SGU Continuation/Stargate DTV's a No-Go

[Crazedwraith]

We're going around in circles, here. You've not addressed my points, you've just restated yours more forceful. To be fair, you probably think I'm doing to same thing.

This was the key point I originally objected to:

As I've said in my previous posts on the subject this was not unforeseen. The low ratings stemming from fanboy antipathy and MGM's financial situation combined to ensure Universe's cancellation.

This highlighted portion seemed to indicate you think that 'rabid SGA fanboys' killed SGU by boycotting it. At least partly. In other words, SGU wasn't like SGA, so they didn't watch it. I can't see what can possibly be objectionable there. If people don't enjoy SGU's new tone, they're under no obligation to watch it, which you have agreed. Turns out if you majorly change a franchise tone, people who liked the old tone might not like the new one.

Unless you're trying to say SGA fans actively sabotaged SGU and stopped others from watching it, which is an absurd concept. No matter how vocal whiners on Gateworld are, they're only a minority of watchers/posters and even the gateworld community is only a small minority of the viewership. So to claim that these hand full of people affected the views of millions of watchers they'd never met or communicated with seems farfetched.

Then your understanding is completely lacking. I'm blaming both their attitude and the fact that they didn't bother to give it a chance in the first place as a series in its own right (as in separate from the franchise, not to be compared with previous shows, SEPARATE). I never said that they should watch it just because it's a Stargate series. That's an idiotic argument and one I never subscribed to. I did say that they could have tried to stow their petty prejudices at the door and enjoy it. I also said that their attitude is ultimately self-defeating and they have accomplished what they hoped to avoid. They killed Stargate.

If the show should be viewed as so 'separate' why was it apart of the Stargate Franchise at all?

And what you makes you think I and others didn't view it as separate? If I heard of a program that had Universe's premise and was not Universe, I'd have thought 'don't like the sound of that, I won't bother.' I heard Universe's premise thought 'don't like the sound of that, I won't bother' and lo I didn't bother with Universe. Exactly the same consideration.

In the end, people didn't like Universe for whatever reason and so they didn't watch it. I still fail to see how that is not their right.

Oh fuck, you are one of those people. And you're lazy enough to use that idiotic "grimdark" term (where did that originate from? I'd like to have some words with the wanker who coined it) when the word "drama" would have sufficed. And why would I give a fuck about whether or not you watched the series? You're from the UK. You were in no position to ever affect the outcome. My ire is reserved for the American fanboys only.

Ahh, the special relationship in action. Drama does not imply, the gritty, pessimistic, 'realistic' tone that Grimdark was. SG-1 and Atlantis had Drama. They were not grimdark.

[evilsoup]

Oh fuck, you are one of those people. And you're lazy enough to use that idiotic "grimdark" term (where did that originate from? I'd like to have some words with the wanker who coined it) when the word "drama" would have sufficed.

In the grim darkness of the far future there is only warTM

RELEVENT

[Adrian McNair]

We're going around in circles, here.

At least we're in agreement on something. I thought you weren't going to go for the "quote by quote" system of responding. I guess you're not consistent in that respect.

You've not addressed my points, you've just restated yours more forceful. To be fair, you probably think I'm doing to same thing.

Exactly. You're two for two. Keep going. Maybe then this inane exchange of words will finally end and I won't have to deal with you anymore. Likewise, I'm certain you'll be glad to get me out of your hair. Let's get down to business.

This highlighted portion seemed to indicate you think that 'rabid SGA fanboys' killed SGU by boycotting it. At least partly. In other words, SGU wasn't like SGA, so they didn't watch it. I can't see what can possibly be objectionable there.

You might not be able to see the issue here, because you're in the same camp that they are. I, however, am not. They let their petty prejudices go to their heads and they lost perspective. Their stupidity prevented a third season from coming into existence. That is what is objectionable in my book. It's completely subjective, not a statement of fact. I can't see how that would go over your head.

If people don't enjoy SGU's new tone, they're under no obligation to watch it, which you have agreed. Turns out if you majorly change a franchise tone, people who liked the old tone might not like the new one.

I'm under no obligation to respect their disapproval of the new tone. I have contempt for their backward, rose-tinted, nostalgic thinking. It is their conservatism which generates a climate that prevents new ideas from thriving (no different from the RTS fanboys who only prefer micro-management intensive clones or FPS players who want the next game to be a Call of Duty knockoff). They stifle anything they are unfamiliar with. They helped to destroy the very thing they loved.

