In the face of lower ratings, producer Joe Mallozzi explains frankly in his latest blog entry that US viewers need to tune in to the last few epsiodes of Season 3 of Stargate Atlantis, if there is to be hope of a Season 5:
I think it’s unrealistic to expect the show to pull in the numbers it used to, but on the other hand I strongly believe that an uptick in our ratings over these next three weeks could go a long way toward securing a rosy future for Stargate fans. Yes, petitions and letter-writing campaigns are terrific ways to express one’s passion for a series, but the best way to keep a show alive is by supporting it while it’s still on the air. So in the next three weeks – Tune in. Get your friends and family and casual acquaintances to tune in as well. In the end, it’ll be our fans who make the difference.
If we want another season of Atlantis beyond the one currently filming, and that spin-off too, then it’s in our interest to watch the shows live on Friday nights, and get our friends to do the same (especially if they have Nielsen ratings boxes!).
In my humble opinion, why should we support those who will kill off a beloved character (Carson Beckett) and ax an even more loved series (Stargate SG-1) so these guys can still have a job. I think the only way to protest our disgust is to not support the Scifi Channel. Just my opinion!
You make a very good point, Lucky. But for there to be any chance of Carson returning full-time, there needs to be a Season 5. Sadly Sci Fi won’t use ratings to change a show, but only to ax it. 🙁
I have no interest in a fifth (or even a fourth) season of SG-A. I never had much of an attachment to Atlantis to begin with, only watching it if I was too lazy to change the channel after SG-1. Without SG-1 as a lead in, I have no reason to watch SG-A, and with season four turning into a Spam-a-rama, I have every reason *not* to watch it. Plus, Joe M.’s previous comments about not liking the whole mythology/Ancients aspect (my favorite part of SG-1) leads me to believe that SG-A will go in a direction for which I have absolutely no interest. If that means we don’t get the spinoff, well, too bad. At this point, I’m more interested in seeing Rage of Angels become a reality than Stargate: Anything with No Daniel.
I love the show and I hope there is a season five; although I’ll probably wont get see it until 2009, as I live in Australia. The US fans are so lucky they get to watch it early and at a reasonable time, it gets shown at 11:30 pm in my country. All I can say is to please watch, I’ll be so ever greatful.
With the changes I’m not interested ina season 4 of Atlantis never mind a season 5. I would have wached a season 11 of SG1 however. :/