Season 2 number of eps?

[Erik Bloodaxe]

So the trend of having 20 instead of 22 eps per season just coincidently started the same time there are two SG shows?

I believe the cut back in episodes began as a result of Sci-Fi having been a little strapped for cash after ordering Battlestar Galactica (to the point that they had to make a deal w/ Sky One in order to do so), but now that they've got more money again, it appears that they've only put aside enough to put each show at 20 rather than 22 (gotta still have the extra dough to spend on their "crap movies of the week" ).

-Bloodaxe

[Erik Bloodaxe]

You have seen ALL 40 episodes?!?! That's amazing considering that not even half of them are made yet.

Yup; we already got to see a batch of 40 this past year.

-Bloodaxe

[oragans]

40 episodes is great and will be even greater if there was another spin off with Ben Browder in.

[Ugly Pig]

Funny how a thread can reach 19 posts when a single reply containing only the number "20" would have sufficed.

[Jeff O'Connor]

Heh heh. True, true.

At any rate, I would like to think that if and when SG-1 ends, assuming of course Atlantis is alive and well, it will rise to twenty-two episodes in its upcoming seasons thereafter rather than twenty. People argue that BSG's production number was twenty and as such, it's a trend; I sure hope not. I'm one to believe it's moreso because, well, between SG-1, Atlantis and BSG that's sixty hours of well-defined and rather expensive television they're producing this coming year.

The year before this coming one, Atlantis' series premiere cost twenty million dollars, I think? That sounds so very, very high but I remember that being what it was, yeah. That or the number 'twenty' just currently holds a special place in my heart? Anyway, the fact of the matter is, well, we've got not one, not two but three shows with solid ratings coming in July so twenty per just makes sense, I think.

From an analyst's point of view, the first show to end would be SG-1. Many fans don't like it as much as they used to, though others like it more -- it's not so much the 'Andromeda' effect where moreso than not, people have tuned out, just that a modest group doesn't like it anymore. Not the whole can, but maybe a serving. Thing is, though, a whole 'nother can's come in and the ratings are higher than ever. Nonetheless, though, they're still the lowest of the three and I'm inclined to believe that won't necessarily change. Also, of course the most obvious reason for it to be finished/cancelled/finalized before either of the others is that it's already eight years old and going into the ninth. Yeah, sure, Mikey likes it, but Mikey's also been trying some Post and Quaker cereals lately, too, I hear. Might not like it after two more years, you know?

After that, I predict we may see twenty-two episode seasons for Atlantis and BSG. I, for one, certainly hope so. My grandmother is always commenting on how there's less and less episodes being produced with each passing year and to some extent she's quite right. She remembers fondly when there was only three months of the year a show didn't have new episodes at least three fourths of time. Talks about it like ex-soldiers speak of their bonding with other young men way back when, she does. Of course, there's a chance by this time Sci-Fi will have gotten something else to replace SG-1 -- I know I'm not alone in hoping that maybe they'll pick up a Farscape spinoff of some kind and there's always maybe another Stargate show some time? Heh heh. But if not, well then, I'm certainly hoping it'll go to twenty-two for the two remaining shows. Hey, looks like the number two in general is a popular one for me tonight.

I think, and this is getting ahead've myself and obviously out've context but I think that BSG will end before Atlantis. It already has a huge fanbase but I don't really believe BSG will be capable of producing multiple arcs for longer than five or six years, which is a good, long time in and of its own but a show like Stargate Atlantis operates differently and though it can't delve into human drama as well in most aspects, it definitely holds its weight with, instead, galactic diversity it picked up from its alter ego, the eight-year titan and counting. I love both shows, I love all three; I'm just being realistic, or rather, my opinion of realism. Then again, numbers always speak higher than anything and numbers don't always reflect quality television -- look at Survivor. Sorry, no offense to Survivor addicts but I can't stand it and its myriad of different offshoots. BSG is amazing to me now, I just don't really know for sure if it'll be able to outdo itself for too long and then it'll get trite and dull, I fear. I think Atlantis will go on past that unless the writers suddenly fall into a fit of extended retardation.

Now, if you'll all excuse me; I'm going to go watch the last two (there it is again) hours of Star Trek in a non-stop eighteen-year run. I haven't even been alive all eighteen years of continuous showing since TNG began, really, I haven't, but I've been watching since I was a toddler and this is a very emotional night for me. I like Stargate, Farscape and BSG, and Babylon 5 as well, all more than Star Trek, and even Star Wars to some extent as well. But Star Trek, no matter what, is a very, very... well, I'll be in tears to a point tonight and when I go to work tomorrow, I hope it isn't too hectic a day. Enterprise... man. I was with the bandwagon and didn't like it so much at first but I've grown to admire certain aspects of it and never stopped watching through the good, the bad and the downright atrocious moments because it was Star Trek, it was... well, I'll say no more. Wrong thread, wrong category altogether. Just... I'll be back tomorrow, I'mna go get teary-eyed now.


