Friday evening brought fans the final episode of “SG:U” for 2009.
This thread is for anyone who wants to dicuss the mid-season finale and the first half of season one as a whole.
Please know there will be SPOILERS for all aired episodes of “SG:U” allowed here.
Please refrain from posting SPOILERS for upcoming episodes or episodes that haven’t aired yet in the United States.
And, of course, please play nice with your fellow commentors.
This SGU Fall finale did not leave me wanting more. These people have no redeeming qualities what so ever.
They could have certainly done more to keep us coming back next year. Rush being stranded was pretty big, but not mind-blowing. Luckily, there were enough good episodes this year to make me continue watching. Especially ‘Time’.
I wanted to like it, but the finally convinced me to remove it from my season pass.
I wanted to like this series but they are making it damn difficult for me. These guys need a smack upside their heads, it is possible to make interesting character episodes but these writers don’t seem to have the knack. Excellent production, sets and acting is wasted on, for the most part, pathetic, boring and poorly constructed scripts. The rare glimmer of great possiblities for the series is quickly swamped by boredom in most episodes.
It’s doubtful if I’ll be bothered with the back half of the season.
Unless it improves a lot, I’m almost done with SGU.
It started out ok, and has just went downhill.
And I understand a lot of people liked ‘Time’. But I didn’t. Maybe it’s because I found it predictable, and thought when Stargate did that it was done much better at times. Yes, Stargate had terrible time travel eps. It was an excuse for them to give us everyones backstory, with them explaining it to you; rather than letting there be a story, or plot about it.; so it happened naturally.
At this point I don’t like any of the characters, and what happened to Rush in the last ep, I found I didn’t care. I don’t care how he gets back to Destiny or how it plays out.
Even at the bad points of Terminator, I still cared about all of them.
To be honest, I thought “Time” was the weakest episode in the series. Mainly because SG-1 had done the alternate timeline story a few times and done it better. This one ended up being too meta as it really assumed that people had seen the SG-1 episode with the solar flare. The one strength that episode was the insight into Eli’s character.
I still see enough potential to come back to the show in 2010. Perhaps with Rush on the outs with Young, Eli will be forced to step up and be the top guy in terms of who can figure out the Ancient technology.
The one thing I still do like about SG:U is that they’re trying to do the opposite of Atlantis. In Atlantis, even though they were far away from home, they could still call up Earth for support and resources. The crew of SG:U are almost completely on their own. The only connection they have with Earth comes from the stones, so I hope they get rid of them next.
I am wildly disappointed with this series. I am a die hard Stargate fan. I’ve seen the movie 5-10 times, I have seen every episode of SG1 and Atlantis 2 and 3 times over.
SGU is depressing, boring, and I believe is best described as lacking ANY charisma. I was cheering for Rush to die. I can’t stand him.
I keep recording it to my DVR thinking its going to get better. It’s that obligation I feel to know what is going on in the Stargate Universe.
I really can’t see how this series can be redeemed. It lacks every nearly every quality of the first two series. It is so monotone. It believes its real. (I miss the sarcastic – ‘yeah this is a geeky sci-fi show’ undertones.)
Bring Atlantis back and CAN this series before the SG world is forever tainted! Better yet, dump the production cash into the SG1 movies.
I think the only way to send the proper message to network execs, and the producers is to stop recording this show to my DVR. …What a complete and utter disappointment and downer.
I’ll check the blogs to see if the show redeems itself.
I loved every thing Stargate until SGU. The show is boring and there is nothing cool about it. Not once in the entire first season did I laugh or think wow that’s pretty neat. The characters suck and I don’t care if anyone of them die. The Sci-Fi part of it is what’s the worst part. There’s nothing in the show that advances the universe except the stupid little camera balls. Bring back Atlantis, it had the best characters, villans and story. This new SGU crap is trying to be like Battlestar, but there fighting staying alive from a broken ship instead of saving humanity. Plus, the writing is just dull.
I’d be the first to admit this wasn’t the best episode of the series so far, but I am loving it so far; even better than the previous two shows in some respects. I mean really, all these people ready to give up on this show because of the mid-season finale are just plain barking mad. Like I said, not their best offering so far, but shows that I LOVE that have been on for more than 5 years have had ones that were WAY worse.
