NationStates Jolt Archive

I know not everyone has access to the Sci Fi channel, but for those that do -wtf is going on? They're keeping Painkiller Jane and dropping the Dresden Files. They're trying to get wrestling - which we all know is fiction, but science fiction? They keep playing all of the worst made for TV Sci Fi movies ever made but, except for reruns of Enterprise, aren't touching Star Trek. And then there are all the reruns of Twilight Zone - reruning it a few times is great, but I think I've seen every episode 10 times, including when they were new (yes, I'm that old). Then there are the reruns of Unit 2 and Jake 2.0 - they weren't good the first time around. I know I'm not watching any more, I don't see the point.

Does anyone understand what's going on?

Does anyone understand what's going on?

Well, I understand what you're talking about, but I sure don't understand *why* the network is doing what it's doing. I really like the Twilight Zone marathon they do at Christmas or New Year's or whichever it is, and I sometimes tune in for their "so awful they're entertaining" B-movies, but wrestling makes no sense, and Twilight Zone is played too often, I agree, and I wasn't that impressed with Painkiller Jane. :(

They're dropping the Dresden Files?! But I love that series, I also love the books! Man, why do Sci-Fi always get rid of the best shows and keep the crap?

I know not everyone has access to the Sci Fi channel, but for those that do -wtf is going on? They're keeping Painkiller Jane and dropping the Dresden Files. They're trying to get wrestling - which we all know is fiction, but science fiction? They keep playing all of the worst made for TV Sci Fi movies ever made but, except for reruns of Enterprise, aren't touching Star Trek. And then there are all the reruns of Twilight Zone - reruning it a few times is great, but I think I've seen every episode 10 times, including when they were new (yes, I'm that old). Then there are the reruns of Unit 2 and Jake 2.0 - they weren't good the first time around. I know I'm not watching any more, I don't see the point.

Does anyone understand what's going on?Yes. Brannon Braga bought major stock share up and is making "adjustments" with the "vision" that Roddenberry "trusted".

No seriously, someone is bored with the summer circuit. It'll change again, don't worry.

Dresden Files - tried a few...dind't take to it. Never took to Stargate either. Hated Buffy after 20 minutes of the 1st episode.....This "Painkiller Jane" I havent seen, but if its a sexy woman shooting people gratuitously I may find a place in my aging heart for it.....

Man, why do Sci-Fi always get rid of the best shows and keep the crap?

It a problem with the state of "science fiction" in general. Every bookstore I've ever been to lacks a "science fiction" section. Instead, they have a "Science fiction & Fantasy" section. People can't tell the difference, and that is the problem.

I for one blame George Lucas. Same tired lone hero blasts endless hordes of bad guys and saves the townsfolk by a hair at the end cliche....in space! The "force" would be the "& fantasy" crap attached to the end.

....

huzzah.

Unfortunately, the crap sells. And Sci-Fi is just another business.

Just imagine that the station has been taken over by aliens, and everything will seem all right again.

Are they keeping Stargate? I can never seem to catch it for some reason. Maybe it's not even on anymore.

the SGC been over run and the aliens are starting there invasion by killing good sci-fi shows ARGHH!!:eek:


how nerd am I:(

It a problem with the state of "science fiction" in general. Every bookstore I've ever been to lacks a "science fiction" section. Instead, they have a "Science fiction & Fantasy" section. People can't tell the difference, and that is the problem.

QFT.

In a Sci-Fi section, I do not want fantasy dirt among the Sci-Fi. They should take the place to add some good local writers. Hammerschmidt's Polyplay for example. I only found that gem by chance in a weird bookstore where I only went into to flee from the rain.

I for one blame George Lucas. Same tired lone hero blasts endless hordes of bad guys and saves the townsfolk by a hair at the end cliche....in space! The "force" would be the "& fantasy" crap attached to the end.

Yeah, George Lucas really ruined sci-fi. But then - Star Trek also had the horriböe 5th movie :(

the SGC been over run and the aliens are starting there invasion by killing good sci-fi shows ARGHH!!:eek:


how nerd am I:( Not nerd enough! :) You need to learn!

Hated Buffy after 20 minutes of the 1st episode......

shame you didn't stick with it for longer.

Star Trek is boring, especially after having seen every episode 5 times. I can name at least 3 channels it airs on regularly. Painkiller Jane is actually decent and is progressing nicely. Dresden Files looked like some wanna-be X-Files without the underlying storyline.

Their made for Sci-Fi movies are lacking though.

Are they keeping Stargate? I can never seem to catch it for some reason. Maybe it's not even on anymore.

No. Stargate was cancelled.

SG1 was canceled, but they are going to make a half dozen straight to DVD movies :rolleyes:

Atlantis is still going.

SG1 was canceled, but they are going to make a half dozen straight to DVD movies :rolleyes:

Atlantis is still going.

They didn't "cancel" it, per se. It was on its, what, 10th season? Richard Dean Anderson had already left and they had all wanted to call it quits two seasons back. And these last two seasons have SUCKED.

