The new series Sanctuary, featuring many Stargate alumni, scored big ratings for Sci Fi Channel on Friday Oct 3, 2008. Here is the press release:
VIEWERS SEEK ‘SANCTUARY’ ON SCI FI
#1 Program Among Adults 25-54
2.7 Million Tune In For Series Premiere
New York, NY October 6, 2008 SCI FI’s groundbreaking new original series Sanctuary, which premiered on Friday, October 3 (9-11 pm), was the #1 primetime cable entertainment program among Adults 25-54 and the #4 among Adults 18-49. Sanctuary delivered more than 2.7 million total viewers (P2+), 1.08 million Adults 18-49, and 1.4 million Adults 25-54. With its 2.2 HH rating, Sanctuary is the highest rated original series premiere since Eureka made Channel history in July 2006.
Sanctuary helped to make SCI FI the #1 cable network airing entertainment programming in 8-11 pm primetime with Adults 25-54, and among adults 18-49 the Channel was ranked #2.
SCIFI.com also had record highs. Since measurement began in 2006, Sanctuary is the best performance online for any SCI FI series debut in all key metrics. Sanctuary’s web performance boosted SCIFI.com to 1.2 million page views, 208,000 uniques, and 287,000 video streams on Friday, October 3, 2008.
Sanctuary follows the adventures of the beautiful, enigmatic and always surprising Dr. Helen Magnus (Tapping), a brilliant scientist who holds the secrets of a clandestine population a group of strange and sometimes terrifying beings that hide among humans. Along with her new recruit, forensic psychiatrist Dr. Will Zimmerman (Robin Dunne), her quirky tech wiz Henry (Ryan Robbins) and her fearless daughter Ashley (Emilie Ullerup), Magnus seeks to protect this threatened phenomena as well as unlock the mysteries behind their existence. The series also stars Christopher Heyerdahl as the sinister John Druitt.
Created by Damian Kindler (Stargate SG-1, Stargate Atlantis), Sanctuary is produced in association with SCI FI Channel and is distributed by Tricon Films and Television. The show is executive produced by Damian Kindler, Sam Egan, Amanda Tapping, Martin Wood, Keith Beedie, and N. John Smith.
The show was awful, expect the ratings to drop like a stone.
Honestly, I’ve seen worse, but nowadays that’s not saying much. I think the overall lack of an obvious through arc will ultimately spell the end for this one. That’s without mentioning the thin plot lines and the uninspired characters.