SG Atlantis Cancelled

helimachoptor

http://www.gateworld.net/news/2008/08/istargate_atlantisi_will_end_thi.shtml

UPDATE: MGM has advised us that an official press release will be issued Thursday, which will hopefully answer many questions. Stay tuned to GateWorld.

The SCI FI Channel is ending Stargate Atlantis after five seasons, Multichannel News reports.

The show will go on, though, with a 2-hour movie that will air on SCI FI in 2009, and be released on DVD by MGM. The film will be written by executive producers Joseph Mallozzi and Paul Mullie.

It's intended to be the first of an on-going series of Atlantis movies, according to the report. Stargate SG-1 has released two very successful movies direct-to-DVD this year (Stargate: The Ark of Truth and Stargate: Continuum), though neither has aired on U.S. television yet.

"The show will live on as a network franchise," the report also says. This could indicate that future Atlantis movies are a lock for SCI FI, or it may be a general statement about the cable network's commitment to the Stargate franchise.

Brad Wright and Robert C. Cooper, who created and executive produced Atlantis, pitched a third television series in the 11-year-old TV franchise to the network last year (story). While SCI FI has not yet announced a green light for that show, the end of Atlantis may clear the way -- the dollars available for original programming, that is -- for the next series.

Though Stargate Atlantis has been a solid ratings performer for SCI FI -- and was its highest-rated original program ever when it premiered in July 2004 -- in recent years series like Eureka have supplanted it in the "Live" ratings.

Atlantis remains an extremely strong performer in DVR-delayed viewing, though, often building as much as 25 to 30 percent on its premiere night audience.

Season Five will go out on a cliffhanger, with "Enemy At the Gate" expected to premiere in January. Expect the first Atlantis movie to wrap up that hanging storyline.

Stay tuned to GateWorld and the GateWorld Podcast for the latest developments and comments from the show's producers, and hopefully for some big Stargate Universe news in the weeks ahead. Discuss this story now at GateWorld Forum.

Stargate Atlantis airs Friday nights at 10 p.m. (9 Central) on SCI FI.

Nukem

Another one bites the dust

Mr E

Ah thats a shame alright.... Ah well. At least they're finishing off the story properly, so we can be thankful for that.

ixoy

Bastards! Sci-Fi Channel perma-banned from the Stargate forum...

Unfortunately it's no real surprise. A lot of people expected this as five seasons would take it up to 100 episodes and thus ready for syndication (100 being the magic number). So they cancel SGA after 100 and SG-1 on its 200th celebration - they just don't like people to be happy do they..

Ron DMC

Meh, it was getting stale I thought, and was never as good as SG1.

Let's hope this "new series" is a better.

BKtje

Bleh another sci-fi show goes the way of the dinosaur.

Severe lack of Sci-Fi on tv these days. Don't suppose Sci-FI channel has any more decent looking stuff in the works?

Ivan

Sorry guys, but I'm glad.

helimachoptor

Ivan wrote: »

Sorry guys, but I'm glad.

blasphemy!!
In all seriousness it wasnt as good as SG1 but i always watched it.

I'll be sorry to see it go, I'd a soft spot for Keller:D

Sherifu

Cock.

Winters

Not surprised after the deadful storylines of the 5th season so far.

Jumpy

helimachoptor wrote: »

blasphemy!!
In all seriousness it wasnt as good as SG1 but i always watched it.

I'll be sorry to see it go, I'd a soft spot for Keller:D

I dont know if it is a good thing, but I always related to Rodney Mckay.
I pretty much am him at work.
Which sometimes makes me unpopular. But its ok. I just blame it on Zelenka (the other guy)

J-blk

Damn, didn't really expect that... Yeah it was never as good as SG-1 in it's prime but I'll miss my Stargate fix - I hope the new series rolls around soon... And even though I generally like most Sci-Fi, I hate bloody Eureka....

JohnK

Ah crap now what am I going to watch?

Overheal

*looks up*
*looks down*
*looks left*
*looks right*

Is it April again already?

Mr E

Well we've had April's weather for the last 5 months, so why not?

The Gnome

/falls to knees in rain

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

This is it now, after BSG ends I'll have nothing... NOTHING!

is_that_so

Ronny Mitchell wrote: »

Meh, it was getting stale I thought, and was never as good as SG1.

Let's hope this "new series" is a better.

Ivan wrote: »

Sorry guys, but I'm glad.

Wincest is best! wrote: »

Not surprised after the deadful storylines of the 5th season so far.

