"Battlestar Galactica Series Greenlighted Maybe Well We Hope...

[Micheleh]

Read this from the BG Recroom...


>From SyFy Portal:

REPORT: Battlestar Galactica Series Greenlighted


Author: Michael Hinman
Date: 12-16-2003
Source: SyFy Portal


SyFy Portal has received multiple source reports that yesterday,
officials from the Sci-Fi Channel gave the greenlight to
a "Battlestar Galactica" series -- a move that has been expected
since the miniseries premiered to Sci-Fi Channel's third-highest
ratings ever.

Sci-Fi Channel had option clauses built into the major actor
contracts that would pull them into a series as long as a decision
was made before the end of 2003. This decision comes about two weeks
before that deadline.

It is unclear when Sci-Fi will announce the decision to make it
official, but it is speculated by one source that the series could go
into production by early January to prepare for a Summer 2004 launch.

Earlier this month, the miniseries brought nearly 4 million viewers
to watch the four-hour back-door pilot.

This also would be more good news for executive producer Ronald D.
Moore, who also learned that the other series he executive produces --
HBO's "Carnivale" -- was officially picked up for a second season
earlier this week. That series is expected to return in late 2004.

Please note that the "Battlestar Galactica" information has not been
confirmed, and should be treated as any rumor would.

UPDATE: Aaron Douglas, who played Tyrol in the "Battlestar Galactica"
miniseries, told posters at the Colonial Fleets message boards that
he heard a strong rumor that the series was being picked up.

"I have just (received) a phone call from a friend who told me that
BSG has officially been picked up," Douglas said. "Again, may just be
a bad rumor, but this person would not say it unless there was
something to it. Don't trust me too far as I am just an actor and
don't really get the inside stuff, but this source is pretty reliable."

This has to be one of the most inventive examples of spinning a bunch of rumor and maybes into a supposedly declaritive title I've ever seen. I nominate this for the "Langy truth in publishing" award. :D

[Corwwyn]

Is claiming 4 million viewers watched the mini stretching the truth more than a little?

[Darth Marley]

What would it take to prove it to you?

[DCRabbit]

The final Neilsens have the 4 million viewers figure confirmed.. but the final numbers are far lower than the overnights that Scifi is crowing about. A final 2.9 for ep2 as opposed to the 3.8 overnihgt figure. A very big drop.

DC

[Corwwyn]

2.9 is the highest rating for any showing right?

2.9 equals how many people?

If ep1 gets 1 million viewers and ep 2 gets one million viewers that does not mean a total of 2 million viewers tuned in.

If SciFi airs both eps 10 times and gets 1 million viewers each airing, that does not mean that 20 million viewers watched the show.

[Darth Marley]

I think it goes by households,and not individuals.

Do you hope there were fewer viewers?

[Corwwyn]

I do, but that is another issue.

The point I'm trying to make is that the only remotely reliable aspect of the rating is the highest rating for an individual showing to guage viewership.

If a show is shown 100 times over a week those aren't new viewers watching each time. Most are repeat viewings by the same viewers.

Otherwise Scifi could screen G2003 once and an ep of Scare Tactics 100 times and claim Scare Tactics is much more watched because its totalled rating is much higher (despite the highest individual showing being paltry).

[Darth Marley]

I understand your reasoning there.Also,just because 4 mil watched does not mean they all liked it.

Why do you hope the viewership was lower?I do not want to assume,or put words in your mouth.

[lordpenquin]

Ratings are bunk anyway. It's just an average like 10 people equal 10,000 or something stupid like that. With today's tech, they could get real ratings by simply having people vote on a website (and logg the IP). Granted, there are hacker geeks that would try to exploit that, but some kind of real votes instead of an "average" of people would get better results. Look at V for example. NBC didn't know how much of a fan base there was until it was released on DVD. The sales went through the roof, and now they are bringing it back as a continuation. Perhaps the sales of TOS DVD will do the same, but now with this new battlestar, the chances of an "old" battlestar dim.

