BREAKING: Ascension – Syfy Delays Launch Date, Updates Mission Schedule

By: Tom Gardiner

Ascension event series Miniseries schedule Science Fiction space opera syfy

For reasons that are currently, and may remain permanently, unclear (and isn’t that so often the case with network decisions?), Syfy has recently announced a “Scheduling Alert”, which is their way of saying they’ve moved back the premiere date of Ascension from November 24 to December 15.

One thing they’ve cleared up, however, is how and when all the episodes will air. All six hours of the “limited event series” will air over three consecutive nights, so that’s Monday the 15th, Tuesday the 16th, and Wednesday the 17th of December.

I’ve got mixed feelings about this which I will share with you in a later post … whether you like it or not. In it, I’ll try to weigh the pros and cons with some semblance of intelligence and sanity, but I make no promises.

UPDATE: As threatened, I’ve weighed in on the move here: Ascension‘s Sudden Schedule Change: Good News or Bad News? Believe me, I tried to remain optimistic, but at the same time realistic. Please head over there, and down in the comments you can let me know just what kind of an idiot I really am. Seriously, all comments are welcome, even rambling, off-topic ones. Just don’t try to sell me any ED remedies. Thx.

Read the full press release below:

SCHEDULING ALERT:

SYFY’S ASCENSION

3-NIGHT, 6-HOUR LIMITED EVENT SERIES

TO PREMIERE MONDAY, DECEMBER 15 @ 9 PM

Nights Two and Three to Air Tuesday, December 16 and Wednesday, December 17 @ 9pm

About “Ascension”

Created and written by executive producer and showrunner Philip Levens (“Smallville”), “Ascension” is an ambitious original drama following a covert U.S. space mission launched in the 1960’s that sent hundreds of men, women and children on a century-long voyage aboard the starship Ascension to populate a new world. Half way into their journey, as they approach the point of no return, the mysterious murder of a young woman causes the ship’s population to question the true nature of their mission.

The series stars Brandon P. Bell (“Hollywood Heights”) as the confident and capable First Officer Aaron Gault, Brian Van Holt (“Cougar Town,” “The Bridge”) as the eponymous ship’s Captain William Denninger, and Tricia Helfer (“Battlestar Galactica”) as Viondra Denninger, the captain’s beautiful, manipulative and dangerous wife (who also serves as the ship’s Chief Steward).

Joining Bell, Van Holt and Helfer are Tiffany Lonsdale as Chief Astronomer Emily Vanderhaus, Andrea Roth as the ship’s head doctor Juliet Bryce, Jacqueline Byers as her daughter, Nora Bryce, and P.J. Boudousqué as Nora’s love interest, James Toback.

“Ascension” is produced by Lionsgate Television and Sea to Sky Studios in association with Blumhouse Productions. Jason Blum (“Stranded,” “The River,” film franchises “Paranormal Activity” and “The Purge”) is an executive producer on the project along with Ivan Fecan, Tim Gamble and Brett Burlock on behalf of Sea to Sky Studios. The event series will be co-financed and distributed by Universal Cable Productions and Lionsgate Television.