Joseph Mallozzi's Blog! (SPOILERS For All SG Shows and Dark Matter)

[PG15]

Well PG all I know is once this show hardly had any anti peeps now it has more then its fair share...

Depends on where you look, I'm sure.

people have turned off, that cannot be denied.

Oh yes it can. People have turned off...or they're recording it and watching it later, with commercials out, or they forgot about it because of a lack of ads and downloaded later, or they decided to watch another show and get the DVDs, or...you get the picture.

The ratings are proof even if you want to believe the spin.

Ok, I've had it with this. What spin? Yes, the ratings are low, but do you deny that DVRs and other things are having a noticable effect on the ratings? 22%, it was mentioned. This is raw facts here.

Regardless, anything is spin if it doesn't agree with your (or mine) interpretation of the facts.

[Briangate78]

Depends on where you look, I'm sure.



Oh yes it can. People have turned off...or they're recording it and watching it later, with commercials out, or they forgot about it because of a lack of ads and downloaded later, or they decided to watch another show and get the DVDs, or...you get the picture.



Ok, I've had it with this. What spin? Yes, the ratings are low, but do you deny that DVRs and other things are having a noticable effect on the ratings? 22%, it was mentioned. This is raw facts here.

Regardless, anything is spin if it doesn't agree with your (or mine) interpretation of the facts.

When every single show on TV is effected that has to raise a flag. I am not even talking about just Sci-fi.

[Willow'sCat]

When every single show on TV is effected that has to raise a flag. I am not even talking about just Sci-fi.

Yes, but that was happening last season. Remember in the US SGA was still screening new eps this year from season 3, the ratings were OK but nothing great. An opener should be getting great ratings not OK ones or mediocre. I think FS got a 1.4-1.5? Compare that to the opener of season 4 with 1.2 maybe a 1.4 if it is lucky. Also both eps where available in other ways before they screened in the US.

Just saying what Skiffy will be thinking.

I mean if I lived in the UK I would so watch Doctor Who as it goes to air not tape it to watch three days later. No SGA has or is losing its base... that imho is what is being reflected in the low numbers, it still probably has its casual viewers more or less.

[RealmOfX]

Ok, I've had it with this. What spin? Yes, the ratings are low, but do you deny that DVRs and other things are having a noticable effect on the ratings? 22%, it was mentioned. This is raw facts here.

Please note that I am not coming in on either side of the argument but I am asking for clarification of supposed facts.

May I ask exactly what the fact is with DVR's? Because as far as I am aware we don't have the figures as they relate to SGA specifically so we don't actually have any facts. All we know is that the DVR usage of Nielsen households has increased to about 20% over the last 12-18 months. We do not know now nor last year how many people DVR'd SGA and whether they DVR'd and watched within same day, +3 (very new part of reporting) or +7 days and if they watched the ads; or whether they DVR'd and watched live, that info is available from Nielsen but we don't have it and probably never will.

[ses110]

Many Shows may be down in the ratings but have they dropped as much as SG-1 Season 9 and 10 and Atlantis the last few years? It would be interesting to know if other shows that are down are hearing complains about bad writing or cast decisions? I really wish there was a way to tell the exact reasons why shows are struggling?

[scarimor]

Or boring. Joe still hasn't realised that these people were fans once, they didn't wake up one day and decide to be nasty about SGA for the hell of it, they lost their shiny show.. they are upset about it, upset that tptb don't give a dam.

But they're still hanging around on the fan forums whinging about a show they say they don't like and claim not to watch. That's the point he made. It's a sound one.

And we don't know how much of a damn TPTB give about losing any viewers (for whatever reason), but my guess is it's considerable. Claims to the contrary invite justified derision.

Also I am not impressed when Joe's attacks the person and not the criticism.

He mocks the behaviour. Can't you tell the difference?

I'm fairly sure that some of SG-1's loss of viewers around season 9 was down to the shoddiness of the product, and I never flinched from saying so. But if season 10 had been as bad I would've bailed and not be hanging around the fan forums to repeat it ad nauseum. Joe probably won't say it outright on his blog, but I'll give it a shot: there's something not right about people like that.

[Pegasus_SGA]

When every single show on TV is effected that has to raise a flag. I am not even talking about just Sci-fi.

Since you seem to be all knowing. If you watch live and TIVO something, how is that counted in the ratings world? Would it be classed as 'watching it live' or Tivoing? Because for me, if I record something, it doesn't necessarily mean i'm watching it live. *iz still confused*

[Agent_Dark]

But they're still hanging around on the fan forums whinging about a show they say they don't like and claim not to watch.

