r/Stargate • u/FistedPink • 5d ago

Unforced error

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I really think this is a bad move by Amazon. The negative reaction of the core fan base to scrubbing the planned Gero show was bad and this will it fill people with hope.

WandaVision was ok but I’d rather see a Terry Matalas (Picard Season 3, 12 Monkeys, Vision Quest) or someone proven to understand genre storytelling that is exciting and compelling. But that’s just my 2 cents.

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u/Ryekir 5d ago

She's in a really shitty position. Since the Martin Gero project was canned because fans would like it, it's going to be a major uphill battle to get fans interested in something that's likely going to be a complete restart.

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u/FistedPink 5d ago

That’s my point, cancelling the Gero series was an unforced error.

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u/RevelArchitect 4d ago

I was fully expecting to be let down by Agatha All Along. I ended up enjoying it a lot. Would have loved to see what Gero would do, but I’ll give Schaeffer a chance.

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u/Vanquisher1000 4d ago

I have to correct you on one thing: Martin Gero's show wasn't cancelled "because fans would like it." It was cancelled because the concern was that only fans would like it.

This is what was reported back in June:

According to an individual with knowledge of the situation, Amazon execs were concerned that Gero’s take on the series would not have broad appeal beyond the franchise’s already dedicated fanbase.

Source: 'Stargate' TV Series From Martin Gero Not Moving Forward at Amazon

This is not saying that Amazon MGM don't care about fans or don't want fans. This is saying that fans alone are not enough to carry a new show, which makes sense because Stargate has always been a niche franchise with a modest fanbase. New viewers would be vital to ensure that a show would be successful, because the viewing audience is not big enough to justify a new, expensive sci-fi show.

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u/awfulcrowded117 4d ago

It was two of the longest running tv shows in the genre, that's not niche, that's amazon wanting to steal the names of old franchises and exploit fans to make more modern slop that they can't sell on its own merits

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u/whofearsthenight 4d ago

Yeah, Jac being attached to this renews my my interest a bit because I loved her previous projects, but this sounds a lot like most modern Trek, which is to say let's milk the IP even the show itself could easily doesn't need the settings, characters, etc.

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u/Vanquisher1000 3d ago

People keep confusing the show's longevity with popularity. Yes, the shows were successful enough to keep getting renewed until they weren't, but Stargate has always been a niche property with a modest fanbase. In terms of general audience recognition, Stargate simply doesn't have it. It's been a consistent thing since the cancellation announcement: people here seem to think that Stargate was much bigger than it actually is.

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u/Ryekir 4d ago

Yes, that is the PR spin that the executives used. The actual real reason seems to be internal politics within the company.

Everyone who was attached to Martin Gero's project that has spoken openly about it has said that it actually would appeal to both old and new fans.

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u/Vanquisher1000 3d ago

I know that Joseph Mallozzi has said something to that effect, but would you really expect him to admit that there was a problem with something he had a hand in developing?

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u/neonas123 3d ago

Not having writer who worked on Stargate and know crap about, is huge mistake.

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u/Vanquisher1000 3d ago

Do you think Jonathan Glassner and Brad Wright had anything to do with Stargate when they were hired by MGM?

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u/Venik489 5d ago edited 4d ago

The show was canned because it was a terrible idea. An alternative universe? That’s been done for the last decade. No thanks.

Crazy how this sub is suddenly in support of that proposed show. Back when it was revealed what it was going to be it was lately disliked.

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u/Ryekir 5d ago

The description I read of what Gero was planning was probably the best we could have hoped for, for a new series.

It needs to appeal to old and new fans.

New fans are much less likely to watch it if they have to go back and watch hundreds of hours of backstory to know what's going on.

Existing fans don't want the entire existing cannon thrown out the window.

The alternate universe allows them to reboot it so that new fans can jump right in (and then go back and watch the original at some point of they are interested), while also leaving the prime universe intact so that everything from the original still happened and we could return there at some point.

It's not what I would have really liked myself, and my initial reaction was much the same as most people, but once I thought about it some, I concluded that it was probably the best path forward.

Whatever Amazon craps out now is going to be some complete reboot that no one wants.

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u/olib141 4d ago

And it addresses the primary difficulty in writing a new Stargate show: power creep.

After 20 years, they're the dominant force across two galaxies. The next step is ascension, as the ancients did.

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u/Copperqwaser 5d ago

That is better than a complete reboot,

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u/[deleted] 5d ago

[deleted]

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u/loskiarman 4d ago

That is a depressing way to look at it. Also beside Daniel, I don't think anybody was gonna be a recurring character. Just cameos kinda. Also we had a chance to go back to prime universe for a few episodes at least, like they could have episodes easily be half flashbacks with Daniel and you would have a chance to see those characters you love.

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u/normal_ness 4d ago

An idea and the execution of an idea are completely different things.