Well they can only make what they have the money for, and their doesn't seem to be a vast amount of money in it. I mean "Galactica" gets rave reviews in the poxy mainstream and they still don't get enough viewers to get more than 4 seasons out of it.

I suspect that this is all a plot to develop a new Mystery Science Theatre 3000 series based on television shows. But in order to do that, they have to create a whole new batch of shows that suck. Unfortunately, they keep making shows that are cool(Lexx, Battlestar Galactica, etc.) so they have to kill and/or cancel them and keep trying until they find the right cheesy mixture they're looking for.

The other programming is just velveeta. *nod*

Well they can only make what they have the money for, and their doesn't seem to be a vast amount of money in it. I mean "Galactica" gets rave reviews in the poxy mainstream and they still don't get enough viewers to get more than 4 seasons out of it.
Well they could only do so much with Galactica since they were hurrying through the show's storyline.

I stopped caring when they stopped MST3K reruns.

I know not everyone has access to the Sci Fi channel, but for those that do -wtf is going on? They're keeping Painkiller Jane and dropping the Dresden Files. They're trying to get wrestling - which we all know is fiction, but science fiction? They keep playing all of the worst made for TV Sci Fi movies ever made but, except for reruns of Enterprise, aren't touching Star Trek. And then there are all the reruns of Twilight Zone - reruning it a few times is great, but I think I've seen every episode 10 times, including when they were new (yes, I'm that old). Then there are the reruns of Unit 2 and Jake 2.0 - they weren't good the first time around. I know I'm not watching any more, I don't see the point.

Does anyone understand what's going on?

I want them to put on Torchwood!!!

Honestly I figured the Stargate franchise was the only thing keeping the station afloat. They ought give Joss Whedon free reign to make his own sci-fi show.

I want them to put on Torchwood!!!
Meh. Dr Who barely gets more than a 'meh.'

In a Sci-Fi section, I do not want fantasy dirt among the Sci-Fi.

Question: where do you file the crossover?

I want them to put on Torchwood!!!

Torchwood is ok, but whether an American audience would take it to it I don't know. Same with Dr Who, (which for so me odd reason I quite like).

I want them to put on Torchwood!!!

Having just finished watching the (aired on TV wooo!) 6th episode of Torchwood I can say this. Torchwood is one of the few shows I'm actually watching at the moment and it's better than a lot of stuff on TV, but it's still not that great.

Torchwood is ok, but whether an American audience would take it to it I don't know. Same with Dr Who, (which for so me odd reason I quite like).
Dr Who is pretty good but its kinda "ehh, what next." It lacks a certain appealing factor that I can't quite place.

Honestly I figured the Stargate franchise was the only thing keeping the station afloat. They ought give Joss Whedon free reign to make his own sci-fi show.

I know fox did that, and canceled his show after 2/3's of a season. Knowing sci-fi channel would you want another Firefly incident?

Question: where do you file the crossover?

Wood-chipper.

I know fox did that, and canceled his show after 2/3's of a season. Knowing sci-fi channel would you want another Firefly incident?

Fox cancels everything good, Sci-Fi occasionally lets things run way too long. It's not like they have anything else on there worth watching. Stargate re-runs are probably their biggest ratings draw.

Sci-fi netwwork is pretty crappy overall with a few gems like BSG, SG1 and SG:Atlantis.

Problem is that SG1 is over, BSG is on its way out and SG Atlantis is a pale comparison to either of those shows.

Is it just me or is the Sci-Fi network responsible for a bunch of the worst movies being made? When they were black&white B monster movies in the 50's it was OK because everything sucked in the 50s. Sci-fi's latest spat of monster movies are much worse than those released in the 50s. They are simply regurgitated mediocrity in color with washed up cokehead child actors and the B movie remakes becomes an E, F or G movies.

I can't imagine anything worse than Painkiller Jane. WTF is THAT anyway? I HATE the premise of a goverenment agency to track down and "chip" neuros. To a hard-core X-men fan like me, I'm rooting for the mutants to put a bullet in the brains or the goverenment hit team and live their merry lives. This show is a big, stinky lunker floating in the toilet juat waiting for the network to flush.

The Sci-Fi network is like all the rest of the networks. They don't give two rips about the quality of their work as long as it gets ratings. This might explain WTF wrestling is doing on the Sci-fi network but the mullet wearing trailer trash wrestling fans are going to change the channel.

ANd so are the REAL sci-fi fans.

Dresden Files - tried a few...dind't take to it. Never took to Stargate either. Hated Buffy after 20 minutes of the 1st episode.....This "Painkiller Jane" I havent seen, but if its a sexy woman shooting people gratuitously I may find a place in my aging heart for it.....

They did Battlestar Galactica quite well...

There is really a lack of incoming Sci-Fi as SG1 and Galactica go out. Of course they will rerun SG-1 until they get some new series. I don't think they will rerun Galactica because they havn't been except in the lead up to the next season.

Painkiller Jane is looking more promising and Dr Who just started its next season while Atlantis is still going, but there is still a lack. Eureka has potential too.

