when is scifi gonna stop assfraking us?
Granted, Chuck. Season four might very well be one of the best things to happen to BSG, and science fiction in general, in a long time.
However, I’d just like to put the numbers in perspective. Season three ended in March. Instead of waiting the standard two or three months for the premiere of the next season, BSG fans have to wait eight months for a couple minutes worth of mini-episodes and a single two-hour episode.
Now, according to yourself and Sci-fi, we’re going to have to wait an extra five months on top of that just for the regular season to begin?
Count it. That’s five to six extra months for any new content whatsoever, and overall, a year and four months for the final season to even big in its own right.
Sci-fi is really pushing it on this one. I’m all for making a good thing last, but this really is pushing it with me as a fan of BSG and a viewer.
I hope this will give them time to fix anything that is wrong, or they decide they don’t like. I really thought season 3 started out very well but quickly turned into the worst season as they decided to s-can the whole sagiteron plot line after they shot most of it!! I felt like it was half assed.
Okay so to not yell I decided ask questions maybe there’s a perfectly good reasons for all this.
Okay so
Question one
Are RM and co. in a pissing contest with sci-fi and if so why do we have to take the splash back.
Question two
If we were to have access to the BSG studio’s security camera’s what would it have shown for the past year I mean were they filming all this time, playing pinnacle, what?
Question three
What’s with the delay I mean, what’s the point of them; they want to extend the life of the show well, pony up and pay RM for another season and if he won’t, it’s called a spin-off or I know try something new, hey it might fail, but in the last season of battlestar test about six different pilots right after battlestar I’m sure one would stick.
Question four
Why do they feel the need to damage my calm?:mad:
For Frak sake!! I know it probably isn’t likely if it’s due to filming problems (strikes etc.) but do you think there’s a chance that the UK (or prehaps Canada) for example might get it first. Or even if everyone is delayed until april there is certainly the possibility that other countries may show it uninterupted. I know SkyOne generally doesn’t like massive break in a the middle of a series, just a small one at Christmas. It certainly would be unheard of (although rare), for example the second half of Stargate SG1 used to always be availble in the UK long before the US
I have to admit I disagree here duck
I was the kid who extended Christmas morning by spreading the present opening throughout the day. The way I see it, once the show is gone, it’s gone. Though I’d love to sit down and indulge in a marathon viewing session, this way i can look forward to seeing fresh episodes as late as 2009 and that seems pretty cool to me. When I’m watching the first episode of season 4.5 in 2009 (assuming it goes that way), I’ll be really happy they aren’t all over yet.
For the podcasters, however, that means a whooooole lot more podcasts to consider without fresh content to chat about. But you’ve done a great job thus far so I’m not worried.
=)
StevieSp!n
I thought that was Seymour Skinner! 
Yeah, it sucks. But you know what? Fans of “The Sopranos” had to do this sort of thing (sometimes for twice as long as we have) all the time. It doesn’t bother me so much to have to wait (mostly because watching TV is not the highest priority on my list these days, where even shows I like are falling by the wayside for various reasons, mostly personal…though “Heroes,” I’m looking at you for the slow story lines making me want to wait till a DVD release), so long as once we get season 4 it’s the thrill ride we’ve been promised. I do hope, though, that this will be it. I think if all of a sudden we get news in, say, February, that season 4 won’t be starting till June or something, I’ll quit. Right now, I’m mostly chocking it up to the looming writers’ strike and the havoc that will bring on the production schedules of a number of shows, including BSG.
What does bother me, however, is the fact that NEW viewership for the show will suffer because of the long hiatus. Unlike “The Sopranos,” BSG is not on a premium channel but on a more widely available boutique network. Why not try to attract more viewers with POSITIVE buzz? Right now Sci-Fi and NBC/Universal are merely alienating not just new viewers but their established fan base. That can’t be good for business. (That can’t be good for anybody.)
The TV critic over at Pajiba.com had a great suggestion for the hiatus and the writers’ strike: NBC has mentioned that, should the strike go on for a matter of months, they will start broadcasting some of their less readily available properties like “Curb Your Enthusiasm” (which they’ll have to edit for content) and the original BBC “The Office” (Which will have to be edited for commercials). The “TV WHORE,” Pajiba’s resident TV critic, made the suggestion of re-airing BSG from the beginning, since that’s a show that does not need to be edited for content nor commercials (though I suppose they’d have to show it at 9 or 10 p.m. because of the portrayal of sexuality, alcohol and tobacco use, for instance) and the network complains about the numbers the show gets. I think that’s an awesome idea and hope NBC listens (but know that they won’t).
Oh well. I’m glad we have each other here at GWC to make it through this famine. HOLD ME!
It’s probably all related to the writer’s strike, Boomer. It’s looking like it will happen, perhaps as early as next week, and that it might take two or three months, at least, to resolve. That means that a number of shows will have to cease production because of union rules and the networks are trying to find ways to continue to provide content in the meantime. BSG still has two episodes to film in its first half, last I heard, and these would not have been finished in time to have content ready for a season start in January.
