via press release:
SYFY’S Stargate Universe AND MERLIN HIT SEASON HIGHS IN ADULTS 25-54 AND ADULTS 18-49 DURING FRIDAY, MAY 14 TELECASTS
New York, NY -- May 17, 2010 – Syfy’s Friday night lineup of Stargate Universe and Merlin both hit season highs during their May 14 telecasts.
From 9-10PM (ET/PT), SGU delivered spring season bests of 962,000 in Adults 25-54 and 776,000 in Adults 18-49, while from 10-11PM (ET/PT),Merlin set new standards in total viewers (1.54 million), Adults 25-54 (835,000) and Adults 18-49 (621,000)
Edgier and younger in tone, SGU takes the franchise in a dynamic new direction, appealing to longtime Stargate fans and first-time viewers alike. The series stars Robert Carlyle, Louis Ferreira, Brian J. Smith, Elyse Levesque, David Blue, Alaina Huffman, Jamil Walker Smith, Ming-Na and Lou Diamond Phillips .
Robert Cooper and Brad Wright, of Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis, serve as executive producers and writers. SGU is produced and distributed by MGM Worldwide Television Distribution.
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc., through its operating subsidiaries, is actively engaged in the worldwide production and distribution of motion pictures, television programming, home video, interactive media, music and licensed merchandise. The company owns the world's largest library of modern films, comprising around 4,100 titles. Operating units include Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc., United Artists Films Inc., MGM Television Entertainment Inc., MGM Networks Inc., MGM Domestic Networks LLC, MGM Distribution Co, MGM International Television Distribution Inc., Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Home Entertainment LLC, MGM ON STAGE, MGM Music, MGM Worldwide Digital Media, MGM Consumer Products and MGM Interactive. In addition, MGM has ownership interests in international TV channels reaching nearly 120 countries. MGM ownership is as follows: Providence Equity Partners (29%), TPG (21%), Sony Corporation of America (20%), Comcast (20%), DLJ Merchant Banking Partners (7%) and Quadrangle Group (3%). For more information, visit http://www.mgm.com.
An imaginative new twist on a timeless legend, Merlin is set in the mythical city of Camelot, before history began. It’s a fantastical realm of legendary beasts and mysterious peoples, and a dangerous world where magic has been banned by the ruthless tyrant, Uther Pendragon.
Merlin stars Colin Morgan as Merlin, Bradley James as Prince Arthur, Anthony Head as King Uther, Richard Wilson as Gaius, Katie McGrath as Morgana and Angel Coulby as Gwen. Merlin is executive produced by Julian Murphy and Johnny Capps for Shine Television.
FremantleMedia is one of the leading creators and producers of entertainment brands in the world. FremantleMedia is part of the RTL Group, Europe's largest television and radio broadcast company, which is in turn 90 percent owned by Bertelsmann AG, one of the world's major media and entertainment companies. FremantleMedia’s worldwide production arm is responsible for many of the world’s highest rated prime time entertainment, drama, serial drama and factual entertainment programmes. FremantleMedia Enterprises is the brand extension arm of FremantleMedia, offering a one-stop-shop for all Licensing, Distribution and Home Entertainment around the world. The FremantleMedia Group (which includes talkbackTHAMES, UFA and Grundy amongst others) has operations in 22 countries, one of the most comprehensive global networks, creating over 14,000 hours of programming a year, rolling out more than 60 formats and managing over 300 individual titles. FremantleMedia has some of the world’s most sought after and long running formats in its catalogue, and globally, produces such programmes as: Idols (co-produced with 19 Productions in the US), The X Factor (co-produced with Syco in the UK), Got Talent (co-produced with Syco in the UK and the US), Neighbours, The Bill, Family Feud, The Price is Right, Farmer Wants A Wife and Hole In The Wall.
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, Syfy is a network of NBC Universal, one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies. (Syfy. Imagine greater.)
Glad to see SG:U getting better ratings. Its a damn good show.
They say Merlin's total viewers but not SG:U. I'm guessing around 2 million if you try to compare the 25-54 and 18-49 numbers. I don't know really know because it is cable.
Stargate Universe (9pm)
- 1.554 million viewers
- 1.0/2 HH
- 0.6/2 A18-49
Merlin
- 1.539 million viewers
- 1.0/2 HH
- 0.5/2 A18-49
and that's SPRING season highs, not SGU Season 1 highs.
Actually I think SGU's second half of the season high was Divided with 1.6 million and the seemingly steady 0.6 18-49 but Merlin is on a roll.
Good and Deservedly. STU has been excellent this Spring, especially the last 5 episodes.