USA has the rights to some of the better series on right now, though not really Sci-Fi with The Dead Zone, House, and Monk. The 4400 is science fiction I think.
Sci-Fi gets the rights to air Heroes at the end of the week, but I was never drawn to the show enough to watch it.

Sci-Fi had a number of series in the past that it dropped because they slowed down too much, which is too bad. They should take up showing anime movies again instead of wasting money on making crappy sub-B movies specifically for the Sci-Fi Channel.



EDIT: Everyone keeps focusing on the premise of Painkiller Jane instead of the underlying story - which is focusing on Jane. It is like watching The X-Files and hating it for just being a creature of the week while ignoring the underlying story that drives Fox Moulder and the tension between him and Skully, and the search for Moulder later in the series. Painkiller Jane is working on balancing the hunting down the neuro of the week with the possibility that Jane's powers may be neuro related and the powers may be affecting here in some weird way. It has potential or it could fizzle.

Regarding the low-grade saturday movies, and the wrestling, there is a good reason. The Sci-Fi channel is, in a word, poor. I know several people who tune into the wrestling and have never even SEEN the rest of the channel. It's a critical cash cow for a cash-low station. the low buget movies and the old reruns are largly due the fact thats all SCI-Fi can afford. I imagine the Stargate SG-1 is a huge financial blow to the station. It a good Stargate Atlantis is still running.

Stargate: Atlantis is nowhere near what SG1 was when it started, and it gets worse every season as opposed to decently reinventing itself like SG1 managed to do.

I is a shame that so many of the Sci-Fi channels best serise are ending. Anyone remember Farscape? shame that one ended.

I is a shame that so many of the Sci-Fi channels best serise are ending. Anyone remember Farscape? shame that one ended.

It had run its course. At least they made the two part mini-series movie that really ended it. It was a tad heavy-handed but it was pretty good.

Stargate: Atlantis is nowhere near what SG1 was when it started, and it gets worse every season as opposed to decently reinventing itself like SG1 managed to do.

Atlantis sucks, unethical bastards. Sure killing wraith is all fun and games, but turn a wraith human and suddenly his life has meaning. What a load of shit.


Carter is going to take over for Weir next season, hopefully it'll get better.

Carter is going to take over for Weir next season, hopefully it'll get better.
Which doesn't even make sense because (1) Carter has never had a leadership role, ever and (2) Atlantis decided to go the "Lost in Space" angle and have no way of contacting earth or being found by them.

Question: where do you file the crossover?
To fantasy. Magic spoils any Sci-fi plot!

Which doesn't even make sense because (1) Carter has never had a leadership role, ever and (2) Atlantis decided to go the "Lost in Space" angle and have no way of contacting earth or being found by them.

The Daedelus can make the trip from Earth to Atlantis in around 2 weeks and I believe once they got ahold of a Zed-PM the could dial Earth.

I may be wrong about the Zed-PM, but I know I'm not about the Daedelus.

As for the Sci-Fi Channel, I haven't watched it for over a year now (I can't, no cable). But I have fond memories of Saturday Morning Anime preceded by MST3K and them resurrecting old shows that never really got a chance when they first came out (Brimstone springs to mind). Then things started going downhill around the end of the Farscape days.

To fantasy. Magic spoils any Sci-fi plot!

Need I get all Arthur C Clarke on your ass?*


* and by that I don't just mean acting like a homosexual octogenarian.

The Daedelus can make the trip from Earth to Atlantis in around 2 weeks and I believe once they got ahold of a Zed-PM the could dial Earth.
They launched themselves into space and got lost. They couldn't dial out and no one knows where they are.

They launched themselves into space and got lost. They couldn't dial out and no one knows where they are.

Wait, are you in Britain? I can't remember.

If yes, then there's a good chance you're a season or two behind. Things change.

That's the end of series 3 of Atlantis, which is as far as it's got in the USA as well. In the past few years shows like that have been at the same series in both the USA and the UK. The first half of the most series are shown in the USA 6 months before being shown in the UK 'cos of the gap the USA has in the middle of every series (for sports IIRC) - but the second half of the series run at the same time in both countries (so the UK watches the whole series week by week, instead of half and half).
American airing dates: http://www.tv.com/stargate-atlantis/show/11415/episode_listings.html?season=3&tag=season_dropdown;dropdown;2
Check the difference in dates between eps 50 and 51...

That's the end of series 3 of Atlantis, which is as far as it's got in the USA as well. In the past few years shows like that have been at the same series in both the USA and the UK. The first half of the most series are shown in the USA 6 months before being shown in the UK 'cos of the gap the USA has in the middle of every series (for sports IIRC) - but the second half of the series run at the same time in both countries (so the UK watches the whole series week by week, instead of half and half).
American airing dates: http://www.tv.com/stargate-atlantis/show/11415/episode_listings.html?season=3&tag=season_dropdown;dropdown;2
Check the difference in dates between eps 50 and 51...

Yeah, I know. I remember someone on another board saying pretty much the same thing. I was just showing that the whole "Lost in Space" angle doesn't stick around.

