SGU Team fires back at critics

[Covenant]

I love DS9 and it did not do nearly as well as it should because people complain it wasn't "True To The Vision."

Do you really think that big a proportion of the audience actually cared about the "vision", or even knew what it was? That seems like a pretty generous estimation of the number of Trekkies out there.

It could be that DS9 never got as many viewers because it was always another Star Trek show - it ran alongside TNG and then Voyager and never got as heavily promoted by Paramount. It was also in competition with Babylon 5.

I haven't done the math, but I do think the change in tone actually caused it to shed some viewers, yeah. Not completely (competition was definitely part of it, and people stupidly hyped Voyager--a terrible show) and not in a logical sense, but in a knee-jerk emotional one. What makes me think that is not just what it did during those seasons, but how it performed after the fact, after people should have realized "Wow, Voyager is ass" or even after that when it to this day doesn't seem to have the popular following that I feel it would have warranted. It did overall better than Voyager, but not as well as TNG.

That's not really the biggest point though: people do criticize a spinoff for changing tone, and eventually it'll find it's own viewer base who are comfortable with it. There's a lot of howling from the fanbase for a lot of different reasons. I defend the show's change in tone, just not all their writing or the choices they've made as to the characters. That doesn't mean I'll watch it, but there's certainly nothing wrong with going darker, having their crew be made of B-Team members, or having a lot of normal emotional moments. It's more the way they've chosen to highlight these.

[JME2]

The failure of disassociation isn't just common to SG. I went through a similar period where I despised Harrison Ford for dissolving his marriage for a fling with Calista Flockhart. To see 'Indiana Jones', my childhood hero, do this as my own parents' marriage was going down the toilet felt like a betrayal. To be fair, I was 14 at the time; I obviously don't see it like this at the age of 24.

But the level it's gotten to with less than half a season of SGU aired is ridiculous. Gateworld commented on this during their most recent podcast...
Spoiler

...in regards to Michael Shanks, who will be reprising the role of Daniel Jackson later in the season. Apparently, fans have been going nuts on Shanks' Twitter, crying foul and declaring his guest-starring is an endorsement of SGU and a betrayal of the franchise -- despite the fact he's a working actor returning to a franchise he loves...

I'm honestly shocked at this; this is a kind of behavior I normally associate or have seen firsthand in Trekkies or Warsies. This is my first exposure to Gaters going to this kind of level -- and certainly not the last.

[Starglider]

I'm honestly shocked at this; this is a kind of behavior I normally associate or have seen firsthand in Trekkies or Warsies. This is my first exposure to Gaters going to this kind of level -- and certainly not the last.

I don't know why the personality, age or gender distribution for SG fans would be any different. It's a bit less popular than ST/SW but it's still a mainstream sci-fi series. Dr Who fandom behaves pretty much the same way when similar opportunities to gripe emerge. B5 fans perhaps a little more knowledgable and thoughtful on average, but not by much. Obscure/cult series may have a lower idiot quotient, but to get a genuinely different fandom makeup, you probably have to look at novels instead of TV.

[ray245]

I'm honestly shocked at this; this is a kind of behavior I normally associate or have seen firsthand in Trekkies or Warsies. This is my first exposure to Gaters going to this kind of level -- and certainly not the last.

I don't know why the personality, age or gender distribution for SG fans would be any different. It's a bit less popular than ST/SW but it's still a mainstream sci-fi series. Dr Who fandom behaves pretty much the same way when similar opportunities to gripe emerge. B5 fans perhaps a little more knowledgable and thoughtful on average, but not by much. Obscure/cult series may have a lower idiot quotient, but to get a genuinely different fandom makeup, you probably have to look at novels instead of TV.

From what I can understand, there seems to be a rather large amount of females following the SG series (based on the sheer amount of slash fic) , and also plenty of people who has no idea how to spell Colonel. (There's tons of fanfics where Colonel is spelled as "Kernel" )

[Anguirus]

WTF? Michael Shanks has ALREADY BEEN on the fuckin' show. The only one they have left to freak about is Christopher Judge.

[neoolong]

From what I can understand, there seems to be a rather large amount of females following the SG series (based on the sheer amount of slash fic) , and also plenty of people who has no idea how to spell Colonel. (There's tons of fanfics where Colonel is spelled as "Kernel" )

I believe that fanfiction in general is mostly written by females anyway, so it's probably going to be disproportionate. But, I'm fairly sure that it does have a fairly signficant female following anyways. I remember the response to Supernatural's poking fun of slash. They can get vocal.

