Caprica for the chop?

Richard Dower

http://tvbythenumbers.com/2010/02/19/is-syfy-really-in-it-for-the-long-haul-with-caprica/42415

I'm sticking with it, not much Sci-Fi on tv right now.

Memnoch

Richard Dower wrote: »

http://tvbythenumbers.com/2010/02/19/is-syfy-really-in-it-for-the-long-haul-with-caprica/42415

I'm sticking with it, not much Sci-Fi on tv right now.

I'm really despairing at the direction of sci-fi on TV for a while. The glory days of TNG, DS9, Babylon 5 etc. are gone. Firefly had so much promise (Serenity proves that) but was killed before it's time.

The latest crop, SG-U and Caprica are veering off towards the mainstream and ignoring the sci-fi roots upon which they are built. This leaves all us true sci-fi fans in a very unenviable position. Either accept the few crumbs as they are thrown our way or just give up. Of course, the more we give up, the more mainstream the studio execs decide they have to push the programming and it's a viscous spiral.

Look at Star Trek at the cinema recently. I did enjoy it as a movie but it threw away so much of the essence of what star trek is about and was more cowboys in space than anything. That seems to be the general trend these days unless you're someone with the pull and reputation of James Cameron.

I've had an idea in my head for a while for a good space-based sci-fi show(that would be original while still keeping sci-fi at it's heart). I've studied script writing enough to be confident I could write a good pilot for it, but I don't even know whether to bother, I don't know anyone in the Hollywood/tv world, and the studio heads would probably shoot it down anyway as it wouldn't be mainsteream enough. If Firefly wasn't given a real chance, what chance do I as an unproven/unheard of newbie have? I suspect a lot of new writers feel the same way and so probably go for genres where they might stand more of a chance, or simply turn their ideas into novels (which I'm thinking of doing).

True SCI-FI on TV seems to be dying a slow death and it needs something new and revolutionary to recapture the imagination of fans. Until that happens the slide will continue.

Richard Dower

^ put it online, post a link on various Sci-Fi forums...you never know!

don ramo

ive already said here somewhere i think, caprica biggest problm is that it is expected to stand on its own,

its grand for a show like stargate to stand by itself, it been around for over a decade, has a solid fan base, and is one hugh continus storyline, wheras BSG was its own story, based on an old film, similar in ways to SG,

but caprica is something completly different, as every prequel is, not only does it have to fit into the BSG universe, but you have to tell a story where the end has already been writen, and litarally it was the end, there was no happy ever after in BSG, it was the end of one civilisation and the birth of another, so you have to give the creators a bit of wiggle room at the start, see where they plan on goin with this show,

id say rating might pick up when SGU returns and both caprica and SGU run back to back, i know syfy want to keep there big programs running througout the year but i dont think either caprica or sanctuary are ready just yet to stand by themselfs, so maybe pairing them 2 together and SGU by itself would be the best idea, rather than SGU and sanctuary, and caprica by itself,

GSPfan

True Sci-Fi fan? Gimme a bleedin break will ya. Cheer up. Why do Sci-fi fans try to claim ownership of the genre like its an excusive club who only true fans can enter? You don't here of True Drama fans, or True Action fans.

Moan moan moan moan moan. Christ.

Dr. Baltar

GSPfan wrote: »

True Sci-Fi fan? Gimme a bleedin break will ya. Cheer up. Why do Sci-fi fans try to claim ownership of the genre like its an excusive club who only true fans can enter? You don't here of True Drama fans, or True Action fans.

Moan moan moan moan moan. Christ.

I agree completely, but I do understand the annoyance felt by many sci-fi fans as they watch their favourite genre (which like fantasy has always been a less mainstream genre) become more populist. It makes more money yes, but often the content is less "sci-fi" per se.

Memnoch

GSPfan wrote: »

True Sci-Fi fan? Gimme a bleedin break will ya. Cheer up. Why do Sci-fi fans try to claim ownership of the genre like its an excusive club who only true fans can enter? You don't here of True Drama fans, or True Action fans.

Moan moan moan moan moan. Christ.

It's got nothing to do with ownership or with being a "true sci-fi" fan. Sci-fi is something I fell in love with as I grew up. The imagination the power of the stories, that's what science fiction literature and tv means to me. There's no club, no ownership, anyone can enjoy sci-fi and the more people that enjoy it the better, because I think there are few other genres that have the sheer scope of imagination that sci-fi enables.

