Why Stargate: Atlantis is cooler than Battlestar Galactica...

[Zandrax]

I don't have the time to read all the way through this thread, but I do have information as to why Galactica is ending.

I attended Wizard World Chicago last year, and Richard Hatch had a session where he talked about both Galacticas as well as another sci-fi show he's working on (I forget the title).

But one of the things he mentioned was that he believed the producers ended the series because they weren't sure if they were going to get another season anyway. To make a comparison, they didn't want what happened to SG1 to happen to them. So they chose to make one more season so they can comfortably tie up all the plots rather than be mid-way through a season and have to rush things.

[ToasterOnFire]

That was my understanding as well. Ron Moore went to skiffy asking for both a s4 and s5, skiffy balked, so Moore decided to wrap things up and end the series after s4.

It makes sense. BSG has a defined ending (reach Earth) and wasn't meant to be dragged on and on. In contrast, TPTB of SGA don't seem to know where it's going or when it will end, so it will likely share the same fate as SG1. Go until skiffy pulls the plug and then cobble together some sort of rushed ending.

[Admiral Mappalazarou]

I don't have the time to read all the way through this thread, but I do have information as to why Galactica is ending.

I attended Wizard World Chicago last year, and Richard Hatch had a session where he talked about both Galacticas as well as another sci-fi show he's working on (I forget the title).

But one of the things he mentioned was that he believed the producers ended the series because they weren't sure if they were going to get another season anyway. To make a comparison, they didn't want what happened to SG1 to happen to them. So they chose to make one more season so they can comfortably tie up all the plots rather than be mid-way through a season and have to rush things.

That was my understanding as well. Ron Moore went to skiffy asking for both a s4 and s5, skiffy balked, so Moore decided to wrap things up and end the series after s4.

It makes sense. BSG has a defined ending (reach Earth) and wasn't meant to be dragged on and on. In contrast, TPTB of SGA don't seem to know where it's going or when it will end, so it will likely share the same fate as SG1. Go until skiffy pulls the plug and then cobble together some sort of rushed ending.

That's what I always heard too. I kinda wish that SG-1 went out in the same way, to be honest, because fitting the entirety of the Ori's story conclusion into a single movie seems a bit rushed. Don't get me wrong, Serenity managed to do it with Firefly but then that show only had one season and so didn't have as many smaller arcs to deal with. I think I probably prefer Firefly to stargate as well as BSG, even in its one season run, it felt more original and willing to take more risks...That, and the characters wre far more interesting than any of those I've seen on Atlantis. It makes me wonder if SGA would have lasted on FOX.

I somehow doubt it. I think that if Firefly had aired on Scifi like SGA had, then it would not have got cancelled. I seriously doubt that Scifi would have screwed up the episode order as well as air them whenever they damn well felt like it.

[Gaeth]

Gaeth, my MAN!!! You ROCK!!! I couldn't have put it near as well.

isall

Same here.

Thanks guys, and to Cory Holmes, and PG15 and jenks as well.

[Hapworth]

I love both shows. Don't take my comments wrongly, but SG-1 and SGA are cheezy fun. There's nothing wrong with that, as cheese entertainment can be very good (and very smart at times!) SG1/A satisfy my need for escapism. They successfully combine elements of adventure, thriller, and soap opera. SG1 and SGA are the equivalents of comfort food. They help me unwind, relax, and let go of the world of complexity and thought.

BSG is a much different show. IMO, it's a better show, but that doesn't mean that SGA isn't worth watching (it is!). BSG's key achievement, I think, is that it is character-based, not plot based. SG1 and SGA are plot-based first and foremost--that's what hooks us, and that's why we love it! The SG plots are formulaic in a fun way. The characters seem to respond to the demands of the plot rather than the other way around. Again, this is SG's appeal; there's something comfortable about the familiar; I honestly love SG1 and SGA for that reason. With BSG, however, characters rule supreme. This is obvious to anyone who has seen the show. Several episodes will go by without any gunfire, or cylon attacks, or massive explosions. For this reason, some find BSG slow and turgid, and I can indeed understand such a perspective. What's gained, however, is impressive. Watching BSG, one feels as if she is watching a cinema-quality drama that just happens to be set in space. Honestly, I have never seen a television series that so closely reaches quality cinema-level drama.

