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So something happened this week that is a bit of a rarity; I found out I completely missed a new sci-fi TV show - Almost Human. A mate put me on to it and I binge-watched the whole 13 episode run, and I quite enjoyed it; there were a few plot holes and sometimes the tech seemed a bit contrived in order to fit the story, but overall not bad and I liked the Asimov-ish theme at play in Dorian's arc. So when I finished, I went online to check when it would be returning, and I found myself experiencing deja vu:

Delayed pilot episode.
Timeslot changes.
Episodes shown out of sequence.
Run not extended beyond the initial order.
Speculation that cold-footed executives considered the show DoA even before it came on air.

And it annoys the piss out of me. Fox evidently don't "get" that sci-fi shows tend to be slow-burners in the first couple of seasons but usually build up a solid and dependable following if allowed to mature, they obviously want a "blockbuster" show that will immediately pull in a big chunk of the most profitable advertising demographics, so why the hell do they keep commissioning sci-fi shows and ing up any chance of them getting a decent run on another network? It's difficult enough for decent sci-fi to get on the box these days now that the "Sci-Fi" Channel have rebranded and decided that "sci-fi" means wrestling, reruns, and D-list monster movies, but once a show has been on one network most of the time none of the others will touch it with a ten foot pole even if they could make it successful, because it has "other network cooties" or whatever.

Am I being unfair to Fox here, is there just a general issue with TV execs being short-sighted cowards afraid to take even modest risks?

Hulu

Bear in mind that a 'modest' risk, as you call it, is many many millions of dollars in potential. Not only is it the investment in the show itself (actors, directors, etc, etc), but also the marketing of the show and the very clear detriment if a show bombs for revenue.

People lose their jobs over this kind of thing. With the massive investment going into any major show, they have to be assured of ROI. And, let's be honest, it's even hard to do that for a niche genre (and yes, sci-fi is a nice genre).

You know, my first thought after reading the title was that it was a reference to the credibility of Fox News.

Yeah, that's what I thought too.

 curran12 wrote:
Bear in mind that a 'modest' risk, as you call it, is many many millions of dollars in potential. Not only is it the investment in the show itself (actors, directors, etc, etc), but also the marketing of the show and the very clear detriment if a show bombs for revenue.

People lose their jobs over this kind of thing. With the massive investment going into any major show, they have to be assured of ROI. And, let's be honest, it's even hard to do that for a niche genre (and yes, sci-fi is a nice genre).

I disagree, I think that exact attitude is what's damaging TV as an industry(all entertainment media industries, actually). How many people do you know who don't bother watching TV any more and just torrent the handful of shows they enjoy, usually reasoning that the vast majority of shows are flavourless reality-show guff or low-budget low-quality soaps and sitcoms? In the last few years, for me, that statistic has gone from "one guy I know, but he torrents everything" to "almost everybody". It might be "safer" in the short term to avoid risks, but in the long term if you avoid taking risks on new IPs and new genres, your output becomes stale and your audience wanders off bored; people like a certain degree of familiarity and continuity, but if that's all you give them they'll switch off.

And the reason I call it a "modest" risk is because it's exactly that; shows like Almost Human are hardly next-level hard sci-fi designed for hardcore sci-fi nerds like myself, it's a cop show with androids and holographic computer screens. There are some interesting subplots in there about AI sentience, meaning of consciousness stuff etc etc, but the main thrust of the show is no different than Bones or Criminal Minds; crime/mystery is committed/exposed, witty banter, witty banter, minor twist, red herring, witty banter, minor reference from earlier in show leads to expository dialogue, crime/mystery solved, baddies defeated, roll credits.

But in the end, whether it's a minor risk or a major one, what I have the real problem with is that they don't give these shows a chance. They commission them, they pay the money to make the show and then, having already spend the whole production budget, get cold feet and go weaksauce with the marketing, move the show around different timeslots sometimes from week to week, show the episodes out of order so however much of the audience is able and willing to follow the show through all the chopping and changing end up confused by odd shifts in tone of the characters' behaviour and subplots that happen out of sequence. That isn't even risk aversion, it's intentional sabotage.

Ha, your show got Firefly'd.

Bugger. I really liked that show. It's a very B&W view but the basic problem is US TV does appear to have some magic big viewing figure that a show must reach, due to advertising revenues. Trouble is Sc Fi is niche at the best of times and trying to get to those figures on a mainstream US TV network is nigh on impossible. Which is why I agree with the OP. Fox and networks like them should stay away from them, or invest in them as a side line for other smaller niche networks.

I will say Almost Human was really dang good too. The dialogue between android and partner was golden.

Referencing the android's (apparently large) anatomical correctness;
"What do you even do with it?"
"I imagine the same thing you do with yours, nothing."

Really? They're doing the whole "episodes out of order" thing? I really would have thought FOX had learnt not to do that. I mean this is after they did so well championing Fringe, giving the show two more seasons than it really deserved, yet now they're regressing to their old tricks?

Fringe is the odd exception. Lie to Me's entire second season was chaos because fox aired the episodes out of order (for no clear reason). Firefly as well, and Bones, Sliders, and Glee.

