Awwww .... show...

[sholio]

SGA will end its run with season 5.

My thoughts on this:

I'm sad. Of course I am. I've fanned harder and heavier on SGA than on any show since I was a teenager. (And they couldn't have waited until next week to announce this, after the inevitable "Shrine"-high, could they? *g*) The show has been a disturbingly integral part of my life for over two years, and it feels like a bit of a punch in the gut that we won't get to have new adventures of Team SGA anymore. It's also sad because it really felt like they were hitting their stride during seasons 4 and 5, and I really would have liked to see what they did after that.

But ... here's why I'm not too depressed about it. 5 years is a good, solid run for a series. Most of the shows I've fanned on have made it a lot less than that. (My last active fanning on an open-canon show was "Invisible Man", and that only made it for two seasons!) With the shows I've watched that did go for more than five seasons, it seemed like most of them tanked in later seasons, in some cases to the point where my enjoyment of earlier seasons is tainted by the massive pile of suck that the show later became. (I'm not saying *every* show does this. But an awful lot of them do.) Back at the start of season 3, I remember saying that I hoped the show would run for five seasons and go out on a high note. Now that we're here, er, I'm kinda eating my words a little bit XD ... but, honestly, I am glad it's going out on a high note with strong episodes and a thriving fandom, not limping to a conclusion with most of the fandom having moved on to shinier pastures.

And I'm heartened by looking around me at other closed-canon fandoms. As far as I can tell, based on my f'list, SG1 fandom is still going just as strong as it was at the close of season 10. Sentinel and Due South were cancelled a decade ago, but both of them still seem to have active fandoms and new fans coming in as they discover the shows. Most of the shows I've fanned on other than SGA are shows that had either been cancelled when I started watching them, or had a planned limited run (like most anime does, or like Life on Mars) so it's not like this is new for me.

There's a mellowness to closed-canon fanning that's kind of nice. As wonderful as it is to get new canon every week, it's an emotional roller coaster ride as canon changes, stories get jossed, ships run aground and fans freak out over new developments. Once the show's over, we can still write our happily-ever-afters, explore the Pegasus galaxy, and make up detailed life histories for every character -- without any worries of being contradicted by canon or having our favorite characters die.

I'm sad about losing the show, I really really am, but I'm also kind of happy and even excited about being active in a closed-canon fandom again. It's not really worse, it's just ... different. (And I'm already contemplating "keep the show alive!" projects of various sorts. I am the woman who ran the Trigun Virtual Third Season, after all. [Edit: which, wow, is still online. Is that a trip down memory lane or what. I haven't thought about it in ages!])

Comments

[kristen999.livejournal.com]

I've never been into a fandom while being heavily active and had it go away. To me I've lost something, wondering who'll go with it.

You have a point about things being active after canon is gone, but this is MY fandom. I don't have another one, not really, so it feels so odd to feel so sad about it.

As far as the run, my biggest problem is the reason for it being axed.

SGU

It was all about ratings to get season 5, now that SGU came into the picture and ratings went up, then all of a sudden there were other 'issues'.

Anyway, maybe I'll go read some big bang fic, I was going to write, but don't feel motivated. Thanks though for the pep talk, it did feel like things would slip away with the show, but I guess it won't.

[abyssinia4077.livejournal.com]

*nods*
Considering my first fandom was for a (admittedly 11 season) canon that ended a year after I was born and my second fandom was a 10 part miniseries I discovered 3 years after it aired...I can pretty much guarantee closed canon isn't the end of the world or anywhere near the end of fandom. In fact, in some ways it gives you more freedom to play because you can't get Jossed. I was freaked out when I joined Stargate fandom and had to figure out how to deal with open canon.

I...yeah. I feel like I should care more, but 5 years is a solid run and personally I feel like it's been flailing around without a central purpose, and, well, part of me thinks fandom can keep it better.

I just hope season 5 is excellent and it goes out with a solid, exciting bang (hopefully not a LITERAL bang)

Plus! Movies!

[dovil.livejournal.com]

Ha, I loved the Invisible Man - I was just watching an episode last night.

And this is a good way of looking at things - and lets face it a door opens, so you jimmy open a window, crawl through it and get a movie, maybe even a couple. And as you say just because the source material will be closing up shop doesn't mean that the community that we've formed has to suffer for it.

Nice post.

[courtberger.livejournal.com]

I'm still pissed.

But, there are many reasons why I am pissed today and canceling a show that I really, really enjoy was just icing on the cake for me. So I'm going to bed and I'm going to restrain myself as much as possible from strangling someone at work tomorrow when I send back an element for the same damn mistake that they've made every single day and...yeah.

Still very sad, I like this show and I'm going to miss it. Your post rocked however and at least I feel a little better about this part of my day than I did earlier. I'm still going to kill someone at work.

They better end the show with a really great ending, at lease give us that.

Court

[greyias.livejournal.com]

Very well said.

