Axiom's Edge Science Fiction and Fantasy

Cancellation Watch: ABC Cancels Both Last Resort and 666 Park Ave

admin — Mon, 19 Nov 2012 14:56:27 +0000

Coming as no surprise, ABC has announced the cancellation of its two freshmen genre shows Last Resort and 666 Park Ave. The former airs on Thursdays at 8 PM EST and debuted to mediocre numbers that sunk even further since its premiere. That latter airs on Sundays at 10 PM EST and debuted even lower than Last Resort and also suffered from a decline after its bow. Last Resort received considerable praise from critics and genre fans seemed to respond favorably to the show as well, while 666 Park Ave never quite seemed to catch on. ABC has indicated that both shows will be given the chance to air out the remainder of their thirteen episode orders before they are left to fade into TV oblivion. Read the Full Article at This Link

Why Were They Cancelled?
The Plight of Science Fiction and Fantasy Television in the Face of the Unforgiving Nielsens and Networks

Ever wondered why your favorite science fiction and/or fantasy show disappeared from the television schedule, never to deliver anymore new episodes? The reason why, most likely, is that it was cancelled because its ratings were low. And this book looks at those many cancelled sci fi/fantasy shows as well as the Neilsen ratings and television networks that dictate their fates. Available now for only $2.99 on Kindle from Amazon.com.

Cancellation Watch: Last Resort and 666 Park Ave Still in Trouble, Beauty and the Beast Looking Grim as Well

admin — Wed, 31 Oct 2012 17:12:12 +0000

Following is the Cancellation Alert status as of Oct 23rd for all the genre shows currently airing (sorted by network). Follow the latest news at Cancellation Watch and the Cancelled Sci Fi Twitter site.

Series	Network	Airs (EST)	Preseason Cancel Alert	Current Cancel Alert	STD Rating
666 Park Ave	ABC	Sun 10 PM	Medium	Elevated	1.8
Last Resort	ABC	Thu 8 PM	Medium	High	1.9
Once Upon A Time	ABC	Sun 8 PM	Low	Low	3.4
The Neighbors	ABC	Wed 8:30 PM	High	Medium	2.3
The Walking Dead	AMC	Sun 10 PM	Low	Low	5.8
Person of Interest	CBS	Thu 9 PM	Low	Low	2.9
Arrow	CW	Tue 8 PM	Low	Low	1.3
Beauty and the Beast	CW	Thu 9 PM	Moderate	Medium	1.0
Nikita	CW	Fri 9 PM	Moderate	No Guess	0.3
Supernatural	CW	Tue 9 PM	Moderate	Low	0.9
Vampire Diaries	CW	Thu 8 PM	Low	Low	1.5
Fringe	FOX	Fri 9 PM	Final Season	Final Season	1.0
The American Horror Story	FX	Wed 10 PM	Low	Low	0.0
Grimm	NBC	Fri 9 PM	Low	Low	1.6
Revolution	NBC	Mon 10 PM	Moderate	Low	3.5
Haven	Syfy	Fri 10 PM	Medium	Moderate	0.4

Why Were They Cancelled?

The Plight of Science Fiction and Fantasy Television in the Face of the Unforgiving Nielsens and Networks

Cancellation Watch: Last Resort and 666 Park Ave in the Most Danger at This Point

admin — Tue, 23 Oct 2012 18:53:12 +0000

Series	Network	Airs (EST)	Preseason Cancel Alert	Current Cancel Alert	STD Rating
666 Park Ave	ABC	Sun 10 PM	Medium	Elevated	1.8
Last Resort	ABC	Thu 8 PM	Medium	Elevated	1.9
Once Upon A Time	ABC	Sun 8 PM	Low	Low	3.4
The Neighbors	ABC	Wed 8:30 PM	High	Medium	2.3
The Walking Dead	AMC	Sun 10 PM	Low	Low	5.8
Person of Interest	CBS	Thu 9 PM	Low	Low	2.9
Arrow	CW	Tue 8 PM	Low	Low	1.3
Beauty and the Beast	CW	Thu 9 PM	Moderate	Low	1.0
Nikita	CW	Fri 9 PM	Moderate	No Guess	0.3
Supernatural	CW	Tue 9 PM	Moderate	Low	0.9
Vampire Diaries	CW	Thu 8 PM	Low	Low	1.5
Fringe	FOX	Fri 9 PM	Final Season	Final Season	1.0
The American Horror Story	FX	Wed 10 PM	Low	Low	0.0
Grimm	NBC	Fri 9 PM	Low	Low	1.6
Revolution	NBC	Mon 10 PM	Moderate	Low	3.5
Haven	Syfy	Fri 10 PM	Medium	Moderate	0.4

