Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Syfy: The Sports Network


I don’t get it.  What happened to identity?

The Syfy Channel just made a deal to increase its wrestling programming by making Friday nights Smack Down night.

Yep.  Dr. Who. Stargate Atlantis. Eureka.  Caprica.  And Sweaty Men In Tights.

What gives these days?

I understood when a channel would branch out in a related way – like the History Channel making a historically-based movie; or Cartoon Network making a live action episodes of Ben Ten – a cartoon.

But they’re not even trying anymore. 

Cartoon Network is making random live actions; good luck finding a music video at Video Hits One; and not only has AMC officially renounced the “C” in their name, the “M” doesn’t fit with their programming either. 

(Hey, I’m all for Breaking Bad, Mad Men and The Prisoner – but what do they have to do with American Movie Classics?)

And now the science-fiction network adds wrestling to its identity.

You know what’s around the corner.

Lifetime partners with World Extreme Cage Fighting.

Hannah Montana does a cross-over episode with Dexter.

Nickelodeon puts a Sex and the City block between Spongebob and iCarly.

BET gears their prime-time programming to celebrate Confederate History Month.

Jason tried to calm me down when I saw the news about Syfy (pronounced “siffy” “s” plus “iffy”). 

He suggested that maybe the wrestlers will be monsters versus mad scientists.

Okay, maybe I can get on board.

Just my thoughts,

Sean

2 comments:

David Goulet said...

Remember when TNN, The Nashville Network morphed into the New TNN, then to Spike? It was like watching Sybil TV.

I recall back in the 80's when horror movie mag, Fangoria, proposed to its readers that it start covering Mexican wrestling movies as a regular feature. Readers overwhelmingly rejected that idea. But at least they were asked.

Recently Canadian horror specialty channel SCREAM rebranded as DUSK, the supernatural, suspense and mystery network. Why? Because the series Supernatural was such a syndicated hit for them, they realized women were the more profitable audience. Now it's all sexy vampires, ghost whisperers and mediums. Identities are nice, but revenue keeps you alive.

Linds said...

I really miss back when SciFi had good scifi programming on.