Back in 2011, Syfy cancelled “Stargate Universe,” the last remaining space-based sci-fi series on the network. In its place, Syfy continued on its “Blue Skies Sci-fi” series, “Eureka,” “Haven” and “Warehouse 13” along with an ever expanding schlock-fest of made-for-TV movies like Sharknado.
However, real sci-fi may be coming back to Syfy. On top of the previously announced miniseries adaptations of Larry Niven’s Ringworld and on Arthur C. Clarke’s Childhood’s End, Syfy has announced that it is developing “Ascension” as an original six hour miniseries.
Created by Philip Levens (‘Smallville’), “Ascension” takes place in a timeline in which the United States government launched a secret space mission in 1963 to colonize another planet. The story picks up 50 years later on the starship Ascension, as the hundreds of men, women and children on the ship are rocked by a murder that makes them question the nature of their mission.
While speaking with The Hollywood Reporter, Syfy’s new Executive Vice President of Programming, Bill McGoldrick.indicated that Syfy is ready to reclaim some of its former sci-fi glory. “We want to be the best science-fiction channel that we possibly can, and in some respects, that means going back to the more traditional sci-fi/fantasy that fans often say they feel we’ve exited,” said Howe. “We’re going to occupy that space in a way we haven’t for the past few years.”
“That’s the way to send a message in a big way that we’re back and we care about sci-fi,” continued McGoldrick. “There is enormous pressure to get that back, because we used to own it. And we’re going to own it again.”
Reportedly, Syfy will also cut down on its original TV movies. But Sharknado isn’t going anywhere. Sharknado 2 is coming later this year and McGoldrick hinted that it may become an annual event for the network.
