S10: Critique & Contemplation

[kazzyk]

Is there really enough Farscape fans to keep this show a float?

[peterJS]

Hmm...that was an interesting read. Most of the concerns revolve around Vala and Mitch and how they're incorporated into the show, which is a concern of mine as well. Mitch was brought on as the leader, even though he has no offworld experience and has already made (IMO) some foolish mistakes. The team's apparent response? "Whatever." They don't seem to have strong feelings one way or the other regarding Mitch - he's merely there. No one has questioned his ability to lead. No one has wondered why Sam isn't in charge. They just accept whatever plot changes TPTB toss their way.

Vala will be brought back and will likely be made a member of the offworld team even though she lies, steals, risks Daniel's life, and insults the govt guys who write the paychecks. The team's likely response? "Whatever." No one will question her presence because TPTB have already decided to put here there.

I like Vala, as long as they can trust her I think she would be good in the show. She adds a bit more Humour that we lost when O'neil left.

[Nem2k]

Is there really enough Farscape fans to keep this show a float?

i doubt it. I think Farscape had lower ratings than SG-1, so tptb are trying to draw in quite a small crowd

[Skydiver]

i think the theory is more:

ok, so we got 2 million that watch sg1, 1 million that watch farscape, so we'll appeal to the scapers and increase the total viewers to 3 million (hypothetical numbers there)

the thing is, they're operating under teh assumption that no one will not like the new incarnation and turn off the set...which is precisely what's been happeneing in some areas

they may gain some, but they lost a bunch when rda left and only time will tell if stargate can consistently grow in ratings

most shows, as they age, lose fans

[dipsofjazz]

i think the theory is more:

ok, so we got 2 million that watch sg1, 1 million that watch farscape, so we'll appeal to the scapers and increase the total viewers to 3 million (hypothetical numbers there)

the thing is, they're operating under teh assumption that no one will not like the new incarnation and turn off the set...which is precisely what's been happeneing in some areas

they may gain some, but they lost a bunch when rda left and only time will tell if stargate can consistently grow in ratings

most shows, as they age, lose fans

There's also the point that many people who watch Stargate also watched Farscape. This takes away from the potential new audience.

[Skydiver]

that too.

many did watch both shows to begin with. so while they have and will gain some scapers, that smallpool has to counteract all those that

like jack and turned off
like sam/jack adn turned off
don't like the tone of the current show and turned off
don't like the new characters and turned off
just got bored with the whole mess and turned off

It's kinda like....when MS left, his fans mounted a most passionate campaign to get him back. and they wrote letters, after letters, after letters. And, in more than one occasion, i saw folks that were running the campaign encouraging letter writers to 'write one for a friend'....in other words, write a letter and put someone else's name on it to lend the illusion that instead of 100 letter writers, there were really 1000.

the thing is...those 100 people were all there were and if scifi was planning on those 1000 viewwers (or 10000 since the perception is, i believe, for every one that writes there's 10 more than don't but share the opinion) to tune in and crank up the ratings it was never gonna happen. those 100 were all there was.

No matter how many names were put on letters, they still come from the saem pool of people and that same pool of people weren't gonna generate anymore ratings than they did before (again, hypothetical numbers here)

No matter how many scapers scifi thinks they're gonna appeal to, they are still a finite number and i really don't think that there are enough of them to counteract others that have abandoned the show

[Krilia]

<snip>

Vala will be brought back and will likely be made a member of the offworld team even though she lies, steals, risks Daniel's life, and insults the govt guys who write the paychecks. The team's likely response? "Whatever." No one will question her presence because TPTB have already decided to put here there.

I agree with that feeling, and unfortunately it's one of the things that bug me about season two of Atlantis. Ronon. He's an interesting character and eye candy and all, but does he really belong on their team when they can't seem to even keep in under control?

[keshou]

Saw this link posted over at the TWoP forums. This article kind of hit home.

http://www.salon.com/ent/iltw/2006/0.../index_np.html

Quick quote:

When you take a hard look at most shows, you have to ask yourself: Was this show really meant to drag on this long, or am I just clinging to the past? Am I still interested in where these writers are leading me, or am I so fond of these characters that I can't let them out of my sight? Look closely, and you'll see a TV line-up filled with moldy cheeses, cheating honey pies, and graying Chumpy the hamsters that should've wandered off to die decades ago.

I think there's a few moldy cheeses in the fridge at Bridge.

How many of us are still watching the show for the (original) characters and not the story? I know I'm guilty.

I was optimistic that they might be able to retool the show and pull it off. I was excited when they announced that Ben was joining the show. Sadly I'm really surprised I've been so "meh" about Mitchell. I love Ben, I loved Farscape, I expected to love Mitchell. Well....not so much.

