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The Future of Sci-Fi shows...

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    The Future of Sci-Fi shows...

    There seems to be a trend in the TV/Entertainment business to shy away from or cancel "high sci-fi" shows. I use the term "high sci-fi" here to be similar to the term "high fantasy".

    One for example could call "Lost" a "sci-fi" show but not a "high sci-fi" one. The later tend to have more conventional elements of "space travel by ship or gate/wormwhole, space ships, aleins, other planets, beam weapons" etc.

    These types of shows seem to be unpopular in the eyes of the "main stream" networks and tend to be replaced by more "low sci-fi" shows like Lost or Heroes.

    Now I personally watch all sci-fi shows as long as they are entertaining (and hopefully intelligent), but my favorite sub-genre (if there is asuch a thing) has always been the Stargate, Star Trek, Babylon 5, and Farscape type shows.

    Sadly, as I mentioned, there seems to be a lack of such shows on TV with the ones airing always facing the prospect of cancellation.

    This drove me literally after getting the news of SG-1 not getting renewed to cancel all my cable subscription and to sell my TV set

    Eversince I have been relying on the internet for my entertainment (I have been relying on the internet for my news for far longer prior to selling my TV hehe).

    When I like a show and I wish to support it I simply buy the DVD's and visit the fan sites and the official forums of such shows to be a part of that community.

    Now for the longest time I have been wondering what would be solution to allow such great shows like Farscape and Stargate to continue without living under the shadow of cancellation by the bean-counters and the network executives. The solution may be the internet itself along with the direct-to-DVD releases.

    Which brings me to "Sanctuary". I just finished buying and watching the HD version of the first episode they released and I must say this could be it!

    My expereince with Sanctuary so far has been very positive with a few minor issues that hopefully the folks there can address. I am mostly impressed by the availability of the HD version to download which puts any iTunes video to shame. In addition, the file does not have any screwy digital rights media codes or restrictions so you buy the file and it is yours to burn or watch on any PC using any player. I hope this sets the standard for others to follow.

    Additionally which is a VERY important point, anyone in the world can buy the show unlike iTunes where it is limited to U.S. customers. This opens up a LOT more revenue sources for the show to make money. If one million people in the world out of 6 billion buy the episodes for $2.00 each, that is 2 million dollars per episode which can produce a great broadcast quality sci-fi show with all the bells and whistles, and very minimal overhead cost!

    I am very glad that Amanda Tapping is working on this project and that many of the Stargate cast and crew are participating either as guests or regulars.

    I really wish this model would succees which could open the door to many creative teams to follow suit and make great sci-fi shows for exclusive online release and/or direct-to-DVD(HD-DVD/Blu-ray) etc.

    Like I mentioned in a thread on the Sanctuary forum, having the fans themselves pay directly the creators of a show is the best way for us to get what we want.

    Soon Stargate SG-1 will have its direct-to-DVD movies out, in addition for Babylon 5 fans there is a direct-to-DVD movie coming out in July.

    I will gladly support these folks and "vote with my wallet" ,so to speak, to keep these shows alive.

    This may sound like a "fanboi" post but it is not. I am a "fan" of all things sci-fi and I really wish that we could get our "sci-fi" fix through creative ways like the exclusive internet release which will take the Network executives out of the equation.

    Bottomline, go buy the DVD's and the Sanctuary episodes! Support Amanda Tapping and all the sci-fi actors/crews that are facing cancellations to their shows while "reality shows" continue to be aired.

    I am looking forward to a day when I can come back from work, log on to Farscape.com or StargateSG1.com to buy and download the latest episode and watch it in HD quality without any restrictive digital rights codes!!

    The Networks can keep their reality shows, oh and the "Nielsen Families" can keep their boxes! Gimme Sanctuary!!!
    Last edited by OberonSky; 17 May 2007, 09:09 PM.

    #2
    Sounds like you like "space opera" types of SciFi. Those shows are inherently more expensive to produce due to special effects and the need to alter the background to add details to make the planet or city look more exotic or alien. Many studios would look at the cost per episode and decide that their money would be better spent green-lighting 2 dramas or 5-6 reality shows instead.

    Stargate typically saved the majority of its special effects budget for only a few episodes to keep from busting the budget. Later seasons introduced space ships and while exciting to see, there was a fundamental shift away from just using the gate and one would suspect the budget had to be increased to cover the fx needed, if stock shots couldn't be used.

    SciFi shows, in general, tend to go through cycles of popularity, like many other genres. The problem is that for every good SF show, there will be cheap copies or rushed into production by the next season and kill any momentum. Also, SF needs to stick to its basic formula and examine the human condition, definition of man and his status in the universe, the individual can shape and change and influence and triumph, considers the nature of the changes that face us - the possible consequences - and the possible solutions, sociological studies of the future, etc etc. This doesn't mean the fun should be taking out of SciFi, but make it accessible, relate-able, and enjoyable for the general viewer that is typically not a SciFi fan. And remember, SciFi isn't just space opera but includes horror, unexplained mysteries, paranormal, high tech, etc etc.