ETA: I'm really sorry for posting that last part in such a wrong, wrong place to put it, folks. Just let my fingers do the typing for my heart at the time, heh.

[Stricken]

In response to overwhelming viewer demand, SCI FI Channel has ordered new seasons of its highest-rated and most successful original series, Stargate Atlantis and Stargate SG-1, from MGM Television Entertainment. Production on both 20-episode seasons is set to begin in March 2005 for summer premieres on SCI FI. Stargate Atlantis exploded onto the scene in July 2004, delivering over 4.2 million viewers and shattering every previous ratings record for a SCI FI series. Reprising their roles for season two will be Joe Flanigan, Torri Higginson, David Hewlett, Rainbow Sun Francks, Rachel Luttrell and Paul McGillion. As Stargate SG-1 returns for an astounding ninth original season, it ties The X-Files as the longest-running sci-fi drama series on American television. MGM is currently in negotiations with the original cast for their return.

As you can see 20 episodes the same number of posts in this thread givve or take and few

[Lida]

From what I understand, all the "big three", SG-1, SGA and BSC are now all down to 20 episodes. I think we know why......

Let's just hope the number doesn't drop further, like to ZERO.

[Jeff O'Connor]

From what I understand, all the "big three", SG-1, SGA and BSC are now all down to 20 episodes. I think we know why......

Let's just hope the number doesn't drop further, like to ZERO.

That'd only really happen if SCI-FI tried to like, pull five big-name shows at once. SG-1 and Atlantis were twenty because they were pouring so much cash into the beginnings of the hit spinoff and then Galactica was thirteen because there were already forty episodes of quality television being produced. In retrospect, having twenty of all three is more than what they'd need to do -- and there are bigger budgets for all three as well. Definitely good!

Naw, but if, say, SCI-FI tried to go with SG-1, Atlantis, BSG, a Farscape spinoff and a new Firefly or something -- which would make sooo many people ecstatic -- the problem would be funding as is the problem with damned near everything, you know? And so the only solution were they ever to consider such a bizarre though excellent notion would be to pull the numbers for each season down to like... thirteen per show, which would be kind've ridiculous, which is why twenty of three is the best way to go.

Luckily for us, NBC now owns Skiffy, though, which is really why they can afford the 20x3 to begin with. If Viacom still owned the channel, they might've dropped SG-1 or somesuch. I dunno. Those nutcases made all sorts of bad decisions. Like cancelling Farscape and whatnot, yes.

[Cymro]

I don't get why they're aired on fridays over there. Aren't friday and saturday nights a faux-pas for quality TV shows?

[Matt G]

Dr Who's on Saturday nights over here. Bugs was on Sat nights. X Files had the post lottery slot for a bit.

It's not unworkable!

[Lida]

That'd only really happen if SCI-FI tried to like, pull five big-name shows at once. SG-1 and Atlantis were twenty because they were pouring so much cash into the beginnings of the hit spinoff and then Galactica was thirteen because there were already forty episodes of quality television being produced. In retrospect, having twenty of all three is more than what they'd need to do -- and there are bigger budgets for all three as well. Definitely good!

Naw, but if, say, SCI-FI tried to go with SG-1, Atlantis, BSG, a Farscape spinoff and a new Firefly or something -- which would make sooo many people ecstatic -- the problem would be funding as is the problem with damned near everything, you know? And so the only solution were they ever to consider such a bizarre though excellent notion would be to pull the numbers for each season down to like... thirteen per show, which would be kind've ridiculous, which is why twenty of three is the best way to go.

Luckily for us, NBC now owns Skiffy, though, which is really why they can afford the 20x3 to begin with. If Viacom still owned the channel, they might've dropped SG-1 or somesuch. I dunno. Those nutcases made all sorts of bad decisions. Like cancelling Farscape and whatnot, yes.

But Sony owns MGM, who IS the producter of SG-1 and SGA.

[Cymro]

Never saw any of those shows. And most of them aired early in the evening. In America, they air SG1, SGA and BSG on fridays between 8PM and 11PM, those are certified drinking hours.

Anyway, British terrestrial TV is outright crap, most of it's original drama programs are incredibly dull, all the imports are aired in stupid timeslots, usually pre-empted by snooker and tennis coverage, and even the BBC's comedy series' are beggining to deteriorate.

[Cymro]

But Sony owns MGM, who IS the producter of SG-1 and SGA.

MGM makes SG-1 and SGA, but Sci-Fi pays them to make it, and if Sci-Fi cancelled either show, they probably wouldn't be able to sell them to another network.

[donniepw]

From what I understand (and some of the other posters have stated) they have an increased budget this year for all three shows. The reason why they reduced the schedule for SG-1 last year and only started Atlantis with only 20 was becuase of the extra workload they were imposing on the creative staff for Stargate. BSG on the other hand was still testing the waters with it's 13 episodes. But more than likely they figured they could get more bang for their buck with 20 episodes then with the usual 22.

[Cymro]

I just hope the increased budget and fewer episodes means we won't get a clip show.