But there need not be any arm wrestling match to decide which show stays (or even which show is better). For instance, 2001 and Star Wars are both terrific movies. Sure, I guess I'd admit that 2001 is a better film, but that doesn't mean I love Star Wars any less or feel the need to denigrate it.

[Crichiel]

For instance, 2001 and Star Wars are both terrific movies. Sure, I guess I'd admit that 2001 is a better film, but that doesn't mean I love Star Wars any less or feel the need to denigrate it.

Right there. You just nailed it for me! That is a PERFECT comparison. Yep. 2001 is (and probably should be) considered the better movie. I watched it once and said, "That was good", and felt no need to watch it again. But Star Wars is something that is just out-and-out entertainment. While it might not be as 'deep', it doesn't make it less. It is there to serve a different purpose. And for myself, I have always prefered the out-and-out entertainment over the 'shows that make you think'. It doesn't make me shallow, unitelligent, or unenlightened, it just means that I LIKE the break from real life!

[MechaThor]

Stargate Atlantis is cooler and better than Battlestar Galactica for the following reasons:

1. Battlestar Galactica Sucks
2. Stargate Atlantis has better Characters
3. Stargate Atlantis has better stories
4. Stargate Atlantis has cooler bad guys (Wraith)
5. Stargate Atlantis has better space ships
6. Stargate Atlantis has wider scope and more stories to tell
7. Human form Cylons are boring
8. Atlantis has hotter Woman
9. Mckay
10. BattleStar Galactica still sucks!

Thats why I think Atlantis kicks Galactica''s overated butt, and many other Sci-fi shows aswell.
Infact I prefer all these Sci-fi Tv shows over Galactica
Stargate Sg-1, Stargate Atlantis, Red Dwarf, Dr Who (new series), Farscape, Firefly, Tourchwood, X-files, Family Guy: Blue Harvest, Red vs Blue (not a tv show but still). They are all cooler than BSG!

I agree with everything said here, including the list of shows better than BSG...with the sole exception of 5.The Space Ships. But I'll just replace that one with:5.Atlantis as a show has much more versatility in storytelling!

Really? I just don't like the BSG space ships as they look too much like the Star Wars ships. The main Earth fighters in BSG look like X-Wings but without the X and the Cylon (most boring bad guys EVER) ships look like Droid Star fighters, only not as cool.

However most Stargate ships look original and cool like Hives, Ha'taks, Cargo ships and Atlantis!

BSG is a much different show. IMO, it's a better show, but that doesn't mean that SGA isn't worth watching (it is!). BSG's key achievement, I think, is that it is character-based, not plot based. SG1 and SGA are plot-based first and foremost--that's what hooks us, and that's why we love it! The SG plots are formulaic in a fun way. The characters seem to respond to the demands of the plot rather than the other way around. Again, this is SG's appeal; there's something comfortable about the familiar; I honestly love SG1 and SGA for that reason. With BSG, however, characters rule supreme. This is obvious to anyone who has seen the show. Several episodes will go by without any gunfire, or cylon attacks, or massive explosions. For this reason, some find BSG slow and turgid, and I can indeed understand such a perspective. What's gained, however, is impressive. Watching BSG, one feels as if she is watching a cinema-quality drama that just happens to be set in space. Honestly, I have never seen a television series that so closely reaches quality cinema-level drama.

But BSG characters are rubbish and all emotionally unstable and so many character twists and interactions its unreal!

