What killed this genre?

[JWill93]

Thanks to playing Mass Effect under the recommendation of a friend I am now into the space opera genre. I have started reading space opera novels by authors like Iain M. Banks, Alastair Reynolds, and Peter F. Hamilton. The success of Guardians of the Galaxy makes this still a viable genre on the big screen. However the genre seems to have died on TV. We had Space Opera shows like Battlestar Galactica, Firefly, Babylon 5, Farscape, and Star Trek. So what killed the Space Opera genre for TV? Is there a stigma that the genre is too "nerdy" that turns people away? Is it bad stories that people can't relate too? Is it that the characters are not interesting? Is it cost? Have we been too spoiled with these comic book movies that require millions of Dollars in CGI that for a space opera show to appeal to this generation it will need non stop space battles that would require way more money then any TV network has?

[Jim D Burns]

Reality TV has killed off most creative TV shows. It's far cheaper and much more profitable to hire a bunch of wanna be celebs and have them eat a bowl of flies than to try and create a show with professional actors and writers.

Jim

[jday305]

Everything goes in cycles too. People get tired of the same type of shows. Give it a few years and someone will produce a space opera type series that will catch on and before you know it there will be three or four more following.

[Zap]

Its a movie but what ever happened to, what was it called? District 9. I may not have the title correct. Where the aliens were like insects and had been herded into a closed off part of a city in Africa. The man selected to look for weaponn stashes was infected with alien blood and started turning into an alien creature. That one deserved 2 or 3 follow-ups.




Thanks Wolfe, that's the one.

[Wolfe1759]

^ District 9 and I believe there have been some rumours of a sequel.

[Twotribes]

You should try David Weber's Honor Harrington Series.

[RedArgo]

I really enjoy the HH series. You can get the first couple books for free in electronic format at Baen books.

Baen free books

[Josh]

ORIGINAL: JWill93

Thanks to playing Mass Effect under the recommendation of a friend I am now into the space opera genre. I have started reading space opera novels by authors like Iain M. Banks, Alastair Reynolds, and Peter F. Hamilton. The success of Guardians of the Galaxy makes this still a viable genre on the big screen. However the genre seems to have died on TV. We had Space Opera shows like Battlestar Galactica, Firefly, Babylon 5, Farscape, and Star Trek. So what killed the Space Opera genre for TV? Is there a stigma that the genre is too "nerdy" that turns people away? Is it bad stories that people can't relate too? Is it that the characters are not interesting? Is it cost? Have we been too spoiled with these comic book movies that require millions of Dollars in CGI that for a space opera show to appeal to this generation it will need non stop space battles that would require way more money then any TV network has?

Been wondering about this myself too, loved the genre and whatdoyouknow all of a sudden *poof* all gone. [&:]
I agree with Jday305 here that I things come and go, the wheel turns albeit slowly. One of these days there will be new and glorious space operas in 8K resolution no less.

I had this very same feeling with the 3D top down isometric RPG's. Loved them, played them till death. All of a sudden they're all gone and all new games that are released are the newest 3D craze (I'm talking way back here). And guess what 10-15 years later we're swamped with new "old school" RPG's, good old lovely top down dungeon crawlers. Wasteland 2, Pillars of Eternity, just to name a few.

[Chickenboy]

JWill93-

There are two interesting SyFi original series being produced now, one of which is The Expanse. Both look like promising contributions to this genre.

[rodney727]

I agree. I remember in 1986 they said star trex wouldn't make it out of the first season and would be canceled half way thru the first season. I'm still holding out for the series "Earth" making a comback!

ORIGINAL: Chickenboy

JWill93-

There are two interesting SyFi original series being produced now, one of which is The Expanse. Both look like promising contributions to this genre.

[gradenko2k]

Science Fiction requires a lot more "world-building" in the writing, along with a special effects budget. It's not as much of a safe or cheap bet as other genres.

[Fred98]

Warning! Warning! Warning!

I enjoyed Star Trek. You cannot break the laws of physics so Star Trek would tell us they invented a machine to do so. Plausible so it made it enjoyable.


Star Wars was just a fairy story set in a science fiction world. It was too fantasy for me. I saw the original movie. Then when I had a VHS I hired the 3 tapes and watched the 3 original movies. Never bothered with the rest.


Babylon 5 had potential but it too would sometimes become too fairy story / fantasy for me. The episodes where Will Robinson appeared were the best.