If it is a judgement call by the producers then it's a rarity in TV. Sorry to see it go but all things considered it may be time to move beyond the Earth-centred focus of the franchise.
The only positive in my view is that it won't drag on embarrassingly as SG-1 did for close to 3 seasons. The two SG-1 films, especially Continuum, have shown that there is scope for feature length episodes.

ixoy

is_that_so wrote: »

If it is a judgement call by the producers then it's a rarity in TV.

It's not. It can't be a co-incidence that 5 seasons gives them 100 episodes which is what they need to sell syndication rights, which is one of the ways they can recoup the costs of the show.

I still enjoyed the show on a weekly basis and for those glad it's gone, I'd rather ye stopped watching it than be glad it's ending.

AlmightyCushion

Assholes.

senordingdong

Unfortunatly I have to say I'm not bothered.

I'm sure everyone knows my feelings on Atlantis at this stage, but it did continue to churn out a good one every now and again.
As someone said, better it ends now then dragging out like SG-1 did but to be honest, I feel like this thing has been dragging since season two.

Sci Fi channel don't seem to like sci fi at all...

Bajingo

Im dissapointed but not shocked...it sad there will never be another stargate again...I liked the series yea it was no SG-1 but it delivered...however im glad it isnt going to drag on...SG-1 was brilliant upto series 7 but after that....

If they make a spin-off it probably wont be very stargate related it will be on a ship perhaps and stargate wont be in the name...

cant see it happening for a while either

Ivan

ixoy wrote: »

It's not. It can't be a co-incidence that 5 seasons gives them 100 episodes which is what they need to sell syndication rights, which is one of the ways they can recoup the costs of the show.

I still enjoyed the show on a weekly basis and for those glad it's gone, I'd rather ye stopped watching it than be glad it's ending.

And I'd rather they put out 2 semi decent stargate atlantis movies and 1 great one, than drag out the series for another 3-4 seasons.

Honestly, a large part of the premise and the story direction was laughable but it was still watchable for a quick stargate fix. But if the cancellation of this show means another stargate series gets the limelight, as seems to be the case, then I'd personally fire Rodney out an airlock faster than you can say "Frak".

User45701

they are making a spin off SGU? Stargate Universe.

the thing is they had 3 choices

More SG1 Movies
Another Season of Atlantis
Stargate universe

my understanding is that they only had enough money for two of the above. The Atlantis tv movie mention might be the one and only feature legenth atlantis movie just to tie up the story.

Id like 1 to see annualy

1 sg1 movie
1 sga movie
1 season of stargate universe

keep everyone happy if they can afford 2 sg1 movies a year they could do one of both and they could do it for longer instead of just picking one and then running out of stories.

robby^5

It had to end some day, better it be canned now then go down the SG1 route... glad to hear they'll be making the films though, Continuum was the best Sg1 story in years, hopefully they'll be able to pull it off for Atlantis too.

ixoy

Apparently it was a mutual decision to end it, so it's not quite cancelled:

The decision to end Stargate Atlantis and jump to the movie format was made mutually by the SCI FI Channel, MGM, and Stargate Productions in Vancouver, executive producer Brad Wright told GateWorld today. Rather than canceling the show because of under-performance, the Powers That Be decided to go out on top while Atlantis is still popular enough to support the release of DVD movies.

"Once we realized that with the prospect of another series going forward ... and SG-1 movies going forward, this was the right way for the partnership between MGM and us and SCI FI to go forward," Wright said in an exclusive interview. "If they weren't in complete agreement on where to go next, if it wasn't a joint decision, there wouldn't be a movie deal already in place."

"The show was doing well. But you don't wait until the show isn't doing well before you try to launch movies. If you are going to go do movies when the show has still got life left in it, that's a good time!"

Assuming that the cable network will eventually pick up Stargate Universe as a television series, Wright said that the franchise will be stronger than ever with four "brand" legs to stand on: Stargate SG-1 and Atlantis in the movie format, Universe on television, and the upcoming video game Stargate Worlds reaching into yet another medium.

"And that's good for the franchise," he said. "Riding one horse until it's tired is not going to make it evolve into movies.

"And you know, SG-1 owes Atlantis a debt in that sense. It helped revive the franchise for SG-1. And I think that's how it's going to proceed between Atlantis, SG-1, and Universe. And the game! That's going to help, too."

But is it too soon for the third series? Could Stargate be teetering on the edge of brand exhaustion? Despite the naysayers, Wright believes that the Stargate franchise is stronger than it has ever been as it heads toward 2009.

