Syfy answers GW's bogus "open letter"

[Briangate78]

Ehm... SGA does have 100 eps under the belt.
Or am I misreading your post?

Kinda, lol. I meant that while in a season 6, they will have 100 eps have syndie and reruns to run with a 6th season.

I find it odd that they blame MGM for shutting down SGA. Surely they would only benefit from a pickup since the get the DVD sales as well - getting the profit from two shows would make the most sense. For Syfy they have to factor in that they are ordering a 6th season of a show with rising costs. A new show starting at Season 1 would have been more appealing to them, especially if it appeared it would get the same or better ratings.

It just makes very little sense. If Syfy wanted to pick up both why did MGM say no?

If MGM pulls the plug not much can be done. I think at the time MGM just did not have the funds.

 

[YJ02]

Exactly!
No matter what anyone thinks of them now, they were responsible for many years of entertainment for all of us, and I would NEVER try to take that from them.

yeah--Thats those "size 15 shoes" I was referring to If there is ever another "crack" at (an SG show) perhaps these original peeps should be even more involved. Does anyone know the process--that is, when SGU was being 'pitched' and they looked for writers/directors/ producers, etc-did they ask potential candidates "so, tell me what you know about Stargate--in depth" and test their knowledge as a fan first before they get hired to make a show

 

[Tropicana]

I gotta say, I'm impressed that Craig Engler even bothered to explain Syfy's position in all of this. SGU was failing so it got axed, seems simple to me.

Sure you can go and do this - :smiley-lala: all you want, but it's the truth. Lack of viewers, expensive to make, lack of returns, and now bringing other shows' ratings down with them whenever it gets paired up, it has got to go and I'm glad it did.

 

[shavedape]

I gotta say, I'm impressed that Craig Engler even bothered to explain Syfy's position in all of this. SGU was failing so it got axed, seems simple to me.

Sure you can go and do this - :smiley-lala: all you want, but it's the truth. Lack of viewers, expensive to make, lack of returns, and now bringing other shows' ratings down with them whenever it gets paired up, it has got to go and I'm glad it did.

I, too, find it odd that he even deigned to address this non-issue -- at Gate World of all places. That just gives them undeserved respect and notoriety. Maybe he believes that GW is still a legitimate outlet for Stargate fans? Whatever his reasons what he should realize is that sometimes it's best to simply let things be. Giving small issues attention often leads to them becoming big issues. This wouldn't happen if the small issue was simply ignored in the first place.

At any rate, it was unnecessary on his part. Like you said, failing show = cancellation. Simple. It's pathetic the way the squees think there's more to this equation than there is, just pathetic.

 

[Tropicana]

In some ways, I suppose some squees believe they are owed some sort of explanation, however there isn't really that much to explain. A serious of events came to pass and things happen for a reason as they say - SGU was created -> writers thought it would be a hit (and still believe it's a hit) -> ratings says "no, you're crap" -> show gets cancelled.

I totally agree with you, shavedape, this reply was unnecessary on his part; nice but unnecessary.

 

[Bluce Ree]

So you are suggesting that because Syfy wanted a program, it should foot the entire upfront bill, yet leave all the "aftermarket" profit to MGM?
Confused here dude

Look, if TV shows were floated by the production house and paid for by profit-sharing advertising proceeds, there would be no reason for networks like Syfy to drop programming unless the production house deems it unprofitable and/or the network loses massive advertising revenues. That's not the case here. When Syfy orders episodes, there is an up-front cost to the network associated to that order, a financial commitment by the network. Since Syfy has exclusive broadcasting rights to the show, MGM has no incentive to produce any more shows Syfy won't order. MGM doesn't float the cost of an entire series but I can't comment on Syfy's share in the show's aftermarket profits because the deal between MGM and Syfy regarding SG isn't entirely known, at least not to me.

What we do know for sure is that we don't know the whole story. If I'm willing to pay you for something, you will continue to give it to me until I stop paying you. Syfy decided it didn't want to pay for two series, most likely due to Brad's ingenious song and dance con convincing them the viewership of one show will be >= both shows.

 

[shavedape]

What we do know for sure is that we don't know the whole story. If I'm willing to pay you for something, you will continue to give it to me until I stop paying you. Syfy decided it didn't want to pay for two series, most likely due to Brad's ingenious song and dance con convincing them the viewership of one show will be >= both shows.

I think this point is key. BW may not have wanted to cancel SGA at first, but when he found resistance on bank rolling both shows he quickly jettisoned any support for SGA in favor of his super-cool, brilliant new show idea.

 

[Mr. A]

It is a will of the wisp because they were intentionally discarding everything that their previous success was based on. In fact, they had zero credibility in what they were proposing because they had never created a successful drama before of the nature they were proposing. This alone should have made MGM either totally reject it out of hand or only allow them to do a pilot on the side while mandating that SGA stay on the air (as it was successful and making money). A pilot would have bombed and shown them the concept was unworkable without losing SGA and also throwing 40 episodes of budget (at about 3 million per at least) down the rathole.

