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why did showtime dump Stargate?
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Posted by: newsposter

Just curious. Years ago I remember the switch but I never knew why showtime dumped such a great series. Did the actors want too much money or something?

I haven't watched any of this season (please no spoilers!) because I lost 3 of them in a tivo crash and am still catching up on recording the repeats then I will watch in order.

Posted by: SparkleMotion

They claimed the show's production costs were too high and since The Outer Limits was closing shop at that time, Showtime decided to get out of the "Friday Sci-Fi" business and re-focus their programming.

Posted by: IndyJones1023

And then they jumped in with Jeremiah and Odyssey 5 as part of their no Sci-Fi Fridays? LOL.

Posted by: newsposter

quote:
Originally posted by SparkleMotion
They claimed the show's production costs were too high and since The Outer Limits was closing shop at that time, Showtime decided to get out of the "Friday Sci-Fi" business and re-focus their programming.

well I'm not their account exec but I think there's enough of a following to prove they lost out on some $. then again, what do i know :)

Posted by: IndyJones1023

Maybe not, Newsie. Showtime, as you know, is a subscription service. In syndication, they can charge advertising. I have never had Showtime, so I was missed income before Stargate jumped to syndication. Showtime might have been doing the smart thing fiscally for them, and a favor for all of us.

Posted by: msdonnelly

Yes, they can get money through commercials on SCI-FI but Showtime made money also...I signed up with my cable company for Showtime specifically so I could watch Stargate. I dumped Showtime when Stargate jumped to SCI-FI!

Posted by: SparkleMotion

Well, MGM was the entity making the syndication money (SG-1 has been in so-called first-run syndication since it's 2nd year). I think Showtime's beef was with MGM (who also owns Outer Limits) more than with their stated no-sci-fi bias.

Having said that, they did not particularly commit to Odyssey 5 despite its fairly high viewership numbers. I think they only stick with Jeremiah because it's only moderately science fiction (and its creator is J. Michael Straczynski of Babylon 5).

Posted by: Trent Bates

I switched from Cinemax to Showtime for roughly 5 years just because of Stargate SG-1.
I stayed around a while to watch Odyssey 5 when Stargate moved. After they unceremoniously let Odyssey 5 die, I switched to HBO/Starz.

The final straw was Penn & Teller's "Bullshit" show. I just couldn't believe that they replaced shows like Outer Limits, Stargate SG-1, and Odyssey 5 with that! Talk about alienating your science fiction fanbase!

Posted by: IndyJones1023

quote:
Originally posted by Trent Bates
Talk about alienating your science fiction fanbase!

LOL.

Posted by: Rob Helmerichs

quote:
Originally posted by SparkleMotion
(SG-1 has been in so-called first-run syndication since it's 2nd year).

First-run syndication is when it runs first in syndication, like Mutant X or ST:TNG. I don't know if they have a special name for when it runs in syndication a year after its cable airing...probably!

Posted by: SparkleMotion

Yeah, that's why I called it "so-called first-run".

The commercial version actually was, technically, first-run syndication when the show originated on Showtime because of the nature of the network being a premium service only.

But since it's now first-run in commercial fashion on a basic cable channel, I doubt it can still be called that.

What's the other term? Re-purposed?

Posted by: Rob Helmerichs

It's not technically first-run syndication, because first-run syndication is when the first time it runs is in syndication; Stargate ran first on Showtime (and then on Sci-Fi).

Re-purposed is when it runs on a broadcast network, then a few days later on a cable network.

The Stargate deal seems like just plain syndication, with a faster-than-usual turnaround. But those TV industry geeks have cute names for everything, so I'm guessing they have a name for this!

Posted by: newsposter

quote:
Originally posted by SparkleMotion

What's the other term? Re-purposed?

FRESH!

Posted by: ADent

I got Showtime for free 6 months when I signed up with DTV and cancled the day after the last SG-1 episode (luckily for me around the same time the free sub ended).

Posted by: c3po33

I hate SHO they got rid of :

Stargate SG-1
Outer Limits
Going to California
Leap Years
Odyssey 5
Did they also have Total Recall 2070? (Another great Sci-Fi show killed after 1 season)

I'm sure I'm missing some (I never saw Jeremiah)
I was happy yet amazed Dead Like Me was renewed for a second season.

Posted by: smark

Penn & Teller > Sci-Fi Friday... and I liked Sci-Fi Friday.