The line for me between sci-fi and fantasy is in execution. Sci-fi tend to offer a pseudo-scientific (And I say that without juming on a couch;)) explantion for it's inplausible plot and characters. fantasy, Uh, string up a line of cryptic language to arouse;) your wand. I like the term scientific romance (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_romance) the best.

Oh and on the subject on the Sci-Fi channel, if they cut down their insufferably long commercial breaks, maybe I'd watch more.

I quit watching Sci-Fi a few weeks ago.....due to the OP's complaints, well, I had the same ones, but whatever.

Also, I am about to give up on TNT, not only do they run the first of the new show over the credits of the old one, but they have these annoying little ads in the lower corner that mess up my captioning and are loud, and also sometimes they even stop my movie for an ad.....WTF......can't they just do commercial breaks, why do they have to stop my movie and put an ad over it?!

Which doesn't even make sense because (1) Carter has never had a leadership role, ever and (2) Atlantis decided to go the "Lost in Space" angle and have no way of contacting earth or being found by them.

Yeah well Unending didn't make any sense either, so go figure.

I think Carter is just swapping over to try and save the series. Right now it's not worth watching.

I quit watching Sci-Fi a few weeks ago.....due to the OP's complaints, well, I had the same ones, but whatever.

Also, I am about to give up on TNT, not only do they run the first of the new show over the credits of the old one, but they have these annoying little ads in the lower corner that mess up my captioning and are loud, and also sometimes they even stop my movie for an ad.....WTF......can't they just do commercial breaks, why do they have to stop my movie and put an ad over it?!

Not to mention the fact that they'll play the same movie all day long and all night long, over and over again.

Wait, are you in Britain? I can't remember.

If yes, then there's a good chance you're a season or two behind. Things change.
I'm in the US and I havn't seen any development from that. Just reruns.

Need I get all Arthur C Clarke on your ass?*

But there's a difference between "looks like magic" in which there's a solid, coherent, fitting within that particular universe explanation, and "is magic" where the story is resolved by just something that happened out of nowhere without any explanation.

That was the problem with Star Trek: TNG at the end and Voyager: "Oh, no problem, we'll just travel back in time and fix whatever it is," or "we'll just pull the 'fix thing' lever and everything will be ok". And, in a different way, with Seaquest DSV, which started like very solid geopolitical science fiction and ended up fighting Olympian gods.


* and by that I don't just mean acting like a homosexual octogenarian.

Paedophilic homosexual octogenarian. At least it's not like he trades porn over the internet... that we know of.

But he was an avid Amiga user, so that makes up for it.

I'm in the US and I havn't seen any development from that. Just reruns.

*shrugs* Must be watching different networks or something. Trust me, they regain contact with Earth. I don't know which season.

The Wraith lay siege to Atlantis, during the seige, a ship from Earth (the Daedelus) arrives to help. Thanks to drive tech from the Asgaards, the ship can make the trip from Atlantis to Earth in about 2 weeks.

*shrugs* Must be watching different networks or something. Trust me, they regain contact with Earth. I don't know which season.

The Wraith lay siege to Atlantis, during the seige, a ship from Earth (the Daedelus) arrives to help. Thanks to drive tech from the Asgaards, the ship can make the trip from Atlantis to Earth in about 2 weeks.

Last season's finale had Atlantis fire up the star drive to escape the Asurans, but the drive gave out somewhere in the middle of nowhere as the ZPM ran out of juice. They're literally lost in space with no way of knowing where they are and no way of anyone finding them.

*shrugs* Must be watching different networks or something. Trust me, they regain contact with Earth. I don't know which season.

That's the end of series 2, they don't even think about resorting to launching into space with the Wraith (just against the new bad-guys).

The link I gave earlier has the episode synopsis for the series 3 finale.

EDIT: beaten to it

Quote:
Question: where do you file the crossover?

To fantasy. Magic spoils any Sci-fi plot!
[end Quote]

What about a show involving the technological manipulation of magical energy?

What about a show involving the technological manipulation of magical energy?
Something like that always involves the Nazis. Always.

So, everybody here is fine with the overly long commercial breaks?
Have I been put on a group ignore list or what?

Last season's finale had Atlantis fire up the star drive to escape the Asurans, but the drive gave out somewhere in the middle of nowhere as the ZPM ran out of juice. They're literally lost in space with no way of knowing where they are and no way of anyone finding them.

That's the end of series 2, they don't even think about resorting to launching into space with the Wraith (just against the new bad-guys).

The link I gave earlier has the episode synopsis for the series 3 finale.

EDIT: beaten to it

Yup, I see it now. My bad.

It a problem with the state of "science fiction" in general. Every bookstore I've ever been to lacks a "science fiction" section. Instead, they have a "Science fiction & Fantasy" section. People can't tell the difference, and that is the problem.

I for one blame George Lucas. Same tired lone hero blasts endless hordes of bad guys and saves the townsfolk by a hair at the end cliche....in space! The "force" would be the "& fantasy" crap attached to the end.

....

huzzah.

Unfortunately, the crap sells. And Sci-Fi is just another business.

