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Ascension

Discussion in 'Tilted Entertainment' started by genuinemommy, Mar 21, 2017.

  1. genuinemommy

    genuinemommy Moderator Staff Member

    Have any of you watched Ascension?

    What are your thoughts?

    Are you frustrated that the series was dropped and there aren't more episodes?

    --___--

    You know what I think? This was a phenomenal little series. Very enjoyable.
    But... the premise is so wrong.

    Taking the brightest and best minds from the world and putting them in a moc space ship for decades in the name of scientific progress? Yeah right!

    Whoever wrote this is clearly not familiar with the US Department of Energy National Labs system. There's a bunch of incredibly high-tech research facilities scattered across the US. Most of which are located in isolated pockets of countryside with no distractions. The researchers there work insane hours producing incredible scientific advancements. And guess what, they get to collaborate with researchers at universities and other research institutions across the US and the world.

    Why aren't there TV shows about that?
     
    • Like Like x 1
  2. ralphie250

    ralphie250 Fully Erect Donor

    Location:
    At work..
    never even herd of it
     
    • Like Like x 1
  3. rogue49

    rogue49 Tech Kung Fu Artist Staff Member

    Location:
    Baltimore/DC
    Sounds like a sci-fi version of Stranger Things which was more fantasy.
    Still in a Dept. of Energy facility

    Haven't seen it though.
     
    • Like Like x 1
  4. Chris Noyb

    Chris Noyb Get in, buckle up, hang on, & be quiet.

    Location:
    Large City, TX
    Me either. Is it this mini-series?

    Ascension (TV Mini-Series 2014– ) - IMDb

    Ascension "cancelled" no season 2 on Syfy


    In brief, many viewers want to be entertained, not challenged to think.
    It would be a difficult sale: Viewership = ratings = advertising revenue = profit.

    It's possible that the right team of writers could make such a series entertaining, but to gain a sufficient number of viewers to make it profitable chances are good the scientific aspect would suffer. Greatly.
     
  5. genuinemommy

    genuinemommy Moderator Staff Member

    Good point
     
    • Like Like x 2
  6. Chris Noyb

    Chris Noyb Get in, buckle up, hang on, & be quiet.

    Location:
    Large City, TX
    It could possibly work as a serious science program, without entertainment embellishments. IMO the series would need to be produced at a relatively low cost, and it would most likely be presented as a 'Look! We Really Are Serious About Real Science' series with low expectations for viewership/popularity.

    I'm just throwing around some ideas. In one of the threads here there is a great discussion re how the media entertainment business has changed & continues to change, @cynthetiq and @Charlatan made some very informative posts.
     
    • Like Like x 1
  7. Charlatan

    Charlatan sous les pavés, la plage

    Location:
    Temasek
    If the people who own the rights to Ascension want to make a new season, they have more options now than ever before. Two examples that spring to mind:

    • Netflix (or other OTT platforms) picking up the series and making for themselves (see: Trailer Park Boys, and Arrested Development)
    • Crowdfunding. The Veronica Mars movie, which continues the cancelled series, was funded through Kickstarter.
    In both cases, there would still have to be a reasonably sized audience but it could be made if there was interest and drive from the rights holders, with a new source of funding.
     
    • Like Like x 2
  8. Chris Noyb

    Chris Noyb Get in, buckle up, hang on, & be quiet.

    Location:
    Large City, TX

    What about a serious science series such as the one @genuinemommy would like to see made (see below quote)? How could it be done 'from scratch?' If it wasn't deemed commercially viable/profit generating, would anyone bother to make it? Could it find a home as One Of Those Shows That Nobody Watches But We're Showing It Anyway (like some of the PBS yawners shown at 3:00AM)?

     
  9. genuinemommy

    genuinemommy Moderator Staff Member

    Reality show. We need a juicy reality show with our world's elite super geeks.
     
  10. wye

    wye Getting Tilted

    The most realistic drama series that I've seen about modern-day scientists is the Canadian tv show ReGenesis.

    There's a recent historical drama series called Manhattan that's about what's probably the best known DoE national lab, Los Alamos.

    As for Ascension,
    I didn't like it much. The premise that supernatural abilities would develop on board the ship didn't make sense to me, and the attempt that I recall was made to explain it demonstrated a very poor understanding of evolutionary biology.

    The most realistic drama series that I've seen about near-future astronautics are Space Island One (Raumstation Unity), Star Cops, and Planetes.
     
    Last edited: Mar 24, 2017
    • Like Like x 2
  11. Charlatan

    Charlatan sous les pavés, la plage

    Location:
    Temasek
    ReGenesis! I actually had something to do with that series getting made and sold around the world. That was a long time ago.


    Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
     
    • Like Like x 1
  12. Charlatan

    Charlatan sous les pavés, la plage

    Location:
    Temasek
    It would be very tough to get this made.

    The best way would be to get a reputable production company to do the following:

    1. Invest money and time in developing the idea.
    2. Crowd-fund the idea and only make it if there is enough support.
    3. If it gets made, try to license it to a large distribution platform like Netflix. If it works, they might invest in a new season.

    Challenges: Episodes will cost $1million plus per episode. Crowd funding enough will be almost impossible.

    PBS has very limited budgets and doesn't produce high quality productions. They license things other people make, they co-fund, or produce programming that is less costly.

    The biggest problem is the cost vs the number of people willing to watch.



    Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
     
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  13. wye

    wye Getting Tilted

    What was that?
     
    • Like Like x 1
  14. Charlatan

    Charlatan sous les pavés, la plage

    Location:
    Temasek
    I worked for the company that sold the International rights to the show.

    We were involved in getting the show financed. I wrote the international marketing plan. I personally sold the show to a regional channel in Asia, a channel in New Zealand, and some Eastern European deals.



    Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
     
    • Like Like x 3