scifi post

[timetobegin]

It seems that there is a higher rate of sci-fi shows airing over the Summer (winter for southern hemisphere folk), and more often than not they are only 13 episodes long.

At the moment we have Defiance, Oprhan Black, Warehouse 13, Continuum.... with more starting up soon. (Haven!) Scifi also tends to go hand in hand with the shorter fantasy seasons too (Game of thrones! Teen Wolf!)

(please not their MIGHT be spoilers for the latest episodes in the comment)

<B>Which current sci-fi shows do you watch?</b> <B>Why are there no shows with spaceships?</b> <B>Does the 13 episode (or less) format suit scifi shows?</b> <B>Favourite cancelled scifi shows</b> <B>Why do you think big networks seem to be doing more scifi than syfy?</b> <B>Any sci-fi tropes or formats you don't like?</b>

of course pick and choose which questions you answer!

Comments

[timetobegin]

Which current sci-fi shows do you watch? all the above.
Why are there no shows with spaceships? I DON'T KNOW this is such a good question for the ages.
Does the 13 episode (or less) format suit scifi shows? I think it does actually. I find that scifi with too many episodes of the week can get a little stagnant, and a decent arc is great. Of course i also want MORE EPISODES for some shows but i think the storylines might suffer.
Favourite cancelled scifi shows stargate(s), farscape, battlestar, star trek(s), fireflyyyyyyyy
Why do you think big networks seem to be doing more scifi than syfy? I think they have more money, sadly, and can afford to be risky. syfy seems to be putting all its eggs in a basket with defiance and sadly, not much room for anything else :( BUT ITS OK BECAUSE ALMOST HUMAN WITH KARL URBAN.
Any sci-fi tropes or formats you don't like?

[skieswideopen]

ALMOST HUMAN.

I'm really hoping Defiance improves. As you know. When I'm feeing bad about it, I remind myself of the first seasons of SG-1 and TNG. That helps.

[colls]

Almost Human is probably the only new show I'm REALLY looking forward to. I'll watch SHEILD because so many others do and I hope it's good, but I'm really excited about Karl robots.

[calystarose]

Which current sci-fi shows do you watch? Continuum, Defiance, Doctor Who, Falling Skies, Grimm, Haven, Once Upon A Time, Primeval: New World, Teen Wolf, True Blood, Warehouse 13 and plan to watch SHIELD and Almost Human. (I included the fantasy shows too because I'm indecisive)
Why are there no shows with spaceships? Because SyFy is a coward and the regular networks are too. But I hold out hope for Steven DeKnight's Incursion.
Does the 13 episode (or less) format suit scifi shows? I think it works well as it allows the shows to focus on serial plots without having networks insist on filler eps.
Favourite cancelled scifi shows Max Headroom, FarScape, Babylon 5 (I mean, I know it technically ended right, but still), Alphas, Dark Angel, Firefly, Earth 2, Wonderfalls, Star Gate, Star Gate: Atlantis
Why do you think big networks seem to be doing more scifi than syfy? I don't think they are really. SyFy is having some moderate success, as are other cable channels (Falling Skies & True Blood, etc) which is why scifi is getting another chance on the major networks in the coming season. But I don't hold out a lot of hope for major network scifi shows. Scifi seems to require more of a commitment than most standard networks want to give. Honestly, Fringe lasting as long as it did is practically a miracle. Especially given the network it was on.
Any sci-fi tropes or formats you don't like? I'm just real super tired of scifi being all about white guys. White women is a small improvement, but man I want some more people of color (not as aliens) to lead shows.

[timetobegin]

:D yay fantasy shows.

ahaha I think syfy shouldn't be so..cowardly. Its sad that they can't seem to get more than 1 or 2 shows off at a time. plus while w13 and haven are scifi- they aren't really expensive scifi. :(

I thought about including wonderfalls but i wasn't sureee. SO GOOD.

I think scifi as a genre in particular should be more careful about including more diversity. I mean all genres should, but scifi in particular.

[colls]

OMG Max Headroom!!
When I see that actor in anything else (Eureka and Orphan Black come to mind) I always think of Max Headroom.

[malicat]

You have no idea how badly I want Incursion to happen!