The original story around the delay was, indeed, that SciFi wanted to extend the life of the show. When they picked up BSG for a fourth season RDM had asked for a two season commitment, bringing the show to an end on season five (that would’ve meant a 100 episode run and syndication rights, which is where the money really is…at least in the old TV model, which BSG is really eschewing anyway, so I’m probably way off on this theory). When they didn’t commit to two seasons, he decided it would be better to end the show on his terms on season 4 rather than risk cancelation after a cliffhanger ending, which Sci-Fi has been known to do (apparently this is what happened to Farscape). So now Sci-Fi, seeing that the error of THAT decision, is wanting to have their cake and eat it too by having a long gap between halves of season 4 and essentially getting 2 seasons for the price of 1.
At the same time, the labor dispute can’t help.
On Steve’s point, I think that’s a good one though I’m also not the most patient person in the world (I opened all of my Christmas presents in one fell swoop…at five a.m. on Christmas morning). I understand delayed gratification, I just want it NOW!
I’m sure this show has made it very difficult for many people at skiffy, there they were languishing in comfortable obscurity, and Wham ! A show gets some notice and now they have to get their feet off the desk, tidy up, and put in some hours trying to keep up. Sorry, just a quick rant.
but still bad. A strike not really anything Sci-fi can do about that.
But the two for one season price deal still makes me angry.
My calm is definitely damaged though
Like everyone, I’m upset. I almost feel that Sci-Fi is using us, loyal BSG fans, as captives for other shows, like say Flash Gordon. They obviously aren’t interested in new viewers, as was already mentioned on this thread. I think Chuck said it best, that we’re being pimped. They know we’ll be checking the web all the time to see if anything changes on the status of BSG. They could do another minisode thing like they’re doing with the Razorettes (best moniker I’ve heard so far) and we’d all, in our desparation, lap it up.
Is a huge letter writing/webslam campaign in order here? Look how many shows have been saved from a fan effort. I think the minium to ask for is the end of season four coming in 2008.
What say you all?
So right you are, Armando. As long-addicted fans who really need to see how this whole story plays out, we veteran viewers will not likely give up on BSG no matter how much it’s delayed (not that I’m happy about it, mind you). But if they’re hoping to attract new viewers, The Gap is a huge buzzkill. Unless they plan to promo it heavily on Bionic Woman or something, I don’t know how Skiffy/NBC thinks they’ll get new viewers excited about a show that hasn’t been on for over a year. The suspense can only build up so much tension before it just goes slack.
And on another tack, as a filmmaker, I wonder just how long it takes them to complete an episode (I believe I remember RDM giving the run down on the production process in one of his podcasts, but I don’t recall which one)? BSG production has always been several months ahead of its U.S. airing times, ever since they aired the first season in Britain before airing it here. They were well into filming season two before any of them learned that the show was a big hit upon its airing on Skiffy. So do they really need an entire year to get ten episodes done? Of course, the production values are high on BSG, and I don’t want mediocre episodes cranked out on schedule for the sake of the schedule. I just wonder. And I guess I’ll have to wonder for another…
<checks calendar>
…5-6 months.
<sighs, pulls covers up over head, returns to hibernating>
No one has yet to comment about RDM redoing The Thing! whats wrong with you people! 
One of the best suspense/horror movies is being remade. This delay doesn’t affect me at all mainly because this is the only show I actually watch if its not on I am watching movies or playing games or out of the house.
NBC/Universal has got us and they’re not letting us go. Maybe some more BSG teaser commercials plopped in the middle of failing programs will sate us like so many hors d’oeuvres at a party with your significent other’s co-workers. I picked up BSG last Christmas and consumed everything possible in time to watch new eps in Feb, their tricks are yet unknown to me, but becoming readily apparent. Thank you GWC for being there for us Nuggets. At least we can all suffer together.
Razor- 11/12 for some 11/24 for the rest
S4- 4/-ish
S4.5- We may have our own FTL drives before then.
Yeah, the two-for-one thing is lame. They should’ve just given RDM his two season renewal if they wanted two seasons out of him. Oh well! In the meantime, I’ve started checking out other programming. Not much out there, though there are a few gems (I’m looking at you, “Pushing Up Daisies”).
Check out http://galacticasitrep.blogspot.com/, they have a letter writing campaign up and running with addresses, form letters, the whole lot.
By the way, I apologize for all of the multiple posts in a row. I haven’t even LOOKED for the “quote multiple posts” option yet. I know, I know: I’m lame.
This is the first I’ve heard of it. And since I never saw the original film nor John Carpenter’s remake, it’s well below my radar.
Frankly, I’d love to see RDM tackle some non-scifi drama and especially not another remake (since, IMO, lightning has not struck twice with Bionic Woman, which I know is Eick, but still).
I just gotta say thanks to StevieSpin because you have such a good attitude you always make me smile. And Magnus - kickass siggy!
Here’s for you:
Lister: You? Ace? (laughing) Ace Hole, maybe.