The first season of Stargate Universe is “in the can,” as they say in the ‘biz.
Principal photography wrapped on the show yesterday, capping off eight months of filming Season One’s 20 episodes. Among the last cast members to leave the set were Alaina Huffman (“Tamara Johansen”), David Blue (“Eli Wallace”), Brian J. Smith (“Matthew Scott”), Patrick Glimore (“Dale Volker”), Jennifer Spence (“Lisa Park”), Peter Kelamis (“Adam Brody”), Haig Sutherland (“Hunter Riley”), and Julia Benson (“Vanessa James”), consulting producer Joseph Mallozzi said on his blog.
And not everyone is guaranteed to survive “Incursion,” the show’s 2-part season finale.
Meanwhile, post-production on the second half of the season continues into 2010.
What about a return trip for Season Two? Syfy has not yet announced whether or not it will renew the show, but expectations are high. The show has been doing well in the ratings, at least outperforming Sanctuary and last year’s numbers for Stargate Atlantis.
SGU is currently the U.S. cable network’s second highest-rated program, after Ghost Hunters, and its highest-rated drama, according to TV by the Numbers, with more than 2 million viewers on Friday nights (Live + Same Day).
Word on the renewal could come at any day, with at least preliminary ratings in for five episodes now — fully one-quarter of the season.
In Vancouver, the show’s writing team has already started spinning stories and assigning episode slots for Season Two, Mallozzi said. The season finale will be penned by Paul Mullie, with Mallozzi, Brad Wright, Robert C. Cooper and Carl Binder also adding to the first five.
New episodes of Season One should air into December, then take a break until March or April. (Syfy will begin airing the Battlestar Galactica prequel series, Caprica, in January.)
Don’t miss this week’s brand new episode of Stargate Universe on Syfy! “Water” airs at 9 p.m. (8 Central).
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Regarding characters not making it… I’m excited not only for “Incursion”, but also “Water”; a traitor/intruder in our midst?
ulkesh47 | October 30 @ 10:23 amIs that what you call it, photography? I love the comment about getting an image stabilized television. That’s what killed the show (and BSG) for me. No disc sales for you.
Quelle horreur! The shakey cam team will return with Caprica?
Mentat | October 30 @ 11:59 amMy fingers are crossed for Season 2! I love SGU and these characters and want to see more, more, more!
Alan | October 30 @ 12:18 pmI am always available to write treatments/scripts for potential episodes, I need the money.
Hyncharas | October 30 @ 1:06 pmThey are already spinning stories for the second season. If the ratings don’t decline drastically, I’d say they’ll get a pick up.
Sylvia | October 30 @ 1:30 pmI’m trying to like this show really really hard but it’s just lacking in any wonder/excitement for me since it just seems like a boatload of childish squabbling among adults to me. That would be fine if something eventful actually happened but, so far, from my perspective, it’s literally just following this formula in every episode:
“Hey, we need this. We don’t have it.”
“and we’ll never have it, we’re all DEAD!!!”
“Wait, there is this chance we’re not dead!”
“Crap, this is taking forever, it’s a lost cause, everyone, prepare to die”
“I’m ready to die. This sucks.”
“Wait, ship saved itself/we lucked out at the last minute. But HOLY CRAP, LOOK!!! ANOTHER PROBLEM THAT IS ABOUT TO KILL US!!! AHHHH!!!!!”
Repeat.
Sure, they toss in the occasional grand scifi exterior shot of something but come on! I’m just not getting any sense of adventure from this show, personally. If something more eventful doesn’t happen soon and more consistently then I personally don’t hope for a season 2. We’ll see what happens, I suppose.
benwahballboy | October 30 @ 3:01 pmI personally like SGU, shakey camera and all. It’s hardly as shakey as cloverfield, but enough to add a sense of quality to the show.
And benwahballboy, I don’t think SGU is meant to be an “adventure” type show like what SGA or SG-1 was. Frankly I think the theme which SGU has is more mature and in a way more interesting than what the previous stargate shows had.
Blitzo | October 30 @ 4:11 pmSyFy would be absolutely foolish if it cancelled SGU. I’m betting $1000 on a Season 2 renewal.
Long live the Epicness that is SGU.
AscendedTauri | October 30 @ 4:28 pmWatching anything with the title Stargate shouldn’t feel like a chore. The comedy is forced, the stories are basically rehashes of every resource problem on BSG without the interesting characters from BSG. The Real World-esque confessionals are wasting time for plot/character development and I want to punch my tv every time the MIT dropout speaks.
msgt51902 | October 30 @ 7:46 pmBlitzo: I understand it’s meant to be more mature and, in some aspects, I think it is. But for me, what it seems to boil down to is a very high school feeling bunch of bickering. The only characters who seem completely adult to me are Eli and Col. Young.
I also don’t believe that mature and adult need to be separate from adventure and wonder. The way it feels right now, it almost seems like the only “more mature” thing thus far is the level of promiscuous looking shots/cut away subject matter(sex scenes in the opener and in last weeks episode, for example).
The show has major potential to be super interesting but, as is, I personally am not getting enough to make me suspend my disbelief in the world and characters they are/have created and, as such, I can’t really get into it enough. So far they haven’t really set up any mystery other than why Icarus Base got attacked because they keep spending large portions of episodes introducing character backstory. In my opinion, they should be done with all that by this week or maybe next week. Then get to solving the mystery of who attacked and why, how they knew how to attack, maybe why the ship is around, what happened to it over the years. I get the characters, so far, I like most of them with the exception of Chloe(as of last weeks episode, her sudden “closeness” to Lt. Scott absolutely miffed me since, up to then, we never really see her spending lots of time actually being close(as in near) to him).
