S10: Critique & Contemplation

[LaCroix]

Good point.

I always find it so troubling when you make a good point.

Count me in too.

[Skydiver]

While I have no doubt that SCIFI has their grubby paws deep in the inner workings of Stargate, I can also see how TPTB would use that as an excuse for all the crap that's going on. Keep mentioning how SCIFI is interfering and soon fans will blame Skiffy for all the problems and excuse TPTB.

Just as the late announcement of renewal was the excuse for shoddy storytelling in... was it season seven? And RDA's reduced presence was an excuse for seasons 7 and 8.

They always find ways to blame everyone but themselves.

very good point.

first they could blame Jonas, then they blamed ms' return and rda's time, then rda's time and the late renewal, now it's....whatever.

while i do feel that scifi is meddling severely, i do also think that we do hear nothing but excuses

[LaCroix]

Here's a follow up to Shadow's most excellent post. When Sony bought out MGM Studios, they bought whatever leftover dirt on the floors to MGM's entire catalog. Which means that they own the copyright's and trademarks that MGM had to their movies and TV shows.

Now the one thing that's always bothered me was the shortened opening credits and the name change, since Bridge said they wanted to change SG-1 to whatever they thought up. Now since Sci-Fi/NBC/Uni neither owns the Trademark and Sony does, then Sony should have had the option to tell Sci-fi, we'll change it anyway. Would S/N/U have any legal grounds to stand on, no.

Now if Sony has decided to mirco-manage their divisions and are getting their information through Bridge about what Sci-fi and the fans are telling them, i.e. JM, the BB's over at Sci-Fi, then that's another story. Do I trust
Bridge to do right by the cast and the fans? No, not untill the excuses stop.

JMO others may vary.

[binkpmmc]

I agree about the show turning downwards with cooper being showrunner -S7 is the defining point for me when I really became disgusted - bad choices and bad decisions by cooper.

As for the excuses -absolutely it's always some excuse because we know that TPTB at Stargate are NEVER wrong and NEVER make a mistake - it is always some extraneous reason - not THEIR fault. I think I would lay down a die if they ever admit they made a mistake - when they get cancelled it will be "well it's skiffy's fault they decided" or some other such nonesense - they will never admit they made creative decisions that chased the fans away slowly but surely begininning B4 S7 for some but it really seems that S7 was a catalyst when things really started going downhill and more and more fans criticized and more and more fans started to slowly leave.

We'll see what the rest of S9 and S10 bring but my $ would be on slowly seeing lower ratings at least at this point. (I really have to believe that with brining on Bridges and Gossett - 2 pretty big names in mainstream TV and movies - and the way they embarassingly pimped BB and CB they had to have thought that they would bring in substantially higher ratings as opposed to just basically treading water (even though the ratings points are lower but pretty close to last year - IIRC it's a 2.1 avg for S8 and so far a 2.0 for S9, the total numbers are a little higher even with a 2.0 in S9 because of the increased number of households sci-fi appears in this year but only slightly higher) - there have to be more than a .2 worth of fans who watched FS and more fans out there from FS that I am sure they were pimping and hoping to get more of. People can say all they want that a 2.0 for a sci-fi cableshow is good and it is but it really seems they should have been higher - I would bet my last dime that they would have been able to sustain at least a 2.0, if not higher, WITHOUT the changes they made. Such big and major changes they had to have thought they would get something more out of it then they would have gotten with the stars who stuck it out for 8 years (7 for MS)).

Honestly I really thought, after seeing the numbers they pulled in early last year that, after selling their souls to pimp BB and CB to the almost total exclusion of their stars that they were going to pull at least 2.3s or 2.4s in S9 because of the FS and BB/CB fans. I really cannot wait to hear their excuses - that will be worth the price of admission.

[STARGATE7777]

In the end they are going to blame us. Those crazy fans who complained about a quality show and it's WONDERFUL new storyline and actors... Who refused to accept the changes that were for THE GOOD OF THE SHOW. Bad...bad fans.

[ShadowMaat]

In the end they are going to blame us. Those crazy fans who complained about a quality show and it's WONDERFUL new storyline and actors... Who refused to accept the changes that were for THE GOOD OF THE SHOW. Bad...bad fans.

Frankly, I'd be rather flattered to be considered responsible for the demise of the show. Lil' ol' me? And all my lil' ol' friends? Responsible for toppling the Stargate Empire? We'd be responsible for doing something the Goa'uld, Replicators, Aschen, Ori and countless of other dime-a-dozen villains couldn't succeed in doing in nine-plus years of serious war: killing SG-1.

