C00Ki3

We are definitly NOT backing down anytime soon. Just fired off a telegram. I hope everyone else who loves the show but felt it might be futile to write in now realizes that its actually making an impression.

Read about it straight from David Kemper's keyboard:
http://www.starburstcards.com/KarlswebNewscape/

WarriorPrincess

Man, I missed it! I was in and out of mirc for 2.5 hours tonight, constantly trying to figure out what was going on with Ben and DK, but finally I had to give up, as the server just kept on booting me out. Figured 9 pm was late enough to eat dinner. Anyway, thanks for the link, Cooki3, the speech was great.

Please, anyone who loves sci fi, call, write, email, send a telegram, anything - just let the scifi channel know that we as fans care deeply about the content they air, and farscape is an example of the best of television, period.

KayUK

Totally agree with WarriorPrincess, and would only like to add keep doing what ever you're doing.
Apparently it is having an effect. DK has said that people who had stopped talking to him have started calling again (exec's I assume). DK is hopeful and if he can be, so can I.

Fielding Mellish

This is good news. However, today being what it is, I recommend everyone cool it a bit. We don't want to come across as insensitive fanatics.

Thursday, as the Klingons might say, let slip the dogs of war...

das Monkey

A few days ago I posted to the main Save Farscape forum that Thursday and Monday were key days in this fight. Call today and be polite or take the day off - whichever is more comfortable - but tomorrow, be ready for a fight.

das

KayUK

I sincerely apologise.
Sorry guys, didn't mean to sound insensitive, today of all days, I was just trying for general encouragement, not suggesting doing anything specifically today, of course.

Fielding Mellish

Kay,

Don't sweat it. We're all riled up.

You know, I've taken steps to save shows I like before. I sent a nasty e-mail when ABC cancelled Sportsnight and Cupid. I signed an on-line petition when Fox put the screws to Undeclared and Futurama.

But I've never been driven like this.

In the last five days, I've sent countless calls, letters, packages and e-mails. And after you've gotten rolling, it's hard to just say "take a breather for 24 hours." You're not alone.

Wizdar

I didn't see anything that warrants an apology, in spite of an apparent lack of a sense of humor around here of late.

But the sentiments are appreciated, at least by me.

das Monkey

Ditto. No need to apologize for anything, but sentiments appreciated. I, for the most part, took the day off from campaiging (aside from some behind the scenes stuff I couldn't neglect), but I have no problem if others want to keep at it. Everyone grieves (or doesn't grieve) in his own way. Some want today to be just like another day. Some want everything to stop. Many fall somewhere in between. As long as people are respectful, I think they should be able to do whatever they want today, so long as they don't mind if I want to take a breather for a bit. Sometimes gathering your forces is a good idea, anyway, and I'll be ready for tomorrow!

In any case, I honestly saw nothing in your post that struck me in a negative way, but it's nice to know you're thinking of us over in the Motherland. Getting Farscape back on American television (and consequently back in production) has truly been a worldwide effort.

das

P.S. Simcoe's in the chatroom right now fielding questions.

das Monkey

We just made Headline News. They ran about 3 minutes on the campaign.

das

clemente

I just saw that and was about to post. This campaign has some serious steam behind it, so lets not give up now!

das Monkey

Holy ****. I love the Internet. After they ran the story, I sent him a detailed thank you e-mail. Less than an hour later he cited e-mails he had received since he ran the story and thought it needed more coverage. The story starts with the anchor asking "Do television executives have their eyes closed?"

After detailing the campaign for the show, it's tossed back to the anchor who says, "well, that's great, but don't TV execs care most about ratings." San Miguel responded, "well, it's their second highest rated show, with SG-1 in 1st, which they just acquired." (he didn't note that SG-1 is #1, because they bumped Farscape from the 8pm timeslot, but that's cool). The anchor responded, "wow ... makes you wonder why they're trying to kill it then."

A full 5 minutes of coverage in the last hour ... that's pretty significant.

das

WarriorPrincess

das, the part that cracked me up the most was the last comment - everyone should question why Farscape was axed.

