Syfy has renewed Stargate Universe for a second season and Sanctuary for a third. The new seasons of both are expected to debut next fall. SGU just had its fall finale for season one recently and will return in April for the remainder of season one. Both shows were given 20 episode orders.
SGU's ratings haven't been on fire, though it's averaged 2.6 million when 7 day DVR viewing is factored in (it is averaging around 600,000 less in Live+SD viewing).
Syfy is on record of having trouble monetizing the DVR viewing, but the Stargate franchise is popular internationally and my guess is Syfy is getting it from MGM at an attractive rate. There has been chronic criticism of the show, but at this point, mostly the chronic stuff is from some whining Stargate Atlantis fans who can't get over the demise of SGA.
Everyone else who doesn't like the show just doesn't watch it rather than making a hobby out of constantly complaining about SGU like the rattled SGA and SG1 fans (I am not referring to all SG1 and SGA fans here, just the ones who've made a hobby of SGU bashing!). Personally I don't love SGU, but like most people, all that has resulted in is my not watching it.
Nonetheless, the whiners will get to another season's worth of whining out of it (and of course, it's great news for fans of the show).
Sanctuary has averaged 2.2 million viewers with live plus seven data factored in.
James Hibberd has an interview up with SGU producer Robert Cooper.
Ratings so far in million viewers per episode live +SD (same day) and live +7 (days) and the difference between them:
1./2. Air, Part 1 and Part 2
SD: 2.346
+7: 2.779
Dif: 0.433
3. Air, Part 3
SD: 2.447
+7: 2.99
Dif: 0.543
4. Darkness
SD: 2.099
+7: 2.6
Dif: 0.501
5. Light
SD: 2.015
+7: 2.7
Dif: 0.685
6. Water
SD: 1.974
+7: 2.64
Dif: 0.666
7. Earth
SD: 1.626
+7: 2.3
Dif: 0.674
8. Time
SD: 1.802
+7: 2.529
Dif: 0.727
9. Life
SD: 1.891
+7: 2.44
Dif: 0.549
10. Justice
SD: 1.340
Unfortunately most of the live +7 numbers are more rounded than the SD numbers. I don’t know more precise live +7 numbers.
Yay Sanctuary! I really need to catch up on S2′s episodes at somet point. It’s not Great Art, but it’s cool to curl up to on Friday nights.
SGU got 2.6 million viewers; Sanctuary got 2.2 for a much cheaper show. (A much better written and more exciting one too, in my opinion.)
Kudos to Amanda Tapping, Damian Kindler and Martin Woods.
JK, sadly I don’t have better L+7 numbers either. I asked Syfy for them but was ignored.
Well, the ‘Sanctuary’ renewal is finally official. A Canadian newspaper reported its renewal a few weeks ago.
Robert,
You can be sure that many Stargate Atlantis and SG1 fans will NOT be “whining” about SGU next year.
If they don’t do something to fix what may be an unfixable show, SGU may not have any “old” stargate fans to speak of.
My guess is that this is what Syfy and the rest of the gang want anyway. So, they won’t have to keep directing their hate, and you won’t have to keep directing your exasperation, at the SG1 and SGA fans too much longer.
By then, we will have all moved on to different “hobbies.”
At least there’s Sanctuary. At least.
Morena, I enjoy my discussions about SGU. They are a sort of ‘public service’.
Hopefully the creative PTB will have a chance to seriously look at the show and go into ‘correct and fix’ mode.
I like both shows, and this good to have such early renewals, that’s why I love cable network. That was expected though, seeing those show canceled would be quite a shock.
@Xedout,
Well then keep up with the discussions. I have always enjoyed your input. I think the public needs that service.
We have posting comments, Syfy has it’s press releases.
Hmm.. well, it shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone that SGU was renewed. I can’t imagine Brad Wright and Company going into SGU without being virtually guaranteed 2 seasons, barring some sort of ratings catastrophe, which this wasn’t. (although it wasn’t impressive either. Be interesting to see viewership after hiatuses
)
As for “whining” about SGU, as a franchise fan of both SG1 and SGA, my “whines” were always about SGU’s *content* (or lack thereof). I went into SGU with an open mind and SGU lost me on it’s own merits (again, or lack thereof). Now, I do whine that we don’t have SG1 or SGA anymore, just because there’s no *Stargate* to watch anymore.
Alas, if this is the crap Brad and his Boys want to turn Stargate into, I’ll hold dear to my DVD’s of *real* Stargate and move on to other things.
Oh, and Kudos to AT and her bunch for another season of Sanctuary.
The precise SD average is 1.949 million viewers if you divide by 9 the total viewers of all broadcasts (Air, Part 1 and Part 2 were one broadcast).
If you count the 2.346 million viewers for Air, Part 1 and Part 2 two times and divide by 10 for the amount of episodes, the precise SD average is 1.989 million viewers.
The SD average for the last 5 episodes is 1.727 million viewers.
SGU rocks! of course its “different” … its a different series…. let the uber-nerds cry… I think the haters don’t like it cause… you actually have to think and its not in a predictable format….
… the whiners will whine…
Yay! I get to whine for another season!
This was predictible news.. SGU ratings have been pretty good and is one of Syfy’s best shows ratings wise (behind Ghost Hunters). Way to go SGU keep up the great work.
Sylia Knowles, Christmas has come early! My poor heart has been bestilled by the prospect of more whining come April. Now the great joy will last. Like a Stargate bunny.
lets guess the ratings for Caprica…
average of 1.8 million
@KarlZ420
I’m not too sure about that. I accurately predicted that Young wasn’t going to be guilty of a crime and that he wouldn’t permanently lose his leadership status for the “Justice” episode.
Many people have accurately predicted a lot of other things for SGU’s plot-lines.
But I like being an über-nerd. It’s Great! Thanks for the compliment.
I don’t like the part about SGA fans being whiners. SGA was doing better in it’s last season and pulled into the top 5 even top 3 every week on SyFy when it aired. The SGA fans had their show swept from under their feet for no reason given at all. So they have every right to whine. Me personally, I know it won’t bring back SGA, and I like SGU, so it doesn’t matter to me. So not all SGA fans are whiners, and I truly do miss that show but am not a whiner.
I do agree with you Robert that SGU’s numbers have been nothing spectacular, but I believe there is so much more meaning behind these renewal decisions than just ratings, SGA being a prime example.