Farscape: Cancelled

[UncleDeadly]

Today, in a live, official chat on #farscape featuring writers, directors, and stars, and over 400 fans, it was announced that through a loophole in their contract, scifi channel has pulled out of its contract to have a fifth season of their top rated original series.

Next Tuesday they finish the last episode of Season 4.

Wednesday they start taking apart the sets.

If you are a fan of the show, fans everywhere are asking you to help out with several things:

Go Here For Information on Calling, Writting, E-mailing, and otherwise doing productive things to save the show

and

Sign the Petition Here

I've seen too many good sci fi shows die, and I dont want to see this one go away with out a fight

 

[Cantus Rock]

Holy lord this is a bad bad thing! You'd think these network people would know when they had a good thing. Oh man, this is really bad. I was never a huge huge Farscape fan, but this is really horrible..and I'm rambling. Oh man...well one thing is for sure, I will be signing that petition, and I do pray that they bring it back. For the fans, and for JHC in general. Thanks for post UD.

Its a sad, sad day out there in TV land...

-Matt

 

[Luke]

yeah i've heard about this - there is a transcript of the chat where it was announced here :- http://www.farscapeweekly.com/cancelled.htm

 

[Phillip]

It's so disappointing for all the cast and crew. It was just a couple months ago that sci-fi renewed Farscape for two years, the biggest contract of any sci-fi series ever on the channel. Apparently they had an out, and for an unknown reason (Farscape's ratings have been solid this summer) they canceled the show.

Particularly sad for Brian Henson. As more than anything else the past 10 years, Farscape has been has baby and the show is an incredible success. It's currently his biggest project and now it appears the series may be done even though it has many years worth of life left in it.

We'll be seeing lots more info on this in the coming days. It will make November's Farscape convention bitter-sweet for sure.

 

[Smig]

I can GUESS why they canceled the show.
They figured they have enough episodes of a popular series to rerun forever, so why spend any more money?

Cheapskates.

Smig

 

[Luke]

I agree with both Phil and Smig - i think there was definitely more scope in the show, and they were making some changes to keep it interesting. The only reason i can see (as Smig points out) is money - finances in TV are at an all time low right now and it's obviously a massive commitment for someone like Sci-Fi to do a show on this scale.

Maybe they'll make a movie to tie up the loose ends ?

 

[dwmckim]

I've been massively busy this last week and hardly online at all and just found out the news. Thanks to those who've posted the info on the news and the various links for fans to try help save the show.

The news as to "WHY" it was cancelled has not yet leaked out - though there's speculation that it has to do with SciFi's parent company's money problems (sound familiar?) Farscape is one of cable's most expensive shows to produce.

Anyone who wants to save the show MUST ACT FAST (ie NOW) to voice their disgust to SciFi - the sets are scheduled to be destroyed soon. The scifi telephone numbers answering machines have apparently been filled up wilth calls as to periodically have no room for new messages so this is not a wasted effort!

Sadly, the news was delivered to the Farscape team days before shooting the last parts of the last season 4 episode thus it's too late for them to change the content to a "end of series" as opposed to "end of season" episode. The writers/producers do want to have the story continued so fans know the end as it was planned - whether it be in movie form, book, etc. They'd love it if another network could pick up the show but that would realistically only happen in SciFi was gracious enough to sign over the programming rights for the first 88 episodes.

Anyway - i urge everyone here to help out the Save Farscape effort! Even if you've never seen the show or not as big a fan of it, it's a success for Henson and further seasons of the show means more opportunity for Henson to explore other things that would benefit other Henson/Muppet projects.

..and oh yes - from the mouth of David Kemper - be considerate and professional in your contact - the tone should be disappointment not anger. Network heads listen to fans (who write intelligent profound letters/messages) not lunatics (who use all caps, are nasty, use threatening tones)

 

[gymkatarules]

This is from thedigitalbits.com. It gives some good contact info down there:

"Yes... you read that right. The frell-nicks in programming at the Sci-Fi Network have opted out of their just-signed contract for seasons five and six of Farscape at the 11th hour, meaning that after the rest of season four airs in January, the best science fiction show on television is effectively cancelled. The news was announced this evening in a live chat at Sci-Fi.com with series executive producer David Kemper and star Ben Browder. As Jon Stewart might say, "Whhhhhhaaaaaaaaa?"

Now... here at The Bits, we're not normally of the sort to raise a stink about a TV show being cancelled. That's just life, right? And it doesn't really have much to do with DVD (other than the fact that we're all really enjoying the first and second seasons on DVD from ADV, thank you very much). But this one does stick in our collective craw. Now... we recognize that some of you may not care. But if (like us) you do, the show's producers have asked for help in convincing Sci-Fi of the error of their ways. Contact Sci-Fi and politely let them know how you feel.

Sci-Fi's programming department email: program@www.scifi.com
Comment line: 212-413-5577
General Line: 212-413-5000
Address: The Sci-Fi Channel
1230 Avenue of the Americas, F115
New York, NY 10020-1513

And for more information on what you can do, visit this website.

Anyone at UPN or Fox in the mood to pick up an already critically-acclaimed hit show?

Stay tuned..."

-Chris

 

[beaker]

PUT FARSCAPE ON REGULAR TV!!!

First off, this is a big shocker. Why at comic shops and book stores there has been a huge influx of tons of Farscape stuff. Even the monthly magazine(which is one of the best slick glossy magazines next to Star Wars Insider) is available everywhere here. Man...dont know what to say as I dont know the details.

However...I will say perhaps a decision to put Farscape FINALLY on regular tv for the rest of us non cable people could be reached. A decision like that could bring about a whole new fanbase that was never there for those who dont have cable.
In fact, think about it...production values, story, puupetry, animatronics...its beats the pants off any Trek rip or genre action show on regular tv today!

 

[Traveling Matt]

Truly sad news...

I was never a big Farscape fan, but have always been supportive of the show because of its relation to JHC.

I will be signing that petition, however.

Here's to a happy ending

- Billy