Feelings about the cancellation of Atlantis

[Jedi_Master_Bra'tac]

I didn't think this belonged in the main discussion thread, because the title suggests that's for people who want SGA to stay.

Now, I would just like to reiterate that I LOVE SGA. However, as much as I love it I've considered that ending it will good for the future of the franchise.

Look at the Enemies;

Wraith - Joke now we have Asgard beams. No longer a threat, they're on their way out.
Michael - Joke now we have Asgard beams
Spoilers for S&R

Spoiler:

"This is Michael's wiki, we'll have him on the run he'd be finished"

Asurans/Replicators - Gone
Genii - They're allies now...
Unamed race from the unaired mid season 2 parter - Can't comment

While it makes sense from a story standpoint, encounters with the Wraith and Michael have become more of a momentary inconvenience, like in S&R;

Spoiler:

"Shields are down to 20%" "You'll mean we'll only last half a day?"

Well I made up that last bit, but you get the idea.


Second reason;

The movies are better than the series.

After watching SGC and AoT, I realised what was wrong with the series. It's far too fast pasted. In big episodes there's a lot of information with a lot of action and there's not enough time so character moments go. I much prefer it if they had more time, which they will have now.

Movies also ensure that all of SGA will be great in future. For anyone who thinks that everything SGA does is already great I have one word for you, Irresistible. While I enjoy some fillers, some are terrible. While the movies aren't automatically guaranteed to be good you know it's not gonna have Lucius Lavin in it, or the characters are gonna be stuck in a box. TPTB will make them epic.

Third reason - I'm actually quite looking forward to SGU. So I'm not going to be immature and deliberately "boycott it".

The movies will wrap up loose ends, it will also give the franchise more attention (look at the attention Continuum got). The series has ended, the franchise and stories hasn't.

ETA: I added this later in the thread, but it's another good reason for SGA's ending so I'm putting it here too
Has anyone considered that renewing it will mean that they have to stop in the middle of a story ark like SG1 did? It should have ended with Season 8, 9 & 10 should have been seasons 1 and 2 of Stargate Command. At least with SGA it won't be "ooo look we've wrapped up all our story lines lets make another one..." *2 years later* "Damn we've been cancelled... time for an Ancient magic weapon that our heroes will find without too much trouble so we can wrap it all up"

This thread is for people seeing the positive side of SGA's cancellation, if you disagree post you're reasons for disagreeing respectfully. Posts like
"OMG HOW DARE YOU CALL YOURSELF AN SGA FAN" etc will be redded.

Incidentally, if you would like to send me hate mail by address is;

Jedi_Master_Bra'tac (that's my real name)
132 Fake Street
A village in England

[KindlyKeller]

Third reason - I'm actually quite looking forward to SGU. So I'm not going to be immature and deliberately "boycott it".

Your post is very reasonable, even though I disagree with it, except for this particular part. It assumes an inherent immaturity in those who choose to avoid SGU because they're not happy with SGA's resolution, which isn't fair in my opinion.

Regarding my disagreement, the "having more time" argument isn't one I concur with. While I enjoyed AoT ok, it felt incredibly rushed and way too easy a resolution. Had Season 11 gone on in its stead, I have no doubt the resolution would have felt more reasonable.

I enjoyed Continuum a good bit, but it felt incredibly short. Because of their desire to make the films fit into a two-hour television slot (i.e. 90 minutes, allowing for a half hour of commercials), they're always going to feel too short to me, I imagine.

I'd much rather have had Season 11 to finish off SG-1, and Season 6 to finish off SGA.

[Jeff O'Connor]

Hey, I live at 117 Fake Street!

Ahem. At any rate, I do agree with a lot of this, but I also agree with KindlyKeller. Season 11 for SG-1 and 6 for SGA just would have worked better. It seems that if the Stargate franchise has one big gaping flaw, it's series conclusions. What should be seasons get pushed aside right when they're needed most.

But at the same time, as I said, I agree with a lot of it. And having the telefilm ought to wrap things up decently enough, though I'm quite worried over the 'new race' coming up and its conclusion after just barely being introduced.

People thought the Ori thing was too rushed, for crying out loud.