Gotta love the spin. There is no way that SyFy is happy that SGU is getting the same numbers as Merlin, show that is a LOT cheaper (It's bought from the BBC)…
'We wanted to bring in more than just 1.6 million fans from Atlantis' – David Blue
Oy vey.
Spinning at its best!
The headline is of course wrong. The season high was “Air, Part 3″ with 2.447 million viewers live + SD.
And it was also not a season high among the younger viewers. “Pain” got 0.6/2 among adults 18-49 and “Air, Part 3″ got 1.0/3.
ONLY after the two headlines with the bigger writing, they mention with small normal writing, that they are speaking about the “spring season”.
And of course they only speak about younger viewers and don't mention the total amount of viewers of SGU in contrast to Merlin. So far two SGU episodes of season 1.5 got more total viewers than “Pain”.
You can find here an overview of all SGU ratings of season 1:
http://forums.sgusucks.com/showthread.php?t=172…
And not nearly as much soap opera and loud music videos.
I love SGU but IMO last Friday's episode was awful, hardly watchable the first time and not one I want to ever see again. Some of the acting was good but the storyline was confusing, meaningless, and just a rambling mess. Considering that the previous episode I considered to be the season's best to then go to the season's worst episode isn't good. Only 3 episodes left until next fall. I can only hope that the next 3 are better than this last one.
It's not getting the same numbers. Merlin I believe gets a .4 demo compared to SGU's .6 demo.
I agree that last SGU episode was a dog, but I have to admit this second half of the season is much better than the first half. I am glad the ratings are starting to pick up as I would like to see it for more seasons to come.
With those ratings, Merlin is an absolute bargain for Syfy (they're paying, what, $200k an ep).
It's quite Surprising that the last Ep of SGU was the highest rated as it was an extremely weak episode. I miss SG-1 @ least the 1st 5-6 seasons of it. The whole Ori storyline was pretty weak because they had already killed off all the good bad guys. (The Gou'ld, Replicators) SGU is the weakest of the Stargates that is for sure. The cast is good, but the writing is seriously lacking so far. Hopefully once the show finds it's groove (which it hasn't yet) we will get some more decent stories & we really need an Overall Good Bad guy, which it just doesn't have yet. I mean this last eps bad guys were TICKS? REALLY? I'm exactly complaining but after watching Stargates for over 12 years, I DVR it.
Maybe a lot of people heard that last week's show was really good, so they tuned in this week. Any given week's ratings are a reflection of what has happened before the show, be it advertising, word of mouth, or repeat viewers. Why do people think that the ratings are a good indicator of how many people liked a show? I could understand changing the channel after a few minutes if the show is horrible or offensive, but are there a lot of people who turn the channel if the first fifteen minutes indicate a less than stellar episode? What an odd way to watch tv.
But then again, others may find it odd that I am still watching, since my enthusiasm for the show has vanished. There is absolutely no spark of fun and adventure that was the hallmark of a “Stargate” show. You may call it edgy, but I'm getting bored. I don't tune into sci-fi to see petty group politics. Or depressing tic-driven hallucinations, for that matter. They better figure out a new plotline for this show, 'cause this “stuck on a ship” thing is done.
I'm glad the show already has another season but there's still plenty of room for improvement.
I like the show but it isn't consistent in quality.
I hope that they make the show better next season.
SG-1 got better for the first few seasons, maybe this will too.
Stargate Universe is great, much better than prior Atlantis series. Better acting so far and much better special effects.
true, but 1.5 is just part of the overall ratings. If SYFY really wants bigger ratings, it needs to market this show to a wider audience and maybe run some episodes on NBC over the summer.
I watch SGU for Robert Carlyle, who is my #1 favorite actor…ever.
BUT…
This last episode of this show was horrible. The only other cast members who are any good is Young and Greer (Eli is good too, but is becoming an under-used commodity, as he could be growing out of the awkwardness stage now…but, he is hardly on now).
The fact that a lot of the unknowns are better actors also says a lot (and PS: Ming Na is wasted here as well, and is either over acting or under performing).
The writers are lost, the stories meander. Issues resolve themselves in weird ways. Edgy does not mean you have to write stupid.
Hope they get it together for next season, because this season is pretty much a bust. Can't wait for Rhona Mitra (gorgeous and also an awesome actress…). Hope she adds some spark.
And before I go…OMG…who is the character who will die? Can we get that out of the way now? I have a few suggestions (Chloe, Camile, Scott)
Cheers
For me the actor who plays Greer I consider the worst actor on the show. I'm guessing that Col. Telford will be the one who dies – at least I hope so. I've liked Ming Na in other stuff but her acting on SGU and the character of Camille Wray hasn't impressed me. I hadn't seen Robert Carlyle in anything before but he's the best thing on SGU IMO.