Very few TV shows make it to the magical tenth season; especially those of the sci-fi genre. So, when Stargate SG-1 called it quits after their tenth season, I, along with thousands of fans worldwide, were very disappointed. We don’t even have Stargate: Atlantis to whet our wormhole whistle any more – but the spin offs are hardly ever as good as the originals – notable exception is Torchwood from Doctor Who.
That’s why even though Sony Picture Television and MGM decided to cancel the series after 214 episodes, they knew the sci-fi cash cow wasn’t finished delivering some prime time space milk. To continue pleasing fans and to keep the franchise viable, it was announced that three full length movies would be released. Stargate: Continuum and Stargate: The Ark of Truth have already come and gone and both were fantastic extensions of the franchise. But we were suppose to get a third film and even a fourth based on the Atlantis series but alas, that may not happen anytime soon.
|
|
The reason Stargate Universe executive producer Robert C. Cooper gives for the delay is the recent downturn I the economy. In an exclusive interview with SCI FI Wire, Cooper had this to say:
“We’re ready to go. We’re just waiting for the right opportunity. We want to be successful with it. The studio wants to be successful, and we really don’t want to proceed with something in the wrong climate, which I think financially it is right now.”
By “ready to go” he means the scripts for both films have been written but it could be some time before we see any movement on them. Cooper blames a recent drop in DVD sales as the major reason behind delaying both films. Cooper explains:
“Since [the release of the first two films], the economics have changed a little bit. DVDs aren’t selling the same way they were when we released those even just a year, and a year and a half ago.”
According to The Numbers website, Stargate: Continuum had sold over 450,000 units as of July 29, 2008 and Stargate: The Ark of Truth did better than that with over 530,000 units sold as of March 11, 2008. Those are fairly respectable numbers for a straight-to-DVD movie from a TV show. I don’t know if I totally agree with Cooper about it being the wrong economic time to produce another DVD movie. I would think fans are more apt to purchase straight to DVD movies because they haven’t been on television and buying or renting it would be the only way to see it.
Either way, I’m saddened to hear we will have to wait a little longer to see SG-1 back in action, but until then, we at least have Stargate Universe to keep us entertained.
Do you agree that now is a bad time to release straight-to-DVD movies and how pumped are you for Stargate Universe?
Stargate Universe’s two-hour premiere is October 2, 2009 at 9 p.m. ET/PT and on Fridays at 9 p.m. after that, all on SyFy.
Source: Cinema Static, Scifi Wire
Loading ...
16 Comments
I miss Jack, Sam, Daniel & Tealc.
My sci-fi fix is saddened by the loss.
Hopefully things will begin to turn around, economically, with next year’s congressional elections. ALL MUST GO.
Me thinks that Robert Cooper speak with forked tongue.
@MsStargate… why do you say that? Not saying you aren’t possibly right, but I don’t know what you’re trying to imply here.
hopefully when that disgusting looking copycat show Stargate: Universe crashes and burns, they’ll realize Stargate fans are Stargate fans, we aren’t Battlestar Galactica wannabes, and you can’t have both, Robert Cooper and company.
SG1 sucks – make an Atlantis movie!!!
@Steve
Everyone is entitled to their opinion … even if it is wrong.
Lol, I was a bit harsh. SG1 is ok, but I never felt it had the same dynamic/chemistry that the Atlantis cast had. Plus it was too Earth based and militarised.
For example, everytime the Stargate activated unexpectedly (at least in the eary seasons) the first thing Hammond would do is 1. Phone the President then 2. Authorise the destruction of the Gate, lol. Predictable.
I just thought Atlantis was a much better show. It felt more exotic, rather than the tedious Earthbased/politics stories of SG1.
I don’t have an inside track but the telling point about an Atlantis movie and/or SG-1 movie is the fact that NONE of the actors have been contacted. Joe Mallozzi has said the script for the Atlantis movie has been written but Rachel Luttrell has stated at recent conventions that none of the principals have been approached….even before the economy and DVD sales supposedly went down the toilet. Robert Cooper and Brad Wright have a brand new shiny toy to play with called Stargate Universe. Both have lost interest in what got them there.
SG-1 will always be my favorite TV show of all time. Season 1-8 anyway. I adore RDA and Amanda Tapping. That being said, I do love Atlantis too and miss it very much. It was close enough to the original that hooked me but it was it’s differences that kept me there.
MORE SG1 MOVIES, PLEASE!!!!!! I also miss Sam, Daniel, Tealc Jack and even Cameron Mitchell!!!!! MISS THEM!!!
My favorite is definitely SG1, and mainly while RDA was actively in the cast. But I’ve figured out what made SG1 start to go downhill after season 7 or 8. The best of Stargate SG1 was when they kept it episodic. Meaning even though there were characters and side stories that carried from episode to episode, each episode was a story in itself. It started, they are presented with a problem, they fix said problem, the end.
Little by little later on in the series, it got more and more serialized. Meaning the story carries on fron one episode to the next, like with Sarah Connor Chronicles or Dexter. In my opinion, it’s much harder to make a serial tv series enjoyable (Dexter is a good example of a serial show where the writing is good enough to keep the audience engaged). Most of the time it just gets tedious, like Sarah Connor Chronicles did after a while. I think this is what happened to SG1, the later seasons were purely serial, while the early seasons were episodic. Coupled with the fact that it’s harder by nature to make an enjoyable serial tv series, the villain they got for those later seasons was pretty crappy as well. Put those two things together and it’s recipe for failure. I’m sorry, but the “Ori” spelled the end for SG1. The Goa-uld were the best villains by far. They had cunning, they were sinister, they were easy to hate.
Another good example of how some shows are simply better as episodic shows rather than serial shows is The Unit. The first season was the best, and it was very episodic. The last two seasons, especially the few episodes leading up to and including the finales tried to be more serialised, and that’s when it started to become tedius.
I can’t wait for more SG1 movies, hopefully RDA agrees to be in them. He was the show seemed to capitalize on that, but I personally feel that they underestimate his serious acting. Some of the best moments in SG1 were the times when RDA got real serious with people. Some of the moral arguments Jack and Daniel had were great.
I am still looking forward to and am ready to buy the third Stargate SG-1 movie, which is supposed to feature Richard Dean Anderson as O’Neill. I don’t watch either of the spin-offs, but Stargate SG-1 is and always will be the best, particularly those episodes with Richard Dean Anderson as O’Neill.
Urgh, RDA is so bland. Maybe its just that I’m just watching them now for the first time and the show is incredibly dated?
I dunno it just seems like the show is so dull and lifeless. RDA gives no personality to the character at all. It’s like he can’t be bothered to do the scene and it shows on screen. The whole thing feels forced.
I’m not trying to screw with ur memories of the show I just can’t see why people think SG1 is good, let alone better than Atlantis.
But then again, I’m always in the minority.
I mean, I loved Superman Returns and Alien Vs Predator (the first one that is) so hey, what do I know?
Well, at least you’re good enough to admit it, lol.
What's your opinion? Leave a Reply!
Go to Gravatar.com and upload your own (we'll wait)!