"I really would like to thank the fans for, in all sincerity for ten years of a wonderful, outrageous, rabid support and with the announcement that I'm sure you all heard very recently, that outpouring of love and support continues, and it's not taken for granted... "
Canadian sci fi channel Space interviewed the cast members of Stargate SG-1, asking them specifically about their reaction to the cancellation news for their show Hypaspace - thanks to our friends at Michael Shanks Online, you can watch the interviews or read the transcript to see what Michael Shanks, Chris Judge, Claudia Black and Ben Browder had to say.
For the video clips, go here or read the transcript here.
Henry Jenkins, fandom expert and Director of the MIT Comparative Media Studies Program, picks up the story of the Stargate SG-1 cancellation and fan reaction to it on his blog in an article entitled 'Fan Activism in a Networked Culture: The Case of Stargate SG-1' - go here to read what Professor Jenkins has to say.
Meanwhile, if you're a website owner looking to drive traffic to the internet petition to save the show, Dutch sci fi websites have come up with a promo you can place on your site - go here for details.
“There is not going to be [an 11th season] on U.S. television,” said Mark Stern, executive vice president of original programming at Sci Fi, when interviewed by Multichannel News last week regarding the plans for Stargate SG-1, before going on to add that “Our contract with MGM prohibits it.”
These comments have helped to fuel further speculation that if a move to another television channel is impossible, any return for Stargate SG-1 may have to take the form of mini series or even direct-to-internet episodes now that the show has forged links with iTunes (as reported here earlier this week).
For more on this, go here. Thanks to Save Stargate SG-1 for the heads up.
"We're working very hard to make sure there's a companion to Atlantis when we start back up in February," Stargate SG-1 executive producer Robert C Cooper told The Province in a recent interview. "It's premature to make an announcement as to what that companion might be. But you know, we thought Stargate was dead in the past."
Is this an indication of a further spin-off show, possibly the rumoured Stargate Command, or just supporting evidence for what Cooper goes on to describe as 'a good guess', regarding an SG-1 mini-series, tv movie or even feature film? Only time will tell, and we'll let you know if we hear more...
For more of this interview, go here.
UK satellite channel Sky One has announced it will air season 10 of Stargate SG-1 and season 3 of Stargate: Atlantis from October 18th.
No news yet on whether this run of episodes will continue right through the US hiatus for both Stargate shows (which is due to run from September 2006 till March 2007), thus ensuring that the UK may be the first country to see the end of SG-1 if the cancelled show doesn't get a reprieve.
News of the cancellation of Stargate SG-1, midway through production of a record-breaking 10th season, made the rounds of fandom more quickly than anyone could have anticipated, with the media worldwide picking up on the story as well. Here's a few highlights of the recent coverage:
"This is not the end of the Stargate franchise. This is just the end of [Stargate SG-1] airing on the Sci Fi Channel," said MGM spokesman Jeff Pryor told Associated Press (as reported in the Washington Post).
The news of SG-1's cancellation has somewhat overshadowed MGM's announcement that they have renewed spin-off show Stargate: Atlantis for a fourth season, despite similarly lackluster ratings this season. TV website Zap2It.com is one of a number of websites mentioning speculation that some SG-1 cast members may continue their roles on Stargate: Atlantis, a possibility that has led to mixed reactions in the SG:A fandom.
Meanwhile, Maureen Ryan at the Chicago Tribune speculates about some of the decisions which might have made SG-1 more vulnerable to the axe, including the much-criticised move to place SG-1 up against USA's ratings heavy hitter Monk in the 9pm slot. This is particularly ironic since, like the Sci Fi Channel, USA is owned by NBC Universal.
And we'll give the last word for the moment to Michael Shanks, who told our friends at Michael Shanks Online "Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end. But I look at it as the closing of a chapter, not the whole story."