Unless you're trying to say SGA fans actively sabotaged SGU and stopped others from watching it, which is an absurd concept.

I am suggesting that they sabotaged its chances of renewal not that they prevented others from viewing it (that part is indeed absurd). You're jumping to some bizarre conclusions if you think that I claimed there was some conspiracy here to prevent Universe from gaining a viewership. They tuned out and the viewing figures reflected that.

No matter how vocal whiners on Gateworld are, they're only a minority of watchers/posters and even the gateworld community is only a small minority of the viewership. So to claim that these hand full of people affected the views of millions of watchers they'd never met or communicated with seems farfetched.

I was referring to the fanboys as a whole, not just the idiots on a single forum. Enough of them stopped watching, preventing Universe from receiving the numbers that SG-1 and Atlantis once did.

If the show should be viewed as so 'separate' why was it apart of the Stargate Franchise at all?

Because it was taking the overall Stargate-verse in a different direction, not completely divorcing itself from the established canon. It was just using the previous series as a launching pad to tell a unique story (by Stargate standards, anyway). You don't even need to be familiar with Stargate to jump into and appreciate it. The pilot gives sufficient information to newcomers.

And what you makes you think I and others didn't view it as separate? If I heard of a program that had Universe's premise and was not Universe, I'd have thought 'don't like the sound of that, I won't bother.' I heard Universe's premise thought 'don't like the sound of that, I won't bother' and lo I didn't bother with Universe. Exactly the same consideration.

You've already made comparisons to the prior shows in your posts and you've shown yourself to favour SG-1 and Atlantis. Ergo, you didn't view Universe on its own merits.

In the end, people didn't like Universe for whatever reason and so they didn't watch it. I still fail to see how that is not their right.

You really are a piece of work. You haven't read a damn thing I've written have you? For the last time- I never said they didn't have the right to stop watching. I was attacking their attitude the entire time because I hated how their pettiness effectively ended a series that I and others enjoyed. Got it, you obtuse fuck?

Ahh, the special relationship in action.

Don't get cute with me. The location is incidental. It is the people that are at fault here. It wouldn't matter if they were American, German or Ethiopian. The only thing that matters is that a bunch of fools helped to kill Stargate with their short-sightedness.

Drama does not imply, the gritty, pessimistic, 'realistic' tone that Grimdark was. SG-1 and Atlantis had Drama. They were not grimdark.

Drama can take different forms. I don't see how you're qualified to talk about the show given that you admitted that you never even viewed it. Pessimistic is an exaggeration in Universe's case. They've managed to make the best of a bad situation and have survived, without any convenient Ancient superweapons to boot. That's far more admirable than how SG-1 defeated the Ori for instance (with a fucking magic box).

Oh, and grimdark is a stupid, uninspired term. Stop using it. It's not my fault you can't stand a series that doesn't fall in line with your lighter and softer sensibilities. SG-1 and Atlantis were hardly "realistic" examples of drama either. I'd say that Universe is a more realistic portrayal of how humans would behave in such a situation but that's just my opinion. You haven't seen it, therefore you can't contradict me.

[Adrian McNair]

In the grim darkness of the far future there is only warTM

RELEVENT

So it's a stupid abbreviation then. Used by people to make tenuous connections with things that are even slightly dark or gritty. That makes Crazedwraith's usage of it even more ridiculous than it already was. Universe isn't even remotely comparable to Warhammer 40k in terms of darkness.

Fuck me, what an asinine argument this turned out to be.

[Crazedwraith]

At least we're in agreement on something. I thought you weren't going to go for the "quote by quote" system of responding. I guess you're not consistent in that respect.

I'm doing the quote by quote thing because you're such a dishonest little shit, that if I don't, you claim I haven't read your at all.

I'm under no obligation to respect their disapproval of the new tone. I have contempt for their backward, rose-tinted, nostalgic thinking. It is their conservatism which generates a climate that prevents new ideas from thriving (no different from the RTS fanboys who only prefer micro-management intensive clones or FPS players who want the next game to be a Call of Duty knockoff). They stifle anything they are unfamiliar with. They helped to destroy the very thing they loved.

You're quite entitled to think whatever you like about them. Which of course, means I'm quite entitled to laugh at your butt hurt whining about the big mean SGA fans killing your precious misunderstood show.

Here's a thought, maybe its not that people can't handle new directions. Maybe its just that they thought the new direction sucked.

Were SGU's viewing figures consistently low? Or did they start off alright? And get lowers as the went on? The former might prove you 'SGA whiners killed it' the later would seem to indicate 'fans gave it chance, didn't like it, left.'

