Stargate Universe Season 1 Announced (1 Viewer)

[Mark Talmadge]

It looks like Season 1.0 has been announced:

http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Stargate-Universe-First-Release-Scheduled/13021

Unfortunately, I won't be picking up this new series. While I have purchased all ten seasons of Stargate SG-1 and all five seasons of Stargate Atlantis, I won't be picking up the new series.

First, I've seen some of the episodes and it's the most boring and depressing sci-fi series I have ever watched. Secondly, I'm through supporting new TV shows that are released via half season sets. I'm just sticking up the classic television shows. While I still purchase newer shows on DVD, they're only full season sets that I'll purchase.

 

[Glenn Curtis]

I totally agree with Mark. I also have bought all previous SG-1 and SG-A seasons.

In fact I've seen all the episodes of SGU to date and could barely struggle through the episodes once without falling asleep. I certainly wouldn't want to buy a half-season DVD release - and it is not even on BluRay as well.

Now if they released SG Atlantis on BluRay, I'd buy that straight away.

I'll stick to other classic shows too.

 

[Mark Talmadge]

The problem is that the producers and execs have tried to turn this latest series into an actual sci-fi show like Star Trek or Star Wars. I'm just disappointed by the fact that the Sci-Fi Channel (I refuse to call them SyFy) pulled the plug, canceled Stargate Atlantis in favor of this new series. Personally, I think SciFi made a huge error in this move.

Just look at their history: Farscape, The Invisible Man, Stargate SG-1, Stargate Atlantis, Tremors, Battlestar Galactica ... every series canceled because Sci-Fi execs decided to interfere with the production of their shows.

This is why I no longer watch the Sci-Fi Channel. Besides, they only show horror movies anyway and crap like WWE. The Sci-Fi Channel should prove to be an example of how not to run a network or produce television shows.

 

[TravisR]

Originally Posted by Mark Talmadge

Just look at their history: Farscape, The Invisible Man, Stargate SG-1, Stargate Atlantis, Tremors, Battlestar Galactica ... every series canceled because Sci-Fi execs decided to interfere with the production of their shows.

Battlestar Galactica wasn't cancelled. It ended when the creators (and most likely Universal) decided to end it.

 

[Mark Talmadge]

Actually, that's incorrect. Sci-Fi wanted to continue the series until someone came up with the idea for a spin-off series. The same thing happened with the Stargate Atlantis series . The series was canceled because of the desire to create a spin-off series. Sci-Fi wasn't going to fund two shows from the same property at the same time.

The only exception where two shows from the same franchise series were being funded by the same network was the Star Trek series. Star Trek TNG/DS9 running at the same time and then there was DS9/Voyager airing at the same time when TNG ended its run.

TravisR is looking at the wrong argument here. My point is that Stargate Universe is the most boring sci-fi series I have ever watched and I'm not the only sci-fi fan who has expressed contempt over this new series. Many other fans, even those at Sci-Fi's website, have expressed anger over this new series and that it isn't up to what they hyped the series over.

The problem is that Sci-Fi over hyped this new series prior to its debut and it literally sucked. It's basically a copycat version of Star Trek Voyager. Remember the premise? Human crew from Earth gets trapped on the other side of the galaxy on a starship. This time around, the crew doesn't control what the ship does ... it's just not a very good series.

At least Star Trek Voyager was more interesting to watch ... and I continue to watch it to this day. I just don't see SGU lasting for too much longer.

 

[cajunhillbilly]

I agree 100%. This series is just plain boring. I will not be getting this either.

 

[Mark Talmadge]

Tell me about it. It's not like I didn't give it a chance. I have watched some of the more recent episodes, trying to get into it, but it just doesn't do anything for me. The problem is that SGU was rushed, the characters are drab, dry and uninteresting and they they have no appeal.

Another problem with the series is the casting of Lou Diamond Phillips. The promos leading up to the series debut made it sound like he would be a regular cast member for the series. Unfortunately, his character has been written out of the series and cast as simply a recurring character who shows up now and then when the series flashes back to what's transpiring on Earth. I was under the impression that he was in charge of the crew on board the starship.