The problem is that as sci-fi gets blurred with the mainstream in order to attract a larger audience the very things that made it sci-fi, the very things that make it unique and special for all of us to enjoy are diluted out.

That makes me sad as a sci-fi fan. Maybe I'm just a dinosaur and there's no place in the "sci-fi" of the future for me. But I miss the sci-fi of the likes of Asimov and co, and the sci-fi potential of stories like star trek TNG etc. There are few writers today still exploring that realm and few programs.

Fantasy seems to be having a rebirth, I hope sci-fi has one soon too.

noodler

I am wondering when (if) we get to see our first Battlestar in this? I assume they were already well in existence prior to the Cylon revolt (otherwise it wouldn't have been much of a war!).

Also, when the Cylons do eventually revolt - how do they have their own ships? I am assuming they just take over existing colonial ships but it seems hard to believe they could rertrofit existing transports etc to be anything like a match for a battlestar. Maybe they hijack battlestars? Its a strange one, there are raiders etc in those RAZOR flashbacks, but at what stage during their uprising to the Cylons manage to secretly build ships?

Anyway, the Caprica pilot is being released on DVD here in March. Since us watching it on Sky doesn't seem to have any bearing on whether or not the show will survive, maybe buying that is one of the few things we can do this side of the pond.

GSPfan

noodler wrote: »

I am wondering when (if) we get to see our first Battlestar in this? I assume they were already well in existence prior to the Cylon revolt (otherwise it wouldn't have been much of a war!).

Also, when the Cylons do eventually revolt - how do they have their own ships? I am assuming they just take over existing colonial ships but it seems hard to believe they could rertrofit existing transports etc to be anything like a match for a battlestar. Maybe they hijack battlestars? Its a strange one, there are raiders etc in those RAZOR flashbacks, but at what stage during their uprising to the Cylons manage to secretly build ships?

Good observation. I actually never thought of that at all. I always assumed Josef Adama would have some political role in getting human rights for Cylons or something, and they are allowed leave Caprica but then return to KILL ALL HUMANS. See how much potential this show has? Love it.

GSPfan

Memnoch wrote: »

Sci-fi is something I fell in love with as I grew up. The imagination the power of the stories, that's what science fiction literature and tv means to me.

See this is where I have an issue, cause as a kid, you fall in love with these shows without over analysing it. You just enjoy it. I think you're nostalgic about those shows and I don't think you will ever be satisfied with Sci-Fi when you compare it to your childhood experiences.

Some of my favourite shows or films are disgracefully bad when compared with todays standard but at the same time I still like them better.
I agree with you that there is some crap being made but then you get a rare gem like DISTRICT 9. That film blew me away.

I also think that a program or film can be influenced by the mood you are in when you watch it. I tend to watch shows and films when I'm in bed on a Saturday or Sunday morning when I'm happy.:)

I don't mean to be pickin an arguement with ya or anything. I just feel like complaining is the cool thing to do these days and thats why everyone is doin it. :cool:

expectationlost

its strange how we're not really see cylons in this, it seems potential skinjobs, came about and nearly the same time, as opposed to making cylons and then a 50 years later developeing skinjobs...

Overheal

Too much boring crap packed in around a weak frame of a plot.

robby^5

I really hope this show doesn't get cancelled, Imagine how awesome it will be when the war kicks off and the final five cylons show up?

It has a lot of potential and while it might sound crass, I think they need some action in the show like pew pew pew action or a murder or two

ScumLord

I thought Caprica was alright and it's actually got me watching Battlestar gallactica.

I remember renting the battlestar gallactica box set a year or two after it ran. Thought it was ok, only saw the first season I think.

Watched Caprica and liked it, it is a fairly interesting show in that it's dealing with similar issues to us today in an unbiased way and I liked how it explains the beginning of the whole thing I decided it was worth going back to watching battlestar gallactica again. I picked up from season 3 though.

To say the show doesn't stand in it's own right isn't fair because it did for me and I'm no big BSG fan.

don ramo

ScumLord wrote: »

I thought Caprica was alright and it's actually got me watching Battlestar gallactica.

I remember renting the battlestar gallactica box set a year or two after it ran. Thought it was ok, only saw the first season I think.

Watched Caprica and liked it, it is a fairly interesting show in that it's dealing with similar issues to us today in an unbiased way and I liked how it explains the beginning of the whole thing I decided it was worth going back to watching battlestar gallactica again. I picked up from season 3 though.