It feels like SGU has been doing a lot of setup in the first half of the season, with some obligatory supply issue episodes. We started to get some payoff to the threads. It looks to me like they have enough set pieces to tell an interesting story now. I just hope they kick it up a notch when the show returns in April.
I don’t think its a stretch to speculate that Rush will somehow meet up with the rest of the crew in the future. I’ll be very with how Young and Rush will reconcile. I don’t think Rush will be too pleased.
I’d had a couple episodes saved up on my DVR so yesterday I watched the last three episodes in quick sequence.
Heroes still holds the ‘suckiest show that hasn’t been cancelled yet’ award but this one will shortly join it. If darker means ‘find the whiniest group of cry babies on the planet’ they’ve certainly done it.
I could care less if these people make it home and the planet’s better off that they don’t.
All the really great shows have a clear division of good vs evil. SG started with the premise that the gods of Egypt were aliens and evil because they enslaved us. Thus SG must defeat the Goa’uld. SGA discovered the Wraith. But SGU that built itself up with promises of more alien species instead fell back on the low budget idea of character stage, and with a set of unfortunately uninteresting characters that even the best of actors are having a challenge delevering us one to care about.
It is easy to say something is boring. But in which way is it boring? What could the writers do to improve the story? Being trapped on an alien spaceship that has no intelligence but is further advanced than our own technology seems implausible in this day and age.
Here the battle is internal and political. Their only hope a (now stranded) maniac with his own agenda. A single sense of wonder in Eli, being drenched out by the overwhelming sense of doom. In an age that rivals the great depression for doom and gloom, what we need now is hope. Something that shows the human spirit is alive and capable of dealing with being trapped, far, far away from home and loved ones.
From Previous post:
“What could the writers do to improve the story?”
Not a whole lot without completely re-hauling the show.
I think they should cut their loses, and concentrate on the movies.
The point you made about the budget is something I was thinking about yesterday. It’s clear they don’t have the same budget with this show they’ve had with the previous two shows. That may be the ultimate problem. And if the reason for ‘no budget’ is because they are directing that money at the SG1/SGA movies, I am fine with that. But why even bother with SGU in the first place then. Just can it.
Wow. I’m in the majority. The fall finale totally upped the show in my estimation. I didn’t think they’d have the balls to do that to a major character. Especially Rush. Kudo’s to them, let’s just hope they don’t wuss out on what the consequences for that are. I’ll agree, it’s hard to find truly likeable characters. At this point my favoriates are Greer and Eli. Of course I also like Rush. He’s an asshole, but I find him fascinating and as a result am invested in his story.
I really like Atlantis and mostly enjoyed the original SG show but I have to say the one thing this show doesn’t do that the others tended to is take the easy way out. I approve.
Oooops, I meant to say I’m in the minority. That’s what I get for commenting and eating a sandwich at the same time. 😉
GirlSam: I got your back on this one. I still say the SGU haters are just still bitter over the half-assed Atlantis finale.
I am still bitter over the half-assed Atlantis finale :). However, I really do find SGU predictable. I am not ready to give up on it yet, though. It has solid acting, good design and the premise is interesting. The writing does need to evolve to the level we are used to with SG shows. I am with those that are hoping that these first episodes are laying some ground work for greatness…please.
Upfront, I`m bitter over the untimely demise of SGA, and it`s one true hero Rodney. I would still be watching that show if it were on.
I don’t hate SGU, its just few likable characters, I’m ambivalent. It’s writing is good, adult storytelling. I`d just like to like some of the characters. A little.
Maybe it`s about who they become. I`m still on the fence, and am willing to whatch more, but I`m hoping for something bigger.
SG:U is so boring! Nothing much ever seems to happen. There is more talking than action. I don’t mind “talky” shows, but if you are going to have a show set in space on a big spaceship, I expect things to happen. And the characters aren’t even interesting! Did SyFy cut the budget way back on this show, because so little seems to happen for a show set in space. I prefer Sanctuary, & it isn’t even as good this season!
