Back in August, the Sci Fi Channel upset fans of Stargate SG-1 by revealing that the venerable science fiction series would not be renewed for an eleventh season. The series, which once starred MacGiver’s Richard Dean Anderson, has been airing on the Sci Fi Channel for the past five seasons (following five seasons on Showtime). A campaign to save SG-1 began almost immediately and the studio publicly announced its support for the series. Well, all those efforts have paid off.
The ratings for Stargate SG-1 admittedly have been slipping. The show has run for 10 seasons so it was really no big surprise that the Sci Fi Channel pulled the plug. Science fiction shows are expensive to produce — especially shows that have been around for 10 years. Cast and staff members receive raises over the years and that all adds up to big production costs. In truth, Stargate SG-1 was not expected to continue this long. When the spin-off series Stargate Atlantis was created three years ago, it was expected that it would be replacing SG-1. But Stargate SG-1was rejuvenated and did so well that it was decided to air both series concurrently.
The Sci Fi Channel made the announcement not to renew the series on August 26, 2006. But Sci Fi does not own the SG-1show. They purchase the rights to air it in the United States from MGM. So, could the show simply be picked up by another cable station or network? Not a chance. Though Sci Fi doesn’t want to buy any new episodes themselves, they don’t want anyone else airing them either.
Mark Stern, Sci Fi Channel’s Executive Vice President of Original Programming, reportedly told Multichannel, “There is not going to be (a season 11 of Stargate SG-1) on U.S. television. Our contract with MGM prohibits it. It’s done a great job, rejuvenated with the additions of Ben (Browder), Claudia (Black) and Beau (Bridges), but we think we’ve come to the end of those stories. We really felt like it was the right time to segue out, for the show not to overstay its welcome.” (Sci Fi will finish airing season 10 in Spring 2007 and will continue to air the 200+ episodes of SG-1 in reruns for the foreseeable future.)
How about movies or DVDs or even downloadable episodes via iTunes? Possibly. MGM studio spokesman Jeff Pryor said “From MGM’s perspective, we don’t view SG-1 as a television series, we view it as a franchise, and one with a lot of vibrant life. The fan base is fiercely loyal.”
How refreshing to see a studio stand so solidly behind a show though it’s been cancelled. The studio even went so far as to create a special section of their StargateSG1.com devoted to encouraging fans to write, record and campaign to save the show. Fans of the show started their own campaign (SaveStargateSG1.com), wrote letters and bought full-page ads in the Hollywood trade paper Variety.
Well, the diligence has paid off.
MGM has now given the go-ahead for the production of two direct-to-DVD Stargate SG-1 movies. Executive producer Brad Wright told TV Guide that the first film will be “the climax of the Ori story line.” The DVD movie will tie up the loose ends from season 10 (expected to conclude its initial U.S. television run in June 2007) and will be written and directed by current SG-1 executive producer and show-runner Robert C. Cooper. Wright himself plans to create the second film script and said it will involve time travel.
In addition, Wright said, “They’re not big-budget (movies) by any definition, but for us it’s pretty good. As we’ve proven over the years, just give us little more money and we can make pretty good television, or DVDs. There’s a sense of an era for us ending, but at the same time, we’re all positive because of the prospect of continuing forward with movies and the introduction next year of Stargate Worlds, a massive multiplayer online game.”
The Stargate SG-1 castmembers haven’t signed on for the movies as yet, but are said to be “very eager” to be part of the new SG-1 stories. The studio is targeting a Fall 2007 release for both projects — just a few months after the airing of Stargate SG-1 season 10. It’s possible that the movies could be aired on TV (perhaps the Sci Fi Channel) prior to their DVD release.
The producers have expressed interest in starting a third series based on the Stargate world. It’s possible that the second DVD movie might help to set that up.
Stargate Atlantis, meanwhile, has been renewed for a fourth season, and the Sci Fi Channel hopes that the spin-off series can stand alone.
So, the future looks very good for the Stargate world. Could it be that Sci Fi’s cancellation made much of this possible? Hard to say but perhaps there’s truth in the old saying, “What does not kill us, makes us stronger…”
Stargate is without doubt the most refreshing sci-fi franchise since star trek and star wars, this must not be then end of stargate, season 10 was only wetting the appetite, please please please, more stargate, if anyone knows a way of making this possible please let me know, we have to save this show!!!!!!!!!!!!