To quote David Hewlett - "Watch season 4. Or you're a loser."

[scarimor]

To quote David Hewlett - "Watch season 4. Or you're a loser."

lolol!

Funnies aside, you're entitled to bail if you don't like it any more, but then why are you still on its fan forum? Wot, got no other shows? Got no friends? In which case "loser" ain't the half of it

[Alipeeps]

Sorry I say the ratings are a fact. I think only those in the business getting hit in the ratings department are looking for reasons, any reason to blame something else on the drop, but it is dramatic, and if they start with such a low base it will be hard to gain viewers during the rest of the season.

The ratings are a fact.. what I stated in my post above (and what Joe is saying on his blog) is that the reasons behind the ratings are debatable.

You stated your opinion as to why the ratings have dropped (that the quality of Season 2 and 3 was poor) as fact - that's what I disgreed with. The fact that I disagreed with your assertation is a good indication that it is not fact... fact are quantifiable and undeniable. I think the quality of seasons 2 and 3 was good. That's my opinion. You think they weren't. That's your opinion. Neither of those opinions are fact.

[Pitry]

Many Shows may be down in the ratings but have they dropped as much as SG-1 Season 9 and 10 and Atlantis the last few years? It would be interesting to know if other shows that are down are hearing complains about bad writing or cast decisions? I really wish there was a way to tell the exact reasons why shows are struggling?

There's an article on the "season 4 ratings" thread, quoting other shows and their drop percentage. If memory serves, ER lost 40%, Grey's Anatomy, CSI and several other shows 20%, and there were some very high profile shows that lost even more. In comparison, SGA started last year with 1.5 and this year with raw numbers of 1.2, that's... 20%, I believe. Less than ER's, at any rate.

Stargate Atlantis has been bleeding audience from the day it started transmition. So far, rather obvious. Most shows do that. Instead of stablising, however, it keeps on losing audience every year, at a rate of about, I'd say, 25-30% a year?
You could go and point fingers towards the show, of course. Hey! You'd say, they're losing thirty percente of their audience! Per year.
But then you look at the rest of the channels.
The rest of sciFi's shows were lucky if they lost 30% of their audience. Which should lead you to conclude that either a) all of the shows on the SciFi channel have been deteriorating in quality or b) that a very small factor in the show's rating depends on the decisions the writers make.
It always helps to remember these things are up to personal opinoin. For example, season 3 was the one season I felt SGA has really become a show worthy of the Stargate name. And then there's season 7 of SG1s, which was in my opinion almost completely crap and I hoenstly can't see how its quality might have contributed to season 8's ratings.
(ses, this isn't personaly directed at you, BTW )

Yeah, ratings don't make sense. A perfect gem like Studio 60 gets cancelled after one season while Heroes get a second season. Doctor Who, well, enough people have heard me being grateful the show's future does not in any way depend on the US ratings... and SGA, the lesser of the Stargate shows IMO survives, while SG1 gets cancelled. At least House is doing strong.
But that's just my taste

[Briangate78]

There's an article on the "season 4 ratings" thread, quoting other shows and their drop percentage. If memory serves, ER lost 40%, Grey's Anatomy, CSI and several other shows 20%, and there were some very high profile shows that lost even more. In comparison, SGA started last year with 1.5 and this year with raw numbers of 1.2, that's... 20%, I believe. Less than ER's, at any rate.

Stargate Atlantis has been bleeding audience from the day it started transmition. So far, rather obvious. Most shows do that. Instead of stablising, however, it keeps on losing audience every year, at a rate of about, I'd say, 25-30% a year?
You could go and point fingers towards the show, of course. Hey! You'd say, they're losing thirty percente of their audience! Per year.
But then you look at the rest of the channels.
The rest of sciFi's shows were lucky if they lost 30% of their audience. Which should lead you to conclude that either a) all of the shows on the SciFi channel have been deteriorating in quality or b) that a very small factor in the show's rating depends on the decisions the writers make.
It always helps to remember these things are up to personal opinoin. For example, season 3 was the one season I felt SGA has really become a show worthy of the Stargate name. And then there's season 7 of SG1s, which was in my opinion almost completely crap and I hoenstly can't see how its quality might have contributed to season 8's ratings.
(ses, this isn't personaly directed at you, BTW )

Yeah, ratings don't make sense. A perfect gem like Studio 60 gets cancelled after one season while Heroes get a second season. Doctor Who, well, enough people have heard me being grateful the show's future does not in any way depend on the US ratings... and SGA, the lesser of the Stargate shows IMO survives, while SG1 gets cancelled. At least House is doing strong.
But that's just my taste

After watching the first two eps of Season 4 and seeing mostly postive response I don't buy that people lost interest. Have you ever thought that more and more people are DVR'ing the show? The fact remains that DVR'ing has doubled in overall households. If SGA has about another 150,000 to 300,000 who watch the show through DVR, then it's safe to say that SGA has not lost any viewers since last year.

