SGA - iF Magazine: Interview with SciFi Channel's Dave Howe

[morjana]

From iF Magazine:

http://www.ifmagazine.com/feature.asp?article=2233

(Please follow the link for the complete interview.)

Exclusive Interview: SCI FI CHANNEL EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT DAVE HOWE TALKS 'FARSCAPE' WEBISODES & 'FLASH GORDON'

SCI FI exec would love to have Sam Jones and others from the 1980 film guest star on the new series

By SEAN ELLIOTT, Senior Editor
Published 7/16/2007

Intrepid and determined, and always trying to find out the details on our favorite shows, iF MAGAZINE cornered SCI FI Channel Executive Vice President Dave Howe at a cocktail party at this year's TCA's and got the inside line on some of our favorite shows and what’s coming up for the network.

The biggest announcement was that FARSCAPE would be returning care of SCI FI Channel and Jim Henson Productions via a new 10-episode webisdoe series, but there were some other questions we needed answered about projects on one of our favorite networks.


iF MAGAZINE: Will the original cast be returning for FARSCAPE?

DAVE HOWE: We don’t know. Literally, we closed the deal yeaterday, so we haven’t gotten into any of the creative conversations about casting, or story; all of that is yet to come. It is based on FARSCAPE so it will involve the characters from the series, but we don’t know who or what.

**snippage**


iF: With BATTLESTAR GALACTICA ending, are STARGATE: ATLANTIS and FLASH GORDON going to become the flagship series for SCI FI channel?

HOWE: STARGATE, as a franchise, has been a flagship since I’ve been at SCI FI and it’s been incredibly important to us and I could never see SCI FI in the short or long term without STARGATE. FLASH GORDON is like any series, we won’t know anything until we air it and see what the reaction is. I would love to get that to be a flagship in the same way that you want every show to succeed.


**snippage**

[Pitry]

*notes for further use during October*

[PG15]

Well...this is definately a good sign.

[Briangate78]

This is great great news! The chance of Season 5 just went through the roof. I think Sci-fi is about to make a lot of fans happy! Between Farscape and more Stargate!

[theboywonder]

oh what the ****, lets cancel the show and then say its a flagship for us

[Sue_Jackson]

If Stargate SG-1 was the flagship for Sci-Fi Channel, then why did TPTB shoot a hole in its hull and let it sink?

[prion]

If Stargate SG-1 was the flagship for Sci-Fi Channel, then why did TPTB shoot a hole in its hull and let it sink?

Because the cost analysis said to do so. Ratings weren't going up, but the costs were. If they couldn't gain new audience but had to pay more to make the product, it makes sense to kill it off. MGM still has SGA to continue the SG franchise and if it does well in season 4, this could greenlight that SG "universe" show (undoubtedly cast with new younger cheaper actors)

The thing is Howe says "stargate" NOT "stargate SG1". So it's the franchise skiffy wants, not necessarily the so-called 'flagship'.

[Coremae]

David Howe and the rest of his goonies 'seems to be worst at what they do best, and for this gift they feel blessed', to coin a phrase from that nut with so much to live for but shot himself for no reason other than to remind all of us that drugs kills. The latter half of Atlantis sucked because everyone watched most of the episodes on the net, at least I did. If they thought that myself and millions of others would have waited till they decided to return are beloved show to us, on the heel of just having announced the canceling of our first love, SG1, then they surely don't know us, the fans, at all. PKJ's ratings sucks which isn't a concern for me since I hate the show with a passion. I was expecting the entire staff and crew from the PKJ movie, this rehash is so much garbage. And to add insult to injury, Mr Howe comes along and says that Stargate is SciFi's bread and butter, MOOOOOOHAHAHAAHAHAHAAH! Whats up Howe my man, discovered that we the fans don't watch your crappy station for anything else other than SG1 and its sister show Atlantis, Eureka(my new fav, sort of) and BSG. I think after the ratings of Harpies: the goo, they decided to cancel plans for an expected second release: Harpies 2:This Guano's For You!!!

SciFi sucks, if it wasn't for the above mentioned shows, no one would watch them. SG1 ratings over the years could be seen as a tsunami event, between massive waves their are times of little crest waves. They misjudged, screwed up something wonderful that had at least four more seasons. And opted to put that money into crappy films which wouldn't sell fifty thousand copies combined DVD sales. So now they're hoping that the fans return with mention of them fully supporting SG1, well we just might Howe, if you return SG1 to the air and include also SG1: Universe or Worlds, or Who Gives a Crap, we'll watch it any way.


After all what else is there? Dinocroc 2: Filled to the brim with B.S.? Or my personal favorite, Doom Troopers 2: Return To Poop Mountain.