The issues with mis-handling Weir can be traced all the way back to Season 2, where her leadership directives are ignored simply because action is more cool and stuff! This just descends into increasing levels of crazy as time passes.
Regarding the Pegasus Replicators, their introduction was absurd straight from the beginning. Aside from the fact that it conflicted with existing canon regarding their creation, their interactions with the Atlantis Expedition were simply crazy(from both sides). The Asurans' willful ignorance of the Wraith threat was illogical and tactically unsound given that they could eliminate them in a heartbeat (and likely the Evil Asgard, too). The fact that nothing short of a full-blown genocide was stirred up (even by accident) just came off as unbelieveable. The Atlantis Expedition attempting to interfere with local politics was just unbearable. What sort of first contact policy was that?
What worries me most is that the team in charge of making this happen is what caused the post-Anderson downfall of SG-1, then of Atlantis, and is soon to be a position of greater influence within the creative ranks of SG:U once Robert C. Cooper retires. While he may have contributed the Ori to the show, he is also responsible for many positive decisions (including creating the darker 'Universe' concept as a step back from the trekkish state Stargate as a whole had reached).
I also firmly believe that SG-1 could have lived on with a fairly high bar for quality had Richard Dean Anderson continued producing. There was an immediately observable change in the aesthetic style and handling of the military in the episodes following his departure.
[QUOTE=David of Mac;190763]Wasn't she introduced in season 3?[/QUOTE]
Shit, you're right! I was thinking of the ep where she got nabbed. (Miller's Crossing)
Looking back at the introduction of clone Beckett it reminds me of a Family Guy episode when Stewie created a clone of himself and Brian. So like Bitch Stewie and Bitch Brian we were given Bitch Beckett. Another Atlantis character to get screwed with for no bloody reason. As Vertigo says some much of what happened later on in SGA was an insult to the intelligence of us the fans.
The only bits I really liked in the final seasons of SGA was Todds character development and Tayla's stint as a Wraith Queen which begged to be taken further.
Looking back on the end of s1 and start of s2, that was when SGA was really kicking ass. When Daedalus was nuking the Wraith fleet (and then it jumped somewhere) was very cool and well paced action/drama. Need to watch it again really.
I agree with Sanfam. A soon as Anderson walked away from the whole thing, quality, focus, direction of the stories went out the window. They thought that if he came back for a few episodes all would be forgotten or somehow improved. Nope. Even when he did come back for a few guest appearances I always felt he seemed out of place which was a huge shame.
When I refer to his departure, I mean the end of his tenure as Executive Producer. While his role as a cast member of the show was instrumental to the characters' chemistry, it was his position as Executive Producer that had the most influence on the show's overall quality. From what I've read, he kept strict grip on quality and organizational realism while there.
Just to reiterate: it wasn't until SG-1 was cancelled and its production staff merged into SG:A that quality began to take a dive.
ShadowDancerWhen I say, "Why aye, gadgie," in my heart I say, "Och aye, laddie."London, UK
RDA was the key to SG-1 working, and I agree with Sanfam that when he left things started to go downhill. Up till that point the show had been grounded in 'reality', what would it be like for normal people to face these things. Once he left, everything got more fantastical and stretched credibility.
Which isnt to say I didn't still enjoy it for what it was, but SGU and later seasons of SGA will never replace pre-season 8 of SG-1 for me
Guess what Syfy announced about 10 minutes ago via twitter?
Yeah...they're cancelling SGU with no more episodes planned after season two finishes in the spring.
ShadowDancerWhen I say, "Why aye, gadgie," in my heart I say, "Och aye, laddie."London, UK
So after SGU finishes, that leaves preceisely zero scifi shows on tv that I want to watch:mad: In fact, SGU was already the only scifi show I watch, everything else is pretty much either NCIS or Castle.
Have they finished shooting the rest of the season? Are we even going to get any hint of resolution?
Oh for FS! What are we supposed to bloody watch now? TV Scifi is really going downhill now.
Sanfam yeah I knew you meant Anderson controlling behind the scenes. I think a lot of people didn't realise his level of involvement. Ok he was there when they came up with the replicators. But apart from that.
Rather than try to sell it on and make some money. MGM is a sinking ship which I feel has already capsized. Obviously nobody is being dvds these days or tv show merchandise. But then a few $m there won't pay off that $4b debt. Screw em!
[QUOTE]Crap, just heard. Apparently, nobody decided to tell us ahead of time. My rep read it online. Seems they cancelled SGU. They're still going to air the back half of the season next year, so keep an eye out. Proud of where Eli goes. Dying to know what was going to happen next.[/QUOTE]
It sucks that they've decided to cancel another show just as it settles into its niche.
