Bonnie Hammer is not the cause of Farscape's cancellation

[Stargate2077]

Many people have tried to blame Bonnie Hammer for cancelling Farscape. Here is a portion of the original chat with DK, Ricky, and Ben, when they first broke the news of the cancellation. This are David Kemper's direct words concerning Bonnie Hammer.


<DK> Hang on a second--
<DK> I just saw someone log on as Bonnie Hammer must die.
bonniehammermustdie has left #farscape
<DK> You should be ashamed of yourself and change that
<DK> nick instantly.
<DK> That kind of reaction
<DK> without knowing who and how it went
<DK> down is totally wrong.
<Barbarella> yes please guys do try to keep the anger to a minimum since we don't know the whole story
<DK> You are attacking the wrong people.
<DK> I am the most savaged and angry person about this you know.
<DK> Brian started on this project with Rockne in 1993.
<DK> I was brought in in 1994.
<DK> It has been essentially my life since then.
<DK> If I am not angry at Bonnie, then you have no right to be.
To answer the log on--
<DK> Bonnie is the President of Sci Fi,
<DK> and has always been a fan of Farscape.


We don't know the exact person who ordered Farscape to be cancelled, but look at the "Information about Vivendi Universal (owner of Sci-Fi Channel)" thread to see how unclear where the blame lies in Farscape's cancellation.

[waltersgirl]

it's very important that we set aside the issue of blame, because it is completely unproductive. we need to focus our energies on getting Farscape back into production.

[Stargate2077]

Exactly...that's why I made this thread to get people to understand that we should not blame anyone specifically for Farscape's cancellation.

[Chryse]

Bonnie always "got" Farscape. She's been it's best cheerleader at Scifi since day 1.

I also think she's been made into something of a scapegoat at Scifi channel about cancelling Farscape anyway. Why even take any of her public statements seriously? She has a job, she probably wants to keep it, and she's probably told by her superiors what to say (to stick to the party line).

Anger will not get us anywhere anyway. Neither will assigning blame.

Besides, if wasn't for Bonnie, we never would have gotten Farscape in the first place.

:)
aileen

[Frances]

I agree. Blaming Ms Hammer would be counterproductive.

At this point, SciFi Channel is almost a non-issue with me. They show very few things I want to watch. I've got the VCR set to tape Farscape, and that's about the only time I turn to that channel. It seems to me they're their own worst enemy.

[waltersgirl]

welcome to the board, Frances.:aok:

[TKScaper]

This is an ugly subject and I think that most of us just need a place to vent. I agree "scifi is it's own worst enemy". It offers me nothing anymore except the prized Farscape reruns when I don't have to be up to early. I'm not to crazy about all of the networks out there in TV land. It seems substandard programming is the wave of the future. I agree Bonnie is just someone else's mouth piece and has to go with the flow. The scifi channel is obviously moving in a directions that is really not what true science fiction is all about. She is a scapegoat, and I too have not always had nice things to say about her, but let's face it some of the things she has said has offended many. I'm sure she was probably only parroting the thoughts of those who sign her paycheck. But it did offend and we will always remember. She's quoted all through many of the posts. Better we vent here, where others understand, than in the letters, e-mails,etc. I always keep my letters polite, and it's because I know being rude will get us know where. Then I can come here, vent, and be able to go back to polite, civil, letter writing. This is the best place to bring our frustration to let it go. I then feel revitalized and ready to write more, e-mail,etc. This place became my Farscape haven, it instructs on what to do, when, how, and why. It also listens to my frustration. I have felt the dreaded"what's the use syndrome" that always acompanies an uphill battle, then I come here. We all need to let go of the negative feelings somewhere so we can continue to work on saving our show.

[AstroEddie]

I understand that people are angry. LIKE ME!!!! But, what I have found refreshing here is that everyone is rather mature about the whole thing and the site isn't full of people screaming at and being rude to the others.

My first impression when I started reading the posts was that most everyone here was on the intelligent side, due to this very fact!!

[uisceboo]

It all depends where you vent...if you vent in a capaign strategy thread, some people may take the venting to be a battle call. It helps to say you are venting too, which TKScaper did. A lot of Scapers have turned to their blogs to vent. and then there was that one Scaper who beat the hezmana out of some SciFi Channel buttons with a hammer...:rollin: but I digress....

So long as no one is inciting people to join up and act on anger, venting is necessary and normal. It would be foolish to say that we are not all angry and outraged by the cancellation, and those emotions need to be dealt with.

Blaming , scapegoating, and the like are actions of directing anger AT someone. Not productive, and probably won't make anyone feel better anyway.

Now, if anyone feels they have some extra anger to burn off, there are letters to be written to Viacom, donations to be made to libraries, artwork to be designed, etc. :D

[Marcellini]

So, if it's not Bonnie Hammer's fault, then why does the site encourage us to write to her to get the show back? :confused: If she doesn't have any control over the show's cancellation (and, in theory, its reinstatement) then why deluge the poor woman with letters? I want to send a letter, but not to someone who doesn't make the decisions. On another note, I am so glad that this campaign is still going on. It gives me hope that the show might one day get back on...

[Darth Buddha]

I think the thrust of this thread is legitimate, so long as it doesn't obscure the lay of the land.

In "supporting" the cancellation debacle, Bonnie has gone on record with enough negatives regarding Farscape that she and Farscape cannot co-exist on the same channel. Shie'd lose face. Think the Eddie Olmos truth attack times one-hundred.

For Farscape to return to Sci-fi, Bonnie, and some other key upper management types would have to seek employment elsewhere.

Bonnie, cause or not cause, is not the enemy.

She's merely an obstacle to Farscape's return to Sci-fi.

Perhaps an insurmountable one.

[Tiriel]

I agree on all counts: Blaming people ain't getting us anywhere and without a place to vent, you end up venting at the wrong place...if you know what I mean :D Turning passive aggressive isn't really something I wanna add to my list of personality traits :D

But I don't think anything she said would make any difference as to whether or not they'd show Farscape again if the leadership turns around and the price is right. She's a corporate person, whatever is your hottest merchandise that's what you are the biggest friend of. Whatever you had to get rid of, you had to get rid of because it sucked. Majorly. By definition. If you can do one 180 degree turn, you can do another...it's the first one that hurts most ;)

I've said it before and I'm happy to repeat myself: Personally I'd be mcuh, much happier if Farscape came back on a different channel. Preferentially with some sort of promotion. You have no idea how many people I have converted who never saw the show, because they cathegorically do not watch the SFC. As soon as syndication hits on a larger network, we'll be in for the big rid :)

Love and Peace and Hope, Always :)

Tiriel :bounce:

[Darth Buddha]

I've found corporate types and managers to be some of the most ego driven, self-aggrandizing, cut-their-noses off despite their faces people around.

That said, I hope you are right. That'd make the likelihood of Farscape having a home a Scifi again greater.

[waltersgirl]

I want to send a letter, but not to someone who doesn't make the decisions.

the point is, we don't know who's making what decisions at which network re Farscape. we don't know who's the right person, which is the right network, thus, we suggest to include everyone.

read Brian Henson's quote in my sig line. it's from an article that was just printed this week. the fans are making the difference. Farscape's return is a when, not an if. we just don't know when, and we don't yet know the where. as in all things campaign-related, if you aren't comfortable with it, don't do it. do what you can, what you will, when you can.


welcome to the board.;)