If the producers kept Lou Diamond Phillips as a regular cast member, I think his star appeal might have been able to keep fans tuned into this series but without an anchor for the series, Stargate Universe will be doomed for cancellation. With Stargate SG-1, the original series had Richard Dean Anderson to anchor the series. With Stargate Atlantis, the series had Joe Flanigan to anchor the series along with Torri Higginson. With SGU, the series has no anchor for the series and Robert Carlyle is such a bad actor that I don't see how he was cast for the series in the first place.

 

[TravisR]

Originally Posted by Mark Talmadge

TravisR is looking at the wrong argument here.

I'm not looking at any argument. I pointed out an error of yours.

 

[Mark Talmadge]

I thought we were talking about Stargate Universe?

 

[Arild]

Originally Posted by Mark Talmadge

The only exception where two shows from the same franchise series were being funded by the same network was the Star Trek series.

I think you're missing another very very obvious exception here.

 

[Greg_S_H]

Originally Posted by Arild
I think you're missing another very very obvious exception here.

What are you referring to? CSI, L&O or NCIS?

 

[Mark Talmadge]

Ouch, there are very few TV shows that I watch on TV. Most of what I watch are on DVD ...

 

[Arild]

I'm talking of course about Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis.They aired back-to-back on Sci-Fi for three years. So much for Sci-Fi not being willing to fund two shows from the same property at the same time.

 

[Mark Talmadge]

That's incorrect, Arild. Stargate Atlantis was introduced alongside Stargate SG-1 Season 9. It was only two seasons ...

 

[Greg_S_H]

I haven't followed the behind-the-scenes stuff. Did Cooper and Wright want to keep doing Atlantis alongside SGU and Sci-Fi said no? I hope we at least get the Atlantis movies that have been discussed.

 

[Joseph Bolus]

I feel the same way about SGU as most of you do. I have viewed every episode aired to date and have only found one, Time, remotely interesting. Time at least had the feel of a Stargate episode about it . Curiously, it was described by the producers as a "change of pace" ep. Sure enough, the very next week the series was back to using the "stones" to get characters back to earth. This time to showcase a (supposedly) shocking lesbian relationship with an on-screen kiss between two women. But wasn't this done on Star Trek: Deep Space 9 way back in 1995 to much better effect? The ep was "Rejoined" which aired in the early part of DS9's fourth season and was about Dax meeting her former spouse. Of course, Dax was now in a different body and was a man at the time that "she" was married. The bottom line is the SGU ep was not all that innovative from a Sci-Fi perspective. And the "B" plot regarding the finding of a possible "Ancients" information dissemination chair on the out-of-control ship ultimately went nowhere since the chair was never activated! All of this is unfortunately typical for this series. I certainly have no desire to own this mess. And especially not in half-season form!

 

[Arild]

Originally Posted by Mark Talmadge

That's incorrect, Arild. Stargate Atlantis was introduced alongside Stargate SG-1 Season 9. It was only two seasons ...

Heh... no. Stargate Atlantis was introduced alongside Stargate SG-1 season 8. It was most definitely three seasons.

 

[MarkHarrison]

I own all the previous Stargate series and we're somewhat enjoying the new series. But I won't be buying simply because I just don't believe in buying half seasons. If they were half price, maybe. But they're not even close. So, no sale here.

 

[Mark Talmadge]

Joseph, I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks that SGU is a horrible sci-fi series. When SG-1 originally debuted, it was one of the few original sci-fi shows ever created. It didn't try to succeed by stealing ideas from other television shows and relied on a strong cast to keep the series interesting enough to keep fans coming back for me. SGA built upon what was established in SG-1 by focusing the series on Atlantis, which had been built on in SG-1.

