Futon Critic: Sci Fi to Run 'Atlantis' Through Fall

The Futon Critic website has announced that the Sci Fi Channel has confirmed that they will be running Stargate Atlantis all the way through the fall without a long mid-season break. This news has come as no surprise for fans who keep up with Alex Levine and Joseph Mallozzi in their blogs, but no official announcement from the channel, which is known for changing their schedule on the fly, was given until now.

According to the Critic’s “breaking news” announcement, Atlantis will be moved to the 9pm slot when it returns with its 11th episode, “The Lost Tribe”, on October 10 and will be the lead-in to Amanda Tapping’s Sanctuary, which will make its debut the week before (October 3) with a two-hour pilot (starting at 9pm).

The Futon Critic’s reported schedule is as follows (note that the next episode of Atlantis, “Ghost in the Machine”, is not due to air until August 15):

Fridays (August 15-September 26)*
9:00/8:00c – “Stargate Atlantis” (Repeats)
10:00/9:00c – “Stargate Atlantis”

Friday, October 3
9:00/8:00c – “Sanctuary” (Two-Hour Series Premiere)

Fridays (as of October 10)**
9:00/8:00c – “Stargate Atlantis” (New Time Period)
10:00/9:00c – “Sanctuary” (Regular Time Period)

* pre-empted on August 29 for a “Star Trek: Enterprise” marathon (due to Labor Day)
** pre-empted on October 31 for the “Ghost Hunters Live” event

Showing the fifth season all the way through could mean that a long six- to seven-month hiatus awaits fans for the show’s return in June or July 2009 for its sixth season, if one is given to them. Renewal of the show for its sixth season has not yet been announced, but executive producer and co-showrunner Mallozzi has tried to reassure fans that if Atlantis doesn’t return for a sixth season that MGM will most likely allow them to finish their story in a DTV movie just as was done for Stargate SG-1.