[[ href http www.syfy.com ]] Syfy’s limited series, Ascension has been in the works since last spring. After the series signed on Battlestar Galactica alum Tricia Helfer, the network released an extended preview taking place in 1963 and following a plan to jettison members of the human race into space to ensure humanity survival. Today, we are finally seeing footage from the large ship, 50 years later. It’s large and well-lit and beautiful, but there’s also violence and terror present.
It also doesn’t answer many of our questions about Ascension. We do know that the series will be a six-hour event series. Helfer is signed on to play the ship’s Chief Steward, a beautiful woman who can also be manipulative. Her husband, Captain Denninger, will be played by Cougar Town’s Brian Van Holt. Their relationship will be tumultuous and will be a part of the bigger Ascension picture. The drama will mostly be set at the 50-year mark of the space ship’s journey, following the “mysterious murder” of a young lady that causes the ship to re-think the lengthy mission they have embarked on.
We get the sense that the inhabitants of the ship believe they “are part of something far greater.” There’s a guy speaking, who even says, “Ascension is a life button for humanity.” Unfortunately, the tagline for the series is, “They were given a mission to save humanity, but who will save them?” The whole trailer looks like a utopia gone very, very wrong.
The limited event series hits the schedule next month, and more episodes could potentially be produced should the series become popular. Depending on how the first season pans out, I wouldn’t be shocked to see the series move forward into a second season, as limited shows like Under the Dome and Fargo have gotten additional orders after their early, limited runs. Still, I'm sure we'll have to wait and see how the ratings and the actual storyline pan out on Ascension before we start begging the network for more episodes.
We won't have too long to wait to check the series out. Ascension will premiere on Monday, November 24 at 9 p.m. EST, only on Syfy. You can check out the rest of this fall’s returning dates, here.
If you didn't get to catch the 1963 preview that gives us some information on the backstory of the series, head over to the next page to give it a watch.