I've been on mirc a lot since yesterday, and I'm encouraged at the progress we seem to be making. The cast and crew of Farscape all seem to be quite appreciative of the fans' efforts, and their continued participation in chats and on websites helps us keep up the steam. They all seem just so wonderful - makes me love the show even more knowing such great people are at its core.

C00Ki3

Can't wait to hear how this picket at the Sci Fi office turns out... I really hope there is a large turnout and that it gets some publicity.

There was CNN coverage today and there is a Variety ad coming out tomorrow. Things are going really well.

das Monkey

Now this is most interesting:

http://www.semistixstudio.com/Brian-...cape-Blues.mp3

das

das Monkey

Oh, and 25,000 signatures.

das

B5Erik

Something struck me as I finished my dinner at work, and saw the promo for the Farscape piece on Headline News. (Sadly, I had to get back to work, and missed the report...)

Now I know this is REALLY far fetched, and I checked with Oliver Stone and even HE thought it was pretty far out there, but...

Suppose you were in charge of a cable "network" and you had a show that was very popular - your most popular show by most accounts - but that was not making you much of a profit (if any at all) due to its relatively high cost.

Wouldn't you do anything you could to give it a ratings boost?

Like, say, cancel it when you know damn well that the fans will go crazy all over the net and just might get you some media attention - for free. Might you try that if you were devious enough and never really intended to go through with cancelling it.

So you bring it back, and hopefully see a ratings boost from all the attention.

Wouldn't you try that? I might - IF I was that devious.

Of course, this assumes a level of intelligence that the people in charge of the Sci-Fi Channel (USA2) may not actually possess - but you never know...


(Keep e-mailing, phoning, and sending regular mail protesting the "cancellation" of Farscape anyway...)

das Monkey

People have suggested this before, but I think the reverse conspiracy theory is proving to be the reality here.

If, as you suggest, USA2 wanted to promote Farscape, the wouldn't have screwed with the timeslot and placed it on hiatus like they did. However, if they wanted an excuse to cancel a highly rated show that didn't fit into their new regime of "non-space" repurposed USA and B-Movie programming, then that's precisely what you'd do.

Your theory isn't that far-fetched though; I just don't think it applies in this instance. One of my numerous "Million Dollar Ideas" is Battle of the Cancelled Stars. Each season, the shows that were on the brink of cancellation would send a representative (or team) to compete in a game show (likely a physical one, since these stars would likely give every effor to keep their job). It would be a win-win for all parties. The show itself would garner strong ratings, and it would advertize ALL the shows, not just the one that "wins." Viewer response could gage if they want to return more than one show (much like American Idol really has more than one winner). It's perfect for FOX who commissions and cancels more shows than anyone and lives off of cheesy reality shows.

Anyway, I'm getting sidetracked ... ... before Farscape was yanked, my theory was as I suggested before. USA2 wanted to cancel the show and was looking for an excuse to do it. I had no idea why at the time (which is probably why people thought I was crazy when I suggested it). Now that it's actually happened, everything makes more sense.

USA2 didn't really want to cancel Farscape, but they did want to strong-arm Henson into lowering their cost. Considering the fact that they ordered seasons 4 and 5, they really couldn't just up and demand the cost be lowered. So, they dicked around with the schedule, gave SG-1 the prime timeslot, and forced the ratings down. The ratings drop wasn't significant by any means, and really doesn't hurt USA2 that much, but it gives them an excuse to demand Henson lower the cost.

Their plan (as I see it) was to play hardball with Henson. They'd demand a lower cost. If Henson said no, they'd "cancel" it. Considering the looooooong amount of time before Season 5 is supposed to air, there would be PLENTY of time to manipulate Henson into lowering their cost using the "cancel" card as leverage. According to insiders, USA2 had no intentions of announcing the cancellation until January. In their short-sightedness (USA2, short-sighted??? NEVER!!!), they probably never expected that DK and Co. would undercut them and go straight to the fans.

