Top 5 Sci-Fi/Fantasy Shows That Shouldn't Have Been Cancelled

Going off my rant against the SyFy channel earlier this week, I've decided to share with all of you my top 5 shows that shouldn't have been cancelled ( in the last decade or so).

5.) Reaper 2007-2009

Ah, Reaper. Such a beautiful little gem from a network that's only good show that's still airing is Supernatural. Its the CW. I hate that channel. Anyways, Reaper follows the life of Sam Oliver (center above) who finds out his parents sold his soul to the devil in exchange for his father's life. The devil, played byRay Wise of Twin Peaks fame, makes Sam collect and return escaped souls to Hell. Sam is aided by his friends Sock, Ben, and love interest Andi in his "dastardly duties".

In the end, the show was done in by its quirkiness and under-appreciation from the CW network. It just couldn't appreciate how different it was from the rest of melodramatic romance drama crud (except for you Supernatural) that it airs.Also, the SyFy channel had the opportunity to revive it and passed....so predictable.

4.) Dead Like Me 2003-2004

Yup, another show about "reapers".  These don't work for the Devil (as far as we know), but the afterlife. The show centers on George "Georgie" Lass, a young woman with family problems and no ambition that gets killed by a falling toilet from the Mir space station. From there, she is tasked with collecting the souls of people who die in accidents like her and once she hits her quota, she can move on. O, and her boss is Mandy Patinkin. Automatically awesome.

Sadly, creator Bryan Fuller (he also did Pushing Daisies) left early on because of creative differences, and the show never really recovered, getting cancelled for "loss of quality" and the "sense problems would continue". Hey, I guess its a good thing that it didn't end up like Heroes, begging to die for seasons.

3.) Futurama 1999-2003 (Fox), 2010-2013 (Comedy Central)

I have to admit, Futurama is one of my all time favorite shows. What can I say, I have a soft spot for animation. Its quirky, funny, and anything can happen. Plus it can get occasionally "feelsy": Fry's dog anyone?

It focuses on the Planet Express Delivery crew and their crazy intergalactic antics. There's Fry, who got frozen in 1999 and re-awoke in the 3000, Leela the mutant cyclops, Bender, the shiny-bottomed felon of a robot, and many more great characters. And side characters. There is a ton of them.

The show is so great and has such a dedicated fandom that it got the revival that all cancelled shows dream of in 2010. Unfortunately, it got cancelled again (no reason given), but the producers are currently trying to find a new home for our beloved Planet Express Crew. There's even talk of a Simpsons/Futurama crossover!

2.) All Things Joss Whedon

Buffy, Angel, Firefly, Dollhouse, and Dr. Horrible's Sing-along blog. All great things. All cancelled (technically Dr. Horrible was never a t.v. show...). Everything this man touches is awesome but short lived. People watch what he makes, you think the networks would let him have a long-running show by now. Oh, well, as long as the Browncoats are around maybe there will one day be a revival for at least Firefly, even a movie would do.

1.) Stargate Universe 2009-2011

Honestly, you all should have seen this coming. I wanted to not put this on the list because of my previous rants, but I'm a Gater and proud. Many criticized the show for being a rip off of Battlestar Galactica, with a  little Stargate thrown in, but it was a good show. The first season was a little iffy (I'm going to forget everything about the Lucian Alliance. I always hated that plot point, in the entire franchise) I know. but the second half of the second season was beautiful. Space battles, aliens, alternate time-line meets real time-line, and the last episode. So good~

Don't get me started on Eli Wallace, though. I love me some Eli; such a good character and we don't even get to know if he dies! At least give us a t.v. movie or something!

Alas, Stargate Universe was done in by too frequent scheduling changes (Friday, the home of Stargate for years -> Tuesday -> Monday), MGM's financial woes, and a slow first season that alienated some fans.

There you have it folks, my list for recent shows that shouldn't have been cancelled. Some honorable mentions include V, Pushing Daisies, The 4400, Farscape ( at least it got an ending and may be coming back), Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, and Twin Peaks. Which is just so odd that I can't stop watching.