Why Were They Cancelled?
The Plight of Science Fiction and Fantasy Television in the Face of the Unforgiving Nielsens and Networks

Why Were They Cancelled? The Plight of Science Fiction and Fantasy Television in the Face of the Unforgiving Nielsens and Networks. Win a Free Advanced Copy

admin — Wed, 26 Sep 2012 19:18:10 +0000

Why Were They Cancelled? The Plight of Science Fiction and Fantasy Television in the Face of the Unforgiving Nielsens and Networks

Available on Kindle October 2, 2012

For a chance to win a free advanced copy in pdf format, follow CancelledSciFi at Twitter and check your Direct messages there on a regular basis to see if you are a winner.

Press Release:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Decoded: The Nielsen Ratings and Their Harsh Treatment of Science Fiction and Fantasy Television

WHY WERE THEY CANCELLED? The Plight of Science Fiction and Fantasy Television in the Face of the Unforgiving Nielsens and Networks: By John J. Joex

So many sci fi shows and so many cancellations. Every year we see more and more science fiction and fantasy shows hit the television networks, yet they all seem to suffer from the same fate of early cancellation. Why is this? Why can’t sci fi programs survive on television like crime dramas, sitcoms, and reality shows? Is it all just a conspiracy by the Nielsens and the networks to keep the genre from taking over the Prime Time schedules? Or is there more to the picture?

San Antonio, TX – 2012: Why Were They Cancelled? answers these questions and more. This book looks at the Nielsen ratings and how they influence the decision making of network executives and why these decisions always seem to result in the cancellation of sci fi shows. Delivering an overview of how the process of television works, from the original pitch, to the debut of the TV series, to the harsh verdict from the Nielsens, you will walk away with a good understanding of how television shows make it to the airwaves and why so many ultimately get cancelled. The book also takes a look at the “Save My Show” campaigns that pop up each year and whether these really influence network decision making. It also looks at alternatives for episodic sci fi and speculates on the direction of television in the coming years. And finally, the book looks at many of the science fiction and fantasy shows that have aired over the past fifty plus years and what led to their cancellation.

So if you want a better understanding of how the Nielsen ratings work and how they influence the broadcast and cable networks, and you also want to know why your favorite science fiction/fantasy show was cancelled, look no further than this new release from John J. Joex.

About the Author: John J. Joex has extensive experience in sci fi blogging and has been writing his Cancellation Watch column for more than four years now (currently running at his blog Johnny Jay Says: http://johnnyjaysays.blogspot.com/). This column tracks the weekly ratings results and offers his predictions on which sci fi shows are in the most danger of cancellation. He has followed the Nielsens for many years and learned how to read the trends and predict how the networks will react. Now he brings his expertise to this book that unlocks the mysteries of the Nielsens and how they impact the life and death of Science Fiction and Fantasy television shows.

Why Were They Cancelled? is due out in Kindle edition at Amazon.com on October 2,

Follow Cancellation Watch, Sci Fi Trifles, and Sci Fi Genre Gems at Their New Locations

admin — Sat, 18 Aug 2012 19:11:36 +0000

Keep up with the latest ratings updates for science fiction and fantasy shows as well as their chances of getting cancelled at the Johnny Jay Says blog at this link.

Follow Sci Fi Trifles, Sci Fi Genre Gems, and Sci Fi Guilty Pleasures at the Sci Fi Ditties site at this link.

Keep up with the latest news from the worlds of science fiction and fantasy and submit your own links at the Sci Fi Scroll Reddit page at this link.