Im a stargate series fan. I love the first two shows.
The problem is two fold for me. First, I liked the funny, we know were a scifi show undertones of the last two shows. They had serious episodes, but lots of humor and very indeering moments. T he characters were likeable. When i watched it i knew id be entertained..either a “wow that cool” or jsut plain laugh outloud cause it was genuinely funny.
This show is depressing. The characters are not likeable. No wow moments or parts that stick with me. It tries to be BSG but the problem is BSG was already there FIRST and did it better.
I think what happend was as STA was coming to a close, they sat around and started brainstorming what the next show was gonna be like. Well at the time they sat down BSG was still in full swing and very popular and was getting main stream media coverage. So they were like “hey lets do that”. But the writers they have arents use that kind of show..and it shows..and it suffers from it.
Not only that but guess what..its been done…and the medai attention is long gone. Even caprica is not really being reported on anymore.
The second issue for me is that they went away from “explore a planet per episode” show to a “pick a resource and say were running low on it episode” show. Oh no..were running out of air. Oh now we need water this show. Oh now we need food this show. Oh now we need power this show. we get it ..they are stuck on a ship with few resources…we get it..u cant stop shoving it down out throats.
And the ‘real human’ choices and emotions the show suppose to be all about..seem very forced…and fake and artificial.
The final thing that piss’s me off about the show..is that they are so desperate for ratings and peopel to watch that they make episodes based on the short term responsiveness of the audience. Of hey..the people seem to like/or really hate Rush..so lets make a bunch of Rush heavy episodes so they will watch.
But they do it at the expense of other characters. Like the superwiss kid who is suppose to be a genius. Only thing hes done so far is play with balls (excuse the crass humor). But come on. How about he actually figures stuff out and shows hes a nerd.
And waht about all the supervillous people. I get they got stuck there with no choice in crew selection..but you give more time to the USELESS senators daughter int he camera then people that can actually move the show forward..like the scientists that can little by little explore the ship..find secrets and thus make the show worth watching again (“i wonder what they will find next”).
PS..anyone get SUPER annoyed by the fact that despite the hurried way they went through the stargate with barely and bags or containers..they all have a bunch of different change of clothes (even work out clothes for gods sake!), tools..props..hell Young has LEATHER COUCHES in his quarters. Come on..human like or not the ancients doubfully have leather freaking couches.
sigh.
GuardianaLI:
You realize that they had 17-18 episodes filmed before the series started airing, right? They finished filming about a month ago already. So they absolutely didn’t adjust their show based on short term audience feedback.
Regarding clothing. They actually only seem to have one change of clothes, and that’s their workout clothing (which I assume came prepared in a military package). You can see that the clothing that certain people wear still contain stains/damage from other episodes. One of the scientists even complained that he wished he brought different shoes.
I’m very not sure about SGU, and I say this as a Stargate fan in general.
I found the pilot to be incredibly moving and thought it had great potential, however, they need more to really get me into it and keep a big audience. They really need some mythology or some sense that the story is going somewhere.
However, unlike most of what was posted, I so far enjoy watching the episodes. Though it undoubtably could get boring after a while if there isnt a change of pace.
I thought the final episode was cool. I did not see a space ship coming which could have wild implications given Rush’s abandonment.
This show has a lot going for it. I don’t understand the hatred here. I’m with Sam and Arkle… This show is getting better all the time and I can’t wait to see how Rush patches up that ship and catches up to the rest of the group. LOL
Sure the show has a lot going for it. It also has a lot of just plain stupidity from the writers and producers. All that good will and all those fans they’ve built up over 15 years with SG1 and Atlantis, that’s all gone now. What a shame.
I really think this is a show that’s going to take a season to get going well. It’s set up to be not just a series about 3 or 4 individual characters with supporting characters intermixed on occasion, it’s about a crew of people thrown together under stressful circumstances.
I’m giving it a full run to see where they go with it and how they develop the characters.