[h4mx0r]

It's quite obvious what's going to happen. The Battlestar Galactica is going to find Earth, and then meet up with Stargate Command. Then they'll jump over to Atlantis to help with the war going on there after recieving tech boosts to Galactica. The Cylons will inevitably follow them here, and learn about the replicators. It'll become a robot vs robot vs human war, except the humans have experience against both machines.

Then a new technology is created under the name Skynet...

[Admiral Mappalazarou]

It's quite obvious what's going to happen. The Battlestar Galactica is going to find Earth, and then meet up with Stargate Command. Then they'll jump over to Atlantis to help with the war going on there after recieving tech boosts to Galactica. The Cylons will inevitably follow them here, and learn about the replicators. It'll become a robot vs robot vs human war, except the humans have experience against both machines.

Then a new technology is created under the name Skynet...

That had more imagination than many episodes of SGA I've seen spanning four seasons, and it took you, what, five minutes?

[Chrisisall]

It's quite obvious what's going to happen. The Battlestar Galactica is going to find Earth, and then meet up with Stargate Command. Then they'll jump over to Atlantis to help with the war going on there after recieving tech boosts to Galactica.

For those of you who missed it, I covered that idea in a previous post:

John Sheppard:
"So, what are these Cylons like?"

Lee Adama:
"They hate us for making them our robot slaves early on in our history, and have taken on organic human form to both infiltrate and destroy us."

John:
".....come again?"

Lee:
"Come where..?

John:
"I mean, robots that become organic..like, Humans?? Is that like that bald chick on Star Trek that merged with Decker?"

Lee:
"I...I don't know what you're referring to..."

John:
"What? You don't get signals from Earth? Like TV...football games? They got this one play called the 'Hail Mary' that's-"

Lee:
"Look! This is serious, the Cylons might have detected your arrival!"

John:
"All right, all right, cool down. Geez, you guys are so uptight. No time for laughs in the down-time?"

Lee:
"We have no down time while the Cylons are at work."

John:
"Hey- the Wraith & Replicators are out to kick our ass too, but you don't see us all gloomy-Guss. Gotta have a good time where ya can, that's what I say."

Lee:
"Our 'good times' ended with the destruction of our colonies."

John:
"Here, let me buy you a beer...I'll introduce you to Ronon, he's a barrel of laughs too..."

isall

[PG15]

That had more imagination than many episodes of SGA I've seen spanning four seasons, and it took you, what, five minutes?

But would you honestly want to see that?

Imagination is worth crap if what you imagine sucks.

[Rac80]

IMHO BSG is a soap opera in space...who is sleeping with whom seems to be the most important concept. We have had murders, kidnappings, adultry, marriages, lies, etc, etc, etc.... sex all over the place. It's a SOAP people and not a very good one either.

SGA has actual storylines, plots, characters, and heroes. Not everyone is an antihero like BSG. I simply prefer SGA because I gave up soaps years ago!

[Admiral Mappalazarou]

But would you honestly want to see that?

Imagination is worth crap if what you imagine sucks.

Which is why the writers needs to spend more than ten minutes coming up with an idea for each episode. They take one idea, which maybe is 'way out there', something that could effect everything in the SGverse and spend hours each day breaking it down - jotting down how it effect the main character,s the sub-characters and enemies, and then fit it all into one ep, and then NOT forget about it in the next episode.

[PG15]

I'm pretty sure they spend more than 10 minutes coming up with ideas.

[Chrisisall]

IMHO BSG is a soap opera in space...who is sleeping with whom seems to be the most important concept. We have had murders, kidnappings, adultry, marriages, lies, etc, etc, etc.... sex all over the place. It's a SOAP people and not a very good one either.

Hey! Let's see Sheppard boink Teyla, who then boinks Ronon, and then Ronon could murder Sheppard, who then turns up not dead after all, 'cause he's actually a sleeper Wraith, and he could murder Ronon & then cry a lot!

Wouldn't that be great?


Notisall