Although the initial flurry of activity may have dimmed considerably, the quest to save Farscape continues across the fanboy/fangirl nation. Next week, this fan produced ad will start appearing in 24 major media markets…it looks a bit rough but hopefully will spark some media coverage. Meanwhile, here in NYC I’ve taken to postering all the bus ads for Sci-Fi’s upcoming Taken around campus with BOYCOTT SCI-FI signs. Somebody keeps ripping them down, but hey…it adds structure to my walks with Berkeley.
Category: Television
Reality Bites.
Andrew Leonard of Salon pretty much sums up my thoughts on the Winona Ryder trial. I too grew up a Winona teenager…after Princess Leia, she was my second crush (and between the two of them, they pretty much locked in my predisposition toward wry, witty brunettes.) She was definitely the female icon of a certain generation of brainy, awkward guys (all the more reason why I always thought John Crichton naming his gun thus was one of those grace notes that made Farscape such a wonderful show.) Ah, well. On the bright side, fellow eighties icon Mia Sara appears to be making something of a comeback these days, even if it is on a show as lousy as Birds of Prey.
Gallifreyan Impound.
In a dispute between London’s police force and the BBC, the latter wins the Tardis.
SNL Talk Express.
John McCain gets flak from Drudge and elsewhere for missing a Defense spending vote to prep for Saturday Night Live. Hmm. I think you can go ahead and file this complaint along with the ones about Cornel West being in The Matrix sequels. While it’s true that all the rehearsing in the world isn’t going to make 75% of today’s SNL skits funny, the bill in question passed 93-1. I’m not sure how McCain voting on it would have made much of a difference. And it’s not like this is last week’s Iraq vote, where every Senator should be on record for or against ceding their Constitutional authority to the President. In fact, I think you can argue it’ll make more difference to have a few grotesquely apolitical Americans see “that cool senator” on a late-night show.
Watch out, Powerpuffs…
While WB continues to screw up Supes, the Teen Titans go animated. Robin and Cyborg were gimmes, but I’m surprised they went with Starfire, Raven, and Changeling over the better-known Kid Flash, Wonder Girl, Aqualad, and Speedy. At any rate, given that the animation department appears to be the only division of WB that “gets it,” and that The New Teen Titans was my first favorite comic way back in third grade (particularly the “Judas Contract” and Trigon storylines), I’m definitely going to check it out.
Jeep Trek.
Also in fanboy news, the new Trek trailer has snuck onto the web (scroll to the bottom for mirror sites), a weekend before its official web release. Cheesy taglines, and my love of the genre just doesn’t go far enough to incorporate interstellar jeep chases, but at least it looks better than the last one. Update: It’s now officially up.
Just to stay on message here…
SAVE FARSCAPE! Send letters, e-mails, calls, and general consternation the way of the Sci-Fi Channel (and their corporate sponsor) for not living up to their genre billing. Who knows which letter or e-mail will put us over the top? Update: My sister-in-law Lotta, who’s been on the front-lines of the Save Farscape movement since last Friday, gets her e-mail read on CNN. You go, girl.
Ouch.
Not to denigrate another science fiction franchise here, but the NYT has deconstructed the next Trek film, placing it squarely among the five reusable plots in the franchise. In the unforgettable words of Homer Simpson, “It’s funny because it’s true!”
Notes from the Front.
The campaign to Save Farscape gets some media play. Keep it up, y’all.
What the?!?
They cancelled Farscape?!? Oh, those frelling bastards. This makes me very, very, very unhappy. Update: Ok, it will probably amount to naught, but a campaign has begun, and I did send off a few strongly-worded letters this morning to Sci-Fi (if a show as bad as The Pretender can be brought back this way, it seems Farscape at least deserves the opportunity.) In case any one of the handful of readers here also cares to get involved, I’m reposting the letter writing guide I put up at AICN:
1) Be Polite. Which doesn’t mean don’t be angry, disappointed, emphatic, pleading, and/or strong in your choice of words. It means no swearing, no personal threats or threats to the company (OTHER than to say you’ll no longer be watching them.) Remember what [Farscape creator David] Kemper said about [Sci-Fi Channel President] Bonnie Hunter – if he’s not angry at her, you shouldn’t be.
2) Be “Normal.” Sci-Fi expects the fanboy/fangirl conventioners to be pissed and will write them off as acceptable losses. So it may help to disguise oneself (if necessary) as an average (upscale) consumer, deeply disappointed by the loss of the show. The type of person who wouldn’t normally watch science-fiction but was enthralled by Farscape.
3) Mention Critical Acclaim. Refer to both the Saturn awards and that oft-repeated TV Guide quote, “the best science-fiction series on TV” – Sci-Fi used it in almost all of their Farscape promos, so there’s no harm in hoisting them by their own petard. Plus, it’s true. (“TV’s best space series” [USA Today] and “The Year’s Best in TV” [Newsday] are also worth mentioning.)
4) It’s Not Just the Cancellation, It’s the Cliffhanger. It is a double disservice to fans and the show in that, in its current state, it will never be resolved. (Think Dale Cooper in the Black Lodge.)
5) Farscape gave Sci-Fi Legitimacy and Ratings. Before that first wave of Friday prime shows, Sci-Fi was Dark Shadows 24-7. Farscape was an early hit for the network and the first show to ever give the fledgling network respectability. As such, it deserves a more honorable sendout.
6) Crumbs Do Matter. If you’re participating in the “Crackers DO Matter” campaign and sending some form of crackers to Sci-Fi (I didn’t), make sure (a) they are sealed in a bag of some sort and (b) very well marked. This is most assuredly not the week to be sending unmarked powdery substances to Rockefeller Center.
7) This Decision Will Impact Sci-Fi’s Ratings. Admit to enjoying a few of the other shows on the network (or future shows – I mentioned anticipation of the forthcoming Children of Dune film.) Say that you will boycott these programs AND the network as a result of this decision.
8) You Will Also Boycott Farscape Reruns. I think [other posters are] probably right about the Sci-Fi plan…it’s to make all future money on re-runs of the first 88 episodes. Say that you will not watch them on Sci-Fi in protest.
9) Keep It Succinct, And Spell-Check. As I said before, the less fanboy and more professional the letter seems, the more Sci-Fi will have to wonder about the type of demographic who wrote it.
10) If Sci-Fi doesn’t save Farscape, they have no business calling themselves the “Sci-Fi” channel. Nuff said.
Hope that helps. Now lets go get the frellers.
Second Update: It can’t hurt to hit ’em in the pocketbook and contact Sci-Fi’s corporate sponsors as well (scroll to the bottom for contact info.) If nothing else, I get to hone my strongly-worded-letter-writing for the next few weeks.