I like both fantasy and Sci-Fi, but when I go to a bookstore, I want them separate. Marian Zimmer Bradley's Darkover series, for example, is fantasy in spite of the starships. I want my hard-core, heavy-metal sci-fi in one place and the soft fantasy in another.

Lucas wasn't setting any precedents, however. In the '50s they had a magazine called Fantasy & Science Fiction - that's where the confusion started.

Fear not my child; for all will be good and well when Season 4 of Battlestar Galactica opens.

If they pull THAT then I say we nuke the bastards...

Is it just me or is the Sci-Fi network responsible for a bunch of the worst movies being made? When they were black&white B monster movies in the 50's it was OK because everything sucked in the 50s. Sci-fi's latest spat of monster movies are much worse than those released in the 50s. They are simply regurgitated mediocrity in color with washed up cokehead child actors and the B movie remakes becomes an E, F or G movies.


i do not understand why they have to make the worst movies out of the worst scripts. is there such a lack of good writers that they have to take whatever piece of shit is available?

if so, maybe they should quit trying to make "quality" films and toss money at talented amateurs who might have an original idea that would be amusing even if its not perfectly executed.

Fear not my child; for all will be good and well when Season 4 of Battlestar Galactica opens.

If they pull THAT then I say we nuke the bastards...
This next season is the last season of Galactica, genius.

Sci-Fi is owned by Vivindi/Universal, who also owns NBC. (all owned by GE still, I think. It's been a while since I checked who owned who) NBC has hate ratings and money issues in the last year and won't spend as much right now on development, and I imagine that that also falls off on its lesser cousins.

(incidentally, that's why they cross run Heroes)

The 'originals' they play are often straight to video library pieces that they bought rights to (Shark Attack III...), and being a clearing house for available Sci Fi shows and movies is pretty much the best that channel can hope for to fill its schedule. Sci Fi is expensive and if we're being honest with ourselves, hard to do well.

I had this discussion with a friend where I told him I believed that I only thought I liked sci fi, because often I didn't. He assured me that, no, I like sci fi, it's just that a whole lot of it sucks.

Thats going to happen on a full channel of it.

I don't mind the fantasy parts, but the horror is meh to me.

I like the Twilight Zone, they should run more. They only do two episodes at 1am Monday through Thursday and occasionally kill their weekday schedule by running it 11-4 one day.

I joke with my friend that I should just go to sci fi and ask for a bucket of money to make a movie for them. When they start to ask questions I'll just go, "Shh sh sh. Lets not pretend you care."

i do not understand why they have to make the worst movies out of the worst scripts. is there such a lack of good writers that they have to take whatever piece of shit is available?

if so, maybe they should quit trying to make "quality" films and toss money at talented amateurs who might have an original idea that would be amusing even if its not perfectly executed.

Look what they do in Hollywood - take a kids comic, put it through a processor until its bland as fucking baby food, stick a known star in it to guarantee some asses on seats for at least the first two weekends and hope to make the money back on the merchandising. They don't toss money without having control.

Thats why I watch a large amount of European, japanese, korean and chinese movies. Far better chance of coming across a classic or two that hasn't had its balls removed.

(That doesn' include anime...can't stand the animation in anime)

I know not everyone has access to the Sci Fi channel, but for those that do -wtf is going on? They're keeping Painkiller Jane and dropping the Dresden Files. They're trying to get wrestling - which we all know is fiction, but science fiction? They keep playing all of the worst made for TV Sci Fi movies ever made but, except for reruns of Enterprise, aren't touching Star Trek. And then there are all the reruns of Twilight Zone - reruning it a few times is great, but I think I've seen every episode 10 times, including when they were new (yes, I'm that old). Then there are the reruns of Unit 2 and Jake 2.0 - they weren't good the first time around. I know I'm not watching any more, I don't see the point.

Does anyone understand what's going on?

They do seem a bit schizophrenic at times, more so than other channels, but as long as they're showing Dr. Who and Battlestar Galactica, I'm cool with them.

The channel that constantly has me scratching my head these days is the History Channel. When did they turn into a "proving the accuracy of the Bible with half-assed theories" channel?

That the shite with James Cameron name attached and some chancer on about exodus?

They do seem a bit schizophrenic at times, more so than other channels, but as long as they're showing Dr. Who and Battlestar Galactica, I'm cool with them.

The channel that constantly has me scratching my head these days is the History Channel. When did they turn into a "proving the accuracy of the Bible with half-assed theories" channel?

Maybe they finally decided "The Hitler Channel" wasn't a very flattering title?

I guess I'm lucky, I can get my Dr. Who from the local PBS affiliate.

I want them to put on Torchwood!!!

I cannot see SciFi channel showing Torchwood without some serious editing. Since it is considered basic access, it has to be very careful about what it shows lest they get in trouble - cable may not be FCC regulated, but that can change and the networks owning it will cave to the slightest hint that something will be used as an excuse for government intervention.

The nudity and sexuality of Torchwood might cause some problems.
Of course, that controversy could be just what they need to boost ratings...

How sad is it that Torchwood might be unacceptable for television in the US?

