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Will Sci-Fi Become The Invisible Genre On TV?
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MonkeyT
01/25/09

In reply to Will Sci-Fi Become The Invisible Genre On TV?
You know, I've been wondering lately what would happen if NBC dropped the (sadly) single season of Dresden Files into a timeslot.

1) largely procedural crime drama, just weird procedures.

2) pretty suspenseful but still character driven humor.

3) primarily episodic, but with plot resolutions forming a background story arc.

I think it could have flown. If not for stupid SciFi Channel cheeseball execs...
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Evil Tortie's Mom: R.O.A.C.H.
01/25/09

@MonkeyT: They tried it with BSG. Got crappy ratings, and that was a show everyone's heard of and has critical praise. I <3 Dresden Files as much as the next gal, but I don't think it would work any better than BW or KR did.
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Elizabeth Weinbloom
01/25/09

In reply to Will Sci-Fi Become The Invisible Genre On TV?
As the resident Life On Mars: UK fan, I object to using the words "the creators of Life On Mars" to refer to the American show's producers.
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Elizabeth Weinbloom
01/25/09

@Elizabeth Weinbloom: Ohhkay, and either Graeme changed "creators" to "makers" while I was writing my comment, or I'm a dumbass who can't read. Carry on.
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Purple Dave
01/24/09

In reply to Will Sci-Fi Become The Invisible Genre On TV?
"But, at the same time, was Bionic Woman really that much worse that, say, NCIS?"

Dude, best just step off and leave The Abby Show alone. Seriously.
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KhaiJB
01/24/09

@Purple Dave: *sigh* Abby....
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Evil Tortie's Mom: R.O.A.C.H.
01/24/09

@Purple Dave: Really. They best not be dissing Abby and Ducky. Lest we have to break out the Gibbs smack up the back of the head.

If we could get us some sci-fi as consistently written and well-cast as NCIS, it might just get the same ratings.
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Purple Dave
01/25/09

@KhaiJB:
I really need to think about making a LEGO version of her 4NSCHIK-mobile...
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KhaiJB
01/24/09

In reply to Will Sci-Fi Become The Invisible Genre On TV?
lets put it this way.

we want shows as well written and acted as NCIS. instead we get crud like flash gordon, the bionic woman, knight rider...
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Spiral
01/24/09

In reply to Will Sci-Fi Become The Invisible Genre On TV?
I think some of it is executive perception. When a regular show fails, they're think, "It failed because of such and such." But when Scifi fails, the perception seems to be "It failed because it's Scifi!" I think when I scifi show fails, it will always be pointed to as failing because of genre rather than any details of the production, advertising, scheduling, or execution of the show.
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Evil Tortie's Mom: R.O.A.C.H.
01/25/09

@Spiral: THIS.
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ggodo, the man from R.O.A.C.H.
01/26/09

@Evil Tortie's Mom: [xkcd.com]
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Evil Tortie's Mom: R.O.A.C.H.
01/24/09

In reply to Will Sci-Fi Become The Invisible Genre On TV?
was Bionic Woman really that much worse that, say, NCIS? Or Law & Order?

Yes. Oh HELL, yes. I can sit through an entire episode of both of those without making derisive comments about the plot and acting and writing and shabby, cheap-looking production values (Seriously, the thing should have been on Sci-Fi just for the visuals, and I'm not talking about special effects).

I've never wanted to throw things at the screen during either of the latter, whereas BW made me stabby every couple of minutes.

L&O is a polished, glossy machine. NCIS has an actual ensemble of likable characters. BW and KR: not so much.
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TheAardvark
01/24/09

@Evil Tortie's Mom:

NCIS has characters one can actually care about,, and the writing ain't half bad.

Bellisario's still got it.

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KhaiJB
01/24/09

@TheAardvark: ya think ?
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Moff
01/24/09

In reply to Will Sci-Fi Become The Invisible Genre On TV?
Whoa. Are we dissing Law & Order? We better not be dissing Law & Order. Except maybe for Law & Order: Fat Detective. That can be a bit much.
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KhaiJB
01/24/09

@Moff: and why pick on NCIS? they've got the team dynamics just right... and Mcallum's Ducky is some of his best acting.
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cljohnston108
01/25/09

@KhaiJB: Yeah, NCIS is a great show.
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Annys
01/25/09

@cljohnston108: I thought it was turning into a great show, until I found out that that irritating knobhead DiNozzo wasn't really dead! But I digress.

Blake's Seven was supposed to be up for a remake - whatever happened to that?

And is it significant that most of the good British shows listed above were all made about 30 years ago?
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ggodo, the man from R.O.A.C.H.
01/26/09

@Annys: When was DiNozzo ever dead? I saw that whole series and I don't remember him ever being dead.

@Duneknight: Also, you're missing out, she's hilarious.
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Franklin Harris
01/24/09

In reply to Will Sci-Fi Become The Invisible Genre On TV?
Better no sci-fi on TV than the wretched stuff that passes for 90% of televised sci-fi.
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goldfarb
01/24/09

@Franklin Harris: Yes, thank you...
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Meredith Woerner
01/24/09

In reply to Will Sci-Fi Become The Invisible Genre On TV?
Needs more lisp.
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Hotscot
01/24/09

In reply to Will Sci-Fi Become The Invisible Genre On TV?
Briefly, my feeling is that many shows suffer from weak writing/plots and that regardless of being labelled as science fiction or not this is what makes them fail.

Give us characters that we care about. Get rid of dumb rehashed cliches. Don't have reset buttons. Provide realistic conflict scenarios and not contrived. For example I enjoyed Bionic Woman for the eye candy but the stories were just so implausible given the concept.

More drama. More seriousness. More realistic dialogue. More realistic character reactions. Less smug campiness. Less lame attempts to inject humour.

Good examples BSG, Torchwood, Lost, Journeyman.

Bad. Bionic Woman, Knight Rider.

Plus go the UK route and have mini series/seasons. none of this spreading one or two good ideas over 22 episodes. Keep the viewer hungry for more.
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im.thatoneguy
01/24/09

@Hotscot:

I take it when you say the "UK route" we're ignoring:

Doctor Who (100 seasons (started before TV) ;))
Torchwood
and
Red Dwarf

Ok I found a website:
[www.gnelson.demon.co.uk]

Even on this website most of these shows ran multiple seasons.

And ABC/NBC/SciFi are constantly running Mini-Serieses. Often mediocre.

I'm not sure where you got this idea that American SciFi was trying to run a show longer than the "uk mode" of running a show for just a couple of episodes.

(Are there any other notable UK sci fi shows? Those are all I can think of off the top of my head.)
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KhaiJB
01/24/09

@im.thatoneguy: Blakes 7, Quatermass, Star Cops, the Tomorrow People...
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KhaiJB
01/24/09

@KhaiJB: Sapphire and Steel...
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KhaiJB
01/24/09

@KhaiJB: The Prisoner...
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Garrison Dean: R.O.A.C.H.
01/24/09

In reply to Will Sci-Fi Become The Invisible Genre On TV?
I didn't see it this week due to a too full Tivo schedule, but I think that Knight Rider had a Giant Robot on it.
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