via press release;
RIVERWORLD POWERS SYFY TO MOST WATCHED SUNDAY PRIME OF 2010 WITH 2.1 MILLION TOTAL VIEWERS
New York, NY – April 20, 2010 – The four-hour Syfy Original Movie Riverworld grabbed 2.1 million total viewers during its premiere on April 18, powering Syfy to its most watched Sunday prime of 2010.
This was Syfy's top Sunday night in HH rating, total viewers, Adults 25-54 and Adults 18-49.
During the telecast from 7-11PM (ET/PT), Riverworld averaged 1.03 million Adults 25-54 and 733,000 Adults 18-49 along with a 1.6 household rating.
Riverworld also soared +60% in HH rating, +62% in total viewers, +57% in Adults 25-54 and +50% in Adults 18-49 compared to Syfy's average delivery in the 7-11PM timeslot in the prior four weeks
Starring Tahmoh Penikett (Battlestar Galactica/Dollhouse), Laura Vandervoort (V/Smallville) and Alan Cumming (Tin Man). Riverworld was based on the popular award-winning series of novels by Philip Jose Farmer. Riverworld was produced by Reunion Pictures and distributed internationally by RHI Entertainment.
Reunion Pictures (www.reunionpictures.ca) is a Canadian-based company that develops and finances high quality television and multi-platform properties. Launched in 2004 with the partners’ experience of having collectively produced over a billion dollars worth of award-winning filmed entertainment, Reunion Pictures has received multiple Emmy and Golden Globe nominations, and has won Genies and Gemini's as well as the prestigious George Foster Peabody Award for Excellence in Television, a #1 US network mini-series (10.5), and two #1 cable mini-series (Tin Man and Earthsea, both produced with RHI Entertainment for Syfy.)
RHI Entertainment (NASDAQ: RHIE) develops, produces and distributes new made-for-television movies, miniseries and other television programming worldwide, and is the leading provider of new long-form television content in the United States. Under the leadership of Robert Halmi, Sr. and Robert Halmi, Jr., RHI has produced and distributed thousands of hours of quality television programming, and RHI’s productions have received more than 100 Emmy Awards. In addition to the development, production and distribution of new content, RHI owns rights to more than 1,000 titles, or over 3,500 broadcast hours of long-form television programming, which are licensed to broadcast and cable networks and new media outlets globally. For more consumer information visit www.rhitv.com <http://www.rhitv.com/>
Syfy is a media destination for imagination-based entertainment. With year round acclaimed original series, events, blockbuster movies, classic science fiction and fantasy programming, a dynamic Web site (www.Syfy.com), and a portfolio of adjacent business (Syfy Ventures),Syfy is a passport to limitless possibilities. Originally launched in 1992 as SCI FI Channel, and currently in more than 96 million homes, Syfyis a network of NBC Universal, one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies. (Syfy. Imagine greater.)
The fact we are hearing about this BEFORE Stargate Universe is NOT a good sign for SGU.
Rumors have been out there about SGU's numbers, and they are low, low, low. Wonder why we have not heard anything here yet?
You can find ratings for Stargate Universe here: http://tvbythenumbers.com/2010/04/12/stargate-u…
That was two weeks ago.
When Riverworld was announced this time last year, it was as a “back-door movie pilot.” I guess it's looking good for a series pick-up.
That still looks good. Anyone watch it? I'm kind of interested in it.
They did a version of this a few years ago that was definitely a back door pilot and I didn't see enough of the new one on DVR yet to know whether that's the case now. However, since it was all shown in one night for 4 hours straight through I can't help but feel the Powers that Be weren't so thrilled with it that they wanted to make it a special two day presentation like they did with Alice. What I saw just seemed like standard Hercules and Xena fare (but less funny) but with a boat and blue people so far. I hope it had an actual end.
My family and I watched Riverworld. For the most part it was good, but it was also a slow and confusing at times. They talked about the suicide express and the time lines were a bit confusing. Some people saw the end of the earth, some died through history, and some came back after being killed in Riverworld. But the “Blue Man Group” decided the when and where of everything from a chamber where they looked at the characters as they were all dormant in dream states.
I was looking forward to them developing the character of Jessie (Laura Vandervoot), but she saw a very limited role. Overall an average to above average mini-series but not nearly as good as Tin Man.
2.1 million is not good for a show they put that much money into right? Warehouse 13 was getting around 4 million
Somehow to me the term Powered and then the small 2.1 million viewers do not fit well. The last version that was shawn on the then Scifi network was viewed by 2.6 million so this version is a net loss. The story rambled and in the end seemed meaningless to me so unless thay can get something in a series that has somewhere to go story wise I would have problems keeping interested. The “imagine more” slogan certainly needed to be thought out better if Syfy is to get this to waork as a series. I did at least like some of the characters especially the sword girl and that is saying something for Syfy with their love affair with dark unlikeable characters lately.
I watched it because I'm a fan of the books.
If not for the books I would have been completely confused instead of just kind of confused.
The storyline was sort of a mess, no backstory for any of antagonists.
It was a decent B-movie.
I don't see much potential for a series here but SyFy has made series out of less (Painkiller Jane).
Bitey, it did *not* have an actual end. It ended very inconclusively, like they're expecting/hoping for it to be picked up as a series. Ugh.
Bitey, it did *not* have an actual end. It ended very inconclusively, like they're expecting/hoping for it to be picked up as a series. Ugh.
I agree that the sword-wielding Japanese gal was the most engaging character by far.
As a series, this would have virtually no promise of going anywhere story-wise. I can't see a point, besides finding out who or what may have destroyed Earth. But as an open-ended series, I imagine they'd just drag out that plot point and put it off forever.
I expect better from Robert H. Wolfe (co-writer of this) who did good work on ST: DS9 and The 4400. Maybe his material got messed up by endless re-writes or something.
It was good. Not great, but good.
The best part of Riverworld, for me anyway, was Peter Wingfield. He is an amazing actor with a powerful screen presence. Had he not been on the show I would have turned it off after an hour. He carried the whole thing as far as I'm concerned. Great job on his part. I liked the Japanese warrior also. Her character has a lot of potential.
Jeez, I didn't even know it was on, and I wanted to watch it. I guess the fact that I have no taste for “Mega-___ vs ____” movies means I don't see enough of their promos. Hope it repeats this week.
I wonder when we're going to hear the decision for this. Cable networks have upfronts, right? When are they? They make their renew/cancel decisions at upfronts, don't they?
With a name like Robozilla, you have no taste for Mega-whatever verses This Week's Monster?
LOL, I love it, that's great.
Thanks for the laugh. Hope you have a great night and great day tomorrow!
Thank you for letting me know they didn't exactly give it a complete finale. I happen to like finales a lot, so at least I'll be able to see the rest of Riverworld on DVR for what it is (a pilot) rather than getting hopes up for a big reveal.
While 2.1 million viewers doesn't seem like many, it was good compared to how many usually watch the SyFy Sunday night lineup. Is this an epic hit for them? No, but it's still a win.
And Warehouse 13 debuted in the summer, when it didn't have as much competition; look at the decline in number of viewers once the broadcast shows came back (from 3.5mill to 2.23mill).