Syfy Channel has cancelled outer-space drama and fan favorite Dark Matter.
Executive producer Joseph Mallozzi confirmed the news today on his blog, following a months-long campaign by fans (and spearheaded by Mallozzi himself) to renew the series. The series ended with a cliffhanger finale on August 24, with a total of 39 episodes.
Dark Matter has been a consistent ratings performer for the network, with relatively low live viewership in its Friday night time slot (averaging a bit over 600,000 viewers in the U.S., with a 0.15 rating in the 18 to 49 demographic) followed by big gains in DVR playback — doubling, tripling, or even quadrupling its live numbers. It’s also done well in retaining a large share of its audience year-to-year.
Mallozzi and fellow Dark Matter creator Paul Mullie previously worked for 11 years on all three Stargate television series. Dark Matter was conceived during their time on Stargate and published by Dark Horse Comics in 2012 as a limited-run graphic novel. Their plan was for a 5-season storyline, in which the crew of the Raza awakens from stasis with their memories wiped and are gradually drawn into a corporate war — and an invasion of an alien threat from another realm — that threatens the fate of the galaxy.
Dark Matter filmed in Canada and featured numerous familiar faces from the Stargate series, including guest appearances by Torri Higginson (“Elizabeth Weir”) and David Hewlett (“Rodney McKay”).Amanda Tapping (“Samantha Carter”) also directed two episodes.
Dark Matter premiered on Syfy in June of 2015 as part of the cable channel’s creative reorientation back to space-based shows and other traditional science fiction fare.
The news comes on the same day that Syfy and Canadian broadcaster Space renewed Dark Matter‘s broadcast companion show, Killjoys for two final seasons. Killjoys airs its third season finale tonight (8/7c).
Killjoys‘ average numbers for the current season are only slightly better than Dark Matter — but with 10 hours per year instead of 13, the renewal was likely an easier lift for the networks. A total of twenty episodes will wrap up the story in 2018 and 2019.
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I'm so disappointed. I won't be watching SyFyFriday any more.
Shame on you Syfy. "Dark Matter" is the best series on the network. That being said, I think "Killjoys" is second best, so at least they didn't cancel BOTH shows.
I am so utterly disappointed with the SYFY chanel canceling another great Sci Fi show right when the storyline gets really good. So sad.
SyFy as usual.... making horrible decisions. Just when you thought the network was starting to figure something out, they start cancelling things left and right. Even Killjoys won't get passed the Season 5 barrier.
Well that's disappointing considering that Dark Matter was the best of the two. And in the middle of a cliff hanger as well.
Dark Matter seemed much higher quality in the effects department while I got the impression, on multiple occasions, that Killjoys is the lower budget of the two shows.
the reason why I try not to get wrapped up in shows, the backstab in the middle is too painful when they pull the plug...
Dark Matter was right on the bubble in terms of ratings, and it wasn't an NBC Universal show. So this was always going to be a coin flip. I would have preferred to have both shows back, and while it sucks DM got the axe, at least we have Killjoys.
I'm not only sad it got cancelled but pretty upset Joseph Mallozzi would still allow his shows to end on massive cliff hangers after what happened with sgu. at least when sga ended it felt somewhat of a real series ending compared to dark matter and sgu
Maybe Syfy should start hiring people who actually know what they are doing. How about instead of cancelling it sell the rights to a network who will give it the treatment it deserves.