i have no idea if this is relevant, but it is hilarious

Okay, wtf, people, I had to find out from fail_fandomanon about Brad Wright sulking in his sulking pants?

Okay, see, I get it, Brad, PTB, Stargate franchise, all franchises, everyone, ever. I am just a fan! I have no power! I have no influence. You will tell me what to like and when to like it. I WILL SIT DOWN, SHUT UP OKAY. WHY ARE YOU STILL YELLING AT....

Opinion: Atlantis fans need to stop punishing Universe

...hello, wait.



“I don’t think if we for any reason go away, it is an issue necessarily of the quality of the product that we’ve been making,” said executive producer and co-creator Brad Wright.

...sure, we'll go with that.

“I think getting moved on the schedule has hurt us.

Okay, that's fair.

And the fact that some of the fans that liked SG-1 and Atlantis were so angry that they have deliberately hurt us, which is unfortunate.”

..wait, sorry?

Technically speaking, the longer you stare into the Moebius strip that is popular entertainment, the more you think 'fans' are not 'people' who can 'type' and don't 'like' things (Cooks Source? Terrible grammatical influence.), but actually are mindless faceless numbers without actual opinions that live within Nielson boxes.

It's not that I necessarily disagree with the premise that small, vocal groups of fans do not and maybe should not have power over the life and death of any show (...we don't need to talk about shows with that kind of influential fanbase, do we?). Having said that, it's a pretty fucking specialized population that watches the Sy-Fy channel and not die inside just looking at how we have to spell it (did I spell that right? I can't stand to go look. Just, no.) and it gets exponentially smaller when it's like, people who watch the actual sci-fi on it, and when it comes to the Stargates, and when it doesn't have Daniel Jackson.

(Truth: the more I look at statistics, the more I suspect Nielsen's statistics are based on constellations or possibly, cheese.)

And having said that:

a. SG1 and SGA fans did not have anything to do with the failure or success of SGU. Hello, we came, we saw, we left as you told us to, but when I started watching SGA, I was not contractually obligated to give a shit much less an hour a week to anything else in the franchise. You make a good show and hope for the best. And also, you're not even canceled, Christ.

b. ..you mean that 'fans' are 'people' that 'watch shows' and that's you? Whoa.

c. ...you really want to tell a group of people who can and do pull off massive mail-in and charity efforts in twenty four hours or less and spend enough time on the internet to qualify as AI in some jurisdictions and can flame your ass in Imperial fucking Klingon and sixteenish hours and going of obscure pop culture references....

That we have power? How are you on land wars in Asia, btw? Just curious.

Seriously, Brad, honey. We've both changed as people. It's time to let go. The BBC is really impatient sometimes, and they have tea!



Oh, whatever, hands up: tell me your inner fangirl did not just laugh herself silly.

Context is Contexty: For those of you playing the home game, circa January 2009:

No. You guys are actually pretty predictable (take no offense, most fan groups are). Unfortunately, you represent a very small portion of the actual viewing audience we need for financial success. - Brad Wright, on fans of SGA and SG1 at the cancellation of SGA and the release of SGU

Yeah. You're fucking adorable, sweets.

Comments

[twistedchick]

My inner -- and outer -- fangirls are headshaking and throwing popcorn as I write. Seriously, does this man even hear himself talk? Has he ever *met* a fan? Or does he think we lurk in reserves and wildlife parks and sneak behind boulders to say bad things about him and his devastation of the Stargate enterprises on the Intertubes?

[lazulisong]

Oh, bless his heart.


I frankly am shocked that it lasted more than one season.

[seperis]

Oh, bless his heart.

I love that phrase so much. It's so perfect.

[mrshamill]

My inner fangirl??? Shirley, you jest. I'm rolling on the FLOOR here, or I would be, if I wouldn't be interrupted by several co-workers wondering why I was doing it and the explanation would take too long.

Oh, Brad Wright, never stop being the asshole we love to hate.

[kuwdora]

I have spent the last twenty minutes reading the awesomely articulate comments over there in response to the article.

I went and watched a bit of SGU, but it really wasn't my thing. BSG wore me out and that was enough for me. But I do have friends who loved SG-1, loved SGA and currently love SGU. I don't fault them for it, though I do boggle at the concept sometimes. But I haven't run across many (or any?) Stargate fans who did not watch SGU on principle or because they were bitter over SGA. The whole whiny crybaby thing is getting old. And annoying.

Seriously, I have hitched my wagon to Amanda Tapping. Sanctuary is really coming into it's own after two seasons of up and down in terms of narrative quality and character development. I am really hoping her steampunk digital web series Riese gets enough hits that they'll develop it into a show like they did with Sanctuary, not to mention that Tapping and Damien Kindler are producing a show called Sherwood that takes place in the 23rd century and is about, I think, Robin Hood and his band of misfits and Robin'll have parental angst and I dunno what else but it sounds cute and awesome and something I am eager to watch and see if I like it. \o/ Amanda Tapping.

