Amen, sister! SyFy often confuses the hell out of me. This is the channel that on one hand, brings up gems like Battlestar Galactica, and then on the other hand, serves lukewarm, pseudo-intellectual editing tricks like Ghost Hunters. Warehouse 13? Mary Knows Best. Eureka? Fact or Faked: Paranormal Files.
Really, if any channel could ever be said to have a split personality...
Fortunately we live in a world where it's entirely possible to build your own Science Fiction Channel or Cartoon Channel at home. Whether you do it by Netflix, Hulu or Bittorrent, there's no reason ever to watch a programme you didn't choose to watch.
Once I turned the channel on and saw this reality show about a family struggling to hold a family BBQ. I kept saying, WTF is this crap? Who are these people? I found out it was "Mary Knows Best," suppossedly about a psychic, except there's no supernatural stuff, just a weak reality show that's suppose to get it's fuel from the personality of it's "star." Snore. I liked it better when the channel devoted entire days to shows like "Alien Nation" or "The X-Files" for god's sake. Jeeze, they've dropped the ball. "Haven" blows, I'm afraid.
I still equate Paranormal and Cryptozoology with science I think it fits. Say what you will about GH at least they don't run around screaming and yelling like some other shows of the same format. While some of their techniques aren't traditional or seem sketchy, when dealing with the unknown you use what seems to work. While I necessarily don't believe in ghosts (I've never had any experiences) I don't think that the show is any less scientific in its approach they don't always find anything, and they do try to disprove it and debunk as much as they can.
I enjoy Eureka and Warehouse 13, its just geek entertainment which is what should be on a channel called SyFy.
I've stopped being shocked at "reality" programs--perhaps because I rarely watch them unless I'm visiting someone else's home--but I will admit to being a bit surprised the other night to scroll through the cable guide and find out that Syfy was showing back-to-back episodes of Ghost Whisperer.
I'm guessing that show is "sci fi" in the same sense that Dark Shadows and Joan of Arcadia were sci-fi...
pre-Disqus comments
posted by DaveTM (Wed Aug 25 10, 7:19PM)
And that's why they changed their name to Syfy. Because they took the Science Fiction out of the channel so why still call it SciFi.
sigh I miss SciFi
posted by nyjm (Wed Aug 25 10, 9:40PM)
Amen, sister! SyFy often confuses the hell out of me. This is the channel that on one hand, brings up gems like Battlestar Galactica, and then on the other hand, serves lukewarm, pseudo-intellectual editing tricks like Ghost Hunters. Warehouse 13? Mary Knows Best. Eureka? Fact or Faked: Paranormal Files.
Really, if any channel could ever be said to have a split personality...
posted by PaulW (Thu Aug 26 10, 12:40AM)
would that include marathon reshowings of Mansquito?
I want my MTV to actually be MTV. You know. FRAKKIN MUSIC. They still make videos you know. They're all on youtube anymore. :(
Live-action on Cartoon Network?! Ship it over to FREAKING Nickelodeon!
What's next? College Football on the Golf Channel?!
posted by RogerBW (Thu Aug 26 10, 3:23AM)
Fortunately we live in a world where it's entirely possible to build your own Science Fiction Channel or Cartoon Channel at home. Whether you do it by Netflix, Hulu or Bittorrent, there's no reason ever to watch a programme you didn't choose to watch.
posted by Brian' (Thu Aug 26 10, 9:07AM)
There's a grass-roots effort underway to create a new network that actually shows sci-fi programming, called the Syzygy network:
http://www.syzygynetwork.com/
I'm not sure how successful they will be, but I've been keeping half an eye on it to see if it gains any traction.
posted by Michael (Thu Aug 26 10, 12:40PM)
Can I get a "FRELL, YEAH?!"
posted by mortadella (Thu Aug 26 10, 4:30PM)
Once I turned the channel on and saw this reality show about a family struggling to hold a family BBQ. I kept saying, WTF is this crap? Who are these people? I found out it was "Mary Knows Best," suppossedly about a psychic, except there's no supernatural stuff, just a weak reality show that's suppose to get it's fuel from the personality of it's "star." Snore. I liked it better when the channel devoted entire days to shows like "Alien Nation" or "The X-Files" for god's sake. Jeeze, they've dropped the ball. "Haven" blows, I'm afraid.
posted by McFeely (Fri Aug 27 10, 1:35PM)
I still equate Paranormal and Cryptozoology with science I think it fits. Say what you will about GH at least they don't run around screaming and yelling like some other shows of the same format. While some of their techniques aren't traditional or seem sketchy, when dealing with the unknown you use what seems to work. While I necessarily don't believe in ghosts (I've never had any experiences) I don't think that the show is any less scientific in its approach they don't always find anything, and they do try to disprove it and debunk as much as they can.
I enjoy Eureka and Warehouse 13, its just geek entertainment which is what should be on a channel called SyFy.
posted by Tonio Kruger (Fri Aug 27 10, 5:37PM)
I've stopped being shocked at "reality" programs--perhaps because I rarely watch them unless I'm visiting someone else's home--but I will admit to being a bit surprised the other night to scroll through the cable guide and find out that Syfy was showing back-to-back episodes of Ghost Whisperer.
I'm guessing that show is "sci fi" in the same sense that Dark Shadows and Joan of Arcadia were sci-fi...