Hot on the heels of yesterday's post where we encouraged fans of the show to have their say about the cancellation of Stargate SG-1, here's some more ways you can express your opinion if you're in a campaigning frame of mind:
Campaign sites have already been set up here, here and here, as well as an online petition here. If you're on livejournal, why not check out the SaveSG1 community?
Reaction across the Stargate SG-1 fandom to yesterday's news of the show's cancellation, midway through the making of season 10, has varied widely. Whatever your feeling about the decision, why not drop the Sci Fi Channel, MGM, or the cast and crew a line to express your view of the news?
Letters to NBC (the owners of the Sci Fi Channel) should be addressed to:
Bonnie Hammer, President
Mark Stern, Executive VP Original Programming
David Howe, Executive VP and General Manager
NBC Universal | Sci Fi Channel,
30 Rockefeller Plaza,
New York, NY, 10112
You can also call NBC at (212) 757-5294 and (212) 956-2395
Letters to MGM should be addressed to:
Charles Cohen, Executive Vice President
MGM Television Entertainment,
10250 Constellation Boulevard,
Los Angeles, CA, 90067
The cast and crew of Stargate SG-1 can be reached here:
Stargate SG-1 Productions
Bridge Studios
2400 Boundary Rd, Burnaby, BC
Canada, V5M 3Z3
SCI FI Channel confirmed that it will not renew its record-breaking original series Stargate SG-1 for another season, but will pick up its spinoff series Stargate Atlantis for a fourth year. SG-1 aired its 200th episode on Aug. 18, and the SF series is the longest-running SF show on American television.http://www.scifi.com/scifiwire/index.php?category=0&id=37607SCI FI issued the following statement on Aug. 21: "SCI FI Channel is proud to be the network that brought Stargate SG-1 to its record-breaking 10th season. Ten seasons and 215 episodes is an astounding, Guinness World Record-setting accomplishment. Stargate is a worldwide phenomenon. Having achieved so much over the course of the past 10 years, SCI FI believes that the time is right to make this season their last on the channel. SCI FI is honored to have been part of the Stargate legacy for five years, and we look forward to continuing to explore the Stargate universe with our partners at MGM through a new season of Stargate Atlantis."
Rumours are rife that the record-breaking 10th season of Stargate SG-1 will be its last, as website Multichannel News reports that the show has been cancelled on the very eve of its 200th episode.
Fellow Sci Fi Channel show Stargate: Atlantis will reportedly be unaffected by this decision, but there's no definite word yet on either report. Equally crucial for SG-1 is whether such a decision, if made, would have an impact on the episodes still in production.
For more on this story, go here.
Episodes of Stargate SG-1 and Stargate: Atlantis are the latest tv shows to be made available on the iTunes website.
Starting with the first five episodes of SG-1's season 10 and SG:A's season 3, each commercial-free episode will cost $1.99 to download - in future, new episodes will be available for download there within 24 hours of airing on the Sci Fi channel.
"You’re always in a good position when you’re the alien on the sci-fi show. You’re going to have fans strictly from that."
That's Chris Judge, sharing his experience of playing Teal'c in all ten seasons of Stargate SG-1. Chris goes on to talk about the upcoming 200th episode of the show, as well as what it's like for him between seasons in this interview with MSNBC.
For more of the interview, go here.
It seems it's back to basics in what appears to be Michael Shanks' first episode back from his extended summer hiatus. In a return to what many fans would call the days when as peaceful explorers, SG1 "went through the gate and got into trouble", Bad Guys sees the team (minus Sam Carter) finding themselves unwitting gate crashers at an offworld soiree when the gate they travel through proves to be housed as an exhibit in a museum, an unknown (and unused) curio.
As the inhabitants of the planet have no idea of the true function of the gate, SG1's story of travelling from another planet is not believed and they are thought to be hostage-taking rebels from a fanatical religious group opposed to the current Viceroy's plan to separate state, the Governing Council, from religion, the Circle of Heavens.