I am going to go out on a limb and say that it def is DVR'ing. Nieslen even made a major announcement about it. Friday is the most DVR'd day of the week, 10pm is the most DVR'd time slot, Sci-fi is one of the most DVR'd networks, and SGA is one of the most DVR'd shows. If they count how many people are watching the show today on their DVR, and included it in the raw number it would be a huge difference.

[Sue_Jackson]

One has to have a good look at that first photo: Link!.

See what and who you can find.

EDIT: And that Rob Cooper photo is beyond traumatizing.

Wow! That's gorgeous! Everything and everyone that's on Stargate SG-1 and Atlantis is there. That's amazing!

[prion]

http://josephmallozzi.blogspot.com/2...er-6-2007.html

Yesterday was a day of events. Production wrapped. We said goodbye (for now?) to friends and colleagues. And Martin Gero’s Young People F**king debuted here as part of The Vancouver International Film Festival. I was among 50 or so Stargate veterans who showed up to support golden boy Marty G., making up only part of the sold-out crowd that packed the Ridge Theater for the 9:30 p.m. screening.

Now I enjoyed the movie the first time I saw it as a rough, unfinished cut without any music. I found it clever, funny, even touching at times. But as I settled into my seat at the Ridge, I briefly wondered how much of my enjoyment may have been colored by my friendship with the co-writer/director. Was I perhaps being less critical of the movie because I (and pretty much everyone else at Stargate) supports Martin and really wants to see him succeed? Probably not. I’ve had no problem criticizing the works of my friends and co-workers in the past. Still, if there was any doubt, it would certainly be put to rest (or raised even more) on this night because Fondy was also in attendance and she’s a pretty tough audience when it comes to movies. As much as she loves the guy, I knew that if Martin didn’t deliver, I’d hear about it. Turns out any inkling of doubt was put to rest very quickly as Fondy was laughing out loud and clearly enjoying the movie along with the rest of the 300+ theater-goers. On the walk home, she admitted that she went in expecting to be entertained given Martin’s penchant for delivering laughs, however the movie even surpassed her expectations. Great to hear. And from the sounds of the audience reactions throughout, I have a feeling this movie is going to entertain many, many others.

Today’s pics: Our wonderful pre-movie meal at Fuel (chilled tomato soup, organic salad with house made ricotta and fireweed honey, roasted ling cod with smoked pork belly, prime ribeye with béarnaise sauce, pommes frites, Manjari chocolate mousse with peanuts and malted milk ice cream, apple beignet with crème fraiche, and Tahitian vanilla crème brulee).

Today’s video: Click on the date to (probably not) see and hear Martin Gero entertain his audience during an impromptu intermission.

http://s230.photobucket.com/albums/e...ertainment.flv

[PG15]

http://josephmallozzi.blogspot.com/2...er-7-2007.html

October 7, 2007

Photos: Joe says that it's photos from the last day of filming, but looking around, I can split it into 3 catagories:

1. Crew Photo: wow, who knew this many people worked there?

2. A whole slew of what I would call the Unsung Heroes of Stargate Productions. Oh yeah, and check out the computer screens they're working at; there may be some spoilers in there.

Oh hey! I think the Phoenix may be an Earth ship, judging from this photo.

3. Jason Momoa, upclose and personal. Well, not THAT personal.

Video: Joe Flanigan ridin' skateboarding into the blue(?) sunset.

Write-Up: No worries readers of Joe's blog, Joe's blog is here to stay for some time to come, despite production being wrapped (considering that it started before production started, I don't know why this was an issue, but meh).

Alas, Joe's sick (just like me!) so perhaps we'll have a guest blogger in a the days to come. An all Baron Destructo or all Cookie Monster entry perhaps? Sounds fun.

No words on ratings:

To all those of you asking - we didn’t receive the +3 ratings on Friday as I assumed we would. For some reason no one is able to explain to me, we won’t receive said numbers until Monday or Tuesday. So, stay tuned.

Questions:

Herbert writes: “Joe, I have to admit that though I knew Carl Binder as soon as I saw him, I cannot remember the name of the other man to whom you introduce d me.”

Answer: I believe that was Alan McCullough.