I had come into this season with the expectation that, likely, it would be the last. It still hurts a little, as it's a huge, bright shiny point in my week, but as long as we still have fandom... I think I'll be happy. This is the first show I've been involved with fandom from the show's start to finish.

I'm glad that it's going out on a high note, because I do love this show so much.

[sholio]

I know we're all going to be sad and angry and bitter over it, and I don't mean to invalidate anyone's feelings. I'm sad and upset right now, too. I would have loved to see it get picked up for a 6th season (not to mention that I got, or helped to get, two of my closest fandom friends into it and now this. Er, I hope they forgive me...).

I don't think it's entirely fair to blame SGU for it. It's just one of those crazy network decisions that we all hate. With the economy so shaky, maybe trying out a new show (any new show) in the hopes of getting a runaway hit looks better to them than working with an old show with a solid following.

But I am confident that the fandom will carry on and thrive. Some people will undoubtedly drop out or find shiny new things to fan on, but -- well, looking at SG1 fandom, of the people on my f'list who were in the fandom when the show ended, I'm pretty sure all of them still are. People will stick around. And, hey, just like SG1 people keep turning up on SGA, it's not entirely out of the question that we might see Joe or David again on SGU, eh?

[wraithfodder.livejournal.com]

I liked INVISIBLE MAN, until they inserted that woman into the show (to draw in the teenager boys). I'm not happy with the cancellation, a two hour movie isn't enough (and worse, Mallozzi will pen it - he's not a good writer when it comes to character develoment). I do think SGU is the main reason for its death - two shows are very expensive to run. New shiny toys are cheaper and they can hope for a hit. It's a business decision of course, but fans are fans of characaters not explosions, so i'm sure a lot of SGA fans will not bother with SGU because, hey, no SHeppard? No McKay? No watch...

Meanwhile, think the boards will burn with ranting for the next day or two, which is normal.

[sholio]

Exactly - most of my fandoms since I've gotten active in online fandom have been closed-canon.

I *am* sad at the thought of not having new adventures (except for the odd DVD movie here and there, if we're lucky). But after two and a half years of really obsessing on this show, and being overwhelmed by the hugeness of the fandom, it's almost comforting that I might be able to get some of my brainspace back. Five years is longer than most of my favorite shows have managed to go, and it's given me a really wonderful fannish experience and lots of new friends that I would never have met otherwise. I remember how upset and angry I was about "Invisible Man", the last show that was cancelled out from under me, and I really don't feel that way this time. I almost feel like the show is reaching a point where it would be inevitably downhill.

Edit: And I am totally stealing borrowing the "redial the gate" idea, if you don't mind, and if no one beats me to it. I think it's an awesome way to beat the post-cancellation blues.

[sholio]

Yeah, insult to injury on "Invisible Man" - the second season was very weak, compared to the first, so we basically only got one good season out of it.

I expect lots of fannish angst and ire over the next few days, and I understand why people are upset, really I do. I'm upset! I'm just ... not really that upset. I'm very sorry the show will be gone, but I'm positive the fandom will still be around, and I'm curious to see what shape it will take after the show's final season.

[sholio]

One door closes, another opens - exactly! We're losing our weekly SGA fix, and I'm very sad about that. But there's SO much awesomeness to look back on, and the slightly different pleasures of a closed-canon fandom to look forward to. I think the community will still be here. And if the movie does well, we may get more - SG1 just got the greenlight for a third movie. *crosses fingers*

[tringasolitaria.livejournal.com]

For me, I guess what hurts is that...well, I didn't love S4 like a lot of other people seemed to. It had some great moments, but mostly it just always seemed like a transitional year to me. But with S5 and Woolsey here now (I've been loving Woolsey) I've really felt like the show was getting back on track, and I was looking forward to seeing that dynamic play out over at least one more year. I didn't have much hope in it going beyond that, or interest really - you're right that a lot of shows start going downhill in the later seasons. And cast contracts would have to be renegotiated after S6 (if I'm not mistaken-everything I've heard says that the cast were signed for six years originally), and Jason Momoa has already made it clear in interviews that he wanted to do something else after a sixth season. So a sixth season seemed like a natural ending, and this just feels (to me) like getting cut off too soon. :(

As far as fandom goes, I'm sure fanfiction and everything will be around for a long time. But SGA is my first and only real fandom. Yeah, I watch other shows, and read fanfic for them, but I've mostly stayed on the edges - on the outside looking in so to speak. I don't really forsee myself finding another fandom - I think this was it for me. It's too stressful!! :D So yeah, it's sad. But I'll get over it-it's just a TV show after all! :) I'm just going to miss John and Rodney a lot! :(

[sholio]

I'm sorry you're having a bad day! Yeah ... I'm sure this didn't help ...

*crosses fingers for awesome ending*

[courtberger.livejournal.com]

And now hubby tells me he's not all that keen on the design I've had my eye on my new tattoo, ugh!