Before this show started airing I heard people worried that it would be like Voyager. Now the complaints seem to be that it’s too much like BSG and boring. I’ll stick with it for now hoping Michael is right and that the writers are setting the stage for improvement but if any of the writers are reading this please bring back the snark from the previous stargate shows and when Rush returns he should bring someone new with him either an alien of a human from another civilization and the new person needs to be funny at least sometimes to offset the dickishness of Rush and needs to be a very likable character like Ronin or Tayla.
I guess I’m in the minority too, because I’m enjoying SGU so far. It is rather different in style from the two previous series, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing, especially after a combined 15-year run. It’s just, y’know, different. I got used to the idea that it’s a slow burn rather than a big flash, and that sets it apart from most of what’s on TV right now in a really interesting way. The narrative has time to raise some great philosophical questions and let the audience kind of hang out with the characters sometimes rather than always chasing after them on their adventures.
@ reppoHssarg: “All the really great shows have a clear division of good vs evil.”
While I understand your premise, that’s not really true anymore, as far as I’m concerned. We’ve moved beyond the days of simple heroes-vs-villains storytelling. Bad guys are a lot more interesting and believable if they have their own point of view. You mention the Wraith. I think one of the best things about the Wraith is that they weren’t saying “Mwahaha, we will kill you because we are evil”; they were just considering humans as food, which put them at odds with the characters whose narrative we were following. It’s similar to the conflict between Humans and Cylons on BSG. Both sides have reasons for doing what they do, consider themselves to be good and their foes to be evil. The most interesting stories I’ve seen in recent years exist in the gray areas and ask the hard questions about our existence.
And to those suggesting that the budget be reallocated to reviving Atlantis and/or funding the planned movies, that’s really not how the financial side works. Joe Mallozzi explained it pretty well on his blog a couple of months ago, if you’re interested, but basically they negotiate the funding with MGM (and SciFi, except on the movies) on each project separately, not for the franchise as a whole. There isn’t a pot of “Stargate money” the producers can use however they want.
Sorry that got so long. Just standing up for the non-angry among us. 🙂
@Robin: Thanks. That was well said. I am in the supporting SGU camp. Almost every episode has had a “No they didn’t!” moment.
To those wanting a character you can like “like Tayla or Ronin” go watch Atlantis. This show isn’t Atlantis. It isn’t SG1. Please top trying to turn it into them.
I will be continuing to watch.
Those of us who like SGU (me being one of those) are not in the minority. We are simply part of the silent (or at least quiet) majority.
Like many of you, I was a big fan of the Stargate franchise. I am also a big sci-fi fan in general. This show is very different from the rest of the franchise. I think that they could have done a better job of making that transition for the SG fanbase, but really they did not even seem to try. So, I have been trying to give the show a chance by pretending it isn’t an SG show. It’s just its own thing.
Alas, while I am still willing to give it a chance (I actually hung in there with Enterprise so have a high tolerance for pain); I don’t have much hope. There are moments where my hopes are raised but no real consistency. It’s like they want to be dark and gritty like BSG and a mysterious soap opera like Lost with a huge focus on character but have left out important things necessary to sci-fi.
Nothing, so far, inspires any wonder or sense of adventure. The way cool premise fails to deliver.
All the episodes so far have taken place in a small part of the ship. We are billions of light years away from Earth, but we have been shown nothing out of the ordinary. We might as well just be on Earth, where far too much of the action is taking place. And speaking of “action,” there hasn’t been much. So they want to go dark, fine. Just give me some whizbang and a few more (please!) interesting plot twists.
I have to keep reminding myself of the premise and its promise. But it is a lot of work so far. I won’t hang in there much longer.
Seems like it’s fashionable to bash SGU. It’s one of the best shows on TV right now, and I thought the fall finale’s ending was awesome.
Thanks, Sam. 🙂 I sometimes forget that, particularly among fandom, there is a habit of only speaking up when people are dissatisfied or extremely impressed. Contentment doesn’t really engender strong reactions.
Mike – Fashionable or not, SGU simply isn’t any good. It’s nice that some people who are already on drugs may think it’s a decent show, but it’s not.
Mitch – You are certainly entitled to your opinion but saying that anyone who likes the show is on drugs is a bit dickish don’t you think?
