Stargate Universe, did you watch it?

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Me being generally fond of sci-fi, watched this and the previous installments of the series.
What I think about the first two (SG1 and SGA) is that they are kids shows. Fantastical heroes, fantastical scenarios (not including the scifi aspect, which would be obvious), fantastical and immature, and so on. Although it was OK to watch (I originally watched it because of "Macgyver", which I so enjoyed in my childhood).
Now, "Universe" is different altogether, in that its no longer the childish kind of kinder show that the others mostly was. It is still sci-fi of course, and still has some of that fantastical hero elements (which is mostly unavoidable in action cinema). But more subtle, and refined perhaps. To me Universe is interesting because of the story, the setting and because of its uniqueness.

It makes me sad to hear that its going to be canceled, and it makes me sad to read in various commentary fields of articles of all the boring people whom posts something like: "This is not stargate blah blah" and "The others was so much better.. blah blah"
SGU is to be canceled because of low ratings, and I think theres a logical explanation to this. Simply put, the "right" audience for this show hasn't discovered it yet.

Some people a more picky than others on what they watch, and "stargate" might bring associations that seem revolting to some, or some such effect. What I think is that most older people with an interest for sci-fi should be able to like this program.

Anyway, SGU; the 3'rd and latest installment, was announced by syfy in december 2010 to be canceled after the completion of its second season, which is halfway. The second half is to start spring 2011.

 

SGU looked like a good enough series, but I couldn't help but get the feeling they were cashing in on the success of the Battlestar Galactica reboot. The original series and the Atlantis spinoff were great fun and had a definite feel to them. SGU totally changed that formula, and for better or for worse, people who were expecting Stargate style were not happy and tuned out.

A shame, really, but some gambles for the "darker and edgier" feel work, and some don't. This one didn't.

 

I never did watch BG. If that was very similar in appearance and story, then I'd say it might seem revolting to some. They did go a little far with that ninth chevron thing in the beginning, which would probably distance the show from hardcore stargate fans i guess.

And by that I meant that they traveled really, really far, of course.

 

I've recently acquired the first two seasons of SG1, and I thought the first was pretty good. Of course, the first season of any series tends to have some of the best writing and stuff as the ideas that made the writers passionate about doing the series are right there. I didn't think they were as bad as Tal does. But from what little I've seen of the later seasons, and from ALL of Atlantis (which my wife loves) it gets pretty cheesy. But even in such a series, you can get the occasional gem of an episode or sequence.

 

I've had similar thought myself on the "subject" and, if memory serves me right, Atlantis was the worst. I mean, Reith..!?, is that heavy-metal/KISS/rockband-race supposed to be scary? To me the show mas mostly a comedy with these long-white-haired dudes.

 

Also that the aliens embody typical earthen architypes or caricatures of the day, distinguished only by appending 'space -' to the start of same (space hillbilly, space cowboy, space biker, space nazi, etc.), and that they share sensibilities of the day as far as style goes. (Late 20th century space aliens from light years away dressed in go-go boots and mini skirts and had beehive hair-dos, for example ... at least those portrayed as encountered by Professor Robinson and co. in 1969.)

 

The Wraith were basically vampires, except that they didn't suck blood, they sucked life. In D&D terms, they drained levels (like wraiths, iirc the undead powers list) and gained power when they did so. In appearance, I saw them as halfway between Negative Drow (White rather than Black) and (with the long leather cloaks and tentacle - like hair) Illithid. They could have been really interesting antagonists, but they seemed to me to be so laughably foolish and easily outwitted it was almost painful to watch. I mean, the guys were morons.

 

Ohhhh! Nice smiley.

Not to be off-topic. I don't watch TV for a long time now but I did see some SG episodes... the ones with McGyver. Are the newer ones like those or more similar to the movie or entirely a new spin?

 

Starting with the movie and going to SG:1, its a very smooth transition. Pretty seamless I'd say, the character's even look the same, well, at least the geologist does (don't relly remember much more from the film). On to SG:A, also very integrated and seamless, so is SG:U for that matter.
So each new series is like an continuation of the previous, and SG:1 is continuing where the movie left off.

Ok, just remembered, it was Kurt Russel who played O'Neil in the film, he doesn't exactly look like Richard D. Anderson but that is not really an issue.

 

I would watch SGU except they only put it on at really late times Saturday night-usually long after things I have no interest in watching have come and gone.