What happened to this genre?

[CmdrShep2154]

I was never interested in science fiction until I played Mass Effect under the recommendation of a friend. I thought the Battle for the Citadel scene was epic. Now I hunger for a TV show like it. I believe the genre Mass Effect falls under is space opera. What happened to space opera? There used to be a lot of them. Star Trek, Babylon 5, Battlestar Galactica, Firefly. Why don't we see shows like them anymore? Did the network execs decide the genre was dead? Considered too nerdy by the general population? Too intellectual? Are the Millennials not interested? Did the reality show kill it? We now have stupid reality shows like this. Can TV get any dumber? Should this genre be revived?

 

[EVILFACE]

Sci-Fi is expensive to make.

'Reality' TV is cheap to make.

 

[RIDDICK]

Original space operas were really cheap.
Todays society can't accept cheap looking space operas.
It's a loop.

 

[The Ween]

Most tv has turned to reality shows. Until people realize what BS they are and stop watching them, it'll just be more of the same.

 

[karamazov80]

I also noticed awhile back that the genre, such that it was, seemed to die off in the early 2000s. No more TV Star Trek, BSG, or Firefly-type stuff that's very good that I'm familiar with. More than simple costs, the issue may be changing expectations for quality of effects on television. You could still get CG'd up space operas, but to make them look film-quality (as many TV shows are nowadays), you would have to really up the ante, and that may be where the cost-benefit calculations work against these shows.

 

[crows]

sci fi channel could have saved this genre but they are too busy making garbage like sharknado

 

[RIDDICK]

sci fi channel could have saved this genre but they are too busy making garbage like sharknado

That's why they're Syfy since 2009.

 

[crows]

i refuse to call them that...........................................

 

[RIDDICK]

And I refuse to call them "sci-fi", it's insulting to such an unique and clever genre.

 

[CmdrShep2154]

How about these?

 

[crows]

actually I do have to take that back, Z nation is pretty amazing, they did such a good job, that show is so good

 

[Mr. Green]

reality shows are hard to beat since its relatable to current life. unfortunately, most if not all, are staged. Sci-Fi are more creative.

so much shows/info now that Mr. Green tend to tune off most of them and really only have time for a couple of shows.

 

[RavenEye]

I was never interested in science fiction until I played Mass Effect under the recommendation of a friend. I thought the Battle for the Citadel scene was epic. Now I hunger for a TV show like it. I believe the genre Mass Effect falls under is space opera. What happened to space opera? There used to be a lot of them. Star Trek, Babylon 5, Battlestar Galactica, Firefly. Why don't we see shows like them anymore? Did the network execs decide the genre was dead? Considered too nerdy by the general population? Too intellectual? Are the Millennials not interested? Did the reality show kill it? We now have stupid reality shows like this. Can TV get any dumber? Should this genre be revived?

 

[Nuka Cola Kidd]

Because its to harder to fit the medical, police/detective/government agent professions in space. 80% (thats what it feels like anyway) of scripted television has one of those professions or a similar one to propel the story. Giving us loads and loads of villain/killer of the week dramas. Shame really.

Gonna have to look to syfy channel or maybe the CW for hope.

 

[The Clown Prince of Crime]

All it takes is ONE successful show, before it becomes a trend and other channels do their own space show, just like other channels tried copying Mad Men, the vampire shows, and now zombies. It's about what sells. I'm surprised that the success of GOTG hasn't influenced the tv land scape.

 

[RavenEye]

Because its to harder to fit the medical, police/detective/government agent professions in space. 80% (thats what it feels like anyway) of scripted television has one of those professions or a similar one to propel the story. Giving us loads and loads of villain/killer of the week dramas. Shame really.

Gonna have to look to syfy channel or maybe the CW for hope.

Come on man, whose says we can't have Conan the space conqueror?

 

[The Ween]

Defiance is good. Hopefully the writing will pick up a bit this season.

 

[Indeedely]

Seems to be replaced by anime. Google "space opera TV" and your shows you listed and anime come up. And it's the first thing that came to my mind, too, as a picky fan of the genre.

Here is a good articles that seems to summarize the situation you brought up and some speculation with a possibly revival after GOTG and Star Wars:
Out of this world: are space operas making a comeback? | Film | The Guardian

 

[CmdrShep2154]

Luc Besson, the director of The Fifth Element has announced a new project called Valerian And The City Of A Thousand Planets which will be based on a French graphic novel called Valerian and Laureline. With Valerian, Star Wars, Guardians of the Galaxy 2, and the Mass Effect movie still in development let the new golden age of space opera begin!

 

[The Ween]

Is that going to be a movie or tv show? I think we were talking about tv only. Or were we?