OT: Odyssey 5 Canceled?

[peter noble]

From Sci-Fi Wire:

Showtime has canceled its SF drama Odyssey 5, according to a post on the rec.arts.sf.TV newsgroup. The post cites an e-mail from an unnamed member of the show's production staff, who writes, "Alas, Showtime canceled Odyssey this week, despite our being their highest-rated original series! Apparently the powers that be want to get out of doing SF (they picked up Jeremiah, as I understand it, because it's part of a long-standing deal with MGM)."

The e-mail added, "Sony/Columbia has approached the SCI FI Channel about picking it up, but we won't know anything until January. For now it's just a lump of coal in our Christmas stockings."

The pay cable network hasn't made an official announcement about the freshman series' fate yet. Six original episodes remain to be aired in the series' first season.

2003 looks grim for small screen SF.

Peter

[Fëanor]

it does indeed...
this seems to be a growing trend.

the only thing that comes to mind is, SF is expensive to make.. but game shows, 'reality tv' and shows rehashing old video clips, (the worlds most inane police chases 78,999 anyone?) are dirt cheap to make.. if you are in the UK, you'd have just been subjected to the WORST xmas tv line up ever. old movies, so called specials of 'Who wants to be a millionaire' etc..

seems 2003 is gonna be a bumper year for DVD and Video sales for me...

Kai

[KJ]

What Kai says is 100% true. Afraid so people! Even Cable and Satellite suffered as well.

[joebeaudoin]

I heard about this days ago, and I have suspected that O5's cancellation would pass for some time now.

On the bright side, Jeremiah has been renewed for a second season... and Sean Austin is on board. :-)

Joe

[KJ]

Heh give me season 2 "Or i'll have you longshanks!" I'm watching season 1 lets see JMS add his smarts to Jeremiah as he did to B5. The dialogue needs improving i hear!

:)

KJ

[joebeaudoin]

KJ:

Actually, in comparison to O5's dialogue, Jeremiah's is excellent. Of course, you have to consider that Jeremiah takes place 15 years after the death of the majority of adults, and a majority of the worlds population doesn't exactly have access to English teachers. Then again, this society does not have access to the greatest English teachers either...

The best episodes, as usual, are the ones written by JMS (the pilot, the season finale, And The Ground Sown with Salt, Journeys End in Lovers Meeting for starters). Episodes that should be apologized for (The Bag and Ring of Truth) are primarily at the feet of Sam Egan; the best writer besides JMS is Sara (Samm) Barnes (sp?).

Somewhat fortunately, Sam Egan left. So I'm hoping that Jeremiah will be even more so better than it was the first season.

- Joe