Syfy Resets Ascension As 3-Night Event
The mini-series will now premiere on December 15
A little over a month before the planned November 23 premiere of Ascension, Syfy Channel is rethinking its strategy for airing the mini-series.
The original plan was to air the six hours of Ascension weekly on Monday nights, from Thanksgiving week through the end of the year. Instead, the cable network announced this week that it will go the more traditional route of mini-series “event” programming: two-hour installments, three nights in a row.
Ascension will now premiere on Monday, December 15 (9/8c) and continue through Wednesday, December 17.
The ambitious drama from Philip Levens (Smallville) tells the story of 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. Halfway 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.
Check out the trailer below, and get ready for Ascension on December 15!