Damn, are we hot stuff or what?

[samcarter]

I agree about the show turning downwards with cooper being showrunner -S7 is the defining point for me when I really became disgusted - bad choices and bad decisions by cooper.

As for the excuses -absolutely it's always some excuse because we know that TPTB at Stargate are NEVER wrong and NEVER make a mistake - it is always some extraneous reason - not THEIR fault. I think I would lay down a die if they ever admit they made a mistake - when they get cancelled it will be "well it's skiffy's fault they decided" or some other such nonesense - they will never admit they made creative decisions that chased the fans away slowly but surely begininning B4 S7 for some but it really seems that S7 was a catalyst when things really started going downhill and more and more fans criticized and more and more fans started to slowly leave.

We'll see what the rest of S9 and S10 bring but my $ would be on slowly seeing lower ratings at least at this point. (I really have to believe that with brining on Bridges and Gossett - 2 pretty big names in mainstream TV and movies - and the way they embarassingly pimped BB and CB they had to have thought that they would bring in substantially higher ratings as opposed to just basically treading water (even though the ratings points are lower but pretty close to last year - IIRC it's a 2.1 avg for S8 and so far a 2.0 for S9, the total numbers are a little higher even with a 2.0 in S9 because of the increased number of households sci-fi appears in this year but only slightly higher) - there have to be more than a .2 worth of fans who watched FS and more fans out there from FS that I am sure they were pimping and hoping to get more of. People can say all they want that a 2.0 for a sci-fi cableshow is good and it is but it really seems they should have been higher - I would bet my last dime that they would have been able to sustain at least a 2.0, if not higher, WITHOUT the changes they made. Such big and major changes they had to have thought they would get something more out of it then they would have gotten with the stars who stuck it out for 8 years (7 for MS)).

Honestly I really thought, after seeing the numbers they pulled in early last year that, after selling their souls to pimp BB and CB to the almost total exclusion of their stars that they were going to pull at least 2.3s or 2.4s in S9 because of the FS and BB/CB fans. I really cannot wait to hear their excuses - that will be worth the price of admission.

I agree completely!

[Skydiver]

Honestly I really thought, after seeing the numbers they pulled in early last year that, after selling their souls to pimp BB and CB to the almost total exclusion of their stars that they were going to pull at least 2.3s or 2.4s in S9 because of the FS and BB/CB fans. I really cannot wait to hear their excuses - that will be worth the price of admission.

i know. i have no doubt that BB and CB have brought fans to the show. you can see that on this forum, folks that are now watching the show to see their favorite actors. And that's great.

but, as much as they'd like it to be, the numbers seem to indicate that while BB and CB have brought in fans, they're not enough to make up for RDA's loss, for those that have tuned out not liking the show's new set up and for those who do not find the new attitude appealing

im sure they'll find something to blame. sun spots, Katrina, the price of ice cream in Mongolia.

[Uber]

i know. i have no doubt that BB and CB have brought fans to the show. you can see that on this forum, folks that are now watching the show to see their favorite actors. And that's great.

but, as much as they'd like it to be, the numbers seem to indicate that while BB and CB have brought in fans, they're not enough to make up for RDA's loss, for those that have tuned out not liking the show's new set up and for those who do not find the new attitude appealing

im sure they'll find something to blame. sun spots, Katrina, the price of ice cream in Mongolia.

HEY...that spike in the Mongolian frozen deserts market has done some serious damage to Stargate SG-1's ratings...uh...somehow.

Ever the pessimist, I'll TRY to put on my rose colored glasses for a sec.

I'm hoping beyond hope that they take to heart the legitimate concerns of fans and do a bit of course correcting next year. Maybe even give us some team moments, or some Jack cameos...or dare I hope for definitive ship resolution??? Nah...not until the end of the series for that one.

But at least SOME course corrections to make the show actually feel like Stargate SG-1 again, rather than Stargate SG-Whatever.

Dang those rose colored glasses are pinching my nose something awful. Best to stick to my dark, bleak pessimism specs...

[Skydiver]

it is possible that, what many have not liked in s9, are merely growing pains and that the show will find a second wind and really return to its roots....you know, 9 years ago when there was this GROUP of people who became friends and cared about and for each other.