Thank you very much! But your post really did help, so glad you're on my f-list :)

Court

[abyssinia4077.livejournal.com]

*nods* And, yeah, the fandom isn't going anywhere. Might even get richer. And, yeah, sad about no new onscreen adventures but fandom will keep it alive and five years *is* good (though having my formative years be on Trek, I always thought 7 was supposed to be standard).

Edit: And I am totally stealing borrowing the "redial the gate" idea, if you don't mind, and if no one beats me to it. I think it's an awesome way to beat the post-cancellation blues.

That's a great idea! We were actually, when we formed the community, debating whether or not we'd do Atlantis and decided to wait until we approached season 8 and then let our members vote. I'd suggest waiting until SGA is over ("Unending" was in May and we started in August - in time for the 10 year anniversary original airing of the pilot) and I'd be happy to talk with you about how we set it and what we've learned modding the last year or so. And we'd love to affiliate!

[sholio]

Yeah - with every season, I've been thinking "this could be its last" (ironically, I was a lot more optimistic about renewal this season than last; I was shocked that we got a season five!) - so I've been prepared for a while now.

But think of all the things we can look forward to now! :D Retrospective vids/fics/comms, eleventy-billion versions of "and this is what happened to all of them afterwards", new projects for Joe and David, a movie with a big-screen budget ... as depressing as it is that we won't get more new adventures of Team Dork, there's still SO much that can happen.

I think I'd also be more depressed about it if the show hadn't been giving me pretty much everything I've ever wanted as an h/c-loving fangirl. Seriously - just about everything on my wish-list has been ticked off over the last few seasons. If I'd been hanging around wanting, but not getting, I think I'd be all frustrated about missed opportunity now. But I've gotten what I dreamed of and more! I'm sad the show is going away, but it's given me lots of good memories to keep.

[sholio]

Ooh, thank you! I will totally take you up on the brainstorming offer! Of course, like I said, this is assuming that nobody beats me to it first - as big as the fandom is, there's always that possibility. But I think you're right about waiting 'till it's over, and giving it some time to settle before diving in.

And it gives me something to look forward to, after the show's final episode airs.

[sholio]

Aww, thank you! :)

I'm seeing so much anger and hurt around my f'list - and I certainly do sympathize, because I'm upset about it too, but I predict there are also going to be shiny new happy things that come out of it, just wait and see. :)

[sholio]

I didn't know that about the 6-year contracts, though I had read that Jason wanted to leave at the end of next season. But, yeah, I see what you're saying. It's really a great dynamic this year and I would have liked to see it continue for another year (at least).

I don't think the fandom is going anywhere, and it might even be a sweeter, saner place without new canon every week to get people's undies in a bunch. But I will really miss seeing Team Dork on my screen each week.

[ratcreature]

I prefer it if shows I love either get a real finite arc, or kind of die slowly. For me even if I dislike later stuff, it's never ruined my enjoyment of the earlier parts. I stuck with the *X-Files* through the end (though I didn't watch all of the last seasons), and that decline didn't ruin my love for the earlier seasons in any way beyond being mildly disgruntled with conspiracy arc being truly non-sensical, and that kind of process gives me time to let the show go rather than have it taken from me. For me the "risk" to have a show kind of suck is always worth it, and better than not having the show at all, because then there is zero chance for it to be still good.

[tipper-green.livejournal.com]

Very similar thinking, my friend. Having only ever written for closed canon before, I can tell you -- it's really freeing. So, its sad, but its also sort of exciting.

Basically, I just agree. Which, frankly, isn't anything new.

[alessandriana.livejournal.com]

Oddly enough, I'm more sad about not having any more McKay than I am about not having any more show, if that makes any sense. But... fandom will continue on, so it's really not the end of the world.

I think all my cancellation rage was burned out of me after the end of SG1, anyways. It takes too much energy.

[greyias.livejournal.com]

I was so shocked and delighted for the season five renewal that I did a happy dance around the office. As sad as I am that we won't get Team Dork every week, I do look forward to all those things you mentioned!

The show has given me so much happiness over the past five years, not to mention all the joy I've gotten out of fandom. And there's still new episodes to squee over!

[sholio]

Fair enough, certainly - it's very much a "your mileage may vary" thing. In my case, there are several shows (Buffy comes to mind here, and any number of comic series) where I end up remembering the bad rather than the good, and being reluctant to recommend the series to someone because of where it ended up. I'm more of a "love it for awhile and end with a bang" kind of fan; I like finite arcs, self-contained stories, and shows that end at their high point.

Which is not to say you're wrong; there are many ways to fan.

*clings to remaining episodes*

[sholio]

*g* Somehow it doesn't surprise me that we are of similar mind on this!

[sholio]

We can always hope he'll turn up on Stargate Universe, maybe? If they haven't cast the show yet, it's not impossible that some of the SGA characters/actors might migrate over there (depending on where SGU falls in Stargateverse continuity, of course).

But, yeah, fandom goes on, and looking at how active and thriving some of the bigger fandoms still are, I think there's every reason to believe that we'll still be able to hang out with other fans and find new adventures online every week, even ten years from now.