[skieswideopen]

Which current sci-fi shows do you watch? Orphan Black, Continuum, Haven, The Listener. I'll probably give Under the Dome a try too once it starts airing. And I've watched a bit of In the Flesh.
Why are there no shows with spaceships? Too expensive? Plus apparently SyFy execs lack vision.
Does the 13 episode (or less) format suit scifi shows? Sometimes. It's good for shows that rely heavily on tight plotting, because it means there's less need for filler. On the other hand, I think shows that are mostly about worldbuilding and exploring concepts sometimes do better with more episodes, particularly if they feature large casts.
Favourite cancelled scifi shows BSG, Fringe, Firefly, Stargate, Babylon 5, The X-Files (though strictly speaking, some of them weren't cancelled)
Why do you think big networks seem to be doing more scifi than syfy? I have been wondering the same thing lately. I think SF in general has become more mainstream, which is why the big networks are doing it. I'm not really sure why SyFy isn't, though. Just not enough money, maybe?
Any sci-fi tropes or formats you don't like? Probably, but I can't think of them off-hand. Maybe the ending of BSG...does that count as a trope? The whole Adam & Eve thing?

[timetobegin]

yeah large casts deserve more episodes.

ahahaha yeah BSG ending did kinda suck. i'll forgive it because of what came before, but season 4 was such a hot mess, to me.

[colls]

I think networks are doing the 'safe' scifi that a mainstream audience will watch and not think it's scifi. Shows like LOST or Fringe appealed to a wider audience because they lacked spaceships. People fear spaceships for some reason - or automatically think a show will be 'Star Trek' and mentally think it's for geeks maybe?

Of course, I think people who are afraid of shows with spaceships lack vision, but that's just me.

[calystarose]

I'd forgotten about Under the Dome. I will probably give it a look, but I'm not entirely hopeful.

The Listner....*googles* OH MY GOD! I had meant to watch that, I guess on NBC, but I never knew it had even aired. And, of course, they canceled it right away. Ugh. I'll have to get on that asap! Thank you.

Blah, the ending of BSG was such a disappointment.

[congo]

Which current sci-fi shows do you watch? not a one, sadly. none of the few ones currently airing are really up my alley. oh, wait, I do watch revolution, but only for elizabeth mitchell's pretty face.
Why are there no shows with spaceships? because we have somehow slipped into an alternate universe where spaceship shows don't exist. :(
Does the 13 episode (or less) format suit scifi shows? depends on the show, I'd say, but generally speaking, the more, the merrier.
Favourite cancelled scifi shows battlestaaaaaar, babylon 5, stargate, sanctuary, firefly, star trek
Why do you think big networks seem to be doing more scifi than syfy? because syfylis is dumb these days. bring back the actual scifi and leave the wresting to other channels!
Any sci-fi tropes or formats you don't like? never met a trope I didn't like.

[timetobegin]

LOL i'm not sure i know anyone who is watching revolution for anything other than Liz Mitchells face!

poor spaceship shows :(

[skieswideopen]

So sad how limited our current selection of sci-fi shows is.

[colls]

Defiance is kind of trope-y. It seems to be trying to find it's footing a bit, but I do think it has a lot of potential. If you haven't tried it, it might be worth checking out? I was worried it'd be post-apocalypse like so many things are now (Revolution, Falling Skies, etc) but it seems unique enough so far.

[colls]

Which current sci-fi shows do you watch? Falling Skies, Defiance, Orphan Black
Why are there no shows with spaceships? I can't think it's budgetary because set design doesn't have to be very complicated and space scenes are CGI? I don't know - it's fallen out of favor with the "target demographic" or something. Which makes me think the "target demographic" needs a good space show to show them what they're missing out on.
Does the 13 episode (or less) format suit scifi shows? I think it allows networks to try something out with less investment. I don't think it's a decision based on storytelling. Maybe I'm feeling cynical? I get the argument that there are less filler episodes with 13 episodes, and that's true, but sometimes I like filler episodes. *shrugs* Shorter seasons do seem easier to catch up on though.
Favourite cancelled scifi shows Star Trek, Stargate, X-Files, BSG, Firefly, Space: Above & Beyond, Andromeda, Farscape
Why do you think big networks seem to be doing more scifi than syfy? I think mainstream scifi (which I mean stuff that's accessible - like Fringe and Orphan Black and LOST) doesn't always seem scifi-ish to everyone. It's like it sneaks in under the radar.
Any sci-fi tropes or formats you don't like? the tropey-er the better. I do get tired when all shows out seem to have a similar theme - ie. the prevalence of post-apocalypse shows, for instance. Why so many? Vampire shows -- do we need... (how many are there?) It's like something gets popular and that's all anyone produces for a couple years.
WHERE IS THE VARIETY?
WHERE ARE THE SPACESHIPS?