Vala was always a wild card and I thought her character had potential in spite of some of the cringeworthy moments in PU. But she would have been much better as a recurring character, imo, sort of like Maybourne. They should have let Vala manuever her way into control of the Lucian Alliance or something and let SG-1 deal with her as a not-so-trustworthy ally of sorts . Would have suited her character much better. Oh....and ditch the sexual innuendo.

I was surprised reading Alan Levine's blog. That's the second time he's kind of been begging for viewers. Makes me think that SG-1 and maybe even Atlantis won't be around after next season. Or if they are it will be with massive budget cuts.

[ShadowMaat]

If the producers want shows that will last, they should start thinking- and writing- with their upstairs brains.

If they have them.

[pittsburghgirl]

If the producers want shows that will last, they should start thinking- and writing- with their upstairs brains.

If they have them.

Indeed!

[LaCroix]

As it's been published here, Sci-fi and other websites about the impending
birth of the Leader of the Ori. I'd thought to do a list what shows/movies that have done this storyline of birth good/bad child to death :

1. V.
2. Starman. (movie and series)
3. Earth Final Confilct.
4. Glacaticia 1980-The Return of Starbuck episode.
5. The current BSG.
6. Angel.
7. X-Files.


If anyone wants to add to this list, your more than welcome.

[pittsburghgirl]

As it's been published here, Sci-fi and other websites about the impending
birth of the Leader of the Ori. I'd thought to do a list what shows/movies that have done this storyline of birth good/bad child to death :

1. V.
2. Starman. (movie and series)
3. Earth Final Confilct.
4. Glacaticia 1980-The Return of Starbuck episode.
5. The current BSG.
6. Angel.
7. X-Files.


If anyone wants to add to this list, your more than welcome.

okay okay-you have heard me complain to death-XENA

[Zoser]

snipped

How many of us are still watching the show for the (original) characters and not the story? I know I'm guilty.

Started watching cause I liked the movie, love scifi and mythology, and absolutely fell in love with the character of Jack O'Neill, loved the interaction of the team and each individual as well, and all the minor characters - Hammond, Walter, Siler, Janet, Jacob, Bray'tec,Cassie etc. The enemies and the allies were interesting as well as the ethical dilemias were thought provoking. Now I got nothing and I'm not happy. How could the same guys who did the first 7 seasons peter out of ideas (some of 8 was great) and give us the disaster of 9. Is it the guys who are missing the ones who were responsible for all the good in the past or is the series past it's due date?

[MediaSavant]

like jack and turned off
like sam/jack adn turned off
don't like the tone of the current show and turned off
don't like the new characters and turned off
just got bored with the whole mess and turned off

No matter how many scapers scifi thinks they're gonna appeal to, they are still a finite number and i really don't think that there are enough of them to counteract others that have abandoned the show

The real question is...how many is that? From the looks of the polls run here at Gateworld, there still seem to be a lot of people enamored with the show.

Since Stargate started on SciFi, there seems to be a base of people that watch the show no matter what. Sure, last year was a "high ratings mark", but this year ain't that much different ratings-wise than Season 8 or Season 7.

It appears last year, the show attracted more casual viewers to achieve those higher ratings, but it's hard to find solid numbers to prove the "longtimers" have gone away in droves.

[smurf]

The real question is...how many is that? From the looks of the polls run here at Gateworld, there still seem to be a lot of people enamored with the show.

Since Stargate started on SciFi, there seems to be a base of people that watch the show no matter what. Sure, last year was a "high ratings mark", but this year ain't that much different ratings-wise than Season 8 or Season 7.

It appears last year, the show attracted more casual viewers to achieve those higher ratings, but it's hard to find solid numbers to prove the "longtimers" have gone away in droves.

It's about .4 down from last year, given that SG-1 has increased ratings pretty much every year (maybe even every year), and given the ratings averaged about 2.1, losing a fair proportion of your viewership - casual or otherwise - is probably not good.

How does it appear that the show attracted more casual viewers?
The show is on a niche cable channel which repeats it continuously. It's arguable what it did was pick up new fans in the off season, or maybe the increase in SciFi's reach between S7 and S8 allowed those who would normally have only been able to watch in syndication to see the first run showing.

If it's hard to prove the longtimers have left, surely it's also hard to prove that only casual viewers have left the series.
I think a consistant loss of ratings (or consistantly low ratings) over a period of time is much more indicative of a loss of long time viewers than an indication of a loss of casual viewers, which I assume caused the fluctuations found in previous seasons.

Remember this is a eight/nine year old show. There is a certain point at which shows find it difficult to collect any more "casual" viewers - ratings go down, shows end, such is the life cycle of television - unless of course you dump eight years of history in order to accommodate those who didn't previously care for the show.