SciFi Wire: Official SciFi Channel ratings for Season Ten

[MediaSavant]

Then wouldn't the solution be to get better writers with fresh ideas that utilize all the characters well and tell compelling stories?

They could try, but would it work? Let's take ER or Law & Order. Both shows have been on a long time. ER used to be the number one show on TV. It still gets decent enough ratings to get renewed, but there's probably nothing they can do that will ever make it #1 again once people got tired of it. They could have new writers, new stories, special guest stars, but it's just not going to happen. At the same time, the formula can't be messed with too much or the viewers they still do have will protest too much change.

Same with Law & Order. It also had better days ratings-wise. But, can they really fiddle with their formulas too much?

As I saw some people here get excited here about Morpheus a few weeks ago while on boards I visit that are more "casual viewers" thought it was boring.

[MediaSavant]

Ultiimately I think that as long as the series is still making a decent amount of money (which between first run on sci-fi, syndication, and DVDs I believe it still is) MGM will keep producing it. Granted, much of that depends on SciFi also renewing their first-run contract each year which in turns depends on the ratings.

Also correct me if I'm wrong but even with these lower numbers, it's still one of Sci-Fi's better rated shows is it not?

SciFi ratings down. Syndication ratings really down. SciFi reruns no longer pulling in high numbers, thus decreasing their value. DVD's probably not up--did it appear in Billboard's top sellers list the last time it was released?

And those observations apply to Atlantis as well as SG-1.

As for "better rated" shows, the shows are now #3 and #4 behind ECW and Eureka. Farscape was its #2 show when it was canceled.

[keshou]

SciFi ratings down. Syndication ratings really down. SciFi reruns no longer pulling in high numbers, thus decreasing their value. DVD's probably not up--did it appear in Billboard's top sellers list the last time it was released?

And those observations apply to Atlantis as well as SG-1.

As for "better rated" shows, the shows are now #3 and #4 behind ECW and Eureka. Farscape was its #2 show when it was canceled.

That's the trend I'm sensing....that the overall franchise just isn't a hot item anymore.

SG-1 kind of got a new lease on life when it moved from Showtime to Scifi. New viewers sampling the show for the first time - or at least that was my perception. The Monday night stacks played for several years with solid numbers as new viewers caught up on the show. Now the reruns on Mondays have been pulled off due to low ratings. And substituting Atlantis reruns didn't work either.

If SG-1 was faltering as Atlantis kept up the pace I'd think casual viewers just didn't like the changes on SG-1. Or I suppose it's possible SG-1 has been holding up Atlantis and if casual viewers didn't like the changes on SG-1...Atlantis suffers as well. Or maybe casual viewers are just tired of all things "Stargate". BSG may have helped hold up both shows last season.

I sure wouldn't bet on a S11 of SG-1 with these type of ratings. But SG-1 has been in its "last season" for years. I think they'll end SG-1 but leave room for a miniseries. In a year or so I think a well-advertised SG-1 miniseries could do pretty well.

The more interesting question is whether Atlantis will get renewed. I think they were counting on Atlantis for a couple more seasons at least. Martin Gero mentioned in that "pre-season" interview that S3 would be a "make or break" year for them.

[Descent]

Guys, theres a number of reasons for these ratings: 1. Tivos, its summer 2. Its summer, people aren't going to sit around at home a lot. 3. I do think BSG was helping SG-1 and SGA somewhat but to think they were totally dependant on it for ratings is just silly.

I have a feeling that ratings will climb up once summers done and over with.

[Dutch_Razor]

If SG1 and SGA are Sci-Fi's nr 3 and 4 shows wouldn't it be kinda stupid to cancel them?

As long as SG makes profit it would be logical to renew them...

[ses110]

The Show has always been on in the Summer and the Show should not need BSG to help with the ratings.The Show did fine without BSG before.

[Descent]

As long as SG makes profit it would be logical to renew them...

I think its a pretty safe bet they'll be renewed again. Its the summer and its not like the ratings are super terrible (like say below 1.0, yikes). The shows are doing decent right now, there will be a ratings climb.

[KindlyKeller]

The panic is very, very premature in my opinion. Even if these ratings held as is the whole year, I still think both shows would be renewed.

[ReganX]

Guys, theres a number of reasons for these ratings: 1. Tivos, its summer 2. Its summer, people aren't going to sit around at home a lot. 3. I do think BSG was helping SG-1 and SGA somewhat but to think they were totally dependant on it for ratings is just silly.

I have a feeling that ratings will climb up once summers done and over with.

