S8 PREMIERE BREAKS RECORDS

Human Replicator FifthSCI FI Wire reports that “The two-hour eighth-season premiere of the SCI FI Channel original series Stargate SG-1 broke records with a 2.4 rating in its July 9 initial airing, the network announced. The two-part episode “New Order” captured 3.22 million viewers, making it the most-watched original episode of Stargate SG-1 in the series’ history.

The episode also broke all of SCI FI’s previous viewership records for original series:

•It was the first episode of a SCI FI original series to deliver more than 3 million viewers.
•It was the first episode of a SCI FI original series to deliver more than 2 million viewers aged 25-54.
•It was the highest-rated and most-watched episode of Stargate SG-1 on SCI FI.
•It was the highest-rated and most-watched program on SCI FI in 2004.
•It was the most-watched Stargate SG-1 episode in its entire eight-year cable run.
•It was the most-watched episode of an original series in SCI FI history.

The Stargate SG-1 season premiere led SCI FI Channel to the top slot for the night among viewers 25-54 and second place among 18- to 49-year-olds.

Carter is tortured and imprisoned by FifthYahoo News from Variety.com also picked up the story “Season Eight of “Stargate SG-1” blasted off to the highest original series ratings in the channel’s history.

With a rating of 2.4, “New Order” scored 3.2 million overall viewers, making it the most-watched episode in the show’s history, as well as the most-watched series episode for the network year-to-date. “Stargate” is the first original skein to chalk up an audience of more than 3 million for an episode.

“The eighth season is doing better than the show has ever done, period,” Sci Fi/USA topper Bonnie Hammer said. “It’s the best of comfort television. It’s not serialized, so audiences enjoy it, knowing if they miss an episode they can still watch. And after all this time, it hasn’t gotten stale — the writers still love the series.”

SCI FI Wire
Yahoo News: Variety.com