Just a quick ratings update today as we continue to track the performance of Syfy Channel’s original series heading toward the July premiere of its summer dramas.
Sanctuary drew 815,000 viewers (a 0.3 rating in the Adults 18-49 demo) on Monday with “Awakening,” its first episode after the end of Stargate Universe. This is an improvement of 8 percent from the series low last week, and the first Monday night installment that gained viewers rather than losing them.
| EPISODE (air date) | VIEWERS (million) | CHANGE |
| Pax Romana (Apr. 15) | 1.217 | |
| Hangover (Apr. 22) | 1.424 | + 17% |
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Move to Monday
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| One Night (Apr. 25) | 0.868 | – 39% |
| Metamorphosis (May 2) | 0.838 | – 3% |
| Wingman (May 9) | 0.756 | – 10% |
| Awakening (May 16) | 0.815 | + 8% |
Last Friday, May 13, WWE Smackdown drew 2.635 million viewers over two hours from 8 to 10 p.m.
Finally, an average of 953,500 tuned in to reality series Urban Legends on Friday from 10 to 11 p.m. (1.152 million at 10 p.m., 755,000 at 10:30). This is another drop of 12.5 percent from the previous week.
Syfy will stake a big claim to Monday nights when it debuts a 3-hour block of scripted dramas on July 11, comprised of returning series Warehouse 13 and Eureka, and new series Alphas.
IMHO, the move is still very wrong and bad for the show. It rose, but barely anything at all. Sure it’s done it’s best for it’s time on Mon, but still some of it’s worst ever ratings in the history of the show. It’s gone from an F in the ratings to a D, and the move still, IMO, has yet to prove itself, and so far, it’s had 4 failed nights. NO where near being right about the move. In the long run, this is not going to work for the show, it’s not already, and even IF it… Read more »
This was also the first worthwhile episode since the move.
That is sad
Make sure not to tune in to this or anything else on Syfy until they start bringing us Science Fiction, and stop disrespecting their fans. While it would suck to lose a good show like Sanctuary, Syfy is trying to kill it anyway. I’d rather it went out on our terms, than on theirs.
I’ll probably continue to watch Eureka, and maybe continue to watch Warehouse 13, but I’m certainly not getting into any of their new stuff like Alphas that they will cancel just as soon as I get into it.
at least it’s not bleeding viewers anymore, and, it’s going UP! :)
but it’s still a troubling rating, especially when you know what they were getting before the move. and btw, darren, your graph is *great* (i’ve saved it) it shows the real impact this move has made.
i’m hoping sanctuary will be moved back to fridays for season 4. but more than anything else, i just hope the series continues. :)
@jshier – I agree. This was the first episode that I really enjoyed since the move. The others were just plain boring and painful.
I actually liked the Metamorphosis, which in my opinion, is the best way I’ve ever seen a transformation story, because at first we were seeing it literally from Will’s POV
It’s still the 2nd lowest of all time.. Either the move killed it or people are actually boycotting.. Maybe both
its still down almost 1/2 of its viewers since the change to monday nights
I gotta say after the past several episodes I’m glad the series was relegated to 13 episodes a season. Too much Will and not enough of the rest of the cast. Still, the move makes no sense if SyFy is trying to GAIN viewers. its clear that the week prior to the move, Sanctuary was still strong and had risen from its previous week, yet three days later when they moved it it hits a series low. Not great episodes, but still evident that it is the night, not the show that’s the problem. Should stick to airing scripted series… Read more »
IMO, the ratings were good because, after a few “clunkers” in a row (which is rare for a MAD-helmed show), we finally get a great episode. I would think ratings for next week’s episode, “Normandy” might be even higher.
The move from Fridays to Mondays for Sanctuary was an extreme schedule change for me. Instead of having the full week to get the other shows on my viewing schedule “out of the way” so I could look forward to Sanctuary, now the show is here right after the weekend, and I don’t seem to be prepared for it.
Next thing you know, they’ll claim it was SGU’s fault and the fans that didn’t like the show FRAK YOU SYFY!
I’m waiting for the open letter where they tell fans that “since we (the fans) abandoned the show” they have decided not to renew it after all.
First I like to say I’m glad it’s going up Monday ep. was one of the best I also agree with Wraithkelso I too love the ep Metamorphosis. I love the way they did it from Will POV. it was just great. Now if they can just stop bringing on Abby she is bringing it down.
I also notice on TV by numbers they said that SYFY has aquired two season of a new show call Lost girl. So Hmmmm.
