When Syfy’s extremely solid, enjoyably retro Ascension aired as an event miniseries last December, there were active talks about continuing the story it set up in a regular series, á la Battlestar Galactica. Now, however, network brass has nixed those plans, likely discouraged by the mini’s less-than-spectacular ratings.
Speaking to Deadline, Syfy explained, “We were very happy with Ascension as an event series, but with so much high profile development in the works, we have decided not to pursue a full series.”
The three-night limited series, which I awarded three stars, premiered to a so-so 1.8 million viewers. Given the network’s extensive advertising and maneuvering of the series as a massive small-screen event, those numbers had to sting a little.
Just because Syfy is passing on an Ascension TV series, though, that doesn’t mean the project is totally dead. Universal Cable Productions, Lionsgate TV and Jason Blum’s Blumhouse Productions, all of which produced the mini, have the option of shopping it around to other networks – though Ascension‘s small fanbase makes an off-network resurrection extremely unlikely. Still, actor Gil Bellows, among others, have taken to Twitter to voice hope that the series will find a new home somewhere other than Syfy.
@Ascension_TV #AscensionFans @SyfyTV did not pick up the show . #WeNeedAnotherHome
— gil bellows (@realgilbellows) March 7, 2015
What do you think, readers? Should Ascension continue as a TV series? Or was the miniseries enough for you? Sound off below.