I know not everyone has access to the Sci Fi channel, but for those that do -wtf is going on? They're keeping Painkiller Jane and dropping the Dresden Files. They're trying to get wrestling - which we all know is fiction, but science fiction? They keep playing all of the worst made for TV Sci Fi movies ever made but, except for reruns of Enterprise, aren't touching Star Trek. And then there are all the reruns of Twilight Zone - reruning it a few times is great, but I think I've seen every episode 10 times, including when they were new (yes, I'm that old). Then there are the reruns of Unit 2 and Jake 2.0 - they weren't good the first time around. I know I'm not watching any more, I don't see the point.

Does anyone understand what's going on?

No, but get two friends and pretend you're in Mystery Science Theater 3000.

They do seem a bit schizophrenic at times, more so than other channels, but as long as they're showing Dr. Who and Battlestar Galactica, I'm cool with them.

The channel that constantly has me scratching my head these days is the History Channel. When did they turn into a "proving the accuracy of the Bible with half-assed theories" channel?

If you're talking about the Naked Archaeologist - I concur. Don't you just love a person who pretends to credentials he doesn't have, dismissing the facts that prove he's wrong in favor of wild-haired conjectures?

I dropped them the minute they weaseled out of Farscape.

BSG redeemed them a bit in my eyes.

And the B and C-movie quality of their "original movies" is deplorable.

No, but get two friends and pretend you're in Mystery Science Theater 3000.

Not as easy as it looks. MST3K was a scripted show. Improvising on the spot is tough. FUN, though!

Not as easy as it looks. MST3K was a scripted show. Improvising on the spot is tough. FUN, though!

Yeah, I know. But not every riff was a good one. You should see the MSTings (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MSTing) they have on the net, though.

They're dropping the Dresden Files?! But I love that series, I also love the books! Man, why do Sci-Fi always get rid of the best shows and keep the crap?

Good shows of any kind, and good Sci-Fi in particular, costs money. Although with CGI getting more and more common, I don't know why effects are as expensive as they used to be anymore. *scratches head*

I suspect that this is all a plot to develop a new Mystery Science Theatre 3000 series based on television shows. But in order to do that, they have to create a whole new batch of shows that suck. Unfortunately, they keep making shows that are cool(Lexx, Battlestar Galactica, etc.) so they have to kill and/or cancel them and keep trying until they find the right cheesy mixture they're looking for.

The other programming is just velveeta. *nod*

Sorry, pal, but Lexx really sucked.

I would love for Joel Hodgson to come back and mock the hell out of Sci-Fi Channel's last ten years. *tear of nostalgia for Crow and Tom Servo*

Honestly I figured the Stargate franchise was the only thing keeping the station afloat. They ought give Joss Whedon free reign to make his own sci-fi show.

Joss Whedon had his own sci-fi show (Firefly). I have no idea why it only lasted 1 season though, I liked it alot. I also enjoyed the movie (Serenity) based on the series.

Yeah, I had the same thought, myself; what is with all those B movies?

Joss Whedon had his own sci-fi show (Firefly). I have no idea why it only lasted 1 season though, I liked it alot. I also enjoyed the movie (Serenity) based on the series.

Ask Fox. Firefly was not created for the Sci Fi Channel.

Joss Whedon had his own sci-fi show (Firefly). I have no idea why it only lasted 1 season though, I liked it alot. I also enjoyed the movie (Serenity) based on the series.

Fox ran the episodes out of order, repeatedly fucked with the time slot/pre-empted the show.

Fox ran the episodes out of order, repeatedly fucked with the time slot/pre-empted the show.

That's how Fox killed all of its dozen and a half shows it created in the 90s.
It regularly moved their time slots so no one actually knew when they aired, and then stuck them after sporting events which almost always overran their time slot by hours. And just generally fucked up everything. That '70s Show and King of the Hill somehow made it through alive.

The channel that constantly has me scratching my head these days is the History Channel. When did they turn into a "proving the accuracy of the Bible with half-assed theories" channel?

what is most amusing is the ones where they spend the whole show pretending like the bible is a useful source for the real existence of any of the shit they've been rambling on about, but in the last 10 minutes they have the slight nudge back towards grounding in reality. like the noah's ark one, where they finally get around to saying at the end "oh yeah, it looks like this story was pretty much lifted from a much older story, and that story describe a much different flood" like literally 5 minutes before the end of the show.

also good is that dude on the naked archaeologist, who just doesn't listen to what people who actually know what they are talking about say to him, and then he uses his limited grasp of pretty much everything (including the bible) to make some nonsensical jumbled mush that he claims is the truth behind the biblical stories. the shit he says isn't even internally consistent most of the time.

Yeah, I had the same thought, myself; what is with all those B movies?

without them, how could you have bad sci-fi saturdays?

Now that I think about it, no one has brought up the "directed reality" format shows that Sci Fi is picking up on that has worked well for Discovery (Survivor Man, Dirty Jobs, Man vs Wild). Ghost Hunters is a couple years old I think and has its moments, but the new show Destination Truth is good. It's the standard hunt for paranormal shit that they have kept trying, but the host is actually pretty entertaining, kind of like Mike Rowe, instead of the semi-serious, spooky overtone crap.