Herbert also writes: “Let's say I have a detailed idea for a sci-fi/fantasy story. What medium would make me the most money?”

Answer: That’s a tough question to answer. It really depends as certain properties lend themselves better to specific mediums.

Joe and the Crew’s fan writes: “What if we want to send a "Wooohooo Stargate's Ratings are an all time high" giftbasket? will it still get to you before expiration date at Bridge Studios?”

Answer: Yup. The production offices will be open for a while.

ARF writes: “McKay can rewrite the Replicator basecode, but conveniently he can't find the schematics or research materials on how to make ZPMs?”

Answer: You find it convenient that McKay can rewrite the replicator base code (something he, and Earth’s scientists, have been studying since we first encountered the replicator) but hasn’t stumbled across everything he needs to help him manufacture his own ZPM? Seriously? How about the fact that he hasn’t found enough personal shields to outfit the entire Atlantis expedition?

ARF also writes: “Suspend disbelief for one action, but not another because that would get rid of a lot of the problems the characters face every episode.”

Answer: Well, in the original version of the Atlantis pilot, Sheppard and co. learn everything they need to know to defeat the wraith. But it turned out that made the ensuing episodes surprisingly less dramatic.

Tepring writes: “In your opinion, as an industry insider, do you think the producers will go different routes to find financial resources and new venues for their shows, sidestepping distributers like SciFi, NBC, etc. altogether? Or will the distributers/networks absorb the new ways audiences are behaving and drive the innovation to monetize those differently?”

Answer: Producers are already actively seeking out new venues for their shows (ie. the internet, on demand programming, direct-to-dvd options) and they will continue to do so. As for the networks - they are looking at ways to adjust to changing face of technology as well.

Anonymous #1 writes: “To hell with leaving things open to everyone's interpretation.”

Answer: I haven’t a clue what you’re referring to. I’m guessing the ending to The Sopranos?

Smiley Face06 writes: “According to Alex Levine's blog on SciFi.com, you'll be going to Chris Judge's Halloween party as Heart Burn. Is that true?”{

Answer: That’s the plan. Heartburn’s signature move (the fisted chest pound) is simple enough to master. Ivon Bartok may have a harder time with Diarrhea’s more complicated maneuver.

Libsechumanist writes: “Joe - I'm a bit at a loss with some of your blog posters, the anti-Season 4 folks - I assume they are "SaveCarsonBeckett" folks…”

Answer: Given all of my past dealings with the SaveCarsonBeckett folk, I would assume that just the opposite. They may not be happy with certain changes to the show and have made that perfectly clear, but I have never heard of one actively campaigning against the show’s future.

Charles Schneider writes: “I've heard Marty G. reference your advice during almost all of his DVD commentaries. Would you say that as his long-time boss (of sorts) you are also like a big brother or mentor to him in the production office?”

Answer: Big brother or mentor? Nah. I think all of the producers respect one another as equals.

AMZ writes: “Do you ever find it hard to give criticism to friends?”

Answer: Quite the opposite actually. It’s much easier and, at times, a lot of fun. Take that, Binder!

Anonymous #3 writes: “Personally, if I see anything I want to see Teyla/Ronon getting closer. I just don't see it with Teyla/Sheppard. & from what I understand they were meant to go on from the beginning. Now, I know you always say...WE HAVE NO SHIP. But come one Joe. lol. I just want to know..WHY you picked the two of them to be the love interest. && why not settle for the other pairing?”

Answer: Feel free to ask me this question again once you’ve actually seen season four. My guess is you won’t bother.

Steven Goldman writes: “ Joe, out of curiosity, would you read comics if they were mailed to you c/o Bridge during the hiatus, or would they not get to you?”

Answer: So long as they are not Stargate-related, sure I’d read ‘em.

Kdvb1 writes: “I can't believe you gave away Zelenka and McKay! (The goldfish)”

Answer: I can’t leave them at the office because I won’t be there and I can’ bring them home because Bubba has a knock for exploring new things about the house, so Krista and the visual effects department has kindly adopted them. Trust me. Zelenka and McKay are in far better hands.

Anonymous #4 writes: “I've noticed that quite a few fans are very down on McKay and the banter between Shep and McKay. Could you please touch on this?”

Answer: I’m not sure what, exactly, the criticism is with regard to the banter.

Dovil writes: “Does the network hold things like research groups and then use this to nudge the writers, or do they actually allow you to tell the stories that you want to tell?”

Answer: The network has always allowed us to tell the stories we want to tell, but has weighed in with input to ensure said stories are told as clearly and effectively as possible.

(zuz le fabrique...oui)