Wednesday, December 19, 2007

Gone baby gone...

Sigh...well, I was thinking today I'd write about how awesome Life on Mars is (and it truly is), but then I got distracted by SyFy Portal's breaking story that USA has announced the cancellation of The 4400. Those of you who are familiar with this blog know that I am a big fan of the show and that as of the season four finale I was left pondering all of the possibilities to come and eagerly awaiting more. Alas, it looks like I won't be getting any. Grr...this seriously depletes my level of Kavan Smith sightings. I can only hope he'll mange to pick up a gig on Eureka or that maybe this means that for Atlantis season five he'll be all over the place...

Seriously though, last spring when the networks started to reveal their new lineups for the current season, we were all agog with the overwhelming increase in genre shows--several of which still have yet to start their seasons, being held off as mid-season replacements by their networks (Fox, I'm looking at you and the Sarah Connor Chronicles). But now it seems as if they're dropping like flies. Did all of the sci-fi shows wander into a bowling alley and line themselves up on the lane for some determined bowler to knock down in a well-played strike? Let's take a look at the shows on their way out...

1. Journeyman: Okay, this one hasn't been officially canceled, but NBC has already announced the full season pickups of Chuck and Life, and no word has been mentioned about Journeyman getting the nod. They've produced all of the ordered episodes and the (I believe) last one airs tonight. Which just totally sucks because anyone who was watching Monday knows how good this show just got.

2. Bionic Woman: Hmm...this may be more wishful thinking than anything else. NBC hasn't picked up a full season, the ratings are terrible, and they hadn't even finished filming all of the ordered episodes when the strike shut down production...yet NBC is saying that as soon as things are back in motion finishing up this order is top on their list. They really want this show to work...they advertise the heck out of it and have thrown all kinds of talent at it. The problem is that it just doesn't. I am only still watching this out of grim determination to see it through to the end, but if they order any more episodes I may just give up. I so want this to be awesome and it is just lame. But if NBC starts paying attention to the ratings at all, or if the hiatus from the strike has any effect on this show, it will be gone the way of the dodos soon enough I'll wager.

3. Lost: I don't even watch this show but everyone is talking about it...the final number of episodes left has been determined. The producers are going to space it out and get the story told, but then it's over. At least they have the balls to do it right. Tell your story and take a bow. I applaud them.

4. Battlestar Galactica: This is another one that's announced its final number of episodes left. As disappointed as I am by Bionic Woman--which was given to us by much of the same talent as BSG--I still have absolute faith that they will come through with this last season. My only fear is that they'll do that pesky think Sci Fi is threatening to do and only air half of the last season when it premiers in March 2008 and then hiatus until sometime in 2009 to finish it off. Boo! This is very story and suspense driven drama and you have a loyal fan base. Don't piss them off by abusing their loyalty. Just air the season all at once like normal decent people, then reap the benefits when the DVDs come out and you rake in the cash from re-releasing the entire series collectors edition or whatnot.

5. Life on Mars: I am fully aware that the second season currently airing on BBC America is the final season. I have accepted this, and given the plot, I am actually okay with it and eager to see the end game. But still...that's one less happy hour of escape each week.

So yeah...dropping like flies. That's okay though I guess. I'd rather see a show go out early and be remembered well than to cringe each time it comes up because it's just been limping painfully along for the last several years. Besides, Moonlight is looking good to be renewed, and Eureka is definitely coming back. And most of these shows aren't gone yet...so catch them while you can folks.

That is all.

Probably no post next week as it will be Christmas...but who knows, maybe I'll be in a computery mood.

But peace to all. I hope the holidays are treating you well. 2008 is almost here...let's hope it's a little more gentle than 2007, eh?

I'm out,
C

Recent Acquisitions: Stardust (Neil Gaiman is the most awesome person ever)

1 comment:

Getting rid of my beer gut said...

When you consider how X-Files turned into such a turd in its last couple seasons, it's good when something bows out when it's done rather than milking it until it's waaaaay past it's prime (Simpson, eh...).

Incidentally, did you know there is a book of essays on Serenity?