I am suggesting that they sabotaged its chances of renewal not that they prevented others from viewing it (that part is indeed absurd). You're jumping to some bizarre conclusions if you think that I claimed there was some conspiracy here to prevent Universe from gaining a viewership. They tuned out and the viewing figures reflected that.

Making progress. But stating thinks like 'them tuning out killed the show' still implies to me that you think they ought to have keep watching to support the show and thus the franchise.

I was referring to the fanboys as a whole, not just the idiots on a single forum. Enough of them stopped watching, preventing Universe from receiving the numbers that SG-1 and Atlantis once did.

And of course you can prove why all those people stopped watching? No, because you have to gone are the whinings of the vocal minority that populate the internet. Which you're then applying to the whole unknown viewership to give yourself a demon to rally against.

Because it was taking the overall Stargate-verse in a different direction, not completely divorcing itself from the established canon. It was just using the previous series as a launching pad to tell a unique story (by Stargate standards, anyway). You don't even need to be familiar with Stargate to jump into and appreciate it. The pilot gives sufficient information to newcomers.

Well then, it should have been fine! Oh wait, it obviously failed to attract new viewership while alienating old fans. Oops. Franchises are double edged sword. Take Star Trek for example. Take that in a drastic new direction and see how much viewership'll get. None, because people would be all like 'eurgh! I'm no trekkie!' and not watch it. Even if they would have enjoyed it.

You want a new direction, start a new original show.

Though I given the performance of other similar long arc/character based shows like Dollhouse and T:SCC, it still wouldn't do well.

r SG-1 and Atlantis. Ergo, you didn't view Universe on its own merits.

I watched the preludes, the ads for it and decided from them. The same as I might for any new show. I gave it exactly the same consideration as new show. Don't try to tell me about my own decisions please.

I admitted I was annoyed that SGA was blatantly ditched to make SGU. The same way I was annoyed when SGA kicked out Ford and replaced him with the cooler Ronan. It smacked of laziness and lack of respect. I didn't stop watching Atlantis based on it though

You really are a piece of work. You haven't read a damn thing I've written have you? For the last time-I never said they didn't have the right to stop watching. I was attacking their attitude the entire time because I hated how their pettiness effectively ended a series that I and others enjoyed. Got it, you obtuse fuck?

So you admit they have the right to not watch if they don't like it. It's just that you object to the specific reason of 'not giving it a chance' except you have no idea what those reasons were. You're just guessing or basing it off internet screechings that don't reflect the views of the millions of people across the globe that stopped watching.

Don't get cute with me. The location is incidental. It is the people that are at fault here. It wouldn't matter if they were American, German or Ethiopian. The only thing that matters is that a bunch of fools helped to kill Stargate with their short-sightedness.

The special relationship comment was a joke. I also didn't realise you were Australian so it was a misaimed joke. Of course you being Australian means your opinion is just as 'worthless' as mine...

Drama can take different forms. I don't see how you're qualified to talk about the show given that you admitted that you never even viewed it. Pessimistic is an exaggeration in Universe's case. They've managed to make the best of a bad situation and have survived, without any convenient Ancient superweapons to boot. That's far more admirable than how SG-1 defeated the Ori for instance (with a fucking magic box).

Yes Drama can take many forms. Which is why I originally specified the kind of Drama I was talking about and you whined I should have just said 'drama'.

Oh, and grimdark is a stupid, uninspired term. Stop using it. It's not my fault you can't stand a series that doesn't fall in line with your lighter and softer sensibilities. SG-1 and Atlantis were hardly "realistic" examples of drama either. I'd say that Universe is a more realistic portrayal of how humans would behave in such a situation but that's just my opinion. You haven't seen it, therefore you can't contradict me.

Oh fuck off you condescending elitist prick, you have no right to dictate to me how I express myself. It's not my fault you're incapable of understanding that not everyone's tastes in television coincides with your own and we don't all make decisions based on franchise loyalty.

Oh that felt good. I was telling myself I wasn't going to stoop to petty jibes and insults but I guess I'm just inconsistent in that regards to.

[Sarevok]

It's not grimdark or dark and gritty or even grim and evil. The problem about SG:U can be summed up as being there was nothing inspirational or uplifting about it.

The original Stargate film still cheers me up whenever I watch it. SG:U is my medicine for feeling depressed when in an annoyingly cheerful state.