SyFy management won’t admit that they are guilty of Pride, Ignorance, and Arrogance by flogging the Monday night “Dead Horse”.
I reckon the only way this will change is when Heads roll.
They say that over 80% of businesses fail through bad management, but I hope SyFy admits their mistakes before it is too late, and gets back to their roots.
I think that the episodes with the 19th century themes (“Jack The Ripper”, “Tesla”, “John Watson”, “Adam/Jekyl&Hyde”) are the most interesting. I *like* Abby and the Hap girlfriend. But I’m a middle-aged man, not a teenage girl. I believe it’s the teenage girls who don’t like female guest spots. That said, my favorite character is Tesla. But I’m an Electrical Engineer so he has a unique appeal for me. As for “Vampyre” angle, I can take it or leave it. So the TPTB have to decide who their target audience is. But I’ll keep watching regardless. Oh, and THANK YOU… Read more »
WWE Smackdown what a joke, and it’s so freaking fake.bah!
@Ekras: Are you for real? Why would I intentionally hurt shows I like – Sanctuary, Eureka, Warehouse 13, Alphas – just because they canned one series? That’s so childish. If I did that every time a network dropped a show I liked, I wouldn’t have anything to watch.
And considering they turned BSG:B&C into a movie that could serve as a backdoor pilot if successful, I think it’s pretty obvious that they don’t plan to drop sci-fi, they just need to find a show that people actually want to see live.
nearly all Syfy’s shows are unwatchable. But the fans abandoned SGU thats the reason it had to be canceled, they werent getting money out of it. It was out of anyone’s hands, sci-fi in general is a hard sell, no other network would ever risk having a show set in space nowadays. SG-1 and SGA werent set in space.
@Duneknight
You are right about the fact that sci fi is a hard sell. They are not doing to good on some of the other networks.
There was a time a few years ago when I remember noting that the Sci-Fi channel accounted for about 3/4 of my TV viewing hours. Now I don’t even bother seeing whats on Syfy these days. Wrestling is about the most moronic show I have ever had the misfortune of seeing and most the other new shows display about the same level of brainlessness. Shows like Sanctuary and Eureka are OK, never really grabbed me, but I’ll happily watch them if I find them on, but whenever I put the channel on these days it’s some “trash TV” like wrestling,… Read more »
Every new show I’ve watched over the past two years has been canceled, with the exception of A Game of Thrones and The Walking Dead, both of which are on non-standard networks (HBO for the first and AMC for the second). That being said, some older shows have been successful. Fringe so far has gotten renewed every year (and its on FOX for crying out loud!) and so has Chuck, though next season will be its last 5 years is a good run for any genre show. Sad thing is, SyFy was originally created as a sci-fi network and its… Read more »
Anyone still doubting SeeFee bad intentions? Its simple, the show they want to get rid of are moved to dead-monday and when its time to renew, they pull the ratings card out. They dont care about our opinions and they just proved it one more time. How long before people start to wake up and drop that channel once and for all?
I hope SeeFee has a slow and costly death.
I believe Sanctuary is not as well this season, at all way to cheesy and hoaky and enough with wil’s new girlfriend she is way to cheesy and annoying please get rid of her . and will we ever see Magnus’s daughter ever again. what is she doing now the actor have not seen her in anything since she left sanctuary. Please bring back the good episodes of last season and less chesy episodes. thanks and long live SGU!!!
@Browncoat1984 – I agree, every since TSSC got canned scfi-fi programs have been getting canned left right and center.. Now SGU has gone I wont be watching any new stuff.. Game of Thrones is immense, probably the next best thing to SGU, I just hope it lasts
OF COURSE the ratings for Sanctuary went UP with this episode, other than episode 11 of this season, this is the ONLY one that is vaguely interesting. The hollow earth city stories are vaguely interesting, the concubine and wolf boy on a date that never happens, YAWN, total waste of script and film and air time!
I’ve been recording all the reruns of SG1 and Atlantis on Syfy. Is there anyway to see what the ratings are on those? I wonder what if ratings on reruns and itunes buys and dvds sales just go through the roof. Do you think they will actually do the right thing and bring it back? I’m pessimestic on TV cause all they do is cancel AWESOME programs and I just have to sit and take it, but I feel like we are many here and we can actually do something to make change happen. Anyone agree?
Next show to be axed? Why don’t they put all the wrestling stuff on Mondays and see how do their so beloved ratings grow with that wonder of show instead of moving series to that black hole?