vibe" is going to replace it?

More under the cut, plus link to the article:

Atlantis has sunk, and the Wraith didn’t do it – Stargate Atlantis’ demise + where to write

I refrained from posting my feelings last night (too late to really think coherently), but left open the post (right before this one) for anyone who wants to vent and get it out of their system… So, here is my opinion of the mess.

You hit episode #100 and what do you get for it? Walking papers, it seems…