Battlestar Galactica Series?

[Lorien1]

'Battlestar Galactica' Has Boffo Ratings

Author: Michael Hinman
Source: Zap2it
Good word of mouth? Looks like it.

In an industry where a two-part miniseries generally experiences a fall off from its premiere episode, "Battlestar Galactica" on the Sci-Fi Channel did the exact opposite.

According to ratings released through Zap2it, the second part of "Battlestar Galactica" that aired Tuesday night was the most-watched program on cable television Tuesday night where 4.5 million viewers tuned in to see the fate of the 12 Colonies of Kobol and the Galactica herself. That's an increase (yes, I said increase) over the first night's performance of 3.9 million viewers. The BSG audience was the third best ever for Sci-Fi, trailing only the miniseries "Taken" (which had Steven Spielberg attached) and "Dune." It also was Sci-Fi's best night of the year in total viewers and in all key demographics.

Zap2it described Sci-Fi Channel's officials reaction to the ratings as "ecstatic."

Word should be coming down in the near future on whether or not the ratings were enough to earn the project its own series. But it's safe to say that the chances of there being a "Battlestar Galactica" series on the Fall 2004 schedule is highly, highly likely.

 

[dvo47p]

New Shows on The NOT Scifi Channel

December 16th, 2003 00:43 AM

Press Release Source: SCI FI Channel
SCI FI Channel Doubles Dramatic Series Development


SCI FI Channel, already a leader in NOT SCIENCE FICTION announced today that it has doubled its series development for '04-'05.

Ok, find the one science fiction show, it is not hard:

1.) Dead Lawyers --. Sleazy unscrupulous lawyers, come back from the dead?

2.) The Divide -- A latenight DJ, his dead twin sister, and the local coroner -- teamed up to fight crime?

3.) Legion A young man who sells his soul to the devil to save his daughter's life?

4.) Stargate: Atlantis MGM Television, Finally Science Fiction on The Scifi Channel, call the Press!

5.) Painkiller Jane SCI FI and MGM bring to life a virtually indestructible super-heroine?

6.) Clive Barker's The Evil One, come on, Clive Barker?

7.) Total Eclipse -- Jeremy Cross arrives at his new teaching and research position at Greylock, a beautiful and prestigious college, only to discover that the school is a nexus of the otherworldly, arcane, and supernatural? Stolen from Harry Potter?

8.) Suture Girl --Gretchen Culver from "Spawn" Whacked by a serial killer, a beautiful is literally stitched back to life and imbued with special powers by gypsies?

9.) Ok A Mad Mad World or House, Reality TV but with Vampires not Dracula fans, people that drink blood, sleep in coffins, Trekkies that live it, speak Klingon, Naturist, I emailed an Elizabeth that was doing Casting, she wants guys to dangle? Various other WIERDOS! That Shannon 90210 show on steroids?

10.) Series projects currently in development include Quantum Leap, Anonymous Rex, Reveille's 1000 Days and Brother Voodoo.

The Quantum Leap crowd had a lot of “Leap On†posts, they are no longer doing those “Leap on†postings go figure?

Battlestar Galactica was about according to Ronald D. Moore about $14 million dollars for four hours. Or 3.5 million per 44 minute an episode. Very good ratings on a third string cable channel with ads. Compare this to Spielberg’s Taken, $40 million for ten episodes, so four million bucks per 42 minutes. Her lies the rub to knock off about the cost of one million per episode Scifi needs to commit to 22 episodes. $25 million bucks, not too much for a first tier network, but a bottom line breaker to a third tier one, like Scifi.

Remember Tremors, despite terrible rating it made money. The Invisible Man had a great cost earnings ratio but was canceled. Look at the list of shows I got off The Scifi Wire, only the Stargate Atlantis program will exceed one million bucks per episode. Cheap reality shows and poor quality horror/fantasy shows are cost to earning, winners. Science fiction enthusiast like me and Ray (hi ya guy) are not in this equation.

No Battlestar Galactica listed; NBC is buying all this Vivendi owned stuff some Universal, some MCA, most off USA and The Scifi Channel, changes shall be made.

 

[ray gower]

Given that the days of audiences in 10's of millions is probably well and truly over, the signs are at least encouraging.

That it won't be in the first of the new year isn't surprising. Given the time it took to get the mini done, it is unlikely for the second half either. Besides I think I'd prefer it if they took time to write a proper series before they start filming. So here is to 2005!