Do Gateheads think the PTB at Stargate are listening to fans suggestions and critics?

[mahram]

I was just wondering if fans here think the PTB at stargate are actually listening to fans suggestions and critics? Do you feel insulted when fans ask for more storylines like tollans, furlings, ashen, or other favorite characters and species but they never do it? Especially when we are reaching the final seasons, do you think they might give fans a bone or two, people who have been with stargate throught 10 seasons, alittle break

[Skydiver]

they may read and be amused. there may be the occasional 'betcha they don't notice- betcha they do' wager over something however the time lag is very prohibitive to them actually taking anything we say and using it to alter thier actions.

right now they are taping episode 7,8,9 somewhere in that area. they usually tape the first 10 from jan/feb to may/june or so, take a month off then start back in with the second half in july/aug and go through oct/nov.
so, when we finally get to see s1 eps 1, they will be on hiatus in taping, the first 10 eps will be in the can, probably half of hte last 10 will be written/in the process of being written and by the time the first fans get to see the mid season cliffie in october or so, production will be dwindling down for the last episode of s10

basically with a 6 month or longer lag between what they do and what we see and can feedback on, there's no real time to make any changes

[sueKay]

I think that 'yes they do' but 'no they don't'

Over the long run they do...but as Skydiver pointed out...not right away.

I bet the 'kirking' of the Sheppard character will calm down in the second half of season 3 rather than from the start of s3 just because of various factors affecting when they read our comments to when they go to write their eps.

It also has to do with what they want to do, and what we want them to do...if they *really* want to do something that the core fanbase is against...they'll still do it.

[ToasterOnFire]

Hard to tell. Do they listen to fan reactions, critiques, and ideas? I bet. Do they implement changes in the show specifically because of fan reaction? I'm not so sure. In the end the only thing that matters is ratings, and if the ratings stay steady then they may be less likely to cater to the whims of internet fandom.

Just because I think TPTB should do this or stop doing that or work on something doesn't mean that I'm expecting TPTB to stop what they're doing and start on my suggestions. I may be bummed if things don't change to my liking, but I certainly don't feel insulted - it's not my show. Besides, I post critiques and nitpicks because I can and I want to discuss these perceived problems with others, not because I hope TPTB will read them.

I do think that TPTB will throw a bone or two to the fans in the final season of SG1. I'm eying one plotline in particular...

[MediaSavant]

I was just wondering if fans here think the PTB at stargate are actually listening to fans suggestions and critics?

Other than the time lag problem already presented by Skydiver, there's a bigger issue.

David Kemper, the showrunner for Farscape, once wrote an amusing essay about this. He presented a bunch of fan opinions that contradicted each other, things like: (not verbatim because it's been a while since I read the essay)

"I hate Chiana. Get her off the show." "I love Chiana. More Chiana"

"More shipping please." "Get rid of the shipping."

"I love Season 3." "I hate Season 3."

The point he was trying to make, of course, was that there wasn't any singular fan voice to listen to and, in the end, they had to trust their own instincts and the instincts of their colleagues who they work with on a day-to-day basis.

Even though my example is a Farscape one, the same can be said for the cacophany of opinions present in Stargate fandom. For every person who's obsessed with the Furlings, there are other fans who couldn't care less and have their own opinion what the show should be doing.

As for professional critics, they basically ignore the show. Major shows on the networks might have a critic do a rant if the show has gone downhill. But, no one in the general press cares enough about Stargate to say anything.

[the fifth man]

Sure, I think TPTB listen to the wants and complaints of fans. Whether they actually make some of their decisions based on those fans, that's a different story. Personally, I think TPTB will do whatever "they" feel is in the best interest of this show and moving it's story along. And really, I think that is best.

[GateLadyM]

Over the long run they do...but as Skydiver pointed out...not right away.

I bet the 'kirking' of the Sheppard character will calm down in the second half of season 3 rather than from the start of s3 just because of various factors affecting when they read our comments to when they go to write their eps.

The backlash against Sheppard started well before season 2 ended, so if TPTB really want to "heal" SGA, then we will see a Sheppard closer to what we saw in season 1 almost immediately. If TPTB didn't pay attention until the hiatus, then they are in trouble as they won't be able to fix anything until half-way through the season and then it might be too late.

We'll know in July if they have listened to us.

[IcyNeko]

The problem with reading fan posts/comments/suggestions is that you often have to sift through the "Weir needs to get demoted to a private in the stargate army", "Matter streams can be beamed through stargates like radio signals", and the "accinet data base wariath portus" junk to hear a decent idea. The problem with the mentioned types of posts is that they are often uneducated, completely doesn't follow stargate universe rules, and not well thought out.

Oh yeah, I missed one...

The (person 1) vs (person 2) vs (ship 1) vs (ship 2) threads.

[MarshAngel]

I don't think they're giving us a signigifcant amount of serious attention but I think they should pay attention to some things. There is a whole lot of crap said that they can ignore. But what I think what they should pay attention to is the mood of the fans and the things they say that they can fix easily in the show without having to worry about pleasing one group and displeasing another. The complaints about continuity and character issues are worth paying attention to because you just can't go wrong focusing on those things.

I'm not holding my breath in the belief that they will be reading through the threads and make changes as a result but it would be nice.

[freyr's mother]

The reason that nothing changes is because they are getting both positive and negative feedback from fans reguarding the same topic, that if they do X than one group will be upset, if they do Y, then the other will be upset. Just my two cents.

[Mattathias2.0]

I think they do listen... but with factors of time, and such... it doesn't take hold quickly...

Take S9, we had hardly any stand-alone episodes, and a good number of individuals were upset with that... come S10, we will have alot of them. (ofcourse this is due that S9 was like another S1, and things won't get really interesting until about S11 (S3 was done quite well)

Mattathias

[the fifth man]

The reason that nothing changes is because they are getting both positive and negative feedback from fans reguarding the same topic, that if they do X than one group will be upset, if they do Y, then the other will be upset. Just my two cents.

I totally agree. With some issues, it's a no-win situation for TPTB. They just have to decide what they feel is best in the end.

[FoolishPleasure]

The reason that nothing changes is because they are getting both positive and negative feedback from fans reguarding the same topic, that if they do X than one group will be upset, if they do Y, then the other will be upset. Just my two cents.

The problem is that TPTB refuse to make any decisions and try to make all groups happy, which only leads to inconsistency in personalities and story arcs. They need to decide which path to take, and STAY THERE. I'm sure it would make the writing job easier and fans would be happier in the long run because their beloved characters would cease to behave like schizos.

[freyr's mother]

The problem is that TPTB refuse to make any decisions and try to make all groups happy, which only leads to inconsistency in personalities and story arcs. They need to decide which path to take, and STAY THERE. I'm sure it would make the writing job easier and fans would be happier in the long run because their beloved characters would cease to behave like schizos.

What she said.

[Filetta]

The problem is that TPTB refuse to make any decisions and try to make all groups happy, which only leads to inconsistency in personalities and story arcs. They need to decide which path to take, and STAY THERE. I'm sure it would make the writing job easier and fans would be happier in the long run because their beloved characters would cease to behave like schizos.

I agree!!!

Plus we would know if they were listening to us, we would see more scenes with Daniel naked, just kidding