It’s that nice that people have to resort to personal attacks to make their point.
SG:U is not a great show, but it does have some bright spots and some potential to get better. How many times do we have to cite the case of Fringe as an example of a series that can start out weak but eventually find it’s stride.
I have a number of problems with the show as it is, but I’m not ready to give up on it yet.
@Robin
My reference of stories having good vs. evil includes all the levels and all the stories that I believe everyone of us would agree to be great. From the coyote vs. road runner to anti-heroes like Roy a replicant in Blade Runner:
“I’ve seen things you people wouldn’t believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhauser gate. All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain. Time to die.”
Stories in the gray are muddled and hard to discern and are mostly character studies where the closer they are to real, the more gray they become.
In the end it winds up being everyone’s similar but individual tastes that decide which stories are great. Star Wars comes to mind as a recent (when you are 50+ in age as I am) story that everyone seemed to fall in love with. Star Trek took longer to catch on but burn it did with an intensity that has lasted ove half my lifetime. The SG series (up to SGU) has had a devoted fan base
No need to assume a generality equates to banality.
I agree that we have moved beyond the simple heroes vs. villians and I am thinking of watching westerns where the cowboys with white hats were good and the ones with black hats were bad. The only recent villian I can recall wearing white is Lex Luthor in Superman.
Your assumptions are anthropomorphic as concerns the wraith. It would be more applicable to stories like WW II and Japan vs USA. Pearl Harbor was either a great victory or travesty depending on which pair of eyes you view it through. Alien species by definition are not human, thus we might not ever understand the others thinking.
The story could be improved by finding at the very least (as in SG1 & SGA) recordings from the ancients who built the ship. A visit from an ascended one. Coming across another advanced civilization who do not descend from the ancients but are aware of them. Admitedly someone would need to be creative with makeup and backstory and maybe even langauge. As someone else pointed out a little bit of humor couldn’t hurt. Even the darkest yang requires some yin to maintain balance.
I’m really liking SGU. I don’t understand the dislike of the concept, or the show as a whole.
I thought “Time” was a great episode, I just hope they don’t go back to that well, for an extremely long time.
Some of the character development has been slow. I could have done without Young having a screwed up personal life. I think the pressures of leadership are enough of a cross to bear. I think the power struggle between Young/Rush and Young/Wray is plenty for one character. Develop the others more please.
The whole soldier death issue seemed anti climatic. It seemed like they were building up the character to really flip out or do something monumental, only to have his departure be disappointingly handled.
I wish they never showed the crashed ship in the finale it is too much of a deus ex machina for Rush to return. I would have rather had a few segments where he later discovers it.
Even with these quibbles, I still enjoy the show, and look forward to the second half of the season.
This show is so much better than Voyager was at this point in their first season.
Meh. It’s nothing special, and if that doesn’t change in the second half of season one it won’t be coming back for more.
Perhaps we’ve yet to meet the Furlings. Now that could spice the series up a bit.
Look folks- it sounds to me that at least half the fan base is not on board with this show. It doesn’t matter how you dissect it and try to reason why it is in fact a good show. When you lose that many highly devoted people, something isn’t right, no matter how you spin it.
Jay: On what exactly are you basing your “at least half the fan base” claim?
My only concern with this show is that they will buckle under the pressure from the noisy fans of the previous shows and dumb it down. The show isn’t perfect but I like it better than any previous SG show and I love how they’re doing a completely different take than any previous space show.
It’s boring?: Clearly it’s not otherwise it wouldn’t be at the top of my list of shows I want to watch every week. I found all the laser tag in the forests from other SG shows boring but I knew that some people liked that kind of thing and it just wasn’t for me.
Some people find chess boring and would rather have pillow fights. I just ask from one geek to others that you keep your swinging pillows away from our chess pieces and I’ll try not to confiscate your pillows next time a show you likes comes up.
SGU Writers, Syfy, if you follow these at all. Please keep with the plan you had at the outset and don’t let the noise from “fans” take your off course.
