A reflection on the rise and fall of the Sci-Fi channel, and a plea to save one of SF's greatest shows.
First published in The Illuminata in October 2002.
Scidiots By Bret Funk
I remember my elation when the Sci-fi Channel’s release was announced (and again when my cable provider opted to carry it). It seemed like a dream come true , a channel devoted to science fiction, showing films both classic and relatively new, reviving old series long lost in the annals of syndication, and perhaps–just perhaps!–offering the public a host of new shows.
But of course, when things seem too good to be true , they usually are.
At first, all was well in the world of Sci-fi. The thrill of watching shows that I had not seen since my youth kept me coming back for quite some time. A love of science fiction was about the only thing my father and I had in common; watching episodes of Star Trek, The Twilight Zone, Lost in Space, and dozens of others brought back memories of my childhood, memories of watching those series with my dad and having him tell me of the first time he watched them.
This phenomenon of reminiscence transcended TV; the Sci-fi Channel replayed classic B movies as well. I jumped at the chance to see films I hadn’t seen in years, from Frankenstein to Attack of the Killer Tomatoes to an all night Godzilla marathon. When coupled with a handful of innovative shows like Mystery Science Theater 3000, the Sci-fi Channel was a little slice of heaven served fresh daily.
Paradise was quickly lost.
Though I tuned in whenever a new wave of series debuted, the Sci-fi Channel quickly lost its thrill. Once the nostalgia effect wore off, I often found that those shows I loved as a child were far more comical than interesting, and I understand now something that eluded me in my youth: why they were all cancelled so quickly. The endless stream of B movies became more inane, until I felt like I was watching MST3K without the commentary. A screening of a ‘good’ science fiction movie was a rare event; I was more likely to find classics like Forbidden Planet or Invasion of the Body Snatchers on AMC or TCM. And to top it off, the Sci-fi Channel axed all my favorite shows, replacing them with ridiculous original programming or even more outdated series.
It was a dark time, but in 2000, I discovered a gem–two gems, actually–and I knew that Scifi had hit a goldmine.
The first was The Invisible Man, a series made enjoyable not by its off-the-wall premise or ridiculous storylines, but by the sarcastic characters and their comical interaction. Though I understand why it was cut, and I can’t say I disagree with Sci-fi’s decision, I miss the show. Not only did it keep me entertained, it introduced me to Farscape.
Farscape is a remarkable show, the first truly innovative science fiction series I’ve come across in a long time. It combines elements of traditional sci-fi with sarcasm, humor, and a slew of Henson puppets, while at the same take making numerous pop culture references. Even better, it makes those references flawlessly, without the awkwardness found in shows like Star Trek. But it’s the cast of characters (played by a troupe of highly-talented actors), and their interaction that makes the show so memorable.
I was hooked instantly, going so far as to track down copies of the first season to ‘catch-up’ on the storyline. Friday nights–a night most Americans use for socializing–I was locked in my house, glued to the television, with the phone off the hook. If, for some reason, I was unable to watch the initial airing, I set up a failsafe system, taping the show not once, but twice.
I don’t get this fanatical about most shows, but when a great one comes along (something that happens far too infrequently given the number of series on the air), I can’t bear to miss it. And I’m not alone. Look at the facts:
Farscape is Sci-Fi's highest-rated series to date, with the exception of John Edwards (And he's not entertaining, let along sci-fi!)
Farscape has a vast and intelligent viewing audience (Beat that, Bernie Mac!)
Farscape has won numerous awards for both the show and its actors. (How many Emmy nods does Stargate have?)
The show is critically acclaimed. "The best science fiction series on TV"(TV Guide) “TV's best space series" (USA Today) "The Year's Best in TV" (Newsday)
Farscape is just about the only original series on Sci-fi (and its only good one!) Most of it successful shows have been brought over from other networks.
Imagine my surprise when, near the height of its popularity and long before the shows lost their edge, the Sci-fi Channel announced plans to cancel Farscape, going so far as to opt out of its scheduled (and promised) fifth season.
Sci-fi offered numerous reasons for their decision, but they harped on the following two items most assiduously: rising production costs and declining ratings. While I can certainly understand the need for a network–a business–to make a profit, I can’t understand their argument. Farscape has spawned a lot of buzz, has built a large and loyal fan base (perhaps not as large as Trek’s, but the show is only four years old), and is the center of a multi-million dollar merchandising market. Doesn’t Sci-fi own the franchise? If so, where has all the merchandising money gone? If not, then why aren’t they negotiating for a slice of the pie? Wouldn’t it be better than kicking themselves in the ass?
Regarding Farscape’s declining ratings, I can only blame the network. Sci-fi has split the Farscape season into two halves, one airing in mid-summer, the other in early winter. While this doesn’t bother me much, between seasons the series disappears. Sci-fi doesn’t even bother to promote the show, at least, not enough that I’ve caught an advertisement between seasons. When the show comes back on, it does so without fanfare, and last season, it came back on at a different time.
When the only thing you watch on Sci-fi is Farscape, and Farscape disappears, what reason remains to watch the network? When it comes back on, how are you supposed to know? No wonder the ratings were so low at the beginning of last season; if I weren’t so fanatically devoted to the show, I might have missed it too!
Fans around the world are showing their support for Farscape, demanding that the network resume production, raising money to finance the show, and shopping for new networks to take on the series.
Raising money to finance the show? Now that’s a fan base!
In the end, Farscape deserves to be saved, whether you watch it or not. Funny, original, innovative shows with strong casts and interesting plots don’t come along every day, no matter what the storybooks say. If you want to help save the series, e-mail the Sci-fi Channel at programming.scifi.com. At the request of series star Ben Browder and executive producer David Kemper, keep your correspondence polite and professional. Furious people are ‘fanatics,’ but civil, intelligent, and well-spoken (or written) people are ‘fans.’ Networks listen to fans.
If writing letters is not your style, the good people at Farscape Weekly have a few other suggestions. They recommend sending in petitions in support of the show, contacting local media, putting pressure of the Sci-Fi Channel’s sponsors (like Dell), and courting other networks with the idea of picking up the series (Showtime is the current favorite). The more industrious fan may want to travel to New York to join Farscape activists in an ongoing protest in front of the network’s headquarters.
Whether you want to tune into the protest or not, as a fan of science fiction you should be watching. And since the series builds on itself (as do most sci-fi shows), watching from the beginning is recommended. Lucky for you, the series is being released on DVD.
Pick up a copy. If you have Farscape in your collection, you won’t have to violate your boycott of the Sci-Fi network to watch reruns!
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