[Kingmaker]

It's not grimdark or dark and gritty or even grim and evil. The problem about SG:U can be summed up as being there was nothing inspirational or uplifting about it.

QFT

Even WH40k, which brought us grimdark, and nBSG, which was shot through the same, had plenty of moments that were inspiring, or heartwarming, or awesome. SGU always seemed to have a certain joylessness and malaise about it that suggests to me that the creators didn't really understand what makes dark and gritty works successful and popular.

Universe isn't even remotely comparable to Warhammer 40k in terms of darkness.

No, SGU didn't have the oppressive, all-encompassing hopeless of Warhammer 40k. It also didn't have the energy. It was a mess of uninteresting apathy and despair.

But seriously, do you have any actual evidence to demonstrate that a bunch of disgruntled Atlantis fanboys sabotaged SGU? I find it far more likely that the majority of viewers simply found the painfully slow style of SGU unbearable and decided to watch something else instead. SGU had its moments, but they were few and far in between, and all too rare in the first season, when the series had a chance to sell itself.

[Sarevok]

I personally gave up on the series after Ginn died. Look at what they put Ellie through. Then just as his life has a bit of sunshine the only girl that loved him dies through no fault of his. Now he is back to being unattractive nerdboy stuck on a mission he will never return from. Contrast this with Farscape, Crichton never came back but he made a new life for himself with Aeryn. Could not Ellie had done so with Ginn, an offworld human ? But finding a new life and meaning in unfamiliar territory with strangers and former enemies would send the wrong message. It would inspire hope ! The SG:U Writters were probably thinking "Do we really want to give the characters something to live for as opposed to reasons to commit suicide ?!"

What are we, the viewers, supposed to take from this ? That we are doomed in despair and misery no matter what we do ? SG:Us characterization is surprisingly well conceived and mature so the situation do leave a personal impact. If this Voyager and half the crew died it would hardly register on the give-a-shit meter.

So it's not that SG:U is badly plotted out and has poor characterization. On the contrary SG:U realistic themes and dialogue are used to deliver the wrong kinds of messages. It teaches you that life is bleak and full of misery.

[Revy]

I watched up to the first half of the first season of SGU. I really wanted to like it, I did. I was a Stargate fan, and I didn't mind SGA getting canned because they came out with a new SG show and I thought "Great! I can watch that instead!".

But I eventually just gave up on watching it. I couldn't bring myself to care about the situation or the characters. I kept reading reviews for the episodes though, and it sounded like the show was basically rehashing Star Trek V. And any hope of actual likable characters being brought in was killed off by ... killing said likable characters off.

I gave it a chance, lord fucking knows I gave it a chance, even going in knowing it would be very different. And I admit I didn't like the different style or tone, but I could have dealt with that and kept watching if I at least liked the characters (I didn't, ever) or cared about what it was all about (searching for God in a franchise about killing false gods! The whole Cameron Bible thumping God shit was pissing me off in SG1).

Before anyone acuses me of anything, I never wanted Universe to fail as some kind of twisted sense of revenge for SGA or whatever. No. I just stopped caring about it. I didn't actively hate it and wished it to burn and die, I just shrugged, said "Meh" and turned away to watch something else. If it kept going, great, good for it. If not, then whatever.

Yes, the strongest emotion SGU induced from me was apathy.

[Batman]

SGU didn't need disgruntled SGA fans to try to sabotage it (which I really would like to see the mechanism for pulling it of for, unless people not watching a TV show they hate suddenly counts as sabotage), it sucked all by its lonesome. They hopelessly overdid the grimdark, about the only likeable character was Eli, they concentrate on the interpersonal relationship stuff rather than the actual scifi-they essentially ditched everything that made Stargate last 15 seasons (SG-1/SGA combined)-Vee, I wonder why Stargate fans didn't endorse the show.
When you're parking a show in an established universe to rake in the ratings, it pays to first check how that show made those ratings. As in, massively changing the tone of the show is a massively bad idea when you're counting on the core audience (and shouldn't that be vidience or something for tv?) to begin with.

There's nothing wrong with doing something new. But either do something new, or don't whine when your doing something new in an established franchise ignoring everything that made it an established franchise falls flat on its face.

[adam_grif]

Wait 5 years, reboot the franchise.

See this thread.

[Adrian McNair]

This just gets better and better with each reply.

I watched the preludes, the ads for it and decided from them. The same as I might for any new show. I gave it exactly the same consideration as new show. Don't try to tell me about my own decisions please.

