Season 4 Split in Two?

Maureen Ryan in the Chicago Tribune has the latest on the rumor that Sci-Fi Channel might split up season 4 with a break coming after the first 10 episodes air in 2008 -- a break that could last as long as a year. Maureen writes in part:

“I do not know what Sci Fi is planning to do, nor does Ron, at this point. They are discussing options,” Terry Moore, the wife of “Battlestar Galactica” executive producer and showrunner Ron Moore, wrote on the [Sci-Fi.com] message board.

“I understand [fan’s concerns], and hope you know that this decision, whatever it ends up being, is in the hands of the network,” Moore said at another point.

Personally, I hope the network does the right thing by its flagship show. I can understand Sci Fi Channel wanting to hang on to its most prestigious property for as long as possible. But I think a wait of a year between the first batch of Season 4 episodes and the second batch would be an enormous mistake.

Imagine you’re right in the middle of the final Harry Potter book – but then someone takes it away from you and you’re denied the pleasure of reading the concluding chapters. For a year.

You’d be understandably frustrated....

A break of a few months – that I can live with (as can most fans, I’d imagine). But not seeing the concluding scenes of the show for more than year and half? That would just be mean to fans, and it would do a disservice to a terrific show that has won prestige, awards and acres of acclaim for the network.