Date: 04/18/1999
From: Alternaty_Orange

The Sci-Fi Channel has officially stated Season Five will start in June, no date yet though. While I'm amazed that I seem to be the first person to post this bit of news officially (I know it's been rumored a lot), I'm more amazed at where I found it. Was it on the Sliders page ?, The Sci-Fi Wire ? No, it was in that strange 'Creature from the Programming Department' page, accessable from the Sci-FiCom home page. What it said was in the listing for the season four finale, "The last episode with the O'Connell brothers, new episodes start in June with new characters and new adventures" or someting to that affect.
While this is obviously good news I have to admit I'm a little confused about something. Even if the premiere is the last week in June, Sci-Fi will not be able to rerun all the just shown season four episodes. Knowing how much Sci-Fi likes their reruns I can't imagine them showing those episodes just once. And why are they showing "Common Ground" and the other early episodes next month when all the later episodes have just aired once ? Is season four going to be shown in the Mon-Thur slot once season five starts ? Given the vast differences between seasons four and five you wouldn't think they'd show season four repeats during season five but it looks like that's what they might do. It might all start again folks, we'll get two or three new episodes at a time followed by a month or so of reruns. Further evidence for this is on the schedule bot where it seems Sci-Fi will be running repeats of their other Sci Fi Prime shows next month even though they have full seasons for all of them in the can. I'm trying to figure out the, what Temporal Flux once called, Sci-Fi Channel Logic in this but I'm having trouble. Any thoughts anyone ?
But again , don't forget the good news, Season Four will start in June !

cool...

Date: 04/18/1999
From: humaggs

You're right. I went over there to see and it's true. Thanks for letting us know.
Humaggs

It started in June last year also.

Date: 04/18/1999
From: Executive

But it looks like this season the channel has enough faith in the series to premiere the new episodes where they should be seen first --- here in the U.S.! Well, let's hope that's the case. Last year, however, other contries got to see the 4th season of one of our own shows before we did. That in itself was rare, although FIRST WAVE had been screened overseas beforing finally debuting on the U.S. feed of the Sci-Fi Channel last month.

Logic circles...

Date: 04/18/1999
From: TemporalFlux

This one doesn't seem to have much logic behind it. I mean, the first thought is that they realized they couldn't rerun episodes 13 - 22 before the June premiere of season five...so they decided to do a "best of." Of course, that only makes sense until you look at their choices...I mean, "Mother and Child"? Sure, it was the one after "Lipschitz Live!" (being rerun at the end of April), but out of all the fourth season eps they could pick to rerun in their seeming jumping around..."Mother and Child"? I would also cite "Common Ground" in there...but some think it is the best of season four (a claim never made on "Mother and Child")...and I also think they picked "Common Ground" so they could run that "Beauty Vs. Beast" commercial promo again (they really seem to love to run that one...this will make the fourth time now, and each time it was on heavy rotation). I guess we should count our blessings though...at least they didn't rerun "Genesis".

So, as it now turns out because of this...episodes 15 - 22 of season four will have only been aired the intial time...while those first few eps are now in their 4th cycle. I can't make sense out of this anymore...I doubt there's any one that could. I just feel sorry for anyone coming on board at that time...I mean, the first two eps of May have no Colin...then suddenly he's there the 3rd week...and then he's gone again the next week. I honestly think trained chimpanzees could have done a better program scheduling job...

Tf
temporalflux@hotmail.com
http://www.geocities.com/TelevisionCity/Studio/8120

TF & Exec

Date: 04/19/1999
From: rooboy

Why would the apes have to be trained? I don't get this way of doing things at all. The common sence thing to do would be to show the series in perfect, uninterrupted sequence, and run re-runs at the same time, in other time slots. Most cable shows in America work the same way don't they? It shows no respect for their own shows.

Also, another example of something being shown in a foreign country first: Ocean Girl is Australian but was under full control of the Disney channel after the first season. Also, a few bimbo beach shows have been made here that haven't even been sold locally, and only function as an advertisement for the Gold Coast.

Look on the bright side. If any of us ever get a job as a programmer we'll be promoted to the Nth degree within a week.

Hey Alternity_Orange,

Date: 04/19/1999
From: ChicagoFan

I'm curious -- did you get your name from the novel "Alternities"
by Michael P. Kube-McDowell (I *think* I have the name right)?

If so, well, I guess you liked the book! So did I. I'd be
interested in seeing a movie made out of it someday.

For those who have not read it, check it out. The novel takes
place in an alternate world around 1976. The Soviets are leading
in the Cold War, and some highly-placed Earth folks have learned
about parallel earths. I won't spoil the plotline...but it's a good
story.

Anyway, just curious, that's all.

ChicagoFan

They *have* to start in June

Date: 04/19/1999
From: ChicagoFan

With their "Scifi Prime" block of shows, they can't afford to
have reruns for too long, because "Farscape" and "First Wave"
are in reruns next month, too. I think they want to make sure
that they have an evening of all-new shows, rather than some new
and some reruns. Therefore, they are rerunning the first 5-7
episodes of "Farscape" and "First Wave" again, and along with it,
"Sliders" reruns. Then they will start showing new "Farscape" and
"First Wave" episodes again, and at that time, the new "Sliders"
episodes begin as well. "Sliders" will have a fan base no matter
how long they wait, but they don't want interest to wane in the
other two shows, which are new. So, it all must get rolling again
soon.

That's my guess, anyway. I'll be very surprised if they run
the "Farscape" and "First Wave" episodes a third or fourth time
before showing new ones.

ChicagoFan, who thinks "Farscape" and "First Wave" are fun shows
as well

ChicagoFan

Date: 04/19/1999
From: Alternaty_Orange

Yep, that's where I took my name from. In specific I remembered a line near the end of the book where they said a new alternate Earth had been discovered. "The president is some Georgian named Carter, biggest music influence was a group of English kids called the Beatles, They're calling it alternaty orange" It was just a throwaway line but it was kind of cool.
I loved that book, I was always hoping Kube-Mcdowall would write a sequel to it but a movie would be good too. Glad to know there is someone else out there who read it. MOst people have never heard of it. Take it easy.

Will season 4 end with cliffhanger?

Date: 04/19/1999
From: Dimension

If season 5 is set and it is definitive the O'connels will not return. Based on some posts it seems there still may be hope. Is there any news on how season 4 will end. Wil they give closure to Quinn & Colin or will there be a cliffhanger?

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