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).
Regarding characters not making it… I’m excited not only for “Incursion”, but also “Water”; a traitor/intruder in our midst?
Is 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?
My fingers are crossed for Season 2! I love SGU and these characters and want to see more, more, more!
I am always available to write treatments/scripts for potential episodes, I need the money.
They are already spinning stories for the second season. If the ratings don’t decline drastically, I’d say they’ll get a pick up.
I’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,… Read more »
I 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.
SyFy would be absolutely foolish if it cancelled SGU. I’m betting $1000 on a Season 2 renewal.
Long live the Epicness that is SGU.
Watching 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.
Blitzo: 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… Read more »
If they don’t pick up SGU for season 2 they are crazy! No more wrestling please!
@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
I 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.
@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… Read more »
Great 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… Read more »
Um, wrong topic…
If 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.
Lets 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! Ok 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… Read more »
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.
I 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.
@ Outbreaker
So 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.
I 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… Read more »
am i the only one getting sick of this whole, over-done amcam (amateur camera) crap? do i have to take dramamine for motion sickness every time i watch an episode of sgu? can the studio not afford a tripod?
I hope this show /is/ canceled. Frankly, while the plot itself has managed to be passable, it has the worst characters I’ve seen in a series on this network. The senator’s daughter only exists to take her clothes off for the camera, the commander couldn’t lead an army of stuffed animals let alone a military expedition, and the rest of these ‘great explorers’ who managed to get /posted to another planet/ are a bunch of half-witted simpering cowards who, frankly, I couldn’t care less if they live or die. The only interesting part of the series is the college student,… Read more »
I have been a Stargate fan for the last 15 years. I anxiously awaited each episode and made time to watch SG-1 and Atlantis live on air. I have seen each episode of SG-1 and Atlantis multiple times, and own the DVDs for each series. I enjoyed the characters, and the emotional depth to them. I was very disappointed when they were cancelled. I regularly check to see if there is any news on Stargate Extinction. I was excited about the prospect of a new Stargate series. I have watched each episode of SGU so far. I have to say… Read more »
hello? Hello?? is there an echo in here? or was it Deja Vu??? Tanith my friend, jump in any time to defend the series with your last breath!! :D
Watching SGU is a very conflicting thing. On the one hand I LOVE Stargate. And I was hoping so much for a great series. I waited patiently for months to get SG back on tv. But, unfortunately, on the other hand, I have been VERY disappointed in what has been brought before us. It is sort of like getting all revved up for a birthday/holiday and having it all turn out badly. You want SO much for it to be wonderful and are sadly disenchanted. As written by others, if destiny were to explode tomorrow and take everyone out with… Read more »
The show is in its early stages and the characters are just beginning to flesh out. I agree that it has some similarities to Voyager and BSG but in this genre, finding a totally new way of telling the lost in space story is virtually impossible and I do think we should give the writer’s time to develop the whole series. This is not a show where they pilot the ship around and shoot at anything they find, it has the potential to really show how people react to extreme conditions when they are not in control and will not… Read more »
I’ve watched it and I’m bored with it, nothing really happening and you always knew what’s his name would escape from the cravas. Last chance next week. ZzzzZZZZzzz!
This show wouldnt even be good if there were no Stargate and it were named something else. Its slow, depressing, and over dramatic. And its so much like BSG that its maddening, especially when you loved SG-1 and SGA. I have been watching Stargate since the movie first came out…15 years! But with this show, they suddenly went on a rampage and tore everything down and gave us: Battlegate Voyager 90210. I know that Season 1 is “in the can”, but thats the sad part. The writers seem to think they have a lot of time to “flesh out the… Read more »
What this show really need is some one who knows what they are doing or some scientist who has the humor or charisma like Dr Rodney McKay or danial jackson. A good idea would be to bring in someone who can do that lets say by using those mind transfer devices and have them malfunction and have that character stay and get rid of all this bull with the lets go home, use someones body and see my family… ok it worked for the first 2 episodes thats it, it got old and lame. have rush figure out that damn… Read more »
Meet some alien humans and have thier planet about to explode and bring them aboard. Maybe a human alian who got the chance to study a crashed ancient ship that delivered the stargate and he knows a thing or two… or zenna warrior princess Tailla
I am going to watch all of season one…
BUt I hope it gets canned as soon as possible I do not like it.
We got caprica now and it does pretty much the same thing only better.
Stargate universe is a battlestar rip off plain and simple it has lost what made it the alternative sci=fi series now it is just ripping off the battlestar style everbody else is.
OH and the camera work is just another one of stargate universe rip off of battlestar and caprica..
I used to like the shake cam when battlestar was new now that Stargate rips off I just hate it too.
Tell me again why we need Battlestar Galactica 2….I mean stargate universe?