SGA cancelled

[Zac Naloen]

Universe has now been greenlit

http://gateworld.net/news/2008/08/sci_f ... e_un.shtml

Proving that you can't keep a good franchise down -- at least not for more than a day or so -- the SCI FI Channel has green-lit production on Stargate Universe, the third live-action television series, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The official press release from MGM and SCI FI is expected later today.

Universe will have a 2-hour premiere in 2009, and land in a regular time slot next summer -- meaning there will not be a production gap between the second and third Stargate television series.

The trade magazine also reported that the show will be set on board a previously unmanned ship called the Destiny, and will involve more space-based action than its predecessors. "Unable to return to Earth, the crew must fend for themselves aboard the ship, which has a preprogrammed mission taking them to the far reaches of the universe," the magazine said.

The producers are reportedly looking to cast a known actor for one of the leading roles, and fresh faces to round out the cast. This would follow the pattern of SG-1, which earned a lot of marketability from leading man Richard Dean Anderson when it premiered in 1997, rather than the largely unknown cast of Atlantis.

The new series will also be aimed at a slightly younger audience, SCI FI president Dave Howe said.

"This is an opportunity to reinvent this franchise and make it relevant to a new generation," he said. "We really don't want to be more of the same. It's going to build clearly off the existing franchise but with a cast that gives it a younger vibe."

"In Universe, we plan to keep those elements that have made the franchise a success, such as adventure and humor, while breaking new ground in the relationships between mostly young and desperate explorers, thrust together and far from home," series co-creators Brad Wright and Robert C. Cooper said. "Above all, we believe the Stargate itself remains an enduring icon with infinite potential as a jumping-off point for telling stories."

Wright and Cooper will also executive produce. The two created Stargate Atlantis, which will end its TV run in January (story). An Atlantis movie will also air later in 2009 on SCI FI -- hopefully the first of many.

There is more news to come, so stick with GateWorld for breaking news on Stargate Universe later today!

[Crazedwraith]

Oh dear lord, that will suck.

[Zac Naloen]

In 200 they took the piss out of young and hip shows....

[Adrian McNair]

Oh dear lord, that will suck.

Indeed. And I thought Atlantis doing its utmost to emulate Voyager was bad. A 'younger vibe.' No good will come of this. Stargate: Infinity was an abomination and I doubt this will be any different. Suddenly, I'm getting flashbacks to this.

[Revy]

It's official. The Stargate franchise has Jumped the Shark. Bastards.

[Zac Naloen]

It's official. The Stargate franchise has Jumped the Shark. Bastards.

I seem to recall very similar things said when Atlantis was announced.

I'll give it a chance first.

Doctor Who is aimed at a younger audience too, I still find that more than watchable.

[Zac Naloen]

Oh man I just a thought...

Could they bring back.... Michael Welch

as YOUNG Jack O'neill



I apologise in advance if this actually happens.

[NecronLord]

To risk playing devil's advocate... He was in high school in 03. He could plausibly be an air force officer by now. And he'd have a notably strong example of the gene, which would mean he'd get put on projects related to the ancients...

[Zac Naloen]

To risk playing devil's advocate... He was in high school in 03. He could plausibly be an air force officer by now. And he'd have a notably strong example of the gene, which would mean he'd get put on projects related to the ancients...

hehe, well in all honesty he would be "star" pupil he already knows all there is to know about everything up to Brigadier General and the guy did a very good job with the character.

I was being facetious anyway, I doubt they are literally going for Teens as their cast.

I've just listened to a brad wright interview, they are going for a character driven show with younger cast members. Like SG-1 was when it was new (except for Anderson).

Relative to when SG-1 started the Atlantis cast was already pretty aged.

[Revy]

Now I think of it, they did not bad with Elliot and Hayley's team, remember? The ones they trained in that mock foothold mission.

[Zac Naloen]

Now I think of it, they did not bad with Elliot and Hayley's team, remember? The ones they trained in that mock foothold mission.

Yeh that was a pretty good episode, but it was a one off.

I think the biggest stretch for Universe at the moment is their justification for having a less experienced team on the mission.

Until I see that, and as long as it isn't stupid the show has potential as an idea.

It all boils down to the stories and the cast though.

[PREDATOR490]

Hurah, Stargate Voyager has been greenlit....

