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20 January 2011

A Lament for Caprica

Oh, SyFy Channel.

Why do you cancel critically acclaimed, well written, actual science fiction mid-season (just when it's getting really interesting) and put on schlock like Behemoth and wrestling? And to rub salt in the wound, you advertise that you're going to show the rest of episodes in January--and then you unceremoniously dump them in a midweek, late afternoon / early evening mini marathon, which doesn't even show up on my DVR as new episodes so I can record them? Really?

Of course, I'm talking about Caprica, the prequel to Ron Moore's Battlestar Galactica.   Caprica is (was) set 58 years before the Cylons attack Caprica (and the other Colonies) at the beginning of BSG. Caprica is about the genesis of the Cylons, whose birth comes from a fascinating intersection between military contracting, teenage gaming genius, and radical religious terrorism.  The show is also about personal and societal excess and power--and the inevitable fall from those heights.  There's also Yakusa-style gangsters, virtual gaming worlds, and teen angst.  Think Dallas and the Sopranos meet the Matrix with a touch of Buffy thrown in. 

How could you cancel that? Rather easily, I guess. Wrestling is a little cheaper to produce.  At least Warehouse 13 is still on (knock wood).

Any other Caprica fans? What other gone-but-not forgotten science fiction or fantasy shows do you miss?

BTW, you can watch the episodes on SyFy.com or Hulu. Here's the first of the last 5 episodes.

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14 comments:

  1. Lola SharpJanuary 20, 2011 at 8:12 AM

    I know and I agree. I'm sad too.

    But, my favorite sad sci-fi died-WAY-too -young was Firefly. (stupid Fox). I still miss it.

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  2. Summer FreyJanuary 20, 2011 at 8:33 AM

    I'm with Lola about Firefly. It wasn't ended too soon, but I feel like not enough people watched Babylon 5. That was a great show.

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  3. Adam HeineJanuary 20, 2011 at 8:53 AM

    I wrote about just this recently. I came up with 4, though obviously Firefly tops the list. For some reason, a lot of the murdered shows were on Fox...

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  4. Matthew MacNishJanuary 20, 2011 at 9:51 AM

    This sucks. I don't watch much SyFy, but I friggin hate it when they try to outsmart (or outdumb, rather) my DVR.

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  5. Sarah AhiersJanuary 20, 2011 at 9:53 AM

    ooh i hear you. I was a big Stargate Universe fan and that's been cancelled as well.
    Boo on Syfy. Boo on them hard

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  6. Diane Dawson HearnJanuary 20, 2011 at 10:48 AM

    I was so upset when Syfy first canceled Caprica and then when I missed those last five episodes as well! I liked Firefly too, and loved Babylon 5, but at least that one ended when it was supposed to, as did LOST, my all time favorite show. Right now I'm enjoying The Event, but I fear it'll get the boot too. I'm almost afraid to get too fond of any show anymore, due to them being canceled so often.

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  7. Angie SmibertJanuary 20, 2011 at 11:22 AM

    I hear you. Firefly is probably the tops of everyone's canceled-way-before-their-time shows. (And thanks, Adam, for your link.) I loved Babylon 5, too. It's creator really fought hard to get that last year on the air, but had to wrap up year 4 just in case B5 got canceled.

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  8. Melissa HurstJanuary 20, 2011 at 12:02 PM

    I'm really disgusted with SyFy! First Caprica, then Stargate Universe (which I LOVE). If they cancel Sanctuary or Eureka I'm done with them.

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  9. LexieJanuary 20, 2011 at 12:54 PM

    Oh where to begin...Firefly (Fox), Invisible Man (Syfy), Farscape (Syfy), Stargate Universe (Syfy), Legend of the Seeker (Syndicated), The Lost World (Syndicated), Starhunter 2300 (Canadian), Survivors (BBC), Hex (BBC)...seriously this list is almost as long as I am old--and those were all canceled in the last decade ALONE (well not The Lost World, I think that was canceled in the late 90's).

    I'm holding my breath on what Syfy does with Haven honestly, because it was up in the air if they would continue to a second season which spells doom.

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  10. Angie SmibertJanuary 20, 2011 at 1:12 PM

    I forgot about Haven. I actually like that one. Fingers-crossed.

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  11. Maureen McGowanJanuary 20, 2011 at 3:28 PM

    I was a huge BSG fan, but never started watching Caprica. But liked the idea that it was out there for when I was ready. Bummer that it's canceled.

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  12. JessicaJanuary 21, 2011 at 2:58 AM

    I miss Caprica. I also miss the days when SyFy spelled their channel name properly.

    One of my old favorites was The 4400. I was so sad to see that go with so much left hanging. At least Tom is making a comeback on V though.

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  13. Lisa Richards/alterlisaJanuary 23, 2011 at 2:39 AM

    I thought season 1 was awesome, season 2 not so much as it focused more on the terrorists, and 3 was pretty awesome to. While I had never watched SG, I was quickly becoming a fan of Caprica.


    I follow on GFC.

    (\___/)
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    alterlisa AT yahoo DOT com
    http://lisaslovesbooksofcourse.blogspot.com/

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  14. Angie SmibertJanuary 23, 2011 at 9:54 AM

    Jessica - I like 4400, too. And V. At least that got renewed.

    All- Looks like there's a new BSG spinoff / prequel in the making: Blood and Chrome - http://io9.com/5740148/weve-read-some-script-pages-from-battlestar-galactica-blood-and-chrome

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