[Covenant]

WTF? Michael Shanks has ALREADY BEEN on the fuckin' show. The only one they have left to freak about is Christopher Judge.

It'll be hard to write him into an SGU plot.

That said, I think these people are crazy. I want the SG1/Atlantis Teams to appear and endorse SGU, as well as add context to the SGU situation. Having Jack show up is a good think, as will having Daniel show up (perhaps to do some translating via stone swap?) and I think anyone else who is willing to show up should make an appearance.

I'm craving a scene where Dr. Rush teleports back to base to talk with Rodney, and they both start talking and yelling and basically reinforce the fact that our hopes depend on someone who is Atlantis Backup Squad quality and that yes, this is a very dire situation. The problem with a "wrong people in this situation" problem when these people are actually in communication with the "right people" is that you wonder why the wrong people don't settle down a little and listen to their betters.

Rush, the IOA and Telford are hopefully going to continue muddying the waters here, because without a sufficiently dubious level of trust, I have no reason to sympathize with these stranded douchebags. So far the characters I like the best are the ones with the greatest coping skills--because the panicy ones seem like whiny doomsayers. I suspect I'd feel a lot differently if I was actually made to feel like they're actually in danger from some other source than personal incompetence. So far the only person who is actually being asked to do anything that requires an education or skillset is Rush, who I also like, because his stress level and level of self-servingness seems appropriate.

[Zac Naloen]

In Josephs latest blog he mentions that the reason a few characters, I.e Rodney and Carter are not in the show as yet is due to the "bigger issues" they have to deal with as a result of the Timelines for the two films they have scripted.

Which suggests that the universe story is in fact going to be very compact in it's Timeline. The shows whole run could end up only being a few months "universe" time if the Timeline stays as it has been.

[JME2]

In Josephs latest blog he mentions that the reason a few characters, I.e Rodney and Carter are not in the show as yet is due to the "bigger issues" they have to deal with as a result of the Timelines for the two films they have scripted.

Which suggests that the universe story is in fact going to be very compact in it's Timeline. The shows whole run could end up only being a few months "universe" time if the Timeline stays as it has been.

So again, it's just like Atlantis not referencing the events of The Ark of Truth until Season 5, save for the Asgard Beams o'Doom. And a compact timeline is a different and interesting route to go for SGU.

[Solauren]

A few months time for the entire series, versus years.

That certainly would affect how people are viewing the series. Right now, people are probably viewing it like SG-1 and SG:A. 1 episode = 1 week or so of time (or 1 1/2).

If it turns out 1 episode = 1 or 2 days, then 22 episodes is a month. Suddenly, the show seems more fast paced, or detailed.

[TheLostVikings]

A few months time for the entire series, versus years.

That certainly would affect how people are viewing the series. Right now, people are probably viewing it like SG-1 and SG:A. 1 episode = 1 week or so of time (or 1 1/2).

If it turns out 1 episode = 1 or 2 days, then 22 episodes is a month. Suddenly, the show seems more fast paced, or detailed.

If? We already know that one episode is generally one day or less. For example just watch how the sunburns from episode 3 persisted all the way into episode 5.

[Solauren]

You'll notice I said 'Right now, people are probably'.

I was already aware 1 episode is 1 - 2 days or so. They don't have the supplies to make it 1 episode = 1 week.

However, I'm willing to bet the braindead moran complainers arn't smart enough to realise that.

[Themightytom]

You'll notice I said 'Right now, people are probably'.

I was already aware 1 episode is 1 - 2 days or so. They don't have the supplies to make it 1 episode = 1 week.

However, I'm willing to bet the braindead moran complainers arn't smart enough to realise that.

Right, Pump the breaks there guys, BSG happened in a very tight timeframe for the beginning of the series then suddenly it was "Six Months Later"

I don't know how long a pedantic pace is viable either In universe or for us. The audience will get bored eventually and feel like "What the hell I've been watching this show for over a year and its only been 3 weeks for them? nothing Changes!

Can you imagine how annoying fans would get if Scott breaks up with Chloe after a week? "We've been watching them date for three seasons!"

[HeavensThunderHammer]

Two thoughts:-

* Thank THE GODS that SGU isn't like SG1 and SGA. Both shows are over, the format is tired, and they needed to end. I cannot comprehend why people want more of the same.