I think they were all still going ga-ga over nBSG, and the argument was "If RDM could do it, then certainly we too...".
Yes, the pilot! If a pilot had being shown to a focus group of Stargate fans and drama fans, that would've changed history as we know it. But, alas, pride comes before a fall...

yeah--Thats those "size 15 shoes" I was referring to If there is ever another "crack" at (an SG show) perhaps these original peeps should be even more involved. Does anyone know the process--that is, when SGU was being 'pitched' and they looked for writers/directors/ producers, etc-did they ask potential candidates "so, tell me what you know about Stargate--in depth" and test their knowledge as a fan first before they get hired to make a show

I don't think knowledge of the workings behind the creation of the series will ever be made public, so all we can do is speculate. What we know for sure is that Brad Wright got carte blanche in creative decisions and a very generous budget to work from. So it's not like MGM wanted to do the show and then found the producers - it was the other was around. At that time Brad Wright had complete control over the Stargate franchise, so like Rick Berman on Star Trek, he was the one deciding on the direction it would take and which shows would be pitched and which shows would be canceled, pending approval by MGM.
It seems Brad Wright kept his producing partner Robert Cooper for the creative input of the show, and then proceeded to pick his people from SG1 and SGA. In his arrogance he probably never thought about bringing in some fresh writers initially or other people to cross-check his ideas, but only the yaysayers like Mallozzi and Mullie. 15 successful seasons on SG and Outer Limits before that made him lazy and gave him the confidence to skip the usual show conception process. And without that he committed rookie mistakes like the lack of screening mentioned above.

 

[YJ02]

I think they were all still going ga-ga over nBSG, and the argument was "If RDM could do it, then certainly we too...".
Yes, the pilot! If a pilot had being shown to a focus group of Stargate fans and drama fans, that would've changed history as we know it. But, alas, pride comes before a fall...


I don't think knowledge of the workings behind the creation of the series will ever be made public, so all we can do is speculate. What we know for sure is that Brad Wright got carte blanche in creative decisions and a very generous budget to work from. So it's not like MGM wanted to do the show and then found the producers - it was the other was around. At that time Brad Wright had complete control over the Stargate franchise, so like Rick Berman on Star Trek, he was the one deciding on the direction it would take and which shows would be pitched and which shows would be canceled, pending approval by MGM.
It seems Brad Wright kept his producing partner Robert Cooper for the creative input of the show, and then proceeded to pick his people from SG1 and SGA. In his arrogance he probably never thought about bringing in some fresh writers initially or other people to cross-check his ideas, but only the yaysayers like Mallozzi and Mullie. 15 successful seasons on SG and Outer Limits before that made him lazy and gave him the confidence to skip the usual show conception process. And without that he committed rookie mistakes like the lack of screening mentioned above.

So, a bit like hiring your in-laws to say, re-roof your house just because they carried shingles on another roofing job previously But I understand what your saying. Thanks

 

[Mr. A]

Cimmer posted a link to this letter at the Syfy forum - very needed there as well IMO, but I'm afraid it will be missed by those who should read it, namely the hit-and-run mansquitos.
http://forums.syfy.com/index.php?showtopic=2355401

Anyway, I liked Squall's post:

 

[Mr. A]

Another excellent post by Jeuruad (I edited out most of the asinine comment he quotes):

 

[Mr. A]

And another one!




Bam! Any questions?

 

[Graybrew1]

View attachment 4278


Bam! Any questions?

He has great insight!

 

[YJ02]

View attachment 4278


Bam! Any questions?

Those are great factual points. But for Syfy to continue on making this "Saturday night camp", thinking they have a 'hit', they are just being made fools of. The 'fans' of these movies are not "laughing with Syfy, they are laughing at them." It is a lot like the fanbase for the Rocky Horror Picture Show. It is not that they love the plot or character development they love the kitsch and camp of it. I can just hear ppl in one of these fan households--as they gather their beer and cheetos, anxiously expecting the foolishness, blood and cliche for their Saturday night.

 

[Graybrew1]

Those are great factual points. But for Syfy to continue on making this "Saturday night camp", thinking they have a 'hit', they are just being made fools of. The 'fans' of these movies are not "laughing with Syfy, they are laughing at them." It is a lot like the fanbase for the Rocky Horror Picture Show. It is not that they love the plot or character development they love the kitsch and camp of it. I can just hear ppl in one of these fan households--as they gather their beer and cheetos, anxiously expecting the foolishness, blood and cliche for their Saturday night.

But the bottom line for them is the Dollar, and these camp movies will hopefully help pay for some good quality Scifi.

 

[YJ02]

whats the target dollar amount required and what is on the table to be made? I hope its great;anyone can endure anything if they know there is an end and a payoff in sight.:icon_e_wink:

 

[Graybrew1]

whats the target dollar amount required and what is on the table to be made? I hope its great;anyone can endure anything if they know there is an end and a payoff in sight.:icon_e_wink:

Perhaps Briangate would know a more specific figure to that question. I don't like that junk they put on there either but in today's economy many businesses had to make adjustments. According to Both MBG and Cimmer, this is actually not a new trend for them.