Fox is quite famous for it.

Well, lets have a look at some modern sci-fi, shall we?

Almost Human = Cop Show, with a twist.
Awake = Cop Show, with a twist.
Continuum = Cop Show, with a twist.
Flashforward = Cop Show, with a twist.
Terra Nova = Cop Show, with a twist.
Defiance = Cop Show, with a twist.

To me, the main problem is pretty glaringly obvious. Actual sci-fi is not being made, it's just used as window dressing for cop shows.

scarletsquig - I'm glad I'm not the only one that's spotted a lot of weak sci-fi shows which feel like the effect is sort of tacked onto another kind of show. Then again look at how hugly popular cop shows are in general. It's likely a lot easier to get backing to make it when its got something within the core that is already established as good selling.


As for sci-fi and Fox I still recall when Sci-fi became a bad porn channel after 10pm (and I'm talking so bad it puts you off). Not sure if they still do it (not got sky anymore). Fox an out of order episodes just tells me that there are too many people at the top with petty agendas of their own able to influence the order of episode showing and time slots. It's not a trick and its likely either someone at the top actually hating these shows or just internal politics spilling over in a bad way.

 scarletsquig wrote:
Well, lets have a look at some modern sci-fi, shall we?

Almost Human = Cop Show, with a twist.
Awake = Cop Show, with a twist.
Continuum = Cop Show, with a twist.
Flashforward = Cop Show, with a twist.
Terra Nova = Cop Show, with a twist.
Defiance = Cop Show, with a twist.

To me, the main problem is pretty glaringly obvious. Actual sci-fi is not being made, it's just used as window dressing for cop shows.

You forgot X-Files.

I think that yes, they should indeed stop commissioning Sci-fi and work on more interesting drama projects. The Sci-fi serial is really stale right now, only a few including Doctor Who, a kids show, are pulling in the numbers.

The BBC sometimes flirts with Sci-fi for a more mature audience but they rarely last, Torchwood for example started with swearing and sex n' stuff but quickly moved to 19.00, family friendly, time slot. I think a couple of the specials were more 'mature' and Aired post-watershed but by then other production companies were shouldering some of the cost.

 H.B.M.C. wrote:
Really? They're doing the whole "episodes out of order" thing? I really would have thought FOX had learnt not to do that. I mean this is after they did so well championing Fringe, giving the show two more seasons than it really deserved, yet now they're regressing to their old tricks?

They didn't air them out of order here in the US, at least that I'm aware of.

 Yodhrin wrote:

 curran12 wrote:
Bear in mind that a 'modest' risk, as you call it, is many many millions of dollars in potential. Not only is it the investment in the show itself (actors, directors, etc, etc), but also the marketing of the show and the very clear detriment if a show bombs for revenue.

People lose their jobs over this kind of thing. With the massive investment going into any major show, they have to be assured of ROI. And, let's be honest, it's even hard to do that for a niche genre (and yes, sci-fi is a nice genre).

I disagree, I think that exact attitude is what's damaging TV as an industry(all entertainment media industries, actually). How many people do you know who don't bother watching TV any more and just torrent the handful of shows they enjoy, usually reasoning that the vast majority of shows are flavourless reality-show guff or low-budget low-quality soaps and sitcoms? In the last few years, for me, that statistic has gone from "one guy I know, but he torrents everything" to "almost everybody". It might be "safer" in the short term to avoid risks, but in the long term if you avoid taking risks on new IPs and new genres, your output becomes stale and your audience wanders off bored; people like a certain degree of familiarity and continuity, but if that's all you give them they'll switch off.

And the reason I call it a "modest" risk is because it's exactly that; shows like Almost Human are hardly next-level hard sci-fi designed for hardcore sci-fi nerds like myself, it's a cop show with androids and holographic computer screens. There are some interesting subplots in there about AI sentience, meaning of consciousness stuff etc etc, but the main thrust of the show is no different than Bones or Criminal Minds; crime/mystery is committed/exposed, witty banter, witty banter, minor twist, red herring, witty banter, minor reference from earlier in show leads to expository dialogue, crime/mystery solved, baddies defeated, roll credits.

But in the end, whether it's a minor risk or a major one, what I have the real problem with is that they don't give these shows a chance. They commission them, they pay the money to make the show and then, having already spend the whole production budget, get cold feet and go weaksauce with the marketing, move the show around different timeslots sometimes from week to week, show the episodes out of order so however much of the audience is able and willing to follow the show through all the chopping and changing end up confused by odd shifts in tone of the characters' behaviour and subplots that happen out of sequence. That isn't even risk aversion, it's intentional sabotage.

I got rid of cable years ago because there wasn't a damn thing on I was interested in, and any veiwing my family doesconsists of watching Netflix or Hulu.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 Perkustin wrote:
I think that yes, they should indeed stop commissioning Sci-fi and work on more interesting drama projects. The Sci-fi serial is really stale right now, only a few including Doctor Who, a kids show, are pulling in the numbers.