So, what are some of your favorite cancelled shows? Do you fear for any currently airing shows? Leave a comment below and, as always, subscribe and share if you likey~

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Archaeology- Its Not About Dinosaurs: Top 5 Fictional Archaeologists

A long time ago in a city not so far away I dreamed about being an archaeologist. Saving lives, solving the mysteries of the Universe, beating up Nazis.

(Yeah, like that, but with a skirt)

Alas, that isn't how Archaeology works. Its a lot of blood, sweat, and tears. 

And no Dinosaurs....there's always someone who think Archaeologists dig up Dinosaurs

Also, no Aliens. I don't care what the "History Channel" says. Aliens do not count as history. Neither do Amish Mafias or Swamp Loggers. Do you executives over there hear me? No Aliens!

(Goddammit....)

Anyways, today I'm taking a look at my top 5 favorite fictional Archaeologists, which, sadly, do happen to deal with Aliens.....

5.)  Nathan Drake (Uncharted Series)

Sarcastic, self-educated, and always he first to realize how absurd his adventures are, there is no video-game Archaeologist quite like Nathan Drake. 

I've only played a bit of the Uncharted series, but from what I saw I liked it. Definitely more than Lara Croft....just can't like her. I mean, come on. She's like the Barbie of the video game world...not that any my top 5 are realistic...but still...besides being pretty is she even like-able?

4.) Captain Jean-Luc Picard

Ok, ok. I really wanted to put Picard higher on the list, but  couldn't do it in all good consciousness since he really doesn't do Archaeology as a living. He beats up Romulans, the Borg, and villains of-the-week instead. 

(the man knows how to bring the pain)

Still, that doesn't mean Picard didn't occasionally take up the Archaeology mantle and be friggin' awesome at it. The man discovered the origins of all life in the universe for crying out loud! And I bet he'd think the Ancient Aliens guy was a lunatic too!

(Yup, somewhere Picard is face-palming over the ancient aliens guy...)

3.) River Song

Does she really need an introduction? 

Archaeologist, time traveler, the Doctor's wife, the impossible astronaut, some other crazy stuff I wont spoil. Trust me, she's awesome. Also, hates Nazis. All good fictional Archaeologists should hate Nazis.

Not much else to say about River. She's just plain awesome!

2.) Indiana Jones

The mack-daddy of fictional Archaeologists himself. Who doesn't like Indy? Besides Nazis....and Communists...and that creepy cult guy from Temple of Doom.

 Indy has done it all, and always (sort of ) gets the ladies~ That opening scene whee he outruns the rolling boulder and the booby traps to get the golden idol? Priceless!

Plus, his dad is Sean Connery. James Bond.  The man doesn't care what you think and will mess you up if you mock him.

(Scottish swag requires a martini shaken, not stirred)

Alas, the main reason why Indy didn't top my list is The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Ugh, Aliens? Really? and Shia LeBeouf? Check out what South Park thinks to see what many think on the matter (disregard the China part). I get that the first 3 movies aren't exactly "life-like", but featuring aliens took it a little too far...

1.) Dr. Daniel Jackson

Archaeologist, Linguist, occasional bad-ass, Daniel Jackson is definitely on the top of my list.

Look at him, he's the epitome of Geeky cool. Plus, I'm pretty sure the guy is a time lord...he dies like, 6 times during Stargate's 10 season run. 

Anyways, Daniel Jackson's knowledge in Archaeology and Linguistics saved his friends' lives on countless occasions, even the Galaxy a couple of times. Also, despite how his character evolved over the seasons, he still stayed an academic geek at heart, which is why Daniel Jackson is my #1 fictional Archaeologist. Even with the constant presence of Aliens in the show. 

Plus, he face-palms with the best of them. I love a good face-palm.

(I think he and Picard would be BFFLs)

Well, there it is folks, my top 5 fictional Archaeologists. I do admit, there weren't many to begin with, but I think I did a pretty good job. A quick shout-out to all real Archaeologists out there that spend years in college and then years doing fieldwork. Definitely more bad-ass than anyone on this list. 

The people listed are more so action heroes than anything else, but really, isn't that why we love them?