"It will wear out when we stop making good shows that people want to see," he said. "And as long as we are putting our hearts and our effort into making the upcoming series and upcoming movie as good as they can be -- and as long as we still feel they're vital -- I think it's going to keep going strong."

dr.bollocko

It's gone!
Woohoo!
/runs.

Overheal

I agree there - good to go out on top. Look what it did for Firefly and we have Stargate Worlds to look forward to as well, if you're a gamer: http://www.stargateworlds.com/

Saruman

I liked Atlantis actually. that sucks. Still the new season just started back on sky and i thought it was a little poor (first ep). Something just seemed to be missing in it.

I think one of the biggest problems is the wraith. They beat the Ancients, maybe by numbers more so than anything to do with their technology but in 10,000 years they still have not developed shields? the gould could have wiped the floor with them.

User45701

the main reason the wraith have never been a threat was so little food for them, they woke too early.

p

AlmightyCushion wrote: »

Assholes.

To be truthful, if you look at a lot of shows that get cancelled, they're often the shows that have a high young/male audience. Precisely the audience who are most likely to download stuff on the internet. I guess that's part of the reason they're going down the DVD route, as people are more likely to buy a DVD, even if they have downloaded it for extra features etc... People are less inclined to buy expensive box sets.

If stargate was free online like Southpark is now, I'd wager they wouldn't have these problems.

don ramo

its a strange one for sci-fi really, ending atlantis and BSG together will deffinately hit there ratings, they better hope universe and caprica do well,

sure we all saw this coming, atlantis broke the trend when they got the 5th season, its was the first sci-fi original series to push past the 4 season mark,

this really sucks major ass, although the show hasnt been the same since season 2, but i still love it to pieces, rodney is the best, they should get him for universe

1huge1

Hmm while this is a shame as I did love the programme, its not the worst news like, we have basically been promised atlantis movies so it could be a lot worse. Looking forward to seeing how season 5 plays out.

User45701

don ramo wrote: »

its a strange one for sci-fi really, ending atlantis and BSG together will deffinately hit there ratings, they better hope universe and caprica do well,

sure we all saw this coming, atlantis broke the trend when they got the 5th season, its was the first sci-fi original series to push past the 4 season mark,

this really sucks major ass, although the show hasnt been the same since season 2, but i still love it to pieces, rodney is the best, they should get him for universe

although it was not mentioned on gateworld this was said onthe tv.com release

"and that the cast will be new, with a possibility that a familiar face may show up. " - you never know, could be him

don ramo

User45701 wrote: »

although it was not mentioned on gateworld this was said onthe tv.com release

"and that the cast will be new, with a possibility that a familiar face may show up. " - you never know, could be him

that would be class:pac:

Bajingo

User45701 wrote: »

although it was not mentioned on gateworld this was said onthe tv.com release

"and that the cast will be new, with a possibility that a familiar face may show up. " - you never know, could be him

No I dont think so by that they meant they will bring in an actor that people are familiar with like Richard Dean Anderson everyone knew him before SG-1...

However with Atlantis all the actors were all pretty new I didnt know who Joe Flanigan was...

doctor evil

I like that program, scabby that they are pulling the plub before syndication.

don ramo

doctor evil wrote: »

I like that program, scabby that they are pulling the plub before syndication.

actually the final episode will be episode 100, 5 seasons 20 eps each, see how smart they are, they wanted to make there money off the franchise, so they done the bare minimun to milk it for all its worth, and leave the fans with noting :mad:

1huge1

I wouldnt say nothing, they are leaving on a high (which is always good) and they basically have said that movies have guranteed. It could be a lot worse, think about the poor firefly fans...

don ramo

1huge1 wrote: »

I wouldnt say nothing, they are leaving on a high (which is always good) and they basically have said that movies have guranteed. It could be a lot worse, think about the poor firefly fans...

sure they got a film,

true though they are leaving on a high thus all the comotion,

but it is a shame we didnt get more character development, they kinda half built some cracters, shame

Kashkai

I've just watched all of season 4 on boxset and to be honest, it wasn't great. They just seem to have run out of ideas e.g.
- the whole Tayla and her baby thingy is booooooring.
- Carter as the new commander who never seems to be around and when she is, gives a half hearted performance
- killing off the Replicators (again!!)
- the wraith are our friends now, no they're not, yes they are, no they're not.....
- the city is trying to kill us again, e.g. the lockdown and self destruct about to go off, the lockdown due to the mind wiping virus etc

This series started off on a great premise. The Wraith were better, nastier, more vicious villains than the G'oauld as they sucked the life out of people - bit like modern day vampires. The cliff hanger at the end of series 1 was brilliant with the battle between the Wraith and the humans at Atlantis. This whole Wraith/Human conflict could have led Stargate down a more darker, sinister road but they bottled it and it became a take it or leave it series, with flimsy characters, boring love scenes (McKay is supposed to be a smartarse, not a bumbling teenager having his first crush), boring episodes like the one with the 10 year old princess who has to go on a quest to be the queen.