Emphasis mine. I think that says it all really. I'm not going to drag this farce out in this thread any longer. Crazedwraith, you'll be getting a PM from me shortly.

On a more general note, the haters may think they've won some kind of victory here but it's pyrrhic at best. You might get some short-term satisfaction out of this but the loss of Universe isn't just a blow against Stargate, it's a blow against TV sci-fi in general. Fewer and fewer shows are being made. Reality TV fodder such as Breaking Bad or Mad Men it would be a fucking televisual drought out there. Of course I wouldn't expect any of you to see the bigger picture, being the petty bastards that you are.

[Adrian McNair]

EDIT:

Reality TV fodder such as Breaking Bad or Mad Men it would be a fucking televisual drought out there.

Crap. That should have read, "Reality TV fodder such as Jersey Shore reigns supreme. If it wasn't for Fringe and quality dramas like Breaking Bad or Mad Men it would be a fucking televisual drought out there."

Strange how my post just got mangled up like that.

[Crazedwraith]

OK, I know we called this quits via PM but I really did have to put these figures up. Gateworld's ratings for season one Sadly its organised by Gateworld ratings rather than episode order so here's the highlights (rounded to 1dp) The Viewership for the Atlantis finale, is taken from here

Air part I, 2.3 mil viewers,
Darkness, 2.1 mil viewers,
Incursion part II, 1.5 mil viewers,

Enemy at the gate: 2.02 million

So yeah, Universe, started off with Better ratings than SGA ended up with. Even with the drop after the pilot, they were doing better than SGA. Only by the end of the season it had lost another 600 thousand viewers.

So, when do they stop being dastardly SGA fans,'not giving it a chance' and sabotaging SGU and start being people who leaving because they legitimately didn't like it?

[Adrian McNair]

So, when do they stop being dastardly SGA fans,'not giving it a chance' and sabotaging SGU and start being people who leaving because they legitimately didn't like it?

I have no desire to go over this tired ground again. You know what conclusions I have come to. You know how I feel on the matter. I certainly don't need to justify myself to you of all people (one who is unfamiliar with the topic at hand, making any discussion null and void).

[Crazedwraith]

I'm not familiar with SGU, not having watched it. Luckily my argument is not based on the quality of SGU or anything to do with the program itself. So that point is irrelevant.

It's to do with your unproven assertions about why SGU failed. To wit, 'SGA Fanboy antipathy' and that they 'didn't give it a chance' and those are quotes from yourself.

Given the ratings figures I referenced, SGU had better figures than SGA. So it got all the SGA fans watching and then attracted 300 thousand new viewers. So where are these fanboys who are not giving it a chance?

[Adrian McNair]

I'm not familiar with SGU, not having watched it. Luckily my argument is not based on the quality of SGU or anything to do with the program itself. So that point is irrelevant.

It's to do with your unproven assertions about why SGU failed. To wit, 'SGA Fanboy antipathy' and that they 'didn't give it a chance' and those are quotes from yourself.

Given the ratings figures I referenced, SGU had better figures than SGA. So it got all the SGA fans watching and then attracted 300 thousand new viewers. So where are these fanboys who are not giving it a chance?

Feel free to figure that out for yourself. If what I've said isn't enough to convince you then nothing will. And don't be dishonest. You've already made it clear what your stance on Universe is. It's coloured your entire perspective on the issue. I've closed the book on this matter and I suggest you do the same.

[Sarevok]

@Adrian

I think the word hater is uncalled for. Most of the criticism of the show comes from those who actually watch it. They are viewers and contribute to the shows popularity. Those who thought the premise sucked probably did not stick around 1-2 years later to nitpick individual episodes.

SG:U had disappointed it's viewers, that is why it is going away. Not because "haters" don't watch it.

[Crazedwraith]

No, no, no. Saverok. you've got it all wrong. SGU hasn't disappointed it's viewers. It's viewers have disappointed SG:U by being incapable of appreciating good telly.

[Kingmaker]

On a more general note, the haters may think they've won some kind of victory here but it's pyrrhic at best. You might get some short-term satisfaction out of this but the loss of Universe isn't just a blow against Stargate, it's a blow against TV sci-fi in general.

Haters? Are you shitting me, man? This is like talking to a browncoat. Most of us desperately wanted SGU to be good, but it wasn't, much to our chagrin. But according to you we should have put up with a bad show in order to save TV sci-fi. (I watched every episode up to S2 midseason break before giving up, and in all that time the show rarely rose above mediocrity).

