Stargate: Universe Cancelled.

[Deepcrush]

They may cancel the series but they should look into making mini-series from it. It would be easier for them to market, cheaper in the long run and allow SGU to not die from SyFy idiocy.

[Mark]

Think they'll launch a new SG series?

[Tyyr]

I'm tempted to say doubtful, that I think it's largely played out from a television standpoint. However Stargate as a franchise could likely draw in the fanboys for another go. I wouldn't be shocked if they "Got back to basics" and did another show very similar to SG1 to milk the franchise.

[Captain Seafort]

Unlikely in the extreme. It was cancelled, ergo the ratings were crap, ergo there's no audience for another one. It's simplistic, and probably inaccurate, but it's how these blokes think.

[Tyyr]

I think SGU did something different and it's likely that doing something different is what'll scare them. How were Atlantis' ratings near the end? If they were decent a similar style show could come again.

[Lt. Staplic]

I don't know. I'd like to see it, but after the failure of Universe it'll likely be a while before they attempt another show.

As noted above this is going to put a major obstacle on anyone trying to take Stargate in a new direction. My fear is that this is basically going to leave more and more re-hashing of old SG1 ideas and plots.

[Tsukiyumi]

I liked both of the SG-1 dvd movies. Hopefully, they'll just concentrate on doing more of those for a while.

Also, I believe Stargate is owned by MGM. I have to wonder if their recent financial trouble has something to do with this whole thing...

[Sanehouse]

This is disappointing news, indeed. A lone vessel stranded so far from home... It kind of reminds me of Voyager, which is my favorite Star Trek series. I like Stargate Universe, and wish they didn't cancel it. Hell, I'm still raving mad over Atlantis only lasting five seasons. I'm even disappointed in the cast change for the last few seasons of SG-1, and Stargate Worlds was also canceled.

Is the Stargate franchise doomed?

[Mikey]

Doomed? I don't think so. Rather, I'd say that just as VOY presaged the hiatus of 'Trek (with the hiccup of ENT being a final nine-inch nail) that Universe was an indicator of the need to let the franchise rest, marinate, and step back for a moment.

[Deepcrush]

SGU should have waited to come out. Seems like to many happy go lucky fans just got pissed about the show. The most common complaint seems to stem from "They aren't happy enough". Though to be fair, thats all you need. Stargate is built from SG1 which had (even in the worst of situations) a strong humor. In the end they cut themselves off from their own fan base. SGU was about people being in the worst possible situation and trying to deal with it. SGU is what Voy should have been.

[Sonic Glitch]

SGU should have waited to come out. Seems like to many happy go lucky fans just got pissed about the show. The most common complaint seems to stem from "They aren't happy enough". Though to be fair, thats all you need. Stargate is built from SG1 which had (even in the worst of situations) a strong humor. In the end they cut themselves off from their own fan base. SGU was about people being in the worst possible situation and trying to deal with it. SGU is what Voy should have been.

With SGU it seems they cut themselves off from their fanbase in an attempt to penetrate the fanbase that nBSG showed existed. Which is someting (IMO) SG never should have tried. I watch nBSG and I watch SG-1/SGA. If I want my sci fi dark, "realistic," drama-filled and gritty, I will watch a show like nBSG which has never been billed as anything less. If I want some more lighthearted fair that has its dark and deep moments but keeps a decent undercurrent of humor about, I'll watch Stargate. Experiementation is all fine and good, but Stargate really didn't need to do that -- especially in a manner so diametrically opposed to what people expected.

[Deepcrush]

Exactly. If SGU wanted to be what it is now then they should have waited for a while to come out with it. Otherwise they need to start off lightly and build up to the darkness they seem to want so badly.

[Graham Kennedy]

SGU lost me about episode five on the initial run; it was just so bleak and depressing, there were few likeable characters, and the whole tone of it didn't sit well with me.

But then I recently, er, acquired all the episodes through to about ep five of season 2 and watched them all more or less back to back, and I actually found that I was getting quite into it. It still had it's issues, but I was liking it a lot more the second time through. Shame to see it go.

[Sonic Glitch]

Exactly. If SGU wanted to be what it is now then they should have waited for a while to come out with it. Otherwise they need to start off lightly and build up to the darkness they seem to want so badly.

Aye. Even SG-1 got a little darker as it went, but the key phrase there is as it went.

SGU lost me about episode five on the initial run; it was just so bleak and depressing, there were few likeable characters, and the whole tone of it didn't sit well with me.

But then I recently, er, acquired all the episodes through to about ep five of season 2 and watched them all more or less back to back, and I actually found that I was getting quite into it. It still had it's issues, but I was liking it a lot more the second time through. Shame to see it go.

I liked what I saw of it. Unfortunately I didn't get to see many episodes when they first aired -- much like Caprica, I liked what I saw but just couldn't watch often enough to stay up to date. I also think Universe was further hampered by the fact that it seems like SyFy cancelled SG-A purely to make room for SGU. I don't think there ever was a legitimate reason given for cancelling SG-A so that probably turned a lot of fans away from SGU. I know i was pissed about it.

[Deepcrush]

Aye. Even SG-1 got a little darker as it went, but the key phrase there is as it went.

Which we call plot development. Stargate has always been about slow change. SG1 and SGA all had slow progressive plots where SGU was just a rapid IN YOUR FACE series. That's not a bad thing but you can't just throw it out there and hope that your average SG fan (as GK pointed out) will like it. While over time they may come around, thats often to late for a series.