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SyntheticBlinkerFluid
SyntheticBlinkerFluid Reader
2/13/11 3:23 p.m.

I can't believe they started showing WWE on SyFy. I mean yeah it's fiction, but not science fiction.

I also know that there is always an evolution of logos, but to change the wording from SciFi to SyFy was pointless.

I will have to say though, they still have good original programming. I'm enjoying their new remake of Being Human. I know a lot of people that watch Dr. Who. They also used to have Anime Tuesdays(?) at night and would show episodes of Cowboy Bebop and Ghost in the Shell or a movie of some sort, which I miss.

mad_machine
mad_machine GRM+ Memberand SuperDork
2/13/11 3:46 p.m.

yes.. changing the name to SyFy (which makes no sense) was the beginning of the end.. showing WWE is just one of the many nails in that coffin

Curmudgeon
Curmudgeon SuperDork
2/13/11 4:41 p.m.

SyFy shows Cowboy Bebop? I gotta tell my kid, she loves that one.

novaderrik
novaderrik HalfDork
2/13/11 4:53 p.m.

Syfy has been going downhill since Stargate:SG1 ended.. that's right about when they started getting away from the fun science fiction stuff and getting more serious with stuff like BSG or stupid with stuff like WWE. i think they changed their name so no one would actually expect to see anything science fiction on it any more..

oldsaw
oldsaw SuperDork
2/13/11 5:00 p.m.

In reply to novaderrik:

If you want sci-fi, check out the CSI/NCIS series and their knock-offs. Or, an IPCC report.

aussiesmg
aussiesmg SuperDork
2/13/11 5:33 p.m.

I enjoy Eureka, they have a couple of good programs

mike
mike Reader
2/13/11 5:40 p.m.

I agree with the OP, the Siffy channel is sliding towards the lowest common denominator (and probably, towards higher viewership, which would unfortunately encourage them to keep sliding).

JoeyM
JoeyM SuperDork
2/13/11 5:52 p.m.

They're just trying to fit in with TLC and the other rubbish in your basic cable package.....they've sucked for a LONG time....probably since they stopped the "I am Sci-Fi" promos.

novaderrik
novaderrik HalfDork
2/13/11 7:24 p.m.
oldsaw wrote: In reply to novaderrik: If you want sci-fi, check out the CSI/NCIS series and their knock-offs. Or, an IPCC report.

i dvr NCIS every week...

ShadowSix
ShadowSix New Reader
2/13/11 7:25 p.m.

I was overseas from late 2004 to late 2009, and this was one thing I noticed when I got back. All the little cable channels with their weird little niches changed to super-generic formats, History, TLC, SyFy, etc.

Why did this happen? Don't three or four firms own every channel on cable? Aren't they all in direct competition if they all show the same bullE36 M3?

friedgreencorrado
friedgreencorrado SuperDork
2/13/11 9:50 p.m.
ShadowSix wrote: I was overseas from late 2004 to late 2009, and this was one thing I noticed when I got back. All the little cable channels with their weird little niches changed to super-generic formats, History, TLC, SyFy, etc. Why did this happen? Don't three or four firms own every channel on cable? Aren't they all in direct competition if they all show the same bullE36 M3?

Bingo! I work in Cable TV, and have talked about this kind of thing before..

http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/grm/american-country-awards-on-speed-right-now/29569/page1/

If I can count correctly after this much beer, my comment's the 10th one down.

gamby
gamby SuperDork
2/13/11 10:57 p.m.
mike wrote: I agree with the OP, the Siffy channel is sliding towards the lowest common denominator (and probably, towards higher viewership, which would unfortunately encourage them to keep sliding).

LCD is the only thing that makes money these days. Intellectuals are getting to be more and more of a minority with each passing day.

Osterkraut
Osterkraut SuperDork
2/13/11 11:01 p.m.
gamby wrote:
mike wrote: I agree with the OP, the Siffy channel is sliding towards the lowest common denominator (and probably, towards higher viewership, which would unfortunately encourage them to keep sliding).
LCD is the only thing that makes money these days. Intellectuals are getting to be more and more of a minority with each passing day.

Because in the past the smart folks always had huge families compared to the "normies"...

oldsaw
oldsaw SuperDork
2/13/11 11:50 p.m.
novaderrik wrote:
oldsaw wrote: In reply to novaderrik: If you want sci-fi, check out the CSI/NCIS series and their knock-offs. Or, an IPCC report.
i dvr NCIS every week...

I happen to enjoy NCIS every week, too...

1988RedT2
1988RedT2 Dork
2/14/11 6:38 a.m.

Can't really blame them. They figured out there's more idiots in the world than geeks.

SyntheticBlinkerFluid
SyntheticBlinkerFluid Reader
2/14/11 9:23 a.m.

Well, I just can't believe that all these cable channels that started off with specific categories in mind, have turned into something that their name isn't related too.

For example: MTV, it is no longer Music Television, its Jersey Shore, Teen Mom, The Real World, Cribs, Jackass, etc. and they play music videos on TRL for an hour in the evening. Supposedly they play music videos on MTV2 at certain parts of the day. Fuse is a good option, but I see them slowly going the direction of MTV.