To say the show doesn't stand in it's own right isn't fair because it did for me and I'm no big BSG fan.

it is unfair to say it doesnt stand by itself, cause for its fans it does, but ratings wise it needs a boost, im sure when there are 4 season of it it will be its own franchise, but at the moment its being killed in the ratings on friday night all by itself,

last week less than 1 million people watched it live, the fact that its on during the olympics doesnt help either, i hope the rating pick up, and id say they should when stargate returns, stargate might have been renewed but it still needs a ratings boost,

hopefully both shows airing back to back on firday night will see both shows having a bright future.

Owen

Caprica and SGU are suffering the same fate. They're trying to be gritty, character based sci-fi shows, and instead, they forget all about the sci-fi. SGU has been a disaster with the sci-fi aspect of the show taking all of 10 minutes per episode, and the rest being tied up with relationships, moaning, and back stories.

Now Caprica after 4 episodes seems to be doing exactly the same thing. Loads of character development, and no flashing lights to keep idiots like me interested.

_Kaiser_

I've watched 3 episodes of this and just can't get into it.. I find myself getting bored halfway through.

Caprica might succeed if they skip ahead a bit to the start of the first Cyclon War, Battlestars, Base Stars etc - basically a bit of good ole sci-fi action to go with the character development and "realism".

BSG on the other hand, while it lost its way a bit with all the religious stuff towards the end, managed to be realistic/gritty AND still sci-fi in the classic sense.

As it stands though, if Caprica falls earlier than is written (see what I did there? ), I won't mourn it's loss.

noodler

Watch Season 2 of BSG ScumLord.


Let us know if you reckon its just ok.

somuj_2

I hope they dont cancel it. Its a steaming pile of piss at the moment though. Only a few interesting scenes per show. But at the same time I wouldnt mind sitting through a few years of it to get to the good stuff

noodler

somuj_2 wrote: »

I hope they dont cancel it. Its a steaming pile of piss at the moment though. Only a few interesting scenes per show. But at the same time I wouldnt mind sitting through a few years of it to get to the good stuff

That is very childish.

Don't like - don't watch, why wish it dead for those of us that like it?

Guell72

noodler wrote: »

That is very childish.

Don't like - don't watch, why wish it dead for those of us that like it?

If that drivel is killed, then maybe they'll sink the money into good sci-fi instead.

noodler

Guell72 wrote: »

If that drivel is killed, then maybe they'll sink the money into good sci-fi instead.

Very childish. 4 episodes in.

somuj_2

noodler wrote: »

That is very childish.

Don't like - don't watch, why wish it dead for those of us that like it?

Where excatly in my post do I "wish it dead"?? I believe if you put on your spectacles you will see I said the exact opposite.

noodler

somuj_2 wrote: »

Where excatly in my post do I "wish it dead"?? I believe if you put on your spectacles you will see I said the exact opposite.

Indeed, I am blind.

Apologies.

Richard Dower

I'm watching, 'cause of Zoelon...and Friday's are dead boring (tv wise)

jor el

I like it, but it is quite slow going. It is only 4 episodes in though, so I don't see how it could go a whole lot faster, unless they just do a quick skip forward 5 years or so, and we see how Zoe-Cylon is getting on. That would be craptastic though, so I'd prefer it continue as it's going now, and maybe by mid-season we'll have a good idea of where it's all going.

bealfeirste5

this kind of "we can do mysticism like Lost, but on a different planet or something" simply does not cut it for me. BG was decent (for values of decent one should rather apply to fish and chips), but Caprica is as empty as it gets and ten years late. fringe sci-fi has been engaging with posthumanism a lot lately, it's for the likes of Caprica and Defying Gravity to do love affairs + terrorists and please the ad-consuming audience. F(r)AIL!

qwertplaywert

PaintDoctor wrote: »

Caprica and SGU are suffering the same fate. They're trying to be gritty, character based sci-fi shows, and instead, they forget all about the sci-fi. SGU has been a disaster with the sci-fi aspect of the show taking all of 10 minutes per episode, and the rest being tied up with relationships, moaning, and back stories.

Now Caprica after 4 episodes seems to be doing exactly the same thing. Loads of character development, and no flashing lights to keep idiots like me interested.

In fairness to Caprica, its a prequel to Battlestar Galactica, which was always more about the characters than the 'sci fi'