Joel told you a while back about the Sci-Fi Channel changing its name to SyFy for some reason. Now they've unleashed a series of promos and commercials to get you used to the name change, which happens tomorrow. One of the longer promos features several cast members of SyFy shows getting together for a big party in a big house (must be a running theme this season). I think it's less sci-fi and more Willy Wonka/Beatles acid trip.
(UPDATE 7/7: If you tune over to SyFy now, you'll see that the changeover took effect. So long, Sci Fi...)
The TV Squad Podcast: Vik Sahay of Chuck, Oprah talk, brutal timeslots, and more!
TV Squad Ten: Top Ten ESPN shows from worst to first
Andy Richter: The TV Squad Interview
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 9)
7-06-2009 @ 10:04PM
CParis said...
Awesome production!
But I didn't recognize many of the Syfy "stars" except the cast of Eureka?
Reply
7-06-2009 @ 9:29PM
RobynM said...
I'm still extremely dubious about the rebranding, but it is a cute spot.
The song's pretty catchy, does anyone know what it is and who it's by (assuming it wasn't written for the spot)?
Reply
7-08-2009 @ 10:37AM
Mitch Todd said...
The song is called Happiness by Goldfrapp. The tune can be found on their Seventh Tree release.
7-06-2009 @ 10:04PM
La-Di-Dah said...
I actually hate "Syfy," but I am sure I will get so used to it, it won't matter soon. (Why can't the old Scifi and old great sci-fi ads stay? Why?)
Reply
7-09-2009 @ 7:07PM
b.r. said...
they had to change because people were getting confused with the science channel (sci) and the old syfy (scifi)
at first it was weird to me, but who cares? it's a tv channel for goodness sakes. it's not like they're changing EVERYTHING, they still got the old shows, and they, like everyone else, have many new shows that, in my opinion, are wonderful. it's just the name that's changed.
7-06-2009 @ 10:44PM
Gary said...
Imagine greater than what?
It's like that chain restaurant's slogan "Eatin' good in the neighborhood." Eatin' good what? Good food? OK. Or eatin' well in the neighborhood.
Slogans should be grammatically correct if at all possible. Thank you. I now return you TV Squad.
Reply
7-07-2009 @ 7:56PM
GL said...
Why? Do you not understand what the ads mean?
7-09-2009 @ 9:15AM
Zoerhenne said...
I agree that most things should end up grammatically correct. However, "well" doesn't rhyme with "neighborhood" and therefore wouldn't work.
7-09-2009 @ 9:38AM
Abraxus said...
I suppose in your world everyone should speak grammatically perfectly as well? Ugh, what a boring world that would be and how many fantastic books, that have coloquial speech in them, would never have been published on that basis? Ad's are meant to get your attention, with pictures and catchy slogans and sometimes the slogans don't even make sense, but it isn't relevant if you remember the product!
7-06-2009 @ 11:17PM
HD said...
I hate the whole idea of SyFy it is just moronic. They want to be more than just Sci-fi? Fine go nuts, there are a million other names, why not the "Flash" network or the "Beyond" network. Why just misspell your current name?
I wager half the people who visit this site could program and promote a major network than these corporate group think guys.
Reply
7-07-2009 @ 12:51AM
bc said...
Sci Fi is legally considered a generic term and unable to be trademarked in most of the world. It's difficult to expand your brand to other countries when your competition is free to use your name. Sy Fy may look stupid to you, but it is a homonym and the unique spelling can be trademarked. It may even please the people who support simplified phonetic spelling.
7-08-2009 @ 3:13PM
Catmoves said...
I agree with HD and most others here.
But I think I know what SYFY stands for.
I realize that Sci Fi stands for Science Fiction. Very easy concept to grasp.
So SY,FY stands for Suck You, F**k You? Seems to follow, doesn't it? BTW, the channel has not responded to my email about this. Why not send them a note asking if that's true?
7-06-2009 @ 11:57PM
Randy said...
Actually, SyFy would be a good branding for a porn channel. It's just missing a couple of "uck"'s in the middle.
Reply
7-08-2009 @ 6:48AM
gman said...
PREACH ON BROTHER RANDY! PREACH ON..................
7-10-2009 @ 5:21PM
badrobot48 said...
baaaaaaaaaaaaaahahahahaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa....ok THAT is just funny....
7-07-2009 @ 9:28AM
Mike said...
Syfy is just the latest in odd rebranding for a cable network, and at least it's giving the channel a lot of buzz. Think back six years ago when Spike TV was first named -- people thought it was stupid _and_ it generated a lawsuit (from Spike Lee) with a lot of buzz. People are kind of used to the name now.
You can read more about other cable channels that changed names here: http://www.tvtango.com/news/detail/id/44
Reply
7-07-2009 @ 11:02AM
Jason Chapa said...
I don't care what the rename it, I'm still going to pronounce it "Sci Fi."
Reply
7-07-2009 @ 12:37PM
Adrienne said...
Well, here goes the end of another once-great channel. Re branding always means totally taking away everything you liked about a channel and making it suck like every other cable channel. None are really different now, you know. They all show stupid reality shows instead of what they were created to show.
Reply
7-08-2009 @ 1:41PM
fromthehills said...
Exactly. MTV, VH1, CMT totally abandoned their original format. And viewer base. Bizarre reality TV, bizarre game shows. Trash TV. A&E too - you can still find a couple of things worth watching but you have to work at it. TV Land, the old rerun channel is on the way,too. I mean "The Cougar" and "High School Reunion." The worst though is the TV Guide channel. The wacko reality stuff you are forced to see while trying to check what's on. Some just annoying, some close to X-rated IMO.
Lot of shows with out of work actor/music types in group homes who then obviously got paid off with spinoff reality shows of their own. It is not safe to even have the TV on with kids or the elderly in the room without a remote in your hand ready to mute or switch channels.
7-10-2009 @ 10:55PM
Jane said...
The SCI FI channel is dead. Long live Syfy. It’s not the only cable network to rename itself, but it definitely is one of the more controversial name changes. This is not the first network to change/rebrand their name. Interesting post at TVTango that has a historical list of networks that changed their name and logo.
SCI FI vs. Syfy and Other Cable Channels That Changed Names
http://www.tvtango.com/news/detail/id/44
Reply