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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Bamphalas" data-source="post: 602469" data-attributes="member: 6455">Sci-Lie"Why bash Sci-Fi?"Because they LIE.Sci-Fi had renewed Farscape for 2 seasons--- 4th and 5th.  Farscape had been a serialized show from the very beginning.  Had the serial nature of the program caused it to lose ratings points, they would have never opted for 2 more seasons, after 3 VERY successful serialized seasons.  Shortly after they renewed, they had gotten a new head who admitted to not liking space shows.  Shortly after, Sci-Fi channel announced that they would be attempting a rebranding that would include additional paranormal shows, and one space show.This is where I believe sabotage took place.  They had already renewed Farscape for two more seasons, and took on Stargate.  In order to pursue their rebranding they would have to drop one of the shows.  This is where they exploited an out-clause in their contract for Farscape.  IF in the first 4 episodes of season 4 the ratings dipped, they could use the out clause to opt-out of season 5.  So they switched the show's times, and reduced the advertising to next to nothing.  Established viewers didn't know when the season was going to start, and new viewers had no idea there was such a show.  Thus with people not knowing when the show was on, the ratings dipped (slightly, but just enough for the out clause), and mission was accomplished.However, instead of letting the Henson crew know, they let them continue to produce season 4 as if there would be a season 5 (so storylines assume S5).  Once the crew wrapped up filming of season 4, that's when they were told.  There was no press release, just a hush-hush cancelling.  They even inserted an artificial hiatus in the middle of season 4, with episode 4x11 being touted as the "season finale".  During that hiatus, there were no Farscape episodes being shown (except for a marathon on a day no one watches TV).  It was only after the cancellation was leaked, that they sent out a press release.  They kept quiet about it, and refused to comment for quite a long time.  If it wasn't for the fan uproar about the cancellation, I doubt Sci-Fi would have ever addressed it, as episode 4x12 was even advertised as the season premiere.  This stinks of an attempt to make it seem like they had given the 2 more seasons that were promised.  BTW, the ratings dip has been described as about 3 Neilsen households not tuning in.Since the Farscape cancellation, I have not watched a single minute of Sci-Fi programming.  Since the start of the second half of season 4, I tune in JUST for Farscape.  Once Farscape is over, I will remove the channel from my tuner.Also, others have been comparing Farscape and Stargate to shows like ER and Xena.  Just note: you can't compare the ratings earned by cable shows like FS & SG1 to a network show like ER (with it's massive network backing) and nationally syndicated shows like Xena (played nearly everywhere at different time slots).  Sci-Fi channel is not available in all markets, and even in the markets they're on, their viewers need to subscribe.Compared to many network shows, Farscape is inexpensive to produce.  Filmed in Australia, with actors who are virtually unknown outside that country, it cost over 1 million per episode with less than half paid by SFC.  Compare that to say, "Friends" whose actors each get paid more than that, or other network sci-fi shows like "Enterprise" that cost well over what FS does.</blockquote>

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