SYFY Channel....R.I.P. For me at least.

reply to post by Blisse

It seems they changed their name to gain recognition with a wider variety of audience while alienating their old audience.

It's amazing as to just how many corporations do this to keep with the latest fads and trends. I mean I am all for bettering something, but the saying "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" would apply to this thread, more so, your reply to this thread

'd also like to refute the oft-repeated mantra about how sci-fi is such a niche and can't fully support a channel.

Well, I realize movies and TV are different and I understand the concept of the summer sci-fi blockbuster, but I think the list below of the top 25 movies of all time indicates that sci-fi is, indeed, accessible to the general public.

Because a network has it's head willingly and comfortable inserted inside its buttocks does not mean that good writers, good actors and good crew can't be found to create accessible, captivating stories and productions that can entertain all kinds of people (and on the cheap as well). It really just doesn't seem like NBC/SyFy ever really tried that hard at all.

Of the following 25 highest-grossing movies of all time (in order), liberally, 22 could be considered science fiction/fantasy. Some people could easily put all of them in that genre (I'll refrain, however, from further discussion of the Passion of the Christ ).

Avatar
Titanic
The Dark Knight
Star Wars
Shrek 2
E.T.
Star Wars - Phantom Menace
Pirates of the Caribbean
Toy Story 3
Spider-Man
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
Star Wars - Revenge of the Sith
LotR - Return of the King
Spider-Man 2
Passion of the Christ
Jurassic Park
LotR - Two Towers
FInding Nemo
Spider-Man 3
Alice in Wonderland
Forrest Gump
Lion King
Shrek the Third
Transformers
Iron Man

Why the name change? Why the decline of SF programming? Simple! Demographics.How many of you posters on this thread are from the South? They don't show much SF because the fundamentalists won't watch. They'll watch wrestling. Big time. TV producers want eyeballs which translate into money. Whine all you want but look at the demographics.

This comes as a shock to you? It's television my friend. They don't call them "programs" for nothing you know. I stopped watching television all beside the occasional sitcom or "news" show during a meal for just that reason. Media is used against people to program them to what is socially acceptable.

I pulled the plug on tv when they made everybody switch to digital. I do not even own a tv now, to the consternation of my kids. There are a few programs I still watch, but hulu and fancast show them for free so why bother?

reply to post by pupilstutor


I see what you are saying and i cannot refute it but, there is a channel for everything nowadays holy carp....there is a golf channel too???!!
Why not a nascar, wrestling, fried chicken channel for the ...ummm billybob types?
Keep you food and wrestling off my sci fi.
While they may be Fi they are most certainly not Sci.

One thing I have noticed working on these films on SYFY is that I have never once noticed or been directed to do anything having to do with "hidden message" type stuff. We do do some things just for fun but not subliminal type stuff.
Now don't get me wrong, I do think it is there in lots of programs, I just haven't experienced it first hand. And I would be one that would have to do it. (physical things, not post effects)
Many things that we see and attribute to subliminal programming is simply chance in my opinion. I was actually very surprised about that because I went into this telling myself that I would just say no if I was directed to do something vulgar or otherwise against my principals.
We do have a lot of fun doing these films though. There are some really great people in this industry. Alot more than people think. Most of us are good, down-to-earth family folk.

reply to post by pupilstutor


I think this is bordering on being a blanket statement. I make this claim now to the world, that if I am ever "watching" wrastlin' then I give you complete permission to end my existence. I am a huge fan of the original Sci-fi chan. Their decision to switch was profit driven, the demographic that they went after was not due to geographical location imo, more to a wider audience base, and not to sound stereotypical, but they wanted to make SyFy a common name in any household. Not just the pale white kids living in moms basement.

Originally posted by Frater210
Check out the books of Charles Stross. He offers many free on his blog. His 'Laundary' novels are the best 'Cthulhu Punk' I have ever read. His novel 'Saturn's Children' should be read by anyone who loves Asimov and Heinlein.

I second that commotion! He's got a ton of Laundry short stories for free here and there on the web. You should also check out his "A Colder War" novella. It's the more disturbing end of the Laundry concept.

reply to post by mblahnikluver

Now do you have Chiller Network? That channel kicks some ass! It's horror movies and they play sci-fi shows as well. It has completely replace SyFy for me! If you have it I suggest you check it out..

I would....But I've never seen it offered in my backwater state.
And I don't want to pay more than I'm paying now.
The problem is...I can remember when TV was free. Yes...it's true. A time when stations would make money just from advertising alone.
And growing up in that time if I wanted to watch cartoons...I had to wait till Saturday morning to see any. No video games at all in that time.
I know it sound horrible, but there was a plus side that I think is missing in kids today.
We would go outside and play. My parents couldn't find my brother and I if they tried. And we would stay out till 11:00 pm or later during the summer.
Sorry for the old man rant.
But with TV just a bunch of crap now I find myself just throwing in on of my DVD's "I have quite a few" and putting on some half crazed rotation over and over again until I buy a new DVD!
I will check for this CHILLER station...maybe it's available and I just haven't looked up to see if it's a new option in my Cable package.

reply to post by sunqueen30

Only pay for internet, buy yourself a large flat screen for like 200 bucks, and watch all your media online. Try demonoid.me. You can download everything for free!