I do understand why it has happened, given their reliance on traditional viewership metrics. From what I've read, the show really didn't seem to have a large measured following. Many mainstream Stargate fans didn't quite latch on, and many of those that joined up later were not sufficiently loyal. Another interesting fact that seems common in modern Scifi were high DVR-adjusted ratings. Unfortunately, advertisers and financial backers do not believe these numbers can be linked to profit. Sooo...cancelled.
Both SG-1 and Atlantis also suffered from unresolved storylines, so don't count on it :(
And loking at the "respect" shown to the cast, it seems even more unlikely that Syfy cares enough about SGU to wrap up the series properly. At least with Caprica, they filmed an alternate ending.
Biggles<font color=#AAFFAA>The Man Without a Face</font>
One day producers are going to need to learn how to take Internet- and DVR-viewership into account. Old-fashioned broadcast viewer counts are only going to go down. The trend is exaggerated in areas such as scifi because scifi viewers are often early adopters.
ShadowDancerWhen I say, "Why aye, gadgie," in my heart I say, "Och aye, laddie."London, UK
So, anyone know of any other scifi show out there worth watching at the moment? Preferably one not on that frakking network!
Comments
Wasn't she introduced in season 3?
Regarding the Pegasus Replicators, their introduction was absurd straight from the beginning. Aside from the fact that it conflicted with existing canon regarding their creation, their interactions with the Atlantis Expedition were simply crazy(from both sides). The Asurans' willful ignorance of the Wraith threat was illogical and tactically unsound given that they could eliminate them in a heartbeat (and likely the Evil Asgard, too). The fact that nothing short of a full-blown genocide was stirred up (even by accident) just came off as unbelieveable. The Atlantis Expedition attempting to interfere with local politics was just unbearable. What sort of first contact policy was that?
What worries me most is that the team in charge of making this happen is what caused the post-Anderson downfall of SG-1, then of Atlantis, and is soon to be a position of greater influence within the creative ranks of SG:U once Robert C. Cooper retires. While he may have contributed the Ori to the show, he is also responsible for many positive decisions (including creating the darker 'Universe' concept as a step back from the trekkish state Stargate as a whole had reached).
I also firmly believe that SG-1 could have lived on with a fairly high bar for quality had Richard Dean Anderson continued producing. There was an immediately observable change in the aesthetic style and handling of the military in the episodes following his departure.
Shit, you're right! I was thinking of the ep where she got nabbed. (Miller's Crossing)
The only bits I really liked in the final seasons of SGA was Todds character development and Tayla's stint as a Wraith Queen which begged to be taken further.
Looking back on the end of s1 and start of s2, that was when SGA was really kicking ass. When Daedalus was nuking the Wraith fleet (and then it jumped somewhere) was very cool and well paced action/drama. Need to watch it again really.
I agree with Sanfam. A soon as Anderson walked away from the whole thing, quality, focus, direction of the stories went out the window. They thought that if he came back for a few episodes all would be forgotten or somehow improved. Nope. Even when he did come back for a few guest appearances I always felt he seemed out of place which was a huge shame.
Just to reiterate: it wasn't until SG-1 was cancelled and its production staff merged into SG:A that quality began to take a dive.
Which isnt to say I didn't still enjoy it for what it was, but SGU and later seasons of SGA will never replace pre-season 8 of SG-1 for me
Yeah...they're cancelling SGU with no more episodes planned after season two finishes in the spring.
Have they finished shooting the rest of the season? Are we even going to get any hint of resolution?
Sanfam yeah I knew you meant Anderson controlling behind the scenes. I think a lot of people didn't realise his level of involvement. Ok he was there when they came up with the replicators. But apart from that.
[QUOTE]Crap, just heard. Apparently, nobody decided to tell us ahead of time. My rep read it online. Seems they cancelled SGU. They're still going to air the back half of the season next year, so keep an eye out. Proud of where Eli goes. Dying to know what was going to happen next.[/QUOTE]
I do understand why it has happened, given their reliance on traditional viewership metrics. From what I've read, the show really didn't seem to have a large measured following. Many mainstream Stargate fans didn't quite latch on, and many of those that joined up later were not sufficiently loyal. Another interesting fact that seems common in modern Scifi were high DVR-adjusted ratings. Unfortunately, advertisers and financial backers do not believe these numbers can be linked to profit. Sooo...cancelled.
And loking at the "respect" shown to the cast, it seems even more unlikely that Syfy cares enough about SGU to wrap up the series properly. At least with Caprica, they filmed an alternate ending.
[URL="http://twitter.com/darthvader/status/15645805545267200"]Link[/URL]
But the kind of sci-fi like SGU.. ain't none.