[timetobegin]

yeah i think people expect the set designs to have high production values? i dunno, its weird that a show like doctor who has a huge following in many places, but the us doesn't really have shows like that on the air?

filler episodes can be great

[skieswideopen]

I think you have a point about the lower investment of thirteen episode seasons. I do think some shows benefit from it, but I don't think that's why networks do it.

[elli]

Which current sci-fi shows do you watch? Orphan Black, Continuum, Defiance. also also watch haven and GoT
Why are there no shows with spaceships? It makes me sad! and I think it's because networks don't think that it seels.
Does the 13 episode (or less) format suit scifi shows? I think it suits any show, because the writing is tighter and I love stuff that is more serialized.
Favourite cancelled scifi shows Voyager, SGA, Firefly, Farscape, Terminator TSCC, BSG
Why do you think big networks seem to be doing more scifi than syfy? I have no idea... and they are mostly doing scifi that I don't like... Revolution and falling Skies come to mind.
Any sci-fi tropes or formats you don't like? I have no idea ;)

[timetobegin]

yeah sigh. there are still sci-fi fans though :( it would sell if it was good!!!!

[unightfog]

Which current sci-fi shows do you watch? Defiance, Orphan Black and also Haven, GOT and of course Teen Wolf
Why are there no shows with spaceships? honestly I don't know, because there totally should be
Does the 13 episode (or less) format suit scifi shows? yep, not less but 13 is ok...because that way there are way less filler epis and it is not so easy "to lose" the plot (like in Lost for example)
Favourite cancelled scifi shows Firefly! BSG (even though the ending sucked), SGA
Why do you think big networks seem to be doing more scifi than syfy? hm, it's all about the money I guess, but tbh I haven't really thought about it
Any sci-fi tropes or formats you don't like?
hm, nope don't think so

[timetobegin]

ahaha lost.

sorry.
:D

[malicat]

Which current sci-fi shows do you watch? Defiance, Warehouse 13 and Teen Wolf + Game of Thrones
Why are there no shows with spaceships? I suppose because it costs too much? And I guess cable networks like HBO that have the budget to do expensive shows prefer to go more in a fantasy/history direction as it allows for more sex/torture :P
Does the 13 episode (or less) format suit scifi shows? I think it suits almost all shows these days because the writing gets tighter (in most cases,some shows even drag when they only have a few episodes) and there won't be too many filler episodes
Favourite cancelled scifi shows Battlestar Galactica, Farscape, Stargate Atlantis
Why do you think big networks seem to be doing more scifi than syfy? Maybe because it's easier to sell? Just speaking for myself here but before I started watching BSG any show that had a setting in space didn't exactly draw me in!
Any sci-fi tropes or formats you don't like? Can't think of anything right now. What doesn't work in one show can actually work in another and vice versa

[timetobegin]

Yeah some shows really shine with the 13 episode format, and its much tighter. i like itttt.

I don't think i watched much scifi before BSG actually, either. :D

[csichick_2]

Which current sci-fi shows do you watch? Warehouse 13, Defiance, Haven on and off, does Doctor Who count?
Why are there no shows with spaceships? because life hates us
Does the 13 episode (or less) format suit scifi shows? it seems to work but the waiting period for new episodes is so long
Favourite cancelled scifi shows SGA, BSG, FIREFLY
Why do you think big networks seem to be doing more scifi than syfy? Because Syfy is part of the NBC Universal umbrella and NBC hasn't know WTF it's been doing since 2009
Any sci-fi tropes or formats you don't like?

[timetobegin]

ahaha NBC is at fault for everything

Late to the partay

[veritas_poet]

Which current sci-fi shows do you watch?

Hm, I guess only Falling Skies is current for summer? (If I can ever find it!) But also Doctor Who.

Why are there no shows with spaceships?

Because SYFY cancels them?

Does the 13 episode (or less) format suit scifi shows?

I'm old school. 24-26 eps constitutes a season.

Favourite cancelled scifi shows

(Including ended, not just cancelled)

X-Files, BSG, Babylon 5.

Why do you think big networks seem to be doing more scifi than syfy?

Any sci-fi tropes or formats you don't like?

It's not just a sci-fi thing, but I can't stand these long absences between seasons! I can barely remember what was going on by the time the show returns, if I even remember to watch again!

Re: Late to the partay

[timetobegin]

awww not late!!

long hiatuses is the worst!