Arkle – If you want to believe that the vast majority of SG fans love this show, go ahead and delude yourself. I’ve read posts on this site, and a few others and would say at least half of them are negative. The ratings are trending down. Just do a search for Stargate SGU ratings, and explore from there. I am sorry I don’t have an official pole, but common sense and intuition are not useless in evaluating a shows reception. I know you’ll respond with some babble about how the people who like the show are not going to take the time to post- right whatever.
I hope this show redeems itself, but frankly, I don’t see it happening. After reading the angry response the shows creator had toward the negative fan reaction, it is clear that he is on his own creative journey, has the cash to do it, and really doesn’t care if he isn’t catering to the original base. That is fine. Good Luck with that. I just wish he wouldn’t have called it Stargate.
You want numbers? The finale of Atlantis drew 2 million viewers. The premier drew 4 million. The premier of SGU drew 2 million. The fall finale drew 1.3. That’s ALMOST HALF of whoever was still watching Atlantis.
And I bet that at least 300,000 of those people are like me…. Die Hard SG fans still grasping to the hope that something interesting will happen on this show.
…Like the discovery of the Furlings.
So while yes, I am basing my statement on posts I’ve read, my intelligence, and intuition, the numbers appear to support my “hypothesis”. —-Something isn’t right, no matter how you spin it.
Jay: I never made such a claim, I merely asked you to back up yours. And frankly the fact that you spent so much time insulting me does nothing to help your credibility. Seriously, where did you learn how to debate, Regent University?
Arkle – Which statement offended you?
I loved Stargate-1, and Atlantis, but I really like this new one, too. It’s not either of those shows, and I don’t think the characters are boring. I’m sure it will evolve if it lasts, too, and I’m willing to stick with it. It’s always a mistake to expect a series to be like, or a continuation of a similar series done earlier. If you hate it on it’s own account, ok, I don’t agree, but fine. But to hate it because it isn’t the other shows with Stargate in their title, seems kind of pointless to me.
Let’s see, you called me deluded, accused me of spinning when all I was doing was asking a question, implied I had no common sense or intuition…
Face it, even if you are right about the show’s ratings (which I have doubts about given the lack of citations), and let’s not even get into the quality of the show because that is subjective despite what you want us to think (i.e. that it sucks because YOU think it sucks), even if you are spot on about the ratings, you are still being rude, and expecting us to thank you for it.
Well I am sorry to anyone left reading this thread, but Arkle, we will have to agree to disagree. If you or anyone else took any of my observations personally, I apologize. I also want to apologize for my short comings in the debating arena. What else do you need me to apologize to you for? My opinion?
Google Search: Stargate SGU ratings. Read it for yourself.
I wonder who is being rude…
the heavy lifting…
http://tvbythenumbers.com/2009/12/07/stargate-universe-sgu-ratings-sink-to-series-low-1-34-million-for-fall-finale/35505
There, you provided citation Was that so hard? Was it really necessary for you to simply insult people for several posts before finally putting up? And no it’s not heavy lifting. You were the one making the claim, erego the burden of proof was on you. It’s no different then if I were to claim that the the Earth is being carried through the universe by two emerald green lobsters named Desdemona and Keith, then I would be the one who had to do the, as you put it, the heavy lifting.
Simply insulting people….
Original Arkle Quote near the beginning of the thread….
“I mean really, all these people ready to give up on this show because of the mid-season finale are just plain barking mad”
Name calling? To people with a valid opinion? Who is rude? Careful where you are pointing that finger… Good Luck.
Jay, you have to forgive Arkle … He’s still “confused” about things. After he comes out of that massive closet, he’ll see things much more clearly. Including that SGU sucks the little one.
Just because Arkle thinks Meghan Fox is skanky trailer trash doesn’t mean he’s “confused”. I happen to agree with him. She’s a bimbo living off her tits and ass. She certainly can’t act.
As for SGU: As I said before Mitch, you are entitled to your opinion. As the saying goes, everybody has one. But comments about a persons sexual preferences and drug use just make you look childish.
Please stop it.