Now that I think about it, no one has brought up the "directed reality" format shows that Sci Fi is picking up on that has worked well for Discovery (Survivor Man, Dirty Jobs, Man vs Wild). Ghost Hunters is a couple years old I think and has its moments, but the new show Destination Truth. It's the standard hunt for paranormal shit that they have kept trying, but the host is actually pretty entertaining, kind of like Mike Rowe.

The only thing that kept me coming back to Ghost Hunters was that occasionally they really did find something truly wierd. Other than that, it's pretty bland.

Destination Truth I have not seen.

Destination Truth I have not seen.
You really should. The guy is humorous like Mike Rowe, except it is probably more impromptu. He flies around the world looking for mythical creatures and local legends, usually in the middle of bumfuck nowhere where he complains about getting in and out. Then he gets addled by the locals through a translator. They have yet to get a glimpse of anything straight - it's your standard "aw man, it was blurry/out of focus: or "we just missed it." But they have come out with a couple weird things: while doing a ghost hunt in a graveyard, they put a recorded in a sealed vault and listened outside. They started to hear scratching noises on their computer which they listened to while recording, and opened the vault to check it out, saw nothing. Later they heard weird stuff on the tape which sounded like gibberish and ran it through a scientist or translator or something and it was (supposedly) saying "get out" in the native language. But the host commentary is worth it as much as the amateur myth hunt.

One episode where they were camping looking for some water creature:
Huge storm comes up, lightning, torrential downpour, the works. They have one tent like 5 feet from the water.
Host: "Hey, is that a tornado? It looks like it is coming this way. In the tent, everybody in the tent."
Me: "Wtf?"

what is most amusing is the ones where they spend the whole show pretending like the bible is a useful source for the real existence of any of the shit they've been rambling on about, but in the last 10 minutes they have the slight nudge back towards grounding in reality. like the noah's ark one, where they finally get around to saying at the end "oh yeah, it looks like this story was pretty much lifted from a much older story, and that story describe a much different flood" like literally 5 minutes before the end of the show.

also good is that dude on the naked archaeologist, who just doesn't listen to what people who actually know what they are talking about say to him, and then he uses his limited grasp of pretty much everything (including the bible) to make some nonsensical jumbled mush that he claims is the truth behind the biblical stories. the shit he says isn't even internally consistent most of the time.

Thats the eejit that did the Exodus thing, and one about Jesus tomb. Utter shite. The exodus one was so bad it got me angry. He should be on UK Living after the 'psychics'.

Thats the eejit that did the Exodus thing, and one about Jesus tomb. Utter shite. The exodus one was so bad it got me angry. He should be on UK Living after the 'psychics'.

i would really like it if any of the allegedly educational channels would take up submitting their programs to some sort of peer-review process. i understand the need to be entertaining or whatever, but can we at least get basic facts right and not hold up wild-ass lies and speculation as solidly grounded?

That's how Fox killed all of its dozen and a half shows it created in the 90s.
It regularly moved their time slots so no one actually knew when they aired, and then stuck them after sporting events which almost always overran their time slot by hours. And just generally fucked up everything. That '70s Show and King of the Hill somehow made it through alive.

Why in the world would fox intentionally kill all of its good shows? That makes NO sense to me.:confused:

Ask Fox. Firefly was not created for the Sci Fi Channel.It'd have been nice if Sci-Fi had picked it up. Much better than the crappy Enterprise (was that Fox?) or Sci-Fi showing goddamned wrestling.

It'd have been nice if Sci-Fi had picked it up. Much better than the crappy Enterprise (was that Fox?) or Sci-Fi showing goddamned wrestling.

Sci Fi gets the rights to Fox shows occasionally, but not for very long. They had Dark Angel and John Doe recently, but not for long. I don't know if Fox would even lease out Firefly.

It would have been nice for them to have picked up Firefly as the series ended and continued it. Now I think it's too late.

Sci Fi does this every few years. Remember Farscape good show, better than Stargate. But Stargate has many things in common with wrestling, bad script, BAD script, stupid special effects, people who can't act, cheap to make.. very cheap, good shows cost money. Finally the show is easy to understand for all the special people who enjoy it. Same thing with Firefly not really my cup of tea but still a much better show than Stargate... even Lexx as crazy as it was.. still much better than Stargate. Then as soon as they get rid of all the good shows and only have Stargate Atlantis just like they did with Stargate SG1 they will probably start making more cheap movies again.. like remember all those boa vs Anaconda movies they made or the endless bad zombie movies.

The Dresden Files is shit, it couldn't have been dropped any later. As for the rest of it, I think they want wrestling because it's got a huge viewership and it will attract more advertising. Have you noticed how there's no variety in the commercials, it's just the same 3 or 4 over and over? Anyway, I thought ECW was already on Sci-Fi?

I don't watch the Sci-Fi channel regularly, only when something specific is on that I want to watch. Since Battlestar Galactica shut down for the year, I haven't found a reason to turn it on at all.

