- Share this article on Facebook
- Share this article on Twitter
- Share this article on Flipboard
- Share this article on Email
- Show additional share options
- Share this article on Linkedin
- Share this article on Pinit
- Share this article on Reddit
- Share this article on Tumblr
- Share this article on Whatsapp
- Share this article on Print
- Share this article on Comment
Syfy‘s move back into the space opera kicked off with Ascension on Monday night. The miniseries, Syfy’s first in more than five years, opened to a solid (if not spectacular) 1.8 million viewers.
Read More Ascension TV Review
The project, which network chief Dave Howe is eyeing as a potential series, airs two more installments this week (on Tuesday and Wednesday) before DVR tells the full picture of how its being digested by viewers. Genre fare remains some of the most time-shifted serial programming on TV.
Of the 1.8 million viewers, 882,000 were adults 25-54 and 772,000 were adults 18-49. All three stats are on par with the January opener for Helix — one that saw significant improvement in live-plus-three day ratings.
Read More Syfy’s Dave Howe on New Strategy
It’s been nearly five years since Syfy last aired an original miniseries — and even longer since it shouldered the bulk of the financial burden. 2010’s Riverworld, the last mini to air on the network, was a Canadian co-production and debuted in 2010 to 2.1 million viewers.
Syfy is obviously gunning for Battlestar Galactica buzz in its new slate. The former flagship, also originally conceived as a mini, bowed to 3.9 and 4.5 million viewers when it debuted. (Those stats come with the major caveat of being circa 2003, when DVR boosts were negligible.)
Related Stories
THR Newsletters
Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day