Last night, I was setting up the VCR (I know, I'm so 90s!) to record tonight's episode of
Doctor Who. I had the VCR set to SciFi and as I programmed it, I heard that familiar
Law and Order theme music playing. I was confused so I finished programming and checked to make sure that maybe ComCast hadn't pulled a switcheroo and moved USA Network up a few dozen notches and migrated SciFi elsewhere. Or maybe it was some sci-fi show or movie that somehow using the Law and Order theme as some clever storytelling aspect.
Nope.
There was the SciFi logo in the corner and the credits for Law and Order: SVU airing.
I checked the listings and this is what SciFi chose to air last night--a three hour block of SVU. Yeah, it's not like we don't have Law and Order repeats 24/7 on every other network on the planet, but now they're showing up on the SciFi Channel?!?
I guess they got tired of running the umpeeth repeat of Stargate (the Law and Order of the SciFi Channel) and went with.....something already owned by their parent company, NBC/Universal. Now, I know this is SciFi and they do stretch the definition of science-fiction and fantasy pretty thin at times when it comes to the movies they run (I mean, can you tell me what is sci-fi about Hannibal?) but they've done OK in terms of the shows they'll run.
But I guess they forgot to call me and get my input. Because I'd say that with the new Doctor Who possibly winning new fans, there might be some new interest. And heaven knows there's quite a back catalog of episodes you could show--what with 20 complete seasons available for syndication purposes. Why not buy a few stories from Tom Baker's run as Doctor and put those on since I'd say most people who are casually aware of Doctor Who tend to assocated Baker with the role.
Or maybe you could repeat some of the library of shows you've had on over the years. Like maybe Farscape or one of the other SciFi Friday shows that have come and gone. Alas, I think if they repeated Farscape at an hour and time when fans could find it, they'd have a riot in the streets as people realized this quality show was cancelled to continue to make room for more Stargate. (Or heck, it's been a while since a network repeated Babylon Five in order...that would be nice too!)
But back to my original point. I don't quite see how Law and Order: SVU qualifies as science-fiction. I sure wish someone would explain it to me.
posted by Michael Hickerson at 5/05/2006 09:33:00 AM |
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