Well I got the screen...so thanks for the info.
I'll check out the site you mentioned

Its called "SYFY" because their no actual "SCI=Science" in the bs they produce. Its all fiction. You'd do better to watch AMCs 'The Walking Dead' (A great show), or coming this June 'Falling Skies' (which looks awesome, and is being produced by Spielberg). SYFY has become a B-Movie production studio, and I'll have to second your outrage at the wrestling comment. What in the hell's up with that?! I guess because wrestling makes most channel surfers *sigh*, and the fighting is all fiction, so...

reply to post by Mactire


I did watch the walking dead thought it was pretty good. Not big on zombies but the story was pretty well written and the makeup was crazy!
I didn't catch the last couple of episodes because I kept forgetting it was on!
I am looking forward to "Fallin Skies"! I know it's about a UFO invasion but that's about it. I'll keep myself in the dark till it airs. Hope It's good.

reply to post by hounddoghowlie


and what do vampires, werewolves, and ghosts have anything to do with scifi.
and why do they want brain dead folks watching wrestlin for any ways.
ghost hunters and destination truth are nothing but a joke, they never prove s@@t.


I could agree more!
Now all monsters are SEXY?
If I see one more crap Vampire show commercial I will suffer fro some sort of projectile vomiting!

And I agree with the ghost hunters statement. My wife loves it and I don't look up until they do the reveal.
I used to party alot when I was younger. Now I find it takes me 3 days to get over agood hangover. Even when it does happen it's really rare for me now.
But I said to my wife...This would have been a great drinking game show if it was on back in the day.
Everytime you heard "What was that?" or "Did you hear that? and "Did you see that?" you'd have to take a drink.
I'm sure some college kids have thought of this by now.

Yeah...and when the wrestling first came on I stared at my TV and just couldn't comprehend what was happening?
I thought maybe I had suffered a mild stroke! This can't be on Sci Fi!
I was touch and go for a little while there.

reason people must watch it. Most likely to laugh at the low quality. I know I do. I like Destination Truth. It seems that it is dying too.

reply to post by TraptInTheSystem


I do like Destination Truth! I like Josh's attitude and he can be funny! I like that about his show. That and the places they travel are cool.
Imagine the shots he has to get everytime they take off to some god forsaken land.
What ticks me off is you get about 5 episodes and it's the season finale!
I know it takes awhile because of all the traveling.....but dang it!

reply to post by DreamVapor


Yes my brother pointed that out to me. I missed this season, but hopefully I can catch the reruns. My favorite episode is when that guy gets flung in the air in Romania. That was creepy and insane.

Gotta agree, although Eureka is one of my favorites. They could have taken the money wasted on the crap and put it towards Stargate Universe. By the way, anybody know WHY it's ending? Even Firefly is on another channel and that's one of the best scifi shows ever. Sanctuary is a complete waste of time, but Amanda Tapping is nice to look at.

reply to post by DAVID64


I love Stargate! In all it's forms.
SGU tried so hard to be Battlestar Galatica with the shaky hand cams and the melodramatic pop music they added at the near end of every show"just like Smallville" and any other WB or CW show....and it was painfull.
That ..and the plot was going nowhere fast! I can see why people lost intrest quickly.
But I hung in and continued to watch. And I think they figured out about halfway through the 2nd season that the music and shaky cam was crap and it was moving to a plot. It was getting alot better "I felt" now that there was a destination for this ancient ship and the unwilling crew aboard it.
I wish it would continue on another network but I doubt it.
Or at least give them the cash they need to end the show with respect.

reply to post by hounddoghowlie

maybe if we can keep bumping this thread, and get like 30 pages or so we can all email them a link and let them see the error of their ways.

LOL.....Sounds great to me!

Does anyone remember "RED DWARF?"
I used to e-mail Sci Fi back in the day and beg them to run this show! At least once a week.
Now that I just rememberd that show I'm going to have to find it on DVD and buy it.

I used to love mystery science theater 3000 and Saturday anime when I was a kid. You're right though it's been going downhill I usually only watch it for Haven, Being Human, and some specials like Merlin, Alice, or TinMan.

reply to post by kittendaydreamer


Have you tried Rifftrax's
www.rifftrax.com...

The same guys from MST3000 except they do new releases to popular movies. They still have it!

Originally posted by DreamVapor

I used to love mystery science theater 3000 and Saturday anime when I was a kid. You're right though it's been going downhill I usually only watch it for Haven, Being Human, and some specials like Merlin, Alice, or TinMan.

reply to post by kittendaydreamer

 

Have you tried Rifftrax's
www.rifftrax.com...

The same guys from MST3000 except they do new releases to popular movies. They still have it!

I didn't know about that. Thanks for the link, have to go check it out

I remember watching the movie Skyline. Worst Movie Ever!

reply to post by TriForce


I actully went to the theaters to see it!
I'm pretty sure I know what it feels to be "Mind Raped" now!
I still feel dirty to this day.