Stargate to end? No!!!
It really is a big misstake to stop the best serie ever made and they surelly WILL lose a lot of viewers !!!!
Id have to say that the execs of Scifi have really made a typical american decision when it comes to something good… complain it doesnt make enough money, scrap it based on a fantasy based number of monetary loss, put the announcement out to the press, toss the public a cheap bone (DVD’s), and pretend nothing happened. Not really surprising anymore, Stargate SG-1 has been rated up there with Startrek in popularity circles. As for number of fans, well as has been mentioned previously pull up SG-1 on the web and the number of sites is massive. Scifi will not… Read more »
After the conclusion of the the war with the goa’ould I thought it was stupid to start basically the same storyline, but with another bad guy. However the new writing style (more serious) and subtly hitting at some very update social and political themes,has made to new incarnation of SG-1 take on new life so much so I’m finding it more compelling to watch than the prevoius showings. All I can say is that, I know a good performer should leave the audiance asking for more, but the position where it has been cut is wrong, it needs the ends… Read more »
This is such a shame, in Australia it is on at 10.30pm on a thursday night. I have watched Stargate from the movie to season 10, why can’t they just round it off properly instead of being jerks and not thinking of the fans!!!! Shame on scifi
Stargate sg-1 is the best show on tv the only one i watch and it shouldn’t be cancelled
I loved the original Stargate movie. Didn’t get into the SG-1 series from the start. Initially I started watching Atlantis and loved it. Had the SG-1 DVDs for a year now and finally started watching them within the last month. I am now on season 8 and it is like I am on crack, I stay up all night watching them, I can’t get enough. Now to hear that season 10 is the end kills me. While I am saddeded, I know all good things must come to an end. While I share your anger, I can’t help thinking that… Read more »
I can’t believe those idiots have cancelled the best show in the world. When the show finished in the UK and they brought out Stargate SG1 the DVD collection I was straight down the shop buying it and have loved all of the extra info that came in the magazines but that just isn’t enough. I know all of the episodes inside out and to know that there won’t be anymore new episodes and therefore no new twists or unexpected surprises makes me feel like a part of me has died. It is a sad day for the Sci fi… Read more »
the king is dead long live the king
What the !!! I am so behind well western australia does stand for wait a while. I cant believe that their is going to be no season 11. Its bloody ridiculous and yes what a pathetic ending to a fantastic series in season 10 i mean come on guys how much thought really went into that one! Well its extremely upsetting and I think that the sci-fi channel has really lost touch with what makes them money money and what is important – their veiwers. I mean they honestly have lost touch with their client base. Stargate sg-1 really is… Read more »
I have been a very long standing sg1 fan since season 2, it has had me gripped to my seat, it has had me wild, it has had me with so much joy to see something happen that was like england winning the world cup (daniel jackson coming back) to sg1, it is a show that means more than ratings, to some people its something to look forward to every week, i think sci fi channel needs to ask what the people ie the fans want, i know it can not go on for ever, but you can not end… Read more »
Jesus i am so behind. I work 12 hour shifts 5 days a week but i still find time to watch STARGATE SG1. Just finished watching season 10 PISS POOR ending. Kill off the asguard and end using the same old time travel trick. COME ON GUYS… Im here in australia and you wouldn’t believe how many fans there are over here. Where ever they get their ratings list from it is OBVIOUSLY wrong. Don’t they realise that not everyone watches the series on STUPID SCIFI channel. Dvd’s, internet. ALL I AM GOING TO SAY IS YOU ARE DICKS for… Read more »
Unbeliveble! What kind of morons are there at Sci-Fi? If you don’t have money or enough money to continue with a 11 season, then let someone else do it.
Dough, I don’t think that Sci-Fi, a great network has ran out of money… The reason must be something else.
Well atleast if you make some movies to end the shows, then give us all you’ve got, make it BIG!!
Lucian, from Romania.
Unbelievable, just plain unbelievable The sheer ignorance of cancelling this show, whatever these executives at Scf-fi are paid, it’s way too much! I bet a monkey could make better business decisions! Having vented some anger I think I can continue now. I am seriously disgruntled with the last episode of season 10, it didn’t even come close to providing the consolidation you would expect a final episode to have. Fortunately the best show ever has not yet ended. I eagerly await the dvd’s that will be season 11. What seriously pisses me off is that this sci-fi network does not… Read more »