Cancellation of Farscape

[Williamhk]

I am currently living in South Africa and only recently rented Farscape at the local Video Shop. Never really knowing what this was, it looked interesting so I checked it out.

Wow.

I am now at the third season and I am definitly hooked, but can someone please explain why in the world this brilliant program was cancelled?

[blue]

It seemed to be essentially bad timing--it now looks like both the corporate owners of Henson (EMTV) and of the Scifi Channel (Vivendi) were in very bad financial situations at the same time during the negotiations for the next season. It was a cost-cutting business decision. Later, the Henson family bought back the Henson Company, and Vivendi sold the SciFi Channel.

At the time, everyone said what you are saying -- and we made enough noise to bring it back to life. We are still hopeful there will be more of the story to come....

[Spedoinkel]

Also though the show is great, part of why that was is contributed to continuity. Perhaps too much. The constant self referencial nature, and long arching subplot story lines that spanned episodes made it difficult for new casual viewers to get into, or understand the show.

[waltersgirl]

interestingly, Lost and Desperate Housewives, and the new Battlestar Galactica, seem to be proving that theory unfounded. kinda like the Farscape fans had been saying the whole time.

[Spedoinkel]

But Niether of those shows have run for four years. Those relationships are still growing and characters remain close to their original archetypes.

The same thing happens in comic books, and how it is so hard to pick up a long running series. Especcially now that editorial notes have gone the way of the dodo.

[waltersgirl]

they [Skiffy] weren't arguing longevity as being something inversely proportional to intricate scripted drama. they were arguing intricate scripted drama being inversely proportional to viewers.

[TalynLives]

I agree with waltersgirl. Speaking from personal experience, I switched onto Farscape during the closing arc of Season 3 and wasn't put off one bit, I was so swept up in the ride. The fact that there was a maze of backstory to contend with only pushed me to go buy the DVDs :)

I could switch on an episode of Stargate on the other hand and be bored to tears even though it was a standalone episode, switch it off and never watch it again.

Comic books are a different kettle of fish as they tend to span decades and have various rewrites floating around. Sagas like the Superman saga are okay as it's a simple enough story told time after time with just minor alterations. X-men on the other hand has to be the most confusing story ever told.

I think Farscape's problem was people simply didn't know the show existed. Look at how much the fanbase has grown since the show's cancellation.

[vhsiv]

they [Skiffy] weren't arguing longevity as being something inversely proportional to intricate scripted drama. they were arguing intricate scripted drama being inversely proportional to viewers. And now they've thrown the once-vaunted Andromeda into daytime rotation.

I guess they now have the time and space to burn-off their superficial dramas...

[zahncrelnik]

It was just too good to last.
Some TV exec always decides that something costs too much.
At least Henson, O'Bannon, et al did not sacrifice quality for
the right to continue. Farscape came and went on a high note!

[vhsiv]

F.Y.I. - 'Farscape Unplugged (http://www.zzapp.org/vhsiv/Farscape_Unplugged_SFX_04-03.pdf)' (March, 2003 - PDF)

[MrX]

For whatever reason, the viewership wasn't going up. And it was a pretty expensive show.

[crazy_chi]

BECAUSE THEY ARE FRELLING MORONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

yea. :D

[blue]

Actually I think the viewership WAS going up, but just not growing as fast as Scifi was penetrating new markets (reaching new parts of the country for the first time), so the RATINGS were not going up but remaining steady, because the ratings were calculated as a proportion of the people the Scifi channel could reach, and that was growing.

[jerseygirl]

Also though the show is great, part of why that was is contributed to continuity. Perhaps too much. The constant self referencial nature, and long arching subplot story lines that spanned episodes made it difficult for new casual viewers to get into, or understand the show.

See, that was one of their big mistakes: assuming anyone could be a casual viewer. As we all know way too well, there is no such thing as a casual Farscape viewer.

I came in early in the second season, but the lack of backstory was not a deterrent in the least. Not even a crumb. I was aware that there was a lot I didn't know, but it just made me want to go back and catch up. Which I eventually did. In fact, the thought of all those early eps waiting for me made me really excited.

And just like Skiffy underestimated the strength of the show to draw viewers into its world, it underestimated the passion and power of the fans to bring it back.

[Williamhk]

Thanks for the info, guys. Luckily I still have halfway to go of season 3 and the whole of season 4 and then the Peacekeeper wars as well. I'll be spreadind the word of Farscape here in SA, and contribute to the savefarscape campaign.

[Viper1880]

See, that was one of their big mistakes: assuming anyone could be a casual viewer. As we all know way too well, there is no such thing as a casual Farscape viewer.

I came in early in the second season, but the lack of backstory was not a deterrent in the least. Not even a crumb. I was aware that there was a lot I didn't know, but it just made me want to go back and catch up. Which I eventually did. In fact, the thought of all those early eps waiting for me made me really excited.

And just like Skiffy underestimated the strength of the show to draw viewers into its world, it underestimated the passion and power of the fans to bring it back.

I know for me I started watching Farscape at the beginning of it's forth season. And even though I did not know many of it's backstory's, they were able to make each episode interesting. When I bought the DVD's, I finilly understand the whole story of Farscape.