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Comment by iwwr | Hacker News Reader

When Syfy is adding shows about the paranormal, there is reason to worry.

No, it's picking a name like "Syfy" that's hurting sci-fi ;)

I know it's juvenile, but I've been pronouncing it "Siffy" since they made the change. Then again, they really don't seem to be a sci-fi channel anymore (wrestling, paranormal), so I guess it makes more sense.

Still, they occasionally have good programming still. I was pleasantly surprised to see Children of Men was on last weekend when I flipped by it. (Of course, I flipped back for that)

That may be for Google optimizations. Sci-fi is generic, Syfy is specific.

Likely more for trademark and brand protection than Google (although it doesn't hurt there either).

That doesn't bug me, fantasy goes hand in hand with sci-fi and whilst it's a watering down of the station it's nothing compared to putting fucking wrestling on the channel.

It's their cancelling shows that bothers me.

Like what?

Stargate Universe

Oh, didn't know that.

Still, the show has been rather underwhelming, compared to SG1.

Only to SG1 fans. But it had attracted a number of new fans that didn't necessarily like SG1 (like me).

It would have been interesting if SG:U would have been more isolated from home (without the transporter stones and the Lucian Alliance story).

I agree completely, the show has some weaknesses. I didn't like the stones either, and I'm lukewarm on the Lucian alliance incursion. That said, this show has provided me with many hours of entertainment that I really enjoyed. I even liked the more "hard scifi" episodes of early season 1. Sure, the show had its share of stupidity and missed opportunities, but for me there was enough clever and stimulating content to keep me really invested.

I think the missed opportunities are a halmark of TV's writing process. These guys start with a multi-season arc, then make a season arc, then make two half-season arcs, then make the individual story arcs for what needs to be accomplished in each episode to forward the half-season arc.

If you get an opportunity in season 2 ep 3 for a great new plot, you might have little to zero opportunity to take advantage of it.

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