Genre television has never been better, as more and more networks and streaming services get in on bringing high-concept science fiction and horror to the small screen. Syfy has been a big part of that, as the last few years have ushered in a new focus on the programming that put the network on the map, and two of its high-profile originals have just gotten some great news. Fan favorite series Killjoys and Dark Matter were both renewed for their respective third seasons, which will make their debuts in 2017.
Oddly enough, it has been exactly one year since Syfy put in the order for second seasons from Killjoys and Dark Matter, so apparently this is a pattern that worked for everyone involved. And this new renewal, reported by THR, is a sign of faith that Syfy believes both shows are worth their weight in prop guns and leather coats. Fans would definitely agree, but I think we can all give thanks that these series are on Syfy and not most other networks, given the limited audience turnout. (It doesn't hurt that both are relatively inexpensive Canadian imports.)
Killjoys stars Hannah John-Kamen, Aaron Ashmore and Luke Macfarlane as three interplanetary bounty hunters tracking down dangerous fugitives all while a massive war rages on in the cosmos around them, and things have been extremely tense in recent weeks, what with everything involving The Wall and Old Town and Rob Stewart's Khlyen. (No spoilers.) While viewers watching live episodes number around 600,000 - not exactly a reason to celebrate - Killjoys does quite well where delayed viewing is concerned. After a week's worth of DVR watching is accumulated, the show's audience nearly doubles, so that very likely plays into Syfy's reasoning in keeping the show on the air.
That distinction is even bigger when it comes to Dark Matter, which centers on a memory-challenged crew of a spaceship coming to grips with the journey they're on and the consequences - or victories - that come from their decisions, and it stars Marc Bendavid, Melissa O'Neil, Anthony Lemke, Alex Mallari Jr., Jodelle Ferland, Roger Cross, Zoie Palmer, Melanie Liburd and Shaun Sipos. While the live audiences for Dark Matter are close to what Killjoys gets, the former has done better at times in delayed viewing, more than doubling its audience on occasion.
Syfy has been quite charitable with the renewals for its series recently. New action drama Wynona Earp earned itself a second season, as did the novel adaptation The Expanse. The time-flipping 12 Monkeys is coming back for a third season, also, though it's slightly shorter. One can only hope that Van Helsing is great enough to last several years, and that the eventual Brave New World series is equally stellar. I just want all the sci-fi I can handle, guys.
Killjoys will wrap up its 10-episode Season 2 on Friday, September 2, at 8:00 p.m. ET. Dark Matter, meanwhile, still has four episodes left in its sophomore season, and you can find it airing on Friday nights at 9:00 p.m. ET. To see when everything is coming to the small screen later this year, check out our fall TV schedule.