While I have been a fan of Stargate since the original motion picture, the series has lost its way and perhaps its time to wrap it up once and for all.............unless they bring in new writers with fresh ideas to re invigorate the show.

ixoy

I'll agree that S4 wasn't the best but I think S5 is showing greater promise. I also think that Wolsey, for all the little time we've had him, is the commander that Atlantis should always have had - he works really well and it's a shame Picardo's tenure will be cut short.

Kashkai

I'd agree that Picardo might have given a sharper edge to the whole civilian/military interaction in Atlantis due to his prickly nature but is it a case of too little, too late? Weir was a useless character, far too weak for the role that she was supposed to play and she should have been done away with much sooner like the superfluous Rainbow Franks. Weir didn't have the necessary gravitas to be a commander, i.e. she was no General George Hammond, as she didn't have the presence of being a real leader nor did she appear to have the respect of her subordinates. As for Carter, well its obvious, Amanda Tapping had her eye on another project and thus wasn't able/prepared to give her all to Atlantis as proven by her absence from a lot of episodes and her leaving after just one season.

Tayla too is becoming very annoying and would be given the chop if its up to me. The whole mystical edge thats seeping into her character is boring.

Ronan appears to be a man without a fight, all built up testosterone with no place to go. I think he could have been given a sense of humour to flesh out his character more.

Shepard and McKay are the only consistent performers on the show with the necessary leadership/cunning plans qualities respectively.

Jewel Staite was a nice addition to the show and more than made up for Carson's exit.

However, they have run out of good ideas for the show. The Wraith just don't appear to be the ultimate fearsome baddies that they once were, possibly to ensure a suitable rating for the show in the US? Pity as I would have like to see more horror as the Wraith feed on helpless humans/Atlantis staff similar to the pilot where the Marine Colonel was capture and fed upon until Shepard shot him.

ixoy

Prosperous Dave wrote: »

Weir was a useless character, far too weak for the role that she was supposed to play and she should have been done away with much sooner like the superfluous Rainbow Franks. Weir didn't have the necessary gravitas to be a commander, i.e. she was no General George Hammond, as she didn't have the presence of being a real leader nor did she appear to have the respect of her subordinates.

Agreed, I never really liked Weir. She seemed the sort of person who should head up a quango or somesuch and not what was, for all real purposes, a military outpost.

I think the problem with Weir was that she never seemed to have any force to her personality - her decisions often seemed based on personal feelings rather than rational decision. It really showed up against Hammond who was a great commander and would take tough decisions when required (e.g. calling off missions to look for missing SG1 personnel despite his own feelings).
Weir also lacked on screen presence, something that's hard to pin point. I think it's something Landry lacked too, which is what made him a very unworthy successor to Hammond.

As for Carter, well its obvious, Amanda Tapping had her eye on another project and thus wasn't able/prepared to give her all to Atlantis as proven by her absence from a lot of episodes and her leaving after just one season.

I blame Sci-Fi for that. She was committed by contract for another season so I'm guessing they just shoved her into the role in a stupid bid to drag in SG1 viewers. It didn't work - she's foremost a scientist and making her a commander was pretty non-sensible. She works in a team capacity and not a leader and it definitely showed as the writers struggled to fit her in.
Wolsey, as I've said, makes for a far better commander - his involvement with the IOD which oversees the base means his command makes sense.

He's got less personal involvement with the program and team and he's not afraid to ruffle feathers and make the right call. Much more interesting but all too late alas. I hope the season continues to see him him stick to some of his core convictions and not just constantly bend over backwards to accommodate the team's wishes.

Tayla too is becoming very annoying and would be given the chop if its up to me. The whole mystical edge thats seeping into her character is boring.

Never really liked her. I find the "my people believe" shtick irritating and the SuperBaby plot line tedious.

Ronan appears to be a man without a fight, all built up testosterone with no place to go. I think he could have been given a sense of humour to flesh out his character more.

For all that you're correct, I still like Ronan. I think Momoa just about injects the right qualities into him, for all that they are.

However, they have run out of good ideas for the show. The Wraith just don't appear to be the ultimate fearsome baddies that they once were, possibly to ensure a suitable rating for the show in the US? Pity as I would have like to see more horror as the Wraith feed on helpless humans/Atlantis staff similar to the pilot where the Marine Colonel was capture and fed upon until Shepard shot him.