I know not everyone has access to the Sci Fi channel, but for those that do -wtf is going on? They're keeping Painkiller Jane and dropping the Dresden Files. They're trying to get wrestling - which we all know is fiction, but science fiction? They keep playing all of the worst made for TV Sci Fi movies ever made but, except for reruns of Enterprise, aren't touching Star Trek. And then there are all the reruns of Twilight Zone - reruning it a few times is great, but I think I've seen every episode 10 times, including when they were new (yes, I'm that old). Then there are the reruns of Unit 2 and Jake 2.0 - they weren't good the first time around. I know I'm not watching any more, I don't see the point.

Does anyone understand what's going on?

It blows my mind, too. They move BSG to Sunday, effectively anhilating it, they Pack on extra Stargate, and now want to do a new Stargate spinoff...

It's like they are doing the exact OPPOSITE of what would seem to be good for the show. Killing its best stuff by either moving it to bad time slots or playing it over and over ad nauseam so your'e so sick of it you can't bear it anymore.

It would have been nice for them to have picked up Firefly as the series ended and continued it. Now I think it's too late.

It is. Joss Whedon has indicated he's all done with Firefly.

I stopped caring when they stopped MST3K reruns. Same here.

I'm not sure why many people here seem to think Atlantis is not worth watching. Because it's not exactly like SG-1? I'm glad it's not. It's different while still set in the same universe, with fun characters. Has it all been great? No, because the writing team has been split between SG-1 and Atlantis the whole of its existence, preventing either one from really getting the attention they deserved. (Hence why SG-1 hasn't been great since the seventh season.)

But with the fourth season, we should see some stuff that's much better, and considering what has been made so far has been great overall, I'm excited.

Also, for those Farscape fans, there's going to be a ten part Web series of Farscape being made.

Also, for those Farscape fans, there's going to be a ten part Web series of Farscape being made.

Where? I really want to know.

Also, for those Farscape fans, there's going to be a ten part Web series of Farscape being made.
That seems odd because the two part mini-series movie had a definitive ending for the series. Though I guess they could pursue the idea of John going back to Earth.

Sci Fi needs to get rid of there overbearingly massive amount of commercials before I'll ever watch it again.

Most of their "original" movies and shows are flat out awful. They are bad storylines, weak acting, horrible directing, cheesy special effects, etc. The best things they have though are Stargate SG-1 and the Painkiller Jane movie wasn't bad but the show is. They might just be out of stuff to show.

Flash Gordon series is coming out.

I know not everyone has access to the Sci Fi channel, but for those that do -wtf is going on? They're keeping Painkiller Jane and dropping the Dresden Files. They're trying to get wrestling - which we all know is fiction, but science fiction? They keep playing all of the worst made for TV Sci Fi movies ever made but, except for reruns of Enterprise, aren't touching Star Trek. And then there are all the reruns of Twilight Zone - reruning it a few times is great, but I think I've seen every episode 10 times, including when they were new (yes, I'm that old). Then there are the reruns of Unit 2 and Jake 2.0 - they weren't good the first time around. I know I'm not watching any more, I don't see the point.

Does anyone understand what's going on?

Most of their "original" movies and shows are flat out awful. They are bad storylines, weak acting, horrible directing, cheesy special effects, etc. The best things they have though are Stargate SG-1 and the Painkiller Jane movie wasn't bad but the show is. They might just be out of stuff to show.

OH why,must they take away stargate?And instead of sci-fi history they give us a group of idiots wearing faggot like costumes and doing faggot like stunts to be a 'superhero'

It would have been nice for them to have picked up Firefly as the series ended and continued it. Now I think it's too late.

Boy, howdy.

:(

Shark Attack 3, Leeches, and Frankenfish are what's up with Sci-fi channel!

Does anyone understand what's going on?

I imagine NBC is trying to stir things up so Sci Fi can appeal to more viewers, and thus generate more ad revenue. You can always write to them and let them know what you want to see.

Sci-Fi can't really show Star Trek other than Enterprise. Spike TV (owned by Paramount) has the rights to DS9, TNG, and VOY.

Sci-fi Channel stopped being entertaining after 2002. The last thing I thought they did well was Battle Star Galactica, which was a sick show, but otherwise everything blew hard.

I stopped watching Sci-Fi channel after they discontinued SG-1. I only watch it for the new episodes of Atlantis.

If they cancel Atlantis, I block Sci-fi channel from the cable box. :D

Flash Gordon series is coming out.

I don't know whether to be intrigued or disturbed by that. Any word on whether it's going to be good or not?

I don't know whether to be intrigued or disturbed by that. Any word on whether it's going to be good or not?
Something about more Queen videos?

I don't know whether to be intrigued or disturbed by that. Any word on whether it's going to be good or not?
I only catch the tail end of the ads and I bounce back and forth between giddy excitement and deep worry. I have collections of the old Buster Crabbe serials of Flash Gordon...

In all honesty, they can't be more cheesy, but if it's consciously cheesy, like with the nod and wink kind, that can get really really irratating.

We'll see. Cause I'm totally going to watch.