Moving Stargate to Tuesday nights for the first time in the franchise’s 13-year history is a gutsy move that could pay off in spades for Syfy Channel. That’s just what the cable network is doing when Stargate Universe returns for its second season in October (story).
While Syfy has had great success with Warehouse 13 and Eureka on Tuesday nights, those original series air in the summer months — Stargate‘s previous home turf, when competition from the five major broadcast networks is generally regarded to be lower. In the fall, the competition — and the overall television viewing audience — ramps up.
This week the networks trotted out their new fall schedules, revealing to Syfy just what they are up against when SGU, Sanctuary, and Caprica head to Tuesdays. Syfy has not announced any time slots yet, but we’re looking at that 9 p.m. hour as the strongest possibility. If the network decides to change-up the order of its shows, Stargate would probably move to 10 p.m. rather than 8 p.m.
Here’s what SGU will be up against on Tuesday nights this fall:
ABC
8 p.m. – No Ordinary Family
9 p.m. – Dancing With the Stars (Results Show)
10 p.m. – Detroit 1-8-7
CBS
8 p.m. – NCIS
9 p.m. – NCIS: Los Angeles
10 p.m. – The Good Wife
NBC
8 p.m. – The Biggest Loser
9 p.m. – The Biggest Loser
10 p.m. – Parenthood
FOX
8 p.m. – Glee
9 p.m. – Raising Hope / Running Wilde (new sitcoms)
10 p.m. – local programming
The CW
8 p.m. – One Tree Hill
9 p.m. – Life Unexpected
10 p.m. – local programming
See the full week’s programming grid and upfront coverage at The Futon Critic.
That’s in addition to other cable channels, of course. USA, TNT, TBS, HBO, and Showtime are among the competitors for eyeballs in the growing market of original cable programming — though not all program original dramas on Tuesday nights.
Also note that the schedule above only takes us through the fall season. At midseason (January), the networks will introduce new shows and shuffle around the schedule. Should Syfy keep Universe on Tuesdays in the spring, it could face ratings champs like American Idol (8-9:30 p.m. performance show).
OUR TAKE: That 9 p.m. slot looks surprisingly good for the sort of show that SGU is. It wouldn’t be up against anything that is remotely like it. Dancing with the Stars always draws a lot of eyeballs, but it’s a very different sort of show. For those looking for a scripted drama at 9 o’clock, three of the five networks are already off the table. The CW has a relationship drama in Life Unexpected. But the big challenge will be the new procedural spin-off — CBS’s NCIS: Los Angeles, which also has the highly rated original as its lead-in.
Keep your browser locked on GateWorld for more as we get closer to the launch of the new fall season! The final three episodes of Stargate Universe Season One begins with “Subversion,” this Friday at 9 p.m. on Syfy.
Looks like SGU may actually stand a chance on Tuesdays. I really hope it works out well.
It looks like they may get some crossover from ABC having No Ordinary Family on at 8pm (which is a lousy lead-in for Dancing with the Stars). I like the new time slot, and hope it treats SGU well.
I’m enjoying SGU very much. I think its a great show and I wish it every success in its new time slot.
I was a bit upset when I learned they were moving to Tuesdays and would compete with NCIS, but here’s hoping they keep the 9pm slot.
Thank goodness I have Directv. Otherwise I would have to DVR the show and watch it on Wednesdays if it goes to the 9 or 10 pm slots. Bedause of the Directv feed, I’d get the show at 6 or 7 pm. I’m still not liking the move to Tuesdays. I think that SyFy is really doing its core base a disservice getting rid of ‘SciFi Fridays.’
Let’s home its Tuesday time is a good for SGU. The series has only gotten better and better in my opinion. The last 5 or so episodes have been all excellent.
http://tvbythenumbers.com/2010/05/18/abc-2010-fall-schedule-vs-2009-fall-schedule-by-the-numbers/51668
When “Dancing with the Stars” ends, “V” will take its place.
I think most SG fans have a DVR or some way to record. The competition isn’t the networks listed but History, Discovery and Science.
I gave up network tv years ago. It makes my head hurt!
Well, I’m safe. We get CBS early prime-time in Sacramento, so I can watch NCIS at 7pm. So far, on the schedule listed, there’s nothing else I’d watch. So, Syfy Tuesday is for me. :)
Still not sure about this change but at least the fall schedule won’t have any genre competition from the networks (afaik). V isn’t coming back till 2011, might even air during SGU’s hiatus, who knows.
The only real compitition in my opinion is the NCIS shows and Glee. HOWEVER, that said, this is a big screw up on gateworlds part for not checking other networks like Discovery, History and other “small” channels that have BIG followings, shows like deadlist catch, man vs wild and so forth come to mind. In any case this move I think is a bad one and or just goes to show the networks big heads are stuck in the past, looking at only air dates and what not instead of tallying DVR in their figures as well. I remember when… Read more »
wganubis, this story is clearly about this week’s broadcast network upfront presentations.
In addition, the vast majority of cable channels have not announced their fall schedules. In most instances, what they might put on Tuesday nights is a matter of speculation based on previous precedents.
The funny thing is that next season, Friday 9pm will be much more competitive than Tuesday 9pm, since it’ll have Body of Proof, The Good Guys/Kitchen Nightmares, CSI:NY, Dateline and Supernatural in that slot.
Oh, you can see the whole broadcast programming schedule in a grid here: http://www.thefutoncritic.com/guide/fall-2010-grid/
the stargate story line is competitive enough and the line up is promising. should be interesting!
@wganubis “I am also surprised to see SyFy is no longer on OnDemand as they were with Caprica and one would think that would have been a natural thing to continue for SGU.”
I have Verizon Fios and SyFy is “On Demand;” however it is in HD only. Currently they have SGU, Ghost Hunders and Eureka.
NCIS & NCIS:LA are big competitors imho. At least for me. So, Wednesday I’ll have three downloads in iTunes now instead of one. :D
@Darren, fair enough.
@EryasDax, really? Hmm, its no longer on my OnDemand then (AT&T uverse), wonder why given how big AT&T is.
that is one BLEAK show schedule! I only saw about 4 shows on it that I care for.. for the whole week,, thankfully there are other cable channels… the network show, for the most part suck..
IMHO