[Sealurk]

Jedi: If I could give you green I would. Alas I have apparently given you some recently!

I agree with virtually everything in your post. SGA was never as strong as SG-1 for me (then again, a lot of people who came to Stargate via SGA say SG-1 isn't as strong, so it's personal taste), and given how badly the various enemies have been dealt with, I'm not hugely surprised SGA is ending.

I would have thought it'd get a 6th season though - I understood s5 was being received quite well in the States.

I'm hoping this will actually bode well for the future of Stargate, in a strange way.

[ToasterOnFire]

I'm not exactly glad SGA is ending, more like indifferent. But at least a movie will give TPTB a decent amount of time to plan and wrap things up. I get the feeling that the knew this ending was coming - a while ago Joe M said that the s5 finale would not be rewritten if they learned the show got the axe. They likely planned the finale knowing the end was near and hopefully SGA won't fall into the same problems SGA had with a rushed finale and cramming the Ori end into one movie. (Besides, SGA doesn't have an overwhelming, threatening enemy like the Ori in s5.) And I agree that there's less of a chance for the movie to be boring filler like some of the recent eps.

I've held out hope for SGU ever since I gave up on SGA, but it all rides on who is in charge. If the same people are at the helm and the same people are in the creative department then it doesn't bode well for my enjoyment of SGU.

[The Prophet]

I have to agree with you there; a movie (or succession of Movies) will allow the plot lines to be neatly tied up in an probably epic finale, instead of petering out into nothingness over a succession of episodes.

Considering the Wraith, there was no dramatic ending to their story; instead they were brought down by off-screen action by the Asurans, the Hoffan Drug and Civil Wars; no final major confrontation between them and the Atlantis Team. Instead the Wraith's storyline seemed to just be covertly replaced with Michael's, who seems destined to fade out along with the Wraith.

With a movie; we can finally have some dramatic closure; allowing Michael & the Wraith an ending which they deserve and will be remembered in years to come...

"Remember when Michael stormed Atlantis and sent his entire hybrid fleet to Earth for one massive showdown, fighting against Earth's soldiers and the Wraith?"
"Yeah?"
"That was cool"

Instead of something along the lines of some pathetic whimper as:

"Remember when Ronan shot Michael in the back whilst he was fleeing, and his entire Hybrid army was saved by a miracle cure Becket, Keller and Rodney came up with, allowing Teyla to live happily ever after whilst John bombed Michael's all-mightly doomsday weapon from space in a PJ?"
"Urm... was after the Genii brought back the Asurans and pitted them against the Travellers in Season 9?"
"... maybe, I lost track of it all"

Also, this allows Universe to be fully focused upon; which gives it a better chance of being great.

[Jedi_Master_Bra'tac]

Your post is very reasonable, even though I disagree with it, except for this particular part. It assumes an inherent immaturity in those who choose to avoid SGU because they're not happy with SGA's resolution, which isn't fair in my opinion.

What word would you use then?

Regarding my disagreement, the "having more time" argument isn't one I concur with. While I enjoyed AoT ok, it felt incredibly rushed and way too easy a resolution. Had Season 11 gone on in its stead, I have no doubt the resolution would have felt more reasonable.

I enjoyed Continuum a good bit, but it felt incredibly short. Because of their desire to make the films fit into a two-hour television slot (i.e. 90 minutes, allowing for a half hour of commercials), they're always going to feel too short to me, I imagine.

I'd much rather have had Season 11 to finish off SG-1, and Season 6 to finish off SGA.

Yes AoT was rushed and Continuum was too short, but they were great. I concur that S11 might have been better than AoT but we'll never know. It still would have consisted of them going to the Ori galaxy, finding the Ark of Truth and going "ooo look at this".
Continuum is brilliant, don't you wish all SG was that good?

[The6thRace]

My only major beef with the Sci-Fi network is that they should at least give them a full seasons notice before cancelling. In other words, if they were going to cancel it during Season 5, they should have let them know before writing Season 5. Now we have all these new storylines starting up, new enemies, etc and its all just going to kind of go to waste. I'm sure the writers would have done thing differently if they knew it was their last season.