And we might again see a show where the focus is the characters and their feelings and actions instead of the biggest and bestest CGI that Rainmaker can create/'bigger' explosions, smaller costumes and truly smart and witty lines that don't sound like they were written after a 3 day binge at the local frat house

a year from now we'll know.

however, given that many of the recent changes haven't quite been to my - and many others - tastes, i'll belive it when i see it

[Sum1]

I really hate how it's become all about the next funny line that someone is going to say - in the early years they had a funny line or two every few episodes but now it seems like multiple ones each episode, and it's tiresome, especially with the stupid innuendo. Personally, I prefer a different type of humour. For example, I like intelligent British humour such as the shows "Yes, Minister" and "Yes, Prime Minister" (if you haven't seen them, I highly recommend them). When it comes to American sitcoms, I personally prefer the old 70s and 80s shows since they generally had a more intelligent humour level. Maybe it's just me, but these sex jokes make me feel ashamed of watching a show that was once above such juvenile stuff.

[binkpmmc]

In the end they are going to blame us. Those crazy fans who complained about a quality show and it's WONDERFUL new storyline and actors... Who refused to accept the changes that were for THE GOOD OF THE SHOW. Bad...bad fans.

I agree - we bad fans will have abandoned a da*n good show you know - the other problem I have of late (since S7) with many of TPTB is that they think just because they say it's great, and they tell us we should love it, they seem to be arrogant enough to believe we should just because they say so - and God forbid if we don't then we are just wrong, wrong, wrong . . . . Sheesh are they short-sighted or what. They really cannot afford to continue to alienate their true and long-standing fan base they way they have been.

[binkpmmc]

I really hate how it's become all about the next funny line that someone is going to say - in the early years they had a funny line or two every few episodes but now it seems like multiple ones each episode, and it's tiresome, especially with the stupid innuendo. Personally, I prefer a different type of humour. For example, I like intelligent British humour such as the shows "Yes, Minister" and "Yes, Prime Minister" (if you haven't seen them, I highly recommend them). When it comes to American sitcoms, I personally prefer the old 70s and 80s shows since they generally had a more intelligent humour level. Maybe it's just me, but these sex jokes make me feel ashamed of watching a show that was once above such juvenile stuff.

Your one sentence about intelligent humor sums it up pretty well for me - it used to be about intelligent humour mixed good drama that garnered respect - now it's about stupid one-liners and crass sexual innuendo for cheap, easy laughs - a sitcom and a cliched sci-fi series with sci-fi caricatures that are a dime-a-dozen these days. There really is nothing special about SG1 anymore - nothing that grabs you the way it did for 6 seasons, IMO anyway. Now I just seem to resent it when I watch it because no matter how much time I spend watching an ep - whether its the first 15 minutes of Avalon 1 (at which point I was so bored and disgusted I turned the channel) or whether I watch a whole ep like Babylon, I feel I wasted that time for the most part. This pattern started for me in mid-S7 and we all knw who showed up in S7 don't we.

[Sum1]

Your one sentence about intelligent humor sums it up pretty well for me - it used to be about intelligent humour mixed good drama that garnered respect - now it's about stupid one-liners and crass sexual innuendo for cheap, easy laughs - a sitcom and a cliched sci-fi series with sci-fi caricatures that are a dime-a-dozen these days. There really is nothing special about SG1 anymore - nothing that grabs you the way it did for 6 seasons, IMO anyway. Now I just seem to resent it when I watch it because no matter how much time I spend watching an ep - whether its the first 15 minutes of Avalon 1 (at which point I was so bored and disgusted I turned the channel) or whether I watch a whole ep like Babylon, I feel I wasted that time for the most part. This pattern started for me in mid-S7 and we all knw who showed up in S7 don't we.

There was also a transition to the bad stuff in season 6 when they added in one of the worst aspects of the show - Prometheus. Not only did that not make sense at all in terms of feasibility, it began the long trend of change toward spaceships from gate travel.

[binkpmmc]

There was also a transition to the bad stuff in season 6 when they added in one of the worst aspects of the show - Prometheus. Not only did that not make sense at all in terms of feasibility, it began the long trend of change toward spaceships from gate travel.

Very, very ture. I miss the Gate - some of my favorite eps focused on the Gate like 48 hours and the one with the black hole I cannot recall the name of (A Matter of Time?) and I loved the way they used it in 1969 and in 2010 and how they used it to blow up a sun, etc., - all great stuff - did I say I miss the Gate? sigh . . . They should have changed the name of the show in S9 and it should not have been Stargate Command it should have been "OOOh Look we have cool ships - Gate - what Gate?"