There are no real words to describe the utter contempt I have for these people. Aiming at a younger audience seems rather retarded when Stargate has hardly been that graphic to begin with. I can only conclude they are going to have more melodramatic drivel with the standard attempts at humor at the expense of any meaningful plots. No doubt they think by aiming at a younger audience they can mash out cookie cutter shit with no consistancy without being noticed.

'Unable to return to Earth' - Yeah that makes sense because your on a ship capable of 'exploring the far reachers of the universe'.
Oh I see, 'It has a preprogrammed mission' to explore strange new worlds and new civilisations, to boldly go where no Ancient has bothered to go before ?

I take it back actually, this sounds like the beginnings of an attempt to copy Farscape rather than Voyager because at least Voyager knew the way home and was going there. The way this premise sounds it will be the same kind of 'lost in space without a map' idea where Moya has become Destiny.
I'm less than impressed with this 'preprogrammed mission' idea though because it sounds like the crew wont be able to control the ship and that reeks of writer's fiat bullshit to explain why it works then have episodes where it dosent work.
So instead of meeting new races and planets we are going to be subjected to seasons worth of watching a soap drama from the crew that is aimed at a 'younger audience' with a ship that will be able to do everything except go in reverse.

[Themightytom]

They keep going for this stupid "Cut off far from home" bullshit and they forget that half of what was good aboutt SG-1 was that the characters were well grounded in a contemporary setting. What even HAPPENS to produccers and writers that they think this crap will fly?? Do they not even watch their own show which ffrequently pokes fun at these ideas?

[Revy]

See, now why don't the writers and producers think that when they come up with this? It's like the idiots that are doing that prequel Caprica nBSG series and putting everything that's shit in it and taking out anything that fans might want, and never stopping to think, 'Hey, this might not be such a great idea ...'

You know what this reminds me of? Space 1999. Moonbase gets blasted out of orbit and the crew end up on a preset course through the universe. It was crap IMO, but it was also from an earlier decade, so I dont know how well recieved it was when it was originally made. But really, the very concept of 1999 seemed bad to me, and Universe sounds too much like it to me.

Remember the days when everyone thought that Universe was going to be about exploring other universes, through the Stargate? Using the 9th chevron? That sounded like pottential. Or hell, even another take on the Daedalus Variations, with a universe hopping ship - in that case they actually did put it in reverse to get home.

[Zac Naloen]

As devils advocate the premise for Atlantis got very similar criticisms... The whole cut off thing lasted a total of one season.

[Revy]

That being the case, how would Universe be any different or new from Atlantis?

Bunch of crew on an Ancient super-sized starship.

^Which describes both series, especially if Universes 'cut-off from earth' deal also gets sorted out. Even if it doesn't, it still sounds like a crap teen version of Atlantis.

[Zac Naloen]

It's not really all that new or original a concept. It's been done loads before, but so's SG-1, so they can't do another earth based show. That's been done and people will say it's just an SG-1 copy.

Can't do Atlantis, it's already been done.

So they've gone with a premise in the same universe with the same feeling, but with a different setting.

and so it's more accessible to new viewers (who haven't watched SG-1 or Atlantis) they need to cut it off as much as possible from those shows.

I guess the problem is that the writers are underestimating the saturation the show has in the market and feel that they can't reference their other shows without sacrificing the new shows integrity as an independant entity. It may not have the fan base of Trek or the cultural significance yet, but who hasn't atleast heard of Stargate?

[Gaidin]

I think it was kind of inevitable that a series like this happened eventually. Stargates in SG1 led to contacting advanced races, which eventually led to space-faring technology. I'm not sure how it would pan out in a show, but one of the next logical steps is to explore the livable planets that don't have a stargate, regardless of what Galaxy they've flown to and etc.

[White Haven]

The trouble Stargate's having is that the most gripping parts of SG1 were when the viewers were reminded that, despite victories, Earth was a small place, and the 'pond' had some very, very large fish in it. The fu rther you move away from that world needing defending (and the universe in SG1's pretty far away from that, even with the retarded naval minimalism) the weaker and weaker the urgency becomes. It's harder to feel worried for the galaxy/universe/7-11 down the street than it is to grimace as you realize that that's one borrowed freighter and some seriously resourceful people racing against Apophis.

That's not to say that it can't still be a good show, but what made it exceptional and tense early on is gone for good, and the writers have been struggling to fill that hole ever since.

