‘SyFy’ Causes Verbose Outrage from Sci-Fi Geek with WordPress Account

by Sean "TheOrange" Corse, filed in TV on Mar.20, 2009

'Grammatically-incorrect Slogan!'

Say what you will about companies like Nintendo beginning to distance themselves from their core audience — on Monday the Sci Fi Channel made its final split from the demographic that built their ever-increasingly-expensive glass house. Maybe this stone will finally, deservedly, bring it down.

This article in TVWeek (linked via Penny Arcade) sums up the situation very well, but to sum it up even more: Science Fiction can only ever appeal to unwashed introverted lonely men, and the President of the Sci Fi Channel fervently believes that association will forever keep the network from reaching its full potential.

I don’t think the executives at the Sci Fi Channel have ever understood the wares that they — by the very name of their network — claim to peddle. If they did, they wouldn’t (under)fund the famously poor-quality Original Productions that have become synonymous with their name. They wouldn’t air wrestling. They wouldn’t make claims that shows like Caprica or Warehouse 13 would be “more accessible” to audiences because it didn’t have anything to do with spaceships, aliens, or anything else “unreal”. They wouldn’t lament that the one big regret about the run of Battlestar Galactica is that it didn’t include a puppy as a recurring character.

It’s not just that they don’t understand science fiction — they publicly despise it. In their latest release, we discover that they also despise the (horrifically stereotyped) type of person who actually enjoys their programming. Instead of feeling constricted by the stereotypes, why not fund, create, and promote the shows that break them? If someone is having a hard time getting into a program because of the inevitable superficial oddities, why not do a little marketing and figure out what hook to proffer to bring these (apparently lacking) demographics into the fold instead of changing the shows — or canceling them to create new ones — to cater to these supposedly alien tastes?

It’s really very simple. These executives aren’t the kind of people who grew up with these shows, movies, books, comics, and assorted knicknacks, dreaming for the day when they can bring their passion to the masses. These are people within Universal who saw a way to make a buck and seized on it. That they actually ever produced anything that anyone likes is purely incidental to their intent, and the sole responsibility of fantastic show runners and production companies who sought to better a network that — time and time again — has failed to side with them when their back was to the wall.

So what spurred this latest change? Revenue is up — amazing during a recession. So is viewership; Sci Fi is now the #13 network, according to the aforementioned TVWeek article. Battlestar Galactica is about to air its final episode tonight, which is sure to be a ratings smash.

Clearly, it’s time for a change. Look how well this publicly-accessible, quasi-sci-fi direction that Dollhouse is taking.

Er, bad example?

With this new move, “SyFy” sheds any last vestige of pretense about what they’re after. I, for one, couldn’t be more thrilled. Now I don’t have to pretend to care any more.

raistlin

I haven’t cared about this “network” for quite some time. Wrestling and pretend reality shows about ghosts are the new backbone of this network. Along with crappy made for tv movies. How farscape, stargates, and battlestar aired on that channel successfully is beyond me.
raistlin

I haven’t cared about this “network” for quite some time. Wrestling and pretend reality shows about ghosts are the new backbone of this network. Along with crappy made for tv movies. How farscape, stargates, and battlestar aired on that channel successfully is beyond me.
http://www.powet.tv/ Rabban

I’m interested in seeing what will be the result of the channel’s new direction. However, in the end I doubt it will affect me very much. With the exception of BSG, I stopped watching this channel’s programming years ago. After tonight, I think I’m done with the Sci Fi channel altogether. Caprica and Stargate Universe might be able to get me back as a viewer, but until they hit the airwaves, sayonara Sci Fi.
http://www.powet.tv Rabban

I’m interested in seeing what will be the result of the channel’s new direction. However, in the end I doubt it will affect me very much. With the exception of BSG, I stopped watching this channel’s programming years ago. After tonight, I think I’m done with the Sci Fi channel altogether. Caprica and Stargate Universe might be able to get me back as a viewer, but until they hit the airwaves, sayonara Sci Fi.
BumblebeeZ3

sad.
Its one thing to seek out a name you can trademark.
Its lame to do it just to try to be “cool.” the latter of which was the message I got from the article.
BumblebeeZ3

sad.
Its one thing to seek out a name you can trademark.
Its lame to do it just to try to be “cool.” the latter of which was the message I got from the article.
http://www.powet.tv/ Crazy

Can you say G4?
http://www.powet.tv Crazy

Can you say G4?
http://www.tfmedia.tk Tigerpaw28

Oddly enough, it’s the wrestling program that got me watching SciFi in the first place. I can’t say I’ve found much else on SciFi that I would watch other than Cha$e and possibly re-runs of Enterprise (caught one that seemed pretty interesting). But at least they have a chance at getting me to stick around after wrestling.
http://www.tfmedia.tk/ Tigerpaw28

Oddly enough, it’s the wrestling program that got me watching SciFi in the first place. I can’t say I’ve found much else on SciFi that I would watch other than Cha$e and possibly re-runs of Enterprise (caught one that seemed pretty interesting). But at least they have a chance at getting me to stick around after wrestling.
http://www.thatsorange.com/ SeanOrange

The difference (and the only one, as far as I can tell) between this situation and G4 is that G4 NEVER had anything I liked — only appropriated an entire channel I already liked, killing all but two shows, and maiming one beyond all recognition.