[Jedi_Master_Bra'tac]

My only major beef with the Sci-Fi network is that they should at least give them a full seasons notice before cancelling. In other words, if they were going to cancel it during Season 5, they should have let them know before writing Season 5. Now we have all these new storylines starting up, new enemies, etc and its all just going to kind of go to waste. I'm sure the writers would have done thing differently if they knew it was their last season.

Apparently it was MGM's call this time, not Skiffy's.

Has anyone considered that renewing it will mean that they have to stop in the middle of a story ark like SG1 did? It should have ended with Season 8, 9 & 10 should have been seasons 1 and 2 of Stargate Command. At least with SGA it won't be "ooo look we've wrapped up all our story lines lets make another one..." *2 years later* "Damn we've been cancelled... time for an Ancient magic weapon that our heroes will find without too much trouble so we can wrap it all up"
ETA - Adding ^ to the first post

[jannagalaxy]

My only major beef with the Sci-Fi network is that they should at least give them a full seasons notice before cancelling. In other words, if they were going to cancel it during Season 5, they should have let them know before writing Season 5. Now we have all these new storylines starting up, new enemies, etc and its all just going to kind of go to waste. I'm sure the writers would have done thing differently if they knew it was their last season.

Totally agree! I can't stand rushed endings.

[jannagalaxy]

Apparently it was MGM's call this time, not Skiffy's.

Has anyone considered that renewing it will mean that they have to stop in the middle of a story ark like SG1 did? It should have ended with Season 8, 9 & 10 should have been seasons 1 and 2 of Stargate Command. At least with SGA it won't be "ooo look we've wrapped up all our story lines lets make another one..." *2 years later* "Damn we've been cancelled... time for an Ancient magic weapon that our heroes will find without too much trouble so we can wrap it all up"

That was the reason I was nervous when it was said that they were going to make another season after season 7, I don't want that to happen to SGA, but saying that...I wish it wasn't ending.

[Karhedron]

Good post. YOu stated your opinion quite good although I do not share it. You just have one flaw in it :

Apparently it was MGM's call this time, not Skiffy's.

Has anyone considered that renewing it will mean that they have to stop in the middle of a story ark like SG1 did? It should have ended with Season 8, 9 & 10 should have been seasons 1 and 2 of Stargate Command. At least with SGA it won't be "ooo look we've wrapped up all our story lines lets make another one..." *2 years later* "Damn we've been cancelled... time for an Ancient magic weapon that our heroes will find without too much trouble so we can wrap it all up"
ETA - Adding ^ to the first post

They ARE stopping in the middle of a story arc. With a new enemy revealed in season 5...how would you call that? Not to mention that they are ending it on a cliffhanger. This does sound a lot like "we already have all episodes and we are not changing it although we end it in the middle of something".
Or not?

[KindlyKeller]

What word would you use then?

I wouldn't assign any value myself. But I certainly think "immature" is an unnecessarily insulting label, when you're asking for reasoned responses that aren't insulting in this very thread.

[Jedi_Master_Bra'tac]

Good post. YOu stated your opinion quite good although I do not share it. You just have one flaw in it :




They ARE stopping in the middle of a story arc. With a new enemy revealed in season 5...how would you call that? Not to mention that they are ending it on a cliffhanger. This does sound a lot like "we already have all episodes and we are not changing it although we end it in the middle of something".
Or not?

Well, I have considered that, but like I said in the first post I can't comment on the new enemies yet. The article suggests they'll be more than one SGA movie, so I hope they are not given the Ori treatment and defeated in just one. Besides, while SGA is ending on a cliff hanger, it's not like it won't be resolved.

[KindlyKeller]

Yes AoT was rushed and Continuum was too short, but they were great. I concur that S11 might have been better than AoT but we'll never know. It still would have consisted of them going to the Ori galaxy, finding the Ark of Truth and going "ooo look at this".
Continuum is brilliant, don't you wish all SG was that good?

I guess I'm pretty sure S11 would have been better, because I found AoT well short of great. And while I liked Continuum, it's too-quick resolution keeps it from being "brilliant" to me.

Just a matter of personal taste, but I'd be miles less than thrilled if the Atlantis movie was of the same quality as AoT.