Farscape rumors poping up again

[uv23]

It's no longer a rumor:
http://filmforce.ign.com/articles/440/440604p1.html?fromint=1

 

[takyris]

Dude, kickass. Pretty much what I'd suspected.

 

[Kastil]

please oh please oh please oh please oh please........................

::rocks gently in her padded cell::

 

[Aaron L]

Holy crap, I havent been paying attention lately and THIS slips past me!!!!


Checked it out...apparently, the conference has been postponed indefinately.

 

[2d6]

OK, think about it logically:

Where's the money to be made - ESPECIALLY if the original sets were "struck" and have to be rebuilt?

Are there indications of a fanbase of sufficient size to sell a 6-episode run of DVD's to? Are there indications of a Farscape movie?

If the supposition is a limited TV series, I don't see a production company ponying up that kind of money to satisfy the terribly unsatisyingly unfinished story arc.

I'm not trying to be cynical, just realistic. If someone has some info on the "show me the money" aspect of this, the rumor would seem a lot mroe solid.

A mini-series, even if independant from the series might be enough to sell the show into syndication?

 

[Barendd Nobeard]

"Playing Synnibarr will open avenues in your imagination for which you probably did not even know you had an address" - Bryce Thelen

[hijack]
We *so* need you at the next Chicago Gameday!
[/hijack]

 

[John Crichton]

I have been watching this news with anticipation for a solid announcement. They are reportedly in pre-production right now and there is absolutely no guarantee that the Sci-Fi network has anything to do with it, which is a good thing.

The popular opinion right now appears to be a 4 hour mini-series. I'll take that - right to the bank. I just want some closure. Of course now I'll have to go back and rewatch a bunch of episodes to get back into the groove of the show.

It's been sooooo long since I've even thought about Farscape...

I just hope this happens.

 

[CCamfield]

A mini-series, even if independant from the series might be enough to sell the show into syndication?

Maaaybe. It depends on how long it would be.

I believe a show needs 100 episodes for syndication. Farscape, with four seasons @ 22 episodes/season (I presume), has 88. So there'd need to be two six-hour miniseries, or one twelve-hour one (which at half of an entire season seems unlikely to happen right away).

 

[LightPhoenix]

Maaaybe. It depends on how long it would be.

I believe a show needs 100 episodes for syndication. Farscape, with four seasons @ 22 episodes/season (I presume), has 88. So there'd need to be two six-hour miniseries, or one twelve-hour one (which at half of an entire season seems unlikely to happen right away).

There's no set number for syndication numbers. It really depends on the series. For instance, Law & Order: SVU is only on it's fifth season (significantly less than 100 episodes), and it's been in syndication for a while - since this summer at least. I think in general more episodes is better, because it means you can show more episodes per week and not worry about looping through all of the series too quickly. I don't think it's a prerequisite though.

Besides, I find it very hard to believe that SFC would syndicate Farscape, seeing as what ratings it garnered before its cancellation. The mini-series is a good example of why they wouldn't - there's still profit to be made from Farscape. Besides which, they seem to be hurting for decent original programming - my guess is they're going to want to hold on to whatever they can get. I mean, they show Babylon 5 at nine in the morning, probably just to hold on to syndication rights.

Now, if I were a programming executive at SFC, I'd be taking all these popular shows in syndication and be making a deal out of them. Promote a three hour block of time - either in the afternoon (I would go 5-8), or two nights a week (I would pick Monday and Wednesday), and show B5 and Farscape regularly (since they have a good amount of episodes), and alternate the third show once a week so they get some time out of their smaller series. A 5-8 block of decent programming could be a good lead in to bolster either their Friday night lineup or another night. Monday and Wednesday aren't terribly big nights on the big channels (except Monday Night Football), so those might be good nights to try out.

The key is promotion - make sure that people know you're showing this stuff. How many people knew SFC was still playing Babylon 5? I sure didn't. And I'm sure not getting up at 9 AM on a weekday to watch it. But that's beside the point. I had no clue they were showing it until I went to check if it was still in syndication. This is probably one of their more popular syndicated programs, and people don't even know they're showing it.

Just reaffirms my belief that whoever is in charge of programming there needs to be fired right quick. It's readily obvious they have no clue how to do their job, let alone know anything about the genre and how to work it.

 

[Aaron L]

TV Guide has reported that a 4 hour mimiseries is a go and will begin filming in December, so I geuss it's going to happen!!