Elon Musk Should Purchase Moribund SyFy Channel, Allow Leigh Scott To Pilot

Filmmaker Leigh Scott, from Facebook

By Thomas Leturgey

With billionaire Elon Musk at least having social media fun with the idea of purchasing MSNBC, maverick movie maker Leigh Scott has toyed with the notion of helming the stagnant SyFy channel.

According to the most basic online searches, SyFy, which was—eons ago—the home of science fiction tales of all budgets, is not for sale. But with Musk’s name attached to MSNBC rumors, anything can happen. Scott has been all over the developments. On Sunday, he posted on social media, “So Comcast is separating out and selling MSNBC, CNBC, E!, USA, Syfy, Oxygen and the Golf Channel.”

In wildest dreams of Science Fiction enthusiasts, might this be good news? When the Sci-Fi channel was first in development, Gene Roddenberry and Isaac Asimov were rumored to be recruited for advisory roles. Both passed away before that could become a reality.

On a recent and random Sunday afternoon, SyFy (renamed from the original, compelling and more exciting “Sci-Fi Channel” since 2009), hosted a hodgepodge of nothingness, sans an afternoon big budget broadcast of 2013’s “Man of Steel.”

SyFy is owned by NBCUniversal Media, a division of Comcast. The 2009 rebranding of the station was designed to focus away from the channel’s core audience for a more wide-ranging scope of fans. In turn, the move drove away fans who enjoyed dozens, if not hundreds of home grown “Sc-Fi Original” films from 1999 to the rebranding that were produced with budgets ranging from one-to-two million dollars.

Some of those films—like the Beast of Bray Road and Flu Bird Horror—were directed by Scott. The Milwaukee born Scott would welcome a change in SyFy leadership. Back in those days, public domain characters like Moby Dick and a pre-Iron Man Marvel adaptation of Man-Thing debuted as a “Sci-Fi Original” in April 2005.

The movies were known for sometimes shoddy special effects, always attractive casts and far-out premises. Families gathered on Saturday nights in front of televisions in breathless anticipation of everything from Abominable to Zoombies 2. Elementary special effects have improved exponentially since that time, so movies like Snow Beast could have more than a few milliseconds of CGI bliss.

Today, SyFy is best known for its comedy/drama "Resident Alien."

According to reports, SyFy was once seen in 99,000,000 households. As of November 2023, that total has been stripped by a third.

A turnaround could be led by someone like Leigh Scott, who is eagerly awaiting the R-Rated release of his horror-genre “The Little Mermaid,” starring the redheaded Lydia Helen.

The Las Vegas resident boasts the connections, the economic know-how and most importantly, the confidence to save the SyFy Channel from itself.

When contacted about this feature, Scott replied via message with a simple, “I have to get the job first LOL.”

Thoughtful and creative independent movie makers believe such a move would be beneficial. “How amazing would it be if Leigh Scott took the reins of the Sci-Fi Channel? As a seasoned horror filmmaker, he has the creativity and experience to revolutionize the platform—offering fresh, exciting content while keeping production costs in check,” wrote filmmaker Phil Herman in a social media message.

“As someone who also understands the art of making movies better and more efficiently, I can’t help but imagine the groundbreaking ideas and thrilling films Leigh could bring to a network that’s been in desperate need of a shakeup.”

Pittsburgh area attorney and Leigh Scott fan Sean Logue wrote, “I used to watch Sci-Fi Friday, Stargate Atlantis, and Battlestar Galactica. I would kill to have that back.”

Herman, whose latest actioner, “Jacker 3: Road to Hell” just finished shooting around Philadelphia. “Imagine Leigh Scott at the helm of the Sci-Fi Channel—bringing bold ideas and fresh movies to a platform that’s been craving innovation for years. He knows how to create better, smarter, and more cost-effective movies—just what the Sci-Fi Channel needs to reclaim its edge.”

Herman and others like Pittsburgh area’s Mark Cantu and Western Pennsylvania’s Xander Goldman have all used crowdfunding for their projects. Cantu is making “Grind” in suburban Pittsburgh and Goldman is still crowdfunding “Crimzon Harvest” which will be filmed in Blairstown, New Jersey, near the original filming location of the 1st Friday the 13th, in 2025.

All these independent filmmakers--and dozens of others around the country and beyond--would benefit from a true Sci-Fi Channel. And under the watchful eye of a seasoned veteran like Scott, there could be a resurgence of independent horror and science fiction product shown on basic cable and streaming services.

Elon Musk, who has made fortunes richer than the pharaohs by shooting rockets into space and other futuristic endeavors, is urged to make the grounding decision to purchase the Sci-Fi Channel and allow Leigh Scott to pilot it into the future.