For too long, the Syfy Channel has strayed from the course. Though movies like “Sharknado” are entertaining, Syfy has had a significant lack in quality shows and movies as of late. With the cancelation of “Warehouse 13” and “Eureka” very few shows on Syfy have truly impressed me. “Stargate Universe” had potential, but it sputtered and died just as it was getting good. Hmmm... sounds like another show that I really enjoyed **cough—“Firefly”—cough**. Though “Haven” intrigued me, it was no “Battlestar Galactica” or “Stargate SG1.”
In an interview with “Entertainment Weekly,” Syfy admitted that they strayed from the course and dropped the ball. They admitted that they shied away from high budget series like “BSG” and opted for low-budget shows with ultra-low production costs like “Face Off.” The only show that had a decent budget was canceled during the second season and that was “SGU,” sadly.
With their new direction, and some series synopses that sound very intriguing, I sincerely hope that they will hold true to their word and return to their roots in quality science fictions movies and TV shows. I’m as ardent a fan of “B” horror movies as the next guy, but some of the movies that Syfy was putting out were complete garbage. I mean, how many movies can a station make about sharks in a tornado, or Bigfoot, or giant volcanos that spawn giant tornados, or rip-offs of Indiana Jones, or cataclysmic earthquakes, or aliens that all look like humans, or giant sharks, or giant gators, or giant spiders, or giant snakes, or cyborg sharks, or giant Barbara Streisands? Wait, that “South Park” and it was amazing! These movies, with laughable special effects and CG models that look like they belong in a Play Station 1 or GameCube game, certainly do not possess the quality that a nationally-televised, primetime TV show or movie should. It was simply not sustainable while retaining any respect from their counterparts and competition... and FANS.
I remember a time when shows like “SG1” and “Stargate: Atlantis” and “Farscape” were running weekly and they were all canceled due, in part, to budget issues. If you’re not willing to pony up the dough, you will lose your fan base, your ratings will plummet and you’ll be forced to put out garbage just to stay afloat. When a company sacrifices quality for quantity, they generally lose—especially when it comes to syndication. Science fiction is an interesting beast. If you are to make quality sci-fi movies and TV shows, you have to accept the fact that, to get ratings, you have put money into it—more specifically, special effects. Syfy is at a distinct disadvantage. “Breaking Bad” is a prime example of a show that killed it in the ratings and had a low budget because it wasn’t dependent on high-end special or makeup effects. AMC is doing things right, they dump a TON of money into “The Walking Dead,” and look at the ratings that show is bringing in! They broke even more rating records in the premier of season five. It’s a show that requires quality production. If AMC balked at the cost of making convincing zombies, or realistic blood splatter through CGI, that show would not be enjoying the accolades it currently holds.
The aspect of Syfy going back to programing that made it stand out is an exciting one, indeed!
There are five series coming out that I think could possibly save Syfy from the backlash they’ve gotten recently through their poor choice of programing.
“Ascension” is a six-hour miniseries with the expansion possibility about an alternate timeline where Kennedy, worried that the Cold War could spell the end of the human race, sends one hundred men, women and children into to space to colonize another planet on trip that will take a hundred years to complete aboard a self-sustaining ship. The show starts fifty years into the trip (i.e. present day) with the first murder aboard the ship since its launch. Sounds promising.
“12 Monkeys.” That’s right, I said “12 Monkeys.” Need I say more?
“Childhood’s End” is another miniseries based on an Arthur C. Clarke novel where aliens invade and rule Earth without precipitating a war and create a utopia-like society free of human individuality and culture. I could get into that.
“The Expanse” is a TV series based on a series of books by James S.A. Corey starring Thomas Jane (that’s right, the Punisher). It takes place two hundred years in the future where a missing girl leads to an adventure to expose the “greatest conspiracy in human history.” Sounds intriguing for sure.
“Hunters” is a TV series based on Whitley Strieber’s “Alien Hunter” and follows a Philadelphia cop and his search for his wife’s killer. He discovers a government agency that’s sole purpose is to defend us against a terrorist group... from another planet. Sounds like the “Body Snatchers” meets “Men in Black.” I like the sound of that.
Good on Syfy for admitting that they made a mistake and are going through the steps to regain their former glory. It seems to me that once they went from the Sci-Fi Channel to Syfy, things went spiraling downward. If they really put some money into these new series, they should do well and possibly bring back some of those lost, wayward fans that were burnt out on old clichés and giant monsters.
Let’s see some quality shows with good writing and good special effects that will dazzle us not disappoint us. And no more Sharknados... PLEASE!