If Stargate Universe is going to reach new viewers and improve its audience share by moving to Tuesday nights, the show has a tall hill to climb.
“Intervention,” the Season Two premiere, drew approximately 1.175 million viewers to Syfy Channel at 9 p.m. last night, according to TV By the Numbers. That’s a 20 percent drop from the season finale, which aired in early June.
The Stargate franchise has historically added big numbers when DVR-delayed viewing is factored in — as much as 40 to 50 percent, some weeks (not to mention the heavy online viewing of the genre audience). Syfy is gambling that moving the show from the less-watched Friday night time slot to a night when more people around the country are watching television will help, both with the DVR time-shifting and by exposing the series to more people.
The network has had big success on Tuesday nights in the summer time. That’s when its two highest-rated original dramas — Warehouse 13 and Eureka — air. Warehouse‘s second season finale aired in the same time slot just one week ago, drawing 2.4 million viewers.
But the fall months are, of course, significantly more competitive. SGU is up against popular shows and brand new series on all major broadcast networks (which don’t program their Friday nights as aggressively), including:
Dancing With the Stars (ABC)
NCIS: Los Angeles (CBS)
The Biggest Loser (hour 2) (NBC)
Raising Hope / Running Wilde (FOX)
Life Unexpected (The CW)
Also in Stargate‘s disfavor is the absence of any lead-in or lead-out series to help draw viewers to the cable network. The previous week’s new episode will repeat at 8 p.m. starting next week; Caprica will join SGU at 10 p.m. next week.
“Intervention” is the lowest-rated episode of the series to date (unseating “Incursion, Part 1”). With the show’s current fan base following Universe to Tuesday nights, hopefully it can only build from here as awareness spreads.
New episodes of Stargate Universe continue next Tuesday with “Aftermath” at 9 p.m. (8 Central) on Syfy!
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If I still had cable my 46 would be tuned into the show but I watch it on hulu and various other sites.It sucks that i'm part of the problem, SGU is a good show that deserves more from its fanbase.
Disappointed to hear this. A lot of the SGU fans I know on Twitter spent most of the last couple of days putting the word out about the show's premiere and it still didn't seem to reach a lot of people. Someone posted on a MB I visit that they hadn't realized the new season had started until they saw Intervention on Hulu. I don't get Syfy here in Canada but it seems like they really could have done more to promote the new night and premiere date. How does this compare with the ratings from SGA's last year? Should we start a "Save SGU" campaign?
it is a rough night for tuesdays, NCIS, NCIS LA, Good Wife, etc. all lined up within 2-3 hours of each to compete with SGU......NOW I hear that BSG: Caprica is also moving to Tuesday nights.
Nasty move for SYFY.....both series are in serious trouble on Tuesday nights.
In Germany Stargate Universe is a show everybody is looking foreward to. I'm a huge fan of the franchise and hopefully there will be much more seasons of SGU. Unfortunately SGA has been canceled, but the writers and directors are getting better every episode they make, so i see no reason for cancelling the best sci fi show airing these days (SGU)
greetings from Germany, and the German Fanbase.
KingInExile
Corpse-Tree Digital Designs
uh oh. I hope they wrap up the story line for the fans, if this does turn out to be the final season.
On the other hand, I did see a number of tweets from people who hadn't realized the show had moved to Tuesdays
But not sure how many fall into that category, it would have to be quite a few to get a good bump in the ratings.
In my heart of hearts, though, my first reaction is that they should have stuck with SGA. Or ran them at the same time. Would have been an entirely different world, emotionally, for many fans.
I couldnt watch it live :( It sucks, as well, that my favorite show isn't doing well because of me! And millions of others like me ...
That does suck, especially considering the major decisions on a third season are going to have to be made before this 2nd season and play out. ie if it's halway through the season and people are still slowly coming back (adjusting to the time changes or plot improvements) then it might be too little too late.
As for me I make sure the tv is on. I'm willing to give it a few episodes to win me back after the dramafest that was most of season 1.
The ratings are disappointing and they have to improve (or at the very least not decrease any further) for the possibility of a 3rd season.
I do think that I should add though that the competition on a Tuesday night is not the only factor involved. Warehouse 13's season finale went up against very similar competition and its ratings even increased.
@ Craig MacD.
SGA got on average 1.6 million viewers in its 5th season.
@ Darren
The finale of Warehouse 13 aired at the same time as:
Dancing With the Stars (ABC)
NCIS: Los Angeles (CBS)
The Biggest Loser (hour 2) (NBC)
Raising Hope / Running Wilde (FOX)
Life Unexpected (The CW)
http://tvbythenumbers.com/2010/09/22/tv-ratings-tuesday-glee-sings-modest-starts-for-running-wilde-raising-hope-detroit-1-8-7-parenthood-down/64590
With other words the finale of Warehouse 13 had the same strong competition like SGU.
This show is done. So, I am wondering if they will write a proper ending for it or will they just cancel it abruptly?