[goldcenturian]

a big noise about DUNE becoming a regular series after the mini aired and again after Children of Dune aired. Where is it? I have yet to see that come to fruition. Of course, I've pretty much boycotted (sp) Skiffy. I never knew when they'd sneak in a BG2003 mini preview.
My point is: Skiffy's highest rated show ever did not become a series even though they were obviously interested in producing one.
Strange network!
Carolyn

[Micheleh]

I was actually irritated about this article *for* those of us who like the mini and want a series. I know what it's like to have someone write "It's true, you're getting what you want!" then in the text say "maybe, according to rumor..." It's discouraging. No one in this deserves to get their hopes raised falsely.

It chaps me when someone makes a definitive statement in a headline,a nd then backpedals throught he entire text.

[DCRabbit]

Battlestar 03 greenlighted, we hope?? Umm.. isn't this in the wrong forum? I don't hoipe it's greenlighted.. the opposite, in fact.

DC

[Micheleh]

I don't think it will be personally. I also wanted people to see that you can't take the headline at face value with this kind of article, which is why it's misleading in the first place.

So:

Presenting rumor as fact- not good.
Misleading OS fans with an insubstantiated headline- not good.
Proceeding to dash the hopes of the new series fans- not good.

This one of those posts that can go either way in either area. There will be a lot more of those, especially, IMHO, as the mini fans realise that they are on their way to getting the same treatment as the OS fans were given. The Network motto- use 'em and lose 'em.

[jjrakman]

What would it take to prove it to you?

An article or statement from an OFFICIAL source, not a rumour posted on a BBoard, or an article based on a rumour posted on a BBoard.

[jjrakman]

The final Neilsens have the 4 million viewers figure confirmed.. but the final numbers are far lower than the overnights that Scifi is crowing about. A final 2.9 for ep2 as opposed to the 3.8 overnihgt figure. A very big drop.

DCRabbit, do you have the source URL for this?

[Gemini1999]

Originally posted by Micheleh
I was actually irritated about this article *for* those of us who like the mini and want a series. I know what it's like to have someone write "It's true, you're getting what you want!" then in the text say "maybe, according to rumor..." It's discouraging. No one in this deserves to get their hopes raised falsely.

It chaps me when someone makes a definitive statement in a headline,a nd then backpedals throught he entire text.

Micheleh -

This article showed up at one of my "Space:1999" Yanoo! groups that I belong to. The person posted it and had missed the "rumor" parts and went on saying how great it was that the series was greenlit as though it was fact. Of course, I jumped in an filled in the details with a bit more fact than rumor and told them that they would have to wait it out for Skiffy to make an official announcement. I cautioned him that he may have to wait a year or more....

I agree with you entirely - It really is tiresome having folks jump on the tiniest bit of rumor and then spread it around like gospel. I know that there are some folks that are very well connected around here, but unless it shows up in the trades, or on "Entertainment Tonight", I will discount it as a rumor and go about my business.

We'll just have to see what comes of it and when....

Buon Natale -

Bryan
________
FORD ESSEX V6 ENGINE PICTURE (http://www.ford-wiki.com/wiki/Ford_Essex_V6_engine)

[shiningstar]

I think that WOULD be stretching the Truth
"A LITTLE" but then "Streeeeeeeeetching the TRUTH" is
nothing NEW to the Sci-fi channel.

[koenigrules]

Wait a Year...that's not right.
More like a few weeks.
Sorry, just wanted to update the discussion.

[jewels]

koenig: It could be up to a year if they don't get the cash to do it for next late summer/fall, (which would mean a lot of cash very soon to start the scripts, preproduction, retain the cast, recast supporting roles that already have gigs scheduled. It could be a higher budget show if in '05 possibly too (GE merger will either have been OK'd by the SEC or Vivendi will have split up it's empire to kill their debt. Either way all of V-U should be financially healthier in 2005 than right here, right now.) Be true to yourself, Koenig, and keep believing you will see your show again.

Sorry gang, but we all can relate to just how bad it hurts to see what you as a fan want only to have execs kill it. Download the DeSanto Christmas present from here or BattlestarPegasus.com if you need a reminder.

[shiningstar]

I think You're right Jewell in any case neither my children or
I will be watching IT if IT does become a series.