Leave a comment letting me know what you think, be it that you hated my list or have your own top 5! Also, be sure to subscribe and share with others if you really like the blog : )

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Good Guy Stargate

As Geek and Nerds, we have all inevitably come across the heartbreak that is a cancelled series. Star Trek TOS, every other Star Trek Series, Farscape, and as Stephen Colbert nicely sums up-

Yup, We've all been there. Many of my top 5 have suffered from it, and many of my favorite that didn't make the list. And in honor of my favorite Sci-fi universe, the Stargate universe, I will now give it the honor it deserves.      

*SPOILERS*

Oh, Stargate, how I loved you. We spent over 10 years together, got through 3 different series, and saw the creation of 3 straight-to-dvd movies. All for it to come crashing down when MGM went bankrupt and the SCI-FI SYFY network "re branded" itself. The movie to finish off SG-1- cancelled.  The movie that was destined to wrap up Stargate Atlantis- cancelled. Stargate Universe- cancelled. So many questions left unanswered: Will Carter and O'Neill ever end up together? What happened to Todd the wraith? What did the world think of Atlantis landing in San Francisco bay? What the heck was Universe about? Is Eli alive????

(I love you, Eli!!!)

Alas, the future looks grim for Gaters. Especially with the rumors of a complete reboot, starting off where the original movie began. I for one think that casting aside the mythos that the Series' writers and producers worked to meticulously to create is a HUGE  mistake and will alienate much of the fanbase. The charm of the t.v. shows will be lost to a big-screen remake. It won't be the same Stargate that we know and love. So, Sorry SYFY, i do not approve! 

New Stargete Trilogy??? Click here for the News!

You killed it, don't just pawn it off on someone else ot make a quick buck you so-called....ehhem....sorry, I was starting to rant. This is about showing my love, though, not me anger at the SYFY network.

Now, how do I describe the main plot of Stargate and why its awesome? Colonel, I leave it to you-

Yup, that about sums it up. The great thing about Stargate was its quirkyness. It could be as modestly  funny as Star Trek TNG, and as dramatic as Battlestar Galactica. Heck, it even made fun of itself on multiple occasions. For example, Episode 200. Just google some clips. Its amazing. Its funny. It mentions the Furlings never actually showing up despite being uber important to the mythology of the show. Its also spoofs Star Trek AND Farscape, which was easy cause of Ben Browder and Claudia Black being on both shows. So goooood~

Another great reason to love Stargate? Great strong female characters. Now, I'm not saying that Sci-fi tends to over shadow female characters sometimes, but it does happen. Stargate, though, started off its run with a main female cast member being a bad ass mofo. May I introduce you to Brigadier General (originally a captain) Samantha Carter. AstroPhysicist, engineer, fighter pilot, sun-exploder. She p'wned so many bad guys and was so smart. She also got her fair share of romance, but it didn't overshadow her goals and duties. Such a great role model for 10 year old Oshawott here.

Sure, Star Trek has Janeway and Crusher and, um, T'Pol? But for the mid 1990's Carter was special and she deserves more credit than she gets in the sci-fi universe. Then you have Vala, Wier,Keller. All Great. I do admit the women on Universe were a little needy...but hey, they can't all be great.

Stargate was also on t.v. for an incredibly long amount of time, 1994-2009. That's a loooong time, right up there with Star Trek. It wasn't just quantity over quality, though. Each series stuck it out and kept on providing the stuff Gaters loved, even amongst cast changes and budget problems. The producers and writers loved their fans and kept spewing out quality material.

I do concede that near the end of SG-1, the show was getting kitchy and cliche'd. The Ori were pretty bad....and not in the good way for villains. AND that Universe got off to a rough start. The comparisons to Battlestar Galactica and the major changes to the usual Stargate storyline did alienate some fans. But right at the end, those last few episode. It started to shine. Major character growth, major sadness. Major cancellation.

In the end, us Gaters can only make petitions and hope that the Stargate we know and love will return through the wormhole to us one day. Until then, we have the reruns to keep us company and remind us of our love. Who knows. Star Trek came back with a vengeance multiple times, and the Browncoats got the Firefly movie Serenity. Fandoms are powerful and eventually get shit done.

Until then.....

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