During ComiCon in San Diego, it was announced that The Orville would be moving from Fox to Hulu for Season 3. Which means I don't think there are any real science-fiction shows on the major four networks anymore. Unless you want to count superhero shows like Agents of SHIELD on ABC (already scheduled for cancellation in 2021) which I don't.
Other than Syfy I'm not sure there's any real sci-fi on any broadcast networks anymore. And even Syfy doesn't show all that much real sci-fi anymore. They mostly seem to show crappy reality shows, wrestling, and lame Asylum movies like Mega Corgi vs Giant Tree Sloth.
Really sci-fi's history on ordinary TV has always been somewhat troubled. The recurring problem is that sci-fi shows are more expensive to produce and don't easily get big ratings. Even classic shows like The Twilight Zone and Star Trek were kept to shoestring budgets and often were perched on the edge of cancellation. And there's a long list of shows like Firefly that got one season or maybe two before they met the network ax.
Last year Amazon picked up Syfy's The Expanse, the new season of which should be out this year, and now with Hulu picking up The Orville and developing a Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy show it really does seem that streaming is the only hope for sci-fi programming anymore. Besides those two shows you have Black Mirror on Netflix, the new Twilight Zone and Star Trek Discovery on CBS All Access, and soon at least one Star Wars show on Disney+ to name a few.
This is good for sci-fi fans, but the problem is that the streaming market is most likely a bubble that's going to burst in a couple of years like the dot-com bust in the early 2000s. Once that bubble bursts and streaming companies are no longer tossing around money like a drunken trust fund kid at a strip club, how many sci-fi shows are going to survive? I'm sure a few will since sci-fi shows have been around pretty much since TV began (and before that on radio, I guess) but if I'm looking to the future I'm not all that optimistic.
Is anyone else more optimistic? Or maybe you know of some shows on broadcast TV that I missed.
5 comments:
There are only a few things I like on regular TV. I still think it's sad you can't watch any new Star Trek without a subscription. Although it seems these series get more of a chance to catch on if they're on Netflix, etc. Rather than network TV. I tend to agree with you. Not optimistic.
I agree with Cindy, I don't want to pay for a subscription to watch Star Trek!
Broadcast television is balking at genre shows. They lean more towards the general audience. That only leaves streaming and cable. But even then it’s expensive. Star Trek TNG cost a million an episode and that’s 1980s money. Streaming is getting spooked too though. Netflix suffered a loss when their projects didn’t bring in new subscribers and when they lose Marvel it’ll be worse. We’ll see what happens but Orville is a good example of how it’s going.
Sci-fi and fantasy TV shows have never been hugely popular on mainline broadcast networks, so it is not a surprise that they made a move with Orville. I was surprised it was renewed at all since all the other shows on Fox with similar or worse ratings were canceled...it was the lowest rated show on their network to gain a renewal and now we know why.
There's a new supernatural show coming on CBS this fall; I will be interested to see how long it lasts before it's either canned or kicked to CBSAA.
I am totally happy with CBSAA and Star Trek Discovery being there. They have a Game of Thrones level budget and it shows in every episode of the series; no more bargain basement sets, costumes, props, and effects. The episodes are excellent and the cast truly loves each other and enjoys working together and it shows in the final product. If that means $5.99 a month for a few months, that's cool with me.
So you'd rather have it on broadcast network TV where it would be canceled right away? smh
Trek's network history:
TOS: canceled (twice) 3 seasons
TAS: canceled 2 seasons
VOY: propped up UPN for 7 seasons
ENT: canceled 4 seasons
TNG and DS9 were first-run syndication, a business model that is dead. Streaming is the new first-run syndication...get out of the dark ages.
TV is never "free"
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