Basically, I want them to start getting towards explaining bits of the mystery and weaving new ones in instead of seeing the character backstory all in large chunks- do it slow so it doesn’t feel like it’s exposition which is, to me, what it feels like presently.
I’m hoping the show gets more interesting but, honestly, as of right now, I personally don’t see the show being anywhere near as well done as even some of the off episodes of SG-1 or Atlantis.
I realize now that I am rambling so I will end it at this- I am waiting eagerly for this show to change my mind towards the middle part of the season but will not be surprised(though I will be quite bummed) if I am let down and wind up dropping off from the viewer base.
benwahballboy | October 30 @ 9:06 pmIf they don’t pick up SGU for season 2 they are crazy! No more wrestling please!
ictus75 | October 30 @ 9:29 pm@benwahballboy
eli seems like one of the most adult? I would disagree especially after just seeing Water.
While I like the character he seems the most like some kid who got his dreams come true and now he’s just having fun with it instead of taking things seriously
Fridgefiend | October 30 @ 11:20 pmI have to agree with a lot of what benwahballboy is saying. It’s not that the show is bad, the characters are interesting, the dynamic is interesting, but it needs to actually GO somewhere and right now it’s just meandering, looking for a direction. Sometimes it can take a while for things to sort themselves out, but by now we know the characters, we know the dynamic, now they need to start acting instead of reacting. It felt like we were just tread Water instead of diving into it.
dmoas | October 31 @ 1:24 am@Fridgefiend:
I was referring mostly to Eli “working the problem” as it was presented rather than complaining about how there’s nothing they can do. That, to me, is a sign of being mature and is, at least, a step above Rush’s constant “I’m smarter than all of you and I keep having to fix the stuff you screw up” speeches.
Young is pretty mature, as well, but I think that’s purely because of the character he is in the group(that being the leader).
I’ve yet to watch this week’s episode as I’m in the middle of a move, but I hope that we see some furthering of the overall story.
Oh, I just thought of another mystery they inserted but I doubt will ever answer: What happened to the 2 who left during the events of Air and were stranded. Also, why were those worlds blocked out in more detail would be interesting to learn at some point.
benwahballboy | October 31 @ 2:21 amGreat episode. For a second there I thought it’s going to be Scott “saving the day” AGAIN. Was pleasantly surprised that his ass got humbled a bit. As for Eli… I don’t think that running all sad and whiny constitutes mature. Sure he’s glad to be there – that much is obvious, but he also has principles, meaning, he’d rather say the truth and deal with the consequences. Rush just jumps right into “command” and thinks that when he’s in charge he automatically has to make dramatic decisions, without any middle ground or trust. Greer’s back to his sadistic unpredictable self. Still dislike Scott (for the girl thing) – personal thing :p.
Jan Vetulani | October 31 @ 7:40 amUm, wrong topic…
Jan Vetulani | October 31 @ 7:59 amIf this is true that this show coste two times more then SGA (like normal show) and has only a few viewers that will also drop like normely +/- 10% normel for mostly all new show. Then this looks not good.
I also stopped watching SGU since 1X5 there are a lot better shows on air where you get really entertained.
Outbreaker | October 31 @ 8:51 amLets see how the ratings are fi they out i sure it will be agan low then the last episode.
Ok so the ship “recharged” in Light (which we all knew would happen because the writers probably think we are too thick to predict their obvious plots) so why don’t they just dial Earth now and leave…no need for more water or other supplies ZZZzzzZZZ. Show finished!
Fozzy | October 31 @ 12:01 pmOk so it’s a narrow minded view, but nothing i’ve seen so far apart from the acting of Robert C has made me think “I really want to know what happens next week”. I’ll watch Water on Sky1 as I’m in UK and it’s on a few days later than US…but for now i’m not overly impressed with it and i’m just about ready to switch off. :(
Voyager meets BSG. Maybe on a par with Voyager, barely, not as depressing as BSG, Thank Goodness. They lost me in Season 2.Seen it all before. Will watch but never should have cancelled SGA. Trying to get over the pissed at them for cancelling SGA part. They’re on a short leash with me.
yesman1701 | October 31 @ 12:32 pmI think I am one of the few who is not keen on killing characters off. Everyone has a favorite character and that changes from person to person. It could be your favorate character that gets killed so dont get over excited for now. As to who I think will be killed of it would be Alaina Huffman because she is pregnant in real life or Ming-Na because if you paid atention, she was droped from star to guest star affter the firt two episodes.
dread | October 31 @ 6:52 pm@ Outbreaker
dread | October 31 @ 6:55 pmSo you stopped watching this show but still feel the need to come to a site dedecated to the show to complain about it??????????
I dont complain its funny to see how the show gose down and down like a lot of people have say it a long time ago.
Outbreaker | October 31 @ 7:00 pmI have to be honest, I tried to keep an open mind when Atlantis was canceled and slowly built up an optimistic excitement for SGU’s premier. I’m sorry to say that my opinion has gone downhill from there and after last night’s episode I have to say it’s likely run its course with me. It just seems to be a second-rate and boring rehash of Star Trek Voyager set in the Stargate universe (no pun intended) and if it doesn’t come back for another season I’d neither miss it nor care.
If TPTB want me back then let us hope they saved the best for the back half of the season… for now I’ll be sticking with my DVDs of SG1 and Atlantis when I need a Stargate fix. At least they were entertaining and I was emotionally invested.
Pity.
Terry McIntosh | October 31 @ 8:27 pm