Universe Seasons

[Daniel Jackson]

For seven years, SG-1 had 22 episodes per season. When SG:A came out, both SG-1 and SG:A had 20 episodes per season. I was a little dissapointed in the reduced number (I never watched the shows back-to-back), but it's just two episodes less, so it wasn't that big of a deal. However, are we going to see this happen again with SG:U? If it comes out while SG:A is on the air, will both shows have 18 or less episodes per season?

I don't mind the newer show having shorter seasons, I just don't like it when an existing show starts to have shorter seasons, like when SG-1 went from 22 to 20.

[Platschu]

For seven years, SG-1 had 22 episodes per season. When SG:A came out, both SG-1 and SG:A had 20 episodes per season. I was a little dissapointed in the reduced number (I never watched the shows back-to-back), but it's just two episodes less, so it wasn't that big of a deal. However, are we going to see this happen again with SG:U? If it comes out while SG:A is on the air, will both shows have 18 or less episodes per season?

I don't mind the newer show having shorter seasons, I just don't like it when an existing show starts to have shorter seasons, like when SG-1 went from 22 to 20.

Twenty is a great number. I would accept 4, 10, 13 too, if I have a chance to see SG:U now. We should wait for any official press release that they will make it in 2008 or 2009.

[Daniel Jackson]

4, 10, 13? That's not a TV show, that's a mini-series.

[Xicer]

I think it'll remain at 20. SG-1 and SGA had the reduced episodes thing because both shows shared personnel so resources were somewhat limited I suppose. With SGU, I think it'll be different since Brad Wright and Robert C. Cooper will work on SGU (after finishing the SG-1 movies) separately from SGA so I don't think the whole sharing thing will really be happening.

4, 10, 13? That's not a TV show, that's a mini-series.

Well its not so bad, I mean the new Doctor Who has 13 episodes a season and it works out pretty well.

[Daniel Jackson]

I don't watch Doctor Who, so I can't comment on that. However, it's long enough waiting for these short 20-episode seasons. If they got shorter, I'd probably forget about the show by the time the new season began.

The reason why I don't like short seasons is because I typically only watch one or two current scripted dramas. Everything else I watch is either cancelled shows on DVD, educational programming, or the news.

[SaberBlade]

Well as a 'Doctor Who' watcher and a 'The 4400' watcher, more than 13 episodes is prefered. Sure they can be good, but they come and go so fast. What's worse is the fact they seem to take longer to return than a 20+ episode series.

I can't really see SGU and SGA getting cut down to 18 episodes. While I don't understand why SG1 lost episodes when SGA was released, it could just be something as simple as Scifi wanting to lineup SG1, SGA and BSG to have the same amount of episodes and go back to back.

However if Scifi are concerned that ratings won't be high enough, so they could do a limited amount of episodes then order more while the early episodes are being aired. It wouldn't be the first time they've did this but since they can now rate DVR viewership I don't they'd do this because SGA's ratings don't seem to be any lower (as a whole) than before.

So I don't think it's anything to worry about, and I would expect 20 episodes, maybe more if they air it when SGA has been cancelled or just completed it's season run.

[Daniel Jackson]

Would they up the episode order? They didn't up SG:A's episode order with SG-1 cancelled. Season 4 and 5 both get 20 episodes.

[SaberBlade]

Would they up the episode order? They didn't up SG:A's episode order with SG-1 cancelled. Season 4 and 5 both get 20 episodes.

That's true, but considering they never had more than 20 to begin with, why give them more? They could at least keep it at 20, save themselves a bit of money and when Universe goes into production, give it the same amount of episodes. It would also be easier to keep it at 20 because I believe Scifi sort of have a habit of going with 20 if the show is more on the expensive side. Seasons 2, 3 and 4 of BSG will have 20 episodes, not including the 2 hour prequel Razor (which isn't really BSG but Pegasus and I believe originally planned as standalone).

[kirmit]

It's possible they'll lower the number of episodes, considering they'll have SGA, SGU and possibly more SG-1 movies to fit into their budget. I don't see it happening though, I just see MGM handing them more money, they'll be getting enough from the SG-1 movie DVD sales anyway .

