If BSG is filmed today with a studio like Starz or HBO?

Television, Movies Games and Books BSG-2003
#1

I’ve been watching Spartacus from Starz and Game of Thrones by HBO. I just wonder what would BSG have been if it was made today, with a studio that’s willing to do what Starz and HBO are doing. I think the makers of BSG certainly has that kind of vision in mind, judging especially by DVD versions of the “The Plan” and the pilot to “Caprica”.

Do you think the show would be better or worse with more vivid violence or sexual scenes? And if BSG was doing better in ratings than Spartacus and Game of the Thrones, why do I get the feeling that those two shows has bigger budgets?

#2

I think a lot of this is because of the differences in the networks’ business plans. Sci-Fi/Syfy was a regular cable channel, so it cared about ratings to sell ads for its main source of income. Subscription channels already have your money, so ratings aren’t as important to them.

#3

Yeah, it’s a totally different model. Pay Cable doesn’t have the entire series based on how well the first episode does for example. You know that if Game of Thrones were on basic cable or a network they would have felt the need to put in some crazy action sequence at the end of the first episode or something.

Also, Pay Cable doesn’t really care about DVRs since they have no ads.

#4

Also, HBO owns its shows, so DVD sales are part of their financial equation.

#5

BSG would probably have been even darker than it was were it on HBO. I also think perhaps the later seasons would have been better planned, because cancellation possibilities wouldn’t have been so constantly on the writers’ minds, which seemed to be the case on SciFi at the time.

And yes, it’s all about subscriptions. I think GoT is kind of interesting because it isn’t exactly a typical “HBO” show (like, say, Boardwalk Empire is) - which means it’s likely they’re getting a lot of new subscribers who are subscribing just for GoT. And that has to mean good things for the longevity of the show on HBO.