Seriously Mitch? You are still on about the Megan Fox thing? Really? You know, the thing I hate most about arguments like your is that they are designed to make the responder look bad no matter what. It’s fairly clever in a sick way; insinuate someone is gay (or bi, whatever). Then, if they say “yes, I am,” you can mock them for being ‘different. But if they say “no, I’m not,” you can accuse them of being homophobic or ‘defensive.’ So you know what? I’m not gonna bother saying either way. You wanna think I’m gay just because I don’t want to bone a talentless hack? Go right ahead. I really don’t care. I stopped giving a crap around middle school. The only person in the world who needs to know what my sexual orientation is the one whose pants I’m trying to get in at the moment. And no, I’m not going to say if it’s boy or girl, mostly because you would find a way to mock me for it anyway.
As for you Jay, the “well you did it first!” argument stopped working after grade school. So I made one snarky comment at the start of the thread. Hardly comparable to you fitting 1 to 3 insults in every post.
@ Arkle – it is called an ad hominem fallacy (for anyone who didn’t know it) and it serves as a distraction from the main argument. Why the attack occured is not for me to conjecture. However, for what ever it is worth, I am with the seemingly silent majority that this is a good show, that the interplay of characters interests me far more than the next ‘planet on a soundstage,’ that the slowly evolving truth of what lies behind this ship is intriguing.
And as for the Megan Fox thing, seriously, I could care less. I don’t find her attractive either, which surprises my wife. The (very) thinly veiled insinuations as to your (or anyone else’s) sexual orientation are worse than juvenile, they are puerile. To differ on the opinions as to the relative merits of sci-fi tv show is one thing (and not a very important thing at that) but to descend into attacks on persons and groups to support ones position is vile.
Not to worry, I stand with you, Arkle. And to those who make these attacks, shame.
Michael – How do you define “majority?” Since the viewership has gone down by roughly half since the pilot, are you possibly confusing “majority” with “minority?”
Mitch,
According to the numbers cited above, SGU lost about a third of it’s viewers since the premiere. That leaves 2/3 remaining. I don’t think you’ll be able to find anything that states that 1/3 is a majority over 2/3…
Also keep in mind the Mid-Season finale of SG:U was up against the series finale of Monk. Now, I watch both shows on On Demand, but if I’d been home from work I’d have watched Monk live myself. Love SG:U obviously, but in all fairness Monk was here first. 😉
I will join the I like SG-U club proudly!!!! I know I am going be in the minority but I already like it better than SG-Atlantis!!!!! SGA was prediictable, tiresome in the same characters always winning and never losing anything and they never really grew or changed over time for the most part. SG-1 is still the best and the new actors were great when Ben came along. Vampire like aliens did not impress me nor did I care waht really happened yet alone the worst ending ever in my opinion. It is obvious though that SG anything sparkes the fans as these stories seem to get the most posts.
FYI- SGU Renewed-
QUOTE BELOW-
Syfy has renewed Stargate Universe for a second season. SGU just had its fall finale for season one recently and will return in April for the remainder of season one.
SGU’s ratings haven’t been on fire, though it’s averaged 2.6 million when 7 day DVR viewing is factored in (it is averaging around 600,000 less in Live+SD viewing).
There has been chronic criticism of the show, but at this point, mostly the chronic stuff is from some whining Stargate Atlantis fans who can’t get over the demise of SGA.
Everyone else who doesn’t like the show just doesn’t watch it rather than making a hobby out of constantly complaining about SGU like the rattled SGA and SG1 fans (I am not referring to all SG1 and SGA fans here, just the ones who’ve made a hobby of SGU bashing!).
Nonetheless, the whiners will get to another season’s worth of whining out of it (and of course, it’s great news for fans of the show).
James Hibberd has an interview up with SGU producer Robert Cooper.
“Syfy has renewed Stargate Universe for a second season.”
Yipee!
You all do of course realize, SGU was renewed because (word has it) SyFy gave Brad Wright a 2 year contract before the series even started. They have to pay him, they may as well get *something* for it.
Arkle: You are like my ex wife. Logic defies you, and no argument will silent you, despite it’s merits. I think you argue, for the sake of arguing. More power to you.
It looks like SGU is the Enterprise of the stargate series, and as we all know after cancelling Enterprise we got such a long list of great series out of Star Trek, right?
