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.
