So... WHICH bit of SGU is making YOU inclined to hate it?

[Blistna]

You think kids will watch a show full of old people? Or rather, do you think the Suits believe that kids will watch a show full of old people?

Could they mean people in Sheppard's range of ancient decrepitude? Possibly, but if so then why say they want a "younger feel" when Atlantis should fit the bill? "Younger feel" implies something different than what we've been given in SG-1 and Atlantis. And these are the network Suits we're talking about: they tend to think very literally and in words of one syllable. If a "younger feel" doesn't translate to "younger cast" I'll be surprised.

As for killman's post, gods, I've wanted a wider scope on the SG-verse since hints of Atlantis were first announced. Heck, even before that, back in the dusty days when I still actually watched SG-1 I was thinking it'd be nice to see more of the other teams. Alas, I don't think it's going to happen. TPTB only know how to write one show with one formula and that means a single-team focus. More's the pity...

First off, it could be they attempted that with Atlantis but didn't get it. And that they attempted that with Ben Browder, but didn't get it. And Sheppard and Mitchel are both young. They aren't old.

As to them following one forumula, Brad has all ready said its not going to be the same formula, but didn't give any specifics. If you don't believe that, then you shouldn't take anything they say serious .

[Arica15]

Great posts from everyone.

Universe just sounds boring, a bit of Atlantis retooled (ship of the ancients instead of city of the ancients) with even the same 'cut off' motif that was in the first season crossed with Voyager and BSG. Just nothing new, nothing interesting, and as for the 'younger audience' nonsense. Correct me if I'm wrong but one of the thing they've been crowing about are the numbers of 18 - 30 years old who watch SGA - so who are they aiming this show at pre-school?)

But to me Universe just sounds boring, a lot of people say they will watch it because of the Stargate link (a lot of people say they won't watch it because of the same thing!) but personally I'll judge it on it's own merits be it called Staragte Universe, Star Trek Universe or even Muppets Universe and everything that I've heard so far just sends me to sleep. Now if I hear something in the coming months that grabs my attention then I may very well check it out, but at the moment my feeling on Universe is thanks, but no thanks

[valaCB]

because they cancel Atlantis for it!

[ShadowMaat]

As to them following one forumula, Brad has all ready said its not going to be the same formula, but didn't give any specifics. If you don't believe that, then you shouldn't take anything they say serious .

Brad also swore up and down that Atlantis was going to be different and it wound up being pretty much the same thing as SG-1. If he says it'll be a different formula, I'll take that with a grain of salt... and then when SGU is in its third season maybe I'll revisit the idea and see if it still holds true. And if it EVER held true.

[Jackie]

the writers don't have a lot of options that they can do for a stargate spin off.

they can do:

new sg-1 team based show which teens being cast as the new sg-1.

AU "sliders" type show where they go from reality to reality.

Stranded in another galaxy...SGA

Stargate on a ship...SGU

or go future or past based.

Future...SGC in 2020

Past...Indiana Jones finds the gate...lol.

The writers chose the ship becuase it gives them the most amount of options in one series. Hence, Stargate Voyager.

I would have liked to have seen a spin off based in another culture, akin to Jonas home world, that is decades behind earth who start their own program and Earth is a new concept to them. With a whole new planet with a whole mythology that does lead into earth's to explore.

Instead of doing the ship thing, the show would actually look at Earth, SG-1 through the eyes of aliens. (We would in fact be the aliens) On a planet where combustion engines and airpower is a new technology.

Find a parallel mythology that takes earth mysteries and expands on them.

Then have this planet suffer the same issues we suffered 60 years ago. Have world war with two gates. Good guys and bad guys. Each searching the galaxy for better weapons to win the world war with.

Imagine ww2 and if USA and the Nazi's both had a working gate program but the Goa'uld have been wiped out by another planet that was ahead of us but only by decades and had values similar to the USA, but at the same time they didn't want to get involved with our world war.

And as our flag ship team goes out they hear stories of SG-1 and the great people from whatever the Jaffa call us. (Of course when we finally do meet with the great aliens we are not really impressed...they have issues too.)

I would also like to see not just the teams going off world in a race to get technology but also what is happening on their planet and the war as it progresses.

[thedrumm3rguy]

cool idea,!!! sounds a ton better than the SGU plot

u could combine bsg character issues with sg universe scope!

...only problem is....sounds too decent: execs wont like it, far easier to make Stargate: Surviver!


ill watch SGU: hope for the best, prepare for the worst?

[Bytor]

Spoiler:

There are a variety of reasons I'm dubious about SGU.

The core one for me is my worry about the shift in identity of what is Stargate as a show, but I've discussed THAT to death.

Failing that, I think what worries me most about this premise, out of the tangible info we've been given, is the fact that it's on a ship. The idea of them being stuck at the farest regions of the universe could lead to awe inspiring scenes, the actual SGU logo with the nebula is evident of this. There could be some ASTONISHING sights, particularly if we ever see the absolutely edge of the universe. And I don't mind a present day contingient not being able to contact earth again.

But WHY a ship? Why make it ship based? Why space battles? Why can't they just be stranded on another planet out there? It's the ship, at the heart of it, the ship and the ship alone which is at the root my misgivings of SGU.

What about you guys?

Feel free to discuss or contribute your own personal grievences.

(And for the record, this isn't an "Anti" thread)

I don't think it's the ship based series causing worry for me. I like space shows... I like ships. It's great to see the series evolve into a ship based show from the modern day primitive roots in the beginning of SG1.

