Syfy’s space-based series The Ark will stay afloat as the network has given it the greenlight for a second season. That was never a sure thing as the show has pulled mediocre at best viewership throughout its first season (despite the claims of “strong ratings” by Deadline). It started with decent numbers for its network but saw those quickly drop off, though it would later trend back up (see chart below). The show has performed well in delayed viewing, but since this is an acquisition that does not help the network much. It only makes money for Syfy based on the ads from the live broadcast (and to a lesser extent the digital viewing), and the ad rates are driven heavily by same-day viewing numbers. For that reason, I have had it On the Bubble for most of the season, though I previously suggested that it had a chance because its viewership has been similar to Reginald the Vampire which premiered back in Fall 2022 and also received a second season renewal.
In addition to the modest ratings, The Ark has not scored well with critics and viewers in its first season. It currently holds only a 36% Tomatometer Score and 44% Audience Score at Rotten Tomatoes. (You can read my review at this link.) The sci fi community has had a fairly negative reaction to the show so far, but it has still managed to develop somewhat of a following. Since Syfy is giving the show a chance despite low ratings and generally poor feedback, perhaps creators Dean Devlin and Jonathan Glassner can course correct and smooth out some of the rough edges in the second year. But fans should do what they can to bring attention to the show because Syfy has a history of poor promotion for its own originals. The Season 1 finale airs April 19th, and the full first season is available for streaming on Peacock.
This renewal brings the Cancellation/Renewal Score for the season to 28 renewed (36% of shows tracked) vs. 28 cancelled and ending (36%) which is the first time the score has been even since I started tracking it. You can see the detailed list of shows from the current season and keep up with the score throughout the week at our Cancellation Watch Page.
| Show Count | 78 | ||
| Cancelled | 14 | 17.9% | |
| Ending | 14 | 17.9% | 35.9% |
| Renewed | 28 | 35.9% | |
| On the Bubble | 12 | 15.4% | |
| Renewal Possible | 10 | 12.8% |
The Ark follows an Earth spaceship sent to colonize another world that meets with disaster along the way. The survivors must figure out how to repair the damage and get the ship back on course while dealing with very limited resources and a crew pushed to their limits. It stars Christie Burke, Reece Ritchie, Richard Fleeshman, Stacey Michelle Read, and Ryan Adams.
We are well into the current season and there are still more renewals and cancellations on the way, so be sure to stay tuned to this site for news and updates. You can see the status of all the currently airing and returning sci fi and fantasy shows on our Cancellation Watch Page. And be sure to follow the Cancelled Sci Fi Twitter Site for breaking news.
CancelledSciFi.com: Keep up with the status updates of all the airing, returning, and upcoming sci fi and fantasy shows for the current season with our Cancellation Watch posts. And be sure to follow the Cancelled Sci Fi Twitter Site for breaking news and updates.
SciFiTVSite.com: Follow our Sci Fi TV Schedule for all the currently airing and upcoming sci fi and fantasy television shows, and you can see the premieres for all the upcoming genre entries at this link.
Good! It was better than I expected. And to be honest, I do need the occasional dose of crazy low-budget B-picture SciFi. 😉