waltersgirl
04-11-2003, 12:28 AM
Mark Dawidziak
Plain Dealer Television Critic
Hollywood- Bonnie Hammer, the president of cable's Sci Fi Channel, wanted to talk about the astronomical ratings posted by the miniseries "Taken." She wanted to talk about "Tremors," a series that will premiere March 28. She wanted to talk about another ambitious stab at a miniseries, "Frank Herbert's The Children of Dune," which also will blast off in March.
But before considering Hammer's vision of the basic-cable channel's future, television critics gathered for their semi-annual press tour wanted to ask her about a decision in her recent past: the cancellation of "Farscape." Well, you didn't need John Edward to predict this.
The Sci Fi Channel's decision to drop "Farscape" has kept perplexed critics and devoted fans in a high orbit of outrage for almost four months.
Why would the Sci Fi Channel dump what many consider the finest science-fiction show in all of television? Increased production costs? Isn't it worth the price to keep a program that has those fans and critics talking about you in glowing terms?
And no matter how many other shows about aliens you put on, don't you run the danger of alienating science-fictions fans by dropping the genre's one representative receiving near-universal praise for its wit, innovation and intelligence?
The questions were hanging even heavier in the smoggy Hollywood air because "Farscape" returns at 8 tonight to begin its final run of original episodes. As the show resumes its interrupted fourth and final season, space-hopping John Crichton (Ben Browder) is trying to prevent his father's death.
When Hammer tried to delay questioning about "Farscape," one critic echoed the sentiments expressed by fans who have organized save-our-show campaigns, deluging reviewers and Sci Fi executives with e-mails: "We all want answers."
"OK, I'll spend a couple of seconds," a reluctant Hammer said. "The bottom line was we couldn't come out with the financial deal that made sense. We wanted to continue it in 2003; we didn't feel it was appropriate to bring it into 2004. The series had softened for us in ratings."
Perhaps, but it was just seven months ago, when "Farscape" was getting ready to begin its fourth season, that Hammer was saying that the show "continues to garner a phenomenal amount of critical acclaim as well as strong ratings."
Perhaps the bottom line was the bottom line. A change in financial partnerships behind the scenes would have greatly increased Sci Fi Channel's costs.
"If we had a limitless budget, we would be doing everything we possibly could," Hammer told critics. "But we don't, and we had to make a decision. But we tried very, very hard with our partners to do 13 new episodes for a season five. We could not do that."
Still, the name of the game in the increasingly crowded basic-cable universe is to attract viewers and establish brand identity with a signature series. That's what FX has done with "The Shield." And look at how "The Osbournes" has revitalized MTV.
The worth of a "Farscape" can't be measured by simply calculating the budget, so many industry insiders and critics view the cancellation as shortsighted. And think of the bad publicity you buy by dropping a series ardently supported by science-fiction fans whose passion has been eloquently and persistently expressed on the e-mail trail.
And Hammer told critics that she's certain she's getting a lot more e-mails on the subject than they are. "Trust me," she said.
To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:
mdawidziak@plaind.com, 216-999-4249
Plain Dealer Television Critic
Hollywood- Bonnie Hammer, the president of cable's Sci Fi Channel, wanted to talk about the astronomical ratings posted by the miniseries "Taken." She wanted to talk about "Tremors," a series that will premiere March 28. She wanted to talk about another ambitious stab at a miniseries, "Frank Herbert's The Children of Dune," which also will blast off in March.
But before considering Hammer's vision of the basic-cable channel's future, television critics gathered for their semi-annual press tour wanted to ask her about a decision in her recent past: the cancellation of "Farscape." Well, you didn't need John Edward to predict this.
The Sci Fi Channel's decision to drop "Farscape" has kept perplexed critics and devoted fans in a high orbit of outrage for almost four months.
Why would the Sci Fi Channel dump what many consider the finest science-fiction show in all of television? Increased production costs? Isn't it worth the price to keep a program that has those fans and critics talking about you in glowing terms?
And no matter how many other shows about aliens you put on, don't you run the danger of alienating science-fictions fans by dropping the genre's one representative receiving near-universal praise for its wit, innovation and intelligence?
The questions were hanging even heavier in the smoggy Hollywood air because "Farscape" returns at 8 tonight to begin its final run of original episodes. As the show resumes its interrupted fourth and final season, space-hopping John Crichton (Ben Browder) is trying to prevent his father's death.
When Hammer tried to delay questioning about "Farscape," one critic echoed the sentiments expressed by fans who have organized save-our-show campaigns, deluging reviewers and Sci Fi executives with e-mails: "We all want answers."
"OK, I'll spend a couple of seconds," a reluctant Hammer said. "The bottom line was we couldn't come out with the financial deal that made sense. We wanted to continue it in 2003; we didn't feel it was appropriate to bring it into 2004. The series had softened for us in ratings."
Perhaps, but it was just seven months ago, when "Farscape" was getting ready to begin its fourth season, that Hammer was saying that the show "continues to garner a phenomenal amount of critical acclaim as well as strong ratings."
Perhaps the bottom line was the bottom line. A change in financial partnerships behind the scenes would have greatly increased Sci Fi Channel's costs.
"If we had a limitless budget, we would be doing everything we possibly could," Hammer told critics. "But we don't, and we had to make a decision. But we tried very, very hard with our partners to do 13 new episodes for a season five. We could not do that."
Still, the name of the game in the increasingly crowded basic-cable universe is to attract viewers and establish brand identity with a signature series. That's what FX has done with "The Shield." And look at how "The Osbournes" has revitalized MTV.
The worth of a "Farscape" can't be measured by simply calculating the budget, so many industry insiders and critics view the cancellation as shortsighted. And think of the bad publicity you buy by dropping a series ardently supported by science-fiction fans whose passion has been eloquently and persistently expressed on the e-mail trail.
And Hammer told critics that she's certain she's getting a lot more e-mails on the subject than they are. "Trust me," she said.
To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:
mdawidziak@plaind.com, 216-999-4249