    Who knows, maybe next year detective shows will make a comeback...there certainly were a lot of them at one time like: Rockford Files, Murder, She Wrote, Baretta, McMillan & Wife, Magnum, P.I., Hawaii Five-O, Columbo, etc etc.
    It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice.

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      #3
      Oh! There is an already term for what I meant "space opera". Thank you for pointing it out, I knew I was not "that" original to create a new term

      I agree on the issue of the sci-fi formula of examining the human condition and so forth. Perhaps from one point of view we have been lucky, come to think of it, I feel like we have not been so deprived really of such high quality shows. As far as I can remember there has been a decent space opera show on the air in one form or another be it new or a re-run of past good ones. Perhaps the looming cancellations in recent years have been souring my memories.

      We had four years of Farscape and a nice double feature film to wrap up the story, five years of Babylon 5 that saw the story to its completion and some new DVD movies coming out in the new future for more, ten years of Stargate SG-1 and two films to come with more if those make profit, three years and counting of Stargate Atlantis, Star Trek shows from the original series and its movies to TNG, DS9, and dare I say Voyager and Enterprise (I admit it I love 'em all!)

      Then we had Firefly sadly cut short, and Crusade as well, we also had two or three decent seasons from Andromeda.

      And now Sanctuary

      Perhaps looking at it this way one can not really complain. However, I hope all the effort to move sci-fi away from the main stream networks and put them in the direct-to-DVD and internet release would pay off. I for one would be very happy to see millions of fans across the world, and not just the U.S., contribute to the financial success of this genre to keep them alive and well!

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        #4
        I think when you state "High Science-Fiction" that term is not the same as "Space Opera". Star Trek, Babylon 5, and Farscape are "Space Opera", but Stargate really isn't, nor is Sanctuary. I think you're use of "High Science-Fiction£, although not really a widely used and accepted genre classification, is closer to the mark in terms of what you enjoy, but not quite if you're meaning it in same same regard as "High Fantasy".

        "High Fantasy" ususally involves an invented world, complete with races, languages, etc. This is in contrast to "Low Fantasy", which is an umbrella term for anything else fantasy that doesn't hit all the specifics considered "High Fantasy".

        By this logic, "High Science-Fiction" is a hard thing to define. The grounding in Science, be it actual or theoretical, is what stops "Science Fiction"it being just another branch of "Fantasy". So, there is really no scope for complete creationism without it turning into "Fantasy".

        Taking "High Science Fiction" as something different from "High Fantasy", what could it mean? I think what you're actually getting at is "Science Fiction" that has a significant "Fantasy" element. But wait a minute, I just proposed they're two different genres. Well, they are but "Science Fiction" has elements of "Fantasy" in it. For example, alien races are "Fantasy" - every characteristic can be based on Science, and they're still "Fantasy" because they are wholey imagined.

        Genres are fundamentally flawed. "Fiction" always contains elements of "Fact", "Fantasy" can contain elements of "Mystery", "Science Fiction", "Horror", etc. Really a genre is a very general guide, and genres are constantly changing, mixing, merging, overlapping, and splitting apart.

        Take this example. Time travel is considered something that occurs in "Science Fiction". However, if there were a show about a time traveling elf detective set in a setting similar to Middle-earth, what genre is it? "Science Fiction"? "Mystery"? "Fantasy"? All three are valid, throw in some consistent love interest stuff and some continued elements to provoke fear, and even "Romance" and "Horror" could be possibilities. In short, the creators and the consumers will gauge what fits best (even if that's a square block trying to fit into a triangular hole) and declare it as something, most likely with something, something, and something elements.

        So anyway, back to the point. "High Science Fiction" as you call it does appear to be in short supply at the moment in terms of TV, I agree. However this is simply the nature of genres, themes, etc. It's "in fashion" at the moment for "Science Fiction" shows to have a stronger sense of familiarity, so more real world settings, characters, and themes are seen. I'm sure before long, something that fits your sense of what "Science Fiction" is and should be will come along.

        I hate genres, urgh.

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          #5
          Science fiction isn't the only thing struggling. Comedies are getting cut short just as much. The networks have become stagnant. Most of them are unwilling to give new shows a chance. They're losing audiences all over. Only reason the reality shows are staying around is cuz they can be made very very cheaply (and it shows, most of them are terrible). Television is in a state of flux right now, with more and more people turning to the internet as their primary medium. I'm not saying the networks will collapse, but it's certainly a possibility.

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            #6
            It wouldnt be a bad thing if they collapsed, half the time when they try to fix things it gets screwed over royally. Im british so i cant coment on american shows but a good example is Doctor Who.

            In the eighties the sixth doctor was Colin Baker, now he aimed to be the longest running doctor in history, going longer than even Tom Baker. But what happened he was the only one in history to get fired, and why might you ask. Simple, budgets got cut, the series was changed dramatically by executives, and in the end they put the blame onto someone who actually didnt deserve it because he became one of the favorite doctor's for the fans.

            If it was on the internet then, since the fans were paying for it, in theory, they may get more input.

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