[Gaidin]

I think it's doable as long as they 1)make that navigation computer hackable so they can return occasionally, 2)make returning costly enough that its either done at regular (long) intervals or in utmost emergencies, and 3) be more careful with consequence fallout than Voyager and (lately) BSG. It sort of renews the exploration aspect of SG1, gives them the previous timeline and technology to work with, and puts them in a situation where they're the little people on the block until the things they encounter(which can be stuff the Ancients didn't even know about) get just that bad, and even then only getting them reinforcements to maybe the middle-power forces.

[Cecelia5578]

The trouble Stargate's having is that the most gripping parts of SG1 were when the viewers were reminded that, despite victories, Earth was a small place, and the 'pond' had some very, very large fish in it. The fu rther you move away from that world needing defending (and the universe in SG1's pretty far away from that, even with the retarded naval minimalism) the weaker and weaker the urgency becomes. It's harder to feel worried for the galaxy/universe/7-11 down the street than it is to grimace as you realize that that's one borrowed freighter and some seriously resourceful people racing against Apophis.

That's not to say that it can't still be a good show, but what made it exceptional and tense early on is gone for good, and the writers have been struggling to fill that hole ever since.

Oh give me a break. Yeah, pitiful old Earth going up against the big bad Goauld was exciting at the end of season 1, but it quickly got to the point where they needed increasingly gimmicky DEMs to secure victories. As soon as you bring in an enemy with large space fleets, there's no way Earth can win except my DEMs and convoluted plots.


Is there any original thought here about SGU, other than jumping on the "ZOMG it'll suck!!!!" bandwagon???

[NecronLord]

I was considering how you'd make Universe work with 'cut off from Earth' while retaining access for plot reasons. Perhaps either the distance to the explorer ship is too great for a stargate, or too great for a stargate power supply to be possible. Hence, it requires some other device, some kind of space folder or whatever (perhaps Furling, so it can't just be duplicated by Atlantis or whatever, space folding, thus their name) to get out there, that can only be used with limitations (charge time beforehand or something).

[JME2]

Hmm. I'll reserve final judgement until I actually start seeing stuff.

[Thanatos]

Hurah, Stargate Voyager has been greenlit....

Well, more like Stargate: 1999.

[Strider]

As long as they don't go totally insane with it (which, granted, they probably will) a younger cast isn't necessarily a harbinger of the apocalypse, especially if Daniel Jackson or Rodney McKay can be roped into it. Handling the pre-programmed course in a logical way sort of concerns me more, as well as handling the ship in general.

I think the one way to differentiate it from SG-1 and Atlantis could be to make the Destiny *small*. Like, no room for Redshirts small, maybe ~10 people. You could have the main 4 person strike team, the leader figure, and an assortment of maybe 5 Zelenka/Fraiser/Beckett support types that tend to stay on the ship. You could play on the crew getting annoyed at the confinement/each other dynamic, and it would be much easier to focus on all these "relationships between mostly young and desperate explorers". Also, the ship could be relatively small and weak, but really fast, meaning that they can't solve all problems with brute Blue Beams of Death, but also don't get curbstomped every time some mean gang of aliens comes along.

As for the dealing with the ship itself, I would guess that you would stick a Stargate, DHD-thing, and Stargate-shield-thing on it by default, which could open wormholes to any sufficiently nearby Stargate (maybe let them tend to remain nearby enough for 2-6 episodes?). As for its own movement, they aren't going to have "more space-based action than its predecessors" if the crew can't control the thing at all, so if I was running the show, I'd say it made the most sense just for the thing to have near limitless *fuel* somehow. Thus, it can constantly run at maximum hyperdrive speed, meaning that it's impractical to go check in for a pit stop at the Tau'ri-dominated Milky Way every 3 episodes because it would take too long to get all the way back home. As for the reason they don't explore in a more logical, cautious search pattern rather than a straight line going away from the MW Galaxy, you could have some random thing they have to inspect out at the ass end of nowhere (Great Attractor anyone?) that could make the S1 finale.

However, if they're really stuck on this "pre-programmed" crutch, it's probably going to involve some god-like AI ranking at least a 7/10 on the annoyance scale. Hopefully things wouldn't devolve into the AI doing EVERYTHING ship related for them, or it not doing it for really stupid reasons.

If it involves Rodney McKay or Daniel Jackson, I'll probably watch it just for that reason even if it's not that great. I mean, how much worse could it be than most stuff on TV these days?