How dark do you want SGU to be?

[Orion Antreas]

Simple as. How dark do you want SGU to be? Also, if you would like to, post your definition of a 'dark show'. What makes a show dark? It will be interesting to see people's definitions on a dark show and see if we can connect some dots over some negativity of the show.

Now, my opinion:

I want SGU to be in between SGA and BSG as far as being dark. Darker than SGA, but lighter than BSG. Just right...

I really think that Stargate would do well being a serialized drama while still maintaining the 'spirit of Stargate'. It would provide a new direction for the franchise. It also needs to maintain the Stargate comic relief. Some of the humor we've had was priceless.

[prion]

If it's too dark, I'll probably tune out. I watch TV to relax and be entertained. If I want dark, I can turn on the news

However, judging from the spoilers out already, it will not be a family show at all.

[Arica15]

See this really worries me, what exactly do they mean when they talk about a dark show?

How on earth do you define when something is dark and when something isn't? I mean even the fluffiest of fluffy bunny scifi/fantasy shows (Hercules/Xena) had their pretty dark moments when the occasion arose.

And is it actually really going to be any darker than Atlantis or SG-1, I mean without rehashing the whole of SG-1 and SGA history (which to here certain producers speak are veritable comic cuts) one show dealt with a man watching his wife's body being stolen by an ancient parasitic tyrant, learned that she gave birth to another one of these creatures babies, watched her die by one of his best friends hands in order to save his own life........while in the other show a member of an admittedly aggressive alien race was arguably tortured and experimented on and had his whole physical and mental character changed, ensuring he could never return to his own kind after an attempt to brainwash him failed.........so, were SG-1 and Atlantis light shows with dark moments, or dark shows with light moments, and what exactly is the difference......

(Sheesh if it's any darker I'll be expecting mass extinctions and blown up planets on a weekly basis)
And is Universe going to be darker because the storylines and plots are actually darker...or are the storylines and plots in reality not really going to be any different, we're just being told they are in order to convince us that Universe somehow has more creative integrity than the previous shows?

[Briangate78]

Simple as. How dark do you want SGU to be? Also, if you would like to, post your definition of a 'dark show'. What makes a show dark? It will be interesting to see people's definitions on a dark show and see if we can connect some dots over some negativity of the show.

I am gonna request a poll. Until then, simply post.

Now, my opinion:

I want SGU to be in between SGA and BSG as far as being dark. Darker than SGA, but lighter than BSG. Just right...

I really think that Stargate would do well being a serialized drama while still maintaining the 'spirit of Stargate'. It would provide a new direction for the franchise.

I agree about that level. Maybe even like a Farscape dark drama level. Also would like the show to have more eps focuses on the story arc, but not do away with all the stand alone eps either.

Stand alones are good for character interaction and development.

[Briangate78]

If it's too dark, I'll probably tune out. I watch TV to relax and be entertained. If I want dark, I can turn on the news

However, judging from the spoilers out already, it will not be a family show at all.

Well people in their 30's is their target.

[Rac80]

Somewhere between sky blue and navy.....


honestly it is the intensity that causes the darkness.... on SG1 you had dark eps. surrounded by many light ones, on BSG it was ALL dark. so less dark than bsg, but more intense than sg1.

[Orion Antreas]

I agree about that level. Maybe even like a Farscape dark drama level. Also would like the show to have more eps focuses on the story arc, but not do away with all the stand alone eps either.

Stand alones are good for character interaction and development.

Agreed.

[Descent]

I agree about that level. Maybe even like a Farscape dark drama level. Also would like the show to have more eps focuses on the story arc, but not do away with all the stand alone eps either.

Stand alones are good for character interaction and development.

I would like that. Farscape was a show that even when it was dark, it was able to keep its humor going throughout. I would like SGU to somehow pull that off.

Don't overdo it and be all mopey like BSG. I never want Stargate to go that far down.

[MediaSavant]

It's a very good question. To me "dark" is when you actually get invested in the drama of the situation because anything can happen. All too often, in SG-1 or Atlantis, the characters would be in a death-threatening situation, yet you felt no tension whatsoever because you knew none of them were going to die. Ho hum. The same can be said for serious bodily harm. The few times I actually felt the shows strayed into "dark"--Janet's death, for instance--it became a very different and higher quality show to me.

Dark is the opposite of "light". And "Light" is something you don't take seriously, that doesn't create any tension. In the final episode of Atlantis, was there any doubt they wouldn't save the Earth? Did anyone really feel any tension that they might fail? I certainly didn't. In a "dark" show, I would have doubts. I would have tension. I wouldn't anticipate that all the main characters will be alive and smiling at the end.

[smart]

Barely dark-like Atlantis and SG1

[jenks]

As long as there's some sort of relief, and it doesn't become depressing, I'd like to see them go as dark as possible.

[Alder]

Somewhere between sky blue and navy.....

I'll go with that too.

Personally I wouldn't mind something just a little edgier. Much as I love the classic fun episodes on SG-1 and Atlantis - say, 'Window of Opportunity' as an example - there were sometimes episodes that were just silly fluff. But I really don't want something pitch black and depressing. I've got BBC News24 for that...

So I've gone for the 'midway between SG-1/Atlantis and BSG'. Something that hopefully keeps the spirit of the Stargate franchise, while giving us a little more to get our teeth into on occasion.

[PG15]

Very dark. Heck, just put up a dark, blank screen and that's good enough for me.

But yeah, it appears I'm with the majority of this poll (big surprise): somewhere in between.

The big difference between BSG!Dark and Stargate!Dark, and it's a BIG difference, is the ultimate treatment of the worth of a human being. In BSG, it seems the whole point is that humans suck; we're bad, bad folk, and our ethics go out the door the moment we're forced into a corner. Worse still, there doesn't seem to be any real solid friendships besides between Adama and Tigh (unfortunately, I just can't relate to that friendship for some reason).

While I actually do believe that that is true in real life, it doesn't make for welcome entertainment for me.

In Stargate, no matter how dark things went, the ultimate message seems to be that we are good people, though at times we are forced to make dark choices. At other times, when they are given chances to relax, the SG1 and SGA teams hung out like buddies, and gently ribbed each other with snark and good humor. It's the kind of relationship we want to have with our friends, I'd imagine.

It's the most telling in the humor department. There is snark on both BSG and Stargate, obviously, but the key difference is that, on BSG, it seems to be mostly done to hurt, to make fun, or to mock; while on Stargate, it's just friends teasing each other. The former I don't think any of us want to experience much of, while I love the latter.

IMHO SGU will follow the tried and true philosophy of Stargate, that people are good, and friendships are more powerful than many, many things. As long as they keep that up, the rest of could be dark as they want to make it.

[nx01a]

"I am the terror that flaps in the night, I am the batteries that are not included. I am Dark Stargate: Universe!"
I want it to be a realistic portrayal of the concept: people irrevocably trapped on an alien ship with little/no hope of returning home. That's pretty dark. Definitely NOT BSG levels of angst, but real people completely unprepared for the situation.

[jackson2009]

Darker..no way!