[abbylee]

I'm not interested in watching SGU because of my frustrations with the rest of the Stargate franchise. But isn't that... sort of the whole point of a franchise? To be a known quality, so that while you may lose people who "know" they won't like it, you also pull on people just based on the name. That's why they didn't just pitch a story in a new Universe. And given that (I understand that) this show has a different tone, then the question should be "would the numbers be different if it wasn't part of the franchise?". And personally, I think that if the answer is that they're hurting because of the franchise, then that's their own lesson to learn about why some fans have reacted like this. And it's funny to me because it that fact that they never do - everything is always our fault - that is why I stopped watching in the first place.

[princessofgeeks]

lol. pouting is so unbecoming in a man that rich and famous. my god. get a grip, brad.

plus, you know, they said straight up that they didn't give a shit if older women watched their show any more. they said that plainly. and then they blame the previous fans for not watching? surreal.

[kickair8p]

Ditto'ng this -- I was gonna say something, but that just said it all better.

~

Also

[rydra_wong]

Dear Brad: if a significant portion of the people who were fans of your previous shows now hate you, you might want to think about why that might be. Just saying.

Re: Also

[seperis]

It's because we're old fans who aren't hip to his edginess and genius. And apparently myspace camera angles.

[green_grrl]

Okay, I hadn't seen that article about Brad, and the author is just as bad!

1. It doesn't matter how many websites and boards are on the Internet saying "I'm mad Atlantis got cancelled and I hate Universe." If the mass viewing public like it, they're watching it, and if they don't, they're not.

2. Numerous professional critics have said, "I was looking forward to a new Stargate show in a new style. These guys are not pulling it off successfully."

I am not walking into the homes of Nielsen families and turning off Universe! *tries desperately to remind self that would be a bad idea, now that the thought has occurred*

[seperis]

I am not walking into the homes of Nielsen families and turning off Universe! *tries desperately to remind self that would be a bad idea, now that the thought has occurred*

...wait, where is the newsletter about this I should be subscribing to?

[celli]

RIGHT?

Don't let me start a letter-writing campaign, Jenn. I'm mentally ill. This can't go well.

[seperis]

...sorry, let me call you back from Office Depot. You need more printer paper and some ink? Or a new printer? You know, while I'm out that way and everything.

[glittertine]

Dead by laughter, actually. What an IDIOT.

The bad writing made me stop watching in fourth season, and I STILL call myself a fan of SGA frickin' years and three serious fandoms later - and keep going back to this absolutely beloved 'verse.

His is NOT a problem of loyalty to the franchise. Sheesh.

[feanna]

I still say the syphillis in syfy has eaten his brain.

It was nice however to discover my magical powers about people living across the ocean from me!

[grammarwoman]

Lemme get this straight: BW and company took a big dump all over the vocal fanbase that are not part of their precious 18-40-something manchildren demographic, and now the people he specifically said he didn't care about watching the show are the problem? Not, say, horrific gender and sexual dynamics, marginalization of their POC, and generally crappy writing, lighting, and fighting. No, just the constant stream of excuses of how everyone else is the problem.

Good God, I want to laugh in his face so hard his sinuses collapse.

(My favorite is still the rampant hypocrisy of "We don't have the money to make more SG-1 or Atlantis movies!" at the same time they were bragging about spending $1 million more per SGU ep. I know I'm just a rabid fangirl and therefore math and critical thinking is hard for me, but it seems like $1 million times the 40 episodes of a two-season order = $40 million dollars, which should finance a movie pretty easily. Hell, even two movies!)

[seperis]

YOUR LOGICAL UNDERSTANDING OF THE PRINCIPLES OF MULTIPLICATION ARE NOT WANTED HERE.

[azurehart]

Does that idiot ever stop and listen to himself. Maybe if he paused, wrote down what he wants to say and read it to himself before speaking he wouldn't out himself as the big freaking douche that he is.

No strike that at least a douche can be useful, he's a waste of space, and I'm constantly surprised that he has enough brain power to remember to breathe.

Both my inner and outer fangirls would like to put a boot up his rear to kick-start his brain. How can he with a straight face claim that SGU didn't have a hand in killing SGA? Even if we were the low brow cretains that he thinks we are we could have put one and one together and realized that his announcing Universe at the same time he was pulling the plug on Atlantis meant that he was throwing away a good show in favor of his shiny new plaything.

I feel a bit sorry for the actors on SGU, but they should have realized that hell hath no fury like that of a pissed off fanbase.

[welfycat]

....seriously?

I don't not watch SGU because it's not Atlantis or SG1. I don't watch SGU because I don't like it. (And then, I actually do wind up watching it anyways, because I keep hoping that it will become Stargate again, and not ... whatever it is currently). I honestly don't know anyone who doesn't watch SGU because they were upset about the Atlantis cancelation, (however, it took me three years to convince my sister to watch SGA because she missed SG1).

