"Stargate has never found a large audience" article

[ForeverSg1]

Stargate lasted this long because the venues it ran on didn't demand the size of audience that the major networks do. Showtime is in less than 20% of U.S. homes, for instance. Syndications doesn't demand a huge audience to keep a show on air.

Had Stargate tried to make it on, say, ABC, NBC, or CBS, it probably wouldn't have gotten past season one.

That's not a criticism. I actually like the fact that niche shows have venues to run on that don't demand huge audiences to survive.

This may be true, but the same can be said for shows like Farscape and BSG. Stargate may not have recieved the critical acclaim that the other two shows recieved; but it has indeed recieved as big an audience, if not bigger, than both of these shows, and it has done so for nearly ten years.

If you look at science fiction as a whole, most of the popular shows are not found on the top three networks, they are found on cable channels or in syndication where they are allowed to find a niche that doesn't require a big audience to survive; because in general science fiction is not a genre that appeals to the average television viewer.

If we make statements that say that it was Stargate's safe market on Showtime/SCIFI that gave them the staying power to last as long as they did, then couldn't the same thing be said for shows like Babylon 5, ST:TNG, ST: DSN, Farscape, Andromeda, or BSG that were also aired either in syndication or on SCIFI?

Stargate may not be able to compete with shows like Lost in terms of audience appeal or ratings, but it also doesn't have the financial backing that these shows get either. In my opinion it's like comparing apples to oranges. However, one would think that if Farscape and BSG were truly as wonderful as many critics claimed them to be that their ratings would be or have been significantly higher than those of the inferior Stargate SG1. Only time will tell if BSG truly has what it takes to make it long term, but I think it's really shallow for critics to try to make excuses as to why Stargate has lasted as long as it has when they are trying to compare it to what they consider to be 'good' science fiction television.

Kat

[gateingawaydana]

Okay, so when we talk about the 2.2-2.4. I think that we are forgetting that thats just in the US. Because there are so many fans of stargate, that live in the UK and elsewhere. Just thought I'd point that out.
Dana

[HirogenGater]

Well... oddly enough, it's worth getting into for me, because I want to know ALL sides of the story. It doesn't have to be here, but I think it's very worth getting into - especially if someone wasn't aware of the issues when they were happening.



I believe Whedon. And, personally, though I've never been a fan of Firefly, it seems like they missed out on a pretty good opportunity.

Sci Fi's kinda lame sometimes...

They seem to be dropping the ball. They had Farscape, then got rid of it. This is the first I heard of this Firefly news, another missed oppurtunity. I also heard the Save Enterprise people went to Scifi to get them to fund a Season 5, they said no.

[RussTC3]

Well I'm no ratings expert but BSG doesn't seem to be pulling in much more of an audience than Stargate. Their numbers are consistenly only .1 or .2 ahead of Stargate. I wonder if those numbers would change if they had BSG in the 8:00 p.m. time slot, which really isn't that great a slot. I LOVE BSG myself and want it to do well and continue on for MANY seasons but it still irks me when Stargate seems to get absolutely no respect from media outlets.

I could be wrong, but it's my understanding that, for the most part, more people are watching tv as the night advances. So more people at 9PM than at 8PM, and more at 10PM than at 9PM and 8PM.

That's why the viewing increases as the night advances.

They seem to be dropping the ball. They had Farscape, then got rid of it. This is the first I heard of this Firefly news, another missed oppurtunity. I also heard the Save Enterprise people went to Scifi to get them to fund a Season 5, they said no.

Even if they did want to pick up the series (supposably Spike TV was interested as well), it would never have happened. Paramount had no intention of continuing the series any longer, because it would mean they would have to lower the budget of the series, therefore they would be in essence telling everyone that Star Trek is no longer an important asset.

They don't want to go cheap, they want another TNG.

[Osiris-RA]

Not a large audience? Then what are we, chopped liva??

[creed462]

What about DVDs sales. It seem now that with the seris being released on DVD the fans now can speak on what shows they like. DVD sale seem to be a better indicator then ratings.

[MediaSavant]

What about DVDs sales. It seem now that with the seris being released on DVD the fans now can speak on what shows they like. DVD sale seem to be a better indicator then ratings.

...and there are a lot of shows that get far better DVD sales than Stargate.

[whatswiththehairtealc]

In response to the firefly debate, i cant believe that scifi will throw money into some of these horrifiing films they come up with but won't order a season of a great show like firefly. they could put firefly paired with BSG on mondays and SG 1&A on friday and double the amount of days i watch Sci Fi otherwise I'm on friday nights and thats it!!! half the time i tape SG becuse, hell its friday and i'm out at the bar getting a beer and chasing tail!! it they had some monday shows i might actually watch them live. and be brainwashed into buying tide or pepsi. just one mans opinion. any jobs open at SCI FI for program Director?

[macktheknife]

ON EDIT: FOX has never had much patience with fledgling shows (yet it allows something as preposterous as "Malcolm in the Middle"

Bah. That is a brilliant show.

Again, screwd in australia by a idiotic channel basically not showing it for 3 years, then when they put it back on, it's 2 seasons far than when they left, and they screw with times.

[prion]

...and there are a lot of shows that get far better DVD sales than Stargate.

I've notcied lately that Stargate is being really pushed in the sale departmetn at Best Buy, etc., which makes me wonder if they're clearing stock, or what.

What are the top TV sellers? And don't say FRIENDS. That show is constantly in the bargain bin at Walmart and they can't get rid of 'em

I'd hazard to guess that newer shows like LOST and CSI are in the top 10.

[leaper]

They probably are top of the list..but I would be more interested in the "consistant" sales..what stays on the list for a long, long time, and my guess is that Stargate would be there, along with the Star Trek franchise, us sci-fi peoples tend to like to watch our shows again and again, whereas, shows like CSI and Lost I think, are more limited, and while personally, I don't mind watching those particular shows..no way I'll shell out to watch them again once or twice, I only buy stuff I want to watch a little more often than that..