Unable to convince anyone of the truth and stranded because the DHD proves to be merely a replica made from old drawings as part of the museum display, SG1 has to maintain of a pretense of being the terrorist they are thought to be, taking the party goers hostage while holding off the gathering police forces and searching the museum for parts of the original DHD they have been told are somewhere there. This vital information has been given to them by Cicero, a museum researcher who, somewhat like Daniel before him, has attracted the derision of his peers for his belief that the "pyramid circle", as the gate is known, is in fact a some kind teleport device. Delighted to be vindicated in his beliefs he attempts to assist SG1 but his efforts may not be the help he hopes they will be.
Outside, Quartus an experienced hostage negotiator has arrived, ostensibly to make a deal with the "terrorists" within and begins to negotiate with Daniel via radio for a non violent resolution to the siege. This however is doomed to failure as, unknown to each other, neither of them are really what they claim to be. It seems Quartus is under orders to exterminate the "rebels" and Daniel, with information provided by Cicero and Teal'c's guidance, is forced to play the role of a volatile and dangerous fanatic with a long list of demands and a willingness to kill the party guests, buying time while Mitchell and Vala seek a means of escape.
Adding to the confusion is a ineffectual museum guard with a name which will no doubt be curiously familiar to regular readers of these pages, Jayem Seran is a frustrated hero. Thwarted in his ambitions to join the Council's Guard by youthful indiscretions, he sees the situation as his big chance to prove himself and when brushed off by the police he slips back into the museum in an attempt to disrupt the rebels' plans on his own. In the end he may just get his wish to be a hero, that is if Vala doesn't accidentally blow them all up with her stash of Goa'uld bombs, found as a display in the museum...
The episode is listed as number sixteen in production order (though screening order may vary) and will shoot in Vancouver from August 16th to 24th. It is written by Martin Gero, who brought us last season's The Powers That Be and will be directed by Peter DeLuise.
Vote for your favourite Stargate SG-1 episodes in the Sci Fi Channel's 'Viewer's Choice' poll, open now - the ten most popular episodes, as voted for by you, the viewers, will be shown as the Stargate SG-1 'Viewer's Choice Marathon' on September 1st.
To pick your favourites, go here between now and August 21st.
The newest edition of the US TV Guide has a two page feature on the 200th episode of Stargate SG1, now the longest running science fiction series in North America. Available on newstands now.
MS Online has posted a transcript of an inteview with Michael Shanks and Lexa Doig at the Toronto Trek convention held in July. Read more here
Last month, we announced the upcoming charity auction in aid of the Multiple Sclerosis Charity of Canada, supported by Michael Shanks (our very own Dr Daniel Jackson of Stargate SG-1) and his wife and co-star Lexa Doig (who plays Dr Carolyn Lam in SG-1, but may be better known to sci fi fans as Rommie from Andromeda).
Thanks to the generosity both of those people who donated a wide range of merchandise, some of it exclusive to that auction, and the bidders, Our friends over at Michael Shanks Online recently announced that the auction made a staggering $14,520.94 for this extremely worthy cause.
For more information, and other Shanks-related information, go here.
News just out from website TV Shows on DVD, that new distributors Fox plan to launch the Stargate SG-1 season 9 boxset on October 3rd. As usual, the 5-disc set is packed with commentaries and special features, though there's still no news on artwork or indeed where fans can get the coveted slim designs for their previous season purchases.
For more information on the boxset release, go here.
Stargate SG-1 and its characters are the property of Stargate (II) Productions, SCI FI Channel, Showtime/Viacom, MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Productions. All blog entries represent the opinion of the poster. All editorials represent the opinion of the author. All linked content represents the opinion of the linked site's webmaster. Copyright on all articles/editorials/blog entries belongs to the original author. Offer void where prohibited. Please remain seated while the aircraft is in motion. Warning: Coffee will be hot. A moose once bit my sister.