[Themightytom]

I personally gave up on the series after Ginn died. Look at what they put Ellie through. Then just as his life has a bit of sunshine the only girl that loved him dies through no fault of his. Now he is back to being unattractive nerdboy stuck on a mission he will never return from. .

Oh well that's just a shame. The next episode had an epic Rush Hunt, meteing out punishment on behalf of himself and Eli, because honestly, as much as we empathized with poor Eli, Rush lost his little Lovenugget too, and... well he was such a douche nobody really gave a shit

He and Eli have actually bonded over this in an interesting way in ensuing episodes in a manner reminiscent oddly, of Tyrol and Helo. Which is kind of a different uplifting at times.

Last night's episode was to my mind, very uplifting, (Well except for the last five minutes which is a cliffhanger for next episode.) as was the episode "Hope"

SG:U is starting to find it's stride, it's just Brad Wright gambled taht fans would wait for a slower pace of development for a richer payoff, and... not only have they not... but MGM isn't feeling particularly indulgent at the moment either.

[JME2]

SG:U is starting to find it's stride, it's just Brad Wright gambled taht fans would wait for a slower pace of development for a richer payoff, and... not only have they not... but MGM isn't feeling particularly indulgent at the moment either.

Wright took a calculated risk and I'm sorry it didn't pan out. I really wanted Stargate to produce its own DS9 style series and I've enjoyed SGU. I really hope they can continue it in novel or comic form.

Also, while MGM considers Stargate their 2nd most important franchise, the Bond films are still their crown jewel. That clearly takes priority and benefited from the funding granted by their bankruptcy settlement.

[Darksider]

Comics and novels seem to be the new format for TV Sci-fi that's lost it's audience these days. Firefly has had a couple of Comic series, and IIRC the Buffy and Angel continuation comics are still going on.

On the novel front, even Enterprise has had some fairly decent relaunch novels, and most of the other ST series have finished their Relaunch runs. We may very well see some Stargate books and or comics in the future.

EDIT: According to Gateworld's list of Stargate novels, Atlantis already has a continuation in the works, called Legacy. There's two books out for it already. Has anyone read them yet?

[JME2]

Comics and novels seem to be the new format for TV Sci-fi that's lost it's audience these days. Firefly has had a couple of Comic series, and IIRC the Buffy and Angel continuation comics are still going on.

Dollhouse, too.

And no, I haven't read the SGA relaunch novels. Not yet, anyway.

[PREDATOR490]

SG:U is starting to find it's stride, it's just Brad Wright gambled taht fans would wait for a slower pace of development for a richer payoff, and... not only have they not... but MGM isn't feeling particularly indulgent at the moment either.

Wright took a calculated risk and I'm sorry it didn't pan out. I really wanted Stargate to produce its own DS9 style series and I've enjoyed SGU. I really hope they can continue it in novel or comic form.

DS9 had the benefit of being shit but relatively light and engaging for the first season.
SGU has been horrific in it's pacing and the show's dire theme with little action quickly gets depressing.

The show would have performed better had they
A) Done a far better lead into the new series
TNG did this for DS9 and SG-1 for SGA
Granted SGA got shitcanned but if your gonna bust tons of money making a new show... why not make a pilot similar to the one Atlantis got complete with a better introduction to our cast ?
A brief cameo from Samantha Carter with her getting her ass kicked dosent really count.

B) Remained a bit CONSISTENT to the previous series
LA suddenly has firepower that can take on Earth, somehow Earth found out about the Ninth Chevron ages ago and decided to dial it. How about making the intro expand on this a bit better rather.
Sure, they wanted to cut the ties to the old series so new folks could watch it - What a bunch of idiots. Alienate fans of the pervious series by creating massive amounts of questions that never get answered and leave new folks STILL clueless about what is really going on.

C) Lighten the mood and arcs a bit

The show is meant to be realistic and such... ok
However, your leading on from two previous series that have been light hearted... would have made sense to continue like that and ease old fans into it and new fans dont have to watch EVERY SINGLE GODDAMN EPISODE to keep track of the melodrama that keeps occuring.
When you hit the end of the first season you should have been ramped up into the proper theme where your arcs can start going properly.

That said, would have been nice if they had a clue where this show was going. DS9 started slow and turned around massively at the introduction of the Dominion.
This show is still prattling around about wanting to get home, supplies cant do this etc. Even nBSG played this off by fighting Cylons most of the time. This show has no real enemies and the ones that do show up are patheticly weak as required because of the silly premise of being stuck on a piece of junk.