Syfy Channel launched its brand new line of Monday night original dramas this week, drawing an average of more than 2 million viewers over three hours and growing its audience hour-to-hour.
New superhero drama Alphas premiered at the top of the pack, ratings-wise, while Eureka and Warehouse 13 returned with strong numbers — despite some year-to-year erosion.
Eureka began the night with the start of the back half of its fourth season, picking up an estimated 2.02 million viewers (Live + Same Day) in the 8 p.m. time slot and a 1.5 average household rating, according to Syfy. (Check out our sister site, SciFi Stream, for a full set of interviews with the Eureka cast!)
The series has already been renewed and is currently filming its fifth season in Vancouver.
At 9 p.m. Warehouse 13 returned for its third season, with 2.34 million viewers and a 1.74 rating.
Syfy capped off the night with the premiere of Alphas at 10 p.m., averaging 2.52 million viewers (a 1.84 rating) for its 90-minute premiere. That’s the strongest original series premiere Syfy has had since Warehouse 13 bowed in 2009. (Not coincidentally, it’s also the first original, scripted drama since then to premiere in the summertime.)
But the move to Monday wasn’t all flowers and candy for the two returning shows. Eureka‘s premiere was down 10 percent from last summer’s finale, and 20 percent from the season premiere last July (Fridays). Warehouse 13 dipped 2.5 percent from September’s Season Two finale, and 21 percent from last July’s premiere (Tuesdays).
The new Monday night line-up is the first time (that we can remember) since the Friday night line-up of Stargate SG-1, Stargate Atlantis, and Battlestar Galactica that the cable network has stacked three original, scripted dramas on the same night, which surely helps retain audience members from one hour to the next. Syfy’s strategy in recent years has been to spread out its original programming to cover more nights of the week.
The big premiere numbers demonstrates not just viewers’ love for these shows, but further proves that Syfy’s original dramas perform markedly better during the less competitive summer season — especially when they aren’t airing on Friday nights.
Later this week, Syfy will premiere unscripted originals Ghost Hunters and Legend Quest (series premiere) on Wednesday, followed by the second season premiere of scripted Haven on Friday. Since that show enjoys the post-wrestling time slot, we’ll be very interested to compare Haven‘s ratings with the new Monday night block next week.
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So.... not as good as SGU started out.
ESPN had the home run derby and History's 'Pawn Stars' Records Net's Second Biggest Audience During Crossover Event at History's The Pick, The Pawn & The Polish crossover event, featuring its popular thrifting shows American Pickers, American Restoration and Pawn Stars, averaged 6.7 million total viewers from 9 p.m. to11 p.m. Monday night.
American Pickers led the 9 p.m. premiere with 6.3 million total viewers, including 2.6 million persons 18 to 49.
American Restoration followed at 10 p.m., rising to 6.7 million total viewers and 3 million viewers with the aforementioned demo, according to Nielsen data.
The last part of the crossover, Pawn Stars, drew the highest number of viewers, with 7.6 million total viewers and 3.4 million of the Madison Avenue-coveted group, making it the network's second-most-watched telecast ever behind the 7.7 million for the Jan. 31 installment of the show.
Syfy has ALWAYS belonged to the summer. If this were fall, those ratings would be SO much lower.
it always starts at 2mil then they mess with the show and it ends up 400 and getting cancelled.
Wasnt the Alphas premiere 60min, it says 90 min in the post. Just letting you know
This is a good point by Darren: Sci-Fi Fridays was a great example of doing a smart programming move-- that is, stacking original scripted shows together on the same night to keep as much viewer erosion as possible to a minimum. (And, perchance, do exactly what Sci-Fi Fridays actually DID do: *increase* those same viewers over the course of time.)
While I don't think that a Monday night will get the same pure numbers for sci-fi fans as a Friday, I think bundling all three of these shows together on any night (sans Tuesday-- bad memories!) will increase the chances for all three to succeed on SyFy's very iffy programming board.
I wholeheartedly agree Greenfire. I loved that SyFy aired their programs in the summer because that means less programs for me to have to keep track of during the fall. There's some great sci-fi airing right now with Eureka and Warehouse 13 (I haven't seen Alphas yet so can't comment) and the return of Torchwood! Who says there's nothing to watch during the summer? I'm almost watching as much now as I do during the fall when you add Deadliest Catch to that mix!
On a completely un-related note, when are we going to see the next Gateworld podcast? You guys still got one episode of SGU to cover! I've been dying to hear your discussion on it!
didn't SGU premiered with greater numbers? AND it wasnt even summer!!! their "highest" ratings for alphas' were SGU'S normal average-ish rating per episode (close)....i don't get it
Alphas does not excite me.. I found at least 2 characters annoying... and made me wish Heroes was still around...
SGU shouldve been a summer show.