Sci Fi has managed to create some truly unique content, no thanks to the people holding the purse strings. Well, thanks enough that they let the money go for as long as it satisfied their messed-up priorities.
http://www.thatsorange.com SeanOrange

The difference (and the only one, as far as I can tell) between this situation and G4 is that G4 NEVER had anything I liked — only appropriated an entire channel I already liked, killing all but two shows, and maiming one beyond all recognition.

Sci Fi has managed to create some truly unique content, no thanks to the people holding the purse strings. Well, thanks enough that they let the money go for as long as it satisfied their messed-up priorities.
http://www.powet.tv/ Crazy

This is the same to as how Cartoon Network started airing old episodes of Saved by the Bell.
http://www.powet.tv Crazy

This is the same to as how Cartoon Network started airing old episodes of Saved by the Bell.
http://adamrulz.com/ aDam

If this channel dies, it doesn’t affect me much, because I don’t get it. We actually have a Canadian equivalent “Space” which plays all kinds of sci fi shows and really is into geek culture. That’s what we get most of our shows that play only on sci fi in the US from.
http://adamrulz.com/ aDam

If this channel dies, it doesn’t affect me much, because I don’t get it. We actually have a Canadian equivalent “Space” which plays all kinds of sci fi shows and really is into geek culture. That’s what we get most of our shows that play only on sci fi in the US from.
raistlin

So basically Canada is the big winner here in that they don’t have to bankroll most of these shows. They make money off most of them being made in Vancouver, Canada. Most of the actors are local. Then they just pay a small amount to broadcast it. Net gain Canada.
raistlin

So basically Canada is the big winner here in that they don’t have to bankroll most of these shows. They make money off most of them being made in Vancouver, Canada. Most of the actors are local. Then they just pay a small amount to broadcast it. Net gain Canada.
silencer

Raistlin seems to think we only run US made shows in Canada.
Canada makes shows – but so do other countries. The USA isn’t the only country with an entertainment industry.
That is a pathetic comment.
silencer

Raistlin seems to think we only run US made shows in Canada.
Canada makes shows – but so do other countries. The USA isn’t the only country with an entertainment industry.
That is a pathetic comment.
coldfuzion

Yes! canada one America a billion!
coldfuzion

Yes! canada one America a billion!
http://www.thatsorange.com/ SeanOrange

Only a billion? Hahaha

Oh, right. RECESSION. :O
http://www.thatsorange.com SeanOrange

Only a billion? Hahaha

Oh, right. RECESSION. :O
http://adamrulz.com/ aDam

I believe Space, at least in some cases, will partially fund some of these shows. Regardless, most shows are actually produced by someone else and sold to the network. If the network produces the show itself, they sell Canadian rights, and it’s subsidised that way. Not exactly like they just play the show for free. It’s just smaller audience, so there’s less revenue.

The difference here is that the CRTC (our FCC) is very strict requiring networks with a certain theme to have a certain percentage sticking to that theme. While MTV doesn’t play music videos, our Much Music had to pull Ren and Stimpy when it played it because it wasn’t music related. The downside is they have to play a ton of Can-Con (Canadian content) which is often bad, and that because we get these we don’t get the actual US stations, so since our Canadian equivalents don’t have as much money and as many good shows, there’s a lot of Cartoon Network, Comedy and Sci Fi stuff that falls through the cracks and we either never see it or see it later.
http://adamrulz.com/ aDam

I believe Space, at least in some cases, will partially fund some of these shows. Regardless, most shows are actually produced by someone else and sold to the network. If the network produces the show itself, they sell Canadian rights, and it’s subsidised that way. Not exactly like they just play the show for free. It’s just smaller audience, so there’s less revenue.

The difference here is that the CRTC (our FCC) is very strict requiring networks with a certain theme to have a certain percentage sticking to that theme. While MTV doesn’t play music videos, our Much Music had to pull Ren and Stimpy when it played it because it wasn’t music related. The downside is they have to play a ton of Can-Con (Canadian content) which is often bad, and that because we get these we don’t get the actual US stations, so since our Canadian equivalents don’t have as much money and as many good shows, there’s a lot of Cartoon Network, Comedy and Sci Fi stuff that falls through the cracks and we either never see it or see it later.
Pingback: Powet Alphabet: F is for Farscape - POWET.TV

Featured Video

Staff Picks

Sponsor

Powet’s Finest

Sponsor

Meta

‘SyFy’ Causes Verbose Outrage from Sci-Fi Geek with WordPress Account

Featured Video

Staff Picks

Sponsor

Powet’s Finest

Sponsor

Meta

‘SyFy’ Causes Verbose Outrage from Sci-Fi Geek with WordPress Account

Possibly Related Posts