Dig at Sci-Fi (E18 - Family Ties) - Spoilers

[the fifth man]

Yep, this episode definitely had references to SG-1's cancellation. And IMO, they were great little jabs at Sci-Fi.

[Ouroboros]

How, then, do you explain the enormous ratings increase in season 6, after SG-1 moved from Showtime to SciFi?

Showtime costs a fortune so a lot of people saw it for the first time on Sci-fi?

I agree that the series didn't reach my expectations of it after S8. In fact, that's putting it mildly. I seriously think that S9 was the physical manifestation of an abysmal, glaring oversight and a lack of originality. But I think SciFi really did set them up to fail. They used the Stargate franchise until they were big enough to make their own "quality" programming, and as soon as that happened, they screwed them over.

I mean, for crying out loud, they were talking about "The Dresden Files" and "Painkiller Jane" nearly three years ago, but for some reason didn't find it necessary to develop those series at that time. Their habit of finding something newer and better to fawn over is evidenced by their treatment of Farscape when Stargate came along, and later their treatment of Stargate when BSG came along. So, as a result, rather than having solid programming throughout the week for a nine-month period, they're going for intermittent, less-than-stellar programming on Friday or Sunday for the whole year.

I'm not a huge conspiracy theorist, but I do believe that SciFi had cancellation in mind for at least a year before they announced it last August. And I agree with those who believe that SG-1 was only renewed for a 10th season so that the network (and, of course the studio) could claim those bragging rights.

I can get that. It's just a fact of life that things get old, and it's time to move on. SG1 was a show that had been good but had lately been not so good and been getting progresssively more and more expensive every year. From a business perspective it likely no longer made sense to continue to buy it.

Like I said before "did they think it was going to run forever". It seems as if TBTB more or less forced this sort of an ending. They'd been teasing the idea of wrapping the show up for years but they never seemed quite willing to do it. "Oh just one more year, we don't have any ideas but we'll go one more year sure..." then next year it was the same thing.

It didn't seem like they were ever going to decide to end the story on their own. That I think was the greatest mistake made here. I remember reading about when Seinfeld ended Jerry saying that he ended it when he did because he wanted to go out on top. He wanted people to remember the show as a show that was good right to the end, not a show that hung on for years after it should have been over that people would remember with phrases like "It was great until...".

SciFi has done nothing to market SG-1 the last two years except for 200. There was a marketing campaign for the episode and it drew 33% higher ratings than any other episode of the season.

SciFi broke up a very successful Friday night line up of SG-1, Atlantis and BSG. BSG's ratings haven't been any better than SG-1's ratings all season. While there are somethings on the SG-1 end that had an effect, like RDA leaving the show, SciFi bears just as much, if not more responsibility for the show's ratings drop.

When RDA started talking about how he wanted to leave the show soon that's when they should have started talking about their series finale.

SGA and Atlantis are still on Friday nights in the US right, with BSG moving to Sunday? if that's the case it looks like removing BSG from airing next to Stargate had a direct effect on the number of people bothering to make time for Sci-fi on a friday night.

[ussrelativity]

Heh heh... They deserved it!

[sg1adam]

It would surprise me if the Sci-Fi channel has it one person checking various forums for information like this. TPTB had better be careful with their little digs at the network, we could loose SGA because of it. Or am I being a little bit suspicious/cynical/paranoid?

[Gen_J_O'Neill]

My only concern is that this could hurt the future third series since like someone joked at cancelling the show twice. I hope it dosent but I'm afraid it could hurt the next series.

Same here! But hopefully MGM have the brains to find another network for the third series. After the cr*p they've had to put up with because of scifi I'm sure they will be shopping it around!

Scifi probably aren't even aware of it. Remember it hasn't aired there yet and their probably to focused on their new shows!

[Ugly Pig]

Showtime costs a fortune so a lot of people saw it for the first time on Sci-fi?

Obviously. And by then, the series was in its six season (at the time believed to be the final one). Which just goes to prove my point, advertising can make all the difference and bring in new viewers, even late in a series run.

[Almighty_Wookie]

I can understand why they had a dig at Sci-fi, but the scene seemed a little forced to me, and came out of nowhere. The only bad point of an otherwise good episode in my opinion.

[Night Spring]

Obviously. And by then, the series was in its six season (at the time believed to be the final one). Which just goes to prove my point, advertising can make all the difference and bring in new viewers, even late in a series run.

Huh? Ouroboros' point was that the SciFi channel was available to more viewers, and that's what increased the show's viewership. He/she said nothing about advertising.

[Mitchell82]

Same here! But hopefully MGM have the brains to find another network for the third series. After the cr*p they've had to put up with because of scifi I'm sure they will be shopping it around!

Scifi probably aren't even aware of it. Remember it hasn't aired there yet and their probably to focused on their new shows!

Oh I hope so. They need to get the third series on another network and I'd rather SGA also be on another network. Stargate needs to stay far away from scifi IMO.

[g.o.d]

Oh I hope so. They need to get the third series on another network and I'd rather SGA also be on another network.

yeah, but which one?

[Avenger]

When RDA started talking about how he wanted to leave the show soon that's when they should have started talking about their series finale.

TPTB did plan to end the show at the end of season 8, but SciFi renewed the show.

[Night Spring]

TPTB did plan to end the show at the end of season 8, but SciFi renewed the show.

Just because SciFi offered to renew the show, doesn't mean TPTB had to continue it.

[ToasterOnFire]

I thought the same thing. It was kinda risky and petty, whether I agree with the sentiment or not.

Oh nm, I just looked at the writing credits and everything fell into place.

[Copernicus]

I just watched the episode and the first thing I did was check this forum to see if anyone else had noticed the jokes.

Is that a bad sign?

[PG15]

Just because SciFi offered to renew the show, doesn't mean TPTB had to continue it.

To tell ya the truth, I don't think TPTB has that much power when coupled with the Execs at SciFi; it felt they had no choice but to continue the show.