Haven't previous seasons started around the same time of year? Season Eight's first three episodes scored a 2.4 for each of their first two episodes and Season Nine's first two scored a 2.1 each. I believe that each rating point was worth more those years than they are this year.

The summer cannot be blamed for low ratings, and if people who recorded episodes didn't count towards Nielsen ratings before, this cannot be blamed either.

I imagine that, if the show is to be renewed, a decision will have to be made in the very near future so that TPTB can get the ball rolling on Season Eleven or write the final episodes of Season Ten to wrap things up.

[Descent]

Alright you got a point (Season 7 premiered in June for crying out loud) but mine is still valid to a degree, summer does mean for less fans at home to watch so people resort to tivoing these days or downloading.

[Skydiver]

couple of problems; sci fi moved the time slots and removed BSG from the line up. If Atlantis and SG-1 had thier old time slots followed by BSG I think the summer ratings would have been better.

Last year they had the perfect fri night line up and they went screwed with it.

If it's not broke don't fix it, sci-fi.

i agree. with the 3 shows, they had a juggernaut - or as much of one as scifi will ever have

but in thier greed to 'own' 40 weeks of the year, they've doomed all 3 shows.

I think when they get around to premiering BSG this fall its ratings will be lack luster as well

if you want to win the night, you need to offer a whole night's programming, not just bits and pieces.

it'll just give them more excuses but basically scifi has medled tehir shows into a funk.

I do think that the schedule isn't the ONLY factor. there is also a distinct lack of quality, a very real lack of interest and yeah, writers that are so bored and burnt out that they're rolling out fanfic 'quality' scripts and passing them off as fantastic stuff.

breaking up the alt/sg1/bsg lineup is only one element, but it is an element that will hurt all 3 shows

[ReganX]

Alright you got a point (Season 7 premiered in June for crying out loud) but mine is still valid to a degree, summer does mean for less fans at home to watch so people resort to tivoing these days or downloading.

Perhaps, but balanced against the fact that the beginning of a season is, along with the end, usually a high point for ratings, it does not bode well. "Avalon, Parts 1 and 2" were the highest scoring episodes of Season Nine. "A New Order, Parts 1 and 2" tied with the Season Eight finale for highest ratings of the season.

It was still summer when they were first aired and people were still able to record episodes.

If the 1.4 and 1.6 ratings reports for the first two episodes of Season Ten are true, together with the rating point value of 1,250,000 then the first two episodes did worse than the lowest scoring episode of Season Nine.

TPTB and Sci-Fi won't be able to wait long before making a decision whether or not to continue SG-1, so it's probably down to the ratings for the episodes already shown and perhaps the next few whether or not the show is renewed. They won't have the time to wait and see if the ratings get better towards the end of the season.

[ShardsofGlass]

The panic is very, very premature in my opinion. Even if these ratings held as is the whole year, I still think both shows would be renewed.

EXCEPT for the fact that the writers have to write the last episodes of the season. At least for SG-1, they've said that they haven't finished writing the last eps because they want to know if there's going to be a Season 11 or not. At some point, Scifi will have to decide or the writers will just have to write it like it's a series-ending finale rather than a season-ending finale.

[Ltcolshepjumper]

another problem is that they reallly need to come up with new ideas for both shows, not slightly different repeated ideas. And they should think about purely evil enemies whose only goal is domination. The false god/ predatory humanoid insect ideas are very, very old. The evil robot ideas are also old. Why can't they come up with something new? Stargate has the rare oppurtunity to continually change the show's direction due to the fact that the Stargate network is largely unexplored in the show. Atlantis has disappointed me in the fact that , unlike SG-1, they have many primitive, pre-technological races, a few industrial races, but no technologically advanced races that have nothing to do with the Ancients or the Wraith. SG-1 was a lot more diverse for many years, but I don't know how many new ideas TPTB can come out with. It can't continue for another 5 years, sad as it is. I really hope Atlantis continues at least for another 3 years. It has a lot of potential.

[kazzyk]

Maybe it was the last season that convinced viewers that it wasnt worth watching anymore?

I agree. People just didnt come back this year.
The rating of 1.5 actually includes DVR. Live +DVR in an attempt to take in account those that tape.
Which means the live rating was a tad lower.

I suppose there are all kinds of things folks can blame this on but IMO---the formula that made SG what it was is now gone and the "new" has not been accepted by a good number of people.

I see Sci-Fi already backing off SG and once they get that coveted 200 number I feel we will see further distance.

Maybe the writers are tired or bored like Sky said--the scripts certainly do not seem to have the well thought out stories we watched for 8 yrs.
Who knows--personally--I think its over and TPTB already know it.

There is good news--I think the franchise will continue in some fashion IE: movies, specials etc....