* Complaining about people calling the Big Breasted Lieutenant "Tits" or "Lieutenant Rack" or "Tits McGee" or whatever - the creators can fuck off in that regard. They're the ones who put her tits out there to oodle in what was clearly blatant fanboy pandering, as far as I'm concerned. Don't act all indignant and shocked now. The shots of her tits sticking out were just as sexist as the comments acknowledging them.

Quoted for the Truth. I like the new direction of SGU. I was kinda over SG by season 10, and hated the ending. The movies made me want to die. SGA was terrible. The only reason I followed it all was to see Rodney.

SGU is getting me and I think other people who like the universe, but are VERY VERY tired of the same formula over and over again.

[Alyeska]

For the record, thread necroing is discouraged. This is a little old, but I will allow it. Just keep an eye on the date of the thread you are posting too.

[saveyour]

WTF? Michael Shanks has ALREADY BEEN on the fuckin' show. The only one they have left to freak about is Christopher Judge.

LOL there's a thought

[Darwin]

WTF? Michael Shanks has ALREADY BEEN on the fuckin' show. The only one they have left to freak about is Christopher Judge Ben Browder Claudia Black Peter DeLuise Corin Nemec.

Fixed that for you.

[Tychu]

The only reason this show has Stargate in the title is to save time on backstory and try to grab an established audience.

What?

What I want to know is why is the Luitenant wearing black in that episode. Not to mention they are in a desert and he would be rather hot wearing that. But what if there was a very agressive enemy on the planet. He would have been killed in a second while his team could hide for a while and make it back to the Gate.

I don't know what all the fuss is about. If you don't like the show don't watch it. No one is putting a gun to your head and MGM is not going to feel upset that you aren't watching their new iteration of StarGate.
Personally I don't care about the sex scenes so I change the channel for the 5 seconds it is shown. When I want to watch a sex scene I put the channel that has quite a few sex scenes on. What that first scene did was set up a conflict that was actually shown on the show for the first few episodes. If you remember the female Luitenant (apparently Luitenant Boobs) was very upset with Lt. Scott when he decided to be with Chloe. In all honesty Chloe's character is the only one which I feel is totally useless, If the Transformers movies didn't come out recently I don't really think she would be on the show.

The only other thing I am really sick about with the characters is how much they are complaining. Of course I am not on that ship but I wouldn't be all that upset about being stuck on the ship. Your on a ship that no other human will ever be on, Your going to die eventually even if you weren't stuck on the ship and your seeing things that are so unimaginable its like watching SciFi. In all honesty, I would most likely be Tony Shalhoub's character in Galaxy Quest.

[neoolong]

What I want to know is why is the Luitenant wearing black in that episode. Not to mention they are in a desert and he would be rather hot wearing that. But what if there was a very agressive enemy on the planet. He would have been killed in a second while his team could hide for a while and make it back to the Gate.

That's what he had when he went through. Presumably nobody was wearing desert colored stuff in his size, or they don't share. So he's stuck in black.

They only have what they went through the gate with. When they're out of bullets, they're out of bullets.

[Tychu]

What I want to know is why is the Luitenant wearing black in that episode. Not to mention they are in a desert and he would be rather hot wearing that. But what if there was a very agressive enemy on the planet. He would have been killed in a second while his team could hide for a while and make it back to the Gate.

That's what he had when he went through. Presumably nobody was wearing desert colored stuff in his size, or they don't share. So he's stuck in black.

They only have what they went through the gate with. When they're out of bullets, they're out of bullets.

Wow. I honestly didn't think about that. I watch the show too but If you think about it, Eli was wearing Civilian clothes when he was beamed aboard the Daedalus I believe and then went straight to Icaris base and he has a camo uniform in that scene.

[neoolong]

Not everything though. You can't see it, because it's from the back, but he's wearing his red t-shirt underneath the jacket.

[Zac Naloen]

The only other thing I am really sick about with the characters is how much they are complaining. Of course I am not on that ship but I wouldn't be all that upset about being stuck on the ship. Your on a ship that no other human will ever be on, Your going to die eventually even if you weren't stuck on the ship and your seeing things that are so unimaginable its like watching SciFi. In all honesty, I would most likely be Tony Shalhoub's character in Galaxy Quest.

I'd be pretty pissed off if I got torn permanently away from my family against my will... and had to live without steak for the foreseeable future.