Look at every single star trek series..... always based on ships... even DS9 to an extent in the later seasons when they found out a stationary base isn't fun..... it was the same crap for every single season. This is something new for the Stargate Franchise and we saw the evolution up to this point, I think this is the most interesting part of the show.

I am VERY worried however about the younger vibe thing. I don't want it to be the cast of Smallville or Buffy. I doubt they can cast the perfect actors AGAIN... after already having picked great ones for SG1 and Atlantis.... the odds are some bad choices will happen. I am also worried about the "character driven" phrase.... I HATE battlestar galactica more than you can imagine.... and that is supposedly the best "Character Driven" Sci-Fi out there.......... ugh

edit: yea and the complete seperation from SG1 and SGA... that kinda hurts...

[Skydiver]

And i won't say that i hate it, i don't even hate SGA, I'd have to care about it more to generate hate. And there's just no emotional attachment to SGA, so there's no hate. just maybe a bit of wistfulness at the waste of something that could have been so much better (better being a relative term)


my 'issues' are:

the same writers. These guys have been cranking out the same stuff for years now. and they seem to cling to familiar stories, familiar set ups, familiar cliches and I personally am getting a bit bored with it. They need folks that can write stuff that catches you off guard. They need to write stuff that your average viewer can't see coming.

'younger audience'....what precisely does that mean? Beverly Hills 90212 soap opera? Young Love? 20's aged actors all as sexily clad as possible? Or a dependance on slap stick and sex jokes? Do i get to relive high school in the 'humor' area?

ship based - you know, what made stargate unique was that it DIDN'T have a ship. It was science fiction that did nto have space ships and floating star fields. By depending totally on a ship, sure, i'm sure it's more budgetary friendly, but it's also just more of the same old, same old. They will no longer have a unique aspect and will just be another scifi show.

What made Stargate intriguing was that you could drive down I25 in denver, see Cheyenne Mountain and go....mmhm, maybe. and have that sense of wonder and intrigue.

but with a space ship? There's no wonder there. There's no 'what if'.

so my biggest 'beef'...will Universe be something unique and intriguing, or yet more 'scifi by the numbers'....with predictible characters and predictible interactions?

the cynic i me can already get an idea as to the casting

roguish hero
misfit brilliant scientist
token alien brute
token alien babe (which may be substituted for token human babe)
a couple of quirky background characters to kick off the 'humor'

the hero and the scientist will develop this friendship that will becomethe focus of the show, while the two other token characters are just there, and get more and more ignored as the writers settle into the familiar crutch of sticking with what is easy (male banter) and never quite get around to shaking things up.

Will i watch it? Probably. Will i enjoy it? it depends. Will they do something truly different, or will Universe just be Atlantis 2.0?

[quade_1]

I like the idea of a ship, a new team, being cutoff, and younger cast. The things that worry me is, will there be a Stargate on the ship? And the character drama, I was never big on that crap, I watched BSG for 1 season and got disinterested when they replaced the dog fighting with love scenes. The antagonist shifted from the cylons to their emotions. boooooring

[jenks]

There'll definitely be a Stargate on the ship, can't really comment on the character stuff yet...

[leiasky]

I actually like the premise that it takes place on the ship. I think with the right creative minds that they can make the show interesting. I'm FAR more worried about them bringing in a 'younger', less mature cast.

SG1 was never about relationship angst, though it was often in the background. Subtle. Just where it should be.

I hope they don't turn the show into 90210 in space.

[thekillman]

i really hope it wont be a soap. following a lost team, and the destiny, and seeing how people develop to eachother would be cool. not "who dates who"

[SGFerrit]

There are a variety of reasons I'm dubious about SGU.

The core one for me is my worry about the shift in identity of what is Stargate as a show, but I've discussed THAT to death.

Failing that, I think what worries me most about this premise, out of the tangible info we've been given, is the fact that it's on a ship. The idea of them being stuck at the farest regions of the universe could lead to awe inspiring scenes, the actual SGU logo with the nebula is evident of this. There could be some ASTONISHING sights, particularly if we ever see the absolutely edge of the universe. And I don't mind a present day contingient not being able to contact earth again.

But WHY a ship? Why make it ship based? Why space battles? Why can't they just be stranded on another planet out there? It's the ship, at the heart of it, the ship and the ship alone which is at the root my misgivings of SGU.

What about you guys?


Feel free to discuss or contribute your own personal grievences.


(And for the record, this isn't an "Anti" thread)

I think that has more to do with the fact that they want to explore a much wider range of places. Another Atlantis style base wouldn't allow for that. They can explore loads of Galaxies with a ship, not just one or two. And the whole 'Stargate seeding the universe' thing, which is the whole point of the show, only really works with something that moves through space and between the different galaxies. Again, it just wouldn't work with another Atlantis style base.

[Cautious Explorer]

It's the same PTB, same writers. They've already proven they aren't equipped to create something new and stick with it. Look at SGA. After one season it just had to be reunited with Earth. Why? For SG-1 cameo's? They ran out of ideas with the Wraith, so brought over replicators. Couldn't think of what to do with Weir so the dumped her and their search for a replacement lead them where? An SG-1 character of course. Now they're talking about SG-1 characters in the SGA movies!

These guys can't let go, can't move ahead and will end up running around in the same circles all over again with SGU.

It might help if I liked SG-1, but I've hardly ever been able to sit through an entire episode. So, I don't like what TPTB did before SGA and I don't like where they've taken SGA now. Why bother with SGU? It'll be the same old thing.

[jenks]

Works both ways though doesn't it? TPTB have created 300+ episodes of great entertainment, why should we assume they'll start making crap now?