The BBC sometimes flirts with Sci-fi for a more mature audience but they rarely last, Torchwood for example started with swearing and sex n' stuff but quickly moved to 19.00, family friendly, time slot. I think a couple of the specials were more 'mature' and Aired post-watershed but by then other production companies were shouldering some of the cost.

The thing about Torchwood was that you could always count on a bummer, slit your wrists kind of ending for each show. I think this is one of the things that wrecked it, which was too bad. The premise was very good, the characters were interesting, and the whole thing could have been huge.
Hopfully it may get another, better chance one day.

 scarletsquig wrote:
Defiance = Cop Show, with a twist.

That's a stretch.

 Perkustin wrote:
... Doctor Who, a kids show,...

Er... What?

 insaniak wrote:

 Perkustin wrote:
... Doctor Who, a kids show,...

Er... What?

If you were a kid and you were not hiding behind the sofa from the Darleks and other scary things in Dr. Who then - well your childhood was missing things (Darleks were honestly not the most scary - some old Who episodes could be really creepy!)

 insaniak wrote:

 Perkustin wrote:
... Doctor Who, a kids show,...

Er... What?

It's hardly that edgy...

 purplefood wrote:

 insaniak wrote:

 Perkustin wrote:
... Doctor Who, a kids show,...

Er... What?

It's hardly that edgy...

And in the Kid's Section of most streaming services.

 gunslingerpro wrote:

 purplefood wrote:

 insaniak wrote:

 Perkustin wrote:
... Doctor Who, a kids show,...

Er... What?

It's hardly that edgy...

And in the Kid's Section of most streaming services.

Well the BBC don't release the hardcore sex scenes outside the UK so that might be why...

Overread wrote:If you were a kid and you were not hiding behind the sofa from the Darleks and other scary things in Dr. Who then - well your childhood was missing things (Darleks were honestly not the most scary - some old Who episodes could be really creepy!)

Being watched by kids and being marketed to kids are not the same thing.

purplefood wrote:It's hardly that edgy...

There is an awful lot of scifi out there that isn't aimed at kids that isn't 'edgy'...

Doctor Who has always been marketed as a family show, rather than a kid's show.

 Overread wrote:

 insaniak wrote:

 Perkustin wrote:
... Doctor Who, a kids show,...

Er... What?

If you were a kid and you were not hiding behind the sofa from the Darleks and other scary things in Dr. Who then - well your childhood was missing things (Darleks were honestly not the most scary - some old Who episodes could be really creepy!)

Why do I keep seeing people spell it Darlek.

There is no R in Dalek.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dalek

Fox should just stop period.

DR. who a kids show what have you been watching, those old shows where creepy as hell
Blake 7, UFO, the day of the triffids , Sapphire & Steel and other shows i can't remember the names of which had a lasting impression on me.

 Grey Templar wrote:

 Overread wrote:

 insaniak wrote:

 Perkustin wrote:
... Doctor Who, a kids show,...

Er... What?

If you were a kid and you were not hiding behind the sofa from the Darleks and other scary things in Dr. Who then - well your childhood was missing things (Darleks were honestly not the most scary - some old Who episodes could be really creepy!)

Why do I keep seeing people spell it Darlek.

There is no R in Dalek.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dalek

Pronounce it in the right sort of UK accent and you see the R magically appear

 Kanluwen wrote:

 H.B.M.C. wrote:
Really? They're doing the whole "episodes out of order" thing? I really would have thought FOX had learnt not to do that. I mean this is after they did so well championing Fringe, giving the show two more seasons than it really deserved, yet now they're regressing to their old tricks?

They didn't air them out of order here in the US, at least that I'm aware of.

They did, if you think back to the sub-plots there are some odd tonal shifts; Kennex is all gung-ho on the memory retrieval thing, then that bit is resolved with the girlfriend revelation, and then later in the season there's an episode where he's having issues with the memory recall drug and is back in the device which seems like it was meant to be the penultimate episode in that mini-arc. You'll also note that Kennex's relationship with Dorian jumps around all over the place; one episode they're best buddies, the next he treats Dorian with suspicion or is just being dismissive. Dorian has issues with his living situation, which then gets resolved, but in a later episode is unresolved again.

From what I can piece together, the memory retrieval arc was present in what were supposed to be the opening episodes, and the conclusion of that arc was supposed to signal the turning point in Kennex's attitude towards Dorian. Their bonding and becoming friends, as well as Dorian's increasing awareness of the issues surrounding sentient AIs in the setting, were present in episodes that would make up the middle portion of the run, leading to what was shown on TV as the final episode when Dorian is evaluated and Kennex's recommendation is what allows him to remain in the police, which I think was actually supposed to be shown as the penultimate episode with the season finale/midseason break episode being the one where the DRN-series designer guy ends up going over The Wall.

I still haven't forgiven Fox for slashing Space: Above and Beyond into a few seasons, so I shouldn't be surprised they are doing this, which is really sad as I watched the first 5 episodes and have been meaning to come back to it because I am on a cyberpunk kick.

It's official Fox have cancelled Almost Human. What an irony. US networks have the money to produce good shows but seem to panic if they fail to hit the magic viewing figure straight away.