Audiobook Review: Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert A. Heinlein

admin — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 14:17:34 +0000

Like Isaac Asimov’s Foundation series, Heinlein’s Stranger in a Strange Land is one of those classics of science fiction that you have to contend with at some point even if reading the book(s) proves an arduous task. Stranger in a Strange Land definitely made its mark when it first came out in 1961, even adding the word “grok” to the language (look it up, it’s in the dictionary and lists the book as its origin) as well as introducing such fascinating concepts as the Fair Witness (you can read more about that at this link). And at the time that the book came out, it probably seemed quite controversial with its liberal attitude toward sexual mores and its thinly-veiled criticisms of religion. And while all of that had its place and helped to kick-off the turbulent decade of the sixties, for me it still does not quite add up to a very satisfying piece of literature. Full Article at this Link

New in Comics: Before Watchmen Continues With Silk Spectre and the Triumphant Return of KISS to Comics!

admin — Tue, 12 Jun 2012 12:00:14 +0000

A few choice selections from the comics due out June 13th:

Before Watchmen Silk Spectre #1 (of 4)
DC

Description: ‘Oh sweetie, you’re too young to hate. Wait until you’re older and the world gives you a good reason. Trust me, it won’t let you down.’ Plus: Don’t miss the CRIMSON CORSAIR backup story by writer LEN WEIN and artist JOHN HIGGINS! This issue is also offered as a combo pack edition with a redemption code for a digital download of this issue.

By: Darwyn Cooke, Amanda Conner

More Before Watchmen Titles Due Out This Month:

Minutemen #1 (June 6th), Comedian #1 (June 20th), Nite Owl #1 (June 27th)

Kiss #1
IDW

Description: You Wanted the Best, You Got the Best! KISS is back in an all-new comic
series that will appeal to longtime fans and new readers alike! Four
ordinary humans in 1920s Chicago find themselves caught up in a battle
of epic proportions that will reverberate across time and space in
‘Dressed to Kill,’ part 1!

By: Chris Ryall, Jamal Igle, Nick Runge

Planetoid #1
Image

Description: An ex-soldier turned space pirate, finds himself stranded on a
mysterious planet in alien territory. As he explores the long-abandoned
industrial ruins of the planet’s surface he will have to fend off rogue
mechanical creatures, roving cyborg militias, and a hostile alien
military with a bounty on his head. Silas will have to rely on
resourcefulness and bare-bones survival tactics in order to stay alive
and ultimately unlock the secrets of a planet where survival is a luxury
and escape an impossibility.

By: Ken Garing

The Massive #1
Dark Horse

Description: In a post-war, post-crash, post-disaster, post-everything world, the environmental-action trawler Kapital scours the earth’s oceans for its mysteriously missing sistership, The Massive.
Captain Callum Israel, a man who has dedicated his life to the ocean,
now must ask himself-as our planet dies-what it means to be an
environmentalist after the world’s ended. Callum and his crew will come
up against pirates, rebels, murderers, and thieves as they struggle to
remain noble toward their cause. Can you save a planet that’s already
doomed?

By: Brian Wood, Kristian Donaldson, Dave Stewart, Brian Wood, Kristian Donaldson

More of This Week’s Comics at This Link

New on DVD: Sherlock Holmes A Game of Shadows, Superman vs. the Elite, and More

admin — Sun, 10 Jun 2012 12:00:37 +0000

DVDs/Blu-rays Due Out June 12th:

More New and Recent Releases at This Link

Cancellation Watch: Game of Thrones Goes Out Strong, Teen Wolf Returns Steady

admin — Tue, 05 Jun 2012 17:07:04 +0000

Game of Thrones ended its second season strong this past Sunday as it pulled a series high rating and viewer count. The season finale grabbed a 2.2 rating in the 18-49 demographic and 4.2 million viewers as it continues to build its audience. Full Article at this Link

Book Review: Beyond the Wall: Exploring George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire

admin — Tue, 05 Jun 2012 16:50:28 +0000

Beyond the Wall is a collection of essays delving into George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire books and also touching on the television series and the graphic novel adaptation. It comes from Smart Pop books, which over the last few years has been publishing a line of books that in their words offers “fresh, engaging nonfiction titles on the best of pop culture TV, books, and film, with a particular focus on science fiction and fantasy television and literature.” Among the other topics they have covered of interest to genre fans include Star Wars, The Matrix, Fringe, Firefly, Battlestar Galactica, The X-Men, and more (and the Kindle editions of these can often be quite economical). Their books offer essays from contributors that range for best-selling authors and noted professionals in their fields to bloggers and up and coming writers. Full Article at this Link