Axe Falls on ‘Stargate Universe’
Stargate Universe Cancelled!
Always knew this was likely given it’s US ratings, but reports are saying SyFy have axed ‘Stargate Universe’. Real shame, as it just seems to be getting stronger and stronger as a show, but isn’t finding an audience. For me, it’s the most interesting and different to of the Stargate franchise… But that was possibly also part of it’s downfall.
Yes, the style was… shall we say ‘heavily influenced’… by Battlestar Galactica. But BSG was a great show too (even with the slightly dodgy ending), so I never saw being inspired by another show as an issue. I mean, we wouldn’t have has those interestingly show space sequences in BSG if it hadn’t been for Firefly doing it first.
The final 10 episodes of SGU’s second season will air on SyFy (US) in the Spring of 2011, and presumably on Sky1 soon after.
So another interesting and dark scifi show bites the dust. Would you like to see a new Stargate franchise? If so, where would you want them to go next? Leave your thoughts in the comments, or over on the forum.
Dave has over 20 years experience in the digital industry, and is founder and editor of Geektown. Obviously a huge geek himself, he can often be found in front of the latest tv show or movie, on various video games, or with his head in a comic book.
I loved the concept of SGU Universe, the idea of having a gate on a ship was good and I loved the show. they should it back.
SGU is so much BETTER than the older series & I am so disappointed about the show being axed!..I think lack of publicity is to blame, as i didn’t even know SGU existed untill a few months ago..not cool..right!?..I love SGU!..I WANT SERIES 3,4&5 ?…sort it out!!
The problem with all of these axed series, and BSG also suffered from this, is that the scriptwriters just lose sight of the fact this is supposed to be SCIENCE FICTION. The writers need imagination and some scientific background or training. It’s no use when running out of ideas to invent ridiculous “communications stones” and then run back to Earth for a good old punch up over someone’s wife. It’s silly to suddenly have spaceshuttles suddenly return like new with a resurrected dead crew, after being crashed. It was just as silly in “Universe” as it was in BSG. It’s just too sad for words. It’s pap. It’s nonsense. AND II’S NOT SF.
We desperately need new talent writing good SF. If you can’t find it, why not go back and see if you can make a series from some classics – Way Station by Clifford Simak, Gateway by Frederick Pohl, cities in Flight by James Blish.
The actual problem is people who have opinions like you, who seem to need television to be paved out for then in the most simplistic way possible because their minds are too simple to handle anything of real depth, television has to evolve as people do or the for-mentioned gets worse, as soon as I see American television begin to take a step towards the right direction, it’s cancelled usually due to people shunting it because they cant follow a complex story line and their attention span is that of a dog, short and un-evolved. The great imagination of the writers is outstanding, new ideas coming though all the time, the mystery of how a space shuttle was built from scratch, the brilliance of people defying death and the fact that even though they are millions of light years away from earth, a cheating wife and lover can get their comeuppance! Brilliant!
As for this BSG you mentioned, what ever it was, it seems from what you said, that as soon as it began to show true potential it was burnt at the stake, just like Stargate Universe, Farscape, Heroes and so many others.
The current writing talent is trying to push the boundaries of new and existing science fiction to new and unexplored heights but all they get is people telling they their writing isn’t any good.
As for Science Fiction, I haven’t seen such a good SCIENCE FICTION show from America in years, Stargate Universe is and was one of Americas best science fiction shows, and will be sorely missed by those who could appreciate, deep, well written and engaging television.