[rike_tikki_tavi]

Oh for fuck's sake Brad! I'd say stop being an asshole but you've kinda proven that that's impossible.

Yeah, I watched and loved SG1 (for some time) and I watched and loved SG:A (for some time) and I never watched SG:U, but it wasn't because SG:A got canceled. It was because you, Brad, and the rest of the PTB fucked with both shows in ways that disappointed and annoyed me and by the time SG:U came around it was a case of fool me once, fool me twice. Plus the premise of it really wasn't that appealing to me.

I'm not a Stargate fan for the sake of being a Stargate fan. I'm a fan of great tv or at least tv that inspires great fandoms and sadly SG:U seems to be neither.

[gozer]

Well, to be fair, I *have* been going door-to-door asking people not to watch SGU and handing out derogatory flyers. I've hit several million homes at this point. And there was that Neilson family I gave $10,000 to, to stop watching SGU. And there was that 18 year old guy, the perfect demographic, who I asked to stop watching who wouldn't, so I threatened to key his car. So I guess it IS INDEED MY FAULT that the ratings are so low. I've got so much power over the viewers, and I'm bitter.

[ladyvyola]

God, your dedication makes me so ashamed!

All I ever did was not watch it and make snarky comments whenever the promo ads came on.

I feel so inadequate!

[fyrdrakken]

Dude, seriously -- I hated the last couple of seasons of SGA, was delighted they were trying another SG series with Robert Carlyle, and watched the first half season. And just couldn't be arsed to pick it up again after the hiatus -- and still haven't, though there's something like 14 episodes lurking on my DVR now. (I'm thinking marathon during the Xmas knitting season when I've got two vacation weeks to use up before the end of the year. Also thinking I may need to Netflix that first half-season to refresh my memory on who the hell these people are -- none of them really stuck in my memory except Rush and the young geek he recruited.)

I gave the show a fair chance -- the problem is there's no one on the show I'm interested enough in keeping track of to tune in from week to week.

[havocthecat]

AHAHAHAHAHAHA. HAHAHA.

No, no, still not going to give SGU a chance. But that was a hilarious way to start out my weekend.

[busaikko]

Hahahahahaha!

*comments on that ridiculous article*

Hahahahaha!

[cesare]

Ooh, which comment is yours?

[geonncannon.livejournal.com]

No. You guys are actually pretty predictable (take no offense, most fan groups are).

To quote another Canadian on a sitcom I watched recently: "No offense has it's limits, okay? You can't just say 'no bruise' and then hurl a brick at me."

I loved SG-1. I liked SGA. I want to love SGU, but there are times when entire scenes just fade into the background of whatever else I happen to be doing. It's not terrible, but it's not the Stargate I loved. So sorry, SGU. I'd love to see the Stargate franchise continue, but sometimes it's hard to remember that SGU is part of that.

[iadorespike]

Yeah...whatever, Brad. I think my icon still says it all.

[watersword]

OMG, his ickle fanboy rage is so cute. I just want to pinch his widdle cheeks!

[klia]

I gave SGU a fair shot, I really did. Even when the pilot totally turned me off, I thought, hey, it's a pilot, maybe it'll get better. Only it got worse. And worse. So I bailed, until I saw that RDA, Shanks, and Tapping were guest starring, and reluctantly tuned back in, only to find it had gotten ridiculous. And then mind-bogglingly ludicrous (they're short on food -- and what they eat looks like gruel -- to the point where they're rationing and contemplating killing prisoners so they don't have to feed them, and yet a bunch of scientists make a -still- and continue to produce enough alcohol to pass around to numerous people? WTF are they distilling, dust bunnies?).

The thing is, I'm pretty forgiving of shows, and if I like the characters and/or stories enough, I'll stick with them. I love a lot of shows I'm sure most people think are crap. *g* But even for me, certain things are deal breakers. Like incompetence, for one, especially in commanding officers. Or military personnel who ignore their superior officer's radio hails because they're too busy schtupping in a storage closet. Or a cast full of so many unlikeable characters, it's impossible to empathize or sympathize or connect with them in any way. And that's SGU all over.

So, Wright can bite me. I'm not his target demographic, anyway, so it shouldn't matter a bit that I'm not watching, right? He doesn't need me.

[seekergeek]

So good to see that my hexing campaign against SGU is working! *fetches more eye of newt*

[artisan447]

Oh man, thanks for the link, my inner *and* outer fangirls are delighted. It's strangely fitting that I found more enjoyment reading the comments here and there than in actually watching SGU.

[alwayswondered]

*surfs in via network*

I keep seeing these posts on my DW network page and this whole thing is cracking my shit up. This is the first place I've seen that 2009 quote, though. Oh Brad. And I thought Mallozzi was a douche.

(I still think that, BTW. Don't think you've redeemed yourself in any way, Joe M.)