Anyhow I have a bad back and I have to and rest now. Oh the pain!

.
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[Hertston]

ORIGINAL: JWill93

However the genre seems to have died on TV. We had Space Opera shows like Battlestar Galactica, Firefly, Babylon 5, Farscape, and Star Trek. So what killed the Space Opera genre for TV?

I'm not sure anything has? Consider the time period those shows cover. A new one is overdue, though.

Certainly cost of special effects is probably the biggest issue. Reality TV is something of a red herring, there are plenty of sci-fi shows around equally if not more 'creative'; just not space opera. Throw in what seems to be a new Marvel or DC based show every month and there's more than enough to watch while avoiding reality TV!

[Max 86]

Most don't last because they are not very good frankly. There was a recent show that was cancelled where the plot was that all electricity magically went away and humanity had to survive on candle power. One of the major characters was a military super stud uncle and he kept doing the dumbest things imaginable. In one episode he takes out a room full of bad guys with a sword but when faced with 2 snarling dogs he and the whole party he is with turn and run, and one girl even had a crossbow. Then there were some people that still never armed themselves even though they were living in a dangerous apocalyptic environment. Just stupid stuff over and over. That show desperately needed a tactical advisor.

Other sci-fi shows seem to lose their direction and screw up the story line, ala Battlestar Galactica and Eureka.

Star Trek was/is a good vehicle because you have a ship that can go anywhere never needing refueling or taking on food / medicine. All that is needed is a good imagination. Deep Space 9 was boring by comparison as a space station does not go anywhere and it seemed the writers had to make up questionable plots to make up for it. Voyager really got bogged down in tech speak babble, then they made the smartest move, bringing in Seven of Nine to sex it up for a few more seasons.

TV writers can't 'world build' as Gradenko mentioned above and for some reason they never go to sci-fi books for any story lines. That is where the good stuff really is and its a shame they don't look there for more material.

Falling Skies is starting its last season (season 5) this summer and it needs to end as they can't seem to take it anywhere since they changed directors in season 4.

Need better writers, story lines and production values to make any of them worth a darn. But, like many of you, I hold out hope.

[KG Erwin]

I'd give it a few more years, especially as we get closer to a manned trip to Mars. This WILL happen, hopefully within my lifetime.

[aaatoysandmore]

Because they just don't have actors interested anymore like Will Wheaton and Billy Mumy. [:D]

[Rising-Sun]

ORIGINAL: Jim D Burns

Reality TV has killed off most creative TV shows. It's far cheaper and much more profitable to hire a bunch of wanna be celebs and have them eat a bowl of flies than to try and create a show with professional actors and writers.

Jim

Though MTV did that, it was horrible back then and turn everything upside down.

[Vasquez]

Anyone remember Space: Above and Beyond ?

[Chijohnaok2]

ORIGINAL: Vasquez

Anyone remember Space: Above and Beyond ?

I loved that show. I have it on DVD.
There was a sort of grittiness to it, and the ship construction seemed a blend of old (steel beams showing in the larger ships) and new (new advanced weapons for example). This blend seemed to make the show more connected to the present time.
The Battlestar Galactica re-imaging had that same sort of feel to it.

I think that Syfy has sort of gone in ebbs and spurts with "better" (or at least more classically themed) science fiction programs.
It did series like BG, Warehouse 13, etc.

Then they toss crap on like Sharknado or Dinocroc vs. Supergator.

when the channel was launched on September 24, 1992, Rubenstein recalled, "The first thing that was on the screen was 'Dedicated to the memories of Isaac Asimov and Gene Roddenberry'

They've recently done some new programming like Dominion and Ascension.

I hope they do more new programming in keeping with their original dedication and less of the crap.
I know that worthwhile original programming can be more expensive but they should also consider bringing back reruns of some classic TV science fiction shows: Twilight Zone (Rod Serling version), Star Trek, Space 1999, SAAB, etc. Running these should be relatively dirt cheap, draw in viewers, and help them re-establish some science fiction credibility.

[Jabbman]

ORIGINAL: Wolfe

^ District 9 and I believe there have been some rumours of a sequel.

Yes it was District 9, one of my top-10 favorite films. Excellent sci-fi with an original storyline and some interesting subtle references to South African apartheid, for those of us who are old enough to remember it.

I would recommend it to anyone, especially fans of sci-fi and alien stuff!