[SaberBlade]

It's possible they'll lower the number of episodes, considering they'll have SGA, SGU and possibly more SG-1 movies to fit into their budget. I don't see it happening though, I just see MGM handing them more money, they'll be getting enough from the SG-1 movie DVD sales anyway .

I don't think so.

Scifi shouldn't be paying anything towards the movies, so it's MGM who'd be providing the 7 million Contnuum budget. That means that Scifi wouldn't need to pay production costs like with the shows but only the cost of buying the rights to air them (which hopefully MGM won't do just to spite them). I could see Scifi ordering less episodes as a tactic towards getting movie rights or right towards SGU (which hopefully MGM won't give to Scifi without some sort of right to air it on other channels).

[Daniel Jackson]

That's true, but considering they never had more than 20 to begin with, why give them more?

With one SG show on, why not give it a few extra episodes per season?

They could at least keep it at 20, save themselves a bit of money and when Universe goes into production, give it the same amount of episodes.

They could always go back to 20-episode seasons when SG:U goes into production.

It would also be easier to keep it at 20 because I believe Scifi sort of have a habit of going with 20 if the show is more on the expensive side.

This does make sense. SG-1 Seasons 6-7 are the only seasons SciFi funded that were 22 rather than 20-episode seasons.

[SaberBlade]

You do have a good point. They could put a bit of extra money into SGA and give it a few more episodes to make up for it being the only SG show and then lower it back down again.

Or they could ask try doing their own TV movie. During the season break, they could make a two or three part episode that when combined would make up a movie. This could be done part of the series canon but set during the season rather after it (as not to conflict with the season finale) similar to what they did with the Cowboy Bebop movie (which takes place during episodes 23 and 24 of the Cowboy Bebop series).

It would have the advantage of lengthening the series, seeing how well a proper SGA movie could be accepted and it wouldn't be something completely new and untested as they are doing the exact same thing with Battlestar Galactica: Razor. They could also make a longer, uncut version for DVD and release it shortly after the original aired, just like Razor.

Imagine if they did a two or three parter involving the Tria, or Ford, or who knows what else, as it would allow them to do something on a tv budget, but involve something they didn't do for the main season.

[AvatarIII]

i wouldn't mind if they did a BSG and started off with a really well done miniseries, then if it's popular push it up to 20 episodes, by keeping the first season small they dont have to comprimise on budget if it's not well recieved

[Mattathias2.0]

Considering SGA began as 20 eps per season, I think it could alter the chemistry of the episodes by extending the seasons (4 & 5) by another 2 episodes. Watching Season 7 of SG-1 and comparing to Season 8, 7 is definitely more drawn out in terms of style, character development and story arc.

I think it is better SGA stay at a 20 episode count per season because it began with that format (unlike SG-1). And I doubt when and if SGU gets picked up, that SGA (and SGU) will be taken down to 18 episodes (or something like that) per season.

In regards to the comment of how Doctor Who has 13 episodes per season, it didn't begin that way. Over it's original 26 year run, Doctor Who episodes per season were cut down to more than half of the episodes it began with during it's first year. I believe in '63, it had somewhere around 40 episodes per year, but by '89 was down to 13.

[Daniel Jackson]

Or they could ask try doing their own TV movie. During the season break, they could make a two or three part episode that when combined would make up a movie. This could be done part of the series canon but set during the season rather after it (as not to conflict with the season finale) similar to what they did with the Cowboy Bebop movie (which takes place during episodes 23 and 24 of the Cowboy Bebop series).

How is this any different than extending the season by two episodes?

It would have the advantage of lengthening the series, seeing how well a proper SGA movie could be accepted and it wouldn't be something completely new and untested as they are doing the exact same thing with Battlestar Galactica: Razor. They could also make a longer, uncut version for DVD and release it shortly after the original aired, just like Razor.

We don't need an SG:A movie when we have new episodes on a weekly basis. I'd rather just have an extra two episodes per season. They can make a movie if the show gets cancelled like they're doing for SG-1.

Imagine if they did a two or three parter involving the Tria, or Ford, or who knows what else, as it would allow them to do something on a tv budget, but involve something they didn't do for the main season.

They already do a trilogy once or twice a year.