Comparisons to older series aside, I really do find this series to be worth watching, I enjoy the whole “isolated survivors” idea, though I think it could be executed better (the idea that is) given a different setting. On the matter of characters, I honestly don’t find them terribly unlikable, I mostly feel ambivalent about them (sans the ever-popular Rush, the Colonel and Eli). In any case, we’ve covered the resource episodes so its looking like it’ll be all discovering technology and minor political drama from now on (let’s hope that idea is not reveresed),
Jay: Thanks for proving my point. You just insulted me again for no reason. My point about it being up against the Monk finale was made in the piece you linked to.
During the run of the series I hope we see them figurtivly getting further and further from home. That is when it finally sinks in there may be no way back they will adapt and begin to leave earth behind more and more. When Ronald Moore worked on VOY (just a few days,lol) one of the ideas he pitched was that the by time VOY returned to earth the crew would find they no longer belonged on earth or I suppose the world they left behind.
Jayson: That would take some seriously skilled writing, and I think this series has already proved it cannot hang in the same realm occupied by Mr. Moore.
Arkle: You’re welcome sweetie, and thanks for proving mine. 😉
Jay, I’m not sure if it would require the best TV writers ever, just decent ones which is what they have. It always takes one season to get a handle on the characters and the direction the series is going in. I think its on the bonus disk for DS9 Season 2 or 3 where Rober Hewlit Wolfe says…”Television is hard, really hard” and he’s right. It takes time to figure out your characters. I can see they are doing that here and they are also formulating a direction other than getting home.
Jayson: Give it up. Jay doesn’t care. he has decided that since he doesn’t like it, then it should be cancelled, damn everyone else. He’s the opposite of me, who is actually glad that there are not that many things on TV like (SG:U being the only new show to debut this year that I’ve gotten into). I’m glad because it means I have more time in my day to day life for non-TV related activities.
Arkle, my aim wasn’t convert him to the cause as it were or even follow the path of the Ori (lol), I was just making a point about TV in general. You can never tell about people but he like others may come around. I remember not being that fond of VOY but in reruns I like it more and the same thing with ENT.
Jayson: Even if T.V. is hard, that doesn’t mean we should feel compassion for the writer’s task. Yes, it’s hard, and some have risen to the challenge, and their shows are worth watching, some haven’t. Even shows like Voyager, and Enterprise were compelling enough in the beginning to keep you wanting to learn more. SGU is just a big mess, and I am not at all curious what’s going to happen. (But it sure is fun to talk about it. -lol) The only thing that keeps me hoping, is the potential of the premise of the show, rather than what has actually happened in the show thus far.
Arkle: You really crack me up. lol. While I am certain you and I are opposite on a number of things… I’m not so sure about your characterization of me. But it does provide some welcome humor in my day. Then again, perhaps the world would be a better place if it all that was on T.V. was stuff of the same quality of BSG and SG-1. Caprica will save us.
Jay: You are not curious, but I am, and so are roughly 2/3rd of the people who watched the pilot. And we are getting a 2nd season. So, since you clearly don’t like it, leave. I mean, I don’t care for Chuck por ejemplo, but have I ever come on here, or called into the VM show to bash it and demand it be canceled? NO! In fact, had I not mentioned it just now, no one in the SoSF community would’ve even known.
CANCEL SG-U!!!! CANCEL SG-U!!!! LOL Arkle, are you worried that my dissenting voice is actually going to sway a network executive? Do network executives even know how to find SliceOfSciFi, let alone this thread???? It’s already been renewed, so maybe the network execs know something we don’t. Like how many advertising dollars they already have locked in for that show.
Jay, it’s not empathy or compassion we should be feeling for them but respect. Again, writing 24 episodes a season is not easy by any means. All I’m saying is that we should be patient and if it’s not good next season then don’t watch.
Jay – Wait.. wait… WHAT? Caprica will save us??! Dude, I want whatever it is that YOU are smoking/inhaling/eating/drinking.
Wow… just…wow…
I’m optimistic about Caprica. Not overly enthused, but optimistic. Though I’ll be up front and say it’s really the actors involved more than anything else.