iwNEWS: Galactica Cancelled?

Reporter Rob Owen of the Pittsburgh Post Gazette attended an NBC Universal party Friday night and had an opportunity to talk with executives and cast of Battlestar Galactica. Sc Fi Channel on which Battlestar Galactica appears is owned by NBC.


In an article that appeared January 16, Owen wrote: “Despite stellar reviews, ratings are down, not necessarily because fewer people are watching, but because so many viewers are watching on DVR or via iTunes downloads, not on cable. Sci Fi Channel executives hope to reverse the ratings trend by moving Galactica to 10 p.m. Sunday this weekend, but they're not ready to discuss the show's future.”

"I can't talk about season four," Owen quoted Sci Fi Channel executive vice president of original programming Mark Stern.

Because the contracts with the actors expire next month, Stern said a decision on renewal will come by mid-February.

Actress Tricia Helfer, who stars in Galactica as the Cylon Number Six, acknowledged that the current third season, which wrapped production before Christmas, doesn't end with "anything tied up, that's for sure."

"I think we all feel like it's coming back," Helfer said, "but we don't know. We're all looking at [this time as a break, not an ending], but in this business you never know."

Helfer said the move to Sunday is viewed by some as a death knell, because Sunday is more competitive than Friday. Others see it as potential salvation because more people watch TV on Sunday and might tune in.