Now USA2 has their backs completely against the wall. I wonder if they really had any intention of cancelling the show for real. I figure it was certainly an option, but the first "cancel" was behind-the-scenes hardball, and they expected to force the cost down and then renew the series. It's so hard to know what's really going on -- if these morons would act logically, their actions would be more predictable, but since they're prone to fits of outrageous stupidity, they could have just been too stupid to know better. But that's my guess as to what happened.

das

KayUK

Wow, das thanks for the 'wheels within wheels' plot theories, they make this this thread fascinating reading, and makes a lot of sense out of what's happened so far.
I suppose it makes more sense that the suits are money hungry a**holes than blind idiots, although the latter can never be ruled out.

Just wanted to say good luck, to anyone going to the NY protest. All the UK fans are with you in spirit, and shall be adding their voices to the US email protest set for 12.00 noon eastern time today (5.00pm UK time).

Tom Vitale won't know what's hit him.

BTW thanks for your understanding everybody.

B5Erik

Don't let up on these people.

Whatever their motives are, they need to know how much support Farscape (and serious Science Fiction in general) have.

I'll be sending my 3rd e-mail today....

das Monkey

The sun has shifted, so it's hard to make much out, but our people are out there:

http://nyctmc.org/Xview_still.asp?ca...+%40+49+Street

das

cooper2000

I didnt do a search to see if this had been posted before so go ahead and flame me, but this is too cool. From Rygel himself...

From:
http://www.suite101.com/bulletin.cfm/16462/10967


A letter from dominar Rygel/Jonathan Hardy
"Jonathan gave me permission to repost this and I have been trying to put it on the Dom. Silly me. He wrote this after coming home from rehearsal for a play (Great Expectations) he is doing and read about the announcement on the Aussie Yahoo group." XenaJules

Sat 7 Sept 8:58am

Dear All,

Naturally we are saddened that the chronicles of our wanderings in the uncharted territories and others have to cease. It is the way of humans to do such thing in a world where there is little intrinsic value in anything.
Therefore rating fluctuations can be as deadly as anything in space. If it is true that waves and particle solids are aspects of the same thing then we have been as real as thought forms that have been made manifest. Therefore we go on, as you do, carrying those realities in to the future
when we may be made manifest for you again. Until then we walk parallel in the wasteland of the universe comforted by the fact that we have touched and know that each other exists.
Perhaps I shall regale you in the future with stories of my return own home and the rallying of forces to fight Bishan. Perhaps not, but movement is all and we must maintain it."let us the put out to sea. the narwhal dares us to
be free." When it will be we do not know. Perhaps tomorrow perhaps as the poet says,
"When the great markets by the sea shut fast.
All that calm Sunday that goes on and on.
When even poets find their peace at last.
And earth is but a star that once had shone."

Blessings,

Rygel

das Monkey

In case you hadn't heard, we made Headline News twice more tonight. The went even further in depth on the story, relaying our impressive demographic and wondering why on Earth Sci-Fi doesn't want these viewers. They even joked, "if Farscape doesn't return, we'll take you ... tune it right here to Headline News."

das

Eric S

I'll buy that they're just trying to force their costs down, but my conspiracy theory is a little darker.

Imagine that you've just been given charge of a cable network with one highly rated show and a few others with a following. You could continue to nurture this, in which case people won't see much of a change and might wonder what you're being paid for. These people aren't too bright in my opinion, but you might worry about your big paycheck anyway.

You could bring in a few new shows, but unless they manage to beat out your top show, you'll be considered second best. There are worse things, but being high muckety-muck is all about perception.

On the other hand, if you can manage to trip up the big show, and sweep alway the other shows without it appearing to be sabotage, then you get to play hero by bringing in other shows, earning you your place in history.

Before you dismiss this idea, remember that it is common for CEOs and VPs to make changes when they take over a company/department, even if the company/department is doing well, just to earn that person their place in history. Common enough that it's even been used in multiple Dilbert strips.

So it isn't even all about being USA2, it's about being seen to make positive changes, which is easier if things are messed up (hiding the fact that it's your fault that things are messed up, of course).

Wizdar

Is whatshername fairly new to USA2? (Honestly don't know.)

As for Part 2 of your theory: it implies that they have something to fill the Farscape void, n'est pas? What could they possibly have that would do that?