TLC turn into the Octomom Channel, there is nothing to learn from that channel except to wear a condom.

TNN (which I used to like) turned into Spike TV , which was ok when in started, but I don't even watch anymore. CMT had become the old TNN for a while, but turned slowly into the newer TNN (before it turned into Spike). Now GAC has become the old CMT.

History Channel has slowly moved away from history. Now I know they have Top Gear US, but they have a slew of shows that are not history. They still have a lot of good shows, but I really don't watch the History Channel as much as I used to. Also, why can't they bring back Automobile? That was an excellent show.

Speed Channel - Don't get me started.

Now some good notes:

Discovery Channel has kept to their name. Once a science channel, they have brought on a lot of programming that can contribute to the name of the station. They have moved pretty much all of their science shows to Discovery Science and Discovery Health (which I believe just turned into the Oprah Channel), but they show a lot of good shows.

AMC has only really brought on commercials. 15 years ago they didn't have commercials at all. They do show newer movies, which they didn't before, but that's ok, I catch my self watching all sorts of movies on that channel.

A lot of channels have kept to their name: Food Network, HGTV, DIY, Travel Channel, National Geographic, Military Channel, etc.

Ian F
Ian F SuperDork
2/14/11 9:35 a.m.

Cable channels do a lot of head scratching program choices. BBC America, for example, shows a couple of sci fi shows right now - STNG and X-Files - which are not BBC shows.

I've been saying "WTF" about SciFi and showing WWE for a few years now. They do still have some decent shows. I like Eureka, the US Being Human (which surprised me) and even SGU.

NGTD
NGTD HalfDork
2/14/11 12:49 p.m.
SyntheticBlinkerFluid wrote: TLC turn into the Octomom Channel, there is nothing to learn from that channel except to wear a condom.

That belongs in the mag. Probably won't get there but it should!

novaderrik
novaderrik HalfDork
2/14/11 2:09 p.m.
Ian F wrote: Cable channels do a lot of head scratching program choices. BBC America, for example, shows a couple of sci fi shows right now - STNG and X-Files - which are not BBC shows. I've been saying "WTF" about SciFi and showing WWE for a few years now. They do still have some decent shows. I like Eureka, the US Being Human (which surprised me) and even SGU.

BBC America shows TNG and the X Files because those shows are popular in the UK.. and in the case of TNG at least, because the captain is played by a well known British actor (tho the character is French with a British accent..).

SilverFleet
SilverFleet HalfDork
2/14/11 2:14 p.m.
NGTD wrote:
SyntheticBlinkerFluid wrote: TLC turn into the Octomom Channel, there is nothing to learn from that channel except to wear a condom.
That belongs in the mag. Probably won't get there but it should!

Agreed. That is the quote of the MONTH!!!

Javelin
Javelin GRM+ Memberand SuperDork
2/14/11 2:19 p.m.
gamby wrote:
mike wrote: I agree with the OP, the Siffy channel is sliding towards the lowest common denominator (and probably, towards higher viewership, which would unfortunately encourage them to keep sliding).
LCD is the only thing that makes money these days. Intellectuals are getting to be more and more of a minority with each passing day.

flounderalert

You mean like car companies too? Porsche used to just make sports cars, now it's the Cayenne and Panamera (with the Cajun mini-SUV and LWB Panamera in the pipe). BMW used to be the "Ultimate Driving Machine" with a full range of cars, now they pretty much just make SUV's and are getting ready for FWD models. MINI used to be small cars, now there's the 4x4 4-door Countryman All4. Lotus used to be "simplify, then add lightness", now they are planning on making 5 nearly identical porker's of cars including a 4-door. There are no more specialties anymore, everybody has to be everything, and it sucks.

/flounder

Ian F
Ian F SuperDork
2/14/11 2:28 p.m.
novaderrik wrote: BBC America shows TNG and the X Files because those shows are popular in the UK.. and in the case of TNG at least, because the captain is played by a well known British actor (tho the character is French with a British accent..).

True... although one thing that really annoys me is how they seem to play the same TNG episodes over and over... or when they show 2 parters and don't air pt 2 the next evening... No, not earth shattering... just annoying.

I agree about the LCD syndrome... it's sad when I'll go to the auto show and not really see any cars I want.

Appleseed
Appleseed SuperDork
2/14/11 2:44 p.m.

SciFy has been dead since they stopped making MST3K. Dead.

JoeyM
JoeyM SuperDork
2/14/11 6:23 p.m.
Appleseed wrote: SciFy has been dead since they stopped making MST3K. Dead.

+1 for truth

Will
Will HalfDork
2/14/11 6:43 p.m.
mad_machine wrote: yes.. changing the name to SyFy (which makes no sense) was the beginning of the end.. showing WWE is just one of the many nails in that coffin

Not that I disagree, but Syfy changed its name because SciFi is a generic term that it can't trademark or copyright. It can own the word SyFy and protect its usage.

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