SGU? They based the series on a concept that had already been done before. Stuck on a starship that they can't control, which is flying aimlessly in whatever direction the ship chooses to head into, backed up by a cast who can't act themselves out of a wet paper bag ... I don't know how else to explain it. I'm just shocked and dumbfounded that SGA was canceled over this new series. Adding to that insult, Sci-Fi execs must be kicking themselves in the rear having canceled a series that had already established itself (SGA could have lasted another two seasons, at least) while getting trashed by a lot of Stargate fans.

While I'm sure the series is getting some decent ratings, I just don't see how this series is going to last. Lou Diamond Phillips drew fans to the series but I'm sure that after fans discovered that he was not part of the regular cast (I remember Sci-Fi hyping Lou Diamond Phillips as the Captain on this little adventure and in charge of the crew onboard the ship) I'm sure fans jumped off that sinking ship rather quickly.

Far as that whole lesbian kiss goes? You're right. It was done before on Star Trek Deep Space Nine and I remember that STS9 received a lot of media attention over that particular episode. They were talking about a sci-fi character who used to be a man, but now inhabits a female body and that s/he meets up with an acquaintance s/he was in love with in their past life.

The only reason they're doing this lesbian angle on SGU is for shock value and to get fans to come back to the series. It's a cheap gimmick and while they may attract some viewers, it won't be enough to sustain those viewership numbers. It's been done before. But, instead of coming up with something original or possibly rebooting the series with a different direction, the producers for SGU are aiming for shock value. It's cheap entertainment and only meant to shock their viewers. I doubt it'll be enough to save the show.

Even Chicago Tribune staff writer Maureen Ryan criticized the series:

http://featuresblogs.chicagotribune.com/entertainment_tv/2009/11/stargate-universe-syfy-.html

There are even other reviewers who have abandoned the series and they described SGU as being too drab, depressing and boring:

http://www.cinemaspy.com/article.php?id=3600
http://tvbythenumbers.com/2009/11/09/maureen-ryan-stopped-watching-stargate-universe-and-shes-not-the-only-one/33088

With ratings continuing to slide for this series, the ratings for the show peaked around episode 2 but have steadily declined as the weeks dragged by. Check out the most recent tally:

http://tvbythenumbers.com/2009/11/26/stargate-universe-sgu-ratings-for-first-half-of-season-1/34668

The problem with the series is that Brad Wright and the other producers tried to take the franchise in a new direction. With SG-1 and SGA, there was never a question of whether the series would be interesting enough to keep your attention. The studio sets weren't depressing or drab. Even the characters have the attitude that they don't want to be stuck on that ship. However, take one look at the sets for SGU and you get depressed. It's like being stuck in a dark depressing room for several years with nothing to do.

What should the producers do? Get rid of the "trapped on a starship so far from home" storyline and get back to doing what the previous two shows did. Stargate is about adventure and this new series just lacks that approach.

 

[Greg_S_H]

Originally Posted by Joseph Bolus
The bottom line is the SGU ep was not all that innovative from a Sci-Fi perspective. And the "B" plot regarding the finding of a possible "Ancients" information dissemination chair on the out-of-control ship ultimately went nowhere since the chair was never activated! All of this is unfortunately typical for this series. I certainly have no desire to own this mess. And especially not in half-season form!

The chair was never activated because this is a serialized show! It's not like it won't ever be. They aren't trying to be innovative with the lesbian relationship because Hollywood's current agenda is to normalize homosexuality and so they are just presenting it as a factual relationship. This is the same with FlashForward and a couple of other shows. As I said in the show's ongoing thread, I find the use of the stones distasteful in that someone else's body should not be used for sex. I'm giving the show a chance to prove that that is indeed an issue, but everyone seems remarkably fine with it so far. I know Camille wouldn't want her body used to have sex with a man, and I wouldn't want my body used to have sex with *anyone* against my knowledge or will. If the producers realize that this needs to be addressed, I'll feel better about it.

Other than the issues raised by this latest episode, I've enjoyed the series. It's kind of a shame that the thread about the DVD announcement has to be of the, "Stay away, it's shit" variety.