Ah yes, the Wraith seemed to get easier and easier to defeat as time went by. They lacked the raw horrific strength and fear that they had in the first season - recall the tension as the wraith came for them. Now it seems all too easy to get rid of them.

I always felt one of the disadvantages with them is how they were faceless - the Goa'uld worked so well because we could put a personality to the bet of them in Apophis, Anubis, Ba'al, Hathor, etc. The one equivalent we have is Michael, whose character I like, but who they haven't really developed into a great villain yet - he seems more like a renegade scientist currently.

There's still potential there and I always feel they're on the verge of realising it but it's still not a brilliant show, only a show I really enjoy...

Kashkai

Looks like we are in general agreement then.

Atlantis will go down as a series that could have been great but came up short. Pity as I believe they had a great initial idea (i.e. a one way mission to another galaxy with a fairly horrific enemy to boot) but they watered it down over the course of the 4 series to date. Perhaps being able to keep in contact with Stargate command was the downfall and when they were no longer cut off from regular supplies/reinforcements, the sense of danger from being all alone in the Pegasus galaxy diminished. Michael is a good character (Conner Trinneer was my favoutite actor in Enterprise which was another series that had great promise but fell apart from poor storylines) but as he doesn't look fully wraith, he hasn't got that yuck factor about him.

senordingdong

ixoy wrote: »

Agreed, I never really liked Weir. She seemed the sort of person who should head up a quango or somesuch and not what was, for all real purposes, a military outpost.

Keep in mind it was meant to be a civilian post...I think Weir had alot more potential then she was given credit for.

Ioxy wrote:

Wolsey, as I've said, makes for a far better commander - his involvement with the IOD which oversees the base means his command makes sense. He's got less personal involvement with the program and team and he's not afraid to ruffle feathers and make the right call. Much more interesting but all too late alas. I hope the season continues to see him him stick to some of his core convictions and not just constantly bend over backwards to accommodate the team's wishes.

Also, while I agree that Woolsey is much better suited to the role, I can't shake what/who he used to be. The Woolsey we met in season 7 of SG-1 compared to the Woolsey we have in Atlantis...or even the Woolsey we met in season 9 is just too different for my liking. It's a transition not believable even in the mot fictitious sci fi!

I don't know why the haven't given more dimension to Ronin still...look at how much Teal'c changed in three/four years, and compare that to Ronin.
He really has no attributed other than being tough.
And no-one likes Teyla....

Ioxy wrote:

Ah yes, the Wraith seemed to get easier and easier to defeat as time went by. They lacked the raw horrific strength and fear that they had in the first season - recall the tension as the wraith came for them. Now it seems all too easy to get rid of them.

Another huge flaw...the only reasoning I can ascertain is that, like the Ori, the writers wrote these guys to be too powerful, and then had to write up episodes of them being defeated every week by our heroes.
It just couldn't work convincingly.

I always felt one of the disadvantages with them is how they were faceless - the Goa'uld worked so well because we could put a personality to the bet of them in Apophis, Anubis, Ba'al, Hathor, etc.

To be honest, I always thought that was a great characteristic of the Wraith in season 1.
Not knowing anything about them or who/what they were added a great twist to the enemy.
Now we know everything about them, and frankly, the explanations of alot of their mysteries, are dissapointing.

Overheal

Gareth-W-A

Overheal wrote: »

nice touch!

MugMugs

Why dont they just find a few ZPM's, boot up the star drive and bring Atlantis back to earth !?

There is a classic ending for ya

Some poor west of ireland fisherman goes out for a morning fish and finds a brand new floating civilisation in the best bit of the Atlantic !

Kashkai

MugMugs wrote: »

Why dont they just find a few ZPM's, boot up the star drive and bring Atlantis back to earth !?

There is a classic ending for ya

Some poor west of ireland fisherman goes out for a morning fish and finds a brand new floating civilisation in the best bit of the Atlantic !

The Shell 2 Sea campaigners would object to it!!!!:p:D:D:D

don ramo

Prosperous Dave wrote: »

The Shell 2 Sea campaigners would object to it!!!!:p:D:D:D

POTM

krpc

MugMugs wrote: »

Why dont they just find a few ZPM's, boot up the star drive and bring Atlantis back to earth !?

There is a classic ending for ya

Some poor west of ireland fisherman goes out for a morning fish and finds a brand new